Eternally Minded

Most of us in Christian circles have heard something about perseverance (also referred to Biblically as endurance). We know that 2 Peter 1:6 says that perseverance brings godliness and that it's an important quality to have. We know or have heard of someone who seems to have mastered perseverance, like Paul, William Tyndale, or even the persecuted church. Sometimes we think that perseverance is this big thing that only super Christians can do. But how do we actually develop perseverance? I think the answer lies in 2 Peter 1:3: "His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence." Because Christ gave us life, we have a knowledge of Him that only He can reveal to us. And it's through that knowledge that He enables us to escape corruption that comes from evil desires as He makes us more like Him. So, Paul tells us to strive to supplement our faith with certa...

John 12:43: "They loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God."  This verse has been running through my head for a few weeks now. I included it in my last post, but honestly, it just boggles my mind. Well, not actually. I completely understand how the people this verse is talking about were deceived enough to believe that man's glory was more valuable than God's. Probably the reason it sticks with me is for fear that the same thing may be said about me some day. This summer, I was privileged to be in the girls' dorm at camp for two weeks. I always love being in the dorm because of the amazing opportunity it brings to study the Word of God and encourage one another. We usually read through a couple of the New Testament letters together in the evenings, (James being one of our favourites) but this year, we decided to read 1 Peter.  Some things stood out to me... "Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of h...