Finding the Unshakeable City, Part 2

Today on Summit life with Jeannie Greer or Molex when you will all the way that God would use your commitment to the city is by letting you take upon yourself the cross of Christ, so that you suffer and you give blessing instead of cursing and you will renew to the fact that it's more about him and not about life.

The Bible teaching ministry of pastor and legend Jeannie Greer.

I'm your host Molly benefits we are teaching series called Christ is better and it's taking us through the book of Hebrews listen to any previous message from this teaching for free online. Jeannie Greer.com today were looking at the issue of security. Okay, everyone wants to be comfortable and safe from the unknown. But that's not always God's plan and that's okay as will see even when it's scary. God stillness best to learn more about Pastor Janie visit us online@jeanniegreer.com right now. Let's join Pastor JD in Hebrews 12 he titled this message. Finding the unshakable search inflicting image that the writer has used throughout Hebrews, especially the final chapters is a metaphor that he is using for what we are all doing with our lives. Always searching for a place of prominence, peace, prosperity, fulfillment, Jody does three things with that in the last chapter, three things three.

Get revenge. That image, the first thing he does is he asked you to consider what your city is and whether or not it unshakable.

Then he shows you. Secondly, the results of Jesus being your city and thirdly, he warns you about some small things that can totally destroy your city Serbia number one. What is your city and is unshakable.

What is your primary source. In other words, apartments, security and peace invitation of Hebrews is to make God your primary source of these things so that it gives you two warnings the first one is in verse 26 for the best yet. Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the habits. The second thing verse 29.

The second warning usually raises our God is a consuming fire know that is a sobering reality for me because that means that everything that I have accomplish the things that people look and say wow you have done this or that. The question becomes what God is what was the motive for doing that was not done for the honor and glory of God was enough of the auto glory jaded as you might be impressed with something that God knows that it wasn't about thy kingdom, was about my kingdom come. Everything is shaken everything everything goes through the fire.

Are you ready for that day. There's a second that when Jesus is your city right so we will is your city and then suddenly when Jesus is your city in the middle of this passage. The writer goes off. What almost seems like a tangent all this they left Egypt in search of the city.

A city that God will give them here they come to the promised land. And here is the presence of God and the dilemma is how do we find the permits and joy, fulfillment that only comes from knowing God and living in his land were too simple to even be in his presence so they live in a state of fear. What we haven't been good enough. As you approach whatever mountain or whatever city represents your ultimate satisfaction whenever you approach that you encounter the same dilemma. What if you're not good enough to obtain what you need and what happens is your light begins to be dominated by fear. Jesus, the writer says, is the better city because he's the only sure city to the ways that you have tried to secure a city have left you insecure and unstable and fearful.

But when Jesus is your city acceptances given not based on how well you did or how what you accomplished is giving you because he purchased it for you. That's what happens when Jesus is your city. Here's the third thing is what can destroy your city can destroy your city see these verses warns you have several things that can erode your faith.

Here they are having five total division for 14 seek peace with all men pretty much told me a story a few weeks ago as a missionary in the country of Africa and he said that on those. A lady in his community, whose husband died and she was completely impoverished of his family allow this lady to live in their house. He said that since we she was trying to scrape up money together to be able to purchase up a place to live old plot of land and so obviously she gives us a piece of property. She scrapes up the money she built a state about 10 x 10 shack had no electricity, no running water but it was hers he said about three months later he said I came home one afternoon she sitting out kind of front yard which is only about the same size row button by 10 and Isis resist sitting there. She had been most depressed look on her face and I said what's wrong she said she, she, pointed over to the plot of ground next to her. She said my neighbor since his garden, he lets his garden grow about 6 inches every week on my property.

Jesus is slowly encroaching in the sky him, he said well we fix our right now. Let's go over and talk to this guy. She said no don't do that, he said, look, which is Glover.

