Keeping in Step with the Spirit, Part 2 (cont'd)

For the flesh desires what is contrary to the spirit and the spirit was contrary to the flesh. Galatians 517 and this is destined for victory hello and thanks for tuning in just a few moments, Pastor Paul Sheppard shares his message keeping in step with the Spirit. But first he joins me now from a studio in California will pastor this year 2020 is certainly been a challenging time. I don't think any of us really thought back in March that would still be dealing with the covert 19 issues, but here we are, and I know you really believe that every challenge provides greater opportunity to trust the Lord would you say to those who are still dealing with feelings of fear and uncertainty.

We've just got to relax and trust God not just go along for a ride like a windsurfing you don't know where you're going to go trust in God we don't know where he's taken out, but he knows where he's taking us and how it's going to get us through it and the thing I always say about the challenges we face in life.

I remember back after 9/11 happened and I preached at my church the following Sunday. I said this wasn't God's will per se, as though God sent Mr. Garces but it was God's opportunity to speak to us in the midst of trouble, and this pandemic is serving the same purpose God's using that to teach us the things we have to learn about trusting him and I believe that if will listen, God will speak to us in a fresh way during these times. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding.

In all your ways acknowledge him and he will direct your path. Great words from King Solomon in Proverbs 3, five and six will at a time when there is so much pain and uncertainty in the world. The good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ remains a source of hope for all who embrace it and now more than ever. Many are searching for that hope. This is why your prayers and financial support of destined for victory are so critical is our way of saying thanks for your generous donation would like to send you a booklet called little is much when God is in it. Written by Pastor Paul. This is a great reminder that God can use you to impact those around you and he can do it. Despite what you lack. That's little is much when God is in it our gift to you today by request for your generous gift to Destin for victory call 855-339-5500 to give over the phone or visit Pastor Paul.net to make a safe and secure donation online and as always, you can mail your gift to Destin for victory PO Box 1767, Fremont, CA 94538 God said no. I want you to leave that alone.

The sinful nature will always point you back then. But here's what you got to understand God says I want you to live this life of obedience to me. Not all metal relationship.

The first three letters may be the same, but there's a world of difference between religion and relationship world is full of religions belief systems that are built not on mutual love and sacrifice, but on rigid adherence to a code in fear of consequences when that code is not The creator of the universe is a relational being. He wants to have an intimate personal relationship with you. That's the focus of today's destined for victory message and it starts right now is Pastor Paul Sheppard for today's destined for victory program keeping in step with the spirit love you because your nice God loves you when you're not nice and he introduces his love in your life with the hope that you will respond to it and allow him to come in and make you the person he wants you to be. But he begins by loving us unconditionally. Now leave the church of Jesus Christ have got to learn how to do. We have got to learn that that is God's plan for reaching the lost. The great commission throw the great commandment the great commandment of the love and love your neighbor as yourself in my neighbor than just the person I like my neighbor is everyone who needs the love of God and so I must learn to love my neighbor like I love myself. How well do you handle the people around you whose lifestyle you object to. That's the question I don't like your lifestyle, but I'm not going to try to clean cobwebs by throwing up against the wall about your lifestyle. I'm going to show you the love of the Savior who if you embrace he can love you to life and he can transform you make the person he's going to be.

In other words, God loves us. First, he does call us to live a life of obedience. But he moves us by saying it is out of my love that I want the best for you church. We gotta get good people of God. We have got to understand the people in your life God so that you can share them with rolling guy came out to be saying you represent Jesus by loving people because they are the object of his love.

There is a difference between loving me and liking or approving of what I do and some of us think we got a hold you hostage with our attitude by being what to do. Some Christian all and mean and contiguous. They say, and all you're doing is showing people that you don't have the heart you don't have the nature of the Savior because he was loving and so we must learn to love people.

Well not been well okay it is true that lifestyle is not consistent with God's plan, but we don't point out the clean cobwebs more than we deal with the spine or all of us need a personal relationship with Christ and the wound will help you see that is I'm going to love you in his name. I'm going to do right by you in his name, so I have enough grace to come alongside people who are saying and say you know God loves you and so do we have to ask God for baptism of his love because it is his love that will transform our lives. Now I want to understand that it is in the text that we have the basis for living in righteousness is only when I understand how God loves me and he wants the best for me that I can understand his holy standard for my life and why some things are right and something that will understand God understand the concept of righteousness.

