R719 The Absolutes Of a Purpose Driven Life, Pt.3

God has an encouraging word for you and me today. The Bible-based teaching at Dr. Don Wilton about the absolutes of the purpose driven life as we open God's word together were available for you to pray anytime 24 hours a day at 866-899-WORD@866-899-9673 would be our privilege to pray with and for you Dr. Don Wilton off, open your Bibles to polls letter to the Colossians in chapter 1 Paul's letter to the Colossians the first chapter this morning just for the sake of those who might be worshiping with us for the first time, or perhaps in a long time right in the middle of the purpose driven life in God to speak because God has a plan for each one of us.

He doesn't need us, but he chooses to use us and as we tried to understand and to know the mind of Christ as we try to come to grips with God's purpose for our lives, we come to the conclusion that there are a number of nonnegotiable's that we need to have in place because it we don't have these nonnegotiable's absolutes in place we going to be blown around, tossed to and fro with every wind of change with every ideology with every persuasion with every thought happened in every philosophy, every argument in every debate that comes down our way it's going to influence us going to change us.

It's kind alter direct I want to be able to stand up straight. I want to be able to be bold and resolute to be a man of deep and abiding conviction. I want our young people to be able to grow up to become solid rocks in their community. Based upon the absolutes of the word of God and frame. We believe that these things are essential. They were essential because they are God's non-negotiables.

Now there are many, but we are focusing on three the first one we looked at Bloss Creek was the source absolute and we came to the conclusion that God and God alone is the originator of our very lives.

We must understand that I'm going to reinforce that for you. Let's have a look at Colossians chapter 1 Colossians chapter 1 I'm going to begin in verse 15.

Bible says that Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God, the first born Garrett is over whole creation.

For by him all things were created by the way, what is God take responsibility for all things. Now what do you have that predisposes you toward who God is, that does not belong to God, very important, my friends. The Bible says by Jesus Christ who is the son of the living God. All things were created things in heaven and on visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities all things were created by him and for him. That is an incredible statement that he wants an incredible statement folks because there's a lot wrong in this world ever thought about that you know the only way that people like Kari to and boom survived the horrors of Nazi Germany. You know the only way she survived.

You might say what it was for resilience. Her bravery well I'll tell you what it was it was that Kari T. And boom understood the source absolute even in the pit of hell itself. Folks, people will tell you that survived the concentration camps in Auschwitz and Dachau and so on and so forth. I'll tell you the only way that they survived in the midst of the most horrific circumstances was that they understand they stood upon the source absolute. Let's continue. Verse 17 he is before all things and in him all things hold together. I'm going to stop right there in him all things hold together what what do absolutes new for us. They hold us. They bind us.

They keep us. They keep us rooted right where we need to be well this week I sat down I brought out a pin. As we were reading through the purpose driven life of the assigned passages and began to say to myself. Don Wilton what are some of the most critical questions that you would ask of yourself. Personally and I wrote down a whole lot of them money going to share six of them with. I believe that these are some of the most critical questions that we could ever number one number one.

Who am I who my father gets a critical question the pursuit the never ending pursuit to find out who we really are. Do know that there are some people who are born in don't know they all some people graduate from high school and even with a high school diploma. They still haven't found out who they are. Some people go on to university and college and I get higher education degrees including PhD's and I graduate and I still don't know who they are. Some people who marry wonderful people. Husbands and wives and and rear wonderful sons and daughters and yet they still don't know who they are there some people have wonderful businesses and travel the world, but they never know who they are there some people who come to the point of being and at the point of being placed alone wondering whom I I believe with all my heart that they are all millions of people today, for whom that's the most critical question, who am I because everything comes from that you don't know who you are you going to wonder around like the children of Israel in the wilderness you going to go from this thing to that thing you never going to have a sense of fulfillment. If you don't know who you are. You will lead an unfulfilled life. I've never had moments of un-fulfillment in your life where you what you doing a lot, too busy, your active you're engaged, but to run from food. Just a second one that I wrote down what on earth am I careful.

