Everything You Could Ever Need

Sunday Sermon 6.19.21

What if you were promised everything you could ever need would be given to you?

Add to that the promise of always being productive and useful.

But wait, that’s not all, top it off with you will never fall away.

I was struck this week with these three superlatives.

And my thoughts went something like, “ I am being promised everything I could ever need, in a useful and productive life, that will last forever… what kind of fool would say no to this offer?” Fully realizing there were countless numbers doing just that and I too have refused the offer or at least parts of it at times.

Here’s the context.

Peter, the walker on water, cutting off the ear, denier, disciple wrote these promises in his second letter, and first chapter.

There, in verse 3 he says,

“Everything we could ever need in life and godliness has been given to us.”

2 Pet. 1:3

Wait, whaaat? I already have everything I could ever need???

Peter says yes!

How is that so?

Pete tells us that when we come to know Jesus, in Him, we find and have everything we will ever need for life and godliness.

Why do we fight so hard against living a spiritual life? Why do we think we know better and God’s way isn’t enough? Why do we think living for Jesus is hard and boring and not for us?

Getting to know Jesus, spending time with Him, talking to Him, listening to Him, reading His word IS everything we could ever need. In HIM, knowing Him, is where we find all we need. In Him is where we find all we need for our life and living godly.

Peter calls this, “the rich experience of knowing Him.” This is the foundation for everything; our needs, hopes, questions, desires… the experience of knowing Him is vast, deep, precious, enlightening, puzzling, amazing, fearful and beautiful all at the same time. All we need is found in Him.

What kind of fool would say no to this offer?

Peter goes on to say,

“If you possess these qualities they will keep you from being inactive and unproductive”

2 Pet. 1:8

What qualities? Are they something unrealistic, hard to do, out of reach?

These are the qualities he lists: faith, goodness, understanding, self-control, perseverance, godliness, mercy and love.

Are they unrealistic? Are they impossible and out of our reach to display and practice in your life?

The promise is if we possess these qualities, they will keep us from being inactive and unproductive.

They are not unrealistic qualities if we are enjoying the experience of knowing Him. If we are in touch with Him, His Word and voice, these qualities should be abounding in our life. If we are out of step with Him, chances are pretty good these qualities will be lacking and so too our productiveness.

Check it, though. If we possess these qualities, we will not be inactive or unproductive. Wow.

What kind of fool would say no to this offer?

The final trifecta promise is you will never fall away. Never! Think of that. Never stumble. This of course is speaking spiritually. Stumbling spiritually is falling down, tripping up.

What’s the prerequisite for this NEVER stumble promise?

“If you do these things you will never stumble.”

2 Pet. 1:10

What things? So, what things, exactly do I need to do?

The things listed above-

1. Knowing Him
2. Possess those 8 qualities

If we are in relationship knowing Him and those 8 qualities are springing from our life, we will never stumble. We will be secure.

Isn’t that so true? Haven’t you found that when you are NOT in relationship with Him and some or all of these 8 qualities are absent from your life, you trip up all over the place?

Why do we fight so hard against living a spiritual life? In it we have all we need, we are active and productive and we won’t trip up!??

In our relationship with Jesus, we have everything we could ever need.

What kind of fool would say no to this offer?

Go with God.

Debbie