We've been talking about reigning faith and hopefully
we're going to close it out tonight.
And. Finish up but we have been
coming out of second Peter on Wednesday nights breaking out
the. 7 qualities that we must. Add.
To our faith. Amen if.
We're going to increase and reign in our faith.
In. In second Peter, we see he talks
about 7 points, qualities, ingredients, companions.
That must be part of our faith walk if we're going to see the
promises of God take place in our lives.
So let's read that real quick because I definitely want to
finish out. And get through some stuff and
we have a lot to talk. About South in second Peter
chapter. One everybody ready to receive.
Hallelujah, Are you ready to receive the engrafted word of
God which is able to save our. Soul.
Amen. So second Peter chapter 1 verses
one through 11. Simon Peter, a bondservant and
apostle of Jesus. Christ.
To those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours
by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ, grace
and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of
Jesus our Lord. Seeing here it is that His
divine power we just talked about, that His divine power has
been granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness
through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own
glory and excellence. Verse 4 For by these he has
granted to us his precious and magnificent promises, so that by
them you may become partakers of His divine nature.
Say, I have his divine nature. Hallelujah if you are born.
Again. It's do you have made a
confession with your mouth that Jesus Christ is your Lord that
the minute you did that His divine nature come on was then
put on the inside of you by faith.
And guess what we have the nature of God, Zoe life flowing
in our bodies, Amen. And everything that we need as a
Kingdom citizen in this earth, we get to be able to receive
from him all those promises, everything we need that pertains
to life and to godliness, to life and godliness.
Amen. And this is important because
everybody wants to talk about, yeah, I received the life of
God. But how about godliness?
Right, How about life and godliness, meaning we're going
to live a godly life while we're here in the earth, Amen.
And we're going to talk about that actually tonight.
So anyway, he said we've been partakers of this divine nature,
having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.
Now for this very reason, also applying all diligence in your
faith supply and we talked about this word supply and it means to
furnish your faith, to add to your faith.
It also means to bring nourishment to your faith.
So when he says, listen, there is something that we need to add
to our faith. There is a supply and that
supply we see are these seven ingredients of of things that
are very important to help support, minister to and nurse
our faith. And so it's a must.
And he? Tells us that we need to apply
it with all diligence. That means we have to be
intentional about it, right? We have to exert ourself.
The scripture, when you read the word diligent there, it means we
need to strive after these things.
Amen. They're not just going to fall
on us by osmosis. There's some work that we have
to do to participate with God, with our faith, through grace,
Amen. It's not in our own efforts of
striving, but it's through His grace empowering us to be able
to add these qualities to our walk in Him.
Amen. And so he.
Tells us that that word diligence means we need to
endeavor, we need to make. Effort.
And we need to be prompt to study.
It also means labor. Amen.
So if we're going to actually apply these qualities to our
faith, then there's going to have to be some effort to it.
There's going to have to be some work to it.
That means there's labor, there's intention, Amen.
And we're going to have to do it, allowing him to work through
us with the help of the Holy Spirit.
So what does he tell us that we need to add to our faith or
bring a nourishment to our faith?
Moral excellence and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and
in that knowledge, self-control. And in yourself control,
perseverance and in your perseverance, godliness.
This is where we were last week. We stopped at perseverance and
endurance because it's those who will what endure till the end.
So endurance is an important factor in quality to our faith.
Not just that we believe that Jesus died and rose, and yet
we'll go through life and all the things that are happening in
this world and not be able to endure and waltz some things out
that he's saying that endurance is a must to our faith.
Amen. So godliness, and in our
godliness, brotherly kindness, and in our brotherly kindness.
Love. For if these qualities are yours
and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor
unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
All right, so we said this, that if these things are not.
Increasing in your. Life.
Then what is it going to do? It's going to render you.
Useless in the Kingdom. Remember the other scripture?
And I didn't even bring this up, but the Holy Ghost just reminded
me of the scriptures that we are to make ourselves a vessel of
honor. We're to make.
Ourselves a vessel of honor. We can be of common use, or we
can be a. Vessel of Honor and a.
Vessel of Honor is going to choose to put these qualities
and add these qualities and these ingredients to our faith.
Amen. And so we have to choose to say,
you know what, I'm going to be a vessel of honor.
I'm not going to just be common of common use.
