ADD TO IT/PUT SOMETHING WITH IT
SCRIPTURE: 2 PETER 1:1-15 CONCEPT: WE AS NEW BELIEVERS MUST GROW INTO A FRUITFUL AND PRODUCTIVE LIFE BY ADDING THINGS TO OUR FAITH
THE BIBLE SAYS THAT WE AS BELIEVERS OF GOD HAVE ALL BEEN GIVEN A PRECIOUS FAITH THRU THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD AND OUR SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST. THAT ALL BELIEVERS HAVE BEEN GIVEN A MEASURE OF FAITH. WITH THIS FAITH, WE ARE ABLE TO BELIEVE AND TRANSACT SPIRITUAL BUSINESS. JESUS SAID ACCORDING TO OUR FAITH, BE IT UNTO YOU. THAT THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH. THAT OUR FAITH MAKES US WHOLE. EVERY ONE OF US HAS BEEN GIVEN FAITH AND HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT JUST A SMALL AMOUNT OF IT, A MUSTARD SIZE AMOUNT, IS MORE THAN ENOUGH TO MOVE MOUNTAINS AND DO GREAT THINGS. VERSE TWO SAYS THAT GRACE AND PEACE CAN BE MULTIPLIED IN OUR LIVES THROUGH THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD AND OF JESUS CHRIST.
THAT始S WHY THE BIBLE SAYS THAT MY PEOPLE PERISH FOR A
LACK OF KNOWLEDGE. VERSE 2 SAYS IT始S MULTIPLIED THROUGH THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD AND JESUS. THE MORE WE LEARN ABOUT GOD, THE MORE WE KNOW ABOUT HIM AND THE MORE WE KNOW. THE MORE WE CAN DO AND HAVE. NOT JUST THAT, BUT VERSE 3 SAYS THAT ACCORDING AS HIS DIVINE POWER HAS GIVEN US, NOT WILL GIVE OR MIGHT GIVE, BUT HAS ALREADY GIVEN TO US, ALL THINGS THAT PERTAIN UNTO LIFE AND GODLINESS. EVERYTHING WE NEED TO BE LIKE HIM AND HAVE ABUNDANT LIFE. BUT LOOK AT WHAT IT SAYS, WE GET IT THROUGH THE KNOWLEDGE OF HIM THAT HATH CALLED US TO GLORY AND VIRTUE. IN OTHER WORDS, IT始S THROUGH THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD, LEARNING ABOUT HIM, THAT WE DISCOVER HOW TO BE LIKE HIM AND TO LIVE THE LIFE HE SENT JESUS TO GIVE US. WITHOUT IT WE PERISH. AND INSTEAD OF HAVING WALKING BY FAITH AND LIVING FULL LIVES, WE SIMPLY EXIST AND WITHOUT THE POWER OF GOD. LOOK AT VERSE 4, WHEREBY ARE (HERE YOU GO AGAIN) GIVEN UNTO US EXCEEDINLY GREAT AND PRECIOUS PROMISES: THAT BY THESE WE MIGHT BE PARTAKERS OF THE DIVINE NATURE.
GOD HAS GIVEN US WONDERFUL PROMISES, TO ALLOW US TO TO BE LIKE HIM. BUT IF WE DONʼT KNOW IT AND KNOW WHAT THEY ARE, HOW IN THE WORLD CAN WE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF WHAT GOD HAS ALREADY DONE, AND ALREADY GIVEN. TELL SOMEBODY, IF YOU DONʼT KNOW IT, YOUʼLL BLOW IT. IF I COULD TAKE A BRIEF COMMERCIAL BREAK, “THATʼS WHY EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US NEEDS TO BE IN A BIBLE STUDY SMALL GROUP. IF YOU DONʼT WANT TO BE IN ONE OF THE MANY ONES HERE AT MOUNT OLIVE, YOU NEED TO BE IN ONE SOMEWHERE. CAUSE WE ALL MUST KNOW THE TRUTH, BECAUSE THE ONLY THE TRUTH CAN... SOMETIMES WE CAN STRUGGLE ALL OF OUR LIVES WITH THINGS THAT GOD HAS GIVEN US PROMISES TO DEAL WITH. BUT ITʼS THROUGH THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD AND JESUS CHRIST. IF YOU ARE A BELIEVER, THANK GOD FOR THE FAITH THAT YOU ALREADY HAVE BEEN GIVEN AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO USE IT TO HAVE THE VICTORY IN OUR LIFE THAT IS PROMISED BY GOD. THE FAITH TO PLEASE GOD AND TO BELIEVE GOD TO FULFILL THE EXCEEDING GREAT AND PRECIOUS PROMISES HE HAS
ALREADY GIVEN TO YOU AND ME. TELL SOMEBODY, WHAT A SHAME. TO HAVE BEEN GIVEN SO MUCH BY GOD AND TO NOT EVEN KNOW IT. TELL SOMEBODY. IF YOU DONʼT KNOW IT, YOUʼLL BLOW IT. PROVERBS 24.3-4 SAYS THAT THROUGH WISDOM WE BUILD OUR HOUSE AND BY UNDERSTANDING IT IS ESTABLISHED. BUT IT IS THROUGH KNOWLEDGE THAT EACH ROOM OF THAT HOUSE IS FILLED WITH PRECIOUS AND PLEASANT RICHES.
