WEBVTT

1
00:00:00.200 --> 00:00:02.439
<v Speaker 1>When I get an idea in my mind, how do

2
00:00:02.520 --> 00:00:08.119
<v Speaker 1>I know where that idea came from, that impression, that thought?

3
00:00:08.759 --> 00:00:10.519
<v Speaker 1>How do I know it didn't come from the devil,

4
00:00:11.439 --> 00:00:14.560
<v Speaker 1>or it came from the bad Burrito eight last night,

5
00:00:16.440 --> 00:00:19.879
<v Speaker 1>or it came from my own thoughts. I just bought

6
00:00:19.920 --> 00:00:23.280
<v Speaker 1>it up. I mean, you talk to yourself all the time.

7
00:00:23.399 --> 00:00:25.239
<v Speaker 1>I talk to myself all the time. I am my

8
00:00:25.320 --> 00:00:29.800
<v Speaker 1>own best friend, and you're talking. You have a running

9
00:00:29.879 --> 00:00:32.920
<v Speaker 1>conversation with you throughout the day. How do I look?

10
00:00:32.920 --> 00:00:34.840
<v Speaker 1>How do I feel what's going on? How should I

11
00:00:34.840 --> 00:00:38.479
<v Speaker 1>handle that? Respond to that? And it's very easy to

12
00:00:38.600 --> 00:00:42.560
<v Speaker 1>sometimes be confused on is this God telling me to

13
00:00:42.560 --> 00:00:45.200
<v Speaker 1>do this? Or is this just something I want to do?

14
00:00:45.200 --> 00:00:48.119
<v Speaker 1>Do you know what I'm talking about? Is this really

15
00:00:48.159 --> 00:00:51.799
<v Speaker 1>just my idea? Or did God give me this idea?

16
00:00:51.880 --> 00:00:53.799
<v Speaker 1>Or did it come to the devil? Or is it

17
00:00:53.880 --> 00:00:56.920
<v Speaker 1>some bad tape that I'm playing in the past. It

18
00:00:57.000 --> 00:01:01.799
<v Speaker 1>is extremely important you know how to discern when it's

19
00:01:01.920 --> 00:01:05.640
<v Speaker 1>God talking to you, because if you don't, it can

20
00:01:05.680 --> 00:01:09.799
<v Speaker 1>be fatal. The Bible says this Proverbs chapter fourteen, verse twelve.

21
00:01:11.000 --> 00:01:15.680
<v Speaker 1>What you think is the right road may lead to death.

22
00:01:16.239 --> 00:01:19.640
<v Speaker 1>In other words, it can be fatal. And you know,

23
00:01:20.319 --> 00:01:22.480
<v Speaker 1>you know, a lot of evil gets blamed on God

24
00:01:22.519 --> 00:01:25.560
<v Speaker 1>when people say, well, God told me to do this.

25
00:01:26.000 --> 00:01:29.840
<v Speaker 1>The Bible says in First John, forur to one, don't

26
00:01:29.840 --> 00:01:34.480
<v Speaker 1>believe every message you hear just because someone says it's

27
00:01:34.519 --> 00:01:39.760
<v Speaker 1>a message from God. Test it first to see if

28
00:01:39.799 --> 00:01:43.480
<v Speaker 1>it really is. I want you to learn seven ways

29
00:01:43.519 --> 00:01:48.079
<v Speaker 1>to test an impression from the Bible, because the fact is,

30
00:01:48.560 --> 00:01:51.079
<v Speaker 1>one moment you can get an idea from God, and

31
00:01:51.159 --> 00:01:53.400
<v Speaker 1>the next moment you can get an idea from Satan

32
00:01:54.000 --> 00:01:56.959
<v Speaker 1>in a split second. Let me give you a classic

33
00:01:57.040 --> 00:02:01.000
<v Speaker 1>example of it. One day, Jesus is with it twelve disciples,

34
00:02:01.040 --> 00:02:05.120
<v Speaker 1>and he turns to Peter, one of the twelve, and

35
00:02:05.159 --> 00:02:09.560
<v Speaker 1>he says, Peter, who do you say that I am?

36
00:02:10.639 --> 00:02:16.639
<v Speaker 1>And Peter says, well, Lord, you are the Christ, you

37
00:02:16.719 --> 00:02:20.840
<v Speaker 1>are the Messiah. You are the son of the Living God.

38
00:02:21.360 --> 00:02:25.879
<v Speaker 1>And Jesus looked straight at Peter and he says, brought on, Pete.

39
00:02:26.319 --> 00:02:30.360
<v Speaker 2>He says, you have spoken the truth.

40
00:02:30.439 --> 00:02:33.719
<v Speaker 1>He said, flesh and blood did not reveal this to you.

41
00:02:33.960 --> 00:02:37.159
<v Speaker 1>In other words, Peter, that idea didn't come from you,

42
00:02:37.520 --> 00:02:39.479
<v Speaker 1>That idea came from God.

43
00:02:40.240 --> 00:02:42.319
<v Speaker 2>He said, you're right. You spoke the truth.

44
00:02:42.439 --> 00:02:44.719
<v Speaker 1>I am the son of God, and that idea that

45
00:02:44.759 --> 00:02:47.520
<v Speaker 1>was put in your mind came from God. It wasn't

46
00:02:47.599 --> 00:02:52.240
<v Speaker 1>revealed by flesh and blood. Immediately, Jesus says to Peter, now, Peter,

47
00:02:53.520 --> 00:02:56.240
<v Speaker 1>I've got to go to Jerusalem and I'm going to

48
00:02:56.319 --> 00:02:59.680
<v Speaker 1>be crucified and I'm going to die there. And Peter

49
00:03:00.000 --> 00:03:03.560
<v Speaker 1>imediately says, that's nonsense. Lord, you can't let them do

50
00:03:03.680 --> 00:03:04.080
<v Speaker 1>that to you.

51
00:03:05.879 --> 00:03:06.800
<v Speaker 2>And not five.

52
00:03:06.599 --> 00:03:10.400
<v Speaker 1>Seconds later, Jesus looks at Peter and says, get behind me, Satan,

53
00:03:12.000 --> 00:03:15.240
<v Speaker 1>what's he saying. He said that thought didn't come from God.

54
00:03:16.080 --> 00:03:19.000
<v Speaker 1>That God thought, Peter, that you just spoke came from

55
00:03:19.039 --> 00:03:23.919
<v Speaker 1>the devil. That's how quick you can miss it. One

56
00:03:24.000 --> 00:03:27.960
<v Speaker 1>minute you can be saying you're right, that thought came

57
00:03:27.960 --> 00:03:30.439
<v Speaker 1>from God and upon this rock, this truth, I will

58
00:03:30.439 --> 00:03:34.439
<v Speaker 1>build my church, and the very next second you're saying

59
00:03:34.479 --> 00:03:37.759
<v Speaker 1>something and Jesus looks and says, Peter, you didn't get

60
00:03:37.759 --> 00:03:38.560
<v Speaker 1>that one from God.

61
00:03:39.080 --> 00:03:39.759
<v Speaker 2>That's the devil.

62
00:03:40.159 --> 00:03:42.719
<v Speaker 1>Because the devil did not want Jesus to die, because

63
00:03:42.800 --> 00:03:45.080
<v Speaker 1>die in dying on the cross, he would die for

64
00:03:45.120 --> 00:03:48.400
<v Speaker 1>the sins of mankind and allow our salvation. And he

65
00:03:48.439 --> 00:03:50.840
<v Speaker 1>didn't want that to happen in that way, and knowing

66
00:03:50.840 --> 00:03:54.120
<v Speaker 1>that he said that thought is from the devil. Now

67
00:03:54.400 --> 00:03:57.039
<v Speaker 1>how do you know, Well, he says, test it. Look

68
00:03:57.080 --> 00:03:59.840
<v Speaker 1>at the next verse. Jesus said in John seven seven.

69
00:04:01.360 --> 00:04:06.039
<v Speaker 1>Anyone who wants to do God's will. Now that's the key.

70
00:04:06.240 --> 00:04:07.840
<v Speaker 1>You got to want to be willing to do it

71
00:04:07.879 --> 00:04:11.240
<v Speaker 1>in advance. Anyone who wants to do God's will can

72
00:04:11.319 --> 00:04:16.600
<v Speaker 1>test this teaching and know whether it's from God or

73
00:04:16.639 --> 00:04:19.360
<v Speaker 1>whether I'm making it up. Jesus says, you know what,

74
00:04:19.639 --> 00:04:22.959
<v Speaker 1>You can test what I say and you can then

75
00:04:23.079 --> 00:04:24.879
<v Speaker 1>know for sure that it's from God.

76
00:04:25.759 --> 00:04:27.680
<v Speaker 2>Now how do you do that? Well, that's what we're

77
00:04:27.720 --> 00:04:28.360
<v Speaker 2>going to look at.

78
00:04:28.560 --> 00:04:32.759
<v Speaker 1>We're going to look at seven ways to test and impression. Now,

79
00:04:32.800 --> 00:04:36.720
<v Speaker 1>these seven tests form a filter, and if you get

80
00:04:36.720 --> 00:04:39.600
<v Speaker 1>an idea from God, or you get an idea in

81
00:04:39.639 --> 00:04:40.959
<v Speaker 1>your mind, you're going now, did I just.

82
00:04:40.920 --> 00:04:43.120
<v Speaker 2>Think that up? Or is that from the devil?

83
00:04:43.199 --> 00:04:46.480
<v Speaker 1>Or is that some old tape that my great grandmother

84
00:04:46.560 --> 00:04:48.319
<v Speaker 1>said or something, or is that really from.

85
00:04:48.199 --> 00:04:49.000
<v Speaker 2>The Holy Spirit?

86
00:04:49.680 --> 00:04:53.680
<v Speaker 1>You test it by these seven tests, and if it

87
00:04:53.879 --> 00:04:58.040
<v Speaker 1>passes all seven, then you can know for certain it's

88
00:04:58.040 --> 00:05:01.279
<v Speaker 1>from God. Now you can't pick and che you can't say, well,

89
00:05:01.319 --> 00:05:04.560
<v Speaker 1>in that past test one, three, five, and seven, but

90
00:05:04.600 --> 00:05:07.959
<v Speaker 1>it didn't pass two, four and six. No, No, it's

91
00:05:07.959 --> 00:05:11.079
<v Speaker 1>got to pass all seven. But if an idea that

92
00:05:11.160 --> 00:05:14.800
<v Speaker 1>you have passes all seven tests, then you can know

93
00:05:15.439 --> 00:05:20.079
<v Speaker 1>absolutely certain. And God wants you to know this that

94
00:05:20.160 --> 00:05:23.800
<v Speaker 1>you have heard from God. Now, God put that idea

95
00:05:23.839 --> 00:05:26.560
<v Speaker 1>in your mind, and it is something he wants.

96
00:05:26.240 --> 00:05:27.079
<v Speaker 2>You to do.

97
00:05:27.279 --> 00:05:30.720
<v Speaker 1>All right, let's look at these seven tests from the Bible.

