Training Put to Use (Part B)

Sometimes in a very serious way, sometimes in a very painful way moves us to improvement not destruction. So your lifestyle if it is set around you, your family, your life, your career, whatever it may be and you're not doing anything for the king you don't have a straight path need to get out of your pajamas need to get into work clothes and serve the Lord. 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 Hebrews. 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 today. Pastor Rick will continue in Hebrews chapter 12 and his study called training put to use his great purpose and all that God has you go through whatever it is you're facing troubles from someone else troubles from within temptation trial whatever fear, loneliness, you name it. God has purpose and those things many times have nothing else to show you how much work you have to do that you maybe are not all those things you thought you were may be that you just need to be full fully blown your dependence on him blown out full-blown dependence.

That way, first Corinthians 16 Paul echoes this writing to the church at Corinth. He says watch stand fast that Ms. don't let the feeble knees cause you to collapse or flee.

Stand fast in the faith. Remember unbelievers.

Those without Christ, they have courage to they can stand fast, but not in Christ, not in the faith that you put a lot of meaning on what we are doing or not. Watch stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong, that all that you do be done with love love so easy to talk about is all you know I love them when you don't really mean it or you can love them and not like, but you better treat them like you love. When God says to me I want you to be strong. Your work will be rewarded. I take courage and that then I faced some monster could be a little one, I could just be a temptation something that I want that I don't need to have. Or maybe I should not have. I have to face it anyway find that I'm struggling. Okay, what if you face that bogeyman and you lose that round. What is in God's goodness that you going to call your weasel right, of course not. God is going to come back again and say be strong. Your work will be rewarded.

He doesn't change it keeps coming back is long-suffering with the righteous, as well as with the sinner who is not. Sadie comes back and he says don't crumble. Don't allow the enemy to steal your will to fight.

Just because you been hurt, listen, there was no such thing as getting hurt could be no need for encouragements the Bible would have maybe wanted to for when you're in the mood bad mood, but they're all over the Scripture because this is what it takes, so you go to a great Bible study or you have your devotional time in the word minister you will you will do is that now, what happens to you is a just going to be.

While that was impressive, and then you go and do everything in the opposite direction for the rest of the day. I hope not. So in verse 13 he continues going to continue throughout the section to make this point and make straight paths for your feet so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather healed clear the lifestyle clear the clutter thinking out of the way brother be no progress in Christ is a fundamental a very basic concept. If you do not make the path straight for you to travel.

That's what your feet will be doing on that path, then you will travel challenging yes possessed with the spirit needs because the flesh will strip you of the motivation to go forward in Christ clear the lifestyle you know you can have as a Christian, a relatively moral lifestyle and be doing nothing for the kingdom that you don't send you not robbing banks, were you when you say you don't send you can you know what I you know what I mean, you're not committing moral crimes against the kingdom, but you also not doing anything. I'm not singling you out. This is the way it is belongs to our faith is no sidestepping it and not my intention to make you feel small or uncomfortable, it is my intention to preach the word in season and out of season to convict to rebuke to exhort with all long-suffering in teaching for the time will come when it will no longer endure sound doctrine. Because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers turn aside from the truth. While I don't want to give you any of that turning aside from the truth. Tickling of the ears or many clever things a pastor can write and say that sounds so you know that's cute but you can call upon it. When you're in trouble.

What you need is something to jar you. We need that something to shake us to move us sometimes it moves us in a jolly way. Sometimes in a very serious way, sometimes in a very painful way, but it moves us to improvement not destruction.

So your lifestyle if it is set around you, your family, your life, your career, whatever it may be and you're not doing anything for the king you don't have a straight path need to get out of your pajamas need to get into work clothes and serve the Lord.

It takes nerve, takes faith and it takes action and without that nothing gets done so, move away from the self life to the Jesus life take little steps in the beginning. If you are not able to take the big ones. This is what we are discussing this morning because this is what the Holy Spirit is giving us he says so that what is lame may not be dislocated just injured so that what is already not working well may not be further damage matters would not worsen for you. Stumbling blocks are hazards get hurt with them. You know, I know in the past that were traveling down is no mention whether it's illuminated or not. Sometimes it is sometimes you can see the stumbling block the doesn't mean they're easy to move.

Other times, you can't see them. So you've got to travel a little bit more cautiously those times, the obstacles that interfere stumbling blocks that are hazards cause injury obstacles that interfere with your walk slow down the progress and hurt the work from going forward all you've got to learn how to blast some things out of the way bold goals even others hurdle some come up with different ways to deal with whatever is in front of you and the debris of this life that piles up around us has to be routinely demolished. I'm the one in my family that takes the stuff to the dump. I don't like it too much, especially in the summer was yellow jackets.

They could be a little fierce but anyway this routine. The alternative is unacceptable, then your house becomes the dump the debris piles up there and so it is spiritually says, but rather be healed be made better be restored. Do something that's progressive now of course he's not emphasizing here the physical healing. This is spiritually talking about spiritual matters at this point, the attitude of the head and the heart together.