WE ALL HAVE BEEN GIVEN A MEASURE OF FAITH AND PROMISES FROM GOD TO PARTAKE OF THE VICTORIOUS LIFE HE HAS PROMISES TO ALL OF US WHO BELIEVE IN HIM. BUT VERSE FIVE SAYS THAT JUST KNOWING IT AND BEING A WARE OF IT ISNʼT ENOUGH. VERSE FIVE SAYS, BESIDES THIS, THEREʼS SOMETHINGS WE HAVE TO ADD TO OUR FAITH AND KNOWLEDGE IN ORDER TO LIVE THE LIFE GOD HAS FOR US. LETʼS READ IT TOGETHER, “AND BESIDES THIS, GIVING ALL DILIGENCE, ADD TO YOUR FAITH VIRTUE. WHATʼS VIRTUE, ITʼS GODLY CHARACTER OR
GOODNESS. GOD HAS GIVEN US FAITH AND MADE PROMISES TO US, BUT WE HAVE TO ADD TO THAT SEVERAL THINGS TO BE ABLE TO LIVE OUT OUR FAITH AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ALL OF THESE GREAT AND PRECIOUS PROMISES. THE FIRST THINGS WE HAVE TO ADD IS GOODNESS OR VIRTUE. IN OTHER WORDS, YOUʼRE NOT GOING TO ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOUR FAITH AND GODʼS PROMISES AND ACT LIKE YOU NEVER GOT SAVED. NO OUR FAITH IN GOD, HAS TO HAVE ADDED TO IT OUR STRIVING TO ACT LIKE GOD. YOU CANʼT BE A HELL RAISING, BACKBITING, GOSSIPPING, UNRIGHTEOUS, LYING, SEXUALLY IMMORAL PERSON AND GROW IN THE LORD. ITʼS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. YEAH, ITʼS A GREAT THING TO ACCEPT JESUS AND TO HAVE A MEASURE OF FAITH AND BE THE RECIPIENT OF GODʼS GREAT PROMISES; BUT IF YOU WANT TO WALK WITH GOD, WE CANʼT ACT LIKE THE DEVIL. TELL SOMEBODY ADD TO YOUR FAITH VIRTUE. ADD TO IT! THE END OF VERSE 5 SAYS THAT WE HAVE TO ADD TO OUR VIRTUE, OUR GODLY CHARACTER KNOWLEDGE. YOU SEE JUST ACTING LIKE GOD, WITHOUT KNOWING ABOUT GOD IS SIMPLY A
PERFORMANCE. ITʼS LIKE ACTING AMERICAN, BUT NOT KNOWING WHAT IT MEANS TO BE AN AMERICAN. ITʼS LIKE ACTING LIKE YOUʼRE A MEMBER OF THIS CHURCH, WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A MEMBER.ITʼS LIKE TRYING TO MAKE SOMEBODY HAPPY AND NOT KNOWING WHAT IT TAKES TO DO IT. TELL SOMEBODY WEʼVE GOT TO ADD TO OUR VIRTUE KNOWLEDGE. VERSE 6 SAYS THAT WE HAVE TO ADD TO OUR KNOWLEDGE TEMPERANCE. TEMPERANCE MEANS SELF CONTROL. ITʼS A WONDERFUL THING TO KNOW WHAT GOD HAS PROMISED AND WHO WE ARE IN CHRIST, BUT IF YOU NEVER LEARN TO CONTROL YOURSELF, YOU AND I WILL ALWAYS BE DISTRACTED BY OUR CIRCUMSTANCES AND CONTROLLED BY OUR FEELINGS AND USED BY THE DEVIL TO FULFILL HIS WILL AND NOT GODʼS WILL FOR OUR LIVES. WEʼVE GOT TO ADD SELF CONTROL LOR TEMPERANCE TO OUR KNOWLEDGE. TELL SOMEBODY THAT WEʼVE GOT TO ADD SOMETHING TO IT. IT GOES ON TO SAY THAT WEʼVE GOT TO ADD TO OUR TEMPERANCE OR SELF CONTROL PATIENCE (NIVPERSEVERENCE, NLT - PATIENT ENDURANCE). EVEN IF WE
LEARN TO CONTROL OURSELVES, IF WE FAIL TO BE ABLE TO WAIT ON GOD, WEʼLL LOSE HEART AND BEGIN TO FEEL ITʼS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. THE BIBLE SAYS, NOW ABIDETH FAITH HOPE AND LOVE... FAITH IS NOW, HOPE IS LATER AND LOVE IS FOREVER. WITHOUT PATIENCE, WE CANʼT HAVE HOPE. AND WITHOUT HOPE, WEʼLL GIVE UP ON THE PROMISES OF GOD. TELL SOMEBODY YOUʼVE GOT TO ADD PATIENCE TO YOUR TEMPERANCE. ADD SOMETHING TO IT. THE END OF V6 SAYS THAT WE HAVE TO ADD TO OUR PATIENCE GODLINESS. GODLINESS IS SEEING LIFE AS GOD SEES IT AND BELIEVING THINGS THAT GOD SAYS. WHEN WE LOOK AT THINGS THE WAY THE WORLD LOOKS AT IT, WE ARE LIVING LIFE IN A WORLDLY WAY. THAT THE GLASS IS ALWAYS HALF EMPTY AND THAT ITS A RAT RACE AND THAT WE BETTER GET FOLK BEFORE THEY GET US. EVERY MAN FOR HIMSELF AND GOD FOR US ALL. BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT THINGS THE WAY GOD DOES, WE BEGIN TO LOVE OUR NEIGHBOR AND PRAY FOR THOSE WHO DESPITEFULLY USE US. WHEN WE LOOK AT THINGS THE WAY