We've heard that one before.

Not I mean do I need to know who I am. But I want to know why I'm here.

One of the semi-careful what is the purpose for my being, my just kind of going through life as a vapor number three.

Does God really have a plan for me. Please don't misunderstand me, but I should imagine, because I do all the talking around here on Sunday mornings that there's at least one person to die out of the thousands of worship with us, you would look at me and say you're not what I wish I could be Don Wilton.

He just seems to have it all together. Does God have a plan for me. Emma Bentley seems to have a plan for everybody else, but not me why my wandering aimlessly around does God have a plan for me when discovering that he does you been fearfully and wonderfully and very uniquely handcrafted by God.

You are here. According to his purpose of the Lord Jesus has a wonderful wonderful plan for you. He's playing your whole life and he wants you to know that anyone to to be complete tender beef folk fulfilled and to be whole because one now. This is a tough one. Before this was my fourth question that Austin it's a it's a tough one. If God loves me, why do I hurt so much. You see, my friends, I have met many people over the years for whom that is a very real question. Sometimes we would say to ourselves what you know, I know the Lord Jesus Christ not not to your asking questions like that.

It's rather cheeky. I don't want to be rude to God. I don't want to be an affront to God.

I don't want God to think that I am being disrespectful about the fact of the matter is that people hurt, we lose loved ones. We go through tremendous pain and suffering. We hurt financially.

Children disappoint us. I believe parents who have done everything right and their children bring them so much grief in so much pain that parent is God.

Every reason to say Lord if you love me. Why do I hurt like this. I'm a faithful man and woman who had been faithful and yet they marriages are broken up. Why do I hurt like this. If God loves me, why do I hurt so much. And then we begin to understand that God is working all things together for the good of those that love God and to those who are the cold, according to his purpose. It's a remarkable thing to know that God is not just with me when I'm on a mountaintop buddies in the deepest valley of my experience just another one number five.

How can I become like Christ that was our operative question this week. How can I become like Christ is see that has to do with growth, maturity, it's about discipleship. Did you know by the way that God's purpose for you is that you ought to grow to become more like him that you need to grow in spiritual maturity. Yesterday my wife and I had the best fun, lost my because we had a visit. His name is cash Hargrove is the grandson of our treatment of deacons Bruce cash.

We tell you this little feller is three months old. He's about the spring as cute as a button. I'm calling Jerry Richardson today because I found Avenue linebacker for the Carolina Panthers. I mean this boy is one little cuddly fellow you just want to gobble them up. Well, he came to visit us last night we boss them around.

We just had the best time you standing on his feet in both arms, just like it you know something while I was holding cash that little skunk sprayed all over me and I'll guarantee you when he spat all over me. You piston everything else.

There was not one time that that cute little fella cash gave one single thought to, you know, I don't think I need to do this to Dr. Don.

That's just not right where the goals went down started admiring the paintwork in the house and didn't.

And all the other kinds of things and go on and us guys were left with the little fella and I tell you we kind of pasta. Moran just had the greatest time. He's the cutest little thing, but I meant to ask you something.

Folks widely little cash Hargrove not think twice about splitting up all over me because he's a baby. I understand that virtue. You know that babies are the most selfish creatures in the world all babies think about is number one. I let you know when I don't have food. They let you know when I've had too much food, to make that sound. I mean babies. Let me tell you babies are the most selfish people. What you do you change them you burp them you love them. You rock them because they babies. How can I become more like Christ is the question that taps into the purpose of God. Nominal austere very tough question off Rob made a wonderful stripe.

Someone said to me a couple of days ago pasta you been 18 years. What are some of the greatest joys you've experienced in 10 years at Spartanburg. You know what one of the greatest joys is for me that I've watched many of you so many of you grow to become more like Christ folk. Please listen to me when I came here.

Some of you were a bunch of babies and I have watched you grow and become spiritually mature. And guess what I would pray with all my heart that you would say the same thing about me. I would pray that many of you in this congregation would say pasta when you came here man am I glad you don't behave like such a big old baby anymore. Are you listening to what I'm saying. Folks, when did you come to know Jesus Christ. When did you give your heart to the Lord. All right, now that you want to that question.

