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Going to go ahead and continue
on in our new series, A Summer of

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Spiritual Strength.

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And we are taking a little bit
of a break from our book studies

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until the end of the summer.

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And we're going to be looking
at what it means to have spiritual

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growth in our life and what it
means to have spiritual growth within

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our church.

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And so last week we looked at
Ephesians chapter two, and we saw

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really who we were before we
came to Christ.

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That's the first three verses.

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And if you remember, it wasn't
a good picture.

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It was a pretty bleak picture.

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It told.

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It told us that we were
children of disobedience.

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They told us that we were
children of darkness, that we were

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serving a different master.

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But then we saw in verse four,
but God.

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And that's a phrase that
should always change our story.

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When God comes on the scene
and we see his mercy and we see his

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grace, and we see how he
changes us, and we see that Ephesians

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2, 8, 9 tells us that we're
saved through faith, not, not of

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our own works, not, not of our
own merit, but because God loves

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us and gifted us that grace.

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And then we looked at verse 10
that told us that we are now, if

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we are believers in Jesus
Christ, created in Christ Jesus unto

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good works.

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So we're called to serve.

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We're called to show what God
has done for us.

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And so part of spiritual
growth is defining biblically what

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spiritual growth really is.

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And we looked at this last week.

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Spiritual growth is not just
doing things.

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Sometimes we're taught that if
we just are in church every single

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Sunday, that means we're
spiritually growing.

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Well, maybe that is a
manifestation of the spiritual growth

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that we want to be in church.

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But we all know, I think we
can all understand that just being

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in church does not equate
spiritual growth.

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I could be sitting in a pew
and be a million miles away.

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But we also know that just
reading our Bible doesn't necessarily

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equate spiritual growth or
praying or serving.

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These are all things that are
symptoms of spiritual growth.

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But a lot of times what people
are doing is instead of reaching

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the heart of spiritual growth,
they're going to the place of, well,

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spiritual growth looks like this.

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So I need to do these things
that maybe it'll bring some type

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of level spiritual growth.

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But we looked at what
spiritual growth really is in Romans,

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chapter 8, verse 29.

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The Bible tells us that true
spiritual growth is conformity to

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Christ.

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What does it mean to be
conformed to Christ?

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Simply speaking, and we should
put it in A way that a child can

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understand conformity to
Christ means looking like Jesus more

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and more every single day.

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So I want to talk more like Jesus.

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I want to walk more like Jesus.

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I want to love more like Jesus.

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I want to forgive like Jesus.

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That's the mark of spiritual growth.

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So if I want to grow in my
walk and then gauge that growth,

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how do I gauge it?

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Well, am I acting Christlike?

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And so we see in Second Peter
that it starts with faith.

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And that's where we're going
to spend most of our time here this

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evening.

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Second Peter, Chapter one.

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And we're going to start in
verse number three.

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And here we're going to see
what it looks like to take those

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next steps in our spiritual walk.

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It starts with salvation.

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And for many people, that's
where it ends.

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Well, I'm saved.

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I got my ticket to heaven.

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I'm forgiven.

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Now I can just continue the
way that I want to continue.

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Well, no, that's not spiritual growth.

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That's not understanding what
God has done for us.

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The Bible says that salvation
is just the start of the process.

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So the Bible tells us in many
places that it is Jesus that we are

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to build our foundation or
build upon.

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And he is our foundation.

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So I want to take you to a few
passages of scripture.

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Keep your finger there in 2
Peter, because that's going to be

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our main text.

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But I want you to see some
other passages of scripture that

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speak of Jesus being our
foundation for everything in our

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life.

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I think that most of you know
some of these.

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But in First Corinthians 3:11,
the Bible tells us that there's no

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other foundation that we can
build upon that's going to bring

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satisfaction, sustainability,
and ultimately salvation.

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First Corinthians, chapter three.

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You're very familiar with this passage.

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Maybe, but.

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Or maybe you're not, but this
is the passage of Scripture where

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Paul is speaking to the church
at Corinth and he talks to them in

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some strong language.

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He calls them carnal.

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Verse 2.

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He says, I have fed you with
milk and not with meat, for hitherto

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you are not able to bear it.

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Neither yet are now.

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Neither yet now are ye able.

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So he speaks of them being carnal.

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Now, carnal means fleshly.

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It means that they're not
walking as mature Christians, but

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they're walking as fleshly
babes in Christ.

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And he says, what does that
look like?

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Well, it looks like this.

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Verse 4.

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He says, well, some of you are
saying that you're of Paul, and some

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of you are saying you're Of Apollos?

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He says, is that not carnal?

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He says, who then is Apollos?

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And who.

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Who is Paul but ministers by
whom ye believed, even as the Lord

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gave to every man?

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He says, really the truth is,
is that I have planted, Paul is planted,

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Apollos has watered.

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But it is God who gives the increase.

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And so when we're looking at
spiritual growth, we're looking at

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fruitfulness.

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We're looking at God working
through us and giving us the opportunity

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to serve him, giving us the
opportunity to share his word, and

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he provides that fruit.

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But we see in this passage of
Scripture, First Corinthians, chapter

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three, where the fruit comes from.

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Spiritual growth does not come
from my hard work.

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Spiritual growth does not come
through a pastor.

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Spiritual growth does not come
through a program.

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Spiritual growth comes where
from verse 6, God gave the increase.

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So some are going to plant the
seed, some are going to water the

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seed.

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But it's God who gives the increase.

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And we're building upon a foundation.

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Then he goes on to say in
verse eight, now, he that planteth

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and that he that are water are
one, and every man shall receive

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his own reward according to
his own labor.

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And he goes on to talk about
the fact that there's this building,

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verse nine, that there's this
God's building that's being built.

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He says, according to the
grace of God, which is given unto

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me as a wise master builder, I
have laid the foundation and another

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built thereupon.

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So he says, I built this
foundation and other people are building

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upon that.

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Well, what's this foundation?

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He says, everyone needs to
build upon this foundation.

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Well, verse 11 tells us what
that foundation is.

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He says, for other foundation
can no man lay than that is laid,

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which is Jesus Christ.

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He says, the foundation that
we're all supposed to build upon

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within our ministries, within
our families, within our personal

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spiritual growth path that
we're taking, it's all built upon

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the foundation of Jesus Christ.

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So spiritual growth is built
upon how much we're abiding in Christ.

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John 15 tells us all about that.

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Jesus is speaking to his
disciples and he says this.

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He says, ye are the vine, or
excuse me, he says, you are the branches,

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I am the vine.

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Says, you can't grow without me.

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And, and, and I.

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And I want to show you John
15:5, because this is a very convicting

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verse.

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Because anytime that I think
that I'm doing something on my own

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strength, anytime that I think
that I can do this without the power

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of God in my life, I go back
to John 15:5, because it reminds

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me of a very sobering truth.

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He says, I am the vine.

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That means that Jesus is the
source of our fruitfulness.

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He says, you are the branches.

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Ye are the branches.

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He that abideth in me, what
does it mean to abide in him?

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It means to live in his truth,
to, to walk in faith, to believe

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in everything that he says, to
identify with him, to be reconciled

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to him.

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He says the same.

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The one who abides in Me
bringeth forth much fruit.

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And then this is the statement
that I was alluding to.

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And I hope that we all can
take this as way of testimony here

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this evening.

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For without me, ye can do nothing.

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Jesus tells us, without me,
you can do nothing.

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So if we're tempted to think
that we're growing in our spiritual

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walk, just because I read more
or because I'm, I'm a, a good student,

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I can study these books.

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That's.

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It's not about head knowledge.

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It's about this idea of
abiding in the Lord.

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Now, there is a level of
knowledge that needs to be added

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to our life, which we're going
to talk about in 2 Peter chapter

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1.

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But what I'm trying to nail
down here, before we even take a

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step further, is that the
foundation that is being laid in

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our salvation, the foundation
that's being laid in our spiritual

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growth process is always the
foundation of Jesus Christ.

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And then we build upon that.

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So many times the church tries
to remove that foundation and tries

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to put in their own foundation.

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Well, it's through our program
that you can find true spiritual

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growth.

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Though those other churches,
they might think that they're spiritually

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growing, but it's through our
program that you can find spiritual

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growth.

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Or maybe it's through one man.

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He says, no, you got to be a,
a, a disciple of me before you can

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be a disciple of Jesus Christ.

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Well, that's, that's faulty.

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That's, that's heretical
because the Bible says it's when

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we abide in him.

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So if anyone preaches a
message outside of Jesus being the

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hope for our salvation or our
spiritual growth or teaching a false

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teaching, because it's only
through Jesus.

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So it starts with salvation.

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It starts with a salvation
that is solely based in faith in

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Jesus Christ.

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But then, but then there's more.

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You ever remember those TV ads
when the guy's up there and he's

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like, you know, you can get
this special rag that cleans up,

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but wait, there's more.

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And he adds a free thing on.

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That's how it is with the
Christian life, right?

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Every single time we think
that we've gotten everything from

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God, there's more.

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And so in Second Peter,
chapter one, we're going to see that,

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yes, the foundation has been
laid, and the foundation is Jesus

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Christ.

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But remember what First
Corinthians, chapter three says?

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We need to build upon that foundation.

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So I didn't bring it tonight,
but there's some of you.

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You guys ever played the game
Jenga, Okay.

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On the table, right?

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With your.

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Maybe with your kids, or maybe
not with kids.

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And, you know, building things
around Silas is.

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Is just a useless task because
I don't know about you guys, but

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maybe I was like this when I
was a child, but every time something

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is built, Silas just wants to
knock it down.

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That's his.

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Wants to knock it down.

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But.

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But I.

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We actually have here the
church a.

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A set of, like, really big
Jenga pieces.

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So I should have brought it in
tonight as an example.

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If I was more prepared, I
would have done that.

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But the idea would be this.

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We're laying the foundation of
Jesus Christ.

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But oftentimes we think that
that's enough.

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But the Bible tells us that
we're supposed to grow in him.

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We see in second Timothy,
chapter two, verse 19, about this

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idea that the foundation of
God is going to stand.

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Sure, there's other passages
of Scripture, like First Peter, chapter

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two, that says that Jesus is
the chief cornerstone.

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And so as we build upon him,
there's that recognition that there's

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something more to this life
than just salvation.

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Even though that would be enough.

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Salvation would be enough if
God just saved us and said, well,

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you don't get anything else.

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You just get salvation.

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It would be enough.

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But the Bible says that
there's more.

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So I want you to see in Second
Peter, chapter one, what the next

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step is after salvation.

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Now, I know that all of you
that have been saved for any amount

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of time realize that there's more.

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But oftentimes we need to be
reminded about this.

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We need to be reminded that
there are steps that we are supposed

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to take within our life to
foster this spiritual growth process.

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It starts with Jesus, which
we're going to see.

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But we see that it's built
upon the truth of what he tells us

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in this passage.

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So two Peter, chapter one, he
gives this wonderful greeting, Simon

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Peter.

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00:11:33,830 --> 00:11:36,510
He talks about being a servant
and an apostle of Jesus Christ.

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He talks about to them who
have obtained like, precious faith

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with us through the
righteousness of God and our Savior,

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Jesus Christ.

