FAHOW Study Notes
Sermon and bible study notes from Fresh Anointing House of Worship located in Montgomery, Alabama, Bishop Kyle Searcy.
Wednesday, October 30, 2024
Election Wednesday | Pastor Chris Searcy | 10.30.24
Sunday, October 27, 2024
A Lifestyle of Holiness and Thanksgiving | Pastor Tre Townsley | 10.27.24
A Lifestyle of Holiness and Thanksgiving
1 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.
3 But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; 4 neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not be partakers with them.
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), 10 finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. 13 But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. 14 Therefore He says:
“Awake, you who sleep,
Arise from the dead,
And Christ will give you light.”
15 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
• Imitate God as a child imitates his/her parents
• Walk in love, Christ’s actions being the example to follow
• 3 But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints
• Saint: /hagios/ sacred, pure, holy
• We are not taught to become holy, but to be holy
• Leviticus 11:44 “For I am the Lord your God. You shall therefore consecrate yourselves, and you shall be holy; for I am holy”
• 1 Corinthians 7:34b “The unmarried woman cares about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit.”
• Ephesians 1:4 “just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love”
• Ephesians 5:27 “that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish”
• 1 Peter 1:15 “but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct”
• 8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light
• We are taught to chase after holiness
• Hebrews 12:14 “Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord”
• Holiness: /hagiasmos/ sanctification; the effect of consecration
• 4 neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.
• Thanksgiving keeps us humble
• Thanksgiving causes us to realize/recount all that we do have
Sunday, October 20, 2024
Following Christ Example of Love | Pastor Chris | 10.20.24
Following Christ's Example of Love
Last Week: Kingdom Etiquette
Ephesians 4
32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Following Christ's Example of Love:
Ephesians 5:
1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave
himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Paul says for us to walk in love how Jesus walked in love.
But how did Jesus walk in love…. What did that look like?
CONTEXT:
Jesus in Matthew 4 was just tempted by the Devil and succeeds!
He then begins his ministry and picks his disciples.
His fame grows rapidly and multitudes followed him, leading to there “sermon on the mount”
Matthew 7:28,29
28 And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, 29 for he
was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.
Examples of Christ’s Love
1. Jesus Heals the Leper Mark 1:40-45 (ESV): Compassionate
40 And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, "If you will, you can make me
clean." 41 Moved with compassion, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, "I
will; be clean.” 42 And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean.
2. The Woman Caught in Adultery (John 8:3-11) Merciful
3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her
in the midst 4 they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. 5 Now in
the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” 6 This they said to test
him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his
finger on the ground. 7 And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him
who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 And once more he bent down
and wrote on the ground. 9 But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the
older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. 10 Jesus stood up and
said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.”
And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”
3. The Healing of the Woman with the Issue of Blood Luke 8:43-48 Unconditional
43 And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had
spent all her living on physicians,[f] she could not be healed by anyone. 44 She came up behind him
and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased. 45 And
Jesus said, “Who was it that touched me?” When all denied it, Peter[g] said, “Master, the crowds
surround you and are pressing in on you!” 46 But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I perceive
that power has gone out from me.” 47 And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came
trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had
touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. 48 And he said to her, “Daughter, your
faith has made you well; go in peace.”
4. The cross Sacrificial
Adam & Eve sinned…. Man spiraled…. God wrapped himself in flesh came as a baby through a
virgin Mary….. Garden of Gethsemane…. Took the wrath of the father so that we could be clean.
Takeaway: Christ’s love was: Compassionate, Merciful, Unconditional, Sacrificial
We should be:
Compassionate:
1 John 3:17 But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart
against him, how does God's love abide in him?
Merciful:
Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy.
Unconditional:
Give love without expectation of return, even to those who are different
Sacrificial:
Deny ourselves for the sake of loving others:
Sunday, October 6, 2024
Renewing the Mind: Putting On the New Self | Pastor Chris | 10am
Renewing the Mind: Putting On the New Self
1 John 2:15, 17 (ESV):
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the
Father is not in him. 17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does
the will of God abides forever.
Ephesians 4:17-32
17 Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the
futility of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God
because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. 19 They have become
callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of
impurity. 20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21 assuming that you have heard
about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self, which
belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be
renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the
likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor,
for we are members one of another. 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on
your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil. 28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let
him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with
anyone in need. 29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for
building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve
the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness
and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be
kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Focus on:
Kindness, tenderheartedness, and forgiveness as God in Christ has shown.
