Worth It, Part 2

Today on Summit life with Judy Greer anybody offer him out on the subject is a good number will grow spiritually as much or as fast as being about other people's lives affect so I would say it, I would say the best way to deepen your relationship with Jesus, there is always I'm your host Molly minutes and excited to be here with you today.

As we continue our teaching series titled first the preeminence of Jesus in clashing elsewhere to begin as we dive back into Colossians chapter 1 in the Old Testament book of Micah chapter 6 verse eight it says he has shown you, oh man, what is good and what the Lord requires of you to do justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Today Pastor JD uses this familiar Old Testament.

First, rain his teaching in the first chapter of Colossians. Let's join them for the conclusion of the message we began yesterday that Pastor Katie Greer titled less than 5% or yet we Americans we control, we own 25% of the wealth will guilty about that move anything. What that means we produce more than anybody else, okay, but what it means is that you and I are a very blessed group of impact was if you make $34,000 a year in combined household income 44,000 year you were in the top 1% of people worldwide top 1% when you go to consider the fact that there were 2.5 billion people live in substandard housing or without adequate nourishment are consistent access to clean water every single week every week. 100,000 kids die around the world of starvation or preventable hunger related diseases that require something of us was an American Christians have a combined annual income of $5 trillion. We are the richest faith community that is ever existed in history right, what did God give us that prosperity for that's what we have – were all part of it.

Regardless where you are, compared to your neighbors were all part of that counsel is recently of all this was amazing how much you want to read you a list of things I want you and your mind to guess how much it would cost to do all these things is like an awesome vision for the future ready. How much would it cost to do all of these fix to sponsor 1 million indigenous full-time missionaries and poor nations around the world and to completely fund the fight against global malaria and to quadruple the global missions budget for all American missionary societies and engaging on evangelization, quadruple it to provide food, clothing and shelter to every single one of the six and half million refugees across Africa, Asia and the Middle East to triple the global Bible translation budget to find 150,000 seminary scholarships for promising students in emerging economies to double the operating budget of world vision and compassion to establish a new Christian universities around the world and to hire 25,000 additional American missionaries to work on our college campuses much money you think all that would take what will the price tag be it could all be accomplished. Listen if the Christian community in just this country days just .4% of its income one dollar out of every 250 to the work of the kingdom of God. What I'm trying to tell you is, God has put everything necessary. Everything necessary for the evangelization of the transformation of the world within our hand and the point is lawlessness in the world require something of us lost, but we don't overlook lostness.

A lot of you are removed by suffering here.

Whether it's refugees or whether it's it's up to people without access to clean water, the sex slave trade.

I mean and that's all you should be moved by that but understand that the worst kind of suffering in the world is eternal suffering and you can't overlook that when the greatest me that there is for people to hear and understand the gospel.

While we also meet their physical needs, and require something of us and and and and and Mica says you gotta do justice to use your your gift of the reasons that God gave them to you. Sickening says the love, mercy, or to to love kindness is what some translation say now Mike is to start turning up the crank. Not only does God want to do justice to what you love, mercy and kindness. That is what you love. Showing mercy and kindness. Why, because you are the recipient of great mercy again where would you be in Jesus not chosen to die for you, you would be exactly the same place of millions of people are without you, that require something about those of us who have received great mercy. Of course I want to show great mercy.

How could I receive the extravagant grace of the gospel and then not and not say God how can I be used to see gospel, people like meets like me all around the world is never ever heard every single time. Morrison smiled. This church is a little there's little story the kind of bounces around the back of my head. I shared with you before I care. It's been a while since I've sure this will be just this is very why we do what will I do what I do here how it was. It's a place that day that I left Southeast Asia as a missionary couple. There was a guy his name is Ishmael is my best friend in Southeast Asia. When I got in there he was like an Islamic youth pastor, the supercool, great personality, easy taught the language he took me fishing on how to survive and I'd share the gospel with a guy probably 25 times and every single time I share the gospel with them always. In this way, he would always smile to put his hand in my shoulder to the very touching and he put his hand on my shoulder and he would say JD my brother. You are great man of faith, and you make your parents very proud. I am sure that you are you are Christian because you were born as a Christian I am a Muslim because I was born as a muzzle.

