Living Life on Purpose: Convictions and Standards

I just Yeah. I'm sorry. I just I love you all so much. Okay, pastor. You're cutting me off. And this is what God does is change lives. And you know what? He does it through you. You made the difference in your life. And some of you can make a difference in somebody else's life that shows up next Sunday. And so keep that in mind as well. Uh in doing that, let's go ahead and turn to Daniel chapter 3 and verses 16-18. We're going to finish the message from last week. And if you'd like to have an outline from the message, I don't see Rick in here right now. He's probably out counting. Oh, there he is.

So, if you would like to have the outline, raise your hand. He'll bring a copy to you. If you didn't get one last week or you forgot yours, uh he'll bring it your way. So, when he comes by you, just wave your hand. You can also download at ohana.urch/live. It's at the bottom of the list of all the sermons there. Uh and we talked about living life on purpose from Daniel chapter 3 16-18. You know the story Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They said Nebuchadnezzar were not careful to answer this matter when he told them he was going to throw them in the fiery furnace if they didn't bow down. Um and they just took a stand and said we're not going to bow down and worship you because we worship the God of heaven.

And you know convictions are not what you would die for. Just what you would die for. It's it's what you will live by. Most of us are not going to be asked to die for our convictions. But we need to live by convictions. Live our lives on purpose. And and we talk a little bit here about standards and there's different convictions and standards. Convictions are what you would live for. Standards are a means to an end, not an in themselves. For often in our circles, standards have become like you got to do this and don't do that. If you don't drink, smoke or chew, or go with girls and do, you're right with God.

And it became the end results. And it's not about the end. It's about the means to the end. The standards are what helps us to live our convictions. Um, one of the quotes I use quite often is you can do you can do all the right things and not be the right person but you cannot be the right person and not do the right things. And so we just need to have that living our life on purpose. And last week we talked about Daniel purpose in his heart and what is your purpose in life? The purpose is what you exist for. And God created you for his glory. God saved you for his glory. And everything that we do whe whether whether we eat or drink or whatsoever we do we should do for the glory of God.

And so the music I listen to the things I watch the things I I do where I go all should be for the glory of God. And we should also purpose to obey him. Uh a purpose is a determination or resolutus to do something. And so I want to obey God. I want to prove what is good and acceptable unto the Lord. And so we determine what is good. Not what I think is good, but what is good to God. And then along with that, what is acceptable? And I mentioned this last week. You can some things may be good, but they're not acceptable. The fruit of the tree in the Garden of Eden was good to to look at. It would have been good to eat, but it was not acceptable to God.

And we have to realize that some things in life are good. They're not bad, but they're not acceptable. Uh the example I use is uh is sex is is honorable, not defiled in the marriage bed, but it's a good thing. God made it for us to enjoy, but outside of marriage, it's not acceptable. And and so we have to understand that some things are good and some things are acceptable as well. And then what is the perfect will of God? And the word perfect means complete or mature. Uh not not being satisfied with good enough. I I always want my standards. I want to grow in my relationship with the Lord. I want to grow in how I live my life and I don't ever want to get the point is good enough and and and then proving what is God's walk um to to realize that what is acceptable to God.

Uh we looked at Psalms chapter 26 this morning also and it talks about uh the our reigns and the idea of the word rain is uh it it comes from the word kidneys. It means your emotions. And so so often what we got to do is we got to realize that I can't trust my emotions. And I got to realize that it's not about what I think or what I feel is right, but it's what does God say is right. So many Christians live the well, I think this is okay. I feel this is okay. But we got to re in our feelings and emotions and and say what is acceptable to the Lord. And Ezra determined his heart that he would seek the law of the Lord and do it.

Give God a blank check. And what I want to challenge you with is as you seek about what does God want me to do and not do in my life? What are the standards God's want me to have is is to say, God, you show it to me and I'm going to do it. Um, we as Christians need to be peculiar people, different from the world around us and different in way we live and what we do and how we act and how we even dress and everything else. A people that is different. And then we ended last week by talking about, you know, you've heard the the the the acronym WWJD. what would Jesus do? And and I asked you to think about how do you know what Jesus would do if you don't know what Jesus did?

And we really got to seek the Lord and and and the question is this is what would Jesus want me to do? And and so that's what we have to do. And and so that's my determination. What would God have me to do in this situation? And and a lot of us, we say, well, I'll let my conscience be my guide. That may be good for Jiminy Cricut, but it's not good for you and I. Um, God gave us a conscience and they're there for a reason. Romans chapter 2, this is where we're going to start up in the notes again. Romans 2:14 and 15 says, "For when the Gentiles which have not the law do by nature the things contain the law, these having not the law are a law unto themselves.

