1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:02,160 Father, we thank you, Lord, for today. 2 00:00:02,320 --> 00:00:04,600 We thank you for this week. We thank you for the things 3 00:00:04,600 --> 00:00:06,520 you've already taught us, Lord, through your word. 4 00:00:06,920 --> 00:00:10,200 Tonight we want you to open our hearts and minds to understand 5 00:00:10,200 --> 00:00:12,720 more of what you have for us as your children. 6 00:00:13,360 --> 00:00:15,800 We love you, Lord, and that's why we're here, and that's why 7 00:00:15,800 --> 00:00:17,200 we want to study the Word of God. 8 00:00:17,600 --> 00:00:20,240 And that's why, Lord, we anticipate that what you're 9 00:00:20,240 --> 00:00:23,160 going to teach us tonight, we'll stick with this, not just for a 10 00:00:23,160 --> 00:00:25,640 brief moment, but for the rest of our lives. 11 00:00:26,280 --> 00:00:28,480 We just thank you, Lord, that you have allowed us the 12 00:00:28,520 --> 00:00:32,520 opportunity to study your word. It's such a, a precious, 13 00:00:32,880 --> 00:00:36,200 precious tool. And we are so grateful that 14 00:00:36,200 --> 00:00:40,680 you've given it to us to equip us, to teach us, to lead us and 15 00:00:40,680 --> 00:00:44,840 to guide us, to comfort us and to move us on to maturity in 16 00:00:44,840 --> 00:00:47,640 Christ. May that happen in all of us 17 00:00:47,640 --> 00:00:51,080 this evening. Lord, we pray in Jesus name, 18 00:00:51,080 --> 00:00:57,520 Amen. Now by now, hopefully you have 19 00:00:57,520 --> 00:01:02,320 been able to understand and answer more of what it means to 20 00:01:02,800 --> 00:01:07,640 to be a Christian. I hope that's the case because 21 00:01:07,640 --> 00:01:12,280 if someone was to ask you what is a Christian, I, I'm sure that 22 00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:16,320 you'd be able to explain things maybe hopefully better than you 23 00:01:16,320 --> 00:01:21,240 could have seven weeks ago. But I'm sure that if someone 24 00:01:21,240 --> 00:01:23,800 asks you what is a Christian, you would tell them that a 25 00:01:23,800 --> 00:01:26,440 Christian is known by, by their decision. 26 00:01:27,040 --> 00:01:30,400 And that decision is based on Luke 923, right? 27 00:01:31,600 --> 00:01:34,040 That if any man come after me, let him deny himself, take up 28 00:01:34,040 --> 00:01:39,320 his cross and follow me. And so you'd also tell them that 29 00:01:39,320 --> 00:01:43,000 a Christian is known not just by the decision that he or she 30 00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:45,960 makes, but by the definition of Scripture. 31 00:01:46,680 --> 00:01:50,720 And that is in Philippians chapter 3 verse #3 that we are 32 00:01:50,720 --> 00:01:54,960 the marked ones, we are the circumcision, we worship God in 33 00:01:54,960 --> 00:02:00,240 spirit, we glory only in Christ Jesus, and we put no confidence 34 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:04,280 in the flesh. That is the best definition of a 35 00:02:04,280 --> 00:02:10,360 Christian in the Scriptures. Philippians 3 verse #3 You'd 36 00:02:10,360 --> 00:02:15,280 also be able to explain to them that a Christian is known by by 37 00:02:15,280 --> 00:02:19,280 description. That is second Corinthians 517 38 00:02:20,560 --> 00:02:23,720 that a Christian is described by being in Christ. 39 00:02:24,080 --> 00:02:27,160 For the man be in Christ. He is a new creation. 40 00:02:27,160 --> 00:02:30,440 Old things are passed away. Behold, all things have become 41 00:02:30,640 --> 00:02:32,240 new. That's how it is. 42 00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:35,160 A Christian is described in the Bible. 43 00:02:35,720 --> 00:02:39,640 They are in Christ and Christ is in them. 44 00:02:40,560 --> 00:02:43,080 And then you'd be able to say, well, a Christian is also known 45 00:02:43,080 --> 00:02:46,520 by declaration. They have a declaration that 46 00:02:46,520 --> 00:02:50,000 they speak loudly, without hesitation and without 47 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:56,240 reservation, that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God, 48 00:02:57,040 --> 00:03:02,920 that Jesus is the Messiah, and that he is God in the flesh. 49 00:03:03,840 --> 00:03:06,280 Every Christian understands that. 50 00:03:07,520 --> 00:03:11,360 And next a Christian is known by by his dedication. 51 00:03:11,920 --> 00:03:16,040 Philippians one verse #21 For it to me, to live is Christ, and to 52 00:03:16,040 --> 00:03:19,320 die is gain. A Christian is dedicating to 53 00:03:19,320 --> 00:03:24,720 living for Christ because they want to live for no one else but 54 00:03:24,720 --> 00:03:28,040 the Christ. And then a Christian is known by 55 00:03:28,040 --> 00:03:32,520 his or her denunciation. That is, they denounce the 56 00:03:32,520 --> 00:03:35,760 things of the world, so much so they're willing to put to death 57 00:03:35,760 --> 00:03:39,440 the members of their body in order to glorify and honor the 58 00:03:39,440 --> 00:03:42,160 Christ. That's Colossians 3 verses 1 to 59 00:03:42,160 --> 00:03:45,040 8. That was last week's lesson. 60 00:03:46,920 --> 00:03:50,040 Tonight I want to talk to you about the Christians devotion. 61 00:03:51,520 --> 00:03:57,360 The Christian is devoted to one thing and one thing only. 62 00:03:58,600 --> 00:04:03,120 The difference between dedication and devotion is this. 63 00:04:04,120 --> 00:04:09,920 A person who is dedicated is committed to one purpose. 64 00:04:11,120 --> 00:04:17,240 A person who is devoted is committed to one person. 65 00:04:18,880 --> 00:04:25,960 A person who is dedicated is committed to that purpose, but 66 00:04:25,960 --> 00:04:32,160 it demonstrates itself by a disciplined pursuit of 67 00:04:32,760 --> 00:04:37,680 fulfilling that purpose. A person who is devoted is 68 00:04:37,680 --> 00:04:44,840 committed to one purpose, and to fulfill that purpose, they are 69 00:04:45,120 --> 00:04:49,360 deeply passionate toward that person. 70 00:04:49,360 --> 00:04:52,600 That's the difference between the Christian's dedication and 71 00:04:52,600 --> 00:04:56,640 the Christian's devotion. And So what is the Christian 72 00:04:56,640 --> 00:04:59,800 devoted to? He's devoted to one thing. 73 00:04:59,800 --> 00:05:03,520 It's summed up in one verse, Second Corinthians chapter 5 74 00:05:03,880 --> 00:05:09,320 verse #9 where the apostle Paul said it very clearly this way. 75 00:05:11,320 --> 00:05:17,000 Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or 76 00:05:17,000 --> 00:05:24,040 absent, to be pleasing to him, Paul says. 77 00:05:24,040 --> 00:05:30,160 I have one ambition, I have one drive, I have one passion. 78 00:05:31,440 --> 00:05:37,640 I am completely devoted to doing one thing and that is pleasing 79 00:05:39,040 --> 00:05:42,840 the Lord. You see, you are either going to 80 00:05:42,840 --> 00:05:47,320 please the Lord or you're going to please yourself. 81 00:05:49,080 --> 00:05:53,720 It's very clear that in Romans chapter one that those whom the 82 00:05:53,720 --> 00:05:57,920 wrath of God is poured out upon are those who want to please 83 00:05:58,120 --> 00:06:00,640 themselves. They want to worship the 84 00:06:00,640 --> 00:06:03,720 creature rather than worship the Creator. 85 00:06:04,320 --> 00:06:08,120 And God pours out His wrath upon those people. 86 00:06:09,520 --> 00:06:13,000 Paul would say it this way in the book of Ephesians, Ephesians 87 00:06:13,280 --> 00:06:17,080 chapter 5. He would say this, let no one 88 00:06:17,080 --> 00:06:19,600 deceive you, verse number six with empty words. 89 00:06:19,600 --> 00:06:23,440 For because of these things, the wrath of God comes upon the sons 90 00:06:23,440 --> 00:06:26,560 of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers 91 00:06:26,560 --> 00:06:28,680 with them. For you were formerly darkness, 92 00:06:28,680 --> 00:06:30,400 but now you are light in the Lord. 93 00:06:30,640 --> 00:06:34,240 Walk as children of light. For the fruit of the light 94 00:06:34,240 --> 00:06:36,760 consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth. 95 00:06:37,640 --> 00:06:43,120 Trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. 