Jesus Unfiltered - Follow - Jesus Offers Satisfaction, Part 2

If I could tell you how to be saddest really content your heart matter how much money you made where you live your marriage to being single or even how you look, I mean saddest contentment.

Would you stick around. The next 2025 is that's what you learned today. Thanks for joining us for this edition of living only with nothing on the edges of international teaching and discipleship the Bible to this program just continues to follow volume 2 of this series Jesus on filter. I think it's safe to say we all want satisfaction were relationships we all want to experience genuine well how to accomplish that is where to get set because he hits the ground running. So if you have a Bible turn out of the book of John chapter 7 let's joining part two of his message. Jesus offers satisfaction.

Jesus said my words are spirit in her life. Now look at this promise, the promises, if any man if any man, and its generic for woman is willing to do my will. He will know the teaching whether I'm speaking for myself, or whether I'm speaking from God. So here's an axiomatic principle of hearing God's voice you have to be willing to do what it says I will tell you.

You can read the Bible until you're blue in the face.

You can go to Bible study. You can hear messages.

You can do all kind of things, but unless you're willing to do to obey. But here's what God does. Why would God give you or me new truth.

If we won't respond to the truth that is already given me, Jesus and his teaching in Mark four says if you respond to the light that I give you, you get more like if you refuse perpetually or habitually to not respond to the truth of the life that I give you, even the like you have will be taken away about why this isn't just about quote becoming a Christian I got a call and actually had an event with walk to the Bible and asked me to come and lead that organization. I see no sort of a compliment, I suppose, but I was just like okay I got a really we love were rat I thought I'd be in Santa Cruz until I died all the right hundred and where you got a really big decision and you feel tension and what I need. I needed to study the Bible I need to hear God's voice and so I pray for month two months three months.

I'm into the fourth month I'm hearing nothing. God show me this is really big. I mean, what you here's a go to what I'm supposed to do it and I don't do it and I miss what you're supposed what if I'm not supposed to do it and then I go when I mess up. Given this great church and great people in my family loves it and so you one day, another day right. I was like you know the passage were talked about you know, tossed by the waves back and forth and and so I didn't work I didn't know what God wanted. Here's what I did know my wife did not want to go and I didn't want to go and so you know they said look we we have to have a decision by the state and was given one month two months three months four months and you know I did my due diligence my research I visited figured out you strengths, weaknesses, all the rent and I was doing something I can have some sort of event is a member of John Wayne Airport and I had like three more days ahead to give a decision and that sort is my practice always get a couple coffee for you on the plans. When Starbucks got a couple coffee in my back was hurting that day and so I went and sat on the floor in the corner is a got please speak to me and no audible voice, but was will chip are you willing to do whatever I say in my honest responses. Maybe right. Maybe I just really want to know what your will is so I can decide whether all they are not anyone else ever do that and it was like it was just like nonstarter. All set up. Okay Lord.

This is this is an emotional this is just flat out decision if you will show me no matter what can I do want to go.

I will do whatever you say, but I don't want some emotional experience.

I don't I don't know whether it's really you, not me as odd and yes no yes no yes no right about nine times and so I just I'm going read where I'm more my normal reading is that I was in the book of acts and I read it is like literally a passage which arise go no is not to go well and Teresa and it didn't. But God it was a pivotal point in her life.

Here's all I want you to hear. See what I described the process of learning to study the Bible you alternate right, but not usually in the Bible, but when I was talking about those of you that write code. Those you that the start accompanies those of you that have gone and got graduate degrees those of you that I mean you are so committed to helping your kids either in ballet or music or violin or something. I mean the discipline you are seeking it as silver you're pursuing. It is hidden treasure. It's like I want to be happy. I want to be fulfilled.

