Godliness

"His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 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." 2 Peter 1:3-8

When we ADD knowledge to our faith (through the reading of His Word), we learn how to be more self-controlled. Self-control helps us persevere. When we win the fight, finish the race, hold to our convictions, etc., we are showing the world our Godliness. If our faith is built upon these pillars, mutual affection and love are so simple.

If you want to know what it looks like to have faith, to be knowledgeable, self-controlled, striving to persevere, Godly, and full of mutual affection and love, look to Jesus Christ. What better example of the embodiment of these characteristics than our Lord? 

"The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation." Colossians 1:15

Remember also, that godliness stems from humility. Jesus Christ was the most humble man to walk the Earth.

"Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus." Philippians 2:1-5

Being humble also means to be content. Content with what you have, with what you don't have, with your life as it is. God was content in all he did. He was content to leave his heavenly throne and walk the Earth as a humble servant.

"Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death -- even death on a cross!" Philippians 2:6-8

As we go about our daily lives, we need to focus on all of the amazing things that God has given us; has made possible in our lives. We are all blessed in so many and differing ways. We have Him, the Word, a place to worship, families (crazy as they may be), beautiful children (even when they scream "NO!" at the top of their lungs, continuously for 5 minutes, and for no reason at all), friends, brothers and sisters, jobs, cars or someone to drive you where you need to go, places to go home to (even if the basement occasionally floods), the opportunity to attain an education (even if a BA takes 8 years and $80,000), and SO much more.

Ryan's message this past Wednesday night really opened my eyes. I haven't been very content lately. Not for awhile. Maybe not ever... Can you truly say that you are content with everything in your life? I'm sure none of us can say we are content with everything in our past... But Ephesians 1:3-13 tells us something amazing:

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding,he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ. In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit."

How can we NOT be content when we have all of this, on top of the other blessings in our lives? I plan to work very hard on learning to be content with my life; with my crazy family, spontaneously disobedient but beautiful, intelligent and loving son, my leaky basement, and my very expensive education. Because all of these things came from God, and how could I possibly NOT be content with a gift from God?