Keep Growing

2 Peter 1:5-11 – 5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and selfcontrol with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. 10 Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. 11For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

During these difficult times – do you ever hear yourself saying, “I don’t have what it takes! Do I have the strength, the energy, the ability to deal with the stress?”

Jesus warned us we would face trouble in this life, and we needed deep roots to draw on the nourishment and resources needed to thrive spiritually in the midst of trouble: Matthew 13:21 NKJV yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. ”

Trouble will come – trouble has come …

Here’s what I’d like us to see today: We do have what it takes, and this can be one of our greatest seasons of growth.

IN fact – one of the best ways to be confident in uncertain times – is to keep growing!

2 Peter 1:3-4 NKJV as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 y which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

FOUR CRITICAL TRUTHS FOR THESE TROUBLED TIMES:

His DIVINE A_______________ has given us all we need to live a godly life! vs.3 DIVINE POWER, What limits have you put on God? The greatest power source in the world has provided for everything needed to live the life God has called you to live!

Through our B_________________ of HIM! vs.3 What a treasure we have in our “knowledge of him.” Just as a normal, healthy baby is born with all the equipment he needs for life and only needs to grow, so the Christian is given all that’s needed, and only needs to grow.

We have his GREAT and PRECIOUS C____________________. vs.4 The Jews were distinguished by the great promises God had made to them. Think about the promises made to the Jewish people given to Abraham! We as Christians are now the recipients of “great” promises: They are many! Forgiveness, the Holy Spirit, Eternal life. They are precious! This word conveys what a valuable treasure is in these promises.

That we may participate in the D______________ E_____________. vs.4 A baby shares the nature of his parents and a child of God the nature of his or her father. Through these promises, we are partakers of the divine nature. We are becoming increasingly like him in character, desires, and behavior.