.
Practical
Christianity
.
Pastor
Ronald L. Berry, Washington
.
Without Christ I am nothing
We must all come to the point where we
recognize that all that we are is of God. We can do nothing without the gift of
life from God. Jesus is the author of our life.
John 14:6: Jesus saith unto
him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but
by me.
When we submit to the idea that all of
our efforts, no matter how noble they may be, are fruitless if they do not
include God. We must all arrive at the point where we access God in every
aspect of our daily lives. There is not one area of life we are qualified or
intelligent enough to decide upon. Excluding God from our decisions assures
failure and is sin.
every
word of God
We are instructed to live our lives by
every word of God.
Luke 4:4: “It is
written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God”
Our lives are to be directed by every
word of God. As we begin each day it is to be under the direction of the Word
of God. The life we now live after turning to Christ is to be directed by the
Holy Spirit.
Romans 8:14: For as many
as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
Our lives are to directed by the
indwelling Holy Spirit.
John 6:63: It is the
spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak
unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
Lives directed by the flesh produce
death, lives directed by God’s Word produce life!
The
gift of the holy spirit
At the moment of conversion every
person receives the Holy Spirit.
Romans 8:9: “Now if any
man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his”
The destiny of every Christian is
utter dependence on the leading of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God!
We are to have no confidence in the
fleshly mind as a means of accomplishing anything in our daily lives.
To be able to rise to the truth of our
own inability to rule our lives apart from God is the destination of God for
your life.
This is the life that Christ modeled
for us.
John 6:38: For I came
down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
No word no success, 50% word 50%
success , !00% word 100% success!
The
way that seems right
There is a way that seems right but that way leads to death.
Proverbs 14:12: There is
a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of
death.
A life lived without God’s influence
leads to death. The idea that we can live life just any old way and be pleasing
to God is a lie!
Living like the rest of the world will
lead to death. Most of the world is ignorant about the Word of God. God the
Father is only pleased with us when we are doing what He has said.
Isaiah 55:8: For my
thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
Our thoughts, emotions, and desires
are not reliable sources for making life’s choices..
How
to please god.
Matthew 6:10: Thy
kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
What is God’s will for your life?
1 Thessalonians 4:1:
Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus,
that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye
would abound more and more.
2:
For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus.
3:
For this is the will of God, even your sanctification ( separation from the
world), that ye should abstain from fornication:
4:
That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification
and honour;
5:
Not in the lust of concupiscence ( led by the lower nature) , even as the
Gentiles which know not God:
6:
That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the
Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.
7:
For God hath not called us unto uncleanness (morally defiled) , but unto
holiness.
8:
He therefore that despiseth (God), despiseth not man, but God, who hath also
given unto us his holy Spirit.
9:
But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye
yourselves are taught of God to love one another.
Conforming
to the world or God?
Renew your mind to operate by the
leading of the Holy Spirit or the instructions of the Word of God.
Romans 12:2: And be not
conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing (changing) of
your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect,
will of God.
Every aspect of our lives is to fall
under the scrutiny of the Spirit of God!
Matthew10:26: Fear them
not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed;
and hid, that shall not be known.
There is no part of our existence that
God is not a part of.
Acts 17:28: “For in him
we live, and move, and have our being” “For we are also his offspring”
We were not created to please our
selves, we were created for God’s good pleasure!
The
final solution
The first realization we must come to
is our utter inability to save ourselves. After we have exhausted all the
religious and philosophical inventions of man we finally conclude, that if I am
to defeat death I must turn to the only man that actually overcome death Jesus
Christ!
Galatians 2:20: 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.
Education, position, religion, and
self rule must all be turned from and considered as nothing in relationship to
service of God. When we live life by the edicts of God’s Word and the leading
of the Holy Spirit we are pleasing God!
This
is the good life!
