Introduction
Don’t we all just want to please God? In all we do? Not mess with Him?
God tells us what to do to live godly lives. We find it in the Bible. It’s clear what He wants, leaving no doubt.
Skip ahead to: Advice From God
It’s not an easy road. But God’s Word is unequivocal, not ambiguous. MerWeb: unequivocal, clear, unambiguous, unquestionable. Example: “The answer was an unequivocal no.“
Seek godly options…and reject sin
When God advises us as to what to do to live godly why look for any other way? Why get into habitual sin? If we are to follow, truly, then we must obey, truly.
Life surely is full of options, but, for the believer, only godly options are viable. We followers have chosen this narrow road Matthew 7:13-14.
My goal is to follow Jesus as He wills…not as I will.
Luke 22:42 NLT
“I want your will to be done, not mine.”
“Not my will, but thine be done.”
The prayer of Jesus
Jesus said this prayer at Gethsemane. He was aware of the cruel cross, that He was about to be crucified, and so He said:
Luke 22:42 AMP
“Father, if You are willing,
remove this cup [of divine wrath] from Me;
yet not My will,
but [always] Yours be done.”
In other versions, His words are said this way:
Want what God wants…seek His will
As Jesus did, we also should ask freely John 16:24, discern His will as we see it in Scripture, but then, know that “we see in a mirror dimly [a blurred reflection, a riddle, an enigma]” 1 Corinthians 13:12 – and say,
“yet not My will, but [always] Yours be done.” Luke 22:42
“But I do not ask you to do what I want. Do what you want to do.”
Advice from God for living godly
***These are directives in Scripture to follow Jesus as He wills.
With each advice from God in Scripture, ask yourself:
How do I struggle with this? How can I make this happen daily? Where am weak here? What are my strengths here? Pray this… about that.
* Flee youthful lusts – 2 Timothy 2:22
“Run away from youthful lusts—
pursue righteousness,
faith, love, and peace
with those [believers]
who call on the Lord
out of a pure heart.”
– 2 Timothy 2:22
* Don’t let sin reign. – Romans 6:12
Romans 6:12
“Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body”
Resist the devil
[stand firm against him]
and he will flee from you.”
* Be holy – “set apart” – 1 Peter 1:14-16: apart from the world, apart from sin, apart from the flesh.
do not be
conformed to the evil desires
which governed you
in your ignorance
[before you knew the requirements
and transforming power of
the good news regarding salvation].
But like the Holy One
who called you,
be holy yourselves
in all your conduct
[be set apart
from the world
by your godly character
and moral courage];
because it is written,
“You shall be holy (set apart),
for I am holy.”
– 1 Peter 1:14-16
* Use acceptable words. Think acceptable meditations. – Psalm 19:14
“Let the words of my mouth
and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable
and pleasing in Your sight,
O Lord, my [firm, immovable] rock
and my Redeemer.”
– Psalm 19:14
* Think continually on these things – Philippians 4:8
whatever is true,
– Philippians 4:8
* Be unceasing and persistent in prayer. – 1 Thessalonians 5:15-19
Practice self-talk prayer. This helps so you can “pray without ceasing”. Have daily conversations with God.
“…always seek
* Walk in the Spirit —“and thus fulfill the law of God…” – Galatians 5:16.
See: What it means to walk in the Light, not in Darkness
Paul teaches us that “the sinful nature…responds impulsively without regard for God and His precepts”. “Walk habitually in the [Holy] Spirit”…and you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.
Galatians 5:16
But I say, walk habitually in the [Holy] Spirit [seek Him and be responsive to His guidance], and then you will certainly not carry out the desire of the sinful nature [which responds impulsively without regard for God and His precepts].
The only way to habitually walk in the Spirit is to continually repent, develop a simple frequent practice of repentance. “Seek Him and be responsive to His guidance.”
To live godly before God, first repent so no sin separates your fellowship with Him. No Christian can live sinless for long, so to live godly — we must first repent. It’s a choice we make throughout our busy days.
Dig Deep:
What does God Himself say about living godly every day? He gives us advice throughout the Bible.
_______
The Holy Spirit in you? Excerpt: When we accept Christ, the whole universe becomes our family domain! We become a child of Creator God. Our new life, spirit and soul, begins eternal life as the Holy Spirit of God, part of the “three in one” mysterious Triune God, takes up residence in our body.
The Holy Spirit only resides in true believers
Salvation and Receiving the Gift of the Holy Spirit
Ephesians 5:15-21. The Holy Spirit’s Filling
What it means to walk in the Light, not in Darkness – Ephesians 3:16
I saw the Light – at the Cross
References about the Holy Spirit
Are you being warned by the Holy Spirit about being “out”?
Enjoy spiritual well-being Excerpt: Becoming born again is just the beginning of the call of God for each of us. That is the start. Then begins the Christian walk toward maturity – motivated by deep gratitude for His grace.
Rely on the Spirit of God in you Excerpt:
Whoever you are, whatever your color, “red and yellow, black and white…” (maybe we should all just answer: color?: “pastel”), wherever you live, God Himself resides in the true believer. Is He in you?
