Godly Living II

Past. Melody vd Merwe

21 August 2011 (am)

Intro: Godly living, (Godliness) is living the way God wants us to. Godly living is modeled after God Himself, especially as He has revealed Himself in His fullness in Jesus Christ.

Eph 5:1…be imitators of God

1 John 4:17 …because as He is, so are we in this world…

Eph 4:22-30 (AMP)

(v22) Strip yourselves former nature – (pajamas)

(v23) Be constantly renewed in the Spirit of your mind (attitudes begin in the mind)

(v24) and PUT ON the new nature

Renewed by God’s Word – read the Word daily, meditate in it and change your attitudes. According to the Word.

(v25) Live in truth (God’s word is truth- not double-tongued) with all –(parts of same body). Speak the truth in love. Have the habit of being truthful. The truth, whole truth and nothing but the truth. Can’t say nothing good – shut up.

(v26+27) Be angry, and do not sin; do not ever let your wrath (your exasperation, your fury or indignation) last until the sun goes down.

• Toss and turn when you go to bed angry about what someone did or didn’t do or what someone said or didn’t say. We become offended, insulted, irritated or upset. You allow yourself to become more and more angry the longer you think about it.

Wrath – Someone whose mood is so upset that he becomes completely bent out of shape over some issue (greek) – ruk uit verband.

Wrath often starts as silent resentment. If left it slowly builds up inside the person becoming stronger and stronger until one day, it finally explodes in rage! Pressure cooker – out of proportion to cause.

Instead of rejecting anger when it shows up, this person draws anger to himself and then nurses it, nourishes it, feeds it, and holds it close. Allows the aggravating issue to “get under his skin” and becomes his constant companion – even to bed. When the sun goes down.

(v27) Leave no [such] room or foothold for the devil [give no opportunity to him].

When you go to bed angry the entire night becomes an opportunity for the devil to work inside your mind and emotions.

Devil –greek DIABALOS – paints a picture of the devil as one who repeatedly throws accusations at the mind – striking again and again until he ultimately penetrates the mind with slanderous lies and relationship-destroying insinuations.

Bedtime= ideal time for devil to get foothold – plant thoughts for you to mediate on all night.

Deal with anger unforgiveness before bedtime. Realize that anger, wrath and strife (fleshly emotions) are the entry points the devil uses to wage war in your mind.

• If something or someone has upset or offend you, you will only make matters much worse if you let yourself go to bed angry.
• Give no place – room to the devil.

Wants – money, health, marriage, relationships, employment, business and ministry – wants every room. (Territorial)

He must find an open door.

We open doors when we;

• Refuse to let go of old hurts and wounds
• Refuse to acknowledge what we did wrong
• Refuse to forgive others for what they did
• Refuse to stop judging others for their grievances
• Refuse to admit we were wrong too
• Refuse to say, “I’m sorry” when we’re wrong. (pride)
• Refuse to lay down our “rights” for others.

Choose to give no place to the devil.

In our minds, in our emotions, our actions, our words.

Choose to walk in the Spirit – Godly living

Watch yourself – broken car –jack.

When you become offended at someone, you become nit-picky (kleinlik), negative, and faultfinding and no longer see any good in them – note all their ugly, wicked, wrong details.

Remember GRACE – all you’ve been forgiven allow the love of God that is shed abroad in your heart to surface and to reign – instead of being selfish – opposite of love (all about me). Walk in love.

Don’t Give Up When Times Get Tough

by Rick Warren

This is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are quite small and won’t last very long, but they will produce for us an immeasurably great glory that will last forever! So we don’t look at the trouble we can see right now; rather, we look forward to what we have not yet seen. For the troubles we see will soon be over, but the joys to come will last forever. (2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NLT)

Why do bad things happen to good people? Why is life so difficult sometimes? Don’t be surprised if God is using tough times in your life to test your faithfulness.
Faithful people keep on keeping on when other people want to give up. Faithful people are diligent and determined. They are persistent.

In 2 Corinthians 4, Paul says you need to get the right perspective when you are going through a problem. Don’t look at the temporary problem; look at the long-term reward. Don’t look at the temporary pain; look at the long-term gain. Don’t look at it with the short-term view, “What’s happening to me right now?” Instead, look at the character that you are building because you haven’t given up. You’re hanging in there.

God is more interested in what you are becoming than what you accomplish.

If you are facing difficult times right now, I want to challenge you to write this verse on a 3×5 card and memorize it: “So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up” (Galatians 6:9 NLT).

I pray it will encourage you to keep going. You will be rewarded!

1 Cor 13:4-8 (The Living Bible)

______________ is very patient and kind, never jealous or envious, never boastful or proud, never haughty or selfish or rude.

______________ does not demand it’s own way.

______________ is not irritable or touchy.

______________ does not hold grudges and will hardly even notice when others do it wrong.

______________ is never glad about injustice, but rejoices whenever truth wins out.

If ________________ loves someone he/she will be loyal to them no matter what the cost.

______________will always believe in them, always expect the best of them, and always stand his/her ground in defending them.

