It Begins and Ends With Faith, Which Begins and Ends With the Word

2Peter 1:3-4 By His divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know Him, the One who called us to Himself by means of His marvelous glory and excellence.
And because of His glory and excellence, He has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share His divine nature and escape the world's corruption caused by human desires. (See 1 John 2:16)

1:5-7 In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God's promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.

1:8 The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (NLT) (emphasis added)

Remember this: "Nothing happens unless you read The Word!"

When we read God's Word we find promises, and according to F.B Meyer, "The promises excite the faith, and faith reckons upon the fulfillment of promise." (F.B. Meyer from June 9 Daily Devotion.)

The word "reckon" means "to count on" or "believe in" as in "you can count on that" - "you can "believe in that".

In other words - the promises excite the faith, and the faith counts on, or believes in, the fulfillment of the promise.

Verses 5-7 then present us with a royal staircase to become a "useful" Christian - or "Christ-follower." Each "step" takes us closer to being productive and useful. But, the first step on this staircase must begin with faith.

And how do you get faith? Romans 10:17 Faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ. (NLT)

Everything starts with reading the Word! When we read the Word it gives us the promises, which in turn excites the faith - and the faith believes in the fulfillment of the promise. And, you get faith from hearing the Word, and (as teachers) we are to: Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching. 2Timothy 4:2 (NLT)


Joshua 1:8 Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. (NLT) Everything begins and ends with The Word!