If you

  If you

The apostle Peter writes,

“His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.  

Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. 

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;  and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.  

For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  

But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. 

Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall,  and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” 2Peter 1:3-11.

The Apostle Peter tells us plainly,

The ways of the world are filled with desires that quite often run contrary to what God wants for us. 

He is telling us that through Christ we have everything we need for life and godliness. That he has given us “his very great and precious promises. That we may “escape the corruption of this world”.

Peter then tells the believer,

“...make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;  and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.”

He notes,  

“For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Please think about it.

Four more Questions

Four more questions?
The apostle Paul writing to Timothy states,
“I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.  
This is good, and pleases God our Saviour,  who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”  1Timothy 2:1-4.
Do you pray for everyone, not only those around you but kings and those in authority?
As I write this there is a highly charged political environment in the United States. Sadly many Christians are taking sides in the political arena, mixing their faith with politics. This should not be so. None of the apostles ever mixed politics and their faith. Nor should we.
Jesus, and the apostles lived in a multicultural world similar in some ways to our own here in the democracies of the west today. The difference being they did not live in a democracy. Thus they had no say in who would govern them.
So when the apostle Paul tells Timothy to pray for kings and those in authority he is asking Timothy to pray that those governing will basically leave Christians alone. That Christians may live quiet lives.
Living in peace with those around you is the best way to spread the gospel message. Christians I believe here particularly in the United States and Canada seem to have forgotten this.
Christians it seems in the United States and to a lesser degree in Canada are known for being aggressive against anything they disagree with. Sadly among some in our society Christians are seen as uncaring bigots. This certainly is not what God wants.
The apostle Peter writes,
“Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.  
Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” 1 Peter 2:11,12
If you claim to be a Christian. A follower of Christ Jesus. Ask yourself these questions,
1/ Am I praying correctly for those in authority?
2/ Am I praying that the governing authorities will let us live in peace?
3/ Am I abstaining from “sinful desires”?
4/ Am I living a good life. A life God would truly be proud of?
Please think about it.

Draw Near

Draw near
The apostle Peter wrote,
“His (Christs) divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.  
Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. 
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;  and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;  and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.  
For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
                                                                                                          2 Peter 1:3-8.
Christ has given all true believers in everything we need for life and to live a life of godliness. God through Christ has given us, great and precious promises, so that through them we may participate in the divine nature of God and escape corruption in the world we live in.
Faith, true faith in Christ is the beginning of a Christian life. However it should not stop there. We need to grow in the Lord. We need to have a life that reflects the goodness of God.
Peter tells us to add to our faith goodness

to 

goodness,

 knowledge, 

to 

knowledge, 

self-control, 

to 

self control, 

perseverance, 

to 

perseverance 

godliness, 

to 

godliness, 

brotherly kindness,

to 

brotherly kindness 

love. 

In order to do this we need to be studying the scriptures for ourselves. We need to be praying that God will give us insight into the scriptures. That He will draw us closer to Himself.
We need to ask God daily to show us how we can improve our lives.
The apostle Paul tells us,
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
                                                               Galatians 5:22,23
As Christians the fruits of the Spirit exhibit who we are. When people see them at work in our lives they will be drawn to what we have. They will want what we have.
As Christians we need to do two very important things. Draw near to God daily, and present to the world in word and deed the fruits of the Spirit that shows the Love of God.
Francis of Assisi said it best when he wrote,

“Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love,

Where there is injury, pardon;

Where there is doubt, faith;

Where there is despair, hope;

Where there is darkness, light;

And where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek

to be consoled as to console,

to be understood as to understand,

to be loved, as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive,

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.” 

                                                                                   Francis of Assisi
As Christians if we are drawing closer to God daily it will result in good works. That the world can see. Works that will bring people into a personal relationship with God.
Please think about it.