We must FLEE:

1) Youthful lusts - Galatians 5:16 - "Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh."

Galatians 5:24 - "And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts."

Titus 2:12, 13 - "Teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, godly in this present world. Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ."

Lusts are any passions or desires that keep you from your relationship with the Lord.. or take priority over Him.

We must FOLLOW AFTER:

1) Righteousness - Uprightness before a Holy God or just simply doing RIGHT.

2) Faith - Confidence in God

* Stand fast in faith - I Corinthians 16:13 - "Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong."

* Live by faith - Romans 1:17 - "For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH."

* Walk by faith - II Corinthians 5:7 - "(For we walk by faith, not by sight)".

* Pray by faith - Matthew 21:22 - "And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive."

* Resist evil by faith - Ephesians 6:16 - "Above all taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the firey darts of the wicked."

3) Charity - Love

Matthew 22:37-39 read "Jesus said unto him, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."

John 13:34 - "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another."

I Corinthians 13:4-7 follows as a break down of the verses:

* Love suffers long (Do you give up when the going gets rough?)

* Love is kind (How about that?..or do you play 'trick or treat' all year long and wear a mask?)

* Love is not jealous (Does it upset you when you see a friend talking or spending time with someone else? Does it cause feelings of envy when someone gets new clothes, a house or anything you don't have? Do you feel the need to compete or "Keep up with the Joneses"?)

* Love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed (Do you love the need to share about every new acheivement in your life whether it be possessions or whatever just to be sure you're the center of attention? Do you find that you're the center of every conversation because you manipulate it that way?)

* Does not behave itself unseemly (That's distasteful.. do you have the tendency to use language which is not glorifying to the Lord? Or do you laugh and encourage jokes and stories that are 'off color'?)

* Seeketh not her own (Do you often think of ways you can benefit from someone or something instead of reaching out to someone else?)

* Is not easily provoked (How's that temper? Does everything bug you? Do you let people get on your nerves and tell them so?)

* Thinketh no evil (Do you find it easy to pick out the little things of others and criticize them or put them down around others? Are you rude when it comes to "the unlovely"and make fun or laugh behind their backs?)

* Rejoiceth not in iniquity (When you see another fall into sin, do you think they deserve it and sort of gloat because you're so GOOD?)

* LOVE NEVER FAILS!!!

II Timothy 2: 3,4 and Philippians 2:25

Follow Peace (or the spirit of tranquility and freedom)

From either inward or outward disturbances:

1) Be a peacemaker - Romans 14:19 - "Let us therefore follow after things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another." Also read I Peter 3:8-12

2) Live in peace - II Corinthians 13:11 - "Finally, brethern, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you."

3) Pray and receive peace - Philippians 4:6, 7 - "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thansgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

4) Experience perfect peace - Isaiah 26:3 - "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee; because he trusteth in thee."

Keep your eyes on the Lord. Put Him first in our priorities. Pray (talk to God) Read your Bbile (Let Him talk to you) Study the Word.. memorize verses (hide His Word in your heart), and put FEET on that faith.. Work it out with Jesus..

So much to do.. so little time left here on earth.. Eternity is forever.. but what about those works that will be tried by fire? What about our motives? Job 23:10 reads "But he knoweth the way that I take; when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold."

What about your sisters in the Lord? Do you really care or will you have to find a more convenient time..or are you the one looking for the love and attention from others and not willing to give an inch?

Galatians 6:2 reads, "Bear ye one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ"... also read verses 3 and 4.

Romans 15:1, 2 - "We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let everyone of us please his neighbor for his good to edification."

1) Don't judge - Matthew 7:1,2 "Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again."

2) Forgive - Matthew 6:14, 15 "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."

Keep the slate clean - Psalm 66:18 "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me."

3) Don't be a stumbling block - Romans 14:1,12,13 "Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations." So that every one of us shall give account of himself to God. Let us not therefore judge one another any more; but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way."

4) Keep quiet - Remember your two gates.. the Lord gave you teeth and lips. Keep them both shut because if you can't say anything good about anyone... don't say anything at all.

II Timothy 2:15, 16 "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto ungodliness."

I Timothy 5:13 "And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house, and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not."

5) Be an example Titus 2:3-5 "The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; that they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good obedient to their own husbnads, that the word of God be not blasphemed."

6) Above all else.. LOVE covers it all - I Peter 4:8, 9 "And above all things, have fervent charity (love) among yourselves: for charity (love) shall cover the multitude of sins. Use hospitality one to another without grudging."

..Look into each other's faces and pray for the love of God to be shed abroad in your hearts for one another..

And be a "Vessel Unto MUCH Honour" for Jesus!!!

GOD OF ALL OF ME

Lord, You are God of the morning light
Master of the shining sun and Ruler of the ight
God of the earth and God of the sea
Voice that fills creation from the mountains' majesty
Lord God of all.. You know my ways
Giver of breath to my dying day
Almighty God of all I can see
Build up your Kingdom in me...

Father, take my heart.. Hold it in Your hand
Be the God of all of me
Father take my life.. Take everything I am..
Keeper of my soul.. God of all of me.

Lord of my soul, in the secret parts of me
There are places in my heart that only you can reach
Brighter shines my hope.. Than the morning light
Deeper is my stain of sin than any dark of night
Father who rules all of earth and sea
Reign over dreams that I dare not speak
Lord God of All.. Be God of these..
Rule every kingdom in me.

Father, take my heart.. Hold it in Your hand
Be the God of all of me
Father take my life.. Take everything I am..
Keeper of my soul.. God of all of me.

Father, take my heart.. Hold it in Your hand
Be the God of all of me
Father take my life.. Take everything I am..
Keeper of my soul.. God of all of me.
Keeper of my soul.. God of all ......of me!

Spoken at the Ladies Retreat of Fellowship Bible Church
Georgia Sawhook
November 5, 1993
Kings Island Inn, Kings Island, Ohio

Other Ladies' Retreat Bible Studies..

All Things....Through HIM

Flight F-I-N-A-L

Godly Woman In 2003

There will be more retreat studies posted as soon as I get them back up online.

Return to..

Devotional Resources

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