What God Expects Of You - Part 2

Today on Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt challenges you to become a fully functioning follower of Jesus Christ is not the reason you all kinds of reasons, one of the saddest things for me is that as a pastor going to marriage counseling. I've seen couples, young couples, both local and they were given and up and made enters no biblical bonds all set.

One of them makes the other one very unhappy and that person's culture that is much, much like this all the time I was on Scott system dishonor marriage 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 again he shows us how God's word meets our work there a lot of sins by the way you and I hate you probably talk to your spouse or friend. Many of those sins, especially sexual sins are becoming more prevalent in our culture you see them all around and Michelle McGinnis look at this. Oh my goodness, look at that and talk about those city hates divorce, but divorce there's another thing about marriage is an institution was established by God along long time ago. It's supposed to be the perfect earthly illustration of how God relates to us and the two shall become one flesh that was supposed to become one and if I should established by God to seek the whole idea behind it is we establish it as a one flesh relationship God's part is a never leave you nor forsake you when you get to the book of Revelation to like Revelation 19 the church is going to get married everyone as part of the church is going to marry is called the wedding feast of the Lamb, Jesus Christ, and see who are we going to marry Jesus Christ and the two shall become one forever. It illustrates what how God relates to people. It's a very important institution to God, but wasn't big welcome by Babylon their Babylonian Degeneration and low regard for marriage.

If any.

So he says to them that's not to be the case so I hate. I hate divorce is the Lord God of Israel and him who covers his garment with wrong I love exit what you mean, your garment with wrong when you and I get married. We exchange these right ring is knowledge, nourishment when a Jewish man made a Jewish woman whenever standing beside each other. He would take his garment is out of garment and take half of it off and put it around her shoulder and that meant were one now and one forever. That's our relationship and that's why he uses that term with them that he says him who covers his garment with wrong, says the Lord of hosts will take you to your spirit. Do not deal treacherously don't doubt God's love don't offer worthless worship.

Don't ignore God's word don't dishonor marriage to that's a difficult thing in our culture and one the most painful things that I've been involved in, is that there's clear in the Bible. By the way, is a rainy Brown's Christian grounds for divorce ones will clearing the others, not after the clear rounders if you're married to nonbeliever and they want to leave you your free of that they can read the other one.

Jesus dealt with and that was the idea that he said in Matthew 19 that the only exception member.

He tried to tell them they believed you could divorce your wife for any reason the Pharisees did. And Jesus said there's no reason that's not God's intent. God never intended, and he said I'm telling you this, if you except for the reason the poor and the annual person is on immersion of the person, that person would commit adultery.

Porn is an interesting word can it mean multiple adulteries, yet we get the word fornication from it can also mean having sex in the betrothal.

Before that was before the wedding. Jessica may not member Joseph was going to put Mary away privately and so consequently those of the reasons but that's not the reasons we do it we have all kinds of reasons, one of the saddest things for me is the past as a pastor going to marriage counseling. I've seen couples, young couples both love the Lord and they will then end up in divorce a divorce and there's no biblical bonds all there's nothing even close, except that one of them makes the other one very unhappy and that person makes the other one very unhappy and very unhappy and I wanted to live in a culture that it's much much different.

So we fight this all the time.

I'm so I'm saying Scott system dishonor marriage.

Now let's move on to the next one after he does that.

He goes on, and he says this don't question God's justice. He says in verse 17 you will worry the Lord with your words. Yet you say how we wearied him and that you say everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delights in them, or where is the God of justice will be honest you've done this I mean by that. Have you ever noticed that a lot of times God's people try to be faithful to God stated God lives are kinda tough and then you find out. Reading about same celebrity some hedonistic celebrity and you find out that they live a life of total debauchery on their net worth couple hundred million dollars. They have homes all over the world and you think what is not fair. Does that seem fair to you how good nonbeliever live in such it seems I God's given them blessings.

A look at us were going through a really hard time here that's what they did. Psalm 73 is written by a soft and that's what the whole point of the Psalm is decent.

When I looked at the prosperity of the wicked. I thought, what's the use see what's the use that's what they did. That's the way they saw it from his, and behold, I'm going to send my messenger, he will clear the way before me. And the Lord whom you will seek, will suddenly come to his temple, and the messenger of the covenant, whom you delight, behold, he's coming, says the Lord of host. It's interesting that he says but who can endure the day of his coming. And who can stand when he appears, for he is like a refiner's fire and for soap what you mean goddesses I got justice. It's all gonna be just in in my time whose messenger ascending John the Baptist's job to turn the people back to God and then who's coming after John sent God, the Messiah of Israel he said to make it all right not part of the prophecies.

The second the second coming. You want to see justice there's going to be justice any real justice. I mean really dressed and remember at the end of the tribulation, the second coming occurs, Jesus sets up a messianic millennial kingdom to rule the earth with a rod of iron, perfect justice for everyone. The only people entering the millennium are believers, no unbeliever will enter the millennium just believers is a time of perfect environment, everything is applied and perfect justice that sounds great and people will live five, six, seven, 800 years in the millennium while life to be great at the end of the millennium, including the book of Revelation Satan is loosed the size of title lead a rebellion against God and guess what, how many people doing. John says you can't number them there like the sands of the seashore. Almost everyone born the millennium joined Satan and then is judged.

