My greatest goal should be to become a productive and useful follower of Jesus.
2 Peter 1:8-12 The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins.
10 So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away. 11 Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
12 Therefore, I will always remind you about these things--even though you already know them and are standing firm in the truth you have been taught.
Who doesn't want to feel like they are needed? We all want to feel like we are useful and that our life matters to someone but what if you could be sure that your life mattered to God and that you are needed as a part of the work that he is doing.
So far in the second letter that Peter wrote he has given us some lessons that are important for disciples of Jesus to remember. He has told us that we are all equal, he has reminded us of our strength and the great promises that have been made to us.
Because of all of these benefits I have the power and the responsibility to live up to a higher moral code, We can be more like him as we grow into a deeper awareness of who Christ is, that knowledge will cause us to feel compelled to look and act as much like him as we possibly can.
Peter spends a lot of time making sure that we understand that our lives should be different as a disciple. The first chapter of 2 Peter reminds me a lot of the first chapter of 1 Peter:
| 1 Peter 1:13-15 So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. So you must live as God's obedient children. Don't slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn't know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. |
Without these traits in my life I will not be very useful for kingdom work and I will put myself in a dangerous situation. Failure to develop in Christian character is the reason many people fall and it is a sign that they never understood the gospel that they say they believe.
| Change is essential |
|---|
| John 15:3-4 You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in Me. |
To be productive and useful I must pursue God as my top priority in life or else it will get pushed aside and I will become distracted by the cares of this world. (Matthew 13:22, Colossians 3:2)
Thank you Lord for choosing to use me. I want my life to be useful and productive for your purposes.
RELATED POST:
Used By God (pastorrick.com)
