Temple Baptist Church - 2-27-2011
Matthew 24:1-8
Introduction:
A. In these verses, our Lord answers the question of the Apostles concerning the second coming. We need to understand the interpretation of these verses in light of our days.
1. Verses 4-7 give the signs of the times just prior to the Rapture of the Church.
2. Verse 8 signals the removal of the Church and the beginning of the Tribulation Period.
3. Verses 9-26 give a vivid description of Jacob’s Trouble. It is divided into two equal parts with the abomination of desolation in the middle. (Verse 15) I do not want to get into that at this time because it is not my message.
4. Verse 27-31 pictures the second coming of Christ in great power and glory (Revelation 1:7)
B. Well, here we stand at the end of the Church Age with the whole world in turmoil. There is:
1. Apostasy and Spiritual Deception – rejection of scripture and the constant blowing of the winds of false doctrine.
2. Disobedience to authority – in the home; in the church; in the schools; in society.
3. Social Disorder throughout the world – wars and rumors of wars are rampant; the overthrowing of established government; unrest here in the USA
4. Famine and disease – more medicines and more diseases; people starving in a world of plenty.
5. Sinfulness and perversion – you name it and it is rampant. Sodomites are taking over our land; drugs and alcohol have become acceptable ways of life and are openly advertised; marriages breaking up in record numbers and being replaced by “common law” unions.
6. Fear and distress – more people than ever on Paxil, Prozac, sleep aids, etc. Men’s hearts failing them for fear. Uncertainty is the rule of our day while the world rocks and rolls.
C. Many of God’s children are either discouraged in the work or have become casualties and have “fallen through the cracks.” I want to see our people be “steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.”
How To Have Spiritual Stability In The Last Days
1. Understand the times in which we live. Luke 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
2. Trust the Lord with your life and livelihood. Matthew 6:31-33 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (32) (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. (33) But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
3. Keep yourself in the will of God. Jude 20-21 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, (21) Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
4. Watch unto prayer. Philippians 4:6-7 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. (7) And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
5. Stay in church. Hebrews 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
6. Keep your hearts and minds stayed upon the Lord. Isaiah 26:3-4 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. (4) Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:
7. Keep your eyes on the skies. Titus 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Sunday, February 13, 2011
How To Have Love In Your Marriage
Temple Baptist Church - 2-13-2011
Genesis 24:50-67
Introduction:
A. One of the most misused and misunderstood of all words is “love!” Most equate love with a “mushy” feeling for someone. I believe that true love goes far beyond just being an emotion. We find the love of God in John 3:16. It was a love that loved without being loved in return. God’s love is not man based, it is need based.
B. The first mention of love in the bible is found in this morning’s text. Rebecca went with the servant having no knowledge of whom or what Isaac was. In verse 58, she simply said, “I will go.” This did not signify desperation but rather determination! In verse 67, Isaac loved Rebecca without either knowing or seeing her without her veil. Once again, I find in the word “love” a determination! Thus, in the first mention of love, we find that love must be determined! As God determined His love in giving His Son, we must also determine our love. A woman once told me that she no longer loved her husband to which I replied, “You will not love your husband.”
C. It should be noticed in Scripture that man must be both commanded to love and also to learn to love! Throughout the Bible, command after command deals with the love relationship of:
1. Man Is To Love God - Deuteronomy 6:4-5 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: 5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. (“Thou shalt?” Why not “thou wilt!” After what He did for Israel? After what He did for us at Calvary? We must be COMMANDED? Why? Because of our human nature.)
2. The Saint Is To Love Mankind - Galatians 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. (This one is a little harder but is made much harder because of our selfish nature. Red, yellow, black, brown, and white; every race in every place! “And who is my neighbor?” All mankind for whom Christ died.)
3. The Saint Is To Love The Saints - John 13:34-35 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. (A new commandment given to family? You are my brothers and sisters in Christ and I love you better than butter pecan ice cream! But, there are times when we squabble and fight. We want what we want and want everyone else to see eye-to-eye with us on every point! I am not always right on every subject but am hard to convince sometimes. I have a selfish nature!)
4. The Husband Is To Love His Wife - Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; (We, as men, have to be commanded to love you gorgeous creatures? Whoa! You mean it is not always easy to love you? Men are selfish by nature and must be instructed by God to give ourselves to our wives. A man was looking for a wife so he took out an ad in the local newspaper which read: “Wife wanted. Must have bass boat, motor, and trailer. Send a picture of the boat, motor, and trailer!”)
5. The Wife Is To Love Her Husband - Titus 2:3-5 The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; 4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. (You mean that the women have to be taught to love that “hunk” that she married? That good looking bundle of muscle and brawn? Most of us are still “hunks,” just a little more of a hunk now! You women are selfish too! You want the man to be in charge when it is convenient and obedient to you when it suits. Than is human nature. You are obedient to him when it suits and disobedient to him when it suits. You are human!)
6. The Mother Is To Love Her Children – Titus 2:4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children. (Mothers have to be taught to love their children? Why? Those wonderful little darlings who keep you up all night, mess their diapers, tear up an anvil in a sand pile, lie every chance they get, tell everybody else what you do, etc. Those wonderful little children of yours [I know everyone else’s are brats, but not yours!]. We are selfish in nature and children require monumental amounts of time and effort.)
D. One of the most important aspects of a stable home is that of love! Not just some mushy, smoochie feeling but rather a determined effort on behalf of both a man and his wife. Pardon me this morning but I will do a little marriage counseling for a few minutes. It would not be a bad thing if the entire church was subjected to the counseling that I give before marriage.
1. Love Must Have Passion – Song of Solomon 1:2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine. (Show your mate that you love her or him! Telling them that you love them becomes just empty words when there is no feeling involved.)
2. Love Must Have Devotion - Song of Solomon 2:16a My beloved is mine, and I am his:
Mark 10:9 What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. (How wonderful it is to see men and women who have a spouse in the Nursing Home attending to them personally. Their love and devotion endure until death. "And forsaking all others!")
3. Love Must Desire Companionship – Song of Solomon 7:10-11 (10) I am my beloved's, and his desire is toward me. (11) Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the field; let us lodge in the villages. (Your mate should be the best friend that you have in this world. I often tell young people in pre-marriage counseling to learn to do things together. Cultivate hobbies that can be done together. Learn to spend quality time together. Many married couples raise children and then, when the children are grown and gone, they find out that the only thing that they have in common is children.)
4. Love Must Be Overlooking - Song of Solomon 4:7 Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee. (One of the most common of all marital failures is that of “nit picking.” Before marriage, couples often only see the good points in their future mates but, later, they major on the so-called shortcomings. I have often said that “the morning after marriage you never wake up with the one that you dated. Now we see each other in both the best and worst times. Your mate is human! Love must learn to overlook!)
5. Love Must Be Forgiving - Ephesians 4:31-32 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: (32) And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. (In the vast majority of marriages, there will be disagreement of one sort of the other. One, learn to never go to bed mad, letting the sun go down on your wrath. Two, learn to talk problems out. Discussion allows each of us to see the other’s perspective and we may even find out that they are right. Learn to forgive even when your mate is wrong.)
6. Love Must Be Sacrificial - Song of Solomon 7:10-13 (10) I am my beloved's, and his desire is toward me. (11) Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the field; let us lodge in the villages. (12) Let us get up early to the vineyards; let us see if the vine flourish, whether the tender grape appear, and the pomegranates bud forth: there will I give thee my loves. (13) The mandrakes give a smell, and at our gates are all manner of pleasant fruits, new and old, which I have laid up for thee, O my beloved. (Learn to give as well as take. I full well understand the biblical structure of the home. Both mates are to be heirs together of the grace of this life. My wife and I are a team. Though I am the head of the home, I am not a dictator in it. Though my wife is submissive in the home, she is not a door mat. I must give us my desires as she gives up hers and learn to desire together.)
7. Love Is Learning To Lean - Genesis 2:18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.
Song of Solomon 8:5a Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved?
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. (10) For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. (11) Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? (12) And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. (As I am my wife’s strength [this does not place me before the Lord], she is my strength. Together, with the Lord, we can make it!)
8. Love Needs To Be Unquenchable - Song of Solomon 8:6-7 Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame. (7) Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned.
"How do I love thee? Let me count the ways..."
by Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861)
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with a passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints, --- I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life! --- and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.
Genesis 24:50-67
Introduction:
A. One of the most misused and misunderstood of all words is “love!” Most equate love with a “mushy” feeling for someone. I believe that true love goes far beyond just being an emotion. We find the love of God in John 3:16. It was a love that loved without being loved in return. God’s love is not man based, it is need based.
