WEBVTT 00:00:04.000 --> 00:00:07.200 Welcome to the Awakening Church podcast. 00:00:07.519 --> 00:00:11.599 We exist to awaken this generation to new life in Christ. 00:00:11.839 --> 00:00:13.039 Thanks for tuning in. 00:00:13.199 --> 00:00:16.399 To find out more, go to awakeningchurch.com. 00:00:18.000 --> 00:00:24.800 Awakening Church, great to be with you because of our, you know, stay at home and be safe and all the rest. 00:00:24.960 --> 00:00:29.519 You know, I can't teach this at the office where most of things are coming from. 00:00:29.600 --> 00:00:36.320 So this is our makeshift set in my office, right here in town, right down the street, not very far. 00:00:36.479 --> 00:00:40.240 And I'm really honored to get to share in this series, you know, resilient. 00:00:40.320 --> 00:00:46.640 I I love even on the top of the notes, the ability to withstand or recover from a difficult situation. 00:00:46.880 --> 00:00:53.039 And we've learned it's tempting, we've learned it's emotional, and I want to share it's powerful. 00:00:53.200 --> 00:00:56.479 Um and I'm gonna do something I don't normally do. 00:00:56.640 --> 00:01:01.920 Uh I tend to do a fairly quick introduction, jump into the text, apply it all the way through. 00:01:02.159 --> 00:01:10.480 I want to just get you to lean back and I want to talk about power because I think right now we feel powerless, right? 00:01:10.799 --> 00:01:13.200 I mean, when are we gonna get to go back to work? 00:01:13.359 --> 00:01:15.040 When can we go outside? 00:01:15.200 --> 00:01:16.799 Uh, you know, what about the future? 00:01:16.959 --> 00:01:17.920 What about my plans? 00:01:18.079 --> 00:01:21.040 I mean, it it is really a challenging time. 00:01:21.280 --> 00:01:23.280 I think God wants us to be resilient. 00:01:23.439 --> 00:01:26.640 How do we overcome challenges and difficult situations? 00:01:27.120 --> 00:01:29.760 And I think there's a number of things uh at play here. 00:01:29.920 --> 00:01:36.159 So let me give you three very quick stories, all that have to do with the power of something. 00:01:36.400 --> 00:01:41.599 And by the time we get done, I think those three stories will be bing, bing, bing. 00:01:41.840 --> 00:01:42.319 Wow. 00:01:42.480 --> 00:01:44.079 Maybe I want to remember them. 00:01:44.239 --> 00:01:48.159 The story number one I'm a young pastor, I'm 28 years old. 00:01:48.239 --> 00:01:50.159 It's my very first pastor. 00:01:50.400 --> 00:01:56.719 We don't even have an office, and so there was a it's a small little town of under 3,000, not even a stoplight. 00:01:56.959 --> 00:02:02.159 And uh there was an area where I could sort of office in the back of someone's place. 00:02:02.319 --> 00:02:04.959 They just put up a little almost cardboard type thing. 00:02:05.200 --> 00:02:07.840 Let me stay in the back, just a little place to study. 00:02:08.080 --> 00:02:21.439 And it was a businessman, and um he, you know, was a Christian, went to sort of the main church in town, and you know, was trying to be nice to me, and he came and said, uh, hey, by the way, now what uh what version of the Bible are you using? 00:02:21.520 --> 00:02:29.280 And so we're kind of talking about the Bible, and all I know is he's you know a person who goes to this church, very open about his faith. 00:02:29.439 --> 00:02:32.639 We're talking about the Bible, and he gets a phone call, picks up the phone. 00:02:32.960 --> 00:02:33.599 What? 00:02:33.840 --> 00:02:36.159 What you tell that N-word? 00:02:36.240 --> 00:02:39.599 I would never have an N-word, that blankety blank, blank, blank. 00:02:39.680 --> 00:02:41.759 This is a well, we're not gonna have an N. 00:02:42.319 --> 00:02:47.199 And I mean, I'm sitting there going, now, are you kidding? 00:02:47.439 --> 00:02:57.439 And he hangs up the phone, and then he comes over and goes, uh, now the the version I was telling you about, I mean, there there was not a skip in the beat. 00:02:57.680 --> 00:03:00.319 It's the power of deception. 00:03:00.639 --> 00:03:21.599 There, there was absolutely no connection between him being a follower of Jesus, our conversation about the word of God that screams no partiality, and the words and the prejudice and the anger coming out of his mouth about a human being made in the image of God. 00:03:22.400 --> 00:03:26.639 I mean, I was a young pastor, I'm 28, but I'm thinking, whoa. 00:03:26.800 --> 00:03:33.840 Now, I now candidly, I grew up in Ohio and I grew up in the suburbs, and I was deeply offended. 00:03:34.000 --> 00:03:40.960 I, you know, grew up playing basketball and so outdoor courts, and then, you know, very mixed racially college team. 00:03:41.759 --> 00:03:48.000 And it was just like, I remember how could anyone be that deceived? 00:03:48.240 --> 00:03:51.360 Powerful, powerful deception. 00:03:51.759 --> 00:03:52.879 Story number two. 00:03:53.039 --> 00:04:11.759 Um, a number of years later, uh, it was a young man, and from all practical appearances, was doing great, you know, been married, I don't know, seven, eight years, had like a five-year-old at the time, good job, good family, just bought a house, you know, attractive, he and his wife, came to church regularly. 00:04:11.919 --> 00:04:18.560 I I mean, you would just think upwardly mobile, kind, generous, good dad. 00:04:19.040 --> 00:04:23.439 And um I got a call and he said, I gotta talk to you right away. 00:04:23.759 --> 00:04:25.360 And I said, Well, sure. 00:04:25.439 --> 00:04:26.560 He says, Can I come down right now? 00:04:26.639 --> 00:04:28.000 I said, Well, sure, go ahead. 00:04:28.399 --> 00:04:34.800 And he he he comes to me and he goes, Uh, this is the note that was on the refrigerator. 00:04:35.600 --> 00:04:37.040 I said, What's it say? 00:04:37.360 --> 00:04:39.040 He says, I don't love you anymore. 00:04:39.360 --> 00:04:40.800 I never loved you. 00:04:41.040 --> 00:04:44.240 And I've taken our daughter and I'm gone. 00:04:44.800 --> 00:04:51.439 And that guy, I mean, if a lightning bolt would have hit him, it it couldn't have been more drastic. 