Obedience, Prayer, and Proclaiming the Word

We glorify God by loving him enough to obey and as we live a life of obedience that is ever maturing. Simply stated, spiritual growth and Bible God asks you servants to do something. The message means materials and specific directions were always provided. The man had one thing to do and that is obey.

Yet keeping up your end of the deal, obeying God in every situation is not easy is it, how do you become more obedient and how do you avoid the same recurring sins. John MacArthur's lesson today on grace to you goes to the heart of the obedience issue, it will show you how to deal with sin and even habitual ones, and it will help you be a more faithful, obedient Christian John's current study is called back to basics and so with a lesson. Now here's John we been having a great time studying together the subject of spiritual growth and nothing.

Frankly, is more important in the life of the believer, and that the believer be involved in the process of spiritual maturity. It would be a very tragic thing for a Christian to stay in a state of infancy for all of the years of his life on earth. And yet sad to say, that's exactly what happens in many many cases churches are filled with people who never really grow up spiritually and we want to deal with that by sharing the principles of the Scripture that really point us in the direction of spiritual maturity. Now we assume that God wants us to grow, we don't need to assume it specifically, we can know it specifically because second Peter chapter 3 verse 18 says grow in grace and first Peter chapter 2 verse two says that we are to desire the milk of the word that we may grow. So growth is really commanded.

We are told to grow up.

Paul says be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about by every wind of doctrine.

We are mature we are to grow, we are to progress in our Christian lives.

Yesterday should be one thing today should be something else and tomorrow should be something again. In fact, I have often felt in my life that any day that I don't grow at least a little bit in progress toward Christ likeness is a total loss. There ought to be in each day some element of progress in my spiritual life.

Now we talked about some of the ways in which we grow spiritually, but we've said.

Overall, there is a master key to spiritual growth and it is this. We grow as we glorify God if we are not living, to the glory of God. The only other alternative is reliving the self glory or the glory of Satan and in either of those two latter conditions.

We don't grow it all. Only as we live to the glory of God do we grow in our key verses second Corinthians 318 which says as we with an unveiled face. In other words, we have clear vision.

Behold in a mirror the glory of the Lord, that mirror is the word of God that reflects it to us as we gaze at the glory of the Lord. Marcus, we are changed into his image from one level of glory to another.

In other words, we begin to ascend a level of glory in a time to more and more be like Jesus Christ. As we gaze at his glory, the focused and of the Christian life is to really know God and glorify him. This is the expression of Paul when he says that I may know him so the believer than if he is to grow has a focus and the focus is the glory of the Lord, and as he loses himself in the glory of the Lord.

He begins to grow very practically speaking, we have learned that that means several things. First of all, we glorify God by confessing Jesus as Lord in Philippians chapter 2 it says that we are to confess Jesus as Lord, to the glory of God, to sum it up very simply, if we are to grow, we will grow as we glorify the Lord. We will go from one level of glory to the next. We will proceed from being babies to being young man to being spiritual fathers.

Only as we glorify God only as we live in his glory. As we honor him with our life. That means first of all, that we must confess Jesus is Lord, you can't live the glory of God unless you're born again unless you're a believer unless you have given your life to Christ. That's what Paul is saying and if I can just remind you of another thing that we discussed.

Is this the becoming a Christian is not primarily to keep you out of hell not primarily let you experience blessing, but becoming a Christian is primarily so that you can live to the glory of God because that's why maybe it's always interested me that most everything that God may give him glory the heavens declare the glory of God the beast of the field gives me glory, says Isaiah.

The angel said glory to God in the highest, but it's amazing how humans resist giving glory to God.

In fact, in Romans one it says when they knew God, they glorified him not as God is that it is that terrible legacy of human sinfulness. That man doesn't give God glory. Thus man never progresses spiritually. Now when we invite Christ into our lives when we confess him as Lord. When we acknowledge him as Savior and Master then is the birth that begins the progress of spiritual growth. Now how do we grow spiritually once were, say, others a second way we grow spiritually as we aim our lives at that glory.

