These Things...Don't forget!

[0:00] Welcome. Thank you for choosing to listen to this Spirit-filled Word by David Enshu. When you catch a Word, you have caught God. May you catch a Word today that will cause God to change your story.

[0:13] Be blessed. In 2 Peter chapter 1, reading quickly from verse 1 all the way down to verse 12, Simon Peter, a servant, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ, grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

[0:38] According as His divine power has given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness through the knowledge of Him that has called us unto glory and virtue, whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

[0:59] And besides this, giving all diligence at 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.

[1:12] For if these things be in you and abound, they make you that ye neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacks these things is blind and cannot see afar off and has forgotten that he has been purged from his old sins.

[1:30] Wherefore, the rather brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure. For if ye do these things, ye shall never fall. For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

[1:47] 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.

[2:00] Here ends the reading of his holy word. Shall we please pray? Father, thank you for the opportunity to gather around your word. Thank you that you brought us together to infuse yourself into us so we can be more like you.

[2:15] We can think like you. Act like you. Love what you love. Hate what you hate. Thank you for bringing us together so that these things can always be on our minds without us forgetting them.

[2:29] Holy Spirit, you are the teacher, the only one who can teach the truth of life. The Magister Veritatis. Teach us the truth of God's ways.

[2:41] That our hearts will be strangely warmed. And our hearts will burn for you. And you can do what you want to do in our generation through our lives.

[2:52] That will be the appropriate vessels we are meant to be. To the glory of your name. In Jesus' name. Amen. Wow. In our last teaching, I spoke about the things that we are not supposed to forget.

[3:11] Right? And how we shouldn't forget the fact that we have been washed from our sins. That's a very important aspect of your dynamic Christian growth.

[3:23] Anyone who is growing in their Christian work, first of all, does not forget that he's been cleansed from his sins.

[3:34] That ultimately... Now, so, let's look at the structure of the text very carefully. And I want to point a few things to you. I mean, after the introduction, he speaks about how God has given us precious promises that we might be partakers of this different nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through last.

[3:54] Then he says that besides this, giving all diligence... Don't forget that phrase. Giving all diligence. Diligence. Okay. That's where... So, after God, what God has done for us.

[4:05] He said, giving all diligence. We should give, not somebody. We're giving all diligence. How do you know it's, as I said, add to your faith. So, whoever has the faith is meant to give diligence to add.

[4:17] It doesn't come naturally. You have to give diligence to add to your faith. Add to your faith. Virtue to virtue. Knowledge. Knowledge. Temperance. Temperance. Patience. And perseverance to patience.

[4:28] Godliness. Godliness. Godliness. Godliness. Godliness. Godliness. Love. Now, now, this is... He went on to say that if these things be in you... It's very important. If they... What are these things? these things that is just mentioned, if they be in you, they make you.

[4:41] The things that are in you make you that you don't become barren nor unfruitful. So to in other not to become barren or unfruitful, these things must be in you.

[4:55] And these things that are in you, they will make you. So fruitfulness and productivity, which is an essential aspect of godliness, comes naturally when diligence is applied for some things to develop.

[5:10] That's talking about spiritual growth. So as you are growing, you become fruitful. Your quality and the level of your fruitfulness is in direct proportion with your spiritual development.

[5:26] So these things, when he said these things be in you, he's saying that we should develop our faith to produce, develop our faith to produce, and develop that to produce, is progressive spiritual growth.

[5:39] Now, when you are growing, your growth will afford you your productivity. In other words, the absence of your growth, which is evidenced by these things.

[5:50] How do you know somebody is growing? These things. How do you know somebody is growing? These things. What are these things? We are talking about faith that has been developed to produce virtue, virtue that has been developed to produce knowledge, knowledge that has been developed to produce patience, patience that developed to produce godliness, godliness that developed to produce godliness, brother can develop to produce charity.

[6:13] These things. If these things are in you, it's a sign that some bro is growing. Bro is growing in the Lord. Since it's growing in the Lord.

[6:24] So if these things be in you, they will so. If you are growing, you will not be unfruitful. You will not be barren.

[6:35] Nobody grows spiritually and remains barren. Nobody grows spiritually and remains unfruitful. Because the sign of divine life is fruitfulness.

[6:48] Yes. I quoted in Revelation chapter 22 verse 2. It talks about the tree in paradise. The Bible says it brings all manner of fruit. Twelve manner of fruits. So the tree of life.

[6:59] I'm talking about life. The sign of life is fruitfulness. The sign of divine life is fruitfulness. The sign of divine life is fruitfulness. The sign of divine life is fruitfulness.

