Supplement Your Faith with Virtue

Lately ‘virtue’ has been rattling around in my head. Sometimes I take the message personally as a ‘reproof’ or ‘discipline’ from God that somehow I am lacking, perhaps even offensively so. On this topic I can admit, I am woefully lacking, sadly shallow but submissive as always to the correction from God our Father for HE disciplines the one HE loves. As I did my research and contemplated ‘virtue’ as used in scripture, as inspired by God, as spelled out by the apostles I thought perhaps it might be fun to share it.

First up, Peter speaks to the Christian:

May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to [fn] his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, [fn] and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. – 2 Peter 1:2-8

Ponder, how does one ‘supplement’ one’s faith with virtue? First, one would have to understand ‘what is virtue’? The Greek for virtue used in this particular passage of the Bible has the following meaning:

1) a virtuous course of thought, feeling and action

a) virtue, moral goodness

2) any particular moral excellence, as modesty, purity

Extract from www.blueletterbible.org, Lexicon

Definitions of moral excellence on the Web:

• virtue: the quality of doing what is right and avoiding what is wrong
  wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn

Curiously, this sentiment is stated for us in scripture: “Therefore, if one knows how to do what is right and yet does not do it, it is a sin for him.-James 4:17

So, moral goodness must accompany our faith! Moral goodness is being able to recognize what is right, is doing what is right and conversely, not doing wrong. Wow! That is quite the challenge, or is it. It would seem from looking at our world ‘right’ has a sliding scale of meanings. Extreme examples of what some believe to be right while others believe it morally wrong, would for example be ‘abortion’ or ‘euthanasia’. We live in a society which has moved far away from the tenets of the Bible, tenets clearly outlined through out its pages with well articulated accounts of what is RIGHT. Is it up to us to define what is right or does God provide HIS take on right along with the admonition to ‘supplement’ our faith with virtue? Here it is:

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things [are] noble, whatever things [are] just, whatever things [are] pure, whatever things [are] lovely, whatever things [are] of good report, if [there is] any virtue and if [there is] anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things. – Phil 4:8

That is quite a tall order…truth, nobility, justice, purity, love, encouragement, virtue, praiseworthiness. Can we tackle at least one for a little while just to get used to the feeling? How about truth? I am reminded of the movie “LIAR, LIAR” where the central character was forced to tell the truth at all times. Sometimes the truth was painful, sometimes comical, all times truth, at least as he saw it, and when it was over truth became a reality for him as it was promoted with positive reinforcement through improved relationships with those he interacted with, especially his son. Not that Hollywood is the model for emulation of what is right; simply the premise has some relevance in every walk of life we enjoy.

So let us plan this. Let’s plan on dissecting this couple of scriptures over the next few weeks and see where it takes us. As we are reminded by Peter’s words above, in order for us to be partakers in the divine nature we must supplement to our faith with virtue!

Contemplate: Nobility

Escape to the Shadow!

The harsh shadows cast from the headlines seem filled in with scorching heat! Increasing taxes on everything when the economy has tanked so badly that many have no income, yet, they still must pay taxes on food and the necessities of life! The religious hatred that is spewed both in threats to foreigners and to their own citizens, the disquieting feeling deep within that the government here in America that has always been sort of ‘there’ is now dissipating and there is no one behind it with an appealing face. With the years indulging in self it seems fitting that soon enough it will be everyone for themselves as utter chaos comes to life with no constraint.

These are horrifying visions and realities but except for a small portion of souls on this earth, it has been the life routine for many around the world all their lives. The right to peaceful and quiet living does not exist in so many places and the shadow that looms over those souls is always suspect of yet another frightful moment in a long series of foreboding and terror.

With each passing day the shade we wind up in does not provide relief from the sun or hot winds.

There is ONE who casts a long and protective shadow. The Psalmist wrote this: “How precious is your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings.” [Psalm 36:7]

What contrasting terminology ‘precious is your unfailing love, O God!’ to ‘I will wipe you off the map’!

Can I say it again? “How precious is your unfailing love, O God” What a powerful sentence! The shadow is used as a metaphor for protection, security, concealment. John, the apostle of Love wrote: “God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect.”[1 John 4]

Think upon God’s love, ‘how precious is your unfailing love, O God’. “All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings.”

While we are faced with the ugly of news and events everyday and find ourselves grappling with the heat of a harsh world, meditate on how ‘precious’ and ‘UNFAILING’ God’s love is. All who live in love live in God and God lives in them. What a powerful statement! We MUST live in love. Staying under the long shadow cast by God gives us respite from the realities of a dying world and renews our ‘love’ in God and HIS in us. If we let that love vibrate out from within we can positively affect those around us and extend God’s shadow by one more being.