B. The first mention of love in the bible is found in this morning’s text. Rebecca went with the servant having no knowledge of whom or what Isaac was. In verse 58, she simply said, “I will go.” This did not signify desperation but rather determination! In verse 67, Isaac loved Rebecca without either knowing or seeing her without her veil. Once again, I find in the word “love” a determination! Thus, in the first mention of love, we find that love must be determined! As God determined His love in giving His Son, we must also determine our love. A woman once told me that she no longer loved her husband to which I replied, “You will not love your husband.”
C. It should be noticed in Scripture that man must be both commanded to love and also to learn to love! Throughout the Bible, command after command deals with the love relationship of:
1. Man Is To Love God - Deuteronomy 6:4-5 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: 5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. (“Thou shalt?” Why not “thou wilt!” After what He did for Israel? After what He did for us at Calvary? We must be COMMANDED? Why? Because of our human nature.)
2. The Saint Is To Love Mankind - Galatians 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. (This one is a little harder but is made much harder because of our selfish nature. Red, yellow, black, brown, and white; every race in every place! “And who is my neighbor?” All mankind for whom Christ died.)
3. The Saint Is To Love The Saints - John 13:34-35 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. (A new commandment given to family? You are my brothers and sisters in Christ and I love you better than butter pecan ice cream! But, there are times when we squabble and fight. We want what we want and want everyone else to see eye-to-eye with us on every point! I am not always right on every subject but am hard to convince sometimes. I have a selfish nature!)
4. The Husband Is To Love His Wife - Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; (We, as men, have to be commanded to love you gorgeous creatures? Whoa! You mean it is not always easy to love you? Men are selfish by nature and must be instructed by God to give ourselves to our wives. A man was looking for a wife so he took out an ad in the local newspaper which read: “Wife wanted. Must have bass boat, motor, and trailer. Send a picture of the boat, motor, and trailer!”)
5. The Wife Is To Love Her Husband - Titus 2:3-5 The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; 4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. (You mean that the women have to be taught to love that “hunk” that she married? That good looking bundle of muscle and brawn? Most of us are still “hunks,” just a little more of a hunk now! You women are selfish too! You want the man to be in charge when it is convenient and obedient to you when it suits. Than is human nature. You are obedient to him when it suits and disobedient to him when it suits. You are human!)
6. The Mother Is To Love Her Children – Titus 2:4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children. (Mothers have to be taught to love their children? Why? Those wonderful little darlings who keep you up all night, mess their diapers, tear up an anvil in a sand pile, lie every chance they get, tell everybody else what you do, etc. Those wonderful little children of yours [I know everyone else’s are brats, but not yours!]. We are selfish in nature and children require monumental amounts of time and effort.)
D. One of the most important aspects of a stable home is that of love! Not just some mushy, smoochie feeling but rather a determined effort on behalf of both a man and his wife. Pardon me this morning but I will do a little marriage counseling for a few minutes. It would not be a bad thing if the entire church was subjected to the counseling that I give before marriage.
1. Love Must Have Passion – Song of Solomon 1:2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine. (Show your mate that you love her or him! Telling them that you love them becomes just empty words when there is no feeling involved.)
2. Love Must Have Devotion - Song of Solomon 2:16a My beloved is mine, and I am his:
Mark 10:9 What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. (How wonderful it is to see men and women who have a spouse in the Nursing Home attending to them personally. Their love and devotion endure until death. "And forsaking all others!")
3. Love Must Desire Companionship – Song of Solomon 7:10-11 (10) I am my beloved's, and his desire is toward me. (11) Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the field; let us lodge in the villages. (Your mate should be the best friend that you have in this world. I often tell young people in pre-marriage counseling to learn to do things together. Cultivate hobbies that can be done together. Learn to spend quality time together. Many married couples raise children and then, when the children are grown and gone, they find out that the only thing that they have in common is children.)
4. Love Must Be Overlooking - Song of Solomon 4:7 Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee. (One of the most common of all marital failures is that of “nit picking.” Before marriage, couples often only see the good points in their future mates but, later, they major on the so-called shortcomings. I have often said that “the morning after marriage you never wake up with the one that you dated. Now we see each other in both the best and worst times. Your mate is human! Love must learn to overlook!)
5. Love Must Be Forgiving - Ephesians 4:31-32 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: (32) And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. (In the vast majority of marriages, there will be disagreement of one sort of the other. One, learn to never go to bed mad, letting the sun go down on your wrath. Two, learn to talk problems out. Discussion allows each of us to see the other’s perspective and we may even find out that they are right. Learn to forgive even when your mate is wrong.)
6. Love Must Be Sacrificial - Song of Solomon 7:10-13 (10) I am my beloved's, and his desire is toward me. (11) Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the field; let us lodge in the villages. (12) Let us get up early to the vineyards; let us see if the vine flourish, whether the tender grape appear, and the pomegranates bud forth: there will I give thee my loves. (13) The mandrakes give a smell, and at our gates are all manner of pleasant fruits, new and old, which I have laid up for thee, O my beloved. (Learn to give as well as take. I full well understand the biblical structure of the home. Both mates are to be heirs together of the grace of this life. My wife and I are a team. Though I am the head of the home, I am not a dictator in it. Though my wife is submissive in the home, she is not a door mat. I must give us my desires as she gives up hers and learn to desire together.)
7. Love Is Learning To Lean - Genesis 2:18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.
Song of Solomon 8:5a Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved?
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. (10) For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. (11) Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? (12) And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. (As I am my wife’s strength [this does not place me before the Lord], she is my strength. Together, with the Lord, we can make it!)
8. Love Needs To Be Unquenchable - Song of Solomon 8:6-7 Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame. (7) Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned.
"How do I love thee? Let me count the ways..."
by Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861)
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with a passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints, --- I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life! --- and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
The War With The Flesh
Temple Baptist Church - 2-9-2011
Ephesians 4:21-32
Introduction:
A. Last week, we saw the method of “putting off” the Old Man and “putting on” the New Man. It takes a “reprograming” or “renewing” of the “spirit” of the mind. The world has programed our thinking in such a way as to agree with the wickedness of our flesh. Our flesh takes no encouragement in order to continue in sinfulness. To live a life of sin takes no change at all.
B. In order to live a Christ like life, you must determine in your heart to both “put off” and to “put on!” Both actions are against nature or the “natural man.” It is a daily death to the things of the world: a self crucification.
Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
C. The flesh or the “Old Man” has so many wicked characteristics. We that are saved are tempted by the flesh in a myriad of areas. It is of no wonder that the Bible speaks of the sin that “so easily besets” us.
1. Man was created in righteousness and innocence - Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
Genesis 5:2 Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created. (They were created in innocence and placed into the Garden but were given responsibility to Law.)
2. Man was deformed by his disobedience to God’s Law - Genesis 2:15-17 And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
Romans 5:12-14 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: 13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. (Man died both physically and spiritually. Adam died physically in Genesis 5 at the age of 930 years but died spiritually in Genesis 3 and blood had to be shed.)
3. Man was transformed through faith in the gospel - 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (Notice with me that the King James Bible says “creature” and not “creation!” Most new versions use the word “creation” here. God did not recreate man, He transformed him. Let me give you an example: I have a dog who was born innocent but she chooses to be disobedient at times. If I take her to Obedience School, they can transform her and teach her obedience. She is still the same dog but now is educated to right and wrong. She has not been changed from being a dog, just transformed into a new creature that is obedient. We become new creatures, not recreated! Ephesians 2:10 does not contradict this as we were created unto good works, before ordained to walk in them. Now that we are saved, we are to once again walk as we were created to walk.)
Romans 6:3-4 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
4. Our spiritual man is now transformed but the body remains in a cursed, unregenerate condition until either death or rapture - 1 Corinthians 15:52-54 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. (Now, the fight is on!)
D. Failure to understand what I have just said leads to total defeat in this war with our flesh which is contrary to the new creature that lives inside. Can two walk together except they be agreed? We are enemies of the flesh and the flesh is an enemy with us so, you had better quit pampering and feeding it!
1. The Depravity Of The Flesh - Romans 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. (I need to clarify something at this point. Depravity does not mean inability! Men can and have done good. Many lost people are what we classify as good people. The are good neighbors; they are moral; they have good manners; they have great accomplishments; and many are better on these points than some professing Christians. By Total Depravity, I mean that man has the capability of doing all of the below listing of evil works.)
