MARKERS TO LIVE BY FOR CHRISTIAN LIFE IN JESUS CHRIST

Lee Evans

Jer 31:21-22 21 Set up for yourselves highway markers [back to Canaan], make for yourselves guideposts; turn your thoughts and attention to the way by which you went [into exile]. Retrace your steps, O Virgin Israel, return to these your cities.  22 How long will you waver and hesitate [to return], O you backsliding daughter? For the Lord has created a new thing in the land [of Israel]: a female shall compass (woo, win, and protect) a man.  AMP

Transcript

00:00Did

00:29you know that each one of us are called to be saints of the living God who has created

00:36us in his image and likeness?

00:39We're going to open this word today in Romans chapter 1 beginning in verse 5.

00:47It is through him that we have received grace, God's unmerited favor and our apostleship

00:53to promote obedience to the faith and make disciples for his namesake among all nations

01:00verse 6.

01:02And this includes you called of Jesus Christ and invited as you are to belong to him.

01:09To you then all God's beloved ones in Rome called to be saints and designated for a consecrated

01:18life, grace and spiritual blessing and peace be yours from God our father and from the

01:25Lord Jesus Christ.

01:27When we look for the word saint, we find in the Greek that it is called hegeos and that

01:35means sacred or physically pure, morally blameless or religious, ceremonially consecrated and

01:45it goes on to describe saint as meaning properly clean, that is figuratively innocent, modest,

01:54perfect, chaste, clean, pure, holy.

02:00Saint in the Bible dictionary is described as people who have been separated from the

02:05world and consecrated to the worship and the service of God.

02:10They are followers of the Lord Jesus Christ and referred to by this phrase of saint throughout

02:18the Bible even though its meaning is progressively used more fully in the New Testament.

02:27Consecration means purity and setting apart.

02:31These are the basic meanings of this particular term.

02:36Followers are called saints in Romans chapter 1 verse 7 and saints in Jesus Christ because

02:44they belong to the one who provided their sanctification.

02:49Philippians chapter 1 verse 1 tells us Paul and Timothy bond servants of Christ Jesus

02:57the Messiah to all the saints, God's consecrated people in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi

03:05with bishops, overseers and deacons who are assistants.

03:11In Revelation chapter 19 verse 8 we are told that when Jesus Christ returns the saints

03:18will be clothed in the righteous acts because they will have continued to live in faith

03:26through the power of God and we are told in Romans chapter 8 that the Holy Spirit intercedes

03:34for those who are living according to God's will.

03:39Well let's look at that in verse 27 and he who searches the heart of men knows what's

03:47in the mind of the Holy Spirit what his intent is because the Spirit intercedes, pleads before

03:54God in behalf of the saints according to and in harmony with God's will.

04:01The most wonderful thing dear listener is that Jesus told us in John 14 verse 18 that

04:10he will not leave us as orphans when he was telling his disciples that he would be leaving

04:16them before he went to the cross.

04:19Verse 18 I will not leave you as orphans, comfortless, desolate, bereaved, forlorn and

04:26helpless.

04:27I will come back to you.

04:30Continuing on in verse 19 to catch the flow of this word in how one will be divinely and

04:37supernaturally protected by the power the love and grace of the Holy Spirit in the life

04:44of a genuine and true believer in Jesus Christ.

04:48Verse 19 just in a little while now and the world will not see me anymore but you will

04:55see me because I live you will live also.

05:00Verse 20 at that time that day comes you will know for yourselves that I am in my father

05:07and you are in me and I am in you.

05:11The person who has my commands and keeps them is the one who really loves me and whoever

05:17really loves me will be loved by my father and I too will love him and will show reveal

05:24manifest myself to him.

05:27I will let myself be clearly seen by him and make myself real to him.

05:34Verse 22 Judas not Iscariot asked him Lord how is it that you will reveal yourself and

05:41make yourself real to us and not to the world.

05:46Jesus answered if a person really loves me he will keep my word obey my teaching and

05:53my father will love him and we will come and make him our home our abode special dwelling

06:02place with him.

06:04Verse 24 anyone who does not really love me does not observe and obey my teaching and

06:12the teaching which you hear and heed is not mine but comes from the father who sent me

06:18as I have told you these things while I am still with you.

06:22Pausing for a moment to reiterate the fact that Jesus said he would not leave his true

06:28followers as orphans the following verse in 26 tells us who he has given his spirit to

06:36verse 26 but the comforter, counselor, helper, intercessor, advocate, strengthener, standby.

