The Choice Is Yours, Part 2

Today on Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt challenges you to become a fully functioning follower of Jesus Christ are not alone. All the power of the provision of the arrest will be the goodness no notice what he says all things work. These are my promises. The measure choice. Gonna believe these promises or do I want to say circumstances like Canaanites were recently said this is when God permits his children to go through the furnace. He keeps his eye on the clock in his hand on the thermostat is loving heart knows just how much you believe it or joining us today on this additional Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt Fellowship in the Words the radio ministry of Fellowship Bible church located in Metairie, Louisiana Pastor Bill Gebhardt now is once again he shows up how God's word meets our world, we often get all confused as we keep saying if I only had if they only did that only happened if I only got that diagnosis if he would only say this to me if this would only happen by was a general lack anything you have everything. I noticed a guarantee of it. He said, seeing that his divine power. That's the that'll back this up his divine power. How much power is here is everything is and yeah I'm giving you everything according the life and godliness, through the true knowledge of him. Do you have to know Christ to know this. You have to know the word of God, even to know what God's given you for some of us we know Christ died on the cross we know is our Savior and we say that's good. It's like fire insurance. I put my faith in him him when I die, I hope I go to heaven. But that's not the true knowledge of him.

You have to know just an important thing is that if you want it appropriate this in your life, he said, through the true knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and his own excellence. The basis of all this is his power, his glory and his excellence. How does he do this, how does this work verse 44 by these he has granted to us his precious and magnificent.

What promises well what a great way to describe this he has given us his precious and magnificent promises. That is the key to life. I'm giving you my promises. Whichever choice you see precious. The word means valuable and costly magnificent megastar's. It means superlative. The greatest he says look at giving you these huge promises they should make all the difference to you in your life but you have to choose whether you believe it or not, he has granted to us his precious and magnificent promises, so that by then we bear become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust measure choice.

Usually when it comes down to your belief system and the promises of God. It comes down to when I believe that I become a partaker of the divine nature when some a partaker of the divine nature.

I can face what I have to face just as Christ did that for the promises of God's promise me think of the all the promises she Jesus said this, he said he that believes in me has life set who says that Jesus died, he believes in me has like you want eternal life, leaving me. Jesus said that even after you have eternal life.

I've come to give you life and to give it to you abundantly. That's his promise to you. I wanted to be an abundant life, not just any life. I want to give you an abundant life. It's filled with joy and hope and peace, not anxiety and worry and turmoil and conflict is and I want to give you this life he's promised this life. These promised us blessings. He's promised us that heavenly's he's promised us abundant grace upon grace he's promised us joy is promised us strength. He's promised us guidance. He's promises help. He's promised us instruction he's promised us wisdom he's promised us his Holy Spirit is promises heaven, he promised us eternal rewards. It's all yours. He said promised all this to you to have a choice you make your own mind. You see, you can allow the kind of things and sneak into your life and give you insecurity and fear.

You see you can and just fill your life with worry and tension. You can believe the promises of God. I love it.

Peter says these are precious. These promises are magnificent and yet so many of us, sort of. Just ignore them.

I think some of us even trivialize him or somehow does minimize other just words in the Bible is a promises of God promises the Lord Jesus Christ never feel lonely ever shouldn't.

He's and he was on never leave you nor forsake you. I'm never will promised you that, but I feel so lonely and it is worse with it. I feel so lonely I don't feel like I'm close the Lord anymore.

I can't seem to find him visit he never moved you moved you moving around out using the circumstances make me feel lonely. He said I got that on never leave you nor forsake you that this person might my spouse was so disappointing to me in condemning to me. I'll never leave you or forsake you. I'm right here.

That's why said, look up, I'm the husband of the widow on the father of the orphan, I'm right here. I'm worried about what might happen. Genesis 15 I am your shield, I am your shield, I'm not really worried about what could happen to crazy world out there is no I'm your shield in Isaiah 41. He said I will strengthen you and I will help you his power and his provision of strengthen you. I know when we can't help you. Jesus said in John 10 is a shepherd or the sheep he said always go before you let me lead Jesus never said hey God, I will try it on your own what you always say to everyone he met. Follow me, this following have got this how often the lack rest piece. Remember, Jesus said, come unto me all you that are heavy laden, and what give you rest. Yeah but you don't know what I'm going through.

