Great and precious promises;

2 Peter 1:3-11 -- 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. In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God's promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of goodness, and goodness 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. The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins. So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away. Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.


We have to increase our faith with goodness, knowledge, self-control, patient endurance, godliness, brotherly affection, and love for everyone.


Goodness: 2 Thessalonians 1:11 -- So we keep on praying for you, asking our God to enable you to live a life worthy of his call. May he give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do.


Knowledge: 1 Corinthians 8:2-3 -- Anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn't really know very much. But the person who loves God is the one whom God recognizes.


Self-control: Galatians 5:16 -- So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves.


Patient endurance: Hebrews 10:36 -- Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God's will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.


Godliness: 1 Timothy 4:8 -- Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.


Brotherly affection: Romans 12:10 -- Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.


Love for everyone: 1 John 4:11-12 -- Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.


We must constantly be at work to improve each of these things-- the moment our faith becomes comfortable is the moment we should be concerned. We must always strive for more. We need to have faith in impossible circumstances.


Hebrews 11:1 -- Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about the things we cannot see.


Nothing is impossible with God. Not convinced?


Luke 1:37 -- For nothing is impossible with God.


Matthew 17:20 -- "You don't have enough faith," Jesus told them. "I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, "Move from here to there," and it would move. Nothing would be impossible."


Luke 18:27 -- He replied, "What is impossible for people is possible with God."


We need to put our faith in Him, in His word, and in the desires He places in our hearts. We need to be in tune with him and know that he will not lead us astray. He wants to bless us and care for us...it's in his nature. We need only ask.


Matthew 7:7 -- Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.


Confidently take your worries, cares, plans, dreams, aspirations, doubts, fears, hopes, anxiety to the foot of the cross. Place it there. Because God sent his son Jesus Christ to carry your burdens. It is no longer your responsibility to carry them around; you are His responsibility. He will take care of you. He will care for you. He will argue your case. He will take your side (Psalm 119:154). Fix your eyes on Jesus and He will carry you along and save you. Seek him in all you do and he will make your paths straight (Proverbs 3:6). He is smoothing out the path ahead of you as we speak (Isaiah 26:7). He is bigger than your perception of him-- and he never gets tired of you. He never stops wanting to bless you. He never stops loving you. He never misunderstands you. He always loves you, always cares for you, and always wants to lead you along the right path. Cease striving and fall wholeheartedly into his open arms of love (Psalm 46:10). Give him your burdens. And truly let him have them. Nothing is impossible with God (Luke 1:37). Our God is greater. Trust him (Proverbs 3:5).


1 Peter 5:7 -- Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you.


Isaiah 46:4 -- I will be your God throughout your lifetime-- until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you.