00:04:51.759 --> 00:04:56.160 He was completely relationally deceived or unaware. 00:04:56.399 --> 00:05:05.199 Whatever, if if I'd asked him, you know, I mean, you know, like a day before, how's that great at home, great with the wife, great with work, great with the family. 00:05:05.360 --> 00:05:10.160 I mean, he was absolutely 100%, things are fine. 00:05:10.480 --> 00:05:12.079 Well, obviously they weren't. 00:05:12.319 --> 00:05:20.879 Obviously, he he didn't see, he didn't recognize, he didn't see the hurt, he didn't see the body language, he wasn't listening to what she said. 00:05:21.279 --> 00:05:23.120 I mean, people just don't do that. 00:05:23.360 --> 00:05:35.120 That was a long, slow burn that ended up in a dramatic ending to someone that, for all practical purposes, was oblivious. 00:05:35.680 --> 00:05:36.480 Deception. 00:05:36.800 --> 00:05:37.920 It's powerful. 00:05:38.160 --> 00:05:41.439 And I'm I'm telling stories, but here's what I want you to get. 00:05:41.920 --> 00:05:46.879 What would this have to do with like you or me? 00:05:47.759 --> 00:06:04.720 What if deception is that powerful that you could actually be convinced you're in right relationship with God and things are super duper, or you're in right relationship with someone you love and you're completely wrong, completely deluded. 00:06:05.279 --> 00:06:07.439 Third story about power. 00:06:07.600 --> 00:06:09.040 This is a positive one. 00:06:09.519 --> 00:06:20.079 This was during my uh college years, and I was a growing Christian, and uh I got into a Bible study, and then I was meeting one-on-one with a bricklayer who was discipling me. 00:06:20.160 --> 00:06:26.160 Uh, then little by little I was meeting with one or two guys, and then I had a Bible study in my dorm, and I was just learning. 00:06:26.240 --> 00:06:26.800 Everything was new. 00:06:26.879 --> 00:06:28.480 I was getting into God's Word. 00:06:28.639 --> 00:06:31.600 Um I I was I was a pretty slow learner. 00:06:31.680 --> 00:06:35.519 I it was so hard to get up in the morning and spend time with God daily. 00:06:35.759 --> 00:06:42.959 Took me about a year and a half, maybe two years before it became a habit, and and a little later became a joy. 00:06:43.199 --> 00:06:49.199 Um I began to uh write down some verses that were meaningful to me on cards. 00:06:49.360 --> 00:06:52.800 Um early on, they wanted me to memorize scripture, and I thought, that's stupid. 00:06:52.879 --> 00:06:54.160 You know, it's in it's in the Bible. 00:06:54.240 --> 00:06:55.519 I can look it up when I want it. 00:06:55.600 --> 00:07:02.959 I I had no idea the power of renewing your mind, the power of the word of God, the power of meditating. 00:07:03.040 --> 00:07:04.800 I was clueless. 00:07:05.199 --> 00:07:08.800 But I was growing now and I was even starting to teach a little bit. 00:07:08.879 --> 00:07:13.040 So it's about my my junior year in college, and I've been a Christian a little over three years. 00:07:13.279 --> 00:07:19.199 And we had a guy uh on our campus who came, uh transferred in, and his name was George. 00:07:19.439 --> 00:07:20.800 He wouldn't mind me using his name. 00:07:20.879 --> 00:07:23.040 In fact, I've used it publicly before. 00:07:23.360 --> 00:07:27.279 And um George was just there's no other word. 00:07:27.360 --> 00:07:37.920 He was socially awkward, came from an immigrant family, his uh parents moved here uh in the New York area, a Slavic background, so he had a pretty decent little accent. 00:07:38.079 --> 00:07:43.680 And then there's nothing like being like 19 years old and and you know, prematurely balding. 00:07:44.079 --> 00:07:49.839 And um, you know, when you're in college, everyone wants to be cool, and George was not cool. 00:07:50.079 --> 00:07:55.839 And so uh, you know, George did didn't really have a relationship with God. 00:07:55.920 --> 00:08:06.240 He started coming to Bible study, he struggled, and then I'm confession, you know, when someone sort of joins your group and you go, oh, you know, if they break up into groups, I hope he's in another group. 00:08:06.319 --> 00:08:11.360 You know, I just hope he's not in my group, you know, and that's terrible, but it was true. 00:08:11.519 --> 00:08:37.279 And um, and so George, I got to know him for that first year, and then an amazing thing happened is uh he he heard about something in the summer and he went to some sort of conference, and in this conference, they were talking about God can completely change your life and his word is so powerful and all these verses, and they said the way it really works is by memorizing and meditating on scripture. 00:08:37.519 --> 00:08:40.399 And I think George just got super desperate. 00:08:40.559 --> 00:08:51.919 I mean, this is one of the most socially awkward people kind of pushing him away or to the fringes, and then the poor guy ended up, he ended up in a dormitory with the fraternity guys. 00:08:52.080 --> 00:08:54.399 I mean, all they did is make fun of him all the time. 00:08:54.559 --> 00:09:02.559 So George comes back after the summer, and I notice in his shirt pocket, he's got like a stack of three by five cards about this thick. 00:09:02.799 --> 00:09:04.559 Very small, small print. 00:09:04.799 --> 00:09:06.480 And I said, George, what you got there? 00:09:06.639 --> 00:09:10.639 And he he said, Oh, you know, I went to this conference, I started memorizing scripture. 00:09:10.799 --> 00:09:25.120 And you know, I I had started, you know, I got I got some little ones here, and you know, I got my first 60 verses, topical memory system, and yeah, it was kind of tracking, so I had maybe a hundred, maybe two, you know, I'm really spiritual, spiritual leader here, you know. 00:09:25.279 --> 00:09:34.240 And and he said, Well, I started out and I memorized the book of James, and and then I did Matthew, and I said, No, you mean the book Matthew? 00:09:34.399 --> 00:09:35.200 Is it yes? 00:09:35.440 --> 00:09:41.200 And then so because and then I forget, I think it was the book of John and then first and second Timothy. 00:09:41.360 --> 00:09:43.200 And I said, George, are you kidding? 