“The Die is Struck”
CD#105
(6 Examples of the Believer)
From the start let me say that this study is for encouragement to keep working for the Lord! We have been told by your flesh, by the world, and by Satan himself that there are certain things we can’t accomplish. The Lord God Almighty would have us to know today that all things are possible through Him “if” we’re only willing and obedient! He will take care of everything all we must do is “believe” and let Him make us an example to lead others to and closer to Jesus Christ!
- What is a die’s purpose?
- A die is a device for molding or stamping material.
In presswork dies are used in pairs. The smaller die fits inside the larger die. When pressure is applied to the dies the material is formed. Let’s understand these dies:
The “inner Die” is called the “matrix” die. Matrix means from the Latin a womb. With this understanding it’s the die that within which something originates. We’ll see how God changed Paul’s matrix later on in this study. That’s great Greg but how does that apply to me personally? Let’s go to our studies text:
1 Timothy 4:12 says, “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”
“Example” was translated from the Greek word 5179. tupos, (too’-pos) meaning a die as struck.
After we have “believed” with our hearts and confessed with our mouths the Lord Jesus Christ the Holy Spirit becomes our “new matrix” (inside die)! The Holy Spirit of God drew us to salvation in the first place and dwells on the inside of us. Let’s look to the Word:
John 14:15 says, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”
John 14:16 says, “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;”
John 14:17 says, “Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.”
Here we see that God has given us His Holy Spirit to dwell (meno), to stay inside of us with our obedience. The Holy Spirit is our “new matrix”; our new die that help shapes us and point us towards Jesus Christ!
Now let’s move to the outside die that the inside die presses against. Turn with me to the shaping our Father desires to accomplish:
Isaiah 64:8 says, “But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.”
“Potter” from the Hebrew is #3335 yatsar (yaw-tsar’) meaning to mold into a form.
Here is what the inside die, the “matrix” pushes against to form us into what we need to be in God Almighty through Jesus Christ! God Almighty Himself is our outside die always working and loving on us. Praise be to God isn’t that encouraging. For too long Christians have been robbed into thinking they must live below their means, that they can only go so far or do so much. I’m here today to let you know through the Word of your Father that there is no limit “if” you’ll stay in the press, in the dies! “A die can only reproduce itself and nothing else.” The die is cast meaning it’s irrevocable. True obedient Christians will have the following examples in their life as a testimony of God’s goodness lifting up Jesus Christ so others can see Him and be saved! Let’s reread our studies text:
1 Timothy 4:12 says, “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”
Die #1 “example in word”.
“Word” is from the Greek word #3056 logos (log’-os) meaning something said including the thought.
Let that sink down deep into your minds for a second. As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ we are to be an example with not only our words but also our intentions behind our words. As disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ disciplined in His teachings we understand that His Words built and didn’t tear down. Our words need to edify too:
Romans 15:1 says, “We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.”
Romans 15:2 says, “Let everyone of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.”
Romans 15:3 says, “For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.”
We’re not speaking of being people pleasers that Paula warned against (Gal.1:10). Rather we’re speaking of building each other up in the Lord Jesus Christ. “Edification” from the Greek word #3619 oikodome (oy-kod-om-ay’) meaning architecture, to design and build buildings which is an analogy for God’s family.
Q. Who is your neighbor?
A. Our Lord and Savior made it very clear to who our neighbor is in Luke 10:29-37 in the Parable of the Good Samaritan. We are to show mercy to those in our world and help them if possible. Look at what Jesus Christ said about the importance of “loving” your neighbor (Christ speaking in verse 28):
Luke 10:27 says, “And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.”
Luke 10:28 says, “And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.”
As Peter stated about Jesus Christ it’s still true today where else can we go for words of eternal life? Let’s see more of what Paul had to say about words for edification through the unction of the Holy Spirit:
1 Corinthians 4:16 says, “Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.”
1 Corinthians 11:1 says, “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.”
Paul was setting an example, the die was cast on the inside and outside of him, and it is for you too! Let’s look at Paul’s example:
2 Corinthians 12:19 says, “Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you? we speak before God in Christ: but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying.”
The die working on Paul the writer of 2/3 of the New Testament had him saying and doing “all” things for others to be built in the Family of God. Praise the Lord we can do and say the right things so others can be saved! How? Not by us but with our obedience and staying in God’s press God’s die! Sure as it tightens down on the flesh it hurts but we must be obedient.
