CFTN 2018 - Lecture 2
➡ 0 - I want to pick up and build on where we were. I want to nutshell a couple of things.
Learn from Jesus & the Life He Lived
0 - Jesus - Our model for life - Jesus is not just our sacrifice for sins. He’s our model for life. He said to learn of Me and to follow Me. Call no one on earth your teacher, you have one Teacher. That’s pretty narrow.
0 - I was taught by life - I’ve been taught by a lot of things through my life. I’ve been taught by instinct and the fall of man that if you do me wrong, that I’ll get hurt, frustrated, insecure - something that doesn’t produce life. I’ve been taught that by life but not the Giver of Life.
1 - Look to see how Jesus handled life - Jesus didn’t get hurt - So I want to look to Jesus - and learn from Him. I want to see how He responded to injustices - to people who didn’t appreciate Him - or perceive who He was - or people who did Him wrong. His own disciples scattered when He was struck. They had said that they would die for Him but none of them did. That would be hurtful to most people. Most people would need to break away and heal. But Jesus doesn’t know how to get hurt. I want to learn from that. If He said follow Me there is something about Jesus that I can live in.
1 - We are meant to live like Jesus - And He is love - He said, As the Father sent me, I send you - John 20. As He is so are we in the world - 1 John 4. And in the whole chapter it talks about Him being love.
1 - Love isn’t selfish - So why are we offended, hurt, discouraged? - Love doesn’t seek its own. Love seeks the highest good of another. Love lays down its life for another. But if love lays down its life for another what are we doing offended - hurt - discouraged - disappointed?We Need Change - Old Perspective vs. New Perspective
2 - We must have life change - There’s something about this gospel that we’ve got to understand. Otherwise we’ll have burning hearts to get people to believe our doctrine but not let our doctrine make us new. This gospel is not about going to heaven. It’s about heaven coming back into us.
2 - The kingdom of God is here. It’s in us. I’m looking at it. It’s in you.
2 - A change is needed because the way we were trained to think is different from the way Jesus thinks - But we’ve been living in the way that seems right to man - the wisdom of this world. We were homeschooled in the wrong home. It’s time to get new life through Jesus Christ.
3 - That’s got to be more than just a position we take. It’s got to change our lives, It’s not just positional. Your life changes because of Him.
3 - Old perspective: Self-serving, self-centered gospel - We’ve been tricked into a gospel that blesses me - benefits me and my goal is to make it to the end. But my goal is not just making it to the end. My goal is becoming like Him.
3 - New perspective: Alive forever - Not just surviving. Never going to die. Alive forever. One with the Eternal One. I’ve already won. (So I don’t need to worry about surviving until the end. I’m free to quit worrying about death.)
3 - Now it’s about taking advantage of the opportunity called life - Now, I just want to make full use of this moment that I’m in - this little window called life.
3 - Life is a gift not a grind. It feels like a grind when you live outside of why you are here. Why would grace come on you to drive down a road that you weren’t called to travel. There’s no grace on that.
4 - God gave you life - He said so. Get your eyes off of your earthly upbringing. Examples of tough circumstances. But you are here. There’s a time to be born and here you are.
4 - Don’t find your identity through earthly circumstances. Find your identity through what was from the beginning. Everybody is the will of God. If you have life, it’s because God said so.
5 - Everybody in this room has life through Jesus Christ if you believe on Him. You’ve got to repent and come in through Him to walk in what you are here for. But everybody has an open door where God is concerned.
5 - I don’t preach that everybody is OK. No, some of us have to get out of wrong believing - things that are stealing productivity. It’s time for change. Come out of darkness and into the light.
5 - I was created for His image - Everything inconsistent with that must go - ***There’s a thing that I see that I’m created for. And everything that doesn’t fit, doesn’t belong.***
5 - New perspective - overview: - I don’t know how to not be OK. Because I didn’t wake up for anybody to do anything for me today. I didn’t wake up for one thing to go right. I don’t have a long prayer list for God to make my day better. My day is amazing. I woke up and He’s inside me. And I understand why. I’m not here for you to do for me. I’m here to love you. That makes it pretty simple.
6 - You can’t break my heart now. You can’t hurt me. You can’t let me down. I didn’t put my expectation on you. My expectation is from the Lord.
