Living Radically for Christ: Detachment from the World

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is that the thing that grips me that my savior died like a criminal for me and i'm glorying in something else outside of that search your heart you may discover at different times and i'll tell you you peel off one onion today one one layer of the onion you have not finished with it if you're faithful that did god will show you another layer and i'm very thankful that god shown me through the ears layers and layers of this glory and something other than my savior died like a criminal on the cross for me i will not glory in anything except the cross whereby this whole world is crucified to me [00:08:22]

i have been crucified to this world i have as little interest in this world as a dead man has just meditate on that one statement for one week it will change your life i have as little interest in this world as a dead man has i use it jesus used it he worked as a carpenter earned money in order to live of course he had to make a profit in the tables and chairs he made otherwise he wouldn't be able to take care of his younger brothers and sisters and his widowed mother [00:09:17]

there's nothing wrong with that there's nothing wrong with making profit in your business that's okay and we have to go to the market to buy groceries and things we need to buy a house perhaps in order so many things in the world we need to buy and use but to be to be interested in that to be occupied with that now to use the world but not to be occupied with it that's what i'm testifying to and i say that's not something that we can just detach like that completely that it's gone [00:09:44]

i want to get to this place where that jesus had where he lived in this world but there was nothing in the world that sort of kept you know in his mind that disturbed the sleep at night even something that people gave me money as a gift and judas is carried to swiping it you think jesus lay awake one night thinking of that no i don't believe he spent five seconds thinking of that that the money was given for him and julius's character is swiping it and using it for himself okay do it he did not disturb him one bit [00:10:32]

i said this is one example practical example of i have as little interest in this world as a dead man has did jesus use money sure he needed money he earned it when he was a carpenter it's to understand this it's not like we're not asking people to be monks and and i don't believe all these monks and nuns and lock themselves up in some monastery are free from the world the world is right in their minds and that's why in the midst there's so much of sexual sin and evil the world is right there [00:11:14]

you don't get detached by just giving up something externally it's inside it's inside you can love you can be doing a job you can be doing such an important job that you work 10 hours a day either at home or in some place of work and you're steeped in that work and your heart is not attached to that you're not you you can probably be a businessman dealing with money every single day and you have to make profit in your business and yet your heart is not attached to it the true christian can be like that [00:11:51]

that's what i mean by i have as little interest in this world as a dead man has i'm detached the world has got no and over a period of time you'll find the world doesn't have much interest in you either because you're not interested in the things they are interested in if a worldly person can find me good company something's wrong with me if a worldly person at the place of work finds me a very interesting person to talk to i think there's something wrong with me [00:12:32]

i have to be a representative of christ wherever i am and there are things in this world the language of this world and the goals this world has in the cross is seeking to cut me off from that more and more and more and more this is radical christianity and uh the reason why so many people don't want to join the cfc churches is you guys you speak impossible things yeah it is impossible without the power of the holy spirit but we are not to just preach this as theory our life must be a living demonstration [00:13:26]

of these truths that's one of the reasons why right from the beginning we decided we never take an offering because money is the big thing in the world just like grace is the big thing in the kingdom of god money is the equivalent of grace in this world and uh you know god jesus put god and money as opposites you get you get pulled away from god when you're pulled towards money and if you get detached from me you'll be automatically pulled towards god these are two things pulling in opposite directions [00:13:59]

and that's one major part of the world to which i have to die and i have to use it this is the delicate thing i'm not going to be a monk to say well i've detached myself of all that and get some church to provide my food and clothing and rooming you know and groove and all that no that's a deception to live in the midst of the world and perhaps many of you earn a very very good salary that's perfectly okay but is your heart in it where's your heart our heart must be towards the lord always [00:14:38]

and the more we are surrounded by the world we have to be careful that the word of the cross breaks us from it heals us off little by little by little and that is what we testify to in the breaking of bread jesus said as often as you do this do this in remembrance of me remembrance that i am your bridegroom [00:14:52]

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