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I mean, he so eloquently lays
out for us what it means to be saved.

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Those who obtained precious faith.

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And as we obtain precious
faith, we have a wonderful blessing.

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As he says in verse two, grace
and peace be multiplied unto you.

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And he says, this is how you
can receive that grace and peace.

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This is how you can live in
that grace and peace, he says, through

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the knowledge of God and Jesus
Christ our Lord.

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He says this, basically, the
more you know about God, the more

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you understand who he is, the
more you understand what he has done,

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the more you're able to live
in that grace and peace in your life.

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Now, what is grace and peace?

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I think we should define that.

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Grace is the unmerited gift
that God has given us.

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Unmerited favor.

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00:12:32,110 --> 00:12:38,510
Some folks do an acronym, G,
R, A, C E. God's riches at Christ's

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expense.

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00:12:39,590 --> 00:12:42,870
Christ is the one who paid the
price for us so that we can have

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this gift of grace in our
life, this gift of forgiveness, this

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gift of love.

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It's all grace.

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What is peace?

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00:12:50,390 --> 00:12:54,350
Well, I used to think peace
was getting away from all of my problems

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00:12:54,350 --> 00:12:54,870
in my life.

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00:12:56,390 --> 00:13:00,390
We're going up this week to
the mountains for just a little bit,

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00:13:00,390 --> 00:13:01,190
just to get away.

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00:13:02,470 --> 00:13:03,990
And that's my happy place.

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00:13:03,990 --> 00:13:05,750
Some of you have a place where
you like to go.

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I enjoy going up and being in
secluded nature.

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And I think about that sometimes.

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I think about, man, if I could
just be away from all the problems

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of life, I'll have peace.

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00:13:16,780 --> 00:13:19,620
And then I realize I've got a
bunch of little ones running around.

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There's probably not even
going to be peace out in the middle

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00:13:21,700 --> 00:13:22,500
of the mountains.

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00:13:22,500 --> 00:13:25,820
But the reality is, is that as
a Christian, that's not the type

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00:13:25,820 --> 00:13:27,340
of peace that's being
mentioned here.

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00:13:27,740 --> 00:13:30,820
Because I think that if Paul
was talking about that type of peace,

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00:13:30,820 --> 00:13:32,500
he wouldn't have been in the
middle of the Roman Empire.

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He would have tried to get
away from all these problems.

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So it's not about removing
ourselves from all the problems of

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00:13:37,820 --> 00:13:38,340
this world.

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00:13:38,500 --> 00:13:41,540
It's understanding that we
have God in the midst of all the

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00:13:41,540 --> 00:13:42,060
problems.

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00:13:42,060 --> 00:13:45,540
And we can have a type of
peace that supersedes any issues

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00:13:45,860 --> 00:13:47,140
that we're facing in our life.

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00:13:47,140 --> 00:13:50,020
He says, if you want to know
more about this grace and peace,

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00:13:50,180 --> 00:13:52,980
know it that it's through the
knowledge of God.

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00:13:53,380 --> 00:13:56,060
Then he says in verse three,
how we can have this fruitfulness

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00:13:56,060 --> 00:13:58,260
that we've been talking about,
this spiritual growth.

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00:13:58,260 --> 00:14:03,020
He says, according as his
divine power hath given unto us all

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00:14:03,020 --> 00:14:06,360
things that pertain unto life
and godliness.

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00:14:07,080 --> 00:14:10,480
So it's through the divine
power of God, that we're able to

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00:14:10,480 --> 00:14:12,920
have this type of life and godliness.

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00:14:13,000 --> 00:14:14,040
What is godliness?

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It's being Christlike.

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00:14:15,480 --> 00:14:16,920
It's being like the Lord.

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00:14:17,480 --> 00:14:19,919
It's walking like him, it's
talking like Him.

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00:14:19,919 --> 00:14:24,200
And so he says, you are given
this awesome opportunity to pertain

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00:14:24,280 --> 00:14:27,440
that pertains unto life and
godliness through the knowledge of

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00:14:27,440 --> 00:14:30,760
him that have called us to
glory and virtue.

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00:14:31,860 --> 00:14:33,780
There's so much there that we
can unpack.

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00:14:33,940 --> 00:14:35,860
But really what I'd like you
to see is this.

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00:14:36,180 --> 00:14:40,260
It is through the divine power
of God that we're able to even access

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00:14:40,820 --> 00:14:45,620
this life of godliness, this
life of glory, this life of virtue.

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00:14:45,780 --> 00:14:49,260
It's impossible to live the
Christian life without the power

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00:14:49,260 --> 00:14:49,860
of God.

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00:14:50,180 --> 00:14:52,900
It's impossible to do the
things that God has called us to

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00:14:52,900 --> 00:14:53,100
do.

347
00:14:53,100 --> 00:14:56,660
I've heard people say, well,
the Christian life's hard, and it

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00:14:56,660 --> 00:14:57,700
is to a degree.

349
00:14:58,540 --> 00:14:59,980
I'm going to even take it a
step further.

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00:14:59,980 --> 00:15:04,460
The Christian life without
Jesus Christ is impossible to accomplish.

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00:15:04,860 --> 00:15:06,780
We think that sometimes we're
doing it.

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00:15:06,940 --> 00:15:10,420
We think that sometimes we're
the ones that are accomplishing what

353
00:15:10,420 --> 00:15:11,620
God is doing in our life.

354
00:15:11,620 --> 00:15:14,340
But really, at the end of the
day, it says here, it's only through

355
00:15:14,340 --> 00:15:18,300
his divine power that we're
able to even experience a life that's

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00:15:18,300 --> 00:15:21,900
capable of being a godly
person, a virtuous person.

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00:15:22,780 --> 00:15:26,200
Now, again, I've often heard
people say, well, we're just humans,

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00:15:26,200 --> 00:15:28,280
so therefore we can never be
like Christ.

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00:15:28,280 --> 00:15:31,800
No, that then he would say in
Scripture, don't worry about being

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00:15:31,800 --> 00:15:32,280
godly.

361
00:15:32,280 --> 00:15:33,480
Just do what you want to do.

362
00:15:33,720 --> 00:15:36,880
The reality is, as Romans 7
says, we're always going to be fighting

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00:15:36,880 --> 00:15:38,360
the flesh, and that's the battle.

364
00:15:38,600 --> 00:15:41,400
But we never give into the
flesh willingly and say, well, you

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00:15:41,400 --> 00:15:41,600
know what?

366
00:15:41,600 --> 00:15:42,160
I'm just human.

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00:15:42,160 --> 00:15:43,080
I'm going to give into it.

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00:15:43,080 --> 00:15:46,480
No, the fight is, I'm going to
allow God to fight through me and

369
00:15:46,480 --> 00:15:50,160
be the divine power to give me
this godliness and this knowledge

370
00:15:50,160 --> 00:15:52,080
of him that leads to glory and virtue.

371
00:15:52,080 --> 00:15:57,230
And then he says in verse
four, whereby are given unto us exceeding

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and great precious promises.

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Think about this for just a moment.

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00:16:04,270 --> 00:16:04,510
He.

375
00:16:04,510 --> 00:16:10,670
He reminds the reader that
part of spiritual growth is remembering

376
00:16:10,990 --> 00:16:13,710
these wonderful promises that
he has given to us.

377
00:16:14,590 --> 00:16:17,830
Part of the process of growing
in the knowledge of God is growing

378
00:16:17,830 --> 00:16:19,390
in what he has promised us in
our life.

379
00:16:19,980 --> 00:16:23,060
I was having a conversation
with someone recently, and they were

380
00:16:23,060 --> 00:16:25,820
really struggling with
failures of their past.

381
00:16:26,540 --> 00:16:29,500
I was like, you know, even
after I was saved, I made some really

382
00:16:29,500 --> 00:16:31,620
bad decisions, and I'm
embarrassed about that.

383
00:16:31,620 --> 00:16:33,180
And there's shame there.

384
00:16:33,900 --> 00:16:35,980
They said, you know, I just
feel like one day I'm going to have

385
00:16:35,980 --> 00:16:38,100
to stand before God and he's
going to have to replay all these

386
00:16:38,100 --> 00:16:40,140
things for me and I'm going to
be embarrassed and I'm going to have

387
00:16:40,140 --> 00:16:42,460
all these things that I'm
going to be ashamed of.

388
00:16:43,420 --> 00:16:45,500
And I wanted to take them
right then and there.

389
00:16:45,500 --> 00:16:47,820
Eventually we were able to
talk about it, But Romans, chapter

390
00:16:47,820 --> 00:16:51,920
8, verse 1 tells us, Therefore
there is now no condemnation to those

391
00:16:51,920 --> 00:16:52,960
that are in Christ Jesus.

392
00:16:52,960 --> 00:16:56,360
Folks, we don't have to live
under the bondage of sin anymore.

393
00:16:56,760 --> 00:16:59,560
The sins of our past, present
and future are forgiven.

394
00:17:00,040 --> 00:17:03,640
Therefore, when we sin, we
recognize that this is not something

395
00:17:03,640 --> 00:17:06,440
that I'm bound to, but God has
given me victory over.

396
00:17:06,440 --> 00:17:08,280
We no longer have to live in
that shame.

397
00:17:08,280 --> 00:17:11,480
Folks, I don't know about you,
but that's a promise that gives me

398
00:17:11,480 --> 00:17:15,520
some level, some infinite
level of comfort when it comes to

399
00:17:15,520 --> 00:17:16,600
my struggles in my life.

400
00:17:16,600 --> 00:17:19,390
Because I can always go back
to say, yes, I messed up.

401
00:17:19,470 --> 00:17:21,910
Yes, I probably will mess up tomorrow.

402
00:17:21,910 --> 00:17:25,310
But the promise that there is
no more condemnation to them who

403
00:17:25,310 --> 00:17:28,070
are in Christ Jesus is a
promise that I'm going to claim and

404
00:17:28,070 --> 00:17:29,310
that I'm going to stand in.

405
00:17:29,310 --> 00:17:31,910
There's other promises that I
think about all the time when it

406
00:17:31,910 --> 00:17:33,470
comes to my spiritual walk.

407
00:17:33,470 --> 00:17:35,910
One of those is that God's
never going to leave me nor forsake

408
00:17:35,910 --> 00:17:36,190
me.

409
00:17:36,670 --> 00:17:39,470
I don't know if you've ever
been tempted in your life to question

410
00:17:39,470 --> 00:17:39,830
that.

411
00:17:39,830 --> 00:17:42,910
Maybe you think that God's
forgotten about you because of whatever

412
00:17:42,910 --> 00:17:44,590
circumstance that you're
facing in your life.

413
00:17:44,590 --> 00:17:47,940
But the Bible says that God
will never leave you nor forsake

414
00:17:47,940 --> 00:17:48,860
you if you're his child.

415
00:17:49,580 --> 00:17:51,860
We could sit here all night
and talk about the promises.

416
00:17:51,860 --> 00:17:53,100
Now, why would we do that?

417
00:17:53,660 --> 00:17:57,100
Well, the reason why we talk
about the promises of God is because

418
00:17:57,100 --> 00:18:01,060
oftentimes we forget about the
promises of God and we aren't resting

419
00:18:01,060 --> 00:18:02,860
in the assurance of those promises.

