2 Cor 7:1
1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. (NKJV)
- God help me to cleanse myself and to walk in the fear of you. Prov 8:13; I want to walk closely with you. Remove any sin or selfishness that separates us.
Luke 9:23 Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. NKJV
- There is a cost to following the Lord. Are you willing to pay it?
- This doesn’t mean life as a Christian stinks. It means that what you want is no longer number one. It means when you want to do something and God says something else, you lay aside what you want and do what God said.
- This isn’t a “one time choice” to say a prayer. He says we have to pick up our cross DAILY. That means that each day you have choice to either: decide to lay aside your desires and pick up God’s, or lay down God’s plans and pick up your desires. The choice is yours each day. What will you choose today?
Matt 13:44-46
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, 46 who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it. NKJV
-These two parables communicate the same thought. The kingdom is not something you do half way. When someone wants to be apart of the kingdom it cost them everything. The man in both stories gives up everything he has for something he views as more valuable. Have you given up everything to follow Jesus? Has He become your hearts number one desire? Matt 6:24 says that you cannot have two masters.
-God help me to set you first above everything else. I want to honor you with all my heart. I want to honor you with everything I do.
-Sam told this parable really well. As the little boy that found buried money and learned that he who owns the land owns whatever he finds in it. He went home and stared selling everything…. Everything… working… trying to get the money to buy the land… No one understood why he was living like this, why all the sacrifice. He was living for something they didn’t know about. ARE you living for something that nonbelievers don’t know about? Your life should be so different they wonder why you live this way, because they don’t know about the treasure that lies on the other side.
- Heb 13:6; Ps 118:6; Prov 29:25;
1 Kings 11:6
6 So Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and did not wholly follow the Lord, as David his father had done. ESV
- Solomon didn’t follow whole hearted and that is called evil. Are you following whole hearted? Is there anything that you may have held back? God if there is anything that I have not fully given to you show me. Help me to let it go and to seek you with all my heart. Jer 29:13;
- 1 Kings 8:48;
1 Cor 11:1
Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ. NKJV
- Num 27:16-17; Prov 20:11; Acts 20:18; 1 Cor 4:16; 9:27; Eph 5:1; Phil 2:29; 3:17, 4:9; 1 Thess 1:5; Heb 13:7; James 3:1; 1 Peter 5:3;
- Can or should your life be followed?
- This is probably my favorite verse in Corinthians. I love the whole idea that it is not what I say but what I do that is suppose to be the greatest witness. This is by no means an excuse not to share the gospel with my words, but it is a reminder that it needs to be more than words. If people can’t see a difference in me, why should they want what I have? Does your life and words preach the same message? Would it be a good or a bad thing if people started following your example in every area of life?
Rom 1:24
24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, NKJV
- God gave them up to uncleanness. God has such a glorious plan for us, but he wont force us do anything. If we choose to follow or chase sin He will let us. Here we see those who have exchanged the truth of God for a lie. They want to follow their desires instead of God.
- God lets us choose the path that we will walk, the path we walk will determine what we find (vs 27), and where we find ourselves. (Prov 2:8; Ps 119:105) Lord Help me to choose you, to choose to follow your word with all my heart. Lord give me a heart that wants to please you. Let love for you drive me, let it affect every decision that I make.
Matt 4:19
19 Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” NKJV
- To follow means to walk away from everything else. Are you following? Have you walked away from what you had? You can’t serve two masters Matt 6:24. If there is something you won’t leave behind you aren’t following. The disciples left everything they had, everything they knew. Have we left everything else behind?
Daniel Vander Klok
1 Cor 11:1
Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ. NKJV
- Num 27:16-17; Eph 5:1; James 3:1; Prov 20:11; Acts 20:18; 1 Cor 4:16; 1 Peter 5:3; Heb 13:7; Phil 3:17, 4:9;
- Can or should your life be followed?
- This is probably my favorite verse in Corinthians. I love the whole idea that it is not what I say but what I do that is suppose to be the greatest witness. This is by no means an excuse not to share the gospel with my words, but it is a reminder that it needs to be more then words. If people can’t see a difference in me why should they want what I have? Does your life and words preach the same message? Would it be a good or a bad thing if people started following your example in every area of life?