You know why you and I don't like perfect justice at all is… Perfect justice because were sinners. I don't want to be treated justly. I want mercy and grace as a sinner. You see, people got tired of these guys like against energy can get away with anything he sees a rod of iron for Jesus and he says that's right there's going to be future judgment then I'll drop down to verse seven.

Don't question God's justice.

Don't steal from God with your giving that's an interesting statement. Don't steal from God with your giving Lisa from the days of your fathers.

He says you have turned aside from my statutes and not kept them returned to me and I will return to use as the Lord of hosts look even I'm giving all these rebukes just come back to me just repent and come back they say to him, how can we return. They have no clue God says this Will a man rob God, he says, yet you are robbing me and they say how we rob you what you say we rob you. He said in your tithes and offerings. You rob me.

He said you are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me. The whole nation of you bring the whole tithe into the storehouse so that there may be food in my house.

Test me know in this, they had no understanding of giving it all just like many of us to see they were they were struggling. The country wasn't wealthy and he said, trying to shortchange me a lot more than you may think noticed the terms are user ties and offerings know there's been a lot of movement in America saying how biblical the Tigers and that the church is God storehouse the church has nothing to do with the storehouse, the storehouse has to do with the nation Israel. Mr. Ross is in the temple. Now when you say you want to tie I want to be biblical in time. If you do member this first any offering as above your time ties and offerings offerings have to go beyond the time. Secondly, every year in Israel.

You had to pay to ties 2×10% you had to pay a tie to run the nation in your to pay a tie for the Levites, so it was like an income tax for the nation 10% and then it was a tie for feeding all the Levites as they do full-time job. They took care of the temple, owned by the way, every third year you had to pay 1/3 time, every third year. You have not another tithing that was for the poor you brought another tithing for the poor.

So when I read you must pay 23 1/3% of your income. That's a tie now, your offerings go beyond your time is a way I keep saying that times have begun to tie well it's simple math might hear a lot of guys doing is that they realize that the average giving an evangelical church is about 3%. So if I can convince you that the Bible God is commanding you to give 10% to him to make more money we can build a building she there's some things we can do is like wait a minute that that's why yeah pragmatism because they don't talk about the other ties out of 23 1/3% they look like high. This biblical Old Testament is not what it says now what the New Testament say. Paul says in first Corinthians 16. We should all give proportionally. That's interesting.

If you have a lot to give a lot if you have a little you give a little bit you will give proportionally. Okay what he told the wealthy people in second Timothy first Timothy six.

He said this, if you're really wealthy, to tell you how to get if you really wealthy. Here's the first thing you should do enjoy hey hey hey that now is talk talk talk on.

You should enjoy.

He said yes you should I bust that don't you get your security or your significance from being wealthy by the way, that's a temptation for anyone who was wealthy. You see, there is a dearth on all of our heads.

If I'm really wealthy is never an inference I'm better than you only gonna happen. You see I can live or you don't live by driveway don't drive in a neat restaurant for you Tony.

Be careful with that. He said you don't get. If an secondly said you need to be ready to share from your wealth. Whenever there is a need, when you hear about someone who has a need you share.

That's what he said to the wealthy.

Paul took it in second Corinthians 89 and said this, here's the attitude you should have when you give God expect you to be in the word Greek words for Larry on you need to be a hilarious giver Polaris what that mean joyful you want to give you see what I want to give. I'm glad to give him happy to give a said you don't give grudgingly, nor of necessity with the ties of necessity. There is no necessity giving you see how much did you give whatever you want, that's up to you. You stand before the Lord will not me see you stand before the Lord. That's the background. By the way what people often say to me I is a backhanded waiver, but not really, but I people safe while been visiting this church. You are like most about it, you and ask for money. I don't not ask for money because I want you to be happy that I'm not asking for money.

I don't ask for money because that's between you and the Lord completely see that you and the Lord that's what you decide in your walk with him and it should be. It should be hilarious. It should be something you love to do and by the way, we had a test of this does not long ago we went through covert and that no one was meeting and I've kept reading things pastors panic and cutting down staff how we can meet mortgage and all that and I do not much I talked about money during coven.

None did what you did. You supported us completely between you and the Lord sees between you and the work and what they were doing as they were robbing God. That's what they thought they could get away with that we could actually rob. He then goes on.

He says noticed you test me if you cheat God in the way you give guess what happens. You rob yourself what's what he says next. He said go ahead. Test me in these things says the Lord, if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you the blessing until it overflows. Then I will rebuke the devour for you as so that it may not destroy the fruits of the ground normally are violent and guided field-tested scrapes, says the Lord. For all nations will call you blessed for you shall be a delightful land memo to Sam was called the land flowing with what milk and honey, that's his seat, but got a singer going test me. You cannot give me you can't whatever you give me I'll give you back how Jesus said when you give stuff the God he said he'll take what you gave to shake it and press it down and give you more now if you think waiting. I just got a thought that I give a lot to God. So I get more for me that will work. God knows your motive.

