Trust God (Part C)

God has a personality and character is he is is him is Jesus Christ first, not the words person, you can take my Bible away. Just don't take Jesus from see what I mean, he's everything.

Of course we use the Bible to learn Christ to a rafter in prayer went after him, Lord, what do you want this is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of Mark, please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching. Yours, Pastor Rick with the conclusion of the study called trust God, he will be beginning in Hebrews chapter 11 and then continuing in Mark chapter 11 Hebrews 1139. All these, having obtained good testimony through Ray.

That's what I want. I when I finally leave this life.

I want to have left this life with a good testimony through faith. Then he says all these, having obtained good testimony through faith did not receive the promise.

They died before they saw their mountains moved some of them, but ultimately they saw them all move. When they got to heaven so we get the impression that moving a mountain again will not take seconds. If we don't doubt it's a long dry weather got a not.

It took Joseph years it took David years to escape those in movable problems in their lives. Meanwhile God was doing invaluable work in the lives of others. For example, Joseph's brothers, they were ready.

I mean these guys were cold. They sold their brother. Some of the one this kilo just because he didn't like, you know his word because he was little naïveté I had a dream. I'm better than all of you. I may lose Evelyn Skilling for that by the time he goes men get to him.

Years later, a decade later, more he has to vet them, he has to see if these guys have changed not an ecosystem painstaking stuff to get to that conclusion would God have been working in them through their guilt.

How many times a day get up out of the 10 walkouts he manages which you should've done that.

You never know what God is doing in the lives of others. Was he supposed to give us a list and then updated. We trust God. That's what we do because it makes destruction from judgment not necessary. There are rules. As I've mentioned and and don't forget I I would strongly suggest you don't forget there are those that have problems with the church that has rules. Therefore, they are going to have problems with faith to you can get away from rules exist to count her bad ideas, bad people saying all sorts of junk. Everybody has him and it's remarkable how many people want to see you drop your rules while they keep their rules doesn't work that way. And if that doesn't get upset. But let's go back to this if you ask for it you get it kind of fought, what about Noah and Moses, Samuel Job and Daniel could they get anything they want.

Just because they lack faith God held these men in such high esteem that after their deaths.

God told other prophets to use their names to tell the people how special their prayers were. But how limited their prayers were Jeremiah chapter 15 verse one then Yahweh said to me you can't challenge Jeremiah. This was Nick's extraordinary profit. Yahweh said to me, even if Moses and Samuel stood before me. My mind would not be favorable toward this people cast them out of my sight. Let them go forth. God is saying those powerful men of prayer Moses and Samuel. Samuel powerful man of prayer says even if they pray with all the faith they had my will, would not be to answer their prayer when we get out. That's we get just that that when we pray it's God's will, not ours. No matter how much we insist or demand, we can't name it and claim it which is a hellish thought. Dear you go to God's eye Lane I need it give up smack you cross your mouth to stop you from making such foolish prayers, is the difference between praying and seeing God. I believe you. Nevertheless, your will be done. Verse 14 of Ezekiel 14. Now Ezekiel gets his turn to name some warriors of the faith, even if these men, Noah, Daniel and Joe were in the city they would they would deliver only themselves by their righteousness, says the Lord God is God saying those men are righteous and by their prayers, they would be delivered but their prayer would be limited to themselves. Abraham exhibited this. We pray for solemn God listen to God when the tolerated image is such a lesson got a saying I don't mind talking to you in prayer. I don't like going back.

I don't mind you laying it out for me. But in the end, the terms will be set and I will set Abraham did not set the terms he thought he was making progress with God do with this is going. God drew a line at 10 okay five Methodist 10 defined 10. I'll spare the city we find 10. God knew that he ended the conversation before him. Got five I mean is a lot of wisdom and that is a great lesson that God got you not move him. This is the big part of what were saying God has a personality, a character is he is is him were after. It is Jesus Christ the person, not the words, the person I don't, you can take my Bible away. Just don't take Jesus from me. You see what I mean, he's everything. Of course we use the Bible to learn Christ to a rafter in prayer were after him, Lord, what do you want, and he doesn't always open the sky up and say I would like this. I don't know if he is baritone or not, but verse Ezekiel again. Chapter 14 verse 20 is repeated even though Noah, Daniel and Job were in it, as I live, says Yahweh God or the Lord Yahweh they would deliver neither son nor daughter. They would deliver only themselves by their righteousness, profound. There is a big part of the meaning about prayer and its power through faith, the rules of course metaphors critical for getting us to understand the victories that will come our way.