Verse 21. And Elijah came unto all the people and said, "How long halt you between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow him, but avail then follow him." And the people answered, "Not a word." Remember what Ezra said? He said, "I'm going to seek the law of the Lord and do it. God, what do you want me to do, and I'm going to do what you show me?" Just make that decision. I'm going to live the way God wants me to live. And when God shows me something in my life, I need to I need to listen to him and follow that. And then and pray for it. Look at James chapter 4 and verses 2-4. James chapter 4 and verse number two.

You lust and have not. You kill and desire to have and cannot obtain. You fight and war, yet you have not because you ask not. You ask and receive not because you ask and miss that you may commit consume it upon your lust. you adulterers and adulterers, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. You see, it's just saying, Lord, what do you want me to do? I I appreciate what Miranda just said in her testimony about she said, you know, somebody gave me all these dresses because she she realized if I'm going to go to church, I want to dress differently.

And and nobody told her she had to dress differently and that's not what our job is, but she just said, "Lord, how do you want me to dress? How do you want me to live? What do you want me to do? And and we don't do that as Christians. If you every day prayed about how God would have you dressed, how would that change your life? You say, "Well, that's just a simple little thing." No, I think it's important things that we need to ask God, "How do you want me to live?" And we need to pray about it and and pray through it. Look at Philippians chapter 4 and verses 5-7. Philippians chapter 4 and:es 5-7.

Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God which passes all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, uh, whatsoever things are love, pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are good report, if there be any virtue, if there be any appraised, think on these things. those things which you both learned and received and heard and seen in me do and the God of peace shall be with you.

I want to challenge you just to pray and say, "God, how do you want me to live?" And pray in specific areas of that. And notice, by the way, in verses eight and nine, especially verse 9, you look for mentors to guide you. Again, Miranda shared that in her testimony. She learned from these other ladies how to be a wife, how to be a mother, how to be a Christian. And and and we want to we want to grow in this area and pray, "God, show me how I should live." And then we want to seek God's provision. In Romans 13:14, it says, "But put you on the Lord Jesus Christ and make not provision for the flesh to fulfill the lust thereof."

Now, let me explain what that verse means. There was a number of years ago, I I would take the deposit down to the bank every week. And when I went there, you know, it was, you know, different times and stuff. And I went to the bank one day and and and I was there at the bank and I was making a deposit and I didn't realize I didn't realize the teller at the bank had visited the church. And and I had to stop and think, you know, I my attitude when I go up before that teller. That says something about the Lord. I was in the store one day and I was there in a rush and uh to get something for my wife and I couldn't find it and it took me a long time to find it.

I finally found it. And I got up there and you know what it's like trying to choose a line. You know, you look for the right, you know, I'm looking for the shortest line. It turns out to be the longest. and this line. When I finally got up there, the person in front of me turned out to be a longlost cousin of the teller, the checkout lady. And they stop talked about uncle so and so, auntie so and so, and they were on this conversation for a long time. And I'm sitting there looking at my watch, tapping my foot, and I'm just want to get out of there and get going. And I got up there in line and the lady looked up to me says, he says, "I'm sorry we took so long, sir."

And and I was about ready to say something. You know how you got that right in the tip of your tongue? You want to make that smart remark? And I was about made to ready to make that smart remark. And as I was doing that, I was also uh putting in my code for the frequent flyer thing, you know. And as I was putting that in there, I looked down and I happened to glance. I saw right here it said Ohana Baptist Church. And I lifted up my head and I said, "That's okay." Now, I had put on that shirt and it made not provision for the flesh. You see, put on Christ every day and make not provision for the flesh.

And and so we want to seek God's provision in that. And here's the challenge I want to give you as you begin to look at what God wants me to change in my life. Ask yourself this, can I replace it with something better? Bible says God has put a new song in my heart. As God shows me that's not good music to listen to, then replace it with good music. Could you not replace your HBO and Netflix with better options like Purix or Angel Network or Vid Angel or TV Guardian? You see, we want to realize that this is not what's good. And so, let me find what is good. You know, I've I've talked about alcohol and you guys know my stand on it.

So, instead of drinking wine, you know, there's 101 other drinks you can have out there just as good. people. Well, I just like the taste of wine. You mean of all those different drinks on the counter, you can't find something better than that? You see, we've got to get to that point that we realize this principle of replacement that there's better things that I can have. Now, we got to provide for legitimate needs. Look at Colossians chapter 2. Colossians chapter 2 and verses 20- 23. Wherefore, if you be dead with Christ from the roots of the world, why is though living in the world are you subject to ordinances?

Touch not, taste not, handle not, which are to perish with the using after the commandments and doctrines of men, which things have a show, indeed a show of wisdom and will worship and humility and neglecting the body, not in any honor to satisfying flesh. A lot of times, I've done this in my own life. We got to the point we thought, well, if I don't do this and I do this, that makes me godly. And it does not. Okay? It does not. But if I am godly, should it not change what I do? Should it not change how I live? You know, again, Genesis 3:3, but the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God said you should not eat and you should touch it lest you die.