This is the American way will have a little confrontation to get his turnips out in your yard. She said no I don't want you to do that is somewhat how do you need to go I'll go take care of it for you. She said do not go and confront this man and he said why is I just not do that. She said because that man is sick so that man a second. Soon he will be in the hospital and when he's in the hospital. I will go to visit him and I cannot tell him about Jesus. If I have argued with him about the land now, I'm not giving you a recommendation for how you do business.

But I'm telling you that's there are moments when you are longed that the way that God renews your commitment to the city is by letting you take upon yourself the cross of Christ, so that you suffer and you get blessing instead of cursing and you are renewed in the fact that it's more about him and not about you is your second thing world events. That's also verse 14. So the first thing he had was division.

Second thing is worldliness erodes that terraces pursue holiness without which no one will see the Lord. Holiness means to things in the Bible to concepts gone over this whole in his first moments purity is where we get a work holiness from holiness. On the other thing that holiness back to the Jewish people was separated or other that was literally what were holiness met in Hebrew conduction number that like a great reward coach to be separated from someone something.they said I was wholly many was totally pure and he was totally other. So the opposite of holiness is worldliness because worldliness implies impurity and it implies things down here are things that are not other things that are not bad in themselves, but just consume your mind so that you don't think about eternal public about other the other things.

So we tells you to pursue holiness because without holiness. You will never see God and see God there means see it with the eyes of faith will never be able to see the glory of God on earth, never be able to watch this never be able to perceive what is doing whatever is working never to see your heart is filled with worldliness. When your mind is saturated with the world's gold to the purity of the beauty of God. Your ability to see God. Your ability to have faith is inhibited. So he says literally person in Greek literally persecute, persecute, persecute, holiness, down but Jason Bourne attracted relentlessly growing in holiness is an uphill climb ride the bike you want to feel you not stand still backwards.

You got a honey he says Charles Spurgeon, you will never date holiness by standing still. Nobody ever grew wholly without agonizing to be holy. Sin will grow without sewing holiness needs cultivation follow it. It will not run after you. You must pursue it with determination with eagerness with perseverance as a hunter pursues its prey. If the person behind it. It's not coming naturally you have to discipline yourself to read the Bible you will have read about it because I feel like it.

Newsflash, I don't feel like a 1000 morning either. I hope it doesn't burst or burp bubblegum is a pastor but I don't always get Mortier singer Chris Tomlin songs on my heart you're in front of my Bible and up. It was a coffee maker and think about all the things that I gotta do throughout the day.

You think discipline read about discipline to memorize Scripture to pursue holiness blasters about what you read so many books you would be surprised what you can accomplish in 30 or 45 minutes every night.

If you turn off that stupid television and just got into something that would enrich your soul.

While not a reader way go to school become one okay and be if that really is true that most of the podcasts of Scripture and drive probably drive around for most of you the greatest enemy to your faith is not some cataclysmic event messes up your faith is the slow rise of TV Facebook new cars or toys. The enemy's primary primary way of appearing you apart is not through. I got not to unbelievers to distraction. It just distracts you away from it, you will likely hear the big most of you will likely continue to do Christian things is just too much in your culture to me to quit going to church altogether quit believing in God, but you'll do you go through the motions without the soul, a passion for God and the faith that pleases him pursue holiness as well that nobody will actually see God. By the way Evers also tells you, just in case the supplies you Evers tells you that if you're one of those kind of people who feel like coming to church and doing some God stuff and then you go out from here and there got got a handful things in your life that you know are wrong. You know are displeasing to God.

God wants to do those anyway you put up on the idea forever.

The gods okay that that's how you live and you come to church of the things that's okay.

Just to let you yes God forgives all simply forgive sins that have been repented of and for you to live in open defiance of him for you to acknowledge him with your lips and then defy him with your life. He says that kind of rebellion looks and witchcraft will be displacing to worship Satan because that's how he sees it. He says these people honor their lives for their hearts are front from me that it had been.