420
00:18:02,860 --> 00:18:05,580
Now, let's say, for example,
tonight I made a promise to you.

421
00:18:05,580 --> 00:18:08,500
I said, okay, next week when
everybody comes, I'm going to be

422
00:18:08,500 --> 00:18:09,340
bringing you something.

423
00:18:09,660 --> 00:18:12,500
I'm going to bring you a, you
know, dessert after church.

424
00:18:12,500 --> 00:18:14,910
And everyone's going to go,
oh, great, okay, I'm definitely coming

425
00:18:14,910 --> 00:18:16,910
to church because pastor's
promising me desserts.

426
00:18:17,150 --> 00:18:18,310
And then guess what happens?

427
00:18:18,310 --> 00:18:21,510
I go and I have a week that's
a difficult week.

428
00:18:21,510 --> 00:18:23,070
And I come back and I forget.

429
00:18:23,630 --> 00:18:26,230
And you and all of you show up
and you bring A friend with you.

430
00:18:26,230 --> 00:18:28,030
And you say, okay, Pastor,
where's our desserts?

431
00:18:28,110 --> 00:18:32,030
And I go, oh, no, I promised
you desserts, didn't I?

432
00:18:32,030 --> 00:18:33,950
And I don't have anything now.

433
00:18:33,950 --> 00:18:37,310
Sometimes my promises are not
promises that are based in a lie.

434
00:18:37,310 --> 00:18:41,440
I mean, I truly might have
intended to give you that gift of

435
00:18:41,440 --> 00:18:42,200
that dessert.

436
00:18:42,200 --> 00:18:44,880
But I'm limited in my knowledge.

437
00:18:44,880 --> 00:18:46,320
I'm limited in my access.

438
00:18:46,400 --> 00:18:47,920
I'm limited in my power.

439
00:18:48,080 --> 00:18:51,360
So therefore my promises are
only as good as who I am.

440
00:18:52,000 --> 00:18:53,800
Now, I try to stay true to my promises.

441
00:18:53,800 --> 00:18:56,600
I try to tell my kids things
and stick by those things.

442
00:18:56,600 --> 00:18:58,480
But even then, sometimes I
fall short.

443
00:18:58,560 --> 00:18:59,240
But you know what?

444
00:18:59,240 --> 00:19:02,760
When God makes a promise, he
is the creator of the universe, the

445
00:19:02,760 --> 00:19:06,360
one with all powerful nature,
the One who knows everything, the

446
00:19:06,360 --> 00:19:08,080
One who is everywhere, all at once.

447
00:19:08,080 --> 00:19:13,370
Every when he makes a promise,
it is sure it is laid in and sealed

448
00:19:13,370 --> 00:19:14,770
in, in, in stone.

449
00:19:14,850 --> 00:19:17,050
When he makes a promise, he
keeps his promise.

450
00:19:17,050 --> 00:19:18,930
So there's other promises that
we can think of.

451
00:19:19,490 --> 00:19:21,970
I mean, I think about the one
with no condemnation.

452
00:19:22,290 --> 00:19:24,370
I think about the one that
he's always going to be with us.

453
00:19:24,850 --> 00:19:28,090
I think about in Romans
chapter 8 when he says that we can

454
00:19:28,090 --> 00:19:32,050
cry abba, Father, that we can
have access to him.

455
00:19:32,130 --> 00:19:33,570
Hebrews chapter four.

456
00:19:34,780 --> 00:19:38,220
Hebrews chapter four tells us
that we can come boldly unto the

457
00:19:38,220 --> 00:19:41,340
throne of grace to find help
in time of need.

458
00:19:42,060 --> 00:19:44,100
Man, we could sit here all
night and talk about that.

459
00:19:44,100 --> 00:19:48,380
Now that is so important
because he says we're giving all

460
00:19:48,380 --> 00:19:54,220
these great promises that by
these, by these promises ye might

461
00:19:54,220 --> 00:19:58,620
be partakers of the divine
nature, having escaped the corruption

462
00:19:58,620 --> 00:20:00,060
that is in the world through lust.

463
00:20:00,060 --> 00:20:02,000
Now again, this is so rich.

464
00:20:02,640 --> 00:20:05,360
And I want to break down as
much as I can here this evening.

465
00:20:05,680 --> 00:20:09,680
But what we see here is that
part of the spiritual growth process

466
00:20:10,080 --> 00:20:14,640
is knowing the promises of God
and trusting in the promises of God.

467
00:20:14,720 --> 00:20:19,360
And when we do those things,
we're reminded that we are partakers

468
00:20:19,360 --> 00:20:23,040
of the divine nature, that we
are partakers of the power of God,

469
00:20:23,040 --> 00:20:27,040
and that we have escaped the
corruption that is in the world through

470
00:20:27,040 --> 00:20:27,440
lust.

471
00:20:27,890 --> 00:20:30,370
So we're reminded again of
what we've been saved from.

472
00:20:30,530 --> 00:20:33,170
Very similar to what happens
in Ephesians chapter two.

473
00:20:33,490 --> 00:20:37,210
Remember, Ephesians chapter
two reminds us who we were and who

474
00:20:37,210 --> 00:20:39,810
we are now and what God has
done in us.

475
00:20:39,890 --> 00:20:41,970
That's the same thing that
Peter is reminding us about.

476
00:20:41,970 --> 00:20:45,890
Here you were here and then
because of the promises of God, you

477
00:20:45,890 --> 00:20:48,530
are here and now you can live
with confidence.

478
00:20:50,130 --> 00:20:53,250
Sometimes I'm strange in the
fact that I always want to know what

479
00:20:53,250 --> 00:20:53,890
words mean.

480
00:20:53,970 --> 00:20:56,290
I want to go back to the
etymology of the word.

481
00:20:56,780 --> 00:20:58,860
And one of my favorite words
is confidence.

482
00:21:00,060 --> 00:21:01,780
And some of you, like, you
have favorite words.

483
00:21:01,780 --> 00:21:03,540
I do have favorite words, and
I have words I don't like.

484
00:21:03,540 --> 00:21:04,660
And I have words that I do like.

485
00:21:04,660 --> 00:21:07,500
But confidence is one of those
words that I love because that word

486
00:21:07,500 --> 00:21:09,580
in the Latin means with faith.

487
00:21:09,580 --> 00:21:13,900
Confide means that I can live
with faith and confidence in something.

488
00:21:13,980 --> 00:21:16,300
Now, sometimes my confidence
is in the wrong thing.

489
00:21:16,300 --> 00:21:20,620
Sometimes my confidence is in
my own wisdom, and that has failed

490
00:21:20,620 --> 00:21:21,420
me many times.

491
00:21:22,230 --> 00:21:23,910
Sometimes my confidence is in
my own memory.

492
00:21:23,910 --> 00:21:27,390
Sometimes someone tells me, or
confession time, someone tells me,

493
00:21:27,390 --> 00:21:29,470
hey, Pastor, can you take care
of this this week?

494
00:21:29,470 --> 00:21:30,350
And I go, oh, yeah, for sure.

495
00:21:30,350 --> 00:21:31,150
Do you want to write that down?

496
00:21:31,150 --> 00:21:32,310
No, no, I got it right here.

497
00:21:32,630 --> 00:21:33,430
It's right here.

498
00:21:33,670 --> 00:21:34,950
And this happens on Sunday.

499
00:21:35,110 --> 00:21:38,910
Then I wake up Monday morning
and my whole mind is wiped clean.

500
00:21:38,910 --> 00:21:39,190
Okay.

501
00:21:39,190 --> 00:21:41,670
I have nothing, no
recollection of what was said.

502
00:21:41,750 --> 00:21:42,870
And I forget.

503
00:21:43,110 --> 00:21:45,030
Okay, so what does that mean?

504
00:21:45,030 --> 00:21:45,670
That means this.

505
00:21:45,670 --> 00:21:47,910
I can't have confidence in myself.

506
00:21:49,140 --> 00:21:53,500
I can only go back to that
sure foundation that my confidence

507
00:21:53,500 --> 00:21:56,580
is in him because he's reliable.

508
00:21:56,580 --> 00:22:00,140
And so that reminder that
we've escaped the corruption that's

509
00:22:00,140 --> 00:22:02,900
in the world through lust is
found in the promises of God.

510
00:22:03,220 --> 00:22:06,420
That's why when we went to
Rwanda and we talked about to these

511
00:22:06,420 --> 00:22:09,100
guys, hey, you need to be able
to share your testimony.

512
00:22:09,100 --> 00:22:12,180
The real major part of that is
who I was before God.

513
00:22:12,420 --> 00:22:15,460
Then the promises of God, the
promises of the gospel, the promises

514
00:22:15,460 --> 00:22:17,300
of salvation, the promises of
his love.

515
00:22:17,710 --> 00:22:19,950
And then how did that change me?

516
00:22:20,750 --> 00:22:25,630
We need to be able to explain
to people how the power and the presence

517
00:22:25,790 --> 00:22:30,110
and the provisions of God
changed our heart to a place to be

518
00:22:30,110 --> 00:22:32,670
new, to be a transformed
creation in Him.

519
00:22:33,230 --> 00:22:36,670
So verse four reminds us that
those promises are so vital.

520
00:22:37,550 --> 00:22:41,150
And then it goes on to say
this in verse five, and beside this,

521
00:22:41,230 --> 00:22:45,640
so added to this, giving all diligence.

522
00:22:46,680 --> 00:22:47,560
So what does this mean?

523
00:22:47,560 --> 00:22:51,160
This means that there is a
level of our responsibility here.

524
00:22:51,640 --> 00:22:55,720
There's a level of us to give
some effort to something.

525
00:22:56,680 --> 00:22:58,160
You might say, well, what's
our effort?

526
00:22:58,160 --> 00:23:00,920
Well, we're partakers of the
divine nature, so.

527
00:23:00,920 --> 00:23:03,240
So we get to have the Holy
Spirit living within us.

528
00:23:04,120 --> 00:23:08,960
But once we're made spiritual
children of God, growth just doesn't

529
00:23:08,960 --> 00:23:10,160
happen to us.

530
00:23:10,160 --> 00:23:10,400
It.

531
00:23:10,400 --> 00:23:11,960
It's not just a natural thing.

532
00:23:12,920 --> 00:23:16,320
We have to give diligence to
the walk that God has called us to

533
00:23:16,320 --> 00:23:16,760
walk in.

534
00:23:16,760 --> 00:23:19,000
So it's diligence to yield to him.

535
00:23:19,000 --> 00:23:20,760
It's diligence to follow him.

536
00:23:20,840 --> 00:23:22,720
So he says, give all diligence.

537
00:23:22,720 --> 00:23:24,200
Give effort to what?

538
00:23:24,920 --> 00:23:27,080
To add to your faith.

539
00:23:27,800 --> 00:23:29,560
Now that's an interesting phrase.

540
00:23:29,800 --> 00:23:31,560
I thought that faith alone
saved me.

541
00:23:31,560 --> 00:23:33,160
Well, this isn't talking about salvation.

542
00:23:33,560 --> 00:23:35,240
This is talking about
spiritual growth.

