Isaiah 29:13

Here are some things we typically do …

We do what we were going to do anyway.

Jeremiah 42:1-6, 19-22; 43:1-4 – The people would not believe Jeremiah!

Matthew 12:36

We talk about how good the preaching is … but we still don’t obey.

Ezekiel 33:30-33

James 1:22, 26-27

James 2:19-20, 24, 26

We sincerely intend to change … but something gets in the way.

So how do we get going?

Fear

Love

Luke 7:37-48

Love should be what motivates us!

Joel 2:12-13

Proverbs 8:22-36; 5:3-19; 6:23-35; 7:1-27

Proverbs 8:22-31 – Wisdom is an original quality, preceding the earth itself and exercised by God when He created the earth.

Sexual purity

Proverbs 5:3-6 – The adulteress sounds good, but she brings death

Proverbs 5:7-14

Proverbs 5:15-19 – The marriage relationship is blessed by God, but He created it to be enjoyed only within marriage. Stick to your mate!

Proverbs 6:23-35

Proverbs 7:1-27 – Both people made a series of mistakes that led them into sin. Don’t be like either of these people!

What is joy?

What does it mean to have joy?

“Joy is a more a state of mind than a state of elation.”

“Joy is a perspective that you filter everything through.”

John 15:1-11 – What can we learn about joy? Joy comes from bearing fruit for God.

Luke 15:5-10 – The angels in heaven rejoice when more souls are headed their way. The angels in heaven are concerned about us!

John 16:19-22 – Just as the disciples had great joy when Jesus was resurrected, we should have great joy when we see Jesus by faith.

Acts 12:6-14

Romans 14:13-19 – The absence of joy can be a tool of the devil.

Acts 8:1-3; 9:1-19 – The conversion of Saul (Paul).

Paul was thankful for God’s grace!

Romans 3:23-24; 5:1-2, 8 – We are all guilty of sin, but God has given us the gift of His grace.

II Corinthians 12:7-9 – God’s grace was sufficient for Paul, despite his nagging “thorn in the flesh.”

II Thessalonians 2:16-17

I Timothy 1:12-16 – God’s grace as abundant in showing mercy to Paul.

II Timothy 1:8-9

Titus 3:5-7 – We are not saved base don deeds we do to earn salvation.

Psalm 130:3-4

Paul had to correct the abuse of grace.

Romans 5:20-21; 6:1-4, 22-23 – God’s grace is not a green light to sin. Don’t fall back into sin!

Ephesians 1:7; 2:4-9 – This passage is often taken to mean that we don’t have to do anything to receive God’s grace. But that’s not what Paul taught the Ephesians in Acts!

Acts 19:1-5; 20:24, 21, 29-32 – Paul was teaching the Ephesians to repent and be baptized! They had to be careful not to fall back into sin!

If your grandmother told you she had a gift for you, but you had to go to the car to get it, your going to the car is not a “work” that earned you the gift. The gift was freely given, but there was a condition on you receiving the gift. God’s grace works in a similar way.

Paul used grace as a chance to turn his life around!

Acts 9:20

Romans 6:4

Ephesians 2:10

I Corinthians 15:8-10 – Paul used God’s grace to put away his old life of sin.

Titus 2:11-14

Psalm 130:3

Luke 9:23 – We must take up our cross and follow Jesus.

Luke 9:1-23 – Context surrounding Jesus’ admonition to take up our cross and follow Him.

The cross: meaning in context?

Matthew 10:34-38 – duty

Matthew 16:24 – duty

Matthew 27:32, 39 – physical cross

Mark 8:34 – duty

Mark 10:20-21 – duty

Mark 15:21, 29-32 – physical cross

Luke 9:23 – duty

Luke 14:27 – duty

Luke 23:26 – physical cross

John 19:17-19, 25, 31 – physical cross

I Corinthians 1:17-18 – the entire concept of salvation

Galatians 5:11 – plan of salvation

Galatians 6:12-14 – plan of salvation

Ephesians 2:16 – plan of salvation

Philippians 2:8 – physical cross (specifically, Jesus’ death)

Philippians 3:18 – concept of salvation

Colossians 1:20 – concept of salvation

Colossians 2:14 – Jesus’ physical death on the cross

Hebrews 12:2 – physical cross

Psalm 51

Psalms 51:13

Psalms 51:10

“Create in me a clean heart”

What was wrong with David’s heart?

