The Call to Consecration

I want you to turn to 1 Peter.

We're studying the book of 1 Peter, and it's just a lot going on this month here.

Next week, we've got, you know, this church right here gives about anywhere from 25 to 30 percent, it varies, of all mission work.

Now that includes every mission work home and abroad and stuff that we do when we help people.

So, but do you understand that 25 to 30 percent of our budget goes to mission work at home and abroad?

Can we give God a hand for that?

That's unreal.

Unreal.

Unreal.

And especially it's just a blessing to see how God uses this little church here in Westover, and how God has so used it just in six and a half years, and we give God the glory, God the praise.

But this week we've got uh a lot going on, and this next Sunday we'll have our team that went to Honduras, I think about 12 went, and uh it's gonna be exciting.

I just saw Deedre, she had to, she was in Sunday school, and then she had to go to work uh at uh Walmart, but uh our mission's director, but next week they're gonna be giving their mission presentation, and you're in we got a very special guest coming in to take my place preaching.

Now I know what you're thinking, he's giving it up well.

I'm out of town.

I am Susan and I are doing a marriage retreat for Rick's old pastor.

You remember John Reynolds that was here on Thanksgiving and preached for us and brought the house down?

Well, Susan and I going in on Friday night, Friday and Saturday and Sunday and Sunday night, so it's gonna be a family uh weekend for their church in uh Indiana.

So we're gonna be up there being a blessing to them.

His wife uh was kind of was uh uh under the tutelage of Susan, and John worked for me for as my grad assistant at Liberty as he was going through his master's, uh, a divinity there at Liberty University.

So uh it's exciting.

Uh I uh Susan and I, we used to do those all the time.

And we're looking at doing a nice retreat, uh marriage retreat in the fall here.

Uh and we've got the privilege, we've got a tremendous team here too.

Solomon and Miss Gwynn, uh, they both have the doctorates and counseling right there.

Would y'all stand?

I don't, when I keep talking about my counselors, there they are.

Let's give the Solomons a good welcome.

Amen.

Amen, amen.

And he has really helped me because when people come to me and they need counseling, I say, I've got the team.

I've got the team.

And they do all kinds of counseling.

So if you do need counseling or have friends that need counseling, please see them.

They're some of the best.

And they have been a blessing.

I prayed for God to send me a counseling team, and he did.

So praise God because that's just going to enhance, I'm telling you.

And we need good godly counseling.

Amen.

Not worldly counseling.

Amen.

I mean that.

There's a major difference.

So uh praise God for Gwen and Edmund.

I love you to death.

1 Peter 3.

But anyway, David Roper will be preaching next week for you.

Amen.

Yeah.

Amen.

Amen.

And I'll listen to it driving sous and I'll listen to it driving back Monday.

Uh so amen.

Because I got a I critiqued Rick, so I've got to do a little critiquing.

That's my forte.

The greatest times I had at liberty was twofold when I was teaching.

I didn't care about the running the seminary and all that.

I didn't want the job, did not apply for the job, and I was appointed a job.

Literally, 5,000 people that morning, or about 4,000 probably is all at home.

And I'm sitting there, we were looking for a dean for the seminary.

I was teaching Christian life and evangelism and pastoral theology, that's and homiletics at the time.

And Jerry Falwell gets up, and I'd recommended two or three guys I thought would be good deans.

And he gets up and he says, We found our dean of the seminary.

And uh I turned, Susan turned to me, she said, Is it Bailey?

Is it is it so-and-so?

I said, I don't know who it is.

He hadn't told me.

He said, Oh, she said, okay.

He said, Dr.

Lovett, would you please come up here?

I looked at Susan, she looked at me.

She said, Did you know that?

I said, I know it now.

And you don't say no to Dr.

Falwell.

And uh I know he's up there laughing right now, but uh anyway, that's how I was appointed dean in seminary.

I kept telling him, I don't even like school.

Now I gotta run one.

Hello.

But uh anyway, I got the right people in the right place to do all the.

I've never done book work.

I've had I've had graduate assistants.

I hired me a dean, assistant dean to do all the academic stuff, and I just went out and preached and recruited, and that's what I do.

And God went on to build a great seminary, he really did.

And we built a pastoral seminary.

That's what we Jerry wanted, and that's what we did.

But uh with that, one thing I always loved was the preaching classes.

I taught homiletics for the first four or five years, and I'd get to hear these young men preach, and it was awesome, it was awesome.

And we're very gifted here with uh Dave and Rick, and I I feel like I if I don't preach, y'all still in good hands.

Can I get an amen?

Amen.

Amen.

And they can't believe it when I say I can preach, but uh I do.

I love it, I'd love it.

Today's probably gonna be, I think, one of the most important truths you'll ever hear.

In verses 13 through 17, out of the whole book.

As Peter is teaching and preaching, knowing that these people are about to come under some of the most severe persecution in their whole lives.

Nero.

And we've already talked about hey, he burned Christians at the stake.

He would put them on poles and set them on fire just to light up his road to his house.

I mean, it was barbaric, ruthless.

So, this whole context of Peter is getting the people prepared for unbelievable persecution.