1 Corinthians 10:23 says, “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.”
Paul said that some things didn’t edify, didn’t build. We need to always (Romans 15:1-3) to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves, rather edify our neighbor. Let’s do as the die in the following examples:
1 Thessalonians 5:11 says, “Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.”
Ephesians 4:11 says, “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;”
Q. Why are we here, what are we to be doing?
A. Ephesians 4:12 says, “For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:”
“Perfecting” is from the Greek word #2677 katartismos (kat-ar-tis-mos’) meaning complete furnishing. God Almighty doesn’t just want us to build the outside He wants us to completely furnish everything that’s needed on the inside so the children (Body of Christ) can rest comfortably!
Ephesians 4:16 says, “From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.”
Ephesians 4:29-32 says, “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”
It’s black or it’s white, it’s sin or it’s not, it’s edifying or it’s tearing down! If our speech doesn’t build the Body of Christ then we have the wrong die set shaping us! If we’re obedient believers the “die is cast”, is struck and He will help us to build with our words as He did! Don’t let Satan or anyone else he might use that you can’t accomplish what the Lord has for you! Greater is He that on the inside of you and he that is in the world! Once again let’s reread our studies text:
1 Timothy 4:12 says, “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”
Die #2 “example in conversation”.
“Conversation” is from the Greek word #391 anastrophe (an-as-trof-ay’) meaning behavior, how one busies oneself.
Paul state that at one time we all had conversation (behavior) in or better said according to this world.
Ephesians 2:1-3 says, “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins: Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.”
Here is an example of the old die now praise be to God we have the Holy Spirit to convict and Him to prune us! We used to be self-centered but now praise be to God we are God-centered!
Q. As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ what should our conversation, our behavior be?
A. Turn to the great book of Galatians please:
Galatians 1:13-14 says, “For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: And profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.”
This was Paul’s die before his conversion, next verse tells us more:
Galatians 1:15 says, “But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace,”
“Mothers womb” is our original matrix, inner die! God Almighty through His grace in Christ Jesus separated Paul from his old die of the flesh, of the world and put His die around him. Now Paul has God the Father on the outside instead of religion and the Holy Spirit on the inside!
Q. What effect did this new die have on Paul?
A. Next verse:
Galatians 1:16 says, “To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:”
God’s grace reached out to Paul and His new die caused Paul to “reveal” Jesus Christ everywhere he went. As a believer this new die will cause you to do the same! Don’t worry about what you can’t do just stay in the press obediently and let God Almighty work through you! Let’s move on to the next example and reread our studies text:
1 Timothy 4:12 says, “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”
Die #3 “example in charity”.
“Charity” is from the Greek word #26 agape (ag-ah’-pay) meaning love, affection or benevolence. Benevolence is an inclination to do good and charitable acts. Charity is helping someone with a love that goes out even though you know that they can give you nothing in return. Let’s look at what Paul wrote through the unction of the Holy Spirit:
1 Corinthians 16:14 says, “Let all your things be done with charity.”
Q. How do we fulfill charity in our lives?
A. Turn with me to the great book of 1 Timothy please:
1 Timothy 1:5 says, “Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:”
Note the word “end” here in your minds as we read the Words of Christ:
Revelation 22:13 says, “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.”
You and I are self-centered by nature and we cannot give what we do not possess. When the Lord Jesus Christ comes into our lives as I stated earlier we become God-centered and work for the good of all His children. Charity must begin and end with the Lord Jesus Christ! The die of God will shape us to produce charity in our lives “if” we’ll be obedient.
We’re to follow Christ’s example:
- How did Jesus Christ show us charity?
Turn to the epistle of 1 John please:
1 John 3:16 says, “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17: But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? 18: My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.”
Note the word “love in verse 16 it’s the same word from the Greek “agape” that we covered in 1 Timothy 4:12 (charity). God Almighty our Father looked down on us knowing we could give nothing in return to Him but He loved us anyway and show charity to us. The believer of God through Jesus Christ has the die struck and will love in deed and in truth! Each day that we stay in God’s press we become more and more like Jesus Christ. This verse goes with what we covered in the 15th chapter of the book of Romans earlier. When we are in God’s press we desire others to see Jesus Christ. Don’t look around just keep looking to Him. Don’t listen to the enemy and his lies listen to the Creator of your very soul.
Let’s move on to the next example of the believer:
1 Timothy 4:12 says, “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”
Die #4 “example in spirit”.
“Spirit” is from the Greek word #4151 pneuma (pnyoo’-mah) meaning a current of air.
