God's Wisdom for Building Great Relationships - Knowing God is the Prerequisite to Loving Others, Part 1

The Scripture commands us to accept one another, just as God in Christ also has accepted us.

Why don't know about you but I have a few people in my life pretty hard to accept what's the solution that's today welcome to this Edition of Living on the Edge with your finger Living on the Edges of international discipleship motivating Christians to live like for the next two programs work to highlight a message from one of Jeff's more timely series called God's wisdom for building great relationships.

It's safe to say we all. Question is how to make it happen in the complete series chip off principal that help us create solid and lasting relationships. But for now were just going to focus on one key lesson. Knowing who God truly strips going to suggest until we do that we won't be able to genuinely love people as Jesus did. But before we get started. If this is your first time listening to Living on the Edge or you just want to learn more about what we do go to LivingontheEdge.org. There you will find tons of resources on a wide range of topics, and countless programs to enjoy the prefer that your finger map is also a great way to get plugged in with our ministry okay with all that said chip with his principal, least of all the things I learned over the years about making relationships work. Is this knowing God as he is is the prerequisite for loving others as they are.

Knowing not what you think God is like, but actually knowing encountering God as he really is is the prerequisite to loving other people as they are in fact is coupled principal building that if you think about it what you realize alloy second. That means the premises. The goal is actually to love people as they are mean I'm not supposed to fix them. First meeting the goals not to get everybody lined up and acting and behaving in ways that make me happy and make my life work, but I'm actually just supposed to be an instrument and I love them as they are. That doesn't improve their behavior. That doesn't mean I always like it doesn't mean I just say that attitude doesn't matter, but I am going to love them exactly the way God loves me.

See, it's the kindness of the Lord that leads to repentance. When God wanted to fix the human race after the coup, he didn't come in and try and put external restraint to see, make him do this and make him do that.

And this happens Romans 12 to says it is the kindness of the Lord is the goodness of the Lord. It's God's grace is unconditional love that sometimes brings consequences to behavior, but the motivation ever when you see God for who he is is a heart of acceptance, a heart of law the heart of goodness heart of desire to bring people to himself so they can enjoy the highest and the best in the deepest relationship possible. And believe it or not, bringing about change in a relationship is not about fixing people it's learning how to love them as they are and see what some of the behaviors might look the same as apparently provide some consequences feel it's a lot different being inwardly angry when your kids and sick and tired of that behavior and fixing the thinking that I'm going to do this and working to get this straightened out or punishing a mate because of their lack of attention or lack of responsiveness it's a lot different than saying I really love this person and that behavior that attitude I need to address but I'm going to address it with tenderness around this person's heart and what I want them to feel and know down deep in their soul. Even when I have to have love that is not very pleasant for them to experience. I want to know that I'm forum and that I care about them and I want to pass on this unconditional grace and goodness, and acceptance. The gods given to me. See, as we learned last time, you can't impart what you don't possess. And so knowing God as he is is the prerequisite for loving others as they are and when you love others as they are, the way God loves you cannot take something amazing. Repentance occurs. You know the literal meaning of the word repentance meta Noya change of the mind. It means people have a change of mind they think differently about God. After that they think differently about you they think differently about themselves. The disciples had a big problem with seeing God for who he is, we all do.

But every culture has kind of false views of God sent people down religious trails that often are not like not at all. As you study the New Testament you want, you knowing the sandals of the disciples, and you observe how they think about Jesus and the questions they ask. It's interesting, I can only find one thing they ever asked Jesus to teach them the New Testament how to pray. I mean, you think they would say Lord we did teach us how to preach, or could you teach us how to bring fire down from the sky or we want to be hotshots and everything teach us to pray why they grew up in a religious system as little Jewish boys in the synagogue where they they knew reams and reams by memory of the Old Testament.

