​Making Plans to Grow in Godliness

Well, there's a quote up there on the overhead that I trust you've been able to take a look at and read that. I wasn't necessarily going to spend time reading it, but not all of you were able to take a look at it.

But it certainly does relate to what we're talking about this morning as we make this transition from targeting the heart in our last two lessons and considering, well, where do we go from here? And what kind of effort really do we put into this whole matter of growing in godliness?

What is this, if we can use that term, balance of us resting in the grace of God, but also pursuing, running hard after righteousness?

And this quote and some others throughout the lesson, and what I'm going to try and do throughout the lesson is show both sides of this, understanding that it's all of God's grace. But let's at least read the quote here.

For those that might not have been able to read it, The New Testament is clear that our acceptance into the family of God is not an end of God's work in us, but the beginning. God has not called us to a life of, I have spiritually arrived, or I am just waiting for heaven.

Rather, he calls us to a life of constant work, constant growth, and constant confession and repentance. Making us holy is God's unwavering agenda until we're taken home to be with him.

He wants us to be a community of joy, but he is willing to compromise our temporal happiness in order to increase our Christ-likeness.

And not to say that we still can't have that settled joy within our hearts, even when circumstances around us are very difficult and challenging.

We still can have that settled joy, sense of joy that all is well. God is not working for our comfort and ease. He's working on our growth.

At the very moment we're tempted to question his faithfulness, he's fulfilling his redemptive promises to us. And so that's a reassurance for us, and a reminder that God is at work in our growth and godliness.

But there's this other side that how do we work in conjunction with him, partner together with him in our growth and godliness. And that's what we're taking a look at this morning, because our first lesson, we took a look at that verse in 1 Timothy 4, 7, and 8 that challenged us to have nothing to do with godlessness and old wives' tales, but rather train yourself, discipline yourself in this direction of godliness.

And so what we're taking a look at this morning is some specifics of, just what might that look like? Because training, in order to follow through with those verses in 1 Timothy 4, 7, and 8, to me, it's going to take some specific plans and activities in order for us to move in that direction of godliness.

And again, to show our cooperation with God. You know, I've received this command with God. Okay. How am I going to indicate that, man, that's my same ambition, unless I make some specific plans and pursue certain activities that are leading me in that direction of godliness.

So we need to make a plan for godliness and practice what is godly in order to grow in godliness. I mean, it makes sense to me many times.

You know, maybe you're not one that plans to go on vacation or make plans when you go on vacation. I've sure heard of some that say, get in the car, we're going. You know, I guess I couldn't do that.

I've got to have some semblance of order and organization if I'm going on a vacation. And other activities as well. And so if I want to accomplish a certain thing, well, in my thinking, I've got to make some plans for that and organize for that and then follow through with that plan in order to make the progress or to reap the benefits of whatever it is that I'm heading toward or want to accomplish.

And so why wouldn't we apply that same, what I think, as wisdom to this whole matter of growth and godliness? Sometimes it seems as though people tend to think that, well, if we do that, you know, we're kind of taking it out of God's hands and out of the realm of grace.

I don't think so. I think doing this is just a result of the work of grace. We're walking in the grace that is ours.

And I'm giving you bits and pieces of the whole lesson. I better just get to the lesson and follow through what I've planned and put it into practice here.

So before we look at some of the specifics, there are some things that I thought it's always good to remember. So let's take a look at some of those points to remember as we work toward the specifics of identifying, planning, and then putting things into practice.

The first thing to remember, change or growing in godliness originates and continues by God's grace. It's God's grace that brought us the full scope of salvation, whether it's our justification or our sanctification, our growth in godliness.

In Titus 2, 1 through 14, it says, For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say no to ungodliness and worldly passions.

You see, even in this verse, how they go together. It's the grace of God that brings us salvation. And just don't think of just salvation as that initial stages of salvation, our justification.

Think of it, the full scope that God has brought to us, this full scope of salvation and all it includes. But it does teach us to say no to ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright, godly lives in this present age.

