WALK IN LOVE (EPHESIANS 5:1-7)

 

WALK IN LOVE

BIBLE PASSAGE: EPHESIANS 5: 1- 7

Picture taken from Google

Lesson Prepared by: Krisha of Solomon’s Wisdom FB page

FEBRUARY 02, 2020

 

MEMORY VERSE

And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour.

EPHESIANS 5:2

 

INTRODUCTION:

The late Dr. Albert Schweitzer, famous missionary, medical doctor, and musician, was asked, “What is the best way to raise children?” He replied, “There are three ways: 1) By example, 2) By example, and 3) By example” (cited by Doug Spangler, American Baby [August, 1979], p. 35). He was certainly right. By your actions, your words, and your attitudes in the home, your children learn to follow in your footsteps.

The apostle Paul knew the importance of example in teaching others. He told the Corinthians that he was their father in the gospel and then added (1 Cor. 4:16), “Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me.” Later in the same letter, he repeated (11:1), “Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.” He also told the Thessalonians (1 Thess. 1:6), “you also became imitators of us and of the Lord….” Using the examples both of a tender, nursing mother and an affectionate father, he told them that he had imparted to them not only the gospel, but also his own life (1 Thess. 2:7-11). Jesus told us to imitate God when He said (Luke 6:36), “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” He went even further when He commanded (Matt. 5:48), “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

https://bible.org/seriespage/lesson-39-imitating-god-love-ephesians-51-2

 

In Ephesians 5: 1-2 we can see that God wants us to imitate or mimic Him. In doing so, we will walk in love. Before I proceed to our lesson, let me tell you a story:

The story of is told of a girl who regretted breaking her engagement and wrote this letter:

“Dearest Tommy, no words could ever express the great unhappiness I’ve felt since breaking our engagement. Please say you’ll take me back. No one could ever take your place in my heart, so please forgive me. I love you; I love you; I love you! I love you!”

Yours forever,
Marie

PS: And congratulations on winning the state lottery.

When we are asked what is love, what is our answer? When we talk about true love, what comes to our mind or who comes to our mind first? We admit it or not, we don’t think about God. We think about our pains, the time we were brokenhearted or the person we love before or at this present. In our lesson today, I pray we would realize what the point of our love life at this present time.

 

LESSON OUTLINE:

1.  LET GOD’S LOVE FLOW FROM US TO OTHER PEOPLE

How in the world can we imitate the Lord God Almighty even first of all we’re in the flesh? How can we imitate God who is perfect; he doesn’t mean by that that we took going around physically trying to imitate what God would do if he were on earth but rather that our whole spirit and our whole life is to be a likeness to Him. So, he says therefore we are to be imitators (mimic) we are to be like him. Now when we say like him, what does he like? Let’s turn our Bible in 1 John 4:16, “And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God”, and God in him”. So, when we start talking about imitating or being a follower of Jesus Christ or living the way he lives, the first characteristic that ought to be evident in us is that there’s going to be a flow of God’s love from us to other people so you and I should be characterized if by no other Christian quality, we ought to be characterized by love. People should see us as loving people. Now, sometimes they don’t, sometimes it’s because of their attitude, sometimes it’s because of our conduct or things that we say and they don’t see as this loving people but he says, “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour.” Now our problem is this, we are living in the flesh and we meet somebody once in a while that’s very difficult to love. How can we be living in this physical body having our personality or other people having theirs? How is it that we can love other people and though sometimes they are so unlovely; their attitude, their actions are so unlovely? Well apostle Paul gives us the answer to that when he says for example in Galatians 5 the fruit of the fruit by whom he says we have been sealed and are in dwelt in the book of Ephesians, the Spirit of God within us will overflow and he says the fruit of the Spirit is what? (Love) The first characteristic and the first evidence of Spirit is love. So that characteristic is the fruit that we have the spirit.  He says, “ I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless, I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me”. So, that makes it possible to answer Paul’s plea in this beginning verse is that you and I are dwelt by the Holy Spirit who will flow through us into other people’s lives and one of the first things they should be able to see as believers is that we’re loving.

