Returning
with My Favorite Bible Verses off the cuff
Severe
lung problems prevented me from speaking or singing without an exhausting
coughing jag and shortness of breath just walking across the room. After months
of baffling doctor visits and two hospitalizations, a diagnosis has been made explaining
my “weird symptoms” as the doc said. I told him I’m a writer so weird is my
game.
I’m
improving enough to restart this video series. Thank you viewers for your
prayers.
Today:
2 Peter 1:5-8 (NKJV)
But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in
the knowledge of
our Lord Jesus Christ.
When I began 2023 I looked for a word to use as my theme for the year rather than make resolutions for change. I chose the word Perseverance. I write the word boldly on the top of each journal page.
Why perseverance?
According to Peter … because of God’s
mercy. If he does not give up on me, I should not give up on myself.
As we look at the verse we see this
is a process:
1. Seek
these attributes with diligence … not obtaining faith through them but
exercising our faith through the Spirit as he instills these attitudes within
us.
2. We
can understand our virtue through knowledge … knowledge which the Spirit shows
us in our prayer and through the Word.
3. As
we gain in knowledge of God's perfection and his great love for us, the Spirit helps us to use the knowledge to be self-controlled … because our desire is to please the Lord.
4. And
this is where perseverance kicks in … we’ve given our lives to the Lord, and his
spirit dwells within, giving us the desire to be like God. In this striving, as
the spirit educates us, we press on to the calling God has given us.
5. Through
our perseverance, the spirit hones our rebellion to make us holy in God’s
sight.
6. As
we become more in tune with God’s holiness, we are able to love our brethren as
God loves them, in kindness and love.
Peter promises, if we seek these things and allow the
spirit to do his work within us, we will find our spiritual fulfillment within
the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.