98
00:05:31.040 --> 00:05:33.480
<v Speaker 1>The first test, there's seven questions. The first question is

99
00:05:34.000 --> 00:05:38.639
<v Speaker 1>does it agree with the Bible? Does the idea that

100
00:05:38.680 --> 00:05:41.600
<v Speaker 1>I've got in my mind right now, that thought, that impression,

101
00:05:41.920 --> 00:05:46.800
<v Speaker 1>does it agree with the Bible. Because God's will will

102
00:05:46.839 --> 00:05:52.199
<v Speaker 1>never contradict God's word what he's already said. God doesn't

103
00:05:52.240 --> 00:05:54.600
<v Speaker 1>say one thing and then change his mind and say

104
00:05:54.600 --> 00:05:57.879
<v Speaker 1>another thing. If he said it, it's true and it

105
00:05:57.920 --> 00:06:02.959
<v Speaker 1>will always be true. See, God is consistent. God isn't moody.

106
00:06:03.000 --> 00:06:06.439
<v Speaker 1>God doesn't change his mind. God will never tell you

107
00:06:06.519 --> 00:06:10.360
<v Speaker 1>to violate a principle that he's already given in his word,

108
00:06:10.600 --> 00:06:13.279
<v Speaker 1>the Bible, the Word of God. He won't tell you

109
00:06:13.319 --> 00:06:15.800
<v Speaker 1>to ignore this book. He'll never tell you to disobey

110
00:06:15.839 --> 00:06:18.600
<v Speaker 1>this book. So The first question you ask is does

111
00:06:18.600 --> 00:06:21.759
<v Speaker 1>this line up with what God has already said? And

112
00:06:21.800 --> 00:06:25.199
<v Speaker 1>if what I have in my mind contradicts something God

113
00:06:25.199 --> 00:06:28.519
<v Speaker 1>has already said, then I know I'm wrong that it

114
00:06:28.560 --> 00:06:32.879
<v Speaker 1>didn't come from God. Because truth is eternal. Notice these

115
00:06:32.959 --> 00:06:37.399
<v Speaker 1>verses Luke twenty one thirty three. Jesus says, heaven and

116
00:06:37.480 --> 00:06:43.959
<v Speaker 1>earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

117
00:06:44.519 --> 00:06:48.360
<v Speaker 1>God's word is eternal. The earth is an eternal, the

118
00:06:48.560 --> 00:06:52.199
<v Speaker 1>universe is an eternal, but God's word is eternal because

119
00:06:52.279 --> 00:06:57.560
<v Speaker 1>truth never changes whether you believe it or not, because

120
00:06:57.560 --> 00:07:02.199
<v Speaker 1>God cannot lie. I lie lie, but God cannot lie.

121
00:07:02.360 --> 00:07:04.199
<v Speaker 1>And so God always tells you the truth. And if

122
00:07:04.199 --> 00:07:06.680
<v Speaker 1>he told you in this book to do something, then

123
00:07:06.720 --> 00:07:09.040
<v Speaker 1>He's never going to contradict it. So the first question

124
00:07:09.079 --> 00:07:12.480
<v Speaker 1>to ask is is this idea in harmony with the

125
00:07:12.519 --> 00:07:15.759
<v Speaker 1>word of God. For instance, let me give you some examples.

126
00:07:16.319 --> 00:07:20.079
<v Speaker 1>In the Book of Romans, the Bible tells us pay

127
00:07:20.360 --> 00:07:24.879
<v Speaker 1>your taxes. We are commanded as good citizens to pay

128
00:07:25.040 --> 00:07:29.959
<v Speaker 1>our taxes. And Jesus said, render under Caesar the things

129
00:07:30.000 --> 00:07:34.399
<v Speaker 1>that are Caesar, and unto God the things that are God's. Now,

130
00:07:34.680 --> 00:07:36.360
<v Speaker 1>if all of a sudden you get an idea of

131
00:07:36.759 --> 00:07:39.519
<v Speaker 1>God told me to not pay my taxes this year.

132
00:07:41.839 --> 00:07:45.680
<v Speaker 1>That wasn't God. Okay, that wasn't God, because God has

133
00:07:45.720 --> 00:07:48.279
<v Speaker 1>already said pay your taxes, and he's not going to

134
00:07:48.360 --> 00:07:48.959
<v Speaker 1>contradict it.

135
00:07:50.160 --> 00:07:51.879
<v Speaker 2>If I go over here to the Book of Proverbs.

136
00:07:51.879 --> 00:07:53.920
<v Speaker 1>There's a bunch of principles for how to have a

137
00:07:53.959 --> 00:07:56.839
<v Speaker 1>successful business in the Book of Proverbs. And one of

138
00:07:56.879 --> 00:08:01.839
<v Speaker 1>the principles, as God says, I bless businesses integrity, businesses

139
00:08:01.879 --> 00:08:05.199
<v Speaker 1>that are fair in every business dealing, businesses that are just,

140
00:08:05.560 --> 00:08:06.800
<v Speaker 1>businesses that are honest.

141
00:08:07.319 --> 00:08:09.680
<v Speaker 2>And so if you get an idea that, well, you

142
00:08:09.720 --> 00:08:10.160
<v Speaker 2>know what.

143
00:08:10.040 --> 00:08:13.079
<v Speaker 1>I could make a little bit bigger profit this year

144
00:08:13.360 --> 00:08:15.720
<v Speaker 1>if I just shaved a little I know it wouldn't.

145
00:08:15.399 --> 00:08:16.040
<v Speaker 2>Be quite right.

146
00:08:16.279 --> 00:08:19.519
<v Speaker 1>If I was a little dishonest, my profits could increase.

147
00:08:20.000 --> 00:08:23.240
<v Speaker 1>That idea did not come from God because it contradicts

148
00:08:23.279 --> 00:08:26.519
<v Speaker 1>what God has already said. The Bible says that even

149
00:08:26.639 --> 00:08:31.079
<v Speaker 1>if some angel showed up and came along and said, oh,

150
00:08:31.079 --> 00:08:33.639
<v Speaker 1>by the way, I've got some new revelation, I've got

151
00:08:33.679 --> 00:08:37.159
<v Speaker 1>some stuff to add to this book. Yeah, that's good.

152
00:08:37.159 --> 00:08:40.360
<v Speaker 1>But here's the new stuff. This is the new revised,

153
00:08:40.360 --> 00:08:41.919
<v Speaker 1>and we're gonna update we're gonna give you in one

154
00:08:42.000 --> 00:08:46.600
<v Speaker 1>or two or more other books besides the Bible. God says,

155
00:08:46.720 --> 00:08:49.440
<v Speaker 1>you know that's not right. In fact, here's what the

156
00:08:49.440 --> 00:08:58.120
<v Speaker 1>Bible says. Galatians, Chapter one. Let God's curse fall on anyone.

157
00:08:56.879 --> 00:08:58.039
<v Speaker 2>Including myself.

158
00:08:58.080 --> 00:09:03.720
<v Speaker 1>Paul says, who just any other message, even if an

159
00:09:03.840 --> 00:09:10.240
<v Speaker 1>angel comes from heaven and preaches any other message? Says, No, No,

160
00:09:10.320 --> 00:09:12.000
<v Speaker 1>the Bible's not enough. You got to add this to it.

161
00:09:12.039 --> 00:09:14.200
<v Speaker 1>You gotta add this revelation. You got add this book.

162
00:09:14.240 --> 00:09:17.799
<v Speaker 1>You gotta add this thought. If anybody else adds to it,

163
00:09:17.960 --> 00:09:20.799
<v Speaker 1>he goes, let him be cursed. The Bible says this

164
00:09:20.840 --> 00:09:23.759
<v Speaker 1>again in Revelation. You may not add to what God

165
00:09:23.799 --> 00:09:24.919
<v Speaker 1>has already said.

166
00:09:25.320 --> 00:09:26.080
<v Speaker 2>What am I saying?

167
00:09:26.279 --> 00:09:28.919
<v Speaker 1>The vast majority of God's will for your life is

168
00:09:29.039 --> 00:09:29.759
<v Speaker 1>already here.

169
00:09:29.840 --> 00:09:31.799
<v Speaker 2>It's right here in this book. Now.

170
00:09:32.039 --> 00:09:35.440
<v Speaker 1>The second test is just as important. All seven of

171
00:09:35.519 --> 00:09:38.600
<v Speaker 1>these are important. The second test is when I get

172
00:09:38.639 --> 00:09:42.919
<v Speaker 1>an idea, I ask, does this make me more like Christ?

173
00:09:44.159 --> 00:09:51.120
<v Speaker 1>Does this idea make me more like Christ? Jesus is

174
00:09:51.159 --> 00:09:55.720
<v Speaker 1>the standard by which I evaluate every thought, every idea,

175
00:09:56.120 --> 00:10:02.480
<v Speaker 1>every philosophy, every opinion, every fad, every opinion. I hold

176
00:10:02.480 --> 00:10:06.799
<v Speaker 1>it up against Jesus Christ. Why because God's purpose in

177
00:10:06.840 --> 00:10:07.879
<v Speaker 1>your life is.

178
00:10:07.840 --> 00:10:09.559
<v Speaker 2>To make you like Jesus.

179
00:10:09.960 --> 00:10:14.159
<v Speaker 1>We've talked about this many times. Why doesn't God just

180
00:10:14.200 --> 00:10:15.840
<v Speaker 1>take you to heaven? Why did God put you on

181
00:10:15.879 --> 00:10:17.799
<v Speaker 1>earth for eighty years and then take you to heaven.

182
00:10:18.000 --> 00:10:20.080
<v Speaker 1>Why doesn't just create you and take you to heaven.

183
00:10:21.080 --> 00:10:23.080
<v Speaker 1>Why does He put you here on earth for eighty years?

184
00:10:23.120 --> 00:10:24.960
<v Speaker 1>He ever thought about that? I mean, you could have

185
00:10:25.039 --> 00:10:28.120
<v Speaker 1>just taken you straight to heaven. He puts you here

186
00:10:28.279 --> 00:10:30.159
<v Speaker 1>because life is a test and a trust and a

187
00:10:30.200 --> 00:10:33.000
<v Speaker 1>temporary assignment. He wants you to practice the things you're

188
00:10:33.039 --> 00:10:35.200
<v Speaker 1>going to do in heaven, and he wants you to

189
00:10:35.240 --> 00:10:39.159
<v Speaker 1>become like Jesus Christ in character. That's going to involve

190
00:10:39.200 --> 00:10:43.120
<v Speaker 1>some problems and going through the things Jesus went through. Now,

191
00:10:44.639 --> 00:10:47.639
<v Speaker 1>life is tough. Everybody agree with that life is hard

192
00:10:47.879 --> 00:10:52.720
<v Speaker 1>because nothing works on this planet correctly. Everything is broken.

193
00:10:52.960 --> 00:10:57.080
<v Speaker 1>Every body is broken, every mind is broken, every relationship

194
00:10:57.159 --> 00:10:57.799
<v Speaker 1>is broken.

195
00:10:58.000 --> 00:10:59.200
<v Speaker 2>There is nothing perfect.

196
00:10:59.240 --> 00:11:02.960
<v Speaker 1>There's no perfect marriage, no perfect economy, no perfect church,

197
00:11:03.240 --> 00:11:07.320
<v Speaker 1>no perfect country. The weather is broken all because of sin.

