Isaiah 29:13

Here are some things we typically do …

• We do what we were going to do anyway.

  • Jeremiah 42:1-6, 19-22; 43:1-4 – The people would not believe Jeremiah!

  • Matthew 12:36

• We talk about how good the preaching is … but we still don’t obey.

  • Ezekiel 33:30-33

  • James 1:22, 26-27

  • James 2:19-20, 24, 26

• We sincerely intend to change … but something gets in the way.

  • Acts 2:41

So how do we get going?

• Fear

  • Hebrews 10:26-31

• Love

  • Luke 7:37-48

  • Love should be what motivates us!

  • Joel 2:12-13

Proverbs 8:22-36; 5:3-19; 6:23-35; 7:1-27

Proverbs 8:22-31 – Wisdom is an original quality, preceding the earth itself and exercised by God when He created the earth.

Sexual purity

• Proverbs 5:3-6 – The adulteress sounds good, but she brings death

• Proverbs 5:7-14

• Proverbs 5:15-19 – The marriage relationship is blessed by God, but He created it to be enjoyed only within marriage. Stick to your mate!

• Proverbs 6:23-35

• Proverbs 7:1-27 – Both people made a series of mistakes that led them into sin. Don’t be like either of these people!

What is joy?

What does it mean to have joy?

• “Joy is a more a state of mind than a state of elation.”

• “Joy is a perspective that you filter everything through.”

John 15:1-11 – What can we learn about joy? Joy comes from bearing fruit for God.

Luke 15:5-10 – The angels in heaven rejoice when more souls are headed their way. The angels in heaven are concerned about us!

John 16:19-22 – Just as the disciples had great joy when Jesus was resurrected, we should have great joy when we see Jesus by faith.

Acts 12:6-14

Romans 14:13-19 – The absence of joy can be a tool of the devil.

Acts 8:1-3; 9:1-19 – The conversion of Saul (Paul).

Paul was thankful for God’s grace!

• Romans 3:23-24; 5:1-2, 8 – We are all guilty of sin, but God has given us the gift of His grace.

• II Corinthians 12:7-9 – God’s grace was sufficient for Paul, despite his nagging “thorn in the flesh.”

• II Thessalonians 2:16-17

• I Timothy 1:12-16 – God’s grace as abundant in showing mercy to Paul.

• II Timothy 1:8-9

• Titus 3:5-7 – We are not saved base don deeds we do to earn salvation.

• Psalm 130:3-4

Paul had to correct the abuse of grace.

• Romans 5:20-21; 6:1-4, 22-23 – God’s grace is not a green light to sin. Don’t fall back into sin!

• Ephesians 1:7; 2:4-9 – This passage is often taken to mean that we don’t have to do anything to receive God’s grace. But that’s not what Paul taught the Ephesians in Acts!

• Acts 19:1-5; 20:24, 21, 29-32 – Paul was teaching the Ephesians to repent and be baptized! They had to be careful not to fall back into sin!

• If your grandmother told you she had a gift for you, but you had to go to the car to get it, your going to the car is not a “work” that earned you the gift. The gift was freely given, but there was a condition on you receiving the gift. God’s grace works in a similar way.

Paul used grace as a chance to turn his life around!

• Acts 9:20

• Romans 6:4

• Ephesians 2:10

• I Corinthians 15:8-10 – Paul used God’s grace to put away his old life of sin.

• Titus 2:11-14

• Psalm 130:3