No, I'm going to be a vessel that is going to be of honor and
I'm going to do whatever it takes to walk in the qualities
that God says. That I can walk into because I
know a. Lot of believers that are
they're not a. Vessel of honor, the way they
live, what comes out of their mouth.
Come on. They're not a vessel of honor.
I don't care if they're born again.
Their behavior, we're going to see what the scripture says is
not proving out their character of life.
Amen. And you know what?
Just like in the natural. We talk about.
Different qualities of life. And you can.
Decide what kind of quality you want of life, even in the.
Natural, even in the natural. You can decide, you know what, I
really don't care about life and I'm going to have a, you know,
broke down mentality and I'm not going to do anything to try to
take care of myself and different things.
And you can live through this life and have a poor quality of
life even in the natural, or you can choose to have a better
quality of life in the natural, work hard, go to school, get a
good education. Come on, see what I'm saying?
Well, it's the same true in the Kingdom of God.
Spiritually, you can choose to not have the good life or the
best quality of life that God says you can have and that
belongs to you, that you have an inheritance.
But you have to choose to take hold of that inheritance and
walk it out and have a better quality of life, even
spiritually. Amen.
And so he says this if they are fruitful.
Then you're going to see. These qualities developing in
your life. Now let's go to verse 9.
I think it is for he who lacks these qualities is blind or
short sighted. And I don't have time to teach
on all this scripture. But having forgotten His
purification from his former sins, therefore, brethren, be
all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and
choosing you. For as long as you practice
these things, those 7 qualities, you will never stumble.
You will never stumble. Hallelujah.
And we talked about what that word means.
You'll never make a mistake, you'll never air.
Come on. That's what that means when he
says you'll never stumble. You'll never make a mistake.
You'll never air Hallelujah. So then he goes on to say verse
11 for in this way the entrance is into eternal Kingdom of our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to
you say I have a supply. Oh Hallelujah.
Now I love reading verse. 10 in the amplified of second Peter
and chapter 1. Therefore, believers be all the
more diligent to make certain about his.
Calling and choosing you be. Sure that your behavior reflects
and confirms your relationship. With God.
So you can say that you know God and have a relationship all day
long, but if your behavior, it is not in alignment with
godliness is what we're getting ready to see.
If it's not in alignment with Scripture, then it does not
confirm to me that you are a child of God.
You can say it all day long, but behavior is going to confirm
that you are a child of God, that you're a child of God
because your behavior not ought to be the way that it was when
you were lost. There has to be a change, right?
And the good thing about the Lord is He will help you.
Change glory to God, you. Cannot become all that God wants
you to become without His help. You can't do it yourself.
He's the only. One that can help you do it
through the power of the Holy. Spirit and you choosing to.
Yield to it so it. Confirms your relationship with
God, your behavior for by doing these things, actively
developing these virtues, these seven ingredients, these
qualities that he just talked about, you will never stumble in
your spiritual growth and will live the life that leads others
away from sin. Hallelujah.
If you're not leading others away from sin by them
recognizing your behavior, then you have to ask the question,
Have I allowed the Lord Come on to?
Help me, help me Jesus, so. We read moral excellence,
knowledge, self-control, temperance, perseverance,
endurance, and now we are on godliness, brotherly kindness.
And. Love.
And what I found about all three of these, godliness, brotherly
kindness and love, is that they're all working together.
They're all working together. And.
So let's read a few scriptures concerning godliness.
Isn't it amazing that he has to mention that just because you've
received the same faith as the apostles, right?
Just because you've received it doesn't mean you're going to
walk into it. And he has to tell you that he
expects you to live godly, A godly life.
Amen. And so.
Here. Let me find my scripture.
I'm on page 23. Yes, here we go, godliness.
What does godliness mean? Godliness when you look it up in
the Greek. Means reverence.
Reverence for the things of God it means.
Respect. For the things of God.
It actually means. Holiness, Holiness and in the.
Context of the fear of the Lord. In the context of the.
Fear of the Lord. Why is this important?
Because if you're going to live a godly, holy, reverent right
life, then that means I'm not going to want to do.
Anything that would go against. His word or go.
Against him because I honor him, because I reverence him, because
he's holy. He's holy.
And so this is what it means to live a godly life.
And just. Because you're born again does
not mean you're automatically godly.
No, what happens is when you get born.
Again, the spirit of the man now becomes alive unto God, and he
puts his. Spirit within you and then.
What does it say now? We're going to have to add.
