THE SECRETS OF VICTORIOUS LIVING

Being equipped for life in the 21st Century.

CHAPTER 1

We are living in a unique generation. As someone once remarked; “It’s later than it’s ever been before!”  Along with many other people, I believe that Jesus is coming soon. I have devoted a whole series of Bible Studies to this subject which you are find at www.Renovatelifechurch.org.  If you don’t believe in Jesus’ imminent second coming, I suggest you read  2 Tim 3; 1 – 17.  What a description of the day and age we live in!  But see too 2 Pet 3;11   “What manner of people ought you to be?”  We need to be the people of God who are salt and light in a darkening world.

But right at the start, let me warn you.  You may find some things in this e-book hard to accept.  You might even be offended!  Well, that’s a risk I’m going to have to take because all you will read here is based on God’s Word. Occasionally, God does upset us.  He says things we don’t really want to hear. But at the same time we need to hear them.  So, let’s continue.

I read some years ago of a certain Dr Ambedkar, a leader of Indian outcastes who attended a Buddhist Conference. “I want to find out to what extent there is dynamic in Buddhism as far as the people of this country are concerned,” he said.  “Ah”, you may say, “he should have attended a Christian Conference where he would have found the truth”.  The point is, he had already spent years in America and UK studying Christianity.  He had come to the conclusion it was dead!

Jesus in His first recorded sermon, gave a whole set of instructions for the Christian life.  As we go through them I believe you will be stirred, even amazed at what Jesus taught.  So many Christians are not living the real Christian life.  Since I retired and started attending church as an ordinary person rather than the preacher, I have wondered about the message which is being proclaimed from many pulpits.  I have listened to so many sermons in churches and on TV and radio which offer merely a shallow imitation of what real Christianity is about.

For example: “Send me your best gift today and I will send you a special healing prayer cloth”.
“Send your gift today and you will receive a reward in gold”.
“Send for your bottle of holy water”.  (No, it wasn’t a Catholic preacher!).

Just some of the nonsensical and sometime blasphemous claims I have seen made on so called ‘Christian TV’.    Sadly the unbeliever sees this nonsense and comes to the same conclusion Dr Ambedkar came to above.

The world today desperately needs true Christians. Men and women who are living the Christian life so much that people ask, “What is the secret? What have they got that I haven’t?”  Peter writing in 2 Pet 2;21 said, “For even hereunto were you called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow his steps”  That ‘follow His steps, literally means “Dog his heels”.  In other words, copy exactly.  Do you remember the words of the Christmas carol Good King Wenceslas?  One line goes “Mark my footsteps well my page, tread thou in them boldly”.  That is how we are to follow Jesus.  We are to live as He lived.  To follow His instructions to the letter.

Paul writing to Timothy in 2 Tim 3;10  said, “But you have fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience”  and went on in v 14; “But you continue in the things which you have learned and have been assured of, knowing of whom you have learned them.”   As he summed it all up; “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

Before we start our studies proper in the Sermon on the Mount let us just look at some indications of true Christians.

CHRISTIANS ARE DIFFERENT;

Paul emphasises this many times; for example; 2 Cor 5;17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”  There seems to be a movement these days in the church to see how similar we can be to the world at large.  “Let’s not be too different, otherwise people will not want to come.  Let’s imitate the world so that the unbeliever feels ‘at home’ when he walks in the church.”   I appreciate the sentiments behind this approach, and agree that we need to make people feel ‘at home’ when they come to church.  When some Pentecostal Churches started in the early 1900s, they put up with things we wouldn’t even think about today. I remember the old stalwarts in my own home church at Radcliffe near Manchester telling me of their early days and how they endured rickety chairs in a room over the local jam shop. While it was acceptable then, those days are long gone.  It is a fact that times change.

