Acts 24:25

Self-control means “mastery” or “restraint”. It means that we have the ability to do something, but we refrain from doing it.

If no one in a society exercised self-control, there would be total chaos and anarchy.

Why must we exercise self-control in these areas?

Emotions (Proverbs 16:32

Emotions themselves are not sinful, but they can cause us to sin if we leave them unchecked.

Speech (James 1:26

If we don’t control our speech, we can greatly harm others and ruin whatever good influence we may have with them.

Rmans 4:1-12 - If a man is saved, it will be because of his faith which reaches out to grab the grace and forgiveness that God offers.

Lessons from aforetime:

Abraham (Genesis 22:1-12

Job (Job 1:21

Joseph (Genesis 39:7-10

Moses (Hebrews 11:24-26

The results of a positive faith:

As relates to daily living: (I Timothy 5:22

As relates to the local church (I Corinthians 16:1-2

As relates to the sinner who has come to have a positive faith

As relates to the newborn Christian

As relates to the mature Christian (Hebrews 5:14

As relates to the negligent

As relates to the apostate (Acts 8:22

Luke 19:1-10

What a short story about a short man teaches me about serving God today

Jesus loves the small guy

Luke 3:12-13 - Many tax collectors of that day abused their power and collected more taxes than necessary.

James 2:2-4 - warning about being prejudiced for or against those with wealth

Romans 12:16 - Do not be wise in your own estimation.

The grumblers missed the point

Luke 15:1-2 - More grumbling about Jesus associating with tax collectors.

Luke 7:36-39 - the Pharisee grumbling about the woman anointing Jesus

We need to be careful not to miss the point. Religion is not about pomp or entertainment or elevating your status - it’s about serving God and saving souls.

Zaccheus was ready to repent, not brag.

Luke 18:18-23 - The rich young ruler.

We must not rest on our laurels!

I Timothy 6:11-12 - How is Timothy told to pursue gentleness but then told to “fight the good fight of faith” in the very next verse?

He was to fight with a spirit of gentleness, not to be overbearing and tear people down in his preaching.

Jesus is the perfect example of meekness (Matthew 11:29. Being meek does not mean that someone cannot help himself and has no authority, power, or ability to be asserted.

We should be gentle when giving spiritual help to someone. (Galatians 6:1

Ephesians 4:2 - What other qualities or actions go along with gentleness?

Humility, patience, tolerance, compassion, kindness, being peacable, being considerate

What are the practical benefits of a Christian being truly meek?

We are pleasing to God.

We make is easier for others to see God’s influence in our lives.

Earthly relationships become more peaceful and harmonious.

Meekness is not weakness. It is the controlled and appropriate use of the authority that comes from God.

How useless the earthly body is

John 19:38-42 - Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus tend to the body of Jesus

I Corinthians 15:35-50

What really mattered in a person’s life

Acts 9:36-39 - the people showing all the things that Tabitha had done and made

You have to do things you’re not ready to do

Luke 12:19-21 - The rich man was not prepared to die.

The value of hope through Christ

II Samuel 12:16-23 - David’s grief and hope for seeing his son in heaven.

I Thessalonians 4:13

I Timothy 4:13 - Read the word of God!

II Timothy 1:5

I Corinthians 15:20-26

Faith is not the only thing involved in being a Christian, but the element of faith is a most significant thing.

When you obeyed the gospel, you responded to the faith (Jude 1:3.

When you were baptized, you became faithful to the Lord (Acts 16:15.

Local churches can be called “faithful” (Colossians 1:2.

All who are Christians are “of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10.

It is by faith that we live (Romans 1:16-17.

The meaning of faith involves the idea of belief

Our believing is in things concerning Jesus and His Kingdom (Acts 8:12.

That faith comes always from the word of God (Romans 10:17.

Believing was the purpose of what the Bible says about Jesus Christ (John 20:30-31.

Faith involves personal confidence in the truthfulness of the gospel message.

The idea of faith involves the willingness to place one’s trust and reliance on someone else (God).

Faith means that I am totally willing to rely on God in all things (Romans 4:3.

Abraham was fully assured that God was able to perform what he had promised (Romans 4:20-21.

If I have faith personally, I have a similar trust in God (I Peter 4:19!

Faith involves the idea of fidelity.

The Bible steward was faithful because he was loyal, committed, and trustworthy (I Corinthians 4:2.

Our faithfulness (commitment and trustworthiness) is to last even tot he point of death (Revelation 2:10.

Living by faith involves confessing our faith

This is a condition of our salvation (Romans 10:8-11.

Confessing Christ is a condition of the Christian’s daily life. Living by faith is always confessing Him (Matthew 10:32-39.

The daily confession of Christ is my tie to the fellowship of God (I John 4:15.

So if by faith we live, we conduct our lives with trust in Jesus Christ (Galatians 2:20.

The life of faith trusts in the works of Jesus, especially His death, burial, and resurrection (I Corinthians 15:1-4.

Living by faith always involves “holding fast” the word of God (Titus 3:5-7.

I may say I believe in God, but if my life does not demonstrate that truth, my actions prove my words to be false.

So then, living by faith exercises good works (Titus 3:8.

A faith which is without good works is an unsaving, non-justifying, dead faith (James 2:14-26.

The life of faith involves trusting in the words of Jesus, and living accordingly (Matthew 6:33-34.

Living by faith involves benefitting from faith

Faith brings blessings like joy and peace, hope, and power (Romans 15:13.

Through faith we receive our spiritual blessings. We are blessed because we believe that He hears our prayers (Ephesians 3:12.

Again, the blessing of personal confidence in ourselves coming through faith in Christ (Philippians 4:13.

The life of faith does not go unrewarded in this life, even though its primary concern is the life to come.

Living by faith involves maintaining our faith.

There is a need to stand fast, for faith, if left alone, will die (I Corinthians 15:1-2.

We must take care to hold fast so that unbelief will not replace faith and we fall away (Hebrews 3:12-14.

Otherwise, we might not get to enter into the promised land because of unbelief (Hebrews 3:15-19.

If we should come short of entering His rest, it will be because the gospel was not united by faith in us (Hebrews 4:1-2.

Faith comes by the word, but the word must also be united with personal faith in those who hear it!

We live by faith when we add virtues of Christian character to it (II Peter 1:5-7.

How can one say that he has faith or is faithful, when year after year he continues to woefully lack in these virtues of Christian character? Living by faith means the addition of these virtuous traits. For that reason we need to be all the more diligent in the increasing of those qualities (II Peter 1:8-11.

To be sure we do not fall from our own steadfastness, we need to “grow in the frace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (II Peter 3:17-18.

To summarize:

A “faithful” Christian is one who takes his faith very seriously.

Because it is essential to his salvation.

Because it is essential to receive God’s blessings now and ultimately eternal life!

A “faithful” Christian is one who lives by faith. Are you “living by faith?”