Living Surrendered: Finding Freedom in God's Will

"how much I use a McDonald's I won't mention where it is but half the time when I go in there there's a line of angry customers and they're angry because the P whoever it is running that particular one just doesn't know how to run it I mean they don't and so what you see is these people waiting their turn to attack the poor people and you can just see them they're just sort of hopping you know we speak of hopping mad that's actually true notice that people do hop when they hit their head and see that's one of the things that we do when we're not liberated from impulsive will we attack and sometimes it may be with a meal you know that kind so you have people who are masters of the needle right or the of the of the word that just has a little dose of poison you see that all comes from that unliberated person who simply is not the master of their will their will has mastered them" [00:00:17]

"and the destructiveness of this is I mean it nowhere do you better see it than in statements in the scriptures such as Romans 1 for example 2nd Timothy 3 maybe we'll look at some wording there if we have time in a minute but I was just listening to a news report this evening there now 537 hate groups in the United States 537 and of course we now have some trials one in Texas you know about one in Virginia Beach where there's trials going on over this and constant trials and we have a whole category of hate crimes now what is interesting about this and shows the darkness of the educated mind is that people are surprised about this they're surprised they ought to be surprised because there aren't more of them you see the one category of sociological explanation that has been lost is sin you can't say that word it's like a farmer you know who can't say the word weed or bug can't say bug and they're wondering why isn't my corn growing why is it that it just comes up and doesn't produce any grain and just kind of stands there I throw fertilizer on it now it's raining and all of that and it just doesn't produce well how about weeds and bugs how about weeds and bugs but see that's lost to us" [00:01:40]

"listen to these words of Paul from Romans 1 and if you want to understand the realities of human life under the will where this is where the self is not crucified and dead you cannot go to any more powerfully analytic passage than precisely Romans 1 I'll just read from 28 on and just as they did not see fit to acknowledge god any longer god gave them over to a depraved mind to do those things that were not proper being filled with all unrighteousness wickedness greed evil full of envy murder strife deceit malice they are gossips slanderers haters of god insolent arrogant boastful inventors of evil disobedient to parents without understanding untrustworthy unloving unmerciful and although they know the ordinance of god that those who practice such things are worthy of death they not only do the same but they also applaud those who practice them you ever see see anything like that" [00:03:52]

"do you have unsure now you see the self that is to die is precisely the cell that lives from the world and the flesh and lines up in that predicament in second Timothy there's one word I think it won't be in most of your newer translations because it's actually an old word and has been kind of weeded out but the word implacable and implacable is a very forceful term let me just read a second Timothy three and see this list also realize this that in the last days difficult times will come Paul had a sense that the power of evil would grow don't worry too much about the last days it'll cover a lot of different periods in human history believe me four men will be lovers of self you all go to Starbucks what does it say on the cup doesn't it say we proudly serve we proudly serve I'll guarantee you that forty years ago it would have said we humbly serve now what's the difference between proudly serve and humbly served a world shift a sea change in culture right now there's always been a good sense of pride and I don't quarrel with that please understand me there is a good sense of pride and there are things we ought to be proud about but you see we've changed those who had services to offer used to do so humbly humbly humble is not a big word nowadays lovers of money greed is good boastful arrogant revilers disobedient to parents has that one again ungrateful unholy unloving irreconcilable and that is the word that in the older version is translated implacable implacable now a person is implacable is one who cannot be appeased cannot be appeased they are hardened and I'll tell you it comes right out of that third phase especially the pride of life you are not going to put me down anymore and this touch is a very deep issue in the minds of many people today in the churches because they feel like if they follow Christ and they truly died to self and if they're humble that they are going to be put upon and so they feel like the only thing to do is to get hard and resist and be implacable and appeasable irreconcilable and they destroy themselves because what they're actually doing is trusting in their own power to manage their human relations and you have to give up on that project" [00:04:58]