So it leads us to specific things in a specific direction. And as we're led in those specific directions, well, of course it means that we are going to give ourselves to specific activities in order to be those people that God, by his grace, has brought us to be.

Even Ephesians 2, 8 through 10, it's by grace you've been saved. And if you go down to verse 10, we're God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works.

There we see that again. By God's grace we're saved. He's designed us to do good works, for us to do.

So there comes that point when we are actually the doers of what we have obtained by God's grace. And then Psalm 86, 11 through 13.

In fact, this is a section of verses that I'll go back to over and over again this morning. And because it is a work of God's grace, we can show that we recognize it in our prayers, just like the psalmist prayed here.

Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth. Give me an undivided heart that I may fear your name. So he's recognizing that his life is for the purpose of God, for his glory, to worship God.

And yet he's going to God and asking God to give him what he needs in order to be this person who is living out what is his through God and from God.

And we see that in his prayer. So remember, it is a work of grace. And anything we're talking about when it comes to the specifics of identifying and planning doesn't negate this work of grace.

But it's only because there has been a work of grace that we even can identify. And this ongoing grace that makes this possible. But let's also remember the purpose for change.

The glory of God and to have joy in knowing him and living by his design. And I say, these are things for us to remember because sometimes when we get into the details of identifying and planning, you know, it's so easy for our hearts to transition toward, well, yeah, I want to do this because it sure will make my life easier as a husband or a wife.

Well, that's not our ambition because it may not be easier. What we're trying to learn is how to glorify God in the midst of our circumstances. So the circumstances might not change, but our hearts will and will have the fruit of the Spirit in our lives in those challenging times.

And then there's some verses there that focus on our purpose. 1 Corinthians 10.31, you know that one. I do it all for the glory of God and Jesus.

In John 15, indicating to his disciples, I've told you this so that my joy may be in you. You know, I'm giving you this instruction not because I'm a hard task master.

I want you to enjoy, you know, who I am and the counsel I bring to you. And your joy, I want you to have that joy in following my counsel.

So I'm telling you these things so that my joy may in you and that your joy may be complete. And then John 17.13, his prayer, I'm coming to you now, but I say these things while I'm still in the world so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them.

So again, God wants us to be people of great joy and rejoicing while we're in this world. So remember our purpose, to glorify God and have joy. They go together, really.

Remember your identity. Many times we tend to live out of who we believe we are. And here's a good quote. I'm finding that most of my quotes are coming from the book Instruments in a Redeemer's Hands by Paul Tripp.

So if you want to get a good book that fits what we're talking about, that's one to get. But here's a lengthy quote that helps us understand what I'm saying there, that when we, many times, we tend to lit up out of who we believe we are.

Again, the identities we assign ourselves influence our responses to life. And here's his quote. In the press of everyday life, it's easy to forget who we are.

As we try to replace old behaviors with new ones, it's easy to take our eyes off our status as children of God. In fact, the longer we struggle with a problem, the more likely we are to define ourselves by that problem.

Say some examples of being divorced, addicted, depressed, codependent, ADD, ADHD, as it's referred to today. We come to believe that our problem is who we are.

But while these labels may describe particular ways we struggle as sinners in a fallen world, they are not our identity. If we allow them to define us, we'll live trapped within their boundaries.

This is no way for a child of God to live. So again, you know, we're going back to who we are and during those times of challenge during our days, times of temptation or trials, whatever it is, whether they be physical trials, emotional, whatever they are, we're going back to, wait a minute, this is who I am and who I am is going, comes into play here in this situation.

It has a direct bearing on what I'm thinking and how I'm responding to these circumstances. And of course, then we go back to God's counsel, his word, and determine, okay, what are the specific responses that I need to cultivate in my heart and in my behavior so that I'm not controlled by the circumstances or what I've experienced, whether it's in the past or in the present.

I'm not, and I'll use this example because it fits here. When people are alcoholic, you know, they tell them that you're always an alcoholic.

Well, I don't think so. You know, once you're in Christ, growing in godliness, you're a child of God. You have a new identity that affects how you respond to the struggles that you've had.

say in this case, with alcohol. So it's important to remember your identity in a number of verses that you could go to that show the variety of ways that we're described as children of God.