543
00:23:36,380 --> 00:23:39,700
So faith is the start of
spiritual growth, but we are called

544
00:23:39,700 --> 00:23:41,820
to add things to our Christian life.

545
00:23:42,540 --> 00:23:44,820
And so he says it starts with salvation.

546
00:23:44,820 --> 00:23:47,580
It starts with faith, but now
start to add things.

547
00:23:47,820 --> 00:23:53,420
As we begin our life with God
in faith, our faith grows or progresses

548
00:23:53,500 --> 00:23:56,220
into something more, something.

549
00:23:56,380 --> 00:23:59,740
Something of a blessed
understanding of the grace of God.

550
00:23:59,980 --> 00:24:01,900
Now keep your finger there in
First Peter.

551
00:24:02,140 --> 00:24:05,060
Excuse me, Second Peter,
chapter one, and turn with me probably

552
00:24:05,060 --> 00:24:08,780
just a few Pages over to 2
Peter 3:18.

553
00:24:09,900 --> 00:24:14,180
He starts with this
understanding of adding to your faith.

554
00:24:14,180 --> 00:24:18,900
And then he's going to end
with a phrase that I believe culminates

555
00:24:18,900 --> 00:24:21,260
all of what he's saying here
in this passage.

556
00:24:21,980 --> 00:24:27,420
He says in second Peter 3:18,
the very last verse, but grow in

557
00:24:27,580 --> 00:24:31,950
grace and in the knowledge of
our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

558
00:24:32,270 --> 00:24:33,390
Now, let me stop there.

559
00:24:34,510 --> 00:24:38,470
How I have heard that taught
before, and some of you have maybe

560
00:24:38,470 --> 00:24:42,990
even heard me explain this, is
that the more we love God, the more

561
00:24:42,990 --> 00:24:46,550
we serve God, the more God is
just going to keep doling out grace

562
00:24:46,550 --> 00:24:46,870
to us.

563
00:24:46,870 --> 00:24:49,230
But he's holding it here, and
I have to perform.

564
00:24:49,950 --> 00:24:52,190
And as I perform, God gives me grace.

565
00:24:52,830 --> 00:24:55,560
I don't believe that that is
is what this is talking about.

566
00:24:55,640 --> 00:24:56,000
Why?

567
00:24:56,000 --> 00:24:59,880
Because the Bible tells us
that God abundantly sheds his grace

568
00:24:59,880 --> 00:25:01,400
upon us at the moment of salvation.

569
00:25:02,280 --> 00:25:03,920
So how can we grow in grace then?

570
00:25:03,920 --> 00:25:07,800
Well, growing in grace is
understanding the infinite grace

571
00:25:07,800 --> 00:25:11,480
that God has already given us
through growing in our spiritual

572
00:25:11,480 --> 00:25:11,800
walk.

573
00:25:12,360 --> 00:25:15,640
So I'm able to understand
God's grace more when I'm growing

574
00:25:15,640 --> 00:25:16,840
in the knowledge of Him.

575
00:25:16,920 --> 00:25:18,040
That's what it says there.

576
00:25:18,200 --> 00:25:22,710
He says in that last verse,
but grow in grace and in the knowledge

577
00:25:22,710 --> 00:25:24,310
of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

578
00:25:24,310 --> 00:25:27,910
So it's knowing him more and
understanding that level of grace

579
00:25:27,910 --> 00:25:28,910
that he has given us.

580
00:25:29,630 --> 00:25:33,150
So the way that this could be
described is this way, let's say

581
00:25:33,150 --> 00:25:35,390
you've been saved for 10
years, okay?

582
00:25:35,390 --> 00:25:36,870
So hopefully the.

583
00:25:36,870 --> 00:25:41,470
The goal for us is that in
those 10 years we've grown in our

584
00:25:41,470 --> 00:25:45,390
understanding and our access
to the grace that God has given us.

585
00:25:46,120 --> 00:25:49,160
And then if God preserves us
for another 10 years, that we should

586
00:25:49,160 --> 00:25:52,400
grow more in our understanding
of God's grace, and that should bring

587
00:25:52,400 --> 00:25:53,800
us more to a place of humility.

588
00:25:54,360 --> 00:25:55,640
And submission to Him.

589
00:25:56,680 --> 00:26:00,000
And so we're seeing here that
there's this understanding of growing

590
00:26:00,000 --> 00:26:00,440
in grace.

591
00:26:00,440 --> 00:26:03,800
And so the way that I could
describe it to you in the clearest

592
00:26:03,800 --> 00:26:10,240
way is that as we understand
God more, as we grow in him, as we

593
00:26:10,240 --> 00:26:14,660
abide in him, we are able to
grow in our understanding of his

594
00:26:14,660 --> 00:26:17,900
infinite grace that's imparted
to us in our life.

595
00:26:18,060 --> 00:26:21,540
And then we're able to access
that grace by many different ways

596
00:26:21,540 --> 00:26:22,300
in our service.

597
00:26:22,780 --> 00:26:26,540
Like, I'm able to give grace
as I experience grace.

598
00:26:26,700 --> 00:26:30,700
I'm able to teach grace as I
have learned grace.

599
00:26:31,820 --> 00:26:36,420
Second Peter, chapter one
tells us that we're to add to our

600
00:26:36,420 --> 00:26:39,100
faith and grow in grace.

601
00:26:39,740 --> 00:26:41,220
So what does it mean to add to
our faith?

602
00:26:41,220 --> 00:26:41,900
Let's see it here.

603
00:26:42,220 --> 00:26:45,100
He says, add to your faith virtue.

604
00:26:46,460 --> 00:26:49,700
The first thing we're supposed
to add to our faith and our spiritual

605
00:26:49,700 --> 00:26:50,380
walk is virtue.

606
00:26:50,380 --> 00:26:50,980
What is virtue?

607
00:26:50,980 --> 00:26:52,380
Well, it's just moral uprightness.

608
00:26:53,020 --> 00:26:55,980
It's following the Lord, it's
obeying him, it's trusting him.

609
00:26:56,540 --> 00:27:00,780
You remember what it says in
the Gospel of John and in First John,

610
00:27:01,260 --> 00:27:04,710
if you love God, you will
what, keep his commandments?

611
00:27:04,710 --> 00:27:05,590
It's obedience.

612
00:27:06,710 --> 00:27:09,910
So the first step, one of the
very first steps of spiritual growth

613
00:27:09,910 --> 00:27:11,270
is trusting in God.

614
00:27:11,270 --> 00:27:13,030
You would say, I thought you
said obedience.

615
00:27:13,270 --> 00:27:15,110
Well, we only obey who we trust.

616
00:27:15,590 --> 00:27:17,910
So if you don't trust God,
you're not going to obey him.

617
00:27:18,310 --> 00:27:21,150
What if, what if someone came
up to you and you didn't know them

618
00:27:21,150 --> 00:27:22,630
and they said, hey, do this,
this and this.

619
00:27:22,710 --> 00:27:23,550
And you're like, no way.

620
00:27:23,550 --> 00:27:24,350
Why would I trust you?

621
00:27:24,350 --> 00:27:25,030
I don't know you.

622
00:27:25,350 --> 00:27:29,110
We're not going to obey
somebody and their orders and their

623
00:27:29,110 --> 00:27:32,530
direction to us if we don't
trust them, if we don't believe in

624
00:27:32,530 --> 00:27:32,850
them.

625
00:27:33,330 --> 00:27:36,490
And so as we grow in our
faith, the more we will trust and

626
00:27:36,490 --> 00:27:39,410
obey God when he says, thus
sayeth the Lord, this is the right

627
00:27:39,410 --> 00:27:40,050
thing to do.

628
00:27:40,370 --> 00:27:44,330
We, we see so many people
today that are not following the

629
00:27:44,330 --> 00:27:47,770
word of God because they are
trusting in something outside of

630
00:27:47,770 --> 00:27:48,570
what the Bible says.

631
00:27:48,570 --> 00:27:51,570
They say, yes, I understand
that the Bible says this, but.

632
00:27:52,050 --> 00:27:53,210
And then fill in the blank.

633
00:27:53,210 --> 00:27:56,050
They have all the reasons not
to trust in the Lord.

634
00:27:56,850 --> 00:27:59,890
So how can we live virtuous
lives unless we are trusting in God?

635
00:28:00,050 --> 00:28:01,170
So it starts with faith.

636
00:28:01,170 --> 00:28:03,770
And that faith is manifested
through a virtuous life.

637
00:28:03,770 --> 00:28:07,610
In obedience to God doesn't
mean a perfect life, but it just

638
00:28:07,610 --> 00:28:12,369
means a desire to be morally
upright, to live a life of purity.

639
00:28:12,370 --> 00:28:16,610
Really in that word, virtue is
the word Is the meaning purity.

640
00:28:17,410 --> 00:28:20,850
Now purity can be seen in many
different ways, but really purity

641
00:28:20,850 --> 00:28:23,570
is just trying to stay
spotless, trying to stay away from,

642
00:28:23,740 --> 00:28:25,540
from the things of this world.

643
00:28:25,540 --> 00:28:28,580
And we could go into that
whole category of First John, Chapter

644
00:28:28,580 --> 00:28:29,900
2, what the World looks like.

645
00:28:29,980 --> 00:28:32,780
Lust of the flesh, lust of the
eyes, pride of life.

646
00:28:32,940 --> 00:28:36,020
There's so much there, but for
the sake of time, we won't go there.

647
00:28:36,020 --> 00:28:38,580
But one of the steps that we
should take within adding in our

648
00:28:38,580 --> 00:28:39,500
faith is virtue.

649
00:28:40,060 --> 00:28:42,900
The second, and this is kind
of like building think, think about

650
00:28:42,900 --> 00:28:43,460
blocks.

651
00:28:43,460 --> 00:28:45,580
Think about those Jenga blocks
that I talked about before.

652
00:28:45,820 --> 00:28:48,300
Jenga Block 1 is the faith in
Jesus Christ.

653
00:28:48,380 --> 00:28:51,740
Django Block 2 is a virtuous
life of living in moral obedience.

654
00:28:52,010 --> 00:28:55,810
Then the Jenga block upon that
would be what add to your faith virtue

655
00:28:55,810 --> 00:28:56,890
and virtue knowledge.

656
00:28:58,010 --> 00:29:01,330
So how can we continue to
trust in a God that we aren't growing

657
00:29:01,330 --> 00:29:02,250
in our knowledge of Him?

658
00:29:02,250 --> 00:29:03,530
We, we don't know him more.

659
00:29:03,690 --> 00:29:12,530
What if I told you guys I know
the same things about my wife and

660
00:29:12,530 --> 00:29:15,090
nothing more than the day I
married her?

661
00:29:15,090 --> 00:29:17,370
Unless I married her
yesterday, that's a big problem.

662
00:29:17,370 --> 00:29:18,790
Okay, okay.

663
00:29:18,790 --> 00:29:21,670
I've been married to my wife
for X amount of years.

664
00:29:21,670 --> 00:29:25,230
And if I have not grown in my
understanding of knowing her in a

665
00:29:25,230 --> 00:29:27,590
greater way, I have failed as
a husband.

666
00:29:27,830 --> 00:29:29,030
It is the same thing as a Christian.

