How to Live in a Changing World (Pt 3 NOTES)
Pastor Stan Roberts
2 Peter 3:17 KJV
“17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.”
Fall – ‘to drop away, fail, take none effect.’
We can all work toward an effective, successful and more steadfast Christian Life.
2 Peter 1:10 KJV
10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
We need to REALIZE there is a POWER working in us by GOD to be ABLE to EXPERIENCE GOD.
Ephesians 3:20 KJV
20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
Colossians 1:28-29 NIV
28 We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. 29 To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.
Philippians 4:13 KJV
13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Amplified – “13 I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency].”
GOD has made a way for THE CHRISTIAN LIFE to BE A LOT MORE DYNAMIC HERE.
2 Peter 1:5-8 KJV
5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 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.
Amplified –
“5 For this very reason, adding your diligence to the divine promises, employ every effort in exercising your faith to develop virtue, and in exercising virtue develop
knowledge…etc.”
They are connected so that as you exercise one it helps develop the next stage or building level.
In Order to PROGRESS, you MUST do something with what you HAVE NOW.
GOD’s WORD SETS US FREE!
Psalm 119:11 AMPC
“Your word have I laid up in my heart, that I might not sin against You.”
John 8-15:1 NKJV
1 I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.
2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.
4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.
7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
2Peter 1:8 KJV
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.
What is the correlation between PRUNING and the WORD of GOD?
KJV – “…purgeth it,…”
NKJV – “…He prunes…”
NIV – “…He prunes (also means he cleans)…”
NLT – “…He prunes…”
Greek – to cleanse, purge, purify.
Ephesians 5:25-26 NKJV
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,
26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word.
Prune – to rid, clear or remove anything undesirable.
Building Blocks:
1. FAITH
2. VIRTUE
3. KNOWLEDGE
4. TEMPERANCE (SELF CONTROL)
5. PATIENCE
6. GODLINESS
7. BROTHERLY KINDNESS
8. CHARITY (LOVE)
1. FAITH
COMMON DENOMINATOR
FAITH is the basis for our whole Christian walk.
Hebrews 11:1,6 KJV
1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Real Bible Faith simply says about you what the WORD says about you spiritually, physically, mentally, financially and socially.
Characteristics of ‘Bible Faith’:
1. It is Based on God’s Word, Character, and Integrity.
The more you know God the more you grow in Faith.
The more you know Him the more you will trust him.
2. Bible faith makes ALL things possible.
Mark 9:23 “Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.”
3. Bible faith is only limited by the will and purpose of God.
Can’t use faith outside the character of God.
Acts 8:18-24
18 And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, 19 Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. 20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. 21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. 22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. 23 For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity. 24 Then answered
Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.”
Acts 8:9 “But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:”
4. Faith comes by hearing the word of God.
Romans 10:17 KJV
“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
2 Peter 1:12-13 KJV
12 Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth. 13 Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance;
Is it POSSIBLE to KNOW TRUTHS of the WORD OF GOD and NOT be OPERATING IN FAITH?
YES!
Mark 16:19-20 KJV
19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. 20 And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.
Bible faith is believing the Word and the Authority behind it!!!
Mark 11:22-24 KJV
22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. 23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. 24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
2. VIRTUE – The quality of doing what is right and avoiding what is wrong. A person has virtue if they are fair, honest, responsible, and beneficent(doing or producing good).
MICAH 6:6-8 KJV
6 Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? 7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? 8
He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
SUCCESS IS BUILT ON MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICES!!!
1Thess 5:18-23 In everything give thanks…..quench not the spirit….
Our ATTITUDE will dictate our success in TIMES OF PROVING!
PLEASE God in your FAITH and you’ll PLEASE HIM in your CHOICES!!!
We need an ATTITUDE of COMMITMENT before we start to build.
3. KNOWLEDGE
Galatians 4:8-9 NLT
8 Before you Gentiles knew God, you were slaves to so-called gods that do not even exist. 9 And now that you have found God (or should I say, now that God has found you), why do you want to go back again and become slaves once more to the weak and useless spiritual powers of this world?
2 Peter 1:2-3 KJV
2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, 3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
Romans 12:2
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your MIND, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Life TRANSFORMED comes through the MIND!