Feb 9, 2020 Sun am 1 John 2:16-17

This morning you have received another different funny looking outline. It's not like the ones that I've usually put out and thank you. Thank you so much for the warm reception of last week's lesson and that outline and this will add to it along with other lessons that we have delivered in the past. Now this month in trying to bring the idea that Christianity is reality to Bear. We're going to beat we're talking about the soul that man is a soul his body is a possession.

We are a soul and this morning want to talk about our desires the Soul's desire which speaks more to the idea that man is a so smart in dealing with Christian is reality. We talked about the idea that the reality is there is a God and those four lessons anchored that sentiment this morning. This will be the second lesson that will anchor the idea that man is a soul now on your chart on your canvas. It should be clearly evident to see that there are two size a man to Mankind's desire one side looks really nice. Doesn't it? And the other side doesn't look so good. That's because Mankind's desire the Soul's desires are either physical. or spiritual Mankind's desires of Soul's desires are either physical or they are spiritual and hopefully from being good Bible student. You can already tell which side is physical and let's start with that side. Shall we would you look at first John chapter 2 and starting a verse number 16 and 17. We should be on your chart and I know the letters might be small. So I got up on the screen as well. The Bible says for all that is in the church for the desires of the And remember last week with Drew lines to show from scripture what the body is in the flesh in the world all the associated with those things the desires of the Flesh and the desires of the eyes and the pride of life. These are things that are associated with the world. Alright, the John goes on to reveal by the holy spirit. That is what not from the father. Okay. So the lust of the eyes while the desires of the flesh the desires of the eyes and the pride of life those things are not from the father, but it is from the what the world and the world. Okay, give us a status on the World to wear. These things are the world is passing away with Desires, do we all see that? But John gives us some hope here he tells us but whoever does the will of God abides how long forever. So if you are following the world, if you're following the lust of your eyes of the desires of your eyes of the desires of your flesh and the pride of life. Those things will not last those things are not from the father to buy forever if your Pursuit for meaning in this world, if you are Pursuit for Value as a human being if your Pursuit for understanding trying to Garner what are Life's greatest questions asked and the only place you seek, those things is in the world then you are in danger. And those things will not satisfy you those things will not fulfill. You you will have to add to the physical in order to be fulfilled as a human being. And we see that the things of the Flesh and the bad side of this chart which is all messed up ground and withered part of the tree and Emma like those are the things of the Flesh and we can see the things of the flesh scripture right because of Galatians 5 19 through 21, the Bible talks about those things that are in the world that are apart of the desires of the eyes the desires of the Flesh and the pride of life don't think that we just ran in 1st John 2:16 and 17. And what does Paul tell us he says now the works of the flesh are evident so that the things of the world I ever did sexual immorality impurity sensuality idolatry sorcery in the enmity Strife jealousy fits of anger rivalries dissensions divisions in feet, Orgies and things like these he says I warn you as I warned you before that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. That's why it's off to the right does everybody see that? So if we pursue if we have a life whose Pursuit is full of these things and some on my say, you know, what I don't do those things. Alright, then if your life is made up of the happenings of these things you may not be pursuing them. But for some reason they keep happening in your life. You're not pursuing dissensions, but for some reason everywhere you go. There's dissension. You may not be pursuing sexual immorality like, you know, you can't help yourself. And for some reason you fall you trip and by accident you will wind up in sexual immorality. You you may not be pursuing orgy, but somehow you wind up in one.

Bottom line is if your life is made up of these things you're in danger of of of the Judgment. Let me say something else as well that we need to understand as the saints of God and I'm trying to live in the world that we live in today. Please understand not everybody wants to go to heaven.

Not everybody's trying to be safe.

Everybody in this world is not trying to do what's right.

