What is self- control? Keeping the Commandments; mastering the flesh.
Name the Ten Commandments:
1. No other Gods
2. No idols
3. No taking the Lord's name in vain
4. Remember the Sabbath
5. Honor father and mother
6. No killing
7. No adultery
8. No stealing
9. No lying
10. No coveting
For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all. (James 2:10 NASB)
1. Controlled by the Spirit
For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh- for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. (Romans 8:5-14 NASB)
-->There are two kinds of people: those who have the Spirit, and those who do not.
-->Because of the wages of sin, our bodies are aging and dying. But there is Hope! We are given life because of the imputed righteousness of Christ, meaning that God has taken the responsibility for our sins by sacrificing His Son on the cross and in return has ascribed to us Christ's perfection.
-->If that is true (which it is :)), then why bother with the desires of the flesh? It's a waste, right? Live by the flesh and die. Live by the Spirit and live!
-->So how can we know the Spirit lives in us? By our fruit. The path of a Christian is to sin less, repent more.
2. Abide in the Word
How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word. With all my heart I have sought You; Do not let me wander from Your commandments. Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You. (Psalms 119:9-11 NASB)
-->God's Word is His Law...and His Law is love. Jesus said, this is my commandment that you love one another. Deuteronomy 6 says love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and might.
-->Ask God to put in your heart a love for Him and a love for others. The will of God is that you might have this love. Ask for it and you will receive it abundantly.
-->God also desires that you know His Word. Abide in it. Read it. Make time for it. When you feel your heart pulling away from the Lord Jesus, get back to the Word! The truth of the scriptures will free you from your selfishness.
3. Accountable to all
Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone? And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart. (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 NASB)
-->Be aware of who you spend time with. But do not spend too much time alone either. We are sanctified (sanctification: becoming like Christ) by being with others, and we are encouraged by being with believers.
-->There is no salvation outside of that which God gives. Be aware that the path to salvation is narrow. There is nothing we can do to gain it, for the price is too steep. But we still are called to "work out our salvation with fear and trembling." For God is working in us for His will and His pleasure as He seeks to prepare us for His kingdom.
Friday, November 30, 2012
John 6 Commentary
The book of John chronicles well the miracles of Jesus. But John also takes his writing a step further and focuses in on the metaphors of Christ. As you read through John, you will notice terms like "born again" and "living water." In John 6 we will know Jesus as "the Bread of Life."
John 6 opens with the feeding of the five thousand. This miracle parallels the Old Testament when God provided manna for the Israelites in the desert. The masses of people loved Him as He fed them with all they desired--and with twelve baskets full of leftovers! They exclaimed, "This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!"(v. 14) God can and will provide food for hungry people, but even greater than that is the true food that feeds our souls for eternity.
The twelve disciples alone witness Jesus walking on the water in the evening after the crowds were fed. But the multitudes were intrigued by the Lord and wanted to know how He got across the sea when He had taken no boat. Jesus soberly redirects the conversation in verses 26 and 27 when He says, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life which the Son of Man will give to you..." The people ask Him how to do the works of God. Jesus says to "believe on the One who was sent"... The people ask for signs and works from Him so they can believe, mentioning the manna that their forefathers ate in the wilderness. Keep in mind they were just miraculously fed the day before from two fish and five loaves! I sometimes wonder if they were just hungry again and wanted Jesus to produce more bread.
The text that follows is powerful. Jesus Christ gives account of God the Father providing true bread from heaven that gives life to the world. The people ask for this bread, but they still are hard of heart. They cannot hear the message that Christ is revealing to them because they are focused on fleshly comforts. Jesus speaks to the heart. Verse 48-51, "I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die...And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh." In verse 56, He expresses that those that eat and drink His body and blood abide in Him. Abiding means living as a part of something else. As the vine and branches abide in one another.
But remember what all this is about: "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life."(v.63) As Jesus teaches His followers about the true food and true drink that His body and blood provides, He is foreshadowing His death on the cross, that the sins of those who believe would be forgiven, and they would receive eternal life. Furthermore, Jesus knew that some would not believe as He stressed, "...no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father." Many disciples turned back at this point, a far cry from the response Jesus received at the beginning of the chapter when He met physical needs.
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied." (Matthew 5:6)
John 6 opens with the feeding of the five thousand. This miracle parallels the Old Testament when God provided manna for the Israelites in the desert. The masses of people loved Him as He fed them with all they desired--and with twelve baskets full of leftovers! They exclaimed, "This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!"(v. 14) God can and will provide food for hungry people, but even greater than that is the true food that feeds our souls for eternity.
The twelve disciples alone witness Jesus walking on the water in the evening after the crowds were fed. But the multitudes were intrigued by the Lord and wanted to know how He got across the sea when He had taken no boat. Jesus soberly redirects the conversation in verses 26 and 27 when He says, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life which the Son of Man will give to you..." The people ask Him how to do the works of God. Jesus says to "believe on the One who was sent"... The people ask for signs and works from Him so they can believe, mentioning the manna that their forefathers ate in the wilderness. Keep in mind they were just miraculously fed the day before from two fish and five loaves! I sometimes wonder if they were just hungry again and wanted Jesus to produce more bread.