00:09:43.279 --> 00:09:49.039 He goes, No, it takes me, you know, that I spend like the first 45 minutes of my day just reviewing those verses. 00:09:50.399 --> 00:09:53.120 And first of all, I thought he couldn't be telling the truth. 00:09:53.360 --> 00:09:55.600 And then fast forward. 00:09:58.000 --> 00:10:16.159 You know when you meet someone where there's an inner beauty that comes out of their countenance, that comes out of their speech, that there's an attractiveness that you can't even put your finger on, that's not physical, that just draws like bees to honey. 00:10:16.399 --> 00:10:18.720 I watch this metamorphosis. 00:10:19.039 --> 00:10:28.320 I I George got in one of my small groups, and just the calm, the wisdom, the I don't know, I can't even explain it. 00:10:29.039 --> 00:10:39.200 The year goes on, pretty soon, fraternity guys are looking both ways and going down to his dorm room to get counsel about their girlfriend or something that's happened at home. 00:10:39.279 --> 00:10:50.080 And pretty soon George is emerging as this leader, and everyone wants to be around him, and he's not socially awkward, he's just like one of the most winsome, attractive guys I've ever met. 00:10:50.559 --> 00:11:02.559 And and all here, power, power, deception, lies, delusions, thinking everything's okay, super powerful. 00:11:02.879 --> 00:11:05.440 God's word, super powerful. 00:11:05.600 --> 00:11:07.360 And that brings us to our text. 00:11:07.440 --> 00:11:09.600 And I think you're gonna see this played out. 00:11:09.919 --> 00:11:13.519 Our text last week, uh, Ryan taught us that we should be what? 00:11:13.679 --> 00:11:16.320 Quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger. 00:11:16.480 --> 00:11:16.799 Why? 00:11:17.039 --> 00:11:22.159 For the anger of man does not fulfill the righteous life that God desires. 00:11:22.399 --> 00:11:27.279 And then we pick it up, I put it in your notes, we pick it up at verse 21 that Ryan ended on. 00:11:27.519 --> 00:11:29.440 Therefore, here's the application. 00:11:29.600 --> 00:11:34.720 This this anger that we have, this speech that we need to have, this listening and caring about people. 00:11:34.879 --> 00:11:39.600 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent. 00:11:39.759 --> 00:11:40.960 It's the heiress tense. 00:11:41.039 --> 00:11:53.279 That means make a radical step of faith and anything morally or the evil and the references to relationships that are not good and places where you shouldn't go and influences that are messing with your life. 00:11:53.440 --> 00:11:57.759 Make a radical, radical departure and put that behind you. 00:11:57.919 --> 00:11:59.600 So there's a negative command. 00:11:59.840 --> 00:12:05.360 And humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. 00:12:05.600 --> 00:12:07.120 So we're back to the word. 00:12:07.360 --> 00:12:09.919 And notice it's planted in you. 00:12:10.080 --> 00:12:12.399 Literally, it says that you receive the word. 00:12:12.639 --> 00:12:14.320 Remember the parable of the soils? 00:12:14.559 --> 00:12:19.440 Remember, Jesus said, you know, to his disciples, I'll explain this to you. 00:12:19.600 --> 00:12:23.120 The Son of Man went out and he cast the seed upon the ground. 00:12:23.279 --> 00:12:24.720 It's the seed, it's God's word. 00:12:25.039 --> 00:12:28.240 And the seed of God's word fell on hard path, that's a hard heart. 00:12:28.399 --> 00:12:30.879 And the seed of God's word fell on shallow soil. 00:12:30.960 --> 00:12:35.519 And that's someone who responds quickly, but when it gets tough to be a follower, they fade away. 00:12:35.600 --> 00:12:38.720 And the seed of God's word falls on thorny soil. 00:12:38.799 --> 00:12:50.960 And that's a person who they they love God and they're sincere and they start to grow, but the riches of this world, the deceitfulness of them, and other things and distractions choke out the word. 00:12:51.360 --> 00:12:57.919 And so instead of the person becoming more and more like Christ and more and more loving and more and more transformed, they get stuck. 00:12:58.159 --> 00:13:01.519 But then the last one, Luke 8, verse 15. 00:13:01.759 --> 00:13:13.679 But the seed that falls in the good ground is the person with a good and honest heart who receives the word implanted and obeys it. 00:13:13.919 --> 00:13:15.200 That's what he's talking about. 00:13:15.360 --> 00:13:19.360 He's talking about when you receive the word of truth, the gospel. 00:13:19.759 --> 00:13:24.320 1 Peter says that we are born again by an imperishable seed. 00:13:24.480 --> 00:13:26.639 Verse 23 through 25. 00:13:26.799 --> 00:13:39.360 That our new relationship with God happened because we responded to the gospel of grace, and the gospel of grace put the seed of new life in us, and this new life grows, and our heart is the kind of soil. 00:13:39.519 --> 00:13:46.000 And so he says here, accept it humbly, literally with a teachable heart, which can save you. 00:13:46.159 --> 00:13:49.440 And if you printed out your notes, circle that little word can. 00:14:04.000 --> 00:14:05.600 It's a word for power. 00:14:05.919 --> 00:14:07.120 It has the power. 00:14:07.360 --> 00:14:11.279 The word implanted in you has the power to save you. 00:14:11.440 --> 00:14:15.440 And the word salvation, I think we always think of, you know, like justification. 00:14:15.519 --> 00:14:18.799 It's when I prayed to receive Christ, but the word means deliverance. 00:14:19.039 --> 00:14:21.440 Your salvation is you're delivered from death. 00:14:21.600 --> 00:14:23.279 You're delivered from the power of sin. 00:14:23.440 --> 00:14:25.519 You're delivered from the penalty of sin. 00:14:25.679 --> 00:14:35.440 And so what he's saying is the word of God implanted in our hearts when we trusted Christ has the power to deliver us from what? 00:14:35.600 --> 00:14:39.600 Well, from all moral filth, from all evil, from are you ready for this? 00:14:39.840 --> 00:14:40.480 Deception. 00:14:40.639 --> 00:14:41.519 Remember earlier? 