[7:09] John chapter 15. It says that I'm the vine. You are the branches. If you abide in me, there's something that will definitely be produced in your life. It says that he that abides me, I in him, the same shall bring forth.

[7:22] Come on. Come on now. Come on. The same shall bring forth. Why? Because the sign of divine life is productivity and fruitfulness. If the divine life is present in you, it will invariably produce some fruits.

[7:39] Fruits. Fruits. He said, but for the fruits of the spirit is. Fruits. I'm talking on Galatians chapter 5 verse 22. But the fruits of the spirit is.

[7:49] So Jesus said in Matthew, sorry, John chapter 15 verse 16 says that you did not call me. I chose you. Why? I chose you. Just not to come and hang around and have a holiday. No, I chose you that you might bear fruits.

[8:03] You did not choose me, but I chose you that you should go and bring forth fruit. And God's word, watch this, that your fruits should remain. Then you see, whatsoever you shall ask, all kinds of breakthroughs begin to follow.

[8:17] When you are fruitful, when you are fruitful, heaven just sponsors everything you do. He said, I chose you. I chose you. That's a very important point we are going to, so I don't want you to miss that.

[8:28] I have chosen you. You have not chosen me. I have chosen you. Hallelujah. That should always call for gratitude to God. Now, so it says that if these things be you, when you are developing spiritually, when you are plugged into Christ, if these things be you, they make you that you shall neither be barren nor fruitful in, in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

[8:51] You, as you know him, productivity is resulting. Now, this is very important. Then, what she said, but it says, if these things are absent, as I thought previously, he that lacks these things, is actually blind, and he cannot see afar off.

[9:05] You can't just see. Because if you can see, you see far. If you can't see far, then you are not seeing. It's as clear as that. He's actually blind, what she said, if they lack these things, he's blind, and cannot, you cannot see afar off.

[9:23] It's like, what you are seeing, seems to just be things that are just close to you, and even that you don't see properly. So, two things. If, if spiritual maturity is lacking, you don't see far, watch this, and you forget.

[9:37] Lack of spiritual maturity is evidence in inability to make proper divine judgments with the future in mind.

[9:51] You can't see far. Based on the real truth of, you see, when you talk about, no see, is that the truth, the key things about life, the core things of life, they elude you.

[10:04] You don't even realize that, this decision you are making, this thing you are saying, the way you allow your feelings to lead you, it's damaging the core things of life. The core truths.

[10:15] The core truths of life, you don't see. Because the core truths of life, are always, are always pointing to the future. Are preparatory platforms, for excellent future.

[10:27] Or an advantageous future. You get an advantage in the future. Because of the, you are supposed to be in school, you don't study. You don't study, and now, you finished, four years, in the uni, you didn't study anything.

[10:41] So you don't have, any qualification to show. You say, it doesn't matter. Life, you see, you see, you were, when you were not studying, you were not thinking, and far. Now you have to go back, and do O level, or A level mass, to be able to, be a teacher.

[10:57] You see, what you didn't take serious, you were not thinking far. But you see, these are even generalized truths. When it comes to, real truth, it's the truth of God's word.

[11:09] The truth of God's word. The way, you are allowing, situations to lead you, your feelings to lead you. Don't take your eye, of the truth of God's word. Because, you are blind.

[11:21] The things you are supposed to see, you are not seeing. And you are not seeing far. Because, if you see well, you have seen far. You can see the future, from seeing well.

[11:33] When you look at things, and your judgment, is very clean, and clear, and appropriate, you will be seeing the future, from where you are standing. So, but the problem is that, when spiritual maturity is lacking, no wonder people do things, without seeing far.

[11:54] They do things, without seeing far. That's where, those of us, who also claim, and intend to be, spiritually maturing, or matured, should also, bear that in mind, in our dealings, with others.

[12:06] Spiritual maturity, always includes, brotherly kindness. You claim to be, spiritually powerful, but you are so mean, mean, mean, merciless, a merciless person, like a mercenary.

[12:23] There's no way, anyone gets close to God, and is not merciful. There's no way. The closer you get to God, the more, you, you are willing to forgive.

[12:34] It's, it's easier to, let people off the hook. Because the closer, you get to God, you become a bit more, merciful than previously. So, your claims of spiritual development, and getting closer to God, which, which, excludes, development of mercy, merciful hearts, is a sign that, please, please, maybe, you are praying long, but you are not growing.

[13:00] Maybe, you are reading long, but you are not growing. Maybe, you are singing loud, but you are not growing. Maybe, you are fellowshipping more, but you are not growing. Because growth, as we saw, from King Peter chapter 1, is evidence in virtue, knowledge, patience, or temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, agape love.

