The Life That Now Is!
Foundational Text: 1 Timothy 4:7-8, 15 But refuse profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness. (8) For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. 15 Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.
Intro: Many people in the Body of Christ today have been duped into believing that “Godliness only pays off in the next life, however we will probably not have much to show in this lifetime”. “Here we wander like a beggar through the heat and the cold, but when it’s all over, and we land on the other side, it will be different. There’s a great day coming – after a while – when we’ve left this vale of tears and sorrow. There’s a great day coming…”
Hallelujah, there is a great day coming!!! But Paul said, “Godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of THE LIFE THAT NOW IS!! The life that “now is” is where “I is” right now in this present world. The life that now is, is where you is right now!
I. Living in the NOW
“having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.”
A. Exercise thyself unto godliness
1. Train yourself toward godliness (piety), [keeping yourself spiritually fit]. - AMP
2. Keep yourself in training for a godly life. – GNB
3. be training thyself unto godliness – Rotherham
B. Godliness is profitable unto all things!
1. Profitable, a. Yielding or bringing profit or gain; gainful; lucrative; as a profitable trade; profitable business; a profitable study or profession.
a. Profit - To improve; to advance. To make improvement; to improve; to grow wiser or better; to advance in any thing useful; as, to profit by reading or by experience.
b. ophelimos, and it means helpful, profitable, useful, beneficial, or something that is to one’s advantage.
C. Godliness is yielding or bringing profit or gain, it is to one’s advantage, beneficial, helpful, useful, making improvements, makes wiser or better, holding promise for the present life and also for the life which is to come.
1. for it carries with it the promise of life here and hereafter. – Goodspeed.
2. Godliness is yielding or bringing profit or gain, it is to one’s advantage, beneficial, helpful, useful, making improvements, makes wiser or better, for it carries with it the promise of life here and hereafter.
II. Four things Godliness Insures
A. Godliness Insures Protection
Isaiah 54:17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.
1. Psalms 91:1-16 HE WHO dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty [Whose power no foe can withstand]. (2) I will say of the Lord, He is my Refuge and my Fortress, my God; on Him I lean and rely, and in Him I [confidently] trust! (3) For [then] He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. (4) [Then] He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings shall you trust and find refuge; His truth and His faithfulness are a shield and a buckler. (5) You shall not be afraid of the terror of the night, nor of the arrow (the evil plots and slanders of the wicked) that flies by day, (6) Nor of the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor of the destruction and sudden death that surprise and lay waste at noonday. (7) A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand, but it shall not come near you. (8) Only a spectator shall you be [yourself inaccessible in the secret place of the Most High] as you witness the reward of the wicked. (9) Because you have made the Lord your refuge, and the Most High your dwelling place, [Ps. 91:1, 14.] (10) There shall no evil befall you, nor any plague or calamity come near your tent. (11) For He will give His angels [especial] charge over you to accompany and defend and preserve you in all your ways [of obedience and service]. (12) They shall bear you up on their hands, lest you dash your foot against a stone. [Luke 4:10, 11; Heb. 1:14.] (13) You shall tread upon the lion and adder; the young lion and the serpent shall you trample underfoot. [Luke 10:19.] (14) Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him; I will set him on high, because he knows and understands My name [has a personal knowledge of My mercy, love, and kindness--trusts and relies on Me, knowing I will never forsake him, no, never]. (15) He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. (16) With long life will I satisfy him and show him My salvation.
2. We always protect things of value!
Example of letting dog in junk car, compared to Lexus.
You are God’s workmanship! You are of great value! One of my favorite stories in the Bible concerning the ministry of Jesus here on earth, is the story of the woman with the issue of blood. Luke records that Jesus said “somebody touched me”. Before she had an encounter with Jesus she was a nobody, once she touched Him, she became a somebody. All of us are that same way today. We have all touched Jesus, and He has touched us, and made us somebodies.
He sees us as valuable!!!
B. Godliness Insures Promotion:
Psalms 75:6-7 For not from the east nor from the west nor from the south come promotion and lifting up. [Isa. 14:13.] (7) But God is the Judge! He puts down one and lifts up another.
1. Galatians 6:7,9 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
2. God rewards faithfulness!
Proverbs 28:20 A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent.
1 Corinthians 4:2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.
Side note: Did you ever notice that the book of Ephesians may not be able to be claimed by everyone in the Body of Christ? Eph. 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:
3. Promotion comes from the wisdom of God.
Proverbs 4:4-8 He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live. (5) Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. (6) Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. (7) Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. (8) Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.
C. Godliness Insures Prosperity
2 Chronicles 26:5 And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper. (Speaking of King Uzziah).
1. Joshua 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
2. Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.
3. Psalms 35:27 Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.
D. Godliness Insures Perpetuity – Long life
Psalms 91:16 With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.
1. Perpetuity - Continued uninterrupted existence, or duration for an indefinite period of time; as the perpetuity of laws and institutions; the perpetuity of fame.
a. It’s a given that we have perpetuity in heaven, FOREVER?
b. How about in this life?
2. Psalms 34:12-13 What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good? (13) Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.
3. Old Testament? 1 Peter 3:10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:
4. Ephesians 6:1-3 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. (2) Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) (3) That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.
Conclusion: What does Godliness mean? The Vines dictionary states: Noun,eusebeia>
from eu, "well," and sebomai, "to be devout," denotes that piety which, characterized by a Godward attitude, does that which is well-pleasing to Him. The word “godliness” is the
Greek word eusebeia, a Greek word that describes piety, godliness, or a radical, fanatical devotion. In other words, Paul was telling Timothy, “Don’t do just the average that others would do and get an average result. Put your whole heart and soul into developing yourself to the maximum level.” Our commitment to spiritual development is to be so intense that we literally exercise, and exercise, and exercise ourselves to the point of a radical, fanatical devotion to God. We must be as committed to our spiritual development as those professional Greek athletes were to their physical development. It’s profitable for protection, promotion, prosperity, and perpetuity.