00:14:41.759 --> 00:14:43.440 Earlier in the text, what's it say? 00:14:43.600 --> 00:14:45.279 He says, do not be deceived. 00:14:45.519 --> 00:14:48.000 We had the word of truth. 00:14:48.639 --> 00:14:57.519 And so, as you'll look in your notes, uh, let me read the entire passage, and then I want to break it down, and then here's the deal. 00:14:57.919 --> 00:15:02.480 I want you to think about how much power you'd really like to have. 00:15:03.279 --> 00:15:05.919 You know, we're just, we're all in this together. 00:15:06.159 --> 00:15:08.080 Um we all struggle. 00:15:08.159 --> 00:15:15.440 We struggle with temptation, we struggle with uh emotions, anger, resentment, lack of forgiveness. 00:15:15.840 --> 00:15:18.480 Um we struggle with discipline. 00:15:18.799 --> 00:15:20.799 We struggle with a lot of stuff. 00:15:21.279 --> 00:15:35.440 This passage is going to remind us there's an amazing power of deception over here, and there's a power in God's word that will deliver you, but it only does that if you do something with it. 00:15:35.679 --> 00:15:36.399 Let's read it. 00:15:36.559 --> 00:15:42.080 He goes on to say, Do not merely listen to the word, and so, there's our word, deceive yourselves. 00:15:42.320 --> 00:15:43.840 Do what it says. 00:15:44.159 --> 00:15:45.120 Illustration. 00:15:45.279 --> 00:15:54.639 Anyone who listens to the word but doesn't do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in the mirror and after looking at himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 00:15:54.960 --> 00:15:55.519 Contrast. 00:15:56.159 --> 00:16:10.720 But the man who looks intently into the perfect law, speaking of scripture, that gives freedom and continues to do this, so there's a practice, there's a habit, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it, notice the result. 00:16:10.960 --> 00:16:13.919 He will be blessed in what he does. 00:16:14.159 --> 00:16:34.639 Now, when I study the Bible and when I prepare to teach it, uh one of the things I do is I'll study the passage, I'll break down, you know, uh the different verses in terms of grammatically how they fit, and then what I try and do for me, and I've given it to you, but uh normally I don't give this to people. 00:16:34.720 --> 00:16:37.600 I usually give them just sort of my my big outline. 00:16:37.919 --> 00:16:39.519 But, you know, we're kind of studying. 00:16:39.600 --> 00:16:42.159 This is about God's word, so I thought I'd show you what I do. 00:16:42.240 --> 00:16:48.000 So then what I did is I said, okay, what does it really mean what I just studied? 00:16:48.159 --> 00:16:54.879 And then I want to put it in one clear sentence that accounts for all the words that really make sense. 00:16:55.120 --> 00:17:04.640 And so what we learn from verse 21, the beginning of verse 22, is that freedom to become the joyful, mature, Christ-like person who lacks nothing. 00:17:04.799 --> 00:17:05.920 Where did I get that? 00:17:06.240 --> 00:17:07.039 Remember? 00:17:07.359 --> 00:17:09.839 Consider it all joy when you encounter various trials. 00:17:09.920 --> 00:17:11.200 Well, we're in a trial, right? 00:17:11.359 --> 00:17:13.519 Knowing that testing of your faith produces what? 00:17:13.680 --> 00:17:14.240 Endurance. 00:17:14.400 --> 00:17:22.079 Well, allow endurance to have its perfecting, maturing result that you might be perfect, mature, Christ-like, notice lacking in nothing. 00:17:22.319 --> 00:17:29.599 So freedom to become that kind of person requires a radical repentance from sinful practices and relational patterns. 00:17:30.000 --> 00:17:31.839 That's exactly what verse 21 said. 00:17:32.079 --> 00:17:35.200 Moral filth and the prevalent evil. 00:17:35.359 --> 00:17:43.359 Then notice the positive and a wholehearted cultivation of the word implanted in our hearts. 00:17:43.519 --> 00:17:48.319 And so you want to experience God's power, his life change. 00:17:48.640 --> 00:17:52.160 I don't know about you, but regardless of circumstances, I want to have joy. 00:17:52.400 --> 00:17:56.480 Regardless of temptations, I want to have great relationships and be connected. 00:17:56.640 --> 00:18:07.680 Regardless of emotional issues and what might tick me off or what might make me feel resentful, I want to be a joyful, loving, winsome person, dad, friend, husband. 00:18:08.079 --> 00:18:15.680 And he says, to do that, I have to make a radical repentance away from the things that are pulling me away from God. 00:18:15.839 --> 00:18:30.799 And then I need to make a wholehearted, I mean, cultivation of taking this word that's written now, but the living word that's been planted in my heart and cultivated in such a way like you would a garden. 00:18:30.960 --> 00:18:31.359 Ho ho ho. 00:18:31.839 --> 00:18:36.079 Man, this is the most precious garden in the world, and that garden is your heart. 00:18:36.319 --> 00:18:40.720 And that's why we learned, remember earlier in awakening, watch over your heart. 00:18:40.960 --> 00:18:41.359 How? 00:18:41.519 --> 00:18:42.480 With all diligence. 00:18:42.640 --> 00:18:43.039 Why? 00:18:43.279 --> 00:18:46.319 For from it flow all the issues of life. 00:18:46.640 --> 00:18:50.559 And so he says you have to cultivate the seed of God's word in your heart. 00:18:50.960 --> 00:18:53.039 And so the question becomes, right? 00:18:53.440 --> 00:18:57.839 How do we wholeheartedly cultivate God's word within us? 00:18:58.319 --> 00:19:04.880 Verses 22, 23, 24, and 25 are gonna tell us exactly how to do that. 00:19:05.200 --> 00:19:05.920 Are you ready? 00:19:06.160 --> 00:19:10.319 Number one, we must specifically apply God's word to our lives. 00:19:10.640 --> 00:19:12.799 Okay, now let that sink in. 00:19:13.920 --> 00:19:16.640 It doesn't say you must read the Bible. 00:19:16.960 --> 00:19:19.839 It doesn't say just listen to the Bible in the car. 00:19:20.160 --> 00:19:24.240 It doesn't say just log on and watch Awakening online. 00:19:25.279 --> 00:19:27.519 It's not about just exposure. 00:19:27.680 --> 00:19:33.279 It's we must specifically apply God's word to our lives. 