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[0:00] 2 Peter 1, verse 1.

[0:15] It says, Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ to them that have obtained like precious things that pertain unto life and godliness through the knowledge of him that have called us to glory and virtue, whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust, and beside this giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance, and to temperance patience, and to patience godliness, and to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness charity.

[1:20] For if these things be in you and abound, they make you that you shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

[1:32] Let us pray. Lord, we thank you for your word, for this encouragement time, as we still our hearts from the busyness of the last week, and of the helter-skelter of life at times, Lord, that we can put this time aside just to sit at your feet, to hear your word.

[1:52] Lord, let it penetrate our hearts, your word, Lord. Let your word do its work, we pray. In Jesus' name. Amen. How to be fruitful.

[2:02] How to be a fruitful Christian. How can we be fruitful? Peter writes, if these things be in you and abound, they shall make you that you shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

[2:19] It's talking about the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. You could consider then that there may be some Christians or some folk that are not fruitful, that are barren in their knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.

[2:34] What is it that we need so that we are a fruitful and thriving Christian? Peter writes lots here that we can be encouraged by, that we can know him firstly, that we can know our Lord, that we can know our Lord Jesus Christ, and that God means us to be not barren, not unfruitful, but instead to be thriving and fruitful Christians.

[2:59] And he shows us how. He shows us how. And note that the credit is due unto our Lord. I was challenged to think, as one preacher put it that I heard lately, elsewhere it says, we are saved by grace through faith.

[3:15] It's interesting that it doesn't say saved by faith through grace, is it? That body is God. We're saved by grace. We're saved by his power. The emphasis is on the grace, not our faith.

[3:27] It's God's wondrous grace that we give the credit to. It's his power. As we read in verse 3, according to his divine power. That's where it all begins. His divine power.

[3:38] He hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, and through the knowledge of him they have called us to glory and virtue. Isn't it wonderful to know that it is his power that saves us?

[3:52] It's his power that saves us. It's his power that keeps us. You know, I was interested, last Sunday night, someone came to church for the first time, and as people often do, they hit you with the in-your-face kind of questions.

[4:06] Are you a Calvinist? It was one of the questions. One of the questions was, do you believe once saved, always saved? You know, in respect to the first question, I had an occasion where I was on a pastoral search committee, and this question was posed to this candidate, are you a Calvinist or an Arminian?

[4:33] And he said, I'm a Biblicist. Amen. I'm a Biblicist. Because really, when you consider it, there's extremes in both camps. I'm certainly not an Arminian that would say that you can lose your salvation by any doing or not doing of your own.

[4:48] I think that's false doctrine, for one thing, as much as there's other questions on the other side. But the truth is that it is his power that saves us, and it's his power that keeps us.

[5:00] It's his power that keeps us. And that's a great assurance for us, isn't it? That it's reliant upon his power. The knowledge of him. In Colossians 2.3, it says, in whom, in Christ, are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

[5:14] The knowledge of him. The knowledge of him. Do you know him? That's the ultimate and absolute question, isn't it? To know him. As Paul wrote in Philippians 3.10. That I may know him.

[5:25] And the power of his resurrection. And the fellowship of his sufferings. To know him. To know the power of his resurrection.

[5:36] And in 1 Corinthians 1.24, it defines the power of God. It says, Christ is the power of God. And the wisdom of God. Are you barren and unfruitful in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ?

[5:50] People today. That's the question. That's the ultimate question. Are you barren and unfruitful in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ? Or are you wholeheartedly thriving and fruitful in that knowledge?

[6:02] How can our Christian life show forth those fruits that God wants to see blossoming and flourishing out of our lives?

[6:12] How can our Christian life bring forth life? Life. Abounding, abundant life. And fruit. Fruit that will remain to be fruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

[6:24] Number one. We need the power of God. We need his power. His divine power. You can know him and you can know his divine power. We see that.

[6:35] Verse 3. According us, his divine power. We need his empowerment. Brothers and sisters, when we go through our lives and we that are older in Christ, we that have been longer in the Christian walk, know even more fully how weak and inadequate and unworthy we are.

[6:53] How much we need his empowerment. We need his power. We must be empowered by him. It must not be of our own doing, but of his ultimate and absolute power.