Some things to our faith and these qualities will what work.
In our life, to produce, to produce.
Holiness to produce godliness within our life.
If we start walking because we talked about what did the
definition of moral excellence be it mean?
It means righteousness. When we got born again, what
does that mean? We were put into a posture of
righteousness before God, but now that righteousness has to
begin to what? Develop and grow.
And when we allow that righteousness, the moral
excellence meaning becoming right in everything that God
says in His word, right standing with him and everything that he
says in his word as a believer, then that will begin to what?
Produce a fruit we see, He tells us, that we are to produce.
Fruits of righteousness because. We don't want to be like the
hypocrites and the Pharisees, come on.
We want to actually produce it in our life.
And if we're going to walk in reigning faith and actually walk
in the dominion and the authority that God has given us
in this life, then we are going to have to allow Him to work
within us so that we can produce these fruits in our life.
Amen. And they will be seen.
In our behavior, this is what the Scriptures talking about.
That'll be seen in our behavior and this is what we're talking
about. Tangible faith.
I have faith in God and I am to live by faith and I'm to walk by
this faith every day. And therefore, what does that
mean? Then I'm going to produce this
lifestyle of faith that's going to be able to be proven and
tangible by the results of my life in the way that I interact
in everything that everything that I am doing.
It's going to be. Tangible, not just oh I'm going
to believe God for that house, how about no, I'm going to
believe God that I am going to have dominion and self-control
over my tongue, right? Amen.
So there's this is what we're talking about having a lifestyle
of faith, living by faith that where it produces within my life
everything that God says that I should be living like and
walking like and everything. No, not just the the material
things, not just the material things, but producing.
How about as? For me and my house, we're going
to serve the Lord and we're not going to have this junk up in
our house because we're godly, because we're holy, because we
fear the Lord. I'm not going to allow these
things in my home. That's just as important in me
believing God for a home, because what good is it if I
have this wonderful home but No Fear of God?
In it and my. Kids are rebellious and they
have all kinds of crazy stuff up in my walls and all kinds of
stuff. No, it's not going to happen
because I live by faith and I'm going to produce the results of
godliness and holiness in my life.
So my we're not going to allow this up in our house.
We're not going to allow those provocative movies and
pornography and, you know, cussing up a storm in movies
and, you know, all these kind of ungodly things.
And we wonder why our kids are struggling.
We're not godly, we're not holy anymore.
We have No Fear of the Lord, no reverence for true things that
are holy. First Timothy, chapter 4.
And verse 7 through 8. It says this but.
Have nothing to do with. Irreverent.
This is the amplified folklore, silly myths.
On the other hand, discipline. Yourself.
For the purpose of godliness, keeping yourself spiritually fit
for physical training is of some.
Value and we talked. About this before, I know plenty
of people that want to be disciplined and what they eat,
how they work out, all these kind of things, but yet they
have no discipline and reading the word, they have no
discipline and keeping their mouth shut to their spouse, they
have no discipline. Come on, financially they have
no discipline. Living a godly life.
What's the profit? So he says.
But godliness, spiritual training is of value in
everything and in every way since it holds promise for the
press. This.
Present life and for the life to come, godliness.
Holds. Promise.
For this. Life and the life to come
godliness, holiness, reverence, the.
Fear of the Lord, because without it, the scripture says
we won't. See it?
We won't see him. First Timothy chapter 6 and
verse 3 says this, if anyone. Teaches a different doctrine and
does not. Agree with the sound.
Words of our Lord Jesus. Christ.
And is there plenty of different doctrines that?
Are out there today. That just because you're saved
once saved, always saved, you're good to go.
Doesn't matter what you do, you're under grace.
Go ahead, sin like the world. He's already forgiven you
already. Is that godliness?
Is that holiness? Is that the fear of the Lord
right? And so he says, listen.
And with this doctrine and teaching which is in agreement
with godliness, personal integrity, and upright behavior.
Upright Behavior. First Timothy.
Chapter 6, verse 11. But As for you?
O man of God, flee. From these things, aim at and
pursue righteousness. Do you see that you have to
pursue it and that what we read, you have to be intentional, you
have to be diligent to add these things?
You're going to have to pursue it.
You are going to have to make a decision that I'm going to
pursue godliness as much as I pursue.
The athletic department. And the programs?
I'm going to pursue godliness. As much as I sit and scroll my
phone for two hours, I'm going to pursue godliness.