We’re not talking about the Holy Spirit here we’re talking about our own spirit. Think about how you feel when some people come around you. There are some people that can lift your spirit, your mood when they come in your presence. Other people have a negative spirit and they can pull you down. We influence others either positively or negatively! We like Paul must be separated from the flesh matrix spirit for it’s evil:
Genesis 6:5 says, “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”
This is how we were before the Lord Jesus Christ came into our lives. Now our witness bears witness with the Holy Spirit because the Holy Spirit dwells inside of us:
Romans 8:16 says, “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:”
We should bring the Lord glory with our spirit and now “if” we’ll stay in the press we can:
1 Corinthians 6:20 says, “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
We bring God glory when we serve him with our spirit:
Romans 1:9 says, “For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;”
This new die will change us daily and instead of thinking of only ourselves we’ll think of God’s children:
Acts 17:16 says, “Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.”
When we see God’s children, our brothers and sisters deceived by the enemy we’ll be stirred enough to let God use us to make a positive difference in their lives! We’ll be pressed in our spirit to tell others about Christ:
Acts 18:5 says, “And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ.”
We’ll even go where the flesh doesn’t want to:
Acts 20:22 says, “And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there:”
Let’s reread our studies text and move on to the next example:
1 Timothy 4:12 says, “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”
Die #5 “example in faith”.
“Faith” is from the Greek word #4102 pistis (pis’-tis) meaning persuasion, i.e. credence; moral conviction (of religious truth, or the truthfulness of God.
Habakkuk 2:4 says, “Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.”
Romans 1:17 says, “For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.”
We as believers all have been given a measure of faith:
Romans 12:3 says, “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.”
This is where we can help each other by prayer and especially by example. There are some things that your faith is stronger in than mine, in that situation you can help me by your faith. Maybe I have seen God do something in my life that you need and my faith can help you.
Ephesians 4:13 says, “Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:”
Remember we covered the previous verses here in this 4th chapter of Ephesians as to us edifying (building) by our words. Here we see as each of do our part it builds us up into the unity of faith. The Lord God Almighty loves His children to put their total faith in Him:
Hebrews 11:6 says, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
Revelation 4:11 says, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”
God Almighty our Father wants to press us more into His die building our faith till we’re full of faith like Stephen:
Acts 6:8 says, “And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.”
When we’re full of faith God can work through us to help His children and cause the to see a risen Savior! Everything God does is always for the good of all His children. “If” we’ll stay in the press He can use us to help, isn’t that exciting?
- How do we get more faith?
- A: Turn to the great book of Romans please:
Romans 10:17 says, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
Each time we “hear” with understanding and obedience the precious Word of God the press goes to work shaping us into God’s mold. Let’s move on to the 6th and last example by rereading our studies text:
1 Timothy 4:12 says, “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”
Die #6 “example of the believer”.
“Purity” is from the Greek word #47 hagneia (ag-ni’-ah) meaning cleanness the quality. This word has to do with the quality of young women being chaste. Our outward actions will be pure before the Lord when we’re pure inwardly. We can demonstrate purity by our speech and pure speech comes from the abundance of our hearts:
Matthew 12:34 says, “O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.”
We must keep our minds on pure things in abundance then our speech will be pure. Paul through the unction of the Holy Spirit tell us what we should think upon:
Philippians 4:8 says, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
Phillippians 4:9 says, “Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.”
What we put into our minds will determine what comes out in our words and our actions. By filling our hearts with good seed then we’ll reap good fruit. From the great book of James chapter 3 we see that our speech turns our whole live for either good or bad:
James 3:3-4 says, “Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.”
The die is cast! When we take in good things good thing will spill forth that will not only help us but others too. This goes contrary to what the flesh says and wants but it’s the wrong type of wisdom. We desire the wisdom of our Father:
James 3:17-18 says, “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.”
We must eat to the Words of the Lord for they are pure; we are what we eat:
Psalms 12:6 says, “The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.”
If anything comes into our minds that is not of this “matrix” know it’s coming from the wrong die! Satan wants to press us into his die but praise be to God Almighty for Jesus Christ! We have put our faith in Him and with obedience He will shape us! Don’t overlook the smallest of negative thoughts that come your way cast them down as we’re instructed in:
2 Corinthians 10:5 says, “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;”
If we’ll follow God’s instruction book we’ll win every time, success is for sure. Don’t worry about what you think you must do or accomplish just let God work through you. We can’t do anything on our own but we can do all things through Christ Jesus with His strength working in our daily lives! Please let this study build you up in faith to know that God has great plans for you and your life. Those you desire to be saved can be as God lifts Jesus Christ higher and higher in your daily. “STAY IN GOD’S PRESS!”
GAP Ministries
“REMEMBER GOD’S WORD WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE!”
3/4/02 2:11:18 AM