Post by Deleted on Jul 9, 2021 15:54:31 GMT -5
Growing in God’s Grace By: Alyson Kieda
Click here for the Audio Message
Make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge.
2 Peter 1:5
Today's Scripture & Insight:
2 Peter 1:3–11
The English preacher Charles H. Spurgeon (1834–1892) lived life “full throttle.” He became a pastor at age nineteen—and soon was preaching to large crowds. He personally edited all of his sermons, which eventually filled sixty-three volumes, and wrote many commentaries, books on prayer, and other works. And he typically read six books a week! In one of his sermons, Spurgeon said, “The sin of doing nothing is about the biggest of all sins, for it involves most of the others. . . . Horrible idleness! God save us from it!”
Charles Spurgeon lived with diligence, which meant he “[made] every effort” (2 Peter 1:5) to grow in God’s grace and to live for Him. If we’re Christ’s followers, God can instill in us that same desire and capacity to grow more like Jesus, to “make every effort to add to [our] faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge . . . self-control, perseverance . . . godliness” (vv. 5–7).
We each have different motivations, abilities, and energy levels—not all of us can, or should, live at Charles Spurgeon’s pace! But when we understand all Jesus has done for us, we have the greatest motivation for diligent, faithful living. And we find our strength through the resources God has given us to live for and serve Him. God through His Spirit can empower us in our efforts—big and small—to do so.
Reflect & Pray
How are you making every effort to grow more like Christ? What will help you in this endeavor?
Loving God, help me to be diligent to live for You in all I do and say. Thank You for enabling me to do so through Your Spirit inside me.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
Peter’s New Testament letters reflect the wisdom of his later years (1 Peter 5:5–6; 2 Peter 1:13–14). As a young believer in Jesus, he’d shown moments of uncommon insight, faith, and courage. But his impulsive misspeaks and fearful betrayal of Jesus must have prompted him to think carefully about what it would take to leave a legacy of stability and spiritual influence. By experience he’d learned that the Spirit of God works in and through our own consciously developed habits of choice and effort (2 Peter 1:3–5). He’d also learned that no virtue stands alone for very long. Yet working together, what begins in faith ends in a reputation of faithful and loyal love. With careful attention, noble desires are complemented by knowledge, knowledge by self-control, self-control by endurance, endurance by devotion to the Father, devotion to the Father by family affection, and family affection by the love Jesus showed both friends and enemies.
Mart DeHaan
2 Peter 1:3-11
King James Version
3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Click here for the Audio Message
Make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge.
2 Peter 1:5
Today's Scripture & Insight:
2 Peter 1:3–11
The English preacher Charles H. Spurgeon (1834–1892) lived life “full throttle.” He became a pastor at age nineteen—and soon was preaching to large crowds. He personally edited all of his sermons, which eventually filled sixty-three volumes, and wrote many commentaries, books on prayer, and other works. And he typically read six books a week! In one of his sermons, Spurgeon said, “The sin of doing nothing is about the biggest of all sins, for it involves most of the others. . . . Horrible idleness! God save us from it!”
Charles Spurgeon lived with diligence, which meant he “[made] every effort” (2 Peter 1:5) to grow in God’s grace and to live for Him. If we’re Christ’s followers, God can instill in us that same desire and capacity to grow more like Jesus, to “make every effort to add to [our] faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge . . . self-control, perseverance . . . godliness” (vv. 5–7).
We each have different motivations, abilities, and energy levels—not all of us can, or should, live at Charles Spurgeon’s pace! But when we understand all Jesus has done for us, we have the greatest motivation for diligent, faithful living. And we find our strength through the resources God has given us to live for and serve Him. God through His Spirit can empower us in our efforts—big and small—to do so.
Reflect & Pray
How are you making every effort to grow more like Christ? What will help you in this endeavor?
Loving God, help me to be diligent to live for You in all I do and say. Thank You for enabling me to do so through Your Spirit inside me.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
Peter’s New Testament letters reflect the wisdom of his later years (1 Peter 5:5–6; 2 Peter 1:13–14). As a young believer in Jesus, he’d shown moments of uncommon insight, faith, and courage. But his impulsive misspeaks and fearful betrayal of Jesus must have prompted him to think carefully about what it would take to leave a legacy of stability and spiritual influence. By experience he’d learned that the Spirit of God works in and through our own consciously developed habits of choice and effort (2 Peter 1:3–5). He’d also learned that no virtue stands alone for very long. Yet working together, what begins in faith ends in a reputation of faithful and loyal love. With careful attention, noble desires are complemented by knowledge, knowledge by self-control, self-control by endurance, endurance by devotion to the Father, devotion to the Father by family affection, and family affection by the love Jesus showed both friends and enemies.
Mart DeHaan
2 Peter 1:3-11
King James Version
3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.