How Should Christians Live

We were going to be in the book of 2nd Corinthians this evening. 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 I want to talk to us this evening a little bit about how Christians should live. I don't know about you but I see a lot of things on social media and and whatnot about

well, for instance I talk a little bit about a friend of mine and

going through marital problems and

no, nice way of saying it but

The spouse is doing wrong, except for what she's doing left her husband living with her boss. It's wrong. But yet they can get on Facebook.

Or out in the world. And act like they are good with God. And I'm not one here to judge her tonight, but both there's a certain way Christians have got to live. There's a certain way that we behaved there's a certain way that that that the well if it's if you don't have a choice, you don't have a choice. We don't have a choice if we're in love with God if we if we got Jesus Christ we experience to the grace of salvation of God is is in my heart tonight. I don't want to do things against what he wants me to do. There's a certain way. I need to live my life. And so I want to talk to you a little bit about that this evening and if you would if you don't mind this evening, if you can we would just stand as we read the scriptures together this evening. This is out of the NIV. And so I'm going to have to turn around here and in and look as I read cuz my versions new King James, but I wanted to share it with this out of the NIV beginning of chapter 11 of beginning verse 11 or chapter 5 since then. We know what it is to fear the lord we try to persuade others, you know, I was thinking about that. We prayed this evening and in a lot of people facing some serious things that the cousin of Jennifer we we talked about and and you know Sharon and ended there's a lot of Pastor John lot of things going on church and I was listening it says preparing for this message receiving it up stairs and I had the TV on listening to that TV that church that gets on me TV and and then the pastor was talking about the Philippians I've ever read not deleted any how he was talking about being specific in our prayers being specific in our prayers and I think about the health in it all the things we pray for people about Do we need to be specific in the prayer? Cuz the most important thing in these individuals lives is there so That's first and foremost that we should be praying for the individuals soul that had that that they week we persuade them to come to the Lord. Amen. We persuade them to come to the Lord. We went we are is playing to God and I hope also playing to your conscience.

We are not trying to come in ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us so that you can answer those who take pride in what is scene rather than and what is in the heart if we are out of are mine and some say it is for God if we are again are right mind it is for you for Christ's love compels us because we are convinced that one divert all and therefore all died and he died for all in those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for him who died for them and was raised again. So from now on WE regard no one from a worldly point of view. So we once regarded Christ in this way we do so no longer. Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation or the New Creation has come in the old has gone. The new is here in all this is from God reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation verse 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ not counting people's sins against them and he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are there for Christ's ambassadors as though God. We were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ behalf be reconciled to God for God made him. Who had no sin to be sin for us so that in him? We might become the righteousness of god father. We thank you for your word this evening and has week look into it. May you may you challenges tonight. May you may you share Lord the burden that that that was bear on Calvary in each of our hearts tonight that we we might be determined more than ever to live for you and and to show the rest of the world and specially this time of the year that what it is like to live in Christ. We thank you for all that. You mean to us ports in your name. We pray and a man you may be seated. 2nd Corinthians verse 15 says it this way. It says and he died for all that those who live should no longer live for themselves. But for him who died for them and was raised again. The King James says it this way and that he died for all my friend. He died for the loneliest if he died for the the upmost ask if you will he die for every race every week read every religion or every every reach or region nationality. I'll get it right he died for all Christ did not Choose Just A specific group of people. It wasn't just for the Israelites a man. He came that all might have forgiveness of sin that they which which which live should not henceforth Live For unto themselves, but unto him which died for them and rose again, he died for all that. All that wood should live or should which live should not in sport live for themselves. We don't we don't with Christ has done for you and me tonight. He he expect you and me to live for him many people many Christians Professor that leads to be Christian, but they fall short in living the Christian Life big battle. They struggled out of the relationship with God. And in the in the following point. I think I hope I prayed tonight will assist us in a step-by-step way to practice what we profess. You heard the old saying practice what you preach right? That's what we're wanting to bring out this CD did it first step in practicing what we profess is that we need to live in Christ verse 17 says therefore if anyone Is in Christ, the new creation has come and the old has gone. The new is here King James. Therefore If any man isn't be in Christ, he is a new creation old things passed away behold. All things are become new you and I when we come to Christ, my desire was to serve him my desire. I knew what it said was I knew what movie was doing in the in the in the moments before I ask God to forgive me of my sins. I knew what those sins were. I didn't have to have someone tell me to give up drinking. I didn't have to tell Peyton good to get away from the worldly things that I was involved in. I knew the moment that that God changed my heart that there was something different and I wanted to change my life. I didn't need some preacher or some some bible thumper. If you will come and tell me you need to stop that. I listen to the holy spirit that dwells in me, and I wanted to live in Christ. Christians live in Christ their sins are forgiven and their guilt has been removed. There's nothing like in on Earth. There's something this is something no one can take away from me. There's something it's not something anyone ever beat out of you bet experience of salvation of the Gill in the shame being lifted off of me that day that I met down at the altar of prayer can never be taken away from me. It is real and it is I became and you become new creatures in Christ in the old things need to pass away. And because everything else is new to us.

