Make Every Effort

"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 qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. ..." 
(1 Peter 1:5-10)

 We have heard these words from time to time: "Go out and "make" 
it a good day." And of course president Donald Trump's theme: "Let's "Make" America Great!" The word "make" indicates that we are to put forth some "effort." Not that we should do it all ourselves, but that in whatever we do, we are to put forth as much energy, passion, and determination as we can.

Peter writes in our text that we are to "make every effort" to add to our faith virtues that will add to our Christian character; and help us in being effective in knowing Christ, and being like Him, in our walk and service. There are things that the Lord wants us to be, and to do. The resources are available for us to accomplish it. but we are to do our part.
God is not going to spoon feed us.

One of the worst things for a Christian, is to be near-sighted, and and worse, blind to the person God wants us to be. We have been cleansed of our former sins, and given the opportunity to be like Jesus Christ, and be pleasing in the eyes of God.

God has done His part through His Son Jesus. Now it's time for us to do our part. It will be hard work to apply the Word of God to our stubborn selfish inner person. But in the long run, the results, will be truly  worth it! GP

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