The Heart! Part 2 of 2

Hello this is Matt slick from the match look like podcast right defend the Christian faith and lay out our foundation of the truth of God's word for chosen Truth Network podcasts starting in just a few seconds.

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Do you feel like Christianity is just a system of rules and regulations, I can do this but I can't do that. Do you feel like your efforts to reach God. Find God, and please God. If you do you feel like your faith is dead or alive today.

Pastor Russ Andrews will walk us through Scripture to answer these questions join us on finding purpose of local tribal ministry glorifying God by helping men find their purpose for living. For more information and to connect with Russ Andrews and finding purpose could visit us online@findingpurpose.net or connect with us on Facebook. Now let's listen to Russ Andrews as he teaches us how to be a Christian without being religious right to have a special two-part. What I would like this morning going about like we've been given here in America which is called specific particular revelation. Hamlet says specific revelation is revenue is the revelation of God or information God desire to communicate given to particular individuals at particular times and the means of the specific revelation can be any of the following dreams and visions preaching missionaries, miracles, and of course the Bible. I believe it. Everyone in America has had the opportunity to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ. At the very least we have more access to the gospel message than anyone else in the world.

We have churches on every street corner. We have multiple Christian bookstores in every city. We have Christian radio and television stations broadcasting the word of God 24 seven and you can hear your preaching today at 1230 on one of 5.71 Hugh Grant expect to deny them the readier lower of finish. Right before you're ready. Okay, the subject we had the benefit of Billy Graham's evangelistic outreach for nearly 70 years in this country we have more bottles than any other people in the world here in America we have been given more light belief in any group of people who has ever lived in the history of the world so consider what Jesus says in Luke 1248 from everyone who's been given much, much will they want demanded from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked I would argue that right here in Raleigh we have all Bible studies, per capita than any other city in the world can't prove that, but if not first of it were close second. Sadly, I believe in Jesus is addressing our generation here in America when he says they will be ever seen but never perceiving and ever hearing but never understanding otherwise they might turn and be forgiven genomic people right now sitting in churches with not hear the truth. All there. Scripture recite the apostles preached of the all hearing the truth and they been hearing it for years, but they don't get because there ever hearing but never understanding see when the seat is scattered along the path.

Some of the falls on heart saw this and trampled down lots of people that you not encounter close their minds to the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. They rejected the light of God's revelation for so long that the heart to become totally unresponsive. The site just comes along and snatches the seat right in their hearts. This what Paul writes in Romans 118 to 19 the wrath of God is been really revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness sensually known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. No one from Raleigh will ever be able to stand before God and say, well, you know, Lord, you give me enough to get the gospel right yeah right Dalia Jeff in here somewhere. Is the problem here in America is not without physical ears, but with the ears of our hearts, and this is why Jesus said he who has ears to hear that in here now let's look at the second type of heart account the superficial or shallow, hard look at verses five and six and 16 and 17 some fellow rocky places were did not have much soul.

It sprang up quickly because the soul was shallow but when the sun came up.

The plants were scorched, they weathered and eroded energies explains others like seats on a rocky places, hear the word it was received with joy.

But since they have no root they last only a short time when trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away the seed that fell on the rocky places actually refers to an underlying band of solid rock that's just beneath the surface. This soul is very shallow. Thus, when the seeds begin to germinate.

My wife explained that if she left work in the yard and Saturday. Thou shalt not live. I've got a picture of me one day I was in the back on a lounge chair with a glass of lemonade. My wife was over there with her hands in the dirt pulling up leads methyl think this is what it means when this is wife, submit to your husband thought getting up getting that was a joke.

I am not not, but that is a true picture of our of life in our backyard where was I get in trouble yeah I got home this afternoon. Therefore, even though the ceiling sprang to life and they look healthy.

At first they quickly whether under the scorching sun.

