THINKING AS THE PEOPLE OF GOD

Thinking as the People of God...                 Ephesians 1                  11.30.12

      When we think of  those who have  made a  mark  for  the Lord in
this  life,  some  things  are  consistent  about  their  experience.  The
first  that  occurs to  me  is;  they,  without  exception,  lived  with no
concern  for  what  other  men  might  think  or say.   It  seems  they,
having  assurance from  God of  their goals,  and  the authenticity of
their relationship with  the Father,  refused to be stopped,  slowed or 
distracted by the things  that blew  others off course.  Being students 
of  the Word  of  God,  their  thoughts and  actions ran counter to the 
culture.   Another  attribute was  humility.   Although  they  were,  at 
times  thrown  into  the limelight,  it did not  throw them  off  course.
they did not seem  take notice of  their status.  Their goals were stra-
tegic and the press, positive or negative,  had no noticeable affect on 
their performance.

    Going back to the Old Testament,  we  find the history of great men
of  God who  had  feet of  clay,  as  do  all men.   They did not  let their
imperfections  keep them  from  the business of serving  the Lord and
His  people.   King  David,  a  “man  after  God’s  own heart.”  His fail-
ures did not keep him from getting business done for the  Lord.  Each
of the patriarchs in turn, men created from the dust of  the earth, fal-
lible and failing miserably at times,  completed the task assigned  him.  
Even though their histories were tainted by failure and sin, they were 
approved  of God.  It  would  be less than  honest  not  to note the fact 
that the sins of  these  men did scar  their lives in some ways and had 
disastrous personal and familial consequence.  Their confidence was
not in self,  but in  the Lord God,  the God of  Abraham,  Isaac and  of
Jacob.  

   One favorite Bible character, Enoch, was an  exception. It  is said;
“...Enoch was not, for God  took him.”   Apparently,  the man Enoch
was such a Godly man that he never experienced death.  It is said in
God’s  Word,  “Enoch walked  with  God.”   That is the key to serving  
our  lord.  It  is  uncomplicated;  it  is within the reach of every child
of  God and there will  be no excuse when  we stand before the Lord 
to  give account of  the deeds done in the  flesh if we did not exercise
this discipline.   We know His desire for us to have a close daily walk 
with Him. The book, “Knowing God,” by J. I. Packer,  has taught me 
the  concept of  “knowing God,”  rather than just knowing  about the 
Lord  God.   There is a  quote by  Pastor C. H. Spurgeon, on  the very 
first  page which elevates the acquisition of  first hand knowledge of  
God above every pursuit in which a man  may spend his life.
       (This book is available on Ebay and I highly recommend it.)

     From Enoch, Abraham, Moses, etc.  to John the beloved, Peter, the
impetuous, and the Apostle Paul,  down to our present time, the great
men are those who made it a lifestyle and  habit to be in the pursuit of
getting  to  know  the  Lord  God.   How else will  one  have any idea of
what He has for us to do with the life with which He has entrusted us?

     In order to serve our Lord, we must first know Him:
Getting  to know Him is as plain as getting  into  His word,  finding His
revealed  will and getting to the business of  practicing  that will.  Why
would our Lord reveal  anything to one who is not already in obedient
to available light.  The key, faith in God;  “Without faith it is impossi-
ble to please God.”  All of the above comes of an unquestioning faith,
and subsequent obedience to  things we  learn as we get to know Him.  
In the Word of God we read,  “For as many as are led by the Spirit of 
God, these are the son’s of God.”  It  leaves little  room for a child of
God to live a life that does not feature a personal walk with the  Lord 
God, the only true and living  God.  All  other "gods" are creations of 
mankind with perverted or overactive imaginations.  (Vain  Imagina-
tion)

  Having discussed, briefly,  some things in God’s Word about walking
with Him, we now look  into how this works out  everyday.  In order to
know  how to walk with God  we look to  the one who  gave the  perfect
example.  Jesus Christ  (God in the flesh) humbled Himself  becoming
a man although He was God.  (This can only be addressed in a lengthy
discussion of God’s omnipresence,  at another  time.)  Being  God,  He 
took  the form of a man separated  Himself  from God  the Father and 
became an entity apart.  (Although in form of man, He was God in the
the flesh. He shed His glory in order to be incarnate and fulfill the mis-
sion to which  He was born.)  Eternal  ramifications of  this to the Son
are staggering to consider.  He then walked in submission to God,  His 
Father, serving the  Father through  his deeds of  service to  mankind. 
After his rejection by the very people  He came to save,  paid the price 
for  the sins of the world by His sacrificial death on the cross.  He was 
put  to death by those He came to serve and save.  As we study the life 
of Christ,  in depth, we have answers on how to walk with God;  A life-
long commitment, reaping eternal rewards;      AMEN!!

Characteristics of the Man of God:

1. Listens to God rather than man.  Acts 5:27-29
2. Student of the Word of God resulting in obedience to revelation.
     Acts 26:19-20
3. Personal humility of spirit.  Ephesians 3:7-8, 4:1-3
4. Does not focus on personal faults.  Ephesians 2:1-9
5. Focuses on Christ and His perfection.  Ephesians 1
6. Experience a close walk with his Heavenly Father.(Prayer)
    Colossians 4:2-3,
7. Personal knowledge of and relationship to God.(God’s Word)
    Romans 16:25-27
8. Awareness of coming day when he shall stand before his creator to
    give account for the deeds of the flesh and opportunities of service.
    Romans 14:12, Matthew 12:36,
9. Reliance on God and no confidence in the flesh.  Romans 12:3
10.Realizes the invisible is permanent and material is temporary.
     Luke 17:20-21
    (All of the above could be summarized, “a man of faith in God.”)
                                                                  donporter 11.30.12 ed.8.25.14