Take These 8 Steps And Become A Better Christian Seeing Afar Off

Faith, Virtue, Knowledge, Temperance

Patience, Godliness, Brotherly Kindness, Charity

     Today, let's learn 8 steps to become a better christian and see afar off. These 8 steps that one must climb on God's ladder to become a better christian are faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and charity. These 8 steps are listed at 2 Peter 1:5 that says 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. But he that lacketh these things is blind and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

     These 8 steps need to be taken one at a time in order to be blessed and see Jesus afar off. I pray in Jesus name that anyone reading this anywhere will take the first step of faith and get saved now. Repent and stop sinning, and believe by faith that Jesus is God, believing the gospel that Jesus died for you on the cross, was buried, and rose again. OK lets take these 8 steps one at a time and learn how to be blessed and see Jesus.

1) FAITH

     The first step to take on God's ladder to be blessed and a better christian is faith. One must first have faith and believe Jesus is God to get saved. Ephesians 2:8 tells us For by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast. It takes faith in Jesus without works to get saved. But, after we get saved then we should bless the poor with good works to make our faith live. Faith without works is dead (James 2:17). We don't live right to get saved. We live right because we are saved. And after we get saved, Jesus will give us a reward for all our good works of witnessing on this earth at the bema judgment seat.

     Therefore faith is our beginning point in our ascent up God's ladder to seeing Jesus afar off and innumerable peaceful blessings. The bible says to add on to your faith virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and charity. I'm gonna discuss each of these 7 other steps. I pray in Jesus name my brothers and sisters are willing to take a journey upward on this ladder to become better christians and see Jesus clearly afar off. How high are you willing to climb up these 7 steps?  Don't be like many christians who stop at faith and refuse to climb higher. 

                                                             2) VIRTUE

     OK, lets look at the second step virtue that a saved person must take to become a better christian. The first thing a saint should do after they get saved is stop sinning their former sins and be virtuous. Determine to daily stop living your former sinful lifestyle and climb the second step by becoming virtuous. Quit committing fornication (premarital or extramarital sex), drunkenness, drug abuse, pornography, and revelling where you listen to loud ungodly music all night.  

     Pictured above Ephesians 5:3 tells us But fornication and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you as becometh saints. Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient, but rather giving of thanks. 2 Corinthians 7:1 tells us Having therefore these promises dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. Quit gambling at the casinos and buying lottery tickets which is idolatry and covetousness defined as the greed for money stated at Colossians 3:5. People at casinos aren't thinking about Jesus; the people at casinos are just thinking about money. You can't serve two gods (Jesus and money). Make the choice to serve and love the Lord Jesus instead of loving money that is the root of all evil. 

                                                      3) KNOWLEDGE

     Alright, time to move up to the third step of knowledge. After you stop sinning and become virtuous, move on to knowledge by learning all you can about the Word of God. Daily read, listen to, and memorize the bible. If you constantly memorize the bible, Psalm 1 and Psalm 107 promise that God will fix all your problems and heal you. Psalm 1 says Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. Psalm 107:20 says He sent His Word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.

     The bible is your road map to overcome any trouble in this life. All the answers to any problem can be found in the bible. Pictured above Psalm 119:130 tells us The entrance of thy Words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple. We daily need to get knowledge from the bible to have life and not die. Take heed to the prophet Hosea's warning to people who refuse to read their bibles and learn knowledge. Hosea 4:6 says My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; Because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee.

     Right now I pray in Jesus name that you can confidently say Job 23:12 to our Lord Jesus: Neither have I gone back from the commandment of His lips; I have esteemed the words of His mouth more than my necessary food. Climb that 3'rd step of knowledge and boldly say Jeremiah 15:16 Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts. Lord Jesus grant great peace to anyone who chooses to climb the 3'rd step of knowledge because Psalm 119:165 promises Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.

                                                     4) TEMPERANCE

     OK, after faith, virtue, and knowledge, take the 4'th step of temperance defined as self control over your flesh. Notice also that temperance is defined as abstinence from alcoholic drink. One of your worst enemies beside the devil is yourself. When you memorize the bible daily, the Word will show you how to deny the sins of your flesh and stop drinking wine, beer, whiskey and smoking pot. Determine today to have temperance and obey Luke 9:23 by telling our Lord Jesus, I'll come after you, deny myself, and take up the cross daily and follow you.

     If you want to get off cigarettes, alcohol, cocaine, and marijuana, instead of going to psychologists, psychiatrists, alcoholics anonymous, and drug rehab programs, read and memorize the bible daily, and the Word of God will give you the self control and temperance to stop drinking and taking drugs. Daily say I am crucified with Jesus Christ and your cravings for cigarettes, alcohol, and drugs will disappear and be destroyed forevermore. Jesus and His Word will give you victory over any drug or alcohol problem. 1 Corinthians 15:57 promises But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 2:14 promises Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ.

                                                        5) PATIENCE

     Alright, let's move up to the 5'th step of patience. It takes patience to daily deny your flesh. Our flesh wants to sin constantly. But, 1 John 4:4 tells us that greater is He (Jesus) that is in you, than he that is in the world. When our flesh wants to constantly grumble and complain, thinking negative thoughts to rude unloveable people around us, we need to patiently deny and have our flesh love our enemies, speak kindly, and bless everyone. 