96 00:06:44,160 --> 00:06:48,120 Paul says, Seek to please the Lord. 97 00:06:48,560 --> 00:06:54,760 Walk as children of the light live in a way that honors and 98 00:06:54,760 --> 00:07:00,800 glorifies the name of the Lord. You were created for this 99 00:07:00,800 --> 00:07:05,280 purpose. Revelation chapter 4 verse #11 100 00:07:05,600 --> 00:07:12,120 All things were created for His desire or for His pleasure. 101 00:07:13,320 --> 00:07:16,320 Everything was created for the pleasure of God. 102 00:07:17,160 --> 00:07:22,400 Therefore, His creation is designed to please their God. 103 00:07:23,240 --> 00:07:27,880 Those who don't experience the wrath of God. 104 00:07:28,760 --> 00:07:34,120 When you seek to please yourself, it is foreign to the 105 00:07:34,120 --> 00:07:38,880 original purpose for which you were created. 106 00:07:39,840 --> 00:07:43,480 The Bible says in Psalm 115, verse #3 that the Lord is in the 107 00:07:43,480 --> 00:07:47,160 heavens. He does whatever He pleases. 108 00:07:48,040 --> 00:07:52,440 In Psalm 135 it says this in verse #5 For I know that the 109 00:07:52,440 --> 00:07:55,560 Lord is great, and that our Lord is above all gods. 110 00:07:55,560 --> 00:08:02,160 Whatever the Lord pleases, He does in heaven and in earth, in 111 00:08:02,160 --> 00:08:10,720 the seas, and in all the deep. Interesting that Jesus said in 112 00:08:10,720 --> 00:08:18,240 John chapter 8 verse #29 I always do those things that are 113 00:08:18,240 --> 00:08:26,280 pleasing to the Father. Our Lord's devotion was seen in 114 00:08:26,280 --> 00:08:31,960 that statement. I always do those things that 115 00:08:31,960 --> 00:08:37,919 are pleasing to the Father for us to be like Christ. 116 00:08:38,640 --> 00:08:44,480 We then too want to do all things that are pleasing to the 117 00:08:44,480 --> 00:08:47,240 Father. That was our Lord's ambition. 118 00:08:47,440 --> 00:08:50,840 That was our Lord's devotion. That was Paul's ambition. 119 00:08:51,000 --> 00:08:54,280 That was Paul's devotion. That should be the devotion of 120 00:08:54,280 --> 00:08:59,840 every single believer. They want to please the Lord 121 00:09:00,560 --> 00:09:07,920 over in Romans chapter 15, Romans chapter 15, the apostle 122 00:09:07,920 --> 00:09:17,360 Paul says these words in verse #1 He says now we who are strong 123 00:09:17,560 --> 00:09:22,040 ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not 124 00:09:22,040 --> 00:09:28,600 just please ourselves. Each of us is to please his 125 00:09:28,600 --> 00:09:35,800 neighbor for his good, to his edification, for even Christ did 126 00:09:35,800 --> 00:09:39,920 not please himself. But as it is written, the 127 00:09:39,920 --> 00:09:44,640 reproaches of those who reproached you fell upon me. 128 00:09:45,480 --> 00:09:49,480 Paul says, If you want to be like Christ, then you need to 129 00:09:49,480 --> 00:09:52,120 understand that Christ did not please himself. 130 00:09:53,200 --> 00:09:56,200 No, He sought to please his Father. 131 00:09:57,240 --> 00:10:02,240 Therefore you were looking out for the welfare of others, for 132 00:10:02,240 --> 00:10:05,080 those who want to please themselves. 133 00:10:05,920 --> 00:10:08,080 I'm not looking out for the welfare of others. 134 00:10:08,800 --> 00:10:10,400 They're looking out for their own welfare. 135 00:10:11,320 --> 00:10:15,040 But Christ wasn't that way. And so in order to be like 136 00:10:15,040 --> 00:10:19,240 Christ, then you want to please the Lord. 137 00:10:20,120 --> 00:10:26,120 Paul said in Galatians chapter one verse #10 these words. 138 00:10:27,080 --> 00:10:29,880 For I am now seeking the favor of men or of God. 139 00:10:30,760 --> 00:10:35,520 Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please 140 00:10:35,520 --> 00:10:42,320 men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ, Paul 141 00:10:42,320 --> 00:10:47,360 said. If I seek to please man, I cease 142 00:10:47,360 --> 00:10:52,320 to be a bondservant of Christ. In other words, a bondservant 143 00:10:52,360 --> 00:10:57,160 seeks to please his master. So if I seek to please men, I 144 00:10:57,160 --> 00:11:02,560 cease to find the favor of God or I cease to please God. 145 00:11:04,040 --> 00:11:09,200 Now this is hard for us because we are narcissistic at nature. 146 00:11:10,360 --> 00:11:15,000 Everything in our lives revolves around us, or so we think it 147 00:11:15,000 --> 00:11:18,240 does. Or we want it too, right? 148 00:11:18,880 --> 00:11:22,640 We want it to revolve around us. We want people to please us. 149 00:11:23,480 --> 00:11:27,440 And we are more men pleasers than we are God pleasers. 150 00:11:28,240 --> 00:11:32,160 Just ask yourself how you converse with other people so 151 00:11:32,160 --> 00:11:36,120 that they like you and not confront them when they live in 152 00:11:36,120 --> 00:11:38,560 sin. That would make you a man 153 00:11:38,560 --> 00:11:43,840 pleaser, not a God pleaser. And if you're going to live out 154 00:11:43,840 --> 00:11:48,200 your devotion, you are devoted to pleasing God above all else. 155 00:11:49,320 --> 00:11:54,440 That's so incredibly important. Over in Colossians chapter 3, 156 00:11:54,880 --> 00:12:00,480 Paul says these words verse #22 slaves and all things. 157 00:12:00,480 --> 00:12:05,000 Obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external 158 00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:09,280 service as those who merely please men, but with sincerity 159 00:12:09,280 --> 00:12:12,680 of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, do you work 160 00:12:12,680 --> 00:12:18,480 hardly As for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from 161 00:12:18,480 --> 00:12:22,720 the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance is the 162 00:12:22,720 --> 00:12:27,440 Lord Christ whom you serve. So whatever you do, you, you 163 00:12:27,440 --> 00:12:31,360 seek to please the Lord. The apostle Paul knew this. 164 00:12:31,960 --> 00:12:38,040 So in Second Corinthians chapter 5, after he says in verse #9 165 00:12:38,600 --> 00:12:42,520 that it is his ambition to please God, he says in verse #10 166 00:12:42,640 --> 00:12:46,360 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ so 167 00:12:46,360 --> 00:12:50,600 that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body 168 00:12:51,160 --> 00:12:55,560 according to what he has done, whether good or bad. 169 00:12:56,720 --> 00:13:00,120 Poemics are very clear that the reason I please the Lord is 170 00:13:00,120 --> 00:13:03,760 because one day I will stand before my Lord. 171 00:13:04,560 --> 00:13:08,360 I will be judged before my Lord. And this is not a judgment of 172 00:13:08,360 --> 00:13:11,000 condemnation. This is not the Great White 173 00:13:11,000 --> 00:13:15,200 Throne judgment of Revelation chapter 20, that that's a 174 00:13:15,200 --> 00:13:19,720 judgment for unbelievers, not for believers. 175 00:13:20,280 --> 00:13:24,960 This judgment is only for believers and this judgment is 176 00:13:25,040 --> 00:13:29,960 is what they call a a Bema seat. And the Bema seat was a raised 177 00:13:29,960 --> 00:13:34,680 platform where those who who were winners of their athletic 178 00:13:34,680 --> 00:13:39,040 contest would stand upon and receive a wreath for their 179 00:13:39,520 --> 00:13:42,480 victory. Paul is talking about the 180 00:13:42,480 --> 00:13:47,080 judgment seat of Christ being that platform by which believers 181 00:13:47,080 --> 00:13:54,040 step up on and receive their crowns, and at that time they 182 00:13:54,040 --> 00:13:56,160 will receive that which is done on their body, whether it be 183 00:13:56,160 --> 00:14:00,200 good or whether it be bad or whether it be evil. 184 00:14:00,200 --> 00:14:04,960 That's not the word, for it's not the word Ponte, Ross or 185 00:14:05,960 --> 00:14:11,200 kakia which deals with evil, but it's the word phallos which 186 00:14:11,200 --> 00:14:15,480 deals with worthless or useless. In other words, the things that 187 00:14:15,480 --> 00:14:19,360 you do based on the motive for pleasing God are those things 188 00:14:19,360 --> 00:14:22,800 that are good, those that were based on the motive for pleasing 189 00:14:22,960 --> 00:14:26,280 myself. Those things are useless and 190 00:14:26,280 --> 00:14:31,080 they are burned up, and they are not attributed to whatever it is 191 00:14:31,080 --> 00:14:33,160 you have done. What you think in the name of 192 00:14:33,160 --> 00:14:35,440 Christ is because your motive was wrong. 