Change, Part 2 - Glen Osburn 11/7/04

Good to see all who are here tonight.

Good to have many from Brundage here this evening as well.

And I'm thankful that what we have to share this evening is

from God and not from me, I'm so thankful for that because the

word of wisdom and the word of men, does it really bring about

being pleasing with God? But if we reflect our knowledge

of his will, then we know what pleases him and we know how to

please him. There are so many people who

think if it pleases me. It must please.

God and that's not necessarily the case.

We find that we have to know God's Will and be familiar with

it to know what pleases him and that is our desire to know what

pleases are gone. One of the things we learned

this morning that pleases our God is the need for us to change

in some way, some aspects of our behavior and our attitudes.

And most of all the the fact that the essence of the

Christian Life Is Calling ourselves to not follow.

Ourselves. But to follow him who died for

us, that is to be imitators of Jesus Christ.

We talked about acts 17, verse 30, this morning where God is,

Acts 17:30

commanding all men everywhere. That doesn't mean men gender.

That means all mankind, all everywhere to repent, to repent

that word. Repent means to change to change

direction to change some aspect of our Behavior.

God doesn't want us if we're good to be bad, he doesn't want

just Change for change sake, speak.

He wants us to be able to identify what part of our Lives

is not conforming to the Life of Christ.

And that's why we wrote this part of this passage on our

board. This morning, the Bible says,

it's the Christians purpose to be conformed to the image of the

sun. We've read this from Romans 8,

chapter verse 29. If you're taking notes, this is

a very important. Verse in the scripture notice it

says For Those whom he foreknew He also predestined to become

conformed, to the image of his son.

That is what our Christian life is all about.

Now, this doesn't mean externally as we already talked

about this morning, it doesn't mean that we're all supposed to

wear robes and and, you know, like so many did in the 60s wear

sandals and long hair and look like Jesus on the outside, it

doesn't mean that we're supposed to be trying to perform Miracles

like walk on water and and different kinds of things like

that people who try to imitate Jesus externally.

You missed the whole point. Jesus came here to be an exact

representation of the father. Not Father's external

attributes. This character his morality his

ethics, his righteousness. That's what Jesus came and

personified. That is literally lived out

through his life. He was the exact representation

of his nature. The Bible says, and whenever God

calls us to follow, Jesus. It's not externally.

It's that internal. The character of Jesus that

we're supposed to meet him at 80, you know.

But there's a lot of people who don't follow the character of

Jesus don't act like Jesus, don't talk like, Jesus aren't

interested in the same thing. Jesus is interested in yet

there. How is that?

So many people have this disconnect between living in a

Christian country, or living it going to church.

And they believe that that that makes them a Christian.

Or they'll say I've been baptized as if just going in and

out of water is all it takes to be a follower of Jesus Christ.

No, my friends. No Bible more often 03:00 time.

It's this morning. Uses the word disciple,

disciple. Which means pupil, which means

follower of Jesus Christ in the sense that he is a master

teacher, and we are his students, we're supposed to be

like him. The Bible says, we looked at

that. Passage this morning, a

disciple, excuse me, a disciple when he is fully trained, will

be like his teacher. That's what we're supposed to

become. Luke 6, and verse 40, a disciple

when he is fully trained will be Like his teacher.

So this idea of being conformed is the essence.

This image is an external but inwardly, the Bible says, we're

going to be like our teacher, not externally, but inwardly.

We're supposed to have the heart of God, the mind of Christ, his

compassion, his desire to obey and glorify his father in

Heaven. That's what it's all about.

And we're going to talk more about that tonight.

I'm not going to re-preach this morning's sermon.

That was just That was just the preview to bring us up to

tonight a little bit. We talked about how God

required. This isn't an option.

God requires all everywhere to repent, acts 17:30, if we're

Acts 17:30

going to be a Christian, what aspect of our life does the

word, repent, apply to, what aspects of change.

Does God want to bring out it to us?

Well, before we go into some specifics, please turn to

Hebrews 2:12 chapter right quick and The twelfth chapter of the

Hebrews 2:12

Bible tells us that our transformation comes from the

inside to the outside. As we noticed this morning, now

with this little chart right here is really taken from

Matthew 23, and verse 23, if you're taking notes where Jesus

challenged the scribes and the Pharisees, you know, the

Pharisees were obedient to God and a lot of things, but they

did it heartlessly. They did it without any internal

motivation. They tied me.

Mint and come in the Bible says Dill mint and coming but he says

it wasn't right. They needed to clean these the

inside of the cup, they were like a whitewash, sup liqueur,

the indeed outwardly, they peered pure and white.

But inside they were full of dead, men's bones and all

uncleanness. And he told them that was a

false form of religion. God wants the real thing.

