SEEKING GODLINESS...RECEIVING HIS PROMISES...LIVING IN MORAL EXCELLENCE

"As we know Jesus better, His divine power gives us everything we need for a godly life...and by that same power, He has given us all His rich and wonderful promises. He has promised that you will escape the decadence all around you caused by evil desires and that you will share in His divine nature. So make every effort to apply the benefits of these promises to your life. Then your faith will produce a life of moral excellence. A life of moral excellence leads to self control. Self control leads to patient endurance and patient endurance leads to godliness. Godliness leads to love for other Christians and finally you learn to have genuine love for everyone. The more you grow like this, the more you will become productive and useful in your knowledge of our Lord, Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 1:3,5-8

As Christians, we should be seeking to be more like Jesus Christ everyday. In a previous entry, I mentioned that to be like Jesus, you have to know Him and you'll only know Him if you read your Bible and study what Jesus was all about. As you do this, there will be one major quality about Jesus that will stand out above all others...and that quality is love.

Jesus was all about love. We love because He first loved us. He taught us the true, genuine nature of love...a love so deep and high and wide that it would wrap its arms around all Creation as Jesus was crucified in our place on Calvary. Question: Do you have that kind of love inside you...a love that would lead you to die for another? And I'm not just talking about someone near and dear to you like a parent or spouse or sibling or best friend. I'm talking about anyone, even your most hated enemy. Jesus could have easily turned His back on mankind...a mankind who took a blameless, sinless Messiah and nailed Him to a cross...murdering the One who came to save them. But He didn't. Instead, He knew the only way to save them was to die for them...and us.

The sad part was that they never knew Him or else they would have never crucified Him in the first place. Jesus, realizing their ignorance, said to His Father while suffering on the cross, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." (Luke 24:34) Even in the midst of agonizing suffering, there was Jesus interceding and asking for forgiveness to be granted to His assailants. I think you'll agree...that is love...and love divine. Do you not crave to love like that? Do you not crave to live a blameless life like Jesus did?

It's unfortunate that our inherent sinfulness makes it impossible to completely mirror Jesus but we still need to work to be as holy as possible...to seek to live a life of moral excellence. Peter, in today's scripture, tells us that we can find our way to moral excellence by applying the benefits of God's promises to our lives. For God assured us He would never leave us nor forsake us. He promised us He would never give us a burden we could not bear. He assured us that He can and will help us find a way out of any situation we might find ourselves in. And He gave us the guarantee of life eternal if we just believe and trust in His only Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. Peter tells us that having a faith that will believe in these promises and others will lead us to a life of moral excellence. But that's not all.

For Peter also tells us there is a progression that takes place after achieving moral excellence. Self control follows which leads to patient endurance which leads to godliness which leads to love for other Christians and then love for everyone, a love that Jesus had.

Question: Can you see the snowball effect of simple faith and trust in the Father? Do you not desire to experience that ride...from faith to uncompromising love? If so, then go for it. The Lord awaits you and wishes to help you grow...to help you be more productive...to be more useful as you know more and more about the One who calls you to help others find the salvation you receive in His name. Come aboard today for the ride of your life with Jesus Christ. It will be the best ride you ever take.

God bless.

Mark

PS: Please share this with anyone you think needs to receive it. I pray it wll be a blessing to them.

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