Habits.

Good morning, beloved of God,

I write this morning, a little late, but forcing myself to keep in some habits. Discipline. Habits. Working on them one at a time. After attending a meeting earlier this week, I was finally able to put a name on what I have been trying to do with my children. Yet I was even more convicted to make sure that I was first leading by example. If I am going to insist on them being dressed, beds made, clothes to laundry room before breakfast..then I’d better be doing the same, right?

Peter seems to be thinking along the same lines when he penned these following words…well, kinda. Sorta. I mean he wasn’t thinking about making beds, and laundry but he was thinking about disciplining the mind and heart.

2 Peter

⁵For this very reason, ^[a]adding your diligence [to the divine promises], employ every effort in ^[b]exercising your faith to develop virtue (excellence, resolution, Christian energy), and in [exercising] virtue [develop] knowledge (intelligence),

Faith is not a passive activity. Faith and relationship with God is an active constant song. A constant conversation..exercising (using, testing, trying) your faith…develops(encourages) virtue(I’m going to stick to this faith, I know that God is faithful, I know that He will provide!)…develop knowledge (how? study your Bible, listen, read sermons, etc…)

⁶And in [exercising] knowledge [develop] self-control, and in [exercising] self-control [develop] steadfastness (patience, endurance), and in [exercising] steadfastness [develop] godliness (piety),

As you know more about the Lord, keep His Word close to Your heart. Notecards in your pockets so that as you feel like you are about to “lose” it, pull one out, read it…shazam! you are exercising your knowledge of the Word, self-control, patience…the Word never goes forth void…(ok, maybe shazam wasn’t the proper word there…) Another way, is to have music playing and as you are at work, and as stressful situations arise, listen to the words of the music, and sing in your mind the truth of Scripture to yourself.  Slay the anger with the Word of God. Develop Godliness…

⁷And in [exercising] godliness [develop] brotherly affection, and in [exercising] brotherly affection [develop] Christian love.

Brotherly affection can come easily or it can come hard but the truth of the matter is the Lord asks us to love everyone with a steadfast love. Pray for those who persecute us. Who gossip.

⁸For as these qualities are yours and increasingly abound in you, they will keep [you] from being idle or unfruitful unto the [^[c]full personal] knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).

I recently heard a sermon from Chuck Swindoll where he said when Jesus comes  back (if he returns while Chuck is still on this earth) [I] want Him to find me doing His work. Working on a sermon, meeting with the sick, praying, etc..Let that be our prayer as well, friends. Let us be about the Lord’s work! Whether we are mothers wiping noses, or at work typing, or raking leaves let it all be to the glory of Him who made us!

⁹For whoever lacks these qualities is blind, [^[d]spiritually] shortsighted, ^[e]seeing only what is near to him, and has become oblivious [to the fact] that he was cleansed from his old sins.