Pleasing Your Father, Part 2

Today on Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt challenges you to become a fully functioning follower of Jesus Christ, writer of Hebrews is make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have, for he himself is said never desert you know why I ever forsake notice the analogy writer is what you and I always think we don't have enough money money money that have money. He said make sure your characters being content with what little I have some more money. My name is money, joining us today on this additional Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt Fellowship in the Words the radio ministry of Fellowship Bible church located in Metairie, Louisiana.

Let's join Pastor Bill Gebhardt now again he shows us how God's word meets our work.

Many years ago I read desiring God.

John Piper said this John Piper said God is most glorified when we are most satisfied in him every change that were glorified God is most pleased when we are most satisfied. That's when he's most pleased.

That's when I rest in him. You see, no matter what's going on around me.

When I rested him guides is so pleased he rest in me, but the circumstances we live in economic uncertainty in the pandemic, especially this is very unnerving to us and God said why don't you just rest wanted to just rest in me, and what we say. Yeah, it's really hard. Just please me. You see, no matter whether things are going well. Going poorly. I keep saying this over and over again in all the sort of individual messages, but what God is telling you and I over and over again in the word of God in my what's going on in your life. Is this I got I got this know what I got not what happens. What the government runs out of money is there is no vaccine for two or 3 W got you. Trust me soon. I think a lot of us don't please God think that's what were doing were not pleasing God were asking whether we realize, not for God to please us, God getting their change of circumstances, so I feel better but as you don't realize is the test I'm testing you are even whisper the answer please God. That's the answer I just want to please God when I am satisfied in him. I can be anxious.

I can't worry I can be fearful I can't be angry. I can't be better. Now if I'm satisfied in God. You see, that's the whole point. I remember the context of the sermon on the Mount, Jesus.

Most people go through economic difficulty and make they said what are we going to do you know we don't have anything were never going to make it what Jesus say yeah I got I may have a look at a bird, having seen a flower, what are you worried about I don't know I don't have enough is and how about this seek first the kingdom of God in my righteousness will at all this to you I got this. You see, I got this and that's what we keep feeling.

I think in this test were just not doing it at all last week I talked about this whole idea. Repent and rest in quietness and trust out of Isaiah message never changed. God still saying the same.

It doesn't matter what this dorm looks like it doesn't matter what urine he said this is what I want from you. So as I begin to think about this. I thought of some practical ways we can please God and up. Fortunately for your sake I probably wrote down and got about 50 and I decided that's too many. It's hard to admit get to the member, one, two or three things, 50 would be impossible. So I just put on five. How can I please God in the midst of what's going on right now and the first thing might not seem quite as clear to you but it is to me the first thing we can do is to confess our sins repeatedly. I keep short accounts with God.

First John 19 if I confess my sins to God is faithful and just to forgive me my sins, cleanse me from unrighteousness. That's I relate to God.

In other words, could I be feeling through something like this. Yes. Can I get my eyes off of God, yes. Can I complain and whine. Yes I become fearful and yes I better knowledge of the sin, because that's what it is it sin on my part you see in network confess for some of you have a different background think confession something else. The words Homo legato homecoming single cell or one of the ideas I say the same thing about my sin that God says, I feel the same way about my synagogue feels. I acknowledge my sin before God and is is and he does the rest is faithful and just it's my relationship with him all my sin and all yours is been forgiven of the cross that some were talking about here were talking about our day-to-day relationship with God keep short accounts with God. Secondly, Paul said this.

These are tough times or how about this, pray without ceasing, pray without ceasing. In other words, your life and mine should be as a child of God. A dialogue with my heavenly father goes on all the time. I'm not denouncing this I'm just saying it. It's given me hesitance to think about it at times.

That's why am always bother when someone wants to have a national day. Let's have a special day and then will bring really on that day were going to pray. What about the day before the day after the days before the days after the weeks before the weeks after.

Why not every day because Paul said pray without ceasing. Why don't we always in dialogue with God not it won't count as much if we have a day then God will wake up and say all they're all praying.

I'm going to do now will do something he says you pray without ceasing.

Why because prayer drives me to God. That's what prayer does prayer drives me to my father.

So why one guy talked to my father all the time. You see, why would I not in fact the writer of Hebrews is come boldly into the holy of holies. You see, I don't. I'm not like the high priest once a year I can go boldly into the holy of holies will go right up to the throne of God crawl up in his lap. According to Paul call him Bob father which is daddy and then tell them what I'm going through. He said yes. I want you to do you have open access to me just come every day.

