Prayer and the "Perfection Possibility"

Prayer and the “Perfection Possibility”

1 Thessalonians 5:14-22

“Pray continually.” (NIV)

“Pray without ceasing/constantly.” (ESV) 

- 1 Thessalonians 5:17

Note: This is God’s purpose for working in your life: Perfection

1. “Sanctified through and through” = Complete and Permanent Transformation.

2. “Blameless” = above reproach... implies a witness connotation

Point: Prayer maintains a dedicated line of communication with God...

Life Lesson: Unbroken communion with God sustains us perfectly.

2 Blessings of the “Unbroken Communion” Life 

Blessing 1 – Deeper Peace with God

Philippians 4:6-7 – “Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Richard Foster - “Unceasing prayer has a way of speaking peace to the chaos.” ( Prayer: Finding the Heart’s True Home)

Blessing 2 – Purer Passion for God.

Howard Taylor - “For forty years the sun never rose on China that God didn’t find him on his knees.”

1 Thessalonians 5:14 – “We urge you, beloved, to admonish the idlers, encourage the faint hearted, help the weak, be patient with all of them.”

Point: Prayer is the food that satisfies the soul for God.

8 Disciplines of Perfection 

Discipline 1 – “Be Joyful Always.” (v. 16)

“Joy” = the satisfaction of the soul

Discipline 2 – “Pray continually.” (v. 17)

Discipline 3 – “Give thanks in all circumstances.” (v. 18)

2 Corinthians 9:8 – “God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”

William Barclay – “Even on the darkest days there are blessings to count.” 

Discipline 4 – “Do not put out the Spirit’s fire.” (v. 19)

Matthew 12:30-32 – Jesus said, “Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me. 31 So I tell you, every sin and blasphemy can be forgiven - except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which will never be forgiven. 32 Anyone who speaks against the Son of Man can be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, either in this world or in the world to come.” (NLT)

Point: Let God lead the church.

Discipline 5 – “Do not treat prophecies with contempt.” (v. 20)

“Contempt” = to be cavalier/resistant about God’s revealed will.

Colossians 3:16 – “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom.”

Discipline 6 – “Test everything.” (v. 21a)

“Test” = verify authenticity, consistency; implies avoiding gullibility

1 John 4:1 – “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”

Discipline 7 – “Hold on to the good.” (v. 21b)

Point: Purity is the result of testing and holding.

Discipline 8 – “Avoid every kind of evil.” (v. 22)

“Evil” = distortion, twisting or destruction of what is of God.

Faith Fellowship Boca · Prayer and Perfection

Faith Fellowship Boca · Prayer and the "Perfection Possibility"

Prayer that Transforms

“Prayer that Transforms”

Search me, O God, and know my heart; 

test me and know my anxious thoughts. 

See if there is any offensive way in me, 

and lead me in the way everlasting.

- Psalm 139:23-24

Richard Foster – “To pray is to change.”

Life Lesson: We do not master prayer, prayer masters us.

The Power of Transformative Prayer

Application 1 – Transformative Prayer unpeels the layers of corruption in my heart.

Jeremiah 17:9 – “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” 

Psalm 139:23 – “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts.”

“Search Me” invites God to dig deep into our hidden places.  

“Test me” has judgment seat overtones.

Application 2 – Transformative Prayer cleanses the impurities from my heart.

Psalm 139:24a – “See if there is any wicked way in me...”

Point: Transformative Prayer opens the way for God to remove anything that he deems wicked.

Application 3 – Transformative Prayer sets my vision on holiness.

Psalm 139:24b – “...and lead me in the way everlasting.” 

** Israel often deviated from the “Way”

Jeremiah 6:16 – “Thus says the LORD: Stand at the crossroads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way lies; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, “We will not walk in it.”

** But Jesus not only showed us the Way back to God, he IS the Way.

John 14:6 – “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Point: Transformative Prayer enables us to choose holiness as our preferred lifestyle.