Now, I'm not saying or trying to throw any fear into us, but I'm telling you, if we don't have some major changes, and I don't see those changes coming, I see them getting worse, we're headed for some very persecuted times in America.

It's coming.

It's coming.

So, with that said, this is a very important passage of scripture because I told you a couple weeks ago that we're gonna deal with how to get rid of the stinking thinking.

You've got to get rid of the stinking thinking in your life.

Because it's your thinking that ends up controlling your actions.

Are you with me?

So if we can win this battle of our thinking in our minds, you can live a dynamic Christian life.

In fact, it's the only way you can.

If you can't control right thinking, you will have stinking thinking.

And if you have stinking thinking, you're gonna have stinking living.

Hello.

You with me?

So it's vitally important that these next few verses we take to heart.

And uh I want you to read with me in 1 Peter chapter 1, verses 13 through 17.

1 Peter 1:13–17

1 Peter chapter 1, verses 13 through 17.

1 Peter 1:13–17

Wherefore, gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ, or at the coming, at the rapture of the church.

As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lust in your ignorance, but as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all matter of conversation, because it is written, be ye holy, for I am holy.

And if you call on the Father, who without respect of persons, I love that.

God is no respecter of persons.

Let me just interject, and I preached this about three weeks ago when we first started, if you remember 1 Peter.

God does not predestine some to go to heaven and some to go to hell.

He's no respecter of persons.

Never has been, never will be.

So, we do know though, without respect of persons, he is the judge according to every man's work.

Pass the time of your sojourning here in fear.

In other words, we are what?

We are pilgrims passing through.

God bless the reading of his word.

You know, a man bought a brand new hunting dog.

And he couldn't wait to turn his hunting dog loose because he was a bear hunter.

So he grabbed the, he got to the place and he opened his cage and he got the door on it.

I mean, the dog on the leash and walked to where he thought the bears may have laid uh, you know, have a trail there, and sure enough, he unhooked the dog and he hit the trail of the bear.

Next thing you know, he stops.

And he here and he takes another direction onto another trail, a deer.

He has smelt a deer's path.

So he's taking off now after the deer.

He's going, going.

And then after a little while, he stops and he hears him, and all of a sudden he's in another direction.

A rabbit came by and he grabbed the rabbit's trail.

He takes off.

And after a while, the man's going and coming and trying to stay with the dog and find the dog, and all of a sudden he hears the dog stop and start doing that that howl to know that he's treated something or caught something.

And he's saying, Oh, thank the Lord.

And breathlessly he runs and he gets there, all to find the hunting dog standing over there ferociously, over a hole of a mouse.

He said, How does that relate to us?

Well, it relates quite well.

When you remember the time you got saved, remember when your life changed?

You were so excited about Jesus.

You couldn't wait to be in church, you couldn't wait to share, you couldn't wait to read your Bible, you couldn't wait to be alone.

I mean, woo! Let me tell you about Jesus.

Then all of a sudden, you're on another trail.

Something comes by.

The world, Satan throws something, now you're back over here.

Then all of a sudden, something else happens, now you're back over here.

And next thing you know, that fervency, that fire, for the Lord has been distracted by the smell of the wrong thing.

Amen, amen.

Are you with me?

So that's exactly what we're gonna be looking at today.

In this portion of scripture, the Lord deals with our distractions and spiritual decline.

That's the whole heart of these few verses here.

He calls us to consecration to Christ.

And here's the question: How do we respond to the call to consecration?

How do we do that?

How do we remain devoted and dedicated to decency, faithful in fervency, concrete in consistency, unwavering in urgency, patient in persistence, intense in intimacy with God, and satisfied with the sufficiency of Christ in our life.

How do we do all that?

I don't know about you, but that's what I want in my life.

I want that consistency, I want that fervency, I want that patience, I want that love for God and it being supreme and so, I'm talking about, so urgent and so faithful, so dynamic that you can't wait to be all that you want to be for Christ.

In other words, I want to be on the smell, the trail of the Holy Spirit of God.

Amen.

I don't want any distractions.

I don't want Satan to be able to set that trap in that, in fact, we're gonna look at a Greek word here, that that well that a spider weaves so that next thing you know, you can't.

Have you ever been walking in the woods or or walking?

You know, I we used to, we love walking in the woods with uh camping and trails, and you don't see the web.

I mean, you can't see it.

Next thing you know, you walk right into a spider web.

You ever done that?

And it's all over you.

And you say, Where did that come from?

Haha.

Well, that's the way Satan is.

He's got a web waiting for you, and you don't even see it.

And next thing you know, you're all wrapped in it before you know what you can do.

You don't even know what happened.

You with me?

So this is what Peter's telling the Christians.

He says, You've got a big web coming.

He says, There's fixed to be persecution like you've never seen it.

So I'm gonna I'm gonna give you what you have to have in order to hey, defeat this persecution and overcome this persecution.

So, with that said, and by the way, Satan desires to bring us down.

And he will.

And how does he do it?

He does it, he does it with our thought life.

So notice the first thing he says.

Look at verse 13.

