Spot-On Advice from a Seasoned Coach, Part 1

Sometimes our greatest temptations are the ones we keep most private, just below the surface. We harbor unsatisfied desires to be fulfilled.

Yet the apostle Paul gave this season. Counsel, he said put to death the sinful, earthly things working within. So what does it mean to kill those desires. I'm your host Bill Meyer today on Insight for living Chuck Swindoll will help us understand the meaning of Paul's advice, especially as we attempt to integrate these principles in these complex times. Chuck titled today's message spot on advice from a seasoned coach to engage in a wonderful study of the letter Paul wrote to the people of Colossae back in the first century. All was never there. The name of the church never appears in the book that sorta traces the journeys that Paul took but we know that he knew people who were from there and from them he learned of the needs there in that little church and he wrote them with their needs in mind. Looking at the first 14 verses of Colossians chapter 3 in the reading from the new living translation says you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven where Christ sits in the place of honor at God's right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth you died to this life.

Your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ who is your life is revealed to the whole world you will share in all his glory so put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity lost and evil desires. Don't be greedy for a greedy person is an idolatry worshiping the things of this world.

Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming used to do these things when your life was still part of this world, but now is the time to get rid of anger and rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. Don't live to each other, for you have stripped off your old nature and all its wicked deeds put on your new nature and be renewed as you learn to know your creator and become like him in this new life. It doesn't matter if you are a Jew or Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave or free. Christ is all that matters. And he lives in all of us since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy and kindness, humility and gentleness and patience make allowance for each other's faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember the Lord forgave you. You must forgive other above all, clothe yourselves with love binds us all together in perfect insight for living to search the Scriptures with Chuck Swindoll. Be sure to download his searching the Scriptures.

Studies by going to inside world.org/studies and now the message from Chuck called spot on advice from a seasoned coach. True or false true or false.

Experience is the best teacher would morning hearing true for a lot of folks here think about it is experience really the best teacher well you want to cook so you get all the stuff together.

Watch few TV shows and you start mix it all up and you cook it. Nobody was needed because you didn't cook it with somebody helping you know how to cook the sailboat all alone looks so exciting.

Sales furled throughout the ocean. Then they call the Coast Guard because you didn't have anybody to tell you how to sail the boat you needed a guide layer brick wall going to build a fence or whatever you're going to cultivate your athletic skills you need a guide, driving.

I learned to drive out the country. The neighbor behind us had a tractor and I got on. I'm glad it wasn't a fence nearby because I went all over the place and then I don't want to do this in the car couldn't and my mother thought she could teach us, but she spent all her time screaming and so my dad decided he should be the one you got.

I have a guy if you're going to know how to drive so guided experience is the best teacher right when they are younger or older, we all need coaches. That's the word now coaches people to help us out.

I came across a great a great letter from a kid. It was a tenderfoot scalped any has a coach in the scoutmaster named Walt's kids name is: Ann Cole writes his parents. This letter from scout camp while they're away for two week trip. Their mom and dad are scoutmaster told us to write our parents in case you saw the blood on TV and are worried were okay. Only one of our tents into sleeping bags got washed away in the flood. Luckily, none of us got drowned because you were all up on the mountain looking for Chad when it happened.

You please call Chad's mother and tell her he's okay.

He can't writer because of the cast I got to ride in one of those search and rescue jeeps and was neat. We never would've found them in the dark.

If it hadn't been for the lightning are scoutmaster wall got mad at Chad for going on a hike, all alone without telling anyone. Chad said he would tell him but it was during fire so he probably didn't hear. Did you know that if you put gas on the fire. The gas can will blow up the wood would didn't burn but one of the tents did.

Dave is going to look weird until have his hair grows back would be home on Saturday.

If scoutmaster wall get the carpet. I wasn't his fault about the Rick, the brakes worked okay when when we left scoutmaster wall said that with the car that old you have to expect something like that to break down is probably why he can't get any insurance.

We think it's in the car. He don't care if we get it dirty. And if it's hot, he lets his rot on the fenders as it gets pretty hot with 10 people in the same car so he let some of his rot in the trailer and the highway patrolman stopped us and talk to Walt about some things will do that anymore.

Scoutmaster Walt Disney guy is a good driver.

In fact he teaching Terry how to drive on the mountain roads where they don't have much traffic did you know you don't need guardrails on roads that don't have much traffic always see up there are logging trucks this morning.

All the guys were driving were diving off the rocks and swimming on the lake scoutmaster wall wouldn't let me because I can't swim and Chad was afraid get sick because of his cast, so he let us take note could move ourselves across the lake was great. You can still see some of the trees under the water from the flood scoutmaster wall is a crabby like some scoutmaster's get mad about our losing logic yes to spend a lot of time working on the car so were trying not to cause any trouble. Guess what we've all passed our first tenderfoot air unaided tenderfoot, first aid merit badges.

