Jesus Unfiltered - Testify - Do You Love Me More than These?, Part 2

I believe every single person has secret closet than in your heart are things that are in our past that we haven't shared with anyone. They create levels of shame and regret bearing these things and they function like a cancer in her heart and there's no peace unless they are addressed, given, and you get restored or going to learn today.

Jesus can do that. Thanks for joining us for this Edition of Living on the Edge trips are vital to daily discipleship outreach for Chip dress shirt caused you to set up a little wonder how the secrets held hostage all these years might be overcome. Come to the right things. Jesus does restore peace in ways you never thought you know how to work if you'll stay with us for the next 20 minutes or so breakthrough is your next step really glad you're with us just so you don't you will be with us in studio after the teaching.

Talk about some practical ways to keep the Clement of going sure to stay with us. Okay let's get going. Joining Mel for part two of this message from John chapter 21. How does God restore us from that thing that I ask you to honestly think about your life, you know that one night stand that no one knows about that meth habit that that cocaine in the past you know that lying on the resume that you hope no one goes and checks.

We all got something back there, right.

So let's find out what the grace of God, looks like and people that are fallen struggling just like us number one. Here's what we learn. Jesus meets us where we are and he meets with both grace and truth. He's going to meet you where you are. You don't have to wait until you get some straightened upper you get a little bit better you get more more clean.

He's going to meet you where you are. He meets Peter where he is with grace and truth.

Grace is a lot of Fisher the same miracle that when he was far from God truth is a coal burning fire and is going to be reminded gently and then noticed the truth doesn't happen in isolation as much as good counseling is helpful. I've had it as much as talking one-on-one with a friend is helpful. I've had that, but this shame is brought out in front of the people that he dissed because the restoration of real shame has to happen wisely and carefully.

But in the context of community.

If you don't take at some point in time that shame has got to get up and you gotta get it out among someone trusted that won't say anything to anyone that will allow you to deal with it or you'll spend your time numbing it.

Did you understand that addictions are like him to try harder. I will drink so much of them try harder. I will take this bill come and try harder not to shop so much coming try harder not eat too much, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

The corporate shame course you don't like you and your numbing or compensating and that will never get fixed until you let God say let's look at this together and what you can get is, you gotta be honest about it but there's grace to cover it and love it and it's more than forgiveness. It's to restore you. We we are convinced that if people found out about something we have done their estimation of us would lower I would suggest that done authentically at the right way at the right time just the opposite often happens the second thing that happens is he gently demands that we face the truth about ourselves.

Did you notice that he asked questions and there wasn't condemnation mean for a lot of us from our backgrounds. If we did something really really really bad. We would expect are some of you like me have this picture of God. At least I used to. His arms are crossed, you done this terrible thing is toast. We talk about this one in the world were you thinking when you got a great wife and wonderful kids.

Why did you do that I provide enough why did you cheat right you got that in your head what how to Jesus, grace. I love you. Let's have breakfast let's talk about this and then instead of, you know, pointing the finger he ask him diagnostic questions, because what's the goal what's what's the whole point of this. It's not like God is going on.

I could just figure out what's going on in your heart or mind. Gabriel do you have any idea now, Lord, have no idea right. The person that needs to discover what's in your heart is you and so he asked these questions to bring it to the surface and he brings it gracefully. But he also brings it with truth you have to own it, you have to see it for what it was. This is what I actually did this is the feeling that it brings. This is why I don't want anyone to know and secrets destroy your soul truth. He goes to the core. Do you love me and then he helps them to see who he really is like all the rest of us broken, struggling people making progress and he does and asking to make some promise.

I hear people make promises to God and promises to other people that they can't keep. So they set them so I'll never cheat again. Call never lie again. All never lost again never log on the porn again never spend money we didn't agree on again I'll never, never dog how many times he said that is not true. Stop making promises we can't keep.

How about the grace of God. This is why I'm doing what I'm doing and I'm by his power, and in the context of community with the right kind of help.

I am going to keep moving toward what God wants and he will restore and to heal.

We early in our in our marriage.

We went to seminary and my wife. Some of you know her story and we were in a housing complex for sorta like poor students and that she was with another seminary wife and she felt like there really becoming good friends and she says will tell me your story tree since she was you know I think up as a Christian I had to sort of really bad background and I got married early and then my husband coming to these drugs and ran off another woman and end up getting divorced and later on that ship and blah blah and and she's thinking why were really connecting, and this lady looked at her and set.