6 - I’m having the time of my life. I’m either in the longest most incredible dream that anyone has ever had or this is real. If it’s a dream, don’t wake me up. I’m having too much fun.
6 - I’m not putting on this demeanor to impress you. The truth is I’m impressed by how He loves me - what He did for me - who He is. He’s my Father and I’m glad to be His son. I’m not going to fight that. And I’m not going to let any devil talk me out of it. Jesus shed His blood to redeem me. And I’m saying OK, I’m yours.
7 - Deny myself - When I say OK, I deny myself. I’m done living for me. I’m not even a Christian for me.
7 - Old perspective: Self-centered Christianity - Christianity just for your gain - just to go to heaven and not go to hell. That’s why your life feels like hell. Because you’re not a Christian for the reason He came. He came to transform you - to put His life, heart and nature inside of you.
➡ 8 - I’m going to talk to you about how easy it is to begin to walk this thing out.
8 - Old perspective of the gospel: Dan’s understanding of the gospel growing up - background growing up. Quit going to church by the time I was twenty. I was a Christian just because it was right. Mom took me to church. I heard that Jesus died on the cross to forgive my sin - that I had to confess that I’m a sinner - and believe that - so that when He comes (and He is coming!) I could go to heaven. That was all I knew growing up. But there was nothing about that that had the power to change my life. It was always about heaven or hell. Are you for Him? Are you going to church or aren’t you? But I was still just as angry, still frustrated, still had the desires that young men face. I quoted the quotes. I prayed the prayer. When I was 12 they baptized me. But all I knew was that He died on the cross to forgive my sins.
8 - New perspective of the gospel: No, no, no. He died on the cross to redeem my life - to restore truth back into me - to put His image into me - to get me back to the beginning as if sin never happened. And then He is going to rule this kingdom with a scepter of righteousness.
9 -And through His blood He causes me to stand right before God every day of my life. I’m not striving for perfection. He completed me. Start where He finished to run well. It’s the gospel. It’s liberating. Good tidings of great joy.
9 - We haven’t understood the gospel - But where is the great joy in our lives? We don’t understand the good tidings. We’re finding our identity through ministry - through gifting - through calling - through friendships - through what we’re a part of instead of Who is in us. That’s why we get let down - hurt - discouraged.
10 - Discouragement - focus on self - how things are affecting you. I thought you denied yourself. I thought we seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. I thought we loved not our lives unto death.
10 - Maybe we haven’t heard the gospel this way.
10 - Self-centered twist on the gospel - Self-centered twist snuck in. Christianity has become more about us than Him. More about Him taking care of us - protecting us - providing for us - instead of us shining.
11 - Paul understood the gospel - Paul understood. He said, whether I have enough or I don’t, it’s the same. I’ve got it. And I don’t change. Chains and imprisonment await. But none of that moves me because I don’t count my life as dear. I’m going to fulfill the reason He’s inside of me.
11 - He didn’t always understand this. There was a time where he was asking God to take away the persecution, the buffeting. I’ve already told you what you would suffer. My grace is sufficient for you. Stop loving your own life. Go after this thing.
New Perspective: Needy No More
11 - Self-centeredness is inconsistent with who He is - Me living for me and you living for you is the biggest disfunction on the planet. It’s why life is so tough.
11 - Neediness is inconsistent with who He is - In that realm we are so needy. You depend on everybody else - them doing what you need. Jesus didn’t live that way. If Jesus had lived that way He would have been in trouble. He wouldn’t have lasted one day.
12 - Jesus’ reaction to rejection - Jesus wasn’t needy - Luke 4 - Jesus reading from the scroll - The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me… [The story] Shift of opinion - kill him. If you have a debut like that you’re probably not ready to jump in the saddle again. You’re probably wondering where you went wrong.
13 - When your motive is pure, you’re pretty free. When nobody owes you anything it makes you pretty untouchable.
13 - Jesus’ reaction to betrayal - Jesus wasn’t needy - For example - The night of Jesus was betrayed, His idea of responding was to lay down His life. Who had betrayed Him? His own men. But after He rose He called them brethren - not backstabbing, two faced... Why? Because He is love.
14 - “Because He’s Jesus” - Don’t make Him a special man or you can’t attain to what He called you to. He is love.
