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[0:00] Thank you for being out this morning. I know there are some who are gone and out of state traveling. I believe the Thomases are in Florida.

[0:14] And I think the Kellys, the younger version of the Kellys, are in Big Bear for a few days. He sent me some pictures. There's snow there too. But we left all that snow behind that we experienced in Pennsylvania.

[0:29] We received word this morning that the temperatures have dipped since we've been there and they were in the single digits early this morning. And so I can't say that I missed that part.

[0:43] But good to be back with you and good to be back in the sun. So in Ephesians chapter 4, we've worked our way through this passage in about two weeks of speaking on a theme of growing together.

[0:58] And then last, or two weeks ago, when I was with you, I started a message. I called it Growing in Knowing. And it began out of verse number 13, till we come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God.

[1:15] And we saw in 2 Peter 3 that we're commanded to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And so I said to you a few weeks ago that we need to continue growing.

[1:26] We need to grow in knowing, first of all, in knowing the Savior. And speaking of not a knowledge of facts or head knowledge, but rather a growing in knowing Him and abiding in Him, a personal fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

[1:39] We saw in chapter 4 where Paul said in verse 20, And there's some things listed previously that is the manner of the Gentiles walking in the vanity of their mind and things that they're guilty of, their ignorance and their blindness and their lasciviousness and their uncleanness and greediness and all these things.

[2:00] You didn't learn that from Jesus Christ. And if you know Him, there's some things that will start showing up in your life and that will be things, character traits that He possesses as you take His yoke upon you and learn of Him.

[2:13] As you learn meekness, you learn that humility and that character, that righteousness and faith and compassion and obedience and submission and suffering even. You learn of Jesus Christ.

[2:25] The Apostle Paul desired in Philippians 3 to know Him and the fellowship of His suffering. In 2 Timothy 1, the Apostle Paul said that He knows whom He has believed.

[2:37] And He's persuaded. And so when you have a knowledge of Jesus Christ and know Him intimately and one-on-one, where you know the Lord, then there's not too much that you get rattled about in this life.

[2:49] When your fellowship with Him is so strong that He calls you to do something, you don't even flinch. Your flesh might say, No, you can't do that. You need to bail. But you know the Savior.

[2:59] You know He's never going to leave you nor forsake you. You know that He's faithful. And so we know knowing the Savior is the first thing we need to do is growing in knowing the Savior. Knowing the Scriptures. And we made some comments about God having a truth.

[3:13] The truth, He says, it's all over the Bible, those two words, the truth. And I showed you that some men, God wants men to come to the knowledge of the truth and Satan resists that and seeks to hold them captive.

[3:27] And as a result, there's men that are deceived about the truth and they're consumed with religious practices and they don't, and we saw in the Scriptures, they don't know what they're talking about. They speak evil of the truth.

[3:37] And the way of truth is evil spoken of and they know not what they're speaking of. And so a few things I taught you or described from the Scriptures, what we're desire. Desire to grow in the Scriptures.

[3:51] Grow in grace. I know, I'm sorry. As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the Word as a command for you and I that you may grow thereby. I asked you two weeks ago, do you desire to grow from the Scriptures?

[4:06] If you do, you'll be in the Scriptures. They'll be a part of your life. And you'll feel them change you. You'll notice them clean you up and renew your mind. You'll notice that about you when you're in the Scriptures.

[4:18] And it's a good feeling. It's a good feeling to not have a dirty mind and a corrupt mind. You know when you're around that a lot, your mind, you start to pick it up. And something somebody says, the immediate thought is a filthy thought or a filthy joke.

[4:34] But when you get into this book, it washes that away. It puts a new thought in your mind. When you hear something, you think of Scripture. You think of certain things that come out of the book. And we need to grow in that.

[4:46] We need to grow in our knowledge of the Scriptures. And there was much more to say there, but we'll move on knowing the Spirit was the third thought there. Knowing His moving and His will and His voice in your heart.

[4:57] And being able to identify when it's His working. Possessing the ability to discern the working of the Spirit of God in your life and in this world versus the deceptive spirit of Antichrist that we read about in 1 John chapter 4.

[5:13] Christ said that the Spirit of God will lead and guide us into all truth. And I look around at modern Christianity and I wonder, how'd they get there? Don't tell me the Spirit of God led them to worshiping God in a rock concert.

