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Stone

Creek

www.rossvillechurch.com

781 Salem Road, Rossville, GA 30741

September 19, 2012

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After Paul left Troas, he

walked to Assos and then

sailed down the coast,

stopping each evening at a

village along the way.

When he reached Miletus,

he sent for the elders at

Ephesus to come there.

30 mile walk

Acts 20

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Paul is talking to them and

giving them counsel for the

future of the church.

Acts 20:24 But none of these things (prison, hardships,

dangers) move me, neither count I my life dear

unto myself, so that I might finish my course with

joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the

Lord Jesus, to testify the Gospel of the grace of

God.

He has been warned of

trouble ahead.

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May we all grow in the Lord Jesus Christ, until we

are as determined as Paul was to finish our course.

2 Peter 1 5 And beside this, giving all diligence

(whole-hearted effort), add to your faith virtue; and to

virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance;

and to temperance patience; and to patience

godliness; 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness;

and to brotherly kindness charity.

Spiritual growth is a process.

I want to pick up here.

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giving all diligence -- earnest care; eager effort,

A half-hearted effort won't get the

job done.

We must submit to God with our

whole heart.

God is pleased with our whole-hearted effort.

He multiplies it into full growth.

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Giving all diligence -- add to your faith virtue.

Virtue is the manliness or courage to strive for

excellence.

Never settle for "good enough".

Never settle for "I'm as good as you are."

That may not be very good.

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2 Corinthians 10 12 For we dare not make ourselves

of the number, or compare ourselves with some

that commend themselves: but they measuring

themselves by themselves, and comparing

themselves among themselves, are not wise.

By what should we

measure ourselves?

Hearken

Excellence!

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Giving all diligence -- add to virtue knowledge.

To strive for excellence, we must

know what that is.

Excellence is the

Word of God livedin the Power of God.

Luke 4 4 And Jesus answered him, saying, It is

written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but

by every Word of God.

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Giving all diligence add to knowledge temperance.

Temperance is self-control we are granted by

God's Holy Spirit.

The self-discipline to do what we know.

Giving all diligence

Add patience (cheerful endurance) to temperance.

To cheerfully live according to God's Word

is a strong characteristic

of a maturing child of God.

Persevere for a lifetime.

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Giving all diligence -- add godliness to patience.

Godliness is the goodness that comes from a

right relationship and fellowship with God.

The world makes fun of being good, but

goodness is the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

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Add to godliness -- brotherly kindness.

Philadelphia or phileo -- strong friendship

The best we can do as a human being.

Add to brotherly kindness -- charity -- agape

1 Corinthians 13:4-8a

A Christian truly maturing.

We can only love like this in the

strength of God's Holy Spirit.

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2 Peter 1 8 For if these things (these qualities) be in

you, and abound, they make you that ye shall

neither be barren nor unfruitful in the Knowledge

of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Matthew 7 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil

fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

Mark 4 8 And other (seed) fell on good ground, and

did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and

brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and

some an hundred. Good ground is the heart of

one who loves the Lord.