Becoming Godly In An Ungodly World

BECOMING GODLY IN AN UNGODLY WORLD

by Leona M. Kidd

PART I 

 

INTRODUCTION

 

Godliness outside of the Word of God and an intimate relationship with Jesus and others will not happen.  God’s Word is how he reveals himself to us…..His word is our plumb line, our standard. 

 

TITUS 1:1-2

          “Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God’s elect and the knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness—a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time.”

 

Principle:  KNOWLEDGE OF GOD’S TRUTH LEADS TO GODLINESS

 

TITUS 2:1-1

In verse 1 Paul is exhorting Titus in his responsibility to “speak the things of sound doctrine” 

 

Just as a little baby needs the right conditions to grow and develop, so must we as Christians be in right relationships for the feeding and rooting of ourselves in the Word of God.  We need to be in an environment and relationship that nurtures the Word of God IN us. 

 

Principle:  SOUND DOCTRINE will produce a rooted Christian who then will produce fruit.  The renewing of our minds comes from reading, hearing and meditating on the Word of God.

 

TEACH-TRAIN-BE AN EXAMPLE is what Paul is instructing Titus to train Christians to do. 

 

To teach, train, and be an example requires a teacher, student relationship.  This is the relationship of a disciple, or a mentor, and a mentee.  We need these close relationships to develop into a godly woman of God.

 

 

JOHN 13:35

          “By this all men will know that you are my DISCIPLES, if you have love for one another.”

 

We are exhorted in Matthew, “A disciple is not above his/her teacher, nor a slave above his master.”  There is no higher ground in God’s kingdom. (Matt. 10:24)

 

Principle:  DISCIPLESHIP/MENTORING IS THE TEACHING OF SOUND DOCTRINE AND IS COMMITTED TO THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF GOD’S WORD IN OUR DAY TO DAY LIVES.

 

Today we will talk about the P.M.S. of a mentoring relationships:

 

PURPOSE, METHOD, & SATISFACTION FOR MENTORING RELATIONSHIPS

 

RELATIONSHIPS for the purpose of Mentoring is to be BASED ON SOUND DOCTRINE and has a GOAL……This then brings us to the purpose

1.    PURPOSE FOR A MENTORING RELATIONSHIP

Ø    Train to love

Ø    Spiritual growth

Ø    Accountability

 

A.    TRAIN TO LOVE

 

Jesus in the book of John commands us to Love one another (John 13:34-35, John 15:17) and in Matthew

 

Matthew 22:37-39 Jesus tells us, “YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND….YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.”

 

Principle:  Our relationships with others is the manifestation of God’s love in our lives. 

 

1 John 4:12….”If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us.”   “From our innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.”

When we are in relationships with another – we will reflect the love of Jesus.

 

B.    SPIRITUAL GROWTH

 

   OUR INNER PERSON will Grow when we are in A right relationship with God and one another.  It will develop fruit. 

 In Gal. 5:22-23, “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.”

 

Principle: You know you are producing fruit from the inner manifestation of the Holy Spirit IF others defer to your purity/godliness.

 

 Spiritual Growth Promotes:  ACTION

                     The fruit KINDNESS involves an outward

                      action and is gentle. 

 

      In Luke 7:13 Jesus demonstrated kindness, He SAW the widow bringing her only son out of the city for burial, He FELT compassion, then He ACTED in saying “Young man arise.”

 

  Spiritual Growth will:

Stretch us out of our comfort zones.  We will grow spiritually when we get involved in another person’s life.  It will develop our patience, acceptance as we learn to love one another. 

 

Principle:  A close relationship with another will grow us up spiritually, and deepen our faith in God.  We will learn to respond properly to stress, pain, and suffering in our lives. 

 

          C.  ACCOUNTABILITY

 

Accountability to another leads to confession.

We are to confess our sins to God, and one another. 

 

Confession holds us accountable….we are to have an attitude of readiness to admit our failures and accept responsibility.  Be HONEST

We are told in the scriptures to “share our burdens with one another”, and to confess our sins.

 

Confession requires repentance.  Repentance is a complete turning away from our sin. 

 

Guilt over sin will be used by the enemy of our souls as a stronghold to accuse us day and night, weaken our faith, and render us ineffective.

 

When we confess our sins to God He is faithful to remove them as far as the east is from the west.

 

When we can be truly honest with another, confessing our sins, and praying with another.  God’s healing is promoted.

 

Our Tendency Is To Confess FOR one another, and pray AT one another.

 

     CONFIDENTIALLITY – In any relationship is vital.  What is said to you is never yours to share.  We are to “Share OUR burdens,” not someone else’s.