You still behave like a baby so I will. How does a baby behave. Will babies power.

Have you ever made a Christian is a member of the church in parts you don't get your own way so you pout or maybe you stole feet or maybe maybe you want your diaper changed all the time all just maybe you just selfish. If it doesn't suit you. You get mad or maybe you just can't help yourself school you school all the time. Everybody's going to listen to your school you complain, you go home and when you have lunch on Sunday. You have church and preacher for lunch. Let me tell you what you doing daddy if you behaving like a baby spiritually in front your children you're cultivating a bunch of babies you criticize your church you criticize you pasta you criticize everything your children are going to grow up and do exactly the same thing I wanted this apparent Jedediah that you never you never do things that are deep and meaningful you're not faithful you're running here and there and everywhere your children again to grow up exactly the sign you say what you mean just look at them when I go to college off yourself by going to church. What are they doing this is confrontational. Folks are bad parents excited me Mama doesn't matter. I'm just gonna drink a little. I have my own private little liquor cabinet. It doesn't matter. On one hand I'm going to tell my kidneys that I love the Lord that I bought principles. We got to go to church but on the other hand I'm going to do exactly what I want. Guess what your children are going to you just gave them license to start drinking yourself and don't believe all this poppycock about billboards that say parents to care. Tell their children how to say no and no waiting to say women and and don't drink and drive and you see all this absolute junk that floats around all these long as they come up.

God, my friend, God speaks to our hearts and he said listen, I want you to know that I have created you with one purpose in mind and that is to grow to be more like Jesus, please forgive the interruption will be back with more than just a moment.

But isn't that our goal to be more like Jesus and the way he affected culture in the love of Jesus.

That's what we are called to do with the culture, courage, wonderful book available on our website right now alongside a message from Dr. Wilton be salt and light. Both of those resources are right now on our website, TE, W online.org hope you drive by and take a look@cwonline.org. Now back to today's great teaching with Dr. Don next question number six what should I believe these are critical questions that make us uncomfortable. Why we struggle, we struggle like anything because all of us may stop by the way, if there's a single person. The others never missed a premium these departments. I'd like to meet you by the way, if you're a parent just sitting here today and something is being said that Mike you really worry is sitting there sign. Boy am I guilty cannot tell you how to handle it. Gather your children around your wife and your children or your husband and your children around the table today sit down and say to them, my beloved sons and daughters.

My wife, my husband, I went to church this morning God spoke to me and I been wrong and I want to tell you that I'm sorry. Any questions I'll tell you, you will be more parenting in 30 seconds that you would've done in the last 30 years trying to your daughter who you've offended because of your own personal behind.

It's not because you don't love her, you just live the double last few Schroeder one thing and then another thing just turned her sigh honey I love you with all my heart that he wants to tell you something.

I went to church this morning God spoke to me. If you ever heard the phrase you and I went to church. The preacher got a lot of my free orator man. I'm sitting there. That seat was hot.

I felt like he was talking to me. God speaks to you.

That's the purpose of God. When we come into the house of God. God speaks see frames it all comes down to these absolute absolute number one. The source absolute absolute number two. This sustenance absolute.

We read about it now, in Colossians chapter 1. It's one thing for me to be born to know that my source is God that I'm rooted in him, but how my going to be sustained love little cash Hargrove kinda house loss not know the girls remote the gun admire the postcards and the dads were left behind. It's ludicrous to think that Robert Hargrove, his father, or my son Rob and myself for every cash that we would've stood up and said you know we just going to go outside and throw Frisbee for a while put the little baby down and site cash.

You just take care of yourself will be back in a little while. That's a ludicrous statement. Folks, let me tell you, God is the same. He doesn't just put us down. He sustains us. If you hold to the sustenance absolute you hold to the absolute truth that where as God is the source of my creation. He is my route that beyond that God has made a complement to type of me now. How does he do it two ways in which he does according the Scriptures. Number one, his power sustains the earth, and number two is grace monitors the earth. There are your two operatives in the purpose driven life. The power of God the grace of God. How does God sustain me.