He does, he does. He knows exactly what you're going through. She said you come to me. I'll give you rest.

That's his promise to us no good thing. Why withhold from them who walk up rightly. Psalm 84.

You won't get up I get sure every good thing comes your way know his definition a good thing, and yours might be different but I want to tell you something is is infinitely better than yours is that I will guide the meek and Psalm 25 Romans 828 all things work together for good.

My promise is that I'll take the worst things never happen in your life.

I'll redeem them for good. That's his promise.

He knows what life is like go with me to Psalm 34 for a moment. Psalm 34 highlight this in your Bible make a refrigerator magnet. Whatever you need, but this is a great verse because it is the truth. It says here in verse 19 of Psalm 34. Many are the afflictions of the righteous is a fact: somebody on TV tell you that God's children don't have any afflictions as a lie. Not like that.

Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivers them out of the ball. There is the promise hey it's rough out there.

It is bad stuff happens out there. Many are the afflictions, but I delivery out of them all, not some all question do you believe it. You see when you start facing affliction. You believe that or no, no, I got a coat. No, I don't want to do with this outline I handle it so you can believe me or not.

What we most anxious about was her greatest fear dying. Some of us are terrified about dying. We don't even like to be around. I really want to go to see a good person. I want help you to be dead is I want to talk about it.

You don't have to. You still are to be dead wrong and to be dead. That's anxious.

Anxious. Jesus knows that what he said let not your heart be troubled, why he knows our hearts troubled. You see, he knows it just scares us. It really does.

He said let not your heart be troubled. Believe in me. You see, believe in me and believe my father. He said let me explain some in my father's house are many dwelling places and I'm going to go and prepare a place for you.

Promise, so that where I am, there you may be also. And when it's time for you to go, I'll receive you to myself.

Now if you believe that you're not afraid of dying. If you're afraid of dying you don't believe you hope it's true.

But you don't believe it is. That's why these promises are so important for us. It sort of gives us a whole different perspective of our lives. It works over and over, the same way, what is the keeps us in the wilderness.

I know what it is. It's the pain of living. The difficult circumstances of life. It shook side it suffocates our faith chokes it out overwhelmed by it. I'm sure some of you are aware this but David Jeremiah some years ago was given a diagnosis that he had fatal cancer to do the best they could.

For but look like David Jeremiah was going to go and be with the Lord as they wrote a book about his experience of going through the whole thing.

And the Lord delivered him but he writes this he said in every life at some time a person finds himself in that dark tunnel weathers no like that's visible you weep and you cry out of frustration and you plead Lord I can't take anymore.

I have no more patience no more strength to hold out.

I must hear from you today. If you don't resolve this issue. I don't know what I'm going to do. Can't you see that I'm desperate. Why don't you help me is that most of us a been there about you. He said it may have been because of a long drawn out sickness like mine.

It may have been a long-term financial problem.

It may have been a struggle with grief, it may have been an alcoholic spouse or non-save loved one, or dysfunction in your family.

Or perhaps you've suffered through the problem at work. I demanding unreasonable boss or a jealous, spiteful, fellow worker come with you have to cope with every day. There is a seem to be any related resolution in sight.

But the problem forces we do that he says we always forget what God has promised to never leave you nor forsake you. You're not alone. I'll be your shield. I'll protect you. I'll be your power, I'll strengthen you. I'll be your provision. I'll be your rest. I'll be the goodness in your life. No notice what he says all things are going to work together for good. These are my promises to you, yours.

Your choice drawn. I believe these promises or do I want to say the circumstances to scare me, just like the Canaanites scared them when will you be said this is when God permits his children to go through the furnace. He keeps his eye on the clock in his hand on the thermostat is loving heart knows just how much and how long you have to believe it. Last verse. First Peter chapter 1 first Peter chapter 1 and verse three.

