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May 6, 2022 6:00 am
Pastor Rick teaches from the letter to the Hebrews
Cultures the same thing again. If you have stumbled into this. Just know that that just proves there is a real devil.
We have a sinful nature and God wants to restore and he loves you and you can even use you very much. Don't think for one moment that that his unit disqualified you forever less you are presently engaging in this sin, then you will be happy you in all your sins will find you out so it's best to abandon it. 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.
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Pastor Rick will conclude his study called critical reminders in Hebrews chapter 13 verse four. Now he says marriage is honorable among all the bed undefiled with fornicators and adulterers God will judge. While the brotherly love. You think it's supposed to stop in your marriage. I'm to show love other people, but not brotherly love my spouse. Brotherly love, be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another as God in Christ Jesus has forgiven you.
See you in the Bible single you out isolate you from everybody else, be tenderhearted unless of course you're trying to mess your marriage up. Do we believe it.
Believers are not supposed to badmouth marriage as though it's you know was saddled with it like it is break free from it wisely can go try to break free from something else later on to it is a lie from Satan. Although if I had only married so and so, if I had only an once you come in. Marriage is listen to read it again with me not out loud, but I'll read if you don't mind. Marriage is honorable among all its honorable don't treat it like it's junk like it's a mistake. Maybe you need to step up your game of big is not a game. Step up your faith maybe need to work harder and I tell you something else you have had a med good marriage for 1015 years well and is 1670 is McGill difficult you not excused the bed as undefiled bonds of marriage is the only place undefiled sexual relationships only in the marriage is ordained by God. Sexual activity is pure in the marriage sexual activity outside is impure. Is anybody surprised by that I didn't. If that's you, please see me after service we have to talk.
The world hates this. They hate this. They think marriage is this something you do and divorce is something you do you know how their proposals go. For instance out and Holly, we are to come up to someone and they say will you be my future exiles. Let's let's live together in holy matrimony for three or four years and then do it again.
Someone else, of course, is wrong and it is difficult seeing the attitude and so many Christians out what their attitude is towards marriage not I want to be very sensitive hearings and gentle Marine Corps took that from me.
I thought I was gentle before I went in. I might be wrong but it just seems that after I got out I was like will you get away from me and just how come you're talking.
Not sure if you like a slot get in shape. Get a haircut. Sino sneakers just you know, everything changed. And sometimes I get into the pulpit and and I have to remember not everybody is on that page with me undressing is better anyway. I want to be gentle with this because as necessary. I missing all the sins not that bad I missing that I know this.
I know that in the body of Christ are those who stumble. I know that Christ loves them and restores them. Paul the apostle when writing to the Corinthian church, he called them out on all source of immorality. He said that and I'm going to read a little bit from first Corinthians 6 he says, do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God. Do not be deceived.
Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites of the effeminate ones men behaving like women that was happening. Then he continues, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revile ours nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And now here it comes. This is for every one of us, especially if you have ever stumbled with fornication or adultery and you are a Christian, this is for you and such were some of you but you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus by the spirit of our God. Satan will come along and say yeah but you know that was before you were a Christian. Once you became a Christian, you stumbled in on in those areas that was it.
He's lying you're still wash. We have an advocate with the father is no higher where sin abounded, grace did much more.
You have no right to limit that except outside of Christ, for those in Christ, there is now no condemnation in Christ Jesus. But for those outside of Christ is no salvation so they were invited to come in. So as we go through this. I don't want to unnecessarily cause pain to anyone.
As Jabez said that I might not cause pain. However, if you are in the present state of guilt, impenitent want to convict you away from these things. Don't be surprised when when Satan pulls off a tactic in and hurts one of us be surprised if there's no love in your heart after it. Apparently fornication, which is six all illicit sex, all sex outside of marriage and in now days we have to say all of marriage is between a man and a woman and nobody else.
And one man and one woman at a time, one may pass on and then of course you can remarry and there's other allowances also fornication is illicit and it must've been happening in the church. The ancient church in the days of the apostle wrote that would not have addressed it time and time again that should give us in a weird way perhaps odd way it should give us strength. Eliza was a man would like passions. Nothing new under the sun with the all Saints fought you going to fight. So again gently but firmly. If you live outside of marriage.
You're not honoring marriage.
You cannot experiment with marriage you cannot hook up together shack up together, live together outside of marriage in Christ.
It's not honoring it, and it is. I know some of you. I know many Christians are not questioning their salvation. At this point. Many times they think they do love the Lord, but they been allowed churches and look the other way because they want to fill the pews churches want to preach the word. Some of them and not uphold the word because they lose people that way and that's in this church there been those that have been living in out of marriage together, even sometimes still married to others and we would say look were going to disfellowshipped you.