The fact that you're sitting listening to God's word evidence God answers prayer, and if we stop looking to change the landscape by moving mountains focus on being faithful to the death finding the will of God, which is really what Christ is saying find that will of God line up with it righteousness comes through faith righteousness is the adjusted life to God to his truth.

There are many truths if you buy a bicycle that comes with a manual of how to build it. That's truth according to the building, the bicycle, but there's the truth of God. The spiritual truths so you get into a car that's not yours you want to drive this car and the seed is not right you have to adjust the seat. That's what righteousness does it adjust itself so that it can be led by God it can be used by God. Righteousness is the life adjusted to God as found in the Scripture and if faith which comes with righteousness if it is valued by God as being such a big thing. As Jesus says, have faith in God trust God valued by the believer that is true, then it becomes by default.

You could say instantly automatically by default.

Faith becomes a high-value target for Satan, why, why is it that many, many Christians are more problematic in church and in life than many unbelievers. Why is that, I mean I used to be a shop steward on large construction sites with many men that were they were rank pagans and havens. They were easier to manage. Many times in Christians you can go up to them. You can reason with them that every time I mean there were those that were just, you know, looking for a fight and there Christians like why why is this what ones we expect more from Christians, but we fail to remember Christians are also sinners saved by grace, but sinners defective. The other is they are prized targets of Satan. Satan messing with them.

They still stay. They remain Christians they can remain useful but is still getting messed with. On spiritual matters more than the world so it's a not a large faith were looking for but it's a living faith and this is the again the only destructive miracle of Christ targeting this faithless tree. This fruitless tree was a big deal to Jesus was a big deal to Peter, the big deal to God. And it's a big deal to our spiritual enemy and it's a big deal to a serious believer is a very big, so serious believer can look at that verse and say I don't understand I don't understand was being said it was. I can't prove this in my life, but I have enough of you, Lord Jesus, to trust you.

You don't have to answer this for me, I'd like you to, as I like to know everything I like to be smarter than everybody else, to assure that is anybody else who wants to be dumber than everybody else.

It a little sleepy speeded up this destructive act. Incidentally was on the way to a reconstructive act. This is his last week on earth. It technically he doesn't he doesn't die. They don't kill him think he departs this life, that the technical side from the human perspective or state they murdered him in public but this is part of the process towards redemption. This is the passion week were paying attention to everything he says in everything he does in a heightened way we been doing it from the beginning, but even more so is approaching the cross on our behalf man suffered a great spiritual and moral catastrophe original sin. Mankind is visibly marred. You pick up a paper newspaper or go online however you do it you cannot escape it. You can see it's right there spiritually. Man is deformed morally.

He is defective, visibly marred when Jeremiah finally saw the ruins of Jerusalem that he had been prophesying about for years. He lamented over it. We had the book of Lamentations and what he said about Jerusalem can be said about mankind. This is what he says. Lamentations chapter 1 verse one how lonely since the city that was full of people. How like a widow. Is she who was great among the nations princes among the provinces has become a slave. He starts out as Lamentations and is all wrong.

This is not the opposites of happen to glory. That's mankind.

When you look at another human being. You not seeing fully would God created you seeing the wreckage. The imperfections yet Jesus is reconstructing these through this ruin city and that's with the salvation of Christ is all about.

So Christ uses these terms such as foundations Luke chapter 8 verse 48 man is talking about trust in Christ. He says he is God I should say at this point because and not fully there his audience with who he is is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on a rock.

When the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house could not shake was founded on the rock that houses me that is the house of the Holy Spirit enters in and dwells with me. There Ephesians chapter 2, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone. Paul comes along with the church is now alive but it was not in Christ, he was in the transition stage was introducing the concept of the church that would include the Gentiles. So if you become a slave of Jesus cries and you're not a slave of Satan, not a slave of Jesus Christ. Jesus cried with you like it or not your slave of Satan with you.

Believe it or not and if you are Satan's claim on the blessings of clock Christ applied to you. Only the judgment, the condemnation occurs that fig tree first print the M-16 verse 22. If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed. Then he says Maren off or Lord, that sounds harsh to use because you still think Satan is a joke. If those words of Paul sound harsh to you is because you do not take Christ seriously. You don't take your own internal state seriously. Unbelief is what is harsh will blame God because he will not allow those in heaven will get there and start trouble in this life is way filters them out with part of that process were supposed to take any hit that comes our way. Whether it is the decapitation to the sword of Hera, God or some stoning, such as a stone.

The prophet Zechariah, whatever it may be.