But also remember the direction of change. God is moving us in the direction of being transformed into the likeness of Christ. Christ. So anything that we would set up as our goal or target of what we're being transformed into, if it's not that, then we're falling short of what God has for us.

So the direction that we're, the specific direction that we take in our planning for growth and godliness, that is the target. and it is a supreme target, certainly only to be completed when we're in the presence of Jesus Christ, but still the target, no less, while we're here in this world.

That's part of the joy of being a Christian. We don't have to put off some of those joys of being like Christ until we get to heaven. We can have those, those qualities, characteristics, part of our life now when we desperately need them while we're still living in a fallen world.

And so let's not lower the target. Let's keep the goal, the target, the same that God has us appointed toward and make some progress toward that target.

And then the last one I've got down here, planning for change isn't unspiritual or legalistic, but it's an act of love and obedience to God and love for others.

In Mark 12, and you see this, these greatest commands in other places, the most important one answered Jesus. It says, Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, with all your strength. You see, with your whole person he's saying that. Now when I see something like that, that makes me start thinking that there's specific things that I'm going to have to be doing in order to do that.

And so I need to understand that love is just not some, what I describe, how it's usually described, some heart-feeling flutters that I have toward God.

There are specific expressions that flow from my life that indicate that I do love God with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength.

So I have to start thinking then about, well, if this is the greatest command, then this is the one I have to keep. How am I going to keep that?

Where am I not keeping that right now? Okay, I could think this way. Okay, what do I have to do to now fulfill this greatest command? And then we start making some plans to do that.

So we need to change sinful behavior because it's an indicator that our love has been given to another. And we see, I start identifying some of those ways in which we're not living like Christ.

In fact, we were in the book of James last week and James called it spiritual adultery. He called them adulteresses because they had given themselves over to desires that were leading them down this path that was to conflicts or certainly not lives that would honor and glorify God.

So when we give ourselves to sinful behaviors, words, thoughts, whatever it is, that should be an indicator that, well, certainly I'm not loving God with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength, so I must be loving someone, something else at this time because I'm going in this direction and giving, my heart is over here where your treasure is, that's where your heart will be also.

You know, if I want to find out where my heart is, well, find out what you really treasure and you'll find that's where your heart is. And so we don't want to be giving our hearts to another lover, but we want to make sure it's for our Father, our Lord Jesus Christ.

So fulfilling these commands doesn't just happen, but rather, as we humbly depend upon God and discipline ourselves in the direction of godliness.

And of course, that disciplining process requires that we first identify what specifically needs to change. I'll just take a break here.

I've been talking fast here. I'm not even sure I'm going to make it through this whole lesson today. Any thoughts or questions at this point? I haven't usually given you that time.

Well, let's go on to this area of specific planning. Before we can make some plans, I think some identification needs to happen.

Where am I not like Christ, both inwardly and outwardly? You know, we talked about the importance of the heart the last couple weeks. Now we're moving in another direction here of our growth and godliness.

Some specifics. Now, where do we go from here? And we start here by identifying where am I not like Christ, both inwardly and outwardly?

We're always making that connection. Jesus helped us understand the importance of that. They're not separate. They're directly related. Again, another quote from Paul Terp's book. Because the Bible tells us that people live out of their hearts, we're always interested, and now the heart's thoughts and cravings are revealed by the choices people make and the things they say and do.

All right, so how do we determine what needs to change within us? Well, some thoughts that I've got down here. Certainly, we want to pray.

Psalm 25, 4, the psalmist said, show me your ways, O Lord. Teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me. You think he wants to learn something here?

He's saying this over and over again. You begin to understand the desire of his heart. For you are God, my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.

He understands where life is. Life for him is found in God, his Savior, and so he recognizes that I've got to learn your ways.

Please teach me your truth. And we know that. We experience that as well. We struggle, give in to sin at times, and are at that place, Lord, I've failed again, and our hearts have to make that cry again to God.