198
00:11:08.279 --> 00:11:10.320
<v Speaker 1>Heaven is going to be the place where we relax

199
00:11:10.399 --> 00:11:12.799
<v Speaker 1>and have fun. Right now, God is more interested in

200
00:11:12.840 --> 00:11:16.399
<v Speaker 1>your character than your comfort, and he wants you to grow.

201
00:11:16.320 --> 00:11:18.440
<v Speaker 2>Up and become like Jesus. Now look at these verses.

202
00:11:20.080 --> 00:11:24.480
<v Speaker 1>The Bible says, in your lives you must think and

203
00:11:24.720 --> 00:11:29.840
<v Speaker 1>act like Jesus Christ. God says, Jesus is the model.

204
00:11:30.279 --> 00:11:33.039
<v Speaker 1>And in the next verse, we take every thought captive.

205
00:11:33.039 --> 00:11:36.559
<v Speaker 1>In other words, we test every thought. We test every

206
00:11:36.600 --> 00:11:38.279
<v Speaker 1>thought so it's obedient to Christ.

207
00:11:38.559 --> 00:11:41.000
<v Speaker 2>So we ask. It means that when I get an idea,

208
00:11:41.039 --> 00:11:42.080
<v Speaker 2>the first thing I ask.

209
00:11:42.039 --> 00:11:46.320
<v Speaker 1>Is, now, would Jesus do this? Would Jesus think this?

210
00:11:47.600 --> 00:11:51.080
<v Speaker 1>Would Jesus feel this way? Would Jesus act this way?

211
00:11:51.240 --> 00:11:55.600
<v Speaker 1>Because he's the standard, he's the second filter. What would

212
00:11:55.720 --> 00:11:58.960
<v Speaker 1>Jesus do is a good question. It's a good question

213
00:12:00.000 --> 00:12:03.039
<v Speaker 1>because I want to be like Christ. Now God gives

214
00:12:03.120 --> 00:12:06.799
<v Speaker 1>us specific checklist because he said, well, what's Jesus like?

215
00:12:07.879 --> 00:12:09.519
<v Speaker 2>Well, he's the fruit of the spirit.

216
00:12:09.960 --> 00:12:13.679
<v Speaker 1>God says, Jesus is love, and he's joy, and he's peace,

217
00:12:14.200 --> 00:12:18.399
<v Speaker 1>and he's patience and kindness and gentleness and goodness and

218
00:12:18.440 --> 00:12:21.960
<v Speaker 1>meekness and self control. But here's another passage I want

219
00:12:22.039 --> 00:12:22.600
<v Speaker 1>us to look at.

220
00:12:22.879 --> 00:12:25.279
<v Speaker 2>James. Chapter three gives.

221
00:12:25.039 --> 00:12:27.679
<v Speaker 1>Us some things that Jesus is and some things that

222
00:12:27.759 --> 00:12:30.279
<v Speaker 1>Jesus isn't. And if you get an idea, this is

223
00:12:30.320 --> 00:12:33.960
<v Speaker 1>a good filter or grid to test the idea.

224
00:12:34.639 --> 00:12:38.080
<v Speaker 2>If you harbor bitter envy.

225
00:12:39.120 --> 00:12:43.840
<v Speaker 1>And selfish ambition, such wisdom, in other words, those thoughts,

226
00:12:43.879 --> 00:12:47.840
<v Speaker 1>those ideas, those impressions, such quote wisdom that's of the devil.

227
00:12:48.360 --> 00:12:51.279
<v Speaker 1>You know where those ideas came from, the wisdom that

228
00:12:51.360 --> 00:12:54.279
<v Speaker 1>comes from God. The idea is the impressions, the thoughts

229
00:12:54.320 --> 00:13:00.559
<v Speaker 1>that come from God. That wisdom is pure, it's peace loving, considerate,

230
00:13:01.600 --> 00:13:05.360
<v Speaker 1>it's submissive and full of mercy, it's impartial and sincere. Now,

231
00:13:05.440 --> 00:13:10.120
<v Speaker 1>notice he says, here's a test. There are two things

232
00:13:10.200 --> 00:13:12.440
<v Speaker 1>you can know and idea is not from God, and

233
00:13:12.480 --> 00:13:14.799
<v Speaker 1>there's seven things you can know. It is an idea

234
00:13:14.879 --> 00:13:17.639
<v Speaker 1>that is from God. He says, Now, if you get

235
00:13:17.639 --> 00:13:19.480
<v Speaker 1>an idea and it's from God.

236
00:13:19.519 --> 00:13:20.960
<v Speaker 2>It's going to be one of these things.

237
00:13:20.960 --> 00:13:24.080
<v Speaker 1>Pure, peace loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy, you know,

238
00:13:24.440 --> 00:13:27.759
<v Speaker 1>impartial and sincere. Now Tom is going to come and

239
00:13:27.840 --> 00:13:30.240
<v Speaker 1>teach us. The third filter.

240
00:13:31.960 --> 00:13:33.960
<v Speaker 3>The third way you test an impression is you ask

241
00:13:34.120 --> 00:13:38.200
<v Speaker 3>does my church family confirm it? Does my church family

242
00:13:38.399 --> 00:13:40.960
<v Speaker 3>confirm it? You ask other mature believers, what do you

243
00:13:40.960 --> 00:13:44.159
<v Speaker 3>think about this idea, my check with God's word, my

244
00:13:44.320 --> 00:13:47.399
<v Speaker 3>check with the other filters. But does my church family

245
00:13:47.440 --> 00:13:47.960
<v Speaker 3>confirm it?

246
00:13:48.320 --> 00:13:48.440
<v Speaker 2>Now?

247
00:13:48.480 --> 00:13:51.120
<v Speaker 3>Why is this one so important? Because you were not

248
00:13:51.320 --> 00:13:54.480
<v Speaker 3>meant to live life all alone. You were meant to

249
00:13:54.480 --> 00:13:56.879
<v Speaker 3>live life in relationship to other people. And so you

250
00:13:56.919 --> 00:13:58.960
<v Speaker 3>go to others, other mature people who are trying to

251
00:13:59.000 --> 00:14:01.240
<v Speaker 3>follow Christ as well well, and you say, what do

252
00:14:01.279 --> 00:14:03.759
<v Speaker 3>you think about this? This is why it's so important

253
00:14:03.759 --> 00:14:05.879
<v Speaker 3>that you have a church family. Listen to what the

254
00:14:05.919 --> 00:14:09.279
<v Speaker 3>Bible says about this in Ephesians three ten. God's intent

255
00:14:10.000 --> 00:14:13.080
<v Speaker 3>is that through the church, the manifold wisdom of God

256
00:14:13.120 --> 00:14:15.879
<v Speaker 3>should be made known. Through the Church, God's wisdom is

257
00:14:15.879 --> 00:14:18.080
<v Speaker 3>made known into all eternity and to each one of

258
00:14:18.159 --> 00:14:22.399
<v Speaker 3>us individually. He wants to use other people in your life,

259
00:14:22.440 --> 00:14:25.759
<v Speaker 3>in my life. Now, what does this mean. This means

260
00:14:25.840 --> 00:14:30.200
<v Speaker 3>that if God has genuinely spoken to you, other believers,

261
00:14:30.279 --> 00:14:32.559
<v Speaker 3>other people who are following Christ are going to confirm

262
00:14:32.559 --> 00:14:34.600
<v Speaker 3>it when you talk to them about it. Oh yeah,

263
00:14:34.639 --> 00:14:37.519
<v Speaker 3>that makes sense. Oh yeah, I can see that. This

264
00:14:37.600 --> 00:14:39.960
<v Speaker 3>also means if you get an idea and impression something

265
00:14:40.000 --> 00:14:41.440
<v Speaker 3>from God and you think, maybe I should do this

266
00:14:41.600 --> 00:14:43.919
<v Speaker 3>for this area of my life or for a relationship

267
00:14:44.000 --> 00:14:47.000
<v Speaker 3>or for my business, and you have a resistance to

268
00:14:47.080 --> 00:14:50.240
<v Speaker 3>telling anybody else about it, that should be a huge

269
00:14:50.279 --> 00:14:53.600
<v Speaker 3>red flag. I don't want to tell anybody else. It's

270
00:14:53.639 --> 00:14:56.679
<v Speaker 3>either you know, I look at myself. I like to

271
00:14:56.720 --> 00:14:59.559
<v Speaker 3>think things through and make plans, and if I'm resistant

272
00:14:59.559 --> 00:15:01.720
<v Speaker 3>in telling somebody else, a lot of times it's just

273
00:15:01.720 --> 00:15:03.799
<v Speaker 3>my pride. I just want to feel like I made

274
00:15:03.840 --> 00:15:06.120
<v Speaker 3>it up all by myself. It's either my pride or

275
00:15:06.159 --> 00:15:08.440
<v Speaker 3>it could be in the back of your mind. You

276
00:15:08.519 --> 00:15:10.120
<v Speaker 3>know it's the wrong thing to do, and you know

277
00:15:10.159 --> 00:15:11.559
<v Speaker 3>what they're gonna say when you tell them, so you

278
00:15:11.600 --> 00:15:16.080
<v Speaker 3>just don't want to tell them. You test the impression

279
00:15:16.120 --> 00:15:18.840
<v Speaker 3>with other people because you realize that they're going to

280
00:15:18.879 --> 00:15:21.440
<v Speaker 3>confirm it. If you get some idea, crazy idea that

281
00:15:21.480 --> 00:15:23.759
<v Speaker 3>you can't find any other person who's trying to follow

282
00:15:23.799 --> 00:15:26.840
<v Speaker 3>Christ to confirm it, guess what is wrong. So you

283
00:15:26.919 --> 00:15:28.600
<v Speaker 3>just throw it out, you drop it, and you realize,

284
00:15:28.639 --> 00:15:31.279
<v Speaker 3>I'm going to go on to the next idea. If

285
00:15:31.360 --> 00:15:34.080
<v Speaker 3>mature believe what I'm saying is this. If mature believers

286
00:15:34.159 --> 00:15:37.039
<v Speaker 3>question it, you should question it too. Now, why does

287
00:15:37.080 --> 00:15:39.720
<v Speaker 3>God want us to get advice from other people? Because

288
00:15:39.759 --> 00:15:42.120
<v Speaker 3>he wants to save us from a lot of things.

289
00:15:42.200 --> 00:15:46.039
<v Speaker 3>The wisdom of the righteous can save you. Now, what

290
00:15:46.080 --> 00:15:47.639
<v Speaker 3>can it save you? It can save you a lot

291
00:15:47.600 --> 00:15:49.919
<v Speaker 3>of time, waste of time and doing the wrong thing.

