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# 25 -- Code: CS Christian Standards ; Color: purple- |
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1. 1 Jn.3:1-3 - What great honor do Christians have today?
1 Jn.3: LB 1. See How very much our heavenly Father loves us, for he allows us to be called his children--think of it--and we really are! But since most people don't know God, naturally they don't understand that we are his children. 2. Yes, dear friends, we are already God's children, right now, and we can't even imagine what it is going to be like later on. But we do know this, that when he comes we will be like him, as a result of seeing him as he really is. --- We may truthfully sing, "I'm a child of the King!" and then we should make sure that we act like one. In all we say and do, we should try to copy King Jesus. Our standard of conduct will be inspired by our view of Jesus. Because we have seen Him as the pure Son of God what will we try to do? 3. And everyone who really believes this will try to stay pure because Christ is pure. - - - Note 1 Jn.3: LB - 9. The person who has been born into God's family does not make a practice of sinning, because now God's life is in him; so he can't keep on sinning, for this new life has been born into him and controls him---he has been born again. --- In our love for Him and our desire to honor Him we will study all the rules and suggestions that have been revealed in his word.
2. 1 Jn.2:15-17 - What must we stop loving? What three influences do not come from our heavenly Father?
1 John 2:15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life is not of the Father but is of the world. --- These three desires were used by Satan to capture Adam, but Jesus gained the victory when Satan tried them on Him. Jesus refused to doubt his own Sonship and He held fast to His trust in His Heavenly Father. (Mat.4:1-10; Lu.4:1-13) These three desires are paraphrased for us moderns as: "the craze for sex, the ambition to buy everything that appeals to you, and the pride that comes from wealth and importance--these are not from God." --1 Jn.2:16 LB) ---Who will live forever? ---- 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
3. Isa.62:10-12 - In order to prepare the way for the coming King what is to be lifted up for the people? -- What are they to be called?
Isaiah 62:10 Go through, go
through the gates! Prepare the way for the people; build up, build up the
highway! Take out the stones, lift up a
banner for the peoples! 11 Indeed the Lord has
proclaimed to the end of the world: "Say to the daughter of Zion, `Surely your
salvation is coming; behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him.'
'' 12 And they shall call them
The Holy People, the
Redeemed of the Lord; ... --- The flag or standard that is to be lifted could represent the Law of God or the entire Bible. It could also stand for a high moral life style, but most of all it is Jesus. He is to be the life style example that we fix our eyes upon.
4. Isa.59:19-20 - In the last conflict with the enemy, what will the Holy Spirit raise up against him?
Isa.59:19. So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him. 20 And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the Lord. - - Note Isa.40: LB - 9. O Crier of Good News, shout from the mountain tops! Shout louder--don't be afraid--tell the cities of Judah, "Your God is coming!" 10. Yes, the Lord God is coming with mighty power; he will rule with awesome strength. See, his reward is with him, to each as he has done.
It must be the standard of holy living because the Redeemer comes into the hearts of those who choose to turn away from sin. --- Notice S.S. 6: 4, 10: The church-bride in Solomon's love song is as beautiful and inspiring as an army with banners. Also Ps.60:4; and 20:5 speak of a flying flags and a banner to rally to. God is calling us to come up to the holy living standard of Jesus. Ps.60: LB 4. But you have given us a banner to rally to; all who love truth will rally to it; --- Ps.20: LB 5. May there be shouts of joy when we hear the news of your victory, flags flying with praise to God for all that he has done for you. May he answer all your prayers!
5. Ja.4:4 - If we make friends with the enemy to enjoy worldly pleasures what happens to our relationship with God?
Ja.4: LB 4. You are like an unfaithful wife who loves her husband's enemies. Don't you realize that making friends with God's enemies---the evil pleasures of this world---makes you an enemy of God?
6. 1 Pet.1:13-15 - In all our speech and action what are we to be?
1 Pet.1: LB 13. Now you can look forward soberly and intelligently to more of God's kindness to you when Jesus Christ returns. 14. Obey God because you are his children; don't slip back into your old ways--doing evil because you knew no better. 15. Be holy now in everything you do, just as the Lord is holy, who invited you to be his child. "You have been chosen by God himself--you are priests of the king, you are holy and pure, you are God's very own--all this so that you may show to others how God called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light." -1 Pet.2:9 LB
7. 1 Pet.4:3-4 - When a person turns away from all self-pleasing indulgences how will he be treated by his old friends?
1 Pet.4: LB 3. You have had enough in the past of the evil things the godless enjoy--sex sin, lust, getting drunk, wild parties, drinking bouts, and the worship of idols, and other terrible sins. 4. Of course, your former friends will be very surprised when you don't eagerly join them any more in the wicked things they do, and they will laugh at you in contempt and scorn.
8. Prov.4:14-15 - What should we avoid?
Prov.4: LB 14. Don't do as the wicked do. 15. Avoid their haunts--turn away; go somewhere else, - - - Note Rom.13: LB -11. Another reason for right living is this: you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for the coming of the Lord is nearer now than when we first believed. 12. The night is far gone, the day of his return will soon be here. --- What does 2 Cor.6:14-18 mean when it says to come out from the world and to be separate? Does it mean to take a spacecraft to the moon or to become a hermit? No, of course not. We couldn't be a witness or save anyone that way. But it does mean avoiding something, and we should obey this call
9. Rom.13:13-14 - What are some things that we must avoid?
Rom.13: LB 13. So quit the evil deeds of darkness and put on the armor of right living, as we who live in the daylight should! Be decent and true in everything you do so that all can approve your behavior. Don't spend your time in wild parties and getting drunk or in adultery and lust, or fighting, or jealousy. 14. But ask the Lord Jesus Christ to help you live as you should, and don't make plans to enjoy evil.