What an amazing mystery, that Almighty God would choose to somehow enter His creation. He does not “lower Himself” nor condescend nor stoop… to do so. It is in His very nature to love us so.
God is love and humbleness — in the same breath with His Omnipotence and unequaled Awesomeness. What is so unknowable is that He would choose to love us “while we were yet sinners” in rebellion against Him. Amazing grace
Romans 12:2
And do not be conformed to this world [any longer with its superficial values and customs], but be [a]transformed and progressively changed [as you mature spiritually] by the renewing of your mind [focusing on godly values and ethical attitudes], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His plan and purpose for you].
The Reality of Incompleteness on Earth
All ways lead to God …Wouldn’t it be nice! Excerpt: It’s been said, “All roads lead to Rome.” That was because Romans built them for their purposes. But God has only one road to Heaven, and that road is the way of the cross.
Vortex of Good & Evil Excerpt:
As mere humans, we are engulfed in the vortex of battle between good and evil. Whether we like it, or not, that is the reality within this world that God created.
We must remember – it is God who created us, not we ourselves. We have an obligation, by God, to choose Him, the Good, or be enslaved by Evil.
Siding with the gospel of Christ – sets us free. Siding with any other, leaves us under His wrath. In the midst of our struggles to resist the Evil One, we must yield ourselves to Holy God, or be swept away in the maelstrom.
The Inclusive Yet Exclusive Salvation of Jesus
How you can know you are a Christian
How a Christian lives life – Proverbs 8:5…what to do to live godly lives Excerpt: Even if I were to live a perfect life — God could not love me more, because His love is not based on how well I perform. He loves me unconditionally (agape). His forgiveness of me is quick stunning! What amazing grace!
How to live on Christ – by Harriet Beecher Stowe
What leads to godly living – Matthew 5:8, Mark 8:33
Imagine you, the perfect person
PIC: quote. do-the-next-thing. Elisabeth-Elliot
Proverbs 8:5
“O you naive or inexperienced [who are easily misled], understand prudence and seek astute common sense; And, O you [closed-minded, self-confident] fools, understand wisdom [seek the insight and self-discipline that leads to godly living].
Being an “evangelical” in today’s wild and wooly ungodly culture
My simple frequent practice of repentance
Being faithful, little by little Excerpt:
What drives you, day by day, to do the things you do, to act the way you choose to act?
Those who are faithful to Christ – are not faithful all-at-once, and faultless thereafter. Those who are faithful to the end – are faithful over time, little-by-little.
Children of God Excerpt: Erroneous beliefs abound. One says: since God created us all – then all of us are his children, right? Wrong. The Bible says Jesus “gives the right” to become children of God.
A common misconception out there is that, since God created us all – then all of us are his children, “children of God”. Nothing could be further from the truth, actually. The normal human is actually born into a state of separation from God.
It is a special “right”, a special privilege, to become a child of God. We must receive Him. Until we do… we are totally NOT His children. In fact, as mere men we are condemned to spend eternity with the fallen angels in a place void of all that is good.
Being who we are Excerpt: It is quite sobering to read the Bible and realize who we are, here on earth. We earthly creatures are born under God’s judgement. Unworthy of Him, we have been condemned to an eternity without Him. It will be life without God, forever.
You can choose life with God, or you can choose life totally void of the graces, the goodness, of God our Creator. It is our choice. But, only God’s way leads to Himself.
John 16:24 “Until now you have not asked [the Father] for anything in My name; but now ask and keep on asking and you will receive, so that your joy may be full and complete.”
Pray without ceasing. – 1 Thessalonians 5:15-19
Practice self-talk prayer. Have daily conversations with God.
What makes your prayers effective
Pairing with God…An easy morning prayer to start it right
Pray as Jesus prayed
The famous prayer of Jesus – Matthew 6:9-13.
Discerning what is good…what is His will, not mine.
With each advice from God in Scripture, ask yourself:
How do I struggle with this? How can I make this happen daily? Where am weak here? What are my strengths here? Pray this… about that.
TAGS for this post
Proverbs 8:5, Luke 22:42, Matthew 7:13-14, Philippians 4:8, 2 Timothy 2:22, Romans 6:12, 2 Timothy 2:22, Psalm 19:14, 1 Peter 1:14-16, Philippians 4:8, 1 Thessalonians 5:15-19, John 16:24, Ephesians 3:16, Galatians 5:16, as Jesus prayed, Jesus’ famous prayer, pray without ceasing, self-talk prayer, practice self-talk prayer, pray with God, please our God?, being pleasing, we all bow, you Oh Lord, what you value, Pay Attention, be holy, daily living advice, flee youthful lusts, discerning good, Philippians 4:8, practice self-talk prayer, think – flee – be, think these things, use acceptable meditations, use acceptable words, pairing with God, make prayers effective, want to please, seek godly options, reject sin, keeping sin, not my will, thine be done, this narrow road, an easy road, what He wants, follow truly, obey truly, God tells us, why look elsewhere?, any other way?, why practice sin?, as He wills, as I will?, His Omnipotence, His unequaled Awesomeness, reality of incompleteness, who we are, moment in time, change eternity, Good & Evil, vortex of battle.
Leave a Reply