Transcript DEVOTION TO GOD - FOREST HILLS CHURCH OF CHRIST

DEVOTION TO GOD
Do We Have It?
DEVOTION TO GOD
By "devotion to God" we mean having the attitude of Job and
of Christ.
Job 23:11-12
11
My foot has held fast to His steps; I
have kept His way and not turned
aside.
12 I have not departed from the
commandment of His lips; I have
treasured the words of His mouth More
than my necessary food.
John 4:34
34
Jesus said to them, "My food is to
do the will of Him who sent Me, and to
finish His work."
DEVOTION TO GOD
By "devotion to God" we mean having the attitude of Job and
of Christ.
Why is it that some are devoted to God and others are not?
Perhaps some do not appreciate what devotion to God is all
about.
Let’s consider three things concerning this attitude.
DEVOTION TO GOD
GROUNDS OF DEVOTION
ASPECTS OF DEVOTION
MANIFESTATIONS OF DEVOTION
GROUNDS OF DEVOTION
1. The mercies of God
Romans 12:1
1
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by
the mercies of God….
Lamentations 3:22
22
Through the Lord's mercies we are
not consumed, Because His
compassions fail not.
GROUNDS OF DEVOTION
1. The mercies of God
2. The goodness of God
Romans 2:1-4
1
Therefore you are inexcusable, O
man, whoever you are who judge, for
in whatever you judge another you
condemn yourself; for you who judge
practice the same things. 2 But we
know that the judgment of God is
according to truth against those who
practice such things.
Romans 2:1-4
3
And do you think this, O man, you
who judge those practicing such
things, and doing the same, that you
will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or
do you despise the riches of His
goodness, forbearance, and
longsuffering, not knowing that the
goodness of God leads you to
repentance?
Romans 11:1-22
1
I say then, has God cast away His
people? Certainly not! For I also am an
Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the
tribe of Benjamin.
Romans 11:1-22
2
God has not cast away His people
whom He foreknew. Or do you not
know what the Scripture says of Elijah,
how he pleads with God against Israel,
saying, 3 "Lord, they have killed Your
prophets and torn down Your altars,
and I alone am left, and they seek my
life"?
Romans 11:1-22
4
But what does the divine response
say to him? "I have reserved for Myself
seven thousand men who have not
bowed the knee to Baal." 5 Even so
then, at this present time there is a
remnant according to the election of
grace.
Romans 11:1-22
6
And if by grace, then it is no longer of
works; otherwise grace is no longer
grace. But if it is of works, it is no
longer grace; otherwise work is no
longer work. 7 What then? Israel has
not obtained what it seeks; but the
elect have obtained it, and the rest
were blinded.
Romans 11:1-22
8
Just as it is written: "God has given
them a spirit of stupor, Eyes that they
should not see And ears that they
should not hear, To this very day."
Romans 11:1-22
9
And David says: "Let their table
become a snare and a trap, A
stumbling block and a recompense to
them. 10 Let their eyes be darkened, so
that they do not see, And bow down
their back always."
Romans 11:1-22
11
I say then, have they stumbled that
they should fall? Certainly not! But
through their fall, to provoke them to
jealousy, salvation has come to the
Gentiles.
12 Now if their fall is riches for the
world, and their failure riches for the
Gentiles, how much more their
fullness!
Romans 11:1-22
13
For I speak to you Gentiles;
inasmuch as I am an apostle to the
Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, 14 if by
any means I may provoke to jealousy
those who are my flesh and save some
of them.
Romans 11:1-22
15
For if their being cast away is the
reconciling of the world, what will their
acceptance be but life from the dead?
16 For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is
also holy; and if the root is holy, so are
the branches.
Romans 11:1-22
17
And if some of the branches were
broken off, and you, being a wild olive
tree, were grafted in among them, and
with them became a partaker of the
root and fatness of the olive tree, 18 do
not boast against the branches. But if
you do boast, remember that you do
not support the root, but the root
supports you.
Romans 11:1-22
19 You
will say then, "Branches were
broken off that I might be grafted in." 20
Well said. Because of unbelief they
were broken off, and you stand by
faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. 21
For if God did not spare the natural
branches, He may not spare you either.
Romans 11:1-22
22 Therefore
consider the goodness
and severity of God: on those who fell,
severity; but toward you, goodness, if
you continue in His goodness.
Otherwise you also will be cut off. not.
GROUNDS OF DEVOTION
1. The mercies of God
2. The goodness of God
3. The death of Christ
2 Corinthians 5:15
15
and He died for all, that those who
live should live no longer for
themselves, but for Him who died for
them and rose again.
Galatians 2:20
20 I
have been crucified with Christ; it is
no longer I who live, but Christ lives in
me; and the life which I now live in the
flesh I live by faith in the Son of God,
who loved me and gave Himself for
me.
GROUNDS OF DEVOTION
1.
2.
3.
4.
The mercies of God
The goodness of God
The death of Christ
Our redemption
2 Corinthians 6:14-18
14
Do not be unequally yoked together
with unbelievers. For what fellowship
has righteousness with lawlessness?
And what communion has light with
darkness?
2 Corinthians 6:14-18
15
And what accord has Christ with
Belial? Or what part has a believer with
an unbeliever?