Teach me your way. Now, I need to learn your ways. In Colossians 1, 9, and 10, so the psalmist prayed that prayer individually. You saw him struggling there, but remember, we're growing together in godliness.

And so we see Paul praying for the people there in Colossae, the believers there. We've not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.

And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way, bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God. So he's very active in the lives of these people here.

The degree in which others are involved in our lives through prayer, praying for us, I think is directly related to the amount of growth and godliness that we experience.

While I'm certainly going to be praying for my growth and godliness, I think what you're doing on my behalf in prayers for me and me for you and you for each other will have a bearing on how much you are growing in godliness.

In fact, we went to the Christmas program for our other daughter at her church in First Baptist where the pastor, he was the man whose daughter was murdered down in Indianapolis.

And we saw him after the program and he greeted us after the program and I just had to tell him, I thank God for his faithfulness to you and I'm going to cry already, and your faithfulness in this great trial.

And he just gave testimony of the grace of God, people have been praying for us, and so it fits right here. That is how he, and he was giving testimony of how he and his wife, he says, not that we're there yet, you know, we are struggling in a big way still.

You know, we're up here one time and down here the next time, and he says, but, you know, God's people have been praying for us, and so it has a great bearing on our progress in godliness, not just in the planning process, but certainly in the exercise of that godliness in those challenging times.

So we've got to remember that. You're going to need to be thinking of who can I be praying for and when am I going to be praying for that person? Okay, so praying. Okay, I'm going to slow down here because I'm not going to, I'm not going to get through this full lesson and give it its due if I run through the rest of this.

All right, so we're praying, and then how do I determine and identify? Well, interact with God and his word. That's a given. Privately and publicly.

Remember, this is God's counsel to us. We don't know the mind of God apart from getting into the word of God, and that's privately on our own and publicly and opportunities even like this morning.

Ask for input from others who are wise and love God and you enough to be honest with you. You're going to have to be honest with each other, not that you're going to be brutal with each other and so blunt that you're using hammering words on the person.

You're going to apply the word of God with wisdom if someone comes and maybe you need to be the one going, listen, I want to grow in Godliness.

If you were to pick out an area for me, what would it be? And maybe with your spouse or maybe even your children or maybe, like I said, a good friend. God used Nathan to confront David and this had been a while.

David needed to repent. He was responding to his sin in a sinful way and as a result, he was reaping the consequences of that heavy guilt, couldn't sleep, physically it was affecting him, so God in his grace, mercy sent Nathan, go to David, confront him, help him to see and so he did come and David recognized, repented, got back on track again in the direction he needed to be going.

The apostle Paul also wrote to the churches and confronted them about specific areas of change. 1 Corinthians 4.14, he said, I'm not writing this to shame you, but to warn you as my dear children.

He's trying to make it, put things in such a way as to make it to come in such a way that it will be received. at times, whether it's in the past or even in the present with the grandchildren, if I'm out and their parents aren't around and I see them do something or say something that they need some help with, you know, I started with, just by saying, you know, I want to talk to you about something, I'm not saying this to scold you, I'm saying this just to help you see something that you might not be seeing at this time and then proceed to talk to them.

You can almost see, you know, their faces relax when I say that instead of, say, when I first come to them, they're kind of like this, they're expectation tense, waiting for the hammer to fall and once I say some of those introductory remarks, okay, you know, so they've been prepared, they're softer, not that everyone will respond that way, certainly, but at times, I'm going to do all I can to make it receptive so that the other person receives it.

If it's not received, it's because their heart is still hard, it's not because I've come in such a harsh manner that it hasn't helped them be receivers of the truth.

And so, that's what Paul was doing here. But then also, friends and fellow believers in Christ, Proverbs 27, 6, the wounds of a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.

And then Romans 15, 14, I myself am convinced, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, complete in knowledge, incompetent to instruct, or can be translated admonish or counsel one another.

So, the benefit of the body, as we are moving in this direction of growing together in godliness, I don't have to do it on my own and rely even on my own insight into the word of God.

Because there are others within the body of Christ who are full of goodness, complete in knowledge, and are competent to come alongside me and help me and admonish me and counsel me.

