2 Peter 1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
Needy people:
Our basic needs and our perceived needs are often miles apart. Paul tells us that having food and raiment we are to be content (1 Tim 6:8). As the Israelites journeyed in the wilderness they had very little, yet God said they lacked nothing (Deut 2:7). They lived on manna and water as well as goat’s milk. They had food basics, raiment and shelter (man-made and the cloud of God). God provided for their needs with manna and keeping their clothes in good condition (Deut 8:3-4).
Agar asked that he be feed with convenient food and that God would not make him wealthy or poor (Prov 30:8-9). David said in the shepherd’s psalm that since the Lord was his Shepherd, he would not want – lack anything he needed. In the gospels, Jesus tells us not to worry about certain things because our Heavenly Father knows all about it and will provide for us better than He does the birds and the flowers (Matt 6:25-26; 28-32). We can be content because God is always with us (Heb 13:5)
Life and Godliness:
When Peter tells us that He (God) provides everything we need, he is meaning particularly those things necessary for the Christian life. The all sufficient tool that Peter speaks of is the word of God. We are told in Psa 119:9 God’s word helps us to have a clean way of living – if we take heed to it. Jesus said that the words He spoke (which are our Bible) came from the Father (Jn 17:8); the word is used to bring us to faith in Christ (1 Pet 1:23) and it is also the agent responsible for granting us faith to believe (Ro 10:17). Jesus said that His words will abide time and eternity (Matt 5:18; 24:35).
Not only does God give us spiritual life, but He also helps and keeps us from things that would cause us to stumble and fall (1 Cor 10:13; He 13:5). We can trust God to take care of us through life. He will keep us from evil (2 Thes 3:3), and because of this we can commit to Him the keeping of our souls (1 Pet 4:19). Therefore we know that He will guide us safely through this life into life eternal (Phil 1:6; 1 Thes 5:23-24). Even if we would fall into sin, God does not thrust us away and forget about us, but makes provision for our forgiveness (1 Jn 1:9; He 2:17). We cannot lose trusting Christ and following His word and way, for He promised to never leave not forsake us.