Go Now | Guard Your Mind | 1 Peter 1:13

stand if you would and take your Bibles if you've gotten them with you today open to first Peter chapter one first Peter chapter one and he's got a lot of truth for us today we're looking at the message entitled go now go now is going to be the thrust of what he is saying and rather than taking several verses today we're gonna be looking at one very powerful verse and I'm gonna read it to you and you couldn't follow along with me if you would as we stand for the reading of God's Word 1st Peter chapter 1 verse 13 Peter says to those believers the Roman Empire at that time therefore gird up the loins of your mind be sober and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be revealed or brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ that's enough right there church we pray we asked Father God in Jesus name that the doctrine the reality the power of what is being said by your precious apostle to a community of believers 2,000 years ago that were on the run for their faith and in some ways we may feel like we're on the run with our faith Lord galvanize us to this culture make us strong make us as loving as Jesus and make us as truthful and Lord above all things may we be a people that make a difference for what's good and so father now we pray for the power of your spirit to be upon us in jesus name amen you can be seated and thank you for that as we looked at this message today there's a reason why we're doing one verse it's not because I've been away and it's not because of any other reason verse 13 if you're a Bible student you ought to take your pen or your highlighter and Yatta put a box around verse 13 because with Bible open if you look at it verses 1 through 12 Peter is laying out who he's addressing and some very key issues about what they need to know about the love of God and the grace of God but then verse 13 arrives and verse 13 is like the hinges that these doors to the sanction the sanctuaries hanging on verse 13 takes all of the previous twelve verses and then looks to the bulk of the rest of the book it's very strategic what Peter is saying that's why the word is here therefore it's a very strong word it's a very strong challenge in fact from this moment on Peter who has assured them of their salvation who has comfort him by the pre disposition of God that God knew them before they would ever have chosen Christ that in the foreknowledge of God God knew who his children would be he talked about that earlier and the power of God for them that now he turns in the hinges swing to the believer being exhorted from here on out exhortation very wonderful things that Peter is going to be saying to us and I think it's more precious to us in the 21st century than it has perhaps in the history of America we're living at a time in the world in the time of our nation were according to the media you're the problem it's not leftism it's not paganism it's not Satanism according to the world that you and I live in you're the problem you what you're one of those Bible believing people and you're being blamed and things are being laid upon you that's not true but it's the spirit of the world in which we live in we're not strangers to what the Bible says by no means in fact the longer you and I live the great truths of the Bible become more applicable in our lives because God is at work he's moving and so today in our note taking jot it down if you would verse 13 begins with us being controlled by the will of God it's God's desire that you and I be controlled by his will and the Bible says here therefore gird up the loins of your mind that's our first consideration God's will is to control you and I did you know that now I don't know what you think about that but I hope you appreciate this truth you and I are being controlled by someone or thing do you understand that there's something controlling us we don't like to admit it but there's something or someone's controlling us it's part of life being controlled is not a bad thing listen how many of you are married raise your hand you're married in the marriage there's a there's a mutually agreed control did you know that I don't if you ever saw that movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding you ever see that movie if you've never seen that movie you got to see that movie because you know that it's very cute because the the Greek women makes sure that they all understand that part of their plan is to get their husband to believe that he's in control and and they said yes our husbands are the head of the house and they're the head of the wife but you can almost hear her in her language but we're the neck she says and the women turned the head and you think about that for a moment there's a mutual agreement regarding control why because for the Christian home the husband and wife come under the control of Christ it's not the wife and control it's not the man in control it's God that is to be in control and when that happens that home lives in unity businesses happen successfully when there is the right proper control listen governments work right when there's the right proper control but it matters who's controlling and according to the Bible we as believers are to be controlled by the will of God that's the best thing that can happen for your life is for God to be in control that's why the word says therefore in light of all these things Peter tells them therefore gird up the loins of your mind the word therefore means in light of all these previous truths it's prescient go now go do this and all that you've heard now is believers now go do these things and that's a very powerful statement the great truth about what Peter is saying is that God is not impressed nor do ie believe he's involved in