"that's why forgiveness is so central and we've talked about it some it is so absolutely forgiveness is a kind of touchstone of who you're trusting and we have to lay that down get the contest quickly James 3:17 this is a discussion of the wisdom that is from above now this is what you get if you die to self and you are in the world but not of it listen to these words who among you this is James 3 I'll start at 13 who among you is wise and understanding let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom but if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart do not be arrogant and don't lie against the truth this wisdom is not that which is comes down from above but is earthly natural it's a word here that is sometimes described as sensual it just means it's in the course of nature just like earthly see that's the flesh that's the world it's of human power only and then he adds demonic for where jealousy and selfish ambition exists there is disorder and every evil thing what a stunning statement where jealousy and selfish ambition exists now why does that bring all the bad stuff with it because you see a person who lives there has stepped out of the kingdom of God and the order of God and they're running there kingdom if they're running their own kingdom all of the other bad stuff will come with it because they're going to be at their wit's end they've got a hopeless project someone the other day use the phrase being as this may be politically incorrect now as busy as a one-armed paper hanger in a windstorm that's good that's good how about being stuck with that for eternity CS Lewis has this wonderful passage where he says that God comes to us and says it is your opportunity to let my will be done and to say to me God thy will be done until a point at which God finally says okay thy will be done it's like okay here's the universe you got it now run it talk about a windstorm" [00:08:56]

"listen to these words the wisdom from above his first pure and then peaceable it is gentle reasonable the old version says easy to be intreated easy to be entreated that's the wisdom that's probably not implacable not unappeasable willing to listen now I see if you're not running the universe you can afford to be that way if you are running the universe you won't have time for that full of mercy and good fruits unwavering without hypocrisy what a load off that is isn't it without hypocrisy and the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace that's a person who is in the world but not of the world we're in the world that's where we're called to be we're standing right down there in the middle of it the contract the contrast is powerful and in the midst of it we have joy because we're living from that other world and that joy is based in worship worship is where God stands before us in all of his wonder and we ascribe in our little finite helpless ways his greatness to him as best we can see I I love Isaiah six the year that King Uzziah died I saw also the Lord high and lifted up and his train filled the temple that's that's what the joy is based in and with that basis enjoy then you can recognize I am a man of unclean lips and I live in the midst of a people of unclean lips what people can't understand is how is it that you discover you're a sinner and it makes you full of joy it's because you see God and the realization of who he is and who we are only increases the admiration and joy that we have for God and on the basis of that worship and that joy that we live in we can just devote ourselves ceaselessly full of hope enduring in pursuing the good things that God has put us here to be and to do and in the world it looks impossible but because we're not of the world we know it is possible and we know that God will work in us to bring it to pass even at a human level to have hope for what we're doing the good that we're doing is just priceless you know and and it yet can do it because God made us to be built that way you know are any of you old enough to know AG and Nash that one person here got you they said the thing just couldn't be done but he with a chuckle replied well maybe you couldn't but he would be one who wouldn't say so tell me trained so he started right in with a bit of a grin on his face if he worried he hid it and he started to sing as he tackled the thing that couldn't be done and he did it and is he just at the human level joy in the heart following your aspirations that's what God made you to do and to be you now add on top of that you see the kingdom of God because the Goebbels Georg Goebbels version of that the last words is and by George II couldn't do it" [00:12:09]