He wants us to clean the inside of the cup and the outside will

be clean. Also as we notice this morning

we must worship God in spirit and in truth John 4, verse 23,

John 4:23

and 24. Well, here in Hebrews 12

chapter, notice what it says. In verse 1.

He In this passage, he's talking about fixing what we're supposed

to do in order to run the Christian race.

Notice? Therefore, since we have so

great, a cloud of witnesses surrounding us let us and he

begins to talk about the change. He says, let us lay aside every

encumbrance. Here's some change.

There are some things in our life that are encumbering us

that are hindering us from running the Christian race from

being successful at the image of Jesus and getting it into our

hearts and our minds. And so one of the things that

we've got to do in order to bring about change, I'm not just

going to get up here and say change and not talk about how to

do it. It's easy to tell somebody stop

it. Parents mothers do that to kids

all the time, but sometimes you have to tell your children what

to do, instead of what you're telling them to stop doing, you

have to tell them how to be constructive instead of

destructive. And so, he says here.

First of all, here's what I want you to do.

I want you to lay aside every encumbrance, if you're having a

difficult time following Jesus Christ, maybe it's because you

haven't laid aside incumbrances laid aside things that are

hindering you from being what You need to be.

You don't, nobody is born, just imitating Jesus.

I listened to a sermon one time that was so helpful to me in my

Christian Life and brother Linwood Smith still preaches.

It it's called why rivers are crooked.

Why are rivers crooked? Because often they take the path

of least resistance. That's why rivers are crooked.

They take the path of least resistance.

Why are people crooked same reason?

A lot of times it's easier to just go with the flow instead of

sometimes. Go against the environment is

telling us, we need to do or be or what they want us to do,

who's in control of your life? Are you in control?

Are you going with the crowd? You like to be proud.

I'm in control. That's why I go with the crowd.

That doesn't make any sense at all.

I remember in the late 60s, early 70s boy that dates me.

I'll tell you that right quick. How I wanted to have long hair

and musicians I wouldn't have some longer I want to add Y and

I said, Dad, I want to be an individual just like everybody

else. That makes a lot of sense.

You want to be an individual and the reason why you're feeling

pressure to wear long hairs because everybody has it, that

doesn't make sense. But a lot of times, that's what

happens in our lives. We want to be an individual just

like everybody else. Is that the what it is, God

tells us that there sometimes whenever we have to go against

the flow, whenever we're going to have to stand up, and we're

going to have to be different, because that's what Jesus would

do if he was here. Notice he says here lay aside

every encumbrance and the sin which does so easily entangles

us and let us run with endurance.

The race that is set. Before us notice verse to fixing

our eyes on Jesus the author. You know, if you fix your eyes

on, anybody else, you're going to be disappointed somewhere,

sometime you're going to find hypocrisy, you're going to find

inconsistency, you're going to find somebody who fell short,

you're going to find somebody who's human, but when you fix

your eyes on Jesus, then there's no disappointment there, no

disappointment at all. How many times have you talked

to? Somebody who's quit the church

because of salt, 1 sub brother, or sister?

Did somebody in the church is a hypocrite.

Somebody in the Corrupt correctly, and so they'll quit.

And I'll go to the Masjid who you Worship in, you Worship in

the church or him about the church.

Who are you looking at, where your eyes focused?

My friends. If you look at other people in

church here and I'd be disappointed but stop it.

God didn't tell you to focus on them.

He said focus on him fixing our eyes on Jesus.

That's supposed to be the one you're supposed to be measuring

yourself do and comparing yourself to not other people.

Not other people. You'll always, if you compare

yourself with the other people, you know, what's going to find,

you're going to be disappointed, some and you're going to become

arrogant because you're better than somebody else.

And it's all not going to work the righteousness of God.

God does it say don't compare yourself among yourselves.

If you do, you're not wise, he says fix your eyes on Jesus.

Now, that is the one we're all supposed to be following.

He's the one we're supposed to be following.

I don't care if you're better than everybody else church are.

You better than him? Are you coming up and measuring

yourself to his stature of maturity?

Are you coming up to his character?

Are you coming up to his morality?

Are you, do you have his heart? Do you have his eyes?

That's the question. I don't care how better, how

much better you are than anybody else in the church.

How fewer times you sin than anybody else?

That's not the point. It is not the point.

We're not here to worship the church.

We're here to worship Him. Who purchased the church?

So fix your eyes on him. That's the point.

Then you won't be disappointed. Then you won't lose.

You won't lose your enthusiasm. Because Jesus always always

inspires me, and always should inspire you fix your eyes on

Jesus. Notice the Bible tells us,

there's something happens. Whenever we do this, please go

to Romans 12 chapter. In Romans 12 chapter notice what

he says here, Romans 12, starting in verse 1.

