A LION ON THE LOOSE

I PETER 5:6-11(NASB)

"Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.

Be of sober spirit, be on the alert for Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.

After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.

To Him be dominion forever and ever." Amen.

RELIGIOUS BUT LOST

ACTS 17:22-34(NASB)

So Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, "Men of Athens, I observe that you are very religious in all respects. For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, 'TO AN UNKNOWN GOD ' Therefore what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you.

The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, 'For we also are His children.' Being then the children of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man.

Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.

Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some began to sneer, but others said, 'We shall hear you again concerning this.'"

LOVE FOR GOD=LOVE FOR BELIEVERS

1 JOHN 4:19-21(NASB)

"We love because he first loved us. If someone says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also."

THE BLAME GAME: PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY

JEREMIAH 31:29-30; EZEKIEL 18:20(NASB)

"In those days they will not say again, 'The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge.' But every one will die for his own iniquity; each man who eats the sour grapes, his teeth will be set on edge."

"The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father's iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son's iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself."

YOU DO WHAT YOU ARE

1 JOHN 3:2-9(NASB)

"Beloved, now we are the children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him because we shall see Him just as He is.

And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.

And you know that He appeared in order to take away sins, and in Him there is no sin.

No one who abides in Him sins; no one who sins has seen Him or knows Him.

Little children, let no one deceive you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. The one who practices sin is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning.

The Son of God appeared for this purpose, that He might destroy the works of the devil.

No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin because he is born of God."

OBEDIENCE=ASSURANCE

1 JOHN 2:3-6(NASB)

"And by this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments.

The one who says, 'I have come to know Him,' and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps His Word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected.

By this we know that we are in Him: The one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He[Christ] walked."

LIAR, LIAR

1 JOHN 1:5-10(NASB)

"And this is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.

If we say that we have fellowship with Him and still walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.

If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His Word is not in us."

SELF-EXAMINATION

2 CORINTHIANS 13:5-7(NASB)

"Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith! Examine yourselves! Do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus is in you--unless indeed you fail the test?

But I trust that you will realize that we ourselves do not fail the test. Now we pray to God that you do no wrong; not that we may appear approved, but that you may do what is right, even though we should appear unapproved."

SELF-DECEIVERS

JAMES 1:19-26(NASB)

"This you know, my beloved brethren: But let everyone be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.

Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the implanted Word which is able to save your souls.
But prove yourselves doers of the Word and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the Word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was.

But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man shall be blessed in what he does.

If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is worthless."

LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON

JOHN 8:38-45(NASB)

"I[Jesus] speak the things which I have seen with My Father; likewise, you also do the things which you have heard from your father.
They[the Jews] answered and said to Him, 'Abraham is our father.'
Jesus said to them, 'If you are Abraham's children, do the deeds of Abraham. But as it is, you are seeking to kill Me, a man who has told you the truth, which I heard from God; Abraham did not do this. You are doing the deeds of your father.'

They said to Him, 'We were not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.'

Jesus said to them, 'If God were your Father, you would love Me; for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me.Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature; for he is a liar, and the father of lies.'"

LIFESTYLES OF THE DEAD AND CARNAL

EPHESIANS 2:1-3; GALATIANS 5:16-21(NASB)

"And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest."

"Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envyings, drunkenness, carousings, and things like these, of which I forewarn you just as I have forewarned you that those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God."

BAD EXAMPLES--GOOD WARNINGS

1 CORINTHIANS 10:5-11(NASB)

Nevertheless, with most of them[Israelites] God was not well-pleased; for they were laid low in the wilderness.Now these things happened as examples for us, that we should not crave evil things, as they also craved.

And do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written,'The people sat down to eat and drink, and stood up to play.'

Nor let us act immorally, as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day.

Nor let us test the Lord, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the serpents.

Nor [let us] grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer.

Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the end of the ages have come."

TODAY'S HEADLINES

2 TIMOTHY 3:1-7(NASB)

"But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.
For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious, gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power.
Avoid such men as these. For among them are those who enter into households and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth."

A VISITOR OR A RESIDENT?

COLOSSIANS 3:15-16(NASB)

"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.

Let the Word of Christ richly dwell[reside] within you with all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God."

WALK IN LINE--BE WISE!

EPHESIANS 5:15-21(NASB)

"Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation[intemperance], but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your hearts to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ."

WALK IN LIGHT--BE DIFFERENT!

EPHESIANS 5:7-14(NASB)

"Therefore do not be partakers with them; for you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light(For the fruit of the light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth.) trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.
And do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret.
But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. For this reason it says, 'Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.'"

WALK IN LOVE--BE PURE!

EPHESIANS 5: 1-6 (NASB)

"Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children: and walk in love just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.
But do not let immorality or any impurity or greed even be named among you, as is proper among saints; and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or crude jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.
For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no man deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience."

ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT

2 PETER 1:3-11(NASB)

SPIRITUAL GROWTH IS EXPECTED.

"Seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence; for by these he has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, in order that by them you might become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust."

SPIRITUAL GROWTH REQUIRES EFFORT.

"Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith, supply moral excellence; and in your moral excellence, knowledge; and in your knowledge, self-control; and in your self-control, perseverance; and in your perseverance, godliness; and in your godliness, brotherly kindness; and in your brotherly kindness, Christian love."

SPIRITUAL GROWTH CAN BE HINDERED.

"For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless or unfruitful[undeveloped] in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these qualities is blind or nearsighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins."

SPIRITUAL GROWTH GIVES PRESENT AND FUTURE BLESSING.

"Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you."

NOWHERE TO HIDE

PSALM 139:7-12 (NASB)

"Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend to heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the dawn, if I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, even there Your hand will lead me, and Your right hand will lay hold of me. If I say, 'Surely the darkness will overwhelm me, and the light around me will be night,' even the darkness is not dark to You, and the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to You."

GOD'S POSSESSION

TITUS 2:11-14 (NASB)

"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great Savior, Christ Jesus; who gave Himself for us, that 'He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself a people for His own possession,' zealous for good works."

EXEMPLARY YOUTH

1 TIMOTHY 4:12 (The Amplified Bible)

"Let no one despise or think less of you because of your youth, but be an example(pattern) for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity."

FREEDOM TO SERVE GOD

1 PETER 2:9-12, 15-16 (NASB)

"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts, which wage war against the soul. Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may on account of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.
For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men. Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God."