[7:06] To know him. To know his power. That awesome power that can revolutionise a life. That can turn a life around. That can transform a life. That power. The power that holds the world together.

[7:17] That holds the universe together. As it says in Colossians 1 verse 17. And he is before all things and in him. Sorry. And by him all things consist.

[7:30] By him. By his power. This is the power that raised up Christ from the dead. And that same power is the power that you can know. As a believer this morning.

[7:40] If you trust him. His power resides in you. It's his power that you rely upon. It's the power of the gospel. The power of God. Unto salvation.

[7:52] To everyone. That believer. The power of the blood of Jesus Christ. That's power. The power of the spirit of God. That's power. He said.

[8:03] Tarry in Jerusalem. So he be endued with power from on high. That's power. The power of salvation. God's salvation power. Think of it. The word of God.

[8:13] It's down packed. This is the power that those folk saw in tangible form. In the pillar and the cloud. The power of God. It's with us still. He is still.

[8:24] Powerful. And Colossians 1.11. It says. If the believer. The believer. Be strengthened. Strengthened. With all might. With all might. According.

[8:36] To his glorious power. Unto all patience. And long suffering. With joyfulness. You can be strengthened. With all might. According to his glorious power.

[8:47] That's exciting. Isn't it? Aren't you excited? To know that the power of God. The same power. That raised Christ from the dead. Comes and resides. Within our mortal frames.

[8:58] And Ephesians 1.19. A context of prayer. And what is the exceeding greatness of his power. Towards us who believe. The exceeding greatness of his power.

[9:09] Ephesians 1.19. Ephesians 3.20. Says now unto him. And he says. That is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think. According to the power that worketh in us.

[9:22] Have you got that power working in you? Believer today. Have you got that power? That glorious power? That exceeding great power? The power that worketh in us? To do his good pleasure.

[9:35] Are we letting God powerfully impact our lives? Or are we hindering that power? You know. There's wonderful power that can be harnessed.

[9:46] In a large volume of water. But it's when they open the floodgates. Isn't it? When the operator of the dam opens the floodgates.

[9:56] Then the power can be unleashed. The power. It's untapped. Until it's unleashed. And are we hindering the working of his mighty power? Could it be that prayer is lacking?

[10:09] Prayer could be lacking. As you can tap into that power through prayer. Could that power be lacking? As your faith is not being extended. Could it be that you're holding back God's power?

[10:20] And it's stopping you from being fruitful and thriving in your Christian life. In that knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. To know him. To know his power. And secondly.

[10:31] To know his promises. To know his promises. To be fruitful in the kingdom. We need to know his promises. Promises. Precious promises.

[10:44] Great and precious promises. Exceeding great and precious promises. You're holding in your hands. A promise book. A book of promises.

[10:56] It's been said that for every problem. There's a promise. I used to like. As much as. I think that things have changed somewhat. With the Gideons. But in the old days there.

[11:07] New Testaments. In case of fear. If you're afraid. Here it is. If you're worried. Whoa. There's the answer.

[11:18] If you need peace. There it is. If you're going through. Bereavement. If you're going through grief. If you're going through a divorce.

[11:30] If you're going through whatever it is. The answer is here. The promise. Is here for the problem. And you can be fruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Is here. Unpack those great and precious promises.

[11:44] We partake of the divine nature it says. We escape the corruption that is in the world through lust it says. We've got a whole stack of rich and astounding promises right here in our hands.

[11:56] And we don't unpack them sometimes. Do we? That daily prayer habit. That daily Bible habit. Find time for the promises today.

[12:08] It says in 2 Corinthians 1 verse 20. For all the promises of God in him are yay and amen. Amen. In Jesus Christ.

[12:19] God's promises are yes. Yes. And amen. Amen. God has given promises. You know. In thinking in a stream. I thought.

[12:29] Well. I could go on for quite a while. Just giving you a smattering of some of these promises. Just to touch the surface. Just to scratch the surface. Of the promises that God has given to you.

[12:43] Exceeding great and precious promises. promises. Promised eternal life. Promised forgiveness. For example. These are just some that are at random really.

[12:54] 1 John 1 verse 9. If we confess our sins. He's faithful and just to forgive us our sins. And to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. James 4 verse 8.

[13:05] It says. Draw nigh to God. And he will. Draw nigh to you. James 4 verse 10. Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God. And he shall lift you up.

