Illus: Dr. Odell Belger talks about a young man that frequently calls him in his office because he is absolutely miserable in life and desperately trying to find out what is missing in his Christian life.
Dr. Belger has given him passages of scriptures that could change his life drastically, but before the seed of God’s Word is planted in his heart he allows the devil to steal it from him and he continues to have this same problem.
He will continue to have these problems until he allows God’s Word to be rooted in his heart.
People like this are searching for someone to tell them SOME PROFOUND SECRET TO TELL THEM HOW THEY ARE SUPPOSE TO FUNCTION AS A CHRISTIAN OTHER THAN THE WORD OF GOD.
A lot of people are like this!!!
Illus: In one of Warren Wiersbe's books, he recalls a time in his boyhood when he was sitting in a grade school assembly program listening to an aged doctor who promised to tell the secret of his long, healthy life.
Wiersbe writes that this doctor had been the physician to one of the Presidents of the United States, and he was extremely interested to find his secret to a long life of success and excellence.
He said, "All of us sat there with great expectation, hoping to learn the secret of a long life.”
At the climax of his address, the doctor told us the secret, “drink eight glasses of water a day!"
Needless to say they expected to hear SOMETHING MORE PROFOUND!!!
But there are people we can turn to for guidance that know the Word of God and they can help us in living the Christian life.
Illus: Dr. J. Gerald Harris tells the story he had the privilege to have a conversation with Miss Bertha Smith on one occasion.
• Bertha Smith was a missionary to China and endured great persecution during the days before the Second World War. She was a great woman of God; a great woman of prayer.
• Dr. Harris said I was thankful for the opportunity to talk with her, to pick her brain and to find out the secret to her success and excellence and power in the Christian life.
• She lived and ministered into her 99th year.
I asked her, "Miss Bertha, what is the secret to your long life and powerful ministry?"
Three things:
She responded by saying…
1) "I pray three hours a day,
2) I Walk three miles a day,
3) And never eat anything that tastes good!"
As we seek counsel from God’s Word we can certainly find guidance.
• From time to time, most of us have begun to eat something that was set before us, and before we took our first bite, not the second or third, we noticed something was missing, and we said, “Someone forgot to add the salt!”
• As you read the first chapter of the book of Acts dealing with the New Testament church, not the second or third, but the first chapter, as we compare the New Testament church to the modern church today, we are aware that something is missing in the church today.
WHAT IS MISSING IN TODAY’S CHURCH?
As we compare the New Testament church with today’s church, we cannot help but notice IN ALMOT IN NEON LIGHTS that the missing ingredient is COMMITMENT.
When I speak of commitment, I am talking about A NON-NEGOTIABLE SURRENDER TO THE LORDSHIP OF CHRIST, AND TO THE AUTHORITY OF THE SCRIPTURES.
This type of commitment is missing in today’s church.
But COMMITMENT is not only missing in the church, it seems to be missing also in other places in our society,
Such as:
(1) IN THE DATING OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE
That is young people 13 or 14 years of age say they are going steady.
Define:” Going steady meant that a young man and a young girl agreed they would take themselves out of circulation, and devote their time and attention to one person.
Illus: A young person going steady has become accepted in our society.
It has not always been acceptable!
Older folks in this congregation can remember when whether it was good or bad for the youth of this nation to be going steady with each other was discussed at great lengths whether it was good or bad.
WHY DID SOME PARENTS THINK THIS WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT YOUNG PEOPLE SHOULD DO?
1) Some felt that “Going Steady” is too much like an engagement period. The only difference is that no date has been set for a wedding.
2) Some felt that “Going Steady” would lead to intimacy
3) Some felt that “Going Steady” is not good because they are playing around with the word “Commitment,” and they are not old enough to appreciate this word yet.
Let me illustrate…
Illus: For example, we have young people today who will fall madly in love with each other, and agree to start “Going Steady”.
This is their commitment, but then two weeks later they can not stand to look at each other. This happens in the lives of young people, over and over again!!!
They almost enter this relationship PROGRAMMED IN THEIR MINDS of “GOING STEADY” if it does not work out I will find someone else.
These young people do not have the slightest idea of what the word COMMITMENT means.
They know what:
• A one day commitment is
• A one week commitment is
But they do not have the slightest idea of what a lifetime commitment is.
Commitment is a problem with the youth of this nation.
This type of commitment…
• If it does not work out, I will find another one could lead into this type of commitment into a marriage.
• Many enter marriage with this same notion; if it does not work out I will find me another one.
Illus: Some young folks have had a dozen or more of “Going Steady” relationships.