Warning:
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
1. Disobedience to God's Commands
Isaiah 63:10 (ESV): "But they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit; therefore he turned
to be their enemy, and himself fought against them."
2. Sinning Deliberately
Hebrews 10:26-29 (ESV): "...how much worse punishment, do you think, will be
deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God...and has outraged
the Spirit of grace?"
Conclusion:
Summary: Putting on the new self involves an intentional shift in our speech,
emotions, actions, and attitudes.
Challenge: Commit to living out these principles daily as a reflection of our new
Sunday, September 22, 2024
Putting off the Old Self and Putting on the New Self | Pastor Lance | 10am
Putting off the Old Self and Putting on the New Self
What is a human? The Bible says that we are much more than just our physical body. Today, we are talking about two very important persons, which the King James Version refers to as the “old man” and the “new man”. These two persons are referred to in the more modern or recent translations as “the old self” and “the new self.”
What you do about these two persons that reside inside you will certainly impact your life here on earth, and could very well determine your eternal destiny.
To truly understand it, we honestly need to go back to the beginning.
Genesis 1:26 ESV “Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
God is a spirit (John 4:24. Genesis 1:2). This is why even though God made man to live on this earth in a physical body, he also gave us a spiritual body: 1 Corinthians 15:44 NLT shows that we have both a physical body, and a spiritual body. The verse says, “They are buried as natural human bodies, but they will be raised as spiritual bodies. For just as there are natural bodies, there are also spiritual bodies.”
Matthew 28:19-20 ESV “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” God is made of three persons, and we are made in His image and likeness. This is why the apostle Paul said in: 1 Thessalonians 5:23 ESV “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify (to make holy, i.e. purify or consecrate) you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Hebrews 4:12 NKJV“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
So, since we are made in God’s image and likeness, we should easily thing and act in line with the one who made us. But, clearly, that doesn’t happen. We engage in sin far to easily and often.
So what happened to mankind that was so wrong? Let’s go back to the garden. “Through sin man’s spirit has been alienated or cut off from the life that is in God. Therefore, before regeneration, before rebirth, man is spiritually dead in trespasses and sins. This death happens the moment that man turns away from God in disobedience. In Genesis 2:17 the Lord warned Adam “the day that you eat of that forbidden tree you will surely die.” Adam did not die physically for many, many years, but he died spiritually the moment he transgressed the commandment of God. At that moment his fellowship with God was broken, he was cut off.
Natural, unregenerate man is spiritually dead, he’s in darkness, he’s blind, he cannot see.”1 Derek Prince
Romans 5:12 ESV “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, so also death was passed on to all men, because all sinned.”
This is why Jesus said the following to Nicodemus when he was visiting him:
John 3:3 “Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again (from above) he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
John 3:5-7 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’
This is actually spoken of in John 1:12-13, “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”
Putting of the old self, and then putting on the new self
Ephesians 4:1-3 “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner (live or lead a life) worthy of the calling/vocation to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
Ephesians 4:17- 24ESV “Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility (inutility/uselessness) of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. 19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. (NLT: They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity). 20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self (man), which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,
Different translations: Remove, lay or put aside, cast off: let us lay aside ἀποθώμεθα (apothōmetha) Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Middle - 1st Person Plural Strong's 659: To lay off or aside, renounce, stow away, put. From apo and tithemi; to put away.
23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds (thoughts and attitudes), 24 and to put on the new self (new nature), created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
to put on ἐνδύσασθαι (endysasthai) Verb - Aorist Infinitive Middle Strong's 1746: To put on, clothe (another). From en and duno; to invest with clothing.
Colossian 3:1-17 “Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 2 Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. 3 For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.
5 So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Put to death, Νεκρώσατε (Nekrōsate) Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural Strong's 3499: Lit. and met: I put to death, make as dead; I render weak, impotent. From nekros; to deaden, i.e. to subdue. ESV: Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion (lust), evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. NLT: Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. 6 Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming. (many translations add: upon the sons of disobedience). 7 You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. 8 But now is the time to get rid of (Strong's 659: Apothesthe: To lay off or aside, renounce, stow away, put. From apo and tithemi; to put away.), anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. 9 Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off (taken off, put off, laid aside) your old sinful nature and ALL its wicked deeds. 10 Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. Strong's 1746: (endysamenoi)- To put on, clothe (another). From en and duno; to invest with clothing. 11 In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric (foreigner), uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us. (See Galatians 3:28, 1 Samuel 16:7, John 7:24, Acts 1034-35, 2 Cor. 5:16).