10. Titus 2:11-12 - Along with eternal salvation what does the grace or mercy of God teach us?
Titus 2: LB 11.12. For the free gift of eternal salvation is now being offered to everyone; and along with this gift comes the realization that God wants us to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures and to live good, God-fearing lives day after day. - Note Eph.5: LB 1. Follow God's example in everything you do just as a much loved child imitates his father.
11. Eph.5:3-5 - What classes of people will fail to inherit the Kingdom?
Eph.5: LB 3. Let there be no sex sin, impurity or greed among you. Let no one be able to accuse you of any such things. 4. Dirty stories, foul talk and coarse jokes--these are not for you: Instead, remind each other of God's goodness and be thankful. 5. You can be sure of this: The kingdom of Christ and of God will never belong to anyone who is impure or greedy, for a greedy person is really an idol worshiper--he loves and worships the good things of this life more than God.
12. Eph.5:7-8,11,16 - How should we fellowship with these people?
7.8. Don't even associate with such people. for though once your heart was full of darkness, now it is full of light from the Lord, and your behavior should show it! 10.11. Learn as you go along what pleases the Lord. Take no part in the worthless pleasures of evil and darkness, but instead rebuke and expose them. 15.16. 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. --- Our life-style reproof might help some seeker of truth but we must not waste time with proud sinners and it is certainly impossible to reprove the TV Movie actor by spending time witnessing the recorded murders and adulteries. Only those who stop their ears from hearing of blood and shut their eyes from seeing evil will be protected from the 7 last plagues. (see Isa.33:14-16)
13. Gal.5:21 - Who will never inherit the Kingdom?
Gal.5: LB 21. Envy, murder, drunkenness, wild parties, and all that sort of thing. Let me tell you again as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the kingdom of God. --- Note 1st Cor.6:LB - 9. Don't you know that those doing such things have no share in the Kingdom of God? Don't fool yourselves. Those who live immoral lives, who are idol worshipers, adulterers or homosexuals--will have no share in his Kingdom. Neither will thieves or greedy people, drunkards, slanderers, or robbers. --- Gal.5:19-20 gives a longer list of evil practices that if allowed to grow in our lives will shut us out of heaven. "But when you follow your own wrong inclinations your lives will produce these evil results: impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure, idolatry, spiritism (that is, encouraging the activity of demons), hatred and fighting, jealousy and anger, constant effort to get the best for yourself, complaints and criticisms, that feeling that everyone else is wrong except those in your own little group--and there will be wrong doctrines." - Gal.5:19-20 LB
14. Gal.6:7-8 - What seeds must we plant to gain the victory of everlasting life?
Gal.6: LB 7. Don't be misled; remember that you can't ignore God and get away with it: a man will always reap just the kind of crop he sows! 8. If he sows to please his own wrong desires, he will be planting seeds of evil and he will surely reap a harvest of spiritual decay and death; but if he plants the good things of the Spirit, he will reap the everlasting life...
15. Col.1:21-22 - Since we have a sinful nature how can God reconcile us into his holy heaven?
- - - Note Col. 1: LB 20. It was through what his Son did that God cleared a path for everything to come to him--all things in heaven and on earth--for Christ's death on the cross has made peace with God for all... Col. 1: LB 21. This includes you who were once so far away from God. You were his enemies and hated him and were separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions, yet now he has brought you back as his friends. 22. He has done this through the death on the cross of his human body, and now as a result Christ has brought you into the very presence of God, and you are standing there before him with nothing left against you--nothing left that he could even chide you for.
16. Col.3:16-17 - Whose name should we try to honor in all we say and do?
Col.3:16. Remember what Christ taught and let his words enrich your lives and make you wise; teach them to each other and sing them out in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing to the Lord with thankful hearts. 17 Whatever you do or say, let it be as a representative of the Lord Jesus, and come with him into the presence of God the father to give him your thanks.
17. Phil.4:8 - What positive one word command will help us?
Phil'p. 4: LB 8. And now, brothers, as I close this letter let me say this one more thing: Fix your thoughts on what is true and good and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely, and dwell on the fine, good things in others. Think about all you can praise God for and be glad about. --- Positive thinking promotes well being. It is the best way to overcome negative or evil thoughts. Another truth to remember is: "plant a thought and you reap an action". This scripture lists 7 tests of judgment to help you choose good thoughts and eliminate all things that are not true, honest, just, pure, lovely, or of good report. --- In other words, the Lord wants us to throw out the bad and then toss out the good, in order to keep the best! --- How do you keep bad thoughts from coming? ANSWER: First, you may not be able to stop the birds from flying over your head but you can keep them from building a nest in your hair; even so, you can kick out the bad thoughts. Second, keep busy with good thoughts and actions, remembering that an idle mind is the devil's workshop. Third, "Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thought shall be established." Prov.16:3. "Think on these things…and the God of peace shall be with you." Phil.4:8-9.
Dear Reader, hear is my selected scripture verse for your encouragement: --- 1 Pet.2: LB 9. You have been chosen by God himself--you are priests of the King, you are holy and pure, you are God's very own--all this so that you may show to others how God called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. 10. Once you were less than nothing; now you are God's own. Once you knew very little of God's kindness; now your very lives have been changed by it. 10. Dear brothers, you are only visitors here. Since your real home is in heaven I beg you to keep away from the evil pleasures of this world; they are not for you, for they fight against your very souls.
May God bless you,
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