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September 24, 2020 8:00 am
Today on Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt challenges you to become a fully functioning follower of Jesus Christ. That's how this works. What would I follow the word of God is alive word is alive and has wife is on dead words all work related to the from a living being. But now the debtor does know my words different is alive. He said it sharper than any two eggs are God's words and my words alive and working to seek the Lord of the seat numbers words for you. These words will change and will be able to cope drawing of today on this additional Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt Fellowship in the Words the radio ministry of fellowship, monitor located in Metairie, Louisiana pastor go get her now is once again he shows us God's word. Our world is there's a book by William Bridges and it's called managing transitions and making the most. That's what he right that this expertise, managing transitions, and here's what he says. Change is not the same as transition change is situational. The new site. The new boss the new team roles. The new policy a new reality transition is the psychological process. People go through to come to terms with the new situation change is external transition is internal and unless transition occurs you'll never cope with change.
There has to be a transition in the way you think he said when we talk about change, we naturally focus on the outcome that that change will produce. If you move from California to New York City. The changes crossing the country and learning your way around the Big Apple transition is different. The starting point for transition is not the outcome but the ending that you will have to make to leave the old situation behind situational change hinges on the new thing, but psychological transition depends on letting go of the old reality and the old identity you had before the change took place have to do this. The transition is I have to let go.
You see, I have to let go of that reality. I have to do that, you can just see how this would work no matter what it is. If I lose someone I love those dear to me. I have to let go. No matter how I deal with it. Even alive. A moment of denial, the whole truth of the matter is there God and are not coming back. That's change I have to deal with that if I don't deal with that I'll never be able to cope and people run into that kind of thing all the time but if you get a terrible diagnosis.
She what if you get a terrible diagnosis while you get it. That's the reality. I have to let go. What no I just want to be the way it was before the diagnosis wanting to be the way you were before you had the diagnosis is never helped anybody because is change or it's the change in how we cope with it. As I said earlier, Israel could not let go of Egypt could not and you and I was. I don't understand that 10 generations of slaves see another in a position of the unknown they're told are going or promised land and laughing about it. The Jewish Christians in Hebrews could not let go. Judaism just couldn't do it. And now you hear people say the same thing I just want things to go back to the way they were. That's what I want. I want to go back to pre-all the stuff let's just do it and then will have to change this reality to change, you have to be able to cope with it just goes on his book and he says there's three stages.
The first transitional stage.
Is this the ending. There has to be an ending in this transitional stage. In other words, you have to let go. You have to lose what was passed. I have to let it go. I'm moving to a new place. I have to let it go. I have to. That's my first age. The second stage is what he calls the neutral zone nothings happened yet, but once you let go. You're in the neutral zone. The third one is the new beginning of change. Nothing to this from the book of Joshua where they have to leave Goa Egypt where the neutral zone wilderness and then what's the change the promised land. We think of it in the book of Hebrews, where they have to let go of Judaism.
You see worse the neutral zone. I'm a believer were part of a church. But what's the promised land of faith rest life. That's the process so you may think will okay I understand that but how do I do this. What does it take to actually do this transition be able to cope with change. See that's the problem that we have so often and what I want to do is go right back in a sense, to where we started this go back first to Joshua. Joshua chapter 1 using does God equip us to be able to cope with change. Yes, over and over and over and over again.
In fact, a lot of what God tells us is to equip us to cope with change because were sinful people. We live in a fallen world, and changes everywhere. Life changes every day. I can still remember one of the books that I read many many years ago from a youth pastor and he talked about the change in he was had a bunch of teenagers at the camp and he was on his fun-loving youth pastors and they ran an obstacle course and you ran the obstacle course and at the last part of the obstacle courses along that of mind about 18 inches 2 feet deep in your to dive into the bad go under the finish line to do it and so he rented and then when he dove into the back.
At the end, some that happen and he could move anything.
He was conscious he could hear the kids laughing because he wasn't coming up, and then after a period of time pretty long. Imagine someone jumped in and rely something is wrong and he pulled them out and he broke his neck is a quadriplegic for the rest of his life. The title the book between the lightning and the thunder. Everything changes between the lightning and the thunder. My whole life changed that's change. How do you cope with something like this. You see, how do you do this well, and Joshua. Notice what he says in verse seven only be strong and very courageous. Be careful to do all according to the law of Moses my servant commanded you. And do not turn from it to the right of the left so that you may have success wherever you go, what you say. Moses wrote the law do it, but is not done with it. He says in verse eight, the book of the law shall not depart from your mouth.
You shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do all that is written in it and then you will make your way prosperous, and have success.
