← ArchiveSunday, September 8, 2019DateSeptember 8, 2019Speaker—TextRomans 12Passages in this sermonRomans 122:24Psalms 115:36:33Luke 22:427:16Deuteronomy 29:2911:17Matthew 6:913:05Colossians 3:2316:18Genesis 5018:37Romans 12:124:58Psalms 119:10526:33Philippians 2:1330:08Acts 1636:38Matthew 2840:02John 1740:321 Timothy 2:343:37TranscriptClick any line to jump there.0:00Music Music Music Music0:28Music Hope you guys are doing well so far. My name is Josh Burnham, lead pastor here at Bethel. Let me just again plug the power of an invite. I have met at least four families or people here today that came because someone invited in that's here. It makes a difference. And we've invited, I don't know, more than I can count. And we have been received with open arms, our family. So invite someone to hear the best news that we can offer that Jesus saves.0:54Invite them to know Jesus Christ. And watch God work. Hey, if you are new here, welcome. If you are not new, welcome. For our covenant members, some people are listening in the home and traveling. We welcome you guys here today as we open up the word. Why do days like today matter? Because joining together strengthens our grip on the faith of Jesus.1:21That's why the Bible says that we should not forsake ourselves, but that we should join and we stir up one another to love and good works. So stir someone up today. You thought church was about you. What if you're here because of the person sitting next to you? You are to stir them up to love Christ more. So sad news. Today is our final day of our new sermon series called Because You Asked.1:49We call that because, no, because you asked. Because we asked. And it's been really challenging, but it's been good for my soul to see what the word of the Lord says. And so our final question that we're going to answer today is simply, what is God's plan for our life? And we took this survey last Christmas and you asked these questions. Look, this is something we want to know about the Lord.2:17This is something we want, the word of God to impact our life. So with that, a lot of scriptures today, mark your Bible in Romans 12. And we'll end there. So mark your Bible in Romans 12. You are not, the church is not the only ones that are asking the question, what is God's will for our lives? Even pop culture is asking this. Now, this is not necessarily an endorsement for the singer or his song, but Drake sings about God's plan.2:45I just threw you guys a softball to knock it out. I know the parents, they don't listen to Drake, but if they did, they probably would know this song. But he sings about God's plan. So what does that tell us? That even people outside of these worship gatherings are asking about God's plan for their life.3:08We're going to see what the word says about that this morning. So let's pray. And then we will look at the word of God together. Father, we thank you that you love us, that you have a plan, that we can know your plan and that we can live out your plan. Lord, be gracious to your people. Father, help us not be conformed to the ways of this world, but let us be transformed by the renewing of our minds,3:35that we may know the good and perfect and pleasing will of our Father. Lord, we desperately want your spirit to dwell within us and your presence to work among us today. So, Father, would you honor that prayer of your saints?4:02We pray this in Jesus name. Amen and amen. We're going to begin with some definitions. It's really important because that's going to make sense as we work out what is God's plan. I really believe that what you think is God's plan for your life might not be what you think it is. And I believe that many of you have struggled and stressed about knowing God's plan. And you've put too much emphasis on that and not God himself.4:28So chill out. Rest. Rest. Because this is going to be good for your soul today as it was mine as we unpack scripture together. So the above question resonates and necessitates a common understanding of terms. What is God's plan? So first, we must define what is a plan? What is a will? Because if you don't know what a plan is, how do you know what God's plan is?4:55Does that make sense? Okay, thank you youth. They're on top of it today. Secondly, if God has a plan, can we know his plan? So it's great. If God has a plan and we don't know it, let's just pack up and go home. Right? So if God has a plan, can we know his plan? And third, if God has a plan that we can know, is his plan specific for me?5:23Or is it general and ambiguous and vague? So that's our marching orders this morning. So Millard Erickson describes God's will this way. And I believe I have it for you there because it's really lengthy. What is God's will? God's will is the attribute of God whereby he approves and determines to bring about every5:48action necessary for the existence and activity of himself in all of creation. Now, some of you are thinking, okay, you've already lost me. Just hold, hold fast, hold with us. So the will of God