14 - Why does He respond this way? - He is love - We must become love - 1 Tim. 1:5 - The goal of our instruction… love. If we miss love, we miss the point of why He came. He came so that we become the love of God.
15 - We react differently than Jesus - We need change - On the night we are betrayed, we crying, calling friends asking for prayer - wondering why God allowed it - getting totally confused and deceived. Survival kit vs. answer of a new life.
➡ 15 - We can live this way - By grace through faith. It’s not unreachable or He wouldn’t have called us to it. It takes faith and grace. And those things are both available. Everyone has the measure of faith. And He’s the God of all grace.
15 - The good fight of faith - So your fight is believing this truth in the face of every challenge. Not against the devil or people. Your good fight is staying in the truth, where you are free - in the face of everything so that you shine through everything.New Reactions
16 - Our responses should be changed - Responding like people who never go to church - who don’t believe in God. If we do that we’ve missed something. Same responses - same anger - same worry - same brokenness. We’re called to shine, come hell or high water - not just when things are good. Let your light so shine.
17 - Christianity is simply letting the truth change your perspective and waking up with a different “why” - a different reason for being. Christianity is just getting your motive aligned to truth - and it’s the single eye that brings light to all of your body.
17 - No need to fall apart - Become love & respond like He responds - Example - Layoff. Falling apart - calling for prayer - that’s normal in Christianity. You just become what you are going through instead of becoming what He went through so you can respond in every situation like He does.Ministering from a Healthy Place - New Thinking Required
18 - Minister from a healthy place - If you are going into ministry and you don’t understand this, you will get wiped out in time. People will get on your nerves. People will hurt you. Why isn’t this working? I thought I was called. You’ll question and second guess. You’ll think cycling is Christian. Finding identity through other things - through your ministry or anointing - dangerous - don’t do that. Find your identity through the Son of God - through right standing with the Father - acceptance, righteousness - holy, blameless and above reproach. Your identity is in Him. Ministry is something you do. Your identity is something that you become.
19 - You live out of your being, and then all of your doing is healthy - and it will stand the test of time.
19 - No one owes me a thing - I’m passionate and confident because the gospel has taught me one thing - to wake up every day and know that nobody owes me a thing. You’re not going to get on my nerves. I have new ones.
20 - Phone call at 5 a.m. - Wife was distraught. Lady pounding on front door - believing it was faith. Lady threatening suicide. Talked to the woman.
21 - Ministry crazed - We think we need ministry when we actually need truth and relationship. We need to know Him. The Bible doesn’t say that ministry makes you free. Truth makes you free. If you don’t stop believing the things that are causing you problems, you’ll never see change - regardless of how much you get prayed for.
21 - Let the gospel change the way that you think so that your being can change. Transformation by the renewal of your mind - thinking like you’ve never thought before.
21 - He invites you into His realm - His kingdom. He’s called us friends, not servants. We’re supposed to know the heart of the Father in all of this.
22 - Phone call at 5 a.m. (cont.) - The lady was touched -> You’ve been nothing but patient and kind. That’s because I know who you are. God never lost sight of who you are. On her darkest day she needs Christ too. She doesn’t need a frustrated preacher that travels the country and finds his identity in the pulpit.
22 - No striving involved - It’s what I believe - I don’t “try” to live this way. I’m not “trying” to be a Christian. I’m not even “trying” to right. I’am enjoying being loved by Him. I wake up accepted and received. I don’t try to please Him. He’s already pleased to love me.
23 - Not trying not to sin. Don’t ever live that way. It puts you in your own test every day. You’ll always be aware of what’s wrong. Condemnation. You’ll always overlook the growth and increase in your life. You’ll always be nitpicking, critical of yourself. You won’t have a good opinion of yourself and won’t think that you belong in His presence. You won’t have intimacy. If you don’t have intimacy, you’ll never get pregnant and reproduce.
24 - If you try not to sin, you’ll be sin-conscious. Wake up and just enjoy being His. Communing example - Lord I didn’t see this coming. If I didn’t know you, I’d probably be a mess… but we are going to shine through every step of this.
25 - Identity from what you’re going through - Why do you BECOME “laid off” when you get laid off instead of a son? Why do you BECOME “cheated on” instead of found favor? Why do you become “done wrong” instead of done right? Why do we let what anyone says or does determine our lives when their name is not Jesus. We go to church and sing that He is Lord and then let everything else govern our lives, disposition and sense of wellbeing.
