God’s priorities must become part of us

God’s priorities must become part of us

(Romans 12:1-2 NKJV) “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. {2} And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”


Consider how God shows His priorities. (1 Pt 3:3-4)


Consider how God shows His priorities. (1 Pt 3:3-4)

This is a "not .. but" verse. These are two This is a "not .. but" verse. These are two things that God says is not of equal value.things that God says is not of equal value.


(1 Peter 3:3-4 NKJV) “Do not let your adornment be merely outward; arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel; {4} rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.”


(John 6:26-27 NKJV) “Jesus answered them and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. {27} “Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.””


(Matthew 6:19-20 NKJV) “”Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; {20} “but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.”

Our conscience will reveal what is hidden in our hearts.

What is a conscience?


What is a conscience? – "suneidesis" - the soul as distinguishing

between what is morally good and bad, prompting to do the former and shun the latter, commending one, condemning the other.


What is a conscience? – "suneidesis" - the soul as distinguishing

between what is morally good and bad, prompting to do the former and shun the latter, commending one, condemning the other.

– The conscience is a judge based upon previous training and experience. (Rom 2:14-15)


(Romans 2:14-15 NKJV) “for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, {15} who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them)”


A good conscience will make you feel bad by just thinking a thing.


A good conscience will make you feel bad by just thinking a thing.

A conscience can be trained in a wrong way. You may do bad and feel good or do that which is not sin and feel bad! (Acts 23:1, 26:9; 1 Cor 8:7)


(Acts 23:1 NKJV) “Then Paul, looking earnestly at the council, said, “Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.””


(Acts 26:9 NKJV) “”Indeed, I myself thought I must do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.”


(1 Corinthians 8:7 NKJV) “However, there is not in everyone that knowledge; for some, with consciousness of the idol, until now eat it as a thing offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.”


A weak conscience is one that has been improperly trained.


We fail to have a good conscience in two ways.


We fail to have a good conscience in two ways.– We may fail to instill in our hearts what is right.

(Heb 8:10; Jas 1:22-25)


(Hebrews 8:10 NKJV) “”For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.”


(James 1:22-25 NKJV) “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. {23} For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; {24} for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.


{25} But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.”


– Here is where our love for God causes us to meditate upon what is pleasing to Him.


– Here is where our love for God causes us to meditate upon what is pleasing to Him.

– There are times when Christians love the world more than God. In this kind of heart they proclaim freedom from "rules." (1 Jn 2:15-17)


(1 John 2:15-17 NKJV) “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. {16} For all that is in the world; the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life; is not of the Father but is of the world. {17} And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”


– We may weaken and even destroy the conscience through doing those things we know are wrong. (1 Tim 4:1-2; Tit 1:15-16)


(1 Timothy 4:1-2 NKJV) “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, {2} speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron,”


(Titus 1:15-16 NKJV) “To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. {16} They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.”


A Good conscience will give you great blessings.


A Good conscience will give you great blessings. – You can know that you have acted properly.

(Rom 9:1; 2 Cor 1:12)


(Romans 9:1 NKJV) “I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit,”


(2 Corinthians 1:12 NKJV) “For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God, and more abundantly toward you.”


There is a great strength in looking at others and knowing you have done what was best before them! (Acts 23:1)


(Acts 23:1 NKJV) “Then Paul, looking earnestly at the council, said, “Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.””


– There are limitations to this confidence. We must always seek out to test our confidence by God's word. (1 Cor 4:3-4)


(1 Corinthians 4:3-4 NKJV) “But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by a human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. {4} For I know nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord.”


– You can be strong in adversity. (1 Pt 2:19; 3:16)


(1 Peter 2:19 NKJV) “For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully.”


(1 Peter 3:16 NKJV) “having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.”


– What is the source of our strength in these times? We can know that God is with us! (1 Pt 3:12-14)


(1 Peter 3:12-14 NKJV) “For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their prayers; But the face of the LORD is against those who do evil.” {13} And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? {14} But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.””


– In times of grief we can take great comfort in knowing the great God whom we serve will not forsake us.


– In times of grief we can take great comfort in knowing the great God whom we serve will not forsake us.

– What about those who do not have a good conscience? (Prov 28:1)


(Proverbs 28:1 NKJV) “The wicked flee when no one pursues, But the righteous are bold as a lion.”


"As Augustine noted, "at times a man's slave, worn out by the commands of an unfeeling master, finds rest in flight. Whither can the servant flee? Himself he carries with him wherever he flees. An evil conscience flees not from itself; it has no place to go to; it follows itself.


Yea he cannot withdraw from himself, for the sin he commits is within. He has committed sin to obtain some bodily pleasure. The pleasure passes away; the sin remains. What delighted is gone; the sting has remained behind. Evil bondage!"

