Cause & Effect
II Peter 1:4
http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/CauseAndEffect.html
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2 Peter 1:4
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.
Have you ever wanted God to do something, but you realized that you couldn’t ‘make Him’ do it? You realize in the long run that His will and way are best, even if you are willing for something else. Or sometimes you know it’s a good thing, or it’s His will, such as seeing a loved one saved, but you cannot make them get saved and you cannot make Him save them.
Well, though God is sovereign and we are not ultimately in control of His actions, He has promised in His Word that we can bring Him to action if we meet certain conditions. (In each case we must do something to set God into motion)
Thank God His love to us is unconditional. I praise Jesus that my salvation doesn’t depend on me but on Him. I had to meet the condition of belief and repentance to receive the gift, but from then on it’s an unconditional promise!
But many of God’s promises after salvation are conditional. Will we be willing to meet His conditions?
Think with me of some simple Bible situations where there was a cause and then an effect, and then we’ll get practical for our lives today.
EXAMPLES:
1. Water in - Wine out. (Jn. 2:1-11) Jesus was an example of this concept. Also: mud on eyes – blind sees!
2. Moses Rod raised - Red Sea opened. (Exo. 14:16)
3. Each of 10 plagues…Moses’ Rod held out (Exodus 7:20; 8:2; 8:16; 9:3; 9:9; 9:18; 10:4; 10:21; 11:5)
4. Applying blood to door post. (Exo.12:13)
5. Moses spoke - Water from the rock. Later he tried his own way and it didn’t work out as planned!
6. Rahab’s scarlet cord. (Josh.2:18)
7. Priests stepped into the water. (Josh. 3:16)
8. Dig ditches - Water from Edom. (I Kings 3:16)
9. Naaman dipped in Jordon.. Leprosy gone (II Kings 5:1)
10. Widow & Oil cruise - Oil & Meal for a whole year.
11. Blind man at pool of Siloam. (Washed & came seeing)
12. Cripple for 38 years…Obeyed & was healed.
13. Man with withered hand - stretched forth - healed.
These are all conditional promises:
VERSES in which our action brings reaction.
II Chronicles 7:14 – If my people… Many times people today say that we’re living in the last days, therefore there is no need to do anything.
But Isaiah said these words about 50 years before Israel went into Assyrian bondage, and 160 years before Judah went into Babylonian captivity.
There was still time to turn the nation around, if they would do what God told them to do.
This is true of our nation, state, and community, and church today.
It’s not too late as long as we are alive, and the judgment of God hasn’t fallen.
Ask & receive - Matt. 7:7
Seek & Find - " "
Knock & it will be opened - " "
Sow & Reap - Gal 6:7
Call unto me -- I will show you great things...Jer.33:3
Draw nigh to me & I will draw nigh to you. - James 4:8
Them that honor me I will honor - -(I Sam. 2:30)
Turn unto me saith the Lord & I will turn unto you.(Zech 1:3)
Return unto me & I will return unto You. (Mal 3:7)
I love them that love me. (Pro.8:17)
Whosoever believeth should not perish. (Jn 3:16)
Those who show mercy will have mercy (Ps. 18:25)
As thou hast done it shall be done unto thee. (Obad. 1:15)
2 Peter 1:10 – Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
– The exact same thing is still true for us today. You’ll never doubt your salvation if you make sure now!
Proverbs 22:6 – Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
We raise our children based on the promises of God, not on what our children are doing when they are young. Raise you children, do not just let them grow up.
Isaiah 55:11 – God’s word will not return void, but will accomplish that which He desires. So preach it, proclaim it. Witness using the actual words of the Gospel.
Psalms 126:6 – He that goeth forth weeping, shall return, bringing his sheaves with him.
A real believer will go before he sees any results. The results come after we obey, not before.
Thank God His love to us is unconditional. I praise Jesus that my salvation doesn’t depend on me but on Him. I had to meet the condition of belief and repentance to receive the gift, but from then on it’s an unconditional promise!
But many of God’s promises after salvation are conditional. Will we be willing to meet His conditions?
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http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/CauseAndEffect.html