We have some dark, even darker times coming ahead of us. We likely cannot conceive of the fearful things we will experience, yet, if we scoot up way inside that long shadow and embrace the precious and unfailing love of God we will be like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, cast in a fire but emerging untouched even of the ‘smell’ of fire because of the ‘precious and UNFAILING love of God’!

Please extend God’s shadow to include one more weary soul. Point them to the Love of God, the precious, unfailing, love of God so as we all live in that love of God we grow perfect! AMEN!

We may not be able to stem the tide of evil and darkness that is sucking the life out of this planet but while evil towers over us our God will eclipse evil with HIS own Shadow. Have faith.

Contemplate how cool it feels to the bare foot that has just run across the hot asphalt to land upon a cool shaded place. God is Good!

Fear Not!

North Korea threatens to launch a missile towards the quiet vacation destination of the Hawaiian Isles. There, where paradise calls the sun-loving to its white sand shores, N. Korea’s sinister government has set its cross hairs, fixed!

Iran’s government, allegedly ‘theocratic’ [meaning god run/head], has declared war on their neighbor, Israel, vowing to annihilate them entirely. The ‘godly’ leaders permit a rain of acid laden water to fall on thousands of Iran’s young people who have gathered to demonstrate their sentiments about a bogus election and the hierarchy ruler.

A jihad against the west has been ongoing for some 2o years with peaks and valleys in assaults and strategic planning. Thousands have died for religious differences, pitting tribal culture against personal independence.

Somalia, Darfur, Afghanistan, Iraq, Mexico-U.S border: where acts of violence and full disregard for persons and property is wide spread.

There has been much discussion for the past few decades that people in western countries have grown calloused, cool, or immune to incidents of violence. They say a correlation is drawn between the number of acts of violence viewed as ‘entertainment’ -- either in the form of movies, television, or now gamers – and the human response to real violence.

The human spirit is such a fascinating entity! It sequesters itself in the routine of its being, lurking in the dark shadows of the character who would practice death in a virtual world, donning an alter ego in avatar’s form while also engaging a background program designed to startle the mind with bits of information assaulting one’s cognizance -- pricking it to consciousness as real life news of violence in foreign lands is reported. There is an ethereal nascent nudge of the mind by the human spirit towards the innate capacity for empathy, yet the inkling is so unfamiliar it is disquieting, usually excused, ignored. But with the increased level of violence encroaching on the human spirit in each of us and at such loud decibel levels with IED’s and Bombs, rockets, missiles, rapid weapon fire and shouts of crowds, it is increasingly more and more difficult to deny. The more insecure, more vulnerable we become with this encroachment, the more our natural self begins to respond. Fear is just beginning to dawn on the horizon of the western world. It comes in waves of assaults upon all that freedom, security, independence and individuality offers and in all who have been born to such privilege. It leers in the purple shadows of the morning light knowing the fertile ground it will inhabit in those holding fear as a notion. The human spirit is growing weary ignoring the signs of turbulence growing in the turbid first waves of the hint of fear’s approach. An ominous sensibility quakes resolve and confidence with each report of threat and mayhem. As the body receives this frequency of fear, adrenaline seeps into the blood and moves the body to a state of preparedness: raising the internal threat level to peak awareness. The rapidity of the reports of horror leaves no time for recreation, causing a weakened state of being with fear as the driving force.

There comes a time when the human spirit acknowledges its own capacity for stress management and defers to the ‘SPIRIT’ for back up. It is here where our ‘faith’ acts as a salve to quiet the mind and emotion of the fear. It is here where we remember the Lord’s exhortation as he finished telling his friends the future; a future which seems to be more our reality with each passing minute. After telling them some would live in a time of such momentous terror he says this: “And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” [ Luke 21:28]

What is probably the most amazing quality of the human spirit is its capacity for ‘hope’ and its unquenchable ‘belief’ in salvation, even if only in the person or form of a ‘white night’-- an obvious synonym for ‘Savior’.

As we hear of ‘reports of war’ and hear of reports of perverseness in the guise of religion, or ‘name’ of God, we draw peace from the Prince of Peace. We draw on the Forever Father, Mighty God, whose confidence lives on through our Spirit as we recall the WORD OF GOD!

“LIFT UP YOUR HEADS; YOUR REDEMPTION DRAWETH NIGH”! Fear Not!

Contemplation: How might you rise to the ever looming challenge of fear?

Happy FATHER'S Day

Here in the U.S., Sunday, June 21st, will not only mark the beginning of Summer, the longest day, or Summer Solstice, this year it is also Father’s Day! We are privileged to live in a time when such a notion is nationally observed, to ‘respect, admire, give tribute’ to our dads. But what of ABBA?