Wherefore, gird up the loins of your mind, be sober.

Number one, ready your mind.

If you want to be conservative, committed, dedicated, and devoted to the Lord, look what Peter says.

You and I need to make sure that our thought life is what it ought to be.

It is interesting that Peter, watch this, list this first.

He says, if your thoughts are wrong, sooner or later your actions will be wrong.

Answering the call to consecration involves two key principles right here in this verse.

Look at it.

Number one, two key principles in the thought life of the Christian.

One self-control, and the other soberness.

Let's look at first the matter of self-control.

Notice what he says: gird up the loins of your mind.

Peter says, gird up the loins of your mind.

What does this mean?

What is he trying to tell us?

Look at the phrase gird up.

It's from the Greek word.

I love this word, and it's anazonomy.

Anazonomi.

And it means to be ready for action.

That's what it means.

To be ready for action.

It means to be prepared.

That's what the Greek word gird up means.

This is the only place that it is used in the New Testament.

That's pretty powerful.

And you know why?

Because this is the only place that it's used here.

It's a metaphor that was first seen in the Orientals.

And what they would do, especially with, I like Roman soldiers when you go to the armor of God, with the Roman soldiers, because back in the Orient, people wore what they called tunics.

And a tunic was a long kind of robe-like thing.

And it would come down, well, really above your ankles, but below your knees.

That's what a tunic was.

And it was very loose, and they walked with them and they had them covered up.

And so when they were getting ready to go to work or getting ready for a race or getting ready for a battle or whatever, they would take those tunics and they would bring them up and put it around their waist, okay, and kind of hold it there and then take a leather belt and secure that tunic in that leather belt so that basically they had on shorts.

Okay?

Then their tunic came from a dress, now to a pair of shorts.

So they could move agilely.

They could move without encumberments.

Okay?

You with me?

So this is the picture that Peter is painting here.

He's trying to tell us that when starting a journey, preparing for a battle, preparing to run, engaging in any work, engaging, getting ready for battle, they were to girt up their minds.

So, girting up of the mind reminds us of four important things that Peter deals with here.

Notice, number one, you and I are getting ready to be prepared.

How are we prepared to fight our battles with Satan?

Number one, protection.

Being consecrated to Christ will involve spiritual battles.

Now, watch this.

I want you to see this.

Yours and my greatest battles will come in our minds.

Let me say that again.

The greatest battle that you and I will face takes place in our minds.

Can I get an amen?

That's the first place Satan is going to attack.

He's going to attack your thought process.

I guarantee it.

I guarantee it.

You'll have to confront lust.

Hello?

Say amen, old man.

Discouragement?

Depression?

Arrogance?

Hello?

Jealousy?

Greed?

Sound familiar.

Now I don't.

You say, Pastor, I don't know if I believe that or not.

Now, you may not be all of those, but I am.

I'll go ahead and say, at times I am.

But I guarantee you, you're guilty of one or two of them most of the time.

And how do I know that?

Watch this.

Look at Mark chapter 7, verse 21 through 23.

Mark 7:21–23

Look at what it says.

Far from within.

Where's that?

Your heart.

Far from within, and out of the heart of men proceeds evil thoughts.

Hello?

Adultery, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness, and then look at verse 23.

All these evil things come from within.

And defile the man.

From within what?

Through your thinking process.

And all those thoughts and all those characteristics that I just read start right here.

Right here.

Come on, church.

Amen.

Oh me.

Right here.

That's where they start.

You're right that say this with me.

Let me say it first, then I want to say it with you.

My flesh is my biggest enemy.

Say that with me, church.

My flesh.

You agree with that?

I fight him every morning.

Every day.

Every moment of every day I fight with my flesh.

That's why, and this is the reason we need to guard our hearts.

Proverbs 423 says, guard your hearts.

For out of it flows the issues of life.

In other words, the issues, your your life, your behavior, everything that you are, hey, proceeds out of your heart.

And you know how those things that proceed out of your heart get started?

In your thinking.

In your thinking.

So that's the way it works.

That's the way it works.

Why do you think Paul says this in 2 Corinthians 10 5?

Notice what he says.

Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing into captivity, that means bringing into control.

You know what that means?

Girt up.

Girt up.

Gird up your mind.

That's what he's talking about.

And that is so important.

And then Philippians, what did Paul say?

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are what?

True.

Whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report.

If there be any virtue, if there be any praise, think on these things.

Things that are loose and dangle get easily entangled.

You like that?

Let me say that again.

You ought to write that one down.

Things that are loose and dangle get easily entangled.

Paul put it this way: 2 Timothy 2, 4.

No man that wars entangleth himself with the affairs of this life.

Pretty powerful, isn't it?

He says you can't, and that's the same chapter.

He says, therefore endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

You can't be a good soldier if you get tripped up.

In fact, what happens, you get killed.

You can't stay in And here's the other thing.

If you mess up, you get tangled up, you fall down, you get killed.

But not only does it, hey, are you you're bringing jeopardy to yourself, but you're bringing jeopardy to all the people that, hey, is fighting with you.