That is how it's always been my friend. That's how it will always be every single tons of accomplishment the week before I went home. He lived about an hour away for me at this point we form an old I met up with him and I just one last, set out with them and I just said is Ishmael you know you know that I love you as you my best friend here and you know that that did that that what my Bible tells me what Jesus says is that he is the way the truth and the life and that you don't come to God except through your consciousness so want you to be in eternity with me and he at the end I said the reply they listen. Then he put his hand on my shoulder again to the whole thing. My brother, you're also renovated when the got on this visit. His motorcycle and the left and these that was last, but I never see them the day that I was leaving show back up of miles, unannounced, or showed up and I felt was on his mind selves. I Katie needs all he said yes and it is all so we go back in the some back room and he says listen that after we had the conversation with her. We had like 25,004 is that I tried to just do it always gives them think about. He said, but it was different this time. It was like and use the word, not done, which meant like a weight to weight that was just pull you settle in.

My heart is that I couldn't stop thinking about.

He said I was thinking about it when I went to sleep at night and he said he said when I went to sleep. He said I had this know maybe would call the dream I maybe a vision something you said I was standing on earth and I was sitting right in front of my house and all the sudden he said between my feet. This road discounts run out and stretch all into heaven garbage alarm little switch in their language met the straight and narrow way that leads them to the July Littles going up to heaven when you look in his eyes got, why he said in you want. He was so surprised I was like a little offended.

I was like yeah that's what went on to tell you for two years and so he said I want to walk all the way up to the gates of heaven and the gates were shot and I thought well no one can get past those gates and about my dream was over. He said when somebody inside the city they knew your name they called your name out and those big doors open.

He said, and you went in the door shot in a semi-hard and very sad because I wanted I wanted to go with you right yes yes I went in there to better he said and then and then the doors open again, he says, and you came out and you walk all the way back down here to where I was standing and you reached out and you grabbed my hand and I resisted, but you grab my hand and you pulled me onto your back and you carried me up into heaven with you now is the exact amount and exaggerator. Making it is the exact thing he said to me right now. He said he said JD he said at first when I wake up I think this this was dream that come from eating strange fish because I think that is a benefit. Many of these kinds of dreams he said this was not the mullah screen forgot many sentences and the question is can you tell me what does my dreamy leg. I went to a Southern Baptist seminary. Okay, we did not have a class on dreams and interpretations, but in that moment without the first word of trainee. I knew exactly what to say how Cipro you are so alike. Dream interpretation is my spiritual gift and so for the next two hours, until the taxi little.

He came to take me away. I just I share the gospel hymn and I would love love love to tell you that he became a Christian. He did not. And to my knowledge he still has not.

I do know that his family all most of them died in the tsunami in 2004, he survived because he wrote me after that. I've been back twice since then. I do try to look for him for where he is on the worry is and I have no way of really finding him, but he wrote me the insight he didn't become Christians. Just too much for him. He said he said I'm not ready to become a follower of Jesus, yet he said, but here's what I know that this dream has to meet.

It has to mean that you were sent here by God to show me the way of salvation estimate met JD and in one hour you're going home. You're going back to America and you're the only Christian I have ever known who is going to teach me the way of salvation. There is not a single person we send out here from the summa church that I am not thinking of some way about Ishmael and people like him all over the world you want to know why we do what we do as a church why we always talk about this. Why were giving why were striving. I will never shut up why we want to seasons like this is because it is our commission. We owe it to them because we owe it to Jesus. Jesus paid it all him. We owe and it is Jesus said to never assume would be lost. They are lost if we don't give and if we don't offer what we had for the sake of the gospel. It is our commission it belongs.

The last thing he says if you had a bit walk humbly with your God. What that means is you listen for what that individual assignment is for you to send this little bit last week, but the church in acts transform the world without any money without any influence without any power they did it because it was a group of people who were just listening for what God had to save them and what I want you doing this season is just to listen to God and just listen to what he saying to you. You are all different places.

I get that in your lab.

