Add Virtue or Moral Excellence

And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge…. 2 Peter 1:5 KJV

Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. 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. 2 Peter 1:5-8

When you are mixing up a cake, biscuits, or whatever in your kitchen you put in each ingredient into the bowl or saucepan and mix it up. So it is with faith in your life…and that of your children. Begin diligently to add virtue or moral excellence, then knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and lastly love. Stir well and apply. Your faith will be richer, deeper and you’ll have more to share. It takes a deliberate yielding to God to get rid of sin in our lives and then asking Him to fill that void with His love, and with other attributes like kindness, goodness, self-control, patience, faithfulness, gentleness, joy and peace. Someone told me once that we shouldn’t ask for removal or sin or evil influences in our lives without asking for a filling of goodness…otherwise that sin or some worse evil persuasion would fill our hearts. Be careful what you ask for. My hope…or what is commonly referred to now as “Christmas Wish” for each of you is that you would seek to know God every day and that you will be filled with the joy found only in having that deep abiding relationship with Jesus. Choose God—choose a spiritual life of moral excellence also known as virtue.

Training Tip – We can’t become like Christ just trying to be like Him. We have to give Jesus Christ our hearts every day…and accept His heart. His way—His truth must become ours. That can only happen if we daily seek Him, read His word and allow Him to be part of us. Talk about this concept with your family and be prepared to share at least one verse a day that is encouraging to them. Train up your child in the way he should go. As you read the verses today from 2 Peter 1:5-8 talk about those qualities that are listed there. Show your children that those same qualities are also in Galatians 5:22-23. When something is important to God, it is repeated in the Bible.

Lord God, we treasure that You love us so much You are teaching how to live. We confess that we’ve made mistakes and we now give You those sins. Fill our lives with Your love, joy, peace and knowledge that we would live lives pleasing to You.  

Friday’s Feast at the Lord’s Table

This is a time of the year when a hot drink is good to share with those who come to visit. Be sure to invite some friends, family or neighbors to share some time with you during the next couple of weeks. Step outside your comfort zone and let Jesus’ light shine through you over a cup of hot chocolate, tea, coffee, or some other beverage. I recently found some hot drink recipes in my sister’s recipe file, including a couple that included wine or brandy although Shirley wasn’t a big drinker. I don’t want to encourage anyone to take up drinking if they have alcoholic tendencies, but I am sharing this great German recipe of hers.

Gluhwein

1 liter red wine
1½ cup sugar
½ cup orange juice
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp whole cloves
2 sticks cinnamon
Rind of 1 lemon or orange cut into slices
Heat until almost boiling. Do not boil!!!
Serves 4.
(Note: alternatively, heat everything except the wine to a boil for about 2 minutes, then simmer for about 30 minutes. Strain, if you want. Add the wine, stir and serve.)

Wassail (Non-alcoholic spiced cider)

3 cups sugar

2 quarts water

4 cinnamon sticks

15-20 whole cloves

Boil for 5 minutes and strain.

Add:

1 quart black tea

¾ cup lemon juice

1 ¼ cup orange juice

1 quart apple cider

Heat, but not boil and serve.

Recipe can be doubled for a larger group. Add less sugar if you prefer.

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.

© 2013 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.