THE MIGHTY EIGHT. By Pastor Fernando

SCRIPTURE
⁵For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; ⁶and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; ⁷and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. ⁸For 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. ⁹But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.
2 Peter 1:5-9

OBSERVATION
This is Peter's version of the fruit of the Spirit when we truly become fully devoted followers of Christ. The change in our lives is reflected by an increase of these eight virtues. Faith is the starting point and love is the goal. In between, we need to grow in goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness and brotherly kindness. Peter suggests that they work together as one overflows over the other. The more faith I have, the more goodness I will develop. The more goodness I have, the more knowledge I will have, and so forth. The reverse process is also true. I cannot have a measure of love greater that my measure of brotherly kindness. I cannot have a measure a measure of brotherly kindness larger than my measure of godliness, and so forth.

APPLICATION
As I prepare for what has for next year and for the future, looking at Peter's mighty 8 provides me with a clear idea of who I want to become and also a strategy to accomplish that. Just like a pyramid, the base of faith must be vastly large. On top of that I must build goodness, and on top of that knowledge, etc. I think my problem is that I try to work in all these virtues separately, not as unit. I need to realize that the work must be comprehensive, one building upon each other and feeding from each other. I cannot be strong in godliness and week in perseverance. I cannot say that I lack self-control but I abound in love. Only if I focus in all eight of them and increase my measure in each one of them, I will see my life thriving and growing, giving glory to God, and showing that He truly lives in me.

PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father, please let me fgrow in each area of the mighty eight. Help me to understand more and more about the way each one of them build on each other and feeds from each other. I want to honor you with my life and reveal to the world that you live in me by the way I grow in your image. I love you Lord Amen!