They sing what Christians tell lies a W torture said as they sing them. They honor me with their lives for the go out and then the way they do business the way they treat their spouse. The other relationships they have outside of their marriage are the things that crucify me you actually think God is not like that, but he's okay with using him songs on Sunday and if I am in your life you have to pursue holiness without a nobody will see God. God forgives all, since Christ died for all sins, but my 13 will return to her teaching in just a moment that I wanted to quickly tell you about our featured resource this month created just for you. One thing that Hebrews has been telling this series and never give. We left to get you a copy of our newest Bible study that follows along with the teaching on the program will learn that Jesus is greater than every other hero ever.

He is our prophet, priest and arcane receive the Christ is better Bible study with your gift in the ministry right now by calling 866-335-5220 or checking out@judygreer.com get back to the unsinkable city and pastor JD final five Thursday bitterness bitterness destroys first 15 see that no one fails to obtain the grace of God.

Root of bitterness springs up and causes trouble and by many become defiled root of bitterness is" in your Bible. If you have the ESV it's what I'm reading from Rizzo bitterness is" because it is a quote from an Old Testament passage in Deuteronomy warning the children of Israel not to let idolatry grow among them because idolatry like a poisonous weed will infiltrate our whole garden know what struck me as I read this passage are the consequences of this, but there are a lot of people who are going to miss the grace of God, not because they send in such a way that God can forgive them. That's never the case is the grace of God because they're just distracted from it by idolatry. Idolatry is usually not fixated on bad things. Idolatry is when something becomes too important to you because more important, God told you that the word in Hebrew for a dollar will work for glory is the word couple belittling his weight to make something idle to give it too much weight to give it more weight in your life and God has it's when a good thing becomes a God thing is turns into a bad thing is when money becomes your obsession is with the approval of people becomes your obsession is when your children, your marriage, finding romance, finding a new marriage.

Finding a good marriage becomes your obsession is the love of the first place. Here is how you tell that that root of idolatry is growing in you and corrupting and destroying you what dominate your thoughts. What dominate your thoughts. What upsets you, what makes you jealous what's made you better because those things are all smoke from a fire to go back to your idolatry is when these things.

This route is growing and it is destroyed. Here idolatry is subtle.

It's not the kind of thing that you said here and you you and you is the kind of thing that is subtle but is very very serious because it keeps people from grabbing hold of the grace of God. It is literally choking the life out of you is spreading to your children.

It is spreading to your friends and it is causing you to fail to grab hold of the grace of God because you just don't see the need for it are enemies primary weapon against you is not unbelief. It is distraction and he distracts through these roots of idolatry that grow among the garden of faith is for sensual pleasures to traversing through the no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau sold his birthright for a single meal notice is an interesting image.

You know, sort Esau. Okay so in Genesis. Isaac has two sons Jacob and Esau. Esau was a hunter. He's a man's man. I got an F1 50 Jacob, not so much a man's man watches the cooking challenge Food Network draws little mini Cooper not become an Italian job like a little like a little dainty God and and he so he's old cooking and Esau was out hunting and Esau comes home one day and Esau was the first one so easily get the blood birthright birthright with all the promises it was all the inheritance were talking something massive value.

Esau comes home from hunting and he's powerful hungry these crazy shots at white hot water. Prepare it and so Jacob is just finished the sole lentil stew that he caught and in any salsa man. I'm so hungry brother would you give me some some food, and Jacob crafting a deceiver Sagal you some food trade you some of his food for your birthright, which is just crazy just like to hey if I botched that I have your retirement you know any souls like all well here is his reasoning. His reasoning was, you know my birthright to go to bed. I'm so hungry.

If I die, so sure you can have my birthright. I will have accomplished each rated birthright for a cup of soup lentil soup.

How gross is that right so he eat you, but he was so enslaved to his physical desires, but each rated he sacrificed the eternal on the altar of his stomach and the author says this is what a lot of people who were so enslaved to their bodily pleasures that they are From eternity by things like sexual immorality, 20 brings that in their euros. How much of our lives, especially those you that are younger.

