II Peter 1: 9-12
For he who lacks these qualities
These qualities are what we just discussed yesterday, in the previous verses to this, namely: Faith, Virtue, Knowledge, Temperance, Patience, Godliness, Brotherly Kindness, and Love.
Whoever is not living this way, needs to pay attention here.
is blind or short-sighted,
Because he is not seeing. He is either blind or myopic, near-sighted, having only a short-term view, not considering the long-range effects.
having forgotten his purification from his former sins.
If someone has really been saved, and experienced God's great Love for them, can they really "forget" that, that life-changing event happened? I think that they have chosen to ignore it, or it never really happened.
Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you;
So if you find it too difficult to live this Christian life and have slidden back into your former lifestyle, then it would be to your benefit to examine what you actually believe. Did God really give you the faith to know that Jesus took your death on the Cross? That you are the criminal that deserves execution, and Jesus took your place? Seriously examine your own heart and thinking processes.
And if you find you haven't, then ask God for saving faith, and make it certain.
for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble;
If you are certain, and you are depending on God's Holy Spirit to lead you in this path with all these milestones of virtue that you are appropriating for yourself, to live this way; then He will keep you from stumbling.
for in this way the entrance into the Eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.
This is how God wants to grow you, and He will generously and lavishly give you everything He knows you will need to be everything He made you to be, and to do everything He planned for you to do, as your part in His Great Plan of the Ages! And to rule with King Jesus in His Kingdom!
Therefore, I will always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them, and have been established in the Truth which is present with you.
That's why Peter is writing this letter, to have a permanent record; and it is also why I am typing this blog every day--to remind you daily to persevere in diligently pursuing God's righteousness in our lives and our neighborhoods and our communities and our society. As the Vocal Minority, we can lift our Nations out of the mire of the slick deception the World has fallen into, for the benefit and betterment of all of our citizens in every Nation.
Those of us who have been established in the Truth do well to be reminded of these important tenets of our faith, so we can stay the course in the power and strength of God's power and strength that lives in us.
O my Father, please continue to help me, to strengthen me, and give me the time and the desire and the ability to hear Your voice in my spirit, whispering behind me, "this is the Way, walk here." Lead me, grant me the persistence to continue to share Your Truth in practical ways with Your children every day, and bring them to partake of Your nourishment, as regularly as they nourish their bodies.
Father, You are our Good Father, who Loves us with Your eternal, agape Love, far beyond what I will ever understand. Teach me how to love my fellow sojourners in this life, how to reach back to them to encourage them on their paths, urging them on, as I take each step, being encouraged by those that went before me.
Lead us all, Father, to grow, and to go, and to help one another, and to find all those who are still lost. Let all of Your sheep and lambs be gathered into the safety of Your fold, Father, that there will be that One Fold with One Shepherd, our King and our Lord.
And every eye will see, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord and King, to the glory of God the Father!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