12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.
16 Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. 17 And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.
Looking back at Ephesians 4:20-31 NLT “But that isn’t what you learned about Christ. 21 Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, 22 throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.
25 So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. 26 And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 for anger gives a foothold to the devil.
28 If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need. 29 Don’t use foul or abusive language. (unwholesome σαπρὸς (sapros) Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular Strong's 4550: Rotten, useless, corrupt, depraved. From sepo; rotten, i.e. Worthless) Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.
30 And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.
31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
Romans 13:8-14 NLT “Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law. 9 For the commandments say, “You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet.” These—and other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law.
11 This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living (light). Remove, lay or put aside, cast off: let us lay aside ἀποθώμεθα (apothōmetha) Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Middle - 1st Person Plural Strong's 659: To lay off or aside, renounce, stow away, put. From apo and tithemi; to put away.
13 Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don’t participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy. 14 Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.
Romans 8:1-15 “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, (KJV: who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit). And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. 3 The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. 4 He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.
5 Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. 6 So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. 7 For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. 8 That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.
9 But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.) 10 And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God. 11 The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.
12 Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. 13 For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.”
Clearly, all of this matters. Furthermore, Jesus said there are eternal consequences to all of this.
Two important parables
Jesus told a very important parable in Mark 4, Matthew 13 and Luke 8, called the parable of the Sower.
Jesus explains the parable, and highlights 2 types of people that receive the gospel, even with joy, but then ultimately fall away:
Mark 4:13- 20 And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? (NLT: “If you can’t understand the meaning of this parable, how will you understand all the other parables?) 14 The sower sows the word. 15 And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. 16 And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. 17 And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away.[a] 18 And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, 19 but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 20 But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”
In Matthew 22:1-14, Jesus tells a parable of a king that hosted a great wedding feast for his son and ended up inviting all the people in the land to come. But then something very interesting happened:
Matthew 22:11- 14 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. 12 So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
14 “For many are called, but few are chosen.”
From Minister John Piper regarding this passage: “There will be many shocked church goers when the Lord comes, who think that they have responded to the Lord's invitation to come to the banquet of heaven, but in fact have never really, with their hearts, entered his school to get ready. They walk in the door, as it were, when the bell rings, but they don't listen to him. With their lips they honor him as the schoolmaster, but their hearts are far away. It's as though they were not even there. When the Master says, "Change your clothes," they adjust their collars or shine their shoes, or tuck in their shirts, but they won't take off those cherished habits. They won't strip away those old attitudes of racism, or the love of money, or the addiction to pornography. They want the hope of heaven, but they won't dress for heaven. They won't change their clothes. And Jesus says in the end on the graduation day, "Bind him hand and foot and cast him into outer darkness." He had never really enrolled with his heart. It was all a show.
So when Paul says, put off the old person and put on the new person, he is not talking about an optional elective that some true Christians enroll in and others don't. This is the core curriculum in the school of Christ. It is a requirement for graduation. There is a holiness without which we will not see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14). Therefore (as v. Eph. 4:24 says) put on the new person created after the likeness of God in righteousness and holiness.” https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/put-on-the-new-person
How to win: A. Just do it. And do it daily. make putting on the new man, and putting off the old man a part of what you do each day.
Matthew 9:23-25 “And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?” Jesus repeats this exact same admonition to his disciples in Matthew 16, and then he adds: Matthew 16:25 “And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?” James 4:1-10 “What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. 4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity (hostility, alienation) with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”?
6 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. (NLT: Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy.) 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
I Corinthians 4:16 “Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. See also, Lamentations 3:22-24
B. Walk by the Spirit: Galatians 5:16-18 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.
Galatians 5:25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Romans 8:6, 12-14 6 So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.
12 Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. 13 For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.”
C. Keep your eyes, and your focus on Jesus: Hebrews 12:1-4 NLT “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off (Strong's 659: To lay off or aside, renounce, etc.) every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. 3 Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. 4 After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.
D. Accept and be a doer of God’s word: James 1:19-22 NLT “Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. 20 Human anger[g] does not produce the righteousness[h] God desires. 21 So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.
22 But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.
E. Have faith in God: I John 5:3-5 “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome, 4because everyone born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith. 5Who then overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
Hebrews 11:6 “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who approaches Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.
