* When you partner with God in your work He takes responsibility for the results.

* That principle has literally led us in our business.

* Watch how He works:

* vs 20 - He becomes our guide, our teacher.

* vs 21 - When you start down a direction you will hear His voice - “This is the way, walk in it!”

* This is how God directs you - as you move forward, He guides.

* When you’re consciously aware of God in your decision making He will guide you through your conscience.

* vs 22 - He guides you through REPENTANCE!

* When you repent watch what He does for your business.

* vs 23 - He gives you rain for the seed and bread from the yield of the ground.

* He gives you the raw product you need and then He blesses your process as you make the product into something that feeds others.

* Isaiah 31:1 - Whoa to those who refuse to partner with God!

* There are lots of different aspects to the “mystery” of the Gospel.

* Paul mentions several in his writings, but they all center on this main point:

* The mystery is the great purpose of God in Christ.

* It can be applied in these ways:

* that meant Christ died for the sins of all.

* that meant Jews and Gentiles were equal (vs 6).

* that meant those who believed were Christ’s bride and were His body.

* that meant that marriage symbolizes Christ’s marriage with the church.

* vs 8-10 - Weirsbe - Satan knows the Bible, and he understood from the Old Testament Scriptures that the Savior would come, when He would come, how He would come, and where He would come. Satan also understood why He would come, as far as redemption is concerned. But nowhere in the Old Testament would Satan find any prophecies concerning the church, “the mystery” of Jews and Gentiles united in one body! Satan could see unbelieving Jews rejecting their Messiah, and he could see Gentiles trusting the Messiah, but he could not see both believing Jews and Gentiles united in one body, seated with Christ in the heavenlies, and completely victorious over Satan! Had Satan known the far-reaching results of the Cross, no doubt he would have altered his plans accordingly.

* As believers (members of the church), we’re in the education business!

* We reveal the mystery!

* These verses sound like a contradiction:

* vs 8 - you’re saved through FAITH…

* vs 10 - you’re created for good WORKS….

* The solution:

* We’re created for good works, but we cannot start there.

* We start with faith and then our work is born out of our faith.

* Not the other way around - we can never “do” enough to earn salvation.

* Faith in God motivates us to work with God.

* Our motivation is love for our adoptive Father.

* In this way we live inside-out.

* Living inside-out makes you fireproof - you’ll never burn out.

* When people say, “How do we integrate our faith into our work?” the answer is, “Your faith should motivate your work.”

* **** It doesn’t “integrate,” it “instigates!”****

* The reason we’re the best workers is because we have a relationship with the God who created all things.

* Galatians 3:23-27 - the Law was their tutor until Christ came.

* Galatians 4:1-7 - Just like the heir of an estate needs tutors, when he’s older and more mature he no longer needs them.

* Living under the law after Christ would be like the heir of an estate who’s matured remaining under the tutors like a slave.

* The law was made to prepare us to rule as SONS and DAUGTHERS of the King!

* When the Holy Spirit enters your heart you don’t need law.

* Why?

* Because you have a brand new identity - you’re sons and daughters of the King and the King is powerful over all things.

* You now have a relationship with God. You don’t have to be slaves to the Law.

* The law defines the lowest you can go, but the Spirit demands the highest we can go.

* Galatians 4:8-10 - Paul is telling them that since they are now free they don’t need to go back to the law.

* But it was too easy for them to keep doing what they were doing.

* Religion is always easier than relationship.

* It’s easier to follow a set of rules than to engage in a dynamic relationship.

* But religion thwarts relationship.

* Imagine trying to talk to your dad like a Catholic recites a rosary.

* We’re sons and daughters of the KING!

* Now grow in that relationship.

* Notice Paul gave God credit for something Titus did.

* God comforted them THROUGH Titus.

* Paul was able to see “through” Titus “to” God.

* This is so incredibly important in relationships.

* We need to always see God as our Source.