Not one without the other.

If I get in any head or heart trouble. I'm not going to the world for solution. I'm going to Christ to bed Christ did have a psychologist Timothy apostle didn't have them to help them out better.

They did not have the. The psychologist world world psychologist attended to come up with some disorder for them why they were serving well or suffering. Whatever it is you didn't even then we don't need him now. I'm going anybody's going to be the people of God.

God's word prayer and study endurance. Now that does not mean, for one moment that God is going to appear like a genie out of a Bible and somehow just sweep it all away make you better, does not mean that if if that is true. That's how it works for you all the time. I want to know about because I'm doing something wrong, what I have found is that when the Bible says, endure afflictions, it's not joking.

God is saying, take him. You can find out also that I don't have a choice many times while their self-inflicted wounds. I have a choice that Britt will avoid those but I have to face him. He'll face them with me, irritating. This is irritating about God, don't tell him I said this I can't force them to do anything. I can't move his hand backwards forward Siebel tables when he's good and ready. That's what makes him God. What makes me his follower is that I file that I give him a license to treat me any old way he wants because I know who is this character, and an overall this is going, and I except accepted joyfully. Overall, they will come where I will not be looking back at this life it will be gone be looking forward at the new life, but rather be healed, have covered that verse 14 pursue peace with all people in holiness without which no one will see the Lord left first section, the first clause pursue peace with all people we can make light of some of that but then you look at the whole verse and they say will wait a minute's very serious and solemn thing. Holiness is nothing humorous about holiness and humor has its place, holiness, and it without which no one will see the Lord to see the consequences not having holiness is nothing funny here. This is down to business right now we get back to funny some other time.

Now pursue peace with all people, not just the people we like with all people, not at the cost of your morals or principles either know this is important because there are those that somehow think truth is more important than love, but without truth.

You have no love truth is everything separates us from the people who worship for God's worship. The real God first purity, then peace. That's the biblical pattern. James now in Hebrews we had the pause here the complexion of the Hebrew letter is one that is mild and soft and smooth in comparison to James will be coming up to James when were done and so you will be issued a pair of goggles and a life vest because James is not fool around his leg.

I only got five chapters to say what I gotta say, he lets it go. What I'm quoting James now and so that's sort of a warm up. James chapter 3, but the wisdom that is from above is first pure doesn't move.

It never changes that is static, there's no license to sin. This no situational ethics well of the situation calls for genuine ethical of the dog offered you to be unethical.

The world does that kind of stuff were not too applauded though we may crack under the pressure of it but the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, in that order. And then if it's peaceable. This gentle, willing to yield, not on morals but the nonessential full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy that James laying down the laws just puts that this should be on every Christian life. Amen brother, and so pursue peace with all people, but I'm not going to pretend that evil is not evil and sin is not sin. In the interests of peace. If the topic comes up. So there you are you in our family dinner is something and you know that their family members is just an example. It can be something else. But you know their family members that have opposing views to Jesus totally against and all they want you to do is put a little pinch of the compromise on the altar of their pagan God just compromise. Just keep the peace.

You can keep your mouth shut, but if your mouth opens an idiot and you have opportunity to say you are either for Christ or not. You better say your for Christ. You stand with him. The sin is a sin if that disrupts the peace and all that so bad I become to bring a sword that is the proper application of those verses and that thought so. We do pursue peace with all people, but not at the cost of the word of God, morality doesn't always have to come to that. But when it comes to that, that a spiritual war, and there is no treaty to be signed with hell. And if more Christians would get that earlier on in their walk, they'd have less of a problem dealing with those who don't share their views.

Later on in their walk because they would've gotten it out in the open and so we ask ourselves, as I pursue peace. Do I make life difficult for the peacemakers, am I one of those folks that I do more hurting than helping the snide remark here little you know rolling of the eyes. There a misapplied word rather than helping. I hurt the other would some envy born this or that.

I hope not. I hope that's not us trying to out hurt the other one. What happens when we get a taste of our own medicine. And that's hopefully won't have to happen avoid that scourge moodiness envy things like that they do not bring peace to chase it out the door. You have a responsibility to not give in, make an effort at the very least it goes a long way. Believe it.

Believe it or not, goes a long way, is critical to live in harmony with God that requires holiness.

We got to discuss holiness a little bit because the un-sanctified life is not interested in holiness. He's going to make is going to use Esau's. An example of that in the little little while, but Jesus Christ, the holy one of God that the demons called them and they were right. The demons could recognize who he was. Many people cannot we know you are the holy one of God Jesus that you got that right, and we are to recognize the same thing now holiness it. It includes purity principles established by God. Some make holiness out to be sinlessness in men and that is not the case in this life. Holy if if God said you have to be holy and that meant. You also have to be sinless than would be done, but it does me that we pursue holiness and sinlessness were fully given to that as best we can. We are totally on board with God. We are not opposed to his requirements and his request and when we fall off altar. It is not because we want to.