This word superficial experience teamwork. It means existing on the surface. Everything looks good on the surface of an observing man up again. I became a BSF group later when I was about 32, seven, and even before that well either even do it. I was leaving a small group Bible study in my office and wait for securities for about 10 years I've been observing man tickly man is gradually call me to minister to men.

Men typically need more help than women when it comes to spiritual things that I've been observing me for over 35 years who go to church and may even attend a Bible study in many given outward appearance of belief.

But here's what I notice when I'm with them. They never talk about Jesus or even much about about all the talk about sports.

The latest trip they took work and the last thing they bought the most telling aspect of their lives. Is it nothing seems to have changed. They never want to go deep and discuss temptations they are dealing with something they've learned in the in their study of Scripture, everything just exist on the surface, the person who makes a superficial commitment is the real problem is never truly repented of his or her sin.

Thus, I don't understand what it means to be a new creation. They never leave their old way of life there. The same person they've always been David Platt's book following day, which I highly recommend everyone read rights.

Repentance is a rich biblical term signifies a basic transformation in someone's mind, heart and life. When people repent they turn from walking in one direction to running in the opposite direction from that point forward. They think differently, believe differently feel differently love differently and live differently.

Real conversion results in a break from your old way of life as you follow Jesus and live a telling you why practice on the site.

Our reason for living changes. Does it not possessions and possessions are no longer our priorities, comfort and security are no longer our concerns… Shouldn't be safety is no longer a goal because self is no longer of God.

We know God's glory more than we won't our own lives. More we glorify him. The more we enjoy him and the more we realize that this is what it means biblically to be a Christian. You see there's nothing superficial about the Christian life. This why would much rather hang out with my Christian brothers and my friends who don't of the Lord like us. I guess you can't talk about nothing.

When I'm with you. It is actually draining age range worse when I'm with my Christian brothers.

You come away enriched and encouraged. Here's a warning. Every day the seed of God's revelation falls upon parts that are unresponsive, enclosed parts that are shallow and superficial and third every day.

The seed of God's revelation falls upon worldly distracted arts as the third type of hard look at verses seven and 18 in 19 other seed fell among thorns, which group and should the plants so they did not dare grind verse 18. Still others, like seats on among thorns, hear the word but the worst of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.

Once again, welcome to America. In America we have become so rich will rich in religion will rich in education and will rich and just plain old money and obligation of the primary weapons and Saints arsenal that he uses to keep a man or woman blind to the truth of the gospel. Paul writes in second root second printing chapter 4 verse four the god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they could not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. They can't see you see religion blinds us into thinking that were basically good romance in front of mine years ago we got into a discussion of traffic trying to lead them to Christ and your sentence shall be subtle in the way you do it you can't just how you need Jesus that Justin is at work.

For the record, so I asked him questions. If anything, a person gets to go to heaven.

He told I'll never forget is nothing God takes our good deeds and why some good some bad dates if you goodies that we are bad dates and what you get to get ahead. He grew up in a Baptist church and was attending an Episcopalian church. I asked him what time he truly thought mankind was basically good ethic is turned from the errors but you see religion makes us think were good education blinds into thinking we don't need to be taught by God as we are no and money blinds into thinking we are self-sufficient we can take care of ourselves. We don't need anything in our state self-sufficiency. This is the number one thing that keeps people away from God. They don't think they need him and this is why Jesus said in Matthew 1924 I cannot tell you is easier for a camel to go through the needle than for a rich man to the kingdom of God. We have so much in America would become the wealthiest nation in history.

The sad reality is that most of us aren't satisfied with what we have.

We just want what more we bought into the lie that he who dies with the most toys wins. Thus, we were about making more money so we can buy more things and this is the deceitfulness of wealth that Jesus is talking about receipt money cries out to all of us get more of May you be what happy content, but this is a lot see money never satisfies the DP the deepest longings of a person, because God never meant for the satisfied and this is why Jesus warned but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, make it unfruitful. First John two verses 15 through 17 says do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the father is not in him for everything in the world. The cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and devotion of what he hasn't just comes not from the father but from the world if any gets his last warning the world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives for how long. Forever I want you to understand this particular man your job you wealth and prestige. Your position in life does not define who you are, but your heart does remember man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looked at the heart Slim asking this question everyone. What does God see when you look into your heart because what he sees is who you really are.

That can be convicted get it. Not see something in your heart you don't like what you doing. Nice take it to Jesus as he loves what broken and contrite.

Let's consider the full title for the receptive or open heart. Look at verses eight and 22 other seed fell on good soil, it came up grew and produced a crop. Some Multiplan 3060 some hundred times and then in verse 20 explains this. Others, like seats on good soil.

Here the word and what accepted and produce a crop.

Some 30, some 60, some hundred times what was known as a what makes the this heart so different from the others three conditions.

First, the receptive heart accepts the word of God by faith. In other words, this is the only heart that actually believes in trust in God. As I said earlier, all four types of heart hear the word but this is the only one that accepts it.

This warning settings to receive this is the man who welcomes God's word into his heart. John 112 says to get to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, the most incredible opportunity three Fridays ago I got a morning baluster that there was about 15 to 20 men and got a notice. John Locke will name him through an exercise club that I'm a member that we would make the locker room and it was clear that a Christian like it's a but I like them and so we got to know each other and I think back in August I asked him right in the locker room sits on.

If you do not pass your blunt question if you would doubt a day. You know where you spend eternity is note I said would you like to know. He said yes as well get to Boston is one of these like one Friday morning and I thought that your Friday morning might be better for him, such what you come to find more about will resend the book of Romans, citing metabolic group Catholic. He told a group when he first got this.

What I love about you meeting with Manuel honest. He said to be honest when he's a member of the church. This talent will go nameless, he said, to be honest without really get up in the morning slightly is reps to play golf and didn't get the church he was going to serve the get up to play golf. I said well she honestly wasn't transparency. God loves that so so September October November we been going through Romans. We with Romans one through three, just the basics of Christianity in three Friday Morris got his heat will have a tender that morning. He did it look as if he was just frustrated. This is like 10 minutes left in the study is I just don't get how understand this, and I could see was that I won't get sausage do you want to understand none of the Gazans looking at him.

He said yes so I took a chair just like this one like this and I said you see this chair right here in Upland. I stood up and said you when I came to New York to put a fake leg not share what I said and collapse shall believe the moment I came in here that you would support me see what is that real belief knowest not exit this is real belief.

I can live in it. Do this that's what the Bible means when it talks about believe you put your full weight of what you believe and so and I sat back down. I said, you seem like a confident man something to disrupt from these men said would you like to believe now.

He said yes I would say okay I we believe in the associate separable like this never 35 years of nursing attack like this I said would you like a progressive price right now. Yes I would go on the stupid blameless i will go to the sinners prayer and i will do it like is the first time out of a bright if these phrases describe what you want to say that i cannot walk through the printer for private silica, so we better here to he prayed that prayer with the help layout. now i wish i had brought the swim this morning that what one chose to share this but after that which is all alike like this religious happened and so i one of the other guys in the study. cinnamon email that morning's congratulations.