* When we do this we keep our relationship with God and others thriving.

* Why? Because we take the pressure off of them to meet our needs.

* We call it “trust the triangle” where two people focus on and draw close to God they end up drawing close to each other.

* Jesus always told His disciples before He died, “Keep watch!”

* This is looking and listening for God in all things.

* So when someone does something ossum you’ll see God through them and not give them the credit when God deserves it.

* This keeps you from people worship.

* But when they do something bad you’ll see the enemy through them and you won’t grow bitter toward them (like Jesus with Peter - “get behind me Satan”).

* This keeps you from despising others.

* See the spirit behind the person and it will keep your relationships in tact.

* We’re not committed to Christ simply for salvation, but also His view of the world. sin, and Satan.

* It’s our responsibility to learn to see and discern as He does.

* Hebrews 5:13-14 - we discipline ourselves to be able to discern as Christ does.

* The problem today is that Christianity is relegated into the corner as a means of getting people out of hell and into heaven.

* The only way a comprehensive worldview can be overtaken is by another comprehensive worldview.

* Culture doesn’t change by trying to get people saved.

* Culture changes as we disciple people to view the world as God does.

* vs 1 - Notice three things Paul put together in verse 2:

* These people were being persecuted, were really poor, yet they were filled with joy!

* Only people filled with the Holy Spirit could have joy in the midst of this.

* If you don’t have joy, you need to re-joy.

* How?

* vs 2 - you have to give away what you have!

* Just like Hannah in 1 Samual 2:1 when she gave away her son.

* Just like Paul says in Philippians 4:4 - rejoice in the Lord always!

* How does this work?

* Peace and joy are linked.

* When we give our situation to God He gives us peace, and this peace brings joy.

* Where your treasure is there your heart will be.

* When you give (your treasure) your emotions will follow.

* It’s like fasting for your physical health - you “give up” food, which empties your gut.

* Then your body experiences peace which makes you feel better (joy).

* vs 13-14 - this is talking about Satan when he was an angel in heaven.

* vs 15 - God is saying what will happen to Satan in the future as Christ comes back to reign as King.

* Satan will be exposed for who he really is.

* vs 16 - The people will respond the same way the people did in the Wizard of Oz.

* “This was the guy we were afraid of? Phfff!”

* So many of us struggle with fear but we don’t know the guy behind the fear is a pip-squeak compared to God.

* God has given us a hint of how we can live before Satan is exposed!

* I’ve used vs 4 a lot to show how to gain the presence of our spouse - through thanks and praise.

* But notice the last part of the verse - “Bless His name.”

* This is talking about our relationship to God, and how we as God’s representatives are a blessing to His name.

* When people know we’re Christians it should make Christ look good!

* The same is true in relationships.

* A wife takes on the name of her husband - is she a blessing to that name?

* She’ll bless that name if she lives a thankful life for taking that name.

* vs 5 - this is Key: God has proven why He should be thanked and praised - because “He is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting and His faithfulness to all generations.”

* As husbands, is this true of us?

* If so, then thanks and praise from our wives will be the natural outflow of their lives.

* How does a person choose evil?

* A heart bent on sin calls evil good.

* His will (which is bent on sin) will convince the intellect that there is something good to be gained by giving in to the temptation.

* Like a person who steals money - they don’t see stealing as evil because it’s good to be rich, it’s good to give, it’s good to have money for my family.

* He has called evil good.

* Think about Eve - “when the woman saw that the tree was GOOD for food, and that it was a DELIGHT to the eyes, and it was DESIRABLE to make one WISE…”

* The only way she could sin was to convert the disobedience into something good.

* People do evil when they have converted the act into something good for them.

* Think about a time when you sinned (did evil).

* You first convinced yourself that what you were about to do was justifiable.

* Some greater need at the moment blocked the voice of your conscience and you called evil good.

* If this is unchecked for too long, you will then start to call good evil.

* This is when you become a God-hater.