The flesh does where we understand the spiritual man totally knows it's wrong. Without that you cannot have peace with God. Without that there is no salvation to be opposed to God's holiness is that while you know I think it's a bit overboard.

I think that if two men want to get married they can. This is not right.

This is sin, and were hated for saying we don't agree with you there free to agree with us and were not free to hate them back. But they will disagree with us and then you will find even Christians caving on this all that's so mean, is it not look is standing by what God says is mean than I mean if you want to make Kargil definitions and and play with your words to accuse me of being that which you think I am than have added but as for me and my house we will side with the Lord.

And this is something that is it's not easy to communicate because I want to the loss because on one hand you want to take them and shake them and say are you out of your mind and on the other hand, you want to say look, I'm not trying to hurt your feelings. So how do you balance into all when I figure it out of reach on the committee just comes down to. Sometimes you have to be right between the eyes with another time. You have to just be more sensitive depends on you know you gotta find the right lid for each pot but back to this without which no one will see the Lord is rather forceful, wouldn't you say a friend of rather if something eternal and final about that if you don't get holiness. Holiness is our relationship with God.

Righteousness is our relationship with men based on a holy relationship with God.

Holiness involves purity.

It means we filtered out all the things that we know God is very serious about and what he says we've accepted that against everything else that's holiness. That's a portion of it and those who disagree with that sufferer. Leviticus 10 some of you know that just that chapter alone remind you of May Babineau by who. Two of the first priest in Israel, the oldest of the two eldest sons of Aaron, the first high priest of Israel at the day God sent fire down to Kimberly offerings to bless the nation, but these two men decided to do something outside the box that God had put on the congregation that day. Leviticus 10 verse three well before read the verse fire came down from heaven and struck the two men dead Aaron their father in the first high priest of the nation there with Moses. Moses says this and Moses said to Aaron, this is what Yahweh spoke saying by those who come near me. I must be regarded as holy and before all the people I must be glorified so Aaron held his peace.

This is no use no come back to that is a sad and tragic is that moment I don't want unimaginable being Aaron at that moment.

The point of the Scripture, the writer of Hebrews is going and they would've known that without a holiness.

There is no relationship by those who come near me. I must be regarded as holy as pure as higher than anything else. No auxiliary God no alternate gods. Jesus said it this way.

Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God honey and pure heart agree with Jesus that you crucified with him, so some want help in this life from God. This might illustrate what I'm trying to say better. Someone help from God. It is no one's holiness. I just want God to bless me and I don't have to abide by the 10 Commandments.

For example, thou shall not lie. Thou shall not covet that one that gets everybody else to have the false gods before me. No other gods before me.

Part so this holiness it if you want God's help.

It has to have holiness on it again Wednesday night. Rehoboam, the king he wanted God's help. When she checked the Egyptian king came rolling up north into his territory to take all that he wanted Rehoboam submitted to God, we never got holiness. He just wanted the help from God and as a result, the Bible tells us at the end of his life.

He did evil because he did not seek see this as this makes it doable for every human being, no matter how weak or strong you may find yourself to be. You can seek the Lord your God you to love the Lord your God with your whole heart, soul, mind and strength. Mark's gospel is all about Jesus Christ the Lord that that view only comes from a heart who's been that's been born again and is in the holiness of God and so things for us to consider verse 15 he says, looking carefully let anyone fall short of the grace of God, less any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble and by this many become defiled what he is rolling it out. He said this is just hitting them left and right, looking carefully less anyone fall short of the grace of God less spooky. Who wants to fall short with God. Okay, so Yuri again you're standing on a cliff and is another Cliff knows 5 feet away from you and there's something chasing you. And if all you do is jump across to the other side. What happens if you fall short. You don't make it.

That's what happens. I mean, what happens if you know you're just a mile offshore drowning, and you make make it a half-mile which you don't make it all away the you fall short. So he read this description will settle us theologically make this fit out theology look at of what it says. Remember, these Jewish Christians. These Hebrews.

At this time were looking to abandon Christianity and go back to Judaism or mingle Judaism with Christianity and the writer is saying don't you do it is if you do, you will fall short of the grace of God who you've been listening to cross reference radio the daily radio ministry of Pastor Rick asked Calvary Chapel in Mechanicsville, Virginia. As we mentioned at the beginning of today's broadcast. Today's teaching is available free of charge at our website. Simply log on to cross reference radio.com that's cross reference radio.com would also like to encourage you to subscribe to the cross reference radio podcast subscribing ensures that you stay current with all the latest teachings from Pastor Rick, you can subscribe cross reference radio.com or simply search for cross reference radio your favorite podcast to the next time as Pastor Rick continues teaching through the book of Hebrews right here on cross reference radio