06:45Pausing for a moment what awesome names amen awesome names the Holy Spirit carries many

06:54different names and this is just a few of them that we just heard in that opening goes

07:00on to say whom the father will send in my name in my place to represent me and act on

07:07my behalf will teach you all things he will cause you to recall will remind you of bring

07:15to your remembrance everything that I have told you.

07:19We can be assured that intercession of the Holy Spirit is very effective in securing

07:25God's help for us because the spirit prays in harmony with God's will hallelujah so

07:34therefore God himself by the Holy Spirit comes to our aid whenever we need help.

07:41That is such great consolation dear ones and so therefore God himself by the Holy Spirit

07:48he also assures us in his word that we will have assistance from the father.

07:55The consequence of this promise should be that when we feel frustrated about our inability

08:02to pray about a particular need we can relax because we have confidence in our compassionate

08:11God that he understands just how we feel and what we need or we want and he will respond

08:19according to his will so those who are growing and maturing in the life of Christ are actually

08:26bearers of his Holy Spirit who Jesus so graciously has blessed them with in order

08:33to help them grow in his own likeness and character. Ephesians provides an extensive

08:40definition of who saints are their benefits and the expectations of their behavior.

08:47The saints were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless

08:55before him in love. Ephesians chapter 1 verse 4 even as in his love he chose us actually picked

09:04us out for himself as his own in Christ before the foundation of the world that we should be holy

09:12consecrated and set apart for him and blameless in his sight even above reproach before him in love.

09:22So we can see that the duty and responsibility of the saint then is to live in the holiness

09:29and righteousness of our precious Lord and Master. Let's look at the picture of how Christians

09:37in Philippi came out of a heathen environment and grew in the admonishment the grace and the choice

09:46of making wise choices and decisions between their old lifestyle and the new life in Jesus Christ.

09:55Most of those who lived in Philippi practiced ways of life which were totally unaccepted for

10:01a Christian. Other actions were not bad in themselves but the motivation behind them was

10:09wrong. For instance, for the heathen stealing may have been avoided because of the severe

10:15punishment one would receive if they were caught. Now the results of that behavior may be the same

10:24as advocated and embraced by Christianity but the Christian is motivated by a desire to please

10:32Christ not merely to avoid punishment. Christians now have new markers or guidelines by which they

10:42live by and I don't know if I have mentioned the title of this message today but it is called

10:51markers to live by for the Christian life in Jesus Christ.

10:56Today in our world Christians live in a society which contains many many heathen practices but we

11:07must be as diligent and conscientious to avoid evil. Christians must make a choice

11:16between their old lifestyle and the new life in Jesus Christ. May I tell you dear listener

11:24this is not an offer to be tried out by believers in Jesus Christ but this is an absolute necessity

11:34for true change and a requirement to be accepted by the living eternal God. In making our decision

11:44we must use our reason as told by Apostle Paul in Philippians chapter 4 verse 8 when he declared

11:53for the rest brethren whatever is true whatever is worthy of reverence whatever is honorable

12:01and seemly whatever is just whatever is pure whatever is lovely and lovable whatever is kind

12:09and winsome and gracious if there is any virtue and excellence if there is anything worthy of praise

12:17think on it and weigh and take an account of these things fix your mind on them. Verse 9

12:24practice what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me and model your way of living

12:30on it and the God of peace of untroubled and undisturbed well-being will be with you.

12:38When Paul says for the rest or finally as some other translations use this says to us that the

12:46last of these three are urgent and essential requirements and markers that explain how to

12:53stand firm and live as new believers in Jesus Christ. Now I would like to make a note that the

13:01various bible translations used different words to define virtues that are outlined as our marker

13:09or guidelines in Philippians chapter 4 verse 8. So you see these previous scriptures outline the

13:18others that are mandates and requirements that will unite our hearts and souls with our Lord

13:26Jesus Christ and also with our brethren. Beginning with verse 4 of our same scripture

13:34in Philippians chapter 4 we read rejoice in the Lord always delight clad in yourselves in him

13:44again I say rejoice let all men know and perceive and recognize your unselfishness your considerations

13:53your forbearing spirit the Lord is near he's coming soon. Verse 6 do not fret or have anxiety

14:01about anything but in every circumstance and in everything by prayer and petition definite requests

14:09with thanksgiving continue to make your wants known to God and God's peace shall be yours

14:16that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ and so fearing nothing

14:24from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is that peace which

14:32transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount and guard over your hearts and minds in

14:40Christ Jesus. Dear listener if there is ever a how to do's these are certainly the ones that we want