When Dave drove on the lake and cut his arm. We got to see how Attorney could work waiting. I threw up but scoutmaster wall said it probably was just food poisoning from the leftover chicken. He said they got sick. That way with food they ate in prison. I'm so glad he got out became a scoutmaster. He said he sure figured out how to get things done while he was in the slammer doing time I have to go now to go downtown mail letters and by bullets about the go by bullet, but don't worry about everything mom Bill were world by local. My son ever told me that letter after chilling Walt I would rescue my son that amazing so I need to change my opening comment qualified guidance with experience is the best teacher. Which brings us to coach Paul Manley maybe never heard of them call that but that's what he was. He was we called him a mentor which is our big-time name for it is a coach. He spent his time guiding people into the direction they should go in life is gifted to do that, not only by how he lives his life and what he says to them what is around them.

But what he writes it here.

We have preserved for us in this inspired book. The letters Paul wrote from one group of people to another is amazing. Even though we don't know one of these people. Even though most of us would never be in one of these places when you read through the coaches words just like you been reading your mail is like he's been all over your life watching noticing things that need to be tweet other things that need to be stopped a few things that need to get started. Along the way. Even what to wear in the process.

Surely this is all put together a like a great coach.

He starts with her brains with her hands. He tells him where to look, what to focus on verses 1 to 4 he tells us, as well as them what to think about okay what to think about and then having told him that he realizes the stuff they're going through there in that first century difficult place is like the Lord knows what were going through where we are today and in verses five through nine, he tells us what to get rid of because like a good coach.

If we don't get rid of these things will never play the game right so we gotta get rid of some stuff in order to take on some things other needs to be a transition between getting rid of and taking on some things and that's why we have versus 10, 11, here are some things that help us know how to start over.

We start over in a whole new direction. Having lived another way, well all the habits and all the things we used to do. We now turning around and were going in another direction. And once we get in that direction. Here's what were supposed to wear that amazing covers at base verses 12 to 14 after telling us what to think about telling us what to get rid of telling us how to start over in this new life. The coach adds. Here's what you where these are the garments that will get you into a whole new frame of life that you never known before source, click that all okay 1234 verses 1 to 4. Here's what to think about since you been raised to new life with Christ now.

If you were near the last time and you didn't hear what we had to say about new life in Christ chapter 2. You don't know what that's all about. The point is, when you come to Christ. He gives you a whole new set of inside organs and their spiritual in nature.

He gives us a whole new life which he talks about in chapter 2 is not alive made up of rules and regulations other people give you. It's a live spelled out very clearly in his word, and so he says since we've now been raised to new life with Christ. Look up look up set your sights on things above on the realities of heaven were Christ sits in the place of honor at God's right hand, maybe you didn't know that this is what happened to Christ when he ascended, he died on the cross. He was very he miraculously him bodily rose from the grave he was on earth a few more days and then he's off like a push into heaven, and when he goes back to the place where you originated white back there.

He sits down at the right hand of the throne of God and he rules in a sitting position, our Savior sitting at the length of the father's right hand. If he says for you.

You died of his own life in your real life is hidden with Christ in God. If I can hear so identified with Christ who is your life that when he comes and changes the whole world you will share in his glory. That's what the first four verses are all about. Look up set your affections that you thought such a retention. Your focus on him, not on the things of your other good friend named Skip all skip was wonderful coach for years.

He says to me talk to me tell you one the greatest things I reword as a coach I need to coach them up if the coaches a plan with the team to coach him up. You don't push them down you don't land on constantly with all the things are doing wrong you coach him up you coach him up and he said to me you got the same calling as a pastor. Never forget Chuck, the importance of coaching them up verses 1 to 4 are all about coaching a month. Look up look down focus on Christ, not the stuff that goes on around you all the stuff that goes on around you will where you would discourage you and depress you at the support you and leave you longing for something different. But when you set your sights on the realities of Christ, and think about the things of heaven. It is remarkable what happened this past week we've gone through a time of real grief is a set one of our one of our own beloved staff members Barry Buchanan suffered from brain cancer.

I had and had gone through suffering for the longest time. We prayed with the and alongside Damon and he was such an encouragement. All of us and in this last surgery. He didn't survive his services tomorrow and that several of us on the staff are going to reflect on the some of the things that Barry brought to us when he was a moments and one of them. What was the ability to keep looking. I want pity.

He'd had he even wants to feel sorry for he said to us.

You are my family almost as close as my own wife and two daughters, and he said I just want you to remember. If I don't survive this help everybody around you to keep looking up. He even coached us up to the very end, the apostle says, set your sights on the realities of heaven.

The next time you're in a slop or funk and you can't seem to pull out a bit, look at your sites. Look at your focus. Turn it in the in a vertical direction get out of the horizontal frame of mind.

