From Valley to Victory (Part 19)

If you have heard me preach for any link.

On most likely you've heard me say something to the effect that there is a promise in the Scripture by our Lord Jesus Christ that has always been a challenge for me.

It is in Matthew 1819. It is a promise when it is rightly claimed and I'm saying that very carefully, rightly claimed as opposed to wrongly claimed I have seen the wrongly claimed when it is rightly claimed my wife and I would testify to you that God had answer in abundance. Let me read the promise of God in the context again. I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for it will be done for you by my father in heaven as the wise can be wrongly claimed that the understatement question what is the wrong understanding of this promise. Listen carefully the wrong understanding of this promise is when you see this promise as a blank check that for any two people ask God for anything no matter how good or bad. It may be.

He's gonna granted to us as our own understanding of the problems the wrong understanding of the promise is to think that God is somehow in heaven bound to obey the demands of any two believers the wrong understanding or interpreting of this promise is to take it like magic the wrong understanding is to think that God automatically grant us the most foolish or even sinful requests simply because two of his children asked for not there is a wrong way to claim the promises a right way to claim the promise because if you put this in context of Matthew 18 it is in the context of unity spiritual unity and to do it any other way is not only dangerous, it is inconsistent with the rest of the Scripture in the context of Matthew 1819 Jesus speaking about this unity in the Christian life in the Christian community in the home. He talks about unity in willingness to confess our sins to God and unity in experiencing the forgiveness that comes from the hand of God that results from genuine confession unity. The results of our alignment of our will with the will of God. The unity that is a result of seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness at you can see all of that in Matthew 20 unity that is a result of willingness to be in total obedience to the father unity that result from selflessness and self surrender unity that results from a total emptying of one's self emptying of ourselves and being open to be filled to overflowing with the Holy Spirit of God.

That is the unity that has to be in existence before anyone can begin to claim this promise now the apostle Peter who heard those words with his own ears from the lips of Jesus and he takes this, and he applies it to marriage relationship between husband and wife never showed you from Scripture. In first Peter chapter 3 the first seven verses of chapter 3 verses 1 to 7. After Peter explains how selflessness should be the hallmark of a Christian marriage between a husband and a wife after he explains the importance of that selflessness and godly marriage relationship in verse seven, Peter gives us a clue as to the relationship between that selfless unity and God answering prayers. The last sentence of verse seven, first Peter three says, in effect, that without that selfless unity. Your prayers will be hindered.

The opposite is true. When you exercise selfless unity in marriage. Your prayers will be answered now I want you to turn with me to Romans chapter 15 the first 13 verses is been a true blessing from God for me to prepare it.

I hope and I trust and pray there's been a blessing for you as you hear the word of God, spoken, taught, explained, amen, amen. Give God praise. Give him praise for his word please him arrived. You cannot read the Scripture for any length of time without seeing how much God loves blesses and he himself is honored when true unity is taking place now you have to understand there are people out there in the church world this is. Unity is when all the denominations just mixed up together, becoming ecumenical, that is not being with the Bible talks about because unity has to be a unity about the truth we have to be united in the truth not ignore the truth for the sake of unity our salvation. In fact, is the one over arching basis for that unity. Our sharing of eternal life that we could be together forever in heaven should impact their shared life together in this earth in this life. So let me give you biblical evidence of why God loves unity over the truth. First of all you see the Holy Spirit inspires David in Psalm 133 verse one when he said how beautiful raters and pleasant it is for the brethren or sisters dwell together in unity.

Second, Jesus himself in John chapter 10 verse 16. He said I have other sheep is talking about the Gentiles who have not come in yet. I have other sheep, which is not of this fold. That's Israel's I must bring them also. They shall hear my voice, and they shall become one flock and one shepherd. Unity.

I cannot emphasize enough the amazing blessings that God brings about, and only brings about when there is a selfless unity in any relationship, whatever it maybe. Whether be in marriage will be in the home will be a small community will be a church of large. Sadly, in many a church today. A lot of goats have gone in and they look like sheep rinsing the goat from a distance. Looks like a sheep and these goats come in and they really disturb the sheep in the credit problems in the credit division. No wonder we are in the trouble were sadly founded in acts chapter 4 what God gave the early church. Such power. Such blessing like we've never seen in history. Right after Pentecost. Why, because the Bible said there were of one. What accord the selfless unity that they exhibited in the early church should be an example to all of us to follow. It should be an example for home groups for our Sunday school classes for our church at large.