Because if that line breaks, then the enemy gets in.

If the enemy gets in, they destroy everything.

You with me, church?

So we can't be entangled.

And that word entangled, remember the spider web, that's kind of the analogy in the Greek language they give.

As a spider weaving that web to catch its prey.

That's why Ephesians 6.14 says, stand therefore, having your lawns gird about the belt with truth and having on the breastplate of righteousness.

He's talking about you got to have that belt of truth, which is so good.

Secondly, not only protection deals with the girding up of your mind, but also promptness.

Girding the mind speaks also of promptness.

Roman soldiers girded themselves for intimate battle.

The first thing a Roman soldier did was what?

He brought up the loose end so it wouldn't hinder his combat effectiveness.

He knew he was fixing to go into battle.

And we're in a battle.

If you don't realize it now, you're in trouble.

Do you have any problems with your thought life?

I do.

Twenty of you.

The rest of you are in trouble.

Twenty more.

We all do.

That's a battle.

And that's why he says in 1 Peter 5, 8, 9, be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary, as the devil, as a roaring lion, watch, walks about seeking whom he may devour.

And then verse 9 is a great, great defense.

He says, but resist him by being steadfast in the faith, in the word.

It's so important that we do not allow Satan to catch us in his web.

We are to be consistently girded up for spiritual battles.

Can I get an amen?

We are to be prepared for temptation.

How many of you get tempted every day?

It's getting better, but some of you are still not raising your hand.

You're in a battle every day?

Yes.

You get tempted every day?

Yes.

The Christian is to make haste and obeying God's word fervently every day.

How many days does Satan try to keep you from your quiet time?

Every day?

Hello?

Every day?

I meant, I can get a that's why most of the time you won't get me to respond back to you till after 10 o'clock when you text me.

And I know you know that's the easiest way to get the pastor.

But because I've gotten to the point now my phone stays in the living room area or den area, and my office is in the back part of the house, so that I don't get distracted.

Because if that thing goes ding, I'm immediately thinking who's dinging instead of what God's trying to teach me.

So you need.

Okay?

And you say, well, I'm studying on my phone, and I like my Bible apps.

All right, but you got to turn your phone off.

The ringing parts.

Nothing's coming in while you're reading the Bible part.

Amen?

Yeah, but no, there are no butts.

Let me tell you who's D.

You say, well, it could be this.

Listen, don't think most people know where you live.

If it's really an emergency, if the house is burning down, the fire truck would show up.

Hello?

Amen.

But we battle, I'm trying to get, I know you think, man, this is this is that not practical, but is that not true?

So we got to make haste in obeying the word of God through the Spirit, who's our teacher.

And then we got to be prompt in doing the will of God for your life.

How many times has God told you to do something?

You knew God told you to do it.

It was confirmed through the word, it was confirmed through some dynamic, godly counselors with you that love you and mentor you, and you still had to think about it, or you had to, you, I don't know if it's the right time.

I don't know this.

I don't know, no, no, no, no.

But actually, it's a lot of but, but, but, but, but, but, but.

Hello, come on.

You with me?

Well, listen, God doesn't like billy goat Christians.

Always button.

Amen.

How should we respond?

Isaiah 6, 8.

Hear my Lord, send me.

Romans 12, 2, be not conformed to the world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and perfect will of God.

Don't allow Satan, gird up, and by the way, what is he talking about in Romans 12, too?

Girding up the mind, not allowing Satan to weave that web to catch you and to keep you from doing what God's called you to do.

My granddaddy, who was my mentor all my life when I moved into him when I was in eighth grade, fourth grade education, but he knew the word of God better than any theologian I've ever sat under.

And I've sat under a bunch.

I'll never forget what he told me.

When he knew I was running from God.

Mama was laying there paralyzed in her bed, saying, Danny boy, the reason you're having all these problems, you and Becky, my first wife that died, is because you're running from God.

I said, No, Mama, I'm not running from God.

That was about the way I said it too.

That's real sweet, isn't it?

She said, That's your problem.

And about that time, Becky's mother said, I believe it too.

And she never said anything.

First time she had ever said anything to me, she said, I believe it too.

Yeah, Ma.

Never forget it.

And after that, Papa said, Come here, Danny boy.

He said, the greatest mistake I ever made in my life.

God called me to preach and I didn't do it.

He said, and I've paid for that.

And he was the most godliest man I know.

God called me to preach and I didn't do it.

He said, Don't make that mistake.

Within a week, I was packed up, headed to Liberty University.

And God changed my whole life.

So, don't tell me Satan doesn't work.

And let me tell you what happened.

I wanted to be a coach, I wanted to be a youth pastor, I had it all figured out, and the moment I surrendered to go to before I left to go to Liberty, I had the church that I'd been going to, and the pastor who had been very influential in my life, he said, I got a chance for you to become our youth pastor part-time.

And then my high school football coach called me because I'd won several weightlifting championships.

He said, We'll hire you to be our weightlifting coach, and you can help coach till you finish your degree, and then we'll hire you as a coach.

Hello?

Talking about dangling a big carrot.

Hello.

And God knows my heart.