[13:27] That's, that's what shows that, we are growing. So, instead of, boasting about the things, we are able to do, we should examine, the kind of fruits, we are producing.

[13:39] Or, others must look into our life, if they see that, we are, we are becoming short-sighted, and we are not seeing well, it's a sign that, sister, you are not growing.

[13:50] Brother, you are not growing. Because you wouldn't choose a wife, the way you are doing, if you are seeing far. You wouldn't choose a husband, the way you are going, if you are seeing far. It's a sign, that you are not growing. Sometimes, you grow later, and realize, what made me choose this wife?

[14:04] What I thought, was on my mind, when I chose this, my husband, what was it? What, I was so childish.

[14:15] Yeah, it's a sign. Brother, when I was a child, I speak like a child, I thought like a child, first going through, chapter 13. So, childishness, will be evidenced, in your decisions.

[14:27] Alright, but then, as you grow, that's the beauty of growth, and maturity. As you grow, you develop the wisdom, to handle, the mistakes, of your childish, decisions.

[14:41] So, then, you don't marry, and then go forward, and say, oh, the way, I have, my choosing was wrong, it wasn't from God, so, now, I will have to break God's law, by making, doing what is wrong.

[14:54] No, you don't do that, you actually develop wisdom. You develop, you don't, don't downgrade God's law. If Jesus is really in your life, and you are growing, he lifts you, to meet the standard.

[15:06] Okay, he doesn't lower the standard, to meet you. He actually lifts you. That's that. Spiritual growth lifts you, brings you up, to meet God's standard. Amen. Hallelujah.

[15:18] Hallelujah. I pray someone is getting something. So, now, going back to the text, it says that, he who lacks these things, is blind, and cannot see afar off, and have forgotten that he has been purged from his sins.

[15:31] Ah, there are things you shouldn't forget. There are certain types of forgetfulness, that is a reflection of spiritual immaturity. And, what's that forgetting? Forgetting you have been purged from your sins.

[15:42] Right? And, watch this. So, he said, these are the, the, the signs of spiritual growth. The signs of spiritual growth, or spiritual immaturity, or, when someone is growing, they are there.

[15:55] Growth, makes you fruitful. Lack of growth, makes you blind. Not just fruitless. You're actually blind. And, you forget. Right? Now, having understood this, look at the next verse.

[16:09] It said, therefore, it says that, wherefore, they rather, instead of allowing, lack of growth, it said, they rather, brethren, give, is it not, does it not sound like verse 5?

[16:22] Look at verse 5. Verse 5 says that, besides all this, giving all diligence. So, spiritual growth requires diligence. Verse 10, wherefore, they rather, brethren, giving, give diligence to make.

[16:38] All right? No, no, no, you see, when you are growing, spiritual growth makes your calling and election show. So, in other words, grow up.

[16:51] Grow up. It makes your calling and election show. What does that mean? For if you do these things, what are these things? If you, they say that same distance. Those same distance that are referred to in the verse 8 and verse 9.

[17:04] Look at the verse 8. It says that, for if these things, okay, if you do these things, verse 9, but he that lacks these things, okay, then the verse 10 says that, verse 10, give you all diligence, for if you do these things.

[17:19] What is the distance? The same thing. The same distance, and these things come as a result of diligence. Diligence, your personal input.

[17:30] So, as we engage diligence, these things develop, and once we do these things, it says that, give diligence to make your calling and election.

[17:42] Now, before I move further, remember, I spoke about how Jesus said, you did not choose me. John chapter 15, verse 16, you did not choose me, okay? You did not choose. We are chosen. Chosen. Very important to understand, you are chosen.

[17:55] If you are in Christ, you were actually handpicked. Handpicked to be in Christ. Handpicked. It's selected. It's like you go to the farm, picking cherries, and get this one.

[18:09] You were not accidentally, intentionally. You were purposefully. Our election, our choosing, our being chosen, was not incidental, was not accidental, was not an afterthought.

[18:28] It was an initial plan of God. How do you know that? God is a God of holiness. That's who he is.

[18:39] His nature, he is holy. So, Holy Father, Holy Son, and Holy Spirit. God is holy. When his holiness, his uniqueness, his otherness, is being expressed towards us, we see it as the glory of God.

[19:00] So, the glory of God is what, is the expression of who he is, which is reaching out to us. So, it's, on our end, it's just like the sun. The rays of the sun, is not the sun, but it's the rays.

[19:15] So, the radiance. So, God is holy. His radiance, his, the expression of God's holiness, is what we call, the glory of God.