     Remember we reap what we sow. Jesus said if you want to have friends, you must show yourself friendly. If you want to receive love and kindness, you must show love and kindness to everyone. Don't curse anyone to avoid curses returning to you. Right now I pray in Jesus name anyone reading this will have all curses and negative words past, present, and future rebuked and destroyed forevermore that they harm no one. 

     Everyday patiently stop yourself from grumbling, complaining, and thinking negative thoughts to rude people. Brother Bob has to daily try to love and speak kindly to everyone on a crowded city bus after a long day of work. Jesus told us at Matthew 5:44 Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you. Love enemies that make you suffer; love them through the pain and Jesus will remove the pain. Remember a soft answer turneth away wrath. Avoid negative angry thoughts that take away strength and waste energy.

     Friends, when you master this 5'th step of patience and totally deny your flesh, you will be perfect, entire, and wanting nothing. James 1:4 promises But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect, entire, and wanting nothing. In other words, we all need to get victory over ourselves and our flesh. Paul promised that with Jesus we can have victory over our flesh daily. Paul said at Romans 7:24 O wretched man that I am. Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

                                                        6) GODLINESS

     Now notice that the first 5 steps of God's ladder try to better the self. If you successfully climb the first five steps of faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, and patience and improve yourself, then you can move on to truly see Jesus and climb the 6'th step of godliness. Instead of looking at yourself, you will be looking upward at Jesus for your blessings. 

     I remember a preacher said if you look back it's bad, if you look around it's worse, but if you look up to Jesus, things are looking pretty good. The outlooks bad, the downlooks worse, but the uplook is looking pretty good. And if you have the right uplook, you'll have the right outlook and win souls to Jesus. Luke 21:28 says when you see these things begin to come to pass (the troubles of the world), look up and lift up your heads for your redemption (Jesus) draweth nigh. What a blessing to have godliness and say 2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

     Claim your godliness and that Jesus lives in you to overcome any burdens and problems. Right now say Acts 17:28 For in Him (Jesus) we live, and move, and have our being. Say Galatians 2:20 nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. And finally rejoice and say Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. 

                                               7) BROTHERLY KINDNESS

     Notice that after you successfully climb the 6'th step of godliness, the focus will be off yourself and on people around you. You will begin to be concerned for lost unsaved sinners around you and poor widows and orphans while you climb the blessed 7'th step of brotherly kindness. You will realize the importance of praying for and showing kindness to your brothers and sisters in your church. God tells us at Romans 12:10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour prefering one another. 

     Remember to give your life purpose and meaning show brotherly kindness to everyone and win souls to our Lord Jesus. Proverbs 11:30 tells us the fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise. If you convert a sinner from the error of his ways, you save a soul from death, and hide a multitude of sins. And Jude 21 says of some have compassion, making a difference, and others save with fear pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. Only what we do for Jesus on this earth matters and is important.

                                                            8) CHARITY

     Finally, I pray in Jesus name we can all climb the 8'th step charity and be able to see clearly afar off all the blessings of Jesus. Charity is the highest attribute where a person has completely given their life as a sacrifice to our Lord Jesus to serve and bless everyone. Charity is the highest goal that we should all strive to reach; 1 Peter 4:8 says And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves, for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. 

     Once you have climbed the 8'th step of charity, you have successfully completed your 8 story skyscraper and can truly walk in the high places with Jesus hidden from the troubles of the devil. Claim it and say Habakkuk 3:18-19 Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength, and He will make my feet like hinds feet, and He will make me to walk upon mine high places. And claim Isaiah 58:14 Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

     Now that you know how to climb the 8 steps to become a better christian seeing afar off, take time to sing the words below of Higher Ground while you left click the following link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYCkqCG933M. Be blessed and climb the 8 steps on the upward way to higher ground, eternal peace, and blessings with our Lord Jesus.

                I'm pressing on the upward way; new heights I'm gaining every day 

            Still praying as I'm onward bound; Lord plant my feet on higher ground

              My heart has no desire to stay; where doubts arise and fears dismay

     Though some may dwell where these abound; my prayer, my aim is higher ground 

             I want to scale the utmost height; and catch a gleam of glory bright

        But still I'll pray till heaven I've found; Lord lead me on to higher ground  

              I want to live above the world; though satan's darts at me are hurled 

        For faith has caught the joyful sound; the song of saints on higher ground

                Lord lift me up and let me stand; by faith on heaven's tableland

           A higher plane that I have found; Lord plant my feet on higher ground

     It has been a blessing writing this bible study that I pray in Jesus name blesses multitudes on this earth with great peace and strength. Feel free to email Brother Bob anytime at rz9tlm@gmail.com or write to Brother Bob Malkin, 2233 Pinetree Lane, Apt. N., Reynoldsburg, Ohio 43068. (614) 604-7133. Till we all meet again soon to lift up our Lord Jesus, everyone have a blessed day in Jesus name.