Healthy Living in a Sick World (Part 6)

I do think there are dimensions of our faith after 2000 years that we need to go back and look at and say there seems to be a problem if I am a Christian who believes that there are certainly many more pads God other than Christianity. I'm up freethinking Christian, the church will continue to be even more relevant when it quotes letters from 2000 years ago was their best defense in his newest book, saving Christianity Dr. Michael Yousef exposes the false teachings that are infiltrating churches today, and shares the keys to seeing the revival of true Christianity in our day. Receive your own copy today for a gift of any amount. Don't fall for false don't settle for less, and the truth. Order your copy of saving Christianity today is the most important book about time you can call right or visit us online@ltw.org LTW.org your copy on stating Christianity by reaching out to a ministry representative, 866-626-4356 and our website again. LTW.org hello and welcome to leading the way with Dr. Michael Yousef, today's world has a lot to say about toxic masculinity and gender identities.

Very little to say about manhood. More specifically, the marks of a godly dad. Thankfully the Bible does address that topic. Equipping fathers of all ages to step up to move beyond what the world says into the world of leading and guiding their families in the power of the Holy Spirit. Listen with me now as Dr. Michael Yousef takes you into the words in the pages of first Corinthians to experience healthy living in a sick world. On this life-changing leading the way we been seeing in this series of messages from first Corinthians the apostle Paul is addressing something is of vital importance and probably more important was dropped on by many time in my life. What is it that small compromises eventually sooner or later will lead to a complete departure from biblical truth pulling our anchor from the water of the word of God will cause us to be lost in the city of Cairo's and confusion, and in these days God's men and women need to stand up and shine his light.

In fact, this is the reason why the apostle Paul is writing to them and I believe with all my heart is running for us in the 21st century. Sometimes he says it's worth sternness.

Sometimes he does it with sarcasm and other times he doesn't with review because he knows that any church any church can reach the abyss traveling 1 inch at a time, one inch at a time.

Done with me if you haven't already, to first Corinthians 4 beginning at verse 14 to the end ever asked myself the question, as I was preparing an employee I asked why. Why is Paul being so compromising here. Why is that the answer is this because he loves them as a faithful father loves his children and he makes a very clear because he cannot stand watching them straying away from God's word. One step one step at a time, one step at a time is grieving is very depths of his soul. He cannot bear to see them being misled by Satan just like Adam and Eve would misled in the garden because as a faithful father spiritual father. He gives his children the best and the most Paul one center experience the fullness of authentic faith in Christ. Question what are the marks of godly fatherhood as described here in this passage, whether at least four that I have found in this passage here and I want to share those four characteristics about godly fatherhood from this passage.

First of all, in verses 14 and 15 is that a godly father must lovingly admonish. Secondly, in verse 16. He said that a godly father is to be an example center is to set the example absurdly verse 17 is a godly fathers to teach to be a teacher. Unfortunately have finally verses 18 to 21. A godly father is to discipline look at them closely with me. How does a father of faithful father with every earthly father of physical children are spiritual father. How to lovingly admonish his children godly fathers must first warn his child when he sees them getting off into the danger zone. That's the beginning of admonition. The word that Paul uses here it means to correct it means to make right what is wrong what purpose, what purpose investing time and energy and effort. Why, for the purpose of bringing about the change. The idea here is very clear in admonishing you do not do it to destroy the child, but to reclaim him or her.

It is not to abuse the child but to go alongside of them and help them change direction. It is not to provoke the child and put them down is not to be constantly critical of the child but to uplift them. Beloved, listen to me know father can do all of this by being an absentee father, King David was a great military warrior but he failed miserably in that lovingly admonish his children and he paid dearly for Eli the priest who discipled the prophet Samuel.

He did not admonish her son's housemate and Phineas and they grow up to be wild boys. They abuse the offerings and they were immoral and what is worse is you read first somewhat particular chapter 2, three and four. You notice that the priest Eli wasn't even aware that his boys have gone out of control.

Godly fathers must lovingly admonish godly church leaders must lovingly admonish when they see one of the members are in danger when you see a brother or sister going into the deep end.

You cannot shrug your shoulders or was not my business. But the sad part is this and that really is the one that breaks my heart that we live in a time when pastors, preachers, teachers are the one who misleading the congregations but here is a great example from Paul about loving admonition.

