Please read this Scripture - 2 Peter 1:2-11
In this scripture, I think that Peter says to us; “Things can be different!”…Your tomorrow can be different and better than yesterday if you resolve to do some things today.
First of all, he says some past tense things which are about yesterday; “We have received (past tense) a precious faith”…He “has given us everything we need for life and godliness”…“He has given us his great and precious promises”…We “have been cleansed from past sins”…If you are a “born-again Christian… If you have accepted Christ into your life as Savior and Lord, then Peter says we can look back and remember that we have received, we have been given and we have been cleansed. Let me put it this way; “If we look back, we can see and remember all the great things God has done; and if God took care of my past, if he took care of me last year, why will he not take care of me this year…and do even more? “God is who He says He is! And, God can do what He says He can do!”
Then he goes on to tell us what we should be concerned with in the present. In effect, he says; If you receive, believe, and stand on God’s promises, “you will escape the corruption of the world caused by evil desires.” This is probably better explained in Romans 12:9 which tells us to “hate what is evil and cling to what is good”…And, that’s exactly what happens within us. We begin to see evil and sin for what it truly is, we begin to understand the consequences of that life and lifestyle, and we see the perversion, and the unhappiness, pain, and guilt, and we begin to cling to that which is good.
Then Peter goes on to instruct us even more concerning the present; He says “Make every effort to add to your faith - goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love.” Let me encourage you to consider this list in and seek to work on those areas in which we are weak and resolve to add this to our faith. I want to say more about this tomorrow, but I must finish my thought…
So, we have looked at yesterday, and we have considered today; And then Peter tells us four things as to how this will affect our tomorrows, our future.
(1) “It will keep us from being ineffective and unproductive.” I hope you will understand when I say that I believe there are a lot of very faithful - yet ineffective and unproductive Christians fill-ing the pews of our churches.
(2) “It will make our calling sure”…In other words these things will help us to know that we are called and what we are called to.
(3) “It will keep us from falling”…because we are focused on growing in our faith and not standing still ( which is what Satan would have us do) and the great reward or reason for all of this is –
(4) to “receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
Maybe it’s time to live the Spirit filled and Spirit led life that we are called to live…and that “abundant” life that Christ came to give will fall into place. If you count the things we are to add to our faith in this scripture from 2 Peter, you will find there are 7… Seven is God’s perfect number, seven goals…where will you start?
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