And we need to understand that so that just because that great majority of people who are not trying to go to heaven and we turn around and try to act like them then we're just we're trying not to go to heaven 2. And trying to justify based on the backs of those who are not trying to live, right? Who not trying to do what's good day are pursuing the pleasures of sexual immorality are pursuing the the the meaning meaning of fullness of jealousy because we find it convenient at particular time. Don't we when that person on the job get something that we think we should have got then we find it convenient to operate in jealousy. When we don't get our way. We find it convenient to act in the works of the Flesh and throw a fit of rage. But when we do that church, we do that since we need to understand we're operating on the wrong side of our Soul's desires. We're operating in a way that is not of God. It doesn't come from the father. And it will not abide forever. You know, I don't think this is going to sound controversial. Hell is going to be as bad as we say it is. Because I believe that we're seeing glimpses of hell today.

And for those who don't want to go to heaven for those that don't want to be with God for those that don't want to do what's good. They're happy with what we have today.

But we need to understand is the less you have God the greater the intensity of hell. We live in a world where things seem to be getting worse. Do they not where evil is concerned? And that's what he'll will be because when you remove God's when we when God is absent from the from your presence at from society, then he'll will eventually become a place where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when everybody does what's right in their own eyes and doesn't pursue scriptures, you can't help but to enter into a world where there's only

and all these works of the flesh people that don't want to go to heaven they have that idea that you know he'll is it going to be that bad I'm just going to do my own thing but right now you got God and the Holy Spirit that's in the world that's holding evil back it could be worse and it will be worse for those who do not lined up delivered from the wrong side of this chart on the physical side we have to recognize that side of the chart those are the works of the flesh those are things that are physical those are things that are of the world those are things that are temporal temporary those are the things of the firstborn nature witches of The Flash and we can't help when we're born only one time into this world to operate in the things of this world because we have nothing else to pull us to God and to lead us when the flash is doing all the leading when the physical is the arbitrator the arbitrator between the choices that we make in this world then death and what comes with def Flash and what comes with flash the world and what comes with the world will be our reward.

So we wind up finding ourselves in the midst of that chart in the very middle not a hundred different scriptures, but I'm only allows me to choose this is not exhausted but leopard Proverbs 21 and 10 says it says that the soul of the wicked witch is left on that side of the chart desires what evil and his neighbor finds no mercy in his eyes is only considering his own needs his own desires his own wants and he does whatever is necessary to bring those things about and when is that when that's the case when everybody lives according to their own desires, but everybody lives according to their own opinions, then by necessity we leave out.

And we wind up finding ourselves going to hell. Efforts are evil when we walk in. The flesh evil is a deprivation of God and have a big word. What does that mean that I can use big words to brother, Tony?

deprivation simply means an absence evil is the absence of God is is a deprivation of good evil cannot exist on its own. Is the idea that the rust on the car you remove the car you can't have rust a man is a kin 2 evil if you cut your hand if your cut your own right the cut in your arm is a deprivation of your arm. What's good about your arm is armed with no Cuts right once you have a cut that's evil say Matthew understand if you remove you can't have cut you understand the cut is evil without good there can be no evil evil does not prove the absence of evil is the proof of God. Because without eat with without evil, you can't even without good you can't even Define evil. There has to be a standard. And so when we live evil eye evil is a simple deprivation of God. So we live our lives. We don't want to do things. The way God says do things we're living evil Lies We are wicked. We are at enmity with God. You say you're pursuing good things who said they're good. Did you say they're good will that comes from the flesh that comes from the physical world the World the Flesh the physical they are not the standard of good. The standard of good is God. In order to know what is good. You must know God that's why I came into this world and that's why he gave us his word so that we would know what is good boy. What is evil and a boy the down Trend do you see that on the right? There's a downtrend with the arrows and eventually the arrows go right on off to charge and then on the other side that the trend is going upwards right is going upward from the Earth from which we came we learned that last week, right and then eventually you see that the arrow goes up for the chart which means going to heaven So we stay on the right side. We make our way to hell we stay on the left side. We make our way to heaven and I know the Bible says that they're saved are on the right and all that. This is not a reference to that. That's just the way the chart k

