Have you ever felt like you were on the right path, but then things just didn’t work out the way you expected them to work out?
In his message Sunday at Trinity Baptist Church, Pastor Andy Coats shared that God designed us with the potential to be completely equipped for every good work. God is in the business of helping us work through our circumstances.
In order to be fully equipped to live the purpose God has for us, we most walk in obedience.
3 Steps for Being Fully Equipped to Do Good Works
STEP 1: Look Out for Dangers
Your inner circle of friends makes the biggest impact on your life and who you become. Surround yourself with people who will not only make you a better person, but who will also make you stronger in your walk with Christ.
**** 2 Timothy 3:1-5 ****
But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God — having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.
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The more you surround yourself with people who fall into the categories above, the more you surround yourself with danger. The more you surround yourself with danger, the more comfortable you become with danger. Comfort leads to compromise.
If you’ve ever looked at our world and wondered, “How did we get to this point?”, the answer is simple. We slowly lowered our standards, played with danger, and tolerated things that went against biblical principles.
Be careful who you surround yourself with and what you become comfortable with accepting. Those choices will shape your walk as a Christian.
STEP 2: Learn from Godly Mentors
In addition to having a solid inner circle of Christian friends, you also need to have Godly mentors who will pour into you throughout, support you during, and hold you accountable to your walk with Christ.
**** 2 Timothy 3:10-14 ****
You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it.
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Your mentors may let you down, but that doesn’t negate what they taught you. Remember mentors are people, and people are sinners. If you put your hope, faith, and trust in a person, you’ll always be let down. Instead, put your faith in God and the lessons He provided to you through mentors.
Also recognize God has called YOU to be a mentor to others. The next generation of people needs you to invest in them, guide them, and hold them accountable to living a life of obedience.
STEP 3: Lean on God’s Word
Finally, always remember that God’s word will never let you down.
**** 2 Timothy 3:16-17 ****
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
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Scripture was written to transform our lives. It was designed to instruct us how to live together in love and humility, guide us to correct our sins through conviction, and build our relationship with Christ through study.
You have a choice on where you turn when life throws difficulties your way and knocks you off the path you thought you were meant to walk.
You can turn to your inner circle, and they will probably lift you up, but they may not always give you biblical advice. Your friends are meant to support you.
You can turn to your mentors, and they will hopefully hold you accountable. Their role is accountability from experience and knowledge.
You can start by going to God in prayer and allow Him to guide you. He should always be your first go to for guidance. You can’t go there though until you have a real relationship with Him.
In reality, you need all three. Just make sure you go to them in the right order. Make sure you don’t compromise the standards God called you to live by. Make sure your inner circle of influence is truly good for you. Make sure you surround yourself with mentors who can help you grow. Make sure you are spending an appropriate amount of time in both prayer and God’s Word.
Click here to watch the full message.