Pray to me. You see, confess my sins, pray without ceasing, be content with my God and my circumstances. Hebrews I want to show you this verse. Hebrews chapter 13 verse five. I'm just gonna read it the right of humerus is make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have, for he himself is said never desert never desert you know why I ever forsake you notice the analogy writer of Hebrews.

It's what you and I always think we don't have enough up money need more money. Money got have money. He said make sure your character is free from the love of money. He said being content with what you have, what I have I have God you see and what we say.

All I need is more just more money. What I need is more money. I have God and he owns all the cattle and all the hills.

The whole universe escapist I can have more than God. He said then you need to be content with that.

Well, who decides then how much I day my father loves me in the side I can be content with what Paul say I've learned the secret of contentment. What I've learned how to have a lot and I burn.

I have little having much or having little doesn't make any difference. Paul said to me at all.

I don't care if I'm in a palace or present to make any difference to me and then he says in that context because I can do all things through him the strength you see how that worked. Some content in God. So the idea be content with my God and my circumstances. Fourthly, be a witness to our Lord to be a witness to our Lord. This is in second Corinthians 5 in verse 20. This, nor Paul writes therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us.

We beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God were ambassadors for Christ was that mean we represent him. When we what what do we do were the only way people can come to a saving knowledge of Christ God has entrusted to you and I his children. The message of the gospel. He says yeah that's what you're my ambassador you need it. That's what you need to do now let me ask you something. If a lot of people are losing their head in the middle of a pandemic in an economic turn down in all the other things going on. Might that be a good time to present the hope of Jesus Christ, yes, but it won't work very well if you're just as panicked as they are your complaining, just like they are your whining just like they are.

You see, that's why Peter said learn to give an account for the hope that sinew God can set those up for us. He said were the ambassadors what all of us should've the thought as soon as this began is all my goodness because I want to please him. Oh my goodness, what an opportunity for the gospel of Jesus. I'll admit this. I've only heard a few people tell me that through the whole thing so for what an opportunity for us. This is an opportunity unlike any other opportunity we've had no what we keep saying is what is he going to stop and change all the circumstances. Maybe when we pass the test you see maybe right now were not passing if you were not trying to get up every morning is a how can I please, Lord, what can I do and the last thing to care for in the love my brothers and sisters in Christ to care for love, the faith family.

I have seen that and it's been wonderful to see their 39 one another's in the New Testament is a lot of want one another during our responsibility to each other is amazing. But in the midst of a storm like this.

What capacity we have to encourage one another, exhort one another love one another careful one another, serve one another. You see, what a distinction Jesus said if you love one another. By this all men will know you are my disciples, is a great witnessing tool. The way we love one another, how you doing in that area.

I would encourage you to bend others what have you given for other people how to serve them.

What what's going on in your life. You see, just a text that says thinking of you, praying for you means a lot to a person.

Some of us get a pretty good though so that mostly because of the friendships we have in Christ. But all of us in the body of Christ needed.

This is an opportunity for us to take care of the body of Christ so confess our sins regularly pray without ceasing, be content with God in my circumstances, be a witness for my Lord and to care for love my brothers and sisters in Christ. Five things that I know will please him. God is watching and the lost are watching with Lucy from us one last passage you want to go to his second Peter second Peter chapter 1 in his is where the rub comes. Peter starts out he says in verse two Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. Seeing that his divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, then the notice that word. God has given you and I everything we need pertaining to life and godliness is that include a pandemic or not.

Does that include economic downturns or hard time yeah so giving everything so I gave it all to you why he loves me as my father is giving everything you want, he said, through the true knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and excellence, he said by these he has granted to us his precious and magnificent promises gotchas.

I'm also going to give the spiritual food. You need to grow. I'll give you all my promises. Although it's a promise he said notice, then so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust gotchas. I'll give you everything you need to grow spiritually give it all to.

I'll write it down. These are my promises. Now you believe my promises you'll grow spiritually. Then he says in verse five now for this very reason. Also, applying all diligence in your faith, he said supply moral excellence and your moral excellence knowledge and your knowledge, self-control in your self-control, perseverance, and your perseverance, godliness in your godliness, brotherly kindness and then your brotherly kindness love is that if these qualities are yours and are increasing. He said they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is impregnated with a few really good thoughts. The first one is here is this. If you're growing spiritually you're doing.

Would God ask two things about you. You're not useless or unfruitful. One of the worst things a Christian can say without realizing the saying the same to God I'm useless and I'm not fruitful and I've had Christians tell me that this and if you will useless not fruitful, you wouldn't be here.