[19:26] The glory of God. And it manifests in different, different, different dimensions. Now, so, God created this. Watch, this is very important. The central aspect of the dealings of God, God, on earth, and with humanity, is his glory.

[19:44] And the glory of God, eventually, settles, and the central aspect, or culminates, or the glory of God, his conclusion, is the grace.

[19:56] So, it's, you can't enjoy the glory of God, without his grace. So, his grace is the central aspect, or is the, the logical conclusion, let me put you this, you know, the, the, the grace of God, is there, is, is when, when the glory of God is being expressed, it's actually the grace that makes it a reality.

[20:17] Now, the grace of God is evidenced only in Christ. The life of, in Christ. So, without Christ, the Bible says that grace and truth came by Christ. And now, watch this.

[20:28] And Christ, to really appreciate the life of Christ, the life of Christ, is actually the, it's, it's centralized. It's actually evidenced by his death. This is very important.

[20:39] So, when you look at, from God's plan, it's, you can see, God's plan, is really, as long as humanity is concerned, and the creation is concerned, the, the death of Christ, the cross of Christ, is the central aspect, of everything God is doing.

[20:55] So then, if God is going to show his glory, to us, if God is going to manifest his grace to us, if Christ has to be manifested, it must come from the cross, backwards.

[21:06] So, in Revelation chapter 13, verse 8, it talks about, their names are written in the Lamb's book of life, the book of life of the Lamb, slain when? From the front. So, before the earth started, the cross was in view.

[21:19] I'm talking about the cross, you see? The cross was in view. In Ephesians chapter 1, verse 4. In 2 Timothy chapter 1, verse 9. Ephesians chapter 1, verse 4, just as, uh-oh, you see that he's chosen, he's chosen.

[21:31] Just as he chose us, where? In Christ, before the foundation of the earth. Did you see that? That we should be holy and blessed. So, we were chosen before the foundation of the earth.

[21:43] So, God choosing us is not an afterthought, because the cross was already programmed. Why was the cross programmed? Because of your choosing. Because God planned to choose us, but he cannot choose us outside of the cross.

[21:57] So, the cross is the center of creation. And then, then from the cross, we get to God. From the cross, we get to God. How did Abraham get to God? Through the cross. How did Moses get to God?

[22:09] Through the cross. How did the Jews, before Jesus died on the cross, how were they getting to God? The same means, they were saved. The salvation in the Old Testament is not different from the salvation in the New Testament.

[22:22] The Old Testament saints look to the cross, and they were saved. The New Testament said, look back to the cross. Then look ahead. Whilst we look back to the cross, and we are saved.

[22:33] It doesn't make any difference, because the foundation we had chosen, the lamb was slain. According to 1 Peter, chapter 1, talking about a lamb without spot, who was slain without blemish and spot, was slain, verse 20, was slain from the foundation.

[22:48] He was foreordained before the foundation of the world. Da, da, da, da. He was foreordained, foreordained, and this blood, before God created the earth, there was already a foreordination of people who will be chosen through the cross, through the blood.

[23:05] Hallelujah. So, the Old Testament, when you see a Jewish man going to the temple those days, and prays and comes back home, the friend asks, where did you go?

[23:17] He said, I went to the temple. What did you go to do? I went to pray for forgiveness. And he says that, but how do you know God has forgiven you? What assurance do you have that you have been forgiven?

[23:29] It's because he says that God has promised already. So, they are forgiven based on the promise of God. I was looking back. We also come, we go to church, we go to the gathering, we come back, we go to our closet, we come back.

[23:42] I went to God. What did you do? I asked for forgiveness. How do you know he has forgiven? Because the cross. So, they look, they were forgiven on promise based on the cross. We are also forgiven based on our knowledge of the cross.

[23:54] We can't forget that we have been forgiven. Don't forget you are forgiven. We can't forget we have been forgiven. And guess what? So, watch this, watch this.

[24:05] You, oh, oh, you, oh, thank you Jesus. Sorry. You cannot be chosen outside of the cross. Any form of worship outside of the cross is not acceptable to God.

[24:21] That's a serious one. But let's move on. Let me leave it for those who want to think. So, why?

[24:32] Because the cross has always been the central focus of God's dealing with creation. The cross. The cross. So, in 2 Timothy chapter 1, verse 9, it talks about how he has chose us according to the, who has saved us.

[24:50] Watch this. You see this call, this call has vampirred again. It's the same as chosen. Okay. This call. You have saved us and called us with a holy calling. Watch this. Not according to our works, but according to, watch this, it's not an afterthought.

[25:04] It was his purpose, his purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ before time began. So, you being chosen is not an afterthought.