While I have to do the law but I have to know the law but I have to meditate on the law. You see, that's what I have to I have to do this. That's what God said and if I do it.
Notice what God says you will have success, you make your way prosperous, you'll cope with the change.
It'll be fine with you what kind of change any kind of change in one matter, now let's go to Hebrews chapter 4 and notice what he does. The writer of Hebrews. In his first 10 verses is warning them to not do what the Exodus generation did.
Don't end up not being able to cope with change. Just like they couldn't cope with your never enter the faith rest life and then he says this in verse 10 for the one who is entered his rest has himself also rested from his works just as God it is there's a rest that God wants to give you this is the grace of God, the ongoing grace of God in your life, not just to save you but to keep you and then he says therefore let us be diligent to enter the rest, so that no one will fall through following the same example of disobedience. You gotta learn to cope in this. You've got to do what I'm telling you don't do what they did and then noticed verse 12. What's the first word for. You've heard me say this a thousand times as an explanatory gar. Let me explain what I mean here here's. As for how do I learn to cope with change for the word of God is living and active.
Sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing as far as the division of the soul and the spirit of both the joints and the marrow and its able to judge the thoughts and intentions of what you say you follow the word of God.
You follow the word of God. That's how this works.
Why would I follow the word of God is alive, nobody else's words are a lot. It's alive. It has life these undead words all words we writer did there. From a living being. But now their digger just on the page you should know my words different is alive. He said it's active it sharper than any two-edged sword, God's word.
He said my words alive and it does stuff my word changes people seek. Think of it, the word of the gospel save you from all your sins conscious. You have got words for you. These words will change you will be able to cope notice the depth of and he said piercing as far as the division of the soul and a citizen of the spirit. It speaks to my soul.
The inner man. We talked about that's on last week. He says both of the joints and marrow, and its able to judge the thoughts and intentions of my heart. God's word should judge your thoughts and your motives whenever you say something, do you allow God's word to judge what you just said piano thing we think about it that way. What does God say wonders tongue when I'm saying yeah I know what does God say she that's an important thing you want a really good piece of advice stop talking about what some politician or some blogger on the Internet instead, whenever they said stop talking about what they said how about talking about what God said if you talk about what God said and not what some politician or some blogger said you might have a completely different view of the circumstances were only that's a God saying to us, he says, look there is no creature hidden from his site. All things are open laid bare the eyes of him was with whom we have to do, but you can't fake this week.
He can't fake it sees everything there's nothing. This is so you can't it's easier for everybody else.
It's easy you know one thing you one thing you could never do is for God. Many cents. No matter what you're saying. The matter what you're doing and he knows your heart. He knows what he said that's what he say he said no watch. Therefore, since we have a great high priest was just past to the heavens Jesus the son of God does hold fast our confession. This is interesting how he adds this, he said, look, I know this is hard.
I know change is difficult for us. I even know that we fail sometimes in this you know what, we have a high priest was a high priest to intercede for his people. He represents me to God. He's my high priest that you give me reassurance even one of them failing. He semi high priest would do that, he said. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who was tempted in all things as we are yet without sin. I just love that is.
That's an amazing thing.
Jesus knows you see he was tempted, he didn't said he knows when I'm tempted I often say he understands my weaknesses to get separately since I got it all represent you to God. So even if I'm not coping well. He says I'll do it all represent you in a God, but there's even more.
He said therefore conclusion let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in a timely need now is Jesus intercede for you but what's God say to you and me company come to me, not coping with computer dimple my lap at the throne of grace, and I'll give you the grace and mercy. You need to get through this. While you see one. Think of what God has provided for us how this works for us pieces yeah that's with the word of God can do in our lives.
I learned something over the years. There are two different there many more than a party with her to the kinds of Christians and happiness.
There are Christians who have done everything within their power to stay as close to Jesus Christ as a can throw lives. They know the word of God and they meditate on it and they they determined that if God said do it, I'll do it. And if God said don't, I won't. The word of God is the lifeblood when I noticed with those kind of people when real change comes into their lives.
They cope then there's the other kind of people Sunday morning only people they come in a sing a few songs and say you know God bless you and all that and then when real difficult change comes in only for full pieces is not prepared for the just not prepared for. And the reason are not prepared for. They don't know the word well enough, they don't meditate on the word and obeying the word of God. I know where is God words he had to help me.
I got you can cope words he swears always been.
It's always been the same for God. You see that that's all happens those people who just meditate amid the word of God, the lifeblood they handle they handle the loss of a loved one way better than someone who has no spiritual depth. Some people that's put to death spend the rest of your lives, and don't ever they handle the loss of their health better how to manage the king inner man's being renewed. I'm okay no I get but I'm okay. They handle the loss of a job better.