In other words, we are saved, and that acknowledges God. And then we aim our life that is everything we do in glorifying God. The verse were used as first Corinthians 1031 and it says whatever you do, what you eat or drink, do it all the glory of God and eating and drinking is the most mundane thing.

There is the little simple things of life. Like eating and drinking are to be done to the glory of God. Now listen as you live your life that way. Doing everything to the glory of God. You will feel in your own life.

The power of the spirit of God moving you along the line of maturity. Now we shared some other things as well. There's 1/3 element in glorifying God that gives us growth and that his confession of sin in Joshua 719 it says make confession of sin.

Give glory to God we glorify God by confessing sin we saw also that we glorify God by trusting him.

It says in Romans 428 Abraham was strong in faith, giving glory to God.

So as we confess Jesus is Lord.

As we aim our life. That is, glory as we confess our sin as we trust God, we are giving him glory. And in response he is pulling us in a spiritual magnetism toward Christ likeness. We saw also in our previous studies that there is 1/5 way we glorify God, and that is that we glorify him by our fruitfulness. In John 15 eight it says herein is my father glorified, that you bear much fruit we also saw we glorify God by praising him in Psalm 50 verse 23, it says whoso offer of praise glorify if me, so we seem then at least six ways in which we practically glorify God, and in each of those areas as we give ourselves to that, we will be maturing. There's no big secret to this is not some divines that there is not some little special deal that happens you know the sun go over some kind of a clicker and you're really there. There is this constant steady pace of growth that occurs in our lives as we are giving God the glory and by the way that's synonymous with walking in the spirit living in the spirit obeying the word of God, letting the word of Christ dwell in you richly, all that is synonymous as we are abandoning to God, you look to the spirit submissive to the word we are giving him glory. That means in our confession of sin in our trust in him in our fruitfulness in all of those areas we are yielding to his glory. I want to add 1/7 way in which we glorify God we glorify God by loving him enough to obey him. We glorify God by loving him enough to obey you. I want you to turn to me, to John chapter 21 John chapter 21. This is a very important point and it's one that we've touched on briefly in a previous point, but I want to stress it because I think obedience is so very important. In fact, if the if I could simplify the Christian life. The one word it would be the word obedience and by that word. I don't just mean external obedience. But, I mean the spirit of obedience. The heart beat of obedience. Unlike the little girl was standing up. You remember the story and her father since it out and she kept standing there and he said I said sit out and she kept standing there defiantly and he said sit down or I'll spank you and she sat down.

She looked at her father set on sitting down but I'm standing up in my heart that's not the kind of obedience were talking about.

Not the kind where your obeying what you're really disobeying in your heart, not a kind of a of a crushing legalism, but a spirit of obedience. There should be in the life of a believer, a willingness to obey.

Now, as you look at chapter 21 of John's Gospel you come to the incident in which Jesus confronts Peter and really wants to affirm Peter in the ministry and so in verses 15 and following. He confronts Peter with this very important element of love glorifying God means you love them enough to obey not just to give you a little bit of insight go back to verse 15 let's see what's going on.

It says there so when they had finished breakfast and they met on the seashore there and they had breakfast together and Jesus then confronts Simon Peter and he says Simon son of Jonah, love us down me more than these, and he uses the word in the Greek, but is that the magnanimous word for love that the greatest word for love the pothole on the pay he says do super love me Peter, do you totally love me and my the epitome of your affection more than these, and some people think that these means the nets and the boats in the fishing which were so much a love of Peter's others think that these means.

