How Do We Gain God's Approval?

0 (0s): Each and every one of us as we enter your presence, Lord is you always, you always meet us there. So we just invite you. We become aware of you this morning in Jesus name. Amen. 1 (13s): clap. 1 (3m 8s): I hated rescue. My sin was heavy, but Shane spray, Catherine, raid of your clothes, I needed shelter. I was, you know, now you call me and says in her head, saving us worthy of every song. 1 (4m 43s): Seen Jesus. The name of Jesus, the only one who could we live Jesus, the name of Jesus. 1 (6m 44s): The only one you could ever say worthy of every breath, sing a song in your own words. 1 (8m 17s): Just it's just you and Jesus. Right now. It's just an opportunity to sit in his presence. Just tell him no worries. 1 (8m 55s): I read that's grease that has Google 2 (16m 51s): Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. For that song, it is our song. It's your song, the gospel, our testimony, what you've done and who we are and you are faithful Lord, and we are so thankful. So, so thankful Lord. I pray that for those who don't understand the amazing grace that we've been singing about, Lord, I pray that you would minister that truth to each person. Truth is we're saved from the penalty of our sin. The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord. 2 (17m 34s): And so the grace of God that has been extended to humanity is available to why wipe away every sin to cover every mistake and to welcome us into the kingdom of God. And so I pray that those who need to hear that message today, or to rehear that message today would be refreshed in that truth. And I pray that people will be added to the kingdom as a result of that gospel song that we were just singing Lord and God that people would respond with a yes to your grace and yes, to your love yes, to your, your, your plan for their lives. Lord God. So we just invite you to continue that good work that you're doing. God has people watch online and listen online and sit around this campus. 2 (18m 17s): Lord, we just pray your will be done. Thank you for your grace. We love you. We need you. We appreciate it. Lord, in Jesus name. Amen. Amen. You may be seated. You may be seated. Welcome. How is everyone 3 (18m 30s): Fabulous? Good to hear I'm back. I, I was gone for the last couple of weeks and I'm so glad to be back. I don't even know that I stepped foot in this sanctuary for the last two weeks. And so when I got here this morning, it was so refreshing to be back and just so good to be back in this place. I've been, I've been doing like a staycation, which has been great, been, you know, at, at the project a little bit, but not really at church much. And so it's been great to be. It's great to be back today as I was, as we were singing that last song, I couldn't help, but think about what's happening a week from Monday a week from tomorrow, a week from Monday week from tomorrow is , which is a group of gathering of bunch of men from all over the central coast to gather once a month to have great food worship together and then have a testimony. 3 (19m 17s): And a few months ago, I was asked to give my testimony a M six, this next time. So, or this in August. And so that is my plan. But for months I've been thinking, Lord, what is my testimony? What part of the test? My testimony do you want me to share? I just, I was, I've been kind of at a loss and what keeps coming back to me is that song amazing grace. And so it's really amazing that we were seeing that today. Cause I feel like the amazing grace of God, the truth is say he saved a wretch like me. I was lost and now I'm found I was blind. And now I see that our testimony, if we know Jesus, that is our testimony, right? 3 (20m 4s): And God is so faithful to meet us where we are to resurrect us and to give us new life in Jesus. And so I'm beyond that. I'm not sure what I'm going to share a week from tomorrow, but guys, if you want to come out and be a part of that, that'd be amazing. It's a thousand Hills ranch. It's going to be just a lot of fun. Hundreds of guys show up and great food is prepared and we just have a wonderful time. So how many I've been just praying every day for this one? Oh two. How many note 1 0 2 is 1 0 2 is our building, which is literally 45 seconds east of us. As, as we walk along the sidewalk there and 1 0 2 is a building that we have leased and we're praying about trying to buy and that sort of thing. 3 (20m 44s): But we're in this tenant improvement phase, which has been for two or three months now, three months I think. And we'll probably be going for three, four more months. And, but so far we've got most of the electrical roughed in. We've got most of the fire sprinklers in. We've got the HVAC system in. We are, we've done a lot of stucco repair. We're going to paint the exterior next week. We've picked out floors and colors and bought chairs and sound equipment and all kinds of stuff that's going in. So can I do, can I ask you what? I asked my staff to do the staff here at the church. I said, Hey, let's not forget to pray every single day for that project. 