Listen to what Paul said his the fourth evidence. Ephesians 4213 be completely humble and gentle and patient Browning with one another in love. Make every effort. Jobs make every effort to keep the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace. I know that in the 31 years history of this church I have emphasized over and over. Our problem with the leadership tired of me because I always cellular.

You have wonderful opinion. I have an opinion that everybody has an opinion, but when it comes to the work of God is not your open general myopia your anybody else's opinion, the only opinion we seek is the mind of the Holy Spirit and God has blessed us through the years. Even as the fifth evidence only show you in the Scripture, the fractious oh my goodness read Corinthians. The individualistic that would divide the church in Corinth, even to them. Paul pleads in first Corinthians 110 these pleadings. I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you. I agree with one another so that there may be no division among you that you might preferably be united in mind and thought that my beloved friends. There is a blessing this intimate experience to too many times. But even if I been the experience of the word of God is true no matter what their is a blessing all its own.

In selfless unity which come up, any other way. There is an answer to prayer in selfless unity that cannot come any other way and I hear people running around living for self pleasing themselves running around saying praying for revival right guardians and the revival to people who are not united in soul and body under the hand of the Holy Spirit and I was thinking about this absolute necessity of selfless unity in our member started many many years ago about the difference between thoroughbred horses and donkeys you know and thoroughbred horses face an enemy outside enemy. You know what they do they go in a circular formation facing each other. The heads of the horses facing each other in the circle and with her hind legs. They keep the enemy the donkeys on the other hand also go on the circular formation, but the looking out to the enemy and with her hindlegs. The kick each other.

So the question is you want to be like thoroughbreds want to be like donkeys to ignore the enemy of our soul and turn on each other is a formula for disaster us for the word of God to say, question, how do we go about practicing this selfless unity in order that we might experience the unique blessing of God. The unique answers to prayer here. The apostle Paul gives us in this few verses. Actually the first six verses, he gives us six characteristics six characteristics that we need to exhibit in order to practice the selfless unity with a B in the home and the marriage relationship in the family or in the church. I'm gonna be repeating them a lot. So if you're taking notes, don't panic. I will repeating them put others up put self down with Christ before you always put yourself under the authority of the word of God put yourself under God's power.

Six.

God's glory above all else in your life. Then in verses 7 to 13 the apostle Paul practices what he just taught and ritually sings a hymn of unity. It's a him from the song from Isaiah. He sings a hymn this look at these very quickly. Verse one.

Put others up.

We have are strong ought to bear with failings or the weakness of the week and the word all tear means that we are in debt.

We are under obligation to do that. This is not take it or leave it. If you feel like it. We are under obligation to help the week even being sympathetic with those who are spiritually.

We does not mean that spiritually mature person approve of what they doing or acquiesce to what they're doing none or we don't approve a request to the weakness that we be sympathetic with it instead of the strong should offer help to the week so that the week become strong. Now that we all become weak by carrying the burdens of the weakness we want them to come to know the liberty and the freedom and the joy that comes with that liberty and the joy that comes with that freedom means that we who are strong not continuously being critical or condescending of those rough certain struggles in the life known or not, but rather the strong must listen carefully to the week, all without agreeing with enough degree patiently listen carefully, listen gently redirect her thoughts. The idea here is that the strong must show genuine love and appreciation for the weak believer without arguing over minor matters now going to testify to my wife.

I told her in the last messaging that I grew up in the legalistic church. Remember I said would bring to manager brings a church ring River going. We bring baggage is from the past will, I brought some suitcases, but our a lot of suitcases into the marriage and was not condemning me. My wife lovingly listened and gently pointed out that there often. Other ways to look at this this look at the Scripture together. As I said in many ways. She is a role model for me in no way here the apostle Paul is saying that we need to compromise the truth of the gospel in order to do that now. In no way Paul is encouraging us to undermine biblical morality or approval saying that is not what is saying no is still speaking in the context of matters that are not necessary for salvation as we have previously seen in Romans 14 put others where put self where each of us should please his neighbor for his goodness and neighbors. Good to build them up. Question, how do I use my Christian liberty. My Christian freedom.

Freedom in Christ in dealing with others. Contrary to what you might think liberty just kind of makes you flaunting it and delivered know which way you want none of it involves self-sacrifice.