 

There’s a story from David Dykes lesson ‘the debt of love I owe’. Here’s the story

Opal Whetset is a Christian writer. One night she was on a Greyhound bus between Flagstaff, Arizona and Albuquerque, New Mexico. It was a cold February night and the bus stopped in a small Indian community. A young American Indian teenager boarded the bus and sat down behind her. Maybe it was the warmth of the bus or the rocking motion but she could tell by his breathing he was soon asleep. Sometime later he woke and ran down the aisle to ask about a certain stop where he was supposed to get off. The driver snapped back and said, “We passed that stop a long time ago. Why didn’t you get off then?” The young man went back to his seat. She could tell he was anxious and upset. He got back up, walked back to the driver, and said, “Will you stop the bus and let me get off and walk back to where I was supposed to get off?” The bus driver said, “No, it’s too cold and it’s too far. You’d freeze. You’ve got to ride the bus all the way into Albuquerque then catches another bus back to your stop. The Indian sat down in his seat behind Opal. She could tell he was upset. She turned around to this young man she never met before, and said, “Are you afraid? Is there anything I can do to help?” He said, “I don’t know what to do. I’ve never been to Albuquerque, and besides, I don’t have any money. They’re going to make me pay again. I don’t know what to do.” She said, “Well listen, don’t worry, you just stick with me. When we get to Albuquerque, I’ll make sure you get on the right bus. And if they want to charge you, which they shouldn’t do, I’ll buy your ticket.”

Then Opal went up and talked to the bus driver and explained the situation. She said, “Can you make sure the next bus he gets on; they don’t charge him to take him back to where he needs to go?” The bus driver finally agreed. Opal went back and sat down and turned to the young man behind her and said, “It’s all taken care of. Don’t you worry. Everything’s going to be okay.” After riding for about ten minutes in total silence, Opal felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around and the young man leaned forward, and asked her this question. He said, “Ma’am, are you a Christian?”

Has anybody ever asked anybody in this room, “Are you a Christian?” Because, when we show that kind of unusual love to people, they know that.

 The man made him asked the person who helped him, “Are you a Christian?”

That question makes me think about the way how I act outside the church: home, work, outside and anywhere. Do they see Christ in us? I had so many bad feedbacks from co-workers about their “born-again friends” (born-again religion). They said how these people posted things very spiritual in Facebook or in any conversation, but their lives are living in darkness. Honestly for me, Baptist is the strictest about Christian living which is good because we follow our flesh and the church is there to help us imitate God; people should see Christ in us so that we may bring them to Christ.

 

Another thing that caught my attention is that love, the biblical love, is the fruit of the Spirit that is in us. This is the evidence that we are the children of God. Therefore, if we always do the contrary, we must be aware of our spiritual status.

 

2.  LOVE AS CHRIST HAS LOVED US

Paul describes the quality of the love we should have. Let’s notice what he says, “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And Walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour.” Now he says just as he loved us; he has loved us unconditionally. It’s endless; It is not loving me if and loving me except. It is an unconditional love. It is a forgiving love no matter what we do; he’s still forgiving toward us. It is sacrificial love, the same term they used when they offered sacrifice and notice what he said “a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma and that is our lifestyle. Our love should be of the quality that our life should be like an aroma before God. Again, he says, “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children”. We have to see ourselves walking in love unconditional, forgiving, sacrificial love and he says in so doing we will be a “sweet-smelling savour”.  Our life should leave an aroma of the gospel of Jesus Christ which is always loved. The basis of who we are in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 1-3), this is the way we ought to live. Ephesians 4:1 says,” I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,”. We’ve been called to be lovers; allowing the love of Jesus to be continuously expressed through us. Paul’s plea for us is we should be living as a lover, but he says watch out for the world’s counterfeit. In Ephesians 5:3 says, “But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;” (Tagalog: kaya't hindi dapat mabanggit man lamang na kayo'y nakikiapid o gumagawa ng anumang uri ng kahalayan o pag-iimbot) So, Paul is saying here is a perversion of the kind of love that God has implanted in us. All of us who are indwelt Jesus Christ have the pure love of God indwelling us so that all of us have the capacity to love of a people. Now he says for example, here the love of the Lord Jesus Christ is unconditional, sacrificial and that it is a pure love that is the love that is reaching out and forgiving. Now let’s think about the world’s love as you and I hear about and as we see it displayed, demonstrated and portrayed whether it’s in the movies, television or whatever it might be. Is the world’s love unconditional? No! The world says, “I love you if”. 