Therefore, I urge you Brethren by the mercies of God, to

present your bodies, a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable

to God, which is your spiritual service of worship or reasonable

service is what the King James says, and believe it or not, the

original Greek is pretty accurate on this which is your

reasonable or rational service very accurate, New American

Standard didn't do good on this one.

I'll tell you the truth. Both ways.

It means reasonable or rational service.

Notice? What it goes on to say and do

not be conformed to this world. But be transformed, how?

By the renewing of your mind. Oh, there's how I bring about

real and Lasting change become transformed.

He says by the renewing of your mind.

So that you may prove that is demonstrate, you can demonstrate

for absolute proof, you prove that which is good and

acceptable. Whenever we transform our minds,

then we are transformed to be conformed to the image of.

I don't Mean that to be a tongue twister but we're transformed

into conforming by the renewing of our mind.

How do we get our mind? How do we make sure that we have

the proper image up here? My friends, there is no way to

be transformed into the image of Jesus Christ.

If you don't know him, if you don't know him, you can know a

lot of facts about him but did not know him.

You may know a lot of facts about the president.

That doesn't mean you know him, you know, him intimately.

You understand how he thinks and how he feels There's a in the

Greek, there's a, there's a difference between what they

call experiential knowledge and just external knowledge and it's

sometimes difficult to get into our language.

But there's a difference between knowing about somebody and

really understanding someone are knowing someone and that's what

the Bible's trying to say here. You can be transformed by

getting the knowledge of Jesus Christ into our hearts and into

our minds. That's how we're really changed.

That's how change comes about, and as We ask ourselves as we

continually examine ourselves every Lord's day not only just

that but we examine ourselves as we partake of the bread and

drink of the cup. But as we day-by-day examine

ourselves to see whether we're in the faith as we day by day

our humble, before the word as we read it, then that message,

then those words get into a hearts and into our minds and it

transforms us. We become ones who understand

and know God. By the Revelation that he gave

us. That's how we come to know him.

That's how we know. Jesus Christ, there are many

Christians who haven't got a clue about how Jesus Christ

lived. They call themselves Christians

and they don't think they don't Focus.

They don't fix their eyes on Jesus.

How can such a thing be? Well, as we talked about this

morning, Doing good. Just doesn't automatically make

us good. In Matthew the 23rd chapter,

they were doing good by tithing dill and cumin, but the point

is, is that didn't make him good.

God said they were dead. And so a lot of times getting

good, external habits and having a good relationship, a good

relationship with everybody. We think we'd be, we think we

must be pleasing to God when God knows within our hearts that

maybe we are not right with him. We talked this morning about the

church at laodicea and Revelation, Third chapter, how

that they thought they were rich and increased with goods and

have need of nothing but God said you don't, you know, you're

poor and blind and naked you haven't got a clue how I view

you as opposed to how you boo view, you They thought they

didn't need anything, but God said that they did.

Well, we need to be able to identify what it is in our life

that needs to change. And so, let's go on, I promise.

All my introductions aren't going to be this long as we go

on down, but we do have to focus.

We do have to get the concept here.

That's what we're going to try to do this week is talk about

real authentic, Christianity. Not a form of it, not a form of

godliness. But the real thing, what is the

real thing? Please turn to Colossians if you

will, no Me, I want to go to Colossians, but first, I want to

go to Ephesians Ephesians 4:22, please turn over to Ephesians 4

Ephesians 4:22

and there's a few verses that I really want you to write down

and this is one of those passages.

I want you to write down, Ephesians 4 and verse 22,

because here he specifically gives us a list of things were

supposed to put on and take off or we're supposed to get rid of

lay aside. We've already talked about how

Hebrews 12 tells. Us to lay aside some

encumbrances, but now we get a list of those encumbrances, we

get a list of things specifically, to get out of our

hearts and out of our lives. But notice what he says here in

Ephesians the fourth chapter, we're going to assert well.

Let's go to verse 17, to make sure we got the context.

This I say our firm together with the Lord that you no longer

walk just as Gentiles walk in the futility of their mind,

being darkened in their understanding excluded from the

life of God because of the ignorance that is in them.

That's what we've just talked about.

They're excluded because of the ignorance that is in them

because of the hardness of their heart and they having becomed

callus have given themselves over to sensuality.

For the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.

Just a side note here, the word greediness doesn't mean that

he's talking about money here in this.

Passage the word greediness means somebody who is insatiable

are unsatisfied and contextually probably the word should be

translated. In other words, they've given

themselves over to kind of every kind of impurity with with a

desire for even more is what he's trying to say and other

Words there is there is no satisfaction.

They're never full there. Never satiated.

