What it means to be fruitful...

The world has its own idea of success.

Sometimes success looks like this. 

Or at least, the world sees success like this. 

Success is not bad.

God considers fruitfulness of more value than success.

For God, success looks like this.

Yes, no image. It is not about the image. The Spirit of God can speak through anyone. 

Fruitfulness is key.

2 Peter 1:5-9 NIV

5For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 

What is faith? 

You know when you have faith and when you do not have faith, Faith comes from your spirit and it is a gift from God. 

(I will do a post on faith).

Faith is the foundation. Faith in God is the beginning. You start here. 

The three virtues that you need in this verse here is faith, goodness & knowledge. You need them. You need them more than the counterfeits that the world would offer you. 

Goodness: Use google

Knowledge: Read the word of God daily

6and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 

The next three virtues that are named here are self-control, perseverance, and godliness. 

You need to grow in self-control. 

You need to grow in perseverance.

You need to choose godliness daily. There are options daily, You need to choose Christ centredness daily. 

7and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 

The next three virtues are godliness, mutual affection (brotherly love) and love.

Godliness is a choice and a discipline. You need to choose godliness daily. There are always options. 

Mutual affection means brotherly love. It is mainly about loving others in the secret place by praying for them and doing them good without publicizing it. 

8For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

If you possess these qualities in increasing measure...

Imagine. If you have these virtues in increasing measure, it protects you from ineffectiveness and unproductivity. 

You will be productive in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Don't struggle to be productive in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Simply possess the qualities in increasing measure. 

9But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.

When you don't have them. 

The response to not developing these virtues is scary.

I pray that you are developing your inner man. 

When you develop your inner man, you are getting equipped.