Is the world’s love sacrificial? No! “I love you to a point.” Is the world’s love forgiving? No! It’s not forgiving - “you do me wrong and I’ll do you wrong in return” or “If you don’t love me then I don’t love you”. Let’s think about what the world has to offer in the way of love in the next verses. This the world’s counterfeit and Paul was pleading and calling us to allow our lives to be an expression of the life of Jesus which is a life of love; the imitators of the Lord Jesus Christ Walk in love and let that be the characteristic, but he says there’s a different attitude and here’s the world’s counterfeit. The world’s talking about making love and there are different terms use to describe love, but all of these are not love at all. When Young people who feel their minds with the television view of love and magazine view of love begin to date and talk about love and that’s their attitude toward love is. It’s not any wonder that they end up defiling their bodies, perverting their lives, destroying their future with a very clearly given counterfeit view of what love’s all about. Love isn’t what do I want what satisfies me; love is what is best for the other person. So, he says you don’t know the world’s counterfeit like. Here’s the way to describe which is found in verse 3. But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Do not let immorality that is fornication- any kind of sexual expression outside of the limits of God is wrapped up in that word “porneia”. Covet someone’s that’s not yours is a character of selfishness. The world’s concept of love is all wrapped up in selfishness. They call it love, affection and they call it many things, but the truth is- most of it are immorality. Born out of a heart of selfishness is a covetous, greedy to have my needs met at the expense of someone else without even thinking oftentimes what that expense may be; that’s counterfeit of love.  Paul was pleading us to “walk in the love” that is becoming to the children of God who know how to reach out and express love thinking about the other person, giving of ourselves or the other person whether it’s in marriage or friendship. Love is always giving. Love is not selfish. Paul plea for us to be imitators of God and walk in love as God has loved us. 

The description of love is mentioned in the 13^th chapter of 1 Corinthians. The problem of us now especially in churches is “accepting the lifestyles” that are totally unbecoming to believers. We’re accepting habits, we’re accepting attitudes, language, music that is totally against Almighty God. The sensuality in music is probably more powerful than just in words because it deals with your emotions, in the rhythm of your body and we need to be very, very careful what we listen to. This may not affect but I can tell you one thing that is appealing to a lot of folks and there’s no way listen to it over and over and without grasping its words and views. Not just suggestions but blatant statement of immorality and this is filthy. Some people say “well, you know after all this is just a new generation”. if that is the definition of love, we need God help to this generation. Music gives us the thinking of what the meaning of love in this world.  It will program the way your thoughts and that will become your concept of love and sex.  One of these days and you’re in a relationship, you thought you love somebody who thought he loved you, but it was all built on the quicksand of the world’s counterfeit of love. Love isn’t just a feeling or emotion.

Ephesians 5:4-5, “Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God”. These things don’t belong in the life of the Christian, but you see we should be thanking God if we know what true love all is about and thanking God that we’ve discovered that no sexual immorality ever meets a need or satisfies anything in the human life. The world offers what is has no power to provide. We see in the life of artists world about this. They can go to bed with anybody and for 50 years they still be crying out deep down inside. There’s something empty inside of them be crying out and what that cry out is… the Spirit of God desiring to fill you with Himself. We can’t be happy until we allow God to fill you with himself. With Jesus Christ, you can be fulfilled.

 

CONLUSION:

We cannot walk in love or do anything good in the sight of God unless we have given over all to Him. part of putting off the old man is repentance. There is no coming to Jesus without repentance. that is what we do when we surrender all to Him. Only then can well come out of our lives through what God does, by His holy Spirit in our lives.

Taking off the old man and putting on the new man involves giving over all to Jesus, the good, the bad and the ugly. Jesus does not want some of us. He wants it all. We do not clean up ourselves to meet Him, we meet Jesus and let Him do all the cleaning.

 

WALKING TOGETHER (LEVITICUS 26:1-12; AMOS 3:3)

 

WALKING TOGETHER

BIBLE PASSAGE: LEVITICUS 26: 1-12, 27; AMOS 3:3

Picture taken from Google

Lesson Prepared by: Krisha of Solomon’s Wisdom FB page

Lesson ideas taken from: https://www.biblestudytools.com/

MARCH 07, 2021

MEMORY VERSE

And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people

LEVITICUS 26:12

 

INTRODUCTION:

Who do you want to walk with? I remember when I was in my early years of being a Christian, we used to walk on our way home, no matter how far it was. An industrious young people accompanied all the girls on their way home and that was he was doing after Gospel Hour Service. It was also one way of saving money for transportation because lot of young people had not given money by their parents in going to church at that time. It was okay doing this because you love the fellowship of the believers. Back to the question, do we want strangers or someone we love?  How about in spiritual life, do we want to walk with unbelievers or with God?