Christ lives books totally within committed Christians you hear what I'm saying tonight?

He we have all of him. The moment were saved. The problem is he doesn't have all of us. You hear what I'm saying? Cuz we usually are holding something back. But at the moment that I asked God to save me the Holy Spirit comes into my life now, he can't feel me most likely because I'm keeping things from him to enter into that part of my life. You know, you think of your body is a house since you got all these rooms and and you invite Christ into your living room you invited into your kitchen you inviting into your your your bedroom, but you know, this this one special Privately room movie here. He can't come in. You know, it's it's the place where I got my computer and and you know, he can't come into that room. Well folks that's where entire sanctification cuz there's going to come a place in your life and my life that we say old Lord interest in this room. Clean it up. Clean it up make me whole make me holey dine and old things will pass away and we will be living completely and totally committed to the things of Christ in the Holy Spirit cleanses and he renews those who love God with all their heart mind soul and strength and there are alive in Christ and he in them and those who are in Christ or live in Christ or directed by the Holy Spirit and strengthen and I talked about this morning. It's not my strength, but it's God's strength living in me and working in me for the challenges that I face each and every day John chapter 16 verse 13 says this but when he the spirit of Truth the Holy Spirit the third person of the Trinity when Christ comes into my life, he will guide you and he will guide me in all truth. I don't I

I can remember a a client at the hospital and God. I love this young man. He he he really he would seek out all these face in the religions in Christian Faith said he would get so confused. So confused didn't know what to believe. God rest of the God bless his heart and it was so difficult for him and I pray for him and I administer to him and I and I share with him in and you know, what one one one time he come back in and of course he had a mental illness, but but you know you I want to be you know, blah blah blah of religion, you know, and for the next time I'm going to be blood religion, you know what I'm saying? The spirit of God will direct us in all truth church. We don't we don't need to listen to all those

television evangelist in in in in in what not God's holy spirit will guide you in all the he will not speak on his own. We don't speak. It's the holy spirit that guides and directs especially when we're witnessing to others. He will speak only what he hears and he will tell you what is Yet to Come and so church we need to live in Christ. But we also need the second step to live like Christ. Amen. We need not only to live in price, but we need to live like Christ. And so the second step to practicing what we profess is the live like Christ and Satan First Peter chapter 2 verse 21. It says to this you were called because Christ suffered for you what leading you in an example that you should follow in his steps? Leading you in an example that you should follow in his step. Can I don't need anything else but the word of God in my heart my life if I truly love the Lord if I truly love the Lord tonight Church, we're going we're going to look at his work. And if and if it tells me that I need to do this to be filled with the Holy Spirit, but that's not what Christ to say in the Bible. I need to follow Christ not what man says God wants you and me to follow Christ's example, if you question something about Christian faith when I went when I first got saved I wanted everything that God had for a man. I wanted everything and if it was just speaking in tongues, then I wanted I wanted it idles Lord give it to me. If it's if this is of you give it to me, but he never gave it to me was I not filled with the Holy Spirit my goodness. I was I was a changed person.

I never seen Jesus speak in an unknown tongue. I've seen Paul talk about all the different languages that he knew and wish that he could have the speak like Angels speak, but my friend if it's about love their Paul said in there that that you know, although I don't promise I trim don't speak with him and all these things but the greatest of these is love

