A Godly Life: Power or Poser

Introduction—

1.    Testimonial about your experience with HYC—

2.    Particularly about how God used a book (Hope for a Hurting World) when I was in the process of becoming a Christian.

3.    I thought, "there is so many hurting people I have no clue about in this world; how is my life making a difference."

4.    Yes, I had my problems that felt like a hundred tons, but in those times I knew the problem was greater than my problems—others also felt darkness, loneliness and despair, and to a much greater degree.

5.    I went to Russia—what a plane ride; first time I'd been out of the country.

6.    God was dealing with so much—I remember back to how God demolished many of my "life-consuming fears of rejection, and thoughts of not being accepted!"

7.    Start out by reading 2Timothy 3:1-5

8.    Before reading, note to focus on the character of the person's heart being described.   Try to get a picture of their heart.

9.    Key passage: 2Timothy 3:5 NASB ⁵holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.

10. The word godly here is the same word meaning: "1) Reverence, respect, and 2) Piety toward God," [1] but it is actually used to describe someone who is ungodly.

11. The person described is very ungodly in how they are being godly!

12. The parallel passage describes those "who suppose that godliness is a means of gain" (1Timothy 6).

13. Both passages describe the poser of godliness! 

14. Who has been called a poser?  Who doesn't like to be called a poser?

15. I don't know about you, but I see a poser of godliness in myself from time to time.

16. I'm really convicted by this passage because it shows me so many the ugly sins I see in my heart!

17. I'm only 25 years old and so many dreams have come true—

18. I remember praying desperately for God to save me at a very dark time when I had no clue about Him, and He led me to a relationship with Him by cleansing me with the precious the blood of Jesus!

19. I prayed specific prayers for a wife—now that I remember, even that I would get married before 24—and my wife is so high above me—everything I want and everything I need!

20. I prayed to become an evangelist when I was inspired by the Great Commission to follow Jesus, and I get to evangelize full-time at one of the largest college known to mankind!

21. There are so many other things I can mention—Like what God has done in my physical family!

22. God has done some big, amazing, miraculous things! 

23. He has answered some huge prayers!

24. God is so good to me, I am so very blessed!  Why would I ever forget what He has done and start relying on myself!?

25. I can slip into a discouraged, insecure state, and then have my doubts whether God wants to use me to show Himself powerful!

26. When I do that, (possibly similar to the apostle Peter) my denying is a pushing away of God's greatest power – embracing the miracle of Jesus dying for my sins.

27. But it breaks my heart when I realize that I've done this, and I want to say I'm sorry.  I want to surrender, humble myself, connecting with Him in His death so that I will be lifted into His powerful life!

28. Satan is real—in many ways, but especially by acting the part of a "good person" rather than persevering in godlike character—because it takes a lot of courage to consistently deal with your heart!

29. These heart sins are so hard to get in touch with – although some sound real obvious – "abusive…brutal, without self-control, not lovers of the good, even treacherous" – you would think that would know if a person were those things?  

30. Maybe the byproduct of hurting other people, but remember that they're all disguised in "being a good, religious guy"! 

31. If the heart is not dealt with, those ugly things will be you (period, fact)!

32. They are very tricky because you actually think your righteous—it's called self-righteous. 

33. I believe it is the Holy Spirit in our lives that makes us sick of superficiality—right now I need this time to lay it all out and live like Jesus—

34. It is so refreshing to just jump in and only care what God thinks.

35. I want to get into some practical things to help us in this mission, but whatever particular shape or form it is for you, we are like the poser of godliness when we deny God's power to work through a godly life! 

36. Know that the godly life is one of power or being a poser !

·        I want to spend a little time describing the poser. 

·        We need to let God's word convict our hearts!  That is the best way to deal with our hearts!

·        We will definitely not shy away from talking about sin on this trip because God wants us all to be powerful, godly people!  