3 (21m 27s): It's a big undertaking for us as a church, but I know that as we gathered together and just make it a priority to pray every day for it, then God will give us the favor that we need with the city. And they've been amazing to us by the way, the city of ag has been really, really good to us, but prayed for continued favor there with our architect, with our contractors, with our suppliers, with everybody involved, pray for safety and provision at the beginning of the project, I challenged everybody. I said, if, if every family within the church, there's roughly 300 families. If every family gave $700 per family, not per person, but per, per family, then we could meet our budget over there. 3 (22m 9s): So, so far we've raised in excess of 170,000. And so God has been so, so faithful and you guys have been so amazing. So if you haven't had the opportunity to give yet, and you would like to give, just mark your check 1 0 2 and w w God told me this. I felt like the Lord said you will have the resources that you need as you move forward. And so far the money that we've needed has been there. Every bill that comes in gets paid right away and everything that's needed has been able to be purchased. And it's just been really, really good. So, so be continually praying. If you could just write it down somewhere where you see everyday, like maybe on your bathroom mirror, pray for 1 0 2 and just pray for those things that we've been talking about. 3 (22m 50s): That'd be amazing. Hey, we're in second Timothy, back to second Timothy chapter two today verses 15 through 26, I titled the message. How do we gain God's approval? How do we gain God's approval? Now we're not talking today about salvation. We are saved by grace through faith. It has nothing to do with our work, but we receive God's approval. We receive God's approval of our life and work by what we do. So there's a difference. And we're going to be talking about the difference today. Salvation by grace, through faith rewards, approval of God comes through the works that we do. 3 (23m 31s): So I child, if you've got kids or whatever, I, we raised our kids, but as they were growing up, we would discipline them out of our love for them. We love them enough to discipline them because at times their behavior wasn't acceptable. So we would discipline them so that they would learn what good behavior is. God says, the Bible says that God disciplines, those whom he loves. And the discipline actually demonstrates that we belong to God, that we are his adopted sons and daughters. And so we know that God has a standard and has given us each responsibility in the earth that I always say, if you've got a pulse, you've got purpose. 3 (24m 14s): And so do that real quick. 4 (24m 17s): My pulse is good. Pulse 3 (24m 20s): Equals purpose, right? So if you've got to pulse, that's good. Cause we don't have to call anybody to take you out, but you got purpose. So God has given each of us a spiritual gift to be used. And then at the end of time, at the end of our existence here in the earth, we're going to stand before the judgment seat of God and give an account for our lives. And so we will each stand before the Lord and receive rewards or not based on how we lived our lives here in the year. And so we're going to be talking about gaining God's approval steps to gaining God's approval so that when we stand before the judgment seat of God, Gary was talking about that we're at that judgment seat, we're going to receive crowns. But then after that, we just cast it before the Lord and worship worship to him. 3 (25m 3s): So as we look at this text in second Timothy today, we're going to just kind of unpack it a little bit or a lot of bit and find three points that will help us to gain God's approval. Number one, weed comes right from the text, be a good worker, be a good worker. A second. To me, the two 15 through 26 says this work hard. So you can present yourself to God and receive his approval, right? So it's kind of, if you've never thought about getting the approval of God, if you thought, well, not obviously approves of me, he saved me and I, it doesn't really matter how I live my life. 3 (25m 43s): That's not God's plan. And it actually matters how we live our life. He's actually placed us in the earth to accomplish the kingdom work that he's given us to accomplish. So Paul is telling Timothy, and he's telling the church at emphasis. There are 2000 years ago when he's telling us today here on the central coast in 2021, he said, work hard. So you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. So we have this responsibility to work in such a way. So point number one, be a good worker. Verse 15 continues, be a good worker. One who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth. So pretty specific communication there. 3 (26m 25s): What is Paul telling Timothy? How is Paul instructing Timothy to be a good worker? He's we need to know because he's instructing us to do the same thing. He said, be one who does not need to be ashamed. What does that mean? Well, we need to have a clear, we need to move forward as followers of the Lord, Jesus, having a clear conscience concerning the work that we do for God. We have been called to kingdom purpose, kingdom work, and we need to have a clear conscience that the work we're doing for God is what he has asked us to do. This week. I heard about a young lady who went to Cornell university, graduated from college, got a engineering degree, top 10 in her class. 