I want my kids to be successful hello to find the right person is like, you know you are people that go for it and that same intensity and discipline work and focus and willingness to do whatever God says is almost nonexistent with most Christians, and we think we can read a little verse and pray little prayer and that we can have streams of living support. So what kind of questions do you ask, once you willing let me give these to your questions that I ask when I read the Bible that are is there a command to obey. In this case it's come to me and drink. So have you done that this is a suggestion. This is the God of the universe pulling and fully God on the earth saying you come and drink. If anyone believes and believe that the intellectual trusting your life following him anyone believes in me out of your innermost being. Second is question is is there promise to claim but there's a big promise. Here in verse 38 streams of living water will flow from where from within you a huge promise to you. Ask yourself experiencing that he promised it so it will not do some experiences if all search for him. As for silver and to make Christ a priority like hidden treasure if I would pursue God's way of pursuing my business if I would pursue God the way I'm trying to raise my kids if I would pursue God. Guess what happened inside of you streams of living water, and it's not just his word.

He lives inside of other Christians.

It meant the some Christians that you never sit down, have heart-to-heart absolutely vulnerable authentic conversations and do life with other Christians and so you missed the Jesus that lives in them and they missed the Jesus that lives in some of the direction God wants to give you through them so I asked myself as a command there's a promise, and the third thing I do is I ask, is there an example to follow.

In verse 31, you know, there was all these people with all the stuff since many of them put their faith in him. Maybe that you put your faith in him. Certainly for salvation for your sins be forgiven. Have you as you sit here on a certain day at a certain time. I remember I have said I am in need and your God.

I'm an attorney from my self focus control or sort of, sort of passive I'll do my life, God, you stay over there to. I need you.

Please forgive me Christ come in my life to be done for those of us that have done that. Are you still you believing it is.

Are you trusting him to meet your needs or have you come to him by grace. Now you got it I got a got you on the universe. I got this thing here right anyone else do that now here's the thing.

Here's Lee's listen carefully. I am astounded and amazed at the level of denial that I can have my life. If you would've said to me okay are there other commands today and promises.

Yes, the one of the commands is that we honor the Sabbath principle that one day out of seven, you realize the world can live without you, and you get refreshed and you don't work 24 hours out of 168. The world can go on without you. It's a gift from God and it's a it's a statement of faith, but it's is it's a weird statement of faith is like you know like running an Internet company and your company says were only to be on line 6 out of every seven days, but we need to make as much money as everyone else.

So that's what the Sabbath is about. It's not about don't do this don't do that. It's about trust. It's about thing and so God is. I was whining said to Chip how you doing oh if you would ask SOI and I believe in Sabbath.

You know on Fridays. It's my day off and I don't look at my email hardly and I don't look at many calls barely in China really.

I mean, you will really take a day off and I'm pretty religious about mean in a good way. I went back five Fridays, actually you know God speaking to me.

I look my calendar is like your liar you are absolutely convinced that you obey the Sabbath and for five weeks and half super six weeks. She's not had a day off and you're asking me why you're sick you know what it is God on me. I think I heard a gentle voice like Chip, you are what you think you sick. You haven't obeyed me. Why haven't you made me him and now I'm I'm going to exaggerate just mildly, but not much will I haven't made you because you don't understand how important I am. You understand that I mean without me how good of those events ever happened and I had to do this and they were just exceptions because I'm so important I matter so much when I violate the Sabbath or any other command at the heart of it is almost always my own pride and arrogance and I just repented I repented. I said okay God this that's my denial is over. I want to obey you. I'm willing, I'll do whatever you say five different speaking, things came the very next week. No no no no no I don't have a healthy soul want to be a good husband to love my grown kids in the love my grandkids. I want to be in good pastoral margin in my life. I want to come refreshed to give God's word want to be in good teammate on our staff. I can't do that and disobey God, to make sense. Notice there's a example to follow Nicodemus. He went public in the coming. I think there's a way to do that but there's an example. There II realize I need literally, at times, this is the session really hope would be you notice counseling, come to think got. I didn't plan to share quite this much, but I just want to admit to that. There's times where I'm not bold in my faith because I care more what people think, think, I think. Does anyone else to go with that and I'll go through a season and so have to discipline myself it's okay Lord for the next seven days in next 10 days.

I'm to let someone know know when some kind loving way, and maybe I'm gonna bind coffee or him to do something for someone that I'm a follower of Jesus because little by little. If I'm not creasing you get inside little cul-de-sac with all your Christian friends.

How will people that are longing and are thirsty here about the living Christ. If we don't want and we tell them with our life. We tell them with our relationships. We also tell him whether last page because here's some barriers to receiving God's promise barrier number one is familiarity. His his brothers don't believe why you grew up. There's times all be in the Bible and all have this in. I'll be reading it I got that memorized.