Faith Fellowship Boca · Prayer that Transforms

Prayer: God's Invitation to Intimacy

Prayer and Intimacy

James 4:1-10

Life Lesson: Prayer is our response to God’s invitation to Intimacy. 

** C.S. Lewis (Letters to Malcolm) – 4 Habits that Keep us from Intimacy with God

1. Inattention

2. Distraction

3. Greed

4. Conceit and Arrogance

 

I. Truths about Prayer

Truth 1 – James teaches us that God yearns to be intimate with us.

James 4:4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

James 4:5 – “God yearns jealously for the spirit that he has made to dwell in us.”

Point: Any flirtation with the world cause jealousy in the Lord’s heart. 

Truth 2 – When we are ready to come close to God, he welcomes us.

 

James 4:8 – “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.”

 

Point: “Drawing near” is the first step to Peace   

II. Stepping Stones to Intimacy

Stepping Stone 1 – Follow God’s five Guidelines to intimacy. (See: James 4:7-10)

7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

Guideline 1 – Submit... no matter the cost.

Guideline 2 – Resist...because Satan WILL attack.

Guideline 3 – Draw Near...after all, your intimacy journey is a choice.

Guideline 4 – Cleanse and Purify...so there are no barriers or pretenses in your heart.

Note: Daily confession is a great gift you give yourself.

Guideline 5 – Humble yourself...since God’s grace is discovered in Humility.

Stepping Stone 2 – Have a daily “Heart to Heart” with God.

Galatians 4:6 – “Because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.”

Point: Totally open up...Tell God all your fears, failures, hopes, dreams

Stepping Stone 3 – Have a daily “Praise” session.

Ephesians 5:19-20 – “Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Note: Ask for nothing during this Session.

Point: Love God for himself.

Psalm 106:3 – “Oh give thanks to the LORD for he is good.”

Faith Fellowship Boca · Prayer: God's Invitation to Intimacy

Galatians 6:6-18

Galatians 6:6-18

Galatians 6:7 – “Do not be deceived...” 

3 Deceptions of Sin

Deception 1 – God can be fooled.

Galatians 6:7b – “God cannot be mocked.”

Truth: Sin convinces us that we are the exception.

Max Anders – “Disregarding God’s counsel, we will always suffer. Each of us by our thoughts, attitudes, and actions is constantly planting for a future reaping.”

Application: God blesses those who trust him enough to ACT ON and REST IN his promises.

Deception 2 – I need to set my own agenda.

“It would certainly be a surprise if you planted corn and pumpkins came up.”

Point: God will reward each according to which agenda we follow.

Galatians 6:8 – “The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.”

Deception 3 – Life should be easy! (vs. 9-10)

Jeremiah 12:1 - “You are always righteous, O LORD, when I bring a case before you. Yet I would speak with you about your justice: Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the faithless live at ease?”

Galatians 6:9-10 - “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”

Point: Following Jesus can be brutally difficult.

The Final Encouragements (vs. 12-17)

Encouragement 1 – Don’t let anyone influence your life...except Jesus. (vs. 12-13)

Galatians 6:12 – “Those who want to make a good impression outwardly are trying to compel you to be circumcised. The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ.

Point: Life is not about making a good impression. Encouragement 2 – Jesus is your only Security. (vs. 14-15)

Galatians 6:14-15 – “May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation.”

Point: Our security is centered solely in the Cross.

Galatians 2:20 – “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Encouragement 3 – Proudly bear the marks of Jesus.

Galatians 6:17 – “Finally, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.”

Point: Whatever the consequences you bear for following Jesus, wear it proudly.

Galatians 5:16-6:5

Galatians 5:13-6:5

“Freedom of religion is the God-given right for each individual to choose to go to hell the human way or to go to heaven God’s way.”

- Unknown Author

** Works of the Flesh -

1. self-indulgent (v. 16) – “...gratifies the desires of the flesh”

2. contrary to and in conflict with the Spirit (v. 17) – so you “do what you do not want”

3. “obvious” (v. 19) = apparent, not hidden, public (See: Romans 1:19)

4. incompatible with heaven (v. 21b)... “ those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

   Point: Paul does not blame the “flesh” for spiritual problems...it is the natural outcome of a life lived under the Law.