193 00:14:35,560 --> 00:14:38,120 Your motive was to please yourself, and God is the one who 194 00:14:38,120 --> 00:14:41,480 weighs the heart. God knows those things, so God 195 00:14:41,480 --> 00:14:46,360 will judge you based on the motive of your heart as to why 196 00:14:46,360 --> 00:14:48,400 you did what you did. That's why Paul says I make it 197 00:14:48,400 --> 00:14:51,560 my ambition. This is my soul devotion to 198 00:14:51,560 --> 00:14:55,760 please the Lord, please the Lord and how I speak, please the Lord 199 00:14:55,760 --> 00:14:58,440 and what I do, please the Lord above men. 200 00:15:00,320 --> 00:15:05,480 The Bible says these words in the book of Hebrews chapter 13 201 00:15:05,960 --> 00:15:12,200 verse #20 Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the 202 00:15:12,200 --> 00:15:15,080 great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the eternal 203 00:15:15,080 --> 00:15:20,320 covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you and every good thing 204 00:15:20,600 --> 00:15:26,960 to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His 205 00:15:26,960 --> 00:15:30,840 sight through Jesus Christ, through whom be the glory 206 00:15:30,840 --> 00:15:34,000 forever and ever. Amen. 207 00:15:34,720 --> 00:15:37,960 The right of Hebrews makes it very clear that God is working 208 00:15:37,960 --> 00:15:42,320 in you, the Good Shepherd is working in you to equip you, to 209 00:15:42,320 --> 00:15:47,000 put you together so that you will do those things that are 210 00:15:47,000 --> 00:15:54,200 pleasing to the Lord. Solomon said in Proverbs 16 211 00:15:54,200 --> 00:16:00,680 verse #7 When a man's ways please the Lord, he makes even 212 00:16:00,680 --> 00:16:03,840 his enemies to be at peace with him. 213 00:16:05,080 --> 00:16:06,880 That's just an incredible statement. 214 00:16:07,520 --> 00:16:12,240 When a man's ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies 215 00:16:12,240 --> 00:16:17,440 to be at peace with him. Years ago, it must have been at 216 00:16:17,440 --> 00:16:21,240 least 20 years ago now, I was talking to an individual who had 217 00:16:21,240 --> 00:16:26,400 come to see me about his marriage, and he came to me and 218 00:16:26,400 --> 00:16:29,600 poured out his heart. He says I need to leave my wife, 219 00:16:29,600 --> 00:16:33,520 I can't be with her anymore. I can't stand to be around her. 220 00:16:34,160 --> 00:16:36,520 I said, why can't you stand to be around your wife? 221 00:16:37,520 --> 00:16:41,080 He goes. She is the most critical person 222 00:16:41,240 --> 00:16:43,960 I've ever met. She has to support me in 223 00:16:43,960 --> 00:16:47,800 anything. In fact, I really believe that 224 00:16:47,800 --> 00:16:54,240 she is my biggest enemy, therefore I need to leave her. 225 00:16:56,000 --> 00:16:59,360 I said I got good news, he says you got good news. 226 00:16:59,360 --> 00:17:02,440 I said I got good, I got great news, he says. 227 00:17:02,440 --> 00:17:06,240 What's the good news? I said, Well, by your own words 228 00:17:06,280 --> 00:17:10,920 you said she was your enemy, and the Bible says you are to love 229 00:17:10,920 --> 00:17:15,359 your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. 230 00:17:15,359 --> 00:17:19,079 On top of that, you can do that because Romans 55 says that the 231 00:17:19,079 --> 00:17:20,960 love of God is shed abroad in your heart. 232 00:17:21,520 --> 00:17:24,240 In other words, the love of God is everywhere already in your 233 00:17:24,240 --> 00:17:28,079 heart. And Galatians chapter 5, verse 234 00:17:28,079 --> 00:17:31,400 23 says the fruit of the Spirit is love. 235 00:17:32,640 --> 00:17:36,480 So here's the good news. You can love your wife who is 236 00:17:36,480 --> 00:17:39,160 your enemy, because the love of God is shed abroad in your 237 00:17:39,160 --> 00:17:40,920 heart. And the fruit of the Spirit is 238 00:17:40,920 --> 00:17:42,320 love. And the Spirit of God is going 239 00:17:42,320 --> 00:17:45,480 to produce love in you that you might reach out and volitionally 240 00:17:45,640 --> 00:17:48,960 love your wife as Christ. Love the church. 241 00:17:50,040 --> 00:17:54,160 He goes, that's not good news. I said that's great news. 242 00:17:54,600 --> 00:17:57,480 I said, what do you mean? That's the best news ever? 243 00:17:57,840 --> 00:18:00,640 See, you can do this. You're telling me you can't. 244 00:18:00,720 --> 00:18:03,360 I'm telling you, you can. Why? 245 00:18:03,520 --> 00:18:07,080 Because of what God has done. And when you when you listen, 246 00:18:07,800 --> 00:18:14,280 when a man's ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies 247 00:18:15,080 --> 00:18:18,800 to be at peace with him. If your wife truly is your 248 00:18:18,800 --> 00:18:21,080 enemy, don't you want your wife to be at peace with you? 249 00:18:22,280 --> 00:18:25,600 If that's the case, then your ways must please the Lord. 250 00:18:26,920 --> 00:18:28,680 And how do you know you're going to please the Lord? 251 00:18:28,840 --> 00:18:32,680 By loving your wife as Christ loved the church, by nurturing 252 00:18:32,680 --> 00:18:35,680 her, by protecting her, by caring for her. 253 00:18:35,880 --> 00:18:39,280 This is a great opportunity for you to demonstrate to your wife 254 00:18:39,520 --> 00:18:43,280 who Jesus Christ is. This is great counsel. 255 00:18:45,160 --> 00:18:47,960 He didn't accept the counsel. Unfortunately, he didn't want to 256 00:18:47,960 --> 00:18:50,320 do that. He thought it was beyond him. 257 00:18:50,320 --> 00:18:53,400 I tried to help him understand that it wasn't beyond him 258 00:18:53,680 --> 00:18:59,040 because God is working in Him so that He can please the Lord 259 00:18:59,160 --> 00:19:04,000 Jesus Christ. You see, so many times we forget 260 00:19:04,160 --> 00:19:09,640 that we have a we have a responsibility to honor and 261 00:19:09,640 --> 00:19:13,440 glorify the name of Christ, to be pleasing to Him. 262 00:19:14,720 --> 00:19:19,600 But the problem is, the problem is, as Paul says in Second 263 00:19:19,600 --> 00:19:24,440 Timothy chapter 3 verse #2 that in the end times, men will be 264 00:19:24,440 --> 00:19:30,080 lovers of self and lovers of pleasure more than lovers of 265 00:19:30,080 --> 00:19:33,160 God. And that's very true. 266 00:19:34,680 --> 00:19:40,800 We, we really do love ourselves, so much so that we don't 267 00:19:40,840 --> 00:19:44,880 necessarily want to love other people, and we certainly don't 268 00:19:44,880 --> 00:19:48,520 want to please the Lord because we're too busy trying to please 269 00:19:49,240 --> 00:19:53,520 ourselves. Solomon was this way, right? 270 00:19:55,040 --> 00:19:56,960 We read for you a couple of weeks ago from Ecclesiastes 271 00:19:56,960 --> 00:19:59,960 chapter 2, where Stalin said I'm going to do this for myself, I'm 272 00:19:59,960 --> 00:20:03,120 going to do this for myself, I'm going to do this for myself and 273 00:20:03,200 --> 00:20:05,840 enlist all these things he did just for himself. 274 00:20:07,880 --> 00:20:10,840 It was all empty. It was all futile. 275 00:20:12,000 --> 00:20:14,280 But but why did, why did he do that? 276 00:20:15,320 --> 00:20:21,240 Well, the answer lies in the Book of Second Kings Chapter 11, 277 00:20:22,320 --> 00:20:25,800 which says these words. Now King Solomon loved many 278 00:20:25,800 --> 00:20:29,760 foreign women, along with the daughters of Pharaoh, Moabite, 279 00:20:29,880 --> 00:20:35,160 Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite, women from the nations 280 00:20:35,160 --> 00:20:37,880 concerning which the Lord had said to the sons of Israel, You 281 00:20:37,880 --> 00:20:41,600 shall not associate with them, nor shall they associate with 282 00:20:41,600 --> 00:20:45,520 you, for they will surely turn your heart away after their 283 00:20:45,520 --> 00:20:51,680 gods. Solomon held fast to these in 284 00:20:51,680 --> 00:21:00,440 love, in spite of what God said, He held fast to those he loved. 