Whethering The Storm's of Life- Part #1

This is Amy Thomas from the masculine journey podcast where we discover what it means to be a wholehearted man your chosen Truth Network podcast is starting in just seconds. Enjoy it, share it, but most of all, thank you for listening and for choosing The Truth Podcast Network. This is the Truth Network. The following is part one of a two-part program. Do you feel like you're on a religious treadmill.

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 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, 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 connect with us on Facebook. Now let's listen to Russ Andrews as he teaches us how to be a Christian without being religious like that weathering like chapter 6. Specifically, versus 46 to 49 other a brief overview of chapter 6, I just got up and we begin with chapter 6 really for the last two weeks in Luke chapter 6 we find Jesus is standing is a level place and delivered a very important message to a large crowd of distance of disciples to Texas. There was a great crowd of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem and from the coast of tar inside and who come to hear him and this is to be healed of all their diseases. The text goes on to say that Jesus looked at his disciples and he began to teach what the what a lot of theological. The greatest sermon this ever been preached in the history of the world. Here in Luke is called the sermon on the plane looks just this is just the other sub villages: this to distinguish it from the sermon amount which is the corresponding passage in Matthew chapter 5 Chapter 7 other theologians believe and I don't know which one is correct really matter that Jesus is the same mountain you just moved to a level place of amount in this. Of these two sermons are basically saying, but I will say this, Matthew gives you to hold freehold chapters resume is a lot more information, elude us, regardless of what took place message is essentially the same except Matthew provides more information.

So what's the underlying message of this incredible sermon, I would point you to things Leslie running through it. First, this whole sermon. The sermon on the mount of someone applying they both have to do with the attitude and disposition of a person's heart with our character. Remember the Lord and not look at the things man looks at.

Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at what in the heart to the second thing that I see running through this is that Jesus is teaching all the disciples of all these people that are there gathered encomium if they truly want to be one of his followers. They must only hear what he says but they must do what he says. In other words, man, if you want to really be a follower of Jesus. Just like oh him we sing, trust and obey. You got to trust him and how you should you trust that they in his work site. If you want to be one of his followers. Man first of all you have to you have to come to him second. You cannot hear what he says but you have to understand it and explained them ornamented in third, then then you walk with him daily obedience and listening. That's the only way that you are going to be prepared to face all the storms in life whether the moral of physical or financial or marital or you know this is related, Jesus will she be prepared for the store. He promised to be with you in the boat when you go through it and looked up follow him and I will pick up verse 20 and I just don't like to read these verses that I will summarize them in Luke chapter 6 verses 20 through 26. Rebel established that he's talking about the heart were here, he addresses the inward disposition of your heart. Okay, in my heart. He says blessed are you who are poor Matthew at in spirit that's really a reference to your heart. So, blessed are you who hunger and Matthew at and thirst for righteousness, blessed are you listening and when would when when other people either hate you when they exclude you when they insult when they rejected and sometimes they will persecute you because of what because of the Son of Man access. Jesus is saying that he wants us to follow him and to do this in the counter looking for is a man or woman who is a heart like the one described in these two sermons, people who are willing really really cute if you turn away from the pole of the world and follow Jesus and moreover in following him what he saying is warning that you will likely face in some cases property you be poor. God is not promising like Jell-O stated come to Jesus and you'll get socket checks in the mail. He's not saying that today's your best life now really look what were you living in he saying that if you follow him truly in the more you follow him, the more these things will be true that she the more you will face poverty. The more you will face hunger. The more you will be rejected and ridiculed and maybe the persecuted hurt and lots with Safety not been persecuted across the water without witness your what I got the run back… Your excess if these things all happen to you because of the name of Jesus and he says you will be greatly blessed. Why because essential rewards not here on earth is waiting for you in heaven and told you before, not a golf lesson like that you can't take it with you, but you can do what signal ahead so good. Then he said he switches from those who have a heart that God is looking for to the counter heart that will never choose God is a stern warning. This is what you will rich well to you the welfare will you laugh will blow to you what you left woe to you when all men speak well of you was given this morning. He's worn. Is this because he knows of the riches and the pleasures and the accolades of this world will collapse in amount to nothing.

When the final storm of life approaches, which is what that those who willing to continue to listen and heed Christ's advice in verses 27 through 26, 27, 236. He speaks about the attitude that we have toward others. He begins by saying love you love you that what he said what he say love your enemies and sometimes innovatively the people who live where in your own house, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you is easy just to love someone who loves you. Do you remember Jesus attitude when he hung on the cross and the religious leaders in many of the people who will perhaps level with him, but I think they hung them a little bit lower on purpose so that you give a spit on herself and mock them and ridicule it and that's exactly the Pharisees were doing there, the cross if he was true.

The Son of Man your Jesus said to his heavenly father, forgive them for they know not what they do for he setting an example for us to be generous to those in need would be merciful to everyone, as is got or extend mercy to you the estimate so we can expose extend that same mercy to those around us. In this email attitude even to people that we consider our enemies and then he comes in verses 37 through 45 in here Jesus addresses the attitude of the heart gets is now toward ourselves. He wants to take it. He wants to look into the mirror and he begins by saying do not judge what he means by that is, do not judge hypocritically to this concept about do not judge is the most missed hall misunderstood concept of the Bible nowhere in the Bible does it tell you not to judge as you pull something out of context, but if you look at the contacts using the chapter will particularly look at the whole Bible, the exact could destroy all can understand if Christians are to make judgments about really every body and everything. In other words, we must make the sermons about all the issues of life and how to deal with everything with all the situation we face every day, every day.

What Jesus telling us in order to be a wise man to do what you live according to God's word. We have to make judgment calls. Let me give you a few samples from the Bible first for the stupid things is the spiritually just first previous chapters wanted to talk about the west of the God most important to us.

And if you are a spiritual man. If you feel the Holy Spirit. He says the spiritual man makes judgments about all things. Matthew 715 in the sermon on the Mount, Jesus is talking up a sworn make a warning about religious leaders who are impersonating someone they are not there.

Lily wolves in sheep's clothing pieces. Watch out for false prophets will how do we know how we can know whose fault is not. If we don't judge somebody we judge them. How do we discern by their fruit by what they say what they do which the first that we must make a judgment call about just follow that it is not you being judgmental, you make a wise discernment so you know who to follow. What happens if you have a great friend of yours who discount them some sin and you love him, judge him hypocritically. No Galatians 61134 tells exactly what to do brothers is addressed to Christians. If someone is caught in a sin you are spiritual should restore him, but they show how gently and in in Galatians, this one verse is tell us that we have to make three judgments. First, you have to discern who the true brotherhood is not.

Second, discern if what they're doing will protect us is discern what is sin, and if your brother or friend is actually committing that sin and then you look inward and examine your own heart to see if you struggle with that same sin, and if you are what you do remove the law apply from your so you can see the speck in your brother to go help him remove yes and when you log in your own is first of all, you confess it to God. If you if you don't damage to some relationship you confess and that person develops his confess your sins want to another and then you go to your brother and love to hate man. You know what know what you're doing. I struggle with the same thing.

I confessed it to the Lord.

I confess it to you but you got to get his life friend the lucky initial to destroy your life, just like I've been judgmental. This is how I can be loving you have to make some judgment calls that take risk when I go do that yes but is it is saving a friend for life struggle with risk.

I hope you guys catch me in something that you come and confront me because I know you do it for you left me after that happened before. Look at verses 42 and 43.

How can you say to your brother brother, let me take the speck out of your USFL to see the plank in your own you hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own and you will see clearly to remove this for your brothers telling us to do this, Jesus loves everyone in the world, but he he.