1 Cor 13:4-8 (The Message Translation)

______________endures long and is patient and kind;

______________ never is envious nor boils over with jealousy,

_______________is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily.

______________is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride);

_____________ is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly.

_____________ (God’s love in us) does not insist on his/her own rights or his/her own way,

for _______________ is not self-seeking;

________________is not touchy or fretful or resentful;

________________ takes no account of the evil done to him/her

[_______________ pays no attention to a suffered wrong].

________________does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail.

________________ bears up under anything and everything that comes,

________________is ever ready to believe the best of every person,

________________’s hopes are fadeless under all circumstances,

and ________________ endures everything [without weakening].

________________’s love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end].

GODLY LIVING I

Godly Living I

Past. Melody vd Merwe

14 August 2011 (am)

Intro: We have been saved by grace through faith by the blood of Jesus. We are to be Disciples of Christ – Demonstrating Him were we live and move.

Eph 5:1 …be imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example], as well-beloved children [imitate their father. (AMP)

1 John 4:17…because as He is, so are we in this world…

We must recognize and realize that Godly living always encounters persecution. Expect this, because a Godly life testifies against Godlessness in others.

GODLY LIVING

1.      Before God – holy, obedient (Jesus e.g.)

1 Pet 1:13-19 Amplified Bible (AMP)

¹³So brace up your minds; be sober (circumspect, morally alert); set your hope wholly and unchangeably on the grace (divine favor) that is coming to you when Jesus Christ (the Messiah) is revealed.

¹⁴[Live] as children of obedience [to God]; do not conform yourselves to the evil desires [that governed you] in your former ignorance [when you did not know the requirements of the Gospel].

¹⁵But as the One Who called you is holy, you yourselves also be holy in all your conduct and manner of living.

¹⁶For it is written, You shall be holy, for I am holy.

¹⁷And if you call upon Him as [your] Father Who judges each one impartially according to what he does, [then] you should conduct yourselves with true reverence throughout the time of your temporary residence [on the earth, whether long or short].

¹⁸You must know (recognize) that you were redeemed (ransomed) from the useless (fruitless) way of living inherited by tradition from [your] forefathers, not with corruptible things [such as] silver and gold,

¹⁹But [you were purchased] with the precious blood of Christ (the Messiah), like that of a [sacrificial] lamb without blemish or spot.

2. Before the World

1 Peter 2:11-12 Amplified Bible (AMP)

¹¹Beloved, I implore you as aliens and strangers and exiles [in this world] to abstain from the sensual urges (the evil desires, the passions of the flesh, your lower nature) that wage war against the soul.

¹²Conduct yourselves properly (honorably, righteously) among the Gentiles, so that, although they may slander you as evildoers, [yet] they may by witnessing your good deeds [come to] glorify God in the day of inspection [when God shall look upon you wanderers as a pastor or shepherd looks over his flock].

3. Be of One Mind

1 Peter 3:8-12 NKJV + Amplified Bible (AMP)

⁸Finally, all [of you] should be of one and the same mind (united in spirit), sympathizing [with one another], loving [each other] as brethren [of one household], compassionate and courteous (tenderhearted and humble).

⁹Never return evil for evil or insult for insult (scolding, tongue-lashing, berating), but on the contrary blessing [praying for their welfare, happiness, and protection, and truly pitying and loving them]. For know that to this you have been called, that you may yourselves inherit a blessing [from God--that you may obtain a blessing as heirs, bringing welfare and happiness and protection].

¹⁰For let him who wants to enjoy life and see good days [good--whether apparent or not] keep his tongue free from evil and his lips from guile (treachery, deceit).

¹¹Let him turn away from wickedness and shun it, and let him do right. Let him search for peace (harmony; undisturbedness from fears, agitating passions, and moral conflicts) and seek it eagerly. [Do not merely desire peaceful relations with God, with your fellowmen, and with yourself, but pursue, go after them!]

¹²For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous (those who are upright and in right standing with God), and His ears are attentive to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who practice evil [to oppose them, to frustrate, and defeat them].

Spirit Filled Life Bible – Word Wealth (WW) – “tenderhearted” Hosea 2:23

1 Peter 4:1-2 Amplified Bible (AMP)

¹SO, SINCE Christ suffered in the flesh for us, for you, arm yourselves with the same thought and purpose [patiently to suffer rather than fail to please God]. For whoever has suffered in the flesh [having the mind of Christ] is done with [intentional] sin [has stopped pleasing himself and the world, and pleases God],

²So that he can no longer spend the rest of his natural life living by [his] human appetites and desires, but [he lives] for what God wills.

+ Notes in the Spirit Filled Life Bible.

1 Peter 4:3–6 (NKJV)

Know Him to Show Him.

1 John 2:3-6 Amplified Bible (AMP)

³And this is how we may discern [daily, by experience] that we are coming to know Him [to perceive, recognize, understand, and become better acquainted with Him]: if we keep (bear in mind, observe, practice) His teachings (precepts, commandments).

⁴Whoever says, I know Him [I perceive, recognize, understand, and am acquainted with Him] but fails to keep and obey His commandments (teachings) is a liar, and the Truth [of the Gospel] is not in him.

