Introduction:     Highly Effective Christians, 1) Practice Spiritual Diligence, 2) Cultivate A Passion For Virtue, 3) Concentrate On Increasing Biblical Knowledge and today we are going to learn that Highly Effective Christians, 4) Develop "Temperance." (Look again at verse 6). As we add to our faith, we are to add "temperance". The word translated "temperance" refers to having self-discipline. What does that have to do with us adding to our faith? Note the progression. Peter builds on the previous ideas. Virtue is the desire to do what is right. Knowledge is knowing what is right. The problem is, that a desire to do what is right, and knowing what is right to do is insufficient as we add to our faith. We need temperance; the self discipline to do what is right. (Illus: Let's say that I wanted to lose a few pounds. I could really have the desire to do that. I may even know to do it. But the desire to lose weight and the knowledge of how to lose weight is not going to get the job done.  I'm going to have to have the discipline to get out there and exercise and the discipline to eat the salad rather than the quadruple cheeseburger.) Adding to our faith and growing spiritually requires self-discipline as well. Your faith will not grow in a spiritual environment of disobedience. Growth comes only when we die to self, and submit our will to the will of God. Listen to what James 1:22 commands us, "But be ye doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves." So how can we build "temperance" (self-control) into our spiritual lives? First by....understanding that temperance:

I.          REQUIRES THAT WE FOCUS

(Illus. Back in the 50's Ted Williams was one of the greatest hitters of all time. What made Ted Williams a great hitter? Great eyesight? Perfect hand-eye coordination? Yes those things were important, but when asked he said that his greatest attribute was that he had the ability to block out all distractions and concentrate on the pitched ball. One time some of his teammates wanted to put his concentration to the test. As a pitch was thrown, several of them threw lit firecrackers at his feet. As the story goes he didn't flinch a bit as he hit the ball. He was focused). Obedience requires that we not allow distractions to keep us from doing what we know we are to do. Many of the basics of Christian living require that we focus on what it is we are to do. For instance....Bible Study, Prayer, Church Attendance, Giving, Witnessing just to name a few require intentional obedience. There are a lot of things that will distract us from obeying the Lord. We get wrapped up in our schedules, our circumstances, sometimes we let our priorities get out of whack, and what happens we lose the focus we need to live for Jesus. Secondly we can build temperance into our lives by understanding that temperance:

II.         REQUIRES THAT WE FORGET

I believe that if we are going to live obedient lives, then we must have some selective disciplined, forgetfulness. For example:

A.        We Need To Forget Our Failures

Peter had some failures in his life. No doubt the most obvious was his denial of the Lord Jesus. After that Peter decided he was going to go back to the business of fishing. He was convinced that he was a wash out when it came to the ministry. Jesus in John 21 expressed His desire for Peter to be restored to service. One of Satan's strongest strategies is to get us to wallow in our defeat and failure. Don't misunderstand. I am not minimizing our sins. When we sin we need to deal with them biblically. I John 1:9 says that if we have confessed our sins God has forgiven us and that our sins are in the sea of forgetfulness. Amen. Some of us need to leave the past in the past. If you can learn and grow from past failures then an occasional look back may be helpful. Most of us however, when we focus on the past become filled with despair and defeat. It takes discipline to forget the past. It also takes discipline to:

B.         Forget Our Successes

That is what got Peter in trouble to begin with. He was the disciple that had walked on the water. He had rightly identified Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the Living God, when Jesus inquired as to who others believed Him to be. Peter was the leader, the mouth and ear of the disciples. Peter had some "success". That night when Jesus warned Peter that he would deny Him three times, what was Peter's response?  Who me? These other guys might run out on you, but not me! Peter fell into the success trap! Success should make us grateful, but often it makes us proud and vulnerable to defeat. So we need to understand that Temperance requires that we Focus and it requires that we Forget. Finally, we can build temperance into our lives by understanding that temperance:

III.       REQUIRES THAT WE FOLLOW

Notice John 21:14-22. Peter again illustrates our point for us. Notice that Jesus was making one thing clear to Peter. I want you to follow me regardless of the circumstances or the consequences. Peter answered the challenge and let the Lord use him greatly. Just in the first few chapters of the Book of Acts we have a record of Peter's preaching being used to bring thousands into the kingdom of God. The Lord's prophesy of Peter's death did come true. He eventually surrendered his very life to the cause of Christ. He too was crucified.

Conclusion:       Today, some of you are not growing because you are not focused on spiritual things. Others are hindered because they have gotten tripped up by some past failure or maybe you have been slowed by a success. Perhaps you have just stopped following. Your spiritual life is suffering because somewhere you started going your way instead of the Lord's way. Whatever your need today, why don't you decide to add temperance to your faith? If you’re here and you have not laid that foundation of faith in Christ, then right here and right now, He will save you if you desire Him to. Call on Him now!