Building Blocks For Our Lives

2 Peter 1:3 says (NLT), "By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence." God has given us everything we need to live a godly life. By coming to Him, fulfilling His commandment of Acts 2:38 and through His Word. BUT, sometimes, we mess up... and some of us... we mess up BIG time. And, the devil will hang that mistake over your head like a helium balloon. Everywhere you go there the reminder that you messed up and guilt will be heavy on your heart and mind. 

~ But, we are promised that if we come to Him in repentance he forgives us. But, for some of us, that's not enough... because we have to forgive ourselves also. And, until we do that we are stuck in a rut... going nowhere fast. Once we forgive ourselves, we need to put some "building blocks" in place to form a wall between us and that "old sin"... you see, it's old sin because Jesus has already forgiven you for it.


~ 2 Peter 1:5-9 (KJV), "And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 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. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins." 


~ Those building blocks listed in verse 5-7 are what is needed in our life. If we have those in place, the Word says if these be in you and abound (grow and flourish) they will make you productive and fruitful in God! But, if you lack those things, you are blind and shortsighted because you have forgotten that God forgave and purged you from your old sin! 

• Faith - the basis of what you believe, the truth of the Word of God and who He is
• Virtue - virtuous course of thoughts, feelings and action.  It is modesty and righteousness in our thoughts, feelings and actions. 
• Knowledge  -   the understanding of what is right or wrong.And not to go just surface deep, but to go deeper, have a more complete and enlarged understanding of what it means to live a holy, godly life.   Study and read the word regularly.
  
• Temperance - self-control…. Especially of one's desires and passions. The Merriam Webster Dictionary list the synonyms as: self-discipline, constraint, control, avoidance, forbearance and reasonableness. 
• Patience - steadfastness, constancy, endurance, and perseverance.  But here's the catch… you do it WITHOUT complaining. 
• Godliness - reverence, respect, trust in God.
• Brotherly Kindness -  love that extends an unconditional hand of friendship that loves when not loved back, that gives without getting, and that ever looks for what is best in others. 
• Charity - affection, good-will, love, benevolence. Benevolence is a having a disposition of good; grace, mercy, kindness, courtesy, "godsend". Good-will is kindly concern, interest, or support. Affection is a feeling of strong or constant regard for and dedication to someone.

~ God wants us to be fruitful and productive! But, some action needs to take place on our side until He can move us forward. It's not always easy. The devil will tell you that you don't deserve what God has for you because you messed up! The devil is a liar and doesn't have the authority over your life... God does! Get into the Word and study it! Start putting these building blocks in place and you will be amazed at what God starts doing in and thru you! Obedience to HIS Word ALWAYS pays off!
💖 #edifyencouragebuild