Come on, as much as I do running around and and doing all the
things I love to do, I'm going. To pursue godliness, whatever
he's. Doing that's what I want to be
doing come on, whatever he's doing, that's what I.
Want to be doing. And so he says, pursue
righteousness, true goodness, moral conformity to the
character of God, godliness, the fear of God, faith, love,
steadfastness and gentleness. And we've discussed all of these
through talking about the different qualities earlier on
our. Wednesday nights now look.
At first Peter chapter. One verse 15 through 16 it says,
But like the holy one who called you.
Be holy yourself in all your conduct.
Be set apart from the world by your world, godly character and
moral. Courage, because it is.
Written, you shall be holy, Set apart.
For I am holy. So we have to choose, just as I
said, and make a decision that I'm going to be a vessel of.
Honor, I'm going to walk in holiness, I'm going to walk in
godliness. I'm going to do it his way.
And I'm going to allow these things to nourish my faith so
that I can be assured that my faith is going to reign in.
Whatever I encounter if. I encounter an accident.
I'm going to have favor because you know what?
I've added supply. To my faith, because I have
character, because I have integrity, because I honor God,
because I sow my seed, because I live.
According to the word. Because I'm in upright standing
with him, because I guard my heart, I don't let a fence in
it. I don't.
I don't talk about people.
I don't. Gossip.
Come on. I don't do all these things that
would hinder my faith from reigning in every situation
because we're going to see how important.
That is in a few minutes in these scriptures, so in second.
Peter chapter 3 and verse 11. But I would like to give you
all. Homework because I can.
Guarantee you these 13 verses will take less time reading it.
It would only take you 13 minutes of reading these 13
verses that are in Second Peter chapter 3.
That weren't Yeah. Second Peter, chapter 3.
The whole chapter 13 minutes. You should be able to read one
verse right a minute. I mean y'all sit on Instagram
longer than that? And all the funny reels.
I found a funny reel and and I'm going to blame Pastor Lynette
Hagan on this now because yesterday she said to all the
pastors, how do? You, you know.
Have. Fun in ministry, she.
Says what she likes to. Do when she'll get in a
situation where you know. Ministry would be fun.
If it weren't for the. People.
So she has a whole folder. In her phone of the minions.
Y'all know what those are and you know there's all kinds of
reels, funny reels about these minions and she'll just laugh
her head off She'll just say when I need a good laugh I'll
just go through all these minions because.
I don't want to have to be concerned.
About all these problems, right with people and all these.
Things And so anyway, I found these cute little reels.
Now, so I'm going to blame her. With these babe, these AI
babies. Dancing.
Have y'all seen them? Oh.
My gosh, you know, you've seen how they're doing the AI babies
where they can take you. And turn you into.
A little baby and what they always look.
So I you know, I've always wondered, why do babies look so
cute, chunky and fat? But then when you become an
adult, that chunky and fat. Ain't so cute anymore.
All those roles, you know. Anyway, so now they've created
these reels with all. These babies, little babies, I
sent my daughter 1 today and they're dancing.
They've created them to do the Macarena and they're little
babies, you know, like 6 months old anyway, doing the Macarena
but oh, I just needed a good laugh today, so.
That's what I did anyway. So your homework.
I read my homework. The whole chapter of Second
Peter, chapter 3, I really want y'all to read that because in
context he's talking about in the last days, there's going to
be mockers, there's going to be all kinds of things happening in
the last days. And then he gives us a good.
Warning OK and so. Now we're in verse 11, right?
There's 13 verses I believe. 18 Oh, it's going to take you 18
minutes, OK anyway. So verse 11 says this since all
of these things are to be destroyed in this.
Way what kind of? People ought you to be.
In the meantime. This is what he's saying.
In the meantime, there's all kinds of things in the last days
that are going to be happening. People are going to be mocking
all kinds of things. But he says, in the meantime,
what kind of people ought you be?
As believers. In holy behavior, that is in a
pattern of your daily life that sets you apart as a believer,
and in godliness displaying profound reverence towards our
awesome God. This is what godliness means.
I have such a profound reverence.
I have such a profound fear of the Lord.
I know what he's done for me and where he's brought me out of.
And we've been given, Hebrews says, such a great salvation.
Come on, that we better not slip back.
He tells us. We better not be those that
shrink back from our faith, but if we're diligent to keep adding
these qualities to our faith and guess what's going to happen?
