Sgt_Z_Squad Posted July 19, 2004 Report Share Posted July 19, 2004 1a.) (2 Peter 1:5-6) Which of these virtues so far has been the easiest for you to move into? 1a.) You know, I look at this "step ladder" that Pastor Ralph has laid out and I think, that this process of climbing the ladder has to start at the first rung. "Goodness" because of the mere fact of my job. I have to live the laws that I enforce. 1b.) (2 Peter 1:5-6) Which has been the hardest for you? 1b.) The hardest - agape love."Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:7-8 Can anything be more difficult to emulate or to move into? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seedsoflove Posted July 19, 2004 Report Share Posted July 19, 2004 Q1. (2 Peter 1:5-6) Which of these virtues so far has been the easiest for you to move into. Which has been the hardest for you? Why? I could say any one of them is easy and any one of them is hard. Most times I feel that self control is the easiest. It didn't use to be but I have trained myself to think before reacting to anything. Now that I have trained myself to be in control of self I find I don't have to work on that one as much which gives me time to work on all the other ones. The hardest for me personally is knowledge. There is so much I want to know and learn that it can be overwhelming. I have to practice self control in this area alot. Hence the reason for this course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinclair Posted July 20, 2004 Report Share Posted July 20, 2004 Q1. (2 Peter 1:5-6) Which of these virtues so far has been the easiest for you to move into. Which has been the hardest for you? Why? To be honest, I think all of these virtues require considerable effort, because you have to work hard on them altogether, not one at a time. That is why the apostle Peter tells us "make every effort to add" to our Christian walk all of these necessary virtues so that we will not be unproductive and ineffective. However, if I were to single out the hardest ones for me, it would be self-control and godliness. Why? Because, godliness and self-control go hand in hand and this is an area were I have to work hard since temptation has been an area of testing for me. Moral discipline is necessary in the church of Christ, and if I fall in this area, it will lead to moral decline and the body of Christ will be tarnished. That is why this passsage has challege to me so much. I do not want to be label as stumling block to the body of Christ. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Ross Posted July 20, 2004 Report Share Posted July 20, 2004 I guess that the easiest of the virtues presented so far for me is perserverence. I have stumbled so many times, but I keep trying. Sometimes I do better, sometimes not, but I keep trying. The hardest on the list for me is self-control. I get angered easily in traffic. I still want to have a few drinks. I want.. I constantly have to remind myself that this life of mine is all about Him-NOT me!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randy777 Posted July 20, 2004 Report Share Posted July 20, 2004 I perserver but since all of the other supports I continue to fall down in I persevere in a life that needs a lot of work. A lot of work has been done and at one time I thought I had it close to under control so from then on of course I have learned better. If I wake in the morning what should I do but persever so maybe more of the other stuff is there than I count because God reminds me he is there so that I will remember how much he has loved me and what I would be if he did not. I love people but most of the folks I know have a lot but they are in misery much worse than me because they do not have hope given by promises such as these or at least they are not put in a position such as myself where what else can I do but claim these promises and so if I do not wake up then that as Paul said is gain too and yet to live well that is not me but Christ. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
princesskitty Posted July 20, 2004 Report Share Posted July 20, 2004 the easiest thing for me has been brotherly kindness. I've always had compassion and understanding for the fallen, having been there. The hardest for me has been self-control. Sin is fun, or else so many people wouldn't be doing it. It seemed like no matter what I set out to do, the good for me thing was not what I did. However, I've never been one to trample on someone, being as I've been underfoot plenty. I would like to say that fasting changed my life. It empowerd me to overcome. Mostly, it changed my perspective. I wish I would have known about it sooner. Maybe things would have been different. But for all of you out there battling your flesh, there is another step you can take to victory--Having been there myself ---and you don't have to do it perfectly. 