·        The poser of godliness is:

37. Greedy – 1Timothy 6:9 just says, "a desire to be rich."  Who would desire to be poor?  Proverbs are full of passages about the pitfalls of poverty.   This may sound mediocre, but how many of us just desire to be content?  The bible says, "…godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment" (1Timothy 6:6 NASB).   

38. Pride/conceit – This person has moved into a distinct position of elevating themselves over other people.  One can imagine a person who once learned from and was converted by another disciple of Jesus now insisting on their "knowledge" and ability to teach.   Are not the greatest teachers in God's Kingdom those most willing to be taught?  There are so many example of Jesus using the childlike heart to illustrate how we need to always be teachable!   Let's have faith in the power of the Holy Spirit to work through us—give and take!

39. Discontentment – Behind the plastic smile (of the poser) the grace of God is not enough!  The attitude of a godly person: "we were brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.   If we (just) have food and clothing, we will be content with that…" because we are incredibly rich with the grace of God!  Let us begin to get a good taste of a godly attitude on this mission!

40. Irreverent – Not really in submission to God.  Not really having a heart that worships God.  Not really in awe of God!   (verse on seeing God and being humbled to reverence)

41. Discord—Since the heart of a poser is not really at peace with God, there is constant contention with other people. 

à    (I'm the kind of person that likes discussion/dialogue, but it is also real easy for me to get into arguments.   At times I can forget that discord and contention are fruits of the sinful nature, not of the Spirit.  I need to humble out before God, realizing that I don't have to be right—it is better to be wrong and right with God!).  

42. There is a little poser in all of us (mention that we need to have an attitude to fight this or else we will becoming these people—I am pointing out Satan's tactic).

43. I'm convinced that no one who is really trying to be godly will be a poser because ulterior motives are what make a poser of godliness. 

44. The poser is not the person who wants to be godly, but rather the person who uses godliness to their own advantage. 

45. Seeing an advantage in being godly is not bad, for the word even says, godliness with contentment is great gain (1Timothy 6). 

46. We know the example of the person going to church in order to get a girlfriend/boyfriend/good family/worldly motivations! 

47. Believe it or not, if it is not out of a love for God it is ugly and wicked, and it rears its head in all of us! 

48. But we are here, not as posers, but as godly men and women!

49. It is necessary that we have the faith: seeing the godly life as powerful!

50. We need to see the benefit in being godly – "the godly life is powerful!

51. Before you undertake the great strides you will make toward godliness, you need to have faith that the godly life is a powerful life!  "It all starts with faith that the godly life is powerful!"

52. A godly life shows our awesome God!—use 2Corinthians 2:14-17 passage about being the aroma for Christ and other verses about being a light to the world.

53. A godly life makes an eternal difference in people's lives – a power that gives the power to others! (Eph.3:14-21)

54. Romans 8:9; 2Timothy 1:7 – A godly life makes you confident, mature, complete, the best you can be!

55. From this point forward, lets be determined in our faith to never deny the power of a godly life, but rather believing God works His awesome power through those who imitate Him!

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[1] Thayer's Greek Definitions.

Faith to be Convinced

Campus Women's Morning Devotional

October 20, 2007

Introduction:

a) Brief Overview: Author Paul wrote this Epistle to Timothy with final direction and encouragement to lead the church in Ephesus.

b) Read 2Timothy 1:8-12- 8 So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, 9who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, 10but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 11 And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. 12That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.

c) Describe common characteristics of someone who is "convinced."

a. Examples:

i. Driven

ii. Unshakeable/obstinate

iii. Confident

iv. One who wholeheartedly believes in someone or something

b. Webster's New World Dictionary definition: persuaded by argument or evidence; feeling sure.

c. Question: What is it about God that you are not persuaded? (discussion)

d. Ask the group to give solutions to those who do not feel convinced.

I. Jesus destroyed death. ( v.10)

a. Romans 6:8-10- 8Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.

b. Read "The Case for Christ" (pp.191-192, 201-202).