[13:17] Matthew 5 verse 4. Blessed are they that warn. For they shall be comforted. Psalm 55 verse 22. Cast thy burden upon the Lord.

[13:27] And he shall sustain thee. He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. Cast thy burden. And he shall. Shout.

[13:38] Sustaining. That's an exceeding great and precious promise. If you've got a burden. It tells you what to do with it today. 1 Corinthians 10 verse 13. They have no temptation. Taken you but such as is common to man.

[13:51] But God is faithful. Who shall not suffer you to be tempted. Above that you are able. But will with the temptation. Also make a way of escape.

[14:02] That you may be able. To bear it. God is faithful. That's a promise. That's a promise. To you. And the word says elsewhere.

[14:13] That God. Who cannot lie. You can count on that. It's in black and white. It's. This is legal. Amen. This is. Guaranteed.

[14:24] There's no. Questioning in. John 10. 28. And I give unto them. Eternal life. And they shall never perish.

[14:37] Neither shall any. Pluck them. Out of my hand. You know. To this dear man. Last Sunday night. Can you lose your salvation? Whose salvation is it?

[14:51] Upon what does it depend? Is it dependent on any of my works? Any of my doing? Any of my trying? Any of my effort? Or is it dependent upon his ultimate and absolute and unworthy as I am?

[15:05] His grace. Grace. Have I got any merit to claim for my salvation at all? Much less my keeping it.

[15:19] It's the power of God. Amen. The power of God keeps us. Isaiah 41.10. Fear thou not for I am with thee. Be not dismayed for I am thy God.

[15:33] I will help thee. Yea. I will help thee. Yea. I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. There's that yes again. Isn't it? All the promises of God in him are yes.

[15:46] Yea. And amen. I am thy God. I will strengthen thee. Yes. Yea. I will help thee. Yes. Yea. I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

[16:00] That's an exceeding great and precious promise. Take it. Apply it. Highlight your Bible. Underline it. Put it in your mind. There's some crazy people in this church that are writing on the walls of their house.

[16:13] You know. They're writing the scriptures on the walls of their house. Because they believe it. They believe it. Exceeding great and precious promises. And Psalm 84.11 it says.

[16:25] For the Lord God is a sun and a shield. The Lord will give grace and glory. No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. No good thing will he withhold.

[16:36] Don't say you're going to be a millionaire. But he's not going to withhold the good things. Amen. He's not going to withhold the good things from those who walk uprightly. Jude 1.24. Now unto him.

[16:47] Unto him. That is able to keep you from falling. And to present you faultless. God is able to present you.

[16:58] God is able to keep you. Hebrews 4.16. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace. That we may obtain mercy and grace to hell. In time of need. That's a promise.

[17:09] Yep. That's a promise. When you pray. You can come to the throne of grace. You can obtain his mercy. He promises it to you. In Philippians 4.7 it says.

[17:21] And the peace of God which patheth all understanding. Shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. That's a promise. The peace of God that patheth all understanding.

[17:33] Shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. And when you're feeling like. What next? When you're feeling like. What next? It says.

[17:44] The eternal God is thy refuge. And underneath are the everlasting arms. Hallelujah. Deuteronomy 33. The eternal God is thy refuge.

[17:55] And underneath are the everlasting arms. That's a promise to you. When you're feeling like you're falling down. He's underneath. Are the everlasting arms of God.

[18:06] Amen. Psalm 46. God is our refuge and strength. A very present help in time of trouble. Therefore will not be fear.

[18:16] Though the earth be removed. And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea. God is our refuge. That's a great and precious promise today. That's a promise for the now.

[18:28] Of course we know there's various promises. There's various scriptures that apply to the Hebrews. to that time frame. You can't just willy nilly take at random and apply without discernment.

[18:41] But I believe all of these scriptures that I've said today. They're really yay and amen. They are yay and amen. God is our refuge and strength. Psalm 34.

[18:52] 7 to 8 it says. The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him and delivereth them. Isn't that good to know that the angels of God.

[19:03] are encamping about you. That's a promise. If you fear him. If you fear him. Oh taste and see that the Lord is good.

[19:13] Blessed. Blessed. Blessed. Is the man that trusted in him. Isaiah 26. 3. They will keep him in perfect peace. His mind is stayed on thee.

