Kingdom Addition

II Peter 1:5-7
Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply (add) moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness; and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in brotherly kindness, love.

Kind of got stuck here in this verse this morning.
God calls us to a life of integrity and honesty. We aren't suppose to appear this way to others. We are suppose to live this way of life in front of others. I like how Peter builds on the character here in these verses. It begins with faith.
Faith---the assurance (or substance) of things hoped for, the conviction (evidence) of things not seen. In other words, God and his kingdom at work in us and around us. Have I been diligent with my faith? Or have I simply held it in my pocket like loose change? Do I exercise my faith? Can those around me see my faith in action? Peter calls us to not take our faith for granted, but to build on it. Add to it the things that God desires to work in our lives.

Moral excellence? That means we, as followers of Jesus, live above the mire and muck of this world. I do not live by my base desires. I think Jeremiah refers to this life as "a wild donkey accustomed to the wilderness. That sniffs the wind in her passion. In the time of her heat who can turn her away?"
In other words, God has not called us to live a life driven by fleshly passion that is marked by wanton sin.
Don't confuse what I am writing as one who is trying to elevate and draw attention to myself or look upon others and say, "Well, I'm glad that I live a  morally excellent life. I'm glad I'm not like "those" other people."
No sir! I will not fall prey to a Pharisee's mind set. I choose to humble myself. I choose to follow the directives and plans of Christ for my life with a view that we all have been called to be servants. Not Lord and masters over everyone else.

The list of character qualities ends with the love.
Allowing God to work in our lives, changing us, changing our character eventually leads us to true godliness.
A heart of love. Seems as though some strive for the love part while discarding all the others qualities along the way. In the end, such a life only reflects human love...earthly love...not the agape-unconditional love of God at work in us. I am not complete yet, by that I mean that I am a work in progress. But the good part is that I continue to follow Jesus daily. Some days I'm pretty good at the this following. Some days, I want to take side trips away from the following. In his loving way, Jesus always guides me back. He's like that you know?

I trust that you have a great weekend.
Seth Barber will be speaking at our service tomorrow night at Rapha. 7 p.m. ---be there if you can.
God on you.....
mb