[5:29] Don't tell me that the Spirit of God led modern Christianity into adopting worldly ways and even worldly advertising and schemes to attract people. I don't even want to comment on it.

[5:41] I'll probably say the wrong thing. But knowing when it's the Spirit of God, being able to discern when it's not. Remember I mentioned Romans chapter 10, how the lost Israel, who crucified their Savior, Paul said that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.

[6:00] And their zeal is getting them nowhere but to hell. And God doesn't accept a man because He's zealous. He doesn't accept a man because He means well or because He has intentions that are good.

[6:11] He accepts a man according to His truth. And He's given us the truth and the way to worship Him in spirit and in truth. And God is not accepting things that people feel like they're accepting or even they claim that He's accepting.

[6:25] The Lord is in this place. The Spirit of God is in this place. No, He's not. Sadly, no, He's not. You're deceived. And Paul warned the church of evil men and seducers waxing worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.

[6:39] He warned of them causing division and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned. He warned that they'd turn away their ears from the truth, that they'd give heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils.

[6:52] He warned that by their good words and fair speeches they'll deceive the hearts of the simple. And you don't want to be deceived, believer. You don't want to be deceived. You don't want to go through life thinking God's okay with what you're doing or saying or this way of worshiping Him.

[7:07] You don't want to be deceived. You want to worship Him the right way. You want Him to accept it. You want Him to accept your labor. However, we studied and saw that in the church God's Spirit guides us in all truth.

[7:19] He reveals hidden wisdom. He leads His children. He helps. He intercedes. He strengthens them in the inner man. And in plain words, the Spirit of God is here to help us to know God in a way that we otherwise wouldn't.

[7:31] And we need to know His voice. And so last time it was about growing and knowing. And when you grow in knowing the Savior and in your relationship with Him and growing in knowing the Scriptures, that they're alive and that they're powerful and capable of accomplishing things in your heart, when you grow in knowing the Spirit of God and His leading, the work that is accomplished on the inside, that's what that's all about, is first accomplishing a work on the inside, I feel it's inevitable that that is going to show on the outside and be displayed.

[8:07] Christ said that they may see your good works. And I believe that we need to grow in not only knowing, but as that takes place, a work that's done on the inside, now we need to grow in showing.

[8:21] That is, displaying what is going on in here needs to be evidenced out here. And I want to take those same three categories that we looked at, the Savior, the Scriptures, and the Spirit of God, and consider growing in showing.

[8:35] Knowing. Knowing is the inward quality. Showing is the outward quality, the display of what's inside. So before we do, let's pray and then we'll get into the Scriptures some more.

[8:46] Father, I pray that You'll open my mouth and help me to preach the truth. And Lord, I pray that ears would receive the words of God. And Lord, may Your Spirit speak into our hearts these truths and get them down inside so that they'll make a difference and that we will grow.

[9:05] Not just in knowledge, but Lord, that we'll grow in our outward display of what You've done on the inside, how You've changed us. God, I pray that the world would see a difference in the way we live our lives.

[9:17] That even within this church, that each other, we'd see a difference amongst ourselves, that You've changed us, that You're living in us, that we're submitted to You. And Father, may Jesus Christ be glorified.

[9:30] In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. Growing and showing. First of all, let me say, along with those categories, growing and showing the work of the Savior in your life.

[9:43] You've learned of Him. What now needs to be shown that you've learned of Him versus what you've not learned. In other words, if Christ is in you and the qualifier by if you submit to Him, then some things are going to change.

[9:58] Now there's a gospel out there. Men preach that if you say you're saved and you never change, then I've got news for you that you're not saved. And I'll never preach that a day in my life.

[10:09] Because if you're saved, then you're saved. And if you don't submit to the leading of God working inside of you, you're not going to grow and it's not going to show.

[10:22] It doesn't mean that you haven't been born. You better be careful. Everybody needs to be careful how we measure whether one's saved or not. Always looking for their fruit and then we decide if it qualifies.

[10:34] But you better just let God be the one that judges that. I know we want to see people saved and changed and cleaned up and doing right and on fire for God. And I want to see that in my own life and in yours as well.