Come on, we are going to be so godly, so holy Hallelujah, that
when people see you, they're going to say, what must I do to
inherit the Kingdom of God? But when half the Christian
world lead lives so ungodly, how are they even recognizing?
Because we have No Fear and reverence for what's.
Holy anymore? So he.
Goes on to say number. 5 Brotherly affection, Brotherly
love, brotherly love because we've heard great faith teaching
that faith worketh by love. And I'm going to tell you, a lot
of our faith isn't working because of this right here.
Because the way you say. That you're loving has nothing
that I can see to do with scripture.
Romans chapter 12 and verse. 10 Be kindly affectionate. 1 To
another with brotherly love in honor, in honor preferring one
another in honor preferring one another.
This is what brotherly affection and love is.
That it doesn't matter what. You do to me.
I honor. You because the.
Scripture tells me to honor. You and I'm going to walk in
love. So you know what?
That means that means I. Don't run my mouth about you.
First Thessalonians because when you really are a person of
honor, you won't do that. But you know.
What if we don't honor God in the 1st?
Place. How in the world do you think
we're supposed to honor one another and prefer one another?
So he says in First Thessalonians chapter.
Four and verses. 9 and 10 now. Concerning brotherly.
Love. You have no need for anyone to
write you, for you have been personally taught by God to love
one another. Personally taught by God to
love. One another.
That is to have an unselfish concern for others.
And to do things for their benefit, no matter.
How you are being treated, you are going to prefer them, you're
going to honor them and you're going to do what's best for
them. That means I it does not matter
what's happening to me, I'm going to do what's right.
And to do what right is right is hard in the natural.
And in the flesh. But to do what's right with the
help of the Lord. Is easy.
And you know what he says? He says my burden is easy.
Yoke is easy. My burden is light.
So no matter what's going on, we can choose to do.
What's? Right.
And you know what? The Bible tells us that.
We should do what's right. We're going to read the
scripture in the minute we. Do not get to choose.
To not love one another. He says it's.
Actually a commandment. It's not a choice.
And how many Christians are? Making it a choice whether or
not they're going to honor someone, whether or not they're
going to. Write love.
Them the way the. Scripture says to love them.
And prefer them. So he tells us this.
He says this is the amplified right verse 10 for indeed you
already do practice it. Towards all the believers.
Throughout Macedonia by actively displaying your love and your
concern for them. But we urge you, brothers and
sisters. That you excel in this matter
more and more. So just 'cause you've done it
one time. Doesn't mean you're done, he
says. You can do better, you can excel
more and. Love towards your brother.
And brotherly affection. And come on.
Showing forth. Unselfish things when it comes
to preferring and honoring one another.
You can do a better job. You're doing.
Good. But guess what?
There's more, and that's what the Scripture talks about.
When you read, you know where he talks about in Ephesians, I
believe it is where, you know, there's depths and heights and
widths of love. Just when you thought, man, I
have walked in love so many times, guess what he's going to
say? Yeah, But there's another depth.
There's another level. There's another level of love.
Another level and he says that there is more for you to excel
in and first Peter chapter 1 and verse 22 it says this seeing you
have. Purified your souls in obeying
the truth through the Spirit. See this is this is the answer
right here. You've purified your souls in
obeying the truth, which is the word.
That's why he tells us we must Romans 12/1.
And two, we must renew our minds, come on to the Word daily
so that when you get into a situation, the word is there,
the truth is there. And the truth is, yes, this may
be affecting me. This may be a situation that I'm
going through, but the truth is I have to align myself up with
what the word of God says. And there is another depth and
another width and another length of love that obviously He wants
me to dive into. And so I've got to choose by the
Holy Spirit through the Spirit, right to an unto and unfeigned
love of the brethren. See that you love one another
with a pure heart, fervently, not just saying Oh.
I love you. No, but I from a pure heart, I
love you and I honor you. And you know how you can tell
you really honor something? Because there's money backing
honor. Because what you will give to
shows you. Honor.
You can't even give to the church when he says the tithe.
You don't honor God. So.
Remember, reigning faith is about.
Maturing. Say I'm maturing.
I'm going to. Choose to mature.
First Peter chapter 2 verse 17 says this show.
Respect for all. People and treat them honorably
for all people. You're going to treat them.
Honorably. I don't care who they are,
that's. Why you see a homeless?
Person come up in here, we honor them.
