FRUITFULNESS

As William and I returned from our road trip celebrating our first wedding anniversary, we resumed our daily morning conversations with Jesus.  Not that we suspended them while on our trip, but we resumed devotion time in our favorite spot, a room we have named the Capital Room.  It's our library in the home we steward and it just feels good for conversation, counsel and study. Jesus does some of His best work in that room.

For several weeks now, our focus has been in Peter's letters to the church, you know, you and me.  Chapter one of 2Peter is especially fruitful.  Over the years, I have studied those scriptures on several occasions and each time, the Holy Spirit reveals more.  

3) "God has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.  

4) For by these (power and knowledge) He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, in order that by them you might become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust."

When I am tempted to "escape" in all the wrong worldly ways, God reminds me in verse 4 that "Jesus has already made the way of escape for me" with His death and resurrection. My belief enabled by the power of the Holy Spirit makes me a partaker of His divine nature.  If you are a believer, Jesus is being formed in you, too.

But wait, there’s more!

5)"Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge; 

6) And in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness;

7) And in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, Christian love.

8) For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

9) For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins.

10) Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble;

11) For in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you."

Did you notice these subsequent verses instruct us to “apply?”  The Amplified translation uses the words “adding, employ, exercising, and develop,” all of which describe action on our part.   To follow God’s instruction through the apostle Peter’s letter requires practice, another action verb.  Sometimes, most times, the action necessary is repentance. 

Ever increasing is not idle.  There’s always more to ADD in our walk with Jesus, more humility for going back to the last place where our ignorance, immaturity, rebellion, fear and timidity stunts our diligence. Doubt creeps in and unless we practice genuine repentance, then we become sharers of moral decay, corruption, and covetousness.  Because He loves us, God will not allow us to remain in our sinful practices. Before long, He delivers the pruning shears to our branches because God desires our fruitfulness. 

We have not reached any pinnacle but Bill and I do desire to please the Lord, to be useful and profitable for His kingdom goodness.  God calls all of us to stimulate one another to love and good deeds.  I think you will agree that in life, there are lots of opportunities to practice “Love Applications.”  When we do, Jesus becomes Love Alive and we are indeed, sharing His divine nature.

“As you practice, what you practice becomes your practice.” 

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