GOD DOES AND WALK IN THOSE WAYS, WE STRIVE FOR PEACE AND DON始T WORRY ABOUT BEING FIRST, OR HAVING THE LAST SAY. WE LEARN TO HUMBLE OUR SELVES AND WAIT ON GOD. TELL SOMEBODY WE HAVE TO ADD TO OUR PATIENCE GODLINESS. ADD SOMETHING TO IT. TO GODLINESS V7 SAYS WE HAVE TO ADD BROTHERLY KINDNESS. THE BIBLE SAYS, HOW CAN YOU LOVE ME WHO YOU CAN NOT SEE AND NOT LOVE YOUR BROTHER WHO YOU CAN. NO MATTER HOW GODLY YOU THINK YOU ARE. NOT MATTER HOW MUCH FAITH OR TEMPERANCE YOU SAY YOU HAVE. NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU CAN CONTROL YOUR SELF AND WAIT PATIENTLY FOR THE THINGS OF GOD, WITH YOUR GODLY SELF; IF YOU CAN SPEAK TO YOUR BROTHER AND WALK RIGHT BY YOUR SISTER AND REFUSE TO SAY GOOD MORNING. THEN YOUR RELIGION IS IN VAIN. YEAH WE MUST LOVE THE LORD OUR GOD WITH ALL OF OUR HEARTS, SOULS AND MIND. BUT DON始T MISS THIS PART AND YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF. TELL SOMEBODY WE HAVE TO ADD TO OUR GODLINESS BROTHERLY KINDNESS. ADD SOMETHING TO IT. AND TO OUR BROTHERLY KINDNESS, THE
END OF V7 SAYS WE HAVE TO ADD TO BROTHERLY KINDNESS CHARITY OR LOVE. YOU SEE, GOD IS LOVE. YOU CAN SPEAK WITH THE TONGUES OF MEN AND ANGELS, HAVE ALL FAITH AND EVEN GIVE YOUR BODY TO BE BURNED, BUT IF YOU HAVE NOT LOVE, IT WONʼT PROFIT YOU NOTHING. NOW ABIDETH FAITH, HOPE AND LOVE, BUT THE GREATEST OF THESE IS LOVE. LOVE COVERS A MULTITUDE OF SINS. LOVE SUFFERS LONG AND IS NOT PUFFED UP. IT DOESNʼT ENVY NOR SEEK ITʼS OWN. LOVE NEVER FAILS. TELL SOMEBODY, WEʼVE GOT TO ADD TO OUR BROTHERLY KINDNESS LOVE. ADD SOMETHING TO IT. V8-10 SAYS, “ 8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that
ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. IN OTHER WORDS, WHEN WE ADD TO OUR FAITH THESE SEVEN THINGS. WE WILL GROW IN CHRIST AND THROUGH THEM WE WILL NEVER BE BARREN OR UNFRUITFUL IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF OUR LORD. WE WON’T JUST HAVE FAITH, BUT IT’LL BE FRUITFUL FAITH AND WE WON’T JUST BE ALIVE,
BUT WE’LL HAVE ABUNDANT LIFE. V9 TELLS US WHAT HAPPENS IF WE DON’T ADD THEM 9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. WITHOUT THEM, WE’LL FORGET THAT WE ARE SAVED AND BEGIN TO ACT LIKE WE CAN’T REMEMBER WHOSE WE ARE OR THAT WE HAVE FAITH AND PROMISES FROM GOD. 10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. NLT- 10 So, dear brothers and sisters,[c] work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away. 11 Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. WORK HARD TO ADD TO YOUR GOD GIVEN FAITH AND PROMISES THESE THINGS. SEVEN THINGS. SEVEN STEPS. ADDITIONS AND GOD PROMISES THAT WE WILL NEVER FALL AND THAT ONE DAY, YOU’LL RECEIVE AN ABUNDANT WELCOME AND GRAND ENTRANCE INTO HIS EVERLASTING KINGDOM. THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.
TO THAT PLACE WHERE THE WICKED WILL CEASE FROM TROUBLING AND THE SABBATH WILL HAVE NO END.