Good evening, everyone. Let's go to the Lord in prayer. Heavenly Father, thank you for this opportunity to gather together with our brothers and sisters in Christ for the purpose of hearing your words. Father, please bless your word as it goes forth, and may it be a profitable experience for us all, and bless the decision that was made to attend church this evening. Thank you for all these things I ask in Jesus' name, amen. So, start this evening real quick. Colossians 4, 5, and 6 says to conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person. We're to conduct ourselves with wisdom, we're to walk around in wisdom, walk around with wisdom. We're to walk around occupied with Christ, the Word of God. Buying up, redeeming, rescuing from loss, improving, the opportunity, making improvement, increasing the value of the occasion. The words of ours, always with grace, with salt being seasoned, and this is perfect tense here, so this is a present state due to past completed action. So, Our words with grace, salt being seasoned, something that's done. It's a process, daily presentation of ourselves to the Word of God. And it's in the passive voice, so it's something received. So having presented ourselves, having made ourselves available to the Word of God. So this is through exposure and keeping it in close proximity. collecting the grace words that fall from his lips, Luke 4.22, marveling and meditating on them. To know, to know how and what way to respond, answer back to each one, whether it be audibly or inaudibly, to ourselves or others, or to the situations or issues of the heart. So this says, interestingly says, let your speech always be with grace. That implies that process is going on so that we'll know how to respond to each one. It's supernatural. So Proverbs 15, 28, the heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things. Also from Proverbs chapter 22, 17 to 19, incline your ear and hear the words of the wise and apply your mind to my knowledge. For it will be pleasant if you keep them within you, that they may be ready on your lips, so that your trust may be in the Lord, I have taught you today, even you. So we're to have it ready on our lips, just as in 1 Peter 3.15 where it says, The Christ is to be set apart as Lord in the hearts of ours, not sin reigning over us, but the peace of Christ is to rule our hearts. And in that way, we're being well adjusted and ready to give an answer to everyone asking for a word. for an explanation concerning the in us hope. So we're to be seasoned with salt, not stupidity, being dull and tasteless and insipid, and in this way even lying when we exhibit anything less than hope, but stability through finished work confidence by grace and through faith. for our trust is in the Lord." Referencing back there to Proverbs 22, 19, and we have been taught, yes, we have been handed over to this type of teaching, this grace teaching, Romans 6, 17, where it says, but thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed. But thanks be, immense gratitude to God in this, that though we were slaves, servants of sin, but now, and this is of course all by His doing, we've become attentive hearkeners, attentive listeners and observers, we've become conformed to, out from the heart, unto this type of teaching, the doctrinal instruction, this grace teaching that we've been committed that we have been handed over to. Acts 20.32 says, and now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. So it's the word of His grace is able to build us up. The word does all the work. See Mark 4, 26 to 28. And he, Jesus, was saying, the kingdom of God is like a man who casts seed upon the soil. And he was saying, thus is the kingdom of God. As a man casts the seed upon the soil, it's the word of God cast upon the good soil of faith. We know that faith must be involved. Faith must be mixed with the word, Hebrews 4.2. Otherwise the evil comes and snatches away what has been sown. So we're to approach the Word with the utmost respect, we're to prepare our minds to listen instead of to offer the sacrifice of fools in Ecclesiastes 5.1, not with thoughtlessness, not denying its power by not placing the proper value upon it. the weight that it deserves, the gravitas that it deserves, whether or not we understand what it means, we're to understand what it is, and that it is indeed the Word of God. Not the words of man, but the Word of God. So the first step is properly identifying it as such and assigning proper valuation upon it, proper appraisal, the proper fear and respect that's due to it. Proverbs 9, 10, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. So it's knowing Him, knowing who He is, correctly identifying Him. That is understanding. 27 of Mark 4, and he goes to bed at night and gets up by day, and the seed sprouts and grows. How? He himself does not know. How? He himself does not know, because the growth comes from God. 1 Corinthians 3, 7. But the man who hungers and thirsts after righteousness He sows in the good soil of faith, and in hope lies down to rest each night, and is roused to check back day after day, checking for any new growth that the seed would germinate and grow. Going back to check it out. Is there anything yet? Is there anything yet? Is there any green? Is there any growth? Any fruit? Any love? These being presence objectives, this is describing a continual action. Mixing faith with the Word. Faith resting. The one sowing in hope ought to expect crops. Roused by hope, the fuel and the confidence to plug on. Galatians 5.5, we wait. The soil produces crops by itself. First the blade, then the head, then the mature grain in the head. So the soil bears fruit automatos, automatically. Automatically the soil carpoforeo, fruit bears. First