285 00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:07,720 And then it says he had 700 wives, princesses and 300 286 00:21:07,720 --> 00:21:12,400 concubines, and his wives turned his heart away. 287 00:21:13,280 --> 00:21:16,800 For when Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart away 288 00:21:17,280 --> 00:21:26,080 after other gods, and his heart was not holy, devoted to the 289 00:21:26,080 --> 00:21:30,360 Lord. His devotion was not to please 290 00:21:30,360 --> 00:21:34,000 the Lord. His devotion was to please 291 00:21:34,000 --> 00:21:38,400 himself. His devotion was all about him. 292 00:21:39,880 --> 00:21:43,160 He was devoted to doing whatever suited him best. 293 00:21:44,480 --> 00:21:48,920 Forget about what God said. Forget about what God commanded. 294 00:21:50,720 --> 00:21:56,880 He wanted to please himself, and Ecclesiastes 2 says he did not 295 00:21:56,880 --> 00:22:00,840 withhold one thing that would bring pleasure to himself. 296 00:22:01,640 --> 00:22:05,360 Not one. He found out it was all futile, 297 00:22:05,440 --> 00:22:10,080 it was all empty, but his heart was turned away. 298 00:22:11,520 --> 00:22:17,960 It says his heart was not wholly devoted to the Lord his God, as 299 00:22:17,960 --> 00:22:20,880 the heart of David his father had been. 300 00:22:22,480 --> 00:22:24,480 David's heart was devoted to his God. 301 00:22:26,480 --> 00:22:30,840 Solomon's heart was not. For Solomon went after Astaroth, 302 00:22:30,840 --> 00:22:34,080 the goddess of the Sedonians, and after Milkham, the 303 00:22:34,080 --> 00:22:35,680 detestable idol of the Ammonites. 304 00:22:36,360 --> 00:22:39,880 Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and did not 305 00:22:39,880 --> 00:22:42,800 follow the Lord fully, as David his father had done. 306 00:22:43,880 --> 00:22:48,080 Then Solomon built high a high place for Chemish, the 307 00:22:48,080 --> 00:22:51,200 detestable idol of Moab on the mountain which is east of 308 00:22:51,200 --> 00:22:55,400 Jerusalem, and for Molech, the detestable idol of the sons of 309 00:22:55,400 --> 00:22:58,480 Ammon. Thus also he did for all his 310 00:22:58,480 --> 00:23:03,120 foreign wives, and burned incense, and sacrificed to their 311 00:23:03,120 --> 00:23:06,040 gods. Now the Lord was angry with 312 00:23:06,040 --> 00:23:10,360 Solomon, because his heart was turned away from the Lord, the 313 00:23:10,360 --> 00:23:12,240 God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice. 314 00:23:12,960 --> 00:23:15,520 And it commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not 315 00:23:15,520 --> 00:23:19,720 go after other gods. But he did not observe what the 316 00:23:19,720 --> 00:23:22,560 Lord had commanded. So the Lord said to Solomon, 317 00:23:22,560 --> 00:23:26,680 because you have done this and you have not kept my covenant in 318 00:23:26,680 --> 00:23:31,640 my statutes which I've commanded you, I will surely tear the 319 00:23:31,640 --> 00:23:37,000 Kingdom from you and will give it to your servant. 320 00:23:38,120 --> 00:23:45,080 Here's the king of Israel whose devotion was not to God but to 321 00:23:45,080 --> 00:23:49,280 his own self, and it ended up dividing the Kingdom of Israel. 322 00:23:51,520 --> 00:23:53,480 God didn't do it till after Solomon died. 323 00:23:53,480 --> 00:23:58,360 God was gracious to Solomon for 40 years has he reigned as king. 324 00:23:59,640 --> 00:24:03,440 There was no wars in Israel. Complete and total peace. 325 00:24:04,840 --> 00:24:07,760 God bless them because of his father David. 326 00:24:07,760 --> 00:24:14,680 But yet when he died, the Kingdom was divided simply 327 00:24:14,680 --> 00:24:22,440 because he was not devoted fully to the Lord is God. 328 00:24:24,720 --> 00:24:29,040 You see, whatever you're devoted to, you love, right? 329 00:24:30,280 --> 00:24:31,680 Whatever you're devoted to, you love. 330 00:24:32,600 --> 00:24:36,320 That's why you, you, you need to stay true to the Lord. 331 00:24:38,320 --> 00:24:41,640 And so if you love your wife, you're you're, you're devoted to 332 00:24:41,640 --> 00:24:43,000 your wife. If you love your kids, you're 333 00:24:43,000 --> 00:24:45,800 devoted to your kids. If you're devoted to the Lord, 334 00:24:46,480 --> 00:24:48,280 if you love the Lord, you're devoted to the Lord. 335 00:24:49,760 --> 00:24:53,640 See our our devotion wanes because of our of our love for 336 00:24:53,640 --> 00:24:56,120 God. That wanes. 337 00:24:57,320 --> 00:25:00,840 And therefore we need to realize that the Christian is known by 338 00:25:00,840 --> 00:25:05,720 his devotion. He wants to please the Lord. 339 00:25:07,440 --> 00:25:10,320 For those of you who love your wives, which I trust all of you 340 00:25:10,320 --> 00:25:13,520 do, you want to please your wife. 341 00:25:15,280 --> 00:25:18,800 Those of you who who love your children, you want to please 342 00:25:18,800 --> 00:25:20,800 your children. Children want love their wives. 343 00:25:20,960 --> 00:25:23,440 Excuse me, Children who love their parents, that they want to 344 00:25:23,440 --> 00:25:27,840 please their parents, right? If you love your parents, you 345 00:25:27,840 --> 00:25:31,000 don't want to displease them. And if you love your wife, you 346 00:25:31,000 --> 00:25:35,960 don't want to displease her. If you love the Lord, you don't 347 00:25:35,960 --> 00:25:39,480 want to displease them, you want to please them. 348 00:25:41,600 --> 00:25:43,240 So the question comes, how do you please the Lord? 349 00:25:44,200 --> 00:25:49,560 Simple question, very simply answered in the scriptures. 350 00:25:50,680 --> 00:25:53,400 Let me answer it for you. You want to please the Lord. 351 00:25:54,440 --> 00:25:59,600 Those who please the Lord please him by proclaiming the message 352 00:26:00,520 --> 00:26:05,160 of the cross. You please him by proclaiming 353 00:26:05,960 --> 00:26:12,080 the message of the cross. Listen to what Paul says in 354 00:26:12,080 --> 00:26:15,800 First Corinthians chapter one verse #18 For the word of the 355 00:26:16,000 --> 00:26:19,360 cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who 356 00:26:19,360 --> 00:26:22,120 are being saved, that is the power of God. 357 00:26:22,640 --> 00:26:26,240 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise 358 00:26:26,480 --> 00:26:28,240 and the cleverness of the clever. 359 00:26:28,400 --> 00:26:31,400 I will set aside, Where is the wise man? 360 00:26:31,480 --> 00:26:34,880 Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this 361 00:26:34,880 --> 00:26:37,920 age? Has not God made foolish the 362 00:26:37,920 --> 00:26:40,720 wisdom of the world? For a sense in the wisdom of 363 00:26:40,720 --> 00:26:43,000 God? The world through its wisdom did 364 00:26:43,000 --> 00:26:48,760 not come to know God. God was well pleased through the 365 00:26:48,760 --> 00:26:53,640 foolishness of the message preached to save those who 366 00:26:53,640 --> 00:26:57,520 believe. When you proclaim the message of 367 00:26:57,520 --> 00:27:02,920 the cross, you please the Lord, because he was well pleased 368 00:27:03,760 --> 00:27:07,960 through the message that the world calls foolishness to bring 369 00:27:07,960 --> 00:27:09,840 about the salvation of lost souls. 370 00:27:11,040 --> 00:27:16,720 It's interesting that Paul would quote from the book of Isaiah as 371 00:27:16,720 --> 00:27:18,560 an illustration about the power of God. 372 00:27:20,440 --> 00:27:24,440 Once the Nekireb would come with the Assyrian army against Judah, 373 00:27:26,280 --> 00:27:33,240 Hezekiah would want to revert to the ways of wisdom, the counsel 374 00:27:33,240 --> 00:27:36,120 that he would receive from those in leadership. 