292
00:15:50.080 --> 00:15:52.240
<v Speaker 3>It can save you a lot of pain, pain and

293
00:15:52.279 --> 00:15:55.600
<v Speaker 3>making a mistake. I'd rather learn from somebody else's pain

294
00:15:55.639 --> 00:15:57.759
<v Speaker 3>than have the pain myself. Can you agree with that one,

295
00:15:58.120 --> 00:15:59.759
<v Speaker 3>No doubt about that. It can save you a lot

296
00:15:59.759 --> 00:16:02.840
<v Speaker 3>of embarrassment. It can even save your reputation. Sometimes it

297
00:16:02.840 --> 00:16:05.919
<v Speaker 3>can save your life. That's how important advice from other

298
00:16:05.960 --> 00:16:09.720
<v Speaker 3>people can be in your life. One of the biggest

299
00:16:09.759 --> 00:16:13.320
<v Speaker 3>reasons we mess up our lives is either we have

300
00:16:13.440 --> 00:16:15.919
<v Speaker 3>no godly friends. No one else in our lives that

301
00:16:15.960 --> 00:16:18.200
<v Speaker 3>we can talk to is trying to follow God and

302
00:16:18.399 --> 00:16:20.039
<v Speaker 3>live life the kind of way He's made for us

303
00:16:20.039 --> 00:16:22.720
<v Speaker 3>to live. Or I've got some friends, but I just

304
00:16:22.759 --> 00:16:24.879
<v Speaker 3>won't listen to him. In this case, I just want

305
00:16:24.879 --> 00:16:25.960
<v Speaker 3>to do what I want to.

306
00:16:25.879 --> 00:16:26.600
<v Speaker 2>Do no matter what.

307
00:16:27.440 --> 00:16:30.840
<v Speaker 3>So I got to build godly relationships into my life. Now,

308
00:16:30.919 --> 00:16:33.200
<v Speaker 3>this is why every one of us we need something

309
00:16:33.240 --> 00:16:33.720
<v Speaker 3>in our lives.

310
00:16:33.759 --> 00:16:34.679
<v Speaker 2>You probably know what it is.

311
00:16:34.840 --> 00:16:38.679
<v Speaker 3>We all need a small group. You know this already.

312
00:16:39.480 --> 00:16:41.200
<v Speaker 3>In fact, most of you're in a small group, but

313
00:16:41.240 --> 00:16:43.279
<v Speaker 3>maybe you were in one and you've gotten out of one,

314
00:16:43.360 --> 00:16:46.159
<v Speaker 3>you've never been in one, and it's the time. It's

315
00:16:46.200 --> 00:16:49.240
<v Speaker 3>just the hassle. If you're not in a small group,

316
00:16:49.879 --> 00:16:51.559
<v Speaker 3>you're skating on thin ice and you.

317
00:16:51.559 --> 00:16:52.919
<v Speaker 2>Don't know where the thin ice is.

318
00:16:53.519 --> 00:16:55.399
<v Speaker 3>You need some other people in your life that you

319
00:16:55.399 --> 00:16:59.279
<v Speaker 3>can bounce some things off of. Relationships aren't just every

320
00:16:59.320 --> 00:17:00.960
<v Speaker 3>once in a while I'll try to call you. Got

321
00:17:01.000 --> 00:17:03.080
<v Speaker 3>to build them in on a regular basis. I can't

322
00:17:03.120 --> 00:17:05.160
<v Speaker 3>tell you how many times in our small group someone

323
00:17:05.240 --> 00:17:08.359
<v Speaker 3>has said something and I wasn't even thinking to ask

324
00:17:08.400 --> 00:17:10.599
<v Speaker 3>him about it, but just what they said it caused

325
00:17:10.599 --> 00:17:12.839
<v Speaker 3>me to think in a different direction, in a different way.

326
00:17:13.200 --> 00:17:15.640
<v Speaker 3>That's the power of relationships. What God wants to do

327
00:17:15.680 --> 00:17:18.240
<v Speaker 3>in our lives. You need a small group for feedback

328
00:17:18.480 --> 00:17:21.039
<v Speaker 3>when it comes to hearing from God impressions from God.

329
00:17:21.400 --> 00:17:25.759
<v Speaker 3>Proverbs eleven fourteen says in the multitude of counselors there

330
00:17:25.839 --> 00:17:28.480
<v Speaker 3>is safety. So if you want to make fewer mistakes,

331
00:17:28.519 --> 00:17:30.519
<v Speaker 3>then you get all the godly advice that you can get,

332
00:17:30.519 --> 00:17:34.039
<v Speaker 3>and you follow it with one big disclaimer on that one.

333
00:17:34.359 --> 00:17:36.759
<v Speaker 3>There are some people they've got an idea and they

334
00:17:36.759 --> 00:17:38.880
<v Speaker 3>go ask ten people and they realize it's wrong, so

335
00:17:38.920 --> 00:17:41.160
<v Speaker 3>then they go ask ninety nine people, just looking for

336
00:17:41.240 --> 00:17:43.960
<v Speaker 3>one person who will agree with them. I'm not saying

337
00:17:43.960 --> 00:17:45.920
<v Speaker 3>to do that. What you do is you just find

338
00:17:45.920 --> 00:17:48.000
<v Speaker 3>some people that are trying to follow Christ, trying to

339
00:17:48.039 --> 00:17:49.799
<v Speaker 3>live the kind of life God's given us to live,

340
00:17:50.000 --> 00:17:52.079
<v Speaker 3>and you ask them and you will allow them to

341
00:17:52.119 --> 00:17:54.720
<v Speaker 3>be a part of testing God's impressions in your life.

342
00:17:57.640 --> 00:18:01.200
<v Speaker 1>Now, the fourth test is a test that will save

343
00:18:01.279 --> 00:18:04.200
<v Speaker 1>you an awful lot of money if you'll really listen

344
00:18:04.240 --> 00:18:07.400
<v Speaker 1>to it. I have met so many well meaning Christians

345
00:18:07.440 --> 00:18:13.079
<v Speaker 1>who've gone off and started businesses and then they failed

346
00:18:13.799 --> 00:18:16.200
<v Speaker 1>and they lost a lot of money from it because

347
00:18:16.200 --> 00:18:21.519
<v Speaker 1>they didn't go through this fourth test. And they would say, well,

348
00:18:21.559 --> 00:18:22.960
<v Speaker 1>you know it passed the first three.

349
00:18:23.359 --> 00:18:25.240
<v Speaker 2>I want to start this business. Does agree with the Bible?

350
00:18:25.319 --> 00:18:28.680
<v Speaker 1>Yet it's not unbiblical? Does it make me more like Christ?

351
00:18:28.759 --> 00:18:28.920
<v Speaker 2>Yes?

352
00:18:28.960 --> 00:18:31.200
<v Speaker 1>I can become more like Christ. And starting this business?

353
00:18:31.960 --> 00:18:35.440
<v Speaker 1>Does my small group confirm it? And the church family

354
00:18:35.440 --> 00:18:36.920
<v Speaker 1>and other mature they say, yeah, you'd be.

355
00:18:36.920 --> 00:18:37.319
<v Speaker 2>Good at that.

356
00:18:37.440 --> 00:18:41.640
<v Speaker 1>Try that, But they didn't really look at the fourth test.

357
00:18:41.720 --> 00:18:45.480
<v Speaker 1>And the fourth test is this is it consistent with

358
00:18:45.599 --> 00:18:50.680
<v Speaker 1>how God shaped me? Is this idea that I've got,

359
00:18:50.720 --> 00:18:55.559
<v Speaker 1>this impression, this thought, is it consistent with how God

360
00:18:55.920 --> 00:19:00.640
<v Speaker 1>has shaped me? Now, before you were born, God decided

361
00:19:00.680 --> 00:19:04.079
<v Speaker 1>what he wanted you to do with your life, and then.

362
00:19:03.960 --> 00:19:04.839
<v Speaker 2>He formed you.

363
00:19:05.000 --> 00:19:09.440
<v Speaker 1>He shaped you for that specific task. He doesn't want

364
00:19:09.480 --> 00:19:12.039
<v Speaker 1>you to be somebody you're not. He doesn't want you

365
00:19:12.119 --> 00:19:14.440
<v Speaker 1>to pretend to be a copy of somebody else.

366
00:19:14.480 --> 00:19:17.680
<v Speaker 2>He made you to be you. We've talked about this

367
00:19:17.839 --> 00:19:19.039
<v Speaker 2>often over the years.

368
00:19:19.240 --> 00:19:25.400
<v Speaker 1>It's called your shape, shape, your spiritual gift, your heart,

369
00:19:25.799 --> 00:19:28.799
<v Speaker 1>your abilities, your personality, and your experiences.

370
00:19:28.839 --> 00:19:30.559
<v Speaker 2>These are the five things that make you.

371
00:19:31.400 --> 00:19:35.839
<v Speaker 1>The Bible says this in Ephesians two ten. We are

372
00:19:35.920 --> 00:19:43.279
<v Speaker 1>God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works.

373
00:19:43.519 --> 00:19:46.559
<v Speaker 1>Did you know that God created you to do good works?

374
00:19:46.559 --> 00:19:49.079
<v Speaker 1>Why are you here on this earth? God created you

375
00:19:49.480 --> 00:19:53.240
<v Speaker 1>to do good works, and they're unique to you. We

376
00:19:53.319 --> 00:19:57.599
<v Speaker 1>are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works,

377
00:19:57.960 --> 00:20:01.599
<v Speaker 1>which God prepared in advance for us to do.

378
00:20:02.079 --> 00:20:03.480
<v Speaker 2>Before you were even born.

379
00:20:04.559 --> 00:20:06.960
<v Speaker 1>God knew what he wanted you to do, so he

380
00:20:07.119 --> 00:20:11.039
<v Speaker 1>shaped you for that work. The Bible says, we're his workmanship.

381
00:20:11.079 --> 00:20:14.880
<v Speaker 1>That word in Greek is the word poema. It means poem.

382
00:20:15.000 --> 00:20:18.240
<v Speaker 1>We get the word poem from it. You are God's masterpiece.

383
00:20:18.599 --> 00:20:22.000
<v Speaker 1>You are God's poem. You are God's work of art.

384
00:20:22.240 --> 00:20:24.880
<v Speaker 1>There's nobody like you. Quit trying to be somebody else.

385
00:20:25.359 --> 00:20:30.039
<v Speaker 1>You are God's workmanship, He's You are his handicraft, and

386
00:20:30.200 --> 00:20:34.200
<v Speaker 1>he broke the mold when he made you. Shape determines purpose.

387
00:20:35.240 --> 00:20:37.559
<v Speaker 1>You are shaped in a certain way. God has given

388
00:20:37.599 --> 00:20:40.960
<v Speaker 1>you certain abilities and talents. If you have a musical

389
00:20:41.000 --> 00:20:43.960
<v Speaker 1>ability and you're shaped and music, God expects you to

390
00:20:44.079 --> 00:20:46.680
<v Speaker 1>use it. He never gives you a talent. He wants

391
00:20:46.680 --> 00:20:49.799
<v Speaker 1>you to waste. The Bible says this in Romans twelve

392
00:20:49.839 --> 00:20:52.279
<v Speaker 1>to six. God has given each of us the ability

393
00:20:52.400 --> 00:20:55.680
<v Speaker 1>to do certain things well, which implies that there are

394
00:20:55.720 --> 00:20:56.599
<v Speaker 1>certain things.

395
00:20:56.359 --> 00:20:57.440
<v Speaker 2>You don't do well.