1 Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!
1 John 4:4 You, little children, are from God and have overcome them, because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world
F. Receives the instruction from Grace: Titus 2:11-13 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, it instructs us (teaches us) to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus.”
Further study:
1. Functions Of Spirit, Soul And Body by Derek Prince: https://www.derekprince.com/sermons/43
https://www.derekprince.com/radio/521 2. Put on the New Person by John Piper: https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/put-on-the-new-person
More scriptures for further study:
Ephesians 5:1-5 “Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. 2 Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God. 3 Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people. 4 Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God. 5 You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.” 1 Peter 2:11 (AMP) Beloved, I implore you as aliens and strangers and exiles [in this world] to abstain from the sensual urges (the evil desires, the passions of the flesh, your lower nature) that wage war against the soul. Romans 6:12-13 AMP “Let not sin therefore rule as king in your mortal (short-lived, perishable) bodies, to make you yield to its cravings and be subject to its lusts and evil passions. 13Do not continue offering or yielding your bodily members [and faculties] to sin as instruments (tools) of wickedness. But offer and yield yourselves to God as though you have been raised from the dead to [perpetual] life, and your bodily members [and faculties] to God, presenting them as implements of righteousness.”
Romans 13:8- 14 ESV “Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
11 Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. 12 The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
1 Thessalonians 5:8 “But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.”
Romans 6:6 knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin;
1 Peter 2:1 Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander,
1 Peter 1:14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance,
1 Peter 2:24 and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.
1 John 1:6-7 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
Hebrews 5:14 But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.
1 Timothy 4:7 But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness;
2 Peter 1:5-9 Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins.
Romans 6:3 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?
Galatians 3:27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
Titus 2:11-13 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, it instructs us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus,
1 Thessalonians 4:3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality;
1 Corinthians 6:18 Flee sexual immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body.
Ephesians 5:3 But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints;
Englishman's Concordance
Strong's Greek: 659. ἀποτίθημι (apotithémi) — 9 Occurrences
Matthew 14:3 V-AIM-3S
GRK: ἐν φυλακῇ ἀπέθετο διὰ Ἡρῳδιάδα
NAS: he bound him and put him in prison
INT: in prison put [him] on account of Herodias
Acts 7:58 V-AIM-3P
GRK: οἱ μάρτυρες ἀπέθεντο τὰ ἱμάτια
NAS: [him]; and the witnesses laid aside their robes
KJV: the witnesses laid down their
INT: the witnesses laid aside the garments
Romans 13:12 V-ASM-1P
GRK: ἡμέρα ἤγγικεν ἀποθώμεθα οὖν τὰ
NAS: Therefore let us lay aside the deeds
KJV: therefore cast off the works
INT: [the] day has drawn near we should cast off therefore the
Ephesians 4:22 V-ANM
GRK: ἀποθέσθαι ὑμᾶς κατὰ
NAS: manner of life, you lay aside the old
KJV: That ye put off concerning the former
INT: to have put off you according to
Ephesians 4:25 V-APM-NMP
GRK: Διὸ ἀποθέμενοι τὸ ψεῦδος
NAS: Therefore, laying aside falsehood,
KJV: Wherefore putting away lying, speak
INT: Therefore having put off falsehood
Colossians 3:8 V-AMM-2P
GRK: νυνὶ δὲ ἀπόθεσθε καὶ ὑμεῖς
NAS: But now you also, put them all aside:
KJV: ye also put off all these; anger,
INT: now moreover put off also you
Hebrews 12:1 V-APM-NMP
GRK: μαρτύρων ὄγκον ἀποθέμενοι πάντα καὶ
NAS: us, let us also lay aside every
KJV: let us lay aside every weight,
INT: of witnesses weight having laid aside every and
James 1:21 V-APM-NMP
GRK: διὸ ἀποθέμενοι πᾶσαν ῥυπαρίαν
NAS: Therefore, putting aside all
KJV: Wherefore lay apart all filthiness
INT: Therefore having laid aside all filthiness
1 Peter 2:1 V-APM-NMP
GRK: Ἀποθέμενοι οὖν πᾶσαν
NAS: Therefore, putting aside all malice
KJV: Wherefore laying aside all malice,
INT: Having laid aside therefore all
https://biblehub.com/greek/strongs_659.htm
Sunday, September 15, 2024
The Morning After | Pastor Chris | 10am
The Morning After
Last week: What sustains us in this walk of death to self
Next week: Lance putting off the Old Self and Putting On the New Self
Coercion - the practice of persuading someone to do something by using force or threats:
James 1:12-14
12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.