⁵But he who keeps (treasures) His Word [who bears in mind His precepts, who observes His message in its entirety], truly in him has the love of and for God been perfected (completed, reached maturity). By this we may perceive (know, recognize, and be sure) that we are in Him:

⁶Whoever says he abides in Him ought [as a personal debt] to walk and conduct himself in the same way in which He walked and conducted Himself.

+ Notes in the Spirit Filled Life Bible

Do not love the world

1 John 2:15-17 Amplified Bible (AMP)

¹⁵Do not love or cherish the world or the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him.

¹⁶For all that is in the world–the lust of the flesh [craving for sensual gratification] and the lust of the eyes [greedy longings of the mind] and the pride of life [assurance in one's own resources or in the stability of earthly things]–these do not come from the Father but are from the world [itself].

¹⁷And the world passes away and disappears, and with it the forbidden cravings (the passionate desires, the lust) of it; but he who does the will of God and carries out His purposes in his life abides (remains) forever.

+ Life Point (The Everyday Life Bible)

First John 2:15 urges us no to love things that are in the world. Instead we should love people and use things to bless them. This is hard for us to do if we love things too much! You and I must strive to keep possessions in their proper place in our lives. We must not put worldly possessions before people. We must always put people first!

Pursue This

1 Tim 6:11

(WW) “gentleness”

Spirit Filled Life Bible – Word Wealth

Changing II: The Choice

Past. Melody VD Merwe

31 July 2011 (am)

Eph 4:21-27 (NLT + NKJ)

… ²¹ Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, ²² throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. ²³ Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. ²⁴ Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.  ²⁵ So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbours the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. ²⁶ And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.”^[a] Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, ²⁷ for anger gives a foothold to the devil….

NB!!! God loves you just the way you are, but too much to leave you that way.

(v22-Mess) …Since, then, we do not have the excuse of ignorance, everything—and I do mean everything—connected with that old way of life has to go. It’s rotten through and through. Get rid of it! And then take on an entirely new way of life—a God-fashioned life…

Change requires making choices. You can’t expect different results by keeping on doing the same things – You must choose to change.

Change is intentional – change will not happen accidentally – healthier, stronger, happier, less debt – More like Jesus.

Change Requires a Choice!!

God is not going to change us!! We must choose to change!! No change no growth. There is no change without loss, and there is no loss without pain.

To grow, you will have to change, and change means letting go of some old things to grab hold of some new things.

-         Old patterns, old habits, old ways of thinking.

(v22-LB) … throw off your old evil nature and your former way of life… put on your new nature, because you are a new person, created in God’s likeness…

HOW?

Eph 4:23 (NIV)…to be made new in the attitude of your minds…

…there must be a spiritual renewal of your thoughts and attitudes…

Change requires new thinking

Phil 2:5 (NKJ) …Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus…

(NIV)… Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus…

We must remember that God is not impressed by our gifts and talents; His primary concern is our heart attitude.

we must change our attitude

1.      Change your way of thinking.

Prov 23:7…for as he thinks in his heart, so is he…

-         I need to love my spouse, children, neighbour more – change the way you think of spouse, children, neighbour.

-         Think of them the way God thinks of them.

To change anything in life you first have to change your way of thinking!

Change your way of thinking and everything else will change.

-         I can do all things through Christ….

-         Nothing can separate us from the love of God

-         I am blessed

-         I am a new creation in Christ Jesus

-         I have the nature of God

Phil 2:5 (NIV)…your attitude should be the same as that of Jesus Christ.

2.      Change your way of talking

Prov 18:21…death and life are in the power of the tongue…

James 3:2 …no man can tame their tongue without God’s help..

King David Ps 141:3…set a guard, o Lord, over my mouth…

Ps 19:14… let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, o Lord…

Life + Death

Think before we speak!!!

John 12:49…for I have not spoken on my own authority; but the Father who sent me gave me a command, what I should say and what I should speak…

Ps 34:14…Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit.

-         Let no corrupt word proceed from your mouth – unbelieving / doubting.

3.      Change your walk

Eph 4:24

John 5:19…the son can do nothing of himself, but what he sees the Father do; for whatever he does, the son also does in like manner…

Eph 5:1…be imitators of God as dear children…

a)     Walk in unity

John 17:21…be one as the Father and I are one…

Eph 4:3

Prov 18:1(NKJV)… a man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; – hy wat hom afskei soek sy eie begeerte…

(LB)… the selfish man quarrels against every sound principle of conduct by demanding his own way…

Prov 18:1 (GNT)…people who do not get along with others are interested only in themselves; they will disagree with what everyone else knows is right…

b)     Walk in love

Eph 5:2

1 Cor 13

Gal 5 (Fruit)

Everything works through love; for God is love.

c)      Walk in light

Eph 5:8-11

d)     Walk in wisdom

Eph 5:15-17 (LB)…so be careful how you act; these are difficult days. Don’t be fools; be wise; make the most of every opportunity you have for doing good. Don’t act thoughtlessly but try to find out and do whatever the Lord wants you to…

Eph 5:15-17 (NKJ)

Parenting Seminar

Saturday 27 August 2011…

More details to follow…