is the sovereign will by where he holds everything in existence.6:10That is the sovereign will of God. And by the way, God's sovereign will is his, not yours. And it is his holy divine purpose. And they will never cease. Let me give you a Bible verse. The psalmist, Psalm 115:3 says this way, God is in heaven and he does whatever he pleases.6:33I love that. Basically, God is saying, I don't have to give you my plan. I am God and I will do as I will. And I'm thankful for that. Some of you think, well, what a man that God's kind of mean. I'm thankful. I'm thankful. You should be thankful. I'm not God. Right? And vice versa.7:02I'm thankful that I don't control my life. I'm thankful that there's a God who loves me more than me that is in control. Praise God that he does as he wills and not as I will. This is the same attribute that the Lord Jesus prayed in Luke 22:42 in the Garden of Gethsemane. He said, Lord, take this cup from me, but not as I will. Not my will be done, but yours. Was that Jesus defying the will of his Father?7:30No. He was saying, God, you do as you please. And I know the cross is difficult, but it pleases you to save mankind. So God, may your will be done. So Jesus recognized and demonstrates to us that the sovereign will of the Father will always and forever be accomplished. I know we're starting deep, but that's okay. It'll get easier. This is God's holy sovereign will.7:58So think big strokes. This is the will of God. The reason you're here is the will of God. The reason that the world was created by his word is the will of God. Whether you exist or not, God's will will be accomplished. Secondly, so we answer, what is God's plan for my life? We're Americans, right? What does that have to do with me? When we ask that though, we are not asking, what is the sovereign, often hidden will of the Lord?8:27When we ask the question, what is God's will for me? We're not asking God, what is your will for the whole universe? You're asking for specifics. So think about this illustration. A reporter one time asked Defense Donald Rumsfeld, when in 2003, when we began to attack Iraq, they asked him about the apparent failure to follow the war plan.8:49The reporter asked the Minister of Defense, Secretary of Defense, why did you not follow the war plan? And here's General Rumsfeld's response. He said, I don't believe you have the war plan. Because he didn't.9:16So when we ask the will of God, I think sometimes God's response to us is, Josh, I don't think you have the plan. Because am I the only one that's ever said, God, this is not fair. God, this is not your will. As if, right? As if I know the will of God fully and completely. So let me just say right now, we need to be in our place when we come to the Father.9:43This is the will of the Lord. So now what? So we just leave, right? Josh, you told me not to challenge the will of God. We don't even know if we can go to the will of God or know it. So let's go home. Now, C.S. Lewis says this. There are two kinds of people. Those who say to God, thy will be done. And those to whom God says, all right, then have it your way.10:09And our job today is just, we want to say, God, your will, even if God, we can't know it fully. God, your will be done in my life. That's the person that I want to be. So when we talk about this will of God, we're asking about another category. Not the sovereign, unrevealed, holy will of God, but the commanded will of God. The will of God that says, do not murder.10:39And yet we have people in our world that murder. The God who says in his, the Decalogue, right? Do not lie. And some of you lied this morning when you came in the door. How are you doing? I'm fine. No, you're not. You just lied. But his church says, oh, it's a white lie is that God will forgive that. No, we have disobeyed the commanded will of God. And so when we ask the will of God for my life, well, I believe what we're really asking for is this commanded will.11:07God, what is best? God, what do you desire in me? Deuteronomy 29:29 says the hidden things belong to the Lord, our God, the sovereign will of God, the hidden things. But the revealed things belong to us and our children forever so that we may follow all the words of this law. Does that make sense? The holy sovereign will of God is the one that is not revealed.11:36But the law, the word belongs to us that we may obey it, the commanded will of God. So when we ask, what is God's plan for me? We are asking about which one? The commanded will of God. This will make sense shortly. If the Lord, and by the way, I believe this is the plan that we long for.12:01If the Lord revealed himself and created everything by his word. And then he sent his only son, Jesus Christ, to become and take on flesh as God incarnate. And that son will one day come back for his people. Don't you think if God has revealed himself in creation and through creation and through his son and will one day return.12:27Don't you think that God is still revealing himself? Yes. God is a one