Listen carefully here refers to the Corinthians, while they were as brothers several times why because a loving father. He cannot only admonish but also encourage Paul calls him, not just children but beloved children in spite of their disobedience to the word of God in spite of their lifestyle in spite of the doctrinal errors which will sit on the road. In spite of the spiritual immaturity. He loved them just the same.

If we only love our children only if only when the good region perfectly behaving is a terrible terrible mistake. Some make the mistake of telling the children when they're young. I love you if you can fill in the blank. I love you if you know these children will grow up to associate love with Ward love has to be unconditional and Paul's love for the Corinthians gave everything and asked for nothing in return. Just as a loving father wants to bring healing and comfort to his children hearts. Just as a loving father wants to help his children to overcome fear and apprehension and worry and anxiety. Just as a loving father wants to deal differently in the different stages of his children's lives. So does the spiritual father. The apostle Paul here with the Corinthians. The first thing is what secondly godly fathers is to set the example, verse 16.

Therefore, I urge you to imitate me. I had lots of problem with that verse. For many years.

I really did before I had children or even after Hatcher when I was in seminary I was studying first Corinthians, and before I was ordained an after-hours object that verse used to bother me.

Always give me a lump in my throat when I was preparing for ordination or after ordination.

Follow my example, I could never do that and that continued for a while and I got really to understand the depth of the statement unexplained dues or listen carefully if I tell one of my children to be imitators of me does not mean that I'm perfect or is it hey look at me boys and are now. I want them to imitate me for even when they see me fail by particular when they see me failed this scene that I acknowledge my failure and that I am ready and willing to repent of my failure. In fact, I can tell you something that I hope that you'll always always always remember the hardest people to sit the example for those in your house, especially if your preacher when my kids were younger. Remember every sermon and are to this day wonder whether there remember them is just to hold me accountable. Older listen to the sermons and if I do or say anything in the slightest, old dad, you remember what you said amazing what they can remember family is the hardest place to set an example to farm discipling somebody outside of my family may go shot at very spiritual. You know what I mean, very spiritual. Mature adults will not in my household.

I mean, I can speak with holy dullness, but we cannot pull this off in the homes we can pull this off without children. Why our children see us in all moods and attitudes.

Our children see our barren smelly feet. Our children see if we are the same at home as we are in public life. I was thinking about this and I thought of a godly young father who said that the edge of the bed of his dying son has to be one of the most devastating thing in the whole world.

This young father was trying so hard to gather up some courage to tell the young boy very soon, is going to glory.

Although this father was comforted by the fact that his son is more he knew the Lord as his personal Savior and Lord, and he, without a doubt, going straight to heaven. But as we all know wonderful as this may be the pain of separation is indescribable and too deep for words. So finally, the father said my son.

Are you afraid to me. Jesus boy blinked away and brushed some tears and then he bravely said no, not of his like you that what a testament to this young father. I have known young fathers in this church and I standard are in no particular young father who gave up one of the greatest world prestige because he did not want to compromise his fathering of his children first lovingly admonish. Secondly, setting the example fairly, the godly father teaches look at verse 17 with me the godly father teaches one of the major discipline in addition to lovingly admonish in setting the example is telling them the truth, biblical truth that adds limitary sump young guards listen to me your are the primary Bible teacher in your home. Paul not only taught the truth of the Corinthians believers as a loving father, but he also sent them some good and godly and authentic Bible teachers to help them along the way he send up almost anything Timothy. Paul was not about to send them a false teacher or a compromising leader, just like any father, any godly father would not take his children to a church, no matter how good the music is to a church that is compromising the word of God now beloved the awesome who think that the truth of the word of God is unintelligible and confusing. They do therefore some preachers when they hear that from their nonbelieving congregation. There was a bypass Bible teaching watering down with some psychobabble in order for it to make sense full extent of the Old Testament truth is hard to accept by some by today's standards.

Of course, movement or movement. If the supernatural is difficult to comprehend by the modern culture movement. If judgment of God is unpopular explain it away is just the symbolic thing and that my beloved beloved beloved friends will eventually leads to not trusting any of the word of God, not just the difficult passages and even end up only with the two covers of the book, not even the maps to be there but I'm also aware of the fact that some people in other some people get so philosophical and really get so philosophical about the word of God and the truth of the word of God and they lose the attention of people love the Bible said when Jesus spoke common folks.

Common people heard him gladly. The purpose of communicating the truth.