theoretical theology we as believers this church we study the Bible this this message will be just under 60 minutes it would be somewhere between 57 to 60 minutes why well because we have another service frankly that we have to do third service is coming if you should be thankful for the third service because if third service wasn't coming you may not be getting out of here why because God's Word is preeminent in our lives it's how we know what to do it's how we know where to go God leads us he guides us by his word and that's a great thing someone's in charge of your life and Peter is saying therefore gird up the loans at loins of your mind and he's announcing that fact that we would be under God's theology not some sort of theory not speculation God's Bible's very clear on what and how were to live our lives Jesus said something of course most remarkable regarding this in mark chapter 4 verse 24 listen to what Jesus said the Bible says then he said to them that is the crowd take heed that word means pay attention take heed pay attention what you hear I want you to write that down next to verse 13 I also want you to write down Luke chapter 8 verse 18 Luke 8 18 says Jesus is speaking pay attention to how you hear notice mark 4 says what you hear and Luke 8 Jesus said how you hear to those who listen to my teaching Jesus said more understanding will be given to you but to those who are not listening even what they think they understand even that they what they have will be taken away from them another words Church listen up what you and I hear we need to be careful what we hear that is what we allow to be heard by our ears man you know I feel incredibly an adequate to say what I'm saying right now because we live in a crazy world I the Bible is telling us that we need to be careful what we hear and right now you and I live in a culture that floods us with 15-second sound bites that are shaping the culture because people do not really care about what they hear and Jesus says not only be careful what you hear be careful how you hear what does it mean it means that you and I are to employ effort in listening to what God's will is for your life from my life the Bible says he loves you the Bible says he's your Creator the Bible says that the Bible is perfect he said yeah but that's what the Bible says about the Bible that's true that's what the Bible says about the Bible that it's perfect but to this day 21 centuries since the completion of the New Testament not one man has yet found a mistake in the Bible why it's God's communication to mankind he's preserved this word why so that you would have confidence in following his will he loves you he cares for you wants to guide you and Jesus's be careful what and be careful of how you hear and today the world listen the media snippets of information of publication the things that are out there today there's a flood and most of it is of misinformation because we're in a culture that's in a hurry and we're missing the truth Jesus says slow down be controlled by the will of God and you'll never know you and I will never know what the will of God is without his word you see God wants to have us live in a day to day life of his will being lived out in our lives be careful how and be careful what you hear now listen today you and I perhaps now don't don't tell this the first service but first service they're a little bit more senior group of people I mean I'm not saying that in a bad way they're more mature they're more experienced for service great great people but there may be some younger faces in here today and that's important to what I'm about to say I think we've lost the art of being critical thinkers when it comes to what we hear and how we hear it because we live in a culture today that if somebody tweets something about your you or your kid maybe your teenager maybe you're a millennial maybe you're 45 or under and somebody instagrams something about you they post something on Facebook about you you know it's tragic according to the statistics across their nation that devastates people did you know that ladies and gentlemen listen if somebody says something one of your look one of your friends on your Facebook you how many friends you have whatever meant friends you have they're not your friends oh but I've got 200 friends on Facebook they're not your friends you I'm saying we live in a false world we've lost the ability to be careful as to what we hear and how we hear it God's will is that you would listen to him and thereby be confident and thereby be at peace and thereby have boldness in God in this world and today we have a culture that is losing its ability to survive criticism everyone's hearts on their sleeve when a stranger says something to your 17 year old and they go out and they try to kill themselves or they wind up falling into depression because a group of people bullied them on the Internet ladies and gentlemen friends and family who cares what people are saying about you on the Internet it's a false world there's no break anymore it's constant bombardment and Jesus counters this culture and he says you want to survive you want to make it be careful what you hear and how you hear it people are going to criticize you and listen if you let those things take control of your life the will and the criticism of others you'll be scarred you'll be scarred emotionally and only through Jesus listen my friends only through Jesus can those scars become great victories listen you may be here today and you're thinking man I I was happy five years ago but the social media world has caused me to fall into this great darkness listen there's hope for you put your eyes to the Word of God and the promises of God can I can I put it this way put your face in the book instead of