[10:45] But I'm not going to tell you you're lost because I didn't see you stop smoking or because you went and did something wrong. If you're saved, you're saved. If you believed on the Lord Jesus Christ and a new birth took place, there's a new man in there and he wants to change you.

[11:03] But now you're going to have to submit to him. So if Christ is in you and if you submit to him, then things are going to change. In Romans chapter 12, you're to present your body a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable under God, which is your reasonable service.

[11:18] That's your job. You should do that. But if you don't, then you know what's not going to happen? You're not going to be renewed in the spirit of your mind. Verse 2, you're not going to be transformed. Instead, you'll be conformed to this world.

[11:30] Romans chapter 12, verse 2. But we're speaking of showing the work of the Savior in your life and showing the character of the new man. Notice in Ephesians 4, if you're still there, verse number 20.

[11:46] And we'll come from verse 20 and just kind of work our way down to the end of this passage. Notice that this is showing the work of the Savior, of the new man, the new life.

[11:56] Verse 20 says, But ye have not so learned Christ, if so be that ye have heard him and have been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus, that ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lust, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

[12:17] Now here's one of the characters in verse 25, one of the changes or way to show the character of the new man. Wherefore putting away lying, but speak every man truth with his neighbor, for we are members of one another.

[12:32] In the first instance that he gives, it's honesty. That's showing the character of the new man inside of you. The old man is a liar. The old man is deceitful.

[12:43] The old man will try to get out of trouble by lying, or will try to steal by lying, or whatever the case may be. But the new man, when you start showing honesty, that's evidence that there's a new man in there by speaking every man truth.

[12:58] Verse number 26 and 7, Be ye angry and sin not. Let not the sun go down upon your wrath, neither give place to the devil. Another characteristic here might be your temperance that is reacting right.

[13:11] You can be angry, but sin not. There's such a thing as righteous anger or indignation. But the idea here is that you're in control. That's evidence of the new man showing the new man and the work of the Savior in your life.

[13:28] The old man flips out, flies off the handle with anger and wrath. The new man controls himself and reacts right to bad breaks in life or to bad people or to bad news or to bad feelings because Christ is inside influencing your reactions and your decisions.

[13:47] Verse number 28, another one says, Let him that stole steal no more, but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good that he may have to give to him that needeth. Notice in this next one, this character of the new man is in giving and not taking.

[14:07] the thief, the old man, the new man works, why? So that he can give to him that needeth. The old man is a taker.

[14:19] In the Old Testament, the horse leech cries, Give, give. Have two daughters. They cry, Give. They just want to take, take, take from others. But that work of the Spirit of God or the relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, the new man inside of you is a giver.

[14:35] Changes. Verset 29, another evidence of the work of the Savior it's showing is that no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

[14:48] So it's in your speech as well. The old man is full of corrupt communication. The new man puts a check on his tongue because there's a working going on, a relationship with the Savior.

[15:02] You're learning of him and all of a sudden you start to hear. Those words are burning your ears and now they don't have any place in your mouth. And when a man cleans up his tongue, sometimes it can just be one of the first things that go in a new believer's life is they realize their language.

[15:22] Now it doesn't always go, not with everybody, but the command is, how much corrupt communication? None of it. Proceeding out of your mouth. And if you're saved and Christ is in you, then it's time to grow in showing that he's in you.

[15:40] In verse number 31, the chapter closes, let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice and be ye kind one to another tenderhearted, forgiving one another even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

[15:54] You see this now in your spirit and in your attitude towards others, your relationships with others, you begin to show this character of the new man. Growing and showing, showing the work of the Savior and in this chapter just we get good examples of a new man and a new working in your life.

[16:15] Secondly, let me say growing and showing the work of the Savior in your life by showing the praises of the Savior. Notice in 1 Peter, come to 1 Peter chapter 2, something changes not just in the way your character, but something else comes out of you.

[16:40] It ought to, it has to. A praise for the Savior of your soul. 1 Peter 2, look at verse 9. Growing and showing.

[16:54] But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood and a holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

[17:09] There ought to be something so much different about you as a saved man. If you're growing in knowing the Savior and your relationship with Him is growing and your fellowship with Him is growing, then it's going to show.