3 (27m 11s): Amazing young lady started her engineering career doing great work, but she didn't enjoy it. It wasn't her passion. So she decided that she would quit her amazing engineering job that she got, that she had secured. And she decided I want to go back to school and get my teaching credential because I want to teach math. That's what she was passionate about. Right? So I think God gives us passion for our vocation, but then also for the work that he's called us to do in the earth. And it's that passion that gives us the ability to do the work that God has called us to longterm. When we're working out of the passion that God has put into us, then we're able to do for decades, what God has asked us to do so that at the end of our lives, we hear well done. 3 (27m 57s): Well done. Good and faithful 4 (27m 60s): Servant. So Paul is instructing 3 (28m 3s): Continuously to be a good worker by not being ashamed, have a clear conscience concerning the work you do for God, work with all your heart. As you do your work as unto the Lord, invest your life with passion into the work you are called to. So make sure that the life you're living as a follower of the Lord, Jesus Christ is not going to lead to your shame. Meaning sins of omission, where God has called you to do something, but you didn't do it. Or sins of commission where he just flat refuse to honor the Lord with your life. You're going to stand before the Lord and give an account. And you're going to have to give an account for every second minutes, hour, day, week, month, decade, your whole life, your whole life is being recorded. 3 (28m 54s): And you're going to have to give an account for your life. So Paul all told Timothy, be one who does not need to be ashamed. Also be one who correctly explains the word of truth or handles the word of truth. The Greek verb translated correctly. Handles really means cutting a straight road and suggests straightforward exit Jesus, exit Jesus. As the study of God's word, the understanding, gaining the understanding. It's a process to which you gain understanding and, and, and, and, and, and, and teach the word of God. In other words, don't read into the text. Something that isn't there, you need to understand how to XEG the texts. You need to understand how to open up the scripts. 3 (29m 35s): You know, basically what you do is you just let scripture interpret scripture. You open up the word of God and make sure that what's your about this passage is actually properly reflected in the rest of the scripture as well. There's a lot more to it, but you need to properly handle the word of God. So you know how to live it for yourself, but then also how to instruct it for others. You say, well, I'm not an instructor. I'm not a teacher. Every one of us teach teaches someone. Every one of us, I ran into this couple recently. And if you go back in their lives a few years ago, they were on fire for Jesus. They just loved Jesus. They started out their married life. 3 (30m 15s): That way they just love, love Jesus. And just over time, they've drifted and they have completely fallen away from the Lord. So I saw this couple recently and I said, they've had a couple of kids. And I saw one of their kids. And I said, you know what I said, do you know who loves you? And a little, little kid said, well, you do. And I said, why, no, I love you. And you know that, I love you, but do you know who, who else loves you? I said, Jesus loves you. And this little, little girl had no idea who Jesus was. She said, who is Jesus? I said, well, Jesus has God. And he loves you. 3 (30m 56s): She said, God's not real. That's not true. We're all teaching, instructing someone in our lives. Whether it be our kids, our grandkids, our neighbors, our coworkers, we're all instructing. And so we have to properly correctly handle the word of truth in order to effectively do the work that God has called us to do here in the earth. In other words, don't read into the text. Something that isn't there. I know a guy who was always giving me hypothetical's I, if you know me at all, you know, I don't like hypotheticals or whatever. I like just want the facts. Just like, give me the facts. I, if I'm in a meeting with my staff or my team, and they're wanting to give me all this information about, about what they're doing. 3 (31m 37s): I said, I don't, I it's not my place. I don't, that's not my job. We've got people in place for that. People, you know, tracking your goals and you know, all that kind of stuff. Just tell me what you need bottom line it for me, because you're going to lose me in about three seconds. If you don't bottom line for me. So I've got this guy who's always, and I've known many of these guys throughout my life. They're giving me all of these hypotheticals about God's word. Well, what if, why not? Could it be this type of hypothetical questioning to me yields only unhealthy speculation. And in my experience, now, this is just my experience. You can throw it out if you want. But in my experience, the fruit of that kind of conversation is a fruitless life. 3 (32m 22s): The people I've encountered over the years who talk like this and think like this don't ever grow up in their faith because their hypothetical questions are always getting in the way of them truly believing and being obedient to God's word that people have encountered over the years who like this, and think this like this, they don't ever grow, grow up. They remain childish and undisciplined, and un-involved insignificant kingdom work. They don't