00:19:33.599 --> 00:19:36.880 There's a need, this is what God's word says. 00:19:37.119 --> 00:19:39.920 Here's a sin, this is what God's word says. 00:19:40.079 --> 00:19:42.720 Here's a problem, this is what God's word says. 00:19:42.880 --> 00:19:45.680 This is a relationship, this is what God's word says. 00:19:45.839 --> 00:19:57.680 This passage says if you want to be a joyful, winsome Christian who's not deceived, whose life changes, if you want power, whatever God's word says about that, do it, and you'll experience it. 00:19:58.000 --> 00:19:58.960 Notice. 00:19:59.359 --> 00:20:00.000 Why? 00:20:00.480 --> 00:20:05.279 Because exposure without application is self-deception. 00:20:06.000 --> 00:20:10.400 Exposure without application is self-deception. 00:20:10.880 --> 00:20:16.960 Anyone who listens to the word, if you've downloaded the notes, underline the word listen, and this is an interesting word. 00:20:17.039 --> 00:20:18.480 It means just to glance at. 00:20:18.799 --> 00:20:21.200 This isn't looking deeply, this is just glancing at it. 00:20:21.519 --> 00:20:26.720 Listens to the word but doesn't do what it says, is like a man uh who looks at his face in a mirror. 00:20:26.880 --> 00:20:30.160 Now, during this time, mirrors were not made out of glass. 00:20:30.319 --> 00:20:33.279 They were made out of metal and they weren't super clear. 00:20:33.359 --> 00:20:40.960 And and so uh you if you really wanted to get a good look at yourself, you had to really gaze and stoop down and get a good look. 00:20:41.200 --> 00:20:49.440 But this is the person who just gazes at the mirror and notices, oh, I, you know, there's a hair out of place, or boy, there's dirt all over my collar. 00:20:49.599 --> 00:20:53.359 But it's just a quick glance, and then they go on. 00:20:53.759 --> 00:20:56.880 They go away, immediately forget what they look like. 00:20:57.359 --> 00:21:12.079 Um, especially my wife and I were talking about this, and yesterday she was saying, you know, I never really got that illustration because especially as a woman, when I look in the mirror, if there's something wrong, I want to fix it, right? 00:21:12.240 --> 00:21:18.160 My lipstick isn't quite right, or there's a hair sticking up, or oh my gosh, you know, I got one of those zits or whatever. 00:21:18.559 --> 00:21:23.200 You know, I mean, when you look into a mirror, most of us really want to address it. 00:21:23.519 --> 00:21:41.759 The illustration that came to my mind, I don't know if this happens to you, let's say you get a text from someone, you're really busy, and you see it's a text and it's an important person, I mean someone you really care about, and you just look at your phone and you just glance at it quickly, you don't read it all that carefully, and you say to yourself, Oh, wow, that's an important person. 00:21:41.920 --> 00:21:44.000 I I'll text them back, I'll get to that later. 00:21:44.160 --> 00:21:46.079 Now, I maybe none of you have done this. 00:21:46.319 --> 00:21:54.640 And then, like three days or four days or five days, and maybe you're laying in bed or you just wake up, and I mean, this is an important person. 00:21:55.200 --> 00:21:59.759 And you realize, oh my gosh, I I didn't even text them back, and I remember there was a question. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:02.160 I don't remember, but it seemed like it was really important. 00:22:02.480 --> 00:22:04.400 I totally blew them off. 00:22:05.200 --> 00:22:06.640 How do they feel? 00:22:07.200 --> 00:22:08.480 What's really happened? 00:22:08.799 --> 00:22:10.319 That's kind of the picture here. 00:22:10.480 --> 00:22:17.599 This is a picture of someone who comes to a meeting of God's people. 00:22:17.680 --> 00:22:19.599 It could be awakening, could be any church. 00:22:19.920 --> 00:22:22.880 And maybe it's kind of a casual one so they can bring their coffee in. 00:22:24.000 --> 00:22:26.960 And it's kind of like this is not bad. 00:22:27.440 --> 00:22:29.279 Yeah, hey Ryan, you know. 00:22:29.920 --> 00:22:31.599 That was a pretty interesting story. 00:22:33.359 --> 00:22:36.319 Chris, that was pretty insightful, a little philosophy background. 00:22:36.480 --> 00:22:38.559 I I I I kind of enjoyed that. 00:22:39.039 --> 00:22:40.079 Then they leave. 00:22:41.839 --> 00:22:47.599 There's no sense of God, what do you want me to do? 00:22:47.920 --> 00:22:49.599 Lord, search my heart. 00:22:49.920 --> 00:22:55.279 Father, how could I have violated that and offended you or offended someone else? 00:22:55.599 --> 00:22:57.839 Oh, I I never saw that. 00:22:58.640 --> 00:22:59.759 Me deceived? 00:22:59.839 --> 00:23:01.440 I thought things were great. 00:23:01.680 --> 00:23:04.640 And do you get the idea? 00:23:05.039 --> 00:23:25.599 I uh remember years ago, um, I found it in some old notes, and this was, oh gosh, maybe 15 years ago, maybe more, and um, there was a group that had done a study that basically said that 71 million people in America claim to be followers of Christ. 00:23:26.240 --> 00:23:44.160 And then they did further studies to say, wow, that's very interesting because in terms of morality, behavior, finances, character, only about one in ten of those people who claim to be believers live any different than the people who don't claim to be believers. 00:23:44.640 --> 00:23:50.400 And I remember this will date me, but if you hear this name, you ought to read some of his stuff. 00:23:50.559 --> 00:23:51.359 It's amazing. 00:23:51.759 --> 00:24:01.359 Francis Schaefer was a theologian, philosopher, uh, started a group called Labris in Switzerland, and skeptics and intellectuals from all around the world would come. 00:24:01.440 --> 00:24:07.279 And he created this place of dialogue and where you would just live out the faith and people could come with any questions. 00:24:07.440 --> 00:24:08.720 And I remember getting to hear him. 00:24:08.799 --> 00:24:15.119 I actually wrote one of my master's theses based on the trilogy of core books that he wrote. 00:24:15.440 --> 00:24:17.759 And I remember he made this statement. 00:24:17.839 --> 00:24:20.640 It must have been about 1976, 78. 