667
00:29:29,030 --> 00:29:30,910
If a Christian says, well, I
don't know anything more about God

668
00:29:30,910 --> 00:29:33,590
today than I did 20 years ago,
that's a major issue.

669
00:29:33,590 --> 00:29:33,910
Why?

670
00:29:33,910 --> 00:29:37,030
Because there are things that
we are to know at certain stages

671
00:29:37,030 --> 00:29:37,750
of our life.

672
00:29:37,830 --> 00:29:41,270
But the goal is that I know
more about him each and every day.

673
00:29:41,590 --> 00:29:44,230
I don't expect my kids to know
everything about everything.

674
00:29:44,760 --> 00:29:48,200
But the more they mature, the
more they should understand different

675
00:29:48,200 --> 00:29:49,640
aspects of this world.

676
00:29:49,800 --> 00:29:50,920
Same thing as a Christian.

677
00:29:51,080 --> 00:29:53,600
As a Christian, I'm not
expecting a brand new Christian to

678
00:29:53,600 --> 00:29:57,840
understand every intricacy of
the Bible, every aspect of who God

679
00:29:57,840 --> 00:29:58,120
is.

680
00:29:58,200 --> 00:30:01,920
But there is a level of
growing in our knowledge of him and

681
00:30:01,920 --> 00:30:02,680
His Word.

682
00:30:03,480 --> 00:30:08,280
So one step of spiritual
growth would just be summarized in

683
00:30:08,280 --> 00:30:11,960
loving the truth of who God is
and growing in our knowledge of Him.

684
00:30:12,750 --> 00:30:13,630
How do we know about Him?

685
00:30:13,630 --> 00:30:15,310
Well, one aspect is the word
of God.

686
00:30:16,350 --> 00:30:18,350
Some of you said maybe just then.

687
00:30:18,350 --> 00:30:20,950
Well, Pastor, I thought you
said reading the Bible isn't spiritual

688
00:30:20,950 --> 00:30:21,230
growth.

689
00:30:21,470 --> 00:30:24,630
I said just reading the Bible
is not spiritual growth.

690
00:30:24,630 --> 00:30:28,990
But as we grow in the Lord and
we read His Word, that's a tool to

691
00:30:28,990 --> 00:30:29,310
grow.

692
00:30:29,950 --> 00:30:32,670
So if we're reading for the
right reasons, to know God and to

693
00:30:32,670 --> 00:30:35,390
commune with him, and to grow
in our obedience to him.

694
00:30:35,390 --> 00:30:37,710
That's a wonderful tool for
spiritual growth.

695
00:30:38,340 --> 00:30:44,260
So he says, add to your virtue
knowledge, and to knowledge, temperance.

696
00:30:44,580 --> 00:30:48,620
The more you know about God,
the more we're able to have what's

697
00:30:48,620 --> 00:30:50,500
called self control or moderation.

698
00:30:50,980 --> 00:30:55,860
Basically, we're able to be
restrained in our fleshly desires.

699
00:30:57,060 --> 00:31:01,620
The world tells us just to
feed the flesh, to do what feels

700
00:31:01,620 --> 00:31:06,190
good, to just get yours when
you can.

701
00:31:06,190 --> 00:31:08,270
But the Bible tells us
something completely different.

702
00:31:08,350 --> 00:31:09,470
Die to the flesh.

703
00:31:10,830 --> 00:31:14,310
This is one of the hardest
aspects of the spiritual growth process,

704
00:31:14,310 --> 00:31:17,230
and that is to die to our
fleshly desires.

705
00:31:17,550 --> 00:31:19,230
It's a level of sacrifice.

706
00:31:19,789 --> 00:31:22,830
It's saying, I need to carry
my cross daily.

707
00:31:23,150 --> 00:31:26,150
The Bible tells us that as
Christians, we are to bear our cross.

708
00:31:26,150 --> 00:31:28,910
And sometimes people will say,
well, bearing my cross.

709
00:31:28,910 --> 00:31:31,710
Well, you know, Pastor, I bear
my cross every day when I walk into

710
00:31:31,710 --> 00:31:32,430
my workplace.

711
00:31:32,430 --> 00:31:36,540
Well, I get that it's probably
sometimes a difficult thing to go

712
00:31:36,540 --> 00:31:39,620
into your workplace, or it's a
difficult thing to deal with people

713
00:31:39,620 --> 00:31:41,540
at, you know, different places
that you go.

714
00:31:42,020 --> 00:31:43,220
But it's more than that.

715
00:31:43,460 --> 00:31:46,420
Bearing your cross is not just
going through minor inconveniences

716
00:31:46,420 --> 00:31:47,060
in your life.

717
00:31:47,380 --> 00:31:51,380
Bearing your cross is dying to
the flesh every single day.

718
00:31:51,700 --> 00:31:54,420
Think about the cross as a symbol.

719
00:31:55,780 --> 00:32:00,110
A lot of times we see the
cross now as a aspect of jewelry

720
00:32:00,510 --> 00:32:04,670
or on a wall or in someone's
house, and it's almost decorative

721
00:32:04,670 --> 00:32:05,550
to some degree.

722
00:32:05,710 --> 00:32:08,550
But think about what the cross
would have symbolized back at the

723
00:32:08,550 --> 00:32:09,310
time of the Bible.

724
00:32:10,030 --> 00:32:10,590
It was a.

725
00:32:10,590 --> 00:32:14,670
It was a instrument of death
to the people in the Roman Empire.

726
00:32:15,550 --> 00:32:18,910
So the cross is a sign of
dying, but dying to what?

727
00:32:18,910 --> 00:32:21,950
Well, in the case of a
Christian, it's dying to our flesh,

728
00:32:21,950 --> 00:32:26,900
dying to our internal desires
that God tells us are not healthy

729
00:32:26,900 --> 00:32:28,620
for us that are not honoring him.

730
00:32:28,620 --> 00:32:31,260
So there is that level of
temperance, self control.

731
00:32:31,820 --> 00:32:35,740
One way you could put it, is
not self control as much as God control.

732
00:32:35,820 --> 00:32:40,220
God controlling my impulses so
that I can die to my flesh and that

733
00:32:40,220 --> 00:32:41,500
I can be yielded to him.

734
00:32:41,820 --> 00:32:45,540
Now, I know we're not having
too much interaction here this evening,

735
00:32:45,540 --> 00:32:49,060
but I do want you to think
about this, and possibly we could

736
00:32:49,060 --> 00:32:50,220
maybe work together on this.

737
00:32:50,550 --> 00:32:57,270
How can we then die to the
flesh and listen to God and do what

738
00:32:57,270 --> 00:32:58,790
God has for us in our life.

739
00:32:59,510 --> 00:33:01,910
You say, well, how do I know
what God wants for me in my life?

740
00:33:02,550 --> 00:33:05,350
Well, the Bible very clearly
tells us in the book of Ephesians

741
00:33:05,350 --> 00:33:08,230
that it's putting off the old
man and putting on the new.

742
00:33:08,550 --> 00:33:09,990
Well, who's the new man.

743
00:33:09,990 --> 00:33:11,510
The new man's the Holy Spirit.

744
00:33:11,910 --> 00:33:14,710
It's yielding to the
conviction of the Holy Spirit.

745
00:33:14,710 --> 00:33:16,070
We talked about this last
week, remember?

746
00:33:16,370 --> 00:33:20,890
The conviction, the comfort,
the confidence of the Holy Spirit.

747
00:33:20,890 --> 00:33:24,730
Well, it's saying, I know that
this is what my flesh wants, but

748
00:33:24,730 --> 00:33:27,770
I'm going to yield to the
Spirit and allow the Spirit to guide

749
00:33:27,770 --> 00:33:30,690
my decisions instead of my own
personal desires.

750
00:33:31,890 --> 00:33:36,370
And hopefully, as we continue
to yield ourselves to the Spirit,

751
00:33:36,610 --> 00:33:40,050
our desires will be united
with him and we will be walking in

752
00:33:40,050 --> 00:33:40,610
unison.

753
00:33:40,930 --> 00:33:43,370
And verse five tells us that
we're to add knowledge.

754
00:33:43,370 --> 00:33:45,670
For verse six tells us we're
to add temperance.

755
00:33:45,670 --> 00:33:46,910
And then to temperance.

756
00:33:46,910 --> 00:33:47,270
What?

757
00:33:47,670 --> 00:33:48,310
Patience.

758
00:33:49,510 --> 00:33:50,070
Patience.

759
00:33:51,110 --> 00:33:52,070
I've heard it said.

760
00:33:52,070 --> 00:33:53,510
I never pray for patience.

761
00:33:54,870 --> 00:33:58,110
This type of patience is a
little bit different than our English

762
00:33:58,110 --> 00:33:58,630
patience.

763
00:33:59,590 --> 00:34:02,190
We talk about impatience in
our English language as well.

764
00:34:02,190 --> 00:34:05,470
I go to the dmv and I just
need to be patient with all these

765
00:34:05,470 --> 00:34:05,750
people.

766
00:34:06,230 --> 00:34:07,750
I need to be patient with the weight.

767
00:34:07,990 --> 00:34:10,950
And a lot of times we think of
patience being a passive thing.

768
00:34:12,300 --> 00:34:14,780
We think of patience is, I'm
not doing anything.

769
00:34:15,100 --> 00:34:16,820
I'm just waiting for something
to happen.

770
00:34:16,820 --> 00:34:19,740
But I want to take you to a
passage of scripture that I believe

771
00:34:20,140 --> 00:34:22,780
indicates and shows us what
this type of patience is.

772
00:34:22,780 --> 00:34:26,220
And actually, though, another
word that we could use for this word

773
00:34:26,540 --> 00:34:28,300
patience is endurance.

774
00:34:28,700 --> 00:34:29,060
So.

775
00:34:29,060 --> 00:34:34,340
So come with me to Hebrews
chapter number 12, and let's look

776
00:34:34,340 --> 00:34:38,390
at verse number one is such an
appropriate verse for some.

777
00:34:38,390 --> 00:34:41,190
I. I know we're getting a
bigger crew that's running the 5K

778
00:34:41,430 --> 00:34:43,590
at the Peach Festival this weekend.

779
00:34:43,830 --> 00:34:45,350
Pastor Carlos, you're going to
be there, right?

780
00:34:45,350 --> 00:34:46,070
Okay, good.

781
00:34:47,270 --> 00:34:49,990
So this is appropriate for us
who are going to try to run the race.

782
00:34:49,990 --> 00:34:53,110
And all of you that are
nurses, please be there at the finish

783
00:34:53,110 --> 00:34:54,630
line or maybe before the
finish line.

784
00:34:54,950 --> 00:34:55,310
But.

785
00:34:55,310 --> 00:34:56,950
But Hebrews chapter 12 says this.

786
00:34:57,030 --> 00:34:59,510
Wherefore, seeing we also are
compassed with.

787
00:34:59,510 --> 00:34:59,750
With.

788
00:34:59,750 --> 00:34:59,990
About.

789
00:34:59,990 --> 00:35:04,080
With so great a cloud of
witnesses, we let us lay aside every

790
00:35:04,160 --> 00:35:04,640
weight.