I looked at him, I said, I love you.

I got it.

I said, if I don't go, I'll I believe God will kill me.

And I believe I did.

I really did.

I'd been running for two and a half years, most miserable time of my life.

And then I'll never forget.

I've been at Liberty about six months, and I'm driving down in a little old Volkswagen, headed to seminary, that's when it was downtown.

And the song came on, he made something wonderful and beautiful out of my life.

I said, I got it, Lord.

You don't have to worry, I won't turn back.

And that's been what, 45 years ago.

And it's been the, has it been, it's just been, it's been unbelievable.

And it's never been boring.

Never.

Trying sometimes, but not boring.

And then the pilgrim's attitude.

Girding up the mind speaks of a pilgrim's attitude.

We're not here, we're just passing through.

Listen to what he says in 1 Peter 2.11.

Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the souls.

Oh, and then you know this one, Hebrews 12.1, where we encompassed about, surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily beseech us and let us what?

Besets us and then let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us.

Oh.

As I was researching, I found this illustration.

Arrhenius, in one of his graceful sketches in the New York Observer, gives a striking account of the conversion of the artist.

And if you've ever been to the Capitol, you'll know the rotunda of the Capitol at Washington, the beautiful print paintings there.

And I do remember one of the pilgrims that had been painted up in the oval thing.

And here's what he said.

I never had seen this, and when I it brought to life that picture, but listen to what the history behind it.

When he selected, that is, the author, I mean, excuse me, the painter, to do that portrait in the rotunda in the capital at Washington, he did not know the Lord at all.

And as a subject relating to American history was what he wanted to do, was required, he chose the embarkation of the pilgrim's fathers.

Now, watch this.

Without a thought of its religious associations, after outlining his characters as grouped on the deck of the Mayflower, the question arose, why were they here?

He couldn't get it out of his mind.

Why were they here?

He started the pilgrim to automated about 10%.

Well, 1920.

The money.

Everything.

Everything.

Well the freedom to live for Christ.

Wow.

And then the fourth thing, precious things.

Girding the loins speaks also of precious things.

It comes from the root word.

Anazonome comes from zone.

And what it meant, when they built these leather belts that the Roman soldiers and people would use, a lot of them, you know, when they would sew the leather belts together, it was two big pieces of thick leather.

And a lot of them would have compartments on the inside of the leather belt so they could put their precious things, their money, their gold, their silver.

And so it'd be inside the belt and you wouldn't know it.

Well, I got to thinking about that and what Peter was saying.

And boy, is this not so true.

It was that valuable or the treasure things that you and I have.

What are the most treasured things that we have that we should bind up or prepare our minds with these precious treasure thoughts?

The most precious, what's this treasure you can put into your mind and heart is the word of God?

I thought about that.

Your greatest defense against temptation is what?

The word of God.

Other than your salvation, the scriptures are the greatest treasure you can have as a Christian.

It's the greatest.

That's why he says, Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee.

The law of his God is in his heart, none of his steps shall slide.

I delight to do thy will, O my God.

The law's within my heart, Psalms 48.

And I could go on and on, but I want to give you just the treasure of the scriptures.

Listen to this.

When I'm in the dark and don't know what to do or where to go, it is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.

Can I get an amen?

Hey, hey, when I am dissatisfied, depleted, and empty inside, it is sweet like golden honey and refreshing like a cold glass of milk.

In fact, ooh, last night, my wife brought this peanut butter cake out of the oven.

The cake was hot, and then I saw this big bowl of peanut butter icing.

I started just to grab a handful of icing and do that.

But I knew I would not be here to preach this morning.

But after she had put all that peanut butter icing on that hot cake, and I knew where it was coming.

It's coming to church.

And y'all know there's a mouse in the house that always gets into some of that stuff.

The mouse got in it this morning, too.

I know I tried to, I tried to catch the mouse, I couldn't catch it.

Well, no, last night it was catering cold milk.

I thought to myself, oh, as newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the word, that you may grow thereby.

And then I thought about Sobs, oh, that the Word is so, it tastes like his name tastes like honey.

Woo! And I thought, that's it.

That's exactly when I'm dissatisfied and depleted.

I go to the Word, how sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth.

When I'm dismayed, discouraged, and brokenhearted, God's word is like a healing bomb that soothes my path and restores my joy.

Thy words were found and I did eat them, and thy words were none of me the joy and rejoicing of my heart, for I'm called by thy name, O Lord, God of hosts.

Jeremiah 15, 16, can I get an amen?

When I feel dirty from living, hey, a sinful life or from making sinful decisions that we all do, and I regret, it cleanses me like cooling, running water from a mountain stream.

I thought about that.

Oh, wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way by taking heed according to the word, Psalms 119.

Ephesians 5, 26, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word.

Yeah.

When I was growing up, during the summer, I worked on the farm.

Alan Boyden was a good friend of mine, his daddy owned the farm.

We'd go out, Alan and I would stay out.

We had to be in by 12 o'clock, but we double-dated a lot on Friday nights.

We'd get in by 12 o'clock, but at 5 30, he was knocking on our door, on Alan's door.