2 Co. 8:12--is speaking about giving in the temple. We are the temple. Every sacrifice we make is noted. Perhaps you can give up soda for a day, or go farther and just drink water all day. Perhaps you have enough discipline to fast with only water and juice for 12 hours, or even a day. Or maybe you can just eat fruit for a day. There are all kinds of ways to fast. From sun up to sun down. Breakfast to breakfast. Basically, God knows what you CAN do, as well as what you cannot. I did my best in the beginning to not smoke while fasting, and if I had to, I just smoked half the cigarette. God met me halfway. I would say the most important thing is to stay in God's love while you are doing it. If you are griping at people, what's the point? Just thought I'd throw that out there. Pray and see if it's something God wants you to do. He will lead you, show you how, show you when. I often found that when it was Him leading me, I succeeded (finished). I've learned that sometimes the doors are open, and that is when you need to go, when He is directing. Jesus did say in MTTW. 6...WHEN ye fast. Not if. Sometimes it may be the only path to victory, as stated in Mttw 17:21. I hope this helps someone. I have found victory over things that formerly held me back. I am soooo glad God taught me about this valuable spiritual weapon. It's been a year and a half since he first started teaching me about it, and it is so nice to be on the victor's side now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen Posted July 21, 2004 Report Share Posted July 21, 2004 I think the easiet for me would be knowledge as I have a natural desire to know more about God and His Word. The hardest would be self control. I find myself going off on side tracks especially when I don't like what is happening in my family or with me, to take my mind off issues or to make me feel better. I need to be in prayer more and I also appreciated the remark before me on fasting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linda Stanley Posted July 21, 2004 Report Share Posted July 21, 2004 Q1. (2 Peter 1:5-6) Which of these virtues so far has been the easiest for you to move into. Which has been the hardest for you? Why? I must confess I fall short on all these virtues.This doesent mean I am not a good christian,to me it means I must keep moving in His "Goodness""Knowledge"~~Self-Control~"and Perseverance,to grow into the person God wants me to be.The person I want to be,to please God.There wasent any easy virtues for me to move into.I had to really clean my act up.For me to learn,and be taught how to flow in these virtues after I became a Christian I had to have "Knowledge".,which was the first to move into.~~THE WORD~~Reading my bible,spending time in group studies opened up the door for me.Knowing I wasent by myself,others were in the same boat.I know that Jesus is with me all the way as I grow towards Christian maturity. My hardest was "Self -Control" ,and still is.This is the one I really have to work on.Know one else can help me.I thak God I can reconize,when I am moving into a situation I have to "Control".When its tough,I utter a little prayer"Help Me Jesus".I know its not all up to Jesus,I have to "take- control" and discipline myself.Anger is one of my problems.I have come a long way with controlling my anger.I have now learned to look at it all one step at a time.One day at a time.Blessings Linda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cingraham Posted July 21, 2004 Report Share Posted July 21, 2004 5For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; Q1. (2 Peter 1:5-6) Which of these virtues so far has been the easiest for you to move into. Which has been the hardest for you? Why? 1. FAITH-Faith is essential for the Christian life, without at least a "basic faith" I would not even be a Christian. Therefore, in one sense I live by faith every minute. In terms of faith as trust for the ongoing work of Gof in my life, I have great hope in a broad perspective. I sometimes lack faith in the small details, or the "nitty gritty" of life. 2. GOODNESS-As a newly married young woman, I am trying to learn more and more how to be good to Jeff, my husband. This takes constant thought and effort. 3. KNOWLEDGE-This probably comes easiest for me. I have a hunger to learn. 4. SELF-CONTROL--Is difficult in some areas of course, but in other areas, I do well. Time management is one area of self control I need to work on. 5. PERSEVERENCE-God has given me situations in my past that have taught me well to persevere. I try to have a long-term, heaver-bound vision and set my hopes on his promises. Phil 3:12-14, "12Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, " 6. GODLINESS I will always strive for godliness, but will never fully attain it until heaven. Christina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norree Posted July 21, 2004 Report Share Posted July 21, 2004 Of all of them,thus far, goodness has been easier to be transformed toward. None of them are easy, The hardest for me is self control and perseverance. It is easier to be good morally and of good character knowing that this pleases my Father. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cct1106 Posted July 24, 2004 Report Share Posted July 24, 2004 Easiest for me is the virtue of knowledge and the hardest for me had been virtue of faith. I always believed and had faith but when things started tumbling down around me medically, physically, and emotionally I became doubtful. That's because with so much suffering I prayed and prayed and they were not answered. But had to come to realize that it was not God's fault. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kas Posted July 24, 2004 Report Share Posted July 24, 2004 Since I've been a Christian for only 2 years, all of the virtues are difficult and a conscous effort as my old nature keeps popping up. The amount of guilt or conviction is increasing and I ask forgiveness and press on toward the crown. However, of all the virtues I would say Self Control is the most problematic. I still have old addictions I am consciously trying to quit but am having much difficulty. Smoking is the major one. I quit for 1.5 days and the withdrawals were too much. I will try again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heatherdills Posted July 25, 2004 Report Share Posted July 25, 2004 The virtue of goodness so far has been the easiest for me to move into. The hardest has been perseverance because I have a hard time dying to my logical mind. For example, I stopped tithing because my bills were getting tight because my mind told me that that would be some money I could use to pay my bills. It didn't get any easier, so now I have starrted tithing again and so far, God's grace has been there. I know that God tested me and I failed miserably, but He picked me back up and now I am going again!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PressThrough Posted August 7, 2004 Report Share Posted August 7, 2004 Q1. (2 Peter 1:5-6) Which of these virtues so far has been the easiest for you to move into. Which has been the hardest for you? Why? Love, is the easiest virtue for me to be. godliness is hardest of all because I loose self-control while being persecuted. And that's not because of lack of faith and/or knowing, but because of guilt, which is the base of the attack, even if that part was never mentioned and it played a tiny a role in anything! Being beat up, disfigured, spit on, slandered, and any type of persecution is hard, to say the least. It is easy (by The Grace Of God) to endure it when you are not guilty of some thing - no matter how large or small or related it is. To be beaten for Christ's sake is an honor, and we were called into it, for the Glory of God! Who went through it Himself for Our Glory in Him, so that He can be Glorified in us. But when I am persecuted because of my own sin (weather the persecuter know's it or not). I do not tolerated it well because of the guilt & shame that comes with sinning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PressThrough Posted August 8, 2004 Report Share Posted August 8, 2004 Q1. (2 Peter 1:5-6) Which of these virtues so far has been the easiest for you to move into. Which has been the hardest for you? Why? Love, is the easiest virtue for me to be. godliness is hardest of all because I loose self-control while being persecuted. And that's not because of lack of faith and/or knowing, but because of guilt, which is the base of the attack, even if that part was never mentioned and it played a tiny a role in anything! Being beat up, disfigured, spit on, slandered, and any type of persecution is hard, to say the least. It is easy (by The Grace Of God) to endure it when you are not guilty of some thing - no matter how large or small or related it is. To be beaten for Christ's sake is an honor, and we were called into it, for the Glory of God! Who went through it Himself for Our Glory in Him, so that He can be Glorified in us. But when I am persecuted because of my own sin (weather the persecuter know's it or not). I do not tolerated it well because of the guilt & shame that comes with sinning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cct1106 Posted August 22, 2004 Report Share Posted August 22, 2004 Q1. (2 Peter 1:5-6) Which of these virtues so far has been the easiest for you to move into. Which has been the hardest for you? Why? The virtues that have been easiest for me is knowledge, self-control, endurance of godly devotion but the hardest have been brotherly love. Why? Because a human beings it is very difficult and hard to forgive another when they hurt you and talk about you and/or talk about your faith and beliefs. We are to forgive our fellowman but when these things are done purposely we automatically forget that we are to ask for strength and pray for the other person. With so much hate and turmoil in this world it is very easy to lose sight and faith. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda bass Posted August 24, 2004 Report Share Posted August 24, 2004 None of these virtues are really easy for me, but if I have to pick one, it would be ' knowledge.' I have also loved reading and studying the Bible. One of the reasons I've signed up for this online study as well as previous ones is because I desired a deeper knowledge of scripture. The hardest virtue for me would probably be 'perseverence.' It isn't always easy to bear up or hold out during times of difficulty or hardship in my life. I know that sometimes God puts me thru a trial because of sin in my life and other times because He desires I grow in my faith. It isn't always easy for me to look ahead at the long term results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tweety Posted August 24, 2004 Report Share Posted August 24, 2004 Q1. (2 Peter 1:5-6) Which of these virtues so far has been the easiest for you to move into. Which has been the hardest for