 

GOALS OF THE PURPOSE OF MENTORING

Ø    Train to love God and others

Ø    Spiritually grow in our inner person, promote action towards others, & stretching growth

Ø    Accountability to another includes confession, repentance, and confidentiality

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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ACCEPTED IN THE BELOVED - Luke 7:36-50  Part 1, Scenes 1 and 2

                                       Study by Para-chaplain Leona Kidd

 

SCENE 1

READ:  LUKE  7:36

  Jesus was into the home of the Pharisees.  The Pharisees were a Jewish sect, upholders of tradition, lovers of display (show n tell), they were cruel persecutors; they perverted scripture, were blind to spiritual things and refused to accept Christ.         Jesus later described them in

                        Matt.12:34, 34, as SNAKES

                        Matt 15:12-14, as BLIND

                         Matt. 23:13-19, as HYPOCRITES

                         Matt. 23:33, as SONS OF VIPERS

                         John 8:13,44 as CHILDREN OF THE DEVIL

 

YET - JESUS WENT IN AND DINED WITH THEM.

 

WHY would Jesus who knew all of these things about them willingly go into the home of Simon the Pharisee?

 

 Because Jesus is a “FRIEND to the worst sort of sinners, and he was also willing to be a friend to the Pharisees who would LISTEN to Him

 

JESUS ACCEPTS ALL WHO WILL COME TO HIM.  THATS WHEN WE ARE ACCEPTED IN THE BELOVED

 

SCENE 2

READ Verses (Luke 7:37-39)

Close your eyes - picture a small room - Several men stretched out around a low table covered with food.  Their feet point away from the table. They are talking - when a woman enters the room - she is a known prostitute.

 

Yet  No one chases her out, which would have been customary, as a prophet did not allow a sinful woman to touch them.

 

This immoral, sinful woman begins anointing Jesus’ feet. Her tears fall on His feet; she takes her hair and begins wiping them with her long hair.  (proper women did not undo their hair in public) But she doesn’t care. 

 

Then she breaks the Alabaster jar of expensive oil and fills the room with its sweet fragrance.  She breaks the jar – symbolic of breaking away from her sins.  Her actions are an expression of her deep devotion to Jesus.

 

DID YOU GET THE PICTURE -

 

This woman was a prostitute.  We all know the definition of a prostitute.  You might be thinking WELL I’M NOT A PROSTITUTE But did you know that it also means someone devoted to corrupt or unworthy purposes.  Or a person who deliberately debases his or her talents. 

  

If we confess our sins and ask for forgiveness - Jesus will forgive us -  in the Greek forgiveness is  (Salach - saw-lakh)   He “Blots them out”, “Pardons us” and “Heals us from wounding”

 

 He removes our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.  (NOT NORTH TO SOUTH - EARTH REVOLVES IN THAT DIRECTION- BUT FROM EAST TO WEST - NEVER TO MEET UP WITH YOU AGAIN)

 

ROMAN 4:8 “…WHAT JOY FOR THOSE WHOSE SIN IS NO LONGER COUNTED AGAINST THEM BY THE LORD.”

 

God does not continue to credit unrighteousness to the sinner who repents, but forgives him.

 

I JOHN 1:8-9, “IF WE SAY WE HAVE NOT SIN, WE ARE ONLY FOOLING OURSELVES AND REFUSING TO ACCEPT THE TRUTH.  BUT IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS TO HIM HE IS FAITHFUL AND JUST TO FORGIVE US AND TO CLEANSE US FROM EVERY WRONG.”

 

Asking for forgiveness provides us with a forgiveness that restores our communion with God. 

 

There is an old saying that says, “If you feel like God is not near, Guess who moved?” 

If you want to FEEL close to Jesus - STAY close to Jesus. 

 

When we have believed that Jesus is the Son of God, that he lived, died on the cross, and on the third day rose again, removing the bondage of our sins, and today sits at the right hand of God —– then WE ARE ACCEPTED IN THE BELOVED. 

 

    (To be continued)

III.  SPIRITUAL MOTIVATION OF ONE WHO FORGIVES (19-25)

1.     Recognition of an Unpayable debt (19) Paul’s promise to make restitution – restore what was taken.  (example: Time, money, broken relationships, etc.) This requires Grace