I'm working with the charred a man. Long as we understand so the absence of God the missing of God and the Rebellion against God all those things are evil. That's the phone that is wicked. That's the soul that desires what is evil. And if you walk on that right side of this chart, then you are walking in those things that are evil. But you see that in Proverbs 21 right is right in the middle on our chart. Now, the soul becomes firmly entrenched if it continues in the way that it goes in worldly living in worldly thinking and it reveals Proverbs 21 + 10 reveals. The danger that were in where the embassy was God and we wind up being in the tea with our fellow man. 1st Corinthians 2 and 14 + it this way you can write this down to read it later. The natural person does not accept the things of the spirit of God you guys remember that For they are falling to him and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. So the person on the right side of the chart don't understand what's going on in the left side. Because they're pursuing what 1st John 2 says it's they're pursuing the desires of the eyes or desires of the Flesh and the pride of life. Those are the things that they say that they follow they can't follow the things on the left because they are spiritually discerned James 4 and 4 says this you adulterous people do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God say Matthew understand. So we're on the right side of this outline. Then we are in the in the enemy with God. We're in the tea with him. I like to define the word enmity by referencing the Hatfields and The McCoys. Mortal enemies right? We do not want to be mortal enemies of God. now the condition of the Soul Whose desire is physical finds himself eventually at Ephesians 2 verses 1 through 3. That's the bottom scripture on the right side of your chart and you were what?

We keep living this way.

And it is difficult to get people to see that Adam and Eve didn't see that. Right when it came to that that that fruit on the tree in the midst of the garden. God said the day that you eat. premier you should surely die. And then they ate from the right.

You're pretty good.

Compare something I need to go make some clothes. And then God starts coming down. You also learn something else. That you couldn't stand before God. After obeying him disobeying him. and it went and hid they obtain the knowledge that they weren't ready to handle. and for the head and so if we continue to live in the world where dead in our trespasses and sins In which you once walked following the course of this world, but you see we want to get from the right side of the shark to the left side is chart a man. following the prince of the power of the air on Wednesday nights He's the attorney is going to start talking about him this Wednesday, I believe right how how the role Satan plays in the spiritual warfare that we you and I are up against we are people following the prince of the air not realizing that they are dead in their trespasses and sins and that was once us which is what the scripture saying that is the spirit that is now at work in the sons of Disobedience those who do not obey God among whom we all want to live in the passion Church flash. There it is again we go all the way back up the 1st John 2:16 and 17 the desires of the flesh. We all once lived in those passions carrying out the desires of the body the desires of the eyes and the mind and we're by Nature children of Wrath like the rest of mankind.

Now we refuse to change if if we continue on this path of following the ways of this world and the prince of the airs and the desires of our flesh that eventually we will fall right off of this chart. Into a place that is absent the presence of God which scripture describes as hell.

however There is a scripture in the middle underneath the tree. That mankind needs to get to.

It's a scripture where one where man can be reborn and his desires changed. It's a scripture reveal to us to wear assistance can be given to those who have fallen prey to the schemes of the prince of the air and the desires of this world. It is a scripture that leads us from the physical the worldly and the fleshly to a spiritual existence.

It is a scripture that understands that that man is a soul and a soul that requires the help of his creator. We cannot save ourselves. It's a scripture that points us towards a savior one who can deliver us. From this this existence of where our desire is just continue to lead us into death. That scripture is Romans 7 and verse number 18. Now, please understand who wrote this Paul the Apostle wrote this. Talking about himself now Parker say this about himself we can say this about ourselves. Paul was a giant of the faith a man. He said for I know that nothing good dwells in me. And that's what the world would say now. Hold on a minute here. Y'all go again. Everybody's bad. Everybody is Eve. I just I just can't believe that okay. Everybody trying to go to heaven if I think they have what's already necessary and being good people to deserve heaven or a Heavenly eternity all on their own. He said for nothing. I know that nothing good dwells in me and he kind of qualifies this right because Paul understand something understands what man he is man is not his body. Understand so he understand that man is not his flesh. That is I know nothing good dwells in me that is in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right. But not the ability to carry it out raise your hand if you understand raise your hand if you walk that walk. We all need to tell guy. We're sorry we wanted to do what was right, but for some reason we wound up where was wrong. And I continue to be our habit. Thank God for Jesus Christ. Amen. And that's what we're trying to tell the world. You don't have to continue living that way because if you do there's a danger to your soul. Where you will be lost for eternity. What is scripture gives us? Hope this scripture allows us to move for those that have ears. Let him hear. Because he was saying things like this things like this, but if they're going to our ears because faith comes by. Yeah. This word can lead us to Salvation Church and can leave the lost to Salvation God's word is revealed so that we might know our true nature you are not your flesh. You are not the makings of this world. You don't have to follow the bad habits of the sons of the Des of Disobedience who are the followers of the prince of the air. Scripture was given so that we would know that we are not human beings We Are Spiritual Beings. in a human existence Where our desire is to do good? But we failed to do it so often. God's word wolves reveal so that we could live eternally with him to get off of the right side of this chart and to get on the other side of this chart that leads to Heaven as our home. God's word was revealed so that we can understand what our condition is and God's word was revealed explain the scripture. Then I'm going to read it was revealed so that they would come into the world and convict the world of sin. You see before we can get right we have to have we got to be convicted that what we're doing is wrong.