[17:20] It ought to show on the outside and one of the ways is in your praises of the Savior. Back in 1 Chronicles 16, David, he penned one of the psalms and he said, sing unto the Lord all the earth, show forth from day to day His salvation.

[17:37] How do you do that? By singing. By song. Let's look at a few of the psalms. There's probably hundreds, but we'll just look at a handful and see how far we go here.

[17:47] Psalm 9, come back to Psalm 9. And notice that we're called to show the praises of our Savior and the work that He's done in our life.

[18:01] I don't understand how you can't if you're growing in knowing Him. If your relationship with Him is going forward, I don't see how you can't let it come out of your mouth.

[18:14] I love, I grew up in church singing, grew up with a hymnal in my hand and singing and I was never really that keen on it as I imagine some of the kids here might feel the same way.

[18:26] I looked over at my kids earlier and they're just kind of standing there with a hymnal just like I was at that age. But when the Lord got a hold of my heart and He turned this thing around and I began to appreciate Him for real because it was me that He died for and when it came real to me what He's done for me I couldn't not show forth the praises of Him.

[18:52] I couldn't just stand there and be like I couldn't fake it. I mean I'm not just screaming I'm not a very extrovert person you know that already.

[19:03] I'm not going to run around this church and beat on the windows and shout until I'm sweating and spitting to praise, show forth. That's just not my mentality or my personality and I'm good with that.

[19:16] but I can't help but singing out and lifting up my voice especially when we're here and the opportunity is for all of us collectively to just glorify Him.

[19:29] It's easy in here to sing but I enjoy it out there as well. I remember one time I was driving home from work I was working up in Hershey, Pennsylvania and I was coming down Highway Interstate 83 heading back to York area and I had an old F-150 work truck with a pipe rack on it and all of that and I just remember I had this little CD player in there with little speakers that I hooked up because I wanted some music in the truck and I just didn't want to listen to AM radio and Rush Limbo and all the rest of them.

[20:06] I'm cranking some good music and it's just got me fired up a little bit and I'm kind of excited I'm singing I'm just singing and this car comes up beside me and as it's beside me and it's sitting there for a while and I see it peripherally and then I finally just glance over and they're both looking just like just rolling laughing at me just necks probably flying and who knows what else I might have been swerving too maybe but I just remember that being out there I didn't have a care in the world because the music was just speaking to me and my spirit and I was just letting it rip and of course nobody in the world was hearing me only some people made fun of me didn't bother me it was kind of embarrassing a little bit but it didn't take long for me to get right back into it.

[20:50] Psalm 9 take a look at verse number 1 and 2 I will praise thee O Lord with my whole heart I will show forth all thy marvelous works I will be glad and rejoice in thee I will sing praise to thy name O thou most high you got to see that it's connected to praising and singing him how you're showing forth how it's showing these praises of the Savior verse 11 says sing praises to the Lord which Deleth and Zion declare among the people his doings how you're declaring it by song by singing all the way come down to the end of the psalm here verse look at verse what is it 14 that I may show forth all thy praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion I will rejoice in thy salvation keep moving to your right look at Psalm 40 this is a beloved psalm here the first few verses for certain Psalm 40 in verse number 1

[21:56] I waited patiently for the Lord and he inclined unto me and heard my cry he brought me up also out of an horrible pit out of the miry clay and set my feet upon a rock and established my goings and he hath put a new song in my mouth even praise unto our God notice many shall what's the word that was weak many shall see it seeing what seeing that he's praising God seeing that there's a new song in his mouth this man is different it's showing it's showing many shall see it and fear and shall trust in the Lord what a difference they're beholding a change the world will behold a change in you when your relationship with Jesus Christ grows it'll show look at Psalm 71 man there's a lot of these I could keep going let's go fast here

[22:59] Psalm 71 verse 14 I'll start reading but I will hope continually and yet praise thee more and more my mouth shall show forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the day for I know not the numbers thereof I don't know when I'm going to die so I'm going to praise him now verse 16 I will go in the strength of the Lord God I will make mention of thy righteousness even of thine only O God thou hast taught me from my youth and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works now also when I am old gray headed O God forsake me not until I have showed thy strength unto this generation and thy power to everyone that is to come you've got a job to do Christian you've got a job to do elderly Christian you have a job to do is to show forth his praise to let everybody know let the younger crowd see it know that it's real it's real to you growing and showing I gotta skip some of this go to Psalm 96 we'll do one more Psalm 96 and verse number 1

