Church Dinner and FellowshipChurch Dinner and Fellowship

Food, Fun, Music, and SingingFood, Fun, Music, and Singing

November 14 at one o'clockNovember 14 at one o'clock

1September 23, 2009

1 Peter 4 1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; 2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the Will of God.

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A made-up mindmade-up mind is powerful armor.

Fully determinedFully determined to do the Will of GodWill of God, no matter what the costwhat the cost, we are victorious.

JesusJesus suffered much, but He never quitnever quit.

He was temptedtempted just as we are, but He nevernever sinned.

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We must make the Will of GodWill of God the RuleRule of our life;

The determinantdeterminant of all our deeds.

That's the mindset that took Jesustook Jesus all the way to the cross.

3 For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revelings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: 4 Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you: 5 Who shall give account to Him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.

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Lasciviousness = filled with sexual lust; lewdness; a filthy mind.

NIV -- Debauchery = a wild party with excessive drinking and sex; an orgy

(NIV) 3 For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do -- living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry.

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Our own willwill, our own desiresdesires, our own wayway

A Christian who lives like a sinner is a hypocrite.

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Wasting God's time and effort on him.

Besmirching the Lord's Name.

Besmirch = to make dirty; tarnish someone's reputation.

It's past time to live likelive like what we are:

The childrenchildren of the Most High God, bornborn of the Spirit of God, saintssaints.

It's past timepast time that Christians deter-mined to live our lives God's WayGod's Way.

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2 Corinthians 6 (NIV) 4 Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; 5 in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; 6 in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; 7 in truthful speech and in the Power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left;

A true Christian, who has his footfoot on the Rock and his mindmind made up, lives like God's son or

daughter.

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With great endurance.

Troubles, hardships, and

distresses.Beatings, Riots, Imprisonments

Sincere Love, Truthful Speech

Hard work

Sleepless nights and hunger

Purity and understanding

Patience and kindness

Holy Spirit, and Power of God

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These weapons of righteousnessweapons of righteousness in our right hand and in our left

Enable us to fight the good fightgood fight of faith as good soldiersgood soldiers of Jesus Christ.

A good soldier is always on the battlefield with a smile on his

faceAnd a song in his heart.

(NIV) 4 They think it strange that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation, and they heap abuse on you.

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Sinful people will never understand why we why we rejectreject that in which they find pleasure.

They will make funmake fun of us and be meanbe mean to us.

At least partly because our pure lifestyles make them feel guiltymake them feel guilty.

Have you ever wondered whywhy a drunk will try so hard to persuadepersuade a non-drinker to drink with him?

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Booze is expensive; why try so hard to give it away?

He feels guiltyguilty about his excess in the face of your self-controlyour self-control.

(NIV) 5 But they will have to give account to Him Who is ready to judge the living and the dead.

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Everyone will stand in judgment before God.

Godly choices will be proven superior.