And John 16 and 8 says this all the way through verse 11. You don't have this one, but write it down. And when he comes that's almost the spirit. He will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment concerning sin because they do not believe in me concerning righteousness because I go to the father and you will see me no longer concerning judgment because the ruler of this world it's about the prince of the air that old serpent the devil Satan himself the prince of this are the ruler of this world is judged. Those who have ears. Let him hear. That's salvation and Times of refreshing may come if we could only understand. We're not simply our body man is a soul. and because of our bodies, we know that nothing good dwells in us that is In the flesh, but we still have a chance. We're good. We still have a chance to to come out of the death and the spiral of wickedness and in the tea that is against God and we find that hope first. In Old Testament scripture, I like this one. So I had to choose that Isaiah 26 verses 8 and 9 there the Bible says in the path of your judgments. Oh Lord. We wait for you your name and Remembrance are the desire of our soul my soul yearns for you in the night my spirit Within Me earnestly seeks you remember last week. I made the point that God didn't take the air of the world and shove it in our nostrils. He did what he breezed. That's a beacon. That is something that has made us that calls us back to that which made us. And so forth that's so that that Spirit earnestly seeks that Breath of Life. To return back to it for when your judgments are in the earth. The inhabitants of the world learn righteousness. The Bible is God's judgments. The got God's word has been revealed so that the world would learn righteousness a math you understand. So desire for God begins to happen or righteous desire develops in us when we have ears that hear better start paying attention to the word of God and end the scalpels knife. Does the spiritual surgeon's knife begins to cut away the old man the old ways the worldly thinking the the value that comes from the lust of the eyes and the lust of the Flesh and starts convicting us of our sins, which is empathy towards God, which is simply not doing what God has required. Hey man now on that side of the chart we find the Galatians 5:22 part 22 through 25 because they are 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 what? The Flash that's the stuff on the other side You crucified the flesh with its passions and desires and Paul goes on to say if we live by the spirit. We live by the things that are on this side. Let us also keep in step with the spirit remain faithful unmovable knowing that God will give us a crown of life. So it is on this side of the souls desire where life in the spirit are found and then we start to climb our way and not us doing the climbing but on this side of town we are lifted up. Cuz it's not my own power a man. What is by the power of God to where we can make our ways toward Heaven by black James says this but your diet desire start to change. It says if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask School. My night is profound. Because the the tendency of a physical man who lacks wisdom is to ask the world. He goes to himself. He goes to pass practices. He goes to human history. He goes to human Commandments in human Doctrine. That's who he asked for wisdom. Music. Hey, we're trying to do what's good. Let's convene a meeting of very smart people and we will allow those very smart people in their meetings to determine for us. What is good? Nojaims says that if you lack wisdom to ask who asked God and church in the world today, how do we ask God we go to his word and in his word he gives generously to all everyone God is no respecter of persons. If you're willing to turn to God's word, you will find an open God a guy that is ready and willing to receive you a guy who has a word for you're so there's never been a human being Who wants to be safe who wants to walk with God and God hadn't had a way for that to happen.