[24:04] O sing unto the Lord a new song sing unto the Lord all the earth sing unto the Lord bless his name show forth his salvation from day to day declare his glory among the heathen his wonders among all people for the Lord is great and greatly to be praised he is to be feared above all gods is is he really great let me ask you a question who knows that the Lord is great that knows you who in your life knows because of your life they know that the Lord is great this is what the psalm is declaring to sing to proclaim to show forth who he is and when you get to do that the people see it you're declaring his glory among the heathen you're declaring that he is God of all gods in verse 5 all gods of the nations are idols but the Lord made the heavens honor and majesty are before him strength and beauty are in his sanctuary give unto the

[25:09] Lord you kindred of the people give unto the Lord glory and strength give unto the Lord the glory do unto his name bring an offering and come into his courts oh worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness fear before him all the earth say unto the heathen growing and showing showing forth by your praises first by the character that he changes in you in the new man secondly by the praises of the savior of your soul I wonder who on this planet knows that God is great and that great is his salvation by watching you are you showing it if not then you know what the message is for you you need to grow in showing the work of the savior in your life secondly growing and showing the work of the scriptures in your life because I believe if it's inside it will come out look with me at first Thessalonians 2 we've read this verse here before but it bears repeating in this context the capability of the scriptures to work and be effectual in your life in first

[26:25] Thessalonians 2 we're going to read verse number 13 not just growing and knowing the scriptures but then growing and showing the work of knowing the scriptures first Thessalonians 2 verse 13 for this cause also thank we God without ceasing because when ye received the word of God which he heard of us he received it not as the word of men but as it is in truth the word of God and here we get to the part which effectually worketh also in you that believe this Bible is alive these the word of God is quick and powerful Peter said by the word of God which liveth and abideth forever I can't explain that and I don't fully understand that but I believe that and as I believe that this book is supernatural I believe that it can and will work effectually in me as

[27:30] I believe it and as I read it and as I walk by faith in it but if I don't go to it I'm tying its hands in a sense although the word of God is not bound I sure can quench it from working in my life first you learn the book you you grow in knowing the scriptures but as you learn the book it changes you and renews your mind and then you begin to live the book it influences your thoughts and your decisions and it influences your understanding now you is you learn that then you start to live that and realize

[28:40] I'm not going to live for this life it's too short it's quick sand I can't hold on to it but I can live for eternity and I can lay up treasures in heaven and I can set my affections on things above the word of God starts to change you it's time to grow in showing the work of the us and so knowing that pushes me to start changing how I'm living and what I'm living for and start to living for him and for his glory and for eternity look at Colossians chapter 3 come back to your left just a page or two Colossians chapter 3 growing and showing the work of the scriptures in your life letting it do its work in you and then let it being verse 16 says let the word of

[29:41] Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom and when it does then you'll be capable and equipped to finish the verse teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord you can teach and admonish one another when the word of Christ is dwelling in you richly now growing and knowing the scriptures is step one now growing and showing it teaching it using it to help others come to Hebrews this is a sad verse here sad commentary on some but it bears our attention this morning Hebrews chapter 5 verse 11 because not everybody is allowing the word of Christ to dwell in them richly therefore not everybody who should be teacher teachers are qualified or capable to be teachers of even the simple things in verse 11 the reference the context is about a high priest the

[30:51] Lord Jesus Christ after the order of Melchizedek in verse 11 he says of whom we have many things to say and hard to be othered and there's a reason for that seeing ye are dull of hearing they must have their ears full of some other things some other worldly vanities that they can't comprehend the scriptures and the truth of God about the Lord Jesus Christ and in verse 12 he says for the time ye ought to be teachers ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God and are become such as have need of milk and not of strong meat for everyone that is skillful in the word of righteousness for he is a babe strong meat belong to them that are full age even those who by reason of use have their senses teach and admonish anyone in anything but needs to grow so it starts with growing and knowing the scriptures but then growing and showing the work of the scriptures