"see that's life without God sorry George that's life without God but with God all things are possible see and now you you come to life in that and I'll just conclude by giving her some words here from about George and Hitler you all know about George Mueller he was a great Saint he raised incredible amounts of money without asking for it and gave huge amounts of it away I think he gave something like 10 million pounds to the China Inland Mission out of the gifts that came in over and above what was needed to carry the numerous orphanages that he supported on a day-to-day basis and he did it purposely he did it to show what could be done by people who would simply put their faith in God and not even tell others what they needed and of course yeah if you do something like that you're bound to be a saint right you you you can't avoid it one asked George Muller the secret of his service and he replied there was a day when I died and as he spoke he bent lower until he almost touched the floor continuing he added died - George Muller interesting that he puts that first to his opinions preferences taste and will died to the world its approval or censure died to the approval or blame even of my brethren and friends that's one of the most remarkable lines in this statement and since then I have studied only to show myself approved unto God no I want to ask you a question and please don't answer it now but think about when did you die when did you die lots of their time now the important thing of course is not to be able to date it and our it it's like the the new birth you know or the natural birth I don't need to check my birth certificate to know I'm alive because Here I am right so and I don't actually remember my birth what we want to make sure is that we are alive in Christ and dead to self I want to make sure that we want to make sure that if we're not completely dead at least we're crucified that we're in the process of dying there's that's the only thing that will allow us to be in this world but not on it that's the only thing that will get our with our own self-will off our back and we must know that in order to be freed up to live in the kingdom of God we have many troubles and many afflictions in this life God has never said we would not have them many are the afflictions of the righteous the psalmist says but the Lord delivers them out of them all the only way that we can know the deliverance of God constantly and watch it at work in our family and that at our workplace and elsewhere is by being sure that we have put our will on the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ and we can do that now just one final thing it's like forgiveness you know you're supposed to forgive but you can't but if you will you can because if you will God will help you and you may notice if you've ever tried it it's very difficult for anyone to crucify themselves you need a free hand to nail with it's very hard so we say the same thing there to you remember any accomplishment any accomplishment is a cooperative work and what we want to do is to do our part and so if you haven't done this already I really encourage you to take a time a solemn time and perhaps you want to just lie down on the floor or just say lord I give you my will I give you my affections I give you my desires and in so doing I say they are not my Lord you are my lord and when you do that you will rise with a new sense that while you're in the world and you can praise God for it and be full of joy no matter what the circumstances are you're in the world but you will know that you're not on the world because Christ the risen Christ will be moving in your body and in your life well may the lord give us this message right where we need it as he knows we need it and help us to apply it in every way that is good and right now we have just a few minutes and perhaps some of you would like to make a statement or ask a question and if so I'll do my best to try to respond to it perhaps others here can if I if they want to add to it and let's approach it in that way do any of you have questions or statements you need to make Dennis yes thank you very much Dennis that is a tremendous question the question is how can I develop the reflective will in my children the short answer is show them the ravages of the impulsive will show them what happens as a result of simply allowing doing what you want to do when you want to do it dominate your your will and I think that this is something that they can learn very quickly in in this of course you would prayerfully approach it and you would you would expect the Spirit of God to work with you in in helping the child understand truth but that's the main thing is just let them learn it in your presence don't tell them and expect them to accept it but let them learn it by experience and let them learn on the positive side the good of living in the reflective will and especially as that will is guided by the words of Christ and the law of God what we have to do or for ourselves and those that we minister to and the and our families or whoever it is we're influential overs let them discover the goodness of rightness that's the key and then they have a project because now they they realize they must learn this and a child that has learned that lesson has taken a huge step forward to their own well-being and being a blessing on the earth but as long as they have the idea that rightness is not good it's just what daddy and mom you want and then it'll move on to God it's just what God wants then they will never step into it and identify their reflective will with the teachings of Christ just experience walk them through through it and with children at the appropriate age you have to leave them free to hurt themselves you know that you they can't learn otherwise of course if it's too dangerous then we don't allow that but at a certain point we set them free in a way that they may hurt themselves but then we go back to them not condemning we go back to them lovingly and try to help them understand it perhaps we share with them some of our own experiences now that's a wonderfully important question and applies far beyond raising children someone else yes the reflective will is the