Our Power - Spirit Filled Living

Follow Jesus PART VII
Rev Leo Schuster
08 June 2014

2Peter 1:3-11
3His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.  4Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

5For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge, 6and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.  8For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  9But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.

10Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election.  For if you do these things, you will never stumble, 11and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

REASONS FOR TAKING THE CALLING SERIOUSLY
--v.8 Being unproductive in knowing God and Jesus is offensive
--v.4 Holy Spirit inhabits us and what we do with our body impacts Him.

RESPONSIBILITY OF THIS CALLING
--Begins with Faith and ends in Love.
--Letting people into my life and giving sacrificially.
--Goodness is moral excellence - Resembling God, not just being a good person.
--Perseverance--assumes a life of suffering.
--Growth is essential as well as growing in Christ.
--Christian growth is a process and can be glacial.
--Christian growth is a process that grows inside out.

RESOURCES FOR THIS CALLING
--Power and promis of God.
--Growing in godliness by admitting we need help and are unsuccessful on our own.