| GODLY MEN AND WOMEN: PART II TEXT: Ephesians 5:15-21, “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, (5:16) Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. (5:17) Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. (5:18) And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; (5:19) Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; (5:20) Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; (5:21) Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.” GODLY LIVING DOES NOT GUARANTEE IMMEDIATE SUCCESS Spirit-filled living does not deliver you from crises, failures and bad days. You have heard me say often that there are far more bad days than good days. Winston Churchill said, “Success in life is often nothing more than going from one failure to the next with undiminished enthusiasm.” A preacher visited an elderly woman from his congregation. As he sat on the couch, he noticed a small bowl of peanuts on the coffee table. "Mind if I have a few?" "No, not at all." The woman replied. They spoke for an hour, and as the preacher stood up to leave, he realized that instead of eating just a few peanuts, he had completely emptied the bowl. Embarrassed by his gluttony, he apologized. "I really meant to eat just a few." "Oh, that's all right," the woman replied, "ever since I lost my teeth all I can do is suck the chocolate off of them." Godly pastors, like all believers, make lots of mistakes. Spirit-filled living does not make us flawless. Spirit-filled and godly men and women are transformed to a higher level of living. GODLY MEN AND WOMEN ARE ALWAYS OVERCOMERS THEY ELIMINATE THE NEGATIVES. Walking in the Spirit means we must eliminate all the negatives. It means living in victory inspite of human limitations, environmental hazards and formidable opponents. AGE IS NOT A HINDRANCE. Age is not a problem. If you are young, Paul admonished "Let no man despise thy youth". If you are old, Paul said "I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me". PERSONAL SKILLS ARE IRRELEVANT. If you have prior failures, forget them and move on into the future trusting God. It is not the super-talented but the super-dedicated whom God uses. PAST FAILURES ARE DISCOUNTED. If you have past sins, put them under the blood of Jesus. The past is no hindrance. A favorite writer of mine, A.W. Tozer, said about moving out of the past into the future "(1) Deal thoroughly with sin everyday. (2) Never own anything again. (3) Never defend yourself. (4) Don't blame others. (5) Never accept any self glory. GODLY MEN AND WOMEN HAVE HOLY BOLDNESS. The Holy Spirit provides holy boldness. The early disciples got into serious trouble in Jerusalem after Pentecost. But, they did the right thing. They prayed and they made a difference. Acts 4:31 tells us "And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness." Holy boldness is not arrogance. It is true humility in Holy Spirit-energized action. GODLY MEN AND WOMEN KEEP SHORT ACCOUNTS WITH GOD. Romans 8:1 "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Keep short accounts with God. If we are to make a difference, we must take a thorough daily spiritual inventory. GODLY MEN AND WOMEN FOCUS ON THEIR PRIMARY CALLING. Don't attempt to be a jack of all trades. Use the special gift with which God endows you. Spend your life focusing on your special calling. GODLY PERSONS FELLOWSHIP WITH WINNERS, NOT LOSERS. Run with the right crowd. Exclude negative thinkers as close friends. You are going to have some friends who are negative thinkers, and, no doubt, some may be close friends and loved ones. But if their negative thinking drags you down, which it will, you don't need to spend a lot of time with them. There are people I know and like who are spirit dampeners. Learn to love them, but don't spend a lot of social time with them. If you do, you will not make a difference in this world. GODLY PERSONS ARE SPIRITUALLY AGGRESSIVE. To make a difference, you must get up early each day. Write and re-write your vision and your goals. Read much. Study hard. You must be obsessed and driven. You must be intense. Exceed normal expectations. Pray much. Carry very little spiritual baggage. Live the life of forgiveness. Make no room for TV's soap operas. Most TV and movies must go. No alcohol. No drugs. No tobacco. No evil talk. GODLY PERSONS PRACTICE POSITIVE FAITH TALK. Openly talk about your vision. Share publicly your life goals. Daily burn the bridges behind you. Testify aloud of God's dealing with your life. GODLY PERSONS HAVE STRONG CONVICTIONS. Be consistent in standing for your beliefs and convictions. Stand strong among the enemies of Christ as well as among fellow believers. Don't compromise your values, no matter the cost. GODLY PERSONS LIVE ON THE "GREEN LIGHT PHILOSOPHY". Try every door. Don't give up every time an obstacle arises, a friend disappoints you, a criticism is leveled against you or you run out of money. Don't wait for a voice from Heaven on every matter of service. Obey the Scriptural promises. Follow the light you already have. Wait for God to put up a red light, not a green light. Live for souls. Live for others. GODLY PERSONS LIVE BY THE RULES. Spirit-filled living means you will obey God's rules. The rules are found in the Bible. No one is exempt. You won't see how close you can get to the edge. You will see how far from the edge you can live. You will attend church. Read your Bible. Pray regularly. Pay your tithes and offerings. Witness for Christ. Win souls. Live a holy life with behavior above reproach. GODLY MEN AND WOMEN LIVE BY PRACTICAL PRINCIPLES. There are: (1) no quick fixes; (2) no real bargains; (3) no permanent solutions except salvation; (4) not many forever friends; (5) few repeat performances. THE GODLY ARE NOT AFRAID OF FAILURE. Spirit-filled living can be costly and even frightening. Once you have fallen out of the boat, you may be afraid to rock it again. Fear of failure again can cause you to miss God's best for your future. Evaluate the risks, but then trust God and jump out of the boat again and again. This is how you make a difference. Remember, God is with you in defeat as well as in victory. |
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