I didn't think they let people like you in seminary, shame so we start our first little church and it was a mini church for the mega churches 35 people and so the first three years with Tresa didn't tell anybody.

The leaders knew our story, but it was like it was a secret and were probably five or six years and then she never felt like she felt like she had the secret she's divorced and and then it got harder because our youngest son was born he got to be five or six years old and so funny story. We have this picture of our wedding in her wedding.

Eric and Jason were like 4 1/2 years old and they were the little ring bearers so it might my son my Mike's my little son is six years old.

He says hey mommy, how come Eric and Jason got to be in your wedding and I didn't like it's a little awkward right you know. And so Dallas seminary did a thing called lead leadership evaluation development in the spotted unit five or six people.

They thought might be leaders in the future and they took you through a week of analysis with the counselor in all aspects of your life and all these inventories and and were walking through in your life story and take all these test you write all this stuff out how never forget the moment he just turned to Tresa, Tresa, you really don't get it do you putting me. She said he said you don't understand your hiding your hiding because you're ashamed. Don't you understand that God has this great mantle in heaven and hear a trophy of his grace that there's people that have been abandoned, but need to know there's hope. Afterwards, there's people that need to know that you can have children that actually get adopted. Someday some way.

There's people need to know that after that the kind of family background that there's hope in God can work here, a trophy of his grace. Why are you hiding in wheat we we started to deal with our shame. And so we little by little she began to share with the church there and she had a talk with our little six-year-old, and would like to say how's it going to go so sheet she tells Ryan everything she gets on all things monk about Plano. See, we think that there's some big thing how people think, well, we went to Santa Cruz number of years later in France was a huge church there. Eight or 900 people at the time and really overwhelming. And so we went to big interview process and then my first Sunday morning and I caught them can be only a game and had a Sunday night service where I'm in the place was just acting a new pastor and and a few days before were driving my wife's and she used to be like super super shy not true anymore and she rarely would ever get up in front of people and I think she does a really good job. Now, in my biased opinion but for her it was like oh my gosh.

And so were in the car driving. She goes Sunday night. I want to share my testimony so you want to do what she goes. I'm not can you live here and feel like someone's going to find out my past chip if I'm a trophy of God's grace. If they don't accept that I'm someone that came from and messed up home that was married and abandoned and forgiven and met you. If if they don't accept that kind of person that I don't want to be here and this isn't the right place, but I'm to be clean and tell them this is my life and I remember that Sunday night in my little introvert wife brought it for 45 minutes and I'll never forget afterwards because I know I done the morning and people get when you're the new guy so there was like three or four guys that I was talking to hear and we were done and my wife was over there and there was a woman on the step. This step the step.

This step, the step she was talking to this one and you and that worship center. It went all the way around and I I couldn't help myself. I counted 45 or 50 women waiting to talk to my wife, her testimony was not. I have it all together hurt. Testimony was I'm a trophy of God's grace and by the way, this is my story. I wasn't the victim in all of them. I made some significant mistakes along the way and I have been forgiven and I've been restored and guess what God used and is using that God uses your past and your weakness and when that shame came off her shoulders.

I got a new wife what Scott want to bring up out of you and get out in the open and by the way, she doesn't share and I don't share and you shouldn't share everything with everyone, but you need to be sharing some things that you're not now back the third thing. Here's why. Notice he affirmed our value any firms are worthiness by commissioning us to service seek you. You will be an ineffective test of fire of the grace of God. If you don't deal with your shame, Peter dealt with the shame we have this whole chapter about Jesus and Peter at the end of all the Gospels because this is the core the Christian faith is not praying little prayer your life totally changes you never have any problems. So come to meetings and sing songs and listen to people talk to be a good little moral person and be a bit nicer than others. That's not it. We must deal with our shame. Why because the very last thing Jesus said before he was ascended. Was this all power in heaven and earth has been given to me so resources will never be a problem. Now, as you are going make disciples of all nations or F nicer people groups, baptizing them in the name of the father and the son and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to observe to actually live out all the things that I have taught you. And don't worry because I'll be with you, even to the end of the age he's going to do greater things.