What does God want from you in the season, but always not to be some magical voice if I got spelled out in alphabet soup and asked the question the best of your ability in which feel like God is telling you to do for some of you listen, it is going to be the largest and the scariest thing that you have ever done hearing from God is always scary and obeyed him, as always. I remember him several years ago my wife and I have prayed about thought God was telling us to give one of our cars. I was like more driver cars to walk to church too far. Most relays is what I'm going to do and saw a number how scary that was how amazing it was. Watching how God provided through in that season, as we just listen to what God wants to do. That's, that's it. That's what God requires of you you I would want to want to do justice want you to use a time town treasurer for the reason he gives a future love kindness you want to think about others the way that Jesus thought about you and he wants you to just walk calmly with God and that is listen to the Holy Spirit first to do what he tells you to do. That's what Paul was talking. He said commission. Those three things I am commission of numbers three things.

That's what it requires of you, are you fulfilling your commission notes keep moving the Colossians 1 were almost on motel or tour your pulses. My commission was to make God's word known to you and I've done that I've done that then he goes on verse 26 to describe a little bit about that message what I may know you, is a mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed a safe question.

What is the mystery that Paul is talking about here mystery of Christ, that Christ wasn't one of the Old Testament, but Christ was the answer for every human yearning for longing in meaning and satisfaction of fulfillment and justice.

It was all fulfilled in Christ. Christ is the mystery. But what goes on.

God want to make known among the Gentiles, people who don't know God the glory as well the business or in other words, one of the see the full thing. What is that it is Christ that is Christ for Christ in you the hope of glory. There was supposed to be a mystery that took place in your life when you came to Jesus and Jesus came to live within you and everybody else around you was just confused by and there was no sorcery conversations about our lives with neighbors and family are like so-and-so what what what why do they give away. They get what they forgive the way they forgive. Why do they sacrifice why do they have such joy and suffering in the other personal forces. They honor between and it's up we don't get it and you were supposed to say what I suspect is a Christ is at what is happening to you and through you is your life a mystery to those around you in those areas. I told you I think the story William Borden was the heir to the board.

No company in the 1920s 21 years old is already a multimillionaire with rich people in America like, I'll tell him to be a missionary in Egypt one as well. Three distractions we gave it all away all of W missionary over in Egypt got there, was there three weeks and out of meningitis. Three weeks after my 40.1 of his friends are like you been here three weeks or about the die there's nothing we can do for you. Are you do you regret the choices that you made and by this point William Borden so weak he couldn't even talk to get us a pad of paper. He just wrote two words no regrets, no regrets not a couple days later is buried ever in Cairo, hello, not on Margrave a little tombstone you never notice of you are looking for, and his is name hesitates of his life and death. Short life, and then below it just has one phrase apart from faith in Christ there is no explanation for such a life. It's a mystery. Apart from faith in Christ there is no explanation for such a life. You are supposed to live like Borden and Paul and others who say hey apart from joy in Jesus. That's a mystery for our lives to screen we proclaim him we proclaim him, Paul says, verse 28 warning and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everybody mature in Christ. I labor for this driving with his shrink. That works powerfully in me by the way we do this a labor for this striving with this ring to work powerfully me what Paul is saying is in order for me to grow spiritually. Now I can help you were spiritually you ask anybody to swallow God for the amount of time will tell you this exactly the is nothing you can read nothing you can memorize nothing you can listen to that will grow. You were spiritually as much or as fast as has been involved in other people's lives. In fact, here's how I would say it you would say I would say the best way to deepen your relationship with Jesus is the help of the people discover there's supposed talk about here, but here's well what you notice in the section claim him warning and teaching everyone with all wisdom to present you mature in Christ. Paul's goal was to present this church mature in Christ. That is partially were big part of my goal in this series as I understand, listen the greatest competitors for the first place in your heart is money. Honestly, I am will be totally transparent will we talk about money here after little apprehensive.

I get nervous for sermons really more but taught by this, I get a little queasy and I'm like you have to like you to sit that they can try to manipulate you try to guilt you into giving as your pastor my goal is to present you mature in Christ. And I know there is nothing quite so dangerous as money in first Timothy, Paul tells Timothy to warn the rich of this present age of the all of us about the deceptiveness of money. It is a snare, he says, and by it. Many have been disqualified from the faith is the root of all kinds of evil.

Jesus said you cannot love you cannot prioritize.

You cannot seek.

You cannot obey the kingdom of God and money. In this series I have got a warning for many of you about your money. That warning is not. Hey, if you don't give them we can do X, Y, and Z know the warning is if you're not putting Jesus in the first place.