2 Corinthians 6:14-18
16
And what agreement has the temple
of God with idols? For you are the
temple of the living God. As God has
said: "I will dwell in them And walk
among them. I will be their God, And
they shall be My people."
2 Corinthians 6:14-18
17
Therefore "Come out from among
them And be separate, says the Lord.
Do not touch what is unclean, And I
will receive you."
18 "I will be a Father to you, And you
shall be My sons and daughters, Says
the Lord Almighty."
2 Corinthians 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.
ASPECTS OF DEVOTION
1. Spiritual
1 Peter 4:6
6
For this reason the gospel was
preached also to those who are dead,
that they might be judged according to
men in the flesh, but live according to
God in the spirit.
ASPECTS OF DEVOTION
1. Spiritual
2. Physical
Romans 12:1
1
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by
the mercies of God, that you present
your bodies a living sacrifice, holy,
acceptable to God, which is your
reasonable service.
ASPECTS OF DEVOTION
1. Spiritual
2. Physical
3. Material
1 Timothy 6:17-19
17
Command those who are rich in this
present age not to be haughty, nor to
trust in uncertain riches but in the
living God, who gives us richly all
things to enjoy.
1 Timothy 6:17-19
18
Let them do good, that they be rich
in good works, ready to give, willing to
share, 19 storing up for themselves a
good foundation for the time to come,
that they may lay hold on eternal life.
ASPECTS OF DEVOTION
1.
2.
3.
4.
Spiritual
Physical
Material
Complete
Matthew 6:24
24
"No one can serve two masters; for
either he will hate the one and love the
other, or else he will be loyal to the one
and despise the other. You cannot
serve God and mammon."
Luke 14:33
33
"So likewise, whoever of you does
not forsake all that he has cannot be
My disciple."
ASPECTS OF DEVOTION
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Spiritual
Physical
Material
Complete
Progressive
Luke 2:52
52
And Jesus increased in wisdom and
stature, and in favor with God and
men.
1 Thessalonians 4:1
1
Finally then, brethren, we urge and
exhort in the Lord Jesus that you
should abound more and more, just as
you received from us how you ought to
walk and to please God; 2 for you know
what commandments we gave you
through the Lord Jesus.
ASPECTS OF DEVOTION
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Spiritual
Physical
Material
Complete
Progressive
Fearful & Fearless
Matthew 10:28
28
"And do not fear those who kill the
body but cannot kill the soul. But
rather fear Him who is able to destroy
both soul and body in hell."
Romans 14:8
8 For
if we live, we live to the Lord; and
if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore,
whether we live or die, we are the
Lord's.
Philippians 1:19-20
19
For I know that this will turn out for
my deliverance through your prayer
and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus
Christ,
Philippians 1:19-20
20
according to my earnest expectation
and hope that in nothing I shall be
ashamed, but with all boldness, as
always, so now also Christ will be
magnified in my body, whether by life
or by death.
DEVOTION TO GOD
GROUNDS OF DEVOTION
ASPECTS OF DEVOTION
MANIFESTATIONS OF DEVOTION
GROUNDS OF DEVOTION
1.
2.
3.
4.
The mercies of God
The goodness of God
The death of Christ
Our redemption
ASPECTS OF DEVOTION
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Spiritual
Physical
Material
Complete
Progressive
Fearful & Fearless
MANIFESTATIONS OF DEVOTION
1. Denying self
Mark 8:34
34
When He had called the people to
Himself, with His disciples also, He
said to them, "Whoever desires to
come after Me, let him deny himself,
and take up his cross, and follow Me."
MANIFESTATIONS OF DEVOTION
1. Denying self
2. Loving God
Mark 12:29-30
29
Jesus answered him, "The first of all
the commandments is: 'Hear, O Israel,
the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30
And you shall love the Lord your God
with all your heart, with all your soul,
with all your mind, and with all your
strength.' This is the first
commandment."
1 John 5:3
3
For this is the love of God, that we
keep His commandments. And His
commandments are not burdensome.
MANIFESTATIONS OF DEVOTION
1. Denying self
2. Loving God
3. Serving God
1 Thessalonians 1:9
9
For they themselves declare
concerning us what manner of entry
we had to you, and how you turned to
God from idols to serve the living and
true God,
MANIFESTATIONS OF DEVOTION
1.
2.
3.
4.
Denying self
Loving God
Serving God
Walking worthy of God
1 Thessalonians 2:12
12
that you would walk worthy of God
who calls you into His own kingdom
and glory.
MANIFESTATIONS OF DEVOTION
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Denying self
Loving God
Serving God
Walking worthy of God
Doing all to the glory of God
1 Corinthians 10:31
31
Therefore, whether you eat or drink,
or whatever you do, do all to the glory
of God.
DEVOTION TO GOD
The Laodiceans were condemned for their lack of devotion to
God.
Revelation 3:14-16
14
"And to the angel of the church of
the Laodiceans write, 'These things
says the Amen, the Faithful and True
Witness, the Beginning of the creation
of God:
Revelation 3:14-16
15
"I know your works, that you are
neither cold nor hot. I could wish you
were cold or hot. 16 So then, because
you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor
hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth."
DEVOTION TO GOD
The Laodiceans were condemned for their lack of devotion to
God.
Let us make sure this is not the case with us.