In other words, every sin leads to a desire for more and more

sin in. There's never a barrier at all

in their lives. That's what he's talking about.

But anyway, let's go on down verse 20.

But you did not learn Christ in this way.

I want you to notice that meant that the imagery that's being

taught here. Instead of Christianity being

the word named here. He says you didn't learn Christ

in this way. Yes, That the essence of

Christianity whenever we're talking about our manner of

life, the way you and I live, and the way we act, the way we

behave, and the way we have relationships, he uses that to

say you didn't learn Christ in that way.

Isn't that talking about all of Christian doctrine?

Yes, he's using it as a synonym for all Christian doctrine.

He says, whenever you've learned it, then you've learned Christ.

Isn't that interesting? He says, but you didn't Learn

Christ. In this way, notice what he

says, if indeed you have heard of enema taught him just as the

truth is in Jesus that in reference to your former manner

of life. Oh, this was something before

repentance or, as one brother said it was BC before Christ in

my life, this was BC. He says, here's what it was

before, Christ came into my life.

He said, this is what I supposed to lay aside then Informer.

Reference to your former manner of life.

You laid aside the old self, the old self which is being

corrupted in accordance with the lusts of Deceit.

And other words, this was the kind of life you lived before.

It was your former manner of life, it was a life which led to

corruption. It was a life full of Deceit.

Stop that you laid that aside whenever you became a Christian

and that you be renewed verse 23 in the spirit of your mind.

Now, that's not Holy Spirit there he's talking about the

spirit of our mind. In other words, what kind of

spirit aren't you? What, what is the spirit of your

mind? What kind of attitudes do you

have? You need to be renewed in that

renewed, right here. Conform transformed by this

renewal. Has and put on the new self.

which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness

and Holiness of the truth, He says, this is the likeness of

God, The New American Standard translates, this verse very

well. This new self is in the likeness

of God godliness. When was the last time we talked

about that in our manner of Life?

Oftentimes when we talk about Christianity, it's just whether

we're saved or not, not whether anybody's living a Godly life or

not how unfortunate, because that's not the way.

The Bible talks about it. Whenever he talks about, you

didn't learn Christ in this way, he's talking about God likeness

godliness in our matter of life and he said, some people are

unable to attain it because of the ignorance.

It is in them, my friends, we need the word.

We need to get that knowledge into our hearts and into our

minds because only then can it transform us only then can we

know what we need to do to conform to the image of Jesus?

Only then can we conform to the path that Jesus would have

turned and made the decisions Jesus would have made notice and

that you put on the new self which in the likeness of God is

being created in righteousness. No Lie is of the truth and then

he makes a list. therefore, Laying aside falsehood speak.

Truth. Each one with his neighbor for.

We are members one of another. Okay.

The first thing he really delineates here is as a

Christian. If you're going to transform

your life, the first thing you work on is the tongue.

That's right. You laying aside lying, you put

it out of your life, you've laid that aside speak the truth, each

one of you one with another, where your members one of

another, your parts of one another, you know, that is the

hardest thing, whenever you work with people out in the world and

you study with people as Frankie, probably knows whenever

you study with people, a lot of times, a lot of times they're

intimidated by the Christian Life.

I know one guy who said, who told me he didn't want to be

baptized right then he was a truck driver and Placerville,

California. He said Glenn I can't come to

church, I'm a truck driver. I use language all day that I

can't use in the church. He said I would feel like a

hypocrite coming to the church with my mouth the way it is.

I said listen you give Jesus your heart and the mouth of come

with it, you know. And and he later on a year later

he told me it's amazing. I never thought I could have

quit cussing. I never thought I could have

quit swearing like I did but he said it's amazing.

I don't have to think about it anymore.

I just try to follow. Jesus in my, in my life and it's

amazing and I said, that's right.

That's how it works. That's how it works.

You don't do it all at once and you don't get well before you go

to the doctor, those who are well, do not need the physician

but those who are sick. And I'm here to tell you, if

your sin sick even though no matter what your habits are, no

matter how much you've lied, it may be easier for you to lie

than tell the truth. But don't give up.

If you want to come to Jesus you come and you bring it to him and

you start laying it aside every time it puts itself on you know

you lay it aside. You maybe unconsciously putting

on those old dirty clothes that you once laid aside and every

time you recognize it, you put it on, take it off, lay it aside

again, put it down, get rid of it.

But that's what he says here. These telling Christians he's

telling Christians, delay, aside lying.

Evidently there were some Christians had trouble with it.

Members, one of another, he had to tell Christians to stop

lying. Did you ever think of that?

Yeah, that's what happens sometimes.

Sometimes we have to be consciously aware and force

ourselves to tell the truth. All the time.