The text that follows is powerful. Jesus Christ gives account of God the Father providing true bread from heaven that gives life to the world. The people ask for this bread, but they still are hard of heart. They cannot hear the message that Christ is revealing to them because they are focused on fleshly comforts. Jesus speaks to the heart. Verse 48-51, "I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die...And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh." In verse 56, He expresses that those that eat and drink His body and blood abide in Him. Abiding means living as a part of something else. As the vine and branches abide in one another.
But remember what all this is about: "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life."(v.63) As Jesus teaches His followers about the true food and true drink that His body and blood provides, He is foreshadowing His death on the cross, that the sins of those who believe would be forgiven, and they would receive eternal life. Furthermore, Jesus knew that some would not believe as He stressed, "...no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father." Many disciples turned back at this point, a far cry from the response Jesus received at the beginning of the chapter when He met physical needs.
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied." (Matthew 5:6)
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Sunday updates
Ms Pam taught a great lesson today about guarding our words. Hurtful words can crush a person's spirit. Spend this week meditating/thinking about your own speech. Let your words be encouraging to others. The verses that we discussed today were James 4:11,12; Titus 3:1,2; and Ephesians 4:29.
1. Do not speak against one another, brethren. He who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks against the law and judges the law; but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge of it. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy; but who are you who judge your neighbor? (James 4:11, 12 NASB)
2. Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men. (Titus 3:1, 2 NASB)
3. Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. (Ephesians 4:29 NASB)
Don't forget to read John 6 this week if you have been following along. I will try to post some words about it later this week.
1. Do not speak against one another, brethren. He who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks against the law and judges the law; but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge of it. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy; but who are you who judge your neighbor? (James 4:11, 12 NASB)
2. Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men. (Titus 3:1, 2 NASB)
3. Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. (Ephesians 4:29 NASB)
Don't forget to read John 6 this week if you have been following along. I will try to post some words about it later this week.
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Out of the Heart...
Understanding our human condition-
-->the tongue and the heart work together to produce our speech--whether good or bad
"The heart is more deceitful than all else
And is desperately sick;
Who can understand it? (Jeremiah 17:9 NASB)
...For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. (Matthew 12:34 ESV)
But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man. (Matthew 15:18 NASB)
...for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart. (Luke 6:45 NASB)
He who guards his mouth and his tongue,
Guards his soul from troubles. (Proverbs 21:23 NASB)
The one who guards his mouth preserves his life;
The one who opens wide his lips comes to ruin. (Proverbs 13:3 NASB)
A gentle answer turns away wrath,
But a harsh word stirs up anger. (Proverbs 15:1 NASB)
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer. (Psalm 19:14 NASB)
By the word of the LORD the heavens were made,
And by the breath of His mouth all their host. (Psalm 33:6 NASB)
In the beginning was the Word... (John 1:1)
--> we see the spectrum from man to God in the matter of words and the heart.
James 3:1-12
-->Our words are...
1.Powerful
Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment. For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well. Now if we put the bits into the horses' mouths so that they will obey us, we direct their entire body as well. Look at the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot desires. So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things.
2. Dangerous
See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell. For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by the human race. But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison.
3. Revealing
With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way. Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water? Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Nor can salt water produce fresh. (James 3:1-12 NASB)
**Our sinful hearts are revealed by our words.
-->the tongue and the heart work together to produce our speech--whether good or bad
"The heart is more deceitful than all else
And is desperately sick;
Who can understand it? (Jeremiah 17:9 NASB)
...For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. (Matthew 12:34 ESV)
But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man. (Matthew 15:18 NASB)
...for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart. (Luke 6:45 NASB)
He who guards his mouth and his tongue,
Guards his soul from troubles. (Proverbs 21:23 NASB)
The one who guards his mouth preserves his life;
The one who opens wide his lips comes to ruin. (Proverbs 13:3 NASB)
A gentle answer turns away wrath,
But a harsh word stirs up anger. (Proverbs 15:1 NASB)
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer. (Psalm 19:14 NASB)
By the word of the LORD the heavens were made,
And by the breath of His mouth all their host. (Psalm 33:6 NASB)
In the beginning was the Word... (John 1:1)
--> we see the spectrum from man to God in the matter of words and the heart.
James 3:1-12
-->Our words are...
1.Powerful
Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment. For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well. Now if we put the bits into the horses' mouths so that they will obey us, we direct their entire body as well. Look at the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot desires. So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things.
2. Dangerous
See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell. For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by the human race. But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison.