The group in a system where a very high official would wear ornate roads and have all these passages and would go on the street corner and say word after word after word of long prayers citing multiple passages and they thought it was spiritual and then they they walked to hell with Jesus when he was praying it was like it was a real person and it wasn't like he was trying to twist God's arm to get God to do something in there was an odd two or a got to, but when they were around Jesus. There was a sense of of life and in the sea and she is experiencing something that we never seen before is in Luke chapter 11 he actually is. You get the idea from the text there listening to him finishing up his prayers and then one of them, raises his hand and said, Lord, would you 20 teach us to pray and all they know is the forms they were toddlers.

Religious forms and a sitting of the Pharisees. They have religious forms is a prairies in the morning the pricing evening this kind of prayer for the situation and you wrote memorize those and John the Baptist. He taught his guys some forms so Jesus will you give us a formula, will you tell us what are the right words to say and how to say you pick up the story in Luke 11.

Once you open your Bible therapy if you're not there already. In verse one it says it came about why he was praying in a certain place after he'd finished one of his disciples said to him, Lord, teach us to pray, just as John also taught his disciples. And so Jesus understanding their mindset. What he what you can see is you give them a formula, and is the right formula.

It's the right pattern of prayer and he doesn't say just even pray this way.

He says Sadie's words so here's a formula, but what is going to do after he gives them the formula what we call the Lord's prayer is that he's going to give him a negative example.

And then the truth of how to really pray and why and then is going to give them a positive example as you take the negative example and the positive example sandwiched in between. This command about how to relate to God. But all he's really going to share is the problem is not with your form. The problem is not how long you pray the problem isn't so much the actual words he's going to teach them.

Your problem is you don't see the father for what he is like you think the father is hard to please you think God is angry with you. Most the time you think he's arms are crossed and toetapping shed has a bony fingers and you should been praying longer and why are you here now why you asking for this because last week you did that what Jesus is teaching is the problem in their prayers is not a formula using to teach him they need to see the father completely differently and I would suggest that the way the disciples love people as they were was because they learn to see the father as he is.

Let's pick up the formula not spent a lot of time here because you've heard it many times. Let's just the overview so he says them when you pray, say father, hallowed be thy name but but he turns the tables already when second father is the airman toward the gates. It's the word of the two or three-year-old boy who would who tugged on his daddy's robe to safely pick me up about intimacy, their view of God was he's transcendent. He's powerful. He's got a split the Red Sea, but they missed his intimacy and the first thing Jesus says is when you see him. He's unavailable loving father and the balances and his name. He is the God who filled the temple of Isaiah, holy, holy, holy.

But he's transcendent these approachable and animated like your own dad but he goes on to say to them by kingdom come in and in another gospel. Your will be done when you pray, come to God knowing he's an intimate father and come with great reverence and then get his agenda on the table 1st before you get yours.I want your will to get done.

I want your rulership in the way you want life to occur in the world that I'm in and then make sure you pray for your specific needs. It's it's not bad or unspiritual.

Give us this day our daily bread got I got needs material needs of got relational needs of the financial needs of that work needs.

He says you bring this to him in the notice. He says that understanding. There's this relationship as you bring your needs between your relationship with others in your relationship with father so he goes on to say, and forgive us our sins as we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us don't think that you can have this little silo of disconnected relationship with God as you have hate and unforgiveness in your heart toward others. That's why intimate praying with the father is always a cleansing experience. It always forces us to do a little evaluation of where is my heart with other people because I've got to get this right before God says we can make that right. And then he says it's a hostile world of fallen world, there is an enemy in this enemy wants to literally destroy your soul and destroy your marriage and destroy your life and so asked specifically lead us not into temptation as other gospel writers will say, but deliver us from evil, and literally it's from the evil one.

For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, and so he tells them come to God. It's intimate and yet is holy get his agenda on the table asked specifically for your needs, then deal with any relational issues of unforgiveness so you can appropriate that asked for his protection in the now notice what he does.

He just he tells a story. Lord, teach us to pray story negative example truth positive sample bottle it off. In Judaism teaching he would do that they would count two things and in the middle was the courtroom.

Let's pick up the story.