II. Jesus defined life. (v.10)

a. Philippians 1:21-For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

b. Read list of martyrs.

c. How does hearing this lesson give you perspective on being convinced of who Jesus is?

d. What do you need to do in order to share your faith shamelessly?

III. You define Jesus.

a. Are you convinced that Jesus destroyed death?

b. What are some things that you feel like you would need to pray through to help you be convinced to share your faith because Jesus is really who He is?

c. Confess your struggle of faith with a sister and repent and believe!

d. Romans 14:23- "… everything that does not come from faith is sin."

e. What vision do you have for your campus ministry?

f. Give brief summary of Mark 6 and read Matthew 6:5-6-

5He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6And he was amazed at their lack of faith.

Conclusion: Share your faith with another woman in the campus ministry this week and believe!

Peace to Guard your Heart and Mind

Introduction –

• These are some things I've been learning especially lately, but they are really principles God has continued to hit on as I've been maturing as a Christian (7 years on the 29 ^th of this month!).
• Introduce the Main Text: Philippians 4:2-9 and Colossians 3:15
• Ref. John 14:27, where Jesus says, "peace I give you," talking about the inner peace His salvation brings—peace with God because your sins are no longer counted against you.
• His peace—connecting with your salvation—guards your heart and your mind!
• Three parts to this:
• Importance of guarding our hearts
• God's will or plan for everyone to have a pure heart
• Our faith is taking up the responsibility to trust in God

 

1. Why is it so important to guard our mind and heart?
1. Matthew 5:8  "they will see God"

                                                              i.       Psalms 24:3-6 impurity of heart is far more than just sexual impurity.

                                                            ii.       Illustration: comedian making the point of someone procrastinating getting their eyes checked and corrected.

2. James 4:8 double-minded

                                                              i.       James 1:5-8 it means to be "unstable in all he does."

                                                            ii.       This evening, do you feel like the wave being tossed around by the wind?

                                                          iii.       Do you feel powerless, where there is a wave of popularity, or the desires of your flesh, and you have the hardest time fighting against it?

                                                          iv.       The pressures of the world can feel like the tide, but Jesus gives us the power to go against the flow.

3. John 14:1, 27 Troubled hearts – what does it look like to have a troubled heart?   I believe people can see when my heart is troubled – "brother, how are you really doing?"
4. Romans 1:21 darkened hearts
5. Ref. Matthew 15:8 and Mark 7:6 "Hearts are far from me"
6. <Transition Statement> Truth is that I've never met a person who is always pure in their heart—we need to be purified!

 

2. How does God purify our hearts?
1. Salvation process—Ephesians 1:13-14; 2Corinthians 1:22; Acts 2:38-39
2. Romans 5:1-5 Christian life is a process of refining our character (emphasize verse 5 because God poured out His love into our hearts so that we would persevere to be made into the likeness of Christ).
3. Romans 8:26-39 He searches us and guides us! 

                                                              i.       He intercedes to help us in our prayer life.  Interceding—for example, we intercede when we prayed for Candy's health.   Verse 34 – Jesus interceded for us now.  Hebrews 7:25 describes Jesus as our High Priest.  For those who have received the HS, He intercedes for you in those times that are hard to pray.

                                                            ii.       Ref. 1John 3:20 – The Holy Spirit is in us – and it is a powerful thought to know that God is greater than our hearts!

                                                          iii.       Since He is greater, He is always worthy of our complete trust.

 

3. God continually cleanses our hearts through our childlike trust
1. There is one passage that outright says "God tests our hearts" (1Thess. 2:4), but there are numerous examples (Job; Jesus).

                                                              i.       It is apparent that He sends us challenges.

                                                            ii.       It has been a challenging concept that I've had to surrender to – that God deliberately sends us suffering.

                                                          iii.       Why?  Not as a lab-experiment!  Not a test like, "lets see if they make it."   But because God believes in us and wants us to be tried and true, refined, and glorify Him ultimately with our life of serving Him.

