Day 3 of 21 days of Prayer has started out great! The girls still sleeping, a hot cup of coffee with coconut cream and the incredible word of God! While there is so much to talk about, what really caught my attention today is found in 2 Peter 1:5-9
“For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection and brotherly affection with love. Fo if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. “
Paul then goes on in v.12 to say that he intends to always remind us of these qualities even though we may know them and be established in truth! We all need a little reminder sometimes, don’t we?
We all need certain vitamins or “supplements” to keep us healthy. Often times we get these vitamins in the foods we eat or pills we take. Paul explains that our Christian faith needs more than just believing in God. If we do not produce more than just our “faith” or “belief” in God then we become ineffective and unfruitful and I would question whether we really have “faith” or not.
When we truly know and believe in God, the evidence of that faith should be apparent in our life. We need to make sure that we are getting “our vitamins.” Virtue, which is moral excellence or righteousness. Knowledge, which comes from the word of God. Self control- meaning that we are not indulgent but that we can control our desires. Steadfastness, which is the ability to stand and not give up in any circumstance. Godliness, which is simply doing everything in our ability to be like Jesus. Brotherly love means caring for one another and Love which is the greatest of all.
“Whoever lacks these qualities in their life is nearsighted and blind and has forgotten he was cleansed of his former sins. Where do we stand today? Have we forgotten what Christ did for us on the cross and slipped into a pattern of living life for ourselves, or are our decisions and our lifestyles showing evidence (or fruit) of who God is and the qualities He desires?
I don’t know about you,but I want to make sure I am adding in my “vitamins” to supplement my faith and live the healthiest spiritual life that I can!
