January 4, 1998 Rev. Tom Dooley
www.preachingtheword.com
Eight Habits of Highly Effective Christians
2 Peter 1:1-10
Habit Number One: Practicing Spiritual Diligence
Peter’s readers were living in an environment that was
extremely hostile to cause of Jesus Christ. Peter knew that
if they were to stand under the pressure and make an
impact on their world they would have to grow strong
spiritually. And so Peter gives instruction that not only
fortified their faith, but will help us become what I would
like to call, "Highly Effective Christians" in our society as
well.
I want to be a Highly Effective Servant of my Lord and
Savior. As a pastor, my greatest desire for you as a
church is to see you grow and mature into Highly Effective
Servants of Jesus.
Here we discover... what I want to call.. Eight Habits of
Highly Effective Christians.
Why I use the term habits... habits must be established,
built into our lives. Peter admonishes us to "add" or build
our faith.
The first habit I find here is foundational. Highly effective
christians PRACTICE SPIRITUAL DILIGENCE.
Look at verse 5 and notice that Peter underscores....
I. THE RESPONSIBILITY OF PRACTICING
SPIRITUAL DILIGENCE
(verse 5)
We seem to live in the day of additives. There are vitamin
additives designed to supplement your diet. There is STP,
a gasoline additive, that is suppposed to give a little extra
"umph" to your car. There is even Grecian Formula to add
a little color to your hair, and as the commercial goes only
your hairdresser will know for sure.
You will notice in verse 5, that Simon Peter give the
instruction, "Add to your faith," then he names seven things
we are to add or build upon the foundation of faith.
Let’s clarify however that in order to add to your faith, you
must have saving faith.
Peter’s readers had saving faith. Look again at verse 1
and you will see that Peter addressed this letter to "them
that have obtained like precious faith..".
Peter speaks here of a "precious faith".
This faith that Peter speaks of is not the FALSE FAITH of
the heritics, nor the PHONY FAITH of the hypocrite, or the
FRUITLESS FAITH of one who merely professes faith.
Peter describes this faith as "precious" I believe for two
important reasons.
First, because of...
1) The Object of our Faith
Who is the object of the christians faith? Note I said who
not what? Who... Jesus.
Saving faith is precious because it is through faithin Jesus
Christ that one is born into the family of God.
John’s Gospel tells the story of Nicodemus. Jesus told him
that to enter heaven he "must be born again". Jesus went
on to explain that to be born again one must put their faith
in the Lord Jesus. Jesus assured Nicodemus... "FOR GOD
SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY
BEGOTTEN SON, THAT WHOSOEVER BELIVETH IN
HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH BUT HAVE EVERLASTING
LIFE."
I think secondly, that Peter describes saving faith as
"PRECIOUS FAITH", because of...
2) The Outcome of our Faith
The Bible declares that if you have trusted Jesus Christ as
your Savior and Lord, then you have become... " A NEW
CREATURE". Because that is true, "OLD THINGS HAVE
PASSED AWAY, BEHOLD ALL THINGS ARE BECOME
NEW". (2 Cor. 5:17)
Peter new the reality of the transforming outcome of
placing faith in the person of Jesus Christ. Before Peter
trusted Jesus as his Savior, he was a foul mouthed, self
centered, cowardly, compromising man. But Jesus saved
him and transformed him into a mighty instrument of
righteousness. Notice in the opening sentence of this
letter, Peter identifies himself as, "A SERVANT AND AN
APOSTLE OF JESUS CHRIST".
The christian life begins when one places their trust in the
Savior, but Peter wants us to understand that becoming a
christian is not the end, it is the beginning. The Christian
life is to be "addded to".
Look again at verse 5 and note that we are to be "GIVING
ALL DILIGENCE" as we add to our faith.
The word "diligence" refers to the earnest, zealous,
exertion of oneself.
This matter of adding to our faith, seeing our faith
strengthened and enriched demands our diligence.
No one grows in the spiritual realm automatically.
I wish as a pastor I could just put people in a room push a
button and bang... it would produce a mature, growing,
effective believer for the kingdom of God. But that is not
possible.
It takes intentional effort. (Illustration: Hershal Walker of the
Dallas Cowboys was the smallest kid on his high school team at age
15. Coach challenged him to build himself up. He said that off season
he did a million pushups, situps, and ran a million yards of sprints. I
think it was last year I heard him say in an interview that he did over a
thousand situps everyday. He is in diligent pursuit of being able to
play pro football.
Not one of us can afford to dillydally around spiritually. We
must be in a diligent pursuit of becoming all the Lord wants
us to be.
Highly effective Christians understand this responsibility.
Now look back at verses 3 and 4 for a moment and I want
you to see that as we endeavor to diligently add to our
faith, Peter reminds us of...