[19:25] Because he trusted in thee. That's a blessed promise for you. It is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Hebrews 13.

[19:36] I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say the Lord is my helper. And I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

[19:47] Psalm 17. 15. As for me I will behold thy facing righteousness. I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness. Our loved ones who have gone ahead of us.

[20:00] One day their eyes will open again. And it says that they will awake with his likeness. That's a promise. That's a promise. If you perceive me and pass away.

[20:10] Life wise one day your eyes will open. And you're going to be better looking than you already are. Amen. You're going to be waking up with his likeness. Isn't that glory? Isn't that good news? Isn't that precious?

[20:22] An exceeding great and precious promise today. But thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15. 57. We could go on and on and on and on with the exceeding great and precious promises.

[20:37] People today get a hold of it. It's real. It's yay and amen in Christ. You have his promises. It says in 2 Corinthians 7. 1. Having therefore these promises dearly beloved.

[20:50] Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit. Perfecting holiness in the fear of God. Because we've got his promises. It makes a difference in how we live. These promises are life promising.

[21:02] They're life producing. They're life impacting. Claim the promises of God. If you want to be fruitful Christian. If you don't want to be barren and unfruitful in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

[21:14] Get a hold of the power of God today. Realize it's not you. It's him. It's him. It's him. It's his power. That worketh in you. It's his promises that can be applied in everyday circumstances of your life.

[21:29] The promises of God. And thirdly, you can be a partaker of the divine nature. A partaker of the divine nature. He's called us to that.

[21:40] Partakers of the divine nature. I see Jesus in you. I see Jesus in you here today. In your skin. Walking and breathing and living in your shoes.

[21:53] Where you go. Where you touch lives. Christ in you. The divine nature. That you would be more like him.

[22:04] More like him. That that power. That those promises. They translate into a partaking. A partaking of his divine nature. That they translate into your human life.

[22:15] That's lived out. That your life. Your temperament changes. Your nature changes. In Ephesians 2.3 it says of our nature. That we were once by nature the children of wrath. We were once by nature the children of wrath.

[22:29] We were unworthy. And we were due his judgement. But he's changed our nature. He's given us his divine nature. We've partaken of his person. Of who he is. So friends to wrap up.

[22:43] Think of it now. You might have a knowledge. Of our Lord Jesus Christ. But potentially. You could be barren. And unfruitful with that knowledge.

[22:55] You haven't tapped into that power. Of God. That can transform your life. From the inside out. The power of the Holy Spirit. The power of the blood of Christ. The power of the gospel.

[23:08] You haven't. Grabbed a hold of the promises of God. That are in Christ. Are yes. And amen. They are guaranteed for you. You're not spending.

[23:21] That. Time. To take a hold of the promises. Be encouraged. Be exhorted. To. To. Underline the promises in your Bible.

[23:34] Underline them. Highlight them. Memorise them. And apply them. The promises. And. Think of the nature of Christ. Is that in me?

[23:45] Is Christ in me? Am I a partaker of his person? Is Christ lived out? Is Christ translated into my daily life? Into my workplace?

[23:56] Into my home? The nature of Christ. And beside this giving all diligence. Add to your faith virtue. And to virtue knowledge. And to knowledge temperance.

[24:07] And to temperance patience. And to patience godliness. And to godliness brotherly kindness. And to brotherly kindness charity. Charity. For if these things be in you and abound.

[24:20] They make you. That you shall neither be barren. Nor unfruitful. In the knowledge of. Our Lord Jesus Christ. Faith. Grows.

[24:33] The knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. It's not a stagnant static thing. It's a growing. Expanding. Flourishing. Abounding thing. It grows. It expands.

[24:44] It exercises itself. Faith is a happening thing. Faith is a happening thing. And you are the people of faith. If you love Christ. If you've trusted him. You are his vessel.

[24:57] You are. That which. His glory. Comes and dwells within. That. Human vessel of clay. You are Christ.

[25:08] To this earth. In the sense that. You are the Christ that they see. You are the Christ that they hear. Be a partaker of his nature. Take part.

[25:19] Be a partaker. Take part. Take your part in the kingdom. Take your part in the body. Take your part in the army. Be a fruitful Christian. In the knowledge.

[25:31]  Of our Lord Jesus Christ. To this earth.