And when we we don't love like Christ loved when we don't follow his example, we're like a cleaning brass that note just darling. It was a beautiful outfit or this evening. Now if you would have put me on the piano and she put those notes in front of me it would you would have held your ears. You wouldn't been able to stand it. That's what Paul saying. When we don't love but we profess Christ. It is almost unbearable to be around. It's almost unbearable to be around. We have Christ example to follow in our thinking in our Hearing in our scene in our speaking in our Dewey and him are going to be friends. That's what the gospels were written for the gospel was written gospels were written from different points of view and showed you the Life of Christ. You and I need to follow him and everything that we do, you know, Jesus he prayed often. He was kind he was compassionate. He was understanding my goodness. We need to we need to let go and let God we we need to understand that we need to we need to bump elbows with a few centers not to participate in their sin, but due to women do to cry so that they might be forgiven of the I mean, he healed the sick. He fed the hungry. They comfortable retrieved. This is Randy mentioned in in in prayer this evening to the request. We've got a lot of people that are buried during this time of year lot of people that are hurting it. It is difficult The Sting of the Christian who passes on is taking away the sting of death is taking away from he he or she that passes on and is with the Lord and it when we know that for sure in our hearts and our lives of those of us who remain we know that for sure in our hearts and we we can we can have that hope we can have that Assurance. We can have all that but my friend it still stings. It still stings it stings me. It stings me this time of year about my dad, especially I was telling just this morning to Jennifer. We just talk a little bit out and look for your there and it is bee stings still today this time of year because this time of year that my dad and and and boys would go hunting and spend time together and and Thanksgiving and at that time of year. It was just you know, but that I shared with you about my dad before and how difficult it was in my younger years, but when he came to know the Lord and in later on in life, what are you do, you know, he was trying to make amends for all the things that I miss you still today. Still you're still wanted an empty spot there and if I can have the assurance that he's with the Lord. I know he's with the Lord. I have no doubt about that. But it still stings. It's a we need to comfort one another and days like this practicing daily prayer Bible reading faith and love helps Christians become like Christ. How do I practice Facebook faith comes by hearing and hearing? What by the word of God? You want to increase your faith getting into God's word? Getting fellowship and get in from the gods were First Corinthians chapter 6 verse 20 says weed that you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies are whole complete self everything there is about it. We need to honor God with this third step in practicing what we profess that we are to live for Christ not only in and and not only like, but we are to live for Christ. The scripture says in in in the Hebrews 13:21 equip yourself with every good for doing his will may he work in us with his pleasing to him through Jesus Christ to whom be the glory forever and ever all men on men. The King James says it like this there in the first part make you perfect in every good work to do his will I listen to Johnny briles on YouTube last week head and I love his little stration that he gave about the three homebound people he had in his church in the Philadelphia or wherever it was, you know going to them and saying hey you still got a Ministry. You still got to work you can do for God we need to live for God we need Live for Christ Church. We need to we all if if we are still able to talk we could get on the phone we can do we go in an intercessory prayer. We could still pray for God Amen. We can pray for the church in the in the people in the church. And as I said earlier being specific and praying for those who are lost and in need Jesus as their savior a good soldier lives and sometimes dies for his country and end and he indoors hardships. He he he sacrifices to protect his his land in for those he loves. So many even still today with the things going on in Afghanistan and other places the world. There are still individuals in our Armed Forces today. It has been have given up their Thanksgiving and Christmas and are serving abroad when we should not be doing anything less for Christ. We should be doing the same thing. We should be living for Christ. We live for Christ by denying self. We live for Christ by giving him control over Arbor time or talents in our treasure. That's what it's like to live for Christ 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 verse 20. We are there for Christ ambassadors. And the bachelor is somebody who speaks for the country or whoever you're a representing when you and I go out into this world and end in our living Our Lives. We are living in and representing the King of Kings. We are representing the one who died for you and me. We are representing God himself as though God were making his appeal through us. Wow, you and I we go there where Christ ambassadors as though God would it's as if God is speaking through in in in and through us.

And we implore you on Christ behalf. Be reconciled to God. We need to live for Christ a man. We need not only to live for him. But the last step here except for in practicing what we profess. We need to live with Christ. We need to live with Christ first Thessalonians 4:17. And after that we were still alive and left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so we will be with the Lord forever. The King James and so shall we ever be with the Lord? And so shall we ever be with the Lord the last part of that verse?