He goes on to say them. Suppose one of you have a friend and you go out to him at midnight and he said him, friend, lend me three loaves.

The idea three loaves of bread for a friend of mine is come to me on a journey and I have nothing to set before him, and from inside the house, he shall answer and say do not bother me. The doors already been shut my children I are in bed.

I cannot get up and give you anything very common situation and historically and culturally need understand when someone would come from out of town hospitality is not like we think of it today. Like you, not really like the project for the night were really busy and you know the kids are already in bed and you know maybe there's a Motel 6 or something you can get. Sorry none on a no, there was an absolute obligation.

In this culture. When someone came to stay with you.

You had to provide for them. So this is not like there's a plan B. This is like United problem. I need to put these people up but I don't have any food and so he goes to a friend and he says hey we you give me three loaves and Franco say I'm in bed. Forget it. Notice how then Jesus develops the story I tell you, even though verse eight he will not get up and get him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs.

We underline the word persistence in your Bible literally. The word is shamelessness or without shame its use in multiple places in the New Testament and has the idea without shame or boldness, and it can be mean persistence court can mean just literally without shame, which I think I'll explain in a minute is a very clear meaning. This text before we begin let's let's jump to than what you gonna say. I tell you, you won't get up because of it because of your shamelessness in verse nine I say to you, here's the application. Ask you receive seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened to you.

For everyone who asks receives here. Here's what prayer is all about, and he who seeks finds, and one who knocked me on. This is real simple guys you ask you to receive.

You see, you can find you not to be open. This is just clear-cut the notice. He tells another story. He goes on to say.

Now suppose one of your father's is asked by his son for fish. He will not give him a snake instead of the visually or if he asked for an egg. He will give him a scorpion.

Willie and here's the clincher. If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask you send yourself a trip where you getting this that they have a wrong view of God.

I remember very first pastorate, I was in I was there, maybe nine months year year and 1/2 of the most didn't know this fella very well. I came in from out of town and we had this really old car and we really upgraded to this little tiny Subaru wagon I could get all my kids in and I came in out of town this when it starts to rain. It hasn't rained for a long time. The oil from the pavement in the dust. And I mean it is just like ice like this. And so I'm coming out of Dallas and there's one of those big loops and that is in a semi on the freeway toward my house and I you know everyone is careful it's real slick and so everyone's gone like 1215 miles an hour and then in front of me.

There's this bus that you start swimming around like this and hits it into a car is like being in a movie in slow motion. It's coming it's coming so I hit the break a little bit and that doesn't work so he hits me and I going to the guardrail that I'm spinning around my car like this. I felt like was onion a boom boom and plot is 110 1250 miles an hour and so pretty soon you look around. There's all these cars all messed up and is like to like to call Teresa. When she does have a car. We have one car in number two, you and I get three kids in their small and I don't know many people in the church whom I can ask, and so I thought who's the person very ready.

Think of you, this is you, who's the person that you could call at 230 in the morning.

It would not get angry right and so I called a man name AC and I was meeting with him every I think Wednesday or Thursday morning and we would memorize verses together and keep each other accountable and my sense was that he really cared about me. But there's one thing to meet with the person. Hello, Bible study, casual friends and I did have any family in town is different to wake someone up at 230. Morning say excuse me, could you get up out of bed, drive about 40 miles help me get a tow truck and solve my life's problems will I called him and I could hear his voice. He obviously groggy but he was got up.

He came help me get cut tow truck. We drove back together and that man actually became not only a mentor and a father figure for the last 30 years. Here's what I want you to see what Jesus was saying Jesus is saying, you know, when I called him. I believed I was shameless. I believe we would actually help me. I believe he was a good man. I believe he cared about me and would be so generous that I would not get piano chip and I do the new pastor is 230 in the morning. I hope you have someone is a better friend than me. Good night back in just this application. Listening to the first part of his message. Knowing God, as he is is the prerequisite to loving others. Relationships are tough because each person has their own expectations, behaviors and securities habits and beliefs. So how can we find common ground to build a lasting bond with people we care about when the series chip reflects on what he's learned about relationships throughout his life ensures insightful wisdom from Scripture for how you and I can create meaningful connections with others to learn more about this entire series. God's wisdom for building great relationships go to LivingontheEdge.org which have been remapped or called triple late. 333-6003.