Our subject today is, "Walking with God, or Separating from the World." Of course, this address is to those that have been redeemed by the precious blood of Christ; for no man has a desire to walk with God until he is saved. For six thousand years, since Adam fell out of communion with God, God has been trying to win back the sons and daughters of Adam into communion with himself. When Adam was innocent of sin, he could walk with God; but the moment he fell, he ran away and hid himself and was out of communion with God. When men are going away from God, they do not desire to walk with him; but after we have become his children, the sweetest lesson we can learn is how to walk with him in constant fellowship, how to be in communion with him all the while. In line with this, let’s see what the advantages of walking with GOD are.

 

LESSON OUTLINE:

1.  WALKING WITH GOD MAKES US PROSPER (LEV. 26: 12, 27-28)

And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people. And if ye will not for all this hearken unto me, but walk contrary unto me; Then I will walk contrary unto you also in fury; and I, even I, will chastise you seven times for your sins.

 

Remember the Israelites when they chose for a king instead of a prophet, ordained by the Lord, to guide them? We can see that they had free will to decide.

Now if nations will not walk with God, it is the privilege of individuals to do so; and each one of us in this house can be brought into communion with God, and walk with him the rest of our days, if we will. It says in 1 Peter 2:20-21 says, "For what glory is it if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God, For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow in his steps."

 

Now if you read the history of that nation, you will find that as long as they kept the law, they prospered which means they walk with God. He gave them the rain in season, and God caused their land to bring forth abundance; but when they turned away from him and would not reverence his law, then they brought calamity upon themselves, and they were taken into bondage and servitude. Nebuchadnezzar took them into bondage and kept them for seventy years, because they would not reverence the law. Now it says in that same chapter, 12th verse: "And I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people." He said, I will come down among you, and you shall be my people, and I shall be your God. And what nation had a God like that? What nation was blessed like that nation, when God was walking with them? If they were in battle, God sent legions of angels to help them if they put their trust in him. But then he warns them in the 27th verse: "And if ye will not for all this hearken unto me, but walk contrary unto me, then I will walk contrary unto you also in fury; and I, even I, will chastise you seven times for your sins."

 

This is a walk with GOD: "Enoch walked with God." This Is not an ordinary walk, and you do not keep company with the ordinary. You are walking with God. However strange it may seem to our finite minds, it is possible, according to the Word of God, to live in the realm of the Spirit and walk in fellowship with the heavenly Father. Enoch’s walk emphasizes an Important relationship between humanity and divinity, between God and man, between that which Is weak and limited, and that which Is powerful and unlimited. Think of the high and holy privilege of walking with God. What an exciting thought that I can walk with God. 1 John 1:7 says, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”

The walk of which the Bible speaks means you have discovered the road of truth. The quest for truth is as old as the human race. Pilate was not the first man to ask, "What is truth?" Men of every generation have asked that question. The followers of Buddha have answered it by saying truth is following the teachings of Buddha. The disciples of Confucius have answered it by saying, truth is observing the teachings of Confucius. The devotees of the Prophet Mohammed have answered it by saying Allah is God and Mohammed is his prophet. But the voice of Jesus Christ speaks loud and clear above all others as he declares, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No man comes to God except by me."

Some people say, "Let’s be broad-minded. All roads lead to heaven. You go your way, and I’ll go mine and we’ll arrive at the same destination." But the truth reveals there is only one way to heaven. The Bible says it is a narrow way; it has a strait gate, and only a few will find it.

Others have said it doesn’t really matter what you believe so long as you are sincere in believing it. But I beg to differ with such an opinion. Sincerity is commendable only so long as it is based on truth. I have no doubt that Adolph Hitler was a sincere man. He believed in what he was doing and sold a nation on it. Jim Jones with his cult in South America was sincere-but his sincerity could not be commended when he coaxed or forced nearly 1000 people to commit suicide in the name of religion. It does matter what you believe. Our faith must be based upon truth.

The psalmist says, "Teach me thy way, O Lord, I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name" (86:11).

