[0:00] I greet you in the name of Jesus this morning. It has been good to be here. Appreciate what has been shared.
[0:16] And this morning, Anthony was sharing. I want to read that next verse. It's the first verse in chapter 7.
[0:27] This portion goes so well with the message. 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.
[0:48] And you'll probably see as we go along how this all fits in with the message.
[0:58] But touch not the unclean thing and cleanse yourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit and perfect holiness.
[1:10] And so there is so much very practical instruction in the Bible, in the scriptures.
[1:25] And if we will but take heed to them. Turn to 2 Peter. 2 Peter chapter 1.
[1:41] I want to read probably the first 11 verses or so.
[1:57] So, Simon Peter is servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ. 2 Peter chapter 1.
[2:36] 3 Peter chapter 1.
[3:06] 3 Peter chapter 1.
[3:36] Isn't this what we all desire?
[4:06] For us, we all desire? For us, we all desire. We all desire. We all desire. We all desire. We all desire. And so he tells us here some very practical things that we need to look at.
[4:24] So we start. grace and peace. Grace and peace multiplied to us.
[4:35] And how is that? And how is that? He says, through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. grace and peace. Grace and peace.
[4:46] Grace and peace. Grace and peace. And we'll be looking at grace here as we go along. But through the knowledge, through our knowing our God, through our walk with the Lord Jesus, through our relationship with Him.
[5:06] And remember, the goal is an abundant entrance into the kingdom of God. Not just getting by. Not just barely getting in.
[5:19] But an abundant entrance into the kingdom of our Lord Jesus. His divine power hath given to us.
[5:31] And what has He given to us? It says, all things that pertain unto life and godliness. He's given us all things that pertain unto life and godliness.
[5:46] He has made the provisions for us to have everything that we need right here through Jesus Christ and the word of God.
[5:57] Now, I want to get a couple other verses while we're here on this thought. The one is 2 Timothy 3, 17. He says in verse 16, all scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.
[6:22] That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. He gives us all things that pertain unto life and godliness.
[6:34] But we are throughly furnished. If we are walking with our Lord Jesus, if we have that vital relationship with Him, and we are in this word and we allow it to work in us and through us, then we are throughly furnished.
[6:55] We are thoroughly furnished unto all good works. We are equipped for what He has for us. In chapter 2, in verse 21, He says, we're prepared unto every good work.
[7:20] I want to look at this a little bit. Here we have the same thought that we had in Corinthians about cleansing ourselves and separating ourselves.
[7:34] But, so notice here in 2 Timothy chapter 2, in verse 15 is that verse we all know. To study, to show thyself approved unto God.
[7:47] O workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings, for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
[7:59] Another place he talks about, you know, staying away from foolish questions, foolish and unlearned questions. Actually, that's in verse 23.
[8:10] For they do gender strifes. But he talks now in verse 17 and 18 about a couple men that brought in false teachings and so on.
[8:21] And then verse 19, nevertheless, it doesn't matter what false doctrine comes along. It doesn't matter what false teachers have to say.
[8:32] Nevertheless, the foundation of God standeth sure, having this zeal. The Lord knoweth them that are his. And let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
[8:47] If we name the name of Christ, if we claim to be a Christian, if we claim to be walking with him, he expects us to depart from iniquity.
[8:58] You know, back to the verse in Matthew that was read in devotions this morning about entering the straight gate. You know, many people today in our day, they want to enter the wide gate.
[9:13] The broad way. They want to walk the broad way. Why? Because it's easier and it doesn't demand much. We don't have to depart from iniquity to walk the broad way.
[9:25] So therefore, you see, many professing Christians, they enter the gate. But instead of entering the straight and narrow, they enter the broad gate.
[9:37] And they walk the wide gate, the wide road that leads to destruction. All the while professing to be Christians, they walk the broad way and they end up in hell.
[9:50] But he says here, if we name the name of Christ, then let us depart from iniquity.
[10:01] Let's depart from iniquity. Verse 20, in a great house, there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth, some to honor, some to dishonor.
[10:16] So in a great house, you will find all kinds of vessels. You will find vessels of gold, vessels of silver, vessels of clay, and vessels to honor and vessels to dishonor.
[10:29] But notice what he says in 21. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.
[10:48] Remember what we heard earlier. To not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers and to cleanse ourselves from those things.
[11:00] And here in verse 19, depart from iniquity. You know, these are things that they have to do with our walk, our daily walk in this world, in this dark world of sin and deception.
