Whereas she who lives in pleasure and self-gratification [giving herself up to luxury and self-indulgence] is dead even while she [still] lives. ~1 Timothy 5:6~
Why would we choose to live in pleasure and self-gratification rather than in God’s ways?
One reason might be that we haven’t truly encountered God in our own lives... have a personal relationship with Him... made the decision to follow Christ! This would be walking in death even while we live (example: Like a plant that has lost all its leaves and has no bloom- living in cold existence and in need of nourishment and sun).
We’d like to share one of the most important truths of the Bible with you. It is this: that God loves you.
has this truth gone deep into your heart? Are you convinced that God loves you?
Romans 5:8, But God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. John 3:16, For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. Romans 8:32, He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?
He is for you and not against you. He wants good for you. You can know of all these things, but unless you go a step further and respond to these truths, it will not make any difference in your life. Your knowledge of Him should lead to your love for Him (salvation - trusting in Jesus for eternal life, repentance -turning from my way to God’s way, and entering into true fellowship with God by having a personal relationship with Him). Give testimony.
Fellowship is God’s idea. Sin is what breaks our fellowship with Jesus. When we repent, our fellowship is restored.
~~~Until you break up with the world - you won’t be able to “go steady” with Jesus! (Pastor Don)
Do you have a personal relationship with God? have you said “yes” to His knock?
Revelation 3:20, Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.
Our response is to love Him back! He begins to fill your thought-life more and more, you live to please Him, you are thrilled with His Word -- basically, you love Him with all your heart! We need to fuel our growth!
Mark 12:29-31, Jesus answered, "The most important is, 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." Ephesians 3:17, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith... you, being rooted and grounded in love... John 10:10, The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. Psalm 31:19, Oh, how abundant is Your goodness, which You have stored up for those who fear You and worked for those who take refuge in You, in the sight of the children of mankind! I Corinthians 2:9, But as it is written: “ Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
What are some of the themes in these verses? all your heart, soul, mind and strength (that covers everything!). rooted and grounded in His love. Experiencing God’s true life. Abundant goodness. things unimaginable!
He wants you to feel His love, to sense it every day. Fullness of joy. The abundant life.
My job in life is to love Jesus!
Your love for Jesus will drive you to obey Him (to honor your mom and dad, to serve Him, to stay in fellowship with Him, to pursue Him). You have nothing to lose when you give your all to Him!
As you obey Him, it will lead to you experiencing Him in your life!
Spend unhurried time with God and His Word. Pray, asking Him to speak to you, Psalm 119:18 Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in Your law. Listen to Him. Take the words that you read in the Bible and pray them back to Him.
Going back to the verse from 1 Timothy... think about the words pleasure, self-gratification, luxury, self-indulgence. what do these words mean to you? do they describe someone who has a personal relationship with God? someone who fears God? someone who knows that God holds them responsible for their choices? someone who has a fear of sin? (they describe someone who does what is right in her eyes... who’s walking in disobedience)
~~~ So how do we say no to self and yes to Jesus Christ?
Read excerpt from Ruth Bell Graham’s book, Coffee and Conversation (pages 28-30)
thoughts: One of our greatest enemies to loving Jesus and following Him is our unpredictable emotions! Did you notice what Ruth did? took her feelings to Jesus in prayer. she was honest before God.
~~~ Pray - speak to God directly, tell Him all that is in your heart. Be honest, tell Him what you want - and what you don’t like that’s in your life (struggles). Speak OUT LOUD.
If the enemy's hitting us, we've got to show ourselves steadfast and strong.
~~~ How? Confess - this is like cleaning your heart - sweeping the house clean. Confess the sin, your need for help. Speak His Name (there is Power in the Name of Jesus!) Take inventory of anything that could be pulling you down and get rid of it. (friends, a facebook friend, movies/books that fuel bad thoughts). Once the house is clean, don’t leave it empty - fill it up with good, With God - His Word. Psalm 119:11 I have stored up Your word in my heart, that I might not sin against You.
do not back down. do not back off. stay in the Word.
~~~ What about when we fall? Sometimes we do fall (Luke 22:31-34 Peter with Christ, and Luke 22:54-62). First, any of us can fall, any can deny Christ. We’re all capable. Peter was certain that he could not be “had.” But from falling, Peter learned how to stand. He fell, but his faith did not fail. Micah 7:8 Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. I Peter 5:6-11 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen. Christ is merciful!
We may fall, but then we grab back onto Christ and get up! Don’t stay down. Don’t lose heart. God created us with the freedom to choose. Choose life! Hold onto Christ! We are far more likely to trip and fall from tiptoeing behind Christ than we are by stomping loudly and deliberately in a set of steel-toed boots. B.Moore Be determined. Be obvious. You follow Christ. Let there be no room for doubt.
Forget Self. We can “forget” about ourselves because Christ never forgets us. We can afford to be less important to ourselves because we are vastly important to God. We can willingly be crucified with Christ because we are raised to walk in resurrection life.
Commit your heart to Christ. Isaiah 29:13 The Lord says: "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men.
This is what Judas did with Jesus - he was one of the 12 disciples, and yet he betrayed Jesus with a kiss; he came near to Christ with his mouth that night, but his heart remained far from Him. What about you? Where is your heart?
Bruce Milne, “the level of our prayer ministry will be the level of our dependence on the Lord.” We can do nothing without Christ. Fully rely on Him!
Adrian Rogers, "the greatest tragedy is not unanswered prayer, but unoffered prayer."
The LORD your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with his love, He will rejoice over you with singing. ~Zephaniah 3:17 read encouragement from these verses here
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