[25:16] For those he foreknew, then he also predestined to be conformed into the image of his son, that he might be the firstborn amongst many brethren.

[25:28] We are many, but he's the first. We are many, but he's the first. He was chosen to be the first, and we were predestinated to be conformed into his image. So, when we appear before God, we appear cloned like Jesus, because we appear in his image.

[25:44] And when God sees the image of Christ, the image of Christ is actually God, because the Bible says that he is the express image of God's person. Hallelujah. In the Hebrew chapter 1 verse 3, Christ is the express image of God's person.

[26:00] So, when you see Christ, you have seen God. Jesus said, John chapter 14, Thomas said, show us the Father, and it's enough for you. He says, come on, come on, Thomas, come on, Thomas, have I been with you all this while?

[26:15] I can't believe you don't, you're asking me, show it. If you have seen me, you have seen the Father. I've been with you all this while, because I am the express image of his person.

[26:27] The definition, the physical definition of God is only discovered in Christ. In John chapter 1 verse 18, he says that he declared, he who, no one has seen God, but the one who came from the bosom of the Father, he has declared him, he has defined him, he has manifested him, he has demonstrated God, he came to demonstrate God.

[26:52] You want to know how God looks like? You don't need a golden calf. You don't need the nice scenery of creation. You don't need nature to know how God looks like.

[27:02] You want to know how God looks like? You got to look at Jesus. You got to look at Jesus. In Colossians chapter 1 verse 15 and 16, he says that Jesus, he is the image, Jesus Christ, he is the image of the God who cannot be seen.

[27:18] He is the image of the invisible God. The one that cannot be seen has chosen to make himself visible through Christ. Christ is the image of the God who cannot be seen.

[27:31] In fact, chapter 2 of Colossians verse 9, he says that for in him dwells the fullness. I mean, the fullness is not the partialness. So when Christ was walking on earth, it's like all of God was on earth.

[27:46] There's no path left. All of God, as much as it can be encapsulated or captured in physical version, all of God was walking. All of God, as long as humanity can contain, was captured in Christ.

[28:00] For in him dwelleth, that dwells all the fullness, not part of it, all the full, the fullness. Jesus, and we become born again.

[28:13] He foreknew us. He predestined us to be conformed. Watch this. This is a serious thing. Conformed into the image of this Jesus we are talking about.

[28:25] So when we go before God, we go as the image of Christ. And the image of Christ is invariably the image of God. Is it not restoration? How God created man in his own.

[28:36] Let us make man in our own image. But it was distorted. And Christ came to do the actual, the real image of God, Christ. And now when you are born again, you have been reconfigured.

[28:50] Huh? Huh? You have been reconfigured. You have been remanufactured, reset, reconfigured into the image of the true God, of the true God, spiritually.

[29:06] And so he, he called us. We are chosen. He said from the foundation, he had chosen us and we are not an afterthought, but we were actually his actual plans.

[29:19] Let me look at the text again. It says that, wherefore rather brethren, giving diligence to make your calling, say, I'm called. I'm called. Somebody is called.

[29:30] If you are in Christ, you are called. And as I said, it wasn't later, God was thinking, he slept and he woke up. Oh, okay, let me call. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Before you have formed in your mother's whom he had called you.

[29:42] Yeah. So that's why it says that for those he foreknew, Romans chapter eight, verse 29, those he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son, that he might be the first woman. Verse 30 says, and those he predestined, them he called.

[29:56] So why is he calling you? Because he already predestined you to be called. We are the called. We are the called. In first Corinthians chapter one, verse two, first Corinthians chapter one, verse nine, first Corinthians chapter one, verse 24, first Corinthians chapter one, verse 26.

[30:11] It all talks about how we have, verse two says, verse two says that to the church of God, which is to those who are sanctified in Christ, he says, what called to be seen. Verse nine, he has called us into fellowship with his son.

[30:23] Verse, verse 24. But, but to those of us who are called to those who are perished, verse 24, that those of us who are called, both you say, it's the power of God. Verse 26. Not many of you, not many called.

[30:35] So you see your calling brethren, not many wise. We are, we have a calling. We have a calling in a, in a, in Ephesians chapter one, verse 18. It talks about that.

[30:46] You know, the hope of your calling. You have been called in Ephesians chapter four, verse one, and in Ephesians chapter four, verse four, Ephesians chapter four, verse one. Therefore, the premier prisoner beseech you to work worthy of your calling.

[31:00] Why? Because you have been called. Verse four talks about one, one, one hope of our calling, one hope of your calling. We have been called. Hallelujah. Philippians chapter three, verse 14.