791
00:35:05,520 --> 00:35:05,840
So.

792
00:35:05,840 --> 00:35:08,720
So remove the things in our
life that are holding us back.

793
00:35:10,160 --> 00:35:15,360
And the sin which does so
easily beset us, and let us run the

794
00:35:15,360 --> 00:35:20,640
race with patience, the race
that is set before us.

795
00:35:21,680 --> 00:35:22,880
So what is it saying here?

796
00:35:23,040 --> 00:35:27,560
Well, if patience is just
passively sitting, how can I run

797
00:35:27,560 --> 00:35:29,040
a race if I'm just sitting down?

798
00:35:30,130 --> 00:35:31,570
So it's not talking about that
type of patience.

799
00:35:31,570 --> 00:35:32,930
It's talking about endurance.

800
00:35:33,090 --> 00:35:34,770
It's about going through it.

801
00:35:35,330 --> 00:35:40,210
Running the race day by day,
step by step, and going through the

802
00:35:40,210 --> 00:35:44,450
process of going, going into
trials and tribulations and struggles.

803
00:35:44,450 --> 00:35:47,170
And doubts, but running it
with endurance.

804
00:35:47,170 --> 00:35:51,410
And so the Bible tells us that
as we add to our faith, virtue and

805
00:35:51,410 --> 00:35:57,010
knowledge and temperance, we
then need to add that patience, that

806
00:35:57,010 --> 00:35:57,650
endurance.

807
00:35:58,330 --> 00:36:01,770
Folks, sometimes it is a
difficult thing to have that level

808
00:36:01,770 --> 00:36:02,450
of endurance.

809
00:36:02,450 --> 00:36:04,970
The Bible says, did not get
weary in well doing.

810
00:36:05,930 --> 00:36:06,250
Why?

811
00:36:06,250 --> 00:36:08,970
Because in due season we shall
reap if we faint.

812
00:36:08,970 --> 00:36:09,290
Not.

813
00:36:10,970 --> 00:36:14,730
One of the things that I think
about a lot and pray about a lot

814
00:36:15,690 --> 00:36:21,450
is the whole struggle of
Christians walking away, right?

815
00:36:21,850 --> 00:36:24,410
We have a lot of questions,
well, were they ever a Christian?

816
00:36:24,410 --> 00:36:25,840
Are they ever going to come back?

817
00:36:25,840 --> 00:36:27,520
I, I, I think about that a lot.

818
00:36:27,840 --> 00:36:30,800
And those are answers that we
can maybe address at another time.

819
00:36:31,680 --> 00:36:38,240
But I believe that many people
step away from walking with God because

820
00:36:38,240 --> 00:36:40,080
there's a lack of endurance.

821
00:36:40,720 --> 00:36:42,000
It just gets difficult.

822
00:36:42,560 --> 00:36:45,200
They're not willing to
necessarily risk the things that

823
00:36:45,200 --> 00:36:46,480
they're risking at this point.

824
00:36:47,040 --> 00:36:49,760
The Bible says that that's a
step of spiritual growth.

825
00:36:50,650 --> 00:36:54,610
Step of spiritual growth is
able, is being able to endure the

826
00:36:54,610 --> 00:36:55,530
difficulties.

827
00:36:57,370 --> 00:37:01,290
Everybody that claims to be a
Christian is going to be walking

828
00:37:01,290 --> 00:37:05,450
with joy and peace and
patience and long suffering if everything's

829
00:37:05,450 --> 00:37:06,570
going their way, right?

830
00:37:07,290 --> 00:37:08,810
Well, I got a raise at work.

831
00:37:09,290 --> 00:37:11,210
My, my family was nice to me today.

832
00:37:11,370 --> 00:37:16,450
I, I got an extra, you know,
order of fries in my, my Burger King

833
00:37:16,450 --> 00:37:17,690
order, whatever it is, okay?

834
00:37:17,920 --> 00:37:23,280
There's a lot of things that
can cause us the joy of having and

835
00:37:23,440 --> 00:37:25,840
pursuing and eventually obtaining.

836
00:37:26,320 --> 00:37:31,360
But the Bible says that that
type of spiritual growth is a shallow

837
00:37:31,440 --> 00:37:35,080
spiritual growth because it's
based in what I'm receiving here

838
00:37:35,080 --> 00:37:35,680
and now.

839
00:37:35,840 --> 00:37:38,880
But here it says that, no,
that type of patience or endurance

840
00:37:38,960 --> 00:37:43,320
is a mark of true faith when
we go through the trial and we stay

841
00:37:43,320 --> 00:37:43,840
faithful.

842
00:37:44,880 --> 00:37:48,520
So James talks about that,
James talks about having that true

843
00:37:48,520 --> 00:37:53,680
faith, that authentic faith,
not just saying that we believe,

844
00:37:53,680 --> 00:37:57,640
but also doing what we say,
walking the walk, not just talking

845
00:37:57,640 --> 00:37:58,080
the talk.

846
00:37:58,560 --> 00:38:01,760
Be doers of the Word and not
hearers only deceiving yourselves.

847
00:38:02,640 --> 00:38:03,440
Think about that.

848
00:38:03,520 --> 00:38:08,400
Think about how many people
hear the Word on a Sunday morning.

849
00:38:08,400 --> 00:38:11,720
Think about how many people
hear the Word here in America or

850
00:38:11,720 --> 00:38:12,480
around the world.

851
00:38:12,560 --> 00:38:16,160
But how many of those people
that hear the Word are going to take

852
00:38:16,160 --> 00:38:17,080
that and say, you know what?

853
00:38:17,080 --> 00:38:20,920
I'm going to endure through
the trial so that I can live this

854
00:38:20,920 --> 00:38:21,600
in my life.

855
00:38:22,480 --> 00:38:27,440
And as we see here, he says,
and to patience, godliness, Godliness

856
00:38:27,440 --> 00:38:30,600
again is that idea of being
conformed to Christ, to be more like

857
00:38:30,600 --> 00:38:35,800
the Lord, to walk upright, to
have that level of moral purity that

858
00:38:35,800 --> 00:38:38,320
displays God's characteristics
in our life.

859
00:38:39,070 --> 00:38:41,710
You know, there's some
attributes of God that we can never

860
00:38:41,710 --> 00:38:43,710
obtain, at least on this side
of heaven.

861
00:38:43,710 --> 00:38:47,630
We'll never be able to be
omnipresent, meaning we're everywhere,

862
00:38:47,710 --> 00:38:52,430
or omnipotent or all those
things of his perfect holiness.

863
00:38:52,910 --> 00:38:56,670
But we do know that there are
some what we would call communicable.

864
00:38:56,670 --> 00:38:58,030
Now that's a big word for us.

865
00:38:58,430 --> 00:39:01,950
But communicable is like,
like, let's say, for example.

866
00:39:02,510 --> 00:39:04,950
I'll give you an example,
kids, what communicable means is

867
00:39:04,950 --> 00:39:07,430
when you go and sneeze on your
brother, okay?

868
00:39:07,430 --> 00:39:09,750
That means that you could pass
the sickness on to them.

869
00:39:10,630 --> 00:39:17,270
So there are some communicable
attributes of God that as he rules

870
00:39:17,270 --> 00:39:20,710
and reigns in our life and as
we abide in him, that we're able

871
00:39:20,710 --> 00:39:21,430
to mirror.

872
00:39:21,990 --> 00:39:29,310
And so that godliness would be
this I love in a more God focused

873
00:39:29,310 --> 00:39:29,670
way.

874
00:39:30,070 --> 00:39:35,650
I love with that agape, I
forgive, as Ephesians chapter 4 says.

875
00:39:35,650 --> 00:39:37,450
Tenderhearted, forgiving one another.

876
00:39:37,610 --> 00:39:37,970
Why?

877
00:39:37,970 --> 00:39:41,610
Because Jesus has forgiven us,
because he has paid the price for

878
00:39:41,610 --> 00:39:41,850
us.

879
00:39:41,850 --> 00:39:45,810
And so over and over again we
see that the Bible tells us that

880
00:39:45,810 --> 00:39:49,050
we are to mirror those
attributes that God has given us.

881
00:39:49,450 --> 00:39:50,690
We're to shine the light.

882
00:39:50,690 --> 00:39:52,410
The light doesn't emanate from us.

883
00:39:53,370 --> 00:39:54,410
Matthew 5:16.

884
00:39:54,490 --> 00:39:56,250
I quote this verse quite frequently.

885
00:39:56,250 --> 00:39:59,050
It's let your light so shine
before men that they may see your

886
00:39:59,050 --> 00:40:01,210
good works and glorify your
Father which is in heaven.

887
00:40:02,250 --> 00:40:03,530
Now, how do I shine that light?

888
00:40:04,170 --> 00:40:08,210
Well, the Bible tells us in
John, in the book of John, John chapter

889
00:40:08,210 --> 00:40:10,490
one, that Jesus is that light.

890
00:40:10,570 --> 00:40:14,650
So as Jesus shines his light
upon us, we reflect that light into

891
00:40:14,650 --> 00:40:16,810
the world and we're able to
show godliness.

892
00:40:16,810 --> 00:40:18,530
Now why do we show godliness?

893
00:40:18,530 --> 00:40:21,930
Well, Matthew 5:16 told us
what the purpose is.

894
00:40:22,170 --> 00:40:25,210
Not so that people can look at
us and say, well, that's a good Christian,

895
00:40:25,610 --> 00:40:27,370
that's a morally upright person.

896
00:40:28,160 --> 00:40:29,840
You know, they should be elevated.

897
00:40:29,840 --> 00:40:30,560
They should be.

898
00:40:31,200 --> 00:40:34,040
What we saw in First
Corinthians, chapter three, people

899
00:40:34,040 --> 00:40:36,440
started saying, I'm a Paul,
I'm of Apollos.

900
00:40:36,440 --> 00:40:39,520
No, it's always so that God
can get the glory.

901
00:40:40,160 --> 00:40:43,000
So it's godliness and then to godliness.

902
00:40:43,000 --> 00:40:44,320
What brotherly kindness.

903
00:40:45,760 --> 00:40:48,720
Think about that within our
Christian walk, you know, are we

904
00:40:48,720 --> 00:40:51,680
willing to show that type of
love that God calls us to have to

905
00:40:51,680 --> 00:40:53,200
our fellow brothers and sisters?

906
00:40:53,710 --> 00:40:57,390
One mark of spiritual growth
is getting along with other Christians.

907
00:40:57,390 --> 00:40:58,270
That's what this is saying.

908
00:40:58,270 --> 00:41:02,990
Okay, I don't want to get any
more cloudy in the thinking in the

909
00:41:02,990 --> 00:41:03,870
most clear way.

910
00:41:03,950 --> 00:41:07,270
It says that words have
brotherly kindness, particularly

911
00:41:07,270 --> 00:41:09,269
with those that are of the
household of faith.

912
00:41:09,269 --> 00:41:12,030
There's other passages of
scripture that say we should be kind

913
00:41:12,030 --> 00:41:16,030
to everybody, but in
particularly the household of faith,

914
00:41:16,030 --> 00:41:19,790
meaning, yes, we should be
loving to everyone, but there is

915
00:41:19,790 --> 00:41:24,910
a responsibility for us to
walk together as Christians, to walk

916
00:41:24,910 --> 00:41:28,510
in unity, to walk in
fellowship, to show acts of kindness,

917
00:41:28,590 --> 00:41:30,830
to have compassion, like we
talked about this morning.

