Reformers Series of Messages

Last week-How are we not like God? (His unshared traits)
Next week-How are we God’s image and likeness? (form)
This week-How can we can be like God? (godliness-traits God imparts to us—shares)

A swan is not a duck is not a goose

There is a children’s tale of a baby swan separated from it’s mother at birth. The swan tries to fit in with all kinds of other birds and animals but is quite ugly and never finds it’s image or identity, until finally it is maturing into a beautiful white swan then finds another swan and realizes who it was created to be. All this time it has been “becoming who it already was” but did not know the “form or likeness” it was meant to have. How is our spiritual life like the baby swan?

Reformation is from inside out-begins with me in His image
Peter describes this process of getting to know God better, then He shares Himself with us.
2 Peter 1:2-8

Share (koinos - fellowship and in common) in Divine Nature by grace knowing Him (NT:1922 epignosis—implies progressive experience producing change.
(note God’s part in this and our part-what we do)

2 May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 3His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. 5For this very reason, make every effort to supplement [add to] your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

To grow in grace and Godly love keep the five challenges: 1. read/meditate in God’s Word, 2. daily prayer/enjoy God’s presence, 3. fellowship and relationships in small group, 4. serve Christ’s body as member 5. co-mission with Christ in world.

2011 Year of Tending: focus, faithfulness, fruit

Gal. 6:9 “Let us not lose heart (be weary) of doing good, for in due time (kairos) we shall reap if we do not grow weary.” Chronos is chronological and general time which can lead us into an opportune or strategic time (kairos). This season of your life may be tedious-a time of plowing, standing, believing and persistent praying. If you press on, doing what is necessary in these general times the process will shift into a kairos season of reaping.