Woodchips join me in studio now and chip toward the end of your message today. You talked about how a close friend helped you in a time of me you don't got me thinking Living on the Edge.

Is that helping hand for a lot of people to so before we go on. Would you take just a minute and share some examples of what this ministry is doing to encourage people I'd be glad to Dave, one of the great joys of my life is the letters, emails, Facebook messages that I get from people literally all around the country and all around the world and they tell me these amazing stories of how Living on the Edge has been a tool used by God to change their life. Maybe you're one of those people that have really been impacted by the ministry.

I mean I hear from people from every age, profession background, every person imaginable, and when I here's this same constant drumbeat of God spoke to me.

I took a step of faith. Now God's using me and what I want you to know is that that's the heart of our ministry. We want to put teaching and tools in small group materials and downloadable things that we actually give away to help people, not just live like Christians but be ambassadors and agents of change and grace in their homes, their schools and their workplaces. If you're one of those people that God has impacted you and actually you're impacting others because of Living on the Edge have a very specific request. Would you consider becoming a monthly financial partner and of course it helps us practically no doubt about it.

It would really help us to know that X amount of dollars are coming in from a monthly partner, but literally, even more than that. It's about a group of people saying we want to be a part of this mission to make a difference in the crazy world that were living in. We want to make impact. We want to make it impact with you all. God spoken to us. God's changed us. We want to help you help others, and so here's my request today. Would you pray and just simply say, Lord, if this is part of your desire for me to partner with Living on the Edge on the monthly basis we you show me and then show me what that looks like and how much what I will say is what ever amount that is it's perfect. Whatever God shows you but what I long to see is people who partner that are on the team a part of the family and we make a difference together each and every day. Thank you in advance for doing whatever God chose you to do but strip what a great encouragement will if you want to be a part of ministering to believers all across the world. I hope you will prayerfully consider becoming a monthly partner with Living on the Edge. Your gift will go places and accomplish ministry work like you wouldn't believe. So let me encourage you to set up a recurring donation today of LivingontheEdge.org or via the chip and remap or if it's easier text the word donate 27 4141. It's that easy. That's donate to 741 41 on behalf of chip and the entire staff. Thank you for your prayers and financial support. Now here's chip with his final application as we close today's program. I hope you picked up on the fact that were talking about a faith relationship and intimate relationship with God, not a formula and we can talk a lot more about the center next broadcast but for today. Jesus was teaching his disciples and he wants us to realize that our perception of who we is will determine how we respond to him. He says what prayer really is about is understanding the heart of the father. It's about the how much more God is not a transaction is not some little game that you play if you pray so longer say certain words than these things happen and what I would say to you in that little definition that I gave in the teaching of prayer is nothing more or nothing less than simply keeping company with God, but I would remind you, it's keeping company with the how much more God and the application I would give you today is simply to bring your needs and your struggles and your hurts to him.

I mean forget all that. If I do this or if I do that and just say Lord. This is where I hurt, Lord. This is my pain. Lord, this is my frustration. It's interesting that when Hannah it says she was pouring out her heart to God and the Lord heard her prayer. It was David when he came back and his family was gone and the rate had come in. He just cried out to God in his desperation. God met him. What I want you to know is that the God of the Bible, the creator of all that there is is personal and caring and longs to help you in the way to connect with him is not some formula. It's to lay your heart bear share what's really going on in our next broadcast willing to talk about how to experience how much more God as we close you know a great way to get plugged in with our resources you're Living on the Edge is through the chipping remap. There you can listen to past series sign up for daily discipleship and much more. Let us help you experience God in a new personal way. Starting today with the chipping remap was Alexei Mrs. Avery saying thanks for listening to this edition of living on VH