the guys name is bill and i wish you could see the email. this guy said to deal basically said thank you so much forcing this to me this morning. that's so much to mary. i just can't even believe it is there but i'm so glad to now be a believer this morning before i came here as i sent email just invite them if they want to come not obtain which was si but he sent me an email this morning and ensure the basics of rust. this is not that night lisa thank you for transforming my life. he noticed jesus said i will pray for you this morning. i know the people there will set seven lines that that this brand-new bully reasonably praying for you this morning. incessant blackness of thanks brother i said you do understand that you know my brother in christ. have a blessed day. that's what it means to have an open, receptive heart and the proof of the if he continues with electric continues to cease coming every friday and we're hammering in the word of god. charles spurgeon puts it like this. the life of faith is represented as receiving negative plastic absent of anything involving merit is simply the acceptance of a gift as the earth drinks and the rain is a c receives the streams as night except light from the stars so we getting nothing but take freely of the grace of god by nature. the saints are empty vessels into which god pours his salvation. when i received jesus. he says he becomes my savior so much market need a life or death will be able to rob me of him. all this is to receive christ to take you missed god's free gift to realize him in my heart into appropriate him as my salvation may be described as the blind receiving site. the death receiving hearing began receiving life but we have received, not all these blessings, but also christ jesus himself like spurgeon want to the receptive heart receive jesus. an exception is savior and lord, and friend. here's the second condition. this be a lot shorter. don't worry, the receptive heart perseveres and belief to per specific names to continue in your faith without falling away that right.

we truly come to christ. our thirst is quenched by the fountain of life in a hemisphere with the bread of heaven, we discover that jesus is the supreme source of satisfaction and we won't nothing apart from him, we realize that he is better than all the pleasures pursuits, plaudits and possessions of this world combined. if we trust in christ.

he transforms our taste in such a way that we begin to love the things of god that we want hated and we begin to hate the things of this world that we once love.

when i look back at some of the things i did in my life that were clearly sinful. hated hate sin never seen again. i know i will.

but i look forward to the day when i see jesus and i will be like him perfectly pure, perfectly holy and i'll never sin again is the third condition, the receptive heart produces fruit. verse 15 success in the persevering producer crop see the real evidence of one salvation is fruit the true believer will give evidence of a change like this is the first fruit is a transform life can this be saturday second perkins 517 says therefore if anyone is in christ, he is a new creation. the old has gone, the newest, is it evident to those around you that your life has truly been changed. if you put on trial for been a christian with up enough evidence to convict you how this change manifests itself. your language will be different, if ultimately different your desires will be different. this doesn't mean that you will never seen it just means that you will never sin in the same way you begin to see evidence of a change heart and yourself. you also sense a war going on within you that warden began to became a believer is a battle going on between your old nature in your new nature.

paul writes about this in this wall will be evidence of the spirit living in the galatians 5 1617 says so i say live by the spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature for the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the spirit and the spirit was contrary to the sinful nature they were in conflict with each other so that you do not do what you want. finally, you will have a desire to tell others about your change life and with god's help. this will produce more fruit. eternal fruit since summary what is the evidence of an open and receptive heart. you believe the word of god, and you understand you continue in your belief you show evidence of a change life.

you begin to tell others how they too can experience which you've expressed in jesus enclosing one of the great privilege of being a child of god is a god continues to share his truth with his children.

this is why jesus said the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of god has been given to you. but listen, the secrets have not been revealed to those on the outside. that is why jesus began to speak to those from outside comparables are seen. they do not see the hearing, they do not hear or understand in them is fulfilled the prophecy of isaiah will be ever hearing but never understanding you be ever seeing but never perceiving for this people's hearts become become calloused. they hardly hear with your ears and they close their eyes. otherwise they might see with your eyes here with your ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and i would heal them. my biggest prayer is that you all on the inside of god's family. for if you are every time you show up here sunday mornings where italian men shovel tuesday night. the secrets of the kingdom of god will be rebuilding here us ears to hear that in here to pray with me have 55 under that your word will not return void. THE purpose for which you intend. i pray lord that you continue to melt our hearts. we love you more live sure being a christian is not about being religious about having a dynamic and alive relationship with jesus christ you been listening to finding purpose with pastor russ sanders local triangle ministry glorifying god by helping men and their purpose for living discover more about finding your purpose in life by checking out the resources@writingpurpose.net will connect to finding purpose on Facebook pastor Russ would also like to extend a special invitation for you to join him in over 300 other local tribal men study God's word together every Tuesday night at 7 PM in downtown Raleigh. Find out more finding purpose.net