So, I don't want to miss out on that resource. So, these are different resources, again, that God has given us to help us identify where is it that I really need to grow and change.

But usually, when we start talking about identifying where we need to grow and change, the problem isn't that we can't identify a specific area, but rather, we see so many areas that don't reflect the likeness of Christ in us right now.

So, a question that might be helpful is, where do I need to change most and first? When we worked at a children's agency a number of years ago, one of the tedious things that we had to do, they had, what were the name of those things, Carol, those ICP, individual care plans, yeah, the social workers would develop and they would pick certain areas that this child needed to work on.

There are many areas that the child needed to work on, but what we were trying to do as target, just a couple of the most important, what really needs to change most in the life of this child here.

And so, that's the question that we were answering. So, think about that question. That question, where do I need to change most and first? Are you thinking about that?

Okay. Can you identify the area that needs to change most and first? first? I'm not going to ask you to raise your hand and tell me what it is.

You may do that privately with somebody else, but I am going to ask you to raise your hand. How many of you can identify at least one area of your life where you need to change most and needs attention first before all the others?

Go ahead and show. That's wonderful. Yeah, let's move on to the planning stage. Yeah, so we can identify that specific area.

So, as you identify that area as you have, now again, we need to remember that there are inner and outer changes that need to take place.

We've identified it. Now, as you think about that area of your life that needs to change, maybe it is, well, it's going to be related to both, but maybe in your own thinking you've thought of something that relates more to an inner person area of change.

Now, there are going to be outward manifestations of that, or maybe you've thought of things that you do outwardly that you know you should change. Well, you need to remember that I'm doing these things because of something in my heart.

So, again, we're realizing that change needs to take place both inwardly and outwardly. So, as you've identified that area, whether it's something related to the inner man or something related to the outer man, you're going to understand that identification needs to take place in both areas in order for real growth and godliness to take place because the two are connected.

We saw that again in the book of Luke when Jesus was talking. Any thoughts or questions at this point? Okay, you're right with me then.

So, if we're talking, let's take an example here. This may be one of the easier areas. I'll offer some suggestions for both outer and inner changes in regard to sinful anger.

It's probably one that we've all struggled with at some time in our lives. So, if we're talking about we're trying to identify change that needs to take place.

Maybe outer displays of sinful anger. What would be some outer displays of sinful anger that you could identify that might come to a person's mind if they were thinking of an area of change?

Harsh words? Clam up? Clam up? Yep. Yep. Throwing things?

I see some of you shaking your heads. Yep, been there, done that. I've got some others written down here. You've already mentioned harsh words, critical speech, yelling, name calling, hitting, throwing, withdrawing, silent treatment, slamming doors, you know, different, if I've not hit on yours, you know, you know which for you is displayed.

Well, let's go to the other side of things. Inner heart idols or over desires that must be changed or put off. So, what is it, you know, we've talked about when we see the outward expressions, in this case of sinful anger, we know that they're driven by something in the heart.

So, what might be some of those things in the heart that would need to change? Something that you love so much that you're willing to act this way in order to get it or keep it?

Self-idolatry, yeah. Idolatry of another person, you know, it's nothing wrong with loving our children or spouses or whatever, whoever, whatever, but if it gets to the point where we're willing to act in a sinful way in our love for them, then it's when we know that there's an over-desire of love for that person.

Other things? something gets in my way of getting my work done or getting with my schedule. Yeah, so the thing that's become so important at that time is I need to get this done.

And you may need to get that done, but there may be something more important, obviously there is, if God in his sovereignty and providence has brought something along and brought it into your life, then we need to work in cooperation with God at that time and accomplish his purposes whatever it is.

Some other things, independence, we talked about that one, nothing wrong with independence for a teenager, but there is when it causes him to be rebellious, disobedient, et cetera.

Smooth uninterrupted today, appreciation, respect, on and on we go, there are many other things.

Well, in order to identify heart idols, if you're out here on the behavior wondering, why do I do that, I don't really know, last week we shared some of those x-ray questions, heart probing questions, again if you want notes from last week, you can ask and I'll send those to you, but even that question, what is it that I want so much that I'm willing to act this way to get it or keep it?