00:24:21.119 --> 00:24:30.240 He said, Christianity in the United States currently, this is 1976, appears to be all but bankrupt. 00:24:30.559 --> 00:24:34.799 In other words, it so doesn't resemble the life of Christ. 00:24:34.960 --> 00:24:40.559 It's so filled with either religion or rules or compromise, a lack of love. 00:24:40.720 --> 00:24:46.079 I mean, these radical core messages of Jesus are sort of like on a salad bar. 00:24:46.240 --> 00:24:48.240 Love your enemies, I don't think so. 00:24:48.480 --> 00:24:52.240 Um pray for those who despitefully use you, no, I don't think that. 00:24:52.400 --> 00:24:55.519 Um, sexual purity, uh, no, that's not in. 00:24:55.680 --> 00:25:18.480 Uh love one another, meet as a group, have so you know, he just said the authority of God's word and believers sensing that submission to what he says is a non-negotiable because he is God, because he's the savior of the world, because he is the king of kings and the lord of lords. 00:25:18.720 --> 00:25:29.279 And whether it's willfully now or someday later, every single person who has ever lived will bow the knee before the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:25:29.519 --> 00:25:34.960 And every tongue will confess that he is in fact Lord to the glory of God. 00:25:35.519 --> 00:25:38.240 And some, I don't know what happened. 00:25:38.480 --> 00:25:39.599 I really don't. 00:25:39.839 --> 00:25:46.640 And, you know, at living on the edge, sort of my heartbeat, the ministry, sort of as a missionary to America and around some places of the world. 00:25:46.960 --> 00:26:03.920 It's helping Christians live like Christians every day in every way, everywhere, for the glory of God and for the good of all mankind, because um the people that helped me become a follower of Christ, they lived it out. 00:26:04.400 --> 00:26:05.920 It was a bricklayer. 00:26:06.079 --> 00:26:07.440 I mean, he wasn't eloquent. 00:26:07.519 --> 00:26:10.640 In fact, the Bible studies were just downright boring. 00:26:10.880 --> 00:26:14.319 But I'd never seen a man love his wife or date his wife. 00:26:14.480 --> 00:26:16.799 I'd never seen a father invest in his kids. 00:26:16.880 --> 00:26:21.839 And I I mean I got to see the arguments, and I mean, I I I lived with him at times. 00:26:21.920 --> 00:26:25.440 I lived in a garage apartment in the back, I worked for him. 00:26:25.920 --> 00:26:32.559 I saw a man that, you know, would would he was a bricklayer, and I still remember building, you know, it's called a footer. 00:26:32.640 --> 00:26:41.920 When you're going to do a house, you have to put in a footer, and and then uh after you do that, you put these hayte blocks, and it was out like a half an inch on one area. 00:26:42.240 --> 00:26:44.720 And I mean, it would have passed inspection, all the rest. 00:26:44.799 --> 00:26:51.519 And I remember him walking through and with his foot kicking down all those hay dot blocks that I had carried and I had mixed all the mud. 00:26:51.680 --> 00:26:52.720 Dave, what are you doing? 00:26:52.799 --> 00:26:53.599 What are you doing, man? 00:26:53.680 --> 00:26:54.559 What are you doing? 00:26:54.799 --> 00:26:56.799 He goes, it's out of square. 00:26:57.119 --> 00:26:59.839 And I said, Yeah, but it's only that much. 00:26:59.920 --> 00:27:01.119 I mean, give me a break. 00:27:01.359 --> 00:27:04.799 And I'll never forget he looked at me, he goes, Chip, you don't understand. 00:27:05.279 --> 00:27:11.440 I don't make this house and build this foundation for you or the inspectors. 00:27:11.680 --> 00:27:17.200 Whatever I do, it's my offering to God, and I'm not going to give him second rate anything. 00:27:17.519 --> 00:27:27.039 And what I want you to know is that being around Dave, it wasn't his cool Bible studies, is after a few years, I wanted to be a man of God like Dave. 00:27:27.200 --> 00:27:28.720 I wanted to be a husband like Dave. 00:27:28.880 --> 00:27:30.720 I wanted to be a dad like Dave. 00:27:30.960 --> 00:27:38.640 And and it all went back to this reverence for God's word, this sense that it's not casual. 00:27:38.799 --> 00:27:40.079 This isn't an option. 00:27:40.319 --> 00:27:54.799 I watched Dave after all these years still having all these little cards that I started doing, and I watched him live it out, and then I watched him when he blew it, and kind of humbly said, you know, I messed up, and would you forgive me? 00:27:55.839 --> 00:28:02.480 See, there's power and the authenticity of walking with God and obeying his word. 00:28:02.799 --> 00:28:16.240 What he was doing was he was humbly receiving the word implanted, and over the years and over the years and over the years, then God birthed fruit in his character, but then he also birthed it in ministry. 00:28:16.559 --> 00:28:18.400 Dave is still a bricklayer. 00:28:19.039 --> 00:28:23.839 Dave is still helping out on colleges, and I mean, you know, Dave's gotta be, you know, 80 now. 00:28:24.000 --> 00:28:27.039 And he's he's helping Chinese PhD students. 00:28:27.119 --> 00:28:32.000 And he's got a high school education, and he has them in his home, and he loves them. 00:28:32.160 --> 00:28:35.920 And whatever he needs to learn so he can talk to them, I've watched him do this. 00:28:36.160 --> 00:28:36.720 Are you ready? 00:28:36.799 --> 00:28:39.039 I've watched him do this for over 30 years. 00:28:39.279 --> 00:28:40.880 It's just amazing. 00:28:41.119 --> 00:28:43.519 But he's a Christian that lives like a Christian. 00:28:43.759 --> 00:28:51.440 And Dave has no sense that there's pastors and clergy and other people. 00:28:51.759 --> 00:28:55.759 I learned from him, all of us are full-time ministers of the gospel. 00:28:56.079 --> 00:28:58.799 But I got that from the word, not the culture. 00:28:59.039 --> 00:29:05.200 And so he tells us that exposure without application brings death. 00:29:05.920 --> 00:29:09.279 It kills our relationship with God, it kills the power. 00:29:09.519 --> 00:29:12.720 In fact, one of my uh profs had a great line. 00:29:12.880 --> 00:29:20.000 He would say the problem with most Christians is they're like a photograph, overexposed and underdeveloped. 