How much of your life is dedicated to just give yourself the physical sensations that you want. Rolling Stone magazine article talk about the really good parties in Hollywood Nashville of the parties at start about Friday at 4 o'clock and end about Monday at two in the afternoon and these are the parties that are filled with great food, sex, alcohol, ecstasy, and think thousands of dollars in people's whole lives are spent just trying to create sensations in them are sensations really got valuable in light of eternity or creature comforts. This sexual morale are just tingly things in your body. Is that really what you're so good Pascal floss for 300 years ago four years ago using image on this gives you all the time to the tragedy with most people's image was, he said, barreling toward a cliff and a horse drawn carriage. They know the cliff is coming. They know it's there.

They know that their death is right in front of them as of a few minutes away is about. Then they start to distract themselves with what they got to eat in the in the carriage.

The pretty scenery that is around the carriage.

He said how crazy for person to actually live that way. That's what people do when they know that their death is coming to know eternity is there and they're addicted to living in the right house having the sexual encounters they want to have because they just are addicted to physical sensations on Esau sold his eternity for cup of soup is sensual pleasures that you rode those that God created sensual pleasures. He wants you to the fullest. Some of you are so distracted by them. It keeps you from ever grabbing hold of the grace of God and surrender yourself you got your last one in attention and attention. Verse 25. See to it you don't refuse him who is speaking the author then says he says imagination eases. Imagine you were there that day on the mountain. When the Israelites came up to the mountain and there's a mountain that is filled with thunder and lightning. God is on the mountain and God starts speaking out of the mountain now.

Imagine you were there you think it's likely that anybody was like hey would you cut it out. Would you turn it down and try to concentrate here try to do something with God.

Could you be quiet.

Nobody put God in the back burner. God was speaking out of the mountain so they stop what they were doing a turn and I listen.

The writer says if that's how they paid attention to God how much more would you listen to a God who spoke on Calvary was God that was God who had not surrounded himself with a perimeter and covered himself with thunder and lightning to keep you away. That was a God who took the thunder and lightning of God's judgment into himself, his body was ripped apart for you. That was God the details of the crucifixion, beaten with a cat of nine tails that would have shredded his skin new pieces of bone and glass.

They say that the stories that would've went with what were often the likely lots themselves into a rib and often to rip up rib off a man's frame were to be tells that it's very likely that Jesus was at least partially disemboweled after that meeting. I say this is like a man. When I got done strong naked nails put his hands at his feet, taking into himself. The punishment for your sin put on the back bar you treated like a secondary thought. It's not that important. What's up will get to it later.

Possibly could you hope to escape God was speaking in Christ and you just thought it wasn't that important. You just thought it was something that you could just deal with later. That was God and I would say that most of you listening to me right now any of our campuses. You believe that that was God.

That is God. Do you realize how important the message that he was giving to you was in that message that Christ died for sinners and there's no possible hope.

Apart from him to go to have it that you have received what he has done JC Ryle when leveraging heroes.

The service is a lack of seriousness that keeps most people from heaven, the carefree way that they go through life. God is serious and observing us Christ is serious in his death for us. This spirit is serious and scribing with us the truth of God are serious, our spiritual enemies are serious in their endeavors to ruin poor lost sinners are serious and how why then would we not be serious to not appear each week tell a joke in attaining people give a little pep talk. I am trying to save your life to important sets about job same and it is God giving the people by which I security and him God speaking to music appeared.

It's designed to entertain keep you know I will like to point you to the unspeakable, which is given by God in Christ, nor how can we possibly escape to three. If we neglect so great salvation for me to show you the only foundation that will truly use your seasons are difficult to reestablish your trust in him is a challenging message from Summit life with pastor Jeannie clear we are in a study of Hebrews called Christ is better, and if you'd like to hear any of the previous messages you can find them all online Jeannie Greer.com no Hebrews shows us that the Old Testament was a shadow of everything in the New Testament all point to Jesus. This month we are offering the Christ is better Bible study guide as a way to drive home that he is worthy of our trust and devotion you can get this exclusive new study when you donate today by calling eight 663-3520 that number again is 866-335-5221 give your gift online Greer.com. Let me remind you that if you sign up for best way to stay up-to-date with the latest plot to make sure you resource clicking Greer.com Molly benefits inviting you to join us tomorrow we will be talking about Wednesday on