Let’s read some spiritual quotes from famous people - “Those who walk with God, always reach their destination.” ― Henry Ford

“If I walk with the world, I can’t walk with God.”  Dwight L. Moody

2.  YOU WON’T LOSE POWER; GOD WALKS WITH YOU (AMOS 3:3)

Can two walk together, except they be agreed?

In electrical terms, lose power means when the electrical power goes out unexpectedly.  A power outage may:

·       Disrupt communications, water and transportation.

·       Close retail businesses, grocery stores, gas stations, ATMs, banks and other services.

·       Cause food spoilage and water contamination.

·       Prevent use of medical devices

Spiritual losing power means you are not in the light; you can fight back the influence of this world. We need to walk with God. THIS IS A WALK OF FAITH: The Bible says that Enoch had this testimony that "he pleased God" (Hebrews 11:5). How was Enoch able to please God? The writer of Hebrews tells us that "without faith it is impossible to please [God]" (11:6). Enoch could walk with God because he was a man of faith and placed his trust in God. God is a big God. He is the God of the maximum and not the minimum; the God of might and miracle. He is the God of unlimited power, and He will reveal Himself to us if we believe and trust Him. He will shake heaven and earth in order to reveal His glory and power to His people.

In 2 Corinthians 3:5 Paul says, "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God." Paul never glories in the flesh but ascribes the winning of life’s battles to "Him that loved us."

·       Walking in faith means walking in power for God is power. His power is at work in us and through us and for us. This being true, our lives do not have to be sick and anemic, but we can be men and women of faith keenly aware of the adequacy of divine grace for every need. In Ephesians 1:19 Paul states, ". . . according to the working of his mighty power." Other phrases in his letters such as "the effectual working of his power" (Ephesians 3:7) and again "to Him that is of power to stablish you" (Romans 16:25)-these and fifty other passages give us authority to echo Paul’s words, "Be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might." (Ephesians 6:10)

 

·       Walking by faith also means growing in Christ. In Colossians 2:6, 7 we read, "As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him, Rooted and built up in him and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving."

In this one passage Paul talks about four elements of the Christian experience. Walking-Growing- Building- and Abounding.

Walking expresses Life.

Growing expresses an inner power.

 

·       When we walk with God by faith, we will also experience intimate fellowship with Him. "What a fellowship, what a joy divine, Leaning on the everlasting arms . . . I have blessed peace, with my Lord so near, Leaning on the everlasting arms." We have discovered, as did Enoch, that walking and living in the presence of God is an experience of blessed fellowship and sweet communion.

We read in the chapter 3 of Amos, 3rd verse: "Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" If you see a man that is in communion with another man, you say, those two men agree pretty well. If you see two businessmen that go to their stores together every morning, you say they agree; and if they do not have fellowship with one another, you do not have the same impression. If a man is going to walk with God, he has got to agree with God. He has got to give up his own thoughts and ways; for God is above us and is not going to give up his ways to walk with us. What is the first thing you notice if a person is a Christian or not? For me, a person’s lifestyles – we don’t know how they talk but we can already see their lifestyle – vices like smoking and in appearance – piercing and other worldly getups. Let’s take this example - Suppose I walk with a man to a bank, and while he breaks in and steals $100,000, I wait for him and then walk off with him. The police get hold of us, and they make no difference between us. I walked to that bank with him and walked away with him; and I am just as bad as that man. If we are going to be hand and glove with the ungodly, there is no difference between us.

Let us look at chapter 11 of Numbers and on the 13^th and 14^th verse. I think that gives us another view of this truth, and how it is we have lost our power. "And the mixed multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, “Who shall give us flesh to eat? We remember the flesh that we did eat in Egypt freely, the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic. But now our soul is dried away; there is nothing at all, besides this manna, before our eyes." What a sad picture that was. God gave them angels' food, bread from heaven; and they hated it. Why? On account of the mixed multitude, they got in with the world, with unbelievers, and they began to talk against the manna and about the onions, and leeks and garlics which they ate down in Egypt. What do you see to-day? Men hate/dislike the Bible; men don't love this bread which has come down from heaven, which feeds our souls; they run off to operas and theatres, and the world has come into the church. They hate the manna which God has sent them from heaven, on account of this mixed multitude.

“God’s mighty power comes when God’s people learn to walk with God.”  Jack Hyles

CONLUSION:

It is always a pleasant experience to walk with someone you love. We should love walking with God. There are some wonderful things that God, our walking companion, does for us as we put our trust in Him. I want to mention three. He guides us, He comforts us, and He protects us as we walk together.