2. John 12:24-25 incredibly challenging on us emotionally, especially the process of refinement and shedding the world He is describing.

                                                              i.       We can understand this passage better if we know that surrender is simply another word for Biblical faith (ref. Victory of Surrender).

                                                            ii.       Read paragraph toward bottom on p.21

                                                          iii.       Surrender is not a once and for all thing but a process

3. Surrender happens when we trust

                                                              i.       Matthew 18:1-5 Jesus uses children as an illustration to make His point about the heart we need to have in order to enter the kingdom of God.

1.     What is significant about a child?

2.     The passage says "humbling ourselves like a child"—how do they humble themselves?

3.     Teachable, need lots of training, vulnerable, innocent – they are dependent on their parent…so much more we're dependent on God.

                                                            ii.       As He is searching your mind and heart, ask yourself, does my life reflect one of dependence on God? 

1.     How am I not being childlike in reliance on Him?

2.     A lot of time we act grown up when God wants us to be in need of Him.

3.     Sometimes surrender is just being open about a spiritual need…from there we discover surrender and God works powerfully to reveal more ways we can trust in Him.

 

Conclusion –

• God wants for us to have healthy hearts because He wants for us to see Him.
• It is important that we have a conviction to guard our hearts, which is actively trusting in God.
• Think for yourself: Does your life reflect a trust in God?  How is your level of surrender to Him?   Are you surrendered in your school, your future, your relationships…?  Do you let the peace that you are saved in Jesus guard your hearts or are you letting your heart get polluted by the world?
• So, what can we do?  The answer is to develop a more childlike trust in God.
• There are lots of verses in the Bible, as well spiritual books, which will help us get there, but we need to know that Christianity is a process of constantly surrendering, submitting, and trusting in God.

 

Personal Letter from a Campus Minister to Young Disciples

Dear disciple of Jesus, who was baptized within the last year,

 

          The thought of writing you this letter came to me recently, when I heard a young brother get open about his insecurity.   The letter is to him, but I've posted in on the website as a general letter because it is more of a Bible study.  Please follow these instructions to make this study most helpful:

1. Please follow along with this as one of your quiet times (approx. 30 minutes of focused time in God's word).
2. Use your own Bible along with the few verses I give (producing Berean character).
3. Print this out and take personal notes for the bottom section and any comments or questions you have.

1John 3:1-3 HCSB:

"Look at how great a love the Father has given us, that we should be called God's children.   And we are!  The reason the world does not know us is that it didn't know Him.  Dear friends, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet been revealed.   We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him as He is.  And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself just as He is pure."

 

 

1. Insecurity [1] of Christians
1. Can you sense the insecurity of the original recipients of this letter?
2. The apostle John is the only of the Eleven who was not martyred.  Well, they tried to but it didn't work, so they banished him to Patmos, where he wrote Revelation.
3. He ministered as a lead evangelist and elder over the church growth of Asia Minor, what is modern-day Turkey.
4. 1John is written later in his life.
5. We also read about his audience in the first few chapters of Revelation.   All of the seven churches are warned by Jesus Christ to persevere in their faith, and do so by constant repentance.   
6. Read especially Revelation 2:1-7, the church mentioned first, which is known as a pillar church in the region.

                                                              i.       Jesus says, in vs.4, "I have this against you: you have abandoned the love you had at first."

                                                            ii.       Keep in mind that he is talking to a church, not a person (accountability for the unity), and they are of older disciples.  They've grown out of touch with that pure, innocent, child-like, go anywhere, do anything love for God that they had when they were just baptized and as young disciples of Christ.

                                                          iii.       The principle is simple: our love must be hot for God!

                                                          iv.       (Please look back at the passage I wrote above)

1.     Don't get discouraged and down on yourself because you've only just begun in your love for God— see that you have that first love now (read 1John 4:19)!    

2.     You are in it because you are now devoting your life to God—realigning everything according to His will (lordship).   It started with your heart of willingness, but the working out is a process!

