"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." (2 Peter 1:5-6)
You
started with faith, trusting God that Jesus' death on the cross was full-payment for your sin and welcoming His Spirit as full-power for your new life. However, many of us stop trying there,
content to be saved, not really wanting to be changed.
But Peter said that's only the beginning of the work to be done in you with God's power.
Build on to that faith with GOODNESS, the DESIRE to do the right thing instead of the wrong thing. Keep going. An impulse for goodness without KNOWING what is truly good would be worthless. You'll need to build in KNOWLEDGE.
Once you know the GOOD to do, it will take SELF-CONTROL to actually do it today.
PERSEVERANCE (self-control + time) is required to keep doing the good thing tomorrow. Now we need GODLINESS to become like our Father and do the good thing all the time.
THINK: Are you building on your faith in Jesus? Are you adding in a desire to do good? Knowledge about what is absolutely good? Self-control to do good when you don't feel like it? Perseverance to keep doing good? And godliness to do it in every area of your life?
Pray: Prayer changes things. Be sincere and ask God to help you to add to your faith goodness and to that knowledge and to that self-control and to that perseverance and to that godliness.
Make a reminder to keep you focused: perhaps sticky notes with the words FAITH, GOODNESS, KNOWLEDGE, SELF-CONTROL, PERSEVERANCE, and GODLINESS written on them all around your room, office,car, or locker.
What will work for you?
*suggestions from devotions at http://planetwisdom.com/the-word-coming-soon-light
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