396
00:20:58.640 --> 00:21:02.599
<v Speaker 1>Okay, no good at everything. And that's why we need

397
00:21:02.640 --> 00:21:04.200
<v Speaker 1>each other. And that's why we need a small group,

398
00:21:04.240 --> 00:21:07.440
<v Speaker 1>because we help each other out. So in this question,

399
00:21:07.519 --> 00:21:10.240
<v Speaker 1>you want to ask what am I good at? What

400
00:21:10.599 --> 00:21:12.119
<v Speaker 1>do I love to do? But more than what do

401
00:21:12.200 --> 00:21:15.400
<v Speaker 1>I love to do? What am I really good at?

402
00:21:16.240 --> 00:21:18.960
<v Speaker 1>You discover a lot of God's will by something looking

403
00:21:19.000 --> 00:21:22.119
<v Speaker 1>at how God has shaped you. Now, just because you

404
00:21:22.400 --> 00:21:24.519
<v Speaker 1>love to do it doesn't mean you should do it.

405
00:21:26.119 --> 00:21:29.160
<v Speaker 1>And when you're doing what you're good at doing, people go, hey,

406
00:21:29.240 --> 00:21:34.200
<v Speaker 1>you're good at that, okay, And they will tell you

407
00:21:34.599 --> 00:21:39.039
<v Speaker 1>if you get an impression from God that is totally

408
00:21:39.160 --> 00:21:43.759
<v Speaker 1>opposite of what you are shaped to be, it didn't

409
00:21:43.759 --> 00:21:44.480
<v Speaker 1>come from God.

410
00:21:45.279 --> 00:21:48.039
<v Speaker 2>You can know it didn't. That idea did not come

411
00:21:48.079 --> 00:21:48.480
<v Speaker 2>from God.

412
00:21:48.640 --> 00:21:50.960
<v Speaker 1>It may have been something my parents wanted me to do,

413
00:21:52.279 --> 00:21:54.359
<v Speaker 1>and I feel pressure to do it because they wanted

414
00:21:54.359 --> 00:21:56.720
<v Speaker 1>me to do it, or my wife wants me to

415
00:21:56.720 --> 00:21:59.319
<v Speaker 1>do it, or my husband wants me to do it,

416
00:21:59.599 --> 00:22:02.920
<v Speaker 1>but I'm not shape to do it, So don't do it.

417
00:22:03.960 --> 00:22:07.559
<v Speaker 1>Because your shape determines God's will for your life, and

418
00:22:07.599 --> 00:22:09.799
<v Speaker 1>that's where you're going to find fulfillment, not trying to

419
00:22:09.839 --> 00:22:13.160
<v Speaker 1>be somebody that you think you ought to be. God's

420
00:22:13.240 --> 00:22:16.039
<v Speaker 1>leading will not contradict what He's gifted you to do.

421
00:22:16.599 --> 00:22:22.880
<v Speaker 1>Number five the fifth test, does it concern my responsibility?

422
00:22:23.759 --> 00:22:28.960
<v Speaker 2>Does it concern my responsibility? Now? If it's not your.

423
00:22:28.839 --> 00:22:31.519
<v Speaker 1>Responsibility, why should God talk to you about it?

424
00:22:33.319 --> 00:22:34.960
<v Speaker 2>In other words, if.

425
00:22:34.839 --> 00:22:37.200
<v Speaker 1>God wants to talk to somebody else, he can talk

426
00:22:37.240 --> 00:22:40.480
<v Speaker 1>directly to them. Every believer has direct access to God.

427
00:22:40.559 --> 00:22:44.079
<v Speaker 1>He doesn't really need to go through you, and so

428
00:22:44.119 --> 00:22:48.720
<v Speaker 1>stop trying to get God's word for somebody else. Is

429
00:22:48.759 --> 00:22:51.960
<v Speaker 1>it your responsibility? A good example of this again is

430
00:22:52.000 --> 00:22:56.640
<v Speaker 1>going back to Peter. Peter at the end of Jesus'

431
00:22:56.640 --> 00:22:59.480
<v Speaker 1>time on Earth. Jesus looks at Peter and says, Peter,

432
00:23:01.039 --> 00:23:05.880
<v Speaker 1>one day you're going to die for me. You're going

433
00:23:05.920 --> 00:23:08.319
<v Speaker 1>to be martyred. They're going to put you in chains.

434
00:23:08.599 --> 00:23:11.680
<v Speaker 1>And he's telling Peter in advance, you're going to die

435
00:23:11.880 --> 00:23:16.799
<v Speaker 1>a horrible death because you're going to be martyred for me. Now,

436
00:23:16.920 --> 00:23:20.799
<v Speaker 1>Peter isn't happy with that. He immediately looks at his

437
00:23:21.000 --> 00:23:27.799
<v Speaker 1>buddy fellow disciple John and goes, what about him?

438
00:23:27.880 --> 00:23:31.519
<v Speaker 2>Human behavior? Human behavior? What about John?

439
00:23:32.640 --> 00:23:36.920
<v Speaker 1>And Jesus basically says, it's none of your beeswax, It's

440
00:23:36.920 --> 00:23:41.279
<v Speaker 1>none of your business, okay. And Jesus says this here

441
00:23:41.319 --> 00:23:45.240
<v Speaker 1>in John twenty one twenty two. Jesus says, if I

442
00:23:45.319 --> 00:23:48.759
<v Speaker 1>want him, that's John, the other disciple. If I want

443
00:23:48.839 --> 00:23:53.359
<v Speaker 1>him to remain alive till I return, what is that

444
00:23:53.480 --> 00:23:57.960
<v Speaker 1>to you? You must follow me. In other words, don't

445
00:23:57.960 --> 00:23:59.920
<v Speaker 1>worry about what other people. Don't try to figure out there.

446
00:24:00.559 --> 00:24:02.599
<v Speaker 2>You follow me? What is that to you?

447
00:24:02.920 --> 00:24:05.359
<v Speaker 1>And when God speaks to you, He's gonna speak to

448
00:24:05.440 --> 00:24:09.880
<v Speaker 1>you about you in your current situation, about things you

449
00:24:10.079 --> 00:24:17.480
<v Speaker 1>need to change, not somebody else. It's gonna be your responsibility.

450
00:24:18.000 --> 00:24:20.599
<v Speaker 1>It'll be relevant to you. See, it's quite presumptuous to

451
00:24:20.680 --> 00:24:24.480
<v Speaker 1>assume that you can hear God speak for somebody else.

452
00:24:24.480 --> 00:24:26.759
<v Speaker 1>You need to be very very careful about that. Here's

453
00:24:26.799 --> 00:24:31.200
<v Speaker 1>what the Bible says Romans fourteen. Who are you to

454
00:24:31.359 --> 00:24:36.640
<v Speaker 1>judge someone else's servant? In other words, that person isn't

455
00:24:36.640 --> 00:24:40.480
<v Speaker 1>your servant. That person's God's servant to his own master.

456
00:24:40.640 --> 00:24:43.640
<v Speaker 1>That's God. God is his master to his own master.

457
00:24:43.759 --> 00:24:47.920
<v Speaker 1>He stands or falls and he will stand for the

458
00:24:48.000 --> 00:24:50.119
<v Speaker 1>Lord is able to make him stand, So you quit

459
00:24:50.200 --> 00:24:50.720
<v Speaker 1>picking on.

460
00:24:50.720 --> 00:24:56.200
<v Speaker 2>Him or her? Says, who are you to judge to

461
00:24:56.279 --> 00:24:57.000
<v Speaker 2>his own master?

462
00:24:57.119 --> 00:24:59.279
<v Speaker 1>He stands or falls, and he will stand for the

463
00:24:59.319 --> 00:25:00.480
<v Speaker 1>Lord is a to.

464
00:25:00.480 --> 00:25:08.200
<v Speaker 2>Make him stand. Now you've all heard this phrase. God

465
00:25:08.319 --> 00:25:09.480
<v Speaker 2>told me to tell you.

466
00:25:12.839 --> 00:25:17.200
<v Speaker 1>That phrase has done more damage than you could possibly imagine.

467
00:25:17.680 --> 00:25:21.000
<v Speaker 1>God told me to tell you I'd be very careful

468
00:25:21.359 --> 00:25:25.039
<v Speaker 1>in that one. He said, Wait a minute, does God

469
00:25:25.200 --> 00:25:27.839
<v Speaker 1>ever speak to you rick through other people?

470
00:25:27.960 --> 00:25:28.880
<v Speaker 2>Of course he does.

471
00:25:29.960 --> 00:25:33.160
<v Speaker 1>Does God ever speak to other people through you, Rick,

472
00:25:33.400 --> 00:25:37.400
<v Speaker 1>of course he does. But you must be very, very careful.

473
00:25:37.720 --> 00:25:40.359
<v Speaker 1>And there are three guidelines I want you to write down.

474
00:25:40.400 --> 00:25:43.359
<v Speaker 1>You must write these down because otherwise you're going to

475
00:25:43.440 --> 00:25:45.240
<v Speaker 1>get into trouble on this one.

476
00:25:45.880 --> 00:25:46.960
<v Speaker 2>Three guidelines.

477
00:25:47.039 --> 00:25:50.839
<v Speaker 1>If God is going to speak to you about somebody else,

478
00:25:51.279 --> 00:25:54.559
<v Speaker 1>you need to follow these three guidelines. Number one, be

479
00:25:54.799 --> 00:25:59.920
<v Speaker 1>patient and pray. Don't immediately go and just blab it

480
00:26:00.160 --> 00:26:03.359
<v Speaker 1>to that person. When God has given you a word

481
00:26:03.400 --> 00:26:08.160
<v Speaker 1>about somebody else, you wait, You be patient, you pray,

482
00:26:08.279 --> 00:26:11.200
<v Speaker 1>You make sure you heard from God, and you give

483
00:26:11.279 --> 00:26:15.279
<v Speaker 1>God a chance to speak to them directly. First, all

484
00:26:15.319 --> 00:26:20.559
<v Speaker 1>we are saying is give God a chance, give him

485
00:26:20.559 --> 00:26:24.880
<v Speaker 1>a chance to speak directly. In fact, sometimes God will

486
00:26:24.920 --> 00:26:28.400
<v Speaker 1>tell you what he intends to tell somebody else so

487
00:26:28.480 --> 00:26:31.079
<v Speaker 1>that you can pray for them so that they will

488
00:26:31.119 --> 00:26:34.880
<v Speaker 1>be receptive to receiving it. When God tells them directly,

489
00:26:35.880 --> 00:26:38.200
<v Speaker 1>he doesn't have any intention of you saying it anyway,

490
00:26:38.440 --> 00:26:40.960
<v Speaker 1>but he's telling you so you can pray for them,

491
00:26:41.119 --> 00:26:43.839
<v Speaker 1>and God will give you an insight into somebody else's life,

492
00:26:44.119 --> 00:26:47.319
<v Speaker 1>and you can pray for them and say, God, may

493
00:26:47.359 --> 00:26:51.000
<v Speaker 1>they be receptive when you tell them that. Okay, so

494
00:26:51.079 --> 00:26:53.960
<v Speaker 1>you be patient, you pray, you don't be in a hurry.