2. The Deception Of The Flesh - Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? (The flesh can never be trusted! “If I know my heart.” You don’t! Paul said, “For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.” [Romans 7:11])
3. The Defilement Of The Flesh - Romans 7:17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. (You cannot get away from your flesh. You can abstain from all appearance of evil in almost every of life but your flesh is always there with you. You see it and you live in it! It is defiling to the spiritual man. It causes him to do unthinkable things and spend much time weeping over its failures.)
4. The Devastation OF The Flesh - Romans 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? (It is because of the weakness of flesh that man sins and this body much be changed before we can go to Heaven. Your flesh will destroy your life if you give into it.)
1. The Warning Of The Flesh - Ephesians 4:21-24 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: (22) That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; (23) And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; (24) And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Romans 7:17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
2. The Walk Of The Flesh – It is Pleasing. Hebrews 11:25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; (This is the walk of the old life. When we got saved, everything became new and we began our walk in the Spirit. Salvation did not make sin any less pleasurable to our flesh though. I still have the same cravings and desires that I had before salvation but have been delivered from them through Christ Jesus.)
a. The Lost professors will eventually return to their walk in the flesh - 2 Peter 2:20-22 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. 22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.
Matthew 12:43-45 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. 44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. 45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.
b. The Carnal believer will eventually return to their walk in the flesh - Ephesians 2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. (Notice the “shall not inherit the kingdom of God” in this passage as well as our context passage of Galatians 5.)
c. First, let me say that failure to walk in the Spirit is to walk in the flesh! There is no middle ground. We are either spiritual or we are carnal! We cannot be both at the same time. If we are spiritual then we do not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. If we are carnal then we do not fulfill the walk of the Spirit. (We pamper and feed our flesh instead of starving it and bringing it under subjection.)
Psalms 106:13-15 They soon forgat his works; they waited not for his counsel: 14 But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert. 15 And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul. (Fat bodies make for lean souls!)
1 Corinthians 9:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
d. Secondly, to walk in the flesh is to do despite to the Spirit of grace - Hebrews 10:29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? (We grieve Him! We vex Him! We resist Him! The Holy Ghosts lusts against the flesh in order to bring us into obedience to Christ. It is an insult to the Holy Ghost when we ignore His leading and pleading. He loves us and Satan hates. Whom should we follow? Duh!)
3. The War Of The Flesh – It is Perpetual. Romans 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? (Sometimes, some believers lose the war with the flesh because it is perpetual. It is never ending and through spiritual anemia, the believer becomes weak and worn down thus giving in to the flesh. I know that many of these are unsaved “dogs” and “sows” who clean up for a while and then return to their old ways but then we have Demas who loved this present world.)
a. It is a heart wrenching struggle for the child of God - Romans 7:14-23 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. 16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. 17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. 19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. 20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. 22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. (You may sin but, if you are saved, it will tear your heart out. This is one acid test to see if you are truly saved. I hate it when I fail. It sickens my heart when I sin. I despise it with all of my heart.)
b. Though we should be spiritual and Spirit filled all of the time, we do fail God miserably sometimes - Psalms 51:2-4 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. 4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. (A man after God’s own heart. The sweet psalmist of Israel. The king who established a perpetual throne.)
1) Earthly victory is most often only temporary. 1 Corinthians 15:31 I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
2) Earthly values are distorted by our flesh. Luke 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
4. The Works Of The Flesh – They are Powerful. 1 Corinthians 6:12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
a. We need to understand the Possibility of the failure in this war - Romans 6:12-14 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. 13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Romans 7:15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. (This is the Apostle Paul! If he struggled and lost many a battle, I need to understand my weakness also. Sometimes we are harsh on those who have sinned; those who have failed; those who have gotten discouraged; and those who have just plain quit! Be careful!
1 Corinthians 10:12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
2 Peter 3:17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. (No one is exempt from the possibility of moral failure! No matter how godly and spiritual we may be, our war is day to day, hour to hour, moment by moment!)
b. We need to understand the Possibility of the flesh in our failure - Walking in the flesh will always manifest it’s works! Galatians 5:19-21 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, (20) Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, (21) Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
1) Adultery – God’s married people
2) Fornication – God’s single people
3) Uncleanness – Un-chastity in either thought of deed. Unnatural lusts or perversions.
4) Lasciviousness – plain old filthiness in thought, deed, or gestures.
5) Idolatry – In our day, covetousness or the love of money is still the root of ALL evil!
6) Witchcraft – Magic, sorcery, astrology, drugs [pharmaceutical comes from this word])
7) Hatred – We are to love even our enemies much less one another! We are to love the Lord our God and our neighbor as ourselves.)
8) Variance – contentious, debate, quarrelsome instead of easy to get along with.
9) Emulations – indignation, jealousy, unfavorable zeal.
10) Strife – faction, always fighting about something. Some fight everything. We need to fight the right kind of fights.
11) Seditions – disunion, division, or uprising. Be followers of me as I follow Christ!
12) Heresies – false doctrines that cause disunion.
13) Envyings – We are do desire the best for others, not desire what they have. Dissatisfaction!
14) Murders – to slaughter, either by killing the flesh or destroying with the tongue!
15) Drunkenness - means just what it says! Intoxication!
16) Revellings – carousing, letting it loose!
c. This is talking about the saved, not the lost! Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the desires of the flesh! Walk in the flesh and anything is possible!
5. The Warning Of The Flesh – It is Pricey! Revelation 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. (Our works are rewarded two-fold: at the Judgment Seat of Christ and during the Millennium.)
a. At the Judgment Seat Of Christ we win crowns - 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. 14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. (These we will cast at His feet because only He is worthy!)
b. During the Millennium, we rule and reign according to our works - Luke 19:17-19 And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. 18 And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds. 19 And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities.
Ephesians 4:21-32
Introduction:
A. Last week, we saw the method of “putting off” the Old Man and “putting on” the New Man. It takes a “reprograming” or “renewing” of the “spirit” of the mind. The world has programed our thinking in such a way as to agree with the wickedness of our flesh. Our flesh takes no encouragement in order to continue in sinfulness. To live a life of sin takes no change at all.
B. In order to live a Christ like life, you must determine in your heart to both “put off” and to “put on!” Both actions are against nature or the “natural man.” It is a daily death to the things of the world: a self crucification.
Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
C. The flesh or the “Old Man” has so many wicked characteristics. We that are saved are tempted by the flesh in a myriad of areas. It is of no wonder that the Bible speaks of the sin that “so easily besets” us.
1. Man was created in righteousness and innocence - Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
Genesis 5:2 Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created. (They were created in innocence and placed into the Garden but were given responsibility to Law.)
2. Man was deformed by his disobedience to God’s Law - Genesis 2:15-17 And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
Romans 5:12-14 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: 13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. (Man died both physically and spiritually. Adam died physically in Genesis 5 at the age of 930 years but died spiritually in Genesis 3 and blood had to be shed.)
3. Man was transformed through faith in the gospel - 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (Notice with me that the King James Bible says “creature” and not “creation!” Most new versions use the word “creation” here. God did not recreate man, He transformed him. Let me give you an example: I have a dog who was born innocent but she chooses to be disobedient at times. If I take her to Obedience School, they can transform her and teach her obedience. She is still the same dog but now is educated to right and wrong. She has not been changed from being a dog, just transformed into a new creature that is obedient. We become new creatures, not recreated! Ephesians 2:10 does not contradict this as we were created unto good works, before ordained to walk in them. Now that we are saved, we are to once again walk as we were created to walk.)
Romans 6:3-4 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
4. Our spiritual man is now transformed but the body remains in a cursed, unregenerate condition until either death or rapture - 1 Corinthians 15:52-54 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. (Now, the fight is on!)
D. Failure to understand what I have just said leads to total defeat in this war with our flesh which is contrary to the new creature that lives inside. Can two walk together except they be agreed? We are enemies of the flesh and the flesh is an enemy with us so, you had better quit pampering and feeding it!
1. The Depravity Of The Flesh - Romans 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. (I need to clarify something at this point. Depravity does not mean inability! Men can and have done good. Many lost people are what we classify as good people. The are good neighbors; they are moral; they have good manners; they have great accomplishments; and many are better on these points than some professing Christians. By Total Depravity, I mean that man has the capability of doing all of the below listing of evil works.)