When the person in your seat deals with your shame and you have a full testimony to share the good, the bad, and appropriately, at times, the ugly and what you'll find is there so much ugly out there that will be the key to your boss or your supervisor or your babysitter or your workout partner or your mom or your dad or someone you thought God could never reach because they would finally realize there may be hope for me. I grew up in San Jose came from a great town.

Great family. We my dad and all my friends really bonded over sports that was really what I was into my senior year in high school I went out for the team and kinda getting floor so immediately.

The next day I went to school looking for another crow things quickly progress because it felt like I didn't fit in and I was afraid that I wasn't going to make this team when acting a certain way and talking a certain way wasn't working quickly stir to session start and think. What can I do to hold onto my image so I got this idea is I know what I'll do next store I mentioned didn't know once, twice, third, so the third time when I put myself in a situation I felt like I was in control and there was not a moment of thinking back and forth can stay. I can go so I did the only thing I do go both pulled the trigger ran two days later. I confess completely intact. And I remember calling home to my family, telling him how sorry I wasn't a member stopping and saying, do you still love me. I remember something so specific they said they told me we love you will get through this we get through this. You will get to his.

We in that moment, I really realize God show me for the first time in the best way he could best way I can understand time to love never fails. Even when I do.

Two days later I was arraigned in Superior Court 18 years old for attempted robbery and first-degree murder.

I remember next few days just crying out to God, help me help me help me help me.

This wasn't supposed to happen. This is not who I am. I thought it all go away of the walls fall down around me and I walked down this experience. So one year later after going to the process and I was eventually sentenced in 19 years old 20 years of life in prison. So 2009.

Eventually got my first opportunity to ask for second chance for that freedom. I was sentenced in 1993. No one ever come home hundred 28 year life sentence so he would tell is not a chance, leaving so when to the hearing. 2009 Harlem table led to a recess with eventually deliberated. No sooner did I got comfortable in the chair and said okay were back on record and we have the inmate is suitable for parole just after they told me we found you suitable for parole heard a voice as clear as I'm speaking now say I've been with you this whole time and that's when I lost. That's when I had my wife, like most, but in reverse. That's when God showed me the things that I did not understand that he's been with me this whole time that despite the pain. Despite the shame. Despite the failures let me go and I think the greatest lesson degrees inside greatest understanding God, give me my darkest hour was even though we may feel there are no answers around were alone. You why we have to keep up the dance on the outside never be surrounded by people. So alone.

Dark place if we keep that darkness within us.

We do not share open up God's grace can get an opportunity to speak to people one-on-one, getting invited to Stanford and speak to a group of kids were there for the day camp.

These are great opportunities in such a blessing when you just put your Harlem table is amazing how vulnerability can really set you free. Now God can we step amazing things inspire that's really where my heart is just continue to assure God story some of his final words are when you put your heart on the table and you share that vulnerability, then God's power comes in and it's amazing what he can do.

I am guessing that what you're ashamed of is coming into perspective what's in your mind right now that you feel like you need to at least tell someone what your past. What are you currently thinking, feeling or doing what what's that's something that in fact parts of you in this room right now are like you've wanted to run when I started bringing these things up just wanted to run out here, but that would've been very socially inappropriate, and most of us would have thought shame shame shame say something wrong with them right so you stay I just want you to hear Jesus say I'm not surprised.

I can't define you but you keep eating or numbing or hiding or compensating or being driven or faking it until you deal with the shape. No amount of memorizing Scripture. No amount of work for God will ever substitute for restoration from him. I want to tell you why. Okay we have an assignment along with the disciples. Jesus says to them. I want you all to go and make followers or disciples of every people group on the earth every nation. The word is every F.