There are of course, those who would like to keep things the same as they have always been. For example, some Anglican Church members, given half the chance, would go back to the 18th century and the old Prayer Book services. Others would go even further and have their services in Latin! However most people want to bring things up to date.  In Pentecostal and evangelical circles, were we to compare church a century ago, we would find that it bears hardly any relation to church today.  To take another example, during my ministry I have seen hymn books come and go.  Redemption Songs gave way to Redemption Hymnal, which in turn gave way to even more updated selections from different publishers. Hymn books have now been dropped by many churches that simply use modern songs from such as Hillsongs. And no doubt in due course even these will be seen as ‘old hat’ as yet again something new comes on the scene.  Maybe we will all be ‘rapping’ songs one day?

To try and keep up with the world and its changing fashions can be exhausting.  Maybe we do need to accept changes in music and ways of worship.  At the same time, let us realise that we are different.  To be like the ‘world’ can backfire as people look at some Christians and cannot see any reason to become a Christian, since there appears to be no difference between us and them!   As Paul told the Corinthians, we are ‘a new creation’.  We are different to the unbeliever.

When God was delivering the Israelites from Egypt, He said, in Ex 11;7 “But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that you may know how that the LORD puts a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.”

It was A Difference in FACT:

Israel were under the blood. They had followed Moses’ instructions and sacrificed the lambs, sprinkling the blood of the lambs on the doorposts and lintels of their homes. As long as they stayed inside, ‘under the blood’, they were safe.  We too are ‘under the blood!’  “The blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son cleanses us from all sin”.  As the old hymn writer wrote; “I’m gonna stay right under the blood, where the devil can’t do me no harm!”  When we put our trust in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on Calvary’s Cross, our sin is washed away. The Grace of God comes into play. God’s amazing forgetfulness comes into action and when the devil comes to accuse us, God says “do you know, for the life of me, I can’t remember that”.

There is a story of Martin Luther who one day found the devil standing in front of him as he sat in his study. The devil said, “So you think you are a good man?  What about this.. and this.. and this?  He began to unroll a list of all Luther’s sins and failings. When he stopped, Luther said, “Is that all?”  The devil admitted that was all he could find.  Luther picked up his pen and wrote across the bottom of the scroll, “The blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son cleanses us from ALL sin”. The devil, so the story goes, disappeared in a raging cloud of sulphurous smoke.  Thank God that our sin is covered, never to be remembered again.  Billy Bray, the famous converted tin miner once described it like this; “God threw all my sins in a deep lake and then put up a sign, ‘no fishing’.

It was A Difference in DEALING;

The blood was personally applied.  Each household had to do it for themselves.  Just because one house had sprinkled the blood, didn’t mean the folk next door were ok. You can’t be saved on another person’s experience.  We have to come to Christ for ourselves and accept his sacrifice for our own sin.  Because they had obeyed God’s directions, Israel were not being judged like the Egyptians, but were under God’s grace. So with us. We are delivered from judgement by the Grace of God.  “by grace are ye saved…”  To those who are ‘in Christ Jesus’ there is now ‘no condemnation’. (Rom. 8;1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus).  Egypt were under judgement. So were we, but now we are free from condemnation as we walk with Jesus.

We are different – we are sinless!  That doesn’t mean that we never slip up, of course we do.  But as the apostle John wrote in1 Jn 1;9 ‘If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness’. We walk in continual forgiveness by the Grace of God.

It was A Difference in CONDUCT:

After enduring all the plagues, Egypt had now experienced the last straw, the death of all their first born.    They were getting ready to hold Funerals. Meanwhile in Israel’s camp they were Feasting on roast lamb and mint sauce! The aroma of roast lamb must have permeated the whole of the city. The Egyptians would wonder what was going on…  why were the Israelites feasting?  For the first time in many years Israel were experiencing freedom. By contrast, The Egyptians were full of Fear as the death angel struck and across the land, one by one, the eldest son in every family suddenly died.

We are different!  This difference should be manifest in our daily conduct.    What a Challenge!  Are we as different as we should be?   Jesus told a parable about the Wheat & the Tares.  As they begin to sprout, Tares look like wheat at first.  The farmer can’t tell the difference so tells his workers to leave them alone, and separate them nearer harvest time when it is obvious which are which.  Much the same as when I go into my garden in spring.  There are hundreds of tiny plants coming up. Some are flowers, some are weeds.  Which are which?  I’ve no idea until they are larger and it becomes easy to differentiate between them.

