West Lynchburg

Only 2 people are called “Gentle” in the Bible

Old Testament MOSES (Numbers 12:3) - New Testament JESUS (Matthew 11:29, Matthew 21:5)

3 Truths About Becoming a Biblically Gentle Person

* God provides. James 1:5

* We pursue. 1 Timothy 6:11

* Gentleness is produced. 2 Cor 10:1

Gentleness is demonstrated in how you…

1) Receive the Word - James 1:21-22, Hebrews 5:11, Matthew 13:13

2) Respect the Position - 1 Peter 3:1-6

3) Reply to the Curious - 1 Peter 3:15

4) Restore the Fallen - Galatians 6:1, 2 Tim 2:25, Matthew 11:29

"I’ve been unfaithful."  "I’ve failed." "I’ve not honored my promises and vows." You’ve heard these words from pastors, politicians, athletes, celebrities, and even those people you personally know. Unfaithfulness, a lack of trustworthiness, is too common in our culture.

Unfaithfulness destroys families, careers, bank accounts, etc.

Faithfulness – pistis = reliable, dependable, trustworthy.

When we consider having faith in God, we 1st consider if He is faithful. 

Is He trustworthy?

* We call God, Our Father.  But many do not have a faithful earthly father

* We proclaim, “God Loves You”, but many people say that and then leave us

Deuteronomy 7:9 & 1 Corinthians 1:9

Are we faithful to our faith?  Faith produces actions

James 2:17-18 & 3 John 3-5 

8 Areas Where Faith Must be Faithful

1) Faithful with Your Words - Proverbs 25:14 & Eccl 5:5 & Mat 5:37 

2) Faithful with Your Marriage - Hebrews 13:4 

3) Faithful with Your Gifts/Talents - 1 Peter 4:10 

4) Faithful with Your Time - Ephesians 5:15-16 & James 4:14 & 17

5) Faithful with Your Friends - Proverbs 17:17 & Prv 27:6

6) Faithful with Your Money - Luke 16:10 & 2 Cor 9:6:7

2 principles: 1) Pray before you pay.  2) Budget before you blow it!

7) Faithful with Your Work - Titus 2:9-10

8) Faithful with Your Church - 2 Timothy 2:2 & Ephesians 4:16

Rev 2:10, “…Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

Marathon - 1st place – Last place - 1968 Olympics

A reporter interviewed last place John Stephen Akhwari, Tanzanian runner.

"My country did not send me 5,000 miles to start the race; they sent me 5,000 miles to finish the race."

Most people in this world are looking for the Good Life

Genesis 1 is the first place we see the word “good” Gen 1:4,10,12,18,21,25,27,31

GOOD means that God created for a purpose…and fulfilling that purpose is considered good.

We are created for good, for God’s purpose.

The BIBLE uses two terms to describe something. Something or someone is either good or evil

Ask the avg person “Are you good? Most would affirm they are good. But is this based on a comparison to others OR based on God’s holiness?

Our condition: Isaiah 53:6, Romans 3:10-12, Romans 3:23

So now what? If we were created good in the garden, but are now NOT GOOD

Jeremiah 13:23

Are we fulfilling God’s purpose for why He created us?

John 1:46, Mark 10:18

We are not good… but God is good…

Psalm 34:8, Psalm 86:5, Ephesians 2:8-10

We are not good… but God is good… He made us for His good works!

Phil 1:6, Titus 3:14

We are not saved BY good works… but are saved FOR good works! We were saved for usefulness!

Five Ways to Grow in Good Works (this is not exhaustive)

1) Seek and Savor our Good God

2) Search the Scriptures. Psalm 1, Psalm 25:8-9

3) Sharpen Your Mind. Phil 4:8, Psalm 119:37

4) Strengthen your convictions. 1 Peter 2:19-20, 3 John 11

5) Serve with the Church. 2 Tim 3:1-3, Romans 12:9, Hebrews 10:24-25

Phillip Keller, “Kindness involves finding ways to brighten & cheer the lives of others.”

Stephen Grellet, “I shall pass through this world but once. Any good, therefore, that I can do or any kindness I can show to any human being, let me do it now. Let me not defer it or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.”

