Don’t be a Baby
Notes
Transcript
Handout
When I first gave my life to the Lord I was excited. I wanted to grow closer to the Lord, but I really didn’t know how. I began reading the Bible but I didn’t really understand what it was saying at the moment. Any one with me so far? So I would read a chapter ad then go back and read the chapter over again. I got into a small group that really helped me to grow as well.
Now, different churches have different approaches. One church might believe that it’s all up to God. You just sit there and let it happen. Other churches act like it’s all up to you. I don’t believe either one of those are right.
When I first became a Christian, I was not all of a sudden a mature Christian. I was excited, but not mature. One book I read was the Pursuit of Holiness. It was a good book but it pushed me towards legalism, which would say that your salvation is based on what you do. Other books talk about grace only… no good works. It’s enough to confuse you if you are not careful.
Have you ever struggled with understanding how to grow or mature in your relationship with the Lord? Most of us, if we are honest, struggle with maturing in our relationship with the Lord.
The good news is that God knew we would struggle with this. He showed Paul this as well. Paul knew we would struggle between what God does and what we need to do.
One of the things that help me back when I was younger was that I thought I had to give up everything that I liked to do… everything that I wanted to do. Maybe that’s you too because I have heard so many people that say the same things. They didn’t want to give up everything that was fun… to give up everything that they wanted to do.
According to Paul, we don’t have to stop doing what we want to do because
God changes our “want to’s”
God changes our “want to’s”
12 Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. 13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.
That’s good news especially if you believe that you have to give up all kinds of things to be a Christian. I have heard this from so many people… I don’t want to follow Jesus because he will make me quit … and I don’t want to quit. This verse has good news. Paul says here that God actually changes my “want to’s” so that I can follow him.
I can do anything I want to do, but I don’t want to do the same things I used to do. You will find that as you press into your relationship with Jesus, He will change what you want in life and he will give you the ability to do it.
So today we want to learn how not to be a Baby. We want to grow up.
Little babies are cute even when they cry. 40 year old babies are not cute.
So let’s look at maturing in our faith as a Christian.
God has a part in your growth and you have a part.
God has a part in your growth and you have a part.
12 Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear.
Paul says that we are to work to show the results of our salvation. Some translations actually say work out your salvation. What this means is that we are to grow … to mature. It’s like working out. You don’t grow a new muscle, you strengthen the one you already have.
We add things to our lives that will help us to grow stronger like: fellowship with other Christians; Bible reading and study; Prayer; Witnessing; Tithing & giving;
Paul says we are to obey God but that we are to do it with reverence. Some would say with fear and trembling. But I don’t serve a God that I have to be afraid of like a terrorist. he is consistent and he always wants what’s best for me. But I reverence him. He is my friend but I respect him.
I’ll never forget what disgraced Televangelist Jim Baker once said. He was asked when he stopped loving God. He replied, I never stopped loving God, I stoped fearing Him.
Noting is more important in life than your relationship with Jesus or in growing your relationship with him. no job… no relationship… nothing.
Paul is teaching us in this passage that God is working in us but that we also have a part. You may be thinking, I have tried to grow up, but I just keep failing. Listen, we cannot change on our own.
We are going to look at 3 tools God gives us to help us grow into mature Christians, and three choices that we have to make if we are going to grow into mature Christians.
Three Tools God gives us to grow.
Three Tools God gives us to grow.
1. God gives us the Bible help us mature.
1. God gives us the Bible help us mature.
16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.
This Bible is God’s Word. It’s inspired and it teaches us what to do and not do.
If we will read the Bible and study it, it will change the way we think which will change us. If you want to be serious about growth and change, get into this book.
12 For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.
God’s Word will change your life… thoughts, words and actions.
Read it… study it… Memorize it… Meditate on it…
The more of the WOG you put into your mind, the better. When you do, it will come back to you when you need it.
If you feel like your faith is weak or weaker than you would like, get into the Word.
2. God gives us the Holy Spirit to help us mature.
2. God gives us the Holy Spirit to help us mature.
The bible is awesome and it’s a live but we need more. It doesn’t tell us which person to date or marry nor does it tell us which job to take, but the Holy Spirit guides us.
God puts His Spirit in us and that’s where our power comes from.
11 The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.
The same HS that raised Jesus from the dead comes to live inside you when you invited Jesus to be your Savior.
God wants you to be more like Jesus.
God wants you to be more like Jesus.
His #1 purpose is not to make you comfortable, but to make you like Jesus.
18 So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.
He does this by filling you with His Spirit.
He does this by filling you with His Spirit.
2 Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. 3 Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. 4 And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.
18 Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit,
The Spirit filled life is supposed to be the norm. How do you know if you have been filled or not. I believe the main way is that you have power in your life. Yes, I believe God gives us a prayer language, but the main thing is power in your life.
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
God wants you & me to grow more and more like Jesus and we need to be indwelt and filled with the HS to do grow more like Him.
Now, if we still don’t listen…
3. God will use circumstances to help us mature.
3. God will use circumstances to help us mature.
Sometimes we need a little pain to make changes. So when we are not doing what God wants us to do… we have stepped out of his will and his protection, his blessing, His provision … so problems, trials and difficulties begin to pile up in our lives.
Friend who knew they got behind on tithing because stuff broke - they stepped out of God’s protection of their finances.