495
00:26:54.480 --> 00:26:57.559
<v Speaker 1>Second thing, you need to understand God will use you

496
00:26:57.720 --> 00:27:02.599
<v Speaker 1>to confirm what he said to them. Now that happens

497
00:27:02.759 --> 00:27:07.119
<v Speaker 1>all the time. Okay, that happens all the time. Sometimes

498
00:27:07.160 --> 00:27:10.279
<v Speaker 1>God will tell you something and you will say it

499
00:27:10.319 --> 00:27:13.400
<v Speaker 1>to another person and they'll go, you know, I've been

500
00:27:13.400 --> 00:27:17.240
<v Speaker 1>feeling that and I just wasn't sure that it was God,

501
00:27:17.960 --> 00:27:20.039
<v Speaker 1>but I was thinking about that and I felt like

502
00:27:20.079 --> 00:27:22.400
<v Speaker 1>God was telling me to do that. And often God

503
00:27:22.480 --> 00:27:26.759
<v Speaker 1>will use a human being to confirm in another person's

504
00:27:26.799 --> 00:27:30.720
<v Speaker 1>life what he has already said to them directly.

505
00:27:31.680 --> 00:27:33.720
<v Speaker 2>It's yeah, you did hear me correctly.

506
00:27:34.559 --> 00:27:37.359
<v Speaker 1>This happens to me all the time, and I'll say

507
00:27:37.440 --> 00:27:40.359
<v Speaker 1>things to somebody and they go, oh, you know what.

508
00:27:40.480 --> 00:27:42.319
<v Speaker 1>I really felt like God was telling me that, and

509
00:27:42.400 --> 00:27:47.599
<v Speaker 1>that's just a confirmation. That's very, very common. So you

510
00:27:47.680 --> 00:27:50.799
<v Speaker 1>got to be patient and pray. You got to realize

511
00:27:50.799 --> 00:27:53.079
<v Speaker 1>that it's usually going to be for confirmation. Third thing,

512
00:27:53.559 --> 00:27:58.200
<v Speaker 1>God usually uses you without you being conscious of it.

513
00:28:00.000 --> 00:28:04.160
<v Speaker 1>So when God wants to speak through you to another person,

514
00:28:04.880 --> 00:28:07.680
<v Speaker 1>it's usually going to be done in a way that

515
00:28:07.759 --> 00:28:11.000
<v Speaker 1>you don't even know He spoke through you, and that

516
00:28:11.160 --> 00:28:11.720
<v Speaker 1>is so cool.

517
00:28:11.720 --> 00:28:13.839
<v Speaker 2>And that happens all the time.

518
00:28:14.720 --> 00:28:17.000
<v Speaker 1>You're at a small group and somebody will say something

519
00:28:17.039 --> 00:28:19.160
<v Speaker 1>and they don't even realize what they're saying, but it

520
00:28:19.240 --> 00:28:21.000
<v Speaker 1>hits you like an arrow straight to.

521
00:28:21.000 --> 00:28:24.720
<v Speaker 2>Your heart and you go, WHOA, that was meant for me.

522
00:28:25.720 --> 00:28:28.559
<v Speaker 2>And God just spoke to you through the mouth of

523
00:28:28.640 --> 00:28:30.240
<v Speaker 2>somebody in your small group.

524
00:28:32.000 --> 00:28:33.759
<v Speaker 1>I mean, people tell me all the time, Pastor Rick,

525
00:28:33.799 --> 00:28:36.640
<v Speaker 1>when you teach, I feel like you're speaking directly to me.

526
00:28:37.079 --> 00:28:40.359
<v Speaker 1>I feel like you've been reading my mail. I'm not

527
00:28:40.400 --> 00:28:42.680
<v Speaker 1>reading your mail. I'm not even reading your email.

528
00:28:43.920 --> 00:28:44.799
<v Speaker 2>Okay.

529
00:28:45.440 --> 00:28:47.480
<v Speaker 1>All I'm doing is I'm getting up and teaching the

530
00:28:47.480 --> 00:28:50.440
<v Speaker 1>word of God. And one thought will go and hit

531
00:28:50.480 --> 00:28:52.920
<v Speaker 1>somebody here, and another one will hit somebody over here

532
00:28:53.160 --> 00:28:56.640
<v Speaker 1>and somebody and I'm not even aware of it, but

533
00:28:56.720 --> 00:28:58.880
<v Speaker 1>you are aware of it because God wanted it for you,

534
00:28:59.160 --> 00:29:02.359
<v Speaker 1>and he had me say something that he wanted you

535
00:29:02.480 --> 00:29:05.119
<v Speaker 1>to hear, even though I didn't know what it was

536
00:29:05.160 --> 00:29:06.079
<v Speaker 1>that you needed to hear.

537
00:29:07.440 --> 00:29:09.160
<v Speaker 2>Now that happens all the time.

538
00:29:09.680 --> 00:29:15.920
<v Speaker 1>Roman's fourteen says this about concerning my own responsibility. We

539
00:29:16.000 --> 00:29:21.119
<v Speaker 1>will all be judged one day not by each other's standards,

540
00:29:21.319 --> 00:29:26.680
<v Speaker 1>thank God, or even our own standards, but by the

541
00:29:26.799 --> 00:29:31.160
<v Speaker 1>judgment of God. Because God is just right, fair and true,

542
00:29:31.160 --> 00:29:34.039
<v Speaker 1>and nobody's going to say you're not fair. It is

543
00:29:34.079 --> 00:29:37.200
<v Speaker 1>to God alone that we will have to answer for

544
00:29:37.319 --> 00:29:41.799
<v Speaker 1>our actions. Now number six, Tom's gonna come and teach

545
00:29:41.839 --> 00:29:48.079
<v Speaker 1>on these last two filters. Is it convicting rather than condemning?

546
00:29:48.559 --> 00:29:51.880
<v Speaker 1>That's the sixth text. Tom's gonna explain this. Is it

547
00:29:52.039 --> 00:29:55.680
<v Speaker 1>convicting rather than condemning?

548
00:29:57.200 --> 00:29:59.519
<v Speaker 3>If you missed this one, the difference between being convicting

549
00:29:59.559 --> 00:30:01.599
<v Speaker 3>and condemn You're going to find yourself even though it

550
00:30:01.599 --> 00:30:05.279
<v Speaker 3>passes all the other tests, constantly making decisions because you've

551
00:30:05.319 --> 00:30:08.000
<v Speaker 3>thought you've heard God's voice, but really it's this voice

552
00:30:08.000 --> 00:30:11.880
<v Speaker 3>of condemnation. So what's the difference between conviction that the

553
00:30:11.920 --> 00:30:14.559
<v Speaker 3>Bible talks about where God convicts us when we've done

554
00:30:14.599 --> 00:30:17.480
<v Speaker 3>something wrong so we can get right, and this general

555
00:30:17.519 --> 00:30:22.480
<v Speaker 3>feeling of condemnation. Conviction comes from God. He gives it

556
00:30:22.480 --> 00:30:25.359
<v Speaker 3>to us to correct us. So I say something to

557
00:30:25.400 --> 00:30:27.119
<v Speaker 3>one of my kids that I shouldn't have said, or

558
00:30:27.119 --> 00:30:28.920
<v Speaker 3>to my husband and my wife, God says you should

559
00:30:29.119 --> 00:30:32.440
<v Speaker 3>talk like that. That's conviction and He does it to

560
00:30:32.480 --> 00:30:34.480
<v Speaker 3>correct us, because he loves us, because He wants us

561
00:30:34.519 --> 00:30:36.119
<v Speaker 3>to live the right kind of way and enjoy the

562
00:30:36.200 --> 00:30:38.319
<v Speaker 3>kind of lives that He made us to live. He

563
00:30:38.359 --> 00:30:41.960
<v Speaker 3>wants to develop our character. And conviction is something that

564
00:30:42.160 --> 00:30:44.759
<v Speaker 3>God is just saying in my life. This needs to change,

565
00:30:44.920 --> 00:30:47.200
<v Speaker 3>so I know what he needs to change. On the

566
00:30:47.200 --> 00:30:51.599
<v Speaker 3>other hand, condemnation comes from Satan, and it's just to criticize,

567
00:30:51.720 --> 00:30:54.880
<v Speaker 3>it's just to accuse you. It's motivated by Satan's hatred

568
00:30:55.240 --> 00:30:57.559
<v Speaker 3>for you, and it just gives you this overall feeling.

569
00:30:58.119 --> 00:31:00.640
<v Speaker 2>I'm a jerk, I'm worthless. Why did I do that?

570
00:31:01.400 --> 00:31:03.480
<v Speaker 3>If you've ever and I think we've all felt this way,

571
00:31:03.640 --> 00:31:07.400
<v Speaker 3>just felt vaguely guilty, just this cloud, this dark cloud

572
00:31:07.440 --> 00:31:09.599
<v Speaker 3>of guilt hanging over your head, but you couldn't put

573
00:31:09.599 --> 00:31:12.680
<v Speaker 3>your finger on it. You just felt bad all the time.

574
00:31:13.079 --> 00:31:17.279
<v Speaker 3>That is That is condemnation. And when you feel that way,

575
00:31:17.480 --> 00:31:22.720
<v Speaker 3>that's not from God. If you feel I'm worthless, I'm useless,

576
00:31:22.759 --> 00:31:27.079
<v Speaker 3>I'm nothing, I'm not worth a thing. That is not

577
00:31:27.759 --> 00:31:32.119
<v Speaker 3>God's voice. How do I know that Roman's eight one?

578
00:31:32.200 --> 00:31:38.359
<v Speaker 3>There is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ, Jesus, God,

579
00:31:38.400 --> 00:31:40.359
<v Speaker 3>does not speak that way. He does not speak with

580
00:31:40.440 --> 00:31:43.599
<v Speaker 3>a voice of condemnation. So anytime you feel that way,

581
00:31:43.759 --> 00:31:46.240
<v Speaker 3>you can know that's not God's voice. And I know

582
00:31:46.319 --> 00:31:48.000
<v Speaker 3>a lot of people to try to get rid of

583
00:31:48.039 --> 00:31:51.240
<v Speaker 3>this general feeling of condemnation, they'll do all kinds of

584
00:31:51.240 --> 00:31:53.839
<v Speaker 3>crazy things, thinking somehow.

585
00:31:53.519 --> 00:31:54.799
<v Speaker 2>You're following God's voice.

586
00:31:54.839 --> 00:32:00.000
<v Speaker 3>It is never his voice. He never attacks your value.

587
00:32:00.400 --> 00:32:02.640
<v Speaker 3>Now will he point out your sin? Oh, yeah, of course,

588
00:32:03.039 --> 00:32:06.480
<v Speaker 3>But he doesn't attack your value. You're his child, You're

589
00:32:06.480 --> 00:32:08.680
<v Speaker 3>the one that he loves. That's not the way that

590
00:32:08.759 --> 00:32:14.960
<v Speaker 3>God speaks Revelation three, verse nineteen. Here's how God speaks

591
00:32:14.960 --> 00:32:17.240
<v Speaker 3>in my life. Here's how God speaks in your life.

592
00:32:17.759 --> 00:32:19.480
<v Speaker 2>Those whom I.

593
00:32:18.920 --> 00:32:22.799
<v Speaker 3>Dearly and tenderly love, I tell their faults, and I

594
00:32:22.880 --> 00:32:27.880
<v Speaker 3>convict and I discipline, So be earnest and repent, changing

595
00:32:27.960 --> 00:32:33.519
<v Speaker 3>your mind and attitude. That's how God speaks. Condemnation is

596
00:32:33.559 --> 00:32:36.279
<v Speaker 3>like this dark cloud of guilt. When God speaks, it's

597
00:32:36.319 --> 00:32:38.640
<v Speaker 3>like a pinpoint of light. He tells you exactly, this

598
00:32:38.680 --> 00:32:40.559
<v Speaker 3>is what's wrong, and this is how you change it.

599
00:32:40.640 --> 00:32:43.279
<v Speaker 3>So now let's change it together. That's how he speaks

600
00:32:43.359 --> 00:32:44.960
<v Speaker 3>in my life. That's how he speaks in your life.

601
00:32:44.960 --> 00:32:47.079
<v Speaker 3>He tells you the solution, and then as soon as

602
00:32:47.119 --> 00:32:50.359
<v Speaker 3>you confess, as soon as you change that feeling of.

603
00:32:50.279 --> 00:32:51.599
<v Speaker 2>Conviction, it goes away.

604
00:32:51.960 --> 00:32:55.880
<v Speaker 3>It doesn't last for the rest of eternity. Condemnation is general,

605
00:32:55.920 --> 00:32:59.039
<v Speaker 3>it's vague, and it never goes away. Conviction it's specific,

606
00:32:59.119 --> 00:33:01.160
<v Speaker 3>it's clear, and it goes away as soon as you

607
00:33:01.200 --> 00:33:04.400
<v Speaker 3>respond to it. Let me give you another picture of this.

608
00:33:05.000 --> 00:33:09.400
<v Speaker 3>It's like the court system. In our court system. You've

609
00:33:09.440 --> 00:33:11.279
<v Speaker 3>seen all these courtroom dramas, or some of you are

610
00:33:11.319 --> 00:33:12.599
<v Speaker 3>in court every day of your life.

611
00:33:12.680 --> 00:33:13.480
<v Speaker 2>In our court.

612
00:33:13.240 --> 00:33:16.359
<v Speaker 3>System, there's really two stages. If you're convicted or condemned.

613
00:33:16.480 --> 00:33:19.160
<v Speaker 3>First you have the first you have the stage where

614
00:33:19.359 --> 00:33:21.440
<v Speaker 3>you have all the sentencing going on and you have

615
00:33:21.519 --> 00:33:25.720
<v Speaker 3>the conviction you are guilty. And then after that does

616
00:33:25.759 --> 00:33:28.160
<v Speaker 3>come the sentencings from the judge and you are condemned

617
00:33:28.359 --> 00:33:32.559
<v Speaker 3>to this certain punishment. That's our court system. God's system

618
00:33:32.599 --> 00:33:35.880
<v Speaker 3>is not the same. God's system doesn't have two parts.

619
00:33:35.880 --> 00:33:39.079
<v Speaker 3>It has three parts. First comes the conviction, the feeling

620
00:33:39.279 --> 00:33:41.319
<v Speaker 3>I've done something wrong. I know I shouldn't have gone

621
00:33:41.319 --> 00:33:45.839
<v Speaker 3>that way. And then secondly, here's the good news. Jesus

622
00:33:45.880 --> 00:33:49.400
<v Speaker 3>takes the condemnation. That's what the Cross is all about.

623
00:33:49.960 --> 00:33:52.599
<v Speaker 3>Jesus died on the cross because he loves us, and

624
00:33:52.640 --> 00:33:55.960
<v Speaker 3>he took our condemnation for us. And so then, third,

625
00:33:55.960 --> 00:33:59.200
<v Speaker 3>when I recognize that I am forgiven, I am set free.

626
00:33:59.359 --> 00:34:03.400
<v Speaker 3>That's Godd's system of justice. It's an awesome system of justice.

627
00:34:03.440 --> 00:34:04.559
<v Speaker 2>It's a good news God.

628
00:34:05.400 --> 00:34:07.920
<v Speaker 3>And so when I'm convicted and I realize I've done

629
00:34:07.920 --> 00:34:10.960
<v Speaker 3>something wrong, how long should that feeling that I have

630
00:34:11.119 --> 00:34:14.920
<v Speaker 3>of conviction last in my life? It should last only.

631
00:34:15.719 --> 00:34:18.559
<v Speaker 3>It should last only as long as it takes me

632
00:34:18.599 --> 00:34:21.000
<v Speaker 3>to repent. If it takes me a month to repent,

633
00:34:21.039 --> 00:34:22.960
<v Speaker 3>I'm gonna feel conviction for a month. If it takes

634
00:34:23.039 --> 00:34:24.639
<v Speaker 3>me a year to repent, I'm gonna feel.

635
00:34:24.480 --> 00:34:25.000
<v Speaker 2>It for a year.

636
00:34:25.079 --> 00:34:27.360
<v Speaker 3>But if immediately, as soon as God says it, I

637
00:34:27.519 --> 00:34:30.239
<v Speaker 3>respond to it, then I know, okay, He's speaking to me.

638
00:34:31.199 --> 00:34:34.440
<v Speaker 3>You just recognize so many times we mistake our low

639
00:34:34.599 --> 00:34:39.239
<v Speaker 3>self esteem for God's voice. The Bible says this about Satan.

640
00:34:40.280 --> 00:34:44.000
<v Speaker 3>Satan is the accuser of believers Revelation twelve, verse ten.

641
00:34:44.559 --> 00:34:47.440
<v Speaker 3>He wants to accuse you. You've got to understand how

642
00:34:47.440 --> 00:34:50.360
<v Speaker 3>Satan works with your sin when it comes to sin.

643
00:34:50.719 --> 00:34:53.400
<v Speaker 3>Before you sin, Satan minimizes it.

644
00:34:53.480 --> 00:34:54.199
<v Speaker 2>Have you noticed this?

645
00:34:54.239 --> 00:34:57.199
<v Speaker 3>And then after you sin he maximizes it. Before you sin,

646
00:34:57.280 --> 00:34:58.519
<v Speaker 3>he says, Oh, it's.

647
00:34:58.320 --> 00:35:02.000
<v Speaker 2>No big deal, nobody's doing it. Don't worry about it.

648
00:35:02.519 --> 00:35:05.159
<v Speaker 3>And then the minute you sin, you hear Satan's voice saying,

649
00:35:05.360 --> 00:35:07.920
<v Speaker 3>how could you do that and call yourself a Christian?

650
00:35:08.320 --> 00:35:10.960
<v Speaker 3>How in the world could you are the worst slime

651
00:35:11.039 --> 00:35:14.360
<v Speaker 3>in the universe that you did that? That's how he speaks.

652
00:35:14.800 --> 00:35:16.719
<v Speaker 3>So what do I do? I realize that is the

653
00:35:16.800 --> 00:35:19.159
<v Speaker 3>voice of Satan and not of God. So I'm going

654
00:35:19.239 --> 00:35:22.440
<v Speaker 3>to look to God and when I feel conviction, I'm

655
00:35:22.480 --> 00:35:25.840
<v Speaker 3>going to immediately respond Is it conviction, convicting, or condemning.

656
00:35:25.880 --> 00:35:28.199
<v Speaker 3>That's one of the tests. And then you come to

657
00:35:28.239 --> 00:35:32.280
<v Speaker 3>the seventh test, and that test is do I feel

658
00:35:32.480 --> 00:35:36.679
<v Speaker 3>do I sense God's peace about it? Do I sense

659
00:35:36.760 --> 00:35:44.760
<v Speaker 3>God's peace about it? If you feel pressured, if you

660
00:35:44.800 --> 00:35:48.800
<v Speaker 3>feel overwhelmed, if you feel confused about a decision that

661
00:35:48.840 --> 00:35:50.960
<v Speaker 3>you're trying to make. It might be about money, it

662
00:35:51.039 --> 00:35:53.000
<v Speaker 3>might be about some ministry in your life, it might

663
00:35:53.000 --> 00:35:57.360
<v Speaker 3>be about your kids, and you're constantly feeling confused. One

664
00:35:57.400 --> 00:36:01.239
<v Speaker 3>of the reasons for that is in yourself, probably, and

665
00:36:01.280 --> 00:36:04.599
<v Speaker 3>not in God's voice. The Bible says this about God.

666
00:36:05.280 --> 00:36:10.800
<v Speaker 3>God is not the author of confusion one Corinthian's fourteen

667
00:36:10.880 --> 00:36:14.400
<v Speaker 3>thirty three. He is not the author of confusion. So

668
00:36:14.400 --> 00:36:18.000
<v Speaker 3>if I'm feeling confused, guess what, it's some other voice.

669
00:36:18.119 --> 00:36:20.400
<v Speaker 3>It's not God's voice speaking in my life.

670
00:36:20.840 --> 00:36:22.320
<v Speaker 2>Those of you that are parents.

671
00:36:22.400 --> 00:36:25.679
<v Speaker 3>Want do you want your kids to feel pressured or

672
00:36:25.719 --> 00:36:28.599
<v Speaker 3>confused when you ask him to do something? No, you

673
00:36:28.639 --> 00:36:30.719
<v Speaker 3>want him to understand what to do and then respond

674
00:36:30.760 --> 00:36:33.079
<v Speaker 3>and do it. And God's the perfect father, so he

675
00:36:33.119 --> 00:36:35.800
<v Speaker 3>wants us to understand what he's asking us to do.

676
00:36:35.800 --> 00:36:39.000
<v Speaker 3>Do I sense God's peace about it in my life now.

677
00:36:39.320 --> 00:36:42.159
<v Speaker 3>The only time pressure could be legitimate is if God's

678
00:36:42.159 --> 00:36:43.960
<v Speaker 3>told me to do something and I keep saying no.

679
00:36:44.280 --> 00:36:47.239
<v Speaker 3>Then the pressure does build, but there's always peace when

680
00:36:47.280 --> 00:36:48.880
<v Speaker 3>I say yes to what He's asked me to do.

681
00:36:50.800 --> 00:36:54.440
<v Speaker 3>Satan wants to drive us compulsively, and God wants to

682
00:36:54.519 --> 00:36:58.599
<v Speaker 3>draw us compassionately. Satan wants to drive you compulsively. I

683
00:36:58.599 --> 00:37:01.519
<v Speaker 3>think we've all got some OCD in us, and Satan

684
00:37:01.519 --> 00:37:04.000
<v Speaker 3>wants to take advantage of our compulsions and use those

685
00:37:04.039 --> 00:37:06.719
<v Speaker 3>to drive our lives. But God instead, he wants to

686
00:37:06.800 --> 00:37:09.119
<v Speaker 3>draw us compassionately. He's like a good father, He's like

687
00:37:09.159 --> 00:37:12.079
<v Speaker 3>a good shepherd. He wants to draw our lives. Do

688
00:37:12.239 --> 00:37:15.960
<v Speaker 3>I sense God's peace about it? I've always loved what

689
00:37:15.960 --> 00:37:18.159
<v Speaker 3>Peter Lord used to say, ninety percent of what God

690
00:37:18.199 --> 00:37:18.880
<v Speaker 3>wants to say.

691
00:37:18.679 --> 00:37:19.920
<v Speaker 2>To you is encouragement.