They handle the loss of the death of a loved one. Everything is different. In my view, is a probably handle this whole pandemic and code better than fine, and I know that to be true because we have interact with so many different folks in the church and there are some people to interact with us and they are not handling it well at all. Not at all I mean is just you could've put them in Joshua Newman. He was there just not handling it well and are other people who have lost a great deal of the things we value money, etc. all the things and they handle it in such an encouraging way they never seem discouraged by it all.
It could affect a lot of people. They could lose it doesn't affect them. My trust is in the Lord here I totally trust with the world. This will be as bad as the Lord let Sabina less as long as the Lord wants of the last and I'm okay with that. You see, I'm okay with yet but what were losing local we might not have. That's what one person says the other person says, seek you first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and God allowed it to you.
So that's what I'll do. And maybe God doesn't want to have me to have as much they used to have. I'm okay with that. You see that's backed up all of him to be content in whatever circumstances.
I find myself think of the changes: through all the time because I got it I'm okay because I meditate on the word and the word of God speaks to me constantly in my life. One last passage you want to go to when we visit before second Peter chapter 1, second Peter chapter 1 verse two Peter writes.
He says grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ our Lord.
That's two things to pray for everybody to get more more grace and more peace and meaning knowledge. There's a great things that he says in verse three. Seeing that his divine power.
We look at that last time Dennis his divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness. And I said the last time. What does that cover. It's everything you can think of that way because I don't have the power's and I got that many says in verse 44 by these he has granted to us his precious and magnificent promises just like he did to Israel to Joshua. Just like he did the church and God said of giving all my promises. It's not so that you and I can have keep God's promises like we keep recipes and are little recipe thing. When I just find accumulating were trying to live by them. What is God promised us. You see what all things work for our good. Is all things, yes, I'll be more than victorious in Jesus Christ more than conquerors posit yet yes you see anyone to think about. He said this is yours member. He said no man can stand against you. He said Israel member when he said that but did Paul write to us. If God be for us, who can be against us think the pandemics against this. It's going really is sovereign. See, it's a difference. I get it.
Coping with change is not easy for any of us. That is really hard for us. But God has given us his magnificent promises, so that we can cope with all the changes being sinful people living on a cursed planet. When this is run its course will be more changes in your life.
Some of them will be much worse than this, you may lose someone you love dearly, or you may get a diagnosis that could be fatal, and now seem a lot worse than what you're going through now because living is a simple person on a cursed planet we experience changes all the time. He has spoken to all of our fears all of our worries. All of our anxieties concerning change. How many times as he told us, fear not, don't worry. Don't be anxious. You see, and I keep saying it over and over again. I'm just beat he saying that to us because he's telling us as his children.
Don't worry. Don't be anxious. Don't fear because I kayaked I got this I got your life. I got this diagnosis. I got the surgery I got this now.
Do you believe me or not.
You see, and I think so often we're just like that generation. We just we can cope with the words that God is given us his precious promises will not help us if we don't believe if you don't believe you met your choice but you will reap what you sow you will find yourself in turmoil all the time. Just try to remember this goddess told us over and over again. You can cope with change.
You know that means you can spray father as we find ourselves all experiencing a very similar change we learn from the word of God did as human beings we struggle with coping with the changes in our lives but father is children of yours.
We struggle needlessly that our real struggle isn't with the circumstances of the change are real struggle is our disbelief in what you have told us.
Father I pray that you will convict us of this that we dedicate ourselves to constantly reading and meditating and thinking about all these incredible things that you are promised us change is inevitable peace is something that comes father. That's my prayer for all of us and pastoral never on the radio ministry of fellowship Lord, if you ever missed one of our broadcast or maybe you dislike listen to the message one more time. Remember the good a great website called one place.com that's one place.com and you can listen the Fellowship in the Word online at that website you will find on with today's broadcast but also many of our previous audio programs is that Fellowship in the Word. We are thankful for those who financially support our ministry and make this broadcast possible. Yes, all of our listeners to prayerfully consider how you might help with radio ministry continuous broadcast on this radio station by supporting us monthly with just a one-time gift support for ministry can be sent to Fellowship in the Word. 4600 Clearview Pkwy., Metairie, LA 7006 if you would be interested in hearing today's message in its original format that is is a sermon, the pastor will deliver during a Sunday morning service of fellowship monitored visit our website FVC Nola.org that FVC and oh LA.O RG at our website you will find hundreds pastoral sermon you can browse through our sermon archives to find the sermon series you're looking you can search by title. Once you find the message you're looking for. You can listen online or if you prefer, you can download the sermon and listen at your own.
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