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The challenge of living a God Centred life in todays busy world. We need strategies to resist the temptations of the desire of the eyes and the pride of life.
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Living a God Centred Life in Today’s World
Bible Readings1 John 2: 7-17 (page 863)
John 2:12-25 (page 751)1
Wednesday, 19 March 2014
A God Centred Life
• Being aware of God’s presence all day.
• What we do and say is influenced by the Holy Spirit.
• Hearing the small quiet voice of the Holy Spirit in the noise and stress of the day.
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Wednesday, 19 March 2014
Why is it difficult?
• There are three pressures working against our desire to live a God-centred life.1 John 2:16
1. The cravings of the sinful nature (the flesh).
2. The lust of the eyes.
3. The pride of life.3
Wednesday, 19 March 2014
The Desires of the Flesh
• The motivations, ways of thinking and feeling that were formed before we knew Jesus.
• Patterns of thinking and reacting that leave out God.
• God’s training program to give Him greater say in our life is through fasting.
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Wednesday, 19 March 2014
The Desires of the Flesh
• The idea behind fasting (going without food for a time) is self-denial.
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Wednesday, 19 March 2014
The Desires of the Flesh
• The idea behind fasting (going without food for a time) is self-denial.
• Learning to control the “I want” of the “flesh” to give God greater control of our life.
5
Wednesday, 19 March 2014
The Desires of the Flesh
• The idea behind fasting (going without food for a time) is self-denial.
• Learning to control the “I want” of the “flesh” to give God greater control of our life.
• Self-denial can take many forms depending on personal circumstances.
5
Wednesday, 19 March 2014
The Desires of the Flesh
• The idea behind fasting (going without food for a time) is self-denial.
• Learning to control the “I want” of the “flesh” to give God greater control of our life.
• Self-denial can take many forms depending on personal circumstances.
• The challenge of 40 days.
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Wednesday, 19 March 2014
The Pressures from Outside
• 1 John 2:16 The lust of the eyes and the pride of life.
• Pressures of the world that want to squeeze us into the pattern of the world which is opposed to God.
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The “World”
• The community of sinful man that is united in rebellion against God.
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Wednesday, 19 March 2014
The “World”
• The community of sinful man that is united in rebellion against God.
• A system of values and goals that exclude God.
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Wednesday, 19 March 2014
The “World”
• The community of sinful man that is united in rebellion against God.
• A system of values and goals that exclude God.
• Institutions and organisations in which there is no mention of God,
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Wednesday, 19 March 2014
The “World”
• The community of sinful man that is united in rebellion against God.
• A system of values and goals that exclude God.
• Institutions and organisations in which there is no mention of God,
• no acknowledgement of His existence or purposes.
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Wednesday, 19 March 2014
The “World”
• The community of sinful man that is united in rebellion against God.
• A system of values and goals that exclude God.
• Institutions and organisations in which there is no mention of God,
• no acknowledgement of His existence or purposes.
• God-less values, morals and attitudes.
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Wednesday, 19 March 2014
Shaping Your Life
• “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” (1 John 2:15, NIV84)
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Wednesday, 19 March 2014
Shaping Your Life
• “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” (1 John 2:15, NIV84)
• “Loving the world” = shaping your life according to the values and goals of the world.
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Wednesday, 19 March 2014
Shaping Your Life
• “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” (1 John 2:15, NIV84)
• “Loving the world” = shaping your life according to the values and goals of the world.
• “Loving God” = shaping your life according to the values and goals given by God in His Word.
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Shaping Your Life
• When you “love the world” two forces shape your life:
• The pride of life.
• The lust of the eyes.
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The Pride of Life
• “Boasting about what you have and what you do”.
• Living for superiority over others.
• Impressing others by outward appearances.
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The Lust of the Eyes
• “What I see, I want!”
• What I see with my eyes creates a desire in me to possess or experience what I see.
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How Can We Live a God-Centred Life?
• The “monastery solution”: withdraw from the world physically or socially.
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Wednesday, 19 March 2014
How Can We Live a God-Centred Life?
• The “monastery solution”: withdraw from the world physically or socially.
• This defeats the most important purpose for which God wants us to live a God Centred life.
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Wednesday, 19 March 2014
How Can We Live a God-Centred Life?• “For God did not send His
Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.” (John 3:17, NIV84)
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Wednesday, 19 March 2014
How Can We Live a God-Centred Life?• “For God did not send His
Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.” (John 3:17, NIV84)
• Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent Me, I am sending you.” (John 20:21, NIV84)
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Wednesday, 19 March 2014
How Can We Live a God-Centred Life?• “For God did not send His
Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.” (John 3:17, NIV84)
• Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent Me, I am sending you.” (John 20:21, NIV84)
• As Jesus’ disciples our place is in the world to save the world life by life.
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How Can We Resist the Pressures of the World?
1. Be aware of the pride of life and the lust of the eyes. Know the strategy of the Enemy.
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Wednesday, 19 March 2014
How Can We Resist the Pressures of the World?
1. Be aware of the pride of life and the lust of the eyes. Know the strategy of the Enemy.
2. Know God’s Word so you know what God approves of and delights in.Focus on doing what pleases God.
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How Can We Resist the Pressures of the World?
3. Listen for the sense of approval or warning from the inner voice of the Holy Spirit. “Conscience.”Cultivate this awareness.Wait for it.
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Wednesday, 19 March 2014
How Can We Resist the Pressures of the World?
3. Listen for the sense of approval or warning from the inner voice of the Holy Spirit. “Conscience.”Cultivate this awareness.Wait for it.
4. On the night He was betrayed He prayed to the Father, “I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to You. Holy Father, protect them by the power of Your Name—the Name You gave Me—so that they may be one as We are One.” (John 17:11, NIV84) The protection of the Name of Jesus.
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A God-Centred Life.
• Trying to live a God-Centred life in today’s world will always be a tough challenge.
• But the reward is great.
• “The world and it’s desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives for ever.”1 John 2:17
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