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.
Wow! What a message. God wants us to be productive in our lives. He wants us to have more than just head knowledge; he wants us to put our knowledge to work in our lives and be effective and productive with it. I've got to make a genuine effort to grow in these qualities. While the Holy Spirit is doing God's work of transforming me to become like Jesus (
2 Corinthians 3:18) and produce the fruit of the Spirit (
Galatians 5:22-23), God wants me to do my part and
"make every effort" to grow in these qualities
"in increasing measure." God wants these qualities to be readily seen in my life. I'm ready; how about you? Let's get after those qualities and begin today.
Holy God, we are committed to
"making every effort" to grow into your character. Please bless our efforts and receive them as our heartfelt expression of appreciation for your love for us, even when we were undeserving of your grace. You loved and moved to redeem us when we were
"helpless," "ungodly," "sinners," and your
"enemies" (
Romans 5:6-10). We thank you for such loving grace and commit to being productive in our lives of faith so we can bring glory to you. We are determined to live for the praise of the glory of your grace (
Ephesians 1:6,
12,
14), in the name of Jesus. Amen.
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