Church We are privileged to live with the Lord and in in in the here and now it's not a kingdom that you're just going to enter in after you die the moment. We give our heart and our life to Christ. We are apart of God's Kingdom. He says he came to give us life and to give it more abundantly and he means now not when we just cross over he wants us to live abundantly in him. The Lord has given us a privilege to live with him. And in in the Here and Now for he has promised to never leave now leave us nor forsake us. I don't know how many times we've said that over the last 2 or 3 weeks Sunday school lessons in in in messages and so forth. And so I think I even heard Johnny mention that it is his message last Sunday, you know, he promises never to leave us nor forsake us. Never charged Hebrews of the 13-5. It says keep your life free from the Love of Money. I don't know how many times I've seen that on Facebook and somebody talking about money and being evil and so forth and so on money is not evil. It's not what this out of context. It's the love of money. It's the love of anything in your life. That is greater than what the love of God is in your life. You hear what I'm saying? Anything you love more than God is idolatry. I can remember in school today. They did there was one of the church fathers that used to say that even thinking wrong thoughts about God is idolatry. Charge of not the money. It's the love of money and here we have the scripture saying to keep your lives free from the what the love of money and be content with what you have because God has said never will I leave you nor forsake you so Christ is with Christians in this life and he shall also be with us in the Life to Come Christ has promised to come again and receive us unto himself that where he is there. We may be also, What a promise that is for us tonight. We are joint heirs with Christ Jesus. Wow. John 14 1 and 3 do not let your hearts be troubled you believe in God believe also in me for my father's house has many rooms if it were not so would I have not told what I have told you that I am going there to prepare you a place for you and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. We shall live forever.

We shall live forever with the Lord. There will be no more sorrow, no more suffering no more pain. No more separation, praise God of all of that. Of all of that. God promises is there. The separation is something I look most forward to. I hate separating. I hate being separated from the ones I love. And God promises us that not only would we not have any more pain or sorrow or suffering but there will be no more separation there. I say thank you Lord, and we shall be reunited with the redeemed loved ones. Nnn be forever with the Lord. I Can Only Imagine sitting around the dinner table or maybe after dinner when you're emo yet you sit around the dinner table and get your gift full you go and you you relax and start telling stories, you know, sitting there listening to some of the stories of the old saying for the Old Testament and some of the stories about Paul and and then in all these I mean bored but others as well that have given their life for the Lord and in the end love ones in and just all of that What a day that will be when my Jesus I shall see. When he takes me by the hand and leave me through the Promised Land. What a day that will be. 2nd Corinthians 5 8-9 we are confident. Are you confident tonight? Are you confident tonight? I say and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him. Is that a goal in your life this evening it is as we profess to be Christians. We we live our lives. It's is that my goal? Is that your goal tonight to please God? Please him in everything whether we are at home in the body or away from it.

No matter where I go. No matter what room I walk into no matter what facility I walk into. Am I doing it for the Lord? Am I am I in there to please him and then tune in to make things as a witness to him who lives in me, so the steps are practicing what we profess first of all, do you know how I need to live in Christ. We need to live like Christ. We need to live for Christ and we need to live with Christ. That my friend is how you and I share the testimony of Jesus Christ to the world. That way what they see is real what they hear is real. What they experienced from us is real. I can't emphasize enough. about the old saying that the only Bible some people may ever read. is you you and I are ambassadors for Christ. And you know, I am human I told you before and I forgot could you get me hungry and tired and I get a little grouchy.

And in there's times. I got to say God forgive me.

But my God knows my heart. And I want I don't want to be a bad representative of him. I don't want to be a bad and bassador to him and I know you don't either this evening. So let's let's set that is our goal to live in and live like and live for and live with Christ in our hearts in our life because without him church, we can't do it. We can't do it the weekend. We can't be what God wants us to be without Christ totally and completely in control of Our Lives. It just is not going to happen. So we thank God for Christmas. We thank God that this time of year as we as we celebrate the birth of our savior that that we can experience him in a very special way because of what he did for us not only in being born but I love the picture. I don't know if you never seen it. The other Cradle overshadowed by the cross, you know it with without the cross. There be no Christmas amen, but without Christmas there been no cross either. So we got to have both of them Father. We thank you tonight for your love and your mercy your grace. We thank you for the privilege that you you give us each and every day of our hearts and our lives to to be an ambassador to the lid in Ford and like in with you Lord in our hearts and our minds. We we need that to see me more than anything in in in in this world. What is as much as the next breath? We breathe we need you in that breath. We need to be a completely and totally surrendered in in in in in following you so that others might come to know the Lord. I have family. I have loved ones. I have friends. I have people that I meet everyday and so God, I pray that not only am I like the beach life that is represented here tonight and others that aren't here for whatever reason tonight that you would lay someone on our hearts that you would lay my burden upon us that we would we would pray for them. We would love them. We would reach out to them. We would we would see Lord through your eyes. We would hear through your ears. We would speak through your lips and we would we would walk as you would walk Lord and guide us in that log. We thank you tonight for each one gathered in here Lord. We pray for the families and everything that's going on in their lives that you would just have your way. In a very special way this evening father we pray for the snacks that we're about to partake in father that you would just bless them and and they they they they strengthen us and may we just have a good time of Fellowship forts in Christ name, we pray and everyone said, amen. Amen.

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