Bulletins - Lighthouse -u

This Is Amazing Grace
you have won me
Choose to Praise
Agnus Dei
Worthy Of It All
Ephesians gives us 7 practices of the Christian walk in Ch 4-6
Last week we spoke on unity. Some theologians thing the main thought of the letter is Unity. Unity with Christ and with each other. This coincides with love the Lord with all your heart mind souls and strength and love your neighbor as yourself. ( They Work Together)
Lets see how far we get with the rest today, with the rest of them
2. In Holiness
Ephesians 4:22–28 ESV
22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. 25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil. 28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.
That word deceptive is - something that gives a false appearance
Have you ever noticed how advertising plays with our desires? The latest phone with an incredible camera. we say ‘I need that!’ , until you realized your current phone's camera worked just fine. Deceitful desires can lead us to chase after things that don’t truly satisfy. Remember James 1:14, where desires can tempt us away from God’s best? It's a reminder that not everything that glitters is gold!
James 1:14 NASB95
14 But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.
We are to be Holy in character, conduct, conversation
The old you is laid aside for the new you. It is put away not hung up for another day.
What does the New You look like?
It is a contrast.
Romans 6:6 “6 knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin;”
Grace has placed you in a new position, faith keeps you there.
Paul says to examine yourself daily to see if your in the faith, daily align your values with His.
Remember this is not a sprint it is a journey and preparation is crucial. Discipline is not an option.
When you turn on a light switch, you expect the room to illuminate. Now imagine if the light bulb said, 'I’m not really feeling it today.' If the light bulb refused to do its job, we’d be left in darkness. Our call to live a holy life is like that light – it’s not just a good idea; it’s our purpose! Without it, we leave the world in darkness, and living holy is no longer an option.
You should see a contrast this New you is changing.
You live in Holiness by the Holy Spirit
Galatians 5:16–25 NLT
16 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. 17 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. 19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, 21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. 22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. 25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.
3. In Love
Ephesians 5:1–2 NASB95
1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; 2 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.
Love is His standard. Now it becomes our standard.
Be love filled. Be love motivated. Be love activated.
Paxson said, “Love in action is to undergird every relationship of ones life, in the home, in business, in society, and in the church. It is a life of voluntary self sacrifice.
It is not an option
In Love – agape – love that is focused on the best of another individual.
The question we can ask is. Is my life a living sacrifice?
4. In Light
Ephesians 5:8–14 ESV
8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10 and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. 13 But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, 14 for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
As what George Whitfield preached so many times.
1 John 1:7 ESV
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
And there is no blending of light and dark – it is like oil and water.
It is the difference between the night and the day.
Gods kingdom is the kingdom of light. Goodness, righteousness and truth
When it says darkness it didn’t mean you surrounded by darkness – it means you were darkness.
Darkness you once were but now you are light, because Christ is light AMEN.
That is why the light drives out the darkness
Light drives out moral corruption, and darkness is unfruitful to the core. Darkness dwellers final abode will be in utter darkness. Scripture says.
That is why you are a new creation in Christ – The old is dead
5. In Wisdom
Ephesians 5:15 NKJV
15 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise,
Some of you might have heard of the word circumspectly ( accurately - one step in front of the other).
It is a person who watches his step and is aware of where he is going.
They don’t follow the crowd or take the path of least resistance.
We are alert and eager to follow God and His ways.
We have a goal and our steps are ordered by the Lord
1 Corinthians 1:30 NLT
30 God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin.
A walk in wisdom takes work . It is not just a chance encounter. It is a practical understanding of Gods Word, Implementation and its execution.
You will have to search it out, study the scriptures and be lead by the Holy Spirit.
6. In Praise
WALK IN PRAISE
Praise comes by the Holy Spirit. Eph 5:18 -19
Ephesians 5:18–19 NLT
18 Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, 19 singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts.
I think there are more commands in the Bible to sing than there are to pray.
Praise is a natural and necessary response to fully enjoy the object that is praised.
It is always verbal
1 Thess 5:16-18 Be joyful always; 17 pray continually; 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. NIV
The writer of Hebrews says; Hebrews 13:15 “ let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.”
It is our privilege to find a reason for gratitude.
Every good gift and every perfect gift is connected with God
What does Thankfulness and Praise bring about?
THANKFULNESS AND PRAISE BRINGS ABOUT GODS GLORY
i. His shekinah glory comes down – defined as the visible symbol of God
ii. One theologian said it is the residence of God
THANKFULNESS AND PRAISE “RISE”
Praise rises above all selfish regards, and directly terminates on the greatness and amiableness of God
There’s a story of a man who woke up every day, determined to find something to praise God for. One day, it was the smell of fresh coffee. Another day, it was the beauty of a sunrise. He began sharing these moments on social media, and soon others joined him, creating a ‘Praise Post’ community. Through simple joys, they reminded each other of God’s constant goodness and grace!
THANKFULNESS AND PRAISE BRINGS CHANGE
"They were all as one, and made one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord" (Acts 2:1-2; ). It awakens the heart, concentrates the thoughts, and elevates the soul, assist our devotions, engages us in an exercise in which sympathy has large scope, and every one acts upon the rest, to enable us to animate each other; to pour forth our praises and adorations in a way that is significant and edifying, delightsome and impressive.
It is designed to melt the heart then to capture the heart.
THANKFULNESS AND PRAISE BRING PROTECTION
2 Chronicles 20:22 NKJV
22 Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated.
Conclusion:
Jesus taught us that this kind of Love and structure is the one that can last -
Love flows from the cross.
You cannot give something which you do not have.
You can try but it wont have the depth that is required to make a lasting difference.
It doesn’t work to demand your wife love you if you don’t love her. You cannot stop exasperating your kids if you have bent up anger and resentment in you.
You cannot fake it until you make it .
The love of Jesus you cannot achieve – you must receive it.
- - Ephesians 4:22–28NASB95
- - James 1:14NASB95
- - Galatians 5:16–25NASB95
- - Ephesians 5:1–2NASB95
- - Ephesians 5:8–14NASB95
- - 1 John 1:7NASB95
- - Ephesians 5:15NASB95
- - 1 Corinthians 1:30NASB95
- - Ephesians 5:18–19NASB95
- - 2 Chronicles 20:22NASB95

Ephesians 4:22–28NASB95

James 1:14NASB95

Galatians 5:16–25NASB95

Ephesians 5:1–2NASB95

Ephesians 5:8–14NASB95

1 John 1:7NASB95

Ephesians 5:15NASB95

1 Corinthians 1:30NASB95

Ephesians 5:18–19NASB95

2 Chronicles 20:22NASB95