December 4, 2024 • 30 mins
Have you ever wondered if there's more to faith than just attending church or performing good deeds? Join me as we unpack the transformative journey of truly living a Christ-like life in today's world. You’ll discover how to move from simply knowing about Jesus to truly being born again. Drawing on personal stories and the wisdom of John 3 and 1 John 2, we explore the vital distinction between claiming faith and living it authentically, just like practicing a profession rather than just holding a title.
Together, we’ll journey through the wonders of sanctification and the profound changes that walking with Jesus brings. This episode challenges you to prioritize your spiritual growth over worldly ambitions and to actively invest in serving others, such as widows and orphans. By embodying the teachings of Jesus, you’ll find joy, reduced anxiety, and a deep-seated hope that transforms not only your life but also inspires those around you. Embrace this path with us and discover the profound and positive changes that come from truly following Jesus Christ.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
B.R.Maul (00:29):
Hello and welcome to Living God's Way in an Ungodly
World.
It's good to have you here withme.
I am pastor and author BR Maul.
Last week I was talking aboutthe importance of having a
relationship with the Lord andknowing him in your heart and
not just in your mind.
(00:50):
It's something that has beenweighing a lot on me lately,
because I see so much of thathappening.
People who are living theirlives believing that their
eternity is based on theknowledge that they have about
Jesus Christ, and these arepeople who attend church
(01:12):
regularly.
These are people who wouldconsider themselves good
citizens, doing the right thing.
People who pay their taxes,they work, they show up on work
on time, they do the job they'resupposed to do, they're helpful
, they volunteer, they'repleasant people.
These are people that are greatto be around.
(01:35):
Some are funny, some aretrustworthy, but my concern is
the growing number of people whoare not born again and are
considering that their salvationis based on that.
They have always known Jesus.
Talk to somebody and ask themabout that.
It's quite amazing people whobelieve that they're born into
(01:59):
Christianity and I can speakfrom the very fact that when I
was very young, I thought thatbecause what I listened to on
the news and watched on TV thethings that people were doing,
the evil that is out there,whether on the news and for real
or fiction.
That alone was enough toconvince me that I was a good
(02:21):
person and my family are goodpeople, because they too were
working hard.
They wanted to be helpful toother people.
Sure, they struggled whodoesn't?
Everybody's human?
But overall good people.
And that continues today.
Now I thank the Lord that heopened my eyes years ago to this
(02:43):
reality.
It wasn't easy for me to acceptand to take in, that's for sure
.
In fact, there was a time Ifought it because I didn't want
to accept it, to look back atone's childhood and realize that
there was some importantinformation in fact the most
important information when itcomes to one's eternity and it
(03:05):
was false.
But for those who have beenfollowing my teachings on this
podcast, you know that this issomething that is very near and
dear to me, that I can't sayenough of that.
Just going to church doesn'tmake somebody a Christian, and
there's other things.
There's those who go to church,yes, but also those who maybe
(03:29):
they have a father or a mother,a grandparent, who is somebody
who loves the Lord Jesus andgrowing up next to that person
or near that person, you got theimpression that that made you
also a Christian.
It kind of rubs off on you.
I could go on and on on themisconception that one is a
(03:51):
child of God because they knowwho Jesus is.
That's not what makes a persona child of God.
One must be born again, andJesus mentions that in John 3,
when Nicodemus comes to him atnight and he wants to know
Nicodemus as a Pharisee, ateacher of God's Word.
(04:14):
He wants to know, and that'squite amazing, isn't it?
Because this is a man whoshould have known.
He should have been able toinstantly identify Jesus Christ
as God incarnate.
Now, based on scripture, Ifirmly believe that if he didn't
know at that time, he certainlydid come to know that, but I
(04:35):
won't get into that.
But we know at that time thathe spent with Nicodemus, jesus
explained it quite clear in John3, that one must be born again
to be able to see the kingdom ofGod.
So I'm going to assume the restof this message that you
(04:56):
understand what born again is,because I want to continue
moving forward in thisconversation that if one is
indeed a child of God.
There must be proof in ourday-to-day living, because we
can live a life.
We can call ourselves whateverwe want in our life, but if we
(05:18):
don't actually do what it isthat we are saying we are, well,
then what good is it?
And we can apply that toanything, not just Christianity.
Anybody can walk around and saythey're a brain surgeon.
Well, if you say you are, butyou've never gone to school to
become a brain surgeon and youdon't go and work at a hospital,
(05:40):
you've never done an operation,then it'd be kind of hard to
claim the fact that you're abrain surgeon if you've never in
your life, ever done any brainsurgery.
Now that's one example.
We can go on and on.
I could go around and say thatI'm a comedian, that's what I do
for a living, a professionalcomedian.
(06:02):
But if I've never had one show,if I've never done one stand-up
routine in my life, well thenam I really a comedian?
These may be horrible examples,I don't know, but the same
applies to our relationship withJesus Christ.
You can claim to be someone'shusband or wife, but if you've
(06:24):
never stood at the altar, ifyou've never said I do, if you
don't live together, you don'tknow one another.
You barely know someone's name.
You can't identify what he orshe does, but you keep walking
around saying that you'remarried to this person, are you?