the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. So how blessed. Psalm 1-1, is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers, but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law he meditates day and night. He'll be like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. and in whatever it does, he prospers. John 15, 16, Jesus speaking, he says, you did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit and your fruit would remain. These three here are present active subjunctives, again, stressing the continual action. Keep on going, keep on bearing fruit, and keep on abiding, so that whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he may give to you. John 15.5, he says, I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. So we ought to be careful to continue to walk with wisdom, with Christ, and be ever wary of the evil that snatches away what has been sown. So Paul prays, starting in Colossians 1.9. He says, for this reason also, since we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will and all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. walking worthy, walking as we should, appropriately, filled with knowledge, knowing the truth, in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, not in the dark, but in all agreement, pleasing in every good work, bearing fruit and growing in the knowledge of God. Strengthened with all power, according to his glorious mind, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience, joyously giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. So being strengthened and enabled with and by his power, in harmony with the greatness, the vigor and dominion of his glory unto all steadfast constancy, and cheerful endurance and patience, with joy giving thanks to the Father who having made us able and abled, he qualified us, he made us fit, adequate to share in the inheritance of the saints in life. for he rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son. So having rescued us out from the grip of the darkness, that obfuscation that obscures and blocks, darkens, blinds the minds of men. It's the sleight of hand of man and the sophistry of the devil that overcomplicates and convolutes the way, the message of the singularity and simplicity of Christ, blinding the minds of the unbelieving. But He has rescued us who have turned to the Lord in faith, and He's transferred us from that darkness, that ambiguity and uncertainty, into the kingdom of the Son of His love. So indeed, just as it says in Ephesians 5.15, we're to therefore be careful how we walk. Not as unwise men, but as wise. So therefore, bleppo, look and behold, Beware, like when crossing a busy street, we're to pay attention how you walk around. Like Greg was saying in his message, weary and unwilling to take risks, but we're to walk circumspectly, prudently, and hence intelligently, with discernment and discretion, with restraint by the Holy Spirit. We wait for clear visibility because the light of the word is what exposes. So we're to be careful how we walk around, tread all around and deport ourselves, not putting on a front of tough and gruff, don't bother me, but having an M.O. marked with faith, hope, and love, accessibility, availability, and always ready with a word in season. walking, not as negative A saw for us, apart from wisdom, not walking apart from wisdom, but along with wisdom, and according to the reality of the Word of God, the new man, and having the mind of Christ. So we're to be in the now and knowing, having 66 trees of problem-solving and strategic planning. Isaiah 32.8 says that the noble man makes noble plans, and by noble plans he stands. So Ephesians 5.16, making the most of your time because the days are evil. Again, buying up, rescuing from loss, redeeming and improving the opportunity because the days are ponerous evil. Infectiously evil, injuriously evil, hurtful, diseased, and degenerate, with ill will and malice threaded all throughout them, morally and socially harmful. So we must be careful, watchful, awake, alert, sober, using the light to expose and discern. Do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. Because of this we're to stop becoming mindless and stupid, ignorant and egotistical, rash and unwise and unbelieving, but instead, in humility, Present ourselves for understanding, to come to know and figure out and mentally put together and comprehend what is the will of the Lord, knowing Him. Sanctification, John 17, 17. introduced to and initiated in the mystery of his will, Ephesians 1.9, separating self from being stupid in regard to this, not being without mind but with mind, understanding, using care, thought, and on purpose, finding out. And Colossians 2.2b, to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding and a true knowledge of God's mystery, Christ. Continuing on in Ephesians 5, 18, do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit. We're to stop being intoxicated with wine, which is ascetia, which is unsavedness, as if an unsaved mind, careless and reckless, how better to describe the state of intoxication than careless and reckless, uncaring and unmoved by and uninfluenced by the truth, but instead we're to be full and refreshed and hydrated, replenished and under the influence of the Holy Spirit. And so to think so as to have saved sound and sober thinking, Romans 12.3. Whether it's asatia or emotion, the Word of God is what stops us from spinning and sets us back on level ground, our minds anchored in the truth with the above mindset. Romans 8, 5, for those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For those being according to the flesh, only from flesh, only from the flesh can they think, are they disposed to, are they interested in, or to be of the opinion of the lower, the earthly, the natural, and the demonic. But those according to the Spirit, only that which is of the Spirit, the above wisdom, the heavenly. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind, the decider, the thinker, the thought processor, the mindset of the flesh is death, darkness, and separation. But the mind, the mindset of the Spirit, is life and peace and fellowship." Galatians 6, 8. Because the mindset on the flesh is hostile toward God, for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it's not even able to do so, on this very account that the mind, the inclination, and purpose of flesh is enmity towards God. It's hostile, it's in opposition to the things of God. And that's its only option. It's unable to do so. The law of God it cannot subject itself to. It cannot, it lacks the power, therefore it's unable to and it's not possible for it to. For the law is spiritual, Romans 7, 14, so it cannot be kept by the best efforts of the flesh. But, early in Romans 8, it says, for what the law could not do, verse 3 and 4, weak as it was through the flesh, God did, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, And as an offering for sin, He condemns sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. It's Romans 6.14. We're not under law, but under grace. It's the undeserved, the unmerited, the free gift. So speaking of proper mindset, we can turn to Colossians 3. We'll start in 3.1, where it says, Therefore, if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above. Where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. This if is actually since, it being a first-class conditional fulfilled, it's a statement of reality, since we've been raised with the Christ. Romans 6, 3 and 4, if we're walking, then we must be raised. Therefore, since we have been raised with Christ, we're to keep seeking the above, the highest, the godly wisdom from above, where the Christ is sitting, remaining, residing on the right-hand side of God. This is the only way we learn and grow, by exposure to the truth and mixing faith with it. We can't do it on our own, with our own effort, or apart from Him, apart from the Word, but only by abiding. So we're to set our mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. The mind being set on the above, having the above mindset, not the fleshly but the spiritual, not the one that can't but the one that is, not upon the earth, the earthly, the natural, the demonic, not the blurred lines of right and wrong, the sounds good, in the half-truths, but we must search out and examine all things by the word. And as colonial citizens, as we are in Philippians 320, we have a truly set-apart M.O. The new man being an addict of the truth, requiring the truth to succeed. You can't put diesel in a gasoline engine. It won't work. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ and God. Colossians 3, 3. For you've died off and the life of yours hath been concealed away with Christ and God. His life, Romans 6, 3 and 4 again, completely identified with Him in this new identity and operating procedures. Galatians 2, 20. Colossians 2, 11 and 13. So when Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. And the One, the Christ, who is our life, being our source of life, in Hebrews 5, 9, to everyone who believes in Him, He is the source of eternal salvation. So when He appears, then also we with Him shall appear in glory. It's like in 1 John 3, 2. And in 2 Thessalonians 2, 14, it says, it was for this He called you through our gospel that we may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So verse 5, therefore, we're to consider the members of your earthly as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. Therefore, consider as dead the members that are on the earth. We're to treat them as dead, we're to consider them as a not a viable option. Consider them inadequate earthly options. They're dead ends, not viable options. In botany, this means they're not able to germinate. In biology, this means incapable of surviving or living successfully. So consider them as dead, of no benefit, of no good, of no use, only harmful, futile, vain, ineffectual, and barren. Having no fruit, no lasting happiness or satisfaction, but only producing regret, guilt, and shame. So it's important to note and identify these are the dead ends they are. No chance of yielding anything useful for yourself or others. Really only producing harm. Listed here is Borneia, speaking of all kinds of sexual immorality. Akatharsia, which is uncleanliness and impurity, physically or morally, whether it's impure doctrine or degenerate disposition. And pathos, which is passion, inordinate affection, obsessive behaviors, natural desires gone haywire. And cacosepithemia, which are out of bounds longings and lusts, along with unchecked avarice. the inordinate desire of gaining and possessing worldly wealth, which is equal to idolatry because the offender places these things before God, placing them as their God, but it's just their imagination. Proverbs 18, 10, and 11, the name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous runs into it and is safe. A rich man's wealth is his strong city, and like a high wall in his own imagination. It's only a fantasy. For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience. So because of which things cometh the wrath of God upon the sons of apathy, the obstinate, rebellious, unbelievers? Scoff if you want, but Proverbs 9.12 says, if you're wise, you're wise for yourself, and if you scoff, you alone will bear it. And Ephesians 5-7 tells us simply to not partake with them. So these, informed and influenced by the prince of the power of the air, the lower atmosphere, the satanic smog of cosmic debris, floats