[11:15] We must walk this way, and we need to separate ourselves from the things that defile. It says, if a man purge himself from these things, if we purge ourselves from the things that defile, then we can be a vessel unto honor.
[11:39] Sanctified, set apart, and cleansed, and made pure. And if we walk this way, he says, we will be meat for the master's use.
[11:55] He can use us. Our Lord Jesus can use us. He can direct us by his spirit, and we can be useful in the kingdom of God.
[12:06] And prepared unto every good work. That same thought again. Prepared unto every good work. But flee also youthful lusts.
[12:21] Flee youthful lusts. But follow after righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
[12:33] Yes. Oh, yes. Hallelujah. One verse in Titus. And then we'll go back to Peter.
[12:46] In Titus, in chapter 2. We'll just cut in here. We'll start in verse 11.
[12:57] For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men. Teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts.
[13:11] We should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. That is what the grace of God teaches us.
[13:24] The grace of God, it teaches us. And it teaches us that we need to deny ungodliness in our life.
[13:35] We need to deny the things of this world. We need to deny the worldly lusts. And it teaches us to live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world.
[13:51] Now, I believe that lays a foundation for where we're going in Peter. So in 2 Peter chapter 1 again, he says, He has given us all things that pertain unto life and godliness.
[14:18] Through the knowledge of him and through walking with him and through our knowledge of the word and allowing this word to become a part of us.
[14:34] To change us and to make us more and more into the image of our Lord Jesus. He has given us these great and precious promises that we can be partakers of the divine nature.
[14:55] Having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. You know, the corruption that is in the world. You know, our world, the world that we live in today, it's a very, very corrupt place.
[15:15] And it has been corrupted through lust and those things. The things of the enemy. He has corrupted this world.
[15:28] It is being destroyed by the corruption of lust. But now in verse 5. In verse 5.
[15:43] Beside this, giving all diligence. And I want to read through these next couple verses in the Amplified. Well, in verse 4.
[15:55] He has given us these great and exceeding precious promises. The Amplified says, we escape them by flight.
[16:06] By fleeing the corruption that is in the world. That is how we escape the things of this world. You know, we have to be so careful as we live in this world that we don't just get used to it.
[16:22] And we accept it and allow it to influence us. But we escape it by flight. We escape the moral decay and all of the lust and the greed.
[16:37] And we become sharers and partakers of the divine nature. Now verse 5. For this very reason. Adding your diligence to the divine promises.
[16:53] You know, we have many promises in this word. But they will not become ours unless we add our diligence to them.
[17:04] That we might become. That we might inherit the promises. Now let's see what else it says here. Adding your diligence to the divine promises.
[17:19] Employ every effort in exercising your faith to develop virtue, excellence, resolution, Christian energy.
[17:32] And in exercising virtue, develop knowledge, intelligence. And in exercising knowledge, develop self-control. And in exercising self-control, develop steadfastness, patience, endurance.
[17:51] And in exercising steadfastness, develop godliness and piety. And in exercising godliness, develop brotherly affection and brotherly love.
[18:04] And Christian love. What are we talking about?
[18:14] Add to your faith virtue. Faith is first. You know, first we come to faith. Faith in our heart is the foundation of the work that God can do in us.
[18:31] Hebrews says that he that cometh to God must believe that he is. And that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
[18:42] Our faith in God. Knowing him and trusting him. Trusting him for our every situation in life.
[18:53] Trusting him that he will carry us through. You know, he is able to keep that which we have committed unto him.
[19:05] Have we committed our life? Have we committed our future? Have we committed our all to our Lord Jesus? Our faith is the foundation in our life of everything that God will do in us.
[19:23] That faith that comes by our trusting our Lord Jesus. And on that foundation of faith.
[19:34] Now he tells us. To add virtue. Give diligence to your faith.
[19:49] And diligently add virtue. Virtue. What's he talking about? Virtue is of noble character and moral excellence.
[20:05] We add to this foundation of faith. We add virtue. You know, a foundation. You take any building that is being built.
[20:17] There's a foundation laid. And they lay that foundation. They pour the concrete. And they put in those footers. And they lay that foundation.
[20:30] And they lay that foundation. The foundation is built according to the plan of the building that is to sit on top of it. You know, on a regular building, it's three feet deep and might be 12 foot or whatever it is down there.
[20:48] But if you're going to build a skyscraper on this, it's going to be a completely different foundation. But a foundation in itself is not very attractive, is it?
[21:01] And if you don't build on top of it, it's not really of much use. So we have a foundation of faith.
[21:14] And we add to our faith virtue. A virtuous life. A life that points others to the Savior. A life of virtue.