Noss is not just a prayer prayer. I want to be fully blown disciples are followers we would call them Romans 12 Christians and then I want you to baptize them in the name of the father the son and the Holy Ghost which is about identity of being fully in and then I want you to teach them all the things that I taught you. Not so they know it, but said he will actually observe it, and I wanted to be as you go as you in your life. This is for everyone in the church, testifying, and you'll never be alone. I'll be with you to the end of the age. Another passage acts 18. He tells them now don't get thinking that the weight of this is on you when he, the Holy Spirit comes he's going to fill you with his power and you will be might get our word again, you're going to be my witnesses. The goal is good ones. Not perfect once, but we deal with our past we do with our shame and you will actually testify by how you and by what comes out of your mouth right where you're at your Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, cultural emergency barriers now before we do anything else because this is a very tender time when people deal with shame when people have failed when you've done things that you just think are either unforgivable or you're a loser or you don't measure up or there's whatever it is in your past weather was a ally in abortion a divorce and embezzlement. You know a broken marriage and abandon your kids, there's all kind of things that we as human beings, and even as believers have done that. We just feel like were disqualified that God could never really love us and you know sometimes we get sorted back in the game, but it's always just at a very superficial level with this thought if anyone ever knew if anyone ever knew what's in my past, there were just so reject me and down deep. You may even feel that God's is that way as well. And that's just not true.

You are a trophy of God's grace he has redeemed you. You need to be open about what he has done. He wants people to know who feel like they're nothing who have whose lives they just don't think it ever amount to anything he wants them to know through you that he's a God of redemption that there's no more shame. I want you to receive God's forgiveness and then I want you to go public with one person that you can really trust about something in your past that you think down deep makes you a loser and disqualified and data be the first step to learning when and where and how to share your story because the fact of the matter is he want you to feed his sheep he wants to use your life.

Your failure does not disqualify you that you need to get up you need to draw near, and you need to own what's happened in the past receive God's forgiveness and I will tell you this because I watched it happen over and over and over. He will use your greatest failure. Your greatest weakness as the conduit by which his grace and power will reach people that think no one could really understand you do, because you've been there. Now get up receive his grace. Tell a friend and let's get going. Jeff will be right back but just a quick reminder this message today is from testify. Volume 4 of a series Jesus on filtered in this series chip takes an in-depth look at Jesus walking us through the Gospel of John is authorized biography if you will. Each of the Gospels as a specific purpose and in John we see his focus on proofs that Jesus is the son of God. Closer to home how he wants to be your Lord and Savior starting right where you're at today. You know the reality is listening more than once is the key for mastering the truths in these passages from John now to help you do that, the chipping remap and ships free message notes are a great way to dig and let God's word change you from the inside out. Jesus on filtered. For more information and discounted resources give us a call at AAA 333-6003 or visit us online at http://livingontheedge.org hapless nurse just Special offers will chip what were learning here is that a lot of our ideas about Jesus may be different from what the Bible actually teaches now to address that you've created a great resource that identifies some of those misperceptions and then provides the truth with verses from Scripture.

I would you tell us more than what you've paired it with a series what's being challenged. Here is what we believe me, Jesus has come to explain the father and yet the culture of the world, my flesh, the enemy is constantly bombarding my mind and my heart with lies. As I went back through and I take the key truth out of each chapter as we call these truth cards. Let me give you an example. Here's ally in private moments, I sometimes have thoughts that make me question my faith did these doubts. Her thoughts mean that I don't really believe in Jesus and at the bottom that card it says stop and back. There's a stop sign there and then we flipped the card over and it says everyone has doubts from time to time. We are bombarded by lies from the enemy, but the historical fact of Jesus resurrection, not my feelings on any given day is the basis of my faith and then right under that I have the core passage out of John chapter 20. So what we would love to do is put these in your hands so you can just review my time doing it at night before I go to bed not trying even to memorize just pondering and thinking and doing three or four or five cards you do if you have those before you go to bed. It goes into your subconscious mind.

It's amazing how your mind is renewed because what we all know what did Jesus promise in John chapter 8 you shall know the truth and the truth will set you free.

I hope you order a set of these cards for you and maybe someone you love as well. Will chips truth cards are discounted for a limited time when you go to LivingontheEdge.org there a high-value set of 21 cards with a common-law or spiritual battle we all face and on the flipside there's a passage from the Gospel of John to help you begin to renew your mind with the truth. Let me encourage you to get a set for yourself, then maybe another one or two for people you know. Order your truth cards and get free shipping by calling AAA 333-6003 or online at http://livingontheedge.org hapless nurse just tap special offers before we go I would remind you that tomorrow is giving Tuesday. This is an opportunity for you to show your support for your favorite ministries and nonprofits.

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Once Alexei was saying thanks for listening to this Edition of Living on the Edge