God is so loving that when he says this is right is wrong. That is not mental, uncaring statement when God says this is not part of my plan because he wants us to have.

He designed us to live understand that righteousness is not a bunch of things from you that are really good and really really nice for you but got no concept of God that what you have any fun know he wants you to understand that life is lived in his will to live your life if you live it the way God designed you to live.

That's where you'll find real joy real peace real contentment what the problem the problem is what this text called the sinful nature now again and you'll see what I mean.

13 on Galatians 5 you are called to be free, but use your freedom to indulge nature what is that the simple nature all of us are born with. We are born in sin, shape, and in iniquity when you come into the world. You don't have a personal relationship with God through sin we are all God show and capable of having a personal relationship with God because your stamped with a nature that is sinful. That's clear.

The Bible says all of us have sinned and come short of God's glory. That sin comes from a nature we are sinners by nature, then we become sinners by nurture you start out as a sinner by nature you like it with golf as you grow up you then begin to live a lifestyle characterized by certain sin and they may very from person to person, but it's because of the nature that we later develop and nurture various aspects of sin, and so here's what you gotta say that the sinful nature he speaks so he says God has made you free set you free to send you back into mess children that you're free to go back to live in peace and want to show you the life of spiritual called you to my glory that I call you to live a certain way so the problem is we must learn how to crucify the sinful nature. He says in verse seven team the sinful nature decide what is contrary to the spirit, the spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature they are in conflict with each other so that you do not do what you want by the spirit you are not under law. What does he mean by that even thought about the whole thing that it is observing the law that will not produce the righteousness of God and God is now given you a new design for your life trying to buy living right. I already have as well because he gave it to me as a gift and in response to his love. He says if you walk with me I'll teach you how to live the way I want to believe it is taken your Christianity from have to want to have to Christian life.

I really want I really want to do something God won't let me.

That's because your focus is on the sinful nature and the sinful nature always wants to step outside of the will of God. Simple nature always wants to make the same choice that Adam and Eve made which is the focus on the thing rather than focus on the blessings and provision of… That all given you dominion over now. I want you to leave alone the knowledge of good and evil leave that alone delete from that tree, but everything else have added so what is the comes along and says to them let's focus on what God is telling you to leave alone. He wants you to do this and everything that he said that in your life.

What's the big deal.

Nobody will know you took it was the big deal is about. You can do with it what you will. What's the big deal is a piece of paper. What's the big deal so I got me out of trouble.

What's the big deal to go and God said, I want you to leave that alone. The sinful nature will always point you back. But here's what you got to understand God says I want you to live this life of obedience to mean all metal relationship go away were only about halfway through today's destined for the true message with pastor Paul Shepherd, senior pastor of destiny Christian Fellowship in Fremont, California. Be sure to subscribe to pastor Paul on YouTube to watch some of his best video clips for more details and links to all of the social media be sure to visit pastor Paul.net that's pastor Paul.net. You can listen on-demand recent messages or find a variety of resources online store your special Paul.

The rest of today's message keeping in step with the spirit. When I have a relationship where you want to please the person I'm in relationship with what I want to do right then it makes life when you it changes the dynamic getting dates to Meredith. She was nice, patient sister, she would date me when I would date and all she knew I was baking my single days I was know their date. You know one day I will get mad God will show me the person is.

I make sure that date with sexual endeavor to get involved with people like that when the will of God in that way, people, and what have you see the one that I want to put that ring on her finger to commit my life to make that decision to marry you like the day was a man say that you want to, and you wanted to be there. I want you in my life. I want you to walk with me through life and saw a young single man went to the jewelry stores, find a plan to get engaged to my girlfriend and someone remember that first time I've since replaced it upgraded the system but I've always had good faith wanted when I was so naturally I went to the place I never stop. The women didn't know about when only red diamond. I want you to meet up with the man told me about the season.