[31:55] I'm going to read a verse in 1 Peter chapter 4 verse 11 Peter says if any man speak let him speak as the oracles of God let him speak as the oracles in other words if man is going to proclaim anything his thoughts or his opinion make sure they're backed up by the truth of the word of God make sure he knows what he's talking about don't be of those who can't speak because they need to be taught again it's time to grow in showing the work of the scriptures in our life have they changed you do you have knowledge of Bible doctrine and truth if so there might be time those that you know at your family gatherings or your neighborhood those who need to know the truth that don't know the truth growing and showing the work of the scriptures in your life if it's inside it ought to come out and finally growing and showing the work of the spirit of

[33:00] God remember knowing the work of the spirit of God discerning his will versus the deception of the spirit of error showing now the work that that knowledge brings knowing is hearing his voice but showing is acting upon it come to 1st Timothy chapter 4 and let me show you an example here what I mean 1st Timothy chapter 4 showing outwardly that you know the difference between the spirit of truth and the spirit of error showing it by taking a stand with the spirit of God last time I mentioned two things two examples of whether you know the truth of the spirit of God or whether you have been deceived or let us try and I asked you do you even know or understand how this Bible has been under attack how the words of

[34:01] God have been trying to slowly subtly been stolen or just replaced with imitations and the truth of God being down graded and watered down and have you also noticed the worship today in modern Christianity is just becoming a worldly knockoff of entertainment and of the stars and the music industry and how they're being portrayed or have you noticed that is the spirit of God giving you that understanding or are you deceived about it and those two thoughts I just put out there do you know his voice and his leading because the spirit of God has not led the church to adopting the worldly mentality or the worldly practices and entertainment that's not the work of the spirit of God he the spirit of God lifts us up the word of God lifts us up to God's standard of purity and nothing's going to enter in that defiles or maketh a lie none of that's going to get in the spirit of

[35:09] God is pointing us to that kind of atmosphere you look around do you not perceive that this is not the work of the spirit of God taking the church away from what's pure and right and holy I'm not saying that American Christianity and Baptist churches and great hymns of faith is the number two holy inspired book I'm not saying that at all you don't have that when you go to other countries around the world you don't have what we have here I'm not saying that our culture is the spirit of God stamp on the church that's not the case but the case is God is not going to take the church and turn them to the world and say you can do this now now you can do this this is acceptable now with God he's cool with it I don't know where this some years back it became the trendy thing for the youth pastor to have the ripped jeans and the cut off shirts and the tattoos and the earrings and the spiked hair and how he's so trendy and in with the youth that he can minister now he's qualified to minister what is that

[36:16] I know what that's not that's not the spirit of God leading the church to God he'll lead and guide you into all truth now I want to say now growing and showing that the spirit of God that you know his voice that you know his leading and now you're going to start taking a stand with him I'm in 1st Timothy chapter 4 verse number 1 now the spirit speaketh expressly who's speaking the spirit of God is speaking very distinctly and exactly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith depart from the faith they were once in and they departed from it and why did they go because they gave heed to something giving heed to seducing spirit and doctrines of devils some depart from the faith the spirit of God wants us to know this he's speaking informing us that some are going to give heed to some seducing spirit calling them away from the faith calling them away from the truth of

[37:29] God and to where the spirit would lead you and as they call you away these are other spirits these are doctrines of devils he lets us know continue in the passage speaking lies and hypocrisy having their conscience seared with a hot iron their conscience would be telling them this is wrong this is not God God is not leading you to this but it's seared for some other reason they've ignored that and they've accepted that they've listened to the spirits that seduce them and adopted the doctrines of devils and there's some things about them and a few of their ear marks but as we get down notice verse six this is where we're at with growing and showing that you are on the same page with the spirit of God if thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things thou shalt be a good minister of

[38:32] Jesus Christ nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine were unto thou hast attained Timothy is going to be commended by Paul if he calls him out and he says these people are not going the way of God or the spirit of God they are falling away into apostasy this is not he's exposing their false doctrine and their false means of worship and what they consider acceptable but notice there's doctrines of devils in verse one and in verse six there's the good minister is nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine and now verse sixteen he closes this chapter in verse sixteen take heed unto thyself and unto the doctrine you do realize that the doctrine is so so so important and