There's a case where God said don't touch. Now is that is that you know God didn't say don't touch it, but she did. And if she hadn't touched it, she wouldn't have ate it. And the point is is we need to have some standards in our life. But don't get to this point you think is I if I do this and don't do that, it's gonna make me godly. What makes you godly is being like God. But if we're going to be like God, there's certain things we're going to do and not do. And so we need to trust God to provide our needs. In Philippians 4:19, "But my God shall supply all your need accords riches of glory by Christ Jesus."

You know, and and we need to trust God to supply our needs. A Abraham said, "God will provide himself a lamb." And and we need to provide for honest things. In 2 Corinthians 8:21, providing for honest things, not only the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. Be honest with yourself. Be honest with God. Be honest with others and how you live. Living an honest life. That was a is a testimony for the Lord. Now going back to Daniel chapter 6 and verse number 10. Daniel chapter 6 and verse number 10. The Bible says, "Now when Daniel knew the writing was signed, he went in his house and his windows being open to the cha to his chamber toward Jerusalem.

He kneled upon his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God as he had did before a four time." See, Daniel was already in the practice of living his life. When the challenge came said nobody can pray to anybody, Daniel said I'm doing what I've always done. And you need to establish a practice. So practice first of all not doing. 1 John 2:1, "My little children, these things write unto you that you sin not. And if a man sin, we have an advocate with the father, Jesus Christ the righteous." There's things we need to practice not doing. In Jeremiah 10:2, it says, "Thus sayeth the Lord, learn not the ways of the heathen.

Be not dismayed at the signs of heaven, for the heathen are dismayed at them." As Christians, I feel sorry for the kids of today because they grow up with more knowledge of sin than you and I ever grew up with because of the internet, because of TV and all the things around us. We we are experts on sin. And he says, listen, don't don't go down that road. You don't need to learn these things. In Romans 16:19, for your obedience has come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore in your behalf, but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good and simple concerning evil. Well, let me challenge you.

Where you can start here is this. Just say, you know what? I'm just not I'm going to have standards that are going to keep me from learning these things because I don't want that even to know about it. I don't want a part of my life. And and in Ephesians 5:2, it says, "And walk in love as Christ also hath loved us and had given himself for an offering of sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savior." See, we want to sin not. Jesus gave himself so that we would not sin. And and he wants us to sin not. And and in Daniel 6:es 4 and 5, it says, "Then the presidents and the princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom, but they find none occasion nor fault.

For as much as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him." Now Daniel wasn't perfect. We know no man was. But he was living his life in such a way that they could not find fault. In verse 5, then said these men, we shall not find any occasion against his Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God. Daniel was living his life in such a way the only problem they could find is the way he was living for God. And that's the way we ought to live an honest conversation. 1 Peter 2:12, having your conversation, that word doesn't word just mean what we talk about.

It's does your what your life says. You ever heard the statement, his walk talks more than his talk talks? having an honest conversation among the Gentiles. The words they speak against you evildoers. They may by your good works which they shall behold glorify God in the day of visitation. In 1 Thessalonians 5:22, it says, "Abstain from all appearance of evil." So, as I develop my standards in my life to help me to live my convictions, I I want to develop ones that have a a godly testimony to the world around me that don't have the appearance of evil. There's some things I don't do because of what they appear, not just because of what they are.

Some things I don't do because I don't want to be a stumbling block to others in their conscience. But there's other things I don't do because I just don't want to go down that path. I don't need to have that knowledge. I don't need to go that direction. And so I don't watch those TV programs. I don't go there on the internet. You know, the reals on the internet are one of the worst things that could happen to your kids and to you. And we just don't need to go there. But the reels will just click click click click click and you're going down the line. That's where the danger is. In James chapter 1 verses 21-22 it says, "Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluidity and naess and receive with meekness and grafted word which is able to save your souls.

But be doers of the word and not hearers only deceive your own selves." This is the word of God that saved us. And this is the word of God that's going to help us to live to live the life that God wants to live. Do what you're learning. Philippians 4:9, those things which you have both learned and received and heard and seen in me, do and the God of peace will be with you. You know what's frustrating me as a pastor is I preach week after week after week and there's people in church that just seem like they weren't even there. Were you not there? Did you not hear what we preached on? Did you not hear what the Bible says?

Do what you're learning. This whole series on marriage, you ought to be putting those into practice in your life. I I'm so thankful again for their testimony. I remember when Evan first came to church, he was devastated. He was uh what can I do to save my marriage? And I said, "There's nothing you can do, but God can." And what I told him is, he said, "Don't change to save your marriage. Change because God wants you to change." And that's what he did. And that's why she came back. If he had changed to get her back, she would have never come back. But we change because God changes our lives. And she could see those changes because she was doing Evan was doing what he had heard.