All the time, notice notice verse 20, verse 26, he starts

out with some be angry and do not sin.

Do not let the sun. Go down on your anger, on your

on, your anger. Is that your problem?

Perhaps, you're here it. You could say, you know, I'm

angry a lot. Well, the first question needs

to be as well. Is that following the image of

Jesus? Are you behaving like Jesus?

My friends? I want you to ask yourself for

just a question. When you were raffle whenever

you're angry whenever you're impatient.

Are you acting like Jesus? You know like one guy told me

one time it's not the parts of the Bible, I don't understand.

That gives me problems. It's a parts I do understand.

That's it. This is a real specific thing

here, be angry, and do not sin, evidently some in Ephesus

needed, to lay it aside. I'm asking you brother and

sister, I'm not there in your home, which is often called the

closet of secrets in, but I'll tell you what, if you don't

practice the presence of Jesus Christ in your home, if you

think, somehow you left him here, when you went home, you

are sadly, sadly deceived. If you think Jesus is always

someplace else whenever you got mad whenever you spoke that way

whenever you acted that way. Whenever you spit in whenever

you spewed whenever you lost your temper.

Don't you ever think that? Oh Jesus just wasn't there.

He was just covering it up. He was just embarrassed and

turned away know he was there. And he said, listen, I

understand what it is to be angry, but you be angry and sin,

not do not let the sun go down on your wrath.

Oh yes, God is righteously indignant.

But God is always in control of his anger.

Always, he never blows it, he never blows up.

He never just lets it Fly and gives vent to all of his wrath.

Wrath means uncontrolled anger. My friend's child abuse should

never be in the church, but it is.

I knew of a Christian one time that drop kicked his kids

through the front screen door of his house.

That's sad. You just got mad.

I know of other men who have hit their wives.

Fortunately, I've no other wives who have hit their men and I

just want you men to be aware of a statistic.

More often than not, men will beat up a wife, but more often

than not, a wife will kill her husband.

She doesn't mess around It's scary, it's scary.

Whenever you get into counseling situations and you hear what

happened? And you go.

These people are both trying to be Christians, how can it be so

out of control. So out of control is because you

failed to practice the presence of Jesus Christ.

We're going to talk more about that.

This isn't coming week. We're going to talk about

specific tools. We're going to come back, but

tonight, I just want to give you some list.

Why do I want to give you some lists?

I have led you astray here just a little bit.

I want you to pick something to work on this week.

Oh yeah. Oh man.

I hate Glenn's meetings. He gives us homework.

That's right. Give you some homework because

we're not going to go away and be forgetful.

Here's we're going to be specific.

Let's understand. God says specifically, this is

something I want you to work on lay aside anger.

Let's go on down notice what it says. do not give the devil

opportunity, he who steals must steal no longer perhaps your You

know, shopping for the new fall fashions without a checkbook.

Five, finger discount. Perhaps you have a problem with,

oh we're not going to call it stealing, or just kind of call

it shoplifting and it's a game to see if we can get away with.

There's some kids who think that that's nothing more than what it

is. It's a game.

It's not a game, it's stealing notice.

When it goes on to say he is steals, must steal, no longer

but rather he must labor performing with his own hands.

What is good? So that will have something to

share with him as need. Perhaps you need to get into the

discipline of work. For what you acquire, verse 29,

let no unwholesome word proceed out of your mouth.

Unwholesome word, we all know what that is an unwholesome word

is a word that doesn't have any any teaching in it.

There's nothing beneficial in those words, they're just words.

Usually slung as a weapon in a conversation.

The Bible says let no unwholesome word proceed out of

your mouth notice. If he goes on down, but only

such a word as his good for edification, according to the

need of the moment so that it will give Grace to those who

hear husbands wives parents children.

When you speak to your mom and dad are your words, edifying

are, they truly giving Grace. Are they empowering?

Your parents? Are they just telling off your

parents? What are they?

What are they? You know, I was so thankful.

My dad there was six of us kids. I won't talk about what I know

about Terrier, right. Tracy.

But anyway, the whole point is, you know, it's hard.

Taking care of six kids, especially when dad's up

preaching and it was, it was often tough and difficult and

The Bible says honor as well as obey your parents and it was

awful tough. And oftentimes dad would say, do

what I told you to do and we would go.

But and he would say now look now, look, I understand, there

may be some reason, some reason why you can't do what I'm asking

you to do right now. And I'm going to practice the

rule of giving you one shot. There may be something to bore

part. The reason why the kid may be

saying, but is because Mom told him to do something, I mean,

there's a logical reason. Reason.

