FAITH IMPROVEMENT


Have you ever asked yourself, “How can I have the assurance that my faith is growing and bearing the fruit of the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ?”  I would tell you, "Give careful attention to improve the qualities of your character."  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. (2 Peter 1:5-7)
It is important to be diligent about having the right kind of faith. Believing solely in the principles of the Bible will leave you unfulfilled; it is a simple faith, depending on Christ alone that makes faith grow. It is vital that you pray without ceasing to God asking Him to give you the courage to always have a clear consciousness about boldly doing the right thing no matter the circumstances. Then it’s time to apply what the Scripture teaches concerning its doctrinal principles—this increases your knowledge which confirms the growth of your faith. Making every effort to understand God’s Word will enrich your heart. Now that bold prayer and deeper knowledge of the Bible are at your core you have the foundational equipment to add self-control to your faith life. This will be evidenced by the tempering of your speech, your thoughts, your life, your heart the further evidence of the growth your faith. As your faith core becomes more active you’ll be ready to add to it, by the Holy Spirit’s power, patient endurance. You will need this because of your flesh. You will tend to get weak in caring out the evidence of your faith. So when in the midst of afflicted weakness your lips, life, thoughts, and heart will be golden. When you’ve won that battle it’s now time to grow in godliness— which is not a religion. Godliness is the object of your life. You now desire to live in full view of His glory and seek a deeper relationship with Him. Without it, it’s impossible to extend godly love to other Christ-followers much less to everyone else. When faith is full grown it pours itself out on everyone.
These virtues of a fruitful faith will always be in proportion to how much you put them into practice. They will give you the clearest assurance that your faith is growing in Christ. Begin today to do your best to improve your faith.

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