attend church on a regular basis, or they bounce from church to church. They don't get involved in long-term ministry. They don't give it. They don't give to kingdom work and they tend to cause problems in the church. So Paul is exhorting Timothy, and he's exhorting the rest of us. 3 (33m 6s): The one who does not need to be ashamed. In other words, don't make it excuses for not doing what God has asked you to do, do what God has asked you to do wholeheartedly with your whole life. Also be one who correctly explains the word of truth. What's the opposite of correctly explaining the word of truth. Well, back to our text, second, Timothy chapter two verse 16 says avoid worthless, foolish talk that only leads to more godless behavior. So these type of hypotheticals, these excuses that we make or come up with that hinder our obedience to God and our belief in God and our faith in God lead to godless behavior. 3 (33m 47s): It says this kind of talk spreads like cancer. That word literally in the Greek is gang green. So if you can get a good, a good picture of that, that's kind of disgusting growth thing to just a gross thing that kind of grows in your body when you're, when there's unhealth involved or when there's infection. And when it's unhealthy, this kind of talk spreads like cancer gangrene, as in the case of, and we get Hymenaeus and , they have left the path of truth, claiming that the resurrection of the dead has already occurred. I heard in this way, they have turned some people away, the faith. So how do we gain God's approval? Number one, be a good worker, not ashamed of the work you do rightly dividing the word of truth. 3 (34m 31s): Verse 19 says, but God's truth stands firm like a foundation stone with this inscription. The Lord knows those who are his and all who belong to the Lord may turn, must turn away from evil. So what does that mean? What is the foundation stone? God's true. Stands like a firm foundation stone. What does that foundation stone? There's no slides actually for these next verses here. I put them in this morning. It says this in first Corinthians chapter three, verses 10 through 15. And Paul wrote first Corinthians as well. So he's speaking here because of God's grace, me Paul road. I have laid that foundation like an expert builder. So as an apostle, Paul would go around from town to town, preaching the gospel, laying a foundation of truth and understanding about who Jesus Christ is. 3 (35m 19s): And churches were born out of that work. And after he left that town, others would come in and build on the foundation that he put down. Now, other builders that can diverse continues in verse 10. Now others are building on it, but whoever's building on this foundation. It must be careful. No one can lay any foundation. Other than the one we already have Jesus Christ. Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials, gold, silver jewels, wood, hay, or straw. But on the judgment day at the judgment seat of Christ, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. 3 (36m 2s): The fire will show if a person's work has any value. If the work survives that builder will receive a reward, the crowns that we're talking about. But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through walls of flames through a wall of flames. So I don't want to get into heaven that way, like barely like singed, like smoking, like barely in there. Like I want to get in there. Not because I'm good, but because God's good. But I want to know that my life has mattered and that my good works have not been burned up. 3 (36m 44s): That I haven't spent my life working in an unproductive way so that my good works are burned up. Second Corinthians five 10 says this for, we must for, we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ so that each may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. So how do we gain God's approval? We gotta be a good worker. We have a responsibility. If you're here today and you don't know your responsibility, figure it out, ask God. Well, as I'm getting ready to leave to Denver afternoon to go visit my dad. He's in the hospital, been there for a couple of weeks and I've been vacillating all week about whether I should fly to Denver today to go see him, or if I should wait. 3 (37m 26s): And so finally late yesterday, my wife and I decided, yeah, it's going to be good for me to go. And I'm going to go and hopefully be an advocate for him as he's kind of not doing well. He's, he's got heart issues and dementia issues and all kinds of stuff going on. So, so as I was vacillating with it, I knew that the Lord would show me if I just continue to pray. If I just continue to think about the situation and pray about the situation, I knew that God would make it clear and he did make it clear yesterday. So we booked the flights and I'm heading out this afternoon at five 30. So, and all of that is to say that if, if you're really wanting to know what God wants to speak to you about your calling and your gift set and all that, he's got, she got for you here in the earth. 