[31:12] It said, I press on toward the mark of the upward call, call, call of God. In first Timothy chapter six, verse 12, first Timothy chapter six, verse 12.

[31:24] It talks about that fight, a good fight, lay hold on it, tell us to which you also, were also called. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hebrews chapter one, chapter three, verse one.

[31:35] Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling. We are partakers of the heavenly calling. Why? Because we have been called.

[31:46] We are not ordinary people. We are called people. Second Timothy chapter one, verse nine, who has called us, saved us, and called us. He saved us, and called us.

[31:58] We are saved, and called. So, when you come to second Peter again, second Peter, the main text, chapter one, verse 10, he says that, if you're giving all diligence to make your calling, why?

[32:10] Because you have been called. You have been called. Actually, in first Peter chapter five, verse 10, it talks about how he has called us unto glory. He has called us unto glory and virtue.

[32:20] He has called us. Who has called us into his eternal glory? He has called us. Now, what is, why am I talking so much about this calling? Because the mere fact that you are a Christian, Jesus said, you didn't choose me.

[32:33] I chose you. I chose you and called you. So, it's, you have to take it, like, handle it with, with honor. Because we have been called.

[32:45] You didn't come to church because your friend invited you. You didn't become born again because God orchestrated all those circumstances because that were the process to make his calling an actuality.

[32:56] For the calling that is on your life to be actualized, God has to take you through process. Somebody invited you to church or your, somebody broke your heart and then you say, okay, I'm going to pray. And then you found out that you actually, you know, so things like that, you know, I'm talking about, yeah, but it works for you now.

[33:11] It works. You are now, can't imagine, you are now in your calling. But it's not just, we are only called. We are also chosen or selected. He said, or elected, the same, the same Greek word, translated, chosen, selected, or elected.

[33:22] It talks about verse 10 again, chapter one, second Peter, verse 10. He says that, giving all diligence to make your calling an election. We are, we are chosen. As I told you in Ephesians chapter one, verse four, that we are chosen from the foundation of the earth, or he has appointed us.

[33:37] He has chosen us from the, is the same. He has selected us. He has chosen us. In first Peter chapter one, verse two, talks about who have been selected, elected, chosen, elections, elected according to the foreign knowledge of God.

[33:50] He has elected us. He has chosen us. He has selected us. He has handpicked us. So it's like an election was going on and God cast his ballot for you. He said, you are my candidate.

[34:01] Hallelujah. You are God's candidate. Hallelujah. That should make you excited. In first Peter chapter two, verse nine, you are a chosen, a chosen generation.

[34:12] You are a chosen generation. We are chosen. And that should make us very happy. In second Thessalonians chapter two, verse 13, it talks about our being chosen.

[34:23] Our election, but we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren, brethren, beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning, from the beginning chose you.

[34:36] When did he choose you from the beginning? I told you it's not an afterthought. You were chosen from the beginning. Sorry for my excitement. I can't help it. The word is burning in my heart.

[34:47] I'm always excited to talk about these truths, these truths that make us unique. In creation. So we are chosen. And now he says that, give all diligence.

[34:58] Don't waste it. Give diligence to make your calling and election show. What does that actually mean? What does that? Because we are chosen. Please, live a life to justify the fact that you're actually chosen.

[35:12] Live a life to validate it. To, you see, it's, it's, it's, it's, you are proving something. It's not like to make your future show, but it's, you are actually endorsing the fact that, listen, I'm chosen.

[35:24] That's why I, I, I have to live this life. Oh, so when you are an elected officer, you can't behave anyway.

[35:35] You have to make your election show so that those who chose you know that. Oh, really? And those who didn't even vote for you can see that. Actually, I think it's good. It's good. Those guys voted for you.

[35:46] So it's you, your job to make the one, as for the election, it has already taken place. But please, please make the election worth it. Make the, yet your lifestyle validates God's choice of you.

[36:03] Let your spiritual development validate it. This is very important. It's going some way. So watch this. He said, giving all diligence to make your calling and election show. For if you do this, there's no way you fall.

[36:15] Ah, see, there's, there's no backsliding in the one who has focused on making the fact that God has elected me. Make it valid. Make others see that.

[36:26] Oh, oh yeah, yeah, yeah. How do you do that? Add your faith. Give all diligence. Add your faith. And add to virtue. And add to your knowledge. And add to your temperance. And add to your patience. And add to your godliness.

[36:38] And add to your radicalness. So, when you do these things, you won't fall. You are fruitful. And you won't fall. They are all the same. Fruitfulness. The one who is fruitful cannot fall.