So God is speak to me so familiar. Some of you been around church all your life and church basically has become a church.

I understand and be a good person you know better than most people morally.

I know that a few issues but there's no power.

So satisfaction is no excitement. There's no adventure because you so familiar is just become, like a moral code, a formula, instead of the supernatural bench with the living God is spirit living in you.

The second reason is fear what other people think universe 13. A great many people. No one would say anything publicly because so many of us are more concerned about what other people think that what God thinks. I actually, I will often about what I still struggle with this oh so if you're thinking, oh gosh, that's me. Yes me to. And sometimes on to say okay every day for the next 10 days I'm gonna do something somewhere where I go public with my faith in a winsome way. I mean it's not like my friend Lawrence to come back. My car is a big Bible what you think you know but I mean in varying winsome ways. I had a moment yesterday, you know, I was behind a guy and I didn't know it but I come in overtly bagel shop.

I think I just cutting how you feel like I didn't mean to. They were looking at something and so I got my coffee and a snack.

I just had little prompting, and he had you there with his two kids and he started pull out a bill and I put it back.

I just had on it. Take care of all of us and I think I can dish it is. Not only did we would still to sign this and that, looking like what drugs are you and this time is it you I think I just really wants to bless you.

He said in and you know what it was like click when Republican, loving and winsome with our faith doesn't turn people off whole generation of Christians at think that if you really go public. You turn people off.

People are literally dying to hear the third's unwillingness to obey me.

I could hear God's voice are members doing a you a Bible study on the college campus might be a basketball coach and I would play basketball, pickup basketball in the gym and then we go to guys dorm room and we passout gospel Johnson. We just read a chapter out loud and talk about, I didn't preach I didn't teach. I just asked questions what you guys think it says and we did you know John one John two John three John force like that in the sky comes and goes. I'll be playing basketball not come into the mic and come to Bible study tonight. Is it okay that none of them were Christians at civil why he said because I can keep reading this stuff for when you can't keep reading this stuff.

He said look I live, I'm starting to get it. I keep reading this I can't keep living the way I is also what you mean his luck man, can I just give it to you straight. I'm living with my girlfriend if I keep reading this I'm gonna come to a point where either.

It's Jesus.

My girlfriend were Jesus insects. I just want you know I'm to go on record its girlfriend and sex, not Jesus. But I keep reading the stuff he took is messing with me and I just said something. Thanks for being so honest and I just took a moment to now, from what we've learned.

If you ever wanted to believe in Jesus because you know this is a potential someday. Some like this may not really forgot was girlfriend and you might find something even more important sections like my notes are to believe 19 but and then I had him share the gospel with me, so I wanted to know for sure and I said hey you can play ball with the Sgt. so you don't need to be the Holy Spirit is easy to love people love people and get them in God's word let him speak to them but said he was unwilling to obey.

But what I like this.

He was honest enough to say it. The fourth reason people don't believe is just ignorance. You know that that idea you the false presupposition of verses 25 to 31 where to send the Messiah when he comes, will just out of nowhere. Will that was a tradition by the rabbis in the oral tradition so they believe that the Messiah just can come out of thin air. So they rejected Jesus, the Bible never said the Bible have said that. But some people reject Christ because they have ideas about them that aren't true. Number five there is so I cited five will do for superficial assessment reevaluation one group to talk about when second you know you had this guy walk on the Sabbath, so you can't be from God and he said stop judging superficially at this happen is a new Christian to Christian about eight months and it was on the basketball team I got was anti-anti-God and especially Christian said you believe in God, yes Bible yes you believe the Bible is true.

Yes, you eat meat. Yes, you have a credit 6/8 of like you know we talk about doesn't the Bible say thou shalt not kill you kill animals eat meat.

See you are all hypocrites. I went back like oh my gosh is running low research and vibrant say thou shall not kill him and it says… Kill because the words were killed in Hebrew the word for murder. The Bible says, that shall not murder but he had a superficial assessment of what he thought the Bible taught and as a result, rejected God rejected the Bible can't put me in a tailspin.