They deserve God to be set free. I don't care what they're.
Wearing what they're dressed like.
How they smell because they're. Honorable because he said it
not. Because the world.
Discounts and man. Show respect for all.
People treat them honorably. Love the brotherhood of
believers we're talking about brotherly love.
We're talking about brotherly affection, he says.
You must love the brotherhood. You have to love these people in
this house, your family, the family of God that has the same
DNA as you. We always talk about God is no
respecter of person. There's neither Jew nor Greek
nor Gentile. I don't care how anybody looks.
But yet when you come in here, you won't even honor them.
You'd rather spend time with people out here.
First things is first is you've got to honor the people in the
House of God. I don't care what you do outside
these walls. If you're not doing it in here,
you're dishonorable. You're dishonorable.
What scripture? Says so, he says love.
The brotherhood of believers fear God and honor the.
King because faith does not work without love, and that was
Galatians chapter 5 and verse 6. Faith worketh by love.
And that is love in all accounts with humanity, not just loving
God. It's.
Not just about loving God. See, they use their faith.
Oh yeah, I love. God I love God my.
Faith is working. I'm going to have that new boat
I'm going to have. No how?
About loving your brother, because without it you're not
going to. Operate in reigning faith.
So he says this, and John let's. Look at the connection.
Here in John chapter 13 and. Verses 34 through 35 it says I
am giving you a new commandment. That's why I said love is not.
A choice. It is a commandment and you can
choose to disobey his commands. And you can choose to rebel.
Against his commands. But it doesn't matter, because
you will stand before a holy God.
Come on one day and your knee will bow and it will submit, and
He will bring these things to light.
And so he says in. First John or not first John,
John 13, he says this. I'm giving you this new
commandment that you love one another just as I have loved
you. Because see, that brotherly
love, that brotherly kindness was phileo love.
But now here he's moved over into agape love.
He's moved over into agape here. When he says charity, one
translation in the King James right says charity, no, this is
love and this is agape love. This is the God kind of love.
And he says, listen, we need to love one another.
Just as I have loved you, so you 2 are to love one another.
And by this, by what? By us loving one another in
brotherly love. And affection and kindness and.
Loving him the way that he loved us, he says.
Listen, this is how everyone will know that you're truly my
disciple. Everyone will know.
That you're truly my disciple because I actually see a
demonstration of a love. For one another, not just for
me, not just for me, but for one another, for one another.
And he says, listen, this is how.
People are going to. Truly know you're my disciples
if you have love. Unselfish concern for one
another. That means you're going to be
more concerned about this. Person and what?
They need than you are about your.
You don't have to be. The what?
Well, what about me? Why do I have to go to them and
ask them to forgive me? Why?
Because he actually commanded you to.
And it doesn't matter if they change, if they receive it, if.
Come on. If if they respond properly or
if they slap you in the. Face No.
You are accountable to God and to his Word and it was a
commandment. So therefore I don't care the
response, I'm going to choose to do what he.
Says. No matter what, no matter how it
makes me feel, no matter if I should have had to do it or if
I. Shouldn't have had to do it.
I'm going to do it because I'm commanded to.
Because I'm commanded to. Simple.
You know why? Because I love God.
You know why? Because I fear him.
You know why? Because I've allowed things to
be added. To my faith, moral excellence,
righteousness, what? Was the one thing Martin Luther?
I kept reading this. Quote that kept coming through.
You know, Martin Luther King says when you choose to do right
because it's the right thing to do, you choose to do right
because it's the right thing to do, according to.
Scripture, no matter what has happened to you.
Because if you're concerned about what happened to you,
guess. What?
You're in victim mode and I'm going to tell you I refuse to be
a victim. He set me free from a victim
mentality. But if I.
Choose to hold. On.
To things. Then I'm falling right back into
victim mode. I didn't deserve this.
They treated me like this. What did I ever do to that?
It does. Not.
Matter. The only thing that matters is
what God's Word has said to. You.
And I'm going to. Choose to do his word above
anything else and I'm going to. Choose to do it.
You know what? With all of my heart.
With a. Pure heart, not oh, just watch
this. I'm going to tell him I'm going
to forgive him and I'm going to. Can't wait to see them grovel.
That's not a pure heart, is it? It's not a pure heart, No.
We have to. Choose to do it with a pure
heart. Romans chapter 12 and verse 9.
Love is to be sincere. It's to be sincere.
