1. Virtue - called to moral excellence, goodness, and righteousness

2. Knowledge - discover the knowledge of God

3. Temperance - self-control to obtain an incorruptible crown

2 Peter 3:9. The Bible says that God is a patient God. Many of us have heard the expression that “I am waiting on God”, but it is really the other way round. God is waiting on us to come around to His kind of thinking. God loves us and has made many promises to mankind. He desires to bless us. He does not forget His promises as a man might forget. He can fulfill all of His promises where a person may have good intentions, but is unable to fulfill their promises. God loves us and He has created mankind for His purposes.

Proverbs 4:23. The Bible says, "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life" (Proverbs 4:23). We may see our circumstances or even our own natural abilities as our biggest problems, but it is really our heart where problems start and end. If we strive daily to keep our heart in check, bad thoughts and actions will cease from materializing in our lives. If we focus our hearts on God, the source of all goodness and love, we will keep our heart under self-control.

1 Corinthians 9:25. Christians have a higher inspiration to have self-control than a Olympic athlete. An Olympic athlete is inspired by the opportunity to win a gold medal. Many Olympic athletes train for the Olympics for years and they have great self-control and discipline. On the other hand, Christians have a greater inspiration to obtain and maintain self-control and not to sin.

2 Peter 1:10. Faith is easy thing to say we have, but faith is not fulfilled until we exercise it. This is done only through Christian diligence. It is faith and our day-to-day diligence that assures our calling and election (II Peter 1:10, “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:”). God desires for us to diligently live Christian lives who chooses goodness, love, and truth over evil and disobedience. It is acting on our faith that pleases God, not just talking about it.

Proverbs 4:23. Christians must continually have diligence over their heart. Out of our human heart springs either good or evil. With Christian diligence based on faith, we can overcome the issues of life (Proverbs 4:23, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life”). Faith enables us to surrender our trust completely to God. Our Christian diligence to do good (versus evil) is the ultimate exercise in our faith to show our love and trust of God.

2 Peter 1:5. Diligence is a key attribute for being a Christian. Christian diligence starts with faith and it is ultimately manifested in love. God has provided us His Word and it is only through Christian diligence that we can fulfill His purpose in our lives. Before Christian diligence can be effective we must have faith. Faith in Jesus as our Lord and Savior is the cornerstone of being a Christian. From faith it is then through our Christian diligence that we can spiritually mature. With diligence we can then take on Christian virtues and turn away from sin.

Matthew 25:21. Jesus’ story of the five golden talents illustrates how we should be industrious with the talents that God provides us. In the parable, the lord provided each of his servants a certain number of golden talents. It was not said, but it was known by all of his servants that the lord expected them to increase his golden talents while he was gone.

Matthew 25:29. God desires everyone to be industrious. God has made this world and has made us stewards over His resources. He expects us to be industrious with His resources. Just as in Jesus’ Parables of the Gold Talents, the more talents and resources God gives us, the more He expects of us. Even if you have limited resources, God expects you to do the best with what you have.