It may involve that we have to forgo some of our liberties publicly. It may mean that there are certain food would have to eat if is going offend somebody there may be some liquids that you forgo drinking in public is going offend or hurt causes a brother or sister to sin. Any exercise of our liberty in Christ. If our actions are going to cause someone to sin is going to cause someone to fall is going to call someone. But we don't know what that's liberty that is true liberty abusing for freedom in Christ for your free to send them or not the freedom he gives us is freedom not to sin no matter how badly you want to do this right. Listen carefully. God does not give us our liberty and freedom just for our benefit nonowner. He gives it to us for the benefit of others. You read in Philippians chapter 2 verse 21. If you read it carefully. You see the pain in the voice of the apostle Paul about some people in the church of Philippi who are people and places of influence, but there were thinking only of themselves and that caused him deep pain that were not teaching wrong doctors going up living immoral lifestyles now the primary problem is that they're looking out for number one WHILE neglecting the members of the body put others where put self where put Christ before you always verse three since is a testifying time. Let me testify to you every time every time another and sometimes sometimes occasionally every time I take my eyes off of Jesus.

I blow it big time legislator Victor every time I take my eyes off of Jesus. I mess up completely. Even if my eyes are good people, even if my eyes only good things.

Even if Mars alone ministry. It never fails I blow it every time I take my eyes off Jesus. Look at verse three. For even Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, the insults of those who insult you have fallen on me, my beloved, if your eyes on Jesus, you will soon discover that while he was fully God and yet he laid aside, he gave up his splendor to give up his glory. He didn't give up his divinity. But he gave her the manifestation of his divinity. What is fully God to become a servant. What is fully God and yet he fully obeyed the father had Jesus sought to please himself another father. He would not have divested himself of resplendent glory and become man, you remember his humanity in the garden of Gethsemane were sweating blood with his stepfather.

If you can see some way by which this cup will go away from thinking about that first moment.

A few seconds emerged for the first time since before eternity. He's going to be separated from the father because he was covering your sin and my sin and the sin of the world ever some other way but remain father that you will not mind. Jesus said I did not come from heaven to do my will, I came to do the will of the father, please listen carefully think about this when you're tempted to say, I am tired of serving my family tired of serving my church and tired of serving.

When you're tempted to do this note at Jesus.

Keep your eyes on Jesus because keeping your eyes on Jesus will mean that you are willing to pay the cost any cost that you willing to accept misunderstandings or ridicule, slander, deprivation, persecution and even loss of life itself for Jesus sake put others where put self where put Christ before you put yourself under the authority of the word of God. Verse four look at it carefully please underline it in your Bible. It's important because I'm telling you it is fashionable now in this 21st-century the people standing in judgment of the word of God. Preachers are standing in judgment on the word of God, a very prominent English theologian. Unfortunately, here's been followed by thousands and things of thousands of pastors in America. He said that we must distinguish between when the apostle Paul speaking as the apostle Paul, when is speaking as a Jewish rabbi really who's going to make that distinction goes out of the sky we stand in judgment on the word of God. How foolish we stand in judgment over the word of God and still allow the what about the stand in judgment over us. We decide what we like and we don't like we decide what we accept and what project we decide what parts of the Bible are relevant when parts are not relevant because verse four for everything you say everything for everything that was written in the passage talk about the Old Testament. It is written to teach us, so that through endurance and encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Paul is talking about the Old Testament. The Old Testament, of which today's preachers are saying we need to get unhitched from the Old Testament and the 10 Commandments. What a tragedy to the New Testament, hasn't been written yet in Nepal here's talk about the Old Testament we don't need to get unhitched from the Old Testament in the 21st century, not $1 million. Sometimes I hear this guy's preaching these falsehoods and, remind me of the two guys who were trying to wedge a refrigerator door.

One was on one side, one on the other.

My goodness, that kept pushing and shoving, pushing and shoving. There were sweating. They were exhausted and finally one of them said we will never get this fridge out of the door.

The guy on the other side is it out of the door. Others were pushing the door.

This was happening there confused and the confusing tens of thousands of people successfully.

Here Paul is saying even the parts of the Old Testament, like the ceremonial requirements which we don't live under anymore.

