Holiness, Godliness, Usefulness
11/09/2014, by John Kincaid
Lesson 415: The Joy of Mercy, Pt.1
For those who have been traveling on the Lord’s path for years, there is a pitfall. If we do not keep our love for Him burning brightly, we can lose enthusiasm, the joy of our salvation.
This happened to David and 1000 years later to the church in Ephesus. Psa.51:12; Rev.2:4
Daily quiet time with God, prayer and Bible study can become a burden, a low-priority duty. Deep down, we know worship is important, but it can become dull.
God wants His work to excite us. He wants us delighted as we serve His purposes. How can we rekindle our desire and ability to serve Him? Paul's answer:
Rom.12:1-2 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Before we can do God’s will, we have to know it. To know it, we have to be transformed.
Otherwise we will remain in a sad condition, conformed to the pattern of the world.
Once we are transformed, we will impact our world, instead of the world impacting us.
About This Series
The goal of this series is to become more useful in serving the Lord Jesus Christ, as an instrument in the Redeemer's hand. The theme verses for the series are Ephesians 4:22-24, Philemon 11, 2 Timothy 2:21
- to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,
- and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
- Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.
- Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.