Do Hard Things

"And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."  2 Peter 1:5-8

Diligence.    spü-dā
haste, with haste
earnestness, diligence
earnestness in accomplishing, promoting, or striving after anything
to give all diligence, interest one's self most earnestly

all diligence

Add to Your Faith Virtue

We live in a culture that has whispered in our ears and given us the impression that good things can be easy, quick and come to us with simply a hope, a wish and a prayer.

I hate to break it to you, this is not an accurate understanding of how things happen.

The birthplace of this thought came to me as I pondered the very difficult things that we must do to live a life that God will bless and prosper.   No doubt we all desire the blessings of God, however a simple study of scripture will teach you that the blessings of God and his favor does not come without diligent and purposeful living.

I began to make a list of hard things that are incumbent upon those who claim to be believers in covenant with God.

Forgiveness

Submission

Holiness

Humility

Tithing

There are a number things that we could include in this list.  However, I think this list is a good place to start.

One of the hardest things to do that is a bar one must cross to truly progress in your walk with God, you must learn how to forgive.

"And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.  But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses."  Mark 11:25-27

Forgiveness Is Hard

If your going to be saved, you're going to have to do hard things.

Why would you forgive?

Why should you forgive?

"For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:"

Matthew 6:14

Do you want to experience the glorious freedom of forgiveness and live in the glorious flow of Grace that never ends?  You must allow that virtue to flow through you.

Humility is Hard.

"Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:"

1 Peter 5:6

"Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.
If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.
For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you."  John 13:13-15

To walk in humility is a choice.    We live in a culture that is offended.   We have folks offended at football teams.  We have folks offended at leaders.  We have folks offended at parents.  We have folks offended at Christians.

We have offended others without trying and others more than likely was not trying to offend when they hurt your feelings.    

Humility will cure you of your right to be offended.   Jesus washed the feet of those that in just a few days would betray him, deny him and desert him.  Yet he washed thier feet and prayed for them.  How could he do that?   He, the God man knew the virtue, the divine holy virtue of true humility that will serve and bless no matter the past or the future.

Tithing is Hard
"Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.
And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts."   
Malachi 3:10-12

Tithing and First Fruit began in the book of Genesis.
You see Adam giving First Fruit of his Flock
You see Abraham giving tithes to Melchezidek
You see Jacob promising and giving tithes.

This was before Moses.  This was before Egypt.  This was before the writing of the law.  Tithing is a spiritual principle that began before the First Covenant Moses. 

"Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?
Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.  Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation." 
 Malachi 3:7-9

Doing Hard Things is the Pathway to purpose and blessing.   We all want the blessing, but are we willing to do the hard things?

Obedience

"Having confidence in thy obedience I wrote unto thee, knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say."  

Philemon 1:21

If the Word of God says Don't.   Don't.   If the Word of God says do, do.

The greatest disobedience and trespass in the Church today is not what is done in rebellion, but what is left undone because of unconcern.

"Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin."
James 4:17

"I think."
"I feel."
"I don't like."
"That's just not me."
"I don't want to do that."

Jesus differentiated the fool and the wise by one factor.

" Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it."   Matthew 7:22-27

Hearing and Doing = Wise
Hearing and not doing=  Foolish