1. Difficult D’s Series #6 3/16/14 PM

2. Questions we may ask…  What is Christian growth?  Should disciples be growing?  Who or what is responsible for it?  Is it part of the sanctification process?  Where does this topic appear in the Bible?  What if I’m not growing?  What are some helpful tips for Christian growth?

3. II Peter 1:5-10 Let’s begin here!  (You)Giving all diligence – Christian growth is serious business – not an extra- curricular activity.  Add to your Faith – saving faith that gave you your divine nature, forgiveness of sins, justification…  Virtue – Roman virtue is strength, valor, courage…  Knowledge – Peter and Paul meant growth and development in the Christian life.

4.  Temperance – self control in every area of our lives – thoughts, actions, attitudes.  Patience – endurance built on knowledge, courage, and self control. (distance running, fishing, reading)  Godliness – to desire to be like our Heavenly Father – praise, worship, devotion, dependence.

5.  Brotherly kindness – love of other believers – our brothers! Whether they are lovely or not. Whether we agree or not.  Charity – Love the outsider – God so loved… Bring them the gospel. “Sacrificial involvement in the life of someone who does or does not deserve it.”

6.  If these…be in you and abound – not talking about the externals, but these things are multiplying internally - subjectively.  Not be barren – idle – these works of the Holy Spirit in our lives will produce a liveliness or activeness. We will not or cannot be idle.  Nor unfruitful – objective! The fruit that is visible and influences others!

7.  He that lacketh…is blind…and forgotten that he was purged. “…sterility in the lives of many church members in our day…not being sure that they were ever really saved.” J. Vernon McGee  Give diligence to make your calling and election sure – “The security of the believer is objective; …cannot be disturbed. However, your assurance can certainly be disturbed by the life you live.” JVM

8. Sunday 3/23/14 PM

9. Cause Result Hebrews 5:11-14 ¶ Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. 12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. 13 For every one that uses milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 14 But strong meat belongs to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

10. Cause Result  2 Peter 3:18 18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

11. Cause Result  1 Peter 2:1-3 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, 2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

12. Cause Result  1 Corinthians 3:1-4 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. 2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. 3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? 4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?

13. Cause Result  1 Corinthians 3:6-9 6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. 8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. 9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.

14. Cause Result  1 John 2:12-14 12 ¶ I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake. 13 I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father. 14 I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.

15. Cause Result  John 21:15 Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs…sheep  Acts 20:26-29 26 Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. 27 For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. 28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. 29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.  Acts 20:32 32 And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.  1 Peter 5:2 2 Feed the flock of God which is among you,

16. Cause Result  John 15:4-5 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.  John 15:10 10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

17. Cause Result  Romans 12:2 – “be transformed by the renewing of your mind”

18. Cause Result  Colossians 1:3-10 3 ¶ We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4 Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints, 5 For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; 6 Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth: 7 As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ; 8 Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit. 9 ¶ For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

19. Cause Result?  1 Thessalonians 4:9-10 9 ¶ But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another. 10 And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more;

20. Cause Result  1 Thessalonians 3:10-13 10 Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith? 11 ¶ Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you. 12 And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you: 13 To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.

21. Cause Result  Psalm 1:2-3 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

22. Cause Result  Ephesians 4:11-16 1 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

25. Degree – forsake all Went away sorrowful Distance – followed afar off! Can advance or retard our degree It is progressive