YOU THINK THEY KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT COMMITMENT?
This same lack of commitment can be seen-
(2) IN CHURCH MEMBERSHIP
When a person joins a church they are committing themselves to that church.
1. To attend regularly
2. To support the church with God’s tithes and their offerings
3. To live a godly life that will not bring a reproach on the work of God
4. To help evangelize the lost world with the gospel of Christ.
But some seem to think the church they committed to when they joined IF THINGS DON’T WORK OUT THERE ARE PLENTY OTHERS I CAN JOIN!!!
This notion if it does not work out I will find another one has also…
(3) IN THE WORK FORCE OF OUR NATION
We have people who are going from job to job.
Illus: Some people’s resume looks like a grocery list.
• 1 year here
• 2 months here
• Six months here
Illus: When you apply for a job one of the things that the employer wants to know is how many jobs you had before applying for this job.
Why should they waste time and money hiring a JOB HOPPER?
(4) This also applies to some preachers that are known as CHURCH HOPPERS.
We are told the average pastor stays at one church 2-6 years.
Because their attitude is, IF IT DOES NOT WORK OUT I CAN ALWAYS FIND ANOTHER ONE.
We see a lack of commitment…
• IN THE DATING OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE,
• IN THE WORK FORCE OF OUR NATION,
• IN THE CHURCHES OF OUR NATION
• IN THE PREACHERS OF OUR NATION
And also we see a lack of commitment -
(3) IN MARRIAGE
Again, the attitude seems to be that if one marriage does not work out, they will find someone else.
Jesus said in Mark 10:9 what therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
But one place you should be able to find COMMITMENT is in the house of God.
For example…
I. WE SHOULD BE COMMITTED TO HIS WORD
When Christians allow commitment to God’s Word to rule their lives, it solves ALL their problems.
Once this surrender is made multitudes of daily decisions and struggles may be eliminated.
For example…
(1) It solves the problem of church attendance
For example, there are Christians in this congregation that go through struggles when church time comes each week.
• The Holy Spirit of God encourages them to come
• The devil does everything he can, to give them a reason not to come
But the committed Christian does not have that problem.
They have committed their life to the WORD OF GOD, and when church time comes, they will not allow anything to come before the worship of the God they love, as the Bible teaches they should obey.
Hebrews 10:25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
That solves the problem of church attendance
(2)It solves the problem of tithing.
Some go through the battle each week about tithing. But when they are committed to the Word of God that solves that problem.
The Word of God tells us in Malachi 3:10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
(3) When it comes to be confronted with sin it solves that problem.
Illus: In the Old and New Testaments, we have many examples of God’s people living the committed life.
They were committed to following God whatever the cost might be.
For example, when God sent Elijah to anoint Elisha to be the next prophet of God, look what he did.
Look at 1 Kings 19:19-21, we read, “So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him. And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee? And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him.”
This fellow burned his bridges behind him.
Illus: He did not place them on the shelve in case things did not work out, HE BURNED THE OXENS!!!
The scriptures tell us, and he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him.”
He killed the yoke of oxens he was plowing with and boiled them.
He left the devil no place for a forwarding address mail to him.
Illus: He was not like a famous evangelist Bob Harrington who was known as the chaplain of Bourbon Street. Some enemies who wanted to destroy his ministry sent a very attractive prostitute to talk with him. She even went so far as to proposition him, but he told her he was not interested (this was good). But then he said in a joking manner, “But If I ever backslide I will look you up!”
GUESS WHAT!
That is exactly what he did, he backslid and fell into sin with a woman like her.
Illus: Our parents taught us not to play with MATCHES because it is dangerous, and we cannot play with SIN because the devil is not playing.
Illus: Samson was playing with Delilah, but Delilah was not playing with Samson.
One of the reasons we have so much backsliding in the church today is because the people in our churches are not committed to following Christ.
They talk like they are committed, but their lives do not match their talk.
Illus: A Sunday school teacher stood before a class of adults and taught a wonderful lesson on how Christians are to be committed to God’s church.
Within a month after he taught this wonderful lesson, the devil put something in his path in the form of a church problem, and rather than show commitment, he walked off, causing everyone in the class to think he was ALL MOUTH!
Illus: We have to be like that little pink bunny rabbit that they use to advertise flashlight batteries on television. If we are committed to God, we just keep GOING, GOING, GOING!
God greatly used Elisha, but he never would have been able to be used of God had he not been committed to following God.
Let me show you some of the ways God used this committed man of God.
