"And beside this, giving all diligence, add to
your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
and to knowledge temperance; and to tempe-
rance, patience; and to patience godliness;
and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to
brotherly kindness, charity.
(Diligence: Steady, earnest, energetic
application that perseveres.)
When we think of diligence, we consider the
long haul, rather than a short run. It is quite
easy in the short run, to be successful in the
important areas of life. It is another matter,
altogether, over life as a whole. This requires
a totally different mindset from short term
thinking. First, we must determine or define
what we mean by success to the child of God.
It is nothing short of pleasing our Lord in
every area of life. God is more concerned
with our becoming mature, Spiritually, than
our personal accomplishment. It is more of
being than the doing. It is not that one who
is successful in pleasing our Lord does not
accomplish, even great things.
On the contrary, it is quite impossible that
one who pleases Him, would fail to achieve
His will. The fruit of the Spirit will be evident
in that one's life, and the fruit of the Spirit is
nothing less than; love, joy, peace, patience,
(longsuffering) kindness, goodness, faithful-
ness, gentleness, and self-control. We do not
have a schedule for meeting intangible goals.
It's a new direction for life. These qualities of
the one who is controlled and emplowered by
the Spirit of God, in Jesus Christ, will accom-
plish the will of God. Could we ask for more?
See Galatians 5: 22, for "Fruit of the Spirit,"
and Galatians 5:19-21, "Works of the flesh."
According to more than one author, or Bible
scholar, there are specific areas of growth for
one to undertake, intentionally, to develop the
quality of "diligence," as a character trait.
First, we must name the areas of life which
evidently need growth, develop a plan and fol-
low through,"diligently." We name objectives;
aspirations for patience, an openess to others,
to be more considerate and sensitive to the lea-
dership of the Holy Spirit.
Other goals might include developing Spiri-one who pleases Him, would fail to achieve
His will. The fruit of the Spirit will be evident
in that one's life, and the fruit of the Spirit is
nothing less than; love, joy, peace, patience,
(longsuffering) kindness, goodness, faithful-
ness, gentleness, and self-control. We do not
have a schedule for meeting intangible goals.
It's a new direction for life. These qualities of
the one who is controlled and emplowered by
the Spirit of God, in Jesus Christ, will accom-
plish the will of God. Could we ask for more?
See Galatians 5: 22, for "Fruit of the Spirit,"
and Galatians 5:19-21, "Works of the flesh."
According to more than one author, or Bible
scholar, there are specific areas of growth for
one to undertake, intentionally, to develop the
quality of "diligence," as a character trait.
First, we must name the areas of life which
evidently need growth, develop a plan and fol-
low through,"diligently." We name objectives;
aspirations for patience, an openess to others,
to be more considerate and sensitive to the lea-
dership of the Holy Spirit.
tual gifts such as Evangelism, Teaching, Prea-
ching or Counselling. It is critical for one to
find in God's Word and prayer, gifts our Lord
desires for us and to seek the gift that might be
primary. See Romans 12: 1-3:
I beseech you therefore, bretheren by the
mercies of God, that you present your
bodies a living sacrifice, holy acceptable
to God, which is your reasonable service.
And do not be conformed to this world,
but be transformed by the renewing of
your mind, that you may prove what is
that good and acceptable will of God.
For I say, through the grace given to me
to everyone who is among you, not to
think of himself more highly than he
ought to think, but to think soberly, as
God has dealt to each one a measure of
faith. Romans 12: 1-3 (NKJV)
Along with this brief introduction is a warning
to refuse to become smug or proud if one deve-
lops in any area above our peers. When one is
deceived by pride, he understands nothing of
this life he is priviledged to live in the power of
our Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord God receives
any glory that might come our way. The use
of any gift from God must be integrated into
Kingdom endeavors, and can never be used for
personal enrichment or self agrandizement.
All of this is brought into the life of a Child of
God as he saturates himself in God's Word,
and "prays without ceasing" for the Lord's
leadership and blessing. If we are diligent on
our own, in the flesh, we accomplish nothing,
and we may have "...taken the name of the
Lord in vain." Exodus 20:7 If we are diligent
in these two areas, prayer and study of Scrip-
ture, we will see answers to our prayers and
fulfillment of His will in our lives. If we fail in
these two areas, we accomplish nothing. Who
gets glory in that? And what is our primary
responsibility? We must glorify the Lord God,
in Jesus Christ, by life or death; in joy or suf-
fering.
"For if these things be in you, and abound, they
make you that ye shall neither be barren nor
unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus
Christ.
But he that lacketh these things is blind and
cannot see afar off and hath forgotten that he
was purged from his old sins." 1 Peter 1:8-9
donporter,sr 9.26.12, ed. 11.24.16
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