All right, boys, get up! Time to go to work.

You don't get up now, you don't have breakfast.

Trust me, his mom made cat head biscuits with ham and sausage and eggs, and she'd have them ready, already with the ham and sauce, and everything in them.

Because she knew if we got up too late, we'd have to grab them and take them with us.

So we got up.

And we'd get out in that field, but right in the middle of the watermelon patch, there was a spring.

I mean, you'd go swimming in it.

And we'd get out there and we would be pheom, pheom, pheom.

And it'd be so hot.

Back then we didn't use sunscreen.

That's why I have cancers taking off.

Now we didn't know that.

But we'd just stop, we'd have our shirts off with our blue jeans, we'd just take off.

I meant clear, cold, blue spring.

Oh.

You're talking about refreshing.

And I thought to myself, is that not what the word of God see?

God's agreeing with that.

Hear that water coming?

A refreshing rain.

That's true.

When it's a drought.

That's what the word of God does for me and you, folks.

Oh.

And then, guess what?

When I need a defense against Satan, oh, and against his arrows and arrows of temptation, God's word is like a shield and hey, and a buckler for me.

Psalms 91, 4.

Wherewithal shall I, thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee.

Psalms 119, 11.

So answering the call to consecration involves two key principles.

The thought life of the Christian, and that is one, self-control, two, sober-minded.

Being sober.

Watch this.

When you and I have no self-control, and when we're not sober in our thinking, we not only hurt ourselves, we hurt others.

Let me give you a good example.

First of all, let me give you the word.

Sober is from the Greek word nafo.

And it means to be calm and collected in spirit.

I have a hard time with that sometimes.

Do you hear my wife laugh?

Calm.

Calm and collected in spirit.

To be self-controlled, it means to be steady.

Now here's another synonym.

It means to weigh the matter.

That's good, folks.

To think through it completely.

That's what he's talking about.

That's why I married Susan.

She thinks through everything completely.

And that's a compliment.

I just say, let's go.

Well, where we're going, I don't know, but we're going.

And then it means to be to not lose control of thoughts and actions.

Is that not good?

That's what it means to be sober-minded.

That's good, folks.

I'm telling you.

That's good.

How many of you have ever studied Alexander the Great?

Not many.

You ought to.

The most dynamic leader that's ever lived.

And probably ever will live.

And let me tell you why.

Because at the age of 21 through 32, he conquered three continents.

His rule started at age 21 and he died at 32.

Unbelievable.

He was charismatic.

He was brilliant.

But you know, Alexander had one major problem.

Self-control.

Because at the age of 32, he died mysteriously with a fever.

And many of them, many theologians that have written about Alexandler said this.

He destroyed his life with wine, women, and wild parties.

Because after every great victory, he would party for maybe 48 hours to 50 hours all week.

They'd just party.

Wild parties.

After the victory.

I meant so bad that sometimes they would sleep, he would sleep 48 hours or more after a party.

But not only did, and by the way, ladies, I meant the wrong women, not just women, okay.

Because you women, godly women are the greatest help me we can have.

Amen.

But but also I kept reading about this one segment of his life, this lack of self-control.

Yet he was so self-controlled and disciplined in all his war efforts and his body and being trained as one of the best swordsmen ever.

He had a best friend that grew up with him.

In fact, his best friend's mother nursed Alexander.

And watch this.

His name was Cleotus.

He became the commander of his Alexander's whole army.

And at Gillespie, an area that was one of the most important battles during Alexander's history of conquering three continents, Cleotus saved Alexander's life.

So, after the victory, they threw a big party.

And at that party, Alexander had gotten drunk.

And he and Cleotus got in an honor, and the party was in honor of Cleotus for saving his life and helping him win this crucial battle.

They got mad at each other, and Alexander grabbed an apple and threw at him.

And it didn't settle it.

It got rage until all of a sudden the bodyguards, Alexander's barley guards, standing there with their spear.

Instead of throwing another apple, he grabbed the spear and it pierced Cleotus' heart.

Killed him.

For a week.

For a week, Alexander tried to kill himself.

Wouldn't eat.

All of that because of the lack of self-control.

So don't tell me what the lack of self-control can do.

It can destroy you and the ones you love the most.

Are you with me?

Do you see how important this is?

So Peter is telling us not to be controlled and intoxicated by wicked thoughts, but to be clear-headed and think biblically.

We're to have clarity of mind, discernment, and discipline of heart.

We're to master our priorities and have a balanced life in thought and deeds.

Listen to what he says in Titus 2.12, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lust, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.

Quickly, insights to self-control and soberness from Solomon.

Are you ready?

One, control your temper and anger.

He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he that rules his spirit than he that taketh the city.

Alexander should have known that truth.

He said it's better to control your hey temper than it is to win a big battle and conquer the city.

Number two, control your thoughts and attitudes.

Keep your hearts with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.

Guard your heart, guard it, guard it.

Proverbs 23:7, as a man thinks in his heart, so is he.

Proverbs 23:7

Number three, control your tongue and your speech.

Oh my goodness.

Can I get a know me for every one of us?