14:51to imitate and take out of the pages of the book of life and embrace which will lead us in the

14:58footsteps right into the arms of our master Jesus Christ. These scriptures that Paul introduces next

15:08to the last exhortation of the list which deal with what the believer should spend his or her

15:14time thinking about. This subject obviously relates to prayer since both activities involve

15:22mental concentration. You see mental concentration is like planting the good seed of life which

15:31Jesus explained in Matthew chapter 13 beginning in verse 3 and it teaches about the parable of

15:38the sower. Now this parable explains about the bad seed sown and how it is counterproductive

15:47and yields no good fruit but the good seed that is sown is productive in a 30 60 and 100 fold

15:57production and harvest of good fruit which leads to eternal life. Eventually the holy words of life

16:07which we all begin to mentally read and endeavor to comprehend eventually become spiritual truths

16:17that are the seeds of eternal life which are supernaturally and divinely implanted in our

16:24hearts and souls as the new way and path as markers for us to live by until the Lord takes us

16:32to our heavenly home. There was a man of God who taught courses in his church bible courses

16:41and he once said that he could tell when a Christian was growing. He said in proportion

16:48to his growth in God's grace he would elevate his master and Lord and talk less of what he himself

16:56was doing and gradually would become smaller and smaller in his own esteem and eyes and talk less

17:04about himself. We have a message entitled true internal change is not good behavior.

17:14True spiritual internal change is not called good behavior and it's not good behavior that

17:21pleases God but it's rather the divine and supernatural work of the Holy Spirit in our

17:28inner being or oftentimes called our hearts and souls and you can access this message

17:35on our website called shininglight7ministries.com and that is a numerical number seven.

17:45You see the motive of our heart should be pure. The element of a Christian's conduct

17:53is indicated by the use of the what so ever things which refers to all of the qualities

18:05listed in Philippians chapter 4 verse 8 which we have previously read and which I will repeat

18:12because I have learned by repetition that it is the best teacher until what we read or hear

18:20is sovereignly imparted by precious Holy Spirit to our spiritual eyes and ears as revelation knowledge.

18:30Beginning in verse 8 for the rest brethren whatever is true whatever is worthy of reverence

18:38and honorable and seemingly whatever is just whatever is pure whatever is lovely and lovable

18:45whatever is kind and winsome and gracious if there be any virtue of excellence if there is anything

18:53worthy of praise think on and weigh and take account of these things fix your minds on them

19:01verse 9 practice what you've learned and received and heard and seen in me and model your way of

19:07living on it and the God of peace of uncontrolled undisturbed well-being will be with you.

19:15We must understand that Christian behavior is not an automatic result of salvation but rather

19:24it is learned by a conscious practice and imitation by conforming to God's word and ways

19:32with a willing and willful obedience. We read in Philippians going down to verse 9

19:43things Paul said those things which you have learned now this refers to a lesson not only taught

19:53but most importantly of what we learn Paul said practice what you learned and received

20:02and heard and seen in me and model your way of living on it and the God of peace will be with

20:08you so those things which you have both learned and received means to accept to practice to seize

20:17the truth to be amazed wow there were some as we read in scriptures that were false apostles in

20:29the church at Corinth who denied the resurrection and Paul was dealing with this issue those who

20:37deny the resurrection in general were actually denying Jesus Christ and this says consequently

20:45all that will be of Christian preaching and faith are in vain fruitless and unprofitable

20:52towards the work of salvation in first Corinthians chapter 15 beginning in verse 1 and now let me

21:01remind you since it seems to escape you brethren of the gospel the glad tidings of salvation

21:07which I proclaim to you which you welcome and accept it and upon which your faith rests

21:14verse 2 by which you are saved if you hold fast and keep firmly what I preach to you unless you

21:22believed at first without effect and for nothing at all for I passed on to you first of all what

21:28I had received that Christ the Messiah the anointed one died for our sins in accordance

21:35with what the scriptures foretold and also looking at Galatians chapter 1 beginning

21:43in verse 6 we see that without the usual thanksgiving for their faith and so on apostle

21:51Paul passionately and earnestly plunges into the subject he was zealous for the glory of God which

21:59was being criticized and ridiculed by the Galatians who were falling away from the pure

22:05gospel of grace and salvation of God almighty he said I marvel and this implies that he hoped

22:13better things from them and that he was brokenhearted and surprised at their turning

22:18away from God and the truths which could save their souls from eternal death let's pick that

22:24up in verse 6 I'm surprised and astonished that you so quickly are turning away renegade and

22:31deserting him who invited and called you by the grace of Christ the Messiah and that you are

