The challenge of living a God Centred life in todays busy world. We need strategies to resist the temptations of the desire of the eyes and the pride of life.

1. Living a God
Centred Life in
Today’s World
Bible Readings
1 John 2: 7-17 (page 863)
John 2:12-25 (page 751)
1
Wednesday, 19 March 2014

2. A God Centred Life
• Being aware of God’s
presence all day.
• What we do and say is
influenced by the Holy
Spirit.
• Hearing the small
quiet voice of the Holy
Spirit in the noise and
stress of the day.
2
Wednesday, 19 March 2014

3. Why is it difficult?
• There are three
pressures working
against our desire to
live a God-centred life.
1 John 2:16
1. The cravings of the
sinful nature (the
flesh).
2. The lust of the eyes.
3. The pride of life.
3
Wednesday, 19 March 2014

4. The Desires of the Flesh
• The motivations, ways
of thinking and feeling
that were formed before
we knew Jesus.
• Patterns of thinking and
reacting that leave out
God.
• God’s training program
to give Him greater say
in our life is through
fasting.
4
Wednesday, 19 March 2014

5. The Desires of the Flesh
• The idea behind fasting
(going without food for a
time) is self-denial.
5
Wednesday, 19 March 2014

6. The Desires of the Flesh
• The idea behind fasting
(going without food for a
time) is self-denial.
• Learning to control the “I
want” of the “flesh” to
give God greater control
of our life.
5
Wednesday, 19 March 2014

7. The Desires of the Flesh
• The idea behind fasting
(going without food for a
time) is self-denial.
• Learning to control the “I
want” of the “flesh” to
give God greater control
of our life.
• Self-denial can take many
forms depending on
personal circumstances.
5
Wednesday, 19 March 2014

8. The Desires of the Flesh
• The idea behind fasting
(going without food for a
time) is self-denial.
• Learning to control the “I
want” of the “flesh” to
give God greater control
of our life.
• Self-denial can take many
forms depending on
personal circumstances.
• The challenge of 40 days.
5
Wednesday, 19 March 2014

9. The Pressures from
Outside
• 1 John 2:16 The lust of
the eyes and the pride
of life.
• Pressures of the world
that want to squeeze us
into the pattern of the
world which is opposed
to God.
6
Wednesday, 19 March 2014

10. The “World”
• The community of sinful
man that is united in
rebellion against God.
7
Wednesday, 19 March 2014

11. The “World”
• The community of sinful
man that is united in
rebellion against God.
• A system of values and
goals that exclude God.
7
Wednesday, 19 March 2014

12. The “World”
• The community of sinful
man that is united in
rebellion against God.
• A system of values and
goals that exclude God.
• Institutions and
organisations in which
there is no mention of God,
7
Wednesday, 19 March 2014

13. The “World”
• The community of sinful
man that is united in
rebellion against God.
• A system of values and
goals that exclude God.
• Institutions and
organisations in which
there is no mention of God,
• no acknowledgement of
His existence or purposes.
7
Wednesday, 19 March 2014

14. The “World”
• The community of sinful
man that is united in
rebellion against God.
• A system of values and
goals that exclude God.
• Institutions and
organisations in which
there is no mention of God,
• no acknowledgement of
His existence or purposes.
• God-less values, morals
and attitudes.
7
Wednesday, 19 March 2014

15. Shaping Your Life
• “Do not love the world or
anything in the world. If anyone
loves the world, the love of the
Father is not in him.”
(1 John 2:15, NIV84)
8
Wednesday, 19 March 2014

16. Shaping Your Life
• “Do not love the world or
anything in the world. If anyone
loves the world, the love of the
Father is not in him.”
(1 John 2:15, NIV84)
• “Loving the world” = shaping
your life according to the
values and goals of the world.
8
Wednesday, 19 March 2014

17. Shaping Your Life
• “Do not love the world or
anything in the world. If anyone
loves the world, the love of the
Father is not in him.”
(1 John 2:15, NIV84)
• “Loving the world” = shaping
your life according to the
values and goals of the world.
• “Loving God” = shaping your
life according to the values and
goals given by God in His
Word.
8
Wednesday, 19 March 2014

18. Shaping Your Life
• When you “love the world”
two forces shape your life:
• The pride of life.
• The lust of the eyes.
9
Wednesday, 19 March 2014

19. The Pride of Life
• “Boasting about what
you have and what
you do”.
• Living for superiority
over others.
• Impressing others by
outward appearances.
10
Wednesday, 19 March 2014

20. The Lust of the Eyes
• “What I see, I want!”
• What I see with my
eyes creates a desire
in me to possess or
experience what I see.
11
Wednesday, 19 March 2014

21. How Can We Live a
God-Centred Life?
• The “monastery
solution”: withdraw from
the world physically or
socially.
12
Wednesday, 19 March 2014

22. How Can We Live a
God-Centred Life?
• The “monastery
solution”: withdraw from
the world physically or
socially.
• This defeats the most
important purpose for
which God wants us to
live a God Centred life.
12
Wednesday, 19 March 2014

23. How Can We Live a
God-Centred Life?
• “For God did not send His
Son into the world to
condemn the world, but to
save the world through
Him.”
(John 3:17, NIV84)
13
Wednesday, 19 March 2014

24. How Can We Live a
God-Centred Life?
• “For God did not send His
Son into the world to
condemn the world, but to
save the world through
Him.”
(John 3:17, NIV84)
• Again Jesus said, “Peace be
with you! As the Father has
sent Me, I am sending
you.” (John 20:21, NIV84)
13
Wednesday, 19 March 2014

25. How Can We Live a
God-Centred Life?
• “For God did not send His
Son into the world to
condemn the world, but to
save the world through
Him.”
(John 3:17, NIV84)
• Again Jesus said, “Peace be
with you! As the Father has
sent Me, I am sending
you.” (John 20:21, NIV84)
• As Jesus’ disciples our
place is in the world to save
the world life by life.
13
Wednesday, 19 March 2014

26. How Can We Resist the
Pressures of the World?
1. Be aware of the pride of
life and the lust of the
eyes. Know the strategy of
the Enemy.
14
Wednesday, 19 March 2014

27. How Can We Resist the
Pressures of the World?
1. Be aware of the pride of
life and the lust of the
eyes. Know the strategy of
the Enemy.
2. Know God’s Word so you
know what God approves
of and delights in.
Focus on doing what
pleases God.
14
Wednesday, 19 March 2014

28. How Can We Resist the
Pressures of the World?
3. Listen for the sense of approval or
warning from the inner voice of the
Holy Spirit. “Conscience.”
Cultivate this awareness.
Wait for it.
15
Wednesday, 19 March 2014

29. How Can We Resist the
Pressures of the World?
3. Listen for the sense of approval or
warning from the inner voice of the
Holy Spirit. “Conscience.”
Cultivate this awareness.
Wait for it.
4. On the night He was betrayed He
prayed to the Father, “I will remain in
the world no longer, but they are still
in the world, and I am coming to You.
Holy Father, protect them by the
power of Your Name—the Name You
gave Me—so that they may be one
as We are One.”
(John 17:11, NIV84)
The protection of the Name of Jesus.
15
Wednesday, 19 March 2014

30. A God-Centred Life.
• Trying to live a God-
Centred life in today’s
world will always be a
tough challenge.
• But the reward is
great.
• “The world and it’s
desires pass away,
but the man who does
the will of God lives
for ever.”
1 John 2:17
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Wednesday, 19 March 2014