THINKING DIFFERENT IS DIFFICULT
Get Used to Different! #4
Pastor Dennis Clanton
Woodland Church
Sunday, August 28, 2022
WHO and WHAT I LISTEN TO SHAPES MY LIFE.
(Ephesians 4:24, LB) “Yes, you must be a new and different person, holy and good.”
(Ephesians 4:17, 21–24, NLT) “Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused.… Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.”
1. LISTEN TO JESUS.
(Ephesians 4:21, NLT) “Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him,”
A. Throw off you old sinful nature.
(Ephesians 4:22, NLT) “Throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception.”
B. Put on your new nature.
(Ephesians 4:24, NLT) “Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.”
The devil’s lies will destroy you.
(1 John 1:8, NLT) “If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth.”
(1 Timothy 2:3–4, NLT) “… God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth.”
(2 Timothy 3:16–17, NLT) “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.”
2. WELCOME HOLY SPIRIT RENEWAL.
(Ephesians 4:23, NLT) “Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.”
(Philippians 2:5, AMP) “Let this same attitude and purpose and [humble] mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus.”
“God can show Himself as He really is only to real men. And that means not simply to men who are individually good, but to men who are united together in a body, loving one another, helping one another, showing Him to one another. For that is what God meant humanity to be like; like players in one band, or organs in one body.
Consequently, the one really adequate instrument for learning about God is the whole Christian community, waiting for Him together.” C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, (pg. 204, Apple Books)
3. YIELD DAILY TO THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
(2 Corinthians 3:18, LB) “As the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him.”
GROWTHWORK
1. Worship together with the Church. (Hebrews 10:24-25)
2. Encourage one another. (100 one another in 94 verses of the New Testament)
3. Don’t let the world confuse you.
4. Replace the foolish ideas about life with the wisdom of God
5. What spiritual, mental, emotional, or physical discoveries have you learned today?
6. Are there changes you need to make in your thought life?
7. Take time daily to grow in your knowledge of Christ.