* You can now watch a video of this message at: https://new.livestream.com/rickpina/live.
This morning we continue our series, “Grace that is Simply Amazing” by continuing with our new mini-series entitled, “Growing in Grace.” A few days ago we started walking our way through 5-9 of Peter’s second letter. The Apostle Peter wrote, “So don’t lose a minute in building on what you’ve been given, complementing your basic faith with good character, spiritual understanding, alert discipline, passionate patience, reverent wonder, warm friendliness, and generous love, each dimension fitting into and developing the others. With these qualities active and growing in your lives, no grass will grow under your feet, no day will pass without its reward as you mature in your experience of our Master Jesus. Without these qualities you can’t see what’s right before you, oblivious that your old sinful life has been wiped off the books” (2 Peter 1:5-9 MSG). Today we will focus on the statement, “complementing your basic faith with… alert discipline.”
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
1. Discipline is a valuable trait. The dictionary defines discipline as: a way of behaving that shows a willingness to obey rules or orders; the regulation of practice; a subjection to laws, rules and precepts. Knowing that God called you to do something is good, but after having discovered your purpose, it takes discipline to pursue it long enough to fulfill it. Discipline requires both desire and dedication. Desire is your enthusiasm. Dedication is your commitment. If you have desire without dedication you will wish, hope and dream of God’s best, but you won’t put in the work to bring it to pass. If you have dedication without desire, you will tirelessly go through the motions, but without passion, zeal or fire, and your heart will not be in it. But when you have both a sincere desire and unwavering dedication, you will operate with the discipline required to maximize your purpose and potential in the earth.
2. You must be willing to pay the price. If you look at the lives of Peter, James, John, and Paul, you will see men who were unquestionably called of God, but who all paid a great price to fulfill their calling. Just because you are called of God it does not mean that it will not cost you anything. You must be willing to do whatever it takes, to give up whatever you hold dear, to sacrifice whatever plans you had prior to coming to Christ, and to endure hardship (if required) like a good Soldier, in order to make the most of the life you have been given. We all have a calling and our calling comes with a price. If you are not willing to pay the price, you will not experience supernatural success. The good news is that God has given you the grace to pay the price. Now it’s up to you. You must be willing to do it!
3. Discipline keeps you going when you don’t “feel” like it. In December 1997 the Lord told me to write a daily devotional, Today’s Word, and to put His Word in people’s email inboxes. Back then very few people had email. I started with eight of my friends, in Texas, and Today’s Word now goes out to over 3,000 people daily, all over the world, in both English and Spanish. When the Lord told me to write Today’s Word I had no idea that I would still be writing it almost 17 years later. But that is exactly what I am doing. The Lord told me to start and I cannot stop until He tells me to stop. Five days a week, every weekday morning for almost 17 years, I have reported to my spiritual duty, early in the morning, to receive a Word from the Lord, so I can share it with you. I wish I could tell you that I always feel like doing it, but that would not be true. However, whether tired or rested, sick or feeling good, good times or bad, I have never missed a day because I did not feel like it, because I was not feeling well, or because I was too tired. I am in the Army and I sometimes have to report to work very early, but regardless of the time, I resolved a long time ago to do God’s work first. I take care of His work and He takes care of mine. I am convinced that the Lord has blessed me richly because I have the discipline, by His grace, to keep going, even when I don’t “feel” like it. I am a witness that the Lord blesses those who are dedicated to His divine purpose.
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for giving me the grace to have the alert discipline required to discover, develop and deploy in pursuit of my purpose. I have both the desire and the dedication. You have given me a divine desire that manifests itself in the form of a burning zeal, in my heart, that will not burn out. The passion I have for my purpose keeps me going, even when I don’t “feel” like it. It is this passion that fuels my dedication. I am committed for the long haul. I am not moved by what I see. I am only moved by what You say. I am your child, I am called according to Your purpose, and I have the discipline required to make the most of the life You have given me; by Your grace. You gave me the assignment and You gave me the grace for the assignment. You then look to me to provide the willingness. By faith I declare that I do. I am willing to pay the price, no matter how high, to bring to pass Your perfect will for my life. I die to self, I submit to Your purpose and plans, and I am willing to run with patience the race that is set before me. I declare this by faith. I declare this by faith. I Jesus’ name, Amen!
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