[21:24] Of noble character. Of moral excellence. In this dark world of lust and decay. Here we have.
[21:35] We are the light of the world. And as the world sees us. They see a moral. An upright moral character.
[21:47] In us as Christians. Living a life above reproach. Add to your faith virtue.
[21:59] And to virtue knowledge. Being acquainted with. And aware of. And understanding. The word of God.
[22:09] The Holy Ghost will open up this word to us. And we will surrender our life to him. And if we will walk with him. And read this word. And hear this word.
[22:20] He will bring it to our heart. And open it up to us. Knowledge in the word of God. Do we have it? Are we adding it to our foundation of faith?
[22:34] Are we adding it to our foundation? And to knowledge. Temperance.
[22:46] Temperance. Self-control. Moderation in all things. A proper and limited use of all enjoyments.
[22:59] You know. You know. We do. We do things. That we do for enjoyment. You know. Joe goes fishing. And you know.
[23:10] All of us. We do something. But in its place. It's great. It's fine. But don't let that take over. You don't live your life to go fishing.
[23:24] You live your life for the Lord Jesus. And then occasionally you go fishing on the side. Temperance in all things. Self-control.
[23:36] Do we have self-control? Do we have the self-control to live a temperate life? To live a life that is effective in the kingdom of God.
[23:50] To live a life that is harnessed to the Holy Ghost. That he can take us and use us. A life that is yoked with our Lord Jesus.
[24:03] Like we heard earlier already. Who are we yoked with? Are we yoked with Jesus? Or are we in an unequal yoke?
[24:15] A temperate life. Add to your knowledge temperance and to temperance patience.
[24:26] Patience. You know patience is so important in this walk. You know what is that verse? Right here in James.
[24:37] There's a verse. It says. In James chapter 5.
[24:50] Be also patient. Establish your hearts for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. Verse 10.
[25:00] Take my brethren the prophets who have spoken in the name of the Lord for an example of suffering, affliction, and of patience.
[25:12] You know we think of the prophets of old. We think of the martyrs that have gone on before us. We think of those men. He says here to take them as our example.
[25:25] Take those men. Take those brothers. Take the prophets. Those that suffered affliction. Those who laid down their life for the sake of the gospel.
[25:40] Take them as your example. In patience. In suffering of affliction. And of patience. And then he goes on.
[25:53] He talks about Job. He says. Behold we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job. And have seen the end of the Lord.
[26:05] That the Lord is very pitiful. And of tender mercies. Our God. This is something that's very hard.
[26:19] Is to. To count. Them happy which endure. To endure with joy. Endure with joy.
[26:33] Endurance. A part of patience. Patience. Let patience have her perfect work. You know. We don't want to.
[26:45] We don't want to let patience have its perfect work. It doesn't feel good at times. But let patience. Let patience work in you.
[26:56] It will bring a wonderful fruit in your life. Patience. The will. And the ability to wait.
[27:08] Or endure without complaint. Perseverance. Perseverance. Persevering. In performing a task.
[27:21] Or in enduring a trial. Persevering. Do we persevere? Or do we give up? When the going gets tough.
[27:33] In the midst of a hard trial. Can we endure. With patience. The race that is set before us. Add to your patience.
[27:46] Godliness. Godliness. Piety. Loyalty. And devotion to God. Being godly. Living a godly life.
[27:58] Living a life. That when. When people observe your life. They will see. Our Lord Jesus. They will be pointed to him.
[28:11] Are we the light of the world? Are we shining? Are we letting our light shine? Letting our light shine before men.
[28:23] That they may see our good works. And glorify God. Godliness. Yes. Godliness. To godliness.
[28:34] Brotherly kindness. Brotherly kindness. In Galatians. Let me just find that verse. Galatians 6.10.
[28:45] Galatians 6.10.
[28:59] Let's read. Nine. And let us not be weary in well-doing. For in due season we shall reap if we faint not.
[29:12] As we have therefore opportunity. Let us do good unto all men. Especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
[29:23] Let us not be weary in well-doing. Let's not be weary. Let's not faint by the way. But let us patiently persevere.
[29:33] And continue on. And continue on. Knowing. Knowing. Knowing. That there is a reward for us.
[29:48] Brotherly kindness. Brotherly love. Goes right along with charity. And to brotherly love.
[30:02] Brotherly kindness. Add love. Add charity. Charity. Charity. By this shall all men know. That ye are my disciples. If ye love. One another.
[30:14] In first. In first. John. In first. John. There's a verse. In chapter 3. In verse 13. He says.