918
00:41:31,790 --> 00:41:34,230
So one mark of spiritual
growth that we should be adding to

919
00:41:34,230 --> 00:41:38,030
our life and asking God to
give us on a daily basis is that

920
00:41:38,030 --> 00:41:42,310
love and kindness for others
within the body of believers, and

921
00:41:42,310 --> 00:41:44,910
not just even within
Middletown Baptist Church, but Christians

922
00:41:45,390 --> 00:41:46,270
across the world.

923
00:41:46,910 --> 00:41:50,190
And then as we see what's
added to brotherly kindness, well,

924
00:41:51,130 --> 00:41:51,850
it's charity.

925
00:41:52,010 --> 00:41:55,290
Charity here is that agape
love that we've been talking about.

926
00:41:56,570 --> 00:42:00,010
It doesn't say dynamic speaking.

927
00:42:00,970 --> 00:42:03,290
It doesn't say a bunch of talents.

928
00:42:04,090 --> 00:42:09,130
The final addition to the
spiritual growth process is this

929
00:42:09,130 --> 00:42:10,730
type of sacrificial love.

930
00:42:12,090 --> 00:42:14,450
You say, how do we know if a
person's really growing the Lord,

931
00:42:14,450 --> 00:42:18,060
if they have this type of
agape love in their life?

932
00:42:19,180 --> 00:42:20,780
You say, well, what does that
look like?

933
00:42:21,340 --> 00:42:23,340
It's the type of love that
Jesus had for us.

934
00:42:24,140 --> 00:42:26,820
It's the type of love that
says, what can I do for you?

935
00:42:26,820 --> 00:42:28,700
And I'm not expecting anything back.

936
00:42:29,900 --> 00:42:30,740
You know, we.

937
00:42:30,740 --> 00:42:34,620
We see people all the time
that are elevated in Christianity.

938
00:42:36,060 --> 00:42:38,300
Who's usually elevated in Christianity?

939
00:42:38,300 --> 00:42:39,580
Dynamic speakers.

940
00:42:40,220 --> 00:42:43,590
People that have good looks,
people that have great talents.

941
00:42:44,070 --> 00:42:46,910
And though there's nothing
wrong with any of those things, that's

942
00:42:46,910 --> 00:42:49,430
not a measure of a person's
spiritual growth.

943
00:42:50,310 --> 00:42:52,390
I was talking to my Bible
study this morning.

944
00:42:52,470 --> 00:42:54,350
You could, and I. I truly
believe this.

945
00:42:54,350 --> 00:42:57,710
Now, they wouldn't be
preaching with spiritual power, but

946
00:42:57,710 --> 00:43:03,070
you could take an actor, like
a really quality actor and give him

947
00:43:03,070 --> 00:43:03,670
a script.

948
00:43:03,990 --> 00:43:05,310
Just say, hey, here's my sermon.

949
00:43:05,310 --> 00:43:07,710
You go preach it, and I
guarantee you he's going to come

950
00:43:07,710 --> 00:43:09,700
across with less clutter words.

951
00:43:09,700 --> 00:43:13,380
He's going to come across in
such a way that is so compelling

952
00:43:13,380 --> 00:43:14,420
because he's an actor.

953
00:43:14,420 --> 00:43:16,260
He knows how to appeal to the emotions.

954
00:43:16,580 --> 00:43:18,100
But is there any truth behind it?

955
00:43:18,100 --> 00:43:19,220
No, it's not real to him.

956
00:43:19,220 --> 00:43:22,420
He's just portraying something
in a way of his talent.

957
00:43:22,900 --> 00:43:25,540
So I'm not downgrading great
public speakers.

958
00:43:25,540 --> 00:43:27,220
God gives people with that gift.

959
00:43:27,300 --> 00:43:31,180
But what I'm saying is that's
not the final mark of someone being

960
00:43:31,180 --> 00:43:32,740
spiritually growing.

961
00:43:32,900 --> 00:43:35,630
It's what, what we see here.

962
00:43:35,710 --> 00:43:41,990
Virtue, knowledge, temperance,
patience, godliness, brotherly kindness,

963
00:43:41,990 --> 00:43:42,510
charity.

964
00:43:42,670 --> 00:43:45,670
We often don't Mark that in
someone's life as a mark of spiritual

965
00:43:45,670 --> 00:43:45,870
growth.

966
00:43:45,870 --> 00:43:47,990
We don't look at them and go,
wow, they're really loving.

967
00:43:47,990 --> 00:43:49,390
They're really growing in the Lord.

968
00:43:49,470 --> 00:43:53,070
We usually look at people that
have a lot of outward talents that

969
00:43:53,070 --> 00:43:55,710
we as humans look to as a mark
of success.

970
00:43:56,990 --> 00:44:01,710
But biblical success, biblical
spiritual growth aligns itself with

971
00:44:01,710 --> 00:44:04,760
this passage of scripture that
says, really, it's manifested in

972
00:44:04,760 --> 00:44:05,920
how we treat one another.

973
00:44:06,720 --> 00:44:09,120
It's manifested in how much we
love the Lord.

974
00:44:09,440 --> 00:44:12,240
It's manifested in how morally
upright we are.

975
00:44:12,400 --> 00:44:13,680
Doesn't mean that we're perfect.

976
00:44:14,000 --> 00:44:16,600
It just means that we're
striving to be more and more like

977
00:44:16,600 --> 00:44:17,600
Christ each and every day.

978
00:44:17,600 --> 00:44:21,600
I just want to go through
these last two verses here, and then

979
00:44:21,600 --> 00:44:23,120
we're going to pick up more
next week.

980
00:44:24,080 --> 00:44:27,880
He says, for if these things
be in you, these things that he just

981
00:44:27,880 --> 00:44:34,090
listed right here, these
things and abound meaning grow even

982
00:44:34,090 --> 00:44:34,450
more.

983
00:44:34,450 --> 00:44:36,090
They're in you and they're growing.

984
00:44:38,410 --> 00:44:44,250
They make you that ye shall
neither be barren nor unfruitful

985
00:44:45,130 --> 00:44:47,770
in the knowledge of our Lord
Jesus Christ.

986
00:44:49,130 --> 00:44:50,490
You want to be fruitful Christians?

987
00:44:50,490 --> 00:44:51,850
He says, add this to your life.

988
00:44:52,410 --> 00:44:55,770
We see so many people that are
unfruitful Christians.

989
00:44:55,770 --> 00:44:56,560
And many people.

990
00:44:56,710 --> 00:44:59,950
People are questioning, why do
I not see the fruit of God working

991
00:44:59,950 --> 00:45:00,550
in my life?

992
00:45:00,710 --> 00:45:03,430
Well, maybe it's because we've
neglected these things that we're

993
00:45:03,430 --> 00:45:05,270
supposed to add to our faith.

994
00:45:05,750 --> 00:45:08,230
He says, if you want to be a
fruitful Christian, add these things.

995
00:45:08,230 --> 00:45:10,630
If you want to be an
unfruitful Christian, don't add these

996
00:45:10,630 --> 00:45:10,950
things.

997
00:45:10,950 --> 00:45:13,950
And he says, it's in the
knowledge and the power of our Lord

998
00:45:13,950 --> 00:45:14,790
and Jesus Christ.

999
00:45:14,950 --> 00:45:17,990
So verse nine, he says, but he
that lacketh these things.

1000
00:45:17,990 --> 00:45:21,430
So he says, the person who has
these things sees spiritual fruit,

1001
00:45:21,510 --> 00:45:24,200
sees spiritual growth, and
it's because of God.

1002
00:45:24,440 --> 00:45:25,320
Abide in him.

1003
00:45:25,320 --> 00:45:26,440
John 15:5.

1004
00:45:26,680 --> 00:45:28,400
He is the vine, we are the branches.

1005
00:45:28,400 --> 00:45:31,360
But he says, the one who does
not add these things, the one who

1006
00:45:31,360 --> 00:45:36,520
lacks these things is blind
and cannot see afar off.

1007
00:45:37,480 --> 00:45:38,200
He's not.

1008
00:45:38,440 --> 00:45:42,280
He's not able to perceive God
working around him.

1009
00:45:42,680 --> 00:45:46,880
He's not able to see the needs
of Christians around him.

1010
00:45:46,880 --> 00:45:48,680
He's not able to see opportunities.

1011
00:45:49,040 --> 00:45:50,480
He's not able to see the promises.

1012
00:45:50,720 --> 00:45:52,240
He's blinded and he's.

1013
00:45:52,240 --> 00:45:53,280
He's missing things.

1014
00:45:53,680 --> 00:45:57,880
If, if we put glasses on
everyone tonight as you're heading

1015
00:45:57,880 --> 00:45:58,160
out.

1016
00:45:58,800 --> 00:46:01,080
And we said, okay, these
glasses are special glasses.

1017
00:46:01,080 --> 00:46:01,280
They.

1018
00:46:01,280 --> 00:46:03,280
They block out everything that
you can see, okay?

1019
00:46:03,280 --> 00:46:03,680
And they.

1020
00:46:03,680 --> 00:46:04,800
You can't see anything.

1021
00:46:05,440 --> 00:46:07,200
And we said, okay.

1022
00:46:07,200 --> 00:46:07,920
Find your way out.

1023
00:46:07,920 --> 00:46:11,440
And in the meantime, I had
Pastor Ethan lay out a bunch of obstacles

1024
00:46:11,680 --> 00:46:12,320
in the back.

1025
00:46:12,400 --> 00:46:13,720
And I said, okay, find your
way out.

1026
00:46:13,720 --> 00:46:15,880
We have some people that were
very upset because they couldn't

1027
00:46:15,880 --> 00:46:16,160
get out.

1028
00:46:16,160 --> 00:46:17,760
And most people would be
tripping and falling.

1029
00:46:18,210 --> 00:46:22,050
It's because of not being able
to perceive the things that are around

1030
00:46:22,050 --> 00:46:25,170
us, the distractions, the
roadblocks, the struggles.

1031
00:46:25,250 --> 00:46:30,370
And so he says here, those
that lack these things cannot see

1032
00:46:30,370 --> 00:46:31,010
afar off.

1033
00:46:31,010 --> 00:46:32,210
They can't see God working.

1034
00:46:32,370 --> 00:46:36,050
They can't see what God is
doing in the church or in.

1035
00:46:36,050 --> 00:46:37,010
In their own midst.

1036
00:46:37,010 --> 00:46:37,250
Why?

1037
00:46:37,250 --> 00:46:38,690
Because they have forgotten.

1038
00:46:39,810 --> 00:46:42,410
And this is a really
interesting truth, and it's.

1039
00:46:42,410 --> 00:46:43,650
It's a powerful truth.

1040
00:46:44,450 --> 00:46:48,130
If a person has not grown in
their faith and walked in these areas,

1041
00:46:48,770 --> 00:46:52,290
they have forgotten that he
was purged from his old sins.

1042
00:46:52,930 --> 00:46:53,610
What does that mean?

