Faith changes us: putting on the new man

• Colossians 3:10
• Ephesians 4:24
• What does a “new man” look like?
• II Peter 1:5
• There are specific sins to avoid. These are inherently sinful and have always been so.
• Colossians 3:5, 8-9 – See also Galatians 5:19-21; I Corinthians 5:11; 6:9; II Timothy 3:1-5
• I Thessalonians 5:22
• These are negative things that we must get out of our lives.
• What are the positive things that faith encourages us to add to our lives?
• Colossians 3:1-2, 10
• Titus 2:11-12
• I Corinthians 3:16-17
• I Peter 1:16
• Hebrews 11:6
  • Note again two elements:
    • Believe that He is (faith)
    • Action (seeking Him)
  • God rewards those seeking Him and God does what He says.
  • The action (obeying Him) from faith (love of God) is diligently seeking Him (obeying Him and wanting to be like Him).
• We just don’t declare ourselves holy: it takes faith!
• Faith and wanting to please God becomes our catalyst to be wanted to be like Him and having a direct relationship with God.
• This connection to God comes through prayer.
• Revelation 21:3 – Through prayer we develop a one-on-one relationship to God. He becomes our God, and we become one of His people.
• This strengthens my faith, my trust, my courage, and makes my love Him even more.
• I Thessalonians 5:22
• Romans 3:23
• Romans 6:1-2, 12-13
• I John 1:8-9

Joshua 12

Joshua 12:1-6 – Kings and lands conquered by Moses

Joshua 12:7-24 – Kings and lands conquered by Joshua

• These lands are given but not fully conquered yet.
• Joshua 12:24 – Thirty-one kings were defeated.

Joshua 13

Joshua 13:1-7 – Joshua is old, and God says more land needs to be conquered.

Joshua 13:8-33 – Listing of lands east of Jordan: Reuben, Gad, half tribe of Manasseh

• Joshua 13:14 – The Levites did not receive a land inheritance because they were supported by the offerings from Israel. See Deuteronomy 18:1-3.
• Joshua 13:22 – See Numbers 22:5-24:5; 31:8, 15-16. Balaam was a major thorn in the side of Israel and caused them to sin. See also Revelation 2:14.

Joshua 14

Joshua 14:1-5 – Explanation of nine and a half tribes and two and a half tribes, and Levi

• See Proverbs 16:33. God would sometimes use casting of lots to make His will known. See Acts 1:23-26. In Numbers 26:55-56, God had commanded that the distribution be done by lot. In Acts 13:17-19, it states that God distributed the land. God was in charge of this process. See Joshua 18:6.

Joshua 14:6-15 – Caleb wants Hebron, where the Anakim live. Joshua gives it to him.

• See Numbers 13:6, 8, 16, 30; 14:22-24, 34.
• Joshua 14:6 – Caleb was descended from Esau – not a native Israelite, yet he was a leader among the Israelites.
• Joshua 14:7-13 – Caleb was 40 in Numbers 14:34. He is now 85. This is 45 years later, but he still has his amazing faith and defeats the Anakim.

Luke 9:20: “The Christ of God”

• I Peter 2:24 – Jesus’ crucifixion was a sacrificial offering.
• Hebrews 9:28
• I Corinthians 15:3-4 – Christ died, was buried, and rose again.
• Luke 9:23

Ephesians 2:8: “by grace you have been saved through faith”

• Noah – ark (Genesis 6) – Hebrews 11:7
• Israel – Jericho (Joshua 6) – Hebrews 11:30
• Naaman – Leprosy (II Kings 5)
• Ephesians 2:4-10

Matthew 22:37: “You shall love the Lord your God.”

• Matthew 22:34-40
• I John 5:3 – Loving God means keeping His commandments.

I Peter 2:2: “long for the pure milk of the word”

• I Peter 2:1-3
• James 1:21-22

Colossians 1:18: “He is also the head of the body, the church”

• Jesus is the authority.
• Ephesians 5:23 – The body is composed of the saved.
• The church does not make laws. God has already made the laws.
• The church does not save – it is composed of the saved.
• II Corinthians 5:15

I John 2:15: “Do not love the world”

• I John 2:15-17
• We must get used to being different.
• James 4:4
• John 15:18

II Timothy 4:18: “the crown of righteousness”

• II Timothy 4:6-8
• John 5:28-29 – There will be a day of judgment.
• Psalms 130:3-4

Conclusion

• In 1000 years, what will you wish you had done?

Faith, love, and obedience

• We see the evidence of God’s love for us (Creation, care, the sacrifice of His only Son)
• How do we show love to God?
• God tells us what it means to love Him.
• John 14:15
• In modern terms, this is God’s love language.
• There is a direct connection between faith in God, loving God, and obeying God.
• We show our faith and our love by obeying God and through this obedience, we become more like Him, and our faith grows.
• II Peter 1:10-11
• Romans 6:12-13
• I am compelled to worship in spirit and truth (John 4:23-24). I serve God from the heart and in harmony with the truth as revealed in the gospel.
• I Corinthians 9:27 – Disciplining our body is part of obedience.
• We want to please God by obeying Him and worshiping Him the way He wants us to.
• What does obedience look like?
• II Peter 1:5 – I will try to develop these qualities in my everyday life.
  • My activities will be more virtuous.
  • I will strive for more knowledge.
  • I will develop self-control.
  • I will learn patience.
  • Godliness will be my goal.
  • I will try to show kindness to all.
  • In all things I will show a spirit of love.
• II Peter 3:17-18
• Hebrews 11:6
  • Note again two elements:
    • Believe that He is (faith)
    • Action (seeking Him)
  • God rewards those seeking Him and God does what He says.
  • The action (obeying Him) from faith (love of God) is diligently seeking Him (obeying Him and wanting to be like Him).
• If we fail, we have faith that God will forgive us.
• I Thessalonians 5:22
• Romans 3:23
• Romans 6:1-2, 12-13
• I John 1:8-9
• That should make us love Him more.

Introduction

• Acts 16:11-34, 40 – The examples of Lydia and the Philippian jailer.

Pual gives an excellent example of unselfishness.

• Philippians 1:1-8 – Paul was focusing on them. Paul was writing from prison, but didn’t focus on himself.
• If someone asks you how you are doing, do you always answer with complaints? Are you always focusing on the negative?
• Philippians 1:12-14 – Paul spoke about his imprisonment in a way that focused on the good that was being done because of it.
• Philippians 2:1-5, 19-21
• Philippians 4:1, 17

Paul exemplifies the joy and peace Christians have in the face of distress and death.

Paul’s example of staying positive

Pray

• Philippians 4:6-7 – God won’t necessarily take away the storms of life, but He will give you a raincoat and hold your hand.

Engage with brethren

• Philippians 1:3

Stay busy

• Philippians 1:13 – Paul was busy and productive, even in prison.
• I Kings 19:2-4, 14-18 – Elijah was literally running for life. God gave him something to do to help his depressed spirit.
• Philippians 1:21-24
• Philippians 2:17
• II Corinthians 12:15
• Philippians 3:5-11
• Philippians 3:20