SINGLE LIFE 2
SINGLE LIFE 2
"DON'T LET THE EXCITEMENT OF YOUTH CAUSE YOU TO FORGET YOUR CREATOR. HONOUR Him IN YOUR YOUTH BEFORE YOU GROW OLD AND SAY, “Life is NOT pleasant ANYMORE.”
Ecclesiastes 12:1 (NLT)
• The Holy Spirit admonishes the believers through this epistle of Apostle Paul: "DON'T COPY THE BEHAVIOUR AND CUSTOMS OF THIS WORLD, BUT LET GOD TRANSFORM YOU INTO A NEW PERSON BY CHANGING THE WAY YOU THINK. THEN YOU WILL LEARN TO KNOW GOD'S WILL FOR YOU, WHICH IS GOOD AND PLEASING AND PERFECT" (Romans 12:2 (NLT).
I. Believers should not copy the behaviour and customs of this world (Romans 12:2).
- When you become a Believer in Christ Jesus, you had to do away with any relationship that will not help your Christian faith (2 Corinthians 6:14-18).
- Any relationship that encourages you to commit Sin has to be broken. The reason being that evil communication corrupt good habit or manner; because there is power in influence (1 Corinthians 15:33).
- If you walk with someone who lives and wallows in Sin, you would be influenced to do whatever they are doing (Psalm 1:1). The Scripture says: CAN TWO WALK TOGETHER, UNLESS THEY ARE AGREED?" (Amos 3:3 NKJV).
- And Also:
1 WHAT SHALL WE SAY [to all this]? SHOULD WE CONTINUE IN SIN AND PRACTICE SIN AS A HABIT SO THAT [God’s gift of] GRACE MAY INCREASE AND OVERFLOW? 2 CERTAINLY NOT! HOW CAN WE, THE VERY ONES WHO DIED TO SIN, CONTINUE TO LIVE IN IT ANY LONGER?" (Romans 6:1,2 Amps.) - For you to walk in close fellowship with God, you have to do away with Sin and those who encourage you to commit it. Stay away from sinful friends:
"I MEANT THAT YOU ARE NOT TO ASSOCIATE WITH ANYONE WHO CLAIMS TO BE A BELIEVER YET INDULGES IN SEXUAL SIN, OR IS GREEDY, OR WORSHIPS IDOLS, OR IS ABUSIVE, OR IS A DRUNKARD, OR CHEATS PEOPLE. DON'T EVEN EAT WITH SUCH PEOPLE" (1 Corinthians 5:11 NLT).
II. But let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think (Romans 12:2).
- Until a person's thinking changes, he or she cannot completely change.
a. Your thinking cannot change when you are still copying the behaviour and customs of the world (1 John 2:15-17).
b. Your thinking also cannot change by hanging out with the wrong people—those who influence and encourage you to indulge in sinful habits or practices. - There are things that determine a person's thoughts, and they are: what you see, what you hear, and the people you associate with. This is why the Scripture says: "GUARD YOUR HEART ABOVE ALL ELSE, FOR IT DETERMINES THE COURSE OF YOUR LIFE" (Proverbs 4:23 (NLT).
- You need to keep or protect your heart or mind; you sieve, screen out, or pick out what you watch, what you listen to; also check and sort carefully those you relate with.
- The way you think could be changed by reading, studying, and listening to the Word of God. What changes a person's thoughts is the Word of God.
- If you did not have the time for the Word of God, the change of your thinking or transformation of your mind, might be difficult.
- Whatever you feed your mind with determines the quality of the life you live. You cannot live better than what you hear and see around you. You have a duty or a responsibility to choose what you allow in your mind and the people you allow in your life. Relationship is by choice and not by Force: "ADULTERERS AND ADULTERESSES! DO YOU NOT KNOW THAT FRIENDSHIP WITH THE WORLD IS ENMITY WITH GOD? WHOEVER THEREFORE WANTS TO BE A FRIEND OF THE WORLD MAKES HIMSELF [herself] AN ENEMY OF GOD" (James 4:4 NKJV). Think, ponder on This!
III. THEN YOU WILL LEARN TO KNOW GOD'S WILL FOR YOU, WHICH IS GOOD AND PLEASING AND PERFECT (Romans 12:2).
- If you had taken a responsibility to take the first two steps mentioned: Not to copy the behaviour and customs of the world; And you had allowed God to change the way you think; Then this third step, will take place in your life: You will know what God wants you to do—His Will or plan for your life, which is good, pleasing, and perfect.
- It is at this point you get to know the mind of God for your life. Your mind, or the thinking of yours, would have changed at this point. Your perspective about life has changed. You can see life with God's eyes, His perspective—His way of looking at or thinking about life.
11 NO one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit.
12 AND WE HAVE RECEIVED GOD'S SPIRIT (not the world’s spirit), SO WE CAN KNOW THE WONDERFUL THINGS GOD HAS FREELY GIVEN US."
1 Corinthians 2:11,12 (NLT)
• You will not fail in Jesus' name.
- Healing, living in health, is a part of the redemptive covenant of a Believer, thus, whatever is contrary to your health is cursed and uprooted totally in Jesus' name.
- Your freedom, deliverance, is made complete in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
Peace!
TO BE CONTINUED
STEPS TO SALVATION
• Take notice of this:
IF you are yet to take the step of salvation, that is, yet to be born-again, do it now, tomorrow might be too late (2 Corinthians 6:1,2; Hebrews 3:7,8,15).
a. Acknowledge that you are a sinner and confess your Sins (1 John 1:9); And ask Jesus Christ to come into your life (Revelation 3:20).
b. Confess that you believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is Lord, and that you confess it with your mouth, Thus, you accept Him As your Lord and Saviour (Romans 10:9,10).
c. Ask that He will write your name in the Book of Life (Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:8).
- If you took the steps As highlighted above, It means you are saved—born-again. Join a Word based church in your area and Town or city, and be part of whatever they are doing there. Peace!