2. The Deception Of The Flesh - Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? (The flesh can never be trusted! “If I know my heart.” You don’t! Paul said, “For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.” [Romans 7:11])
3. The Defilement Of The Flesh - Romans 7:17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. (You cannot get away from your flesh. You can abstain from all appearance of evil in almost every of life but your flesh is always there with you. You see it and you live in it! It is defiling to the spiritual man. It causes him to do unthinkable things and spend much time weeping over its failures.)
4. The Devastation OF The Flesh - Romans 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? (It is because of the weakness of flesh that man sins and this body much be changed before we can go to Heaven. Your flesh will destroy your life if you give into it.)
1. The Warning Of The Flesh - Ephesians 4:21-24 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: (22) That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; (23) And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; (24) And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Romans 7:17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
2. The Walk Of The Flesh – It is Pleasing. Hebrews 11:25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; (This is the walk of the old life. When we got saved, everything became new and we began our walk in the Spirit. Salvation did not make sin any less pleasurable to our flesh though. I still have the same cravings and desires that I had before salvation but have been delivered from them through Christ Jesus.)
a. The Lost professors will eventually return to their walk in the flesh - 2 Peter 2:20-22 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. 22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.
Matthew 12:43-45 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. 44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. 45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.
b. The Carnal believer will eventually return to their walk in the flesh - Ephesians 2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. (Notice the “shall not inherit the kingdom of God” in this passage as well as our context passage of Galatians 5.)
c. First, let me say that failure to walk in the Spirit is to walk in the flesh! There is no middle ground. We are either spiritual or we are carnal! We cannot be both at the same time. If we are spiritual then we do not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. If we are carnal then we do not fulfill the walk of the Spirit. (We pamper and feed our flesh instead of starving it and bringing it under subjection.)
Psalms 106:13-15 They soon forgat his works; they waited not for his counsel: 14 But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert. 15 And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul. (Fat bodies make for lean souls!)
1 Corinthians 9:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
d. Secondly, to walk in the flesh is to do despite to the Spirit of grace - Hebrews 10:29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? (We grieve Him! We vex Him! We resist Him! The Holy Ghosts lusts against the flesh in order to bring us into obedience to Christ. It is an insult to the Holy Ghost when we ignore His leading and pleading. He loves us and Satan hates. Whom should we follow? Duh!)
3. The War Of The Flesh – It is Perpetual. Romans 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? (Sometimes, some believers lose the war with the flesh because it is perpetual. It is never ending and through spiritual anemia, the believer becomes weak and worn down thus giving in to the flesh. I know that many of these are unsaved “dogs” and “sows” who clean up for a while and then return to their old ways but then we have Demas who loved this present world.)
a. It is a heart wrenching struggle for the child of God - Romans 7:14-23 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. 16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. 17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. 19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. 20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. 22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. (You may sin but, if you are saved, it will tear your heart out. This is one acid test to see if you are truly saved. I hate it when I fail. It sickens my heart when I sin. I despise it with all of my heart.)
b. Though we should be spiritual and Spirit filled all of the time, we do fail God miserably sometimes - Psalms 51:2-4 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. 4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. (A man after God’s own heart. The sweet psalmist of Israel. The king who established a perpetual throne.)
1) Earthly victory is most often only temporary. 1 Corinthians 15:31 I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
2) Earthly values are distorted by our flesh. Luke 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
4. The Works Of The Flesh – They are Powerful. 1 Corinthians 6:12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
a. We need to understand the Possibility of the failure in this war - Romans 6:12-14 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. 13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Romans 7:15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. (This is the Apostle Paul! If he struggled and lost many a battle, I need to understand my weakness also. Sometimes we are harsh on those who have sinned; those who have failed; those who have gotten discouraged; and those who have just plain quit! Be careful!
1 Corinthians 10:12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
2 Peter 3:17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. (No one is exempt from the possibility of moral failure! No matter how godly and spiritual we may be, our war is day to day, hour to hour, moment by moment!)
b. We need to understand the Possibility of the flesh in our failure - Walking in the flesh will always manifest it’s works! Galatians 5:19-21 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, (20) Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, (21) Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
1) Adultery – God’s married people
2) Fornication – God’s single people
3) Uncleanness – Un-chastity in either thought of deed. Unnatural lusts or perversions.
4) Lasciviousness – plain old filthiness in thought, deed, or gestures.
5) Idolatry – In our day, covetousness or the love of money is still the root of ALL evil!
6) Witchcraft – Magic, sorcery, astrology, drugs [pharmaceutical comes from this word])
7) Hatred – We are to love even our enemies much less one another! We are to love the Lord our God and our neighbor as ourselves.)
8) Variance – contentious, debate, quarrelsome instead of easy to get along with.
9) Emulations – indignation, jealousy, unfavorable zeal.
10) Strife – faction, always fighting about something. Some fight everything. We need to fight the right kind of fights.
11) Seditions – disunion, division, or uprising. Be followers of me as I follow Christ!
12) Heresies – false doctrines that cause disunion.
13) Envyings – We are do desire the best for others, not desire what they have. Dissatisfaction!
14) Murders – to slaughter, either by killing the flesh or destroying with the tongue!
15) Drunkenness - means just what it says! Intoxication!
16) Revellings – carousing, letting it loose!
c. This is talking about the saved, not the lost! Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the desires of the flesh! Walk in the flesh and anything is possible!
5. The Warning Of The Flesh – It is Pricey! Revelation 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. (Our works are rewarded two-fold: at the Judgment Seat of Christ and during the Millennium.)
a. At the Judgment Seat Of Christ we win crowns - 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. 14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. (These we will cast at His feet because only He is worthy!)
b. During the Millennium, we rule and reign according to our works - Luke 19:17-19 And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. 18 And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds. 19 And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Behold What Manner Of Love
Temple Baptist Church - 2-6-2011
1 John 3:1-3
Introduction:
A. This passage of scripture is one of the greatest in the Bible dealing with our position in Christ. It describes our position as “sonship” and “sonship” is a relationship which cannot be broken. It is “birth based” and a birth cannot be either reversed nor can it be nullified! If you are born, you are forever born. This is Eternal Security at its best.
B. In these verses, we see three things:
1. We see what Christ has done for us. He saved us!
2. We see what Christ is doing in us. He is changing us!
3. We see what Christ is going to do for us. He is coming for us and we will be transformed.
C. It is so easy to take for granted what we have as we walk in the realm of the temporal. May the Lord help us this morning to think upon both the temporal and eternal benefits of our great salvation!
1. Love’s Position – “Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us” (What a love! Calvary’s love!)
2. Love’s Privilege – “that we should be called the sons of God” (What a privilege! Not just saved but sons!)
3. Love’s Promise – “when he shall appear” (What a promise! He not only is coming, He may come today!)
4. Love’s Purification – “purifieth himself” (What a change! What a difference salvation makes!)
5. Love’s Possibility – “even as he is pure” (What a possibility! One day, we will see Him as He is and we shall be like Him!)
D. What a wonderful thing it is to be saved! We often get our eyes on the things of this world but if the only thing that God ever did for us was to save us, it would be a wonderful thing. Here are just a few things that we have because of Calvary. These are spiritual things! These are eternal things!
1. We Have A Wonderful Redemption - Romans 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
Hebrews 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
2. The Lord Has Given Us A Divine Deliverance - 2 Corinthians 1:10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;
Colossians 1:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: (Delivered from Satan)
1 Thessalonians 1:10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come. (Delivered from hell)
3. The Lord Has Given Us A Wonderful Transformation - 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. (What a wonderful change has been made since Jesus came into my heart!)
4. The Lord Has Given Us A Complete Forgiveness - Ephesians 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
Romans 4:7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
Colossians 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; (Past, present, and future)
5. The Lord Has Given Us A Glorious Reconciliation - Colossians 1:21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in you mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
2 Corinthians 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. (Reconcile - Brought into friendship from a state of disagreement or enmity)
6. The Lord Has Given Us A Blessed Peace - John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
Colossians 1:20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
7. The Lord Has Given Us An Eternal Inheritance - Ephesians 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
1 Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
1 Corinthians 3:21 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;
8. The Lord Will Give Us A Heavenly Translation - 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
1 John 3:1-3
Introduction:
A. This passage of scripture is one of the greatest in the Bible dealing with our position in Christ. It describes our position as “sonship” and “sonship” is a relationship which cannot be broken. It is “birth based” and a birth cannot be either reversed nor can it be nullified! If you are born, you are forever born. This is Eternal Security at its best.
B. In these verses, we see three things:
1. We see what Christ has done for us. He saved us!
2. We see what Christ is doing in us. He is changing us!
3. We see what Christ is going to do for us. He is coming for us and we will be transformed.
C. It is so easy to take for granted what we have as we walk in the realm of the temporal. May the Lord help us this morning to think upon both the temporal and eternal benefits of our great salvation!