3.     I believe we all battle with this haunting insecurity of God's love.  

a.      Very few stay at the level where there are no doubts, a child-like security in the love of the father.   I have met only a couple of those pure hearted disciples in my life-time.  They're a lot more solid through the hard times in life.   They've usually weathered tremendous storms with God earlier in their life that they have a phenomenal trust in Him.  That is the place we all want to get.

b.     Most of us relate better with these first century disciples, who mind you were missionaries, martyrs, and had many years of witnessing first-hand miracles of baptisms and acts of the Holy Spirit.   The Holy Spirit doesn't address small issues in the inspired writings!

c.      John had to remind them and us, "We are children of God now!"  Our insecurity as Christians causes us to have a performance mind-set, where we are trying to gain the acceptance.  We think we have lost something—approval—we think there is something to prove before we will be accepted.   Yes, we know by the countless examples and common-sense that it is possible for someone to miss the grace of God because they're too insecure to believe, trust and enter a whole-hearted, committed relationship with God.  

d.     However, we must hold it as conviction, when God has given you that love (vs.1) He does not take it away!   You are a child of God!  You can say, "Amen" because the Spirit in you is saying just that (Romans 8:12-17, 26-27).

4.     Many things cause us to be insecure as Christians.  Here are some, can you think of others that are true for you:

a.      How do people respond to us? 

b.     What do people think of me?

c.      Can I make a difference?

d.     When we are in sin, does God still love me?  Although sin might be the starting place for all insecurity (example: Adam and Eve, Genesis 3).

5.     There is seriousness (soberness) to the consequences of insecurity.

a.      The greatest one I can think about, which makes me the most urgent to take my insecurities to God: Hebrews 12:15 – I don't want to miss the grace of God.

b.     The context of that passage describes how God disciplines those He loves and those who refuse God (or become ungrateful like Esau).

6.     Lastly, read the parallel passage to 1John 3:1-3: 1John 4:17-19

a.      "there is no fear in love"

b.     Instead of striving for perfection out of fear—trying to prove something to gain approval— perfect love is the standard in our relationship with God, where there is no insecurity!

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[1] Another definition of insecurity I received from a lesson by Russ Ewell, a very dynamic preacher and man of God leading the San Francisco church.   Insecurity: another word for 'massive, life-consuming fear of rejection, and the thought of not being accepted.'  I think that does a better job describing what we lightly call "insecurity."

Is the Bible the Word of God?

Introduction:

1.      Use an illustration to make the point: Believing the Bible is God's Word is fundamentally a moral, not an intellectual, issue—God wants us to know with our mind and heart.

2.      Outline the lesson:

a.       Look at a few claims the Bible makes about itself, Interesting questions that have been raised, where do we start when we have little to no faith.

 

Main Points:

1.       What does the Bible claim to be?

a.     2Timothy 3:16-17 –

                                                             i.      "All Scripture…is God-breathed (NASB-inspired by God)" 

                                                           ii.      Useful…so that you may be thoroughly equipped – I think we can all imagine not being equipped in something.  Maybe our nightmare to be caught inadequate?

                                                        iii.      Here the Bible says it comprises God's words to us, and that it is what God gave us in order to equip us and makes us adequate men and women of God!

b.     2Peter 1:20-21 –

                                                             i.      "Above all you must understand"…What?  The Bible does not come by man's will but by God's will!  

                                                           ii.      Test: What three things represent the will of man in our world?  Money, Sex, Power—isn't it amazing that history shows those things have always represented the will of man?!

1.     The Bible shows to limit man's will in these areas, quite different than the world's example and other religions.

c.      John 12:48 –

                                                             i.      "There is a judge," what is that judge? 

                                                           ii.      Where are the words of Jesus? 

1.     In the Bible—Really, He is speaking about the whole Bible because Jesus is the constant message of the whole Bible, plus He is the known as the ultimate fulfillment and pinnacle of the whole Bible.  