Our Lord gave us a clue in prayer, as it were, when HE said this: “Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be honored.” [Matt 6:9] In this context you could add ‘privilege, distinction’ to respect, admiration and tribute.

The Lord, building kinship between the ‘father here and the Heavenly Father concept’ said this: “If you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him." [Luke 11:13]

What can we do as children for our Heavenly Father? The Bible is filled with gift ideas from of old that were offered to God so the concept of offering a gift to our Heavenly Father is surely not out of the question. What if you are stumped as to what you can give?

Here are some ideas:

• "Here is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is the duty of every person." [Ecc 12:13]
• "But the time is coming and is already here when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for anyone who will worship him that way." [John 4:23]
• "The Lord your God is one; so love the Lord God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence and energy.'" [Mark 12:30]

By now, you have clear ideas on what gifts you can make to your Heavenly Father. You may say: “These are everyday things we should be doing!” Correct! We should, however being sinful we do not always do as we should. Just as in life, we do not always obey our ‘flesh and blood’ dad either. But, on Father’s Day, most of us make every effort to please him as we know he would be pleased. So, if we cannot remember daily what we should be doing, perhaps out of respect and admiration we should make every effort to DO what few things our Father requires of us as HIS family. Think about ‘passion and prayer’ -- what can that prayer be? To remember to try and do what is expected of us daily, with HIS help? And if we ask we know HE will answer.

“You can tell for sure that you are now fully adopted as his own children because God sent the Spirit of his Son into our lives crying out, "Papa! Father!" Doesn't that privilege of intimate conversation with God make it plain that you are not a slave, but a child? And if you are a child, you're also an heir, with complete access to the inheritance.” [Gal 4:6,7]

On Sunday, cry out “PAPA, FATHER” and honor, admire, respect HIM as your heart is so moved!

Contemplation: What can I do to HONOR my FATHER?

The Cool Mist of God

Have you ever stood just off to the side of a waterfall and felt the cool mist or spray that floats up and out from the fall? Many times, hiking to see a waterfall leaves you in need of a bit of refreshment. While it can be said, the mist rising off the falls is from God that is not the point of this article. What is the point?

‘Seasons of refreshing’ or ‘times of refreshing’ as Peter put it to the crowds gathered at Pentecost shortly after the Lord ascended to heaven. Refreshing would be theirs if they converted and then had their sins blotted out. The Greek word used for ‘refreshing’ in Acts 3:19 is: anapsyxis and means “a cooling”.

Was your conversion and subsequent repentance of sin a refreshing experience for you? Did you feel ‘a cooling’? Invigorated? Recharged? Revitalized? Some may say yes because each person’s conversion is different than the next. But if you say no, is that a wrong answer? NO! Actually, in context, this passage is merely a portion of a larger speech Peter gave to a lot of folks who were not already part of ‘The Way’. They were told IF they converted and had their sins blotted out the refreshing would come from the presence of the Lord. Some years later the Lord had his beloved friend, John, write down this invitation: “The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.” [Rev 22:17] Then there is this wonderful visual: “Anyone who drinks the water I give will never thirst—not ever. The water I give will be an artesian spring within, gushing fountains of endless life." [John 4:14]

Are you feeling refreshed yet? Do you see the simile between water - refreshing and the ‘mist of God’?

What do you do to refresh? Or, what is refreshing to you? If you live somewhere hot, is it going somewhere with a nip in the air? A chilled fresh strawberry? Standing atop a mountain and gazing over the earth? Playing with your pet? Diving into the lake in early spring? Riding a motorcycle with the wind in your face? A hobby? Grandkids? The ‘refreshing’ from Christ’s presence is ‘a cooling’.

Most people describe the world as a harsh place. Life is tough. People seek escape it is so unpleasant. Yet the simple truth is turning to Christ, repenting of our sins, those are the two things we must do, that and if we are thirsty, drink of Christ’s waters freely.

The things we do to refresh ourselves are only momentary. They work, but only for a little while. We will be refreshed for all eternity when the time has come for Christ to return. During the harsher times when the worst of this world is tough to handle if you cannot indulge in a moment of refreshing to sustain you perhaps in your mind’s eye you can picture yourself standing on the side of the water fall and the mist falling gently upon you, refreshing you. Then, while you are there, remember the invitation? Come, takes life’s water free! In the words of Revelation: “Yes! Come, Master Jesus!”

There are many faith triggers™ in life. One could be the next time you are in need of refreshing and you find yourself refreshed you remember to thank God for HIS promise: When it is HIS time ‘seasons of refreshing’ will be your EVERY day of life. We can thank God for the gentle mist that settles lightly on our skin. Thank HIM too that HE is so awesome HE created the powerful waterfall and from it the gentle spray. What an awe-inspiring God!