who he desires you to know him. He desires you to know his plan. God wants you to know his commanded will. And it is not a mystery. Everyone exhale. Okay. We can know the plan of God. So what is that? First, God's plan is for you to obey him and trust him.12:56God's plan is for you to obey him and trust him. Think about what the Sermon on the Mount tells us in Matthew 6:9. Therefore, you should pray like this. Our Father, who art, some of you even memorize the King James, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done. Why would we pray that unless God is now empowering us to obey his commanded will?13:24Jesus wouldn't ask us to pray that if it's just lip service. I mean, if God's will is going to transpire, good luck anyway, then we wouldn't have to pray this prayer. So we pray because we're saying, God, we want to obey you and we want to trust you as you have commanded in your will for me. Vice versa, when I do not walk in the ways of Jesus Christ, then I am not living according to his plan and his will for me.13:53That's why the commanded will of God is so important. If I'm not walking according to that, I'm walking in a path of destruction. Let me remind you that this path, the path of God, the plan of God is not the broad path. It is the narrow path. So why do we think then it should be easy?14:22Jesus tells us that it's narrow, it's difficult. The camel and the rich man, right, is harder as a camel to get through an eye of a needle than a rich person. And by the way, you live in America, you are that person to go to the kingdom of heaven. Why? Because it's difficult. But this is God's plan and his will. Not only is God's plan for you to obey and trust him, but God's plan is good.14:51Let me blow this out of the water for you. Let me introduce you to a man in the Old Testament name, Joseph. Joseph was the favored child. His life, he began with the trust fund, Ivy League schools, big family. And his dad loved him so much that he made him a special coat of many colors. But unfortunately for Joseph, the love of his earthly father created jealousy with his other siblings.15:19So much so that they wanted to kill him. And one of the brothers, Reuben said, hey, guys, probably not the best decision to kill our brother. So let's just sell him into slavery. But we want dad to think he's dead. And so they took his coat and they killed an animal. They stained it with blood and they showed dad. They said he got eaten by wild animals.15:47And he's dead. And they sold him into slavery thinking, we don't care where he goes. We just want to be rid of this brother. So Joseph goes to Egypt, of all places. And because God has favored his life, the heavenly father is favoring Joseph's life. He begins to work in the ranks of a house named Potiphar. Potiphar was very high in command in Pharaoh's army, Pharaoh's administration.16:13And so Joseph begins to receive power because he's working not unto man, but unto the Lord, Colossians 3:23 would say. So Joseph is basically given charge of Potiphar's house. And one day Potiphar's wife looks at Joseph and says, hey, God's favor is you. So why don't you become mine? And Joseph, a man of integrity, a man of character, refused her advances several times.16:40Eventually it became too much. And so she tried to grab him and he ran out of the house without clothes or at least without his outer tunic. And when he ran, she screamed as if Joseph was the one that was pursuing her and he was thrown in jail. While in jail, two men from Pharaoh's house came to jail, a baker and a cup bearer.17:04And they had these dreams and they realized that the hand of the Lord was upon Joseph and Joseph could interpret dreams. And he's told the cup bearer, hey, you're going to live. He told the baker, not good dream. You're dead. And it came to pass. But he told the cup bearer, when you are restored to Pharaoh, remember me. And as a typical man, he forgot. And so years later, Pharaoh had a dream and the cup bearer said, I know a guy.17:33His name is Joseph. And he can interpret. He interpreted the dream. And through the interpretation of the dream, Pharaoh realized the hand of the Lord was upon Joseph. He restored him into second or third charge over all of Egypt. By the way, there was a drought that would be coming. There was a famine. And so Joseph was in charge of one of the greatest empires in the world and in charge of all of the food in the greatest empire in the world.17:57Through all of that, there was a famine in Israel. Joseph's brothers were starving. Dad, Jacob, tells the brothers, why don't y'all go to Egypt and see if they can give us food? Here, bring some money with you. They go and they meet a man named Joseph, who is disguised. They don't recognize him.18:26And through a series of events, finally, Joseph reveals to his brothers who he is. And listen to what Joseph says. Genesis 50, verse 19. Joseph said to them, do not be afraid. That would have not been my opening line to my brothers. If I'm honest. It probably would have sounded like this. I've been waiting years for this day.18:55Right? I mean, if we're honest, I can't believe you sold me. You neglected me and you left me for dead. I've been waiting my whole life for this. But Joseph didn't do that. He said, don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You planned evil against me. God planned it for good to bring about the present results. The survival of many people.19:25Therefore, do not be afraid. Why would he have to say it twice? Because they were afraid. I will take care of you and your children. And he comforted them and he spoke kindly to them. Man, talk about grace and mercy. What does Joseph say about God in this response? He says, what you intended for evil, it didn't happen that way because my God is good. And his plan is good.19:55Was it good that Joseph was sold into slavery? No. Was it good that he was thrown into jail? No. Was it good that his dad was grieving all these years thinking his favorite son was dead? No. But God worked that out for his good because God is good. So when we talk about the plan of God, I just want you to know that God's plan is good. And the plan of God flows from his infinite goodness and mercy.20:24Because God ultimately wants what is for your good and his glory. Now, some of you are thinking, well, you don't know what's going on in my life. I might not, but it's probably not Joseph level. It could be close, but probably not. And even Joseph would look at us and through all of this tragedy and say, God is good and his plan flows from his goodness.20:50God's plan is good. But I want you to know that things will happen in your life that are not in God's commanded will. So why did I start off with the sovereign will of God and the commanded will of God? Because there are things in your life and my life that are happening right now that are against God's commanded will.21:17And we need to talk about that. Because when we go through difficulty and brokenness, the last thing someone wants you to say is, well, it's God's will. While deeply understanding what God's plan is, you say, okay, pastor, you have my attention. What, what do you say? How do you explain? I'm just going to use this example.21:47How do you explain based on the will of God, the abuse of an individual? Because the reality is that some of you today have been abused by an uncle, a dad, a mom, maybe someone in the church. Maybe you are sexually abused and you cry out, God, how could this happen?22:11Was that the will of God for your life? Of course not. Of course not. Things happen in our life that are against the commanded will of God because we are sinful people. And Genesis says that the heart of man is desperately wicked above all. That's why Jesus, Jesus teaches on the Sermon on the Mount.22:37You have heard it said, do not commit adultery. But I tell you that everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. This is why Jesus says to those that would harm a child, it is better that a big stone is, is wrapped around your neck and you are thrown into the sea. Then you disrupt the innocence of a young child. So where was God?23:07What was his plan when this abuse was happening to you? In that moment, God was looking at your abuser and saying, I hate what you are doing right now. I hate your heart. I hate this abuse. I hate the hurt that you are creating. This is against my commanded will for your life. And because you have transgressed the commanded will of God, God is looking at that situation and he will hold that person in eternal judgment for that sin.23:36So when you cry out to God, God, where were you? God, I hate this. God is responding to us. I hate sin also. That is against his commanded will. And in that it gives us a paradigm to say, God, you are holy and you are just and your will will endure for all generations.24:05And also to say, God, God, where were you? God, how can these things happen in our world? Because we have fallen short of the glory of God. Some of you struggle with that in your life. And I know that you struggle because I struggle with the same thing. And it gives us a paradigm to say, God, oh, come, come back, restore things like they should be.24:35To those who violate your design for our life. So with that, that is the will of God, then how can we live out the will of God for our lives? How can I follow the plan? So with that now, I promise you Romans 12. Let's camp out in Romans chapter 12, verses one and two. We first thought ontologically and generalities and holistically.25:05I want us to think and apply it to our lives. So for those of you who have been holding your breath for 20 minutes. OK, it's going to get easier. Romans 12, beginning in verse one. Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God.25:23This is your true, or as I remembered it, your spiritual act of worship. Do not, do not be conformed to the ways of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then and only then will you be able to tell what is the good and holy and pleasing will of God.25:49So how can I follow the plan of God for my life? How can I follow the plan of God for my life? Firstly, simply, what does the Bible say? Sorry, that wasn't a question. That's an introspective question, right? If you're asking, how can I follow the plan of God?26:18The first question on your list should be, God, what does your word say? Some of you remember this in vacation Bible school. Your word is a lamp into my feet and a light into my path. Psalm 119:105. The revealed plan of the Lord for your life is found in the Bible decisively and authoritatively. If you've ever stomped your toe in the dark, you understand how much you need light.26:44And so God's word is that light. God's word reveals his will to us. If it is not God's plan, sorry, it is not God's plan if I have not consulted God's word. It is not God's plan if I have not consulted God's word. But God wants us to know and follow his plan. That is why he gave us his word.27:14So first question, how can I follow the plan of God? What does his word say about this? Secondly, we must be made new to follow the plan of God in our life. Look at verse one again. Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, I urge you to present your bodies as living sacrifices. Present your body. Romans charges us to be transformed by the renewing of our mind.27:44The reality is that for all of us, 90%, maybe 95%, 99% of what you do in your life is automatic and spontaneous. Let me help you think about it this way. You did not stop in the front door, by the front door this morning and say, God, reveal to me your will right now.28:05Do you want me to open this door with my right hands or my left hands? Because Lord, I know David was right handed and he was a mighty man of God, but I know that Ehud was a left handed man and he was a mighty man of God. So God, which hand do you want me to open this door with? Did anyone do that today?28:33No, you know what you did? No, you know what you did? Most of you grabbed the door with your right hand because you're right hand dominant. Like you grabbed every door for the whole of your life. And I grabbed because I am stuck in a right handed world. I grabbed this right handed door with my left hands and said, God, be gracious to me because I'm stuck in a world where I have to conform. So why is that important?29:02If most of what we do in our life is automatic or just spontaneous, then we must be transformed to do the will of God. We have to have a radical new birth. Because now if I am radically new in Christ, that gives me the opportunity without thinking because the Holy Spirit is moving inside of me that when I open a door, it's a spirit that is using that because he's working through me. So we must be made new.29:30This only happens with a heart transformation. Without Christ, you will habitually not do the work of God. Without Christ, you habitually do not do the work or the will of God. But by his mercy, remember what Romans 12 said, in view of God's mercy. But because of his mercy, now in Christ, you can habitually do the will and the work of God in your life.29:56That is his plan. Philippians 2:13. For it is God who is working in you, both to will, the will of God, and to work according to his good purpose. Secondly, are you made new by his mercy? We must be made new.30:26God, what does your word say? Am I a new creation? Because without newness, I will habitually sin. I will habitually rebel. But God, with newness in my heart, I will habitually honor you. That is Christ-likeness. Thirdly, we must, to know and live the plan of God for our life, we must radically renew our minds. Look at verse 2 of Romans 12. We must not be conformed to the ways of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.30:54This word, metamorpho, is the same word that was used when Jesus was transfigured. This change, this radical transformation. One pastor says it this way. We must not be like a chameleon that takes its color from the surroundings. As Christians, we should get our color from the word of God, from the spirit of God.31:24So are you renewing your mind? So we must do many things that the Bible does not give specific instructions about. There are things that you will do in your life where you can't just open it and find a verse. John Piper has a wonderful illustration. For those of you who are thinking about buying a new car. You can't open the word of God and say, God, right now, Tesla, Ford or Chevy?31:53Okay, Jeremiah, Chevrolet. That's it. Jesus is the rock like a rock Chevy. It doesn't work like that, does it? So what is God's plan for your life? Is it, is it Tesla?32:21Good for the environment. We're supposed to have dominion over the earth. Image of God in my Goday. Is it rock? Jesus is a rock Chevy. Is it Ford built for tough? Or is it God. I want to have the mind of Christ. And God, I don't want a new vehicle because a commercial should tell me that I will have a sustained, fulfilled life if I have a new vehicle. And God, I don't want to buy a new car because I want the neighbors to look at me and say, man, he's rocking it.32:50Someone got a promotion at work. No, God, I, I want to purchase a vehicle that would honor you. And God, I want to have a mind that is renewed in Jesus Christ. And God, I want this to be a spiritual endeavor. Lord, you lead me not by the ways of the world, not because a commercial told me so, Lord, not because I want to gain favor with other people in my life.33:12God, I want to have the mind of Jesus Christ. We must be transformed. And when we do that, this leads to Christ's exalted decisions when we have the mind of Christ. So that leads me to this point. Don't over spiritualize decisions.33:40Don't sit back and say, OK, new car time. Hmm. Lord, if I, if I miss this, you're, you're not going to send me to heaven. We should be careful not to over spiritualize everything. And listen to the way that we speak. Sometimes we speak of, I'm praying about the one college for me.34:06As if God would not bless any other college. Or we pray this way. God, I am praying about the one person in the world that I am going to marry. Talk about pressure. What happens if that person is hit by a bus? Like you're doomed. We think, think about the way that we pray, how much pressure we put on ourself. Or maybe for some of you, right?34:36You chose, you pray to say, Lord, let me cheer for the right sports team. And you realize you chose wrong. But we need to be careful about over spiritualizing some decisions in our life. Because this leads to spiritual analysis by paralysis. I believe that we should be more concerned with our bodies as living sacrifices than all of these certain decisions that we, we add undue spiritual stress in our lives.35:02This is just the way that I believe. I believe that our prayer, and we're talking about asking God-sized questions. But a greater prayer is not, Lord, you point out the college. It is God, wherever I go, I want to honor Jesus. So, Lord, if I go to a college in Alabama, Lord, I want to live for you and make an impact in this college.35:26Lord, if I go around the world, God, I want to live for you and make an impact. Because if we're not careful, we feel like, man, I chose the wrong college that God didn't want for me. And God failed and God can't dwell in me. That's not true. It's not true. We should be praying, like Romans 12 says, be transformed by the renewing of our minds.35:50And then we will know the will of God. Devotion to Christ is greater than decisions. Devotion is greater than decisions. Think about what we teach our kids. Decisions, decisions, decisions. We should be teaching them devotion, devotion, devotion. Let God grab your heart and then godly decisions will flow from that. This is God's plan.36:21Fifthly, how can I know and live out God's plan? Be a living sacrifice, abiding in the spirit. That would go back to the sermon from last week, right? Be spirit filled, be spirit led. Let me give you a quick example. Paul in Acts chapter 16 says this in verse 6. Paul was going through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, but they had been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia.36:42When they came to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the spirit of Jesus did not allow them. Passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. During the night, Paul had a vision in which a Macedonian man was standing and pleading with him. Cross over to Macedonia and help us. After he had seen the vision, we immediately made efforts to set out for Macedonia,37:11including that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. Paul never tells us how the spirit blocked his journey. He just tells us that it happened. But you know what I see in Paul's life? How can we live out the plan of God in our life? How can we live out the plan of God in our life? Be a living sacrifice.37:40Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, which has changed you, present your bodies as a living sacrifice. Now, let me get Old Testament for about 30 seconds. A sacrifice is killed. Anything that is killed is dead. Die to yourself. Live in the newness of Jesus Christ. That is his plan for our life. Is it possible?38:09Is it possible that we are sometimes seeking the knowledge of God's will rather than obeying and abiding in the spirit? Is it possible that many times we just pray, God, you give me your will. And God says, I have given you my spirit. Abide in the spirit. A living sacrifice. Because when we are living in the spirit, spiritual decisions flow from a transformed life.38:34If you have the spirit of God, you will have the plan of God. Fifthly, we should ask. Sorry, sixth point. We should ask Christ-centered questions to do the plan of God in our life. So pastor, what do you mean by that? Be a living sacrifice. Good questions to ask about the will of God. Good questions.39:04Good questions. Is this good for me? It's a good question. Will this help me succeed? Good question. Is this moral? Really good question. But we want to ask mercy questions. In view of God's mercy, those questions sound like this. God, does this decision make me more like Jesus? God, what will help me best bring glory to you in my life?39:30Father, how will this help me present my life as a living sacrifice? And I believe we should be taking risks for Jesus and we should be asking why not questions. God, you commanded us to go throughout the whole world. Until you tell me no, I'm going to go. Some of us say, God, when you tell me to go, then I will. God said, Josh, I did.39:59Matthew 28, first point, my word. Go and make disciples. Ask God sized questions, not good questions. Do better than good. We can ask mercy questions. Lastly, is this, and I'm going to get some amens from parents right here. Is this decision confirmed by the council and the community of faith?40:27Jesus prays in John 17. I pray not only for these, but also that for those who believe in me through their word. That's us. May they be one as you father and I are one and I am in you. We must listen to the oneness of the community of Christ. Are you listening to the council of the church? Young people, not so young people.40:55If you are dating a young man or an old man or woman. And you have godly parents that do not like that person. Run. Run. Pastor, you don't understand my parents. You don't know how they just don't like me to do. They never want me to date. That is true. That is true. Okay, I'll give you that one. But let me tell you a deeper truth. If you have Christ honoring parents.41:25They love you sometimes more than you love yourself. And it just doesn't come to dating. If you are doing something in your life that your godly friends say don't do that. You know what? Don't do it. Run. Flee. God has put the community of faith in our lives to bring glory to himself. Listen, the reason that our family moved to this area to serve and love this community. Is because. People like you were praying. And I'll tell you just a quick call of my life here.41:56We were serving as serving a church in Louisiana. I loved it. Difficult work. One of the most unreached counties or parishes in the United States. And I kept getting calls from a place in Alabama. God, I don't even know people in Alabama. And they kept saying, look, we feel like we've been praying. We need a pastor. We feel like we just feel like you're that person. And I said, ha, no, I'm not. And it's kept going on and on and on.42:26And I remember praying and seeking the Lord and God just showed me. He said, Josh, if my people are praying and they are one, you'd be a fool not to listen to the counsel of the faithful. And that thought in itself changed the way that I prayed. It's to say, God, I trust your people. Because God, I trust you. So how can we confirm our decisions?42:55Have godly people in your life that love you and point you to Christ and listen to them. If you have godly parents, listen to them. If they say that guy is no good for you, he is no good for you. And you're going to call them in 20 years and say, Mom, Dad, you were right. And I was mad at you, but you saved me from a lot of hurt. Thank you.43:24Thank you. Listen to the counsel of the faithful. What is God's plan for our lives? Let me give you one verse for all of us. 1 Timothy 2:3, this is good and it pleases God our Savior. Who wants everyone to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. What is God's will for you today? That you would be saved.43:54So pastor, how does that happen? You've talked about this living sacrifice thing. I don't want to die. I don't know what that's about. To follow Christ, you have to get to a point where you say, I will not follow myself anymore. God, I know I've fallen short. God, I am a sinner. God, I have disobeyed your commanded will for my life.44:21And God, today I realize that I want Jesus. Because you sent your only son to die for those. He proved his love that while we were sinners, Jesus died. God doesn't wait for you to clean your act up and then come to him. God says, Josh, when you are at your worst, that's when my son pursued you. That's when Jesus died. If you have never put your faith in Jesus Christ, God's plan is that you would be saved.44:51And we invite you just to pray a prayer of surrender, a prayer of salvation. But salvation said, God, I need you. And God, today I believe and I will pursue you because you love me. God, forgive me of my sins and accept me. And when we pray that, you know what God's response is? It's, I was waiting for you to ask.45:22Because I want you to be saved. I've made a way. Run to the altar. Run to the altar. Run to the cross. That is God's plan. For those of you who have put your faith in Jesus Christ, C.S. Lewis says there are two types of people in this world. Those who pray, God, your will be done. And those who God looks and says, okay, have it your way.45:49Would you spend time right now saying, God, your will be done in my life. Let's pray, church, Father.More sermons on Romans →