                                                        iii.      So, the Bible makes the claim to be what we are going to be judged by—it is like an open book test.  That can sound overwhelming because the Bible is a big book, but it is comforting when you take in those passages that disclose its main point—knowing God, loving Him with everything, and loving others as yourself.

d.     Write the acronym on the board for extra help from D. Jacoby's Shinning Like Stars: The Bible makes the following claim for why it is so hard for men to see it as the word of God: EXIT acronym to represent that men have EXITed the way of God, thus making it the narrow way.   E—Easy way (2Timothy 4:2-3; Isaiah 30:10-11; John 8:31-32); X—eXtra teaching (Proverbs 30:6; Deuteronomy 4:2; 12:32; 1Corinthians 4:6; Revelation 22:18-19); I—Ignorance (Matthew 22:29; Hosea 4:6; Isaiah 1:2; 2Timothy 2:15); T—Tradition (Matthew 15:6-9; Mark 7:6-9).

2.       Interesting points and questions [ [1] Shinning Like Stars (Jacob y), Evidence that Demands a Verdict (McDowell), Jesus and Christian Origins Outside the New Testament (Bruce), The New Testament Documents: Are they Reliable? (Bruce), How we Got the Bible? (Lightfoot). ]:

a.     What references are there apart from what the Bible tells us?

                                                             i.      Roman—Tacitus; Suetonius; Thallus; Pliny

                                                           ii.      Jewish—Josphus; Rabbinical literature

                                                        iii.      NT Apocrapha

                                                         iv.      Early Church Fathers – Origin, clement (some 30,000 citations dated before 325 AD)

                                                           v.      Muslim—Koran (7^th Century AD)

b.     How did the Bible come together?

                                                             i.      Process is called "Canonization."  Kanon in the Greek means "reed, measuring rod, cane."  

                                                           ii.      The earliest recorded canon, acknowledgment of inspired books, is probably the "Muratorian Canon" from 180 AD, although the books were in circulation for many years according to the other sources for dating the books plus the build-up of international recognition took a lot longer than we would understand word spreading today.  

                                                        iii.      The books recognized are not inspired because they are recognized but canon has to do with accepting the claim from the text that it is inspired.   Hence, the books themselves hold the authority and the people simply recognized this authority. 

c.      Is the Bible accurate? 

                                                             i.      The Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered near the Dead Sea in 1947 by a shepherd boy named Mohammed. 

                                                           ii.      They date from around 200 BC to 100 AD.  The earliest OT manuscript dated around the 10^th Century AD before its discovery.  

                                                        iii.      Two things revealed by this scientific discovery: 1. The remarkable similarity to the more recent, showing the excellent textual transmission of the scribes, and 2. Particularly of Isaiah 53, a key Messianic prophecy that depicts His death.

d.     Another remarkable thing I found in my research is the number of manuscripts + their earliest dating compared to other ancient works.  

                                                             i.      The total number of ancient manuscripts of the New Testament in Greek is growing all the time as discoveries are being made—Over 5,600 Greek NT mss to date.   Over 20 thousand NT mss total as of 2004.  Homer's Illiad is second in manuscript authority with 643.  

                                                           ii.      Aside from the quantity, the other works of antiquity there is at least a 1000 year gap between the event and the dating of copies we have today, where as we have copies within a few hundred years for the Bible.

e.     Are there inspired writings other than the Bible?  

                                                             i.      Not according to the document – Galatians 1:6-9, 12 

                                                           ii.      The gospel must not be tampered with, altered, or added to.  It is the original, not a variation of the original (1Cor. 4:6; Deut 4:2; 12:32).

3.       Conclusion: Where to start?

a.     Romans 10:17   - faith comes through "hearing" the message – you should spend time hearing the message, reading the Bible.

b.     John 20:30-31 – the details recorded are there so that we can have faith…in Jesus!

c.      John 7:17 – Jesus makes the issue clear: we must be willing to put it into practice if we want to receive His message as the truth from God.