That's back to you again but anyone was really a generous giver with the Lord always is blessed by the Lord. That's what I do that. He said that when the light of crops working I tell you why you robbing me not even give me at all what I deserve is God doesn't need the money he made your heart. He owns all the cattle and all the hills so they all God needs money doesn't need money just need your heart.

So whatever you do don't steal from God and then he moves on and says this don't despise God service. He said your words have been arrogant against me, says the Lord. Yet you say we spoken against you. He said you have said it is vain to serve God and what profit is it if we have kept his charge, and that we have walked, he said in morning before the Lord of hosts. So now we call the arrogant blessed not only are there the doers of wickedness build up but they also test God and escape their point is this, what's the point serving God become better lifers. What's the point, why would you want to serve God when you're getting out of this. They despise God service. I said this earlier because I remember when I was a student at the seminary. There was a lot of really brilliant guys there tons of and want him interesting backgrounds.

But remember guy from the Northeast, and I can't remit he was. He was educated in the Ivy League. Somewhere is a lawyer and a really smart guy. I mean really really smart and he was a delicacy want to be a pastor. Pastors his father who was a believer gave them these words before he left. How stupid can you be that's a stupid you are Ivy League educated lawyer. Do you realize how much you could make in this life. When a statement what a statement this is just stupid. Why would you serve the Lord see that that same mindset.

Any that's what they did despise it doesn't pay to serve the Lord. I can imagine anymore the privilege of serving the Lord in any capacity, but that's number. They said he says in verse 16. Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another and the Lord gave attention and herded and a book of remembrance was written before him for those who fear the Lord and who steam his name. They will be mine, says the Lord of hosts on the day that I appear my present my own possession and I will spare them as a man spares his own son and serves him so he says you he said will again distinguish between the rightness and the wicked between the one who serves God and one it is not certain translated very, you've heard this many times I may not be able to make as much as they could in the real world, but my retirement benefits are much better, got his own honor this forever. Well done good and faithful servant about you, but those are words I think everyone will want to hear serve you is if it will hold the day is coming, burning like a furnace and all the arrogant and every evil to be chaff in the day that is coming will set them ablaze, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.

Everything you make in this world is temporal.

You don't take any of it with you but for you who fear my name the Sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings.

And you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall. I was still that picture that's what heaven will be like you see all the joy of a calf coming out of the barn and on the just it's just it's got no more sorrow no more tears infinite joy. He said you will tread down the wicked, for they will shall be ashes under the soles of your feet. He said on the day which I'm preparing says the Lord of hosts. Remember the law of Moses my servant, even the statutes and ordinances which I commanded him in horrible and all Israel, behold, I'm going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord. He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children.

The hearts of the children to the fathers so that I will not come and smite the land with the curse notice was introduced in last prophecy. Elijah member Transfiguration of Jesus Matthew 17 who stood there with Jesus, Moses and Elijah Revelation 11 verse three, where the end times and will be two witnesses and these two witnesses will be the servants of the Lord in the end times. Who are they, Moses and Elijah. He said that's the prophecy.

In other words, what Hauser can all turn on exactly the way God said, see, I did read the end of the book, and we do when see that's the whole point.

That's what God is Caesar.

When God withholds his judgment. He only withholds it to the time he's prescribed so his warning to us one don't doubt God's love to.

He says don't offer them worthless service three amine worship. Three. Don't ignore God's word for it. Don't dishonor marriage. Five.

Don't question God's justice. Six.

Don't steal from God and with your giving and seven don't despise God's service. When we do that, what happens we dishonor God and we bring judgment on ourselves, what book God's expectation of people I want to ask yourself this question, do you meet those expectations.

Not likely. If you don't you know what you can save yourself yeah I got the base of the way through you. I got it as I have this against not I got it.

So think a little bit more about it than just a moment. See if you do meet those expectations. Because God has expectations for all of us is our job to meet them bring father, what an interesting book but a different kind of book the whole book is God's judgment on the people that were lethargic and apathetic toward him. They were disappointed in them. They didn't believe that even love them.

They didn't like this idea that the wicked prospered. They thought that God to be satisfied with whatever leftovers they give them and their lives and they never walk close to him. May they be a warning to us now and forever that you do have expectations of your children you provide us the power and the insight to meet those expectations. We can't do it on our own that we can do. I pray father that the expectations put upon the people of Malachi's time for your glory for our pastor will give our on the radio ministry of fellowship Lord, if you ever miss one of our broadcasting or maybe you just listen to the message one more time. Remember that you can go to a great website called one place.com that's one place.com and you can listen the fellowship and the word online at that website you will find on with today's broadcast but also many of our previous audio programs as Fellowship in the Word. We are thankful for those who financially support our ministry and make this broadcast possible. We ask all of our listeners to prayerfully consider how you might help his 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.

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