Here is how God uses circumstances…
28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. 29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
Let me say a couple of things.
Nothing comes into your life, as a believer, without God’s permission.
Nothing comes into your life, as a believer, without God’s permission.
The devil had to give an account of what he had been doing to God.
The things you may be going through are not necessarily good, but god can bring good out of them.
It doesn’t matter where the trials come from (yourself, the devil or the culture), God will bring good out of them.
God will cause you to mature through your circumstances.
God will cause you to mature through your circumstances.
if Jesus had to learn through suffering, what makes us think that we will be any different.
30 Sometimes it takes a painful experience to make us change our ways.
We rarely change until we are pushed to do so. When we make the right decisions as we go through the trials of life, then God will mature us.
So here is our part.
Three decisions we have to make to grow.
Three decisions we have to make to grow.
1. We can choose what we think about.
1. We can choose what we think about.
We can choose our thoughts. Growth isn’t automatic, we have to make a choice to do what it takes to grow and one of the biggest choices we have to make is what to think about.
23 Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts.
We are what is in our heart. Out of our heart flow our thoughts, our words and our actions.
You might not be all you think you are, but you are what you think. Your thoughts direct your life.
23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy. 25 So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body.
Changed lives always begin with changed thoughts.
Changed lives always begin with changed thoughts.
The biblical word for this is
Repentance - change your mind.
Repentance - change your mind.
1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
Think —- Feel —- Act
Think —- Feel —- Act
If you want to be a mature Christian, start by renewing your mind.
If you want to be a mature Christian, start by renewing your mind.
IOW, change your thoughts.
2,000 years after Paul wrote this, Psy found it to be true. There are no actions without a thought and a feeling behind it.
Depressed - thinking depressing thoughts
Angry - thinking angry thoughts...
How do we change our our thoughts?
To change your thoughts, fill your mind with the Word of God.
To change your thoughts, fill your mind with the Word of God.
1 Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. 2 But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. 3 They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.
8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
11 I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
If you are not having a daily time in the WOG, you are not growing in your walk with Jesus.
You have to make the choice.
8 Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.
2. We can choose to depend on the Holy Spirit.
2. We can choose to depend on the Holy Spirit.
4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. 5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.
Paul describes us as a branch.
A branch is dependent on the Vine
A branch is dependent on the Vine
When a branch is cut off from the vine or tree, it dies. It cannot grow anything or sustain life… it’s dead. A branch has to be connected to the tree.
Jesus is saying… it’s the same with you and I… we have to be plugged into the Lord to live. He has the power not us.
God’s power is always there, but we have to stay plugged in to have it in our lives. When you are plugged into the HS, his power will flow through you like the Mississippi River.
God wants to produce fruit in you and I… what kind of fruit does he want to produce?
Fruit of the Spirit … New believers… Miracles… Fruit grows as a result fo being connected. Being connected to God causes us to pray all the time… to pray about everything… be aware of God’s presence with us all the time… keep a running conversation with Him.
3. We can choose our response to circumstances.
3. We can choose our response to circumstances.
There is a parallel between God's resources and your choice. God has the resource of His Word; you have to choose to read it. God has the resource of the Holy Spirit; you have to choose to depend on him. God uses circumstances; you have to choose your response to those circumstances.
2 Dear brothers, is your life full of difficulties and temptations? Then be happy, 3 for when the way is rough, your patience has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, and don’t try to squirm out of your problems. For when your patience is finally in full bloom, then you will be ready for anything, strong in character, full and complete.
You can choose your response.
Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you respond.
Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you respond.
The Christian life is not a one time event. It is a process of becoming more like Jesus every day. Here is something I have learned.
God is more interested in what’s happening in you that what is happening to you.
God is more interested in what’s happening in you that what is happening to you.
We have a choice how we respond. One person goes through something horrible and does well and another does not. You cannot control what will happen this afternoon, tomorrow or the coming days, but you can choose how you will respond. You can let things make you bitter or better. Difficulties can become a stepping stone to maturity or a stumbling block to failure.
3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. 4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.
The HolY spirit is alway working to develop our character to be more like that of Jesus.
Character is the goal. God wants you and I to become like Jesus.
ILL - It’s kind of like the old luggage commercials where the gorilla throws the suitcase against the wall off the cliff and it stands the test
We choose the way we respond and it produces fruit and character. How does God produce that fruit in our lives?
God produces fruit in your life by putting you in the opposite situations.
God produces fruit in your life by putting you in the opposite situations.
You want to learn to love... he will have you around the unlovable people.
Joy – You will go through tragedies and troubles and learn that joy is different than happiness.
Peace – Peace is learned in chaos...
Goodness – He will allow you to be tempted to do bad things
Self-Control – He’ll take you to a church pot-luck, open a Cold Stone Creamery close by
Here is the good news.
God Promises to give you both the desire to grow and the power and ability to make the changes needed to grow.
God Promises to give you both the desire to grow and the power and ability to make the changes needed to grow.
13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.
Imagine what could happen if we all… let God give us the desire & power to do what pleases Him…
God uses the Word - Spirit - Circumstances
We get to Choose what we think… Depend on the HS … Response to difficulties
What do you need to change in your life?
God will work miracles in your life when you immerse yourself in WOG
Depend on the HS
Choose my responses to circumstances