13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.
“In the garden what did God say?”
Genesis 2:16-17 (ESV):
"And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, 'You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.'"
What did the devil say?
Genesis 1:4-6
4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.
Identify the lie:
• “This time will be different”
• “Whats the harm”
• “You only live once”
• “It aint that bad”
James 1:15
15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.
1 Call sin what is sin
2 Fight
1 Corinthians 9
24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. 27 But I discipline my body and keep it under control,[b] lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. 3 Find accountability
The hard part in this battle against Good and evil… the final Boss…. Is you!
Because the devil cant make you do anything. He can only present you with a choice……
Its impossible to fight yourself by yourself!
Sunday, September 8, 2024
He Will Also Descend | Pastor Chris Searcy | 9.8.24
He Will Also Descend
Ephesians 4:9-13
1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have
received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in
love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
9 (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly
regions? 10 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in
order to fill the whole universe.)
11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and
teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built
up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become
mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
Jesus Appears to Thomas
24 Now Thomas (also known as Didymus[a]), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples
when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”
But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails
were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the
doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 27 Then
he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my
side. Stop doubting and believe.”
28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those
who have not seen and yet have believed.”
John 16:33
33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will
have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
Sunday, September 1, 2024
Christian Swag | Pastor Kyle Searcy | 10am
The Christian Swag!
Eph 4:1-3
I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you
were called, 2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in
love, 3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and
one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism;
6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
I. OUR INHERITANCE
Ephesians Chapter 1
Blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Christ (1:3)
Chose us in Him before the foundation of the world (1:4)
Predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ (1:5)
Redeemed us through His blood (1:7)
Forgave our sins (1:7)
Revealed the mystery of His will (1:9)
Gave us an inheritance (1:11)
Sealed us with the Holy Spirit (1:13)
Ephesians Chapter 2
Made us alive with Christ when we were dead in our transgressions (2:5)
Raised us up with Christ (2:6)
Seated us with Him in the heavenly places (2:6)
Saved us by grace through faith (2:8)
Brought us near by the blood of Christ (2:13)
Reconciled us to God through the cross (2:16)
Granted us access to the Father by the Spirit (2:18)
Made us fellow citizens with God’s people and members of His household (2:19)
Joined us together as a holy temple in the Lord (2:21-22)
Ephesians Chapter 3
Revealed the mystery of Christ to us (3:3-6)
Gave us boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him (3:12)
Strengthened us with power through His Spirit (3:16)
Rooted and grounded us in love (3:17)
II. WALK WORTHY
Eph 4:1
I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with
which you were called
“Walk” is peripateō , “to walk about,” thus, “to conduct one’s self, to order one’s
behavior.” “Worthy” is axiōs , an adverb, meaning “in a manner worthy of.”
Note: The adjective form means, “having the weight of (weighing as much as)
another thing
Ex. Parents talking to a College Student about all invested in them
Ex. Simone Biles. 500k to 750K
III. LOWLINESS
Eph 4:1-2
I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with
which you were called, 2 with all lowliness
Tapeinophrosunē – humility, humble attitude, modesty, lowliness of mind
Phil 2:3
Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let
each esteem others better than himself
1 Peter 5:5
Likewise, you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be
submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble”
1. What Humility is not – Counterfeit Humility
a. Being poor
b. Belittling yourself
c. Chronic Illness
d. Weakness
e. Allowing others to walk over you
f. Seeing yourself as a worm
g. Shyness
-Dictionary definition – not proud or arrogant; modest; to be humble
although successful
h. It’s not perfection
i. It’s not absolute (There is a range – Can’t be compared)
2. Humility is a sense of entire nothingness which comes when we truly see that
God is all in all. 2 Cor 3:5 “….but our sufficiency is of God…”
3. PAUL AND LOWLINESS
1 Corinthians 15:9 - "For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called
an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God."
Ephesians 3:8 - "To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace
was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ."
4. BENEFITS OF HUMILITY
a. Humility is the highest rank in the kingdom
Mat 18:4
Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same
is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
b. Humility is the key to Promotion.
Mat 23:12
And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall
humble himself shall be exalted.