[39:33] Paul is and Paul for taking a stand for the truth of God against those that depart from it because the spirit of God will lead and guide into all truth the seducing spirits will cause them to depart from the faith and give heed to doctrines of devils and Paul warns Timothy and reminds him you need to take heed to the doctrine Timothy now you might think this sounds like I don't want to fight against Christians I don't want to be the nasty one when they're talking about the love of God and Christians are going a certain direction you might have this thought well we're all saved and aren't we all supposed to get along and there should be some harmony and some happiness and isn't that what the body of Christ should be yes it should be but you know what I'm not the one that departed from the faith and I'm not the one that gave heed to seducing spirits and have adopted doctrines of devils and try to bring it into the church I'm going to stand with

[40:34] God I'm going to stand with the doctrine that has been delivered unto me in this book look at chapter 6 1st Timothy growing and showing that you're not deceived I don't want to fight against Christians I surely don't want that to be my ministry is arguing with believers who are saved and trying to get them right that's not what I want to do I mean I wish all of God's children were focused and submitted to the word of God and wanted to grow and wanted to know the truth instead of just I like that well I like it that way did God ask you how you like it but they don't want to know that I'd rather see them focused on the scriptures and being transformed but the church cannot afford to lay aside doctrine to get along unity is not the top doctrine is placed way above unity in chapter 6 look at verse 3 if any man consent not to wholesome words even the words of the

[41:48] Lord Jesus Christ and the doctrine which is according to godliness he is proud knowing nothing but doting about questions and stripes of words there's a doctrine according to godliness and these guys that don't agree with that know nothing look at 2nd Timothy chapter number 4 doctrine is too important worshiping God in spirit and truth according to his standards too important to lay it aside for unity there's too much at stake and I want to say this it's not the spirit of God pushing that agenda of just get along just be nice to each other just accept them this is their truth God accepts me the way I am because Jesus ate with publicans and sinners really 2nd Timothy 4 look at verse number 3 for the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine but should they have to that's my question should they have to yes the answer is yes they don't get to decide what's right and wrong they don't get to decide what

[43:00] God said but the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine but after their own lust shall they heap to themselves teachers having itching ears and they shall turn away their ears from the truth and shall be turned into fables the spirits are going to be seducing them to depart from the faith and adopt doctrines of devils in 2nd Timothy 2 Paul calls some people out verse 17 and 18 says their word will eat as doth a canker of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus who concerning the truth have erred saying that the resurrection is passed already and overthrow the faith of some false doctrine and Paul calls them out and Paul tells Timothy you're going to be a good minister of Jesus Christ if you do that too you put and I didn't say it's time to fight the Christians that's just sad but it's time to take a stand for what's true what's right and the world needs to know that and sadly the apostate

[44:11] Christians that are just having their little dance concerts this morning they need to know it true too that there's doctrine according to knowledge and they needed to get in the word of God to get to sound that way but there's an element to this Christian life you're told to fight the good fight of faith and God expects you to take a stand holding faith Paul says in 1 Timothy 1 verse 18 he ends by telling Timothy that that may just war a good warfare holding faith and a good conscience with some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck and he mentions two guys Hymenaeus Alexander whom I've delivered unto Satan Paul calls them out when they're not toeing the line with doctrine with what God said is right when they give heed to seducing spirits he calls them out and says that's not right and cuts them off and that's if you're going to be able to take a stand for what's true and what's right it's taking a stand showing that you have that knowledge of the spirit of

[45:23] God and his direction and leading in this life there's something else and we'll close with this is there's there's showing the fruit of the spirit as well come to Galatians 5 and I've got a lot of verses but I'll end with this Galatians 5 what we read weeks ago in Ephesians 4 was to speak the truth in love that's that passage that we're studying in Galatians 4 but speaking the truth and love may grow up into him and all things which is the head even Christ and while we take a stand for what's true and what's right and the word of God we do it showing the fruit of the spirit in us and he does war a good warfare and he does expect the Christian soldier to be strong the fruit of the spirit isn't soft it's just evidence that the spirit of God is inside of you these character traits come out of you these virtues in verse 16 the command is this

[46:27] I say then walk in the spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh and the spirit and the flesh contrary one to the other and there's the works of the flesh in 19 20 and 21 but here in verse 22 but the fruit of the spirit you can picture a tree right now and picture that you are that tree and if you grow in knowing the spirit and the working of the spirit of God as he seeks to change you and transform you look at that tree look at yourself and say is any of this being shown can anyone see the fruit of the spirit it's not just an inward quality fruit is something that's displayed there's a lot of barren trees around right now and the fruit is waiting to come forth and you'll tell the tree by its fruit pretty soon so when you look at yourself do you see these things but the fruit of the spirit is love joy peace long suffering now I you run that word long suffering and you're going to see that as connected with the brethren

[47:39] I didn't run it fully but quite often it's connected with you being at peace one with another and I'll just read this quickly forbearing one another forgiving one another you put a vows of mercies kindness humbleness of mind meekness long suffering forbearing one another it's within the church it's putting up with some things and allowing younger believers to get strengthened and the weaker ones to become strong it doesn't mean you put up with sin it doesn't mean you put up with false doctrine because you're long suffering that's not where this applies gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance against such there is no law and they that are Christ have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts I wonder if any of these fruits as they're described are coming forth from you if there's any evidence any outward evidence any showing that the spirit of God is in you and leading you and if he is he's going to produce something that's pleasing to God there's more evidence of this in Ephesians 5 there's more in

[48:49] Colossians 1 but I'm going to stop with this church we need to grow we need to grow on the inside in our knowledge and relationship with the Savior the scriptures and discerning the spirit of God but then we need to show it we need to grow in showing before it's this church growing in numbers and growing in ministers we individuals right here today need to grow we need to be ready to take that next step to minister we need to be ready we need to be teachers and if we're not there yet then we need to grow in learning the scriptures and be prepared to teach and to admonish one another and to help a weaker brother and to help somebody that comes in I know there's a lot of people out here and we didn't show up today but a guy called saying he was going to come and he was looking for a solid church and so forth and never showed up today I always thought we might have some visitors sounded like they were pretty pretty strong believers though and I thought

[49:53] I'm sure there's plenty of them out there but I don't want to just be a church that finds Christians and brings them in how about we are a church that is welcoming and brings in some lost as well and shows them what it's like to live the Christian life and take some time with them and is patient with them and long suffering and allows them to grow the way you were grown and groomed not everybody grows up in a Christian house not everybody this isn't my pastor used to always say use the term holy huddle say the church is not supposed to be a holy huddle it's supposed to be a hospital for sinners a place where they can come get help and learn and grow so maybe maybe we need to grow first before God will grow this place maybe we need to get ourselves tightened up get ourselves a little more into the scriptures a little less of the world a little more into showing it when it starts showing on the outside you're going to start the world's going to start seeing it this guy's saved this guy's different why?

[51:03] maybe they'll want to come maybe they'll want to hear maybe they'll want to grow themselves growing and knowing and this week growing and showing I pray that these thoughts are real to you that somebody needs to see somebody needs to behold that you're different they need to know it let's pray together Father we love you we love you because you first loved us and you showed it to us at Calvary and now Lord may we take the responsibility of showing to others the change that you've accomplished in our hearts may we not be timid may we take courage may we lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us and God allow you to work in us allow you to change us as you see fit Lord I know my flesh and each one in here has a nature that wants to fight against your spirit that doesn't want to hear it doesn't want to put the time in but Lord convict us convict us how short this life is how much of what we do doesn't matter at all

[52:23] Lord help us to grow convict us to decide we need to grow in showing that we know you that we know your word that we know your spirit and is leading in our life I wonder if you're here this morning and you say yep I have been in church all my life I definitely know the gospel I know the bible I know the doctrines my question to you is are you showing it to anybody what good is it to you just you sponge you just absorb it all and have no outlet you know what that is that's a swamp that's what you'll become you need an outlet you need to learn how to teach you need to find somebody to preach to you need to show it is your relationship with Jesus Christ what it ought to be are you faithful to him and who knows that who in your life knows that that you walk with

[53:28]  God that you're walking by faith it's time we grow together we need to grow in showing what Jesus Christ has done for us we're going to sing a hymn of invitation and number 46 in the hymnal I invite you to stand grab that hymnal I invite you to pray at this altar if you need to or in your seat ask God to grow you to give you opportunities to grow in showing to others the work of Christ in your life as we sing 46 46 who are in their people let's see you