Turning Point - David Jeremiah

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:05):
Welcome to turning point. If you knew that Jesus would
return in a matter of weeks, what would you do?
How would you live your life differently?

Speaker 2 (00:14):
Today?

Speaker 1 (00:14):
Doctor David Jeremiah considers the importance of staying spiritually strong
so that you can minister to others effectively. To share
some insights from Romans Chapter twelve, here's David to introduce
his encouraging message stay strong.

Speaker 2 (00:29):
You know, I love the Bible because it is filled
with instructions for life. We don't have to guess about
most of the things that we should be doing every day.
And here is a particular passage that has captured my
attention for many years. It's the Book of Romans, chapter twelve,
verses nine through sixteen, and it's a perfect follow up

(00:52):
to the teaching of the Book of Revelation. Here Paul
gives instructions to the Roman believers about how they should
live their life, and it reminds me of Francis Schaeffer's
question from many years ago, how shall we then live? Well,
we're going to find out today as we open our
bibles to Romans twelve and part one of the message

(01:15):
stay strong. We still have a few days left in
the month of July for you to order your copy
of Vanished, which is our brand new fiction book. I
wrote this book with Sam O'Neil and the book is
about grappling with the issues of today in light of
what the Bible teaches concerning the rapture. Here's a man

(01:36):
who has no interest in the things of the future,
but because of what's going on in his life, he
can't help but be intrigued by the testimony of some
of his friends as he deals with his life in
the world of today. He's confronted with what the Bible says,
but he struggles with it, and this is the story

(01:56):
of his struggle. It's the first of three books in
this series, and the book is called Vanished. This is
more than a tale of survival. It's a soul stirring
journey of redemption against the backdrop of biblical prophecy. Come Alive.
This is a great book to help you deal with

(02:19):
these issues in your life and to share with others
who may be a little bit less than interested in prophecy.
This will get their attention and help you talk to
them about the real issues of eternity. Don't forget to
ask for your copy this book when you send your
gift to Turning Point this month. We're running out of time, friends,
so don't wait too much longer. Make sure you get

(02:41):
your request in. The book will be on its way
as soon as we hear from you. Here's part one
of Stay Strong Well. Today, I want to talk about
the importance of staying strong, being the kind of people
who can minister to others, of being not just a

(03:03):
receiver during times like this, but a giver, somebody who's
looked to to bring strength into a situation that we
may face. And I'd like to do this by teaching
a portion of the Word of God that's found in
the twelfth chapter of Romans, Romans Chapter twelve, and I'd
like to read the verses that we're going to look
at Romans twelve, nine through sixteen almost looks like a

(03:26):
grocery list, a list of things that Paul brings to
our attention as he moves into the last section of
this great book. He's going to help us understand the
kind of people that we need to be if we're
going to make a difference. Never before in the history
of the world has the world looked for answers like

(03:48):
they're looking for answers today, and we know that Jesus
Christ is the answer. But somehow between Jesus Christ and
the answer and the people who need the answer, we're
the conduits that have to get the answer to them.
And the Bible tells us there's some things we can
do that will make it possible for us to be
strong in this day and age. In behalf of the Lord. Now.

(04:09):
The verses are Romans twelve, verses nine through sixteen. Listen
to the word of God. Let love be without hypocrisy,
abhor what is evil and cling to what is good.
Be kindly, affectionate to one another, with brotherly love and honor,
giving preference to one another, not lagging in diligence, fervent
in spirit, serving the Lord, rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation,

(04:34):
continuing steadfastly in prayer, distributing to the needs of the saints.
Given to hospitality. Bless those who persecute you. Bless and
do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep
with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward
one another. Do not set your mind on high things,
but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in

(04:55):
your own opinion. After World War Two, a group of
German students volunteered to rebuild a cathedral that had been
severely damaged by bombs during the war. As work progressed,
they became quite concerned about a large statue of Jesus
with outstretched arms beneath, which was the inscription come unto Me.

(05:22):
As they dealt with the reconstruction of the statue, they
were having particular difficulty trying to restore the hands that
went on the statue, and they finally gave up and
realized that there was no restoration of those hands they
had been so destroyed. After much discussion, they decided to
leave the hands missing and change the inscription. And they

(05:43):
changed the inscription from come unto me to Christ has
no hands but ours. What a picture that is of
how we are to respond in the world today. It
is not just the description of a statue. It is
the truth in a very real sense. Christ has no

(06:03):
hands but our hands. We become the hands of Christ
to the world. Now, if you read with me the
passage from the Book of Romans, and you rightly understand
the passage, you will know immediately one thing that it
is not possible to love God and not to serve God.
If you love God, you will serve him. I've run
into people over the years who say, well, I really

(06:25):
love God, but don't ask me to do anything in
the church, don't ask me to serve. Well, if you
love somebody, you will want to serve them, if you're
a Christian, a genuine born again Christian, if you really
love God, and it's not just a spin thing you're doing,
If you love God, you will find some way to
express that love by serving others, by serving the Lord.
So then, how does a person who is committed to

(06:46):
living a life of service to the Lord, how do
they live? With? What marks? Can we identify them? Well,
Paul begins by telling us, first of all, that such
a person is going to be marked by a compassion
love for God's people. Notice in this brief section of Romans,
Paul uses the words one another three times. He begins,

(07:10):
first of all with the commandment that we love one another,
be kindly, affectionate to one another with brotherly love. Now,
that is an interesting statement, coming as it does where
it does in the Book of Romans. For this reason,
if you study the Book of Romans, you will discover
that all the way through the first chapters of the book,

(07:32):
all the way through the first eleven chapters, the word
that is used for love, the love of God, which
is the word we've come to know, is the word agape,
the love that God has for us. Through the first
eleven chapters, that word is used exclusively of God's love
for us. But beginning in the twelfth chapter, Paul begins
to use that same word to describe the kind of

(07:53):
love that we are to have for one another. It's
as if he is saying, with the same love that
you have been loved by the Father God, Take that
very same selfless love and use it to love one another.
Be kindly affectionate to one another, have love for one
another in the same way that God has love for you.

(08:14):
We all know that the Bible tells us that one
of the most important commands for us to follow is
the great commandment that you shall love the Lord's your God,
with all your heart, soul, and mind. And the second
is like unto it. You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
The believer's life is to be marked by his love
for others. Some of you may be like the folks

(08:36):
that I've met over the years who say, you know,
I like the Church, I love God. I just don't
like Christians. You know, I know people like that. To
love the world is no chore, they say, except when
it involves Christians. I don't like Christians. Well, I'm sorry
you don't have that option, because if you love God,
you're going to love the people that God loves. And

(08:59):
God love loves Christians with all of our flaws, as
sorry as we can be. Sometimes, God loves us. And
if you love God, you're going to love one another.
That's what the scripture says. Now, it's not the kind
of love that you hear about in the world today,
the simple, little easy I love you. No, no, no.
The Bible puts some teeth into this command. Notice the
criteria for this love love is to be without hypocrisy. JB.

(09:26):
Phillips renders the phrase, let us have no imitation Christian love. Now,
the word hypocrisy is an interesting word. It's almost a
direct transliteration from the Greek language. Hippocrates is the word,
and it is a word that was used for a
stage actor, for a person who played a part on
the stage. And what Paul is saying is that when

(09:47):
it comes to loving one another, this is not theater.
This is real. We're to love one another, not put
on a show, not put on an act, but we're
to love genuinely. Now, it's interesting to me that as
I read New Testament, this was obviously a problem in
the early Church. It's not just the current problem of
people saying that they love one another when in reality

(10:08):
they're not living as if they do. This was a
problem in the church. Do you know how I know
because in almost all the epistles that were written to
the churches, the writer of the epistle addresses the issue.
Let me show you what I mean. Here's a couple
of phrases in one Peter one twenty two. We read
these words, since you have purified your souls in obeying
the truth through the spirit, in sincere love of the brethren,

(10:31):
love one another fervently with a pure heart. Now why
would Peter write that? Simply because it was needed and
they were doing what we often do saying that they
loved one another, but it wasn't being expressed in any
tangible way. First John three eighteen says it this way,
my little children, let us not love in word or
in tongue. But let us love in deed and in truth.

(10:54):
And one Timothy one to five says the purpose of
the commandment is love from a pure heart, art from
a good conscience, and from a sincere faith. Ladies and gentlemen,
when we love one another, let's really love one another.
Let's don't do it just by saying it. Let's don't
put on a false front. The commandment that we love
one another is followed by the criteria for our love

(11:16):
for one another. But here's where the rubber meets the road.
Here's the challenge. How do you know if you're really
loving one another the way God wants you to love
one another. Here it is Romans twelve to ten in honor,
giving preference to one another. Whoops. The phrase giving preference
is a Greek word which means to go before or

(11:37):
take the lead. And here the meaning of the phrase
is that when we love someone else, we put them
ahead of ourselves. We place them in the place of honor.
We don't climb up the ladder over them. We encourage
them and strengthen them, and we love them and we
prefer them. Listen to what Paul said to the Philippians,
Let nothing be done through selfish and ambition or conceit,

(12:01):
but in lowliness of mind. Let each esteem others better
than himself. Let each of you look out not only
for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
We are called upon, first of all, to love one another.
We're to love one another sincerely, without hypocrisy. And we
discover whether we're doing that or not when we look

(12:23):
into our own hearts and say, am I always climbing
on top of other people to get my way? Or
do I sincerely care about my brothers and sisters and
how they're faring? Mark number one. We are to be
marked by compassionate love for one another. Now notice secondly,
Paul jumps right from love to hate. Believe it or not,
it's to be life marked by clear standards of morality.

(12:46):
Notice verse nine. Abhor what is evil and cling to
what is good two parts to this command. First of all,
we're to hate evil. That's what the word hubhorror means.
In fact, the word abhor is even st longer than hate.
It means to passionately hate. We are to love God
with all of our hearts. We're to hate evil with

(13:07):
all of our hearts, not evil people, but evil itself.
While at first these truths seem to be at odds
with one another, when you put them together you realize
that they fit. For instance, Proverbs eight thirteen says, the
fear of the Lord is to hate evil. Psalm ninety
seven ten says, you who love the Lord hate evil?

(13:32):
Why do we hate evil? If we love the Lord?
Because the Lord hates evil? It was evil that caused
him to send his son into this world to die.
God hates evil with the passion. And if we love God,
we will love the things that God loves, and we
will hate the things that God hates. The Bible tells
us that God hates evil in plain words in Hebrews

(13:53):
chapter one. But to the son, he says, your throne,
o God is forever and ever. A scepter of righteousness
is the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness
and hated lawlessness. If we truly love the Lord, we
will hate evil. And that's really the only safe defense

(14:15):
we have against it. Isn't it to have a holy
hatred for it? Unfortunately, in our day we have forgotten
this advice, and rather than hating it, we tolerate it,
and if we're not careful, we end up embracing it.
There's an old Puritan preacher by the name of John Owen,
theologian from many years ago. He used to teach his
people this. He used to say that if you're not

(14:37):
always killing sin, sin is always killing you. Boy, is
that ever true? In it? Be on a rampage against evil.
Don't let it encroach into your life. That's what God
is teaching us. We're to hate evil. But here's the
part that is almost as hard for us to comprehend
as the hatred of evil. We're to hold on to
the good. We say, pastor, that's a no brain. Sure,

(15:00):
everybody's a Christian wants to hold on. No no, no.
It doesn't say admire the good. It doesn't say be
positive about that. No, it says hold on to the good.
In fact, the word hold on is a word that
means to be glued. It says be glued to the good,
hold on to it, don't let it slip away. Why
is it that we have to be concerned about that?

(15:20):
I believe, ladies and gentlemen, that in this day this
may be one of the most important things we can
majure on how many of you. Sometimes you look around
and it seems like the good is slipping away, slipping
through our fingers, you know, every day, every week, and
I hear it on the radio, I see it on television.
Good people, godly people, are aware of the fact that,

(15:41):
because of our lack of vigilance and our unwillingness to
take the stands that we should take, sometimes we've allowed
so much that has been good to slip away. Now listen,
this very command of the Bible reveals that there is
a tendency in all of life to allow the good
things to gradually slip away from us. And Paul says,

(16:03):
don't do that. Hold on to those things, hold them fast.
The half world of the mediocre has many inhabitants, and
the dim path of compromise is well traveled. We must
determine in our lives to hold fast to that which
is good. I won't let that slip away. God has

(16:23):
called us his people to hold on to the good
and not let it slip through our fingers. We need
to be able to look with great pride at the
next generation and say, we're handing off to you what
we got from our parents and we're going to hold
on to the good. Holding on is it fun? Sometimes

(16:45):
holding on makes you look like you're a prude, or
maybe you're just old fashioned. Listen to the words of Paul.
Cling to that which is good? Hate evil? Oh yes,
but perhaps even more important, hold on to the good.
A life that's marked by compassion for God's people and

(17:06):
by a clear standard of morality. Now notice, thirdly, your
life should be marked if you're going to make a difference,
if you're going to be strong in this day, your
life should be marked by contagious enthusiasm for God. Notice
that in verse eleven there are three kinds of enthusiasm
to which we have been called. First of all, outward enthusiasm.

(17:26):
Notice verse eleven says not lagging in diligence. Now this
phrase could be translated not lazy in zeal And. Intensity.
God says, if you're going to make a difference, if
anybody's going to be attracted to the God you say
you serve, you better have some diligence about your life.
Don't let life just sort of roll merrily along until

(17:50):
it's over, but be diligent about it. And this is
about outward diligence and you know what, we can learn
a lot from the secular world in this regard. In
the secular world, successful men give unstintingly of their time
and their energies, counting no sacrifice too great. If you
look back over history, you will see illustration after illustration. Gibbon,
the historian, spent twenty years writing The Decline and Fall

(18:14):
of the Roman Empire. Milton got up at four in
the morning to work on Paradise Lost. William cullen Bryant
wrote Thanatopsis ninety five times before he was finished. Noah
Webster worked thirty six years to produce the first edition
of his dictionary. And many business executives, rightly or wrongly,
work ten to fifteen hours a day, six or seven

(18:35):
days a week, not because they have to, but because
they are enthusiastic about what they do. They have diligence.
Sometimes it goes too far, to the injury of their
family or their health. That's not the point. The point
is we as Christian should not be left behind in
the outward diligence of that which we believe. I've always

(18:56):
loved the story about Alexander McLaren, who did what I do.
He was a pre he was very concerned because as
he looked around in his day, he saw a lot
of other preachers didn't seem to work very hard, didn't
go to work very much, didn't seem to have a
lot of energy. So he made a point with God
that he would not let that happen. He would get
up in the morning to go study, And he used
to get up in the morning and go study with

(19:17):
his slippers on to be comfortable. But after he got
concerned about this, he got up in the morning and
he put on his big old work boots before he
went to the study, so he wouldn't forget he was
a workman, big old clodhopper work with it's most uncomfortable
things you could ever put on. But every morning he
studied with those boots on to remind himself that he

(19:39):
was a workman of the king. Proverbs eighteen nine says,
who is slothful in his work is a brother to
him who is a great destroyer. Here's a couple of
verses that I love Ecclesiastes nine to ten. Whatever your
hand finds to do, do it with your might, For
there is no work or device, or knowledge or wisdom

(19:59):
in the grave where you're going, what part about that
we don't understand. This passage is my favorite verse. I
write this in Bibles, and it's always been my favorite passage.
I love this verse. Whatsoever you do, do it heartily
as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that
from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance,

(20:20):
for you serve the Lord Christ. Galatian six' nine, says
do not grow weary while doing, good for in due
season you will reap if you don't lose. Heart paul, says,
outwardly there should not be any lagging in your. Diligence but, notice,
secondly here's another term in this same little. Trilogy outwardly,

(20:42):
diligent but inwardly filled with. Enthusiasm notice the next phrase
is fervent in. Spirit say that out loud with. Me
fervent in. Spirit and you know the. Word there is
the word, zoe and it means to, boil have a boiling,
spirit have a spirit that's filled with excitement about what
you have been called to. Do one translation has it this,

(21:07):
way a glow with the. SPIRIT i think that's a good.
Rendering we read in The New testament about the man Of,
paulus who was a great, preacher and The bible said
he'd been instructed in the way of The, lord and
he was fervent in his. Spirit let me ask you this,
question are you fervent in? Spirit you, know when we
look around and we wonder why people aren't attracted To,

(21:28):
christians it's because we believe what we believe so, quietly so,
passively so. Easily Brad borders came to know The Lord
Jesus christ listening To Turning point on the. Radio and
that's one of my stories THAT i love to tell
because it reminds us that the word Of god makes a.
Difference but here's the. Deal Brad borders was an, ATHEIST

(21:51):
i mean an outright. Atheist if you don't know what that,
means that means he didn't believe there was A, god
and he certainly didn't believe in The. Bible and he
got saved listening to me teach The book Of revelation
on the. Radio, now how does that. Work he doesn't Believe,
god he doesn't believe The, bible and he gets saved

(22:13):
listening To. Revelation god must be sitting up in heaven
just sort of smiling at all of. This, well one
day AFTER i heard his, story we were together AND
i asked him this. QUESTION i, said, So, brad let
me ask you. This so you're an atheist right? Right
and you don't Believe. God, no you don't believe The. Bible,
no why in the world were you listening to The
book Of revelation on the radio every day for three?
Months he, Said, well, PREACHER i didn't believe any of,

(22:37):
it but you sounded like you. Did so isn't that
what we're talking about? Here do we really believe what we?
Believe do we go through life with kind of a
laid back lays a fair attitude about our? Faith or
is there a boiling in our spirit about the things Of? God? Oh,
god let it, Boil let it boil within. Me so

(22:58):
he talks about an enthusiasm ouwardly and enthusiasm, inwardly and
then notice he finishes it off with an enthusiasm upwardly
serving The. Lord once, again we're back to where we.
Started don't give me any nonsense about how much you
Love god if you aren't Serving, god because when you Love,
god you will Serve. God And paul reminds us of

(23:21):
this importance of serving The. Lord so our life is
to be marked by a compassionate love For god's, people
by clear standards of, morality abhor, evil cling to that
which is, good by contagious enthusiasm, outwardly inwardly and, upwardly

(23:42):
and now, notice by a courageous faith under. Fire you,
know our faith is really demonstrated when we go through difficult.
Times i've had that discussion with several people already this.
Week if your faith won't take you through difficult, times
there's something wrong with your. Faith we all face difficult.
Times we face times when we don't know the answers

(24:04):
to what's going on with. Us but if we Know,
god we know we can Trust him until the answers
are made, plain or if they never are made. Plane
god is worthy of our, trust and when you go
through tough, times your faith is. Strength and that's what
we've been talking about. Today we'll have some more of
this From romans chapter twelve tomorrow in part two Of Stay. Strong.

(24:26):
Friends we have a magazine THAT i am very proud.
OF i don't have much to do with it except
the articles that are in it and the. DEVOTIONALS i
have something to do with. Those but this magazine comes
every month to your, home and it brings with you
maturely help you get through every. Day it goes along
with the radio, broadcast and it's yours for the. Asking
when you request, it will send it to you and

(24:48):
we'll see you tomorrow right here on this good.

Speaker 1 (24:50):
Station for more information on today's special message from Doctor,
jeremiah please visit our, website where we also offer two
free ways to help you stay, connected our Monthly Turning
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At davidjeremiah dot org Slash. Radio That's davidjeremiah dot org Slash,

(25:14):
radio or call us.

Speaker 2 (25:16):
At eight hundred ninety four seven nineteen.

Speaker 1 (25:18):
Ninety three ask for your copy Of david's exciting new
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(25:40):
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jeremiah here on Turning point