(1) After Elijah was taken up to heaven, Elisha struck the waters of the Jordan with Elijah's cloak, parting the river so he could cross on dry ground (2 Kings 2:13-14).
(2) Elisha purified the waters of Jericho by throwing salt into the spring, making the water healthy and restoring life to the area (2 Kings 2:19-22).
(3)When a group of youths mocked Elisha, he cursed them in the name of the Lord, and two shebears came out of the woods and mauled 42 of the youths (2 Kings 2:23-25).
(4)Elisha helped a widow by multiplying her small amount of oil, allowing her to fill many jars and sell the oil to pay off her debts (2 Kings 4:1-7).
(5) Elisha foretold that a Shunammite woman would have a son, and later, he raised the boy from the dead after he fell ill (2 Kings 4:16, 4:34-35).
(6) Elisha healed Naaman, a Syrian general, of leprosy by instructing him to wash in the Jordan River seven times (2 Kings 5:14).
(7) When a borrowed axe head fell into the water, Elisha made it float by throwing a stick into the water (2 Kings 6)
(8) Elisha revealed the plans of the Syrian army to the king of Israel, helping to protect Israel from ambush (2 Kings 6:9).
Illus: As a symbol of his wholehearted surrender to God’s call, Elisha took the yoke of oxens with which he had been plowing in his fields, killed them, and boiled their flesh.
He was making a public statement that he would never (and could never) return to his old way of life.
He burned the bridges behind him. THAT IS COMMITMENT!!!
Illus: When a young man gets married he takes that little black book of his entire girlfriend’s names and telephone numbers and he burns it…THAT IS COMMITMENT!!!
Illus: We are to burn the bridges behind us and not leave any forwarding address.
WE ARE TO BE COMMITTED TO THE WORD OF GOD.
II. WE ARE TO BE COMMITTED TO LIVING A HOLY LIFE.
Illus: Dr. Odell Belger he and his wife went to one of their favorite restaurants. It is a national restaurant but he did not want to mention the name of the restaurants because he did not want to hurt their business during these hard times.
But he was looking forward to ordering his special meal and when he did, he looked at it and when the waitress brought it to him he was shocked what he saw.
Normally, when he ordered his favorite meal the plate was full and you could barely see the plate, but this time everything could be shoved into the corner of the plate.
Due to the economy we live in our age when it seems everyone is CUTTING CORNERS.
This seems to be in the case of God’s church also.
There are a lot of things that are being cut out that should not be cut out.
For example, today we hear many topics being preached by preachers.
But one that seems to be cut out from that list is the TOPIC OF HOLINESS.
No wonder CHRISTIANS are living like the lost people of this nation. The reason is because THERE IS NOT ENOUGH PREACHING ON HOLINESS!
Is the preaching of HOLINESS important to be preached on today?
Yes, the Bible tells us WITHOUT HOLINESS NO MAN SHALL SEE THE LORD
That does not mean we are saved by WORKS, but that does mean if we are truly saved a person should be striving to live a HOLY LIFE.
Illus: A church member criticized her pastor because he was preaching against sin in the lives of Christians.
• “After all,” she said, “sin in the life of a believer is different from sin in the lives of unsaved people.”
• “Yes,” replied the pastor, “it is worse.”
WHEN A PERSON MEETS JESUS AND IS BORN AGAIN, HE ABANDONS THE OLD LIFE AND HE FOLLOWS THE LORD JESUS.
A BORN-AGAIN PERSON WILL WALK IT AND TALK IT!!!
2 COR.5:17 THEREFORE IF ANY MAN BE IN CHIRST HE IS A NEW CREATURE OLD THINGS ARE PASSED AWAY BEHOLD ALL THINGS ARE BECOME NEW.
Illus: A good example of this is the life of Joseph in the Old Testament. HE LOST HIS COAT BUT HE KEPT HIS CHARACTER.
WE HAVE A NEED IN THE HOUSE OF GOD TODAY…. IT IS THE NEED FOR HOLY GODLY LIVING.
I ASK YOU CAN THE WORLD SEE JESUS IN YOU,
1 Peter 1:15-16 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, be ye holy; for I am holy.
In order to address the question of how to live a holy life, we must first understand what holy means.
To be holy means to be set apart or separate from sin and evil.
God tells us that HE IS A HOLY GOD.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
It means God is holy—completely separate from everything that is evil.
1 John 1:5 this then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
That is, there is not even a TID BIT of darkness in Him!
Holy means SEPARATED, that is the God we serve is a HOLY GOD and He is a 100% separated from SIN!!!
