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Grace and peace [that special sense of spiritual well-being] be multiplied to you in the [true, intimate] knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. --- 2 Peter 1:2 AMP Putting the Word to work: If you ever wanted an instruction manual for your life, know that God’s power has provided everything you need for a dynamic spiritual life and for godliness (see 2 Peter 1:3). You RECEIVE EVERYTHING you NEED through KNOWING HIM and READING HIS WORD. Remember that every one of His promises is for you. Which of His promises do you especially need to remember and believe right now? Everything we need: According to 2 Peter 1:3, God’s power provides everything we need to enjoy great and godly lives, but what He provides comes to us through the full, personal knowledge of Him. We cannot know God through someone else. We can know about Him through others, but to know Him for ourselves we must study His Word ourselves and spend time with Him individually. You can be as close to God as you want to be. He is no respecter of persons and if one person can have a close, intimate relationship with Him, then so can everyone else. Why do some people seem so close to God and yet others do not? I believe it all depends on how much time we are willing to put into developing our personal relationship with Him. Going to church does not necessarily make us close to God. Going to church is a good and right thing to do, but we need more than an hour on Sunday morning with God if we are going to learn enough to fulfill our destiny and truly enjoy life. God wants us to have excellent lives, but He also expects us to learn how to behave excellently. Finding the strength to do so only comes as we wait on Him. “Those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] will gain new strength and renew their power” (Isaiah 40:31), and spending time in God’s Word teaches us right from wrong. The Bible gives many instructions about how to behave with people and in certain circumstances. It teaches us to be excellent and to go the extra mile and do whatever we do as best we can, unto the Lord. I once heard, “If you do not read, you will be the same in five years as you are now.” That is certainly true where the Bibleis concerned. As we study God’s Word, we are transformed into His image, from “[one degree of] glory (2 Corinthians 3:18). If you will make a commitment of time to God, I believe you will see the life and power that is available to you through His promises. Be a lifetime learner. Refuse to have a second-hand relationship with God; get to know Him for yourself. --- Joyce Meyer