22:39transferring your allegiance to a different even an opposition gospel verse 7 not that there is

22:48or could be any other genuine gospel but you are obviously some who are troubling and disturbing

22:55and bewildering you with a different kind of teaching which they offer as a gospel and want

23:02to pervert and distort the gospel of Christ the Messiah into something which it absolutely is not

23:10verse 8 but even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to different

23:18from that which we preach to you let him be accursed anathema devoted to destruction doomed

23:25verse 9 and as we said before so I say again if anyone is preaching to you a gospel different

23:35from or contrary to that which you receive from us let him be accursed anathema devoted to

23:42destruction doomed to eternal punishment what we are talking about dear listener are markers

23:53which we are to live by in this life we have in our Lord Jesus Christ we learn that the Philippian

24:01brethren had made Paul's instruction a part of their own way of life he said those things which

24:10you both learned and received and heard and see in me so Paul was not only their teacher but also

24:20their example since he practiced what he had preached to them and therefore we are urged to

24:28continue to behave as Christians in our daily lives in order to show the world that Christ

24:35lives in us as Paul did when he was teaching the Philippian church in Philippians chapter

24:421 verse 21 when he said for me to live is Christ his life in me and to die is gain

24:52the gain of glory of eternity apostle Paul gives us general markers and guidelines

25:01which we are to base our actions which we can summarize after our journey through these

25:08scriptures specifically in Philippians chapter 4 when he says finally brethren his object is to

25:17recommend holiness and righteousness which is to them the main goal and aim in the aspect of their

25:24Christian life and also to show that the gospel of Christ requires all of its followers to have

25:32the mind that was in Christ and to walk as he also walked the people were not to attend to one part of

25:42righteousness or virtue only but to everything by which they might bring honor to God and to

25:50the good of their fellow man and credit to themselves summarizing or outlining these markers

26:00we saw number one whatsoever things are true in this word for true means sincere and genuine

26:11not fake in other words all that is agreeable to the unchangeable and eternal truth whether that

26:19is to be learned from the nature the state the created things that God has given to us to visibly

26:27see or that which immediately comes by revelation from God from his word when our thoughts are

26:37centered upon the things that are genuine our actions will not be hypocritical but will be in

26:44compliance with the truth in every way number two whatsoever things are honest whatever is upright

26:55decent and reverent and honorable and dignified and cause respect these are the things that are

27:05honest number three whatsoever things are just means whatsoever is agreeable to the justice and

27:14righteousness of God and these are to be exercised in all aspects of our daily lives understand

27:23please that there is man's righteousness and God's righteousness so it is the responsibility of every

27:32genuine seeker to seek the truth to search out the scriptures daily to find out what is right

27:39and acceptable to God because man's righteousness is as filthy rags to God almighty number four

27:48whatsoever things are pure these are those things that are chaste and undefiled in reference to the

27:55state of our minds into the act of the body this means freedom from defilements or impurities and

28:03that includes sexual defilement as well number five whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever is

28:15amiable cheerful pleasing and lovable on their own account and on this account of its usefulness to

28:23others whether in your conduct your actions or conversations number six whatsoever things are a

28:32good report and this means everything that is good according to the truth should be the things that we

28:39concentrate on and the things that we should emulate in every opportunity that comes our way

28:46to share number seven whatsoever is praiseworthy means all things that deserve praise any praise

28:57worthy in God's eyes is worthy of our consideration and reason to follow in pleasing our loving God

29:06and Savior Jesus Christ dear ones as we of course through these main points through this one

29:15particular set of verses in Philippians chapter 4 verse 8 we have in a nutshell markers and

29:23guidelines for Christian living in which we must implement and live by it is so important because

29:32these markers are necessary to take in a balanced view of life according to the scriptures

29:43the reward for living in a Christian manner is the presence of God in our lives the last scripture in

29:51verse 9 summarizes all of these seven points into the reward of our obedience verse 9 practice what

30:01you have learned and received and heard and seen in me and model your way of living on it and the

30:07God of peace untroubled undisturbed well-being will be with you we have not only the peace of God

30:18this wonderful peace emanates from our loving creator our constant companion

30:27this wonderful peace surpasses all understanding and this peace is found in the true and genuine

30:34lovers of God who carry his name the Lord Jesus Christ let us all be diligent to pursue the one

30:42our hearts love and we will never be disappointed or regret our choice in making this commitment

30:49to live by these standards as markers for life in Jesus Christ remember the saints of God

30:57were chosen before the foundation of time to be holy blameless before him in love hallelujah

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