The other disciples do you love me more than these love me like you said one day when you told me if everybody forsakes you. You never will because you love me so much, but whatever he was referring to with the term. These he was asking Peter if he loved him. You super love me, he said unto him, yes Lord you know that I and he didn't use a pile useful L which means I like you a lot, Jesus, as you super lovely and Peter did want to see all Lord I super love you. You know what Jesus would've said him a really if you forgotten what I said if you love me you will keep my what commandments Peter couldn't claim that kind of love because he didn't give any evidence of it like the guy wrote a sweetheart and said I trust the burning sand to be by your side I'd swim the English Channel to be near you. If it doesn't rain on coming over Peter didn't really have the nerve of the gall whatever to say I love you with the super because he was caught in the act of disobedience voices. I like it a lot is going to sneak in the back door little bit figure in the Lord. At least be able to accept that he said I feed my lambs and what he wanted Peter to do his feet his lambs.

He wanted him to be a pastor.

He wanted them to be one who would preach the word to help build the kingdom and he accepted Peter on that level. Second time he said him, Simon son of Jonah, you super love me he set on him. Yes, Lord, you know that I like you a lot said, feed my sheep. Synonym 1/3 time, Simon son of Jonah use Peter's word he said do you like me a lot and that hurt. Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time he liked me a lot. He wasn't grieved because he said the thing three times. He was grieved because the third time even questioned the love Peter thought he could get away with any synonym Lord you know all things you know why I like you a lot.

Another point but here's this Jesus can use anybody does 11 and living to his glory means loving him and maybe your love is all that could be maybe visit the pothole maybe is a supreme love. But if it's good solid: O Christ will use you to take you where you are and build you from there. He wanted Peter to minister, but he knew there was a prerequisite and that is a Peter had 11. Now he had a love them enough to obey and so having said that, he says to them in verse 18 verily, verily, I say to you and we look at this verse. One of the earlier studies but let's look at it from a different angle. When you are young you gird yourself walk where you wanted but when you shall be old, you shall stretch forth your hands. Another sugared you and Carrie were that what is not this Pokey, signifying by what death he should glorify God Artie says Peter you really love me, do you will have some to tell you to dive for me. Yes, Peter.

If you continue in my service. If you go out to feed my sheep feed my lambs it's gonna cost you your life and then he says to him, just a simple statement at the end of verse 19. Follow me that's the acid test. One thing to follow the Lord if he said he always follow me to be successful, follow me and boil out the gravy train health, wealth and happiness.

That's what the cults promise that's what modern-day Christianity is promising a lot of people to you know be rich and famous and successful. Everything will be great, but he didn't say that the Peter he said Peter you love me, follow me, it's gonna cost you your life well. The implication is it Peter Sadar because between verses 19 to 20.

Jesus got up and darted walking and Peter jumped up and followed in the start of the locker. Peter was going to follow, even though it cost him his life but he was a little ways. In verse 20 and it says Peter turned around.

I mean just couldn't resist switch around take a peek and he saw the disciple whom Jesus loved, was it John want to lean on his breasted supper. So Peter turns around and here's John and nobody around to tell John to follow. He always follow Peter C7 says to Jesus, Lord, what about him coming on the die what's going to happen to him. Jesus said to him, if I will know that he tarries to lie, what is that to you if he lives till the second coming, it's none of your business what estate you know there was a rumor that went all over the place. Did you hear that John's billable second coming and John and to write the last three verses of this chapter to straighten out that rumor. Jesus said if he lived until the second coming in to be none of your business and then he says this of the universe. 22.

Follow thou me. That's where the gospel of John ends. And when you pick it up again you turn the page and you find yourself in the book of acts and the first thing you know Peter stands up in Jerusalem preach is a fantastic sermon. 3000 people are saved any marches in the temple heals a lame man man jumps up and goes dancing through the temple, praising God the next thing you know it confronts the Sanhedrin and tells him exactly what he thinks about him and says there is no salvation under the other name. The name of Jesus Christ, and he says you can tell us to be quiet. If you want, but we will not, who should we obey manner God and clear through the third to the 13th chapter of acts. He is the shining light in the early church and then he goes to the point where he writes to glorious epistles and expresses in those epistles, the tremendous joy in his heart for being called into the service of the Lord and in second Peter chapter 1 he says luck. I want to tell you something I shortly must put off this my tabernacle even as the Lord Jesus Christ to show me I'm I'm going to die one of these days. Now I live my whole life. No one has been to be a martyr, I'd be looking around every corner.