You may wonder why does God give us these circumstances are so difficult for us what what is he allowed if he can do anything I can tell you what everything other life to test for you and me. God uses the trials and tribulations the suffering in this world, to test your faith, not for him. The no he already knows for you know is he he wants you to know where you really stand with God. Hey, you look like a fine bunch of spiritual people inherent Sunday morning I got a hunch that away from here. Might be a little bit more of a struggle such as you want to know that since things like this can happen.

That's a peters writing about.

Peter says this Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ to according to his great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for salvation ready revealed the last time that's what that's the truth of the whole thing your heirs he promised Israel the promised land he promised you heaven, he promised you eternal life. He promised you that you will inherit everything that Christ does, he promised you that that's his promised notice how he describes it in verse for an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, it will not fade away is reserved in heaven for you. Do you believe in wonder. That's why I say almost ad nauseam. Things like the worst thing that could happen to you can happen to want to reinforce that promise. I read the end of the book you went. You see, that's the truth. You have to believe this, if you don't believe it will help you it still will be true but won't help you to find here. They may describe the way life really is. He said in verse six in this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you been distressed by various trials. I don't know what you're going through and by the way some of you people go through things that are unimaginable to me. I spent some time this week in a person's house in our church and when I saw the depth of the suffering it was unimaginable to me but this family is going through.

But notice the truth of it, even though now for a little while, if necessary little while and what's a little while. Suss member call Cpl. Paul called it Paul said, you know, when I think of my momentary light afflictions.

Wait a minute. If you read the story of Paul. They want momentary and they didn't seem light is a no-no. He said why because it can't be compared to the glory that's coming. So if I suffered for 20 years. That's nothing in light of eternity. It's nothing make that statement. You have to have faith. Paul had faith in this. That's exactly what he said.

He said notice in verse seven, so that the proof of your faith. That's with the light afflictions do. That's with the temporary trouser like they prove my faith, not to God to me to. That's what happens in this weather or not you believe the promise of God has you, you know, you see, whenever you're facing a real trial, no matter how painful it is. If your basic attitude is one of peace and joy and hope you believe the promises of God. If it is fear and anxiety and chaos and anger and all that you not believe in God you just don't believe as I got like a believer but I've gone for the Canaanites are big their top this is rough, what I'm going through. That's the story Josh was there to tell us it will prove your faith. All of us are going go through trials every time we do you have the choice region. Every one of us. You can allow the trial to dominate your life you live the life of grief and worry and anxiety and fear and hate to say you live and die in the wilderness will be Savior out of Egypt went to the Red Sea maturing the wilderness.

You never experience a land flowing with milk and honey with the writer of Hebrews goes the faith rest like you never get in or you can believe in the precious promises of God is telling what you do. It makes all the difference in the world like to close with a story that maybe illustrates my point.

During World War II, the king of England ordered the evacuation of all children from London because of the German bombings. Since many of the children and never been away from home before you can imagine how nervous and upset they were mother and father had just put their young son and daughter aboard a crowded train and then said goodbye to them as they left. No sooner had I left and the little girl just started crying and she told her brother that she was scared because she said I don't know were going and brushing his own tears away. He put his arm around her, his little sister, knee, sadistic comforter. I don't know were going either. But the king knows so don't worry are King's spring father. This lesson is so powerful for us because it's the truth. This really is the watershed of our spiritual lives, what we believe, how do we allow our faith in your promises.

The shape us or do we allow the circumstances and the tension in the chaos and the conflict in the fears of this of the world around us. The shape us to fill us with things that only do us harm. Father I pray that each of us examine our own hearts and say, do I really believe in these promises is such an essential thing that I do every promise father that you have ever made that has a time of fruition, where it can come to an end is already been proven to be true. These things that you promised in Jesus Christ are all finished except for a second coming and all the more true we have to believe in all your promises the same way we have to put our faith in our trust in what you've said, rather than a how we feel. Because of the circumstances thinking for this poignant book of Joshua.

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