25 - Thinking brand new - I’m having the time of my life and I want you to have the time of your life. This thing is true and the just shall live by faith.
26 - So you’ve got to believe the gospel and realize that we were brought up in a lie - and now the truth has come. So we come out of the darkness and into the light.
26 - He’s not just my suffering Savior - my forgiveness of sins. He’s my Friend, my King, my Lord, my Model for life. He’s amazing. He shows me how to live. And He says, “Follow Me.” What an invitation.
26 - If any man would come after Me… let him pray a prayer to go to heaven? - That’s not the goal of Christianity. The goal of Christianity is not going to heaven someday but your transformation.
27 - No room for counterproductive thinking - For Me or against - gather to Me or scatter - You can see your need for a Savior but still have attitudes, mindsets and beliefs that are totally detrimental to what He wants to do in your life and through your life. Your attitudes, mindsets and thoughts can actually work against His kingdom even though you are a part of that kingdom.
28 - No middle ground - There is no middle ground. You are either thinking in a way that is productive and for Him or thinking in a way that is working against everything that He’s trying to accomplish.
28 - New thinking: Be rooted and grounded in God’s love - The measuring stick of God’s love is Christ crucified, not my circumstances. People try to find love through life rather than the Giver of life. Settle on love being through the cross. Otherwise how will you get rooted and grounded in God’s love?
29 - If faith works through love and you’re not established in the love that God has for you, how is faith going to work cleanly? You are just going to be driven by need all the time and call that prayer (as in the prayer of faith). You’ll turn the Bible into a book of principles that we’re trying to apply, hoping that they work - instead of an introduction into covenant, love, oneness and unity.
29 - The point of the cross - Becoming love - Are you guys clear on what the whole point of the cross is? The whole point of the cross is you and me becoming love - being restored back to the image of God. And it’s possible because the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives inside of us.
29 - Would Jesus ask you to deny yourself, pick up your cross and follow Him if you couldn’t? No.
30 - A new way of thinking - Denying yourself is the biggest deal. It’s realizing that it’s all about His kingdom and the highest sake of others. I want to see others the way He sees me - for their value and purpose - not for what they are producing but for what they are here for. I’m never going to throw anyone away again because He didn’t throw me away. I’m not judging others because He didn’t judge me. I’m going to see men for the truth, not for what they appear to be.
30 - The love of Christ compels us - fuels us to love that way - 2 Cor. 5
30 - Not a Hollywood love. Hollywood love described. Needing love from others...
Freedom from Neediness
31 - Born into identity crisis - Needing validation from others - You were born into this loss of identity - into Adam - cut off from the source of love, even though He still loves you. And now your identity is wrapped up in YOU. And we try to find ourselves along the way of life. You become a product of what happened.
32 - Most people don’t do well - very insecure, very low esteem, very messed up identities. They look in the mirror and hate who they are. So they need people to like them - to prove that they are likeable because they don’t like themselves.
32 - The problem with that is you are supposed to love others as you love yourself. If you don’t see yourself clearly, how can you see others clearly? If you are still needy? Make sure that’s never the case. I’ve been looking to the wrong things for affirmation and attention.
32 - All I need is in Him. That will put solidity into your life and then your expression will be solid. Your heart will be done getting broken.
33 - We don’t need other Model - We get tricked into following each other and life’s pattern instead of Him. But if you can’t see it in Jesus’ life, why is it OK in ours? Why is disappointment and discouragement expected? I don’t believe we have to be. I believe that we can grow up into Him in all things - to the full measure and stature of who He is.
33 - Discouragement - Consider Him - Heb. 12:3 -Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. (ESV) Discouragement is never of God. If your motivation has to do with you, you’ll bump into discouragement. But if it’s not about you but love and loving others, you’ll do just fine.
34 - No need to have ducks in a row - My ducks aren’t always in a row. Stop believing for your ducks to be in a row. Our ducks are never in a row. It means nothing. You don’t need for people to do the right things for you to be right. He did the right thing. You’ve been made right in Him.