And so I'm thankful for my dad, he often said okay, if I asked

you to do something, you get one but and that means but you had

to make your words clear and concise because you only got one

shot at it and you had to give an answer And then after that,

the decision was fine, I understand, but, no, go do what

I ask is. Do you know, that's often what

needs to happen. Whenever you, whenever you have

a relationship with someone, then it works that way because

everybody understands the parameters.

Well, so it is with God to, he doesn't say, don't blow out the

Planters, Don't Break Down The Walls.

I want you to let your words be edifying.

Make sure they're helpful. If you're going to have a

criticism, make sure you have a help.

Suggestion, Let It Be edifying. Try to think of something

beneficial to say. Mom, you're a great cook

tonight. Supper was great.

But, you know, at least give the compliment, let something good

come out of it, if you will all our relationships and our

transactions in this way, if we would obey these passages, how

much things would be better. But guess what?

And following Christianity, we're commanded to behave in

this way. This isn't an option, these

aren't just words. Yeah, while it's a great

self-help. God says let no unwholesome word

proceed out of your mouth. In other words, if you do it's a

sin, that's what he's saying. If you do it's a sin you can't

call yourself follower of Jesus Christ.

If you let unwholesome word proceed out of your mouth, Jesus

doesn't talk that way. How about that?

Jesus doesn't talk that way. That's what we need to get back

to is, how would Jesus handle this?

Notice do not grieve the holy spirit of God by whom you were

sealed for the day of redemption.

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be

put away from you along. With all malice, now malice is

that active ill will towards someone, but be kind to one

another. Here's what we're supposed to be

like Be kind to one another tender-hearted forgiving each

other just as God in Christ. Has forgiven.

You all. Look at the example, look at the

example. Just as God for Christ's sake

has forgiven, you does that list?

Describe the way you handle disappointment, describe the way

you handle problems. There's some putting off and

putting on isn't there with our knowledge.

Now we need to have a transform our lives so that we can be

conformed to the image of his dear son.

I want you to think about that list and I want you to write

down what you're going to be working on.

Yeah, I know I need to change. What are you working on?

I haven't got a clue. That's not supposed to be the

Christian way guys. We need to know what it is.

We're working on when you're working on.

A house. You don't just say, I'm working

on the house. You have specific things in mind

that you're going to do you have a list and that's what the Bible

gives us. He says, here's what to put off,

here's what to put on, I want you to think about these things.

I want you to ask, not how they apply to others, but how do they

apply to me? What am I working on?

Let's go to Colossians 3 verse 8.

Colossians 3:8

This is another list right down this passage and look at it as

your leisure and think about the things that brings about the

changes that it needs to bring about in our life in.

In the third chapter. Excuse me, Colossians 3.

We're going to start reading verse 8, mmm.

But now you also put them all aside anger, wrath, malice,

slander and abusive speech. I thought we just quoted that

passage. Well.

Maybe God sometimes needs to repeat himself because we

weren't listening the first time.

Evidently this is a pretty important thing to put aside

notice. Now, put them all aside.

Put them all aside my friends. If you have this in your

character, In order to imitate Jesus, you're going to have to

put it aside. Are you known for your hot

temper? Have you blamed it on your

genetics, your Irish heritage? Have you blamed it on your

mother or your father or your grandma?

Well I'm just that way. God says you're not my way.

You lay it aside, notice do not lie.

One to another since you've laid aside the old self which its

evil practices and put on the new self which is being renewed

to a true knowledge. According to listen the image of

the one who created him. It's being renewed into the

image of God. God doesn't lie.

And we're his children. How dare US law is your word

trustworthy? That's what we need to have in

Christ. A real duel verse 11 in which

There's no distinction between Greek and Jew circumcised and

uncircumcised Barbarian slave free man.

But Christ is all and in all notice verse 12, so as those who

have been chosen of God, holy and beloved put on a put on put

yeah Circle that little phrase out there put on because that's

what he wants us to do to add to our lives.

That's a something he wants us to change and put on.

A heart of compassion. Kindness, humility gentleness.

And patience does that describe you?

As a Christian, it's got to be what we're striving to put on.

Because this verse tells us to do that, put on these qualities

of spirit of heart, bearing with one another verse 13 for giving

each other, Whoever has a complaint against anyone.

Just as the Lord forgave you, are you a grudge holder?

Are you somebody that's irreconcilable.

I don't care if they said, I'm sorry.

Really. That doesn't make you

christ-like notice forgiving each other wherever it's because

a complaint against anyone just as the Lord forgave you just as

the Lord forgave you? So also should you Those of us

who wears name beyond all these things.

Put on, there's the keyword Circle it again, verse 14, put

on love which is the perfect Bond of unity put on love.

Yeah, What is love? It's active thinking of someone

else's benefit, somebody else's welfare above your own.

It first Corinthians 13 describe W.

Love does, but real love is found a Philippians 2.