II. THE RESOURCES FOR PRACTICING
SPIRITUAL DILIGENCE
(verses 3 and 4)
Can we be sucessful in the process of adding to our faith?
Is spiritual growth for every believer?
The answer of course is yes! There is absolutely no
reason why you can not grow spiritually if you want to
grow.
Peter tells us that if we will practice spiritual diligence we
can expect to have two very important Divine resources at
our disposal.
In verse 3 we see that we have...
1) God’s Power To Enable Us
Notice that Peter says that the Lord’s "divine power hath
given unto us all things that pertain unto life and
godliness..."
Peter is saying that our Lord’s Power is sufficient! The
provision of power that is available to us is able to provide
all that we need in relationship to life and godliness.
Peter’s point is that "divine power" not only produces new
life in the believer, but it also can enable us to live godly.
It will enable us to add to our faith.
The story is told of a woman living in a remote valley in Wales who
went to a lot of trouble to have electricity installed in her home.
Because she was the only customer in the area, installation was very
expensive. Three months later her consumption of electricity was less
than a single price unit. When asked whether the cost of installation
was worth while she said, "Oh, yes!" "I switch it on every ngiht to see
how to light my lamps. Then I switch it off."
Can you imagine that? With unlimited light and power at
her disposal she continued the weary grind of filling and
lighting of her lamps.
That pictures many Christians. They could be growing, but
they are mired in medocrity. They are failing to rely on the
power of Jesus to enable them to live victoriously for
Jesus.
Notice also, that as we attempt to diligently add to our
faith, we not only have at our disposal... God’s Power To
Enable Us, but we have...
2) God’s Promises To Encourage Us
Look at verse 4. It says we have been given, "exceeding
great and precious promises.."
Herbert Lockyer, in his book, "All the Promises of the
Bible", says that in the Word of God there are 7487
promises made to mankind by God.
The promises of God are described as "great and
precious". They are great because of their source. They
come from God. They are precious because of their
significance. Their value is beyond calculation!
Think of some of those promises. The believer is
promised... eternal life (Jn 3:16), strength when weary (Isa.
40:28-31), reward when obedient (Rev. 22:12), comfort for
trial (2 Cor. 1:3-5), victory over temptation, answers to
prayers, companionship when dying.! And that is to name
just a few.
Friend we can depend on God’s promises.
I read the story about an elderly black man back in the time of slavery
who was being asked questions by two travelers in order to amuse
themselves. They had come to a fork in the road, and there was a
signpost there that read, Liberty 40 miles. They asked the man, "how
old are you?" He said, "I guess I’se about eighty." "Can you read?"
"No, sah." "Can you tell us what is on that signpost?" "Yas, sah, it
says forty miles to Liberty." "Well now," said the tavelers, "why don’t
you follow that road and get your liberty?" "It says, there are only
forty miles to liberty. Why don’t you take the road and go there?" The
old man’s countenance changed and he said, "You all are shaming me.
But, if that sign pointed up there..." He raised a trembling hand toward
heaven," ... to the liberty we have when Jesus makes us free, it
wouldn’t be a sham."
That old man knew what some of you don’t know. You can
trust the promises of GOD !!!!!
Oh I trust you will tap into these resources and let Christ
mold you into all he wants you to be!
Then let me finally mention...
III. THE REWARDS OF PRACITICING
SPIRITUAL DILIGENCE
(verses 8-10)
No doubt there was probably someone in the crowd that
Peter was writing to, and maybe even someone in our
crowd who might be thinking, Yeah I know I need to get
more diligent about my spiritual developement but is it
really worth it.
They have the attitude some have regarding New Years
resolutions. Some resolve to quit smoking, some resolve
to loose weight.. but after a few days... they start thinking is
it worth it. Many decide no. They problem is that they fail
to see the future reward.
Listen.. it is worth the price to add to your faith with
diligence.
For example, in verse 8, Peter says, "If these things be in
you.." If we will build these spiritual habits into our lives..
1) We Will Be Equipped (verse 8)
If you build these habits into your life you will become a
useful, fruitful, growing Christian.
2) We Will Be Enlightened (verse 9)
Peter says that those who neglect these habits are blind.
Blind to heavenly things and engrossed in earthly things.
They lack spiritual perception and forget the work of God’s
grace in their hearts.
3) We Will Be Estasblished (verses 10-11)
We will have confidence. We won’t "fall", literally stumble.
We will continue on the path of growth.
Conclusion: Today, are you saved? Do you know that if
you died today that you would go to heaven? Put your
faith in Jesus.
Christian... do you want to be a highly effective servant of
Jesus Christ? If so it is going to cost you something. Are
you willing today to comit yourself to give it your best
effort?