You know what that means? That means.
You can get hurt again because love is vulnerable.
It means you can. When you're truly loving from a
pure heart, that means it can happen again.
And guess what else? There's another depth, another
length, another width for me to dive into.
Because where else you going to go?
Love is to be sincere and active, the real thing, without
guile and hypocrisy. Hate what is evil, detest all
ungodliness. Look at this, do not tolerate
wickedness and hold tightly to what is good.
When you choose not to obey God's Word, you're actually
choosing wickedness. Yes, you as a believer can
choose to not do what is right. Romans 1310 Love does no wrong
to his neighbor. It never hurts anyone.
Is that our heart that we don't want to hurt anyone?
I would never want to say something that would hurt
someone. That is not my heart.
To be vicious, to be vile. And we have to ask ourselves is
that our heart would never want that.
It does no wrong to its neighbor.
It never hurts anyone. Therefore, unselfish love is the
fulfillment of the law. It's the fulfillment of the law.
Yes, I live by the law of love, the law of love.
Because if I want to walk in reigning faith and see the
tangibleness of God's life through my life and see the
things that God has promised for each and every one of us to be
able to walk into, we're going to have to choose love.
And we're going to have to make that something that we are in a
constant place of supplying to our faith.
Not just saying I have faith, but actually growing in the
depths of love. Growing in the depths of love.
Galatians chapter 5 and verse 13.
For you, my brothers, we're called to freedom.
But don't let your freedom become an opportunity for the
sinful nature, for worldliness, for selfishness.
Remember, we couldn't help but be selfish when we were lost,
because that's all the nature was in us.
A lustful, selfish nature. But we now have.
That divine nature and Romans. 55 Says what now?
The love of God has been shed abroad in our hearts.
And so his. Love now is living on the inside
of us. Come on.
And he's letting us know, listen, we are going to have to
walk this walk of faith by putting that supply of love in
its place constantly, constantly.
So he says, but through love. What does he say serve?
And seek the. Best for others serve and seek.
The best for others serve others we know.
What does he say? Bless.
Your enemies do good to those who despitefully use you.
And guess what I'm going to do? I'm going to serve them anyway.
That's what he's talking about. And can we?
Really do that with a pure heart.
With a pure motive of I just am going to obey God no matter
what. I'm going to serve them anyway.
I'm going to love them anyway. I'm going to bless them anyway.
I'm going to actually honor them and.
Honor is not just by. Words It's by action.
Action it's by behavior. Amen.
It's by. You serving, so there's.
Action there. It's not just.
Saying it, but are you willing to go above and beyond and to
serve? That person who has despitefully
used you, you see that? It's what it says.
Ephesians chapter 5. We've got one more scripture
after this and verse. 2. And walk continually in love.
That is value one another. Practice.
Empathy and compassion unselfishly seeking.
The best for others, just as Christ also loved.
You and gave himself. Up for us as an offering and
sacrifice to God, slain for you so that it.
Became a sweet fragrance. Walk continually in love
continually. This should be the.
Highest goal of a believer's life that love his love.
Comes before anything, before anything, His love and all that
I'm doing, it has to be the motivating factor of my life
that I love him. And because I love him, I love
the brethren and I'm going to choose to supply my faith
continually with the love of God.
Last Scripture, 1st Corinthians 16 and 14.
Let everything you do be done in love, motivated and inspired by
God's love for us. So everything I do, I must do it
motivated. By God's love.
Because you know what? Because He loved me.
And who am I to not be able to forgive my brethren, walk in
love with them unselfishly, and choose to say I love you even in
the midst of where I feel I didn't deserve it?
Because you know who else didn't deserve it?
Jesus. And they mocked him, they
scourged Him, they beat him, they slandered him, called him
the devil. What a slap in the face, The Son
of God being called the devil. Wow.
And you know what the scripture says in Matthew?
The greatest sermon. He actually said, blessed are
you when you are being persecuted and talked about
unjustly because Jesus. There was no reason other than
he was the Son of God. Blessed are you and are you
choose going to still choose to love the brethren.
Forgive so that your faith will not be hindered, that your faith
will reign. Above.
Everything that you're going through, every situation, every
circumstance, because I've allowed God to add these
ingredients to my faith year after year, time after time,
learning and knowing that when I do this, I won't stumble, I
won't error, I won't make a mistake because I'm choosing to
walk in love.