There needs to be evidence inyour life, and I think most
(06:46):
people would agree with me onthat.
I have taught the book of 1 John, but I do want to read from 1
John, chapter 2, starting inverse 3.
Now, by this we know that weknow him.
That's Jesus if we keep hiscommandments.
(07:06):
He who says I know him and doesnot keep his commandments is a
liar and the truth is not in him.
But whoever keeps his wordtruly, the love of God is
perfected in him.
By this we know that we are inhim.
That's Jesus.
He who says he abides in himought himself also to walk just
(07:34):
as he, jesus, walked.
That's pretty straightforward.
I believe John is making it veryclear If you're going to talk
the talk, you must walk the walk.
That's how we've said it inmodern times anyway.
And he even says now, by this,we know that we know him if we
(07:57):
keep his commandments In walkingin his ways.
Keeping his commandments isliving like Jesus lived.
He showed us how to live as hisdisciples.
That's why it's so wonderfulthat we can go back and read the
New Testament and see forourselves how Jesus Christ
(08:19):
walked.
So believing in him, believingin the blood of Christ,
accepting him as your Savior isonly the beginning.
Once we are born again, we mustlive like him.
Not because we need to get intosalvation by our works no, but
(08:41):
really for two reasons that Isee it.
One, as John just says here,that way we know that we know
him.
Only a person who truly knowsJesus is going to live like him.
But also for this other reasonthat we live like Jesus, that we
do good works, that we do as hehas commanded, is because of
(09:04):
our appreciation.
So that's really twofold, onethat we can prove to ourselves
yes, I do love Jesus, because Iwant to know how Jesus lived, I
want to hear what Jesus has tosay.
So, as you read the NewTestament, as you continue to
learn who Jesus is and you beginto walk like him and act like
(09:28):
him, to follow in hiscommandments and his footsteps,
such as loving the Lord, yourGod, with all your heart, mind
and soul, and loving yourneighbor as yourself.
Fulfilling that not just inyour mind, not just thinking
about hey, this is a good idea,but living this way, how
(09:50):
important that is beloved.
Someone who claims to know Jesusand to love Jesus but shows no
desire to know him, they don'tcare if they make it to church
or not.
Again, does going to churchhelp you get into heaven?
Not at all.
And unfortunately this is wherethe two extremes kind of
(10:13):
crisscross, because there aremany who do believe well, I'm
going to church, so I must loveJesus.
But this is where we have toknow that we love him because we
are keeping his commandments.
He never commanded us to go tochurch.
He has commanded us to love ourGod and to love one another.
(10:38):
In verse 4, he who says I knowhim and does not keep his
commandments is a liar and thetruth is not in him.
And perhaps what people arethinking is I know him
intellectually.
I can tell you what Christmasis all about.
I can tell you what Easter isall about.
These are people who sure theyknow him very well, in the sense
(11:00):
as a person would know somebodythey have studied in history,
somebody they have read a lotabout, and they can quote and
say the person was born this dayin this year.
And this is where they wereborn and this is how they were
raised.
This is the kind of life thatthey lived.
(11:22):
There's historians that canrepeat a lot of this information
on a lot of historical people.
And even today, in modern times, when it comes to famous people
, there are people who know thebackground in these actors and
actresses or their favoritesport figures, their favorite
(11:42):
football players, basketballplayers, baseball players, race
car drivers, you name it.
There's the sport out there andpeople can rattle off all kinds
of information.
So so what if a person canrattle off information about
Jesus To say that we know himbut then we don't do as he
(12:03):
commands?
Well, that makes us a liar.
And going back to the famouspeople or historians to say that
you know somebody, does thatmean you know them intimately,
that you know them personally?
Think of your favorite actor orfavorite sport, jock, and how
much you know of that person.
Does that give you the right towalk around and tell people
(12:27):
that you know them as if youknew them personally?
No, it doesn't, and I'm sureyou don't do that.
But whoever keeps his word truly, the love of God is perfected
in him.
Keeping God's word Well beloved, what does that look like that
is your life.
(12:47):
One's life needs to reflectthat.
You keep his word and, as Johnsays, then truly the love of God
is perfected in you, doesn'tmake you perfect, that's not
what he's saying, but it'sdoesn't make you perfect.
That's not what he's saying,but it's perfected in you
because you are living it out.
It's not just something thatyou know.
(13:07):
You don't just spout out verses, but you're living out what the
verses say.
We don't lie because we knowthat that is wrong.
We don't cheat because we knowthat's wrong.
We don't have affairs becausewe know that's wrong.
Cheat because we know that'swrong.
We don't have affairs becausewe know that's wrong.
We don't envy.
(13:29):
We're not greedy, because weknow it's wrong.
We are kind to people becausewe know that's right.
We are generous because we knowthat is what Jesus wants us to
do is to be generous with theresources he has given us our
time, our talents, our treasure.
We are forgiving.
We don't hold things againstpeople, why?
Because Jesus doesn't holdanything against us when we
(13:51):
approach Jesus.
When you took him in as yourLord and Savior and said that's
it, lord, I'm following you, youaccepted the price that he paid
on the cross, which means thathe owns you, which is a
beautiful thing.
So that's why we are going tolive every way we can.
We are going to follow his wayand not do things that is wrong
(14:16):
and do the things that are right, and by this we know that we
are in him, so you can know.
One never needs to question amI born again?
Am I heaven bound?
Because it's not based on ourworks, the works that we do.
We do because we love our Lordand he is our savior and our
(14:40):
Lord.
And then verse 6, he who sayshe abides in him.
So the person who says that heabides in Jesus ought himself
also to walk as Jesus walked Forbaby Christians, for those who
you haven't been a Christianvery long.
Yes, there's a lot of changethat's going to be happening.
(15:01):
As you walk with your Lord andSavior, as you read his word and
are praying to him, are takingthe time to be with him.
Yes, you will begin to besanctified and look and act more
like Jesus.
But the reason this part is soimportant is because what our
(15:23):
life looks like means so much,because it's not just a matter
of being kind, it's not just amatter of not being mean, it's
not just behavioral, but wheredo you spend your time?
Here's a big one for you If youwant to know how you're walking
(15:44):
with the Lord, if you're bornagain and you want to do what he
has told you to do.
He has also given us acommission, every single one of
us, everyone who is born again.
The last thing that Jesus saidbefore he ascended into heaven,
where he sits today, he said goto all nations making disciples
(16:09):
and baptizing them in the nameof the Father, son and Holy
Spirit.
That doesn't mean for you to bea Christian.
You must travel around theworld, but what it does mean is
that you are going to speakabout who your Savior is to all
nations, that's to all people.
Now, in modern times, thismakes it even all the more
(16:31):
easier because, with the worldbeing so intermixed, especially
in a country like America, whichis a melting pot of nations, of
people, you don't have to gofar at all right in your
neighborhood.
But anybody who is not bornagain is a people to go to.
(16:52):
Young and old, male and female,rich and poor, educated,
uneducated, sophisticated,simple.
I think you get the picture.
It doesn't matter Anybody whodoes not know Jesus we are told
(17:13):
to make a disciple out of Now.
The good thing is, it doesn'tfall on our shoulders to convert
people.
The Holy Spirit does that andI'm very thankful for that,
because then that would mean itwould rely upon my ability to
sell somebody on being aChristian.
That's not our responsibility,because you don't need to sell
(17:35):
somebody on being a Christian.
What you need to do is to showpeople the benefit of being a
Christian, because by our verylove for other people, the light
and salt that we are, throughliving the life, by obeying his
commands, by knowing Jesus asJohn has said in this letter we
(17:59):
show people that we are hischildren and the very fact that
we don't live lives that we arefull of anxiety, we don't live
lives where we are hateful andgreedy and people are quick to
see wow, this is a person I canreally trust.
When this Christian says thatthey are going to be here, they
(18:21):
show up.
When they say they're going todo something, they do it and
they do it right.
So it's in our very livelihoodthat we reflect the fact that we
are his children.
So let me go even further,because what I see so much
around me today is Christians,who I can't tell the difference
(18:43):
if they are an unbeliever or aChristian, until, of course, you
may ask them do you believe inJesus?
Oh, yes, I believe in Jesus,but up until that point, there's
no way of identifying that.
Because, going back to whatJohn said, are we walking like
him?
Because he who says that heabides in Jesus ought himself
(19:06):
also to walk just as Jesuswalked.
So if a person isn't walkinglike that, they swear and cuss
and it doesn't bother them.
And they can go and get drunk,and it doesn't bother them at
all.
They can flirt even thoughthey're married, or they flirt
with those who are married.
(19:26):
They can lie.
Their walk doesn't reflect whatthey say.
Their talk says I know Jesus,yeah, but their walk isn't
showing it, and this is what I'mseeing a lot of beloved.
So if you're a child of God,join me in challenging our
brothers and sisters to live it,in challenging our brothers and
(19:48):
sisters to live it.
Stop talking about being aChristian and live it, walk it,
walk the walk.
Quit telling people that I goto church and so that's what
makes me a Christian.
Join me in this challenge.
Help those who don't get it.
Help those who think that well,yes, I'm going to follow Jesus,
(20:13):
but I'm going to do that bystill living the life I did
before I was born again.
We can't do that.
Please spare your time and thenhelp others spare their time by
not doing that.
Live off of the misery of thoseof us who have tried it for
decades.
I wasted so much of my timesaying that I'm following Jesus,
(20:36):
even trying to behave myselfand get to church more often and
be more intentional atChristmas time and Easter time,
but yet I was still living likethe world.
Now, even when my speechchanged, the Lord took cussing
from me quite quickly and Ithank him for that, because
(21:00):
ultimately it just hurt peoplearound me and hurt myself.
But he took cussing and cursingaway from me.
So that's great, and there wasthings that he was working on
and to this day he's still.
The sanctification processwon't end until I'm dead and I
(21:21):
enter eternity.
Then I'll be glorified, amen.
But what I have learned as wellis what about the time that he
has given us?
Why isn't that more important?
If you're a born-again believerin this challenge of awakening
our brothers and sisters, lookat how we are spending our time.
(21:42):
Are we putting the majority ofour time into our work here on
earth, or are we putting themajority of our time in the work
that we have for Jesus Christ?
Not for making our life morebetter here by making more money
and accumulating more comforts,but we are indeed working the
(22:05):
Great Commission.