How the conscience will affect our dress

Our dress should reflect a good conscience. (1 Tim 2:9-10) KJV


" In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; {10} But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works."


Modest - (kosmios) - of good behaviour , well arranged, seemly.



Shamefacedness - (aidos) - perhaps ..through the idea of downcast eyes; a sense of shame or honour, modesty, bashfulness, reverence, regard for others, respect.



Shamefacedness - (aidos) - perhaps ..through the idea of downcast eyes; a sense of shame or honour, modesty, bashfulness, reverence, regard for others, respect.

sobriety - (sophrosune) 1) soundness of mind 2) self-control


Nakedness should cause the painful emotion of shame!


(Gen 2:25) - Adam and Eve were naked when they had no clothes.


(Genesis 2:25 NKJV) “And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.”


(Gen 3:7,10-11) - They were still naked when they made the equivalent of men’s swimming trunks!


(Genesis 3:7 NKJV) “Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.”


(Genesis 3:10-11 NKJV) “So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.” {11} And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?””


(Gen 3:21) - They were no longer naked when God made them “tunics of skin”.


(Gen 3:21) - They were no longer naked when God made them “tunics of skin”.

These are defined as: "generally with sleeves, coming down to the knees" (v. 21; Gesenius, Hebrew & Chaldee Lexicon, 420).


(Genesis 3:21 NKJV) “Also for Adam and his wife the LORD God made tunics of skin, and clothed them.”


“God replaced their shorts with garments covering from the shoulders down to the knees to cover the shame of their nakedness.” - Ron Halbrook


(Ex 28:41-42;Isa 47:2-3) - God was very concerned with improper clothing that still left one naked! How much was covered?


(Exodus 28:41-42 NKJV) “”So you shall put them on Aaron your brother and on his sons with him. You shall anoint them, consecrate them, and sanctify them, that they may minister to Me as priests. {42} “And you shall make for them linen trousers to cover their nakedness; they shall reach from the waist to the thighs.”


(Isaiah 47:2-3 NKJV) “Take the millstones and grind meal. Remove your veil, Take off the skirt, Uncover the thigh, Pass through the rivers. {3} Your nakedness shall be uncovered, Yes, your shame will be seen; I will take vengeance, And I will not arbitrate with a man.””


Have you lost your shame concerning nakedness?


God has also spoken on the length of hair for women and men. (1 Cor 11:14-15)


(1 Corinthians 11:14-15 NKJV) “Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him? {15} But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair is given to her for a covering.”


A good conscience will not be defensive about what men think but rather careful to be pleasing to God.


A good conscience will not be defensive about what men think but rather careful to be pleasing to God.

We can become used to what the world accepts and forget God. (Ex. 1960's)

How the conscience will affect our actions.

In dating we will avoid those things that destroy restraint. (2 Tim 2:22)


(2 Timothy 2:22 NKJV) “Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”


What is a proper display of affection and what is that which stimulates lusts?


What is a proper display of affection and what is that which stimulates lusts?

What if you date someone who does not have a good conscience? Do not be surprised to be tested again and again to more and more compromise.(2 Tim 3:6-7)


(2 Timothy 3:6-7 NKJV) “For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, {7} always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”


This is a very strong test of your conscience. Why not date a Christian who also has a heart for God?


This is a very strong test of your conscience. Why not date a Christian who also has a heart for God?

"The disease of an evil conscience is beyond the practice of all physicians of all the countries of the world."


This is why Christians avoid the public dance, mixed swimming and such things.


We will tell the truth. (Col 3:9; Eph 4:25)


(Ephesians 4:25 NKJV) “Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another.”


(Colossians 3:9 NKJV) “Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds,”


We will make things right! (Mt 5:22-24)


(Matthew 5:22-24 NKJV) “”But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire.


{23} “Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, {24} “leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.”


Are you looking to let God rule in your heart? (Mt 5:8)


(Matthew 5:8 NKJV) “Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.”


We need each other to help test our hearts. (Heb 10:23-25)


(Hebrews 10:23-25 NKJV) “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. {24} And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, {25} not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”


"At the turn of the century, James Burns wrote the book Revivals: The Laws and Leaders. In the opening chapter he discusses "laws" of revival, as well as the "laws" of the absence of revival. "The first tendency," he writes, "Is for the doctrine of the church to lose its power of convicting the conscience, convincing the mind, or moving the heart."


He goes on to point out that spiritual decay brings with it a formality of worship in which the "ritual" is so exalted that it crushes the spirit."


Above all we need to bare our hearts to God and ask for help. (Lk 1:6; Rev 3:2)


(Luke 1:6 NKJV) “And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.”


(Revelation 3:2 NKJV) “”Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God.”

God’s priorities must become part of us

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