How many of us have a problem with our speech sometimes?

Every hand better go up, or I'm coming to you.

Only if I open my mouth.

Only if I open my mouth, yeah.

Amen.

Is that not true?

In fact, listen to what Proverbs Solomon said.

Are you ready for this?

No, we're not ready for it, but here's what he said.

Proverbs 13, 3.

He that keeps his mouth keeps his life.

But he that opens wide his lips shall have destruction.

Uh-oh.

Here's another one.

Whoso keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps his soul from troubles.

Can I get an amen?

Here's another one.

Proverbs 17, 28.

Even a fool, when he holds his peace, is considered wise.

And he that shuts his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.

Fool, everybody, don't open your mouth.

Proverbs 4.24.

Put away from thee an ugly mouth.

That's what a forward mouth means.

And perverse lips put far from thee.

Wow.

Number four.

Now this is one you never hear any preaching on.

Control your taste for food and your appetites.

Hello.

I'm not even going to preach on this because I'm guilty too.

But I'm just going to read the scriptures and we'll go on.

Proverbs 23, 1 through 3.

When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee.

Hmm.

One piece of cake or three?

I had three.

I failed.

Number two, put a knife to your throat.

Somebody asked me, is that really in the Bible?

Well, there it is.

Put a knife to thy throat.

Now, it doesn't really mean go out there and split your throat, but it's an analogy.

Put a knife to the throat if thou be a man given to appetite.

Number three, verse three, be not desirous of his dainties, for they are deceitful meat.

Wow.

Our body's the temple of the Holy Spirit, and we're to keep it under control.

Can I get an amen?

That's why we eat right, we exercise.

I didn't tell you last week because I just got back from physicals, everything was so bad.

I've had the best physical I've had in the last three to five years.

All my cholesterol's down 54 points, my sugars down, and I'd lost, I got down to my football high school weight.

In fact, first time I've had in 20 something years, my doctor said, don't lose any more weight.

I did it.

I did it.

How did I do it?

Pick a ball.

That's a lot of it.

But how did I do it?

Self-control.

I kept not, hey, I kept from eating sweets every day three times a day.

I'm a sweetaholic.

Y'all think I'm joking.

That's not, I'm not trying to be funny.

I could eat sweets every meal and forget the rest of the food and take me a vitamin pill.

Give me the pill.

I'm eating sweets.

Amen?

Somebody ought to.

I know y'all not amen with me, but I know you, y'all just as guilty as I am.

Hello?

Yeah.

Well, all right, maybe it's not sweets, but to you it's tater chips and dip.

Oh me, oh me, yeah.

Uh-huh.

Yeah.

I bet you can't just eat one.

I don't even try because if I'd eat one, I eat the whole bag.

I'm debating whether to say this or not.

Probably ought not to say it.

Yeah.

Sober-minded, okay.

All right.

All right.

If y'all want to know some, ask me privately.

It's a good, it really is good.

But anyway, number two.

The next three is pretty quick, I promise.

Let me tell you why I took so much time.

If we understand self-control and soberness of mind, we can live a victorious Christian life.

Are you with me?

And that's why Peter spent so much time on it.

He really did.

But that said, the rapture, in order to be consecrated, verse 13, the rapture should be anticipated.

Look what he says.

And hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

If you desire to answer the call to consecration to Christ, if it is your desire and my desire to be faithful and serving the Lord, we need to be looking for the rapture.

Let me tell you what ought to motivate you and me to live a godly, sold-out, radical Christian life.

Knowing that at any moment, any time, the trumpet could sound and we could be taken out of here.

Are you with me?

Are you with me?

You've got to be ready.

The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, the dead in Christ shall rise first, and then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with him in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.

Wherefore, comfort one another with these words.

Wow, that's good.

Man, that's good.

Think about it.

Christians are not to be, hey, we're not to hope half-heartedly.

We're not to hope indecisively.

We're to hope confidently.

I know where I'm going.

I got a blessed hope.

You can't, hey folks, you can't discourage me about death.

I know where I'm going.

Amen.

I'm so excited to know that I know.

See, when he returns, we will receive our final glorified bodies right now.

And I preached on this, you know, three weeks ago when we started.

The progression about sanctification and perfect salvation.

But watch this.

Here it is.

We already enjoy justification.

We've been saved.

We are now growing in sanctification.

But one day, as we anticipate, we will have that glorification.

We'll be like Jesus.

We've been saved, that's justification.

Now we're being more like him.

We're in the process of sanctification.

Progressive sanctification is what it is.

But one day we're going to experience glorification.

It all be done.

In fact, here's what I wrote.

For the Christian, the best is yet to come.

Oh, listen to this.

Listen to this.

1 Corinthians 2 9.

I'm going to have a spell.

Watch this.

But as it is written, I hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

Amen.

Amen.

Ready your mind.

Be ready for the rapture.

Be anticipating it.

Then the third thing: reject the lustful lifestyle of your past.

Look at verse 14.

As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lust in your ignorance.

If we're to be committed to Christ, then we need to behave as obedient children.

That's what he says.