1. Love’s Position – “Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us” (What a love! Calvary’s love!)
2. Love’s Privilege – “that we should be called the sons of God” (What a privilege! Not just saved but sons!)
3. Love’s Promise – “when he shall appear” (What a promise! He not only is coming, He may come today!)
4. Love’s Purification – “purifieth himself” (What a change! What a difference salvation makes!)
5. Love’s Possibility – “even as he is pure” (What a possibility! One day, we will see Him as He is and we shall be like Him!)
D. What a wonderful thing it is to be saved! We often get our eyes on the things of this world but if the only thing that God ever did for us was to save us, it would be a wonderful thing. Here are just a few things that we have because of Calvary. These are spiritual things! These are eternal things!
1. We Have A Wonderful Redemption - Romans 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
Hebrews 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
2. The Lord Has Given Us A Divine Deliverance - 2 Corinthians 1:10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;
Colossians 1:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: (Delivered from Satan)
1 Thessalonians 1:10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come. (Delivered from hell)
3. The Lord Has Given Us A Wonderful Transformation - 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. (What a wonderful change has been made since Jesus came into my heart!)
4. The Lord Has Given Us A Complete Forgiveness - Ephesians 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
Romans 4:7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
Colossians 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; (Past, present, and future)
5. The Lord Has Given Us A Glorious Reconciliation - Colossians 1:21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in you mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
2 Corinthians 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. (Reconcile - Brought into friendship from a state of disagreement or enmity)
6. The Lord Has Given Us A Blessed Peace - John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
Colossians 1:20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
7. The Lord Has Given Us An Eternal Inheritance - Ephesians 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
1 Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
1 Corinthians 3:21 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;
8. The Lord Will Give Us A Heavenly Translation - 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Missions: The Heartbeat Of God
Temple Baptist Church - 1-30-2011
2 Corinthians 8:1-15
Introduction: I will spend more than one week dealing with this magnificent subject because of its relevance and importance to the local church.
A. When the Lord ascended back to Heaven in Acts 1, promised his disciples the power of witness when the Holy Ghost came upon them and then commissioned them once again to go into all of the world and preach the gospel. This commission is to both the individual believer and also to the local church. There are almost 6 ½ billion people on planet earth today with the majority of them never having heard a clear presentation of the “good news” of salvation.
B. In the Apostles’ day, they “turned the world upside down” as they preached the gospel, made disciples, and then sent these disciples to preach. Through the ages since, there has been a steady decline in missions outreach. There were, at times, spurts but from the leaving of their first love down to Laodicea, the burden for souls has been in serious decline. The population has increased while soul winning has decreased.
C. Missions should play a vital role in the local church. I often differentiate between a mission minded and a mission hearted church. One thinks missions while the other gets the job done. Missions Hearted churches should be the rule of the day for missions is the heart beat of God. The Lord placed more value on a man’s soul than the wealth of the world.
Matthew 16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
D. The Lord placed more value on one lost soul than ninety and nine in the fold.
Luke 15:4-5 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? (5) And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
E. What is the “value of one?” If there was only one man who ever lived on earth, God would have sent His only begotten Son to die for ONE! What is the value of a soul if that soul belongs to you or me? If God so loved the world that He gave His Son sacrificially in order to reconcile the world to Himself, what should we give? That brings us back to the message for tonight: missions.
F. Today, churches no longer hear the heartbeat of God! Missionaries wear the phones out calling churches with little or no results. Pastors who will not return calls or be courteous to the missionary are not fit to fill the pulpits of churches. Most denominations have somewhat of a mission’s outreach but fundamental Baptist churches use a more biblical approach. Here are a few things that we need to know about biblical missions.
1. The local church should be personally acquainted with their missionaries.
2. The local church should be praying for each and every individual missionary.
3. The local church should be providing for the support of missionaries.
4. The local church should be providing for the personal needs of missionaries. They come to the local church and need food, a place to stay, fellowship, and knowledge that they are loved and cared for. They are God’s special people.
5. The local church has the responsibility of reaching their Jerusalem and Samaria. The word “both” in Acts 1:8 means to do missionary work both at home and abroad at the same time. Some churches are all for soul winning at home with little or no foreign mission’s outreach. Others are heavy on the foreign mission work with little or no soul winning at home. There is to be a balance so that every creature has a preacher.
6. The missionary is personally responsible to the pastor of his home church, not to a denomination’s mission board.
7. The missionary raises his support through deputation. This is a blessing to both the church and the missionary.
8. The missionary is to establish an indigenous church. The church is to be self-supporting and self-sufficient.
9. The missionary is to establish an autonomous church. They are not under the control of the missionary’s sending church or mission board.
10. The missionary establishes a church and trains a national to take over the work.
11. The mission church then becomes a mission hearted church, soul winning and sending out missionaries.
G. At this point, I want to make a comparison of two contemporary churches of Asia Minor that will give us some insight into the problems that have assailed the local churches in these last days. These two churches, Thessalonica and Laodicea, existed at the same time. One was assailed with persecution and poverty while the other was basking in peace and prosperity. History often repeats, therefore, let us take note and resolve in our hearts to get the work of the Lord done in Laodicean times.
1. Thessalonica Had Persecution – vs. 2 – “in a great trial of affliction”
Laodicea Had Peace – Rev. 3:15 – “neither cold nor hot”
2. Thessalonica Had Peace With God – vs. 2 – “the abundance of their joy”
Laodicea Had Peace With The World – Rev. 3:16 – “spue thee out of my mouth”
3. Thessalonica Had Poverty – vs. 2 – “their deep poverty”
Laodicea Had Prosperity – Rev. 3:17 – “I am rich” (Therefore, it was not a financial problem, but a faith problem)
4. Thessalonica Had Liberality – vs. 2 – “abounded unto the riches of their liberality”
Laodicea Had Lukewarmness – Rev 3:16 – “So then because thou are lukewarm” (Therefore, it was not a Saviour problem, but a saint problem)
5. Thessalonica Had A Servant’s Heart – vs. 3 – “For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves”
Laodicea Had A Selfish Heart – Rev. 3:17 - “(I am) increased with goods”
6. Thessalonica Had A Love For Souls – vs. 4 – “Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints”
Laodicea Had A Lust For Satisfaction – Rev. 3:17 - “(I have) need of nothing”
7. Thessalonica Had Spiritual Blessing – vs. 4 – “the fellowship of the ministering to the saints”
Laodicea Had Spiritual Blindness – Rev. 3:17 – “and knowest not … blind” (Therefore, it was not a partiality problem, but a personal problem)
8. Thessalonica Had A Reward – vs. 5 – “but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God”
Laodicea Had A Rebuke – Rev. 3:19 – “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten”
H. Now, let’s break down these verses and I believe that we will find the blessing of God in the area of missions. Missions are to be a blessing to the local church, not a burden!
1. The Present of Missions - vs 1 - "bestowed"
a. Missions is a Gift Bestowed
b. Missions is a Grace Bestowed
2. The Poverty of Missions - vs 2 - "deep poverty"
a. Trials and Afflictions abounded unto Joy
b. Deep Poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality
3. The Paradox of Missions - vs 2 - "affliction-joy, poverty-riches"
a. They saw Problems and Poverty as Divine Possibilities
4. The Power of Missions - vs 3 - "power ... beyond their power"
a. Here we find their Tithe (cannot give until you tithe)
b. Here we find their Power of giving (gave of what they had)
c. Here we find the their Faith of giving (beyond their power - tapped another Source!)
5. The Prayer of Missions - vs 4 - "praying us ... receive"
a. They begged the Missionary - "prayed...much intreaty" (reversed today)
b. They gave to the Missionary - "we would receive the gift"
c. They fellowshiped with the Missionary - "fellowship of ministering"
6. The Priority of Missions - vs 5 - "first"
a. Gave themselves unto the Lord - "first...to the Lord"
b. Gave themselves unto the Missionary - "unto us"
c. Gave themselves Abundantly - "not as we hoped"
d. Gave themselves Obediently - "will of God"
7. The Proof of Missions - vs 8 - "prove"
a. Their giving was Proof of their love
b. Their giving was Proof of their sincerity
8. The Pattern of Missions - vs 9 - "our Lord Jesus Christ"
a. The Example of His Giving - "rich ... poor"
b. The End Result of His Giving - "ye ... might be rich"
9. The Performance of Missions - vs 10-11 - "expedient"
a. The Planning of Giving - vs 10
b. The Performing of Giving - vs 11
10. The Partnership of Missions - 14 - "equality"
a. You give unto their necessity and
b. When you need it, they will give to you
11. The Promise of Missions - vs 15 - 2 Corinthians 9:6-8
a. God meets the needs of His Children!
b. Let us do more for missions in this coming year of 2011!