2.     Possibility of Being a blessing (20)  Paul’s appeal is for Philemon to refresh his heart3.     Necessity of Obedience and accountability(21) Paul appeals to his knowledge of Philemon’s character – and his obedience to what was spiritually right “confident of your obedience”4.     Importance of Maintaining Fellowship (22-24) Paul begins conclusion of his letter with the expectation of hospitality, and sends greetings from fellow laborers Paul’s closing prayer is for their health and peace is an expression of love and respect.He then ends with his salutation:  (vs.25)“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.”Grace -  Is God’s free favor and love for us because of what Jesus completed on the cross   The spirit – influences the whole person and is tobe an outflow in gracious and holy living Jesus is in communion with our spirit Thought:  WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT LOVE AND FORGIVENESS CAN YOU FORGIVE THOSE WHO HAVE WRONGED OR OFFENDED YOU. ***Can you let it go?***Can you before a Holy God go and say FATHER      FORGIVE ME, FATHER I FORGIVE THEM? ***Can you in your heart of hearts forgive and receive that       person back? True Forgiveness means to treat the one we have forgiven as we would want to be treated. Is there someone you have forgiven but you need to show kindness or receive back? Do you need to demonstrate self sacrifice towards another?  Do you need to show grace to somebody else - Not because they deserve it.  But the same way that God gives us grace when He welcomes us into His arms and takes us in as His daughter/son, an heir to the throne? The greatest commandment of all was when Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all of your heart and with your soul and with all your mind.  And love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-38, Mark 12:28-31, Luke 10:25-28) Our relationship with God will enable us to have restored relationships with one another.   

We are called to demonstrate Agape love, unconditional love, that God showed and it is only through that love we can exhibit love and forgiveness

What are some things you have learned about love and forgiveness?

RECEPTION is the first step in the process of forgiveness (10-14)*It involves opening up your life and heart taking back the one who offended.* Philemon needed to receive Onesimus back because he was repentant, he was transformed, and had been proven faithful.Paul gives testimony to that in verses 10 he calls him “my son, Onesimus” and vs. 12 he says, “who is my very heart”   Sin is not glossed over nor the consequeneces of sinAs we look at 13 and 14 we see that Paul does not keep Onesimus for himself, and does not deny Philmenon’s civil rights – so he sends Onesimus back –  with the letter of appeal for Forgiveness and Reconciliation & offers Restitution FORGIVENESS, RECONCILLIATION, RESTORATION  (15-16)*Paul asks Philemon not only to welcome Onesimus back, but to restore him to service.   “No longer a slave but more than a slave, a beloved brother. “               Forgiveness holds no hostages – God covers our sins with divine grace RESTITUTION (17-18)  is an essential component of forgiveness.  Paul offers to pay the debt for Onesimus – an essential component of forgiveness.Forgiveness….Reconcilliation…Restoration…Restitution          ***IT IS SAID THAT ‘NEVER ARE WE MORE LIKE GOD THAN WHEN WE FORGIVE. ***NEVER ARE WE MORE LIKE CHRIST THAN WHEN WE PAY SOMEONE ELSE’S DEBT SO THAT RECONCILIATION CAN TAKE PLACE.   Paul’s willingness to suffer the temporal consequences of Onesimus’s sin mirrors Christ’s willingness to suffer the eternal consequences of our sin on the Cross. The forgiveness that a believer finds in Christ is beautifully portrayed by this analogy in PhilemonØ     Onesimus is quilty (vs 11,18)Ø     Paul intercedes on his behalf (vs 10, 17)Ø     Paul becomes Onesimus substitute and pays his debt (vs 8, 18,19)Ø     By Philemon’s gracious act Onesimus will be restored in a new relationship (as a beloved brother and not a useless slave. (Vs 15,16)Ø     We are much like Onesimus in our sinsØ     Paul becomes his advocacy is parallel to Christ’s work of mediation for us before the Father.

Ø     Onesimus was condemned by law – but saved by Grace.

 Who should you be open to forgive today

If anyone saw me leaving the church one day with a pizza box, I’m certain they were thinking First Presbyterian offers more than just food for the soul. When I started writing book reviews for our church library, my first assignment for my newletter column Check It Out was contained within a pizza box labeled The Book of Job. It was a multimedia collection from our library of study guides and tapes including: Horizons Bible Study Faith Remains When Understanding Fails; Deep Things Out of Darkness - The Book of Job, Essays and a New English Translation; and a copy of Tried and True: Job for Modern Man.

Although familiar with the Horizons Bible Study having spent two years on the topic of Job for a Women’s Association Bible study, I wanted to check out the collection that has been so thoughtfully put together by our church librarian.

Of particular interest to me was the copy of Tried and True: Job for Modern Man. It is the Book of Job in Today’s English Version of the American Bible Society from 1971. Outside of this being an easily read translation, it is complimented with sketch drawings throughout the text. These drawings evoke the very essence of Job, the grief of man, the desire to call out to God “why”.

The beauty of this piece brought back to mind some favorite works from school, a work of great epic proportion, making this a true piece of literature to be appreciated for its prose and poetry.

The book Deep Things Out of Darkness is a collection of essays and a New English Translation. Although I would rather read forty chapters of Job as opposed to 500 pages of detailed essays on the topic this book has some merit. The first chapter, The Art of Mistranslation, is helpful in iterating the job of a translator versus the job of an interpreter.

And the tapes…are you looking for something while you are on the treadmill or exercise bike?

