By: Kacie Starr Long
We're on this journey to fall more in love or to become in love with God's word this year. Some days I find myself in awe, inspired, and full of marvel when it comes to reading God's word, and then there are days when I rush through scripture, a bit annoyed and perplexed because I don't understand the context.
Can you relate?
Have you experienced times of great delight in reading God's word, and then times of Wait...what does this mean?
I've shared in the past, how in previous years, I've successfully read through the entire Bible using the YouVersion app. That experience was great because it taught me discipline and exposed me to unread verses and stories in the Bible; but after the second year of reading the Bible in a year, in my third year, I found myself simply reading scriptures to get my completion checkmark at the end of each day.
This year, I want things to be different. I am not focused on reading huge passages of scripture each day, I'm simply taking my time to meditate over a specific scripture each week, and I'm glad you are along for the journey.
Our scripture for this week may perhaps bless and challenge you. As I've meditated on it, I've likened it being a secret recipe of sorts, although it really isn't so secret. It's a list of ingredients or attributes that are needed to build and develop mature, Christian believers. This scripture assures us, that if we develop in this area, we will bear fruit for God's kingdom.
"But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 1:5-8
God's (Not So Secret Recipe) For Growing Strong & Healthy
Just a bit of background, prior to this text, Peter tells us:
* By God's divine power, we have everything we need to live a dynamic spiritual, godly life
* And because of God's precious promises, we share in His divine nature ( which means we don't have to be bound by lust, sin, and evil desires)
* This is incredible news and is only made possible by the work of Jesus Christ on the cross....however, we have a responsibility (or opportunity) to grow in our faith. It's not something that is required for salvation --- Jesus has already done the work for us on the Christ, however, if we want to be mature and bear fruit as Christians, Peter gives us a recipe for success that's right, smack dab open and available for everyone who is willing.
"But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith, virtue"
Because of the work Christ has already done, "for this very reason," we need to be diligent and add to our faith, virtue.
Virtue represents a "stick-to-it-ness" fortitude and strength. I look at this section and think about the times in my walk with Christ when I have made up my mind that I am not turning back. A mindset that says" 10 toes down, I am going to serve the Lord!
Peter is encouraging us to remain strong, and steadfast in our faith.
...to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance...
We must add experiential knowledge to our virtue.
Experiential knowledge is not head knowledge, instead, it is the knowledge that comes from intimately knowing God.
Recently, I contemplated a problem that only God can solve. Instead of focusing on the magnitude of the problem, I began to contemplate and think intently about the character and personality of God.
I began to tell myself,
"The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof....this problem is under the dominion of God...if God controls the earth, then He surely can take care of this problem...God said He would never leave or forsake me, so even though I have this problem, I know God is with me...."
I was able to find comfort in the midst of my situation by meditating on the character of God, which came from an experiential knowledge of knowing who He is.
...to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance.
In our walk with Christ, we must practice self-control and perseverance (or patience). We can't just blab out every opinion, and emotion that our flesh wants to release.
We also must realize that there is a time and season for everything, and some seasons take time, and we need to patiently endure and persevere through life's difficult moments.
I want to lose 10 pounds immediately.
However, I don't want to go through the discipline of saying no to chips and queso, or the regular routine of lacing up my sneakers to exercise. However, I know that losing weight in a healthy way takes time. There is a process, and just like my spiritual walk to growing in maturity and discipline, I need to be disciplined, practice self-control with chips and cheese cravings, and patiently endure the process.
...to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness, love
The Important Ingredients
Think of adding key bakery ingredients needed for a delicious, moist cake.
When baking we add a little sugar.
We add flour.
We may add eggs, vanilla extract, and other ingredients.
Our cake doesn't consist solely of flour, and neither do we mature in our walk with Christ by just patience or bare-knuckling it, virtue alone.
Instead, each component is important, it's:
- Virtue then
- Knowledge then
- Self-Control then
- Perseverance then
- Godliness then
- Brotherly Kindness then
- Love.
If grow in these areas we will abound and never be barren or unfruitful in our knowledge of Jesus Christ.
Are you ready to grow?
Are you ready to bear fruit?
Are there any barren, or unfruitful areas in your relationship with God that you are ready to change?
If I am not careful, I run the risk of trying to do things with my own strength and bake this beautiful cake by myself.
I have even caught myself saying, "Okay Kacie, I need....virtue....how do I add virtue to my faith?"
However, I really believe that God wants me to invite Him into this process. He is the master baker!
It is God who has highlighted this scripture to us. If we could do everything on our own, there wouldn't be a need for God or Jesus. In order to bear fruit, we need God. So let's invite Him to inspect our spiritual pantries. Let's invite Him in to cultivate the ingredients in our mixing bowls, and allow Him in His wisdom, to show us ways we grow in our faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, godliness, brotherly kindness,
and love.
Rome wasn't built in a day, and Grandma's delicious pound cakes weren't completed in minutes. It takes time, and our walk with God is an eternal journey. So here's to walking this journey with God forever, and allowing Him to stir us up, and refine the ingredients so we can always be fruitful and never barren.
"But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 1:5-8
For His glory, ya'll.
Talk with you next week!
PS: This year I really want to fall in love with God's word. Therefore, I am committing to memorize scripture each week. I invite you to join me on this journey, where I will email you the scripture for the week along with a short devotional. To receive these emails, please subscribe to my blog and receive an email from me each week. Let's go deeper into God's Word this year!
Hi, my name is Kacie Starr Long. I am an author, and speaker and I love to use my voice to point people to Jesus. When I'm not writing, I'm either working out at Orange Theory Fitness or sewing. God delivered me from food addiction and I have a sewing ministry, called the Sew Hope Community Sewing Room. I am the proud wife of Alfred T. Long, Sr and together we lead a non-profit that serves prisoners and their families. Connect with me at www.InspiredOverflow.com and via my YouTube page for Christian teachings and encouragement.