Supplementing your faith

To paraphrase 2 Peter 1:5-9 is to call to action those who have faith in Christ Jesus. Peter encourages us to add to our faith goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love. Each of these things builds upon one another towards the ultimate goal of love. So here is my prayer tonight Lord.

May you grant me now in my journey with you these building blocks of love. Most crucially give me self-control in my times of weakness. Amen.

"But 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 1:9, NIV)

When we as Christians are not actively seeking to add these qualities to our faith we are being nearsighted to satisfy some fleshy desire. We lose sight of the fact that these flesh rewards pale in comparison to the eternal rewards we have thanks to the cleansing we have received from Christ Jesus. We have forsaken the old and perishable for the new and everlasting. Let us (myself the chief offender) not forget the exchange that has been made at such an incredible price, passed freely on to is.

A prayer for self-control

As I continue to delve into First Peter it becomes painfully obvious what I need to pray for. I need character development as a man - as a Christian man. I need to develop further and become more Christ like. Among the character traits I need the most are touched in the beginning of chapter 2.

"So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander" (1 Peter 2:1, ESV).

But the middle ones I struggle with, those of deception and hypocrisy all stem from my lack of self-control. This Christian virtue that I sorely lack I desperately pray for. Peter calls us,

"Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul" (I Peter 2:11, ESV).

I feel the war, the effects of the ongoing conflict, the aftereffects of a recently lost battle. I feel the constant presence of my lack of self-control - my desire for the passions of the flesh. Let me hear Peter's urges. Let me hear his call to abstain from these passions that wage a war against my soul. Let my battle tides turn so that I am not in the mess of cleaning up from this war. Hear my prayer God.

"The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers" (I Peter 4:7, ESV).

Grant me self-control Lord. Hear my prayer. May I be alert and ready to overcome the things that trouble me so that I can live the holy life you call me to. Grant me self-control. I ask for a radical change so that I can overcome the passions of the flesh that I desire and are destructive. Replace those passions with ones that are pleasing and glorifying to you. If this radical change is not in your will give me the inner strength to pursue the changes through to a new character. If I must struggle to overcome my weaknesses let my strength rest in giving you my weakness. Hear my prayer God. The end of all things is at hand, do not let me continue to suffer from my old foolishness.

A prayer for preparation

I Peter 1:13-15

"Therefore, preparing your minds for action and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct."

There's a lot in here for me at the moment. The thing that jumps out at me first is the conglomerate word "sober-minded". Given the original Greek language doesn't really mean to not be drunk and rather is probably aimed at being ready and alert the conglomerate word "sober-minded" should be treated as it was initially intended and not in a simplistic don't be drunk sense. However, my current struggles make me uncomfortable any time the Bible calls on me to be sober-anything. It seems to cry out to me and tell me to in fact, be sober. That's a rough thing right now. It ties in with the act of no longer conforming to the passions of my former ignorance. Rather I need to cut ties with the mistakes of my youth and be alert and ready to do what is holy. Being sober has to be a start in that.

So here is my prayer. Lord prepare my mind or actions. Teach me to be sober-minded so that I can put off the passions of my ignorant former self. Guide me so that I can strive for holiness. For you are holy and called me to be holy. Teach me and start me on this path to holiness. Grant me the starting point. Prepare my way towards a holiness that is pleasing to you. Amen.