00:29:20.720 --> 00:29:22.640 And prof always had those great ones. 00:29:22.720 --> 00:29:25.279 And what it was really saying was overexposed. 00:29:25.359 --> 00:29:27.440 Oh, I heard this podcast, I heard this podcast. 00:29:27.599 --> 00:29:28.720 Oh, did you hear this teacher? 00:29:28.880 --> 00:29:30.319 Oh, did you know what's happening here? 00:29:30.559 --> 00:29:31.759 Oh, I I read this book. 00:29:32.000 --> 00:29:33.200 So-and-so says this. 00:29:33.359 --> 00:29:36.960 Oh, I got news for you. 00:29:37.279 --> 00:29:46.799 God would be a lot happier with you reading three verses and obeying all three verses today than reading 300 verses and going, hmm, that's nice. 00:29:47.119 --> 00:29:54.000 See, the organ of transformation in God's kingdom is not knowledge and it's not just cognitive, it's obedience. 00:29:54.319 --> 00:30:01.119 In fact, notice, number three, because immersion with application brings freedom and transformation. 00:30:01.279 --> 00:30:02.000 Look at the text. 00:30:02.160 --> 00:30:13.519 But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom and continues to do this, not forgetting what he heard, but doing it, he will be blessed in what he does. 00:30:16.319 --> 00:30:18.240 Notice what he says. 00:30:18.640 --> 00:30:21.119 The man who looks, this is a different word. 00:30:21.279 --> 00:30:26.000 This is for pausing, stooping, gazing clearly into it. 00:30:26.160 --> 00:30:27.599 What's he gaze into? 00:30:27.839 --> 00:30:30.720 He doesn't gaze into his own heart or his own feelings. 00:30:30.880 --> 00:30:32.160 How do I feel about me? 00:30:32.319 --> 00:30:33.519 How do I feel about God? 00:30:33.759 --> 00:30:35.440 Do I feel close to God? 00:30:35.920 --> 00:30:37.359 What do others think? 00:30:37.519 --> 00:30:39.920 In other words, there's a standard of truth. 00:30:40.079 --> 00:30:42.000 What does the scripture say? 00:30:42.319 --> 00:30:46.880 See, I don't meet with God every day because I think I get brownie points on a refrigerator. 00:30:47.119 --> 00:30:50.880 I meet with God every day because I know the deception of my own heart. 00:30:51.039 --> 00:30:55.119 And that I need the word of God to purify my mind and my thinking. 00:30:55.279 --> 00:30:57.759 And see, when you look into a mirror, what's a mirror? 00:30:58.000 --> 00:31:00.160 A mirror is a source of evaluation, isn't it? 00:31:00.319 --> 00:31:01.920 I mean, you look in a mirror and you evaluate. 00:31:02.000 --> 00:31:06.079 Well, looks good, doesn't look good, need to touch up here, missed a spot here. 00:31:06.319 --> 00:31:12.079 Well, the word of God is a source of evaluation, but it doesn't tell you how you look on the outside. 00:31:12.319 --> 00:31:14.720 It tells you how you look on the inside. 00:31:15.200 --> 00:31:18.160 It judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 00:31:18.400 --> 00:31:29.279 You might chop down a verse and it's worth memorizing, Hebrews 4.12, for the word of God is living and active and sharper than a two-edged sword and piercing to the vision of both joint and marrow. 00:31:29.680 --> 00:31:34.000 It's able to judge the thoughts and intentions of our heart. 00:31:34.240 --> 00:31:35.359 It's powerful. 00:31:35.599 --> 00:31:40.319 And so he he looks intently to the perfect law of God's word that gives freedom. 00:31:40.640 --> 00:31:41.440 Freedom, what? 00:31:41.680 --> 00:31:44.720 Not freedom to do whatever you want, freedom not to sin. 00:31:45.200 --> 00:31:55.599 Freedom to look to be all that God made you to be, freedom to have joy in every circumstance, freedom to be the man or the woman that God wants you to do. 00:31:55.759 --> 00:32:03.519 Then notice he looks into it, he continues to do it, not forgetting what he's heard, but doing it. 00:32:03.680 --> 00:32:07.039 And then notice he'll be blessed, he'll have God's favor. 00:32:07.759 --> 00:32:11.279 I pulled out those words and looking intently, you know what that is? 00:32:11.519 --> 00:32:12.960 That's me reading. 00:32:13.200 --> 00:32:17.440 We're like in the first century, why it says those who listen, most of the people were illiterate. 00:32:17.599 --> 00:32:26.799 And they would hear God's word over and over, they would repeat it to one another, they were oral learners, and most everyone in the church would have all the books memorized. 00:32:27.039 --> 00:32:28.799 And then they would meditate on it. 00:32:28.960 --> 00:32:30.640 And notice continues to look at it. 00:32:30.799 --> 00:32:33.759 That's okay, I I I looked it, I read it. 00:32:33.839 --> 00:32:37.200 Now I'm going to continue to meditate and ponder. 00:32:37.440 --> 00:32:43.519 The reason that I memorize these verses is so that when I'm in the car, I can meditate. 00:32:43.920 --> 00:32:45.920 When I'm waiting in line, I can meditate. 00:32:46.480 --> 00:32:50.000 I can begin to think about where's God speaking to me. 00:32:50.160 --> 00:32:55.680 And as you memorize scripture and you don't forget it, the Holy Spirit will then begin to pull it. 00:32:55.839 --> 00:33:02.079 Answer to prayer, piece of wisdom, do this, don't do that, protection here. 00:33:02.559 --> 00:33:07.039 I mean, you if you've never done this, you would just be amazed. 00:33:07.519 --> 00:33:13.119 All the research you meditate on God's Word, heart rate, blood pressure. 00:33:13.279 --> 00:33:15.920 I mean, physically, physiologically. 00:33:16.160 --> 00:33:23.039 I I mean, when I started memorizing scripture very, very seriously, your your mind is like a muscle. 00:33:23.359 --> 00:33:32.480 I I was shocked at how sharp my mind became as I memorized a few hundred verses and then some short chapters and then a few short books. 00:33:32.640 --> 00:33:40.799 And and how I would go into a class and I would listen, and I mean, gosh, I think after my junior year, I never got to be. 00:33:40.960 --> 00:33:49.279 And it wasn't because I was so smart, it was literally God refined my mind in a way that I could take in information and retain it. 00:33:50.240 --> 00:33:55.680 He wants to bless us in every area of our life, but notice the key is application. 