1043
00:46:53,610 --> 00:46:56,130
That means that someone could
actually lose sight of how much they've

1044
00:46:56,130 --> 00:46:56,850
been saved from.

1045
00:46:57,330 --> 00:46:59,410
They can lose sight of what
they've been saved to.

1046
00:47:00,050 --> 00:47:03,210
You ever wonder why sometimes
this isn't the only reason.

1047
00:47:03,210 --> 00:47:05,330
But you ever wonder why
sometimes someone says, well, I don't

1048
00:47:05,330 --> 00:47:06,570
even know if I'm saved for sure.

1049
00:47:06,570 --> 00:47:07,570
I just have no.

1050
00:47:07,570 --> 00:47:08,570
I have no confidence.

1051
00:47:08,570 --> 00:47:09,810
I'm not sure of anything.

1052
00:47:10,260 --> 00:47:13,780
It's maybe because they have
not taken that step past just believing

1053
00:47:13,780 --> 00:47:15,380
that God is their Savior now.

1054
00:47:15,380 --> 00:47:16,900
That is enough for salvation.

1055
00:47:16,900 --> 00:47:20,180
But as we see, he says, if
you're not able to have these things

1056
00:47:20,180 --> 00:47:23,940
growing in your life, they're
going to be tempted to, in your blindness,

1057
00:47:23,940 --> 00:47:27,860
doubt or forget that you've
been purged from your old sins.

1058
00:47:28,660 --> 00:47:31,460
It's that understanding of,
I'm just back to where I started

1059
00:47:31,460 --> 00:47:31,860
from.

1060
00:47:31,940 --> 00:47:35,780
I'm going to go back to that
same cycle and we've forgotten about

1061
00:47:35,780 --> 00:47:36,900
what we've been saved from.

1062
00:47:36,900 --> 00:47:37,820
So there's a theme here.

1063
00:47:37,820 --> 00:47:38,940
Ephesians, chapter two.

1064
00:47:38,940 --> 00:47:41,420
We, what we've been saved
from, what we've been saved to.

1065
00:47:43,180 --> 00:47:44,500
Two Peter, chapter one.

1066
00:47:44,500 --> 00:47:46,700
What we've been saved from,
what we've been saved to.

1067
00:47:48,140 --> 00:47:52,220
And so be reminded of what you
have been saved from.

1068
00:47:52,460 --> 00:47:54,300
That is sin.

1069
00:47:55,259 --> 00:47:56,500
That is the wage of sin.

1070
00:47:56,500 --> 00:47:57,180
That is death.

1071
00:47:57,980 --> 00:48:01,540
You've been given the gift of
God, and now you've been called to

1072
00:48:01,540 --> 00:48:02,980
add to your faith, all these areas.

1073
00:48:02,980 --> 00:48:07,600
Now we're going to come back
next week and we're going to look

1074
00:48:07,600 --> 00:48:10,000
at the fruit of the Spirit.

1075
00:48:10,640 --> 00:48:12,480
So, so we say, okay, that's great.

1076
00:48:12,800 --> 00:48:13,280
I'm.

1077
00:48:13,280 --> 00:48:18,360
I'm gonna try to do all these
things this week, but I'm gonna try

1078
00:48:18,360 --> 00:48:19,200
in my own strength.

1079
00:48:19,200 --> 00:48:23,920
I'm gonna Try to be diligent,
to be virtuous.

1080
00:48:23,920 --> 00:48:25,920
I'm gonna try to be patient.

1081
00:48:26,000 --> 00:48:29,760
I'm gonna try to give people
charity and kindness.

1082
00:48:30,890 --> 00:48:33,170
But what we're going to see
next week is that all these things

1083
00:48:33,170 --> 00:48:35,890
that we're called to do must
be done through the fruit of the

1084
00:48:35,890 --> 00:48:37,410
spirit and not the work of the flesh.

1085
00:48:37,410 --> 00:48:40,090
Because the work of the flesh
works out all these other things.

1086
00:48:40,250 --> 00:48:42,650
And what happens is the work
of the Spirit brings all these other

1087
00:48:42,650 --> 00:48:42,970
things.

1088
00:48:43,290 --> 00:48:44,810
And sometimes people don't
even know.

1089
00:48:44,810 --> 00:48:47,810
I don't know, Pastor, Am I
acting in the flesh or am I acting

1090
00:48:47,810 --> 00:48:48,330
in the spirit?

1091
00:48:48,330 --> 00:48:49,050
I'm not sure.

1092
00:48:49,690 --> 00:48:53,210
Well, Galatians gives us a
very easy test to see whether or

1093
00:48:53,210 --> 00:48:55,610
not we're acting in the flesh
or acting in the Spirit.

1094
00:48:56,020 --> 00:48:57,820
And that's what's called the
fruit of the Spirit.

1095
00:48:57,820 --> 00:49:00,580
And we're going to do a deeper
dive into that next week.

1096
00:49:00,580 --> 00:49:04,740
And so as you leave here
tonight, here are some takeaways.

1097
00:49:05,140 --> 00:49:08,900
The first takeaway is that the
foundation that we're building upon

1098
00:49:08,900 --> 00:49:10,820
is our salvation in Jesus Christ.

1099
00:49:11,460 --> 00:49:13,700
There's nothing else that we
can build upon.

1100
00:49:14,420 --> 00:49:18,220
We can't say, well, I'm
growing because I'm a member of Middletown

1101
00:49:18,220 --> 00:49:18,980
Baptist Church.

1102
00:49:19,380 --> 00:49:21,700
I'm growing because I listen
to Pastor Josh.

1103
00:49:22,150 --> 00:49:25,670
I'm growing because I follow
so and so on YouTube.

1104
00:49:25,990 --> 00:49:28,630
Those are all not necessarily
bad things.

1105
00:49:29,190 --> 00:49:32,430
But that's not the foundation
that we're building our life upon.

1106
00:49:32,430 --> 00:49:34,150
Our foundation is Jesus Christ.

1107
00:49:34,950 --> 00:49:35,830
So that's the start.

1108
00:49:35,990 --> 00:49:39,790
But then we also understand
that we cannot see any fruit in our

1109
00:49:39,790 --> 00:49:40,070
life.

1110
00:49:40,310 --> 00:49:41,510
John 15:5.

1111
00:49:41,590 --> 00:49:44,070
Without me, without Jesus, you
can do nothing.

1112
00:49:44,630 --> 00:49:46,630
So it's abiding in him for fruitfulness.

1113
00:49:46,630 --> 00:49:50,120
If we want to be fruitful
Christians, it's every day yielding

1114
00:49:50,120 --> 00:49:53,160
ourselves to him and saying,
lord, I want you to produce that

1115
00:49:53,160 --> 00:49:53,800
in my life.

1116
00:49:54,440 --> 00:49:56,520
Some plant, some water.

1117
00:49:57,080 --> 00:49:58,840
But it is God who gives the increase.

1118
00:49:59,720 --> 00:50:04,280
And then as we conclude here,
salvation is the start.

1119
00:50:05,480 --> 00:50:09,840
The next step is spiritual
growth, and that is to add to our

1120
00:50:09,840 --> 00:50:13,080
life these things that are
listed in Second Peter chapter one.

1121
00:50:13,160 --> 00:50:18,690
Virtue, knowledge, temperance,
patience, godliness, brotherly kindness,

1122
00:50:19,010 --> 00:50:21,010
and then brotherly kindness, charity.

1123
00:50:21,410 --> 00:50:24,330
And I hope that this is an
encouragement for you.

1124
00:50:24,330 --> 00:50:27,810
I hope that it's eye openening
for you to take a study, take a deep

1125
00:50:27,810 --> 00:50:31,890
dive on spiritual growth,
because we often just take for granted.

1126
00:50:31,890 --> 00:50:33,090
Yeah, I'm growing in the Lord.

1127
00:50:33,730 --> 00:50:35,770
But truly, are we are.

1128
00:50:35,770 --> 00:50:40,650
Are we looking at him for more
understanding of who he is and what

1129
00:50:40,650 --> 00:50:41,250
he has done?

1130
00:50:42,360 --> 00:50:44,680
You know, I often think I. I
could never forget.

1131
00:50:45,320 --> 00:50:47,320
I could never forget what God
has done for me.

1132
00:50:47,960 --> 00:50:49,080
And then I forget.

1133
00:50:51,960 --> 00:50:52,680
I'll never.

1134
00:50:52,920 --> 00:50:53,840
You know, I'll say this.

1135
00:50:53,840 --> 00:50:55,560
I'll never forget the day that
I was married.

1136
00:50:55,880 --> 00:50:57,000
That was an exciting day.

1137
00:50:57,000 --> 00:50:57,480
We were.

1138
00:50:57,800 --> 00:51:02,000
We were young kids, but I
think all of us that have been married

1139
00:51:02,000 --> 00:51:06,080
for any amount of time can
realize that not every day is like

1140
00:51:06,080 --> 00:51:06,920
our wedding day.

1141
00:51:07,480 --> 00:51:11,320
There's days that might not
seem as bright and sunny.

1142
00:51:12,040 --> 00:51:12,920
So what do we do?

1143
00:51:13,000 --> 00:51:15,880
Well, we don't just go, well,
it's never going to be like it was

1144
00:51:15,880 --> 00:51:19,000
that very first day and we're
just going to never be happy.

1145
00:51:19,160 --> 00:51:19,560
No.

1146
00:51:19,560 --> 00:51:21,840
As a Christian, there's going
to be days where we wake up and we're

1147
00:51:21,840 --> 00:51:25,000
not feeling the joy of the Lord.

1148
00:51:25,080 --> 00:51:28,440
But what we have to do is we
have to go back to God's great and

1149
00:51:28,440 --> 00:51:31,560
precious promises that, yeah,
he does love me.

1150
00:51:31,960 --> 00:51:35,010
He is there with me through
this, and he's going to give me this

1151
00:51:35,010 --> 00:51:36,810
growth that I'm desiring in my life.

1152
00:51:37,370 --> 00:51:41,130
The Bible says in Hebrews,
chapter 11, and I'll close with this,

1153
00:51:41,690 --> 00:51:45,610
that God, it's impossible to
please him without faith, and that

1154
00:51:45,610 --> 00:51:48,970
God is a rewarder of them that
diligently seek Him.

1155
00:51:49,530 --> 00:51:52,810
God will reward your desire to
know him more and to grow in his

1156
00:51:52,810 --> 00:51:54,490
walk and grow in the walk with Him.

1157
00:51:55,290 --> 00:51:56,690
It might not be in the way
that you expect.

1158
00:51:56,690 --> 00:52:00,850
It might not be in a way
that's fast enough for you or for

1159
00:52:00,850 --> 00:52:01,130
me.

1160
00:52:01,480 --> 00:52:04,040
But the Bible says that he
will reward that searching.

1161
00:52:04,280 --> 00:52:07,120
And so I encourage you to
search after him, to know him in

1162
00:52:07,120 --> 00:52:07,800
a greater way.

1163
00:52:07,960 --> 00:52:11,320
And I truly believe, because
of that promise that he is a rewarder

1164
00:52:11,320 --> 00:52:12,840
of those that diligently seek Him.