Listen to me. The purpose of communicating the truth is not to impress people without knowledge, but to help them comprehend the truth then they can accept that the rejected, but at least they need to understand it, a godly father does what. Secondly, thirdly I come forcefully and finally to a godly father is to discipline.

I know that in some circles, the word discipline is a dirty word. And yet the Bible over and over and over again tells us that our heavenly daddy. She disciplines his own children because he loves him so much and fathers must discipline their children the question why people reject that word and think it's a dirty word, discipline, discipline.

This is just to get outside of schools. A lot of homes out of everywhere because my particular generation. Think that discipline means beating up a child. They think that discipline is synonymous with corporal punishment of physical punishment that could not be further from the truth of the word of God. Discipline means that when I see my child falling into a pit.

I gently corrected direction so they move away from the pit. If I see my son is standing in front of a train. Then I immediately and lovingly and quickly, and move them away from danger and tell them why I did this vessel. Discipline means the Corinthians. Here were allowing their pride and arrogance to lead them into a very dangerous territory they become so arrogant that there was saying.

The apostle Paul would not dare to discipline zazen got there to correct us. We know everything and we know better than lead us in which Justice Martin was just as knowledgeable were just as gifted as here and Paul said, for the sake of your salvation. For the sake of your reward for the sake of your peace and joy and fulfillment in life. I will not fail to correct you now beloved, I want you to watch out. Just watch out you will see it when you hear a Christian become obsessed and constantly talking about that freedom in Christ. The freedom in Christ.

When you become obsessed about their independence of the Bible.

When they say I have the right to interpret the Bible as I see fit.

I have rights. When you see this watch it when you see this you know that that person there a believer, he or she is in the backsliding mode whenever someone is obsessed about grace, not the grace that saved us from sin, but that talk about the grace that allow us to sin to our hearts content. That person is either taking the first step toward losing their way or the covering up the loss of their way. Not long ago a pastor of a mega church here in the United States had to step down from being a pastor because of a moral issue. One of his elders said the following.

Listen carefully. We should have seen the signs because he become obsessed with grace, but not the grace of forsaking sin.

So grace that issues a license to sin and here Paul concludes by telling us that power is not the power of words power is not the power of eloquent speech power is not being a great communicator know this is the power is in the word of God. That's where the power is verse 20 the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk talk is cheap talk is inadequate. Talk is easy. Talk is insufficient. The kingdom of God is about the power of God in the word of God, the power that transforms lives not encourage them to sin.

The power that changes lives not keeping in sin the power that leads to holiness, not fake happiness.

The power that converts not keep you in place.

The power gives you victory not acquiescence to sin my beloved friend.

I don't know where your only you know your ask yourself the question, what am I rely on my relying on the power of the word of God.

My relying on something else. My abilities my talents my gifts father God, I thank you that we recognize that we have no power. In fact we have nothing that you have not given us, even the breasts that we're breathing right now comes from you soon. Gifts everything is using comes from you we have nothing to brag about. We have nothing to boast about is nothing to compare ourselves with others and then feel good about ourselves with photos. Ministry to my brothers and sisters in Christ and the someone here, Lord, who does not know you have never taken that first step when you speak to them homes convicted bring them to yourself to assure them of your love and forgiveness. A challenge to lean into the power of the word of God you're listening to leading the way with Dr. Michael you Seth, and we know that not everyone who listens to Christian teaching when leading the way is necessarily a foreign word. Jesus said if you have a desire to learn more about what it means to be a Christian. Take a moment and visit us online@ltw.org/Jesus became conversation a tough conversation, ask questions, tough questions that pleased to be honest and seek God. You'll be surprised at how he will answer as you see can LTW.org/Jesus when these last minutes we had today.

We got stuck to yourself to join us in the studio spending just a minute or two, talking about his newest book, saving Christianity and Dr. yourself. I've heard you mention on many occasions, how pastors and teachers, and even entire churches of watering down the gospel by only doing that and then how will your book help people face tests in their lives.

The reason they watering down the gospel modifying the gospel changing the gospel under the guise of relevance is because they want to be liked by people instead of being honoring to God.

They have sought the favor of man. Certainly, secular man pagan man secular culture above pleasing God.

That is the danger when you start wanting to please man you are not going to please man and God.

At the same time. That is why this book it would help you to know how to love people, but that stand strong, not please people. If you'd like to speak with someone about ordering saving Christianity, ministry representative right now, 8666264356866626.357 and that website again this and all leaning away LTW.org LTW.this program is furnished by leading the way with Dr. Michael you sent