Feeds:
Posts
Comments

>Faith Additives – Knowledge

May 24, 2010 by Fritz

>

“…Add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;…For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ…if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:” – 2nd Peter 1:5, 8, 10b (KJV)

Peter tells believers their faith needs additives1 and he lists seven (7) with the promise that if these are present the believer will never fall, nor be barren and unfruitful.

Second on his list is “Knowledge”. Wikipedia tells us the original word “…indicates direct spiritual experiential knowledge”2

Believers should actively look for ways to experience all God has for them. Only guessing, but I think the instruction to add “knowledge” to “Virtue (excellence)” indicates desiring excellence motivates the desire to experience God more.

Actively seeking to experience all God has for us will keep us from being unfruitful and barren, and will keep us from falling.

Today’s focus: “What can I do today to help me experience God more than yesterday?”

1 “Faith Additives…”
2 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gnosis (emphasis mine)

-fritz

Posted in Knowledge | Leave a Comment »

>Heaven’s Expatriate Program

May 23, 2010 by Fritz

>

“We, however, are citizens of heaven, and we eagerly wait for our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, to come from heaven. He will change our weak mortal bodies and make them like his own glorious body, using that power by which he is able to bring all things under his rule.” – Philippians 3:20-21 (GNB)

Large companies usually have an “Expat” program, where they temporarily send citizens to work in other countries. I have friends and a son who were expats to Nigeria, and I know expats from elsewhere.

They have a different outlook than the local citizens. They spend money, but not usually on permanent things to be left behind; they want to save their own money, content with the living expenses provided by their company. They are interested to varying degrees in local politics but only for benevolence and their own temporary safety. They regularly communicate with loved ones at “home”. They meet socially with other expats from their country reminiscing on common experiences. They all look forward their return though they don’t always know when.

Heaven has an expatriate program, and we who have given our lives to Christ are in it. We are to live with an expat point of view, being content with God’s provisions1 , benevolently working with local politics2 but not getting too upset recognizing this world is not our home, communicating with our heavenly Father regularly3 , meeting with other heavenly expats4 , and awaiting our repatriation.

Question: How would my actions change if I considered myself one of heaven’s expats?

1 1st Timothy 6:6-8
2 Jeremiah 29:7
3 1st Thessalonians 5:17
4 Hebrews 10:25

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a Comment »

>Faith Additives – Virtue

May 22, 2010 by Fritz

>

“And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue;…For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ…for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:” – 2nd Peter 1:5,8,10b (KJV)

Peter tells believers their faith, as much like his and as good as it was, needs additives1 , and first on the list is “Virtue”.

The word Peter used literally meant “excellence”, having with it the notion of living up to full potential. It was applied by ancient Greeks to things like a job well done or something in tip-top shape.2

Those who have faith in Christ should strive for excellence in what they do. It is our calling3 , it is what we are to think about4 , and it is seen in Jesus5

Adding excellence to how we live will keep us from being unfruitful and barren, and will keep us from falling.

Today’s focus: “How can I add excellence to what I am doing right now?”

1 – “Faith Additives…”
2 – Wikipedia
3 – 2nd Peter 1:3
4 – Philippians 4:8
5 – 1st Peter 2:9 “praises” (KJV/NIV) uses the same Greek word.

– Fritz

Posted in Excellence, Faith, Virtue | Leave a Comment »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »