back to indexBAM Retreat: Reserved for God, Q&A
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I know we had a nice kind of longer lunch break. 00:00:54.200 |
Really appreciative of our BAM logistics team. 00:01:08.400 |
efficient that, typically for 130 people to get food alone just takes like 00:01:13.800 |
30 minutes line, but everybody was done eating by like 1230, so. 00:01:21.880 |
And then I know we had kind of a nice gap where you guys could talk and hang out. 00:01:28.400 |
I know that some people, that kind of downtime and loitering is really painful. 00:01:33.800 |
For others, I believe lifelong friendships were made. 00:01:40.480 |
know each other better and hang out, and I hope that it has been. 00:01:43.560 |
Again, having extended and quality time together, it's a precious thing. 00:01:52.000 |
So right now we're entering into a mini talk plus Q&A. 00:01:59.920 |
because you can just text me just questions pertaining to, 00:02:05.720 |
A, if you've ever been confused about the concept of God's holiness. 00:02:09.400 |
For us as good students of the scriptures, it's always good to ask questions. 00:02:15.800 |
So please ask related to concepts of God's holiness. 00:02:19.600 |
If you have questions about, okay, well, nevertheless, 00:02:22.520 |
we did talk about understanding God's holiness has a natural 00:02:27.960 |
ramifications of what we're gonna do and not do. 00:02:30.800 |
So if you've ever wrestled with gray areas in life, this is a good opportunity 00:02:35.800 |
that we do Q&A because of that, because sometimes there are areas that are grayish. 00:02:40.480 |
If you even have questions about even advice that you would like for 00:02:47.360 |
And I promise you I will not disclose, like, so Mike Tice asks. 00:02:53.440 |
[LAUGH] I promise you that it's just gonna be kept anonymous, okay? 00:02:59.480 |
Feel free to think about questions related to things that are relevant 00:03:03.800 |
in case scenario to you, but also even conceptually and applicationally, okay? 00:03:10.800 |
Then, if you would turn your Bible to Galatians chapter 5, 00:03:14.080 |
I'm gonna read to us a section, and then we're going to do a quick mini talk, okay? 00:03:21.880 |
All right, and we're gonna start in verse 16. 00:03:27.120 |
So Galatians 5, verse 16, very well-known passage, 00:03:37.800 |
distinguishing for us what it looks like to walk by the spirit. 00:03:41.920 |
And so verse 16 says, but I say, walk by the spirit and 00:03:45.560 |
you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. 00:03:48.280 |
For the flesh sets its desire against the spirit, and 00:03:54.200 |
For these are in opposition to one another, so 00:03:56.640 |
that you may not do the things that you please. 00:04:00.160 |
But if you are led by the spirit, you are not under the law. 00:04:04.080 |
Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are immorality, 00:04:09.200 |
impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, 00:04:14.360 |
strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, and factions. 00:04:20.000 |
Envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these of which I forewarn you, 00:04:26.680 |
that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 00:04:31.800 |
But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, 00:04:42.760 |
Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh 00:04:49.200 |
If we live by the spirit, let us also walk by the spirit. 00:04:52.800 |
Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another. 00:04:58.840 |
Heavenly Father, we continue always to ask that whenever, 00:05:08.760 |
we pray your spirit will illumine that scripture to us. 00:05:12.320 |
Help us to both understand, but also to, yes, feel, and 00:05:19.520 |
I pray, Father Lord, that we would be strengthened by your word. 00:05:24.160 |
Okay, so I am gonna do audience participation. 00:05:28.880 |
And I know some of you guys hate it when I do this stuff, but 00:05:32.240 |
I'm gonna call on some people to come up here and answer some questions with me. 00:05:36.680 |
[LAUGH] It's like, a shoe with no eye contact, okay? 00:05:41.080 |
All right, so I'm gonna just scan the room from my left, and 00:06:17.600 |
if you would just take a moment to introduce yourself and 00:06:20.680 |
give the people just one interesting fact about yourself first. 00:06:44.160 |
there is no right answer, and I want you to, I didn't prepare you because I just 00:06:49.640 |
want you to respond with one of those kind of word association ways, right? 00:06:54.080 |
So, being that we are in our singles ministry, a lot of times, 00:06:58.840 |
if you guys ask me for advice on dating, I say, a huge part of the game of dating 00:07:04.240 |
is your ability to correctly, appropriately, and realistically assess a person. 00:07:12.360 |
So my question to you is, when you take a moment to evaluate somebody, and 00:07:17.640 |
you're thinking, wow, that girl is holy, right? 00:07:21.120 |
What is the first thing that comes to your mind? 00:07:36.940 |
>> Like someone who has a pattern of serving the church? 00:07:53.320 |
yourself and give us just what you're up to in life these days. 00:07:55.960 |
>> Hi, I'm Sam, and these days I'm sitting in a room for many hours working. 00:08:16.280 |
When you see a guy, and then you're just like, wow, that guy is holy, right? 00:08:20.280 |
What is the first thing that comes to your mind? 00:08:22.360 |
But also, if you see a guy and you're like, that guy is so unholy, 00:08:28.160 |
what is something that's just like a massive just turn off because it's so ungodly? 00:08:35.640 |
What would be your first thought when you think of, wow, that's really unholy? 00:09:01.600 |
It's like when we think of holiness, again, we have good preconceived notions 00:09:07.280 |
because we've been studying the scriptures, we've been coming to church. 00:09:11.160 |
And we recognize that certain aspects of your life really mark you as a holy 00:09:16.440 |
individual who is dedicated to God or somebody who's just like, wow, 00:09:23.160 |
And when you think about it, it's the service aspect of it. 00:09:29.520 |
It's like, if that doesn't have anything to do with me, I'm not doing it, right? 00:09:35.480 |
Unwilling to serve another individual, how come you're not doing something for me? 00:09:41.720 |
That's very ungodly because of the whole orientation of the selfish attitude, 00:09:47.960 |
And likewise, every single one of us, we recognize that when it comes to the topic 00:09:53.480 |
of humility and pride, it is truly the, I guess, 00:09:57.840 |
the two routes of life ambition that you can take. 00:10:01.880 |
You're either going to seek your success, and 00:10:04.160 |
we've been hearing it from the pulpit on Sundays, right? 00:10:06.480 |
Wow, what a powerful message we heard on Sunday. 00:10:09.680 |
You're either going to always presume that everyone's will for 00:10:17.120 |
My provision and my security, and then you just include God into it. 00:10:21.600 |
Or you're going to think on a completely different level and 00:10:24.160 |
playing where it's, no, no, no, it's God's glory, right? 00:10:29.080 |
The fulfillment of God's plan, his exaltation at whatever cost. 00:10:34.160 |
And those are two entirely different spectrums, okay? 00:10:38.200 |
I wanted to talk about that, and I read you this passage because there are some 00:10:49.960 |
what is kind of like a mantra of the scriptures 00:11:02.160 |
And what I recognize is, in terms of an individual who is evidently godly, 00:11:08.680 |
evidently holy, is then an individual who has seen what we talked about in the morning. 00:11:16.480 |
He's caught a glimpse of like, God is just so big, right? 00:11:23.720 |
And he can't help now but to stare because he's everywhere, you know? 00:11:30.960 |
And that individual who has a massive vision of God is growing in his holiness, okay? 00:11:38.000 |
Scripture actually says, my people, they die, right? 00:11:42.240 |
They essentially destroy themselves for a lack of knowledge of me. 00:11:45.480 |
And what the scripture says is, when you have that knowledge, however, 00:11:50.800 |
the lack of knowledge will lead to your doom. 00:11:53.120 |
But when you have that knowledge, it is so difficult to turn away, and so 00:12:02.000 |
In that way, you know how this morning there was this exhortation like, 00:12:09.200 |
Sanctify him as Lord in your heart is what it said in 1 Peter 3, verse 15. 00:12:14.840 |
Well, the exhortation there, there's a sense to which you can sit there and 00:12:20.520 |
then start divulging like, what does that mean to set apart and then da-da-da-da-da. 00:12:26.640 |
But scripture talks about there is this very simple devotion, 00:12:30.600 |
there's a simplicity, right, to the holiness that we're trying to pursue. 00:12:37.960 |
if your heart is bent on seeing and loving Jesus, 00:12:43.120 |
you're gonna radically grow in the holiness and pragmatics of your life. 00:12:47.160 |
And that's why I read to you Galatians, so look back at Galatians chapter 5. 00:12:52.320 |
He talks about this basically two conflicting tensions. 00:12:57.880 |
And what he says is, walk by the spirit and you will not carry out, what? 00:13:04.360 |
For the flesh, it sets its desire against the spirit, and 00:13:09.960 |
For these are in opposition to one another, so 00:13:13.920 |
that you may not do the things that you please. 00:13:16.640 |
But if you are led by the spirit, you are not under the law, okay? 00:13:27.520 |
there is this complex battle, the epic yin and yang. 00:13:32.320 |
It's not really, but that's how it feels sometimes. 00:13:38.160 |
It wants its pleasures, it wants its desires, it wants its ambitions, 00:13:47.000 |
With desires for the things that are godly, things that are eternal, 00:13:49.920 |
things that are heavenly, things that will exalt the Lord. 00:13:53.520 |
And these two things are in opposition to each other. 00:13:55.680 |
I believe sometimes people ask questions of like, 00:14:04.200 |
But I think you and I know that ultimately, much of scripture will tell you, 00:14:09.080 |
if that first step you're able to surrender your bent, 00:14:14.520 |
your desire, and your longing, you're gonna win. 00:14:20.000 |
If you're willing to relent on whatever expectation that is worldly and 00:14:26.280 |
fleshy, if you're willing to let go of that desire in your heart that says, 00:14:30.640 |
I must have this to be happy, there's a lot of hope for you, okay? 00:14:38.280 |
Like there's, yes, is it complicated on how to do this and how to do that? 00:14:42.680 |
Yes, but what scripture talks about is, actually, the man who's very, 00:14:47.200 |
very strong, there's a man who can control this little guy in here that says, 00:14:56.520 |
the man who has self-control is actually mightier than the man who overtakes cities. 00:15:00.160 |
There's a kind of strength that just, when you can control this, man, 00:15:09.400 |
But unfortunately, what I found in this generation is a lot of people talking 00:15:12.520 |
about the frustration so hard, da, da, da, da, da. 00:15:16.600 |
And a lot of times in the moment of the frustration, in the moment of that feeling 00:15:21.400 |
like it's so tiring just fighting against your flesh and the desires of your heart, 00:15:25.600 |
they turn around and almost feel like it's a noble thing to follow this passion. 00:15:33.920 |
Again, you guys know I kinda like teasing and using the dating analogy. 00:15:37.720 |
Sometimes when a guy comes to me and we start talking about stuff and 00:15:40.880 |
then we get into the conversation about dating, it's not every time, 00:15:46.480 |
I like to tease and I'm like, who do you like, and all that kind of stuff. 00:15:49.720 |
And then when they say, I like so and so, sometimes I like to tease and 00:15:55.800 |
I'll ask them, isn't it tiring when you want something so bad? 00:16:00.480 |
[LAUGH] But there you are, not knowing what to say, what to do. 00:16:10.120 |
[LAUGH] And then I tease and I say, you gotta do something about that. 00:16:16.560 |
[LAUGH] You can't just ask somebody out or do something because you're tired. 00:16:22.000 |
Sometimes you just gotta set people up for failure. 00:16:26.960 |
[LAUGH] And it makes us think about life in total, okay? 00:16:32.200 |
Now I'm being facetious here, but more so what I'm talking about here is, 00:16:37.800 |
I think we recognize, the reason why I bring that up is because 00:16:42.160 |
sometimes we're very frustrated with ourselves because, again, 00:16:48.640 |
I don't just talk about it just cuz it's fun, but 00:16:53.880 |
because I recognize it is an absolute reality that we end up thinking about it 00:16:57.960 |
a lot and so it takes a ton of space in our real estate of our mind, right? 00:17:01.640 |
And some of us are very frustrated because I would like to not think of it, but 00:17:10.720 |
And then it's not just dating because if we're not able to control that, 00:17:16.760 |
It could be, again, desires for a certain kind of lifestyle. 00:17:25.160 |
It could be, if some of you guys, you're in the thick of it where you long to 00:17:29.280 |
purchase a home and you realize, my goodness, staring at Redfin, 00:17:36.480 |
You recognize just the pull and it's so evident, as this passage would say, right? 00:17:44.200 |
And so my mini kind of talk here is thinking through, yes, 00:17:49.600 |
the battle for holiness is an ongoing battle that is difficult. 00:17:54.800 |
Yes, that battle for holiness can take lots of different shapes. 00:17:59.000 |
Different moments will come at us in just basically different faces. 00:18:03.680 |
But ultimately, there's a simplicity to it, right? 00:18:09.160 |
The fruit of your flesh, it all comes from this desire of I want what I want, though. 00:18:15.880 |
And a lot of times, we're going to wrestle with the thought of not sometimes brazen, 00:18:20.560 |
like I'm just gonna have it, I don't care what you say, God. 00:18:23.360 |
To the, well, I'm gonna try and see if I can get it no matter, 00:18:26.800 |
like whatever way possible while not compromising. 00:18:29.960 |
And then a lot of times we'll say, well, conditionally, if I could have both, 00:18:34.440 |
both the very, very godly person with all the superficial stuff, 00:18:40.440 |
[LAUGH] We're gonna put it into different words, but 00:18:44.400 |
ultimately it comes down to that kind of fight. 00:18:48.240 |
Your desires will make all kinds of rationalizations. 00:18:51.720 |
It'll take different shapes and forms and sizes. 00:18:54.600 |
But ultimately, he will ask us the question, by the power of the spirit, 00:19:03.000 |
Because the desires of your heart show you quite often, 00:19:11.040 |
I'm gonna repeat this phrase because I think it is appropriate. 00:19:16.400 |
A lot of times people will say, you are what you eat, okay? 00:19:22.680 |
Biblically speaking, you are what you desire, right? 00:19:27.640 |
You're going to end up, so long as you desire the Lord, 00:19:32.600 |
So long as you desire the world, you will follow after the world pattern. 00:19:38.480 |
And the desires of your heart and the affections of your heart, 00:19:41.560 |
that a lot of times shows you a greater picture of how mature you are, 00:19:46.640 |
how superficial you are, or how holy you are, amen? 00:19:50.360 |
Let's take a moment to pray over that brief talk. 00:19:57.440 |
Heavenly Father, we wish sometimes that we could just take a hold of our heart, 00:20:05.560 |
you know, dig into our soul and just grab onto all those stubborn, 00:20:16.000 |
Desires for recognition, desires to please people, 00:20:19.360 |
desire for success and ambition, desires for earthly gain, 00:20:31.680 |
But I pray, God, that you will teach us what it means just step by step, 00:20:36.720 |
one thing at a time, to surrender our ambitions, our desires, 00:20:44.360 |
not simply to relent, but to surrender those things, 00:20:51.320 |
I pray, Father God, that the longings of our heart, the meditations, 00:20:55.360 |
the fantasies, that these things will be godly, 00:21:01.120 |
I pray, Father God, from the beginning portions of our minds, 00:21:04.840 |
what we picture to be good, pleasing, joyful, and success for us, 00:21:09.920 |
that inside the sanctuary of our minds, it would be pure. 00:21:13.640 |
And I pray, Father God, that you would help us in that end, 00:21:16.040 |
that from internally, the things that we long for 00:21:26.120 |
So, we're going to move now into a time of Q&A. 00:21:29.920 |
And again, please feel free to message about topics of, 00:21:39.200 |
what conceptually does this aspect of holiness mean? 00:21:45.400 |
hey, where is the balance of legalistically forbidding some things 00:21:50.520 |
versus allowing there to be, right, like room for you to live 00:21:55.400 |
and work out your salvation with fear and trembling? 00:22:03.880 |
I'm going to tackle a question pertaining to, 00:22:09.720 |
is it sinful, okay, is it holy to want to retire early? 00:22:17.360 |
And I like this question a lot because I think it touches upon something 00:22:23.480 |
that really is for us living here in Orange County in America, 00:22:31.320 |
If we're just being watchful, we really have to keep an eye out for. 00:22:34.720 |
Meaning, at some spectrum of your longing and desire, 00:22:40.440 |
it turns into an unholy desire or a permissible desire, right? 00:22:46.840 |
And along with it comes a lot of different things 00:22:55.800 |
you can move things around for financial gain 00:22:59.360 |
so that you can have lots of privileges and opportunities. 00:23:03.280 |
And what I'm specifically talking about for us, 00:23:06.520 |
dude, do you want to pack up and plant a church in Texas, right? 00:23:11.320 |
Or I heard, oh man, I can't remember the name of the city. 00:23:20.960 |
where it's like pre-planned cities, very clean, highly controlled, right? 00:23:28.240 |
So, Irvine is pretty unique in that it has a lot of youthfulness, 00:23:31.280 |
young families love it, great schools, tons of businesses, 00:23:35.120 |
and essentially it's one of the safest places in the country. 00:23:46.160 |
but in many ways, we're like highly, highly privileged 00:24:05.840 |
I could have potentially all that plus less taxes, right? 00:24:10.280 |
Plus, I could have all that plus X, Y, and Z. 00:24:12.960 |
Now, the question is, is that godly and holy? 00:24:34.680 |
And sometimes, something doesn't have to be entirely sinful 00:24:40.880 |
Sometimes, something doesn't have to be entirely sinful 00:24:51.720 |
that's compromise for all people in all scenarios, right? 00:24:56.480 |
Okay, but I want you guys to think about this 00:24:59.640 |
on a certain level, which is, yeah, like number one, 00:25:06.000 |
there's a ton of people who, for the sake of their family, 00:25:09.200 |
jettisoned everything and immigrated to the US. 00:25:21.960 |
If you happen to live in one of the most safest, 00:25:28.640 |
but in the world, and yet you feel like you have to move 00:25:36.800 |
that you'd prefer, then now you have to start 00:25:54.200 |
Do you have family members that you're trying 00:25:57.040 |
Is there a church you're trying to help build? 00:25:59.240 |
Was there a godly ministry that was doing effective 00:26:08.560 |
well, I'm moving to India because there happens 00:26:13.240 |
to do ministry out there, and I'm gonna jettison 00:26:15.440 |
all the rest of these safeties and actually put myself 00:26:19.120 |
That actually makes a lot of spiritual sense. 00:26:29.200 |
I don't know, actually, I have no family out there. 00:26:32.080 |
but what they do have is a house that I can afford. 00:26:44.560 |
At best, you can call it human wisdom, which matters, 00:26:57.360 |
well, I'll go see if there's a good church out there. 00:27:13.560 |
He knows nothing about how she's on the inside, 00:27:24.280 |
Between a man chasing a girl because she's beautiful, 00:27:27.800 |
but he doesn't even know what she's like on the inside. 00:27:36.280 |
like if you're a man of the house and you got your family, 00:27:40.000 |
I think it's great leadership to lead your family and say, 00:27:52.580 |
Because that could potentially compromise us, 00:27:56.920 |
I know we're moving, I know we're leaving community, 00:28:01.880 |
I know the wife has her community and the sisterhood, 00:28:21.680 |
no, it is not sinful to seek retirement early. 00:28:28.040 |
how much risk will you take for your spiritual well-being 00:28:33.040 |
if so much of your investment is wanting to make sure 00:28:42.200 |
We're going to all pay the price at some point. 00:28:44.100 |
It's the whole issue of pay the price much later 00:29:04.080 |
you have various circumstances, you can't help, right? 00:29:16.460 |
like, if this is one of those scenarios where 00:29:24.140 |
you wanting to build his church, edify the saints, 00:29:26.520 |
and evangelize those individuals who are desperately lost, 00:29:33.140 |
is any of you retiring early going to contribute to that? 00:29:43.260 |
There are people who plan well and when they retire, 00:29:46.020 |
they're like all out for just writing Christian stuff, 00:30:00.020 |
and camp trips on the weekends until I get to that point 00:30:03.980 |
where I don't have to be in the office anymore. 00:30:06.300 |
Yeah, then the rationale is really tough, right? 00:30:10.520 |
Again, for those of you guys who like going camping, 00:30:19.300 |
both on the level, again, you guys understand, 00:30:31.120 |
But the reason why I spent some extra time on it 00:30:36.560 |
right now there are like social justice issues, 00:30:51.900 |
that I must secure a financially median version of America 00:31:01.840 |
If you see articles that say, a Christian man, 00:31:03.900 |
he better have like a 401k and life insurance 00:31:19.160 |
you couldn't even boldface say that to an Indian pastor. 00:31:22.020 |
Like, we're gonna, as Americans, go over there 00:31:25.340 |
and teach them, like, you know what you need to do? 00:31:31.820 |
to have a median version of America in order to be godly. 00:31:44.240 |
I think that's a bigger threat to our sobriety 00:31:47.020 |
and our sense of like, I'm dedicated to the cause of Christ 00:31:50.020 |
than is a lot of the issues that are going on, 00:32:04.060 |
Thank you guys for sending in these questions. 00:32:20.840 |
hmm, is there a balance between you knowing God 00:32:30.600 |
versus being honest and open with him, right, 00:32:33.700 |
while you do that, so that when you're honest and open, 00:32:40.080 |
some of the things that are in your heart, right? 00:32:43.100 |
So that's a great question, because sometimes, 00:33:07.220 |
But God says, watch your mouth when you come to me, right? 00:33:33.360 |
It's like, well, I guess the only thing we can say 00:33:35.780 |
is, majesty, majesty, holy, holy, holy, I surrender. 00:33:46.720 |
I love it when people feel comfortable enough with me 00:33:50.240 |
where they can say, okay, unfiltered thought, 00:33:59.280 |
And then, I'm like, ooh, yeah, this is gross, 00:34:12.420 |
So, I love Psalm 73, because Psalm 73 is just like, 00:34:32.420 |
And then, what he does, though, is he reveals all that, 00:34:35.500 |
but he takes what I like to call due diligence 00:34:40.140 |
And then, he says, but I'm gonna enter into your presence, 00:34:44.000 |
into your sanctuary, and then, I'm corrected. 00:34:50.140 |
And then, he admits, when I'm not thinking straight, 00:35:01.060 |
And then, he says, I know you're a sovereign. 00:35:05.340 |
of working through all the truths he knows about God, right? 00:35:09.980 |
I think, in that way, you do have a balance there. 00:35:13.720 |
You go through the process of working through 00:35:17.740 |
but you're also making sure that you do not just 00:35:24.780 |
Sorry, I can't do the attitude thingy very well. 00:35:28.820 |
But if we do that, that entire attitude, obviously, 00:35:34.140 |
So, that to us, kind of, is an important process 00:35:48.600 |
in this day, media addiction is like a real thing, 00:36:00.860 |
and it's difficult to watch without promiscuity these days? 00:36:20.580 |
Our Lord Jesus said, "Your eyes is a lamp to your heart." 00:36:29.260 |
So, I will say, apply that truth somehow, someway. 00:36:48.060 |
"I will put nothing worthless before me, before my eyes." 00:37:06.420 |
Look at how he can spend $700 on a burger, right? 00:37:42.820 |
that had tons of just raunch sexual material. 00:37:52.060 |
It's showing and depicting the severity of the sin of man." 00:37:55.900 |
And I was like, "Eh, I don't know about that. 00:38:10.060 |
You, as a Christian, we appraise everything spiritually. 00:38:24.740 |
and get hooked to so that you keep watching it 00:38:43.700 |
And it's like, "Yeah, I don't know what to do with this part." 00:38:48.500 |
I actually think as a whole, every single one of us, 00:38:56.460 |
Why are we fighting for the right to watch stuff 00:39:02.860 |
I know that could come off as like very extreme, 00:39:12.340 |
whether it's legitimate for children, adults, 00:39:17.980 |
'Cause people are wondering, is it questionable 00:39:28.020 |
So I know I'm talking now in more broad categories. 00:39:37.540 |
work out your salvation, work out your thoughts, 00:39:52.900 |
for us to not get influenced by that kind of stuff. 00:39:58.900 |
if an individual says like, yeah, yeah, it's okay, 00:40:03.180 |
I don't think then that individual has experience. 00:40:14.100 |
it's not really in tune with what is actually taking place 00:40:21.940 |
If someone is counseling a young man and saying, 00:40:28.300 |
Have you counseled yourself in how easily you're tempted? 00:40:31.420 |
So all those things I think contribute to that thought. 00:40:49.100 |
If you do, though, don't be afraid to raise your hand. 00:40:53.220 |
Okay, I know it's like a larger group or whatnot, 00:41:19.860 |
This is a question about some people seem more predisposed 00:41:30.140 |
even when you don't feel the desire and motivation? 00:41:36.940 |
Okay, so there's two questions bound up there. 00:41:41.660 |
And let's answer it actually in reverse order. 00:41:45.500 |
So let's do one of those audience participation 00:41:56.340 |
Question is simply, is it possible to be Christian 00:42:15.140 |
So this past week, we had studied Second Thessalonians, 00:42:20.140 |
and there was this really challenging passage, right? 00:42:25.820 |
Keep away from the brother who leads an unruly life. 00:42:30.420 |
It's like, dang, aren't we supposed to love our brother 00:42:47.780 |
So I want you guys to think about that a little bit, 00:42:50.140 |
and then think about a lot of our experiences. 00:42:52.580 |
It is a very, very difficult thing to ask a question. 00:43:03.700 |
And it's not always so easy to make a determinative answer. 00:43:07.380 |
What I mean is, 1 John chapter one is absolutely clear. 00:43:24.700 |
An individual who is walking in a life pattern 00:43:26.740 |
where he's comfortable in sin is not a Christian. 00:43:48.380 |
It's weird, so you have multiple principles there. 00:43:50.740 |
And then, I want you to think about even our experience. 00:44:01.420 |
I had a personal experience where I got saved 00:44:14.020 |
He asked me like, "Do you ever regret stuff?" 00:44:27.780 |
I broke, I bawled for hours that night, okay? 00:45:18.460 |
but then, on the weekend, I would just be tempted. 00:45:32.100 |
And that's when, for me, it was just this conviction, 00:45:34.460 |
like, and I didn't know what to do with myself, 00:45:48.660 |
went down to San Diego, went to my old church. 00:45:54.340 |
I just started crying, like, "God, I don't get it. 00:46:09.100 |
So, what I'm saying is, I think our experience tells us 00:46:22.820 |
and then, I love Pastor Peter Chung's illustration, 00:46:25.980 |
is if you take a shovel and chop off a snake's head, 00:46:38.820 |
But that is a lot like our reality when we're saved, 00:46:43.540 |
is our flesh just, like, cries out for a last breath. 00:46:58.540 |
it entices you, and it wants you to keep going 00:47:07.300 |
So, in that way, you have these multiple principles 00:47:13.140 |
the flesh is like the snake with its head cut off. 00:47:27.980 |
in a certain pattern, you are going to bear its fruit, 00:47:35.420 |
of fake salvation, of fake, you know, proclamation. 00:47:45.220 |
Now, the second part of it, it asks the question, 00:48:04.660 |
from your love motivate you to be more holy, right? 00:48:15.260 |
they feel like nothing's going right is, yeah. 00:48:30.140 |
Like, how am I gonna sit there, study my Bible, 00:48:43.260 |
But also, I think, scripture is pretty clear. 00:49:05.980 |
The sins that I've committed, I've reconciled in Christ. 00:49:19.260 |
There's nothing like having open communion with your God, 00:49:32.780 |
I do hear the chairs, like, creaking a little bit, 00:49:38.580 |
All right, we're just gonna go for about another, 00:49:41.500 |
I think we tackled about four or five questions, 00:49:44.300 |
so thank you again for sending in the questions, 00:49:47.300 |
and then we'll take a break after that, okay? 00:50:04.180 |
is it possible to have a desire that is 100% pure, 00:50:09.140 |
or will even our holy desires be muddled with sin? 00:50:44.820 |
"you can never offer up pure intentions to God." 00:51:03.940 |
so I do kind of picture it on the lines of, like, Peter, 00:51:15.060 |
he, like, quickly became aware of himself, right? 00:51:31.380 |
I want to serve this brother out of the genuineness, 00:51:40.900 |
my own eyes, and the eyes of the church as a whole, 00:51:50.340 |
like, there's a part of me that wants to please God, 00:51:54.060 |
please Him, please you, and then myself, you know? 00:52:04.980 |
But through practice, through prayer, through humility, 00:52:09.580 |
every time you do something, you learn, right? 00:52:16.340 |
like, you know, did this, which is deliver a sermon, 00:52:19.900 |
and I share about it a lot because it was so, 00:52:28.940 |
because the leaders gave me, like, two months to prepare, 00:52:43.420 |
and then I felt, number one, this weird regret, like, 00:52:51.580 |
You do something, and then immediately it's like, 00:52:55.780 |
I should have said this, I should have said that, 00:53:24.380 |
You gotta be saying, like, it's the word of God, you know? 00:53:29.020 |
And then, but it was gonna sound super awkward, 00:53:31.460 |
and I didn't wanna sound awkward, so I'm like, 00:53:38.260 |
So I remember distinctly all that happened, you know? 00:53:42.020 |
And I remember wanting to talk about the sermon 00:53:43.980 |
with Bea on the ride home, but then being afraid, 00:53:49.380 |
Because if she didn't like it, then I'm done, you know? 00:53:54.180 |
My wife doesn't like my own sermons, you know? 00:53:59.780 |
And I realized, I was like, hey, dude, calm down. 00:54:14.360 |
My first battle with, like, taking credit for something 00:54:23.180 |
So I know that's a long way of just kinda describing, 00:54:32.140 |
The fact of the matter is, every single one of us, 00:54:46.860 |
the battle against pride is going to be strong 00:54:51.860 |
A battle against you taking any kind of ambitious credit 00:55:07.720 |
I was gonna just go up to about 2.30, take a full hour. 00:55:11.220 |
Oh, can a person be holier than another person? 00:55:23.920 |
Well, actually, let me talk about that a little bit, 00:55:37.200 |
when I sat down with young guys who wanted to be pastors, 00:55:39.520 |
and I've also overseen internships and stuff like that. 00:55:51.760 |
"We're all just sinners trying to climb this wall, 00:55:59.520 |
Right, it's like, as harsh as that may sound, 00:56:03.680 |
Apostle Paul, in the scriptures, in the passage we learned, 00:56:19.420 |
"I left you this example, and I expect you to follow it." 00:56:24.160 |
And in that way, good leaders, a lot of times, 00:56:27.840 |
their leadership is shown by the exemplary lives they live. 00:56:31.480 |
And if you're not doing it, then you're not a leader, right? 00:56:34.440 |
And in that way, as you guys know at our church, 00:56:39.680 |
because we recognize that it can do a lot of damage, 00:56:45.080 |
But the question in terms of practical holiness, 00:56:58.120 |
No individual is more valuable or more cleansed, 00:57:00.960 |
because everybody is robed in white of Christ. 00:57:05.120 |
However, on the level of you being a disciple 00:57:07.760 |
and follower of Christ, he's very, very clear. 00:57:11.040 |
Some of you need greater, greater discipline. 00:57:15.360 |
Some of us need greater, the whole digging into our hearts 00:57:21.380 |
And individuals, we have yet to wrestle in prayer 00:57:24.360 |
to certain things to overcome some of the inner sins 00:57:27.040 |
that we have, and those are all necessary things 00:57:41.040 |
Is it sinful to go to a new church that is more palatable? 00:57:52.800 |
Maybe because some of your family members is there? 00:57:56.080 |
Is this compromising the seriousness of the place upon, 00:58:06.360 |
So we'll answer this one, and then take a break, 00:58:09.920 |
and then that way, some of you guys who could use a break 00:58:23.200 |
yeah, what a profound question that is kind of unique 00:58:32.600 |
Again, just putting into context, many Christians, 00:58:41.880 |
They were just dying to have some kind of fellowship, 00:58:47.800 |
Now, in that context, though, we do have options, 00:59:00.080 |
We do have options, and this is what I'm gonna say is, 00:59:20.120 |
To me, it's like you take different-sized balls, 00:59:23.080 |
and then you have to put it into this picture 00:59:32.120 |
and it's like that in so many different aspects 00:59:49.840 |
Is that an important thing to a lot of people? 00:59:53.320 |
But think about the size of significance in that 01:00:05.080 |
Versus one of the great sins that men deal with is pride, 01:00:16.800 |
'Cause we get offended and mad pretty quickly, right? 01:00:27.560 |
A church has to be dedicated to the glory of God 01:00:47.160 |
We have a fourfold vision that is utterly important 01:00:50.160 |
to the Christian faith and their involvement in a church, 01:00:59.880 |
and then after sizing those pieces, you realize, 01:01:07.580 |
The church, I differ on the topic of spiritual gifts. 01:01:14.120 |
and you find that as a significant amount of thing 01:01:17.600 |
There are plenty of people who come to church. 01:01:19.240 |
You guys know that I oversee the membership process. 01:01:26.680 |
what a joy to just connect with you in this way. 01:01:37.840 |
because that pastor, I know him, he's my friend, 01:01:40.080 |
and he cares about the soul of the church and congregation. 01:01:48.360 |
So in that way, you make your decision wisely. 01:02:04.520 |
just continue to ask questions or just hear questions, 01:02:24.040 |
And I thank you, God, that we have things to talk about 01:02:31.280 |
because, Lord, your scripture gives us so much wisdom. 01:02:35.600 |
Lord, it is our prayer that every single one of us here, 01:02:38.200 |
Lord, it's our prayer that you would lead us in wisdom, 01:02:41.200 |
thinking deeply, intentionally about the decisions we make, 01:02:51.720 |
we hear the godly principles, but to learn to apply them. 01:02:57.640 |
as young individuals trying to establish our path, 01:03:09.040 |
to ask the question, Lord, is this according to your wisdom? 01:03:13.600 |
And I pray, Father God, that we would wrestle 01:03:19.880 |
'cause, Lord, we know the world speaks loudly. 01:03:25.120 |
But I pray, Father God, that you would help us 01:03:51.120 |
And then, I'm gonna just stand right over here. 01:03:55.480 |
just answer more questions you may have, okay?