Faith with all the OPTIONS

In today's car market you are capable of ordering a new car with or adding aftermarket options that are simply amazing. While these options are not cheap - you can get just about anything you dream of, that is if you have the money. Reclining back seats with built in massage, built in coolers, navigation systems, heated seats, backup warning indicators, DVD players, video survallence and the list goes on and on. Peter, in his 2nd Epistle encouraged us to add all the OPTIONAL components to our faith.

2 Peter 1: 5
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith... (NIV)

Peter is saying that we should make every effort to get all the options added onto our faith and not waste time. Add to our faith and do it with zeal. Adding all the options and components to our faith must become our priority. If you have ever made a dramatic change in any area of your life, you know you did not get there by faking it, but rather by discipline, acquiring new skill sets, maybe a patch or some gum (in the case of smoking) drinking lots of water or starting up an exercise regimen. Whenever I have moved to growth and come to grips with things in my own life and made a change it was because I decided that it was important to me, "I made it a priority, and I kept trying until I got it right." Change doesn't happen on accident. Holiness doesn't just seep into your life when you're not looking. It takes effort. You've got to invest the time, energy, prayers, bible reading, worship, service and sweat in making this happen. I once spoke with a man who could not wait to have people pray for him, he said "You know I have been a Christian a long time and I want to get better in certain areas of my life." I asked him what steps he was taking to get better and to allow God to change him. He simply replied: I am just expecting a miracle……….It turned out the man was waiting for God to miraculous change some deep issues in his life and looking for people to pray for him to make it happen. Peter tells us that life does not work this way and clearly defines we are the ones who must add to our faith.
1 / Make Every Effort To Add To Your Faith.
2 Peter 1:5
So don't lose a minute in building on what you've been given, complementing your basic faith. (THE MESSAGE)
This is your responsibility and growth is not automatic. Every person I have ever known who has ever had lasting success in any area had to move forward and get the job done. They took the initiative and got moving. Yes, there are some things God does all by Himself and He is very capable of performing the miraculous, but in most cases God partners with us - we draw near to Him and He draws near to us. We stand for Him and He sustains our stand. You cannot experience success any other way. You can't succeed in something that isn't important to you. Not the kind of success that Peter refers to, anyway--the type that makes you productive and effective for the glory of God.
Do you know anyone with a good marriage? How did it happen? Not by accident. It happened because two people decided at some point to make their marriage a priority and they made every effort to make it happen. The same can be said for a good relationship with your children. The same can be said for success in the market place. And the same can be said for holiness. It must become a priority in your life. If we are going to LIVE REALITY is more than a SHOW than we must be transformed by TRUTH and work hard at allowing GOD to have HIS WAY IN US.
2 Peter 1:8 ...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. (NIV)
Do you want to be productive and effective in knowing Jesus? Then make every effort to add these virtues to your faith:
2 Peter 1: 5 "...goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love." (NIV) Read the list and see how you are doing with these options - you got them installed? Are you upgrading them?
Peter makes us a promise. He says, in effect, "I can guarantee that you'll be productive and effective in knowing Jesus and some scholars contend in your whole life --just do this. He's not merely saying that these qualities will improve your chances. He's saying these qualities will give you the results that every believer in Jesus Christ wants--a productive and effective life.
Spiritual Growth comes incrementally, bit by bit. Step by step. The key, then, according to Peter, is that we must possess these qualities in increasing measure. It must be growing in you - evident to yourself and others close to you.

2/ The Reason People Don't Add to Their Faith
2 Peter 1:9 "But if anyone does not have them [these qualities], he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins." (NIV)
It is possible to become nearsighted or blind and to have forgotten what we were saved or cleansed from - and the power of God in the midst of our past sins and failures. If you are not thinking about your need to change or realizing what God has saved you from it is easy to not add to your faith. Peter knows that in order to make it and run strong for God we better have a strong and active faith. He understands that while saving faith can bring us to Jesus and to God through our Savior and while it reserves a place for us in Heaven - that we cannot be strong five, ten or fifteen years down the line on saving faith alone. That is why he says people are ineffective and unproductive for Christ and in their knowledge of Him.
• Our life and faith must be rooted in the Cross of Jesus Christ and the power of His resurrection.
• Our life and faith must always take into account what we have been cleansed from - our past sins .Peter says, in effect, "If you're not coming clean, being real and growing in holiness it's because you're not reminding yourself of where you were, of what you used to be. You're not reminding yourself of what God has done for you. You're not reminding yourself of the forgiveness that is yours in Christ Jesus.You come to Jesus with a sin-sick soul and He heals you and restores you and brings you Peace. It is your faith that allows you to come to Jesus and it is your responsibility to add to your faith. We are in process and we have not arrived, so just keep going, growing and adding to your faith and remember: I'm not what I ought to be, and I'm not what I want to be, but I'm not yet what I'm going to be, and by the grace of God, I'm not what I used to be.