375 00:27:37,720 --> 00:27:43,400 And God said, don't do that. Trust me, I am the all powerful 376 00:27:43,400 --> 00:27:49,760 God, I will deliver you, but you got to trust me and God did. 377 00:27:50,880 --> 00:27:56,880 The Angel of the Lord came and one foul swoop killed 185,000 378 00:27:56,880 --> 00:28:00,680 Assyrians. And God made it very clear that 379 00:28:00,680 --> 00:28:05,840 your victory comes through me and my power, not through you 380 00:28:05,840 --> 00:28:10,160 and worldly wisdom. Paul uses that as an 381 00:28:10,160 --> 00:28:11,560 illustration to say, you know what? 382 00:28:12,240 --> 00:28:17,520 God's gospel is powerful. The message of the cross is 383 00:28:17,520 --> 00:28:20,040 powerful. Just preach. 384 00:28:20,200 --> 00:28:26,040 That message you're preaching does not make the message 385 00:28:26,040 --> 00:28:30,520 powerful. The message of the cross is 386 00:28:30,520 --> 00:28:35,040 powerful in and of itself. You don't make it powerful. 387 00:28:36,920 --> 00:28:40,320 God made it powerful. That's why Paul said, For I am 388 00:28:40,320 --> 00:28:43,400 not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of 389 00:28:43,400 --> 00:28:47,400 God unto salvation to the Jew 1st and also to the Greeks. 390 00:28:47,920 --> 00:28:49,480 Paul says I'm not ashamed of the gospel. 391 00:28:49,920 --> 00:28:51,760 Why? Because the gospel has the power 392 00:28:51,880 --> 00:28:57,320 in and of itself to save men. You being filled with the Spirit 393 00:28:57,320 --> 00:29:00,040 don't make the gospel any more powerful than it is. 394 00:29:01,200 --> 00:29:05,400 It's powerful in and of itself. It's powerful not to save 395 00:29:05,400 --> 00:29:08,320 people. That's why it's well pleasing to 396 00:29:08,320 --> 00:29:13,040 the Lord when you proclaim the message of the cross. 397 00:29:14,280 --> 00:29:16,240 But the cross is foolishness to the unbeliever. 398 00:29:17,760 --> 00:29:19,280 It's a stumbling block to the Jew. 399 00:29:20,800 --> 00:29:24,560 Remember in that encounter that Christ had with Peter and the 400 00:29:24,560 --> 00:29:28,880 apostles in Matthew chapter 16, when the great confession was 401 00:29:28,880 --> 00:29:31,680 made, that great declaration now with the Christ, the Son of the 402 00:29:31,680 --> 00:29:35,520 living God, when Christ said, Who do men say that I am? 403 00:29:36,320 --> 00:29:39,200 Who do you say that I am? And then Christ said something 404 00:29:39,200 --> 00:29:41,960 very interesting. He said, don't tell them what 405 00:29:41,960 --> 00:29:46,080 you just said. Instead, tell them this. 406 00:29:48,320 --> 00:29:52,600 Tell them that the Son of Man must go to Jerusalem, suffer 407 00:29:52,600 --> 00:29:56,120 many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, be 408 00:29:56,120 --> 00:29:59,360 killed, and be raised up on the third day. 409 00:30:01,160 --> 00:30:05,120 Don't tell them that the Messiah is the Son of the living God. 410 00:30:05,480 --> 00:30:10,360 Tell them that the Messiah is going to die and rise again. 411 00:30:11,520 --> 00:30:15,280 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying God 412 00:30:15,280 --> 00:30:17,000 forbid. Why? 413 00:30:17,360 --> 00:30:23,600 Because the message of the cross is foolishness to the Jew, and 414 00:30:23,600 --> 00:30:26,600 the Bible says cursed as everyone who hangs upon a cross. 415 00:30:26,800 --> 00:30:30,040 Peter knows that. So why would you take upon 416 00:30:30,040 --> 00:30:35,480 yourself a curse and die and rise again? 417 00:30:36,480 --> 00:30:39,680 The Christ says this is what you need to proclaim freely for all 418 00:30:39,680 --> 00:30:42,920 to hear, because that's the message. 419 00:30:43,800 --> 00:30:48,320 That's foolishness to the world, but is the power of salvation to 420 00:30:48,320 --> 00:30:51,920 men. And Peter only had in mind the 421 00:30:51,920 --> 00:30:54,400 things of man. That's why Christ said, get thee 422 00:30:54,400 --> 00:30:58,320 behind me, Satan. Peter was being used by Satan to 423 00:30:58,320 --> 00:31:03,600 detract Christ from the mission of the cross because the cross 424 00:31:03,600 --> 00:31:06,040 is central to the mission of Christianity. 425 00:31:06,040 --> 00:31:08,680 And we'll talk more about this in weeks to come. 426 00:31:09,400 --> 00:31:13,320 But when you proclaim the message of the cross, it is 427 00:31:13,320 --> 00:31:16,720 pleasing to the Lord. So if you want to please Him, 428 00:31:17,680 --> 00:31:19,600 you proclaim the message of the cross. 429 00:31:21,040 --> 00:31:23,600 Not only proclaiming the message of the cross is pleasing to the 430 00:31:23,600 --> 00:31:27,080 Lord, but living a life of faith is pleasing to the Lord. 431 00:31:28,080 --> 00:31:31,640 Living a life of faith. Hebrews 11 verse #6 For without 432 00:31:31,640 --> 00:31:35,560 faith it is impossible to please Him. 433 00:31:36,320 --> 00:31:39,640 Impossible. So in order to please the Lord, 434 00:31:39,760 --> 00:31:41,760 you must be living a life of faith. 435 00:31:41,760 --> 00:31:44,520 What is faith? Faith is defined by two words, 436 00:31:44,520 --> 00:31:47,680 trusting, obedience. That's what faith is. 437 00:31:48,280 --> 00:31:51,120 Faith is, if you recall our study in Hebrews Chapter 11, 438 00:31:51,600 --> 00:31:56,720 where we spent 17 weeks in Hebrews Chapter 11, that faith 439 00:31:56,720 --> 00:32:02,320 is believing absolutely in what God said, and faith is behaving 440 00:32:02,320 --> 00:32:07,520 accordingly to what God said. That is trusting obedience. 441 00:32:08,360 --> 00:32:13,240 It behaves absolutely or believes absolutely in 442 00:32:13,240 --> 00:32:18,400 everything that God said without reservation and then behaves 443 00:32:18,400 --> 00:32:21,360 accordingly to what God said. That's faith. 444 00:32:21,480 --> 00:32:26,160 That's living the life of faith. That's why it says in Hebrews 445 00:32:26,160 --> 00:32:31,040 11/5 about Enoch that Enoch had this testimony that he walked 446 00:32:31,040 --> 00:32:34,760 with God and was well pleasing to God and God took him. 447 00:32:35,520 --> 00:32:38,680 Enoch was well pleasing to God. Why? 448 00:32:39,320 --> 00:32:41,160 Because he lived a life of faith. 449 00:32:42,280 --> 00:32:46,200 And therefore, in order to please God, you must live a life 450 00:32:46,200 --> 00:32:49,040 of faith. And remember, Enoch was 65 years 451 00:32:49,040 --> 00:32:52,120 old, according to Justice chapter 5, when he began to walk 452 00:32:52,120 --> 00:32:57,720 with God. He died at age 365 S. 453 00:32:57,720 --> 00:33:05,480 For 300 years, Enoch had this testimony that he pleased God. 454 00:33:06,720 --> 00:33:08,880 That was a man of supreme devotion. 455 00:33:09,840 --> 00:33:14,560 He wanted to please his God. So the writer of Hebrews comes 456 00:33:14,560 --> 00:33:17,720 around and says, listen, without this kind of faith it's 457 00:33:17,720 --> 00:33:22,440 impossible to please God. For he who comes to God must 458 00:33:22,440 --> 00:33:25,400 believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of those who 459 00:33:25,400 --> 00:33:30,000 diligently seek him. Faith not only costs you, but 460 00:33:30,000 --> 00:33:35,640 faith always compensates you. It rewards those who diligently 461 00:33:35,640 --> 00:33:39,920 seek him. So in order to please the Lord, 462 00:33:39,920 --> 00:33:41,800 you must proclaim the message of the cross. 463 00:33:42,800 --> 00:33:49,320 You must live a life of faith, that is believing in what God 464 00:33:49,320 --> 00:33:54,000 has said, looking at His Word, trusting what He says is true, 465 00:33:55,000 --> 00:33:59,440 and saying, Lord, you said it, it's true. 466 00:34:00,560 --> 00:34:05,400 I'm going to follow it no matter what others might think, what 467 00:34:05,400 --> 00:34:08,719 others might say. Lord, I'm going to do what your 468 00:34:08,719 --> 00:34:13,320 word says because I'm going to live a life of trusting 469 00:34:13,400 --> 00:34:20,560 obedience in the living God #3 Faith is proclaiming the message 470 00:34:20,560 --> 00:34:25,000 of the cross, living the life of faith, and exalting Jesus Christ 471 00:34:25,000 --> 00:34:31,480 the Son of God. When you exalt Christ, the Son 472 00:34:31,480 --> 00:34:37,480 of God, when you lift Christ high, when you acknowledge His 473 00:34:37,480 --> 00:34:44,600 glory, when you acknowledge the fact that He is to be magnified 474 00:34:44,760 --> 00:34:51,480 in through your life, that is, He used to be seen so big in 475 00:34:51,480 --> 00:34:57,560 your life, you please the Lord. Matthew 3 verse #17 The Lord at 476 00:34:57,560 --> 00:35:01,320 the baptism, the voice out of heaven came. 477 00:35:01,320 --> 00:35:07,600 This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. 