Why did
Peter say, “Add to your faith godliness?” If anyone knew how frail and human
each of us are it was Peter. He went from getting out of the boat, to walking
on the water to Jesus. He responded to the Lords question of “Who do men say
that I am?” He responded, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Later James and John and Peter went up with the Lord on a mountain top where
Moses and Elijah appeared. Then, in the Garden of Gethsemane, the Roman
soldiers and the Jewish leadership came to take their Lord; Peter drew his
sword and cut off the ear of the High Priest. Then at the Lord’s trial before
Pilate, Peter denies to three different ones that he doesn’t even know who the
Lord is.
So why would
Peter say, “Add to your faith godliness?” Peter of all men knew the humanity
and difficulty of staying the course in their faith. Is it possible to add to
your foundation of Faith, “Godliness?”
Years ago I
had a tree in my front yard that was fifty plus years old, eighty feet high and
simply gorgeous. On the outside everything seemed normal, but a cavity began deteriorating
at the bottom of the tree. It might have been an attack from a fungus or
insects that invaded and destroyed the inner core. One day I observed a
squirrel that went in the bottom cavity of the oak tree and came out at the
top.
The Word
teaches us, “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues
of life.” (Proverbs 4:23) It’s little by little that Satan works at destroying
our heart. One doesn’t overnight begin to lie, steal, cheat, gossip, and dwell
on lustful thoughts and just get bitter with life. There are several things we
must do to overcome the spiritual fungus that attempts to attack and
deteriorate our heart.Was it the business owner that treated you wrong? Was it the deal that went sour at work with a co-worker? Was it your dad or your mom who abandoned you at home? Do you still think about the church brother or neighbor or leader who deeply offended you? Do you still get on edge when you hear the name of that company, person or family member who wronged you?
God has the
ability and power to help each of us fight back against the issues that have
tried to stop our heart from being pure, clean and healed. When God saved you,
His Word says, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new
creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
(2 Corinthians 5:17) It’s unsafe to
allow the enemy to leave your heart injured and hallowed out. God can give us a
brand new heart. Your heart will then have His peace, joy, patience, passion
and His purpose in your life.
Each day I follow
my doctor’s orders to take a baby aspirin. I could choose to refuse his
instructions. Or I could just simply do what he says, trusting that he knows
what’s best for my particular health and future. It may be by following that simple
order from my doctor that keeps my heart ticking and keeps me living longer
than I would otherwise.
Just how
well do we follow the Lord’s instruction to protect our heart? Have we taken
His instructions seriously? I had a tree surgeon come and take down that rotted
oak tree. It had become a high risk to fall to the winds and storms. Have you
ever seen one of Gods saints take a hard fall?
Their issues didn’t start overnight. Little by little destruction was
happening from the inside. Man may look at the outward appearance, but God
looks at the heart. Allow His precious
blood to wash and cleanse you from all iniquity. Jesus said to pray every day,
“Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors and lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.” Choose
to be like a tree planted by the rivers of water,
that brings forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and
whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. (Ps 1:3)
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