Kindness is a gift - Galatians 5:22-23

Kindness is a choice – Col 3:12

Kindness is a command – Eph 4:32

God’s expression of kindness - Titus 3:4, Romans 2:4

William Barclay, “More people have been brought into the church by the kindness of real Christian love than by all the theological arguments in the world.”

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, “Kind hearts are the gardens, Kind thoughts are the roots, Kind words are the flowers, Kind deeds are the fruits, Take care of your garden And keep out the weeds, Fill it with sunshine, Kind words, & Kind deeds.”

Kindness starts with the gift in your heart that is expressed through your life in your home, your workplace, your church, your world

Kindness takes practice.

Martyn Llyod Jones, The way the dead leaves of winter are removed from some trees is not that people go around plucking them off; no, it is the new life, the shoot that comes and pushes off the dead in order to make room for itself. In the same way the Christian gets rid of all such things as bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and evil speaking and all malice. The new qualities develop &  the others simply have no room; they are pushed out and they are pushed off.

Focus on the new nature and you will eliminate the old nature.

1) Be Perceptive - Philippians 2:4, Romans 12:15-16

2) Be Redemptive - Prov 10:32, Prov 15:4, Eccl 10:12, Joseph Gen 50:20

3) Be Corrective - Prv 27:6, 2 Tim 2:24-26

4) Be Impulsive - Gal 6:10, Eccl 11:4

Galatians 5:22-23 - Patience is More Than Waiting

1) Model a Holy Life

2) Disicplng Your Kids is Work

3) Build Your Families Faith on Purpose

Prov 14:30, “A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh”

3 Kinds of Peace:

1) Spiritual Peace (Peace with God) (Rom. 5:1)

2) Emotional Peace (Peace of God) (Col. 3:15)

3) Relational Peace (Peace with others) (Rom. 12:18)

John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”

Peace is a gift from God

5 Promises of Peace

1) God’s Principles provides peace

Psalm 119:165-167, “Great peace have those who love your law..."

Do you trust God’s promises and live by his principles?

We hear the news, listen to “experts” and adjust our lives… but how often do you hear God’s word and live accordingly?

2) God’s Pardon provides peace

Micah 7:18, Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression... he delights in steadfast love.

Martin Luther, "To be convinced in our hearts that we have forgiveness of sins and peace with God by grace alone is the hardest thing."

3) God’s Presence provides peace

Isaiah 26:3, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.”

Corrie Ten Boom — 'If you look at the world, you'll be distressed. If you look within, you'll be depressed. If you look at God you'll be at rest.'

Psalm 46:1, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

4) God’s Purpose provides peace

Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

Phil. 4:11-13, “Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”

5) God’s Peace is provided for you – SO ASK!

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

Which comes first PEACE or PRAYER?  Prayer precedes peace.

1 Peter 5:7, “…casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”

Galatians 5:23-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Joy is lacking in our world. People constantly complain.

1) Be Aware of the Joy Killers

2) Begin to Apply the Joy Fillers

3) Believe the Joy Thrillers

Psalm 16:11, “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

Galatians 5:23-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

1 Corinthians 13:13, “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”

What is love?

Is love an emotion? An ocean of emotion, quiver in my liver, knot in the stomach

I believe love contains all three if properly understood.

God models these 3:

5 Conditions of Love

1) Be filled (with Christ) - Eph. 3:17-19

2) Be forgiving (of Others) - Col. 3:13

Listen: It is difficult to love someone and hate them at the same time.

3) Be focused (on Others Needs) - Phil. 2:1-5

Hachiko.

4) Be first (to love) - Luke 6:27-28

5) Believe - 1 Cor. 13:7-8a

The love that has been poured into our hearts by God is to be a love that bears all things from others… believes all things in others…. Hopes all things for others…. And endures all things of others.

How powerful do you feel today?

The word power appears 118 times in the New Testament.

John 15:1-5 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing."

1) Cancels Your Sin - You receive forgiveness

Romans 8:37, “we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”

3) Changes Your Spirit - You receive the fruit of the Holy Spirit

John 15:16, "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide…"