092505

LIVING WITH A PURPOSE
Live to Please God
1 Thessalonians 4
September 25, 2005


Ecclesiastes 3:10-14; 12:9-14
“Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; “ (NIV)
1) From this passage we can conclude the following:
a) Godly living, the outward result of our righteousness in Christ Jesus, is learned:
i) Ultimately, only God can teach us His ways—and, sisters, we should ask (Psalms 119:73; Daniel 1:17; Matthew 11:29-30; John 6:45 and John 15:15!)
ii) We learn godly living by the hearing of God’s Word (Deuteronomy 4:10; Psalms 1; Psalms 19:7-11; Psalms 119:9-18; Isaiah 30:21; 2 Timothy 3:16-17!)
(1) Oh, and someone has to preach it (Romans 10:13-15!)
iii) Godly living is a deliberate act of our will (Isaiah 1:16-17; Titus 3:14 and 1 Peter 1:13-16!)
iv) Obedience and personal sacrifice help us to learn to revere God and walk in His ways (Deuteronomy 14:23; Proverbs 4:20-27!)
v) We learn by the examples and testimonies of others (Job 8:8; 1 Corinthians 4:15-16; Philippians 4:9!)
vi) Sometimes, we learn godly living by our afflictions (Psalms 34:19; Psalms 119:71!)
(1) Be careful not to keep company with those who are not of the faith. They can lead you astray (Romans 16:17-18!)
b) Godly living is a process—that’s your sanctification!
i) Godly living begets more godly living (Proverbs 9:9; Titus 3:14!)
ii) It is impossible to follow Christ unless we are first called (Matthew 4:19!)
iii) We aim for perfection (2 Corinthians 13:11!)
iv) We obey God because we love Him (John 14:23-24!)
v) Contentment leads to godly living (Hebrews 13:5!)
c) Godly living is living according to the teachings and authority of Christ!
i) Hosea 14:9; Zechariah 8:14-17, 19
ii) We walk in the light of Christ Jesus (John 3:19-21; John 8:12; 1 John 1:4-10!)
iii) We walk in the love (Ephesians 5:1-2; 2 John 1:5-6!)
iv) We walk in truth (John 14:15-17; 3 John 1:3!)
v) We walk by faith (Romans 1:17; 2 Corinthians 5:7!)
vi) We walk in the Spirit of God, Who is living in us (Romans 8:5-6, 9, 11, 13; 1 Corinthians 3:16!)
vii) We live godly lives through the wonderful gift of God’s grace (Ephesians 2:4-7; Titus 2:11-13!)
viii) We walk in wisdom (Ephesians 5:15!)
ix) We live in peace (1 Thessalonians 5:13; 1 Timothy 2:2!)
d) Godly living is God’s perfect will for us!
i) Deuteronomy 10:12-13!
ii) Jeremiah 6:16!
iii) Jeremiah 7:23!
iv) 1 Timothy 2:1-4!
e) Godly living is a battle we fight daily because we still carry around in our flesh our old sinful, lustful nature!
i) If we live by the Spirit of God, we do not gratify the sins of the flesh (Galatians 5:16!)
ii) Godly living keeps us pure and mindful of sin (Psalms 119:9-11!)
iii) We have to “die” to our sin nature and make a deliberate choice to “put on” our new self (Romans 6:11-13; Colossians 3:5-10!)
iv) We live unto the Lord (Romans 14:8!)
v) By walking in God’s Spirit, we do not gratify our sinful flesh nature (Galatians 5:16-25!)
vi) Our witness before a lost and dying world is how we live godly lives in an ungodly world (1 Peter 2:12!)
(1) There are benefits to “learning” godly living (Psalms 103):
(2) We are set apart for God (Psalms 4:3-6!)
(3) We are blessed with favor (Psalms 5:12; Psalms 128!)
(4) We shall dwell with God (Psalms 15:1-2; Psalms 24:3-5!)
(5) God will prosper us and give us long life (Deuteronomy 5:33; Deuteronomy 30:15-16; 1 Kings 3:14!)
(6) God will extend our territories (Deuteronomy 11:22-25!)
(7) You will be God’s treasured possession and a holy people (Deuteronomy 26:17-19!)
(8) People will know you are the Lord’s and they will fear you (Deuteronomy 28:9!)
(9) We receive mercy (Psalms 32:10-11!)
(10) God promises that our inheritance will be forever and we will not be ashamed (Psalms 37:18-19!)
(11) We are never forsaken or begging for bread (Psalms 37:25!)
(12) God will sustain us and we shall never be moved (Psalms 55:22!)
(13) Godly living makes glad our hearts (Psalms 64:10; Psalms 68:3!)
(14) He will be our defense. He will subdue and turn against our enemies (Psalms 7:10; 81:13!)
(15) Godly living brings peace (Psalms 85:10!)
(16) We enter into the gate of the Lord (Psalms 118:20; Matthew 7:13-14 and John 10:1-9!)
(17) Godly living brings rich reward (Hebrews 5:7-10!)
(18) Our hearts do not judge us when we follow godly living (Job 27:6; Psalms 101:2; Psalms 119:7!)
(19) God brings us into a good land (2 Samuel 22:21-25; Psalms 37:3!)
(20) God will make our righteousness as light (Psalms 37:6!)
(21) God will be our glory and our strength—He will exalt us (Psalms 89:15-17!)
(22) Godly living brings freedom (Psalms 119:44-47; Psalms 129:4!)
(23) Our homes will be blessed (Proverbs 3:33!)
(24) We are delivered from death (Proverbs 10:2!)
(25) We are crowned with blessings—even our memory (Proverbs 10:6; Proverbs 10:7!)