[30:26] Marvel not my brethren. If the world hate you. We know. That we have passed. From death unto life. Because we love the brethren.
[30:37] He that loveth not his brother. Abideth in death. Jesus said. By this shall all men know. That ye are my disciples. If ye have love.
[30:49] One for another. Do we love. The brotherhood. Do we love the brothers. He says. Marvel not. My brethren. If the world hate you.
[31:00] The world will hate us. Why? Because they hate the life of Christ. They hate us. Because we show forth his life.
[31:11] They hate us. But we love one another. If a man does not love. The brethren.
[31:22] Then he is of the world. The brethren. Okay.
[31:39] 2 Peter 1. Verse 8. Verse 8. For if these things be in you and abound.
[31:54] This list that we just went through. This list that we just talked about. If these things are in us and abound. Then what?
[32:06] They will make us. That we are neither barren. Nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. That we are not barren and unfruitful.
[32:17] Remember last Sunday. We looked at fruitfulness. We looked at the fig tree that was barren. We looked at being fruitful and growing in our Christian life.
[32:29] And he says if these things. If we add our diligence. If we add our diligence to these things. That we can walk in these things.
[32:41] He says we will not be barren. Nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But notice verse 9.
[32:52] The man that lacks these things. He that lacketh these things is blind. And cannot see afar off. And has forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
[33:09] Spiritual short sightedness. You know if we neglect these things. If we neglect to be diligent about our walk with the Lord Jesus.
[33:22] What will happen? We will become short sighted. We will become blind. You know as we allow darkness. In our life.
[33:34] It will bring a blindness. That we will not see where we are at. That we will not see the truth. We will not see the way that is set before us.
[33:45] It will bring a blindness. A lack of vision. You know Jesus. Jesus said.
[33:58] He said say ye not there yet four months of the harvest. But he says lift up your eyes to the fields. They are white already to harvest.
[34:09] The fields are white to harvest. But if we are becoming blind. We won't see the harvest. We won't see the needs around about us.
[34:20] We won't see the brother that is struggling. We won't see the things that God would have us to do. We won't see how he would like to use us.
[34:32] Because we are so consumed with ourselves. We are not yoked with him. We are yoked with unbelievers. We are yoked. Unequally yoked.
[34:48] So let us not be blind. But let us. Let us walk with him. Let's lift up our eyes and see. Now let's read verse 10.
[34:59] Wherefore the rather. Oh yes. This is what we want. Wherefore the rather brethren. Give diligence to make your calling and election sure.
[35:11] For if ye do these things ye shall never fall. Hallelujah. If ye do these things ye will never fall. Give diligence.
[35:22] Add your diligence. Add your diligence to these things. Add your diligence to your faith. And add to your faith virtue.
[35:36] A virtuous life. And add to that. Add knowledge of the word of God and of our Lord Jesus. Learn to know him. Like Ephesians says.
[35:46] That we would grow up into him. That we would grow up into the full stature of our Lord Jesus. That is what he's looking for.
[35:58] That is what he wants. That as we. As we give our diligence. As we add our diligence. To faith. And to virtue. And to knowledge.
[36:09] To temperance. Self-control. Patience. Patience. Can we with patience endure? Or. You know.
[36:20] Just think of the prophets of old. And how they endured. How they endured. And how they suffered affliction. And how many of them were killed.
[36:33] Why? Because they were prophesying. They were preaching righteousness. And preaching repentance. And the people did not want to hear that. Take them for an example.
[36:46] Take them for our example. Godliness. And. You know. If we. If we. With diligence. If we are diligent.
[36:57] In our life. That we are walking in godliness. That we are walking in the way that. That God would have us to walk. That we are diligently walking in the straight and narrow.
[37:12] And not drifting off into the broad way. Brotherly kindness. Do we. Love.
[37:22] The brethren. With that. Brotherly love. The love of God. You know. If we have the love of God in our heart. And we can love our brother.
[37:34] In a godly way. Yes. Charity. By this shall all men know. That we. That ye are my disciples.
[37:46] Jesus said. If we do these things. If we give diligence. To make our calling and election sure. Are we giving diligence.
[37:56] Are we diligent. To make our calling and election sure. I believe that the day we live in. The day we live in.
[38:07] The only way we will make it. Is if we are diligent. To make our calling and election sure. If we slack off.
[38:17] If we compromise. We will never make it. We will never make it. But give. Add your diligence. To all of these.
[38:30] And make. To make your calling and election sure. It says. If ye do these things. Ye shall never fall. Hallelujah. Isn't that.
