April 10, 2015 – 2 Peter 1:5-7

…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. 2 Peter 1:5-7So we begin with faith, and where does that faith come from.  Romans 10:15 –So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.  Why is faith necessary? By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.  Hebrews 11:3The building stones of the faithful person are faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection and love.  These characteristics of a faithful person are not an instantaneous acquisition.  Though we expect this, it is simply a process.My Grandfather visited us.  We sat around the breakfast table, my parents, two brothers, Grandmother and I.  My brothers and I were anxious to leave for high school.  Grandfather opened the Bible and read a portion.  When he finished, he looked up with excitement in his eyes, “I never noticed that before!”  He explained and I learned — knowledge of the scriptures is always fresh and even my Grandfather had more to learn. I understand Grandpa now, and I continue to learn more and more. As I read the list over again and again, I am thankful that there is always more.  I am never finished.I pray that God never lets me finishes this side of Heaven.  I pray I never forget my first love for God.  Through the practice of these qualities, I will never fall…and I will be provided an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Not just provided, but richly provided.  That is the only way our Lord God works…Richly!  His love is richly lavished upon us to provide our entrance into Heaven.
It all begins with hearing and believing….that leads to faith.For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:9-11