The great promise.

After our discussion on parenting last night and re-reading a few notes from Michael’s sermon I got into Deuteronomy 6 and then 2 Peter 1:5 was on my mind and notes from another sermon. 

 

The Scripture.  The Promise.  The GOOD NEWS!

 

2 Peter 1:5-8 says: For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, steadfastness; and to steadfastness, godliness; 7 and to godliness, brotherly affection; and to brotherly affection, love. 8 For 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.

 

What is God asking me? 

“Where do you work hardest at in life?”

 

“Make Every Effort” (to add to your Faith)

 

You believe in Jesus?  Ok, so what now? 

 

Question:  What do I do work hardest at in life?  What are my life goals?  What are my ministry goals?

 

Do I have a goal to be the person (the man) God wants me to be.  The person I need to be. 

 

When you are the right person, you will produce fruit. 

 

What does the right person look like?

 

God is concerned about changing me and not my circumstances. 

 

What is your attitude?  Do I want to change?  Am I excited to Get to change? 

Do I ask God to change me?

 

Are you thinking I Get to or Have to change?

          Do I have to forgive?

          Do I have to stop watching these movies?

          God will let me into heaven if … ?

 

I need to move from “Have to” to a “GET TO” mentality and perspective.

 

Do you want to be SAVED from the old you?  You really want to hang on to part of the OLD you?

 

You say you believe?  Then you must EXPRESS what you believe.  Go after it.  Verse 5 “make EVERY effort” [to add to your faith].

 

Goodness/knowledge – we are living these busy, hectic and often chaotic lives, scattered and worn thin, giving shallow answers and saying what we think people want to hear about our condition.

 

What effort are we making in knowledge?

 

The knowledge we need to make effort in KNOWing God better.  Growth in knowledge does not mean knowing the facts.  But rather, internalizing those facts, becoming the facts.

 

Self-control – desires are normal.  We have a desire to eat.  We have a desire for sex.  We have a desire for sleep.  We have a desire for play.  We have a desire for clothing.

 

All of these are natural desires. But our controlling them (moderation) is key.  Don’t compare your desire to someone else to think you are doing better than them, so you think you are doing ok because you are doing better than them.  You must look upon yourself and your own actions.

 

Steadfastness- this is patience; holding up under the heavy weight of pressures of life

we might ask god to get rid of the weight, to take away the pain and the pressure.  however, you cannot become steadfast without pressure.

 

Have you ever asked God for difficulties?  To become more steadfast?

Do you care more about your comfort or your character?

 

Would you be willing to accept an entire year of ease with no growth to God OR would you be willing to accept a year of hardship in which you would just grow immeasurably close to Jesus, to walk stride in stride with him, leaning upon him in those moments, learning who HE is and who HE wants you to become?

 

I choose the year of trial.

 

A life of comfort = complacency, taking it easy and no growth towards him

A life of hardship = Growth and closeness to Jesus

 

Godliness- becoming more like God through all of these things; you have been given the ability

 

If you had a treadmill in your home, you return it because you didn’t lose weight, the store might ask you “Did you use it?”  We have the Holy Spirit within us, we have the tool, but are we using it?

 

Brotherly Affection (1 John 4:20) Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.

 

Love – love, not for who they are, but in spite of who they are.  The same love God has for us.  Not for who, but in spite of who.

 

God’s Promise for our lives =.  Verse 8.  If they [qualities] are increasing you will be EFFECTIVE AND PRODUCE FRUIT and increase in KNOWLEDGE of JESUS.

 

Don’t compare these (in you) to others, but only to yourself. 

 

Are you more loving than you were a few months ago? 

Are you more in self-control than you were a few months ago?

Are you steadfast through the trials?  Are you praying for him to take or give pain?

 

 

My challenge to myself – What do you work hardest at?

work?

Kids?

Parenting?

Ministering/changing others?

 

God speaking through the sermon message of parenting

 

God says: You need to pursue my character, my moral excellence.

 

NOT TELL YOUR KIDS à “Obey me, so you don’t end up like me.”

 

Deuteronomy 6:6 -  “Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”

 

As we walk and persevere towards excellence, producing fruit, we can explain to them “See?  See his Grace?  See His peace?  That is what He wants for you”

 

God’s word:

 

Focus on BEING the right person, focus on your character. 

 

God wants to give me a fruitful life, becoming who he wants me to be through steadfastness; becoming the man I was meant to be.