478 00:35:08,760 --> 00:35:14,040 Listen to what Paul says in Colossians chapter 1. 479 00:35:15,240 --> 00:35:20,000 Colossians chapter one verse #15 He is the image of the invisible 480 00:35:20,000 --> 00:35:21,880 God, the first born of all creation. 481 00:35:22,080 --> 00:35:24,960 For by Him all things were created both in the heavens and 482 00:35:24,960 --> 00:35:29,200 on earth, visible and invisible, with the Thrones of dominion or 483 00:35:29,200 --> 00:35:31,240 rulers or authorities. All things have been created 484 00:35:31,240 --> 00:35:34,680 through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in 485 00:35:34,680 --> 00:35:36,360 Him all things are held together. 486 00:35:36,680 --> 00:35:40,520 He is also head of the body of the Church, and He is the 487 00:35:40,520 --> 00:35:44,320 beginning, the first born from the dead, so that He Himself 488 00:35:44,720 --> 00:35:47,120 will come to have first place in everything. 489 00:35:47,840 --> 00:35:52,040 For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fullness to 490 00:35:52,040 --> 00:35:57,320 dwell in Him. It pleased the Father for the 491 00:35:57,320 --> 00:36:00,760 fullness of the Godhead to dwell in Him. 492 00:36:01,520 --> 00:36:05,000 He is preeminent, He is above all things. 493 00:36:05,160 --> 00:36:09,400 He's all powerful because He created all things, and 494 00:36:09,400 --> 00:36:12,600 therefore all the fullness of God dwells in Him. 495 00:36:12,600 --> 00:36:17,320 So whenever you exalt the Son, you are bringing pleasure to 496 00:36:17,320 --> 00:36:22,320 God, because that's the Son that brought pleasure to God. 497 00:36:23,080 --> 00:36:29,160 Therefore when you exalt the Son, you are pleasing the Lord. 498 00:36:29,600 --> 00:36:41,760 John 5 verse 23 says He, he who does not honor the Son, does not 499 00:36:41,760 --> 00:36:46,240 honor the Father who sent the Son. 500 00:36:47,280 --> 00:36:51,720 In other words, he who does not exalt the Son, he who does not 501 00:36:51,760 --> 00:36:58,920 glorify the Son, he who does not put the Son first, does not 502 00:36:58,920 --> 00:37:02,240 honor the Father who sent the Son. 503 00:37:03,360 --> 00:37:07,680 And therefore, in order to be well pleasing to the Lord, you 504 00:37:07,720 --> 00:37:12,720 honor the Son of God. So proclaiming the message of 505 00:37:12,720 --> 00:37:16,160 the cross, living the life of faith, exalting Jesus Christ the 506 00:37:16,160 --> 00:37:24,000 son #4 asking God for wisdom brings pleasure to God, asking 507 00:37:24,000 --> 00:37:27,800 God for wisdom. First kings three. 508 00:37:28,920 --> 00:37:33,520 God said to Solomon, Ask me anything that you want, and I 509 00:37:33,520 --> 00:37:37,880 will give it to you. And Solomon asks, Give your 510 00:37:37,880 --> 00:37:42,480 servant an understanding heart to judge your people, to discern 511 00:37:42,480 --> 00:37:46,800 between good and evil, for who was able to judge the great 512 00:37:46,800 --> 00:37:52,000 people of yours? Verse 10 It was pleasing in the 513 00:37:52,000 --> 00:37:58,160 sight of the Lord that Solomon had asked this thing. 514 00:37:59,080 --> 00:38:02,840 Solomon asked for wisdom in order to discern between good 515 00:38:02,840 --> 00:38:05,760 and evil, and it pleased the Lord. 516 00:38:06,440 --> 00:38:10,920 So when you go to the Lord and you ask for wisdom, it brings 517 00:38:10,920 --> 00:38:12,720 pleasure to Him. Why? 518 00:38:13,400 --> 00:38:17,400 Because you're not relying upon human wisdom, You're not relying 519 00:38:17,400 --> 00:38:22,600 upon your own understanding. You're relying upon the Lord who 520 00:38:22,600 --> 00:38:26,480 gives you wisdom. Over in the book of Colossians, 521 00:38:26,480 --> 00:38:31,480 the first chapter, Paul says this verse #9 for this reason 522 00:38:31,480 --> 00:38:34,240 also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray 523 00:38:34,240 --> 00:38:38,280 for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of 524 00:38:38,280 --> 00:38:42,440 His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding. 525 00:38:42,800 --> 00:38:46,240 Paul prays that they would be filled with spiritual wisdom so 526 00:38:46,240 --> 00:38:51,080 that you will walk in a manner worthy the Lord to please Him in 527 00:38:51,080 --> 00:38:53,600 all respects. In other words, we're asking God 528 00:38:53,600 --> 00:38:56,760 to fill you with all wisdom so that you can walk in a manner 529 00:38:56,840 --> 00:38:59,480 that is pleasing to the Lord. You can't please the Lord 530 00:38:59,480 --> 00:39:05,920 without wisdom, He says, Bearing fruit in every good work, 531 00:39:06,200 --> 00:39:09,760 increasing in the knowledge of God, strengthen with all power 532 00:39:09,760 --> 00:39:12,920 according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all 533 00:39:12,920 --> 00:39:16,360 steadfastness and patience, joyously giving thanks to the 534 00:39:16,360 --> 00:39:20,640 Father who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the 535 00:39:20,640 --> 00:39:24,240 Saints in light. In order to walk worthy of the 536 00:39:24,240 --> 00:39:27,720 Lord, those things must happen. In order to for that to happen, 537 00:39:27,880 --> 00:39:32,160 you must ask God for wisdom that comes, and it's pleasing to him. 538 00:39:32,440 --> 00:39:36,400 Therefore you begin to bear fruit because you are pleasing 539 00:39:36,400 --> 00:39:40,240 to the Lord. That's why James says, if any of 540 00:39:40,240 --> 00:39:47,120 you ask, ask wisdom, let him ask James one verse #5 and those of 541 00:39:47,120 --> 00:39:54,560 you ask, God gives generously. God gives without condemnation, 542 00:39:54,560 --> 00:39:58,560 without rebuke, so that you don't become a double minded 543 00:39:58,560 --> 00:40:04,240 man, but that you become a man singularly focused upon God. 544 00:40:05,440 --> 00:40:08,240 So if you lack wisdom, you ask for wisdom. 545 00:40:08,600 --> 00:40:11,120 Why? Because wisdom pleases God. 546 00:40:11,960 --> 00:40:15,920 Pleasing God means you proclaim the message of the cross, you 547 00:40:15,920 --> 00:40:20,040 live a life of faith, you exalt Jesus Christ's Son, you ask God 548 00:40:20,040 --> 00:40:29,080 for wisdom #5 you stay away. From sexual sin you should know 549 00:40:29,080 --> 00:40:33,680 this. First Thessalonians chapter 4. 550 00:40:34,200 --> 00:40:39,600 We spent many weeks here. Finally then, brethren, verse 551 00:40:39,600 --> 00:40:43,680 one, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus that as you 552 00:40:43,680 --> 00:40:46,440 receive from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and 553 00:40:46,440 --> 00:40:51,320 please God, just as you actually do walk, that you excel still 554 00:40:51,320 --> 00:40:54,000 more. For you know what commandments 555 00:40:54,000 --> 00:40:56,800 we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. 556 00:40:57,320 --> 00:41:01,760 For this is the will of God, your sanctification, that is 557 00:41:02,160 --> 00:41:05,840 that you abstain from sexual immorality. 558 00:41:07,240 --> 00:41:13,680 Paul says we want you to walk and please God. 559 00:41:15,240 --> 00:41:20,760 In order to walk a life that's pleasing to God, you must 560 00:41:20,760 --> 00:41:28,320 abstain from sexual immorality. So many people, so many people 561 00:41:29,840 --> 00:41:33,480 don't want to do that. Even in the church. 