SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR
6/7/2012 7:32:58 AM
My Worship Time Focus: Faith Results in Spiritual Growth (PT-2)
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: 2nd Peter 1:5-7
Message of the verses: We began in yesterday’s SD by looking at the introduction to this second main point from the outline of Dr. Wiersbe in 2nd Peter 1:5-7. This section has to do with seven different characteristics that Peter mentions of what a godly life is all about. Dr. Wiersbe mentioned that the word “add” which is found in this passage really means “to supply generously.” He also mentioned that we develop one quality as we exercise another quality. We can see an example of this as we look at a tree and the branches that come off of a tree, and how they relate to the trunk and also how the twigs relate to the branches. He also mentioned that our heavenly Father and we as His children must work together in this process. Paul wrote to the Philippians that we are to work out our own salvation, and this is not the process of being saved, but the process of growing up in the Lord.
The first quality we will look at is virtue. “5 ¶ For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge.” (NASB) “5 ¶ And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge” (AKJV) Notice that the NASB uses the word “supplement” while the AKJV uses the word “add.”
In 2nd Peter 1:3 we see the word “virtue” in the KJV, but in the NASB it is translated as “excellence.” Dr. Wiersbe writes that the word virtue basically means excellence. This word means fulfilling a purpose, and can be seen in an example of someone planting seeds to produce a crop and the crop is produced which is what it was suppose to do, thus fulfilling its purpose. It is because when we are born into the family of God and are given a new nature from God that we are to fulfill our purpose of becoming like Jesus Christ (Romans 8:29). Dr. Wiersbe writes “True virtue in the Christian life is not ‘polishing’ human qualities, no matter how fine they may be, but producing divine qualities that make the person more like Jesus Christ.” I think that one of the ways, and there are more than one, is to abide or remain in the vine as Jesus taught in John 15.
From the “focus” of this SD we see the word “faith” which is also at the beginning of verse five and this faith helps us develop virtue, and then virtue helps us develop knowledge which is the next characteristic we will look at that is seen at the end of verse five. We met the word “knowledge” in 2nd Peter 1:2-3 and this word means “knowledge that is growing. The word in verse five suggests practical knowledge or even discernment. Dr. Wiersbe writes “It refers to the ability to handle life successfully. It is the opposite of being ‘so heavenly minded as to be of no earthly good!’ This kind of knowledge does not come automatically. It comes from obedience to the will of God (John 7:17). In the Christian life, you must not separate the heart and the mind, character and knowledge.”
We will look at verse six to pick up the next quality: “and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness.” (NASB) “6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;” (AKJV)
The word translated temperance in the AKJV is seen as “self-control” in the NASB, which is a better translation. We get an idea of what this word means from Proverbs 16:32, “He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city.” We also see this in Proverbs 25:28, “Like a city that is broken into and without walls Is a man who has no control over his spirit.” Self-Control is, at times, difficult for me in some important areas of my life, and something that needs to be worked on.
We will look at one more quality in this SD, and will attempt to finish the others in the next SD, that is if my “self-control” is working properly. The next one is patience and this fits in nicely with what we learned at our Wednesday evening prayer meeting as our Pastor is going over a book that speaks of “Acceptable Sins” by Jerry Bridges. The lesson was on not being patience and being irritable and not we will look at the antidote of impatience, and that of course is patience which is found in verse six. At the end of my SD’s for a number of years I would write that my step of faith was to learn contentment, and patience is a big part of contentment. I have heard that if one prays for patience that God will send them a trial so that they can learn patience. I suppose that is a pretty accurate statement. How do we develop patience? “2 ¶ Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. 5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, 8 being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” (James 1:2-8) When trials come then we are to allow our trials to word for us and not against us. I have read in many of Dr. Wiersbe’s commentaries that life is a series of tests and how we respond to these tests determines how much we grow in our walk with the Lord. These tests are to help us be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. I have heard it stated that life on earth is just a warm up lap around the track to prepare us for the race, and in this case the race is what we will do in heaven. I know from different experiences that life can be hard, but life is described as a breath or grass in a field in comparison to our life in heaven where we will be evaluated on how we responded to the tests that God has given us on earth to see what our jobs will be there. Patience is a wonderful virtue and when we look at the life of Jesus Christ while on earth we surely saw patience on display. Jesus was never in a hurry, but He was never late either and that is part of His patience that was seen.
Spiritual meaning for my life today: These four qualities are surely something that I need to develop more deeply in my life.
My Steps of Faith for Today: I want to be plugged into the Vine so that He will use me and teach me these qualities.
6/7/2012 8:29:27 AM
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