Point of contemplation: How does your love of God refresh you?

A Jubilee of Liberty

Liberty Pole Post is pleased and blessed to launch our "Christian connection". Our country’s values are rooted, even entrenched, in Christian principles and values. The 17th and 18th century pilgrims and early settlers arrived, firmly committed to their faith. Our founding fathers in their wisdom understood with independence comes individualism, on every level, including religion. They built into the constitution our right to “FREEDOM of religion”. No further definition was given beyond these words: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…”

Our site is a gathering and broadcast destination. Liberty Pole Post is positioned to announce when Liberty is being denied or eroded in our great nation on every level through editorial commentary. We have added what is the obvious component, our Spiritual/Faith OutPost where respite and refreshment will be available for those who are distressed, discouraged, parched, fragile, weary, and exhausted from taking the beating the current government is daily dishing. We offer a kind WORD, reminder of what is ‘real’ and ‘good’ in life, through faith, especially in Christian principles. As on the ‘national’ side, we are not partisan to a particular ‘denomination’ but instead look to the Bible as the touchstone for guidance as revealed through the Bible. “To the ones chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, with sanctification by the spirit, for the purpose of their being obedient and sprinkled with the blood of Jesus Christ: May you have more and more of God's special favor and wonderful peace.” [1 Peter 1:2] Please partake and be filled with the Goodness of God.

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When’s the last time you felt like dancing about or running in joy because of your liberty in Christ? When’s the last time you felt ‘free’ of every encumbrance to thrill in your Christian freedom.

The Hebrew word for liberty is: dĕrowr and has the meaning of: a flowing, free run, liberty.

Freedom is part of the concept of liberty as it relates to the Bible. Who is not familiar with these words: “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." …”Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” The word used in this scripture for ‘free’ is: eleutheroō and is Greek. It translates into this:
1) to make free
2) set at liberty: from the dominion of sin

Have you experienced the utter abandonment of all things for joy when a young child lays eyes on a parent returning from an absence, short or long? Their joy, their love is free --to flow, run -- to their parent. Imagine how we will be when we behold our Lord? Christ gave us FREEDOM from all that holds us to our natural life. Christ is the author of LIFE, LIBERTY and the Pursuit of Happiness by HIS life’s existence and model and HIS death’s and resurrection’s triumphs. No doubt we will run to HIM with utter and absolute abandon of the fear and bondage we daily submit and subject ourselves to in our natural world, for the FREEDOM and LIBERTY of our Spiritual/Spirit world.

Until that day, how do we reconcile our Christian freedom and liberty with our natural liberty? How do we fight for our inalienable rights, the natural rights bestowed upon us by nature’s God: LIFE, LIBERTY and Pursuit of Happiness? How do we fight here, now, in the natural world while clinging, to what is fine in our Spiritual world? By recognizing that to have either we must first have and understand the first, Christian Liberty/Freedom. A Christian must simply employ the renewed ‘new mind and heart’ given when we accepted Jesus as the Lord of our life. Once done, it is our faith that continues to build on that joy. Did you know? Joy is a fruitage of the Spirit of God [Holy Spirit] and is manifest through you by Holy Spirit?

Here in our natural world we live our Christian Liberty through its principles. We honor those principles by loyalty to them at all times in all circumstances. We do not shrink back when we see others denied their liberty and we do not turn a blind eye when manifesting our JOY IN CHRIST brings with it harsh condemnation by those without Christ. We do not return like for like but we carefully exercise our freedom by teaching, disciplining, by manifesting our Freedoms in such a way as to make them desirous to those without them. We are not the sort who will abuse our Freedoms, our liberty, by lording it over others.

If we are denied our freedoms our Christian liberty through oppressive government or dictatorial edict, we do so only as to its natural demonstration and not as to its Spiritual manifestation. We are Jubilant in our Christian Liberty and Freedoms in whatever place, under what ever rule, in what ever circumstances and through what ever trials, because Christ experienced them all and was FREED from death’s grip -- blazing the way for us.

Be FREE! Dance around if only in your mind in the Joy of Christ. Just for a moment, close your eyes and let your mind and heart indulge your faith and belief in YOUR Christian Liberty. Do not let the cares or concerns of the natural world horn in on your joy. Take as long as you need to enjoy your FREEDOM. It is yours in Christ. Picture yourself running to meet HIM, the joy and absolute liberty you feel. Our Faith is to be an active faith not one of mere intellect, a topic for discussion, or, relegated to a synonym for a church we may attend. Each time we experience an awesome event, or feel that tug at our hearts which is connected to our well of tears, it is a faith trigger™ and increases our faith, releases our joy and builds on our CHRISTIAN LIBERTY!

Point of contemplation: How are you FREE indeed!?

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