Real love is described the find if you will in Philippians 2.

Notice what Philippians 2 says here, if I can get there verse

3, Philippians 2 verse 3. do nothing from selfishness or

Philippians 2:3

empty conceit but with humility of Mind, Let each of you regard

one another as more important than himself, Do not merely.

Look out for your own personal interests, but also for the

interests of others. This attitude in yourself.

Which was also in Christ, Jesus. He hit it on the think of

someone else's spiritual welfare, their welfare above

your own, have this attitude yourself which was greist were

called to imitate him. Have this attitude, how wouldn't

it be wonderful? If everyone in the church had

this attitude in themselves which was also in Christ Jesus?

Although it's not just a great idea.

It's the the idea it's what we're supposed to be working

toward. We're really supposed to be

caring for one another. And our spiritual welfare.

That motivates our correction, it motivates our encouragement,

it motivates our instruction. We actively try to encourage one

another to love and good works. Do not merely look out for your

own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.

Let's look at another passage right quick.

And we're just going to run down the Reeds, right?

Real quickly if you would in Luke Luke the 12th chapter verse

22. Luke 12 verse 22.

Luke 12:22

And he said to his disciples for this reason, I say to you do not

worry about your life as to what you shall eat, or what your

body, what you should put on, is not life more than food and the

body more than clothing. Consider the Ravens they neither

sow nor reap. And they have no Storehouse or

barn yet. God feeds them.

How much more value are you than the birds?

Which one of you by worrying can add a single?

There is a time. We're here at The New American

Standard rates, a single hour to his life.

An if you cannot do a lie, even a very little thing.

Why do you worry about other matters?

Consider the lilies, how they grow?

They neither toil nor do they spend but I tell you Solomon in

all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

But if God, so clothes the grass of the field and which is alive

today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace.

How much more will he clothe you?

Oh you meant a lot of little faith.

Do not seek what you will eat or what you will drink and do not

keep worrying for these things that Nate's, the kingdoms of the

world are the nations of the world eagerly seek, but your

father knows that you have need of all these things.

Listen, here's the culmination. But seek first or see, but seek

his kingdom. And all these things will be

added to you. All these things.

What does he tell us to see? You know, so many times people

spend their whole life on that, which will not Outlast it, but

he says, your Christians. God knows that you have need of

these things. Seek first, his kingdom.

And all these things will be added unto you all these things.

Isn't that amazing? Please turn to Matthew 6.

Matthew the 6 chapter. Verse 25.

For this reason, I do not say I say, I say to you do not be

worried about your life as to what you shall eat or drink nor

for your body. As to what you shall put on, is

not life more than food and the body more than clothing.

Here's that same thing found in Matthew, look at the birds of

the air, they do not sow, nor reap, nor gather into barns, yet

your heavenly father feeds them, you're not where you are, are

you not worth more than they and who of You by worrying can add a

single hour to his life. Why do you worry about Clothing.

Notice he once again, challenges these these people, but no doubt

verse 33, go down to verse 33. Listen.

But seek first, his kingdom, if you were looking for the word

first, it's because Matthew includes it in his gospel, but

seek first, his kingdom, and his righteousness, and all these

things will be added unto you. There's what we need to work on.

Is seeking first the kingdom of God, and all these things, is

that what we really have in our lives?

Seeking first, the kingdom of God, and looking, everything

else, as just supporting that, you know, some work in the

gospel of the Lord of our kingdom, the kingdom of Our

Lord, in the field of the Lord. And yet, they are known by men

as as painters as Builders as mechanics and everything else.

But you know, when you ask them what their life is about.

Out or you ask their friends. What does that person live for?

They don't want their life to be defined by how they make a

living. They are not a painter.

They are not a builder. They are not.

They are a Christian and how they make their money is another

thing. But their life is not what they

do. Their life is what they are.

They're following Jesus Christ, they're Christians.

You know, how wonderful it is to meet people who, you know, live

for something greater than how they make a living.

Doesn't that challenge you? When you look at them and they

say, well, they do this on the side but how why they live is

for Christ. That's the whole point.

That's where God wants us to be. He says seek first, the kingdom

of God and all these things will be added unto you.

Well, I didn't even get to my Last point tonight.

So we're going to save it for tomorrow tomorrow.

Come back and we're going to talk about the importance of

goals, but I will tell you this. I do want you to do some

homework tonight. I want you to go home and look

at the scriptures. If you have a concordance, look

at all those passages that say put off and put on, I want you

to look because those are specific things that God wants

us to do specifically what the word repentance means come back

tomorrow night. Lord willing, and we're going to

talk about how to bring about real change in your life.

If you want to change your tongue, if you want to change.