God is Not of left without an ability to save anyone. to give generously if that's not a limit on his righteousness. There's not a anybody ever gone to a hotel and they used to say on the hotel sign vacancy and No Vacancy. Right with God. There's always a vacancy. There's always enough room. Then it doesn't run out the world has this idea that that love has an expiration date. You know you better do what's good for now because time is coming and his way is generously provided to all and it will be given to you if you pursue if you got ears then here have that desire for wisdom and what happens if we continue to progress upward out of the world toward our creator towards our father because he created us who made us as instruments of righteousness not instruments of wickedness and he develops in Us by the revelation of his word desires and us a thirst for righteousness.

All we have to do is ask for it. All we have to do is pursue it. We seeing song Forty and eight the Soul's desire becomes one that is that the lights at the will of God. We're no longer stuck on that other side. Now where our Pursuit is simply the world and the flesh. But the song that says I Delight to do your will. Oh my God, you're lost. And this is what happens when your loss is where? But then my heart that that that word that is revealed his got to come off the pages. And it's got to become a part of you. And it has to be in your heart because you will follow your heart. You will do what it is that your heart is requiring. And so we continue to be lifted up and our desire continues to grow because we've asked God for wisdom we're seeking wisdom. And what is wisdom wisdom is the demonstration of knowledge whenever you know and you demonstrate that that's account to you as wisdom. So if God tells you to love your enemies, you have that knowledge and you demonstrate the love for your enemies you demonstrate wisdom. When you ask God for wisdom you ask him for knowledge. It's it's part of a deal. You get that but you get that knowledge by you being confronted by God's word. We want to be right our desire start to change we want to do what's right. That's how Paul even had the Dilemma. If you don't have a dilemma to do right you're never going to say to yourself. There's nothing good that dwells in me. Cuz you're only concerned about what dwells in you, that's fine with you. And that's where a lot of the world is a lot of world. It doesn't want to go to heaven. We want to we want to struggle for what's right. We don't we don't mind the wrestling against the principalities and powers in the forties and the lights because we understand that in the end we win. Buyers change we want to Proclaim what is right. It's like getting that new gift that new toy that you want to show off to the world. You can't wait or help to tell anybody. I know I was that way when I first was baptized. Tony says the same thing when he was baptized to bend a little bit different right not but now we know better. Thanks God. Thank God. But our Delight is to do as well if we want to pursue what is right we want to reflect what is right. Our desire is for right and that we would win the day with righteousness. Not by our own pilot power God develops in us a righteous desire when we begin that Pursuit a desire for right living and then we see in Psalm 73 verses 25 and 26 for the song that says whom have I in heaven, but you and there is nothing on Earth nothing on that other side that I was at church that I desire. Because with God everything else is added to it. We we got it backwards because we're Pursuit. We're pursuing the thing. We talked about that little bit and Sunday school this morning. You want two things pursue God? And everything else will be added to you. But when we pursue the things we wind up leaving God out. And those things that we wind up a painting or only temporary and they've only been our snare that they've only been that which has caught us by the schemes and the desires of the evil one. The prince of the air that is in this world in front of Solomon says, there's nothing on the earth that I desire besides you you're in heaven and that's my desire. He says my flesh and my heart May Fail And that's not a May.

a promise your flesh will fail. Outback I'm learning the older I get that we get to participate in the failing of our flesh.

And it's not fun.

but for the spiritual person it's a sign. It's a warning. It's a beacon. That telling you to place priority where priority needs to be placed. This is failing and we understand it in the world. When that car gets to a point where it's not worth putting any more money into it. What do we start doing? We start getting prepared for a new car. We got to do that with this body. Because we're getting to the point of diminishing returns. The Investments we're making here. I'm not going to pay up there. It's time to reinvest in a different plan on new car. If you will a car not made with hands a car made by the spirit a car that is made to be Eternal a car that's made for heaven. A body made like his body. Who didn't pursue the things of this world? But only pursue the things of his father who is in heaven? And he seated at his right hand the Soul's desire grows when you walk in the light as he is in the light and the fellowship continues to cleanse us of our sins. And allows us to be in a fellowship with God where righteousness becomes our desire because it's our new 401k. It's our new investment. It's our new goal and we put our efforts and our minds towards it. And so you have discharge. Where we clearly show on one side the way to an absence of God's presence and clearly show on the other side the way to an eternal presence with God and it won't it won't just begin in eternity. It begins here on Earth. For those who are willing to understand that nothing good dwells in them. But you have a desire to do was good but not the ability to carry it out that you understand that you need some help and you need to hear the words that has been revealed to give you help. Because hearing that word will give you faith. And faith is what is required to be saved. Because the Bible says without faith. It is impossible to please God.