First, He is our Guide. The psalmist wrote, "For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death" (48:14). That’s a wonderful promise. Life can be a frustrating journey. It has many uncertain turns. I, for one, need a trusty guide and friend to show me the way. When you take a journey with a capable and trusted guide, you can leave your worries behind. He arranges the details of the Journey. He knows the destination because he has been there before; all you have to do is go with him, listen to him, and follow his instructions.

Martin Luther once said, "I know not the way God leads me, but well do I know my Guide." He can always be trusted. Thank God our traveling companion is Trustworthy-He knows the way, He knows the pitfalls, and He erases worry from our minds when we put the details of the journey in His hands.

Second, our walking companion also gives us comfort and strength for each traveling day. The Bible says in Deuteronomy 33:25, "As thy days, so shall thy strength be." These words were part of a blessing Moses pronounced upon the tribe of Asher, but they stand as a testimony of God’s faithfulness to all His people. We sometimes wonder if the demands of life will be too heavy for the circuits. Will we make it? But the answer of the Word of God is, "As your days may demand, so shall your strength be." God has promised that when you walk, you will never walk alone. He is with you. He reminds us, "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint" (Isaiah 40:31).

God said follow me and it means he is walking before you therefore, “Don’t worry God has gone before you and prepared the way. Just keep walking.” (Remember pastor rod had said this)

Third, our walking companion also protects us on our journey. The psalmist declares, "The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so, shall I be saved from mine enemies" (Psalm 18:2-3).

When we hear these words, we recognize God as the defender and protector of His people-an ever-present help in the time of trouble. David says God is like a great fortress whose walls cannot be penetrated by the enemy. He also says God is my coat of armor and shield against the arrows that come my way. He is the strength of my life. When I would be faint and weary, He refreshes and restores me.

Let me say this quote, “Smart men walked on the moon, daring men walked on the ocean floor, but wise men walk with God.” Leonard Ravenhill

How many times have we thought we would perish on our journey? How many times have we thought we would die in the heat of the battle? But God raised up a standard against our enemy. When the enemy came in like a flood, God raised up His army against him. God protects His people from the enemy and surrounds them with His loving care. Thank God for His watchful, caring, loving protection, along the journey of life.

Let’s be reminded that “THE MORE YOU WALK WITH GOD, THE HARDER IT IS TO SCRAPE YOUR KNEE.”

 

LIVING FAR FROM THE EDGE (2 CHRONICLES 26:1-23)

 

LIVING FAR FROM THE EDGE

BIBLE PASSAGE: 2 CHRONICLES 26: 1 - 23

Picture taken from Google

Lesson Prepared by: Krisha of Solomon’s Wisdom FB page

Lesson ideas taken from: https://www.openthoumineeyes.com/bible-answers/separation

 MARCH 28, 2021

MEMORY VERSE

And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

EPHESIANS 5:11

 

INTRODUCTION:

Many Christians fail in the area of separation. Most often, they will not separate themselves from the things of this world and separates themselves unto God. They want the comfort of knowing they will go to heaven, but their sincerity is lacking. They will not separate from the places they should not be. They want to dress like and look like the world. Their desire is to fit in like everyone else.

I remember the struggles I faced when I stepped up to college.  In the area of how I should look was hard; I don’t want to look weird. So, I understand the struggle of fitting in but if you failed to this part you would fail to the other area therefore, we need to overcome this. I experienced also the struggles at work (tell some of the struggles).

Too often Christians are more interested in fitting in with the world than they are fitting in with God. We should not strive to fit in and appear like everyone else. Remember when your mom would say to you scolding you for something, “If your friends jumped off a bridge, would you do it?” We did not like her admonishment, but too many are doing that spiritually. We are doing what everyone does around us. Too many are following the world, rather than leading the world by a Christ-like example.  I remember what pastor Rod had said in some of her devotions, “You would not be happy in a place you did not belong with.” For example, the fishes, they would not be happy on the land; the right place for them is in water. 

 

The question, or place of confusion for many is, “Well, what is it I should be separated from?  What are the ungodly, works of wicked I am to keep away from?”

Reading the Bible will reveal the main source of what should be avoided — sin.  There are more sins than those found in the Ten Commandments (Ex. 20).  One man counted over 600 sins. One will not know what they should keep away from if they do not read in the Bible and learn what they are.