But love according foursquare this 13 806. It is rejoices in what the truth and that's why silly people are not being set free from the struggles because a lot of the men and women in the pulpit are not preaching the truth I don't hardly say that I know is a broken record. This head of believers are to judge others from a heart of compassion and love and mercy and the gold man is always restoration redemption health healthy Christian living. She would like a band of brothers and women were all marching towards where heaven if you're in Christ it if one was false down if there when they were when they were rushing the shores of Iwo Jima and whether Congress filled and what would they do leave in their picking up anyone if he felt that some of pick him up and that's what we do with each other. We pick each other up every week. We marched towards heaven with arms lot with each other onward Christian soldiers thought it would be judges of fruit did you protesters was his maybes would reserve equipped to observe with our ears. What people say and do a particular if the one we are observing is a preacher or teacher of God's work was so important when it comes the presentation is somewhat like the because I claim to be a representative got in and I believe I am not because I'm more qualified than anyone else on the least qualified public got call me to do this and I want to make sure that I represent him. Truthfully, you need to make sure that everybody you're listening to the radio in church and Bible study better particular when you go to college and you in a religion class you want to make sure that person is teaching you the truth is, or how do you do that you take God's word and you compared what they're saying you listen to every word that comes out of my mouth and what comes out of anyone's Matthew claim to be a teacher or preacher you make sure that it lines up point by point word for word with the word of God is he semi-got your bowels open this way should be listening listening, comparing this Atlanta drying if it doesn't is a problem finding true tissue of the water got out of the overflow listen of his heart his mouth speaks Yahoo that was in a man's heart shall come up and you can judge what people say now to the message I really want inward tonight entitled to this how to weather the storms of life. Don't you honestly focus on our remaining time versus 46 to 49 is the passage that my focus is subtitled why the wise and foolish builders to the court, don't you think about my which builder you look at verse 46 what you call me Lord, Lord, and do not do what I say I will show you what he is like. Again, this is Jesus speaking who comes to me and hears my word and puts them into practice is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock when a flood came, the torrent struck blood in the torrent struck that house but could not shake it because it was well built, but the but then he goes on to war, but the one who hears my words and play people are hearing the words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and this destruction was complete. Sunday afternoon I was at the Carolina ale House on Glenwood Avenue. We were jailbreaking our gathering there to meet with about 15 of the gas from NC State is a return to God's I can like a lamb out one of them. They come every Monday here this church and meet with us for about an hour's amazing to me about 20 short yesterday and they just hungry for the word of God amazing.

I was a bit like that when I was in college will be at Carlisle has who headed to see the hurricanes match which is at 5 o'clock will I got a phone call while I was standing there from a lady by the name of Lois and the phone rang about 345 and Lois and is the niece of a very special woman in my life who has been comparing was for. This very moment in heaven. Her name from a talk about him for his mega grams Lois and was called to inform me that they were transferring her from fighting Hussman Grable to the hospice there so I told the guys got the lead. I just were tabled about Maggie year was born in 1954 when Maggie entered my world. She was only 26 years old at the time a black woman that Mark father hard to help my mother with some of the house so responsible is like raising me and my two sisters, Catherine, Joe, Maggie came from a very humble situation. Life is one of eight children born to a time when racism was still very much a part of life as it still is today. But it was certainly much much more of visible man at the time. I remember the Bethel clinic with three daughters. I don't know if you got a semi-got over this the left side, people on the right side white people be honest with you I understand the time.

I just don't guess this is the way the world is with this in the world you the schools were segregated still in church is always in segregated listening environment in which Maggie grew up and now she was coming to work in a white man's house. I had no idea until years later. Looking back, what a blessing she would be to me. My mother, my father, my sisters for the rest of my life. I left that alehouse. I drove to my house around 430. Got my Bible and headed to say goodbye to my second mother to be so good to me for the past nearly 68 years. Do you know what I observed about Maggie throughout her life is intertwined with mine. I never once first of all, she was a woman of great faith and she found her lying on her rock.

Jesus and his word and she was a true servant. I think of her as a servant. Although she was there and she was Jacob.

Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, cut yourself walking alone homemade rose homemade plum jelly my voice so envious of what I came home to dinner for every afternoon and the first thing I did get to study and start Taser night which wished me away with her little thing Kenny that now yes ma'am Maggie face many mid-trial of her life from racism to poverty to fairness is a Y to husband left her and into really many very serious health issue particular the last seven years, 2014 Maggie learn that she had tongue cancer and I would have it with her to make with the doctor and her niece Lois Diane and the doctor had a diagram of her tongue out there and said you were right will probably have to remove part of it and he drew a circle on their way to remove it like 80% of her time. She had asserted to the last seven years. Maggie has been unable to swallow and speech was very different because she couldn't swallow. She is nothing of the each live at the theater of your stomach innertube Alyssa not once, not once man if I ever complain I would complain. Not once.

I felt like it but never heard Maggie and although 68 years ever say a bad word about anybody in the white neighborhood black neighborhood about anybody. She was just a wonderful woman. She had her children along my two sisters up gave her children became her son. She became my second mother. What a great mother. She was have tried, to the last seven years of her life to visit her as often as I could.

My sisters have done the same thing as well as my boys and my grandchildren, Children and grandchildren. Joan son and Maggie thinks of all of us as part of her family. She thinks of my sons as her sons grandsons and my grandchildren as her grandchildren, boys, don't you – I got five grandsons and a dollar. They do a great Maggie a lucky they would stop by from time to come and visit her. Maggie lives in a very simple home in the black section of Bethel which you some of these issues can have a still segregated it with my primitive man to go to that house, which was not much, and sit in her home with her and every time I went with her you know she was doing she be sitting the core, that being in her chair. She grinned with a huge smile and after the door and right to left. You have a Bible and I Maggie what you doing time she just sitting pretty and I pray for you guys read my Bible and tenderness. Later I could go on about negative ever. But let me just say this. Maggie was prepared for every storm electric came to her including the one she was facing this past Sunday evening the final storm of her life. The final page of her life, death, which for the Christian. The Bible says it is referred to us departing this life is there, but is falling asleep and I watch Maggie start to fall asleep Sunday night, how she so prepared, you might ask. I can take a very supple, she built her lying on her solid rock Jesus Christ and she made a solid foundation for her life by living according to the preaching should be to the precepts of the commandments and what the Bible says she lived her life according what assess. In other words, she trusted Jesus and obey his word and that's really the recipe.

If you have a blessed life and you were to be to make the storms of life.

So what can we learn not only from God's word but also from this life of a godly woman.

We should learn that we met. We got trust of the election, like those disciples were forced to do with Jesus, stole third versus 46 to 49. As Jesus concludes this powerful message to disciples. He offers three simple stages. Many women there. We all have to pass through. If we want to follow his example in Megan's example that a solid foundation first met your site 1000 we must come to Jesus. We must all hear what Jesus says, but we gotta understand what he says. And finally, now must we hear and understand that we must do what he says is really that simple and yet is so difficult you know why we have a world chose to do the exact opposite commercials, magazines, the media live alive now have all the gusto you can't even percolate about this. Like now that I would use this is what he said. Look at verse 26 to follow a look at these verses carefully. Verse 26 is Jesus disciples that what you call me Lord, Lord, and do not do what I say. Many people call Jesus Lord Lord. They do it every Sunday with attend church have not many people who attend church actually do what they say they believe have on the job listing what he what they say and I want you see somebody in Truckle. Sonny only got every hello you got to give it some thought. Let another being a Christian is not about being religious but about having a dynamic alive relationship with Jesus Christ you been listening to finding purpose with pastor Russ Sanders glorifying God by helping men and their purpose for living. You can discover more about finding your purpose in life by checking out the resources finding purpose.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 men to study God's word together every Tuesday night at 7 PM in downtown Raleigh. Find out more finding purpose.net. This is the Truth Network