2 Corinthians 8:1-15
Introduction: I will spend more than one week dealing with this magnificent subject because of its relevance and importance to the local church.
A. When the Lord ascended back to Heaven in Acts 1, promised his disciples the power of witness when the Holy Ghost came upon them and then commissioned them once again to go into all of the world and preach the gospel. This commission is to both the individual believer and also to the local church. There are almost 6 ½ billion people on planet earth today with the majority of them never having heard a clear presentation of the “good news” of salvation.
B. In the Apostles’ day, they “turned the world upside down” as they preached the gospel, made disciples, and then sent these disciples to preach. Through the ages since, there has been a steady decline in missions outreach. There were, at times, spurts but from the leaving of their first love down to Laodicea, the burden for souls has been in serious decline. The population has increased while soul winning has decreased.
C. Missions should play a vital role in the local church. I often differentiate between a mission minded and a mission hearted church. One thinks missions while the other gets the job done. Missions Hearted churches should be the rule of the day for missions is the heart beat of God. The Lord placed more value on a man’s soul than the wealth of the world.
Matthew 16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
D. The Lord placed more value on one lost soul than ninety and nine in the fold.
Luke 15:4-5 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? (5) And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
E. What is the “value of one?” If there was only one man who ever lived on earth, God would have sent His only begotten Son to die for ONE! What is the value of a soul if that soul belongs to you or me? If God so loved the world that He gave His Son sacrificially in order to reconcile the world to Himself, what should we give? That brings us back to the message for tonight: missions.
F. Today, churches no longer hear the heartbeat of God! Missionaries wear the phones out calling churches with little or no results. Pastors who will not return calls or be courteous to the missionary are not fit to fill the pulpits of churches. Most denominations have somewhat of a mission’s outreach but fundamental Baptist churches use a more biblical approach. Here are a few things that we need to know about biblical missions.
1. The local church should be personally acquainted with their missionaries.
2. The local church should be praying for each and every individual missionary.
3. The local church should be providing for the support of missionaries.
4. The local church should be providing for the personal needs of missionaries. They come to the local church and need food, a place to stay, fellowship, and knowledge that they are loved and cared for. They are God’s special people.
5. The local church has the responsibility of reaching their Jerusalem and Samaria. The word “both” in Acts 1:8 means to do missionary work both at home and abroad at the same time. Some churches are all for soul winning at home with little or no foreign mission’s outreach. Others are heavy on the foreign mission work with little or no soul winning at home. There is to be a balance so that every creature has a preacher.
6. The missionary is personally responsible to the pastor of his home church, not to a denomination’s mission board.
7. The missionary raises his support through deputation. This is a blessing to both the church and the missionary.
8. The missionary is to establish an indigenous church. The church is to be self-supporting and self-sufficient.
9. The missionary is to establish an autonomous church. They are not under the control of the missionary’s sending church or mission board.
10. The missionary establishes a church and trains a national to take over the work.
11. The mission church then becomes a mission hearted church, soul winning and sending out missionaries.
G. At this point, I want to make a comparison of two contemporary churches of Asia Minor that will give us some insight into the problems that have assailed the local churches in these last days. These two churches, Thessalonica and Laodicea, existed at the same time. One was assailed with persecution and poverty while the other was basking in peace and prosperity. History often repeats, therefore, let us take note and resolve in our hearts to get the work of the Lord done in Laodicean times.
1. Thessalonica Had Persecution – vs. 2 – “in a great trial of affliction”
Laodicea Had Peace – Rev. 3:15 – “neither cold nor hot”
2. Thessalonica Had Peace With God – vs. 2 – “the abundance of their joy”
Laodicea Had Peace With The World – Rev. 3:16 – “spue thee out of my mouth”
3. Thessalonica Had Poverty – vs. 2 – “their deep poverty”
Laodicea Had Prosperity – Rev. 3:17 – “I am rich” (Therefore, it was not a financial problem, but a faith problem)
4. Thessalonica Had Liberality – vs. 2 – “abounded unto the riches of their liberality”
Laodicea Had Lukewarmness – Rev 3:16 – “So then because thou are lukewarm” (Therefore, it was not a Saviour problem, but a saint problem)
5. Thessalonica Had A Servant’s Heart – vs. 3 – “For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves”
Laodicea Had A Selfish Heart – Rev. 3:17 - “(I am) increased with goods”
6. Thessalonica Had A Love For Souls – vs. 4 – “Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints”
Laodicea Had A Lust For Satisfaction – Rev. 3:17 - “(I have) need of nothing”
7. Thessalonica Had Spiritual Blessing – vs. 4 – “the fellowship of the ministering to the saints”
Laodicea Had Spiritual Blindness – Rev. 3:17 – “and knowest not … blind” (Therefore, it was not a partiality problem, but a personal problem)
8. Thessalonica Had A Reward – vs. 5 – “but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God”
Laodicea Had A Rebuke – Rev. 3:19 – “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten”
H. Now, let’s break down these verses and I believe that we will find the blessing of God in the area of missions. Missions are to be a blessing to the local church, not a burden!
1. The Present of Missions - vs 1 - "bestowed"
a. Missions is a Gift Bestowed
b. Missions is a Grace Bestowed
2. The Poverty of Missions - vs 2 - "deep poverty"
a. Trials and Afflictions abounded unto Joy
b. Deep Poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality
3. The Paradox of Missions - vs 2 - "affliction-joy, poverty-riches"
a. They saw Problems and Poverty as Divine Possibilities
4. The Power of Missions - vs 3 - "power ... beyond their power"
a. Here we find their Tithe (cannot give until you tithe)
b. Here we find their Power of giving (gave of what they had)
c. Here we find the their Faith of giving (beyond their power - tapped another Source!)
5. The Prayer of Missions - vs 4 - "praying us ... receive"
a. They begged the Missionary - "prayed...much intreaty" (reversed today)
b. They gave to the Missionary - "we would receive the gift"
c. They fellowshiped with the Missionary - "fellowship of ministering"
6. The Priority of Missions - vs 5 - "first"
a. Gave themselves unto the Lord - "first...to the Lord"
b. Gave themselves unto the Missionary - "unto us"
c. Gave themselves Abundantly - "not as we hoped"
d. Gave themselves Obediently - "will of God"
7. The Proof of Missions - vs 8 - "prove"
a. Their giving was Proof of their love
b. Their giving was Proof of their sincerity
8. The Pattern of Missions - vs 9 - "our Lord Jesus Christ"
a. The Example of His Giving - "rich ... poor"
b. The End Result of His Giving - "ye ... might be rich"
9. The Performance of Missions - vs 10-11 - "expedient"
a. The Planning of Giving - vs 10
b. The Performing of Giving - vs 11
10. The Partnership of Missions - 14 - "equality"
a. You give unto their necessity and
b. When you need it, they will give to you
11. The Promise of Missions - vs 15 - 2 Corinthians 9:6-8
a. God meets the needs of His Children!
b. Let us do more for missions in this coming year of 2011!
Your Adversary The Devil
Temple Baptist Church - 1-30-2011
1 Peter 5:8-9
Introduction:
A. Some years ago, I preached a message titled “You Bad Devil You.” We will never fully understand, this side of eternity, the wickedness and power of the one that God calls our “adversary.” “Adversary” means “opponent.” He is against us! He is against all that is good! He is the “arch enemy” of God and hates God with all of his being. He cannot touch God so he goes after all that God has made.
B. Peter knew much about the wickedness, purpose, and power of Satan as he had “sifted” Peter as “wheat” in the Book of Luke. Our Lord said, “Satan hath DESIRED to have you, that he may SIFT you as wheat,” I thank God for the next verse that says, “But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.” As much as Satan hates us, God loves us!
C. Here, in 1 Peter, Peter warns the Jewish believers of the person, purpose, and power of Satan. He had borne the brunt of Satan’s attack and now continued to “strengthen” the brethren. We, as God’s children, need to fully understand the person, purpose, and power of our enemy. Satan is active today just as he was in the days of the apostles. Here is a “short” look at Satan:
1. Satan’s Desire - “your Adversary”
a. Need To Realize That You Have An Enemy
b. Adversary - An enemy or foe; one who has enmity at heart.
