L.I.F.E.LINES is dedicated to encouraging and equipping you
for a daily prayer and quiet time. Please feel free to reply to us with
your comments and pass this along to your family and friends.
Visit our website at www.thesolidrockchurch.com for more information
about the ministry of Solid Rock Church.
Add Brotherly Kindness to your Godliness
2 Peter 1:5~7
Add ... to godliness, brotherly kindness.
I've never been to Philadelphia but some day I hope to go there; I'd love to see the historical sites and documents. Hopefully you have gone and have walked back in time to our country's roots.
Philadelphia is the Greek word for "brotherly kindness/ brotherly love." As we grow, and these wonderful attributes we've been looking at the past many days increasingly manifest themselves in our lives, we find that godliness will produce love for our fellow Christ followers. We are called upon to love our brothers and sisters in Christ in a very special way.
I like the thought of kindness, because it implies actions, loving actions; my love for you should be seen in how I treat you. Also, as lovers of Jesus, we are to be kind to all people; otherwise, why would they want to be like us if we're just as cold or mean-spirited as everyone else? Here's a good verse for every day:
"As we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers" (Galatians 6:10).
We can gain some valuable insights from these other verses where philadelphia occurs:
"Be devoted to one another in brotherly love" (Romans 12:10).
"Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other" (1 Thessalonians 4:9).
"Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart" (1 Peter 1:22).
Let's pray the sentiments of Colossians 3:12:
Loving God our Father, since I am one of Your chosen people, holy and dearly loved, may compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience, be as evident to all as my clothing is. I ask this in the precious name of Your beloved Son, who always exemplified those qualities. Amen.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