We are supposed to hold to the truth because our lives have been adjusted to God we are his to do as he pleases. Whatever pain may come our way. We face in Christ. Verse 25 now and whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him your father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. Well will talk about having trust in God when here's what it looks like you can't receive his grace, and not be willing to let it flow through you at the same time from hell's perspective. Whenever we pray regardless of the position wherein we are standing we are standing against hell. Ephesians chapter 6 therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Verse 14 stand therefore so flowing from faith is righteousness, that life adjusted to God's truth. Nowhere does the Bible commands us special posture of prayer except the posture of a contrite heart.

He says here verse 25. If you have anything against anyone, forgive him who thinks God is tolerant of those who are loaded with bitterness towards another that person not getting with what the mission is about forgiveness is not always identical to restoration just because I forgive someone, does not mean the relationship is restored, but if there's no repentance restorations out of the picture, but without maliciousness that's what Christ is saying you can you can forgive without being malicious and forgiveness lacks malice. Bottom line is not anything profound to say about this. It is something profound to do an unforgiving spirit is a great hindrance to effective prayer. Peter tried to tell the husband's death, but is not limited limited to the husbands, husbands likewise deal with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife. Then he goes on to say, and being heirs together. You're both going to heaven and bully ideal situation of two believers of the grace of life that your prayers may not be hindered. The rules concerning prayer and if you don't forgive the rule was broken. I must not retaliate against some offense. However however I am permitted physical self-defense that is not ruled out.

Jesus said of the sexual in the face turn the other cheek. We still try to beat you to death and say will go at 11 we can get into that.

I just take a brief moment here is a commercial on behalf of civil disobedience in Christian just because somebody says this is the law doesn't immediately obligate us to bow down to it, Daniel demonstrated that Daniel said that your law is my law and the open office door as it was his custom, and he prayed would been a problem. He said well I would do it today because you made law and retaliatory. You do not accept you. This is how he did it and he's not the only one. When midwives were told to kill those baby boys. This is no and cannot say it like that is dated and so does these things require that we think through them. He says that your father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. You, the Greek word therefore forgive means to send away to forgive is to send away is to send away the spirit of revenge and retaliation doesn't mean your approval what's happening. It doesn't even mean you've gotta wait for the other one to ask to be forgiven does mean you do not want Bitterroot growing up inside of you of resentment have you faced resentment comes easy to some of us, or maybe correct that comes easy to some of you completed to me to certain circumstances. God shows us the so again just because you forgive doesn't mean in every case that you resume we restore the relationship of life is another's extreme example, a serial killer that goes to jail and becomes a Christian, I think they need stay in jail because your brother will pray with them but I'm not trusting him in my neighborhood because I understand the powers of intimidation and backsliding is not worth the effort, but he's forgive Ivan bring them about thinking I can say that because I'm not directly suffered from such a thing. But that's the I Dia as taught in as I believe it is even in the Scripture. If I verse 26. But if you do not forgive, neither will your father in heaven forgive your trespasses. Well that's pretty plain to the point, but for such an ultimatum to come off the lips of Jesus Christ and must be some special benefit from forgiving some Bible translations try to say all this is in in the original audience. It is your wrong there right and because it is truth and there's other reasons to but we have to reconsider how we behave when someone does us wrong. We have a right to defend ourselves. We do not have a right to retaliate, there is a difference. And Jesus made a whole parable in an unforgiving servant and will close with this then his master after he had called him, said to him, you wicked servant, I forgive you all that debt because you begged me should you not also have compassion on your fellow servant just as I had pity on you and his master was angry delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due him so my heavenly father also will do to you if each of you from his heart does not forgive his brother's trespasses and you know those who say will mark 1126 doesn't belong in the Bible.

They don't say the same thing about Matthew 1832 that I just read and it's even more detail to harbor resentment take the picture of harbor safe place for resentment to exist. You are walking into harms way with your own walking Christ. Hebrews 1215 look carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble. By this, many become defiled. Don't expect help from others when it comes to fighting your bitterness.

You have to learn to do it yourself, others will often times unknowingly contribute to the bitterness by experience that a lot of the pastors I wish they wouldn't say that I wish they wouldn't do that is reminding me of something that just makes me want to be better but I don't have the luxury of saying what I have to do is just take this and I'm having is because these are the terms that we face, and we are not left without the ability to carry out the gospel as it is been laid out to us move. Thanks for tuning in to cross reference radio for this study in the book of Mark cross reference radio is the teaching ministry of Pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville in Virginia to learn more information about this ministry. Visit our website cross reference radio.com what you there you'll find additional teachings from Pastor Rick. We encourage you to subscribe to our podcast. When you subscribe will be notified of each new edition of cross reference radio. You can search for cross reference radio on your favorite podcast app that's all we have time for today, but we hope you'll join us next time.

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