** The Fruit of the Spirit... (vs. 22-23)

• “Love” (agape) = self-sacrificing love, reflects the very character of God (see: 1 John 4:8)

• “Joy” = deep, inner happiness and fulfillment that is not situation based

• “Peace” = inner sense of completion, not lacking anything...not referring to war

• “Patience” (makrothumia) = long-term, enduring patience, usually used in reference to a

  relationship more than a situation

• “Kindness” = an attitude of benevolence with others in response to their needs

• “Goodness” = an action of benevolence with others in response to their needs

• “Self-Control” = disciplined, not given to emotions

Paul’s Conclusion (v. 23b) – “Against such things there is no law.”

...in other words...this is the natural outcome of those who live in Freedom.

Application (vs. 24-26) – Freedom: The Solution to the Sinful Struggle

Application 1 – God empowers Christians to choose freedom of living by the Spirit rather the enslaved in the Flesh. (See: Galatians 5:24)

Application 2 – We make that daily choice by doing what Jesus would do. (See: Galatians 5:25) 

Application 3 – Arrogance and Freedom are incompatible. (See: Galatians 5:26)

Max Anders – “Freedom in Christ does not give us the right to do as we please, but the liberty to do as we ought.”

Freedom’s Impact (6:1-6) 

** When we live in the Spirit, Freedom has an Impact on:

•  ...our response to Sin

** Re: the Sin of Others –

o “...when someone is caught is sin, restore him gently...” (v. 1)

o “Caught” (Gk: prolambano) = means to “take by surprise” or “overtaken”... Note: “Sin” (Gk: paraptoma) = to “step/fall aside”.

** Re: Personal Sin –

“...watch yourself or you may be tempted.” (v. 1)

▪ “Watch” (Gk: skopeo, English, “Scope”) = to examine, inspect or scrutinize.

Richard Foster – “The disciplined person is the person who can do what needs to be done when it needs to be done. The disciplined person is the person who can live in the appropriateness of the hour. The extreme ascetic and the glutton have exactly the same problem: they cannot live appropriately; they cannot do what needs to be done when it needs to be done. The disciplined person is the free person.”

Point: Without careful, honest self-examination, Christians can be overtaken by sin.

... Relationships.

o “Carry each others burdens...fulfill law of Christ” (v. 2)

o “Burdens” (Gk: bastazo) usually refers to an excessively heavy item...

Point: Paul encourages Christians to help each other particularly when the burden is excessive.

... Personal Integrity –

o Be wary of false self-deception (v. 3) o Test you motives and results (vs. 4-5)

Point: Self-deception and comparing to others prohibits a Christian to serve others since arrogance leads to self-service.

Galatians 5:7-18

Galatians 5:7-18

** We do not “run the race” to be saved, but because we ARE saved.

“But I do not count my life of any value to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the good news of God’s grace.” 

– Acts 20:24

You, my brothers, were called to be free.

But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. 

- Galatians 5:13

** Freedom is:

• a “calling” (v. 13a)

  o v. 13a – “You, my brothers, were called to be free.” o Gk: ekkaleo = to be “called out”

  Point: Freedom is a calling that causes Christians to live differently from the World.

• an “opportunity” (v. 13b)

  o ESV better translation – “Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh...”

  Point: Freedom is a starting point/springboard for growth.

• motivation (v. 13c)

o Paul says (v. 13c), “Serve one another in love”...

o Note: Paul’s “single command” different from Jesus’  2 Great Commands

o The Question: Who has more to give?

▪ Can the World give you more? – and, so, you require others to serve you? ...it’s all about you?

▪ Or can you give the World more? – and, so, you fulfill your calling of serving the World in Love because the World has everything to gain in Christ.

Point: Freedom serves because the Free person KNOWS they have nothing to lose but others have everything to gain.