you? Why? Perseverance seems to be the easiest virtue, so far that I move into. I see perserverance as a means of making me stronger, and also a means of allowing me to cling closer or tighter to God. I don't believe that a believer can exist without experiencing persecitions,as "the devil is moving like a roaring lion seeking who he may devour" and once you are living according to the will of God, then the devil will try to place things in your life, which will require perservance, and it's up to you to let him win and feel in charge or for you to persevere to the end, relying constantly on God, and declare him defeated. A combination of self control and knowledge is the hardest for me. I find that I am not disciplined enough to take time out daily to search the scriptures, and spend quiet time with the Lord, so I'll find myself doing this on and off... which just isn't good enough. Becasue i don't spend time in the word, then it limits my knowledge of him, and that's one ofthe reasons why I'm so grateful for this study, as it helps me to set aside time to feast on the word of the Lord. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngelOnLine Posted September 11, 2004 Report Share Posted September 11, 2004 Q1. (2 Peter 1:5-6) Which of these virtues so far has been the easiest for you to move into. I can honestly say that none of these virtues are easy for me, but I think the easiest is perseverance. There have been failures in my life, but I persevered and how awesome my life is now. Which has been the hardest for you? Why? Which is the hardest for me. Well like I said, none are easy, but I guess I would have to say that the hardest for me would be self control. I still have a problem with a quick temper but the Lord and I are working on that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aguilar-j Posted September 12, 2004 Report Share Posted September 12, 2004 IF WE ARE TRULY HONESTLY WORKING AIMING OUR LIFE TO CHANGE OUR WAYS TO HIS WAYS. THEN I MUST ADMIT THAT ALL OF THESE ATRIBUTES: GOODNESS KNOWLEDGE, SELF-CONTROL AND PERSEVERANCE COME HARD. READING THEM IS ONE THING PRACTICING THEM IS ANOTHER I WILL SAY IS REWARDING AT THE END OF MY DAY LOOK BACK AND BE AWARE THAT I DID NOT HURT ANY ONE IN MY JOURNEY OF 24HRS. DID I DO IT BECAUSE I AM ADDING GOODNESS TO MY FAITH? I RATHER THINK THAT IT WAS DONE THROUGH CHRIST, HE IS THE ONE THAT DO THE WORKS AND HE IS THE ONE THAT ALL THE GLORY SHOULD BE FOR. PRAISE JESUS AMEN. SELF-CONTROL IT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR ME TO BECOME MORE AWARE IN THE TRUE DEFENITION OF THIS ATTITUDE AND I AM VERY GRATEFUL THAT I AM INVOLVED IN THIS STUDY, IT CAME TO REVEAL NEW THINGS AND HAS HELP ME A LOT. SO THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR SHARING AND THANK YOU PASTOR RALPH WILSON AND THANK YOU GOD FOR KEEPING YOUR FLOCK TOGETHER. MAY GOD RICHLY BLESS YOU. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nansman Posted June 13, 2005 Report Share Posted June 13, 2005 Easiest?!?!?!?! How about none of them! If forced to choose one, I'd have to say knowledge, just because I can see that I HAVE learned from my life's lessons, and I have been fairly successful at gathering the Christian perspective on most everything in life, be it from friends or through study. The hardest by far is preserverence. Too often I find myself drifting away from the dillegent pursuit of my relationship with God. I guess this could also be an area of self-discipline, since I tend to get "soft" or "lazy" about Bible study and prayer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chek Posted June 17, 2005 Report Share Posted June 17, 2005 No easy virtues. It will all start with Faith, now that God gave me Faith i have to add moral excellence to my faith, I am still checking myself if I have this virtue, once I know that i already have this virtue I know it will lead me in knowing God better and by knowing God better it will create self-control, After self-control I will have patience and then patience will lead me to godliness. To be honest Knowing God is difficult because I know it is not just "knowing" him, but intimately knowing him. And I have struggle with patience, now i now where to start with, i need to know God better so it will produce self-control, once i have self-control i will have patience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pickledilly Posted July 6, 2005 Report Share Posted July 6, 2005 Looking back, I realize how the Lord has grown me in all 4 of these areas. I Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawrence Posted November 20, 2005 Report Share Posted November 20, 2005 2 PETER 1:5-6.Q1----- WITHOUT THE HELP OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, I CANNOT EVEN TRY TO POSSESS THESE 7 VIRTUES. THEY ARE ALL VERY DIFFICULT TO MASTER, BUT WITH THE LORDS HELP I AM TRYING; AMEN. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linda478 Posted January 29, 2006 Report Share Posted January 29, 2006 The easiest for me is the knowledge virtue. I love seeking knowledge and to acquire information but to put it into practices is another matter all together. Sometimes I forget what I Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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