See, here's here's my concern and the reason I'm going through John and try to help all of us really learn what it says my fears. A lot of you have a very superficial understanding and you think you know what the says and you're listening to all kind of things and all kind of people you have legitimate thirsts and some of you are so dad on smart and so dad on gifted you actually figure out how to quench your thirst and your successful in your smart and you become wealthy, and have great positions and you end up with what everyone else wants in life and then you look in the mirror and you look down your soul and it's empty and you can't figure it out because I believe in God.

I go to church 1.6 times a month, but the fact the matter is, as you you not searching you you not studying the Bible like you learn to read code and develop code not studying the Bible the way you did a musical instrument you the Bible what you had your kids, you know, doing ballet or athletics setting the Bible the way that you started out with physics, not you, not you, not you, not taking the Bible the way you did when you were in that startup and everybody knew that you need to give your life to start up or they don't work God is saying the words of Jesus coming come and drink right back is application, but if you're just joining Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram chips message today is from his series, Jesus, unfiltered, volume 2. Follow Jesus unfiltered is a study through the gospel of John exploring topics like what does it mean to believe in Jesus and what does it mean to follow Jesus. Those phrases mean different things to different people. So Chip goes right to the source to find out what Jesus would say if you were asked to check out all four volumes of Jesus unfiltered. Just visit us online at http://livingontheedge.org or tap special offers on the app will now here's Chip with a quick question I'd like to ask you a favor. I like you to really think about has Living on the Edge minister to you and if so, I'd like to bring a biblical principle to your attention the Scripture says that when you're minister to. Spiritually, we have a responsibility to financially support and so I hope first and foremost you're doing that at your local church.

Secondly, if Living on the Edge is a spiritual ministry in your life you listen. Maybe you've downloaded the app maybe then a small group but you're like me you know I watch things were here. Things are on benefit from things and I just unconsciously think somehow, someway, someone else is taking care of it and so I would bring to your attention if you're benefiting from the ministry I like to ask you to give financially to the ministry. However much God leads you might be a little it might be a lot but I would like you today to say God do you want me to help Living on the Edge continue to help Christians live like Christians and if the answer is yes asking how much and just do whatever he says thank you very much for whatever God leads you to do to give a gift today.

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If you prefer to give online you can donate securely by going to LivingontheEdge.org on behalf of Chip and the staff here. Thanks in advance for your partnership with us together were making a difference now to help us some up-to-date stock. Here's Chip in today's teaching. We said that if you put God's Word into practice. That's what it means to abide in him that you will know the truth and the truth will set you free is an amazing promise it's not just reading the Bible, not just hearing the Bible it's taking in God's word, putting it into practice. You will experientially know the truth and the truth will have the power to set you free. But then we talked about the barriers that keep us from knowing and applying the truth so those are pretty important. Let me take just a minute as we wrap up today's program and just highlight and and you think is I as I go through these. Ask yourself which one of these barriers might be a barrier in my life. The first is familiarity and we think we've got it were low, but prideful and you know hey, I know that passage, I know that verse and you kinda just traffic in the truth. The other is fear were so concerned about what other people think. We don't act on what we know. The third was was disobedience mean we all face this. It's just this is what it says I know I need to apologize to that person or I need to confess that sin or get help with that addiction we just say you know by her behavior, we just say I'm not going to do it. The fourth is ignorance. I mean so many believers don't know the promises of God. They don't know what God has to offer. And then finally I just call it a superficial assessment we jump to wrong conclusions and were very very easily swayed.

Of those, which one of those today might be a barrier to you experiencing God's truth and freedom if you got it. Can I encourage you to own it out loud, confess it to God and the big word in the Bible is repent and turn from that and say Lord I need help with that. I've been ignorant or I'm disobedient and meet got asked for his help. In fact tell one person today what the barrier is and what your next step is and see if God doesn't show up in a fresh way will just before we close. We want you to know that as a staff we asked the Lord to help you take whatever your next brief step is.

We'd love to hear how it's going. Would you take a minute to send us a note or give us a call either one is easy.

Just send a quick note to chip@livingontheedge.org or give us a call at 1-888-333-6003. Until next time. This is really saying thanks for listening. this Edition of Living on the Edge