3 (38m 11s): If you just continue ask, ask, and seek and knock it, God will reveal his plan to you so that you can do the supernatural she'll work that God has called you to do gaining God's approval by being a good worker. Number one, number two, turn away from evil. How do we gain God's approval? We turn, turn away from evil. Second, Timothy chapter two verse 20 says any wealthy. Some utensils are made of gold and silver and some are made of wood and clay. The expensive utensils are used for special occasions and the cheap ones are for everyday use. If you keep yourself pure verse 21, if you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. 3 (38m 58s): Your life will be clean and you'll be ready for the master to use you for every good work. Therefore 22 8 says run from anything that stimulates youthful loss instead pursue righteous, living faithfulness, love and peace. How do we turn away from evil? I'm going to share some good practices with you today. John 15 talks about abiding in Christ remaining in Christ. 4 (39m 33s): We, 3 (39m 35s): We away from evil. We turn away from evil by simply abiding with Christ remaining in Christ. If you go back and read John 15, you'll, you'll realize you'll see that. That's how fruitfulness happens. As we abide in him and he abides in us, we will have a fruitful life. In fact, Jesus said remain in me and I will remain in you. It goes with that verse. It says he'll never leave us nor forsake us. So as you remain in him, you will be able to turn away from evil and you will bear fruit. You will not be able to turn away from evil unless you're abiding in him. You might be able to white knuckle it for a little while and say no to the flesh, say no to the devil, say no to the world, but after you're done white knuckling, it you're going to give into it. 3 (40m 23s): But if you're abiding in Christ, walking daily with Jesus, you will have the strength and the ability to turn away from evil. This is the truth. You and I were. We'll never turn away from evil until we decide to abide in Christ. We will never bear fruit apart from a biding. Rocky Fleming from influencers, global ministries wrote this. Yes, it is actually Christ in us bearing fruit. It is his fruits and his characteristics that are at work without abiding in him. There is no fruit. However, bearing fruit is not our primary objective and that interesting. 3 (41m 4s): That's not our primary objective abiding in Christ is our primary objective. The fruit simply shows up when we are spiritually healthy. So how do we turn away from evil? We simply abide. And I say simply, it's not always simple, but it is the direction that God has given to us in the word. So if we abide in Christ and he and us, we will be able to turn away from evil, but we also need to do some other practical things that will us to do that. So protect yourself, protect yourself online. The internet is a wild wild west. First of all, kinds of information. Some of it's great. Some of it's not so great. 3 (41m 44s): So if you are having a struggle with the intranet, I would ask you to download on your computer. Something called covenant eyes, nice. Covenant eyes is a, the accountability process where you get somebody else to hold you accountable for the information that you're looking at and watching and reading on line, and that person will be communicated your con to the content of what you've been watching so they can help hold you accountable. So protect yourself on line it's way too easy to stumble by going on the internet. So protect yourself, protect your purity. In other ways, there's other ways to protect your purity. 3 (42m 25s): There's pure desire groups. We've got men's pure desire groups that meet here every Monday night here on the campus. There's dozens of guys who show up because they're trying to turn away from evil, doing the right thing. Also, you can grow in the knowledge and understanding of God through other Bible study groups that we have here on the central coast. In, in this, in this church. There's tons of opportunities for men and women and young people and young professionals and college, junior high and high school, fifth and sixth graders. There's all kinds of opportunities for people to grow in knowledge and understanding of God through the Bible study groups that we have available. Join a journey group, join a journey group. 3 (43m 7s): I'm a part of a 6:00 AM journey group on Friday mornings. It is a terrible time of the day to have a Bible study. I show up at six exam on Friday morning, the first time I'm like, what are you guys crazy? Who in the world has a Bible study at 6:00 AM? That means I got to get up at 4:15 AM so that I can be at the Bible study by 6:00 AM. It's a Riddick. It's the middle of the night. So for like four weeks in a row, I'm like, Hey guys, let's move it from six o'clock to say nine o'clock when God is awake. I'm not even sure God's awake at 6:00 AM. 3 (43m 48s): He is I'm kidding. But you know what? My point is, we're often to go do something or need to go do something that is inconvenient for us. Do it anyway. It has been such a blessing to be at that 6:00 AM group with those guys. I complained about it still, but it's the, the fellowship and the growth that we have experienced together has been nothing short of delightful. We're about halfway through our journey and you got another half way to go, but we're just really, really enjoying it. So it may be inconvenient a bad time, maybe somethings your kind of flesh resist, but do something to get involved in a small group so that you can to grow and believe and trust the Lord. 3 (44m 35s): So here we go. Here's some scriptural guidance for turning away from