[36:49] Because he says that, my father is the husband man. Any branch in me, John chapter 15, that does not bear fruit. It chops off. But any branch in me that bears fruit, is that my father prunes.

[37:04] He prunes a branch that bears fruit. The one that don't, it takes away. Every branch in me, that does not bear fruit, is taken away. Fall off. Fruitlessness makes you fall off.

[37:17] What does this mean? I'm going somewhere. Does that mean you have lost your salvation because of fornication? Does that mean you have lost your salvation because of bitterness?

[37:29] Does that mean you have lost your salvation because of some things that you did, you've started doing? Is that what that means?

[37:39] He said you will not fall. You fall from grace. You fall from the manifestation of the glory of God. The beauty of God you have chosen to demonstrate. You fall from it.

[37:50] It doesn't, you see, but he said if you make this, if, so okay, let's go back to the text. He said that, wherefore, giving Jesus, to make your calling and election show, for if these things, those things we've always spoken about, for if you do these things, you shall never, never, never fall.

[38:06] In other words, your fruitfulness and your productivity is so beautiful that you haven't fallen from grace. You haven't fallen from grace. But see, the next verse will actually throw a little bit more light on this because Peter, oh, Peter, Peter always kept, used to keep their focus on the life coming because now, even if you are forgotten what has been done for you, how will you even remember what is coming?

[38:32] How will you keep in mind what is coming, which you haven't experienced yet, you have just been told, what has actually happened to you, you forget, that your sins have been forgiven. It's a bigger problem because now, how can we even manage to convince you about what is coming?

[38:46] So he says that, for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom. That's talking about when Jesus comes.

[38:58] You entrance, enter gloriously. In other words, you enter with grand style. You enter with grand style. It's like when Team GB went for Olympics and we won a lot of medals and we were coming, you know, while our team was coming.

[39:14] We welcomed them in grand style. When we went to play the World Cup and we almost won, you know, when we were coming. Haven't you seen, sometimes, for those of us who live in London, I think, or maybe the major cities where there's a Man U, Liverpool, Chelsea, and some of the Premier Leagues, when they win the trophy, the big one, they parade them.

[39:41] It's like you are coming home in grand style. So he said, an entrance shall be, it doesn't mean if you don't do this, you won't enter the kingdom of God. But he said, an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly.

[39:55] You will enter in grand style. But those who don't do it, what happens to them? 1 Corinthians 3, verse 15 is what happens to them. 1 Corinthians, open your eyes, yes, look at it.

[40:09] I don't know who I'm talking to you, but if anyone's work is burned, he will suffer losses, but he himself will be saved, yet us through fire. Fire. Your salvation is not easy. You are entering into the eternal kingdom, but man, it's through fire.

[40:24] Because he that knows in Luke chapter 12, he that knows his master's will and does not prepare himself to do their will, will be beaten. Will be beaten, verse 17, will be beaten.

[40:35] I like the NIV, it says that, yeah, yeah, NIV says blows. So, you see, if you are not growing, it's likely one day you'll be beaten. Yeah.

[40:47] Because you knew your master's will and you didn't do it. You didn't develop yourself to do it because God gives you what it takes. He says, he has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness.

[41:00] So, resist that. But if you grow, you will not fall. If you do these things, you will not fall. You shall never, he says, ye shall never fall. I think I would like to, for today, I would like to read it from the Amplified.

[41:13] Maybe it might throw a little bit more light on it. I'm reading from the verse 8, the Amplified version. Okay, I think you can have it on the screen for us. For as these qualities are yours and increasingly abound in you, they will keep you from being idle or unfruitful unto the full personal knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Miseric, the Anointed One.

[41:33] The next verse, verse 9, The next verse, because of this, brothers, brothers, brethren, that means brothers and sisters, okay, because of this brethren, be all the more solicitous and eager to make sure to ratify, to strengthen, to make steadfast your calling.

[42:09] You ratify it. Make it steadfast. An election, for if you do this, ye will never stumble or fall. The next verse, thus there will be richly and abundantly provided for you entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

[42:32] This is a beautiful text. Then, back to my version. It says that verse 12, I want to end on verse 12. Ah, see, when you read the Bible, it comes across wherefore or therefore.

[42:46] Yeah, you have to propose to think about what that therefore or wherefore is therefore. It's there for a reason. In other words, on the basis of all that I've said, okay, watch, this is very important.

[43:00] I'll be ending on this, but I don't need you to miss. I need you not to miss something. On the basis of all this that I've been saying, because of this, on the platform of this, wherefore, I will not be, so I said, that's my job as a preacher.