692
00:37:20.719 --> 00:37:24.039
<v Speaker 3>And if all you ever hear from God is negative messages,

693
00:37:24.159 --> 00:37:25.039
<v Speaker 3>Something's wrong.

694
00:37:25.239 --> 00:37:26.559
<v Speaker 2>The wires have been crossed.

695
00:37:26.960 --> 00:37:29.199
<v Speaker 3>Do I sense God's peace about it as I'm listening

696
00:37:29.280 --> 00:37:31.760
<v Speaker 3>to him. If you're trying to figure out what God

697
00:37:31.800 --> 00:37:33.480
<v Speaker 3>wants you to do, and you feel like God's told

698
00:37:33.519 --> 00:37:37.239
<v Speaker 3>you to do something, and increasing anxiety is happening because

699
00:37:37.239 --> 00:37:39.679
<v Speaker 3>of what you feel He's told you to do, something's

700
00:37:39.920 --> 00:37:43.039
<v Speaker 3>crossed up. Because the Bible says this in Philippians four

701
00:37:43.119 --> 00:37:48.159
<v Speaker 3>six to seven, Here's how God speaks. Don't worry about anything. Instead,

702
00:37:48.239 --> 00:37:51.639
<v Speaker 3>pray about everything, Tell God what you need, and thank

703
00:37:51.719 --> 00:37:55.039
<v Speaker 3>him for all He's done. If you do this, you

704
00:37:55.159 --> 00:37:58.920
<v Speaker 3>will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than

705
00:37:58.920 --> 00:38:02.320
<v Speaker 3>the human mind can understand. Dan His peace will guard

706
00:38:02.360 --> 00:38:06.920
<v Speaker 3>your hearts and your minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

707
00:38:09.880 --> 00:38:12.760
<v Speaker 3>When God speaks, it does not create anxiety and worry.

708
00:38:12.880 --> 00:38:15.679
<v Speaker 3>It creates the exact opposite. And in fact, one of

709
00:38:15.760 --> 00:38:17.880
<v Speaker 3>the great signs that you've heard God's voice is you're

710
00:38:17.920 --> 00:38:20.039
<v Speaker 3>in the midst of a storm and everybody else around

711
00:38:20.079 --> 00:38:22.320
<v Speaker 3>you is worried and running around, and you have this

712
00:38:22.519 --> 00:38:25.519
<v Speaker 3>piece that you cannot explain even as you're walking through

713
00:38:25.519 --> 00:38:28.199
<v Speaker 3>that storm. That's one of the signs I'm listening to him.

714
00:38:28.199 --> 00:38:30.280
<v Speaker 3>I'm hearing from him because I have his peace in

715
00:38:30.320 --> 00:38:30.880
<v Speaker 3>my life.

716
00:38:31.239 --> 00:38:32.079
<v Speaker 2>But notice in that.

717
00:38:32.079 --> 00:38:35.960
<v Speaker 3>Verse it says if you do this, you will have

718
00:38:36.000 --> 00:38:39.079
<v Speaker 3>God's peace. It's not just a matter of hearing from him.

719
00:38:39.199 --> 00:38:41.920
<v Speaker 3>It's also a matter of acting on what you hear.

720
00:38:42.920 --> 00:38:46.519
<v Speaker 3>In fact, I love this next verse. Proverb of twenty two,

721
00:38:46.599 --> 00:38:48.800
<v Speaker 3>Verse seventeen tells us the three things we need to

722
00:38:48.840 --> 00:38:53.159
<v Speaker 3>do as we hear God's voice. Hear God's impressions, Listen

723
00:38:53.280 --> 00:38:57.159
<v Speaker 3>to this wise advice, follow it closely, for it will

724
00:38:57.159 --> 00:39:00.360
<v Speaker 3>do you good, and then you can pass it along

725
00:39:00.679 --> 00:39:03.360
<v Speaker 3>to other people. So it's not just hearing from God.

726
00:39:03.440 --> 00:39:05.599
<v Speaker 3>You do these three things. First, you listen, you hear it,

727
00:39:06.280 --> 00:39:08.719
<v Speaker 3>but then you follow it, you do what it says,

728
00:39:08.880 --> 00:39:11.400
<v Speaker 3>and then you pass it on to other people.

729
00:39:13.239 --> 00:39:16.920
<v Speaker 1>If you could hear God clearly in the past, but

730
00:39:16.920 --> 00:39:21.000
<v Speaker 1>it's not so clear anymore. I mean the transmission has

731
00:39:21.079 --> 00:39:26.599
<v Speaker 1>gotten fuzzy. The lines are messed up and jammed, the

732
00:39:26.679 --> 00:39:28.440
<v Speaker 1>message is muted.

733
00:39:29.599 --> 00:39:30.719
<v Speaker 2>It's not getting through.

734
00:39:31.000 --> 00:39:33.239
<v Speaker 1>What's the problem if you could hear God clearly in

735
00:39:33.280 --> 00:39:36.000
<v Speaker 1>the past, but you can't. Now here's the problem. You

736
00:39:36.559 --> 00:39:40.639
<v Speaker 1>have allowed sin to come between you and God, and

737
00:39:40.679 --> 00:39:43.320
<v Speaker 1>you need to pull out that blockage and then you'll

738
00:39:43.360 --> 00:39:48.159
<v Speaker 1>be able to hear him clear again. It may be

739
00:39:48.400 --> 00:39:54.480
<v Speaker 1>a relationship you need to let go of. It may

740
00:39:54.519 --> 00:39:57.559
<v Speaker 1>be a habit you need to let go of.

741
00:39:59.480 --> 00:40:00.239
<v Speaker 2>It may be a.

742
00:40:00.400 --> 00:40:03.840
<v Speaker 1>Hurt that you've held onto and said I am not

743
00:40:04.039 --> 00:40:06.519
<v Speaker 1>going to let that person off the hook. And that

744
00:40:06.599 --> 00:40:10.000
<v Speaker 1>has created a barrier between you and God.

745
00:40:11.280 --> 00:40:12.599
<v Speaker 2>And God can't.

746
00:40:12.360 --> 00:40:14.679
<v Speaker 1>Hear your prayers and you can't hear him speak to you.

747
00:40:16.559 --> 00:40:20.039
<v Speaker 1>And what you need to do is confess that area,

748
00:40:20.119 --> 00:40:22.960
<v Speaker 1>that block and say, God, that's wrong. And I want

749
00:40:23.000 --> 00:40:25.039
<v Speaker 1>to confess it and I want to change. I want

750
00:40:25.079 --> 00:40:28.079
<v Speaker 1>to turn away from my sin. I want to turn

751
00:40:28.159 --> 00:40:29.719
<v Speaker 1>back to you. I want to be able to hear

752
00:40:29.760 --> 00:40:34.320
<v Speaker 1>from you, and you'll be able to hear him again. Well,

753
00:40:34.360 --> 00:40:38.400
<v Speaker 1>what if I've never ever heard God speak to me

754
00:40:38.800 --> 00:40:42.679
<v Speaker 1>in my life. I've never felt it. Then you need

755
00:40:42.719 --> 00:40:45.599
<v Speaker 1>to get to know Jesus Christ. You need to begin

756
00:40:45.880 --> 00:40:48.960
<v Speaker 1>a relationship. You may have been in church all of

757
00:40:49.000 --> 00:40:54.679
<v Speaker 1>your life. You can have Churchianity without Christianity. You can

758
00:40:54.719 --> 00:40:59.440
<v Speaker 1>have religion without a relationship. You can know all about

759
00:40:59.519 --> 00:41:04.239
<v Speaker 1>God and not really know him. Now we can settle

760
00:41:04.280 --> 00:41:07.760
<v Speaker 1>that one right now. The Bible says this, he who

761
00:41:07.840 --> 00:41:12.119
<v Speaker 1>belongs to God hears what God says. That's the mark

762
00:41:12.199 --> 00:41:15.199
<v Speaker 1>that you belong to God. You can hear him. The

763
00:41:15.239 --> 00:41:19.679
<v Speaker 1>reason you don't hear is that you don't belong to God.

764
00:41:20.719 --> 00:41:25.480
<v Speaker 1>You've never been saved, you've never been born again, you've

765
00:41:25.519 --> 00:41:28.599
<v Speaker 1>never stepped across the line in faith. You've never put

766
00:41:28.679 --> 00:41:31.760
<v Speaker 1>your total life in His hands. And this is the

767
00:41:31.840 --> 00:41:37.360
<v Speaker 1>day to do it. Let's bow our heads. I'm going

768
00:41:37.440 --> 00:41:40.880
<v Speaker 1>to pray a prayer right now. And if you've never

769
00:41:40.960 --> 00:41:43.320
<v Speaker 1>heard God speak to you, you need to begin a

770
00:41:43.400 --> 00:41:47.719
<v Speaker 1>relationship to him today. You can say something like this

771
00:41:47.880 --> 00:41:50.199
<v Speaker 1>in your heart. Just follow me and say me to God,

772
00:41:52.360 --> 00:41:56.280
<v Speaker 1>Dear God, I want to know you, and I want

773
00:41:56.280 --> 00:42:01.119
<v Speaker 1>to hear your voice, and I want to know what

774
00:42:01.159 --> 00:42:06.559
<v Speaker 1>you want me to do with my life. Jesus Christ,

775
00:42:06.679 --> 00:42:10.639
<v Speaker 1>I don't understand it all, but I thank you that

776
00:42:10.719 --> 00:42:15.679
<v Speaker 1>you love me, that you made me, that you shaped

777
00:42:15.719 --> 00:42:19.880
<v Speaker 1>me for a purpose, that you forgive me, and you

778
00:42:19.960 --> 00:42:25.760
<v Speaker 1>take away my condemnation. Show me the things in my

779
00:42:25.920 --> 00:42:30.800
<v Speaker 1>life that are keeping me from hearing you. I want

780
00:42:30.840 --> 00:42:34.480
<v Speaker 1>to confess them, and I want to get rid of them,

781
00:42:35.039 --> 00:42:37.159
<v Speaker 1>and I want to follow you and trust you from

782
00:42:37.159 --> 00:42:41.679
<v Speaker 1>this day forward. I ask you to accept me into

783
00:42:41.719 --> 00:42:46.239
<v Speaker 1>your family and help me to hear your voice and

784
00:42:46.400 --> 00:42:52.519
<v Speaker 1>feel your presence the rest of you. You've already opened

785
00:42:52.559 --> 00:42:55.119
<v Speaker 1>your life to Christ. You join me in this prayer, Say,

786
00:42:55.159 --> 00:42:57.320
<v Speaker 1>Dear God, I want to hear you when you talk

787
00:42:57.400 --> 00:43:00.599
<v Speaker 1>to me this week, and more than that, I want

788
00:43:00.599 --> 00:43:04.039
<v Speaker 1>to do what you tell me to do. I'm choosing

789
00:43:04.079 --> 00:43:07.320
<v Speaker 1>your way in advance, and I want to pass on

790
00:43:07.400 --> 00:43:10.039
<v Speaker 1>what you tell me to others so I can grow.

791
00:43:12.119 --> 00:43:16.320
<v Speaker 1>Help me to use these seven tests this week. As

792
00:43:16.360 --> 00:43:21.239
<v Speaker 1>I listen to you in your name, I pray Amen