Friday, March 16, 2007

A Sure Recipe for Fruitfulness

My study has taken me into 2 Peter.

I noticed that the "knowledge of God" is mentioned 5 times in the first 8 verses. Throughout the entire chapter, Peter speaks of the things they know as he is reminding the saints of them. He ends the chapter with the certain truth that the scripture is Divinely inspired. Therefore, to know it (the Bible), is to gain understanding in the knowledge of God. I'm pretty certain that to have the knowledge of God is key to the Christian life! Wouldn't you agree?

2Peter 1:2-8 "May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, that through these you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of passion, and become partakers of the divine nature.

For this very reason make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these things are yours and abound, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Breaking verses 5-8 down -

Make every effort - be earnest, diligent

Add to your faith, virtue ( moral excellence) not just the everyday good morals. High standards of Godly living.

Add to virtue, knowledge - (1Tim. 2:15 Study!)

Add to knowledge, self-control - thoughts, words, deeds, actions and reactions

Add to self-control, steadfastness (perseverance, patience) - keep it up daily, day after day, week after week, month after...

Add to self-control, godliness - (Christ likeness, holiness)

Add to godliness, brotherly affection - kind ministering to the family of God

Add to brotherly affection, love - fervent stretched out love, giving totally of yourself to others

Doing these things will keep us from being ineffective and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

For me personally, that's a very tall list. How about you? Let's make every effort though to do these things. By His grace and His divine power these things can be practiced in our lives.

One of the most wonderful things about our Lord is that when we do stumble and fall - or just plain mess up, He is merciful and forgives. His grace says, get up, keep going. Press on, don't give up. "Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the age." Matthew 28:20

Thursday, March 8, 2007

tagged and playing

Thank you very much Brooke!
1.What is your occupation? – Domestic Engineer
2. What color are your socks right now? black, they go with my everyday black shoes!
3. What are you listening to right now? – the hum of my computer and the clanking of my thoughts
4. What was the last thing you ate? 1/2 chicken enchilada and 1/2 C ff refried beans and 1 pear( I just started weight watchers a week ago!)
5. Can you drive a stick shift? -yes ( took Joels new stealth out just last Sat.!)
6. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? NOT green, but everyone else seems to think this is a great color to be! Go figure I'm feeling rather purple!
7. Last person you spoke to on the phone? – Grace Powell
8. Do you like the person who sent this to you? tagged with? Yes, very much :o)
10. Favorite drink? water
11. What is your favorite sport to watch? Ken laughing
12. Have you ever dyed your hair? yes, once upon a time
13. Pets? 1 very large 22# cat!
14. What is your favorite food? mexican, italian, and chocolate
15. What was the last movie you watched? Eragone, I'm trying to watch less!
16. Favorite day of the year? vacation
17. What do you do to vent anger? huff, raise my voice and then pray! Still not to the Pro. 31 stage
18. What was your favorite toy as a child?sad but - that was so long ago, I don't remember :(
19. What is your favorite, fall or spring? both
20. Hugs or kisses? both
21. Cherries or Blueberries? - both
22. Do you want your friends to email you back? – no, but they can comment if they want
23. Who is most likely to comment? clueless -that's not a friend of mine, just me!
24. Who is least likely to comment? – my mom (she'll never see this!)
25. Living arrangements? Your place, when I'm old and needy!
26. When was the last time you cried? about the same time every month
27. What is on the floor of your closet? –shoes, things to be given away to the next group who calls for donations.
28. Who is the friend you have had the longest that you are sending this to? not sending or tagging - she can't respond yet - Laura!!
29. What did you do last night? sewed for my mother
31. What inspires you? the lives of my young friends and their blogs
32. What are you afraid of at this point in your life? my son not trusting Christ
33. Plain, cheese or spicy hamburgers? plain, less calories
34. Favorite dog breed? outdoor
35. Number of keys on your key ring? 4
36. How many years at your current job? 28.5 years (I would really like 30 years to get me a cruise!!)
37. What would be the title of a book you wrote? Life with Ken
38. How many states have you lived in? 5
39. Favorite holidays? anytime the families together
40. Ever operated a motorcycle or heavy machinery? motorcycle, and really enjoyed it - till I ran into the bush!

Now, since I can't tag Laura I'll tag Dre and Grace!