We are telling others aboutJesus, we are bringing people to
church, we are pausing andpraying with people.
We are seeking out the widowand the orphan and spending time
with them, giving them our timeand our love, whatever that
(22:25):
might look like.
Maybe a child in yourneighborhood who doesn't have a
mother or a father, and there'sthat part that you can help be a
friend to their parent and tothat child.
Or maybe a widow whose husbandpassed away years ago and this
little old lady has been livingjust a few doors down from you,
(22:48):
but you haven't taken the timebecause you're too busy.
You got too much going on inyour life.
Well, this is where we need tocheck ourselves again, because,
walking with him, knowing Jesus,do you remember when that young
ruler came to Jesus?
And this young ruler saidteacher, I have done everything,
(23:09):
everything that you have askedwhen it comes to the commands, I
have done.
And Jesus then said Well, okay,that's great.
Now sell everything you own andwalk with me.
And that rich young ruler wentaway, sad, because he was so
wealthy he couldn't do it.
He was keeping the commands.
(23:31):
He was very careful to try tofulfill all these commands, but
he wasn't willing to give Jesushis entire life.
He wanted to keep the money.
He wanted to still live likethe world.
And we can see that today,because there are many rich
young rulers today, and no, notrulers as in like of a country
(23:54):
or something like that, butsuccessful entrepreneurs, people
who have a lot of money, maybetheir career, they make a lot of
money, maybe their investments,whatever the reason that they
have a lot of money, they wouldfall into the category of a rich
ruler in ancient times and manyof us are much more well-off
(24:18):
than we think, especially forthose of us in America.
I know this podcast goes aroundthe world and thank you, lord,
for that.
But look at yourself, beloved,wherever you're at in this world
, and thank you, lord, for that.
But look at yourself, beloved,wherever you're at in this world
, and it's easy to compareourselves to our neighbor and
think, yeah, but they have.
(24:38):
Wow, look at their house, orlook what they drive, or look at
the connections they have,whatever it is, but then we fail
to see what the Lord has givenus, has blessed us with, and
because we desire more, wedecide I'm going to work more,
I'm going to work and I'm goingto make even more money.
So I start another business orI get another job or I invest
(25:02):
more money, whatever it may be,but then we spend a lot more
time trying to make money andtrying to gather things in this
world, in this life, instead ofwalking like Jesus walked and
made other people a priority,and that looks differently for
(25:22):
everyone beloved.
Maybe you're the kind of personwho can love people by giving
money to them, or maybe you havea skill or talent.
You're a doctor, a nurse,somebody who can practice
medicine, and you help those whoare in need.
Maybe you do go other places inthe world, because there are
(25:44):
many places who don't have themedical attention.
Maybe you're an educator, andso you do take time and you
teach, whatever other languageit is, to others who need to
know that language, and then seeto it they get God's word in
that language.
There you go.
You're loving other people.
(26:04):
Yes, we all have jobs.
Yes, we need to make money, butit's so easy for that money to
become the priority.
So, while I'm thinking about itbefore I run out of time,
retirement, for example.
There's nothing biblical aboutthat.
Retirement is our way of sayingwell, I want to make enough
(26:27):
money.
That way I can do what I want.
And a Christian may say well,yes, when I have enough where I
can retire, then I will go aheadand I will give back time and
I'll start going to church more,or I'll start volunteering and
helping those who are in needmore in my community.
(26:47):
Okay, but that isn't the wayit's supposed to work.
We don't tell God I will do itwhen I'm good and ready.
For those of you who have triedit, like I have, I'm sure you
can testify that it doesn't workthat way.
Does it?
God will make it quite clearthat that's not the way he does
(27:08):
things, because the other thingis we don't even know if we're
going to be around tomorrow.
James tells us in his writing inthe book of James that we don't
know what tomorrow brings.
So we don't have the right toplan out our coming weeks,
months and years and say this iswhat I'm going to do take it or
leave it, no, and say this iswhat I'm going to do take it or
(27:31):
leave it, no.
James says what we are to do isto say, if God wills, and I'm
going to be alive, I'll do thisand that Because then, every day
, we go to our Lord and we prayto him.
What will you have me do?
This day, my heart goes out toeveryone who is struggling with
this ongoing battle that we havewhich is a spiritual battle, by
the way Because every time thatwe try to do more for our Lord
(27:55):
and Savior, this world comesdown even harder and faster,
trying to entice us to take usaway from reading his word for
volunteering or for stopping atthe little old lady's house
we've been meaning to for years,whatever it may be.
But before I leave you, I wantto say this, and please think
(28:18):
about this, because if you havetoo much going on in your life
and you don't have the time toread God's Word and you don't
have the time to worship him andyou don't have the time to help
others, then you're not livingfor Christ, then you are not
walking as he walked, and it'stime you change, work less or
(28:45):
give up more things so you don'thave to work as much, but make
that time.
We all have that ability,because anything that's so
important to us, do we not maketime for it?
Even if it's a certain event, amovie comes out that you really
want to see, somehow peoplemake time for that.
(29:05):
A sporting event that a personwants to go and watch, they make
time for that.
When it's things that please us, we're quick to go ahead and
make time for that.
But I assure you, I promise youthis and I hate making promises
but I promise you that you walkwith Jesus.
(29:28):
But I promise you that you walkwith Jesus.
You follow his commands.
You will begin to be joyous,you will begin to be less
anxious, you will become lessdepressed, you will have a hope
that grows in you.
You will become a better personthrough Jesus Christ.
(29:53):
That's all I have for today.
I look forward to next week anduntil next time, god bless,
thank you.
Hello and welcome to Living God's Way in an Ungodly
World.
It's good to have you here withme.
I am pastor and author BR Maul.
Last week I was talking aboutthe importance of having a
relationship with the Lord andknowing him in your heart and
not just in your mind.
(00:50):
It's something that has beenweighing a lot on me lately,
because I see so much of thathappening.
People who are living theirlives believing that their
eternity is based on theknowledge that they have about
Jesus Christ, and these arepeople who attend church
(01:12):
regularly.
These are people who wouldconsider themselves good
citizens, doing the right thing.
People who pay their taxes,they work, they show up on work
on time, they do the job they'resupposed to do, they're helpful
, they volunteer, they'repleasant people.
These are people that are greatto be around.
(01:35):
Some are funny, some aretrustworthy, but my concern is
the growing number of people whoare not born again and are
considering that their salvationis based on that.
They have always known Jesus.
Talk to somebody and ask themabout that.
It's quite amazing people whobelieve that they're born into
(01:59):
Christianity and I can speakfrom the very fact that when I
was very young, I thought thatbecause what I listened to on
the news and watched on TV thethings that people were doing,
the evil that is out there,whether on the news and for real
or fiction.
That alone was enough toconvince me that I was a good
(02:21):
person and my family are goodpeople, because they too were
working hard.
They wanted to be helpful toother people.
Sure, they struggled whodoesn't?
Everybody's human?
But overall good people.
And that continues today.
Now I thank the Lord that heopened my eyes years ago to this
(02:43):
reality.
It wasn't easy for me to acceptand to take in, that's for sure
.
In fact, there was a time Ifought it because I didn't want
to accept it, to look back atone's childhood and realize that
there was some importantinformation in fact the most
important information when itcomes to one's eternity and it
(03:05):
was false.
But for those who have beenfollowing my teachings on this
podcast, you know that this issomething that is very near and
dear to me, that I can't sayenough of that.
Just going to church doesn'tmake somebody a Christian, and
there's other things.
There's those who go to church,yes, but also those who maybe
(03:29):
they have a father or a mother,a grandparent, who is somebody
who loves the Lord Jesus andgrowing up next to that person
or near that person, you got theimpression that that made you
also a Christian.
It kind of rubs off on you.
I could go on and on on themisconception that one is a
(03:51):
child of God because they knowwho Jesus is.
That's not what makes a persona child of God.
One must be born again, andJesus mentions that in John 3,
when Nicodemus comes to him atnight and he wants to know
Nicodemus as a Pharisee, ateacher of God's Word.
(04:14):
He wants to know, and that'squite amazing, isn't it?
Because this is a man whoshould have known.
He should have been able toinstantly identify Jesus Christ
as God incarnate.
Now, based on scripture, Ifirmly believe that if he didn't
know at that time, he certainlydid come to know that, but I
(04:35):
won't get into that.
But we know at that time thathe spent with Nicodemus, jesus
explained it quite clear in John3, that one must be born again
to be able to see the kingdom ofGod.
So I'm going to assume the restof this message that you
(04:56):
understand what born again is,because I want to continue
moving forward in thisconversation that if one is
indeed a child of God.
There must be proof in ourday-to-day living, because we
can live a life.
We can call ourselves whateverwe want in our life, but if we
(05:18):
don't actually do what it isthat we are saying we are, well,
then what good is it?
And we can apply that toanything, not just Christianity.
Anybody can walk around and saythey're a brain surgeon.
Well, if you say you are, butyou've never gone to school to
become a brain surgeon and youdon't go and work at a hospital,
(05:40):
you've never done an operation,then it'd be kind of hard to
claim the fact that you're abrain surgeon if you've never in
your life, ever done any brainsurgery.
Now that's one example.
We can go on and on.
I could go around and say thatI'm a comedian, that's what I do
for a living, a professionalcomedian.
(06:02):
But if I've never had one show,if I've never done one stand-up
routine in my life, well thenam I really a comedian?
These may be horrible examples,I don't know, but the same
applies to our relationship withJesus Christ.
You can claim to be someone'shusband or wife, but if you've
(06:24):
never stood at the altar, ifyou've never said I do, if you
don't live together, you don'tknow one another.
You barely know someone's name.
You can't identify what he orshe does, but you keep walking
around saying that you'remarried to this person, are you?
There needs to be evidence inyour life, and I think most
(06:46):
people would agree with me onthat.
I have taught the book of 1 John, but I do want to read from 1
John, chapter 2, starting inverse 3.
Now, by this we know that weknow him.
That's Jesus if we keep hiscommandments.
(07:06):
He who says I know him and doesnot keep his commandments is a
liar and the truth is not in him.
But whoever keeps his wordtruly, the love of God is
perfected in him.
By this we know that we are inhim.
That's Jesus.
He who says he abides in himought himself also to walk just
(07:34):
as he, jesus, walked.
That's pretty straightforward.
I believe John is making it veryclear If you're going to talk
the talk, you must walk the walk.
That's how we've said it inmodern times anyway.
And he even says now, by this,we know that we know him if we
(07:57):
keep his commandments In walkingin his ways.
Keeping his commandments isliving like Jesus lived.
He showed us how to live as hisdisciples.
That's why it's so wonderfulthat we can go back and read the
New Testament and see forourselves how Jesus Christ
(08:19):
walked.
So believing in him, believingin the blood of Christ,
accepting him as your Savior isonly the beginning.
Once we are born again, we mustlive like him.
Not because we need to get intosalvation by our works no, but
(08:41):
really for two reasons that Isee it.
One, as John just says here,that way we know that we know
him.
Only a person who truly knowsJesus is going to live like him.
But also for this other reasonthat we live like Jesus, that we
do good works, that we do as hehas commanded, is because of
(09:04):
our appreciation.
So that's really twofold, onethat we can prove to ourselves
yes, I do love Jesus, because Iwant to know how Jesus lived, I
want to hear what Jesus has tosay.
So, as you read the NewTestament, as you continue to
learn who Jesus is and you beginto walk like him and act like
(09:28):
him, to follow in hiscommandments and his footsteps,
such as loving the Lord, yourGod, with all your heart, mind
and soul, and loving yourneighbor as yourself.
Fulfilling that not just inyour mind, not just thinking
about hey, this is a good idea,but living this way, how
(09:50):
important that is beloved.
Someone who claims to know Jesusand to love Jesus but shows no
desire to know him, they don'tcare if they make it to church
or not.
Again, does going to churchhelp you get into heaven?
Not at all.
And unfortunately this is wherethe two extremes kind of
(10:13):
crisscross, because there aremany who do believe well, I'm
going to church, so I must loveJesus.
But this is where we have toknow that we love him because we
are keeping his commandments.
He never commanded us to go tochurch.
He has commanded us to love ourGod and to love one another.
(10:38):
In verse 4, he who says I knowhim and does not keep his
commandments is a liar and thetruth is not in him.
And perhaps what people arethinking is I know him
intellectually.
I can tell you what Christmasis all about.
I can tell you what Easter isall about.
These are people who sure theyknow him very well, in the sense
(11:00):
as a person would know somebodythey have studied in history,
somebody they have read a lotabout, and they can quote and
say the person was born this dayin this year.
And this is where they wereborn and this is how they were
raised.
This is the kind of life thatthey lived.
(11:22):
There's historians that canrepeat a lot of this information
on a lot of historical people.
And even today, in modern times, when it comes to famous people
, there are people who know thebackground in these actors and
actresses or their favoritesport figures, their favorite
(11:42):
football players, basketballplayers, baseball players, race
car drivers, you name it.
There's the sport out there andpeople can rattle off all kinds
of information.
So so what if a person canrattle off information about
Jesus To say that we know himbut then we don't do as he
(12:03):
commands?
Well, that makes us a liar.
And going back to the famouspeople or historians to say that
you know somebody, does thatmean you know them intimately,
that you know them personally?
Think of your favorite actor orfavorite sport, jock, and how
much you know of that person.
Does that give you the right towalk around and tell people
(12:27):
that you know them as if youknew them personally?
No, it doesn't, and I'm sureyou don't do that.
But whoever keeps his word truly, the love of God is perfected
in him.
Keeping God's word Well beloved, what does that look like that
is your life.
(12:47):
One's life needs to reflectthat.
You keep his word and, as Johnsays, then truly the love of God
is perfected in you, doesn'tmake you perfect, that's not
what he's saying, but it'sdoesn't make you perfect.
That's not what he's saying,but it's perfected in you
because you are living it out.
It's not just something thatyou know.
(13:07):
You don't just spout out verses, but you're living out what the
verses say.
We don't lie because we knowthat that is wrong.
We don't cheat because we knowthat's wrong.
We don't have affairs becausewe know that's wrong.
Cheat because we know that'swrong.
We don't have affairs becausewe know that's wrong.
We don't envy.
(13:29):
We're not greedy, because weknow it's wrong.
We are kind to people becausewe know that's right.
We are generous because we knowthat is what Jesus wants us to
do is to be generous with theresources he has given us our
time, our talents, our treasure.
We are forgiving.
We don't hold things againstpeople, why?
Because Jesus doesn't holdanything against us when we
(13:51):
approach Jesus.
When you took him in as yourLord and Savior and said that's
it, lord, I'm following you, youaccepted the price that he paid
on the cross, which means thathe owns you, which is a
beautiful thing.
So that's why we are going tolive every way we can.
We are going to follow his wayand not do things that is wrong
(14:16):
and do the things that are right, and by this we know that we
are in him, so you can know.
One never needs to question amI born again?
Am I heaven bound?
Because it's not based on ourworks, the works that we do.
We do because we love our Lordand he is our savior and our
(14:40):
Lord.
And then verse 6, he who sayshe abides in him.
So the person who says that heabides in Jesus ought himself
also to walk as Jesus walked Forbaby Christians, for those who
you haven't been a Christianvery long.
Yes, there's a lot of changethat's going to be happening.
(15:01):
As you walk with your Lord andSavior, as you read his word and
are praying to him, are takingthe time to be with him.
Yes, you will begin to besanctified and look and act more
like Jesus.
But the reason this part is soimportant is because what our
(15:23):
life looks like means so much,because it's not just a matter
of being kind, it's not just amatter of not being mean, it's
not just behavioral, but wheredo you spend your time?
Here's a big one for you If youwant to know how you're walking
(15:44):
with the Lord, if you're bornagain and you want to do what he
has told you to do.
He has also given us acommission, every single one of
us, everyone who is born again.
The last thing that Jesus saidbefore he ascended into heaven,
where he sits today, he said goto all nations making disciples
(16:09):
and baptizing them in the nameof the Father, son and Holy
Spirit.
That doesn't mean for you to bea Christian.
You must travel around theworld, but what it does mean is
that you are going to speakabout who your Savior is to all
nations, that's to all people.
Now, in modern times, thismakes it even all the more
(16:31):
easier because, with the worldbeing so intermixed, especially
in a country like America, whichis a melting pot of nations, of
people, you don't have to gofar at all right in your
neighborhood.
But anybody who is not bornagain is a people to go to.
(16:52):
Young and old, male and female,rich and poor, educated,
uneducated, sophisticated,simple.
I think you get the picture.
It doesn't matter Anybody whodoes not know Jesus we are told
(17:13):
to make a disciple out of Now.
The good thing is, it doesn'tfall on our shoulders to convert
people.
The Holy Spirit does that andI'm very thankful for that,
because then that would mean itwould rely upon my ability to
sell somebody on being aChristian.
That's not our responsibility,because you don't need to sell
(17:35):
somebody on being a Christian.
What you need to do is to showpeople the benefit of being a
Christian, because by our verylove for other people, the light
and salt that we are, throughliving the life, by obeying his
commands, by knowing Jesus asJohn has said in this letter we
(17:59):
show people that we are hischildren and the very fact that
we don't live lives that we arefull of anxiety, we don't live
lives where we are hateful andgreedy and people are quick to
see wow, this is a person I canreally trust.
When this Christian says thatthey are going to be here, they
(18:21):
show up.
When they say they're going todo something, they do it and
they do it right.
So it's in our very livelihoodthat we reflect the fact that we
are his children.
So let me go even further,because what I see so much
around me today is Christians,who I can't tell the difference
(18:43):
if they are an unbeliever or aChristian, until, of course, you
may ask them do you believe inJesus?
Oh, yes, I believe in Jesus,but up until that point, there's
no way of identifying that.
Because, going back to whatJohn said, are we walking like
him?
Because he who says that heabides in Jesus ought himself
(19:06):
also to walk just as Jesuswalked.
So if a person isn't walkinglike that, they swear and cuss
and it doesn't bother them.
And they can go and get drunk,and it doesn't bother them at
all.
They can flirt even thoughthey're married, or they flirt
with those who are married.
(19:26):
They can lie.
Their walk doesn't reflect whatthey say.
Their talk says I know Jesus,yeah, but their walk isn't
showing it, and this is what I'mseeing a lot of beloved.
So if you're a child of God,join me in challenging our
brothers and sisters to live it,in challenging our brothers and
(19:48):
sisters to live it.
Stop talking about being aChristian and live it, walk it,
walk the walk.
Quit telling people that I goto church and so that's what
makes me a Christian.
Join me in this challenge.
Help those who don't get it.
Help those who think that well,yes, I'm going to follow Jesus,
(20:13):
but I'm going to do that bystill living the life I did
before I was born again.
We can't do that.
Please spare your time and thenhelp others spare their time by
not doing that.
Live off of the misery of thoseof us who have tried it for
decades.
I wasted so much of my timesaying that I'm following Jesus,
(20:36):
even trying to behave myselfand get to church more often and
be more intentional atChristmas time and Easter time,
but yet I was still living likethe world.
Now, even when my speechchanged, the Lord took cussing
from me quite quickly and Ithank him for that, because
(21:00):
ultimately it just hurt peoplearound me and hurt myself.
But he took cussing and cursingaway from me.
So that's great, and there wasthings that he was working on
and to this day he's still.
The sanctification processwon't end until I'm dead and I
(21:21):
enter eternity.
Then I'll be glorified, amen.
But what I have learned as wellis what about the time that he
has given us?
Why isn't that more important?
If you're a born-again believerin this challenge of awakening
our brothers and sisters, lookat how we are spending our time.
(21:42):
Are we putting the majority ofour time into our work here on
earth, or are we putting themajority of our time in the work
that we have for Jesus Christ?
Not for making our life morebetter here by making more money
and accumulating more comforts,but we are indeed working the
(22:05):
Great Commission.
We are telling others aboutJesus, we are bringing people to
church, we are pausing andpraying with people.
We are seeking out the widowand the orphan and spending time
with them, giving them our timeand our love, whatever that
(22:25):
might look like.
Maybe a child in yourneighborhood who doesn't have a
mother or a father, and there'sthat part that you can help be a
friend to their parent and tothat child.
Or maybe a widow whose husbandpassed away years ago and this
little old lady has been livingjust a few doors down from you,
(22:48):
but you haven't taken the timebecause you're too busy.
You got too much going on inyour life.
Well, this is where we need tocheck ourselves again, because,
walking with him, knowing Jesus,do you remember when that young
ruler came to Jesus?
And this young ruler saidteacher, I have done everything,
(23:09):
everything that you have askedwhen it comes to the commands, I
have done.
And Jesus then said Well, okay,that's great.
Now sell everything you own andwalk with me.
And that rich young ruler wentaway, sad, because he was so
wealthy he couldn't do it.
He was keeping the commands.
(23:31):
He was very careful to try tofulfill all these commands, but
he wasn't willing to give Jesushis entire life.
He wanted to keep the money.
He wanted to still live likethe world.
And we can see that today,because there are many rich
young rulers today, and no, notrulers as in like of a country
(23:54):
or something like that, butsuccessful entrepreneurs, people
who have a lot of money, maybetheir career, they make a lot of
money, maybe their investments,whatever the reason that they
have a lot of money, they wouldfall into the category of a rich
ruler in ancient times and manyof us are much more well-off
(24:18):
than we think, especially forthose of us in America.
I know this podcast goes aroundthe world and thank you, lord,
for that.
But look at yourself, beloved,wherever you're at in this world
, and thank you, lord, for that.
But look at yourself, beloved,wherever you're at in this world
, and it's easy to compareourselves to our neighbor and
think, yeah, but they have.
(24:38):
Wow, look at their house, orlook what they drive, or look at
the connections they have,whatever it is, but then we fail
to see what the Lord has givenus, has blessed us with, and
because we desire more, wedecide I'm going to work more,
I'm going to work and I'm goingto make even more money.
So I start another business orI get another job or I invest
(25:02):
more money, whatever it may be,but then we spend a lot more
time trying to make money andtrying to gather things in this
world, in this life, instead ofwalking like Jesus walked and
made other people a priority,and that looks differently for
(25:22):
everyone beloved.
Maybe you're the kind of personwho can love people by giving
money to them, or maybe you havea skill or talent.
You're a doctor, a nurse,somebody who can practice
medicine, and you help those whoare in need.
Maybe you do go other places inthe world, because there are
(25:44):
many places who don't have themedical attention.
Maybe you're an educator, andso you do take time and you
teach, whatever other languageit is, to others who need to
know that language, and then seeto it they get God's word in
that language.
There you go.
You're loving other people.
(26:04):
Yes, we all have jobs.
Yes, we need to make money, butit's so easy for that money to
become the priority.
So, while I'm thinking about itbefore I run out of time,
retirement, for example.
There's nothing biblical aboutthat.
Retirement is our way of sayingwell, I want to make enough
(26:27):
money.
That way I can do what I want.
And a Christian may say well,yes, when I have enough where I
can retire, then I will go aheadand I will give back time and
I'll start going to church more,or I'll start volunteering and
helping those who are in needmore in my community.
(26:47):
Okay, but that isn't the wayit's supposed to work.
We don't tell God I will do itwhen I'm good and ready.
For those of you who have triedit, like I have, I'm sure you
can testify that it doesn't workthat way.
Does it?
God will make it quite clearthat that's not the way he does
(27:08):
things, because the other thingis we don't even know if we're
going to be around tomorrow.
James tells us in his writing inthe book of James that we don't
know what tomorrow brings.
So we don't have the right toplan out our coming weeks,
months and years and say this iswhat I'm going to do take it or
leave it, no, and say this iswhat I'm going to do take it or
(27:31):
leave it, no.
James says what we are to do isto say, if God wills, and I'm
going to be alive, I'll do thisand that Because then, every day
, we go to our Lord and we prayto him.
What will you have me do?
This day, my heart goes out toeveryone who is struggling with
this ongoing battle that we havewhich is a spiritual battle, by
the way Because every time thatwe try to do more for our Lord
(27:55):
and Savior, this world comesdown even harder and faster,
trying to entice us to take usaway from reading his word for
volunteering or for stopping atthe little old lady's house
we've been meaning to for years,whatever it may be.
But before I leave you, I wantto say this, and please think
(28:18):
about this, because if you havetoo much going on in your life
and you don't have the time toread God's Word and you don't
have the time to worship him andyou don't have the time to help
others, then you're not livingfor Christ, then you are not
walking as he walked, and it'stime you change, work less or
(28:45):
give up more things so you don'thave to work as much, but make
that time.
We all have that ability,because anything that's so
important to us, do we not maketime for it?
Even if it's a certain event, amovie comes out that you really
want to see, somehow peoplemake time for that.
(29:05):
A sporting event that a personwants to go and watch, they make
time for that.
When it's things that please us, we're quick to go ahead and
make time for that.
But I assure you, I promise youthis and I hate making promises
but I promise you that you walkwith Jesus.
(29:28):
But I promise you that you walkwith Jesus.
You follow his commands.
You will begin to be joyous,you will begin to be less
anxious, you will become lessdepressed, you will have a hope
that grows in you.
You will become a better personthrough Jesus Christ.
(29:53):
That's all I have for today.
I look forward to next week anduntil next time, god bless,
thank you.
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