John 20 - Jesus wasn’t Hurt and Didn't Change His Mind
34 - My brethren - When Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to Mary He said, “Go tell my brethren” - not “You go tell those low life, weak willed, say one thing do another disciples that I’ve got to talk to them soon.” Jesus wasn’t put off, hurt by the behavior of His disciples when they ran off. They were huddled in fear. They were afraid that it would happen to them next.
35 - Peace to you - Jesus walks into the room - “Peace be to you.” He just made peace through His blood.
35 - He took His blood into heaven. Makes you free.
36 - Second time He says - “Peace to you.” When they realize that it’s really Him the first thing that hits them is how they ran and deserted Him. But He said, “Peace to you.”
36 - I’m not changing my mind about you - So what is He saying when He says, “Peace to you” and calls them brethren? I haven’t changed my mind about you. I know your purpose, potential, destiny. I just paid a price and opened a door. Now you guys have got to get with it and live by faith. Go to the nations and make believers of all men. Wait for the power of the Holy Spirit. Go, after He comes.
37 - He didn’t say that you need boot camp or another semester… He said, “Guys, it’s time to believe me. Believe how I see you. You’re lacking nothing. When Holy Spirit comes, you are definitely ready. Go change the world.”
37 - If you forgive the sins of any they will be forgiven. If you retain the sins of any… If you shut your hearts against men, how will they know the way to forgiveness. You are the body of Christ. You are His expression. You are sons and daughters. He paid a price to put Himself in you.
38 - Meaning of the cross - So what was the cross all about? About sin? It’s about restoring purpose, value and destiny. The cross speaks more about our value than our sin. He had to die to remove our sin but He didn’t die because we’re sinners. He died because we’re lost sons and there’s a higher truth to walk in.
39 - Value - purchase price paid. You’re worth the blood. He purchased many sons. I was always taught that He died on the cross because I was a sinner. We preach the depravity of man and try to get them to feel sorry for their depravity instead of transformation through His goodness. It’s the goodness of God that leads men to change - not the reprimand of God.
40 - Objections from OT. Judgement doesn’t transform a life. It’s the goodness of God that brings transformation.
40 - He loves you. On your darkest day He knows who you are. “I know who you are. I’m wooing you to my Presence, to my love, to my kingdom. And better yet I’m going to put Myself in you and you are going to shine.” He calls you out of darkness and puts you into light.
40 - Born again - not a prayer to go to heaven - the transformation of life. New wine in new wineskins - not old wineskins.
➡ 41 - I want to show you a scripture and show you how easy it is to walk this thing out. Go to Col. 3…
41 - That John 20 wrecks me…
41 - He’s not changing His mind - As the Father sent Me, so I send you. Up until that point these guys had done nothing right. And yet they are still His choice. He’s still sending them.
42 - Breathing life back into them - Then He breathed on them and said receive the Holy Spirit. Why did He breathe on them? He was redeeming man back to His original value - back to the beginning. In the beginning God breathed into Adam to make him a living being. But when Adam ate from the tree he died. So Jesus is bringing the second breath of God to man. He’s the last Adam - the restoration of life.
43 - What Jesus is saying indicates oneness.
43 - As if sin never happened - Through breathing into them they are becoming living beings again. He takes them back to day one as if sin never happened - because of the power of His blood.
43 - Get your eyes off of sin and onto righteousness - So I’m not thinking about sin. I’m thinking about righteousness - the kingdom - the love of God - holiness - righteousness. Not trying to attain those things but walking in what He attained.
44 - And if I am righteous-conscious, it produces its fruit to holiness - without me trying to be holy. Then all glory goes to God and I am what I am by the grace of God. He gets all of the honor. I’m just a believer - not some kind of super Christian.
44 - Believe - I’m talking to a room of believers. Let’s keep believing the right things and let the right fruit be all over this tree.
44 - He’s amazing. I’m a believer. He’s righteous. I believe it. He loves me. I believe it.
44 - The good fight of faith - Your fight is the good fight of faith. You’ve got to believe what He says and accomplished - in the midst being trained otherwise by life itself. Go back to the Giver of life to find truth because in Him is freedom.
45 - Back to the garden before sin - Now, Follow Him - That’s why He breathed into His disciples, He’s taking them back to the garden before sin. The tree is still there. The serpent is still whispering in our lives. The knowledge of good and evil is still there. But follow Him. You’re clean. You’re sanctified. He’s in us. Follow Him. Ignore the yak-yak. Follow Him.