The world says the Bible has been proved to be a bunch of foolishness 1st Corinthians also told us that that that the natural man can't receive the things of the spirit the things that a spirit are foolishness to him. So when they say that the Bible is foolishness, they're only demonstrating the wisdom of the natural man. Because wisdom is the demonstration of knowledge. And so people continue to operate on a faulty knowledge that there is no God and that man has no soul. Once you die, that's it. So you might as well live any other way you want to you might as well get all you can in this world today. Might as well have as much right now because after this there's nothing else those are the lies and the wisdom of this world. There is a world to come there is an eternal existence. There is a spiritual side to man as matter of fact, the spiritual side is the man. The Flash is only the car it gets us from place to place. Why we live in this world? If you hear this morning hear that word. That your faith might begin and believe that word as we've already demonstrated in Hebrews 11 and 6 that without faith. It's impossible to please God after believing it then demonstrate the wisdom that comes from that knowledge by repenting turning away from the bad side of his chart and start walking in the good side of this charge. Jesus said in Luke 13 and 30, but unless we repent unless we change unless we walk away from the world. We will all likewise perish let that believe not only cause you to repent or let it allow you to open your mouth and speak the foolishness of the natural man's language and that is Jesus Christ is God's son. That confession brought death to Jesus because the world cannot receive that which is of the spirit. They couldn't receive that truth. That doesn't make sense if you would have you would even be on trial. You have the power over you just crucify you. That's why I challenged them that way. It's almost like they would kind of poking to see if he would demonstrate his power before him. I thank God. for Jesus self control

Without it. We'd be lost.

If they have been poking me. You all would be lost.

Baby Dave and Yuri, Los. Hey, man. So thank God that he is the Son of God and God's word has been revealed that we might know him as the Son of God believe in him and the one that sent him that believe should also caused us to be baptized Paul Walk in a wisdom that was Colonel for a long time until on the road to Damascus. He was confronted he was convicted of his sin. And he got to the point of like we re-enact 22 + 16 where he gave an account where he was told now, what are you waiting for get up and be baptized and wash away your sins calling on his neck. Don't talk about Paul. Paul wouldn't say by the knowledge of knowing Jesus. Paul was saved by obeying the knowledge that comes from Jesus. It was Jesus that sent that man to teach him the gospel. It was Jesus knowledge that that man said to get up and be baptized. I want to wait the world would have told Paw Paw you don't have to be baptized. Just say a prayer and you'll be all right. Don't worry about being baptized will check evoke all these good right? You're smart people right now. Let's take a vote is Paul in all your saved. I wonder what would have happened if the world to Paul just be a good person. Just follow your heart. Following his heart got the church killed.

I wonder what would have happened. If the world would have told Paul. What the world telling you? today

it wouldn't have changed with Paul dead. Paul got baptized for the remission of your sins. And Jesus added him to the church because of his obedience and you can be added to the church. You can be added to the life and the spirit that come from obeying God's word. And then we can do that struggle. To where we remain faithful unto death. Mini challenges stand up in front of us. If God is for us. the matter who's against us and we're at the end of the book, right? We won. If you're here today, if you're here this morning come off of the wrong side of this chart and get on the right side of this charge. We have water where we can baptize you this morning just like Paul was baptized. I just like the 3,000 Souls on the day of Pentecost were baptized just like eight other examples in the New Testament were baptized for the remission of their sins. You'll be added to the life-giving side of this chart and you can begin your journey with the rest of us to a destination of Heaven as our home if you don't want to go That's your choice. Just understand what your choice is rewarded with. And that's what this lesson was all about. You here this morning you desire prayers. We asked you, sweet together Stan.