evil Galatians five 16 through 26. My Bible titles, this living by the Spirit's power. It says in verse 16, Galatians five. So I say, let the holy spirit guide your lives. Then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the spirit wants. And the spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other. Have you ever experienced that? 3 (45m 15s): Yeah, me too. So you're not free to carry out your good intentions, but when you are directed by the spirit and that's, that's part of the abiding process, you're abiding with Christ. The spirit of God is in you and you're being directed by the spirit. As you abide with Jesus, the Lord and great things begin to happen. There's just there's transformation that begins to take place. There's great growth that begins to take place verse 18. But when you are directed by the holy spirit, you're not under obligation to the law of Moses. When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear. 3 (45m 55s): Sexual immorality, impurity, less bill pleasure, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension division, I'll continue envy. First 21, envy drunkenness, wild parties and other sins like these like that. Wasn't conclusive other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the kingdom of God, but the holy spirit produces verse 22. 3 (46m 37s): This kind of fruit in our lives. Love 4 (46m 41s): Joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, 3 (46m 52s): And self-control, I don't know about, she wouldn't want to read that first list of all the sin. I was getting anxious. I'm like all the gal is just such heavy. But when I started, when I started reading the, the, the fruit of the spirit, 4 (47m 3s): Peace, 3 (47m 5s): It's like everything settled down inside of me. Love joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness. And self-control, this is the kind of stuff that God wants to accomplish and produce in our lives. We cannot experience this apart from a biting and allowing the holy spirit to direct our lives. First continues. There is no law against these things. Those who belong to Jesus verse 24, those who belong to Christ. Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the spirit, let us follow the Spirit's leading in every part of our lives. 3 (47m 46s): Since we are living by the spirit, let us follow the Spirit's leading in every part of our lives. And so we abide with him. We simply remains true remain with him. So you're connected to Jesus. You're walking with Jesus. You're inviting Jesus into your path and your problems into your challenges. And you're asking for his wisdom and his grace and his strength. And so you're abiding with him and out of that, the spirit of God has access to your heart and mind and helps you to make wise choices and produce something of beautiful fruitfulness. And not just, God's a great plan that God has for us. I think it's a great plan. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to the cross and crucified them there. 3 (48m 28s): Since we are living by the spirit, let us follow the Spirit's leading in every part of our lives. Let us verse 26, let us not become conceited or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another. How do we gain God's approval? Number one, be a good worker. Make sure the work that you're doing is kingdom work, born out of a passion that God has given to you to do the work that he's called you to do a number two, turn away from evil. And then number three, do life do life with like-minded people kind of like what we're doing today gathered for church. The Bible says in our text, verse 22, enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts. 3 (49m 9s): That's part of Paul's instruction to Timothy, to enjoy the companionship of those who call him the Lord with a pure heart. Proverbs 27 17 says this as iron sharpens iron. So a friend sharpens another. So we have this opportunity and beyond the opportunity, we've got this responsibility and beyond the responsibility, we've got an obligation to sharpen one another in Christ. And so we're challenging one another. When we need to be challenged, we're loving each other through the difficult seasons of life. We're encouraging each other with truth. We're praying for each other. As we go through life. We're not just going to church together. 3 (49m 51s): We're not just hanging out with people who love Jesus, but we're living life in Christ to gather. It's not meant to be an external thing. Only like a facade. Like, Hey, everything's good. Sometimes you show up and like, Hey, everything's great. Sometimes we need to say that if, if there's no time to unpack it, but you can. It's okay to kind of get vulnerable with one another and say, Hey, you know, I'm really, I, I need prayer. Like you can pray for me this as I go up to Denver, please pray. I'm going to be talking with my dad. It's hard conversations. Talking with doctors, it's going to be difficult. It's going to be difficult. So pray for me. And so that's what we need to be doing with one another enjoying fellowship together as the church supporting one, another carrying one another's burdens, you know, Jesus, didn't have very fond things to say about those who thought they were religious, but who lacks real life change wrought by the spirit. 