In this verse there are two parallel pairs of active and passive verbs.
Active verb (Humble Yourself; Exalt Yourself) – means that we must
choose to initiate one or the other. There is something we must do if
we don’t do this thing nothing will happen. Passive verb (He will Exalt
you; He will humble you)– this does not depend on us. Whatever our
choice of the active verb the passive thing will happen inevitably
whether we want it to or not.
c. Humility is the key to Grace.
Jas 4:6
But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resist the proud,
but giveth grace unto the humble.
1 Pe 5:5-6
Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you
be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resist
the proud, and gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore
under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
d. God dwell swith the humble.
Isaiah 66:1-2
Thus, says the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my
footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the
place of my rest? For all those things hath mine hand made, and all
those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even
to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembles at my word.
Isaiah 57:15-16
For thus saith the high and lofty One That inhabits eternity, whose
name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, With him also that is of
a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to
revive the heart of the contrite ones.
PLAY THE VIDEO
IV. GENTLENESS
Eph 4:1-2
I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with
which you were called, 2 with all lowliness and gentleness
Prautētos - meekness, mildness, humility, leniency
1. WAYS PAUL EXPRESSED GENTLENESS
1 Thess 2:5-7
For neither at any time did we use flattering words, as you know, nor a cloak for
covetousness—God is witness. 6 Nor did we seek glory from men, either from you
or from others, when we might have made demands as apostles of Christ. 7 But
we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own
children.
2 Timothy 2:24-25
"And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach,
patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will
grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth."
2. WAYS JESUS EXPRESSED GENTLENESS
Matthew 11:28-30
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart,
and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.
Isaiah 40:1-3
“Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights! I
have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles. 2 He will
not cry out, nor raise His voice, nor cause His voice to be heard in the street. 3 A
bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench; He will bring
forth justice for truth.
Woman Caught in Adultery
John 8:10-11: "When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the
woman, He said to her, 'Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one
condemned you?' She said, 'No one, Lord.' And Jesus said to her, 'Neither do I
condemn you; go and sin no more.'"
Healing the Leper
Matthew 8:2-3: "And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, 'Lord, if
You are willing, You can make me clean.' Then Jesus put out His hand and
touched him, saying, 'I am willing; be cleansed.' Immediately his leprosy was
cleansed."
Healing the Servant’s Ear
Luke 22:50-51: "And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off
his right ear. But Jesus answered and said, 'Permit even this.' And He touched his
ear and healed him."
Forgiving Those Who Crucified Him
Luke 23:34: "Then Jesus said, 'Father, forgive them, for they do not know what
they do.' And they divided His garments and cast lots."
V. LONGSUFFERING
Eph 4:1-2
I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with
which you were called, 2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering
“Makrothumia – Patience in situations
1. Paul and Longsuffering
1 Cor 4:9-13
For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to
death; for we have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to
men. 10 We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak,
but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored! 11 To the
present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten,
and homeless. 12 And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we
bless; being persecuted, we endure; 13 being defamed, we entreat. We have been
made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now.
2. Jesus and Longsuffering
John 1:11
"He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him."
Matt 17:17-18
Then Jesus answered and said, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long
shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me.” 18 And
Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from
that very hour
VI. FORBEARANCE IN LOVE
Eph 4:1-2
I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with
which you were called, 2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering,
bearing with one another in love,
“Forbearing” is anechō (ἀνεχω), “to hold up, to sustain, to bear with, endure
This is Putting up with People out of Love
1. Paul and Forbearance
Rom 14:1-4
Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things.
For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables.
3 Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does
not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. 4 Who are you to judge
another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made
to stand, for God is able to make him stand.
2. Jesus and Forbearance
Luke 9:51-56
Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He
steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem, 52 and sent messengers before His
face. And as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for
Him. 53 But they did not receive Him, because His face was set for the journey to
Jerusalem. 54 And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord,
do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume
them, just as Elijah did?” 55 But He turned and rebuked them, and said, “You do
not know what manner of spirit you are of. 56 For the Son of Man did not come to
destroy men’s lives but to save them.” And they went to another village.
Ex. Judas and Money Bag
Ex. Mary and Martha Not Believing Him
Ex. Pharisees and Saducees
VII. PEACE
Eph 4:3
Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
“Peace” is eirēnē (εἰρηνη), “that which is bound together
Rom 12:18
If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men
Heb 12:14
Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord