June 27, 2021 - How to Live Loved so you can Discern

Okay, we're starting. And I know it'll take a while for everyone to get back in the day, is so nice out. There we go. I am broadcasting to. That's great.

for those of you who are watching online or watching later online, I do want you to know that I really, I asked you guys here, If you agree, but I felt I definitely like I felt the spirit of thickening here. Is the best way to describe it. Like, I'm excited. Then next week we can meet without masks and maybe hug your least fist-bump or whatever you're comfortable with whatever you want to do. But, but we can, we can show love to each other and more than waving across from the auditorium and I'm excited about that. But but in the worship today, I just felt a thickening of his presence. And that excites me even more. So I know if you're watching online, you might not even be watching so you can come here next week but I would really encourage you if you can come and join, get your flu shots. If you were, you're waiting on that. Because If you have to be, you're not getting sick. It's people who don't have the flu shots that are getting sick. So that's what I've seen the numbers and you can it's you're not going to end up in the hospital. So I know I will just be flagged for misinformation online by the professionals. I'm listening to is get your flu shots, that's what they're saying and so get them and be smart about things too. What were?

Where we at? What are we doing? We are

Continuing on in the series on discernment, on filler to discern. And if you haven't done it yet, you can go to Micah WC. CA And download the learn to discern workbook, and in that workbook, it'll start with the the goal and then gives you two while gives you four weeks of scripture on the sermon that with prompts on how to study those things in context and learn about that. And then there's a milestone at the end where you answer the same questions. You've answered at the start and we're looking to see if the change that happens over that time with the reading of the scripture and getting it in you with the lessons that are tots. And if you start to apply them, I want to see if we can measure the effects of We can't measure. I am 10% more Discerning, but I'm doing the things that the Bible tells me to do to be disturbing. That's what we're measuring, okay.

What's the the learn to discern tool? We its Clarity right? So you commit to spiritual maturity, you love always, you abide in Christ, Yuri awaken your conscience you and by the word of God you test everything holds of the good and you yield yourself to wise people. Last week, we talked about commit yourself to spiritual maturity this week. I'm going to try to come by and both of those, the love always in abide in Christ, because honestly, You do one, you're doing the other. You can't do one without the other. The problem we face is discernment without love is criticism. Right? You're not in the right place. If you're ready to put someone in their place. When you're ready to knock someone off, their high horse, you need to remember that. You have to be on a high horse to knock someone off their high horse.

if you were to look up the sermon online,

You would find almost every teaching. Does the same thing.

Almost every teaching on. Discernment says, here's the list of rules. You need to follow. Here's the checklist that you need to do. It makes people be in and make people be out and if you're in that's good and if you're out, you judge them.

That's not what the book says.

Please don't think what I'm telling you today is a list of rules. You need to follow. It's not What it is. It's a journey for you to be on the partner with Holy Spirit, to allow him to change, you more and more into the image of Christ.

Does it really matter what? Look at John 3:16. You know, this first but I want you to point out the second one second that which follows up with it, it's just for this is how God loved the world, he gave his one and only son so that everyone who believes in him will not perish, but have eternal life. God sent his son into the world, not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. If Jesus didn't come to judge, we need to learn what to do, how to live like Jesus, right? He wants us to love, always, and he wants us to abide in him. 1st Corinthians 16 for I would do everything in love John, 15:4 invited me in. And I in you as a branch, cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, you cannot bear fruit, unless you remain in me abide in me. And I in you as a burger that he wants us essentially the live love. Right? I love this phrase, I love the phrase. I don't like to use the word love in that context. I really enjoy the Phrase live loved. because, when I first heard this, I I

I went to the book, the ends of Kate like, I thought it was such a cool phrase, and it's like, what, what does it mean? How would I live if I live love? And I got a bunch of scriptures to tell me how to live love.

If you want these, I was able to put them online so you can download them and go through the scriptures yourself and I don't have the link to come up here, but the link is Rev, you can come and talk to me later to see if you're here. It's rough draft. Link, /, free, rev, Dr. Lynx, free. And you can download all of these scriptures that takes you, but what does it mean to live love? The live love means first that we are loved. And the fact that we are loved by God, is most important because God's love surpasses knowledge, and nothing can separate us from his love. Remembering, God is love and love comes from God. And he disciplines those, he loves to live life means that we love God. With all of our hearts are, soul are mines our strength, more than the earliest beers. The nearest love more than anything else in the world that we show it by obeying Jesus, by helping people by caring for the least of these and seeking his kingdom. In all things, knowing that were promised to Crown of Life. To live. Love means we love an action. In through our motivation is love. Our labor has prompted by love. We're generous, we speak the truth in love. We walk in love. We grow in love will keep our self and God's love. We have peace and are thankful. We find comfort in love or hope our love Springs from. Hope we have compassion and kindness and humility, and patience. Live love, means we love each other. We love each other as we love ourselves because he first loved us, our love and sincere with a pointed to one another and brotherly love. We honor one another above ourselves. We share our thoughts, people who are in need, we practice Hospitality, we forgive we're patient. We're kind, we don't envy, we don't both, we're not proud, we're not rude, we are not self-seeking, we don't, we're not easily angered. We keep no record of wrong. We always protect always trust. Always hope always persevere where United together. We can't be motivated by fear. Love covers a multitude of sins. The only debt that remains outstanding is our debt to love one another. To live love means we love. Even our enemies we don't take revenge of our enemy is hungry. We feed them at 4 or Thursday. We give them something to drink. We bless those who curse us. We pray for those who persecute us. If someone strikes us on the cheek we turn to them. The other we were at present the father who to send rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous That's what it means to live. Love We can't do that without the help of Holy Spirit. We can't do that unless we are transformed more and more into the image of Jesus.

God is wisdom, he speaks. But anyway, it wisdom comes from his mouth and he is wisdom. We need to become more and more like Jesus who represents the father in order to have discernment.

We need to be able to abide in Christ.

Let me know. We we we we can't do it on our own strength. You remember, remember when we talked about perfect love with perfect with the Bible says was first John says perfect love is perfect. Love is love that we first get from the father and it comes to us and then we share it with others. You see, there's a lot that we can go from here to others and that love will run out. There's a love that we can receive from God and keep it here and it doesn't go out. That's not what the Bible talks about. Perfect love, perfect. Love is I receive from God and I give it to others and that way I can do it. Continually, I can do it, always, I can keep growing in it and maturing in it. I can love always if I'm in the Vine. if I'm connected to the source,

we need to know how to abide in Christ.

What would it be like to have this flow of love, coming from God, to others on a regular basis? Not just in those moments, but in the theater day of every day, I know you've experienced it a x. I know they got it. You just be surprised. Get surprised because of this, this work. And it seemed so special, but that's the way that we were designed to operate. That's the way we were designed to be. We receive love from God and we give it to others. If we break that up in anyway, it just won't work. We need to do receive from him. Yes. And we need to share with what we spray and receive with others.

I came up with this abide in Christ tool and again, it's not a checklist for you to go through it. Something for you to understand that you and holy spirit will work this thing out. what it is, is

It's questions and it and it's keys for you to work through with holy spirit's help, okay? The acronym is commune and commune stands for, consider yourself that the sin offer yourself as a Living Sacrifice. Make space to regularly, connect move to the rhythm of the spirit. You analyze what you received from him? Never resist is pruning and he enjoy intense Fellowship. So let's get on to it. Can we pray heavenly? Father, I thank you for what you're doing in our midst today. I thank you. Lord God, for what, you're speaking to people's lives and hearts today, and I pray. Lord God, you would give us ears to hear and hearts to obey what you Holy Spirit are telling us to do. Jesus name, amen.

Consider yourself dead to sin, Romans 6. Starting at verse 7, says, for when we died with Christ, we were set free from the power of sin. And since we died with Christ we know we will also live with him. We are sure of this because price was raised from the dead and will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him when he died. He died wants to break the power of sin. Now he lives that might give glory to God, who you should consider yourselves. That does the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus? Don't let send control the way you live. Don't give in the sinful desires. You and I need to abide in the Vine. Sin can separate us from God.

The key that God gives us is confession and repentance.

When John is talking to the church, he says. When you sin? He's talking to the church. And he says, if you'd there is no, if you say there is no sin, you are calling God a liar. He's talking to the church. and then he goes on to say, but when you confess your sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

You and I have been designed to walk with God in the garden in the cool of the day. We've been designed to have that intense fellowship with him. and when we send send, Is disagreeing with God.

Whatever that means, however, that plays out. When you know the good you ought to do and don't do it, it's sin.

When you, you you can have sins of commission and sins of omission.

But we can't take sin lightly because God doesn't take sin lightly.

But he does provide the way for us, it's called confession. Confession is agreeing with God. What he calls Sin is Sin, that's what confession means repentance, the Mets. In a Greek word is methanol, that means to change your mind, the Hebrew word eschew. It means to turn around and go the opposite direction. The Christian definition of repentance is to change your mind and turn around, and do they do the exact opposite.

You do that by the power of the Holy Spirit.

It's his job to connect, it's his job to empower you to change. Yeah, it's important. We confess our sins to each other because having someone in the in the game in the fight with you if they got your back and it helps change things,

I understand here. We want that close communion with God, we want to abide with him. We want this. What? We feel Sunday morning when we gather we want Pat everywhere. It's not just for Sunday morning when we can get together when the government allows No, that's what we were designed for.

You need to be with him. Don't let sin separate you. The question you can ask yourself. I love this question. Is can I look at in the eye?

You know, I'm talking metaphorically, right? He's God, we're not going to look at, but you know what I'm saying? When I say that it's like, am I in right relationship with him?

Parents know this, your kids when they're in trouble, they don't make eye contact.

Can I look God in the eye? Not in arrogance or boat but just yeah he sees me. I know he sees me. And I know he's pleased.

Can I look at in the eye?

Eoin commune is to offer your body offer yourself as a Living Sacrifice. We got this from Romans 12. Wanted to say this. And so dear, brothers and sisters. I plead with you to give your bodies to God, because of all he's done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice. The kind, you will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship Him.

How long do I go here? Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you'll learn to know, what God's will is for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Sin can separate us from God Pride can separate us from God.

The key here is surrender.

It is surrender.

1st, Peter tells us that in your heart set apart Christ as Lord.

We don't talk about lordship nearly, I don't talk about lordship nearly enough,

But the question you can ask yourself is with Jesus as Lord Of My Life.

We've been designed to walk with God in the garden in the cool of the day, we have been designed for sweet communion with him.

And pride get in the way of that.

but when you allow Holy Spirit to answer that question for you,

With Jesus degree. That he's Lord Of My Life.

You might have some decisions, you've made come to your memory.

And it was come up, you use confession and repentance. That's all it takes. When we confess our sins, he speaks fluent just to forgive us. Our sins.

Don't let anything get in the way of you having that feeling like your Walking with God in the garden in the cool of the day.

Let Pride separate you.

PM first m in commune.

And I think this is important, you make space to regularly connect. Make space to regularly connect. What do I mean by that? John 14.

Where on Earth am I going here?

Oh, that looks good. John 14 starting at 15 says, if you love me obey my commands and I will ask the father and he will give you another Advocate who will never leave you use the holy spirit will lead you into all truth. The world can't receive them because it doesn't isn't looking for him and doesn't recognize him but you know, him because he lives with you now and later will be in you. No, I will not abandon you as orphans. I will come to you soon. The world will no longer see me but you will see me since I live you will also live when I'm raised to life. Again you will know that I am in the father and that you are in me and I am with you.

For me, it's important to have regular times to connect. If I do it in the morning it's that's up the for me to remember God in the day today. When I do it in the evening, I go to sleep thinking. It's not God's thoughts. At least a boat guide. If it's in the comes through in what I dream, and what I speak, and things like that. I want regular rhythms in my life to connect with God, it was so sweet here, this morning. I need this. I miss this.

But it's also my responsibility every day to have those times to connect with him.

What keeps us from doing it at a lot of times as worries.

We're in separate us from God. You know how? I know that Matthew 13:22. Talking about the parable of the seeds of the store in the sea, which is the word gets thrown along the ground and it falls and shallow grounds, and it Springs up quickly, but it gets choked out by the worries of this life.

Worries will keep you from being abiding in Jesus.

the keys that I found for this, our curiosity, and reverence

when I make space to regularly commune with God, I want to do that with curiosity, and I want to do that with reverence Reverence means I'm going to be still and know that he is. God curiosity means I can connect with him and all kinds of different ways. I can connect with him as I study worship, studied as a form of worship. I can connect with him, when I

Worship when I pray. When I hear a testimony.

The space. You create is a space where you exchange your problems for his peace, so that's prayer. That's worship. when you exchange your problem for your peace for his peace, it's it's

Testimony, it does it for me all the time. People stories about god. Wow. It's either I'm so excited for them or I'm so excited but we got did for them or God did it for them. You can do it for me. We got to start telling stories again guys.

You need to make space.

Don't let worries separate you from the life of the spirit.

Question, you can ask yourself is, how will I connect with God in the date today in a meaningful way? I would like to connect to God today in a meaningful way any day you asked yourself. That is a good day to start.

the second m is closed closely connected to it, but it's a different because we need that space to have those times to connect with God, but we also are told if he's always with us, So the second and means to move to the rhythm of the spirit, we got this in Galatians 5.

Where we going to start with this 22? But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives love and joy and peace, and patience and kindness and goodness and faithfulness gentleness and self-control. There's no law against these things. Those who belong to Christ have nailed their passion and desires of their sinful nature to the cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the spirit, let's follow the spirits leading in every part of our lives. I I really enjoy how you Gene Peterson transliterate sis first, he says, I sense, this is the life we have. Chosen the life of the spirit, let's make sure we don't hold. It is an idea in her head or sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implication into every area of our life. It's not just about having an event, it's not just about having these holy days. That's weird holidays from holy days or, or having those those spaces where we're, if we remember, we do it. It is an understanding that God is with us.

Am I also with him?

Busyness can separate us from God.

If you know what I said talk about is in this business comes from shame and we can't be ashamed of Jesus.

In the seventeenth Century. 16, her brother Lawrence was a Carmelite Monk and he wrote a book called I even downloaded it last week. The practice of the presence of God.

And what he did was he decided to find God in the mundane tasks of life.

So, as he scrubbed the pot, He was rubbing it as unto the Lord and sensing God's pleasure on him as he struck the pot.

As he swept the floor, he did it as unto the Lord and felt the presence of the Lord.

In that action of service.

I think that's a good tool for us to use. It says,

The key or I'll tell you the key later. That's a good tool for us to have is is to practice the presence of God.

Because he is with us wherever we go.

The key to that, the doing that is is gratitude.

When we have gratitude, we can see God everywhere. When we have gratitude it, not only protects our heart gratitude is a thing that protects our hearts, but gratitude also opens up our eyes to see God in everything.

so, if you want to practice the presence of God, just start with gratitude,

Start looking in situations is from God's perspective.

Someone comes and wants, that is angry at you for some reason. Ask yourself really quickly. God, what do you love about them?

What do you want to heal in them?

You're walking along the road. It's just like, be aware that God, created. All of this, that yourself being a

We're regularly.

Don't become so used to the normal that you don't realize it's extraordinary.

Don't let busyness separate you from his presence.

I'm going to change his question but the one I wrote it down. Is how will I practice the presence of God? I want to change that right now on the spot because I was a better question. You have a pen, and it's gone. This is the pen that will write underwater. I don't have the paper that will write her letter yet. Practice. What was I going to say? Am I with God?

Am I was. How are you practice the presence of God? How will I basically how will I bring God into the day today of every day? How will I see you guys today?

Say that with excitement. How about you got to do then? It's cool. You, you will see him.

So, we need to consider yourself that the sin offer yourself a Living Sacrifice, make space to regularly. Connect move to the rhythm of the spirit. The you is utilize what you received from him. What do I mean? They're all this is where it gets good.

John 15 starting at verse 7. Where is Route 7?

But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, You may ask anything you want and it will be granted. When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great, glory to my father. I have loved you even as the father is love me. Remain in my love. When you obey my Commandments, you remain in my love, just as my father's Commandments and I obey my father's Commandments and remain in his. I have told you these things that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow. This is my commandment love each other the same way as I have loved you. There's no greater love than to lay down, one's life, for one friend, you are my friends. If you do what I command no longer I call you slaves because the master doesn't confide in his slaves, but you are not my friend, since I've told you everything. The father's told me, you didn't choose me. I chose you and appointed you to produce lasting fruit so that my father will give you whatever you ask. Using my name. This is my commandment love one. Another I don't know if you caught that in those verses by Jesus. Told us. Free things that we received from him. By the way, ignorance can separate us from God to Trying to stop the ignorant here. There's three things we receive from God as we remain in the vine. Did you catch them? His word. For 7. Is love. Verse 9 and his Joy verse 11. That's what we received as were in the vine is where His words so that we can ask for whatever we want, according to his word and guess what? You got it. And that gives us great joy. As we were meaning his love this.

That's true that that's the perfect love, right? We receive from God. What a receipt. We receive his word. His word when is word is spoken. In actually contains the promise from God. Contains the ability to complete it. When he speaks a promise to you, it's already done. It's a yesterday man.

His word is spoken. Word is so powerful for us cuz we've been we know we we know how to discern because we know what God is telling us his word, his love. What were we talking about today? Remain in his love? Live love with the help of Holy Spirit and the power of Holy Spirit. Enjoy that. We got to start talking about you anymore. In church, I'm sorry. Because it's throughout the kingdom here. That's what the kingdom is about, is about joy. And I'm not talking about manufacturer Joy, let's be happy for this moment. I'm talking about is this gift of God that we received from him. That we can't wake the smile on her face regardless of a whatever happens. Take a look at this guy, some time figuring out what's going on. Man.

Don't let your ignorance separate you from all God, has for you.

Question, you can ask yourself is, who can I serve today?

I've been given his word and his love and his joy and that's just not for me. I got to give that out. Who can I serve with his word with his love and with his Joy?

The end. We got to talk about never resist his pruning. I read the end of John 15. Let's start at the start of John 15.

Bruce one. I'm the True Vine and my father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn't produce fruit. Any prunes the branches that do bearfruit interval, even produce more fruit you've been already pruned. And purified by the message. I gave you remain in me and I will remain in you for a branch cannot produce fruit. If it's separate from the vine, you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me as I am the vine and you are the branches, those who remain in me and I in them will produce much fruit for apart from me, you can do nothing.

Never.

How do we resist his pruning?

We can become offended it God.

Offense leads, the unbelief leads to lack of Miracles. How do I know that Jesus was in Nazareth where he grew up? And yet you always Mark 6325, Matthew 1358 5758 and it says it so beautifully. It's like they they his friends who knew him said, we know his brother, we know his mother, we know his sisters, who is this guy and they took offense at him.

Nick's burgers and he could only do a few Miracles there because of their unbelief.

Offense. It God leads the unbelief, it's the lack of Miracles.

I'd like us to get at least up to the level of unbelief is nazareth's cuz at least got that. Jesus did a few things there, right? We want to. That's that's our starting point.

What offense will kill us.

Absolutely. Why would you walk in the garden with God if you're offended at him? If you're resisting, what he's doing in your life.

The key here is humility.

The key here is like we've talked about I know, I don't know if I talk to you about this or talk to people online about this, but I know I probably do it everywhere because God's making it up unmanly clear to me. I can't, you got credit for the work of the one who comes to steal kill and destroy. And I need to treat all hardship as discipline. And I need to remember these are all light in Winter truffles.

Those three things help me not to be offended at God.

I want to.

Make sure.

If I'm offended him, it it's really hard to have that quiet time though that time to be alone with him. That's a clue. I'm a need to confess and repent.

It all goes back to the same thing when I'm offended him. I just go to God, I say God, listen. I sometimes don't know why I'm feeling offended at you, but I feel offended at you.

And then I might need to go through the things in my mind. That okay, well, I'm waiting on this and then this answered in common. So this answer, just let the more questions and God this isn't going on and I just okay, I'm not trusting you on this, am I Okay, God I need to trust you whispered help me to trust you.

and then when those things come back up, it's like okay God, I'm still I don't ignore the feelings, I can't ignore that that feeling But I need to admit that. I have it in Fast and repent.

Because I know that offense leads the unbelief, at least the separation.

I could tell you stories, I will. At some point I probably have in the past.

Fancy God leads unbelief.

Question, you can ask yourself if none of these other questions help. And on a regular basis is the question is, am I living offended? God,

we were created to walk with God in the garden.

He's big enough to take any offense. We have against them. It doesn't, he already knows it. It's not like you're going to surprise them. It's not like he's going to be offended. What he wants to do is heal you of that. He wants to let you know you can still trust him in this he's little he's actually creating you more and more into the image of Jesus that's what the process is.

So treat all hardship as discipline. And be humble before your God and he will lift you up in time.

Final e.

The first eat, but a lot of the last letter is e and it's enjoy intense Fellowship. Comes from Zephaniah just cuz it's the best place to have a definite at 3:17. For the Lord, your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take the light in you, with gladness, with his love, he will calm your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful song.

Zephaniah, wrote this to the people who would one day return to Jerusalem. All God's promises are yes and amen in Christ Jesus. If God rejoiced over his people returning, you rejoice, all of Heaven rejoices when a sinner comes to Jesus. We got an understanding God is not this. He is excited for us. He Loves Us. In fact, I'm going to totally mess up my whole system here because I've been telling you all these things that can separate you from God. I didn't write any of them down in any orders would have to go through all of them. But anyway, things can separate you from God or fence and ignorance and, and busyness and pride. And Other things. Send was one and I did have scripture verses for all of them.

I need to remind you. Nothing can separate you from God.

Romans 8.

Can anything separate us starting at verse, 35, can anything's ever separate us from Christ? Love, does this mean would no longer loves us if we have trouble or Calamity or persecution or hungry or destitute, or endangered, or threatened her with death scripture said, for your sake, we are killed every day. We are like she killed every day. We are being slaughtered, like sheep. Know despite all these things overwhelming Victory Is Ours through Christ who love us and I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love, neither death, nor life, nor angels nor demons, nor our fears of further date, or our worries about tomorrow. Not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. No power in the sky above or the earth below. Indeed nothing in creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God. That is revealed in Christ Jesus. Our lord, it does not matter if you need to confess sin in your life, it does not matter if you need to confess still fence it cut it doesn't matter. What is holding you back from that communion with God from that relationship where you are walking with him in the carton in the cool of the day. It doesn't matter what is the turtle and his love is for you respond to his love. Respond to it.

Oh my goodness.

Preach to myself sometimes.

Hope you guys get something from it.

You agree that walk with God, in the garden of the cool of the day.

Sin came into the world and you were the consequences.

Jesus came and took your place and reverse the curse and offered you. His yoke is easy and his burden is light.

You are a living light, you're a child of God, creation longs to be revealed.

Don't conform, but be transformed.

So that you can live love and learn to discern. Can I pray?

Heavenly father, I thank you for what you're doing. And I thank you that you are God.

I thank you, Lord that

Lord, you can you can make yourself real to the hardest of hearts.

And I pray for that Lord, God that that we would soften our hearts towards you, so that we can experience you more and more and make it Lord, you can be more real.

because Lord, as you become more real, we trust your love more and more

We trust that you are working all things together for good.

And we trust you are doing a new thing and we trust that you are transforming us more and more into the image of Christ.

I thank you, Lord. God it is For Your Glory. And your grace is sufficient for all.

Lord, I pray for those who are going through things that they midnight, I might not have ever shared.

The lord. It's been a long hard Road.

Already here that they remember, they can have that close relationship with you but it seems so long ago. And it might not even be real.

Speak them in a way that they'll respond to God.

Let them know you're great, love for them.

Lord help us all to respond to your love and show your love to the world that needs you.

Jesus name, we pray. Amen. Lehman. I think we just lost Pastor Sean.

You want to do announcements?