562 00:41:34,760 --> 00:41:37,080 They just don't want to abstain. Why? 563 00:41:38,280 --> 00:41:41,760 Because they're lovers of self rather than lovers of God. 564 00:41:43,120 --> 00:41:46,560 They're lovers of pleasure rather than they are lovers of 565 00:41:46,560 --> 00:41:50,040 God. Those who are devoted to the 566 00:41:50,040 --> 00:41:57,280 Lord want to please the Lord. Your devotion begins to wane 567 00:41:57,760 --> 00:42:00,000 when you engage in sexual immorality. 568 00:42:00,720 --> 00:42:03,720 Why? Because you find yourself 569 00:42:03,880 --> 00:42:07,040 willing to give in to those sensual desires we talked about 570 00:42:07,040 --> 00:42:11,840 last week that need to be put to death so that you can walk in a 571 00:42:11,840 --> 00:42:14,640 manner that's pleasing to the Lord. 572 00:42:15,840 --> 00:42:18,400 Staying away from sexual immorality is pleasing to God 573 00:42:20,440 --> 00:42:27,920 and look at Solomon's life. He just could not stay away. 700 574 00:42:27,920 --> 00:42:34,040 wives, 300 concubines. How do you celebrate an 575 00:42:34,040 --> 00:42:38,240 anniversary with 700 wives? How do you do that? 576 00:42:39,120 --> 00:42:43,760 There's not enough days in a year to celebrate an anniversary 577 00:42:43,760 --> 00:42:50,120 with all those wives, right? And so, but he could not forego 578 00:42:50,120 --> 00:42:56,120 his own pleasures, his own desires, and therefore his heart 579 00:42:56,120 --> 00:42:59,360 was turned away. He was not devoted to his God 580 00:42:59,360 --> 00:43:03,800 fully like his father David was. And he continued in sin. 581 00:43:04,640 --> 00:43:08,760 And of course, the book of Ecclesiastes is a record of his 582 00:43:08,760 --> 00:43:11,680 downfall. And so we need to realize that 583 00:43:11,800 --> 00:43:16,440 that in order to please God, you just stay away from sexual sin. 584 00:43:20,040 --> 00:43:23,000 Number six, you want to please God. 585 00:43:24,040 --> 00:43:27,400 Please pleasing God comes because you imitate the Christ. 586 00:43:29,360 --> 00:43:35,080 You imitate the Christ. John 829 we quoted to you 587 00:43:35,080 --> 00:43:42,280 earlier says, I always do those things that are pleasing to the 588 00:43:42,280 --> 00:43:47,400 Father. So in order for us to please the 589 00:43:47,400 --> 00:43:52,000 Lord, we imitate the Christ. We do what He did. 590 00:43:53,040 --> 00:43:58,520 We seek to please the Father because we want to imitate the 591 00:43:58,520 --> 00:44:02,320 Lord Jesus. How badly do you want to be like 592 00:44:02,320 --> 00:44:05,520 Christ? How badly do you want to walk 593 00:44:05,520 --> 00:44:07,680 like Christ? How badly do you want to be 594 00:44:07,680 --> 00:44:11,280 Christ like? In your behavior then, you seek 595 00:44:11,560 --> 00:44:17,520 to please the Father as the Son, please the Father. 596 00:44:18,760 --> 00:44:28,280 Over in first John chapter 3 verse 22, John says whatever we 597 00:44:28,280 --> 00:44:37,320 ask we receive from him because we keep His commandments and do 598 00:44:37,320 --> 00:44:42,000 the things that are pleasing in a sight. 599 00:44:44,040 --> 00:44:46,840 You want to know why you ask for things and do not receive them? 600 00:44:47,280 --> 00:44:49,480 It's because you do not do things that are pleasing in the 601 00:44:49,480 --> 00:44:52,720 sight. Paul says we know. 602 00:44:52,920 --> 00:44:54,280 John says we know them when we ask. 603 00:44:54,280 --> 00:44:57,880 We receive what we ask because we keep His commandments, and in 604 00:44:57,880 --> 00:45:00,040 keeping His commandments, we're doing those things that are 605 00:45:00,040 --> 00:45:04,000 pleasing in His sight. So whatever you're asking God 606 00:45:04,000 --> 00:45:06,920 for and you're not getting an answer to, ask yourself this 607 00:45:06,920 --> 00:45:09,440 question. Am I doing those things that are 608 00:45:09,440 --> 00:45:14,040 pleasing in the sight of God? Am I proclaiming the message of 609 00:45:14,040 --> 00:45:17,280 the cross? Am I living a life of faith? 610 00:45:17,520 --> 00:45:21,720 Am I exalting Jesus Christ, the Son above myself and everything 611 00:45:21,720 --> 00:45:23,960 else? Am I asking God for wisdom? 612 00:45:24,120 --> 00:45:26,440 Am I staying away from sexual sin? 613 00:45:26,640 --> 00:45:32,440 And am I imitating the Christ? Because if you are, you will 614 00:45:32,440 --> 00:45:35,960 always do those things that are pleasing to the Father. 615 00:45:37,640 --> 00:45:43,120 Now granted, Jesus Christ is the perfect Son of man. 616 00:45:44,040 --> 00:45:50,440 He is sinless and we are sinful. That's why last week's lesson 617 00:45:50,440 --> 00:45:54,240 was so important that we are constantly putting to death the 618 00:45:54,240 --> 00:45:57,600 members of our body. Why? 619 00:45:57,840 --> 00:46:00,280 Because it hinders us from pleasing the Lord. 620 00:46:01,440 --> 00:46:04,680 And that's why the Christian life is marked not by 621 00:46:05,160 --> 00:46:10,400 perfection, but by progression. Are we moving on toward maturity 622 00:46:10,400 --> 00:46:13,040 in Christ? Are we further along in our walk 623 00:46:13,040 --> 00:46:16,640 with the Lord now than we were yesterday and last week and last 624 00:46:16,640 --> 00:46:19,560 month and last year? That's the question that needs 625 00:46:19,560 --> 00:46:31,600 to be asked and answered #7 you. Please the Lord when you neglect 626 00:46:32,360 --> 00:46:38,880 not to share with others. Neglecting not to share with 627 00:46:38,880 --> 00:46:40,840 others. Had to have an N word there 628 00:46:40,840 --> 00:46:43,120 because I'm spelling the word pleasing. 629 00:46:43,760 --> 00:46:46,960 If you're taking notes, you know that if you're not taking notes, 630 00:46:47,640 --> 00:46:55,760 you're not spirit filled anyway. Neglecting not to share with 631 00:46:55,760 --> 00:47:01,920 others. Hebrews chapter 13 verse #16 Do 632 00:47:01,920 --> 00:47:07,680 not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such 633 00:47:07,680 --> 00:47:14,440 sacrifices God is pleased. What sacrifices? 634 00:47:15,760 --> 00:47:19,160 I told you on Sunday, I'll reiterate it this Sunday, that 635 00:47:19,160 --> 00:47:20,760 we are a priesthood of believers. 636 00:47:22,120 --> 00:47:27,960 Priests offer sacrifices. There are three sacrifices that 637 00:47:27,960 --> 00:47:35,720 all Christians offer #1 the sacrifice of their person. 638 00:47:36,640 --> 00:47:45,760 Romans 12 verse #2 We present our bodies a living sacrifice #2 639 00:47:47,040 --> 00:47:54,000 There is the sacrifice of praise, right? 640 00:47:54,520 --> 00:47:59,720 That's in verse number 15 or 14. If he was 13. 641 00:47:59,720 --> 00:48:01,280 We'll talk talk to you about that in a second. 642 00:48:02,080 --> 00:48:05,080 A sacrifice of praise. So there's a sacrifice of my 643 00:48:05,080 --> 00:48:08,000 person. There's a sacrifice of my 644 00:48:08,000 --> 00:48:10,800 praise. Are you ready for the next one? 645 00:48:12,480 --> 00:48:23,040 There's a sacrifice of my purse, my money, my goods, right? 646 00:48:24,160 --> 00:48:29,160 You can say it this way, the sacrifice of myself, the 647 00:48:29,160 --> 00:48:34,960 sacrifice of my song, the sacrifice of my substance, 648 00:48:36,400 --> 00:48:39,960 whatever words you want to use. There are three sacrifices that 649 00:48:39,960 --> 00:48:44,520 every Christian offers as a priest of the believers, and it 650 00:48:44,520 --> 00:48:46,600 becomes the sacrifice of my substance. 651 00:48:47,520 --> 00:48:51,480 I'm not going to neglect others by hoarding everything for 652 00:48:51,480 --> 00:48:54,120 myself. There are people that are in 653 00:48:54,120 --> 00:48:58,080 need and therefore I'm going to offer up a sacrifice to those 654 00:48:58,080 --> 00:49:02,360 who are in need of my substance to help them in their time of 655 00:49:02,360 --> 00:49:06,960 need, to move them on to maturity in Christ to help them 656 00:49:06,960 --> 00:49:12,640 understand that I, I love not just in Word and in tongue, but 657 00:49:12,640 --> 00:49:16,840 in deed and in truth, as John says in first John chapter 3. 