00:33:55.839 --> 00:33:56.720 You do it. 00:33:56.960 --> 00:34:02.400 And then you experience his favor, his happiness in your heart, satisfied. 00:34:03.200 --> 00:34:06.960 And so I summarize sort of where we're at in this series. 00:34:07.200 --> 00:34:41.039 In summary, in the midst of difficult circumstances, first 12 verses, and powerful temptations, verses 13 to 18, and emotionally challenging relationships, 19 to 21, the man or woman who regularly feast on God's word by listening, reading, studying, memorizing, and meditating for the purpose of obeying what it says will be set free to become the joyful, winsome, loving person he or she longs to become with God's hand of favor upon all that you do. 00:34:41.519 --> 00:34:42.880 What a promise. 00:34:43.599 --> 00:34:52.800 You know, as I close, um I don't know what to say other than uh I've been asked by a lot of people, would you teach me how to do that? 00:34:52.960 --> 00:35:05.360 And recently at Living on the Edge, because of you know all this sheltered in place in this sort of makeshift uh studio we've made, I did that and we called it Daily Discipleship with Chip. 00:35:05.519 --> 00:35:12.000 It's absolutely free, and I take people through three weeks of learning how to meet with God to form the habit. 00:35:12.239 --> 00:35:23.039 Um we also developed some short online courses, and I put the information in your notes that you know, if no one ever taught you how to pray, you know, how do you how do you experience God when you pray, not say words? 00:35:23.119 --> 00:35:27.440 And well, how do you how do you get into the Bible where you hear God's voice? 00:35:27.679 --> 00:35:32.079 I was just just from memory, I I paused and I thought, are you ready? 00:35:32.159 --> 00:35:33.199 Just lean back, will you? 00:35:33.360 --> 00:35:49.360 I mean, I just jotted these in just in the bottom of my Bible as I thought over the years of the power of God's word, 1 Peter 2, 2, like newborn babes long for the pure milk of God's word, that by it you may grow with respect to your salvation. 00:35:49.599 --> 00:35:53.119 2 Timothy 3, 16 and 17, for the word of God, what? 00:35:53.599 --> 00:36:06.000 It's God breathed and is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness, that the man or woman of God would be fully or adequately equipped for every good work. 00:36:06.320 --> 00:36:11.440 Um, 1 Peter 1 23, for we have been born again by the Word of God. 00:36:11.679 --> 00:36:17.039 Then he goes on to say, the grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of God endures forever. 00:36:17.360 --> 00:36:24.480 Jesus' own words, man will not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. 00:36:24.719 --> 00:36:34.960 Jesus would say to a group of Pharisees in John 8.32, for those of you who have believed on my name, if you abide in my word, then you'll know the truth, and the truth will, you know the rest, don't you? 00:36:35.199 --> 00:36:36.480 Set you free. 00:36:36.800 --> 00:36:42.880 I thought of the great people in Scripture and their relationship with God's word. 00:36:43.119 --> 00:36:44.239 Here's what I'm trying to do. 00:36:44.480 --> 00:36:50.559 I'm trying to get you to where you would say, you know something, more than my phone, more than TV, more than Netflix, more than my breath. 00:36:50.800 --> 00:37:00.880 I'm going to make God's word, what I listen to, what I read, what I study, what I meditate, what I memorize, and what I will tell you, you will receive power. 00:37:01.199 --> 00:37:02.719 You will receive power. 00:37:02.960 --> 00:37:08.159 Issues, addictions, struggles, temptations, you're never going to be perfect till he comes back. 00:37:08.320 --> 00:37:10.079 But you'll receive power. 00:37:10.719 --> 00:37:15.920 Moses, in his farewell, he sends them into the promised land. 00:37:16.000 --> 00:37:22.559 He says, Take to your heart all these words which I'm speaking to you today, for they are not an idle word, they are your life. 00:37:22.639 --> 00:37:26.320 And by this word you shall possess the land that you're going into. 00:37:26.559 --> 00:37:36.159 Joshua's going in in chapter one of Joshua, and God says to him, Joshua, this book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth. 00:37:36.320 --> 00:37:42.960 But you should meditate on it day and night, that you might be careful to do according to all that's written therein. 00:37:43.119 --> 00:37:47.360 For then you will have success, and then you will prosper. 00:37:47.519 --> 00:37:48.639 Be strong and courageous. 00:37:48.719 --> 00:37:53.280 Don't tremble, don't be dismayed, because the Lord your God is with you. 00:37:53.519 --> 00:38:02.639 I think of Ezra who said he set his heart to study the law of the Lord and to practice it and teach its ordinances in Israel. 00:38:02.880 --> 00:38:09.920 I just want you to know whether it was David, if your word had not been my delight, Psalms 119, I would have perished in my affliction. 00:38:10.159 --> 00:38:20.639 I mean, all through Scripture, men, women, they hang on to the Word of God because the Word of God is powerful. 00:38:21.280 --> 00:38:22.800 Lord, I pray. 00:38:23.840 --> 00:38:50.960 I pray for my brothers and sisters in a world of distraction, in a world of temptation, in a world of noise and bombardment, that you would grant them the grace to meet with you first and foremost, to regularly, systematically begin to listen to, read, study, memorize, and ponder. 00:38:51.519 --> 00:38:57.360 And Lord, I pray you'd give them the strength to make it through the early times when it's confusing and they don't get a lot out of it. 00:38:57.599 --> 00:38:59.599 Lord, would you cultivate their heart? 00:38:59.840 --> 00:39:02.880 There's an appetite that needs to be developed. 00:39:03.199 --> 00:39:07.280 Just like tasting certain foods it takes time to acquire. 00:39:07.440 --> 00:39:14.239 Would you give them a taste of your love and your power through your word in Jesus' name? 00:39:14.559 --> 00:39:15.199 Amen.