You be with your father when you're useless or unfruitful.

He'll take you. But if you're here.

That's not true that's a that's a lie that temptation to victimize yourself doesn't come from God comes in. The enemy is a that's not true at all. You're not unfruitful. I decide that no matter what your circumstances are. He said that's not the way it works. But what's interesting to me is he says something in verse five.

It's the key to the whole thing for us of whether we want to please God every day are not. Comes now for this reason also, applying all diligence that your responsibility in mind is if I don't apply diligence and all these other things, ending up with love. I'm never going to get there.

I have to play all diligence, you see, first of all I have to want to please my father then I have to do what's necessary to please my father I have to acknowledge my sin.

I have to pray without ceasing. I have to share my faith is all these things are important. I need to study the word of God award when it doesn't need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

I need that I have apply diligence in my life because only when I'm growing in applying diligence when my modem be the same as Jesus, and I say will go. I want to do is please him every day I get up I just want to please and so through this whole pandemic and economic uncertainty.

I challenge you to just say you have one goal. I just want to please my father when I get up every day. I want to say father I when I was one please you today when I'm in a conversation with someone else, especially if it's political or economic are my words pleasing to my father because many of you know that's not true. You know what you're saying isn't pleasing to your father. I mean, remember this. Paul will let no one kind word come from your mouth. Should one want to please him every day.

Father use me in any way you can use me because I know you please you and my only go through this all I don't know how big it will be on how long the last. I don't how deep it will go but I know I can please you every day. I want you to say to me what you said to Jesus, this is my beloved son in whom I will please he's not asking for me. The perfection of Christ. He's already handled all that by forgiving my sins allowing me to have a relationship with them. You see my point of view. When I think of this whole pandemic and economic uncertainty. One word comes into my mind.

What is this is a deep tour. That's all it is. All this is a deep tour.

All of us were going along our way right you just going along the way. You have all planned out how it's going to work and then all of a sudden coronavirus the tour what is a deep tour will first of all, it's a delay in that if you got a deep tour you're now delayed you're trying to get someone you look up in the area are were now in a deep tour. It's a delay.

Secondly, detours always pop up when you don't expect them always. Some of you had a detour when you got a prognosis from a doctor and from that morning on your different path.

You're not where you were all thoroughly detours change our plans completely, but you know what detours are quite necessary. That's what we have detours.

It's quite necessary. They are designed for our good. How about this detour bridge job. I don't want to do this over 25, 30 minutes for get back bridge the digital to be a good thing in your life. God uses detours so that we can grow spiritually so that he can test this me think of Joseph's deep tour.

Here I am, the price son of Jacob, the next thing you know my brother's room in a pit and sold me to Egypt.

What a deep tour how'd that work out or die. Well, then it God use the detour even told his brothers you mentor for evil but God meant it for good, because he always tested for the good.

So we are in delay. We didn't expected it changed our plans but because our sovereign God. I know that it was quite necessary why my sovereign God allowed it, and I also know from Romans eight it was for my good and it was for yours as well. So one goal and I pray that you do to know.

I just want to please the God loves me. That's what I want to do.

I want to get up and please my father I pray you do to the spring.

Father, we get so preoccupied with the circumstances we get so preoccupied with hypothetical solutions. We keep believing that the most important thing is never the most important thing.

How does our economy recover one with a vaccine be ready. We keep thinking that's the answer, but it always be something else. You're the answer and for us to get the answer right for us to one of the things you need to rest. Trust that's not each and every pastor broke your heart on the radio ministry or fellowship nor if you ever miss one of our broadcasting or maybe you just like the message one more time. Remember the good a great website called one place.com that's one place.com and you can listen the Fellowship in the Word online that website you will find on today's broadcast. So many of our previous audio programs as well at Fellowship in the Word. We are thankful for those who financially support our ministry and make this broadcast possible. We ask all of our listeners to prayerfully consider how you might help his radio ministry continuous broadcast on this radio station by supporting monthly fourth just a one-time gift support for ministry can be sent to Fellowship in the Word. 4600 Clearview Pkwy., Metairie 7006 if you would be interested in hearing today's message in its original format that is is a sermon, the pastor will deliver during a Sunday morning service at Fellowship Bible church visit our website FVC Nola.org that SBC and LA.Margie at our website you will find hundreds pastor Bill sermon you can browse through our sermon archives defined sermon series you're looking for or you can search by title. Once you find the method you're looking for.

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