“Well, a lot of the sins are for Old Testament times,” is often the retort. The Old Testament, particularly the Law, is the schoolmaster (Gal. 3:24) that teaches us what God likes and dislikes. Since God never changes, what was sin to Him in those days, unless there is a retraction or permission given in the New Testament, is still sin today.

People feel more comfortable with a list of sins.  However, because of man’s devices, dealings, and different times, sins change.  A list of sins from Old Testament times would not apply today. Scales no longer have weights, so the sin about “false balances” would not be valid for most today.  However, the principle behind that sin, cheating and deceiving, still can be applied today. There were no guns in 1200 BC, but fatally shooting someone with one today is still a sin. Murder has always been sin, with a gun or a stone. Alcoholic beer is not mentioned in the Bible; however, drunkenness is to be avoided according to God’s Word.  Abortion also is not mentioned in the Bible, but the principle of not killing another and taking one’s life is clearly sin. Many insist the dress codes and standards of the Old Testament are only for by-gone days, but the principle that honors the differences in the sexes God created has not changed.

Many justify sin and lack of separation with the excuse, “Today is different.”  Sin is sin and always has been.  The principles of what is sin need to be learned from God’s Word and applied.

Man’s lifestyle and possessions are always changing.  A list of what not to do will never be accurate for more than several years.  It is the spirit of the doing the right things that must be established, and then an attitude of discernment will hold true and guide one no matter what changes in the world. It is the “spirit” of God’s law that needs to be the ruler to measure what is right and wrong, not just being on God’s list of sins (“the letter” of the law).
“Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.” II Cor. 3:6

https://www.openthoumineeyes.com/bible-answers/separation

 

Our title for today is “Living Far From the Edge”; What does this mean? From the picture shown, we can see the edge of the cliff. When one lives a life far from the edge which means far of being “wrong or sinful”. Why we need to live far from the edge?

 

LESSON OUTLINE:

1.  IT PROTECTS US FROM BEING TEMPTED AND FALLING INTO SIN (1 THESS. 5:22)

Abstain from all appearance of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22).

 

Many Christians do not want to live the separated life, yet they still want to have an appearance of being a Christian. They are so close to sin, that it takes very little to unbalance them spiritually.

A pastor illustrated this by stumbling off the line he was walking and tripped down the steps. “But” he went on to illustrate, “Those that have learned the wisdom that they need to stay away from anything that would tempt them or even give an appearance of their doing sin, get far away from that ‘tolerable’ line.”  He moved far away from the imaginary line separating right and wrong.  As he continued, he pointed out that, “As I get farther away the questionable ‘gray’ area, you will see that I am getting closer to God.”  That is what living far from the edge of right and wrong does; it protects us from being tempted and falling into sin.

He went back to the line of “what-one-can-get-away-with-and-still-not-be-involved-in-sin.”  As the preacher tried to balance on the line again, he warned, “Those that live close to the edge of where they were before they were saved, and what they know is sin, cannot lose their salvation when they get too close to their old lifestyle, but they can get involved in sin.  They may lose their testimony that may take a long time, if ever, to get back. Their witness as a godly example will be ruined.

“When one refers to Christian hypocrites it is those that got to close to the edge and fell into sin that are being referred to.  It is much safer to get as far from the edge, and get close to God.  If it is questionable, give God the benefit of the doubt, and stay away from its involvement.”

That is what separation is all about, separating oneself from anything that will make one fall.  That is why God wants us to separate from many things of this world and, of course, from sin. God loves us and does not want His children hurt by sin or weakened by its temptation.  Separate yourself from the world and unto God.

We have read the life of King Uzziah; he began well, but success and power went to his head and caused him to stop being faithful (summarize the story if needed upon explaining). But when he was strong, he grew proud, to his destruction. For he was false to the LORD his God and entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense. In the ministry, sometimes we think that it’s better for us to do the work because we are like the description “worthy or fit” doing it. It’s possible we think that way because of our position: possible we are the leader, ministry leader, assistant, friend of the pastor’s wife, or the pastor’s son.

On a similar theme, there is a temptation, as you get older, to become casual and to assume that you have now learned how to handle pressures and temptations. You may then begin to loosen your standards and to think that it is safe for you to cut corners slightly, or to compromise a little on ethical issues relating to money, sex, work, relationships, or your use of power. It is precisely when you think you cannot, or will not, fall that you are in greatest danger of falling.