Very often the Unbeliever looks and acts like a Christian.  They are full of good works, helping others, giving to charity, even going to church, often declaring that they are thereby earning their way to Heaven.  In the 19th century many wealthy mill owners built glorious churches, thinking that they were earning a place in Heaven.  We know of course tht theBible teaches that you cannot earn your way to Heaven; Salvation is the free gift of God purchased for us by Christ’s death on the cross.  Even our best ‘good works’ are like filthy rags in God’s sight. (Isaiah 64.6).  Yes, unbelievers do act like Christians sometimes.  But on the other hand, Christians often act like Unbelievers.  I read a story about a young boy who was saved in a Billy Graham Crusade meeting years ago.  He was commended by one of the masters at his school.  The boy looked at him in astonishment.  “Sir, are you a Christian?  I wouldn’t have known if you hadn’t told me”.

Jesus was different. People who came into contact with him were amazed. When He preached, they marvelled, “never man spoke like this man”.  His actions were different. They brought a woman taken in adultery. Instead of stoning her, Jesus simply forgave her!

Paul wrote these amazing words when writing to the Philippians;  Phil 3;17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as you have us for an example.   Was Paul boasting?  So often this sort of talk is.  But read on (New KJV) Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern.  For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things. For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.

Sadly many so called Christians are not walking the Christ walk. My wife and I sometimes remark of some who say they are ‘Christians’, “They haven’t got what we’ve got!” Whose god is their belly – in other words, they seek sensual things. They set their mind on earthly things instead of Heavenly.   We see lots of it on so called Christian TV.  The preacher who shouts, “Jesus wants you rich!” and then asks you to send him ‘your best gift’.  I’ve seen all this on the inside.  It’s not pretty!   Letters come in from folk who are in deep trouble.  ‘I’ve sent you this gift with the last of my credit card balance. Pray the Lord will send me the money I need to pay my debts’.   It doesn’t work like that!  Just because I send a ministry a gift of £10 doesn’t mean I’m going to get £100 the next day!  I saw one preacher recently saying that if you sent him a gift you would get gold in the next week!  This is close to being blasphemous!

I was one of those who campaigned for Christian TV in the early days and was so delighted when the God Channel began broadcasting. I subsequently set up a TV studio in partnership with another minister.  We began making programmes for churches and ministries.   Then I discovered that some of these ‘ministries’ would do almost anything to get money coming in.   Others seemed to have a marked reluctance to pay their bills! Some of the ‘Christian’ channels would accept any teaching as long as they were paid for the air time.  What had started out as a wonderful answer to prayer has in some cases become a monster that I feel does more harm than good.   People watch these so called ministers of the Gospel with their false claims and empty promises and like the Dr Ambedkar I mentioned at the beginning come to the conclusion that Christianity is an empty religion with nothing to offer.  Christians are drawn in by these ‘charismatic’ preachers and then find their promises and claims are false, and become disillusioned, sometimes turning away even from the Lord Himself.

Let us show people what real Christianity is! Then the false will become evident.  I was once told that when bank employees are being taught to recognise counterfeit notes, they are simply shown the real thing.  After handling real notes for some time, they immediately recognise a counterfeit. So it should be with Christians. The false should be immediately obvious.

CONSISTENCY IN LIVING.

It’s time for real Christians to stand up and shout “Follow me!”  Paul wrote to the Thessalonian church, 1 Thes 1.6  And you became followers of us and of the Lord.  In following Paul, they followed Christ.  When people get saved now, we should be able to say, “do as I do, follow me and so follow Christ”.

In 2 Tim 3;10 we read;  You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings,

Paul itemised seven areas of importance. He practiced what he preached.  “You have known my way of life”.   Are we what we claim to be? Can people immediately recognise us as Christians? In Rev 3;1 Jesus said, “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, ‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.

And then a bit further on, we find His word to the church at Laodicea;

To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: (Rev 3;14-20)    These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!  So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.  I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.