This is David’s prayer of repentance after Nathan confronted him about his sin with Bathsheba.

David needed a clean heart. He had dirtied it with sin.

David needed a heart transplant in the spiritual sense.

The Bible heart:

Intellect

Thinks – Proverbs 23:7

Reasons – Mark 2:8

Believes – Romans 10:10

Understands – Matthew 13:15

Emotion

Will

Conscience

Psalms 73:1 – How can a man have his heart cleaned? By faith! Acts 15:9

II Corinthians 5:16 – We are new creatures in Christ – with a new heart.

“renew a right spirit in me”

Psalms 51:11

We must all draw nigh to God and have a close relationship with Him.

II John 1:9

I Corinthians 9:27

Psalms 51:12

David was not getting his joy from God when he lusted after Bathsheba and schemed to murder her husband.

We should find joy in God and rejoice in God’s salvation.

Philippians 3:3; Romans 12:10; I John 1:4; Psalms 5:11; I Peter 1:8; I Thessalonians 5:17 – Rejoice!

If we don’t enjoy serving God, we are not rightly serving God.

Psalms 51:13

What about my heart? Does it need cleaning?

Introduction

God gave specific (II Samuel 6:7) instructions about carrying the ark, but David did not follow them, resulting in the death of Uzzah.

Rehoboam corrupted worship.

Naaman at first refused God’s commands and was not healed until he relented and obeyed.

The Pharisees corrupted God’s teaching and were repeatedly rebuked for it by Jesus.

II John 1:9

What do we learn about local churches from the New Testament?

They assembled to worship God and edify each other (I Corinthians 14:12, 26, 40).

Singing – Colossians 3:16

Praying

Lord’s Supper

Preaching

Giving

They appointed men to work as elders and deacons. I Timothy 3:1-13

They dealt with sin among members. I Corinthians 5:1-2

They sounded forth the word. I Thessalonians 1:8

They used resources to care for needy Christians only. I Timothy 5:16

Modern religious “wisdom”

Worship God commands vs. entertainment, praise bands, contests, youth ministries, etc.

Elders and deacons vs. “pastor” system – a preacher who is the public face of the church and may run things.

Dealing with sin among members vs. a vast majority of people who don’t like being confronted with their sin.

Teaching and preaching vs. other gifts, treats, and coffee.

Using resources for needy Christians only vs. operating as a public charity.

God knew exactly what He was doing!

Quote from Frank Turek – Stealing From God

Introduction

Types of proverbs:

Contrast – Proverbs 13:20

Comparison – Proverbs 26:9

Straight-forward advice – Proverbs 18:13

Extended (parable-like) – Proverbs 24:30

Writers:

Solomon – Proverbs 1:1; 10:1; 25:1

I Kings 3:5-12; 4:29, 32; 10:6-7; Ecclesiastes 12:9

“Transcribed” by men of Hezekiah, Proverbs 25:1

Wise men otherwise unknown

Agur – Proverbs 30:1

King Lemuel (his mother) – Proverbs 31:1

We need more wisdom in this world!

Why aren’t these wise sayings always true?

These are general truths with exceptions.

God created humans with the ability to choose (Joshua 24:15).

Time and chance affect everything (Ecclesiastes 9:11).

Some passages may pertain to promises unique to Old Covenant Israel.

Different circumstances call for different applications of wisdom. (Proverbs 6:4-5; Proverbs 18:22 vs Proverbs 21:9)

Proverbs 1:2 – The purpose of Proverbs: to know wisdom and instruction.

Proverbs 1:4 – Proverbs are for helping the young and naïve so they don’t have to learn everything the hard way.

Proverbs 1:5-7 – Pride works against wisdom!

Proverbs 1:10-19 – Peer pressure is not a new problem!

Proverbs 1:17-18 – Even a bird has enough sense to not enter an obvious trap, but people that run to evil set a trap for themselves!