And that's what we need to do. Ezra 9:1. Now when these things were done, the princes came to me, saying, "The people of Israel and the priests and Levites have not separated themselves from the people of the lands, doing according their abominations, even as the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Pesarites, the Jebusites, and so on are doing." Here's the problem. They weren't changing because of who they were hanging out with. And and again, just appreciate the heaven testimony tonight. What did Miranda say? I changed because of the people I was hanging around with. The people she was hanging around before, they were saying just divorce them.

Leave. Go find somebody else. People in church saying, "No, God wants you to make this work." This we had a guy in the church years ago. His name was Steve Fosnot. Loved him. He had one famous statement I'll never a statement I'll never forget. One famous quote and this is it. You can pick your friends and you can pick your nose but you cannot pick your friend's nose. Choose the people you're going to hang around with. Choose the right people to hang around with. You know 1 Corinthians 15:33 and 34. Be not deceived. Evil communication is corrupt good manners. Awake to righteousness and sin not.

For some have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your saint. When you get around the wrong people, it's going to make you wrong. You get around people complain all the time, you'll become a complainer. You get around people bitter, you're going to become bitter. You get around people that are living for the world, you're going to start living for the world. Choose to be around the right kind of people. And keep on doing what you're doing. In Galatians 6:9, let us not be worry and welloing, for in due season we shall reap if we faint not. You know what the hardest thing is? Get no tomorrow and doing it again.

It's hard to do right day after day after day, especially when the world around you doing everything wrong. But we just got to not be weary. 2 Thessalonians 21:17, "Comfort your hearts and establish you in every good work, word and work." Verse chapter 3:13, "But be but ye, brethren, be not weary and welloing." I just encourage you, stay faithful to God. Daniel, I believe, and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did well because they were paired together. They came together and encouraged one another. Matthew 18:24, "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."

Get with godly people, they're going to influence your life. Again, we heard that in the testimony tonight. There is strength in numbers. And you can look up Ecclesiastes chapter 4, but you remember the story about a two-fold cord is not easily broken, but a three-fold cord. When you have Christ in that relationship, it makes you stronger. Provide for accountability. When you make a decision of how you're going to live, provide for accountability. Hebrews chapter 10, let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering. For he's faithful their promise. And let us consider one another provoke unto love and to good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another and so much the more as you see the day approaching.

You've got to get with people that are going to challenge you. Hey, brother. I I've decided to memorize verses. Would you hold me accountable with that? I I I I'm going to try to be a better husband. Would you hold me accountable with that? Get people that are going to hold you accountable in your walk with the Lord. That are going to encourage you to do what's right. And then find that power of God. In Daniel chapter 3 and:es 24 and through 25 it says, "Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished and rose up in haste and spake and said unto the counselors, did not we cast three men bound in the midst of the fire?"

Then they answered and said unto the king, "True, oh king." He answered and said, "Lo, I see four men loose." You need to find that power of God. Later on, when Daniel was thrown in the lion's den, the king realized that God was with him. In Zechariah 4:6 says, "Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, this is the word of the Lord unable, saying, not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, say the Lord." One of the big mistakes I made in a lot of my Christian life is thinking that if I do all the dos and don't all the don'ts, I'm going to I'm going to be right with God. And I can't do it in the flesh.

I will fail every time. And some of you are trying to conquer sin in the flesh. You're trying to change in the flesh. You're trying to make a better marriage in the flesh and you will fail every time because it's not in the flesh, it's in the power of God. And when you're in the power of God and you purpose to live your life the right way, that's what changes your life. And that's the challenge I want to give you. I know I've rushed through this, but uh I hope you'll go back and study this outline and really determine how does God want me to live? I want to live my life on purpose. So, how I dress, what's good and acceptable and perfect to God.

What I watch on TV, what's good and acceptable and perfect God. What I listen to, where I go, all the rest of these things, what is good and acceptable and perfect will of God. And to set standards, not so you'll be godly, but to help you to become godly, to help you on that journey in your walk with the Lord. Now, we're a little over time here, so I'm going to but I'd still like to have the discussion time if we can. And so, give you a moment to do that. And uh we have some questions we gave you last week and give a couple more questions here. But how can you determine what God wants you to do?

And then how can you develop good habits in your life? And how can you change bad habits? And what kind of relationships do you need to help you to do right? And how can you develop those relationships? And so if I can have the the discussion leader stand up right now and uh very quickly we're going to break up in into groups here. So uh uh Sam if you can take here and then if you come over on this side here and do it we'll break up in those groups. Just take some time if you got to leave we understand it but if not take a few minutes to discuss these what we've talked about use these questions to guide you and uh doing that. So let's go ahead and and do that at this point. Thank you for being here tonight.