Honest Work Is Hard
Notes
Transcript
Honest Work Is Hard
Honest Work Is Hard
RECOGNIZE THE JOURNEY NOT JUST THE POSITION.
Positional Truth is where we get our identity. Life Truth is where we see this identity worked out.
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
True Faith lays hold of truth into practice
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
Being transformed and empowered
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Admitting the need of our Savior in every aspect of our life is confronting.
It is possibily the easiest thing to do, but costs us what we prize most- MY WAY
And the Lord said: “Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men,
As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.
So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.
HONESTY -two parts
HONESTY -two parts
describe the problem or situation accurately
describe what God has done accurately
We have a natural option to pretty much everything we have going on.
It all centers around CONTROL.
We only readily admit the need for a savior for things we can’t control or have already lost control over.
Committing control is the hard work called YIELDING /HUMILITY
“Agree with God, and be at peace; thereby good will come to you.
Receive instruction from his mouth, and lay up his words in your heart.
If you return to the Almighty you will be built up; if you remove injustice far from your tents,
if you lay gold in the dust, and gold of Ophir among the stones of the torrent-bed,
then the Almighty will be your gold and your precious silver.
For then you will delight yourself in the Almighty and lift up your face to God.
You will make your prayer to him, and he will hear you, and you will pay your vows.
You will decide on a matter, and it will be established for you, and light will shine on your ways.
Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”?
But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children;
yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.
All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
TWO KINDS OF BROKENNESS -
Broken because of sin that is apparent
Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.
Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror.
Broken because of willingness to be changed - have sin rooted out
Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name.
Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!
And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!
Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.
HE IS COMMITTED TO MATURING YOU
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.
Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.
And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy,
HOW DOES HE DO IT?
By Perfect Sacrifice
For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.
By Regeneration
By His Word
By His Church
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.