Make Every Effort

2 Peter 1:5-9 5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 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. 9 But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. Wow what a great passage! However sometimes a very difficult to practice. Two key phrases leap out of this passage: 1. Make every effort and 2. Possess these qualities in increasing measure. Make every effort means intentional, means work, means I have to make a decision to do something about it, means I cant just sit back and hope I will. Make every effort means I need to do whatever is necessary to add to my life spiritual qualities listed here in this passage. Possess in increasing measure means not only do I need to be intentional, work, choose and not be lazy about it but I need to be increasingly doing these things. Why? Two reasons, first because then they will keep me from being ineffective and unproductive in my relationship with Christ. What is is that causes us to be ineffective and unproductive, it's sin. Psalm 119:11 Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against you. These qualities are qualities that do not just come naturally but supernaturally. These are qualities that the Bible makes clear will help us in our relationship with Christ. Second if we dont is nearsighted and blind, another words unable to see the God given Passion that he desires for us to follow, the path will become extremely difficult to follow. Your Word is lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. We ignore the relationship we will be unable to discern the path of God in our life. What a scary place to be, depending on ourselves to direct our lives. UGHHH!