2. Satan’s Danger - “a roaring lion”
a. Need To Realize That He Is A Formidable Foe - Jude 9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.
b. We Are No Match For Him In Ourselves
3. His Disposition – “the devil”
a. Devil – One who slanders or falsely accuses - Revelation 12:10 And I heard a great voice in the heaven saying, Now is come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ; for the accuser of our brethren has been cast out, who accused them before our God day and night:
Job 1:9 And Satan answered Jehovah and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?
b. Satan – One who withstands - 1 Chronicles 21:1 And Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel.
Zechariah 3:1 And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of Jehovah, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.
1 Thessalonians 2:18 wherefore we have desired to come to you, even I Paul, both once and twice, and Satan has hindered us.
c. Serpent – cunning - 2 Corinthians 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
d. Dragon – power and cruelty - Revelation 12:12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
1 Corinthians 5:5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
e. Lucifer - Light Bearer - 2 Corinthians 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
Ezekiel 28:14-19 Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more.
4. Satan’s Determination - “walketh about”
a. Satan Never Gives Up - Revelation 20:7-10 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
b. Satan Never Gave Up On The Lord Jesus - Luke 4:13 And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.
c. Satan Never Gave Up On Job - Job 2:1 Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD.
d. Satan Never Gave Up On Peter - Luke 22:31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired [to have] you, that he may sift you as wheat:
e. Satan Never Gave Up On Paul - 1 Thessalonians 2:18 Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.
f. Satan Will Never Give Up On You - 1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
5. Satan’s Devouring - “may devour” - 2 Corinthians 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.
a. Through Temptation - Matthew 4:1-11
1. Tempts In The Area of Provision - 3-4 God won’t take care of you
2. Tempts In The Area of Protection - 5-7 You are on your own
3. Tempts In The Area of Promotion - 8-10 Higher paying jobs that take you out of His service
b. Through Pride - Luke 22:31-34 Self Reliance (Though good is intended!)
c. Through Unrepentant Sin - 1 Corinthians 5:5
d. Through Unfulfilled Marriages - 1 Corinthians 7:4-5 The Devastation of Infidelity!
e. Through Unforgiveness - 2 Corinthians 2:10-11
Eph 4:31 - Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
f. Through Anger - Ephesians 4:26-27
1. The Command of Anger - “be ye angry”
2. The Condemnation of Anger - “your wrath”
3. The Continuance of Anger - “sun go down”
4. The conquering of Anger - “let not” - your power!
g. Through Not Acknowledging The Truth - 2 Timothy 2:24-26
1. They Oppose Themselves (hurting others, but self more)
2. They Oppose The Instruction of The Pastor
3. They Are Taken Captive At Satan’s Will
6. Satan’s Defeat - “resist steadfast in the faith” (Remember God’s Hedge)
a. Resist Him - James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
b. Resist Him Steadfastly - Ephesians 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
c. Resist Steadfastly In the Faith - Ephesians 6:13-18 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth (God’s Word), and having on the breastplate of righteousness (holiness of life); And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace (serving the Lord); Above all, taking the shield of faith (trusting god), wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation (knowing you are saved), and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit (praying hard), and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints (watching);
1 Peter 5:8-9
Introduction:
A. Some years ago, I preached a message titled “You Bad Devil You.” We will never fully understand, this side of eternity, the wickedness and power of the one that God calls our “adversary.” “Adversary” means “opponent.” He is against us! He is against all that is good! He is the “arch enemy” of God and hates God with all of his being. He cannot touch God so he goes after all that God has made.
B. Peter knew much about the wickedness, purpose, and power of Satan as he had “sifted” Peter as “wheat” in the Book of Luke. Our Lord said, “Satan hath DESIRED to have you, that he may SIFT you as wheat,” I thank God for the next verse that says, “But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.” As much as Satan hates us, God loves us!
C. Here, in 1 Peter, Peter warns the Jewish believers of the person, purpose, and power of Satan. He had borne the brunt of Satan’s attack and now continued to “strengthen” the brethren. We, as God’s children, need to fully understand the person, purpose, and power of our enemy. Satan is active today just as he was in the days of the apostles. Here is a “short” look at Satan:
1. Satan’s Desire - “your Adversary”
a. Need To Realize That You Have An Enemy
b. Adversary - An enemy or foe; one who has enmity at heart.
2. Satan’s Danger - “a roaring lion”
a. Need To Realize That He Is A Formidable Foe - Jude 9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.
b. We Are No Match For Him In Ourselves
3. His Disposition – “the devil”
a. Devil – One who slanders or falsely accuses - Revelation 12:10 And I heard a great voice in the heaven saying, Now is come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ; for the accuser of our brethren has been cast out, who accused them before our God day and night:
Job 1:9 And Satan answered Jehovah and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?
b. Satan – One who withstands - 1 Chronicles 21:1 And Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel.
Zechariah 3:1 And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of Jehovah, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.
1 Thessalonians 2:18 wherefore we have desired to come to you, even I Paul, both once and twice, and Satan has hindered us.
c. Serpent – cunning - 2 Corinthians 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
d. Dragon – power and cruelty - Revelation 12:12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
1 Corinthians 5:5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
e. Lucifer - Light Bearer - 2 Corinthians 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
Ezekiel 28:14-19 Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more.
4. Satan’s Determination - “walketh about”
a. Satan Never Gives Up - Revelation 20:7-10 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
b. Satan Never Gave Up On The Lord Jesus - Luke 4:13 And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.
c. Satan Never Gave Up On Job - Job 2:1 Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD.
d. Satan Never Gave Up On Peter - Luke 22:31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired [to have] you, that he may sift you as wheat:
e. Satan Never Gave Up On Paul - 1 Thessalonians 2:18 Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.
f. Satan Will Never Give Up On You - 1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
5. Satan’s Devouring - “may devour” - 2 Corinthians 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.
a. Through Temptation - Matthew 4:1-11
1. Tempts In The Area of Provision - 3-4 God won’t take care of you
2. Tempts In The Area of Protection - 5-7 You are on your own
3. Tempts In The Area of Promotion - 8-10 Higher paying jobs that take you out of His service
b. Through Pride - Luke 22:31-34 Self Reliance (Though good is intended!)
c. Through Unrepentant Sin - 1 Corinthians 5:5
d. Through Unfulfilled Marriages - 1 Corinthians 7:4-5 The Devastation of Infidelity!
e. Through Unforgiveness - 2 Corinthians 2:10-11
Eph 4:31 - Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
f. Through Anger - Ephesians 4:26-27
1. The Command of Anger - “be ye angry”
2. The Condemnation of Anger - “your wrath”
3. The Continuance of Anger - “sun go down”
4. The conquering of Anger - “let not” - your power!
g. Through Not Acknowledging The Truth - 2 Timothy 2:24-26
1. They Oppose Themselves (hurting others, but self more)
2. They Oppose The Instruction of The Pastor
3. They Are Taken Captive At Satan’s Will
6. Satan’s Defeat - “resist steadfast in the faith” (Remember God’s Hedge)
a. Resist Him - James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
b. Resist Him Steadfastly - Ephesians 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
c. Resist Steadfastly In the Faith - Ephesians 6:13-18 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth (God’s Word), and having on the breastplate of righteousness (holiness of life); And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace (serving the Lord); Above all, taking the shield of faith (trusting god), wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation (knowing you are saved), and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit (praying hard), and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints (watching);
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
The Renewing Of The Mind
Temple Baptist Church - 1-26-2011
Ephesians 4:17-24
Introduction:
A. The verses tonight show a contrast between the “old man” and the “new man” or the two natures of the saved. The natural man or the lost man has only one nature and that is a sin nature. The saved man has two natures: the natural or old nature and the new nature that comes with salvation. Thus, we have the natural man (who is lost), the carnal man (who is saved but worldly), and the spiritual man (who is saved and living a consistent life for Christ). The natural man cannot be a spiritual man and the spiritual man cannot be a natural man but the spiritual man can be a carnal man.
B. Verses 17-19 show the relationship between the natural man’s walk and the natural man’s mind.
1. The Vanity of their Minds. Vain: not yielding the right outcome or of no avail.
2. The Darkness of their Minds. The absence of the light or illumination of God is the perpetual state of the unsaved man’s mind.
