FAQ: How do I participate in this study?
It’s simple. If you haven’t done so already, download a copy of the FREE Bible study guide. You’ll find the download further down this page.
On Mondays I’ll have new printables for you (see links below) including scripture cards, questions, week-at-a-glance, and a coloring page. Friday is a recap of the week, and my thoughts on the study.
During the week, you’ll study at home, following the outline of the study guide.
In addition to my posts here, you can find me on Facebook. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, I’ll post my journal entries and share my thoughts. I’ll also open up the discussion for you to share your thoughts.
Here is a link to my facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/timewarpwife
Introduction: What is Virtue, And Why is it Important?
First and foremost, we’re saved by grace. There’s nothing that we can do to earn our salvation. Salvation has been imputed to us by God through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ.
The thing is however, those who believe in Jesus believe He is Lord—Lord of the universe and Lord of their lives. His wisdom exceeds ours; when it’s both comfortable and uncomfortable, on the good days and bad. Those who love God are willing to give up every selfish ambition and every sinful desire to follow His will.
Virtue is all about our behavior. It’s an act of yielding our lives to our principles, which is not always easy, but always rewarding. There’s a will to do good in every one of us, but whether or not we choose to exercise and develop that goodness determines our character.
This doesn’t mean that we walk perfectly by any means. That’s where the grace of God is vital to our faith. It’s by the grace of God that we’re saved through faith in Jesus Christ. So while I’m not perfect, I can rest in the knowledge that my Redeemer is!
We all struggle in this world. We all have good intentions, but our flesh keeps pulling us back. Have you ever made a decision to do something worthwhile? Maybe you wanted to change a bad habit or incorporate a new one. A few days in, you gave up. Even though you knew that this was a good decision for you, you messed up (again) and you’re down on yourself because you’re weaker than you hoped you would be.
It’s called being human. Our flesh is constantly at war with our Spirit and there’s a battle to be won. The important thing is that every time we fall, we have the opportunity to get back up again, leave the sin of the past behind, and focus on the road ahead.
We’re growing in grace. We’re learning what areas of our lives God is calling us to, and how to best set our sail.
Peter chapter 1 is key to this study. Here we see that we’re called to glory and virtue:
According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 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 1:3-8, KJV
You are loved by an almighty God,
Darlene Schacht
The Time-Warp Wife
P.S. See the colouring page below? Come back here on Friday to continue our study on “A Virtuous Life.” I’ll have another colouring page for you then!
ONLINE RESOURCES:
These are my favourite online Bible study tools!
Bible Gateway – Every version you can imagine is online
Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible
Looking for an easier commentary? Here’s the Concise Version
Other commentaries you might prefer
Interlinear Bible – I love this one!
Blue Letter Bible – Dig into the Hebrew and Greek
Bible Word Search
THIS WEEK’S RESOURCES
WEEK AT A GLANCE
Click here to download this week at a glance.
STUDY QUESTIONS
Click here to download this week’s study questions.
COLORING PAGE
Click here to print this colouring page. Come back on Friday for another one!
FREE BIBLE STUDY GUIDE
click the image to view and download, or click here
PRAYER JOURNAL
(an OPTIONAL addition to the study)
Click here to peek inside on Amazon (affil link)
Peek inside 30-Day Prayer Journal Virtue Edition:
SCRIPTURE CARDS – 7 per week – 28 in total
Click here to view and print this weeks cards:
Week 1 – Page 1 | Week 1 – Page 2