You gotta get this fixed will willing to work with you but were not willing to look the other way are tolerated because marriage is honorable and you can go tell the world. Marriage is between a man and woman it is honorable and then at the same time you living an object blatant sin and it happens a lot. Not a little bit you've been guilty of this. Not again trying to hurt you. Now some some Christians have been guilty of this and they fixed it, demonstrating the presence of the Lord in their lives that they are subject to the word of God because the word of God is the voice of God and the commandments are taken lightly by them and it is a delight to man the wall with such believers, but again too often there out. And then there are those advocates that come to their rescue, but they love the Lord, pastor, how could you do that very easily. If you watch your step. Your next. What is also to take apparent any disciplines a child of one of those I object his next father. Dad is next so we understand that. See, that's the harshness coming out is and it has to smile when I say if you don't love them joking. The serious life anyway. First Corinthians 511 but now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named her brother who is sexually immoral or covetous or in idolatry or in a revile or or a drunkard or an extortion or not even to eat such a person, so it is not just a sexual immorality or a downgrading marriage but idolatry. You know you have a Christian I believe in Jesus, but also like Hindu religion a lot to him that they got deal with that drunkard in the context of content being a drunkard.
There are those that struggle with substance and we want to help them not just chase him out… And you know what I'm gonna liking this and I'm not going to fight it them, then that's a different matter. First Timothy 520 those who are sending rebuke in the presence of all that. The rest also may fear not, that they may come in advocate will be a support element for the one being rebuked so that they may say we better watch our step but again, what do Christians do today a church shop will find a pastor at a church that will tolerate sin and preach the Bible sometimes Jewish but I can't say it as though I'm better than anybody I know I'm not.
Did you know what to I get to prove it. Every Sunday, every time I come in the pulpit so do you think others should applaud this behavior. Do you think others should look the other way you exposed. Do you expect this is acceptable in the fellowship of believers that they should come in, living in blatant sentencing songs the Lord and praise a lot of them go out and then treat marriage as though it is not honorable. If you are living with another person. A an old male-female thing you're not married, you will be disfellowshipped, but you will also be offered the opportunity to be married will do it than the sooner you get the license come in right there. Your eyes have the want to do it. Want to commit so I think I've hit that enough but I just want to hit it little bit more this fornication, sexual contact, again outside of the marriage.
You know if you dating your dating is a Christian for one purpose you're headed towards marriage.
Otherwise, you're playing with fire and the rules of dating for Christian very simple be blameless before God be friends with each other. If you get those to write you got a chance to move on to develop the relationship. What could be wrong with that advice. So Revelation 21 but the cowardly, those who are afraid to commit to Christ, unbelieving, abominable, murderous sexual immoral, sorcerers, idolaters and liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.
Now that's not believers were stumbling this this for those who rejected Christ.
But the point that stands out as God is not just that all that's cute and we're not supposed to do the same when not to do a look at our culture, where it is because this is been the behavior I one more verse. It's very important on this subject. For this reason God gave them up to vile passions because they wouldn't have God. God gives them up to this or even their women exchanged the natural use of what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. See, that's the group mentioned in Revelation 21 a. The Revelation 2215 that's the group that Paul is talking about their disease is writing from Corinth with this stuff was everywhere.
This is not honorable, not what God had intended. Well, I could read more verse but not necessary.
Think the points made in adulterers the same thing again. If you have stumbled into this.
You just know that that just proves there is a real devil. We have a sinful nature and God wants to restore and he loves you and you can even use you very much. Don't think for one moment that that his unit disqualified you forever less you are presently engaging in this sin and then you you will be half you in all of your sins will find you out so it's best to abandon it look, don't flirt you Christians that are married, don't flirt.
It's not cute it's not harmless. Satan is watching when he sees that behavior. He registers it, and then he plots a plan of attack to exploit it. Flirt with your husband or your wife not with someone else's husband or wife not with someone else other than your husband or wife and I fear so many churchgoers take these things lightly, so he says God will judge God will not make himself a liar to save the souls of men to save men from feeling uncomfortable about sin. God will not save a person, and they are sin's, that's why you need a Savior to take your sin away behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world is the sin we have in this life so he doesn't make us feel comfortable with these things well removed verse five and I hope I hope again.