In this part of your life you were destroying your own faith and are destroying the faith of your children. CS Lewis said this what prosperity has a way of mixing a mansard to this world. He feels that he is finding his place and it will, in reality it is just finding its place in minutes rooting out the love of God.why Jesus talked about money more than he did any other subject. Jesus knew that no matter what else we say until our commitment to Christ affects that area. It's all a sham. What Paul is saying is this is my goal this is what I'm trying to do. I'm trying present you mature in Christ and unwavering, striving with all the strength it works, or powerfully, may God move in and make moves through me.

Got the spiritual cyclone you draw him without also pushing it back out a ministry okay or pullback in the station or bus tours over to. Here's my questions force my questions for reflection write these down what you think about them all week. Want to talk about Ms. Margaret number one where and how are you filling out Christ's afflictions July show the marks of sacrifice told you the series. We talk a lot about money, but it affects other areas list. Talk about your resources for a minute as your giving affected your lifestyle. How can you save your very Christ's afflictions. If you're giving is not even affected your lifestyle. How can you say to the kingdom of God is first if other things haven't been changed haven't been sacrificed in order to make room for the kingdom of God questionable one where and how are you going arising legend was number two. Are you fulfilling your commission are you fulfilling your commission showing you old man or woman what is good and what the Lord requires of you, justice, love mercy, will humbly with God. You know that in your time your talent in your judgment you ever asked yourself why God given his and why did God give me this jabber of retirement what you want me to do it. Why got you made his career. Why document is earning potential. Why got committees, blessings and know what you want from these things I want to use them first for the kingdom of God there?

What is your lights are different from those around you that other people can only call to Mr. Joyce are different than other people can only: really a mystery supervisor for you. What is average credit card debt in Raleigh-Durham $13,343. We, as Christians, we believe that God wants to be a slave – so we mostly make a choice here not to be that you live within your means you put Jesus first in your life for Jesus conversing the best number three in your save the future because that's what else does he need to do that now the average person is doing, not any of those three things to live above their means not put Jesus first investment I was seven I much for the future. If you, that means if you do those three things God works tells you to do your three steps behind, and lifestyle.

Everybody else in your income running and you know mixing amount of money. Well, growing out of the Aerobics and when your three steps behind him lifestyle.

Everybody also makes money you make. You will know it and everybody will know and it'd be a mystery.

Are you willing to reduce that lifestyle so that you can obey God's word and there's three areas is your life so different from those around you can only be called a mystery to get the return of a likable but we important to get there, look back and say no grants no regrets at one life. Life is so short. Social only one life to live will soon be passed only what's done for Christ will last. Social want to get there and say, I Think I Might Die My Treasure and My Talents Didn't Blow It on the 70 or 80 Years, Try to Create Some False Utopia. Nobody Meant That I Let You Put It First and I Got No Grants and I Rejoice in My Sacrifice All If You Get Nothing Else from This Teaching Series. We Hope That You Carry That Trick Every Day. This Is All Worth It. You're Listening to My Pastor and Theologian Jeannie Greer If He Missed Any Part of This Message, or If You'd like to Catch up on the Rest of Our Series Called First. You Can Listen online@jeanniegreer.com so Jeannie most Christians believe time in the word is important that when it comes down to it we sometimes go whole days or even weeks without really spending time with God.

Emotionally, especially if her feeling depressed, angry or feeling any other extreme emotion.

You are the strange things is that people, even in Christian circles, often look outside of the Bible and outside of the Christian community to do with her emotions like what the Bible teaches me how to be a moral person.

It teaches me how to have hope.

You know in life after death, but when it comes down to dealing with anxiety when it comes out to deal with sadness or even some forms of depression. Only thing the Bible is the place to turn one implore you don't manage your emotions don't don't suppress them if they're like smoke from a fire to cut away the smoke at your house and use it to diagnose what's really going on in your heart and this tool that were offering call smoke from a fire will help you. I give you some some some study helps in some diagnostic questions to really lay open your own heart and see how the Scripture speaking to you as always, you can get it today. Right now Jeannie Greer.com.

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You can get in requesting new resource online you're not. I mounting it in next week will finish this. The last down a great weekend worshiping with your local church family is sure to come back Monday for Senate life