The Entrance Into The Kingdom
“And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 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. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1:5-11)
Today’s Morsel: When we become Christians, our destination and goal ought to be heaven. If that is not your goal, chances are you will struggle in your walk and relationship with Christ and others. Your end state must be heaven. This earth is not our destination. We are heading to a place where there will be no more pain and suffering. The Bible tells us that the patriarchs looked for a city whose builder and maker was God. It tells us that they saw themselves as strangers and pilgrims in this earth. But that did not stop them from trying to reach their destination. God has put into place some requirements for us to enter His Kingdom. As He told Nicodemus, you must be born again of the water and the Spirit. Then Peter tells us, Add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 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. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” Notice, if we do these things we will find the entrance into the kingdom. When many of Jesus’ disciples went back because of their lack of understanding, He asked the twelve whom He had chosen if they would go away also. “Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.” (John 6:68-69) We must grow and mature in the things and ways of God to reach that city. You must daily keep pressing towards the mark of the prize. And you must be sure of yourself if you are going to make it into the kingdom.
Sing: I’m going to a city, there’ll be no more night; I’m going to a city where Jesus is the light. The trumpet’s gonna sound and I’ll be called away; I’m going to a city someday.
Thought For Today: “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:33)
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