I stand upon that is an absolute. I can tell you whether I'm in the deepest valley with rum on top of the mountain. It doesn't matter where I beat no matter how much absent no matter where I've fallen. I can tell you this, my friends, God sustains me. He sustains me by his power, and by his grace the power of God is rooted in his sovereign majesty.

It is based upon the character of God.

It is because of who he is.

The grace of God is based upon what he does. What is the grace of God. It sees unmerited favor that God's grace. It's as if someone were to come to people like you and me.

Imagine if someone came up to me sometime and say to me now' I just want to give you this thing and I mean it's a wonderful thing and I turned to that person and I say to them all.

Listen, that is so kind of you, but I cannot accept that offer the gift but you find it very hard to accept. I know some people who are so used to giving. I can't imagine actually receiving, by the way, did you know that there is a gift of giving, and there's a gift of receiving and can you imagine someone coming up to you and site you listen, man. Bob got this thing whatever it is and I just want to give it to you. I just for all all know not know. I think that is just so kind of you. thank you very much but i know i insist that you take all your grandmother would shoot me.

i know there is no no no no, i'm not that i can't know i want to take it. it is on my heart i know i want you to. you finally get to the point at which that person says well i know that you don't want to take it. i understand that but i insist that you will folks.

that's what god's grace is not listen. there is not a single thing we deserve to receive the grace of god, but he gives it to us anyway. so for all of those of you that were about to get up and walk out. please remain seated, because there is not one of us here today who deserves to stand upon the sustenance absolute god's power and god's grace. it isn't absolute. it is not the payment on me and what does that mean it means that god will not disrupt the plans that he has. it means that god will not relinquish the power he has made available to you and it means that god will not sustain his grace, which covers he's the god of covenant.

just think about is god -dependent upon what i do or feel about any given thing. god is god is what he does because he is god. he makes these power available to me. he gives to me his grace, and because he does these two disrupt the plans that is made for me. he's not going to relinquish the power that he is made available to me and he's certainly not going to suspend his grace, which covers me. i am covered by the grace of god, and i don't deserve it and i didn't read your lead passage in colossians, but if i read you that all passage we would've got down to verse 22.

the bible says in colossians 122 but now he has reconciled you by christ's physical body through death, to present you holy and esop without blemish, watchlist, watchlist and free from accusation all right frames has a little quiz today. what is the number one thing satan will do to you continually.

someone tell me this morning accuse you. satan is the accuser here accuse your man he'll make you feel miserable. you tell you you're sorry he will tell you your visio tell you you're hopeless you tell you you've messed up your hypocrite. he'll tell you that you don't have to rare your children tell you that you might mistake.

he is the accuse why is he that because the bible says the thief is come to do what to destroy. jesus said i've come that you might have life that life is available to each of us. you've heard dr. don wilton preaching to the pulpit but now open your heart to what he wants to share with you next. are you ready to give your heart and life to the lord jesus christ.

why don't you pray this prayer with me right now.

dear god, i know that iversen and i know that jesus died for me today. i repainted my sin and by faith i receive you into my heart.

in jesus name, my friend. i welcome you today into the family of god.

this is exciting news. if you just gave your life to jesus. welcome to the family of god or rededicated your life to christ were so excited to see what god's next in your life and would love to be part of it. love to pray for you celebrate with you and put some free resources in your hands at dr. wilton wants you to have her phone numbers 8668 take a moment, jot the number down stored in your cell 866899967 connection to us 24 hours a day and we love to put these resources in your hands before get away closing thought from our chief encourager dr. don wilton you know i'm so glad that we been able to share together by means of radio today you just mean so much to me and how thankful we are going to get you can call right now and connect with me, 866-899-9673 you get that 866-899-9673 call and connect with me right now. the next time i stay connected on our website@dewonline.org