A Recipe For Success

The Bible clearly states that God has given us everything we need to succeed in our Christian lives. In order to be forgiven from a life of sin we need to believe and have faith in, Jesus Christ.
*It takes Faith to move forward and overcome the challenges.”He who is in you is greater than the he who is in the world”. (1JN 4:4).

Jesus  sacrificed his life on a cross for us, so we could be cleansed of all our sins and have a relationship with him and God, his Father for ALL Eternity.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

So, if God has given us everything, what do WE need to do?
2 Peter 1:5-11 gives us clear, step-by-step instructions.

First, we must have FAITH.
The definition of faith is found in Hebrews 11:1, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”
It is impossible to “believe” if you don’t have faith. “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).
The entire chapter of Hebrews 11 is full of examples of “Faith in Action”.
If we stop at faith we will have no success.
The very next book in the bible, James, tells us exactly that; faith without deeds is dead. So, if you continue reading
2 Peter 1:5-7, you will see there is a list of attributes we need to add to our faith.
*Verse 8 is very important. First, it tells us these aren’t added just once and we’re set for life. We must “posses these qualities in increasing measure.” *Second, it lets us know if we “Follow these Instructions”, it will keep us from being ineffective and unproductive in our knowledge of the Lord.

The next verse( 2 Peter 1:9) warns about what happens if we don’t have these qualities increasing in our lives… “we become nearsighted and blind, and “Forget” that we were saved, or cleansed from our sins”.

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving (Colossians 3:23-24).

Not wanting to end on a negative note, Peter goes on to say there is a way to make sure verse 9 never happens(don’t get nearsighted and blind, and forget that we were saved).
“Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:10, 11 )

When I was new and immature in my faith – my Christian walk was full of failure.   I felt like all I did was try, fall, repent… over and over again.
** The truth is, I wasn’t trying to change. I wanted to stay the way I was, and God wanted me to become more like Christ every day.
*I don’t know why I fought it for so long.  I used the excuse “Jesus loves me just the way I am.”
*That is a true statement, but Jesus also loves me too much to leave me there! *Don’t be afraid to surrender everything to God’s will because His way is so much better than our way!  “So, no more excuses”– I would tell myself.

I am amazed when I think about the lengths God has gone for us to have a personal relationship with Him!
*God is so perfect, and we are so imperfect; He is love, and we are self-centered. We want Results this second and God is patient and has Our Best interest in mind because He sees and knows the Future—not Us!
** God knew He had to give us everything in order for us to succeed. He even put a measure of faith within every heart. The only thing He left up to us was our Free Will.
*We have the right to pursue Him with all our heart, or to pursue Him half-heartedly and lose sight along the way. **We even have the right to reject His loving offer, choosing a path that leads to eternal pain and self-destruction, which breaks the heart of our Creator.

So, when I say God has given us everything to succeed, I am not saying we have no choice in the matter. On the contrary. To live a healthy, productive Christian life it takes commitment and determination.
** Once we make our choice to pursue Him(All In), God is right there with us, to help along the way!

“But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15)

Praise be to God who has given us the victory in Jesus Christ to overcome temptation and serve the Lord…Whom will you serve if you refuse to serve the Lord???
May God give you victory over sin and power to celebrate your freedom in Him…Jesus loves you!!!

1 John 4:4 But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.
*It takes Faith to move forward and overcome the challenges.”He who is in you is greater than the he who is in the world”.
Father, again today, I declare that as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD. Father I ask you to remind me to consciously make this choice every day.
I pray for my heart and soul. I pray that I will focus only on You. You are my God. You are the Most High God. You are the only True God. I love You Lord! Amen