I hope we are stronger because of this review, and not weaker. I hope you don't say that hurt me pastor and now I can't get past. I hope you say thank you. I will be stronger verse five. Let your conduct be without covetousness, be content with such things as you have or he himself said, I will never leave you nor forsake you covetousness is in in order to desire for more. Enough is never, and there's no such word is enough enough in that bag is my other best villas went up to. Maybe that way is the tale of desire wagging the dog of contentment. Something is wrong is too much power on the wrong end cravings that are born out of envy your insecurity or greed. Essentially, the self life, not the God, life dissatisfaction with material things will drown out the voice of God causes us to compromise not to commit to what God wants us to have. Here are four examples of those in Scripture who fell to covetousness because they were greedy because it were not satisfied. This Aiken. He was the one that of course he was commanded clearly by God. The troops were commanded not to take loot from the invasion, but he saw the garments in the gold and he cracked he took it and he paid then this guy is a man that was a servant. One of the greatest prophets in Scripture and yet he lied to get with the prophet did not want you know was Elisha the prophet and Naaman had come the general leprosy at common.
Naaman was ultimately healed and he wanted to pay the prophet and the prophets that I meditate. I'm not taking a profit from my profit from being a prophet, and so Naaman goes away to Hayes i.e. says opportunity knocks once any goes after Naaman, the general and he says excuse me, my master has reconsidered so he's lying is slandering allies is lying about Elisha and he takes the goodies and when he gets back. The prophet knows he says did not. My heart go with you and is leprosy that was on Naaman is now going to be on you tragic ending, but were still a Safar and Ananias. They pretended to give to the church and they did give didn't give what they said they were going to give.
Be careful before you go around making these pledges and end of course they were smitten for this in the old church was like whoa better rethink how we treat tithing. So first Timothy 610 for the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. And then what Paul has to say were almost done. I have learned in whatever state I am to be content. I have not yet learned that maybe with things but not so much with people but as I know how to be abased, I know how to abound everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need committed that first memory so that I can so that I can get. I want all of it says here in verse five. Be content with such things as you have well we have Christ with more do we need yeah well it's easy in the flesh will object and fight fiercely to unity says for he himself has said, I will never leave you nor forsake you.
Will you have to be ubiquitous. You have to be able to be everywhere at the same time to be able make that promise which is a is a claim of deity.
Christ is essentially saying I am God. If he can be everywhere at the same time and the only God can do that Lucifer cannot do that. That's why he has demons to send them out to harass and destroy collectively the demons and Satan make up of the demons and Lucifer makeup. Satan, the enemy of the people of God. Now this verse was given to Moses when Moses was called in the ministry before the burning bush, God said, I will certainly be with you and then when Moses was going to make Joshua the successor says him in Deuteronomy 31. Twice he says it will take one and Yahweh.
He is the one who goes before you. He will be with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you. Do not fear nor be blown away is made, so are you willing to say that God is saying he will be with Joshua but not you. He will be with Moses but not you. Are you willing to say that no, I hope not. So you are saying God is with me. David said to Solomon concerning the temple. David was old he was going to be with the Lord.
Soon he wanted Solomon to finish the job and David said to his son Solomon. Be strong and of good courage, and do it like that.
Be strong and of good courage and get it done. Do not fear or be dismayed, for the Lord your God, my God will be with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you into your finish the work which for which of the service of the house of the Lord will never leave you nor forsake you, doesn't mean you will insulate us from affliction. You will be with us and it honestly, I wish you would insulate me from affliction and he doesn't but he's always been with me through it.
That is, this is the power of my God, my God, why have you forsaken me. Jesus is preaching from the cross.
He say I know what it's like to feel like God has forsaken you because you are afflicted. But he is there new when he preached those words from the cross, my God, my God. He knows God is everywhere and he was right there.
He's quoting Scripture at his death, and it was asked or recited repeated in the midst of victory verse six, so we may boldly say the Lord is my helper, I will not fear what can man do to me.
Maybe coming from me that's not very powerful but it's coming from a man who suffered persecution time and time again from the Lord is quoting Psalm 118 is saying if Jesus is real to you. If he's worth it to you. Be bold, bold font over that. Be bold, beginning we said, blessed be his name. Be bold with that. So, just quick review in verse one is brotherly love even beyond the brethren in verse two. It's kindness.
Verse three is consideration verse for its honor for the marriage. Verse five. It is contentment. In verse six is faith so we may boldly say the Lord is my helper, I will not fear what can man do to me close with those words in first John chapter 5 verse 13 the assurance for the believer. These things I have written to you that you may believe in the name of the son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.
You may continue to believe the name of the son of God, that you make. Continue to believe was trying to get those Hebrews were faltering to do so. 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