This multimedia collection can serve a variety of needs to any individual. I would say if you were looking for a small group study or Sunday school piece you might consider looking around your church library to compile a collection here and there by topic. Pull articles from magazines, group together different study guides and tapes, look for commentary, and varying bible versus. Then advertise the addition to your library in your Sunday worship bulletin or your church newsletter.

What special offerings does your church have in its library? Is the library used for study groups often? Do you have a dedicated librarian or church group to oversee the growth of your library?

I am enamored at the gift of the Holy Spirit and the gift of Jesus. That God has given us new life and rewritten old laws is incredible. Today I’ll read from Matthew 12:1-21 from the New International Version, you can read along at BibleGateway.com if you’d like.

Fruit of the Spirit - The Love Podcast
To read along…

Matthew 12:18 from the NIV

Here is my servant whom I have chosen,
the one I love, in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him,
and he will proclaim justice to the nations.

That is my favorite verse. God gave this gift to Jesus and he in turn gave it to us. How incredible is that. He gave it to “the one I love.” Does that not speak volumes about love? We can empower good through loving others.

Is there someone you can love where you think love could make a real impact on another’s life?

Matthew 22:37-39 (NIV)

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

Love was the first fruit listed in Galatians 5:22. Why? Because it is the most important. We have to love God with all our heart, love ourselves and love our neighbor. Without this love it seems hard to accomplish any of the fruit of the Spirit.

How should we love? As God loves us.

I found this version of the Lord’s Prayer on YouTube. I like the mix of the modern backdrop in addition to the use of the NASB bible translation.

Someone asked Dan Stevers why he used the NASB for this project. His response was:

“The reason our church uses the NASB translation instead of the KJV is that we want to connect with people who are not Christ followers. The KJV is beautiful but we feel it may not connect as well with people who don’t know Jesus.”

What is your favorite bible version? Do you have a favorite verse that you always prefer and recite in a particular bible version?

Here is Dan Stevers “visual interpretation” of the prayer our Lord taught us to pray.

Patience and Perseverance one in the same?

Consider the book of James 1:2-4

NIV

2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

and

NKJV

2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

Much like the saying “God helps those who help themselves,” it is quite possible that being patient is more akin to persevering. Not necessarily suffering needlessly but more just being a strong and faithful believer without a doubt.

At gotQuestions.org their article “What does the Bible say about patience?” tells us the following:

“Although most people consider patience to be a passive waiting or gentle tolerance, most of the Greek words translated “patience” in the New Testament (KJV) are active, robust words. Consider, for example, Hebrews 12:1: “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.”

Does one run a race by passively waiting for slow-pokes or gently tolerating cheaters? Certainly not! The word translated patience in this verse means endurance. A Christian runs the race patiently by persevering through difficulties in hope of heaven. In the Bible, patience is persevering towards a goal, enduring trials, or expectantly waiting for a promise to be fulfilled.”

Next time you tell someone they are trying your patience then perhaps you are complimenting you both. With maturity we strengthen our patience. We persevere, we endure and through it all we have faith and are rewarded for not doubting.

With this new perspective do you find that perhaps where you thought you were failing as being patient, that now perhaps you were actually succeeding as a persevering Christian?

When you consider being patient what first comes to mind? Are you waiting for something? Are you wanting and actively going after something?

We are on to JOY! Is Pentecost still in your heart? It is still in mine and so is the spirit of Joy!

Phil. 4:4 says “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again – Rejoice!” There, it had to be said twice. REJOICE! Where does our joy come from? The Lord!

Surely we don’t need only the Lord for our happiness. Do we not know how to find happiness in our lives without the Lord? Maybe not, we aren’t finding joy in the grocery store, mall or work place…and we won’t find it easily on the internet either unless we are interested in Christian Joy the fashion designer. Well I did find some inspiration regarding Joy today despite that almost failed search.

At the blog Hem of His Garment Bible Study, I find a wonderful piece of scripture from Nehemiah in the Old Testament.

Then [Ezra] told them, Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet drink, and send portions to him for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. And be not grieved and depressed, for the joy of the Lord is your strength and stronghold. Nehemiah 8:10

So, the joy of the Lord is more than joy itself, or being happy, it is about Him making us strong. That should be very important to us as the second fruit of the Spirit. We need to be filled with love and we need to be strong.

And I couldn’t have said it any better than Sonya Triggs at Urban Christianz Blogspot when she says:

“So, apparently, our joy is not be based on our circumstances, our outlook, our paycheck or our mindset. But on our relationship with Jesus Christ - and our abiding in him. And it can never be taken away or meddled with by man - it is durable, permanent - built rock-solid on Jesus’s gift of atonement to us. And, finally, that joy is found within the Holy Spirit - it shows up and is manifested as a result of His presence within us.”

Have you been confused with the whole joy thing? Did you think you had to be happy for the sake of happiness? Are you relieved that Joy is something we reach on a deeper spiritual level and it has nothing to do with our outward appearance to our friends as Christians?