Verse of the Day 8/23

Through the Bible - Psalms 120-124, ! Corinthians 7

 

Good morning,

After a week of vacation it is good to be back home.  Time to get back into the swing of things.

 

Summer is a time when many small groups, Bible studies, Sunday school classes and other programs take a break.  During these times it is easy to feel that you're being "unproductive" in your service for the Lord.  It is also a time when our daily schedules, our time with the Lord can be disrupted or "corrupted", where, if we're not careful, other things can creep in and cause problems.

 

For today's verse we'll turn to 2 Peter 1 where Peter tells his readers that God has given them "everything they need for life and godliness".  He goes on to spell out some things that should be present in our lives whether it is summer or winter, whether studies or small groups are in session or not.

 

2 Peter 1:5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.   NIV

For today's verse we'll go to the following verse where Peter describes what will result from "maintaining" and "persevering" in these down times.

2 Peter 1:8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.   NIV

The NKJV uses the word "barren" for ineffective.  In his commentary on this verse, John MacArthur writes, "To be barren is to be inactive, indolent and useless (Titus 1:12, James 2:20-22).  With these virtues increasing in ones life (v.5-7), a Christian will not be useless or ineffective, nor unfruitful."   In other words, even if a ministry is suspended for a time, we will be fruitful if we are applying goodness, knowledge, self control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love, not matter what "season' it is.

 

Has your summer schedule disrupted your time with the Lord.  Get back into it.

 

In any case, put these principles into practice and you won't feel or be unproductive.

In Christ,
Mike
mikevw@bellsouth.net
http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com
Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace  NIV
2 Peter 1:5-12

 

Fruitful Growth in the Faith

 

5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.

 

10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; 11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.   NKJV