Peace Awaits

“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; and to godliness, brotherly kindles, 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. 2 Peter 1:5-8


Make more effort to add to your faith. What does that look like? Am I supposed to seek the things of God more than I am already doing? Whoa! I thought becoming a Christian was a loving, gentle and smooth road that was a real good insurance for my soul! My friend, it is all that and more. In the Apostle Peter’s second letter and in this specific section of the text, God the Holy Spirit is prompting the follower’s of Jesus of Nazareth to crank up the inner man, keep the apathy in check and focus on the glorious future He has set before us.

It means to me that I must turn my thoughts toward Jesus more and more. It means re-direct my mind from its downward, inward, carnal focus in me and lift my heart upwards to the goal of pleasing my heavenly Father. It means to purposefully forge ahead through the barriers of selfishness and break into the light of extending my hand to help someone else, call someone who needs encouragement, visit the shut-in, feed the homeless, and write the note to the prisoner. Yes, this is a struggle to do good because mankind’s nature does not like anything but full attention. It is narcissistic to the extreme and therefore crucifixion is necessary to be a follower of the Most High God who has called you to holiness. Therefore, determine this day to make more effort to add to your faith goodness, knowledge, self control, perseverance; brotherly love. Peace awaits those who are doers of the Word and not merely hearers of the Word. Increasing measure my son, increasing measure my daughter, now that is a worthy exercise that will result in JOY in all circumstances!

In Christ, Dr. "Chappy" Dave