Friday, October 26, 2012

October 27, 2012

GROW IT! Vv. 5-7

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, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.”

 
Then you must commit to growing in the graces and virtues that God invested in your through Christ and secure your assurance in your faith. If you are not fully committed to growing your own faith, God will not be able to use you to help others.
 
You can only help others to the extent you are growing spiritually. For that reason, and others, you must support the work of God's Spirit in developing the spiritual virtues He put in you when you came to faith. Add to that faith - moral courage, and to the moral courage, a knowledge of God's mind, heart and holiness; and to that knowledge get a grip on your passions, and add to that an optimistic steadfastness in addition to attitudes and actions that please God and then add a commitment to love people to life.
 
An important part of loving others to life is to nurture and develop the live and love of God in myself. When my brothers and sisters need me I must be ready to offer the love they need!
 
One of my favorite movies of all time is "Hoosiers" and one of the great scenes in that movie is the Indiana State High School semi-final game where seldom-used sub, Ollie, has to come into the game because of an injury to a team mate. In the final seconds he gets fouled and has a chance to make both free throws and win the game. Here's the scene:


Even though he rarely got to play, Ollie had made sure that he was ready to help his team when it really counted. He was committed to his team and so he grew into the moment.
 
The next several verses of this text makes it clear why I must grow my faith:

 
“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 whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”  II Peter 1:8-11

 
I want to make sure I grow my faith so I can be ready to help “Love you to life”.