THE RECIPE FOR A GODLY LIFE

INTRO: I love to cook. I love to collect recipes (as you can tell by Facebook). I
love to collect cookbooks (I have at least 30).

Facebook voting what recipe next.

When I come across a recipe I like, I save it for later use. If I come across a recipe I
REALLY like, I purchase the ingredients and COOK!

The greatest recipe Ive ever read is not one to be saved for later, it is one that
needs to be used immediately, and used every day it is the recipe for a godly
life.

4 reasons why I like this recipe:

1) With most recipes you have to go to the grocery store and purchase the
ingredients (going to the grocery store I like paying the bill I dont!).

With this recipe, all of the ingredients have already been given to us.

2 Peter 1:3 (NIV2011)
3
His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through
our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.

2) Many times with a new recipe I have to wait until a later time to try it out
not so with this one!

2 Peter 1:4-5 (NIV2011)
4
Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so
that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped
the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
5
For this very reason, make every effort to FOLLOW THE RECIPE!

This is a recipe to use RIGHT NOW! Dont wait! Make every effort use it!


Someone once said, satan doesnt care how godly you try to be as long as
you dont plan to be it today.

This recipe is too good to wait to use!

3) Many recipes dont have clear instructions. The steps arent easily
discerned. This recipe is easy to follow

2 Peter 1:5 (NIV2011)
5
For this very reason, make every effort to add

*COOKING TIP: Always read the recipe, and understand it, first!

4) Sometimes, even when you follow the recipe perfectly, something
doesnt turn out right (burnt offering anyone?).

ILL. Slow cooker chicken. Hard as a ROCK. Even our BEST EFFORTS go bad.

This recipe is GUARANTEED to work EVERY TIME if we will WORK the
recipe!


1. FAITH
You must be a person who know Christ, and live as those who know Him do by
faith.

Hebrews 11:6 (NIV2011)
6
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to
him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek
him.

This is the key ingredient it is the BEEF in your beef stew, the CHICKEN in your
chicken soup

YOU MUST have faith.


2. GOODNESS

KJV: Virtue (excellence - the quality of being outstanding or extremely good).

We should add to our faith GOODNESS/VIRTUE we should have a desire for
excellence! Excellence in our homes. Excellence in our jobs. Excellence in our
relationships. Excellence in our witness.

We should desire to be outstanding or extremely good!

The next ingredient to living a godly life


3. KNOWLEDGE

2 Peter 1:2 (NIV2011)
2
Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of
Jesus our Lord.
Colossians 2:2-3 (NIV2011)
2
My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they
may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know
the mystery of God, namely, Christ,
3
in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Philippians 3:7-8 (NIV2011)
7
But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.
8
What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of
knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider
them garbage, that I may gain Christ
To live a godly life we need to KNOW Christ!




4) SELF-CONTROL
*DISCIPLINE*
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NIV2011)
24
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize?
Run in such a way as to get the prize.
25
Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get
a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.
26
Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer
beating the air.
27
No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have
preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
WE MUST DEMONSTRATE SELF-CONTROL! WE MUST DISCIPLINE OURSELVES TO
DO WHAT IS RIGHT!

5. PERSEVERANCE
Hebrews 10:36 (NIV2011)
36
You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will
receive what he has promised.
You cant quit must keep going!

6. GODLINESS
Obedience to Gods commands because of our reverence and love for Him.
We give because we love God.
We witness because we love God.
We come to church because we love God.
We serve others because we love God. THIS is GODLINESS.

7 & 8. MUTUAL AFFECTION & LOVE
Romans 12:10 (NIV2011)
10
Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.
1 Thessalonians 3:12 (NIV2011)
12
May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for
everyone else, just as ours does for you.

*COOKING TIP: Season EARLY, and season OFTEN. This will bring out the flavors
of each item in the dish you are cooking. If you wait until the end to add salt, for
instance, all youll taste is SALT!

Be SINCERE in your LOVE and let it be SHOWN often.

CONCL:
FAITH GOODNESS KNOWLEDGE SELF-CONTROL PERSEVERANCE
GODLINESS MUTUAL AFFECTION and LOVE.
THESE are the ingredients that make up the RECIPE for a GODLY LIFE.
COOK these up in your life, and see the great life that God has in store for you.
If one of these is lacking, the recipe wont turn out right have them all, and have
them in abundance!