3. Revealing
With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way. Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water? Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Nor can salt water produce fresh. (James 3:1-12 NASB)
**Our sinful hearts are revealed by our words.
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Renovation vs Revival
2 Chronicles 34:1-8
1. Remember the Lord
-->seek, hunt, pursue, inquire, draw near
-->is your time and intent for the Lord Jesus lacking? We can always seek Him more!
2. Remove the idols
-->Josiah sought the Lord by removing idols and priests of idols.
-->what idols do we need to remove from our hearts?
**Seeking the Lord gives us:
A. Clarity-finding out God's purpose.
B. Conviction-the Holy Spirit will reveal your idols when you ask in prayer.
C. Confidence-He will give you trust.
1. Remember the Lord
-->seek, hunt, pursue, inquire, draw near
-->is your time and intent for the Lord Jesus lacking? We can always seek Him more!
2. Remove the idols
-->Josiah sought the Lord by removing idols and priests of idols.
-->what idols do we need to remove from our hearts?
**Seeking the Lord gives us:
A. Clarity-finding out God's purpose.
B. Conviction-the Holy Spirit will reveal your idols when you ask in prayer.
C. Confidence-He will give you trust.
Saturday, October 13, 2012
From Rebellion to Restoration
What is revival?
"Behold, I long for Your precepts;
Revive me through Your righteousness." (Psalm 119:40 NASB)
--> consider the First Great Awakening and Jonathan Edwards:
The word ‘revival’ infers that something is dead or dying. The early 1700s in America were marked by spiritual decline and immorality. This was a time when few people attended church and there was little interest in spiritual things. But in 1734, in the small, unassuming church of Jonathan Edwards, 25% of the town converted to faith in Christ over the course of six months. The revival spread throughout the region and beyond. The Holy Spirit of God was at work in the souls of humanity.
Jonathan Edwards said, ‘God has also seemed to go out of his usual way in the quickness of His work...on the hearts of many….There was scarcely a single person in the town, either old or young, that was left unconcerned about the great things of the eternal world …The town seemed to be full of the presence of God…it never was so full of love and full of joy.
2 Chronicles 7:11-14
Thus Solomon finished the house of the LORD and the king's palace, and successfully completed all that he had planned on doing in the house of the LORD and in his palace. Then the LORD appeared to Solomon at night and said to him, "I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice. If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My people, and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
I. Pride leads to ... Rebellion
--> when we start to believe that we are ok without the Lord's work in our lives, then we fall into pride and selfishness. We are useless. We are like walking zombies within our church.
--> pride was the first sin that brought the archangel, Lucifer, down to earth as Satan, our enemy. It separated him from God, and it does the same to us.
'... Therefore it says, "GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE." Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.' (James 4:6-8 NASB)
II. Humility leads to ... Restoration
"Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you." (James 4:8-10 NASB)
--> we acknowledge our sin (laughter turned to mourning, joy turned to gloom) and it brings about repentance!
--> here is where we find true JOY, and as we are humbled, we are exalted and restored!
"Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:5-11 NASB)
**information on Jonathan Edwards: http://www.revival-library.org/pensketches/revivals/1st_edwards.html
"Behold, I long for Your precepts;
Revive me through Your righteousness." (Psalm 119:40 NASB)
--> consider the First Great Awakening and Jonathan Edwards:
The word ‘revival’ infers that something is dead or dying. The early 1700s in America were marked by spiritual decline and immorality. This was a time when few people attended church and there was little interest in spiritual things. But in 1734, in the small, unassuming church of Jonathan Edwards, 25% of the town converted to faith in Christ over the course of six months. The revival spread throughout the region and beyond. The Holy Spirit of God was at work in the souls of humanity.
Jonathan Edwards said, ‘God has also seemed to go out of his usual way in the quickness of His work...on the hearts of many….There was scarcely a single person in the town, either old or young, that was left unconcerned about the great things of the eternal world …The town seemed to be full of the presence of God…it never was so full of love and full of joy.
2 Chronicles 7:11-14
Thus Solomon finished the house of the LORD and the king's palace, and successfully completed all that he had planned on doing in the house of the LORD and in his palace. Then the LORD appeared to Solomon at night and said to him, "I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice. If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My people, and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
I. Pride leads to ... Rebellion
--> when we start to believe that we are ok without the Lord's work in our lives, then we fall into pride and selfishness. We are useless. We are like walking zombies within our church.
--> pride was the first sin that brought the archangel, Lucifer, down to earth as Satan, our enemy. It separated him from God, and it does the same to us.
'... Therefore it says, "GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE." Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.' (James 4:6-8 NASB)
II. Humility leads to ... Restoration
"Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you." (James 4:8-10 NASB)
--> we acknowledge our sin (laughter turned to mourning, joy turned to gloom) and it brings about repentance!
--> here is where we find true JOY, and as we are humbled, we are exalted and restored!
"Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:5-11 NASB)
**information on Jonathan Edwards: http://www.revival-library.org/pensketches/revivals/1st_edwards.html
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