  

Three Practices of Freedom 

Freedom Practice #1 – Beware of your Adversaries

Galatians 5:7 – “You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth?”

** “Cut in” = Gk: planao – “to cause to wander”, lead astray, mislead

• used, originally, on the running track to describe someone who cuts off the leader to take charge/set the pace of a race

o Metaphorically: sense of leading someone off the path into the wilderness o Spiritually: cause someone to hold a wrong view/attitude

** In fact, Jesus predicts that this direct misleading will happen (Matthew 24:3-5)

Bottom Line Truth #1 – Anyone can be knocked off course. 

Freedom Practice #2 – Beware of the Persuaders.

Galatians 5:8-9 – “That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. 9 “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.”

Bottom Line Truth #2 - We obey/follow what (or who) we trust most. 

Freedom Practice #3 – Beware of your Sinful Nature

Galatians 5:16-17 – “So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17 For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other.”

** Essentially......all of the abuses of life are the result of our Sinful Natures. Question: So how do we live in the Spirit?

Answer: Freedom!

Bottom Line Truth #3 – We choose whom we will please.

Faith Fellowship Boca · Galatians 5.7 - 18

Galatians 5:1-6

  

Key Verse: “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” 

(Galatians 5:1)

** Defining “Freedom”

• Freedom is NOT:

  o License
  o Autonomy

  • ▪  1 Peter 2:16 – “Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.”

  • ▪  Quote: “Freedom from the law means freedom from moralism, from self-lordship before God in the guise of serious and obedient responsibility.”

    o Self-Determination...
    ▪ Quote: “We achieve self-control by letting ourselves be controlled.”

• Freedom IS:

  o Discovered in Truth
  ▪ Jesus said (John 8:32) – When we hold to his teachings...“Then you will know the

  truth, and the truth will set you free.” o Release from the domination of Sin

  ▪ Romans 6:18 – “You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.”

  o Power to Choose
  ▪ Reject the things that lead us away from God ▪ Embrace the things that connect us with God

• Romans 6:22 – “Now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.”

** Bottom Line: Freedom is a lifestyle choice.

2 Corinthians 3:17 – “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”

Peter in Acts 15:10 – “Why are you now challenging God by burdening the Gentile believers with a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors were able to bear?” (NLT)

Matthew 11:28-30 – Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Galatians 5:1-6

Strategy 1 – “Stand Firm”

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” - Galatians 5:1

** “Stand Firm” (Gk: steko) – this first COMMAND demands that we stay focused and strong.

• 1 Peter 5:9 – “Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family

of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are.”

Point: To live in Freedom is to live Resolutely in the Grace of God.

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” – Hebrews 12:2

Strategy 2 – “Do not be enslaved/yoked”

• A Better translation than the NIV’s would read, “...never again yoke yourself as a slave...”  

** Consequences of Re-Enslavement to the Law (5:2-4)

You are saying Jesus’ sacrifice was worthless (v. 2)
You are subject to the Law as a means of salvation (v. 3)...this makes salvation impossible.
You alienate yourself from Jesus (v. 4a)
You “fall away” from grace (v. 4b)

** Benefits of Standing Firm in Grace (5:5-6) 

Benefit 1 - Genuine Reason for Hope

v. 5 – “But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope.”

Benefit 2 - Meaning

v. 6 – “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.”

** So...How do you know if you are living in Freedom?

• The answer: love - v. 6 – “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” o 2 Corinthians 5:14 – “For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one

  died for all, and therefore all died.”

• But there are other signs...

  o We express freedom in service, in yielding our lives to the divinely demanded righteousness of love of God and neighbor (Romans 6:18ff.).

  o Being free, we accept civil obedience (Matthew 17:24ff; 1 Peter 2:13ff.).
  o We forego our “rights” or “privileges” for the sake of helping others (1 Corinthians 9:19).

o We live fully for God wherever we are living (1 Corinthians 7:20-24)

Faith Fellowship Boca · Galatians 5.1 - 6