When pastoring, I would often have people come to our church and say that they had been to many churches, looking for one in which they could settle down.  But so many were ‘dead’ and they turned away, disappointed.  It is interesting that Rev 3;20 which we so often use to invite unbelievers to ‘Let Jesus in’, is actually written to the church at Laodicea!   Jesus was saying to them; ‘Let me in!’  How incredible that a church who obviously thought they were the ‘bees knees’ when it came to church, had actually locked Jesus out!

It reminds me of the story of a tramp who went to a society church and sat down in a pew.  Discerning the ‘aroma’ from the pew behind, a deacon turned to the man and told him to leave the church and go and get washed and dressed properly before he came in again.  The tramp went outside and sat on the steps, disconsolate because he had been turned away from the church. As he sat there, Jesus came to him and asked him what the matter was.  The tramp explained he had been turned away.  “Oh, don’t worry about that,” said Jesus, “I’ve been trying to get into that church for years!”

CONSISTENCY IN LABOURING

Phil 4;9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice.

Purpose, faith, longsuffering – Paul was out and out for Jesus.  He had an all consuming loyalty to the Lord.  Nothing came between him and serving Jesus.  He claimed, “For to me, to live is Christ”. Can we say that?  I wonder how often we let things get in the way of serving Jesus.

Christianity, as we shall see in the next few chapters, is a ‘doing’ religion. Jesus constantly talked about those who ‘do’ things, rather than think or talk about them.  We learn the basics of Christianity, we receive them into our hearts and minds, we hear the teaching, we watch others living it out, then we need to go and do it ourselves.

CONSISTENCY IN LOVING.

Paul talks about Love and patience as being part of the business of being a Christian. It is easy to love those who love you.  My wife and I have loved each other for around 55 years as I write this.  We have had our ups and downs. We’ve even had arguments and fallen out with each other! But because we love each other, it has been easy to forgive and forget.  Love keeps on loving, even when the love is not returned.  During the First World War, a wounded German soldier was found by a British officer and his batman.  As they went to help him, the man shot at them.  “Give him a drink of water,” said the officer.  “But sir, cried the batman, “he just tried to kill us!”. “Give him a drink just the same” was the reply.

In Rom 5;6-10  we read;  when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us…. For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! We were His enemies!   Yet he died for us.  Jesus did what He preached – ‘Love your enemies’! As He hung on the cross, He asked His Father to forgive them.  Love, real love that is, is not conditional. It loves, no matter what happens. That is the love Jesus demonstrated. It is the love we must show the world.

To finish off, here’s an illustration someone sent me just this week. “A few years ago a group of salesmen went to a regional sales convention in Chicago. They had assured their wives that they would be home in plenty of time for Friday night’s dinner. In their rush, with tickets and briefcases, one of these salesmen inadvertently kicked over a table which held a display of apples. Apples flew everywhere. Without stopping or looking back, they all managed to reach the plane in time for their nearly missed boarding. “All but one…. He paused, took a deep breath, and experienced a twinge of compassion for the girl whose apple stand had been overturned. “He told his buddies to go on without him, told one of them to call his wife when they arrived at their home destination and explain his taking a later flight. Then he returned to the terminal where the apples were all over the terminal floor.

“He was glad he did. “The 16-year-old girl was totally blind! She was softly crying, and helplessly groping for her spilled produce as the crowd swirled about her, no one stopping and no one to care for her plight. “The salesman knelt on the floor with her, gathered up the apples, put them back on the table and helped organize her display. As he did this he noticed that many of them had become battered and bruised; these he set aside in another basket.

“When he had finished, he pulled out his wallet and said to the girl, “Here, please take this $40 for the damage we did. Are you okay?” She nodded through her tears. He continued on with, “I hope we didn’t spoil your day too badly.” “As the salesman started to walk away, the bewildered blind girl called out to him, ‘Mister….’ He paused and turned to look back into those blind eyes. She continued, ‘Are you Jesus?’

“He stopped in mid-stride, and he wondered. Then slowly he made his way to catch the later flight with that question burning in his soul: ‘Are you Jesus?’