The ceremonial laws already past fulfilled in Christ, sure. But even though I was a very valuable for us to die from them will learn more about God's character from the we learn to understand the ways of God from them. We see how God works from them we can understand the mind of God and all of that encourages us to persevere in our circumstances. All of that encourages us to be patient. All of that empowers us to produce fruit. All of that empowers us to be anchored in God anchored in God. You know people say get unhitched from the Old Testament reminds me of somebody who might walk in here and said you know this building is beautiful. It is so beautiful we can see the foundation less blessed.

However, one can see right you can see it is not really important. Something that was last foundation along with the building spent a very long. That's what they're doing now.

I gotta confess to you. There are parts of the Scripture.

When I did. Our grown when I get to Job. Pray Lord help me underrate surgical jobs. Endurance motivates me to endure jobs patients encourages me to be patient jobs waiting for God's timing helps me and motivates me to wait for God's timing when I come to these passages about the Old Testament offerings and the sin offering and drink offering a burnt offering in this offering, and that offering up in the daily chronological Bible using a systematize them in our grown but do not close the Bible and look up to heaven or zip.

Thank you Jesus on the cross, you have met all of these sacrifices so that I might be set free and saved eternally far from dragging me down and wanted want to get unhitched from the Old Testament believe the Lord can teacher some marvelous things and that's what Paul is saying here is that there were written for us today so that we may learn from them with others where put self where put Christ where put yourself under Sicily. Put yourself under the power of God. His amazing part verse five.

Look at verse five with me. Even the things that God requires of us to do. He gives us the power to do them a wonderful God we have that amazing God we have Romans 15 five Paul said May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the spirit of unity among yourself as you follow Christ Jesus is saying that our unity with one another. Our patience with one another. Our perseverance with one another can only be accomplished through the power of God working in us. Listen you want to try it on your own. You can do it. It's an impossibility you charge on your own and you going to fail over and over again and the devil loves it because he wants you to fail.

I cannot tell you the times in which I stand and sometimes on down the mall for before God blessed God. I had this and literally hear the voice of God said good night. You can do it through me and through Marco. I'm glad you came to that conclusion with others where put self put Christ before you put yourself under put yourself in his finally put God's glory above all else. Look at verse six, so that with one heart and one mouth you might glorify God our father of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Then in verses 7 to 13. He practices what he just commanded and he began to sing with one voice obviously doubly hoping that that's with the church in Rome will be doing singing with one voice began the message telling you about the unique blessings that comes from selfless unity. I began by telling you about answers to godly prayers that stems from selfless unit in here Paul is saying the consummate purpose of that selfless unity is not your neighbor. Even though he said that's important, but the consummate the ultimate dizziness the apex is to please.

Who the Lord is to please the Lord. That's what's all about when there is selfless unity over the glory of Jesus. Watch out God's blessings is going to come in a unique way. God's answer to prayer a going to be manifested with great power of God's power itself will become manifest in the midst of this sinful generation is one thing I noticed in the book of Revelation there are no solo songs close corporate singing.

There was singing of one voice surprising God with one voice, one heart that we so united together and praising God. The 24 elders. They cast their crowns at the feet of Jesus and they sang with the Angels and then every living creature comes in and joins in singing and then even those who been victorious over the beast there were given harps and never got to see together versus 7 to 13 Paul sings from Isaiah. He sings from Psalms glorifying God for his mercy to the Gentiles member.

We were no mercy people. We had no mercy. We were not part of the covenant so he was thanking God for his mercy upon the gentle and then he thanking God for his faithfulness to the Jews because the Old Testament Prophesying about Jesus Prophesying about Jesus and then Jesus showed up, so he thanking God for his faithfulness to his promises in the Old Testament to the Jews to Israel and he comes in and he begins to sing in unison now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace that as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit now wanted to stand up right now I want to to offer God.

A special offering to bless the Lord, then will practice what Paul just practice your teaching that were going to be singing like never before.

I wanted to sing like you never sung before, but first of all I want you to give God an offering of applause to God, not anything or flood anybody else. Although price price. Price + + bless the Lord bless the Lord, glory to your vessel + well for ourselves. The Lord God in the name of Jesus.

Thank you father thank you Holy Spirit.

Thank you Lord Jesus, thank you for all. Thank you father thank praising God + + + thanks for listening to this message from Dr. Michael you sent recently featured on leading the way. If you'd like to know more about us, please visit LTW.org@LTW.Ward