will for what I know to be good upon reflecting about my whole situation it's we all know this right you may not have the words but we know what this is like we know what it's like to see a car and like we would like to have it but we decide no it wouldn't be best and so we don't buy it and we all will watch people who ruin their lives because they can't do that simple thing they cannot choose sometimes it's because of ignorance they're uninformed but most times it's because there is something in them that says I must have what I want and if you take nothing else away from this evening please take away this idea that not having what I want is no big deal it's no big deal now that may come as a hard message to some of you who have if you've suffered you know if if you've had people dominating you and mistreating you but the way out of that is not the assertion of your will just raw will will against will it is finding the will of God the reflective will of God and standing in that and when you think meekness is weakness remember who is the meekest man on earth according to the Bible do you remember Moses would you say he was Caspar milquetoast don't tread on me brother Emerson to another you stand against it but you don't get angry I purposely put it that way because the standard rule is you're supposed to get angry right and you have some of our leaders in our nation do they teach you that if you're not mad you must be stupid and that if you're not mad you can't possibly stand against injustice and let me just cite I mean the the most outstanding case of this of a person who stood against injustice and was not mad in our recent history was Martin Luther King he was not mad and unfortunately that's lost now and what you see is just the multiplication of anger over the issues that were closest to his heart and I believe to the heart of Christ I'm not saying he was perfect or anything no one's perfect you've set me so we don't have to worry about that but I mean he was not an angry man it's a big deal but it's not if you won't help the situation by becoming angry now you say didn't Jesus get angry when he made the cords and drove the people out of the temple well I think he did and all I can say there Steve is I can trust him with a lot of stuff I can't trust myself so don't expect me to bring a rope and take after people but on the other hand I should be in that situation and willing to die so I should be rock solid not some sort of wimp tough and if it comes to you know that's one of the things if we had if there were world and time enough there are many things we'd talk about but you often hear people talk about martyrdom for Christ as if it were some awful thing to hear them talk you might think they they would never die if they didn't get martyred like all those dear that would live forever unless some hunter shot them boy I'm in trouble now this is on TV this is on tape now all them deer out there let me tell you one of the greatest things that could happen to me would be to be martyred for Jesus Christ and you remember in the book of Acts how after they were beaten and jailed and all of that they departed rejoicing that they had been counted worthy to suffer for Jesus Christ so that's that's right on Steve this is we're ready for it we stand with them in any way that we can if we're see an injustice and sometimes it's more effective to just make sure that you are there that it is to try to start a movement I mean make sure that you are in the circle of light where the evil is happening and that you are identified with the person who is suffering and if there's anything you can do to help alleviate it that you're doing it I'm not entirely against starting a movement but most movements don't amount to very much frankly on the other hand people who know how to stand and stand in the Spirit of Christ change people all around them they never failed they never fail when you have that it will never fail to change people all around you one more question comment we'd better quit I think you were first we've got a number here the lady back here okay you're deferring to the person in front of you it's practicing death to self good for you oh okay well you go next and we let Lynne finish us off right yes that God gives us the opportunity of saying to him thy will be done until the point comes where he says to us thy will be done now the best when we're in I was going to say I'm just confused at that point have we grown to the point where our will is in line no no that's not what he had in mind that to get there you have to go through thy will be done you see then your want er has been transformed to the point that he can empower you to do what you want to do but Lewis is talking about the kind of person who has come to the point that they don't even want to be in the presence of God and God lets them right so that's the point at which we say things like hell is God's best for some people no I don't think so hmm now that may bother you to think that hell is God's best for some people but think about it it might be that the fires of heaven are hotter than the fires of hell our God is a refiners fire who can stand when he appear for he is like a refiners fire and like Fuller's soap Lin you want to finish us yes yes beautiful that's right the child will almost pick it up by osmosis because they will realize that you don't just do what you you know what's driving you and that's the greatest lesson is to know that it's it's good and right for you to be like that and of course our world is so given to emphasizing the impulsive will that they need clear examples of people who can simply say I don't have to have what I want I don't have to have what I want let me conclude just a statement from John Wesley we're talking about liberation from self by doing good in the kingdom of God we have wonderful passages from Paul Biya steadfast immovable always abounding in the work of the Lord for you know that your work in the Lord is not in vain John Wesley do all the good you can by all the means you can in all the ways you can in all the places you can at all the times you can to all the people you can as long as you ever can say drama bless your hearts thank you so much" [00:18:14]