Lifestyle
Our lifestyle should reflect what we believe. We live with neighbors whose values
may be completely different from ours. Jesus tells us how, He says “you are the salt
of the earth, but if the salt have lost its savor, wherewith shall it be salted? It is
therefore good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do
men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick, and it gives light
to all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see
your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:13-16).
We are called to maintain a lifestyle that shows our faith. We are supposed to live
and walk by faith (II Corinthians 5:7). And faith is acting on the word of God.
Our life should show that we put obeying God before doing what is praised and
accepted by society. Look at Cornelius, even though he was outside of the
covenant of Israel, he got the attention of God because of his lifestyle (Acts 10:1-4),
“there was a certain man of Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band
called the Italian band. A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house,
which gave much alms to the people and prayed to God always. He saw in a vision
evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and
saying to him, Cornelius. And when he looked on him, he was afraid and said, what
is it, Lord? And he said to him, your prayers and your alms are come up for a
memorial before God”. Cornelius was instructed to send to Joppa and call for Simon
Peter and as he did, Peter came and preached the word saying “the word which
God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: He is Lord of
all. That word, I say to you, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began
from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached. How God anointed Jesus of
Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and
healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with Him. While Peter yet
spoke these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all them which heard the word. And they of
the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter,
because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 10:
36-38,44-45).
Our lifestyle should be a reflection of God’s kingdom. Kingdom people seek
different blessings and benefits, and they have different attitudes. Their entire
lifestyle out to be different. Ask yourself, are your attitudes a carbon copy if the
world’s selfishness, pride, and lust for power, or do they reflect the humility and self-
sacrifice of Jesus, your King? WWJD bracelets were popular a few years back, and
they were to get us to question our lifestyle. The good news is that we can know
what would Jesus do, by knowing what He did. After all we are told to imitate Jesus
(Ephesians 5:1-2), and Philippians 2:5 tells us to “let this mind be in you, which was
also in Christ Jesus”. And then I John 4:17 “because as He is, so are we in this
world”.
Jesus’ lifestyle involved prayer continually and obedience to the will of God, even to
the point of death (Matthew 26:39) “and He (Jesus) went a little farther, and fell on
His face, and prayed, saying, O My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from
Me, nevertheless not as I will, but as You will”. In the Garden of Gethsemane, He
yielded His will to the Father.
Our lifestyle should be one of discipline. The Christian life takes hard work, self
denial, and preparation. As Christians, we are running toward our heavenly reward.
The essential disciplines of prayer, Bible study, and worship equip us to run with
vigor and stamina. Train diligently for your spiritual progress depends upon it. Paul
tell us that Jesus died to redeem us has called us to live for Him (Galatians 2:20)
says “I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me,
and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who
loved me, and gave Himself for me”. And he tells us “likewise reckon you also
yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God through Jesus Christ our
Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in the
lusts thereof. Neither yield you your members as instruments of unrighteousness to
sin; but yield yourselves to God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your
members as instruments of righteousness to God” (Romans 6:11-13).
Paul tells Timothy to “study to show yourself approved to God, a workman that
needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (II Timothy 2:15). Paul
also tells the Ephesians “that you put off concerning the former conversation the old
man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts. And be renewed in the spirit
of your mind. And that you put on the new man, which after God is created in
righteousness and true holiness” (Ephesians 4:22-24). The same advice is for us
as well.
The good news is that this is not done on our own. Romans 8:11 says “but if the
Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up
Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwells in
you”.
When we try to change our lifestyle by ourselves, in the flesh, it doesn’t work. I
remember when I was an alcoholic, I tried many times to stop drinking and it seemed
to work for awhile, but without success. But when I came to the Lord, you see I was
religious for over 35 years but I didn’t have a relationship with the Lord Jesus, until I
made Him more than just a savior and He became my Lord. Lord means ruler,
master. Jesus says “why call you Me, Lord and do not what I say”.
We are told that we are brought with a price and we are no longer our own. As we
surrender our will to God, our lifestyle begins to change because (Philippians 1:6)
says “being confident of this very thing, that He which has begun a good work in
you, will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ”. As we continue in His word, we are
cleansed, the Holy Spirit works within our life. Our part is to meditate in the word of
God, and believe that what God says about us is the truth. Proverbs 23:7 says “as
a man thinks in his heart, so is he”. We have to see ourselves as the word of God
says we are, remember that what we think in our heat, not our head guides us. Our
heart is our spirit man.
Jesus says it this way (John 15:1-10) “I am the true vine, and My Father is the
husbandman. Every branch in Me that bears not fruit, He takes away and every
branch that bears fruit, He purges it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now you are
clean through the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you, as
the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, no more can you,
except you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches, he that abides in Me,
and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If
a man abide not in Me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered and men gather
them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My
words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done to you. Herein
is My Father gloried, that you bear much fruit, so shall you be My disciples. As the
Father has loved Me, have I loved you, continue you in My love. If you keep My
commandments you shall abide in My love; even as I have kept My Father’s
commandments and abide in His love”.
Our lifestyle should be consistent with God’s word. Remember what God told
Joshua “this book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall
meditate therein day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is
written therein; for then you shall make your way prosperous and then you shall
have good success” (Joshua 1:8). God will examine what kind of workers we have
been for Him, we should build our life on His word and build His word into our life, it
alone tells us how to live for Him and serve Him. Consistent and diligent study of
God’s word is vital; remember that we are washed by the water of the word,
otherwise we will be lulled into neglecting God and our true purpose for living.