around filling the empty-minded, effectually working in the suns of disobedience. And in them, you also once walked when you were living in them. So among these, we also at some point, we peripeteoed. We walked around in these things, strapped to the gills with immorality, when we lived in them, when we were alive to them. But now we consider ourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus, Romans 6, 11. But now you also put them all aside, anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. But now we also put away and we lay aside and off all of these, including anger, wrath, malice, blaspheme, slander and vilification and character assassination, all vile communication, literally shameful speech, out from the mouth of yours. Ephesians 4.29, to now be seasoned with grace. Colossians 4.6, speaking grace and truth and love. Ephesians 4.15, so do not lie to one another since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices. So do not lie to one another, stop lying back and forth, having put away and out from the old clothes that we've sunk out from, the old man with his practices, his functions, his means of function. His operating principles, the thoughtless and the base, the animal instincts, the fleshly, the carnal, the lower, the sensual. and variety. We put on the new self who's being renewed to a true knowledge, according to the image of the one who created him. And having put on the new, 2 Corinthians 5, 17, the one being renewed, being renovated, present tense participle, it's an ongoing continual process, presenting ourselves daily, undenowledged, knowing, according to the likeness of him having created him. The Creator. Colossians 1.16 and John 1.3 identifying Jesus Christ as that one, the Creator. And we are being transformed from glory to glory. 2 Corinthians 3.18, gradual and progressive, continual process, renovation and renewing again and again. Anacanao, just like in Romans 12, 1 and 2. So in which there is no Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free man, but Christ is all and in all. So whether it's not ideas like Greek and Jew or circumcised and non-circumcised, barbarian or uncivilized Scythian, slavery-free, but the all and in all Christ, the common denominator here. The in Christ designation outranks all other elementary classifications. It's that thorough of a renewal. All those in Christ make up the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. So as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. So therefore put on as choice ones of God, holy and being loved. Again, perfect tense, so it's a present state due to past completed action. Knowing ourselves this way increases our spiritual self-esteem. These attributes are him, tender-hearted, inwardly affectionate, with pity and mercy, kindness, good and useful, humble-minded, mild, meek, and gentle, having a gentle friendliness, a strength that accommodates to others' weaknesses, being considerate, forebearing, and patient. So we're to keep on, we're to keep on putting on the fruit-covered bow. Again, not by trying or wrestling, but by stooping low and looking long at Him. Transformation. He is altogether love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. bearing with one another, forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone. Just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. So putting up with one another, this is again reciprocal. The proper circulation of love throughout the body, it's a two-way street. Just as granting forgiveness is a favor to each other, if anyone towards anyone would or might have blame or a complaint. So just as also the Lord has granted forgiveness as an undeserved favor to you and us, So also you, with no strings attached, even undeserved, even unprovoked, forgive. So beyond all these things, we're to put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. So on top of all these is love, which is the perfect, the joint tie, the uniting principle in the ligament. uniting the entire body. The love of Christ supplying every joint for the proper working of each individual part which causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. Ephesians 4.16. It's where to let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts to which indeed we're called in one body and to be thankful. The peace of Christ is the rule and reign and prevail and act as arbitrator in our hearts. And the job of an arbitrator is to hear and decide. So we're to let and allow this to be. Which also we have been called in one body, and to keep being and becoming thankful. There is no civil unrest and those governed by the peace of Christ. So we're to let the word of Christ richly dwell within us with all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns, spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in our hearts to God. So the word of Christ is to inhabit us, it's to dwell down in us richly, coviously, abundantly. John 14, 23 says, if anyone loves me, This is Jesus speaking. He will keep my word and my Father will love him and we will come to him and make our abode with him. So with all wisdom, teaching, and admonishing that's placing in the minds of one another, with psalms, hymns, spiritual woes, with gratitude singing in the hearts of ours to God, the word of Christ richly dwelling in our hearts and overflowing with gratitude. This is occupation with Christ in gratitude as Scott's been preaching for a couple months now. So, whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. So, Heavenly Father, thank You. Thank You for Your Word. We give thanks to You through our Lord Jesus Christ. So, bless the offering. Thank You for all these things, I pray, I ask, all in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.