The clarity and the rates in the sum of the season. What is so he walked me through to see. Show me some good sleep and he took me to my glistening talking to me to dictate what I want and he pulled it out and he told me how much it will cost, young brother, but said I want to put that on her finger. Because I want her to know that she is going to be my wife and I want her to have something that reflects the fact that making a commitment to her from when he told me I said well I'm not know what have you and I thank God I have a job and so I'm just going to do this faith and I told him that this back in the days where you know they let you put it away. Layaway and he said what the money I will take it out of the case and you have to pay me monthly certain amount and then you have when you plan to get engaged. Told him and he worked out a payment schedule. Don't do it job and job check. I never thought I check I would ride in the bank and when the payment drawing some more money never sought a check because that was a check that to communicate that this is to bring you into my life. I have to my money and when the same thing you have to you want to love and you want to do right by people treat people well such as marriage counseling church same thing you did in the complaint was. The man was to have a sexual relationship like I need us to have me so and she did came in because she's upset and and what have you talked to her. Yeah.

And so he'd been he'd been preaching with me about the needs and and and you want to do right, but he said over the years when i am not as responsive as it should be sometime the bible for me with the passage, paul is saying about merit by them blown yourself alone below both male and female in the and he talks about being intentionally open to them sexually.

that's part of our responsibility as people but the commitment about not exactly play you want to you right here and ran to the king james due benevolence due benevolence reading your bible you be better off finding out what her needs are. what are some of the things that she would really appreciate you being a little more tentative about then you are because usually when she is unresponsive and that way she's got some things building up within her, and you need to find out what's going on in there and i bet you brother.

sometimes i put the system. would you give me a little time with him and listen want to find out what are some of the things she wishes you would do so you can have a sharing time with both of you to be intentional about doing something that will matter to the other person and you tell her no listen i would really appreciate a little more sexual attention will mean a lot to me and what i want to do because i love you too baby and i want to kick your needs.

what are some of the things you need and she said what really would appreciate if you would help me with this is that around the house.

if you would be more to talk to you. i really appreciate you actually turn off turn the tv off. put that remote down and look me in my face and listen to me and respond to what i'm saying why because they took it from have to do want to i want to do right by you and i want that to be the framework in which you do right is relational have to want to makes all the difference in the sand like don't get it twisted is right and wrong all i wanted to be on the basis of my love for you and you responding trusting me that my plan for you is the best plan and that's why he says that we must learn to walk not only in faith and love that we have to learn to walk in righteousness. folks, there is righteousness. we live in a world that's trying to put everything up for grabs, but god has a right to standard for our lives is not based on him being hateful or mean or not want you to have fun. it is his standard to bless us and make us glorify him in the live a life of fulfillment ourselves, listen, don't ask god to be tolerant as all your life, your life speaks to it. you got respond okay lord i agree with you.

that's part of my sinful past. now you want to make me an lifestyle, a new creation and as i walk with you under the trust you that you will help me walk in righteousness and listen there.

lots of folks in the kingdom of god who can tell you. you wouldn't recognize me based on the way i used to be, but for the grace of god is about to exit everything in this room listening to this message all over the kingdom of god have a testimony we learn to walk in righteousness, and so we think that we really need to get over to god and learn to trust him. but there are those of us who can tell you listen.

i was a whole lot of things on that list, but the lord came and loved me well and he loved me so well that i wanted to respond to him by loving him in return and i'm now learning how to live a life that brings him below. i'm here to tell you, god alone has the transform our lives make philippians 2 verse 13 the apostle paul writes it is god who is at work in you to will and to act according to his good pleasure.

we cannot do it without him, not by might not by power only by the spirit of the living god.

thanks so much for joining us for today's message keeping in step with the spirit, if you'd like more information about the destin for victor ministry. what this most special offer. be sure to stop by our website pastor paul.net that's pastor paul.net when you see the word of god describe those of us who are the people of the lord is talking about you and you will notice there are some things the bible calls you, that you might not yet be acting like all that means is you have a journey to take this next time and pastor paul shepard's message taking away our excuses.

until then, remember he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion. in christ, you are destined for victory