In your heart. If you have hatred, if you have

Envy, if you have any of these attitudes, if you have wrath

tonight. Oh yeah.

Don't you know, I know people have problems.

You might say well they have problems with love problems.

They don't know how to love. Well, my some people come with

that problem, but I'll tell you, I've had it.

I've counseled with a lot of people have trouble with anger,

frustration, frustration. They feel out of control.

And so, what they do to get in control is they make everybody

fear them? And they dominate through fear

and it's not what Jesus would do if he were here.

So today is fear the main attitude Pete, that people

describe your home as Have you laid aside all of that, anger

and Wrath? Or perhaps you're working on

other things. Perhaps people don't think that

going to heaven and seeking first.

The kingdom of God is what you're all about, for where your

treasure is, there will your heart be also, they see your

heart in your car. They see your heart in somewhere

else. They don't see it in heaven,

they don't see you laying up. Treasures in Heaven.

They see you get more emotional over.

Something that happens to your car that over some brother or

sister, who fell away, They see you getting more upset about

some temporal thing rather than Eternal things.

The real key to a transformed life.

The real K2 athletic Christianity is someone who has

fixed Their Eyes On Jesus. And recognize he is the

embodiment of the mind of God In the Flesh.

He is the exact representation of his nature.

He lived righteousness. He Illustrated what it was to be

Godlike. And being christ-like as being

god-like. Now, you may want to act like

God, but that's not being god-like.

We're talking about being like our Father in heaven.

And if there's a discrepancy, between what the Bible says, God

is like And what you are. I are like, then there's where

the change needs to begin. Stop accepting.

Your shortcomings. Stop excusing.

Your shortcomings and blaming it on your genetics.

Blaming it on your environment, blaming it on your friends, your

wife, your husband, your children, your parents.

We love to excuse ourselves. But God says I will no longer

accept excuses the times of ignorance.

God wants winked at, but his now commanding all men everywhere to

repent accepting 30, all that so tough, I'd rather have a form of

godliness. It's easier to practice some new

habits than to change old ones. My friends, God wants you to put

off the old man had to put on the new one and that takes work.

That takes effort. Come back tomorrow night.

We'll talk about what specifically to do, but I want

you to look over these verses tonight and I want you to write

down something, you are going to specifically work on.

I want you to ask yourself, how am I going to be measurably

different next year? Next month than I am today, are

you satisfied? If your self satisfied?

Then you've got more problems. If you're say sure, I need to

change but I have no clue where I pretty happy with myself then.

Maybe we're like the church at laodicea more than we like to

ever think we're rich and increased with goods and have

need of nothing. Are you one of those people who

are sitting there tonight going? Yeah, I'm humble.

But I can't think anything I need to change.

Sorry, it's not going to get it. We're going to have to need

something specifically to work on.

So please come back tomorrow with that in mind.

And we're going to talk about how to bring about real change.

In our life, we're going to talk about goal setting.

We're going to talk about how businesses aren't successful

without goals. We're going to talk about how

Christians aren't successful without goals either.

So come back tomorrow night. We're going to talk about tools

for Real Change in our life. Come back be with us tomorrow

night. Bring your friends.

Bring your friends, won't you tonight?

If you need to start off on your path of change, if you're fully

aware that you made by looking into the word of God tonight

that you have not laid aside the old self, we're going to call

for a crucifixion. Right here, we're going to call

for you to in faith. Repent of your sins Acts 2 verse

Acts 2:38

38, that means put to death the old man lay it aside, do some

active taken it off. We're going to ask you to take

it off right now. Somebody's got to make that

decision sometime when he going to do it.

Why not now why? If you decide to lay aside the

you do not have to be the same person when you leave this

building that you were when you came here tonight, you don't

have to be you. Maybe you don't have to be

tonight. You can leave something dead in

here. Bury it, you can bury it in a

watery grave of baptism. If you're not a Christian, you

can as Romans 6 says, you can take that old man and you can

bury him and be United with Christ.

And in the likeness of his resurrection be raised to walk

in newness of life. Romans 6:3 66.

Romans 6:3

You could do that tonight but you must repent.

You've got to put to death. God won't kill him for you.

You've got to take it off, God's.

Not going to rip it off your body.

You got to take it off. You've got to lay it aside.

My friends. A lot of people want to get

baptized without repentance, will have friends that it with

without repentance in our life. Like, we talked about this

morning, you'll go in a wet Center, come out.

Argo in a dry Center. Come out of wet Center.

Repentance is the key. So tonight you've got to make a

decision. You're no longer going to live

that kind of Life. Have that heart, you have that

more Ally. You're going to lay it aside my

friend, you got to come and you've got to bring it and

you've got to lay it at the feet of the cross.

We thank you for listening to our podcast, put on by the

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