Obedience.

We're not to fashion ourselves according to former lust.

What does that mean?

I asked myself, what does that mean?

I thought I did, but I looked it up, the word.

And the word there is the Greek word is su he miidzo.

Su hezo.

And here's what it means: to conform yourself to another pattern.

That's it.

In other words, Jesus said, if any man come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me daily.

Okay?

So we are to conform ourselves like Christ.

We're to be ambassadors of Christ.

We're to be like Christ.

And here's what he said, beloved, now we're the sons of God, it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

And every man that hath this hope in him purifies himself even as he is pure.

1 John 3, 2 and 3.

So, for the Christian, the best is still yet to come.

But with that said, we are totally to be like him.

Paul says, don't be conformed to this world.

Romans 12, 2 is Darren said, what does it mean?

We're not to fashion ourselves to the world's philosophies, opinions, impulses, greed, and sinful lifestyles.

Do you know that's why I don't listen hardly to any news anymore?

They lie.

They're trying to make our you and me have their philosophy.

I'm not gonna do it.

I ain't gonna do it.

Just not gonna do it.

Not gonna do it.

Paul tells us to get the junk out of our lives.

And then number four, remember the holiness of God.

Look at verse 16.

But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation.

Because it is written, be ye holy, for I am holy.

We are to pattern our lives after him.

We are to be holy because he is holy.

He says in Ephesians 5:1, be ye therefore followers of God as dear children.

Ephesians 5:1

God's call to us is to be holy.

And that's what Peter said.

Be ye holy in verse 15.

We're called to be holy.

We're commanded to be holy.

We're to be conformed to the Lord.

We are to be consistent in holiness.

All these are verses.

I'm not quoting them to you.

I'm just they're there.

Well, hey, we're called to be holy.

1 Thessalonians 4:7.

1 Thessalonians 4:7

We're commanded to be holy, 2 Corinthians 7.1.

We're to be conformed to the Lord.

Romans 12, 1 and 2.

We all know those.

Watch this.

We're to be consistent in holiness.

1 Peter 1:15.

1 Peter 1:15

Holiness and godliness is conducive and profitable.

You got to hear this.

But refuse profane and old wise fables.

Exercise thyself rather unto godliness.

Now watch.

For bodily exercise profits little, but godliness is profitable unto all things having promise of the life that now is and that which is to come.

Folks, when we live like Jesus, it is profitable.

Can I get an amen?

You want to be profitable, live like Jesus.

You want to be blessed, live like Jesus.

That's it.

That's it.

That's it.

Holiness is so important that if we defile God's temple, watch.

He may destroy it.

He may cut the life of the Christian short.

In fact, listen to what he says in 1 Corinthians 3, 16 and 17.

Know ye not that you are the temple of God.

The Spirit of God dwelleth in you.

If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy.

For the temple of God is holy.

Which temple ye shall, or which temple are ye?

So it's important.

As I get ready to wrap it up, here it is.

Don't miss these three things.

What does God use to make us holy?

This is, remember the thought, the sobering and self-control.

This is the next most important thing, and then we'll wrap it up.

Don't you miss this.

Number one.

Here it is.

He uses the word of God.

Now you're clean through the words that I've spoken unto you.

John's, that's that's um John 15, 3 and John 17, 17, sanctify them through thy word, thy word is truth.

Number two.

He uses the grace of God.

Titus 2, 11 and 12, watch.

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men.

Everybody has the opportunity to be saved.

Verse 12, teaching us that denying ungodliness, worldly lust, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.

The grace of God helps us live righteously and godly.

And then number three, he uses suffering and chastening.

Hebrews 12, 10.

For they verily for a few days chasten us after their own pleasure, but he, why does God chasten us?

For our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.

God wants us to be clean and holy.

Are we?

That's the question.

Are we clean and holy?

If you want to be consecrated to Christ, then put into practice the principles that Peter is teaching us in these four verses.

And then the last thing, and we're through.

Realize you will be judged by the Lord one day.

Verse 17.

And if you call on the Father, who without respect of persons, judges according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear.

Now, in fear, he's not talking about being afraid God's gonna zap you.

He's talking about, and the word fear there also means honoring him by being like him.

Does that make sense?

Honoring him by trying to be like him, following him.

That's so important.

Giving an account of our lives before Christ should be a catalyst for answering the call of consecration to Christ.

I love what he says in Romans 14, 12.

So then every one of us shall give an account in himself to God.

Hmm.

Wow.

Wow.

Now let me tell you what I found.

This is a nugget as I close.

The word pass here.

I looked up the word pass.

And it means to conduct oneself in an orderly manner.

But it also means that you conduct yourself.

In other words, you you you kind of have such a change that you it's almost upside down.

You were this and now you're different.

You just slip.

And then I thought about the scriptures in Acts 17, where the Christians were brought before the magistrate, and they said, These are the people that have gone through the region turning it upside down for Jesus.

And then God gave me this.

Are you ready?

Here it is, folks.

Here it is.

We're to live our lives upside down.

And what I mean by that is that we go through wherever God places us, turning the world upside down for Jesus.