I AM THANKFUL GOD DOES NOT LEAVE US IN OUR FILTH

1 Chronicles 16:34 ESV

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!

Good morning NCF!!!

Welcome everyone and welcome guests.

Remind them to fill out the connection card in the bulletin and receive a mug at the end of service.

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Last week we started a 3-week series on Thankfulness.

Let’s turn to our key scripture.

1 Chronicles 16:34 ESV

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!

We spoke on being thankful for the Good news to rejects everywhere.

Next week we will talk about being thankful for a new family that fully loves and accepts us in Jesus.

Today we are going to discuss how I am thankful that God does not leave us in our own filth.

1 Peter 1:13–16 ESV

Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

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Today I Am Thankful That God Does Not Leave Us In Our Filth.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- So, Today I Am Thankful That God Does Not Leave Us In Our Filth.

I was that prodigal, covered in the filth of my own making.

And I am glad that God placed his robe of Righteousness on me. I am glad he invested in me the authority of the name of Jesus.

But today, I am so glad that he washes us clean. That he does not leave us where he found us.

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We all still have struggles that God is trying to deal with us on.

And our struggles are not the same.

Some of us are new to this Christian walk.

Some of us have been doing this walk for years.

But what we all have in common is a need and I hope a desire to be pure like Jesus.

A desire, a hunger to be Holy.

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And yet, I am convinced Holiness has become the most unpopular message in the Church today.

I want Jesus to save me from Hell but, God forbid I have to stop having sex before marriage.

I want all the goodies that come with Jesus, but God forbid I have to forgive.

I want the comfort and security of salvation, but God forbid He confront me on my drinking problem.

Let me ask you, would you feel ok having Jesus with you while you are having sex outside of marriage?

Would you feel ok, holding a grudge and not forgiving if Jesus was with you in person?

Would you honestly be cool with Jesus sitting in your living room with you as you got high or drunk?

Would you feel ok, if Jesus was next to you as you bad mouthed, and talked down other people?

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So, lets talk about Holiness.

1 Peter 1:14–25 ESV

As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever.” And this word is the good news that was preached to you.

1 Peter 2:1–12 ESV

So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

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1 Corinthians 6:9–20 ESV

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything. “Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food”—and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one flesh.” But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

Paul is very clear here – When we sin we are joining Christ in that very sin.

If I sleep around, I am joining Christ in that very sin.

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What does holiness even mean?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Simply put God is Holy because He is above and set apart from all His creation. His love is perfect, his purity is perfect, and He is so unique from us, and the rest of his creation.

For us it means: To be separated from anything that is not like God’s character and nature.

Holiness looks like Jesus.

Holiness is simply to Love God perfectly and to love your neighbor as yourself.

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Today I want to give you 3 ways to move towards holiness in your life.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Today I want to give you 3 ways to move towards holiness in your life.

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Take Heart God Has Given Us A Promise Of Holiness

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Take Heart God Has Given Us A Promise Of Holiness

We are counted Holy because God chose us to be Holy

Ephesians 1:3–6 ESV

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

We are counted Holy because of what Christ has done.

Ephesians 1:7–14 ESV

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

He purchased us from the slave master of sin with His blood.

We have been given an inheritance of Holiness

And we were sealed with the Holy Spirit as the guarantee to our future perfection.

We are Holy because of God’s promise to us.

God promises that He will fully transform us into the image of Jesus.

Romans 8:29–30 ESV

For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

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Remember You Have A Part To Play

Philippians 2:12–13 ESV

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

We must be willing to strive towards holiness.

Romans 6:19 ESV

I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.

Hebrews 12:14 ESV

Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.

We must be willing to cut ties with that which displeases God in our lives.

The Holy Spirit will reveal what displeases God and we must be willing to leave it behind.

We have to run, from Temptations.

We must also strive towards a deeper love for Jesus.

Once we love Jesus more than we love sin, sin will disappear.

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Trust God’s Role in Our Holiness

He Gave Us All We Need

2 Peter 1:3–4 ESV

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

Holy Spirit works His life through us (If we yield to it)

Galatians 5:16–17 ESV

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.

Galatians 5:22–25 ESV

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.

2 Thessalonians 2:13–15 ESV

But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter.

The Holy Spirit brings Conviction

John 16:8 ESV

And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment:

The Holy Spirit Gives us the Desire and Power to do His will

Philippians 2:13 ESV

for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

God will complete the work He started in us.

Philippians 1:6 ESV

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

Sometimes that means we will have to suffer the consequences of our choices so, we will learn.

Philippians 1:6 NLT

And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

Sometimes that means we will have to suffer the consequences of our choices so, we will learn.

God cares more about your Holiness than he does your comfort.

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Progressive Holiness Is Evidence That We Belong To Him.

Galatians 5:16–17 ESV

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.

Galatians 5:22–25 ESV

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.

HOLD ON TO THE PROMISE OF HOLINESS

REMEMBER YOU HAVE A PART TO PLAY

TRUST GOD’S ROLE IN MAKING YOU HOLY