[38:42] The goal. For each one of us. For so. An entrance. Shall be ministered unto you. Abundantly. Into the everlasting kingdom.
[38:54] Of our Lord and Savior. Jesus Christ. Thus shall be richly supplied. Unto you. The entrance. Into the kingdom.
[39:05] That's from the revised version. Yes. To make. Your calling. And election sure. Yes. Hallelujah. How is it.
[39:18] With us today. Are we. Living this life. In this way. Are we making. Our calling. And election sure. Are we just.
[39:29] Are we allowing. Other things. To. To. To come in. And to quiet. The spirit of God. Within us. You know. When. When he speaks to us.
[39:40] Do we. Can we hear. Or is it being blocked out. By other things. Is it. Is this. Is the voice of God. Quieted.
[39:51] By the things. We're doing. By the things. That we are following. After. You know. We. We. We mentioned. Fishing.
[40:01] And there's an endless. List of things. Just like that. You know. Are we allowing. Something like that. To.
[40:12] To. To steal away. From what God. Would have us to do. It can be our work. It can be. It can be. Very legitimate.
[40:23] Things. It can be things. That we need. To do. It can be things. That we have. To do. But they can. Steal.
[40:34] They can steal. They can. They can. Dull. The voice of God. In our heart. Can we hear. The spirit of God.
[40:44] When he speaks. To us. Do we. Yield to him. You know. If. If we push him off. That voice. Will grow fainter. And fainter. Until he allows us.
[40:56] To just go. Our own way. You know. He will not. Force himself. On us. He will not. Force himself. He will not. Force us. To follow him.
[41:07] He will not. Force us. To listen. To him. He will not. Force us. To walk. The straight. And narrow. But if we.
[41:17] Will decide. To walk. The straight. And narrow. He will give us. All things. That we will need. To be faithful. In that way. He will give us. All things. That we need.
[41:28] To walk. Faithfully. Until. Until he calls us home. All things.
[41:38] That pertain. The life. And godliness. All things. That we need. To live. This Christian life. To live.
[41:48] An effective life. To. To be. An effective witness. To build. This building.
[42:00] A beautiful building. A temple. Of the holy ghost. You know. We are the temple. Of the holy ghost. We are that temple.
[42:11] We are that building. And he wants. To build it up. He wants. To build it. That he might. Live in us.
[42:23] That he. You know. Someday. He's coming back. For a glorious church. Not having spot. Or wrinkle. Or any such thing. But that we should be. Holy.
[42:34] And without blame. Spotless. Before him. Yes. It is his desire. It's his will. It's what he's coming back for.
[42:45] Someday. That day is fast approaching. It's fast approaching. How is it?
[42:57] Are we putting him first? First. Are we laying up our treasures in heaven? Or are we building.
[43:11] A stockpile of treasures on this earth? If we put him first.
[43:22] There will be time for everything else. There will be time for our job. There will be time for the business that God has given us.
[43:37] There will be time to provide for our families. There will be time to make money. To give to the Lord in offerings.
[43:47] And tithes and offerings. There will be all of that. If we will. If we will have everything. In its right order.
[44:01] And if we add our diligence. To the provisions of God. There will be an abundant entrance. Into the kingdom. Of our Lord Jesus Christ.
[44:14] Hallelujah. Let's pray. Lord we thank you. Lord we thank you. That you have made all provisions.
[44:28] We thank you that you have done. All that was needed. For us to live. A fruitful life.
[44:42] Lord I pray. Lord that you will help us. Lord. Lord. To. To. To. To. To. To see. Lord try us.
[44:54] And see. See if there's things. That are in the wrong priority. See if there's things. That are hindering us. See if.
[45:04] If everything's in order. In our life. Lord that you can have your way. Lord that you. Can use us. To your honor and glory.
[45:16] Lord that you can build us up. Into that temple. Of the Holy Ghost. That you want us to be. Not just. Not just a little tent.
[45:28] Not just a little shack. But a glorious temple. That you are honored to live in. That honors your name.
[45:39] That shows to a lost. And a dying world. The majesty of our Lord and Savior. Jesus Christ. Thank you Lord. Thank you Jesus.
[45:52] We pray in Jesus name. Amen. Amen. He has such a great plan for us.
[46:04] If we will. If we will. Be his vessels. If we will. Allow him.
[46:15] To make of us. The people. That he wants. He will use us. He will fill us. He will live in us.
[46:27] And work through us. To his good pleasure. May the Lord bless. Amen. I'm sorry.