I'll tell you if I had heard that I was gonna get crucified. Someday I'd be a you know I'd be avoiding lumber yards and everything I just be. I'd be paranoid about that. But Peter says I'm Tanya. I gotta get my ministry done, he got the right perspective because I have a limited time, because I'm going to die and I want to endeavor that you may be able after my death to have these things in remembrance. So I'm telling you this writing you this because I want to serve Christ till I die. This was the death said Jesus, by which he would glorify God… Peter loved Jesus enough to die for and that glorifies God. That is a principle of spiritual maturity people you glorify God when you love them enough to obey him even if it's a hard thing.

God is glorified in the willingness we have.

To make a sacrifice for his sake. With the tremendous truth and I really feel that that's part and parcel of spiritual growth. You grow as you willingly obey his will, no matter what it costs. As long as your intersecting his will with yours and you're not willing to take steps here or there.

Unless they meet your conditions, your retarding your spiritual growth. Simply stated, spiritual growth is an abandonment to the will of God. And when your life is characterized by obedience. It's almost as if if you look at it in the physical analogy every time you obey the Lord, you grow an inch. Every time you disobey your retarded your growth so we glorify God by loving him enough to obey and as we live a life of obedience. That is an ever maturing Christian life and eight point and this one is indeed very vital.

We glorify God by prayer and that means then that prayer is a very vital element in spiritual growth. Look with me at John chapter 14 John chapter 14, of course, we could talk a lot about prayer. It's all over the place in the Bible we want to keep moving so we can cover all of the points that we need to but just kind of focusing on this one passage in particular for this point we glorify God by our prayers. Look at John chapter 14 in verses 13 and 14 and whatever you shall ask in my name, that will I do know us will stop there for a minute, whatever you ask in my name, that will I do now, that's a pretty great promises in it. In fact, is repeated in verse 14, just in case you didn't get it.

If you shall ask anything in my name I will do it and you know why God answers prayer is a will. God answers prayer in order to give us what we want. God answers prayer because he has to be made a promise well those things are true, in a sense, but the real reason God answers prayers given in verse 13 and it's a hidden purpose clause in the Greek God will answer your prayer in the name of Christ, in order that the father may be what glorified in the son. The reason God answers prayer is not for your sake. It's for his sake, it's because he benefit and he puts himself on display. No, I don't think we really understand some of us are reluctant to pray because were not too sure God's no answer. We missed the point. God will answer because God wants to put himself on display. So when I pray I glorify God. Why because I give God opportunity to work and as I give God opportunity to work, he manifests himself and receives glory. Prayer is a vital element spiritual growth. You will not grow unless you interact with God and see his power on display.

It will increase your faith as you do it and Faith is a key element in spiritual growth.

A very important point element back in verse 13 with you for second. Let's see what it's saying, the disciples were, of course, greatly distressed because Jesus was leaving he told him that he was going to go away.

It would be very soon. They wouldn't see him anymore and he would send the comforter, and so forth. They were very aware that Jesus was going to leave. In fact, just a few verses after this, he reiterates he told him. I want to go and prepare a place for you and all of this. Don't be upset about. I'll come again and receive you, but you see, they were really fearful because they put all our eggs in one basket, and now Jesus would be gone and where would their resources be when they needed tax money know Jesus took it out of the mouth of fish when they got hungry.

He created bread and fish when they didn't have a place to lay their head.

He comforted them and they stayed together in the hills of Galilee or the Garden of Gethsemane.