3. The Ignorance of their Minds. The natural man cannot discern or know spiritual truth.
4. These are the results of the condition of their Hearts.
C. When salvation comes, then comes the struggle between the old and new natures. In verses 20-21, we find a clear contrast between the philosophy and teaching of this world and that of Christ. “Ye have not so learned Christ!”
Romans 8:5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
Romans 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
D. We that are saved have both the Word of God and the Spirit of God! We are now “taught of God” how to live in this world and still be a light in the darkness of sin. Before our salvation, we were under the controlling influence of the world. Now, we find that the saved man’s spiritual walk and the renewing of his mind work hand-in-hand. Between the putting off of the old man and the putting on of the new man is the renewing of the mind.
E. I want to look at the mind for a few minutes tonight. This is not going to be a complete study of the mind for that could not be done in one sermon but some things that will help us to “put off the old man” and to “put on the new man.”
1. There Must Be A Renewing Our Minds - Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. ( To make over! The world’s philosophy has molded the minds of the lost. They are blinded by the “god of this world” into thinking as the world thinks. Outcome based education shows both the process and results of satanic thinking. The teacher now gives a “s” or a “u” instead of A, B, C, D, or F. There is no longer the point system of grading that we used in our childhood. Children and adults are being programed to accept sodomy, adultery, etc. as acceptable lifestyles. Our minds have to be “renewed” or made over again by the Word of God so that we will think right. Otherwise, we become conformed to this world.)
2. We Must Gird Up The Loins Of Our Minds - 1 Peter 1:13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (To bind up in order to protect. Weight lifters [serious ones] wear a belt around the waist. It is tightly wrapped in order to protect both the back and the loins. A “loose mind” is one that tends to wander from the things of God. As frontlets keep the mule’s mind upon his business, so the girding of our minds keep our minds on God’s business.)
3. We Must Pattern Our Minds After Christ - Philippians 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. (A mind of humility, obedience, and service. Philippians 2 speaks of the incarnation, obedience, and sacrifice of Christ for us. We are to have this same mind. Humilty or know just who and what we are; obedience, being doers of the Word and not hearers only, deceiving our own selves; and sacrifice, giving our lives in Christ’s service. Heavenly minded instead of earthly minded.)
4. We Must Learn To Capture The Imaginations Of Our Minds – 2 Corinthians 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. (As children, we were taught to let our imaginations flourish. We had little in the way of toys when I was young so we made use of our imaginations. This was not a bad thing. Not all imaginations are sinful. As we grew older, we continued to entertain ourselves by letting our minds drift into a world of imagination. It is a departure from the real world; an escape mechanism; and is dangerous spiritually. We are to cast down and bring into captivity every thought that is contrary to sound doctrine and our obedience to God.)
5. Learn To Quench The Fiery Darts of the Devil - Ephesians 6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. (Our minds are constantly “bombarded” with carnal thoughts. The word “quench” means to extinguish. One of the best ways to put out a spark of fire is with a good dousing of water! The shield of faith: faith coupled with the Word of God. Believing what God has said and immediately putting away the temptation to sin.)
6. We Must Arm Our Minds Against Hardships - 1 Peter 4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin. (This world is hard! In our generation, we have become accustomed to a life of comfort. We expect everything to work out right and are “floored” when things go wrong. We are to endure hardness as good soldiers. When you know that life is hard, you can make it! We can grit our teeth, set our jaws, fix our eyes, and withstand everything that the world throws at us. Toughness is a state of the mind! Ron. We need to arm our minds with a spiritual toughness that we are going to take all that Satan can throw at us and, through the power of the Spirit, come out of our hardships better instead of bitter.)
Conclusion: The battle that we looked at tonight is an old one. We find the fiery darts of Satan in the beginning as he turned the thoughts of Eve from the revealed will of God. Paul gives us a little glimpse into his personal battle with the flesh as he was continually tempted to give into to its sinfulness.
Romans 7:21-25 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. (22) For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: (23) But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. (24) O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? (25) I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
Ephesians 4:17-24
Introduction:
A. The verses tonight show a contrast between the “old man” and the “new man” or the two natures of the saved. The natural man or the lost man has only one nature and that is a sin nature. The saved man has two natures: the natural or old nature and the new nature that comes with salvation. Thus, we have the natural man (who is lost), the carnal man (who is saved but worldly), and the spiritual man (who is saved and living a consistent life for Christ). The natural man cannot be a spiritual man and the spiritual man cannot be a natural man but the spiritual man can be a carnal man.
B. Verses 17-19 show the relationship between the natural man’s walk and the natural man’s mind.
1. The Vanity of their Minds. Vain: not yielding the right outcome or of no avail.
2. The Darkness of their Minds. The absence of the light or illumination of God is the perpetual state of the unsaved man’s mind.
3. The Ignorance of their Minds. The natural man cannot discern or know spiritual truth.
4. These are the results of the condition of their Hearts.
C. When salvation comes, then comes the struggle between the old and new natures. In verses 20-21, we find a clear contrast between the philosophy and teaching of this world and that of Christ. “Ye have not so learned Christ!”
Romans 8:5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
Romans 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
D. We that are saved have both the Word of God and the Spirit of God! We are now “taught of God” how to live in this world and still be a light in the darkness of sin. Before our salvation, we were under the controlling influence of the world. Now, we find that the saved man’s spiritual walk and the renewing of his mind work hand-in-hand. Between the putting off of the old man and the putting on of the new man is the renewing of the mind.
E. I want to look at the mind for a few minutes tonight. This is not going to be a complete study of the mind for that could not be done in one sermon but some things that will help us to “put off the old man” and to “put on the new man.”
1. There Must Be A Renewing Our Minds - Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. ( To make over! The world’s philosophy has molded the minds of the lost. They are blinded by the “god of this world” into thinking as the world thinks. Outcome based education shows both the process and results of satanic thinking. The teacher now gives a “s” or a “u” instead of A, B, C, D, or F. There is no longer the point system of grading that we used in our childhood. Children and adults are being programed to accept sodomy, adultery, etc. as acceptable lifestyles. Our minds have to be “renewed” or made over again by the Word of God so that we will think right. Otherwise, we become conformed to this world.)
2. We Must Gird Up The Loins Of Our Minds - 1 Peter 1:13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (To bind up in order to protect. Weight lifters [serious ones] wear a belt around the waist. It is tightly wrapped in order to protect both the back and the loins. A “loose mind” is one that tends to wander from the things of God. As frontlets keep the mule’s mind upon his business, so the girding of our minds keep our minds on God’s business.)
3. We Must Pattern Our Minds After Christ - Philippians 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. (A mind of humility, obedience, and service. Philippians 2 speaks of the incarnation, obedience, and sacrifice of Christ for us. We are to have this same mind. Humilty or know just who and what we are; obedience, being doers of the Word and not hearers only, deceiving our own selves; and sacrifice, giving our lives in Christ’s service. Heavenly minded instead of earthly minded.)
4. We Must Learn To Capture The Imaginations Of Our Minds – 2 Corinthians 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. (As children, we were taught to let our imaginations flourish. We had little in the way of toys when I was young so we made use of our imaginations. This was not a bad thing. Not all imaginations are sinful. As we grew older, we continued to entertain ourselves by letting our minds drift into a world of imagination. It is a departure from the real world; an escape mechanism; and is dangerous spiritually. We are to cast down and bring into captivity every thought that is contrary to sound doctrine and our obedience to God.)
5. Learn To Quench The Fiery Darts of the Devil - Ephesians 6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. (Our minds are constantly “bombarded” with carnal thoughts. The word “quench” means to extinguish. One of the best ways to put out a spark of fire is with a good dousing of water! The shield of faith: faith coupled with the Word of God. Believing what God has said and immediately putting away the temptation to sin.)
6. We Must Arm Our Minds Against Hardships - 1 Peter 4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin. (This world is hard! In our generation, we have become accustomed to a life of comfort. We expect everything to work out right and are “floored” when things go wrong. We are to endure hardness as good soldiers. When you know that life is hard, you can make it! We can grit our teeth, set our jaws, fix our eyes, and withstand everything that the world throws at us. Toughness is a state of the mind! Ron. We need to arm our minds with a spiritual toughness that we are going to take all that Satan can throw at us and, through the power of the Spirit, come out of our hardships better instead of bitter.)
Conclusion: The battle that we looked at tonight is an old one. We find the fiery darts of Satan in the beginning as he turned the thoughts of Eve from the revealed will of God. Paul gives us a little glimpse into his personal battle with the flesh as he was continually tempted to give into to its sinfulness.
Romans 7:21-25 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. (22) For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: (23) But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. (24) O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? (25) I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
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