3 (50m 42s): He didn't have much good to say to the Pharisees. Those who were the religious teachers and leaders, but who hadn't experienced life change through Christ the Lord. This is what he said, Matthew 23, 27. What sorrow, what? Sorry. Sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees hypocrites for you are like whitewashed tombs, beautiful on the outside, but filled on the inside with dead people, bones and all sorts of impurity Christianity. And he was never about just, no, it was never meant to be just about kind of coming to church and even, even just reading the Bible or, or even just praying it's or even just kind of doing good deeds. 3 (51m 31s): It's it's, it's, it's all of it done out of a, a life that is abiding with Christ and filled with the holy spirit because as we abide with Christ and as we are filled with the holy spirit, we're able to do all of these things and thereby gain God's approval, living our lives in such a way that when we stand before the judge judgment seat of Christ, we hear well done. Good and faithful servant. And we received the crowns, the rewards that God has for us, knowing that we didn't spend our life in vain, but God is approving of our life. When it's all wrapped up. 3 (52m 12s): Just a second, Timothy chapter two, again, I say, don't get, don't get involved in foolish ignorant arguments that only start fights. This is interesting. A servant of the Lord who is a servant of the Lord. All right. If you're in Christ, you're a servant of the Lord, a servant of the Lord must not quarrel must be kind to everyone. How do you do that? How do you not coral? And how do you be kind to everyone? You do it simply by abiding, as you are abiding remaining in Christ. And he, and you, and the spirit of God fills you. You're able to do what the scripture asked you to do. We can only do what God asks us to do when we're filled with the holy spirit directed and led by the holy spirit. 3 (52m 58s): And when we're abiding in Christ, when we are doing those things, we're able to do these things. We're able to do not quarrel, be kind to everyone. And then it says be able to teach and be patient with difficult people, anybody. Yeah. Any difficult people in your life, like depending on the season, sometimes we do. Sometimes we don't, but God has got a plan for us when we're encountering difficult people. His plan for us is that we would walk through those seasons with those people, with grace and with love. Not that we don't have boundaries in our lives, but we have grace and love gently instruct those who oppose the truth. 3 (53m 38s): Verse 25, perhaps God will change those people's hearts and they will learn the truth. Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil's trap for they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants. Listen, if we're not abiding in Christ and fill with the holy spirit, we're easy. Pickings for the enemy were easy. Pray. The Bible says that Satan is like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. He's prowling around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. So if we're not abiding in Christ and filled with the holy spirit, we're easy pickings. You'll be able to distract us, tempt us, get us down the wrong path. But God's plan is that we would produce that fruit of the spirit. 3 (54m 21s): Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control, all of those things that God wants to do, helping us to work as unto the Lord, as we abide in him. And as we're filled with him being good workers, turning away from evil, doing life with like-minded people so that we can help them be good workers so that we can help them turn away from evil so that we can do life together and get to heaven together and take as many people with us as possible. Amen. Amen. Let's go out and stand up. I wanna invite the worship team and we're going to worship. And if the Lord is doing a work in you and, and you feel like the Lord has got your attention about something, pay attention to what he's saying as we worship. 3 (55m 5s): And then after the worship, as we get ready to close up the service, we're going to have a prayer team up here to pray for you. So if you'd like to get prayer, that team will be up here after we worship. And so Lord, we just want to thank you for this time. Thank you for the worship team that leads us in song and in worship before your throne. Thank you for your word that instructs us. Thank you for your spirit. That guides us. Thank you for the opportunity to abide with you. As you walk with us, Lord, we love you. We thank you. We're so grateful in Jesus name. Amen. Let's worship. 1 (56m 6s): amen. 1 (58m 43s): the same. God never fails will not fail me. Now you will fail me in the way the same guy is working. the same guy, never fails. 1 (1h 0m 1s): the same guy. God is working all things out. 1 (1h 0m 15s): I choose to 0 (1h 2m 19s): Thank Lord for a wonderful morning Lord, as we go, Lord, I just ask you to just keep in presence about us. I mean, your presence is with us Lord, but may keep us aware of, of what you're doing in our midst and what, and what you'd have us do Lord. And we just ask that you keep us accountable to serving you and living our lives for you. As we go in Jesus name, we pray. Amen. And like Steve was saying, if you guys, if anyone, if you're feeling a tug on your heart from the Lord, like, please don't be shy to come forward. We have people, prayer teams ready do it. We'll see you next time.