45 - Indestructible heart - But what about what I’ve been through? Stop finding your identity in things that aren’t Him. Comparing horror stories. I’m sorry for all those things but God is teaching us not to be broken. He puts a heart into me that’s indestructible. And I guard it because out of it flows the issues of life.Minister from a Healthy Place - Relationship with Him
47 - Word of advice - Minister from a healthy place - Have no need to preach - Don’t find your identity in preaching. Have something to say because you’ve been with Him. Don’t read your Bible to preach a sermon. Only read your Bible to know Me. And only ever preach out of who I am in your life. That’s what will carry revelation, mark hearts and bring change. Don't just discourse and throw out theology and doctrine. Don't read your Bible so that you can be an expert with doctrine. Read your Bible to be changed and speak out of that change.
48 - Before I preach I slip down to my knees and He has me to pray, “...They are going to turn on this mic in a minute. If they handed You a mic in a minute, knowing the people in this room, what would you say? Let those be the only words that come out of my mouth.”
48 - I don’t prepare the words that I speak. My preparation is my relationship. You’d be amazed at what I’m prepared to teach because I’ve been with Him.
49 - I have one little shot at influencing your life. “God, say what you would say.” Ask Him to say through you exactly what He’d say if He had the mic.
49 - Have no need to get in front of people and preach. Preach with your life everywhere you go.
50 - Summary of what's been said - I’m going to walk in love. I’m going to be free. And I’m not going to let life decide how I’m doing. I’m going to let He who gave me life decide how I’m doing.
➡ 50 - We’re not going to get to Col. 3 until tomorrow.Gifting to Equip the Body
50 - Let’s go to Eph. 4 - He’s talking about giftings in the body of Christ. We have misunderstood giftings in the body of Christ. We recognize an anointing in an individual - we give them a platform at a conference and we expect that anointing to minister to everybody, instead of training, equipping and empowering the body of Christ - to let the grace on the gifted person’s life be the grace on our lives. Like you might not be a prophet but we can all walk in a facet of prophecy. We can all have words for our coworkers or friends or people down the street.
51 - You might not walk in the office of a prophet but through the office of a prophet you can receive an impartation of a grace to prophesy.
51 - So the goal of the gifting is not to build a conference around a gifting so that the gifting can minister to us. Like...
51 - What’s the ministry today (as Dan speaks)? Ministry of the word. It’s the truth that makes us free. It’s God convicting us with a word in our hearts that we’re called to. You don’t need any other word (prophecy) right now. So right now I’m walking in an impartation of truth that can bring freedom to your life if you say yes.
52 - Relationship vs. manifestations / experiences - It’s not just about manifestations. I’m not against them. I love the way that God moves. But we get ministry driven. We’re looking for feelings - encounters. I want relationship. I want to know Him. Because eternal life is knowing Him. I don’t just want to experience Him, I want to know Him. When I know Him, I have experienced Him.
52 - Concubine vs. Bride - Concubine brushes against his glory for a night. You’re called to be the bride - the queen. You don’t serve the Lord and then bump into Him every now and then. You’re His bride.Eph. 4 - The Gospel Calls Us to Become Love - To Look Like Him
53 - Reading Eph. 4… He’s talking about the giftings. It’s for the equipping of the saints.
53 - v.13 - Now watch how the gospel talks about life change.
53 - v.13 - Unity of the faith - one faith - What does that mean? We all wake up for the same reason - to shine - to be like Him.
54 - v.17 - You shouldn’t walk the same as all of the people who don’t know God.
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, 18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: 19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 20 But ye have not so learned Christ; 21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. 26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: 27 Neither give place to the devil. 28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. 29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. 30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
54 - reading the remainder of chapter 4 and ending in ch. 5…
1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; 2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
56 - Do you see that this gospel calls us to something - calls us to become something - (become love).
57 - People who don’t know me come to my meetings for what God can do for them instead of how God can make them more like Him. If you let your everyday motive be to look more like Him and wake up believing that nobody owes you a thing… God I thank you that you are working something in me that is so amazing - that you are causing my life to look more and more like you… If you camp there… I’ll nail it down tomorrow.
57 - Closing prayer