SCRIPTURE: 2Peter (NIV) 1:5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But if anyone does not have them, he is short-sighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.
OBSERVATION: Christianity is both an outside religion and an inside relationship. The early church had no Bibles, so God anointed several leaders to write the history of Jesus and the church and others to write letters describing how having Jesus living in our lives would affect our lives.
Having Jesus living inside makes a big difference. I want my life to be a comfortable home, so I need to begin aligning my life with His character. (Like verses 5-7 above.) It may seem like a very difficult thing to do, but it is not all that hard. Jesus is more interested in our lives having those characteristic than we are! And He now lives inside where those changes need to be made. And as He lives inside and helps us make those changes, the outside of our lives (note: verse 8) began to be seen on the outside. Others see the changes in our conversation and actions.
APPLICATION: Verse 8 above tells us that this is a process and we grow in “increasing measure.” Just having Jesus living inside makes a big difference, but God expects growth. He designed our physical bodies to grow. All living things grow. The church is to grow, and believers are to grow. We are to become better at expressing love and joy and peace etc.
PRAYER: Lord, what a great thing you did for me when you forgave my sins and moved into my heart as my Lord and Savior. Now I want to do something for you; I want to grow in my response to you. I want to grow in expressing your life in me. Amen
Pastor Leon
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