658 00:49:17,080 --> 00:49:21,680 That's why Matthew 25 is so important, right at the, at the 659 00:49:21,680 --> 00:49:24,800 judgement of the sheep and the goats at the at the end of the 660 00:49:24,800 --> 00:49:30,640 tribulation in the Jezreel and in the the Kidzman Valley, right 661 00:49:31,320 --> 00:49:33,360 that there is this great judgement where the sheep are on 662 00:49:33,360 --> 00:49:35,840 the right and the goats are on the left, right. 663 00:49:36,720 --> 00:49:40,760 And the Lord says to the sheep, when I was hungry, you fed me. 664 00:49:40,880 --> 00:49:43,000 When I was thirsty, you gave me something to drink. 665 00:49:43,120 --> 00:49:44,840 When I was naked, you clothed me. 666 00:49:44,920 --> 00:49:46,760 When I was in prison, you visited me. 667 00:49:48,360 --> 00:49:52,000 And the sheep will say, When did we see you hungry? 668 00:49:53,440 --> 00:49:57,400 When did we see you thirsty? The sheep are perplexed. 669 00:49:58,680 --> 00:50:01,480 When, when were you in prison that we visited you? 670 00:50:03,240 --> 00:50:05,160 When were you naked that we clothed you? 671 00:50:06,680 --> 00:50:10,400 And Jesus says these words, when you did it to the least of 672 00:50:10,400 --> 00:50:14,640 these, my brethren, you did it as unto me. 673 00:50:17,360 --> 00:50:19,240 It's it's a remarkable judgement. 674 00:50:20,200 --> 00:50:23,400 Why? Because you see, the direct 675 00:50:23,400 --> 00:50:28,000 opposite happens with the goats. When Christ says when I was 676 00:50:28,000 --> 00:50:31,400 hungry, you didn't feed me. When I was in prison, you didn't 677 00:50:31,400 --> 00:50:33,120 visit me. When I was hungry or thirsty, 678 00:50:33,200 --> 00:50:34,480 you didn't give me something to drink. 679 00:50:35,080 --> 00:50:36,640 And when I was naked, you didn't clothe me. 680 00:50:36,640 --> 00:50:38,080 And the goats say the same thing. 681 00:50:39,080 --> 00:50:43,960 When did we see you naked, hungry or thirsty in prison? 682 00:50:45,320 --> 00:50:50,480 Christ responds when you didn't do it to the least of these my 683 00:50:50,480 --> 00:50:53,840 brethren, you didn't do it as unto me. 684 00:50:55,560 --> 00:51:00,520 You see, both were perplexed. But you see, the sheep did it 685 00:51:01,480 --> 00:51:08,120 and the goats did not Why? Because inherit. 686 00:51:08,200 --> 00:51:13,640 Inherent in your DNA as a Christian is the desire to do 687 00:51:13,640 --> 00:51:15,800 that which is pleasing to the Lord. 688 00:51:17,640 --> 00:51:20,000 You don't neglect to do good to those who are in need. 689 00:51:21,360 --> 00:51:23,520 And so when there was a need for someone who was thirsty, they 690 00:51:23,520 --> 00:51:26,240 gave him something to drink. When there was a need for 691 00:51:26,240 --> 00:51:27,560 someone who was hungry, they fed them. 692 00:51:28,680 --> 00:51:30,720 When there was a need to visit someone in prison, they visited 693 00:51:30,720 --> 00:51:33,520 them. When there was a need to close 694 00:51:33,520 --> 00:51:37,440 someone, they clothed them. And you know what? 695 00:51:38,240 --> 00:51:43,360 They did it simply because it was part of their spiritual DNA. 696 00:51:44,880 --> 00:51:47,920 They weren't doing it for recognition, they weren't doing 697 00:51:47,920 --> 00:51:51,480 it for a crown. They weren't doing it so that at 698 00:51:51,480 --> 00:51:53,480 the sheep goat judgement they would be rewarded. 699 00:51:54,280 --> 00:51:59,600 No, they did it simply because it was part of their nature. 700 00:52:01,760 --> 00:52:06,040 So Paul, the right of Hebrews, it might be Paul, I don't know, 701 00:52:06,560 --> 00:52:11,720 but the right of Hebrews says do not neglect in sharing with 702 00:52:11,720 --> 00:52:16,040 those who are in need, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. 703 00:52:17,400 --> 00:52:21,280 Neglecting not to share with others is pleasing to the Lord. 704 00:52:22,760 --> 00:52:28,080 You ever notice that sometimes we can hoard that which is ours 705 00:52:29,160 --> 00:52:31,280 and not be willing to share it with those who are in need? 706 00:52:33,160 --> 00:52:38,040 And that's just pleasing to the Lord, especially when it's in 707 00:52:38,040 --> 00:52:39,600 your power to do that which is good. 708 00:52:41,320 --> 00:52:46,360 And lastly, pleasing God comes when you give praise in His 709 00:52:46,360 --> 00:52:49,560 name. That's the earlier verse in 710 00:52:49,560 --> 00:52:53,840 Hebrews chapter 13. Through him then let us 711 00:52:53,840 --> 00:52:57,200 continually OfferUp a sacrifice of praise to God. 712 00:52:57,640 --> 00:53:02,200 That is the fruit of lips that give thanks to his name. 713 00:53:03,680 --> 00:53:06,760 Do you know that you please God when you OfferUp a sacrifice of 714 00:53:06,760 --> 00:53:09,880 praise? When you when you get to a place 715 00:53:09,880 --> 00:53:16,600 where where you don't want to praise and sing to God and thank 716 00:53:16,600 --> 00:53:24,680 Him, but you do anyway? That's a sacrifice that brings 717 00:53:24,680 --> 00:53:29,840 pleasure to God and don't you want to please him? 718 00:53:31,280 --> 00:53:37,560 Of course you do. I love what the psalmist said in 719 00:53:37,560 --> 00:53:42,880 Psalm 69 when he said these words. 720 00:53:44,040 --> 00:53:51,600 Psalm 69, verse #30 I will praise the name of God with Saul 721 00:53:53,160 --> 00:53:58,240 and magnify him with Thanksgiving, and it will please 722 00:53:59,360 --> 00:54:07,320 the Lord better than an ox or a young bull with horns and hoofs. 723 00:54:09,720 --> 00:54:12,440 There's one thing that will please God more than anything, 724 00:54:13,920 --> 00:54:19,600 that's offering a song of praise in His name simply because of 725 00:54:19,600 --> 00:54:26,720 who He is. So I spelled out the word 726 00:54:27,360 --> 00:54:34,080 pleasing and gave you 8 principles that if you follow, 727 00:54:35,480 --> 00:54:40,240 the Lord is pleased. This is our devotion, the 728 00:54:40,240 --> 00:54:44,720 Christian's devotion. As the apostle Paul said, this 729 00:54:44,720 --> 00:54:49,160 is my ambition. This is my soul desire. 730 00:54:49,960 --> 00:54:54,680 This is my driving passion. This is what I'm devoted to. 731 00:54:56,400 --> 00:55:00,520 I'm going to please my God. How about you? 732 00:55:01,760 --> 00:55:04,520 I would trust that that's your prayer this evening. 733 00:55:05,520 --> 00:55:08,320 Let's pray together. Father, we thank you, Lord, for 734 00:55:08,520 --> 00:55:11,520 the word of God. We thank you, Lord, for the fact 735 00:55:11,520 --> 00:55:14,800 that you spell out what it means to be pleasing to you. 736 00:55:15,720 --> 00:55:19,640 Our prayer is that that's exactly what we would do, that 737 00:55:19,640 --> 00:55:23,600 truly our our efforts would be toward you. 738 00:55:24,760 --> 00:55:28,800 Forgive us, Lord, for always seeking to pleasure ourselves. 739 00:55:30,200 --> 00:55:34,520 We, we do love ourselves more than we ever should. 740 00:55:35,560 --> 00:55:38,880 We do love pleasure more than we ever should. 741 00:55:40,320 --> 00:55:43,720 We should totally love God. Be devoted to you. 742 00:55:45,280 --> 00:55:50,000 Our prayer, Lord, is that we would be so devoted to you that 743 00:55:50,000 --> 00:55:52,600 everything else pales in comparison to the glory of our 744 00:55:52,600 --> 00:55:55,200 God. That we would exalt your name. 745 00:55:55,200 --> 00:55:58,160 That we would abstain from sexual sin. 746 00:55:59,120 --> 00:56:02,880 That we live a life of faith, trusting obedience in our God. 747 00:56:04,320 --> 00:56:07,400 That truly we would do good to others, help them in their time 748 00:56:07,400 --> 00:56:09,800 of need. That we give praise to your 749 00:56:09,800 --> 00:56:14,880 glorious name. That when we lack wisdom, we'd 750 00:56:14,880 --> 00:56:20,560 ask for wisdom to the God who gives to all men generously. 751 00:56:22,000 --> 00:56:26,040 And that we'd always proclaim the message of the cross. 752 00:56:27,320 --> 00:56:31,240 For it's that message that's the power of God and to salvation 753 00:56:32,280 --> 00:56:37,200 for all men. We ask us in Jesus name, Amen.