Consistency Is King Part 1: What Are You Going To Do?
On Sunday 3rd March we continued our series 'Responsible Driving'.
In this blog you will find a summary of the talk.
To listen to the talk, please click here.
Oftentimes in life we know the theory about something – and believe it - but we won’t comply with it. We know what to do, but just won’t do it!
Throughout this series, we’ve talked a lot already about some of the big, basic exercises of faith – prayer and reading the bible. We’ve talked about taking walks and talks with God.
And there are some other things we can do in our walk with God, not to replace prayer or reading God’s word but to go alongside them.
One of the great church builders, Paul wrote some great advice on this to the early church in a place called Caesarea Philippi.
Re-named Caesarea in honour of Emperor Caesar Augustus by Herod the Great’s son, Philip – but as there was already a city called Caesarea it became known as Caesarea Philippi, meaning Philip’s Caesarea.
So much for the history – Paul was writing to the early church founded there. Hence his letter is referred to as Paul’s letter or epistle to the Philippians.
In it, Paul gives some specific advice as to what the followers of Jesus should do and you can read this by clicking
here.
In summary, Paul mentions five things we can do –
1) Rejoice in the Lord
2) Let your gentleness be evident to all
3) Present your requests to God with thanksgiving (in prayer)
4) Think about whatever is Godly (of which there is an endless source in the bible) and…
5) Put such things into practice!
God has given each of us certain gifts and abilities – and each of us can deliberately, thoughtfully, determinedly look for and put into practice something noble, pure, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy. With the special abilities God had given you.
As you consider this list, what is God saying to you? What are you doing? And what are you not doing?
Theory is just theory, and assenting to the truth of something isn’t the same as putting it into practice.
So how will your desire to grow in relationship with God manifest itself – what will you do? What will you put into practice that will show and grow your love for God, love for people and your desire to become more like Jesus?
What will you put into practice that will give people a glimpse of Jesus – and when you look in the mirror, what will give you maybe just a little reflection of Jesus? What will you do to grow to become more like Jesus?
As a church we want to love God, love people and grow together to become more like Jesus. We try to do those things as individuals and together.
Jesus has bridged the gap between fallen Earth and perfect Heaven and between our perfect Heavenly Father and us, with all our imperfections.
He has bridged that great chasm between holy God and us… so that when we’ve followed him in life we’ll follow him to heaven, where we’ll be welcomed into his arms as his beloved children.
In response to that surpassing truth… what are you going to do?
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Rejoice in the Lord
2. Let your gentleness be evident to all
3. Present your requests to God with thanksgiving (in prayer)
4. Think about whatever is Godly (of which there is an endless source in the bible) and…
5. Put such things into practice?
Simon Lace, 12/03/2019