Now, with that in mind there's some things we need to lay aside. We've all formed bad habits not everyone was raised well you pick up some things that you should not have from those you run around with those you would to school with, or who knows, maybe from your own mom and dad were that great parents. I don't know but whatever it was that built into you a way of life, you need to come to terms with those things that drag you down and you need to get rid of the house, but no, that's what this theme is look at verse five put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you to the next phrase have nothing to do with you that little further on verse eight. Now is the time to get rid of. You see words like that.

Later he says this is script off of your old nature. This is taking out of our life. The things that will hurt us and drain us of victory to keep us from knowing what it is to walk system successfully and in the life of Christ, so let's go there. Hear the things that we need to get rid of ICM in three groups. Okay, first, is a group of sensual things.

Next is a group of materialistic things and you will see the third is a group of verbal verbal habits. The emotional part of our lives, which has to do with anger and maliciousness. But first let's look at the central put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you have nothing to do with that you get the word. Nothing have nothing to do with have nothing to do with the new names it sexual immorality have nothing to do with it. Impurity have nothing to do with it lust have nothing to do with and everything you come across to me as a word for desires. When you have the word caucus with enemies evil so it could be a desire of any kind.

In this case he's he's conditioned it with the word evil have nothing to do with even the desires that are evil.

Get rid of. What is it such a big deal. The people in Colossae because they live in Colossae which happens to be in the first century listen to what one man writes about Chastity was the one completely new virtue. Christianity brought into the world.

In the ancient world sexual relationships before marriage outside of marriage were the norm and accepted practice.

The sexual appetite was regarded as a thing to be gratified not to be controlled. That is an attitude which is not unfamiliar today, but the Christian ethic insist on chastity regarding the physical relationship between the sexes as something so precious that indiscriminate use of it in the end, spoils he's right twice and had nothing to do with you can't play with it and not have it affect you. You can't participate in it. A little while and then get away from it for a little while and not have a drag you down so he uses the word nothing on purpose have nothing to do with these things that characterize the world around us. Okay, that's the first group is the second. Don't be greedy for greedy person is an idolater. What an interesting turn of phrase. Listen to the coach if you let greed take over a dozen wall before your idolizing the things you're groping for trying to reach and hang onto members writing about things that we need to get rid of get rid of pale neck seal great big Greek word play on means more and Colleen means to have put the words together it means to have more and more and more. It's a picture of materialism. Don't be searching for more.

Trying to get more for a person who does that is an idolater and ultimately you wind up worshiping the things of this world in a hard-hitting book titled money, sex and power has ever title Richard Foster writes this compulsive extravagance is a modern media. The contemporary lust for more more more is clearly psychotic. It has completely lost touch with reality we live in the kind of world enough is never enough a promotion is never high enough. A salary is never great enough. Things are not numerous enough and we wind up worshiping those things that really are more than we find in any part of the Third World.

We are a very spoiled people with more and more of what the world has listen, listen and move a lot more for noncurable pieces cutting out get rid of it goes. All you used to do these things were seven when your life was still a part of this world, but things writing to Christians now is the time to get rid of any most of the third. The first sensual next would be materialistic things in the third and the group set up groups would be. These areas of our emotions and words out of control.

Look at it now's the time to get rid of anger. This word translated anger is or gay and it means a long-lasting anger sometimes referred to it as seed. Some people have a seething of that of anger. Just under the servings.

Paul was clearly teaching us to get rid of our central hangups or drive for material possessions and the anger that often simmers just below the surface you're listening to Insight for living Chuck Swindoll titled the section of Colossians spot on advice from a seasoned coach and there's much more ahead so please stay with us and that if you like to learn more about this ministry.

Be sure to visit us online@insideworld.org. You've heard me talk about the searching the Scriptures, study notes and when were in the middle of a study like today's it's the perfect time to point you to this helpful resource. Once the program is finished.

This interactive study tool is intentionally designed to dig deeper on your own so that the truth of the Bible becomes alive to you. If you haven't already done so, check out this tremendous resource by going to Insight.org/studies now. Earlier this month, Chuck presented a Hallmark series on marriage and relationships and were still getting requests for the book checks written on this practical topic. This is the final time will mention the special offer to secure a copy of marriage from surviving to thrive. Many of use this book in their small group Bible study or booklet and it's also a thoughtful gift to a young couple that needs encouragement as well. Chuck's book on marriage is available for purchase when you call us if you're listening in the United States called 800-772-8880 or by going to Insight.org/offer. Finally, remember when you give a donation you're empowering us to provide a constant source of Bible teaching for you and for countless others who come to rely on Chuck as well so thanks for doing your part in making these daily programs possible to give a donation right now, this if you're listening in the United States called 800-772-8880.

You can also get online today by visiting us@insight.org/don't spot on advice from a seasoned coach Friday on Insight for living. The preceding message spot on advice from the season was copyrighted in 2014 and 2022 and the sound recording was copyrighted in 2022 by Charles R. Swindoll. All rights are reserved worldwide.

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