I was reading 2 Peter tonight for no specific reason when I came across exactly what I want this new year to be about. Here is what I read:
...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; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 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. (NIV 2 Peter 1: 5-8)
The sequence that God listed explains a lot of things in my life. I lack knowledge in many areas which I think explains why I struggle with self-control, perseverance and godliness. I needed these verses tonight. God knew I needed them. I have been relying too much on other sources to get my information about God. I'm asking everyone but God what the answers are to questions I have. I've not settled on a church because I don't know what doctrine is best. I listen to countless preachers which I'm not knocking because I've always believed I can learn from preachers of all denominations. The point is, I should be putting the focus on what I learn from my personal relationship with God, with what He reveals to me through spending time reading His Word. I guess I've lost faith that God will reveal things to me. I've started relying on other people too much and not relying on God as much as I should. It took reading those verses to make me realize how weak my faith is sometimes. I am ashamed to admit that. Having said that, I still think it's important to seek the wisdom of Godly people. I can't count the number of times I've asked my dad or mom things, and was really blessed with a better understanding.
I'm ready to print those verses in 2 Peter and put them on my refrigerator. I haven't done that in a while. I need to be reminded daily. As many times as I go to the fridge, I'll be reminded MANY times a day!
...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; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 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. (NIV 2 Peter 1: 5-8)
The sequence that God listed explains a lot of things in my life. I lack knowledge in many areas which I think explains why I struggle with self-control, perseverance and godliness. I needed these verses tonight. God knew I needed them. I have been relying too much on other sources to get my information about God. I'm asking everyone but God what the answers are to questions I have. I've not settled on a church because I don't know what doctrine is best. I listen to countless preachers which I'm not knocking because I've always believed I can learn from preachers of all denominations. The point is, I should be putting the focus on what I learn from my personal relationship with God, with what He reveals to me through spending time reading His Word. I guess I've lost faith that God will reveal things to me. I've started relying on other people too much and not relying on God as much as I should. It took reading those verses to make me realize how weak my faith is sometimes. I am ashamed to admit that. Having said that, I still think it's important to seek the wisdom of Godly people. I can't count the number of times I've asked my dad or mom things, and was really blessed with a better understanding.
I'm ready to print those verses in 2 Peter and put them on my refrigerator. I haven't done that in a while. I need to be reminded daily. As many times as I go to the fridge, I'll be reminded MANY times a day!