And this same HOLY GOD WHO IS SEPARATED FROM SIN TELLS US AS CHRISTIANS WE ARE TO BE SEPARATED FROM SIN.
And now since we who are saved God’s Word tells us, 1 Peter 1:15-16 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
Some say, Preacher, I would like to live a holy life BUT I CANNOT LIVE IT?
You are absolutely right! I cannot live it nor can you!!!
It’s vital to understand that apart from God this is impossible. We must have the Holy Spirit indwelling us and filling us with His holiness.
We can only live a holy life through the power of the Spirit; thus, the first step to living a holy life is to accept Jesus as Savior.
But the Word of God says, I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHICH STRENGTEHNETH ME.
When we received Christ the Word of declares we are righteous.
That is, before I was saved I was UNRIGHTEOUS but once I accepted Christ HE TOOK MY SINS AND I TOOK HIS RIGHTEOUNESS.
My righteousness was as filthy rags but now I have His righteousness and now I am a HOLY PERSON.
In 1 Thessalonians Paul emphasizes sexual purity as part of holy living.
Look at 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 for this is the will of God, even your sanctification that ye should abstain from fornication: That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel (Body) in sanctification and honour; not in the lust of concupiscence, (Strong sexual desires, lust) even as the Gentiles which know not God”.
There is a difference between admiring the OPPOSITE SEX and LUSTING AFTER THE OPPOSITE SEX.
The gentiles here represent the SINNERS who live a life of LUST FOR SIN.
Knowing and obeying God’s Word is key. Psalms 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
That is, we keep the Word of God close to our hearts every day, and when we are tempted to become ungodly, we take hold of God’s Word and apply it to our hearts.
John 17:16 they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
Psalm 119:11 Hiding God’s Word in our hearts keeps us from sin
The purpose of living a holy life is to glorify God and display His nature to those around us. Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
It’s not always easy to choose obedience to God, especially if we’re trying to do it all on our own. Satan would love nothing more than to drag us back into bondage through disobedience.
But we have the promise, “1 John 4:4 ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”
Here is the mindset we should have: “Romans 6:11 likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Any time we face temptation, we should say, “I’m dead to that! That was part of my old life! I am a new creation in Christ Jesus.
Illus: Our baptism of emersion when we were put DOWN represented our DEATH TO SIN; our rising represented our new life in Christ. AS HE WAS HOLY SO ARE WE!!!
Remember, we are not trying to live a holy life in order to earn salvation; living a holy life is a natural outgrowth of being saved by God’s grace and filled with His Spirit.
1 John chapters 2 and 3, John goes to great lengths stressing we need to live a sinless life.
And we are faced with the question:
• Is it my aim to live life without sin?
• Or is my aim to not sin very much?
As Christians, we ought to be motivated to holy living because of our love for God, in our deep sincere desire to please Him.
But the world tugs at us and we find ourselves trying to please the world and trying to please God at the same time.
We cannot have both ways.
James 4:4 ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
DO YOU KNOW WHEN LIGHT REALLY STANDS OUT?
It stands out in DARKNESS.
In this DARK SINFUL WORLD IN WHICH WE LIVE the Christian life pleasing to the Lord, our life shows we are not the ENEMIES OF GOD BUT THE CHILDREN OF GOD.
Illus: Dr. Odell Belger and his wife were watching the news on television recently when a WELL KNOWN CHRISTIAN WOMAN WAS ON TV. WEARING A DRESS OPEN ALMOST DOWN TO HER BELLY BUTTON WEARING A CROSS ON HER CHEST.
We have so called Christians stay up late on Saturday night watching PLAYBOY ON Saturday night and PLAYING CHURCH ON SUNDAY MORNING.
Illus: Joshua told a crowd one day, FOR ME AND MY HOUSE WE WILL SERVE THE LORD.
He made it clear no IF’S AND OR BUT’S HIS FAMILY would be serving the Lord.
Some need to make up their minds that they are going serve GOD OR THE DEVIL because you cannot SERVE THE BOTH OF THEM at the same time!!!
Either you are HOLY or UN-HOLY.
Illus: It is like this when a woman is PREGNANT or not PREGNANT!!! She cannot be a Little pregnant!!!
No wonder God’s Word teaches that some folks are going to be surprise when they stand before Him on the judgment day and are going to be shocked.
Matthew 7:21-23 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
We should all want to be part of that crowd that the Lord says in John 17:14-16 John 17:14-16 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
Conclusion:
To live the Christian life we have to be:
I. Be committed to the Lord totally. The Bible teaches we are to love Him with our whole heart, soul, mind, and strength.
II. Be committed to the Word of God