[43:14] I will not be negligent. To put you always in remembrance. Ah, that means you have to remember things. Okay. Remember, see, sir, sir, did you realize these things keep coming?

[43:26] These things, these things, these things, these things. I will not be negligent to put you in remembrance of these things. Those are the ones who say, I know it, I know them already.

[43:37] You have taught this over and over. He said, no, I won't still be negligent. If I don't put you in remembrance, I'm being negligent. I'm neglecting my responsibility. asked the pastor. He said, I will therefore, I will therefore, based on instance, because, watch this, because, wherefore, watch it.

[43:54] I think it would just be fair to look at the end of verse 10 and verse 11 again. That makes the word important. Because of this, giving all diligence, make your calling and luscious show so that you will never fall.

[44:06] Okay? And if you don't fall, what happens? The next verse. There's an abundant and glorious entrance waiting for you into the kingdom of God. Because of what is ahead, the way you have to enjoy, the joy is ahead, the glorious days ahead, these people never preached without keeping their eyes on what is ahead.

[44:25] Okay? His job is to remind them that Christ is coming. Christ is coming. Christ is coming. Their preaching was hinged a lot on, you have been saved.

[44:37] Why are you saved? Because Christ is coming. You have to bear fruit. Why are you to bear fruit? Because Christ is coming. See how he linked spiritual maturity to the abundant entrance into the kingdom.

[44:48] Because of what is ahead. But you see, if we don't do that and you are not productive and these things don't grow, you realize, you even forget that you have been forgiving your sins.

[44:59] Forgetfulness is human. Forgetfulness. So if you forget about what has been done, then the ones that are ahead, we have to keep reminding you, reminding you so that as soon as, once you begin to generate fruits, it helps you to remember actually you have been forgiven.

[45:15] That's why you are looking forward to what is coming. So you can't forget that your sins have been forgiven, but we have to help remind you that there are days ahead. There are glorious days ahead.

[45:28] There are majestic days ahead. Wherefore, I will not be negligent. Pastor, pastor, pastor, pastor, pastor. I'm a pastor, so you know what?

[45:40] There are things I can encourage you about. There are things like about this thing. I don't think it would be right for me to see my children growing without them brushing their teeth. Hey! And my child comes from school and I, the eight year, nine year, ten year, eleven, twelve, I say, go, go and play.

[46:02] And I put on video games. Every time, once they have assignment, ah, I'm being irresponsible parent. I will not be negligent. I will not be negligent. I will not be negligent.

[46:14] As a father and as a mother, I will not be negligent to put you in remembrance of these things. Though you know them.

[46:26] I'm reminding you, I know you know them. And watch this. It's not that just, you know them, but you have been, you have been established in the present truth. What does that mean? That these truths are current with you. It's not like something that is ten years ago.

[46:39] You are aware of them. But I'm still talking about what you are so much aware of. Yeah. And NIV says that I will always remind you of these things. Even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have.

[46:54] You have it. But I'm still reminding you. I won't be negligent. I will not be negligent to put you in remembrance. I can't do that. You might kill Pastor this preacher.

[47:06] Every day you are preaching the same thing. I can't be negligent. And the reason why I can't be negligent in reminding you is because my life here is short. My time here is short.

[47:16] I'm about to check out. You are going to be on your own very soon. You'll be on your own most of the time and I'm about to go. Mom says that I want to train you so when you grow up you don't go and disgrace me in your marital home.

[47:31] Your dad said I want to train you so you'll be a responsible husband because very soon you'll leave home. Before you leave home we've got a chance to help you put your remembrance of the key things that are important in life.

[47:42] And so he said I will not be negligent to remind you of these things though you know them and be established in the present truth. Watch this. The verse 13 says that let me add it and close. Verse 13 yes I think it meets now that it's necessary as long as I'm in this tabernacle to stare you up by putting when you remind people there's a way you charge them by reminding them reminding them stares them up because he said Jesus has revealed to me that very soon I'm about to die so I have to remind you.

[48:11] I'll continue this reminding it says that I will not be negligent to remind you. First of all it says that he who lacks these things is short sighted and has forgotten is blind short sighted forgotten that he's been pierced from his sins.

[48:26] Yeah. Say forgotten. Yeah. There's already forgetfulness at play. It's my job to remind you so you don't forget about key things in life. And I'll continue the next time.

[48:38] I pray you receive. Thank you for listening to this message by David Entry. When God speaks works show and the works will surely show in your life. To hear more from David Entry follow him on Facebook Instagram Twitter LinkedIn and subscribe to Caris Church on YouTube.

[48:56] Don't forget to share and subscribe to our podcast so you're always up to date. Be blessed.