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: September 4, 2009
Our lifestyle should reflect what we believe. We live with neighbors whose values
may be completely different from ours. Jesus tells us how, He says “you are the salt
of the earth, but if the salt have lost its savor, wherewith shall it be salted? It is
therefore good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do
men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick, and it gives light
to all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see
your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:13-16).
We are called to maintain a lifestyle that shows our faith. We are supposed to live
and walk by faith (II Corinthians 5:7). And faith is acting on the word of God.
Our life should show that we put obeying God before doing what is praised and
accepted by society. Look at Cornelius, even though he was outside of the
covenant of Israel, he got the attention of God because of his lifestyle (Acts 10:1-4),
“there was a certain man of Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band
called the Italian band. A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house,
which gave much alms to the people and prayed to God always. He saw in a vision
evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and
saying to him, Cornelius. And when he looked on him, he was afraid and said, what
is it, Lord? And he said to him, your prayers and your alms are come up for a
memorial before God”. Cornelius was instructed to send to Joppa and call for Simon
Peter and as he did, Peter came and preached the word saying “the word which
God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: He is Lord of
all. That word, I say to you, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began
from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached. How God anointed Jesus of
Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and
healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with Him. While Peter yet
spoke these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all them which heard the word. And they of
the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter,
because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 10:
36-38,44-45).
Our lifestyle should be a reflection of God’s kingdom. Kingdom people seek
different blessings and benefits, and they have different attitudes. Their entire
lifestyle out to be different. Ask yourself, are your attitudes a carbon copy if the
world’s selfishness, pride, and lust for power, or do they reflect the humility and self-
sacrifice of Jesus, your King? WWJD bracelets were popular a few years back, and
they were to get us to question our lifestyle. The good news is that we can know
what would Jesus do, by knowing what He did. After all we are told to imitate Jesus
(Ephesians 5:1-2), and Philippians 2:5 tells us to “let this mind be in you, which was
also in Christ Jesus”. And then I John 4:17 “because as He is, so are we in this
world”.
Jesus’ lifestyle involved prayer continually and obedience to the will of God, even to
the point of death (Matthew 26:39) “and He (Jesus) went a little farther, and fell on
His face, and prayed, saying, O My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from
Me, nevertheless not as I will, but as You will”. In the Garden of Gethsemane, He
yielded His will to the Father.
Our lifestyle should be one of discipline. The Christian life takes hard work, self
denial, and preparation. As Christians, we are running toward our heavenly reward.
The essential disciplines of prayer, Bible study, and worship equip us to run with
vigor and stamina. Train diligently for your spiritual progress depends upon it. Paul
tell us that Jesus died to redeem us has called us to live for Him (Galatians 2:20)
says “I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me,
and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who
loved me, and gave Himself for me”. And he tells us “likewise reckon you also
yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God through Jesus Christ our
Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in the
lusts thereof. Neither yield you your members as instruments of unrighteousness to
sin; but yield yourselves to God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your
members as instruments of righteousness to God” (Romans 6:11-13).
Paul tells Timothy to “study to show yourself approved to God, a workman that
needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (II Timothy 2:15). Paul
also tells the Ephesians “that you put off concerning the former conversation the old
man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts. And be renewed in the spirit
of your mind. And that you put on the new man, which after God is created in
righteousness and true holiness” (Ephesians 4:22-24). The same advice is for us
as well.
The good news is that this is not done on our own. Romans 8:11 says “but if the
Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up
Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwells in
you”.
When we try to change our lifestyle by ourselves, in the flesh, it doesn’t work. I
remember when I was an alcoholic, I tried many times to stop drinking and it seemed
to work for awhile, but without success. But when I came to the Lord, you see I was
religious for over 35 years but I didn’t have a relationship with the Lord Jesus, until I
made Him more than just a savior and He became my Lord. Lord means ruler,
master. Jesus says “why call you Me, Lord and do not what I say”.
We are told that we are brought with a price and we are no longer our own. As we
surrender our will to God, our lifestyle begins to change because (Philippians 1:6)
says “being confident of this very thing, that He which has begun a good work in
you, will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ”. As we continue in His word, we are
cleansed, the Holy Spirit works within our life. Our part is to meditate in the word of
God, and believe that what God says about us is the truth. Proverbs 23:7 says “as
a man thinks in his heart, so is he”. We have to see ourselves as the word of God
says we are, remember that what we think in our heat, not our head guides us. Our
heart is our spirit man.
Jesus says it this way (John 15:1-10) “I am the true vine, and My Father is the
husbandman. Every branch in Me that bears not fruit, He takes away and every
branch that bears fruit, He purges it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now you are
clean through the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you, as
the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, no more can you,
except you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches, he that abides in Me,
and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If
a man abide not in Me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered and men gather
them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My
words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done to you. Herein
is My Father gloried, that you bear much fruit, so shall you be My disciples. As the
Father has loved Me, have I loved you, continue you in My love. If you keep My
commandments you shall abide in My love; even as I have kept My Father’s
commandments and abide in His love”.
Our lifestyle should be consistent with God’s word. Remember what God told
Joshua “this book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall
meditate therein day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is
written therein; for then you shall make your way prosperous and then you shall
have good success” (Joshua 1:8). God will examine what kind of workers we have
been for Him, we should build our life on His word and build His word into our life, it
alone tells us how to live for Him and serve Him. Consistent and diligent study of
God’s word is vital; remember that we are washed by the water of the word,
otherwise we will be lulled into neglecting God and our true purpose for living.
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: September 4, 2009