A person who is aware of their weakness, and concerned that they may fall, will take care to avoid tempting situations. But a person who has begun to trust themselves is in great danger. Therefore, never trust yourself. Never consider yourself to be above temptation, or immune to falling into any kind of sin, especially the ones that you feel drawn to, or about which you have ever felt tempted to compromise. Those are the very areas where you particularly need to redouble your vigilance and keep yourself on a short lead. As Malachi puts it, we need to guard ourselves: (https://realchristianity.com/dont-become-complacent-later/)

2.  WE CANNOT LIVE IN TWO WORLDS (1 JOHN 2:15-17)

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. ¹⁷ And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

 

·       We have a great tendency of neglecting God’s purpose and design for us, and we end up glorifying all the wrong things: Giving all our money to entertainment, and actors, and holidays, Glorifying movie stars, and filthy musicians, and authors, Worshipping money and possessions and God calls this world unworthy of our love and worship (Gal 1:4)

 

·       We are the objects of God’s great love (Eph 2:4-7). Therefore, the appropriate responses we should have toward God is to praise Him, adore Him, magnify Him and fellowship with Him, at all times (Ps 34:1; 62:8).

·       The Bible teaches us that God is a jealous God, and He is jealous of whatever takes us away from Him.

·       Brethren, God's jealousy for us is the basis of being separated from sin unto Him. God wants every believer to be separate from everything that would draw our allegiance, our attention, our confidence away from Him.

·       If God does not have all of us, He is jealous of what takes us away from Him. Biblical separation is separating ourselves from that which we have allowed to take us away from God, and simply returning unto Him. It is taught throughout the Bible and needs to be seriously practiced by Christians today (Exodus 34:14).

 

God demands our separation from wicked places, practices, and people. He knows if we participate in these things, we will limit Him in our lives. Listen to me! Because God is a pure, holy, and righteous God, we cannot live long if we continue living in sin (Rom 6:23). Therefore, separation (putting some distance between our lives and the ways of this world) is not an option, but a survival act.

 

CONLUSION:

How To Live Separate Without Going OUT of this World

1.     By Choice - It is a Choice – YOUR Choice. It is called repentance

 

·       God’s choice was to draw you and I close to Himself (Dt 7:6-8)

·       Our choice must be to go ahead and draw close (James 4:8)

·       Since Christians are no longer children of the devil, we are commanded to walk and abide in the light of our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 5:8 / Ephesians 5:11 — separation verse for sure/Romans 13:12-14

·       It involves putting distance between our eyes and ears, and the filth of this world (Lev 20:24-26)

What are the things we do: so much on your TV, so much of today’s music, even so much of the newspaper – so dark and un-educational – all only filth

You need to know what is good and clean and wholesome, and what is filthy and dirty and wrong – and keep it away from your eyes, and the eyes and ears of your children! It not only means protecting your eyes and ears, but your minds! It means bringing every thought into subjection to its design (2Cor 10:5,6) – They must be used for praise, and preaching, and encouragement, and edifying, and rebuking in love!

 

2.          By Constant Cleansing

 

·       by constantly reading and meditating on God’s word (John 15:3; 17:17)

·       Then by quickly confessing and apologising for all transgressions – never being stubborn (1John 1:9; king Saul taught you that)

·       Then by claiming the cleansing power of the eternal blood of Christ (Heb 9:13,14) to wash every stain away (1John 1:7)

 

3.         By Fearing God (2Cor 7:1) 

Just suffice it to say, that when we truly get back to fearing God, and knowing that He will always direct His attention at removing every sin in our lives, then that will help motivate us to keep “short accounts” with Him, and stay clean, and right with Him

 

Illustration:

One day a farmer grabbed his shot gun to shoot at a flock of pesky crows. Unfortunately, he didn’t see his sociable parrot that had joined the crows. After firing a few shots, he walked over to the fallen birds and was surprised to find his parrot badly ruffled with a broken wing. When the farmer’s children saw the injured bird, they asked, “Dad, what happened?” The farmer simply replied, “Bad company.”

Scripture often warns us to avoid harmful influences. Regardless of our age or spiritual strength, over time, unwise influences will negatively affect our walk with the Lord. Satan is determined to pull us into sin and wreck our lives, and he often uses wrong influences to accomplish his goal.

Source: Unknown

And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

EPHESIANS 5:11