TO CHEW ON: "...add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness love." 2 Peter 1:5-7
If we think of our life as a house, faith would be its foundation (yesterday's devo) and the things listed in 1 Peter 5-7 would be the building materials to make the upper structure. The studs and rafters; the roof, walls, windows and doors; the plumbing and wiring; the gyprock, flooring, paint and trim of my life house and yours should be constructed of:
Knowledge (gnosis): knowledge signifies in general intelligence, understanding, also:
- the general knowledge of Christian religion
- the deeper more perfect and enlarged knowledge of this religion, such as belongs to the more advanced
- esp. of things lawful and unlawful for Christians
- moral wisdom, such as is seen in right living
Self-control (egkrateia): mastery; self-control (the virtue of one who masters his desires and passions, esp. his sensual appetites)
Perseverance (hupomone) - remaining behind, a patient enduring also:
- steadfastness, constancy, endurance
- in the NT the characteristic of a man who is not swerved from his deliberate purpose and his loyalty to faith and piety by even the greatest trials and sufferings
- patiently, and steadfastly
- a patient, steadfast waiting for
- a patient enduring, sustaining, perseverance
- reverence, respect
- piety towards God, godliness
- love of brothers or sisters, brotherly love
- in the NT the love which Christians cherish for each other as brethren
- brotherly love, affection, good will, love, benevolence
- love feasts
Because of our various life situations, personalities, histories and circumstances, how we use these materials in our lives will differ. Only you know where you need to shore up your house with more perseverance, improve the wiring with self-control, soften the decor with brotherly kindness, or freshen the air with love.
To what purpose do we build our lives out of these things? Peter tells us in verse 8: To be fruitful: "For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 1:8).
PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for the Bible which leaves no aspect of life untouched. Help me to translate this knowledge into action. Amen.
MORE: "The Builder" by Michael Omartian
Michael and Stormie Omartian put out a great record in 1980 called "The Builder." I couldn't find the title song in audio, but here are the lyrics of this song that talks about God being the builder of our lives. "The Builder"
In another song from that album they carry on the building theme. It's an appeal to an unsaved friend to join them in their newly constructed "home."
"The Only Thing Missing Is You"
(I wore out that album, by the way. I still play it sometimes — even though it's in that retro form known as a record. Michael O is so musically interesting!)
Do your 8-12-year-olds have daily devotions? Point them to Bible Drive-Thru.
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