He was a beloved friend. He was a spiritual resource theological resource and economic resource. He was everything to them. He was the. The future of their lives as well as the present and now is going to go in there panicked nieces left. Don't worry, even though I go, you will still have a resource because whatever you need and ask for in my name, I'll do it. I don't have to be. That's a pretty great promise that people say, well, it says right there you shall ask in my name. Now that's more than a formula you know some people think that means at the end of every prayer you have to say in Jesus name, amen. And that binds God your summer some guy praying that he just says amen. Some it will all never got through he will get it you have to say in Jesus name, amen. Because he put that little deal on their net that hangs God rise got a do it is what is talking about. Prayer is a matter little formulas. It isn't to say that if you don't say in Jesus name, amen. The prayer doesn't get past the ceiling. What is it mean in my name. Well, if you study the Bible you find out that anytime you see the name of God or the name of Christ that that is a concept that embodies all that he is. My name is I am that I am God's name is the embodiment of all that is in Christ name is the embodiment of all that he is and what he saying is that when you ask consistently with who I am and what I will. I'll do simply saying when you pray in accord with my will see when you pray according to all that you not you really got going to guide your prayer life along that line. If you want to grow spiritually. Once he got on display which increases your faith and pulls you along in spiritual growth you use this kind of a thing at the end of your prayer instead of saying in Jesus name amen say this, this, I pray because this I believe to be the will of Christ is what the first thing you been listening to John MacArthur on grace to you along with teaching on radio. John also serves as Chancellor of the Masters University and seminary in the Los Angeles area and he is titled our current study back to basics.

John a loved what you had to say today about prayer and it brings to mind a question we got recently on the Q&A line from a listener named Anthony. In fact, I'm sure a lot of believers have wrestled with this same question.

It's a good one. So let's hear what Anthony has to say. And then John you respond here. My name is Anthony I been pre-and post spiritual discernment of them are prayer set not been answered, and I will like to know what does that mean one God does not answer prayer. Thank you very much will thank you, Anthony. Let me see if I can help you little bit with that praying for spiritual discernment is a good thing I'm I'm so glad you're doing that. I think we all do that. Lord to give me wisdom, spiritual discernment would be wisdom, right, and James is if anybody lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives that wisdom but Anthony, there's a role you have to play in this spiritual discernment comes by knowing divine truth, you're not going to be able to discern what is the right path. What is the right response. What is the right way to analyze what's happening in your life unless you have a framework of biblical understanding.

Yesterday I talked about the book biblical doctrine.

The stronger your doctrine, the better you know what the Bible teaches. The propositional crews divine truths of Scripture, the more discernment you're going to have discernment doesn't appear in some kind of a vacuum, or in some kind of spiritual esoteric experience. Discernment is the ability to analyze what's going on. Based on your understanding of God's will and God's will is revealed in Scripture. So if you want to be discerning.

It's wonderful to ask the Lord gives it. But in order to get it.

You gotta go to his word. Learn the truth of his word, and the truth of the word of God will give you the wisdom that allows you to make wise judgments and friend. If you are looking for a single resource that can really help you learn God's word.

I recommend the MacArthur study Bible. It has 25,000 footnotes that help explain virtually every verse and while supplies last.

With every Bible you buy will include a free copy of one foundation hardcover book that commemorates grace to use 50th anniversary. Place your order today. Call 855 grace or go to our website Jide TY.org the MacArthur study Bible comes in the new King James new American Standard and English standard versions of Scripture to make sure you get your Bible before Christmas choose second day shipping when you order by phone or at our website. Our number again 855 grace and the web address Jide TY.org.

Also, if, like Anthony, you have a question you'd like to ask John MacArthur call our Q&A line. Leave a message with your question and you may hear John answer it on an upcoming broadcast the Q&A line number is 661-295-6288. That's 661-295-6288. If you're driving in that right that number down. You can find it@ourwebsitejidety.org now for John MacArthur in the entire grace to you staff on Phil Johnson and thanks for making grace to you part of your day be here tomorrow at the same time when John will continue his study called back to basics with an important message on prayer and how you can be an effective witness for Christ. It's another half hour of unleashing God's truth one verse at a time on the next race to