What's driving me here to act this way? And you may ask those questions, say, when you recognize some of those early signals, red flags, that you're moving in this direction of sinful behavior.

We talked about some of those early red flags that show up. If you're at the place where you identify where those are, that's when you need to be asking those questions before you give the full expression of the sinful desire, the over desire, and reap what James talked about in James chapter 1, the huge consequences that come from that kind of thing.

Or again, if you've gotten to the place where this is just a habit, you do this without even thinking, a part of breaking a sinful habit is taking time to sit down and think through, what is it that I did?

What is it that I wanted so bad that I was willing to act that way? So you're taking some time after it's happened, after you've confessed your sin to God and the other person.

Part of repentance is changing the way you think, so you're going to have to include a time where you're sitting down thinking about what did I say? Why did I say that?

What was driving me to act that way? So some real specific time of identifying what's going on in my heart, both inwardly and outwardly.

Well, it's a good point for me to stop, because we move from there, from identification to making some specific plans, because we just don't identify something and leave it there and assume it's going to change on its own.

It doesn't usually work for me, but something specific, what action does God want me to move toward now in order to move from this activity of sin in my heart and outwardly, but will move me in the direction of godliness and Christ likeness.

Any questions before we finish off? We actually have two minutes here. Roger. I'm thinking for myself, especially with reaction and how I respond and stuff, that rather, since my heart isn't fully changed yet, I should stop and not say anything and think before I talk.

Well, in fact, that's what James told the people he was writing. Don't, what does he say? Get me started on that. Don't be, quick to hear, slow to anger, for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.

This you know, my beloved brother, but I let everybody quick to hear. Yeah, so there are times, again, it is difficult to break that, those reactions.

A habit is something we do without thinking, but there was a time that we had to think in order to do it, but as we did it more and more, it took less thinking, and it became a habit.

So in making a new habit, now we have the double exercise of having to stop thinking that way, but the way you stop thinking that way is start thinking a different way.

And so that's what we're going to take a look at next week when it comes to planning, part of how we actually implement what we've identified needs to change.

Any other thoughts or questions? What do you say to the guy that says, well, if I'm thinking it, I might as well say it? Yeah. Well, I would say he's acting foolishly. I might have to come across a different way, because there's many things that come into our minds that the thing that has to be the determining factor is not just because I'm thinking it, but what is God thinking about it?

Just because I'm thinking of it doesn't make it the right standard to follow. And we do that with feelings. Well, I'm feeling, how can you say I should, I can't deny my feelings, can I?

Years ago, Carol and I had a discussion about this. This was years ago. We've both grown much more since that time. And there was a situation where anger was being manifested.

I can't. And she gave indication that, well, how can I not express what I'm feeling?

I don't really get angry. I can't see it. How do you really know how I feel? Couldn't have said it better. better coming from her than me.

But, so you get the idea. The standard we follow is not feelings, experience, what I'm thinking. I'm recognizing that I'm someone who's in need of change.

The image of God in me has been very much distorted and it needs to be transformed into the likeness of Christ. So what should I be experiencing, feeling even?

in this time? How should my emotions be expressed? What should I be thinking here? And as a result, how should I be acting? A lot of good things here.

God is so faithful in giving us his wise counsel that we all desperately need to still enjoy him, each other, and in the world in which he's created.

And we have this good news for all people that need it. So let's pray and ask God to continue to help us grow and share it with others. Father, this morning thank you for your great compassion for us, your wisdom, Father, that goes beyond measure in our own understanding.

Would we have designed a plan like yours, Father, to bring us to salvation and new life in Christ? No, probably not. But you and your infinite wisdom did, your compassion for us.

Had your son Jesus come into the world and be the sacrifice, live that life that we couldn't live and be that sacrifice for our sin. And then you called us so that we could live a new life.

Thank you again for all that you've done, provided for us. The morning service, may our worship, our songs, praise, our attention to the word certainly be worthy of yourself and who you are.

In Jesus' name. Amen. Thank you.