Facebook and find out what God is saying to you he's got a great word for you if it helps you pick up the Gospels or pick up the Book of Psalms and read it and take it as though God was the one tweeting to you encouragement he's speaking to you and he loves you and he's got a plan for your life and the Bible is clear that there's a system out there that wants to destroy your life and rob you and we have these things going on and these scars you guys I have a friend that is a real bona fide American war hero he has been in covert operations around the globe working for Delta Force originally then the CIA and he's been involved in some incredible battles and some incredible victories if you walked into this place today he would look completely normal like any one of us he doesn't limp there's no manifestation to his physical appearance that he's a warrior multiple Purple Hearts a man of great courage was once the under Deputy Secretary of Defense and you would not know one thing about him being a battle until he takes his shirt off and if he takes his shirt off you would say put your shirt back on fifty caliber round right through the bottom of the hill a copter took his arm off and they put it back on scars on his torso from battles every one of those things proof positive that he's been in the conflict are you with me to defend freedom every one of those scars and listen you may not have physical scars but I want to tell you right now you may be hurting today your you may be absolutely depressed today and I want you to know through Jesus Christ he will take those emotional scars and they'll turn them around and they can become awesome great victories I had a wonderful opportunity to tell Prager University on Friday night that I appreciate their videos that defend the right of a child to live in the mother's womb because I'm a abortion survivor and I had a chance to tell them support and encourage those at pregger University that stand for truth because I have survived an abortion I'm very happy to be alive listen that didn't scar me physically but I couldn't let it scar me emotionally and you have your story know this God's will for your life is absolutely awesome and no Christian should ever complain about being bored if you follow god your life will be anything but bored God is dynamic his word is dynamic and then the Bible says gird up the loins of your mind this is amazing language several things are happening here when Peter is speaking Peter being a Jew who has now complete right he's a fulfilled or completed Jew or we would say he's a Jew born anew born again he's come to the understanding of the Old Testament Scriptures now that Christ is the Messiah of God and he draws from his Jewish roots he's drawing from the book of Exodus when the word is gird up the word to gird up means listen it's kind of funny follow with me it means to take your robe take your robe pull it up and tuck it in your belt and that puts the Jewish man's robe at about his knees why why is he saying this to gird up because Peter is saying get ready to bring your mind under the control of God and the picture is Egypt when God's children were in Egypt God told them the death angel is going to pass over and you need a lamb's blood on your door and isn't it interesting Church isn't it awesome aren't you encouraged that God said tell God tells the angel just go down the street and look for good people who do good things all the time nope did God tell the angel go door-to-door and see who tithes nope none of that stuff God told the angel go door-to-door and look for blood who lived behind the door did you know if you read Exodus carefully the Egyptians were not exempt from sacrifice in a lamb and in the blood on their doors did you know that if they were listening they could have done it I wonder how many Egyptians were saved that night by the way who believed that's how by the way God's wrath will pass over you because do you have the blood of the Lamb of God on your life Jesus you see such a righteousness is such a goodness that's impossible if you could be good and get to heaven that Jesus Christ came and died in vain he died for our sins the Bible says in the Book of Isaiah there is none righteous no not one the Bible says all have sinned and come short of the glory of God so how do we get to heaven blood my friend blood the blood of the precious blood of Christ Jesus and so Peter is saying to those gird up the loins of your mind get ready to run like we were back in antiquity time ready to run out of Egypt at any moment take this application Peter is sane and gird up the loins of your mind the word loins here what do you think the word loins how does this work lines of your mind the word loins here in Greek is the word your descendants thus the word loins how is this work gird up the loins of your what of your mind the word mind here in the Greek language is your thought life in light of verses 1 to 12 take control of your mind and where it lives get control of it why to have the will of God execute it in your life the loins of your mind isn't it amazing to realize that what you and I think has to be dealt with at all times you and I constantly are thinking and it's got to be dealt with I personally believe that's one of our problems of our culture today well we're not teaching our kids to think properly everybody's tempted let's be honest boy we have to edit this out because it's almost sounds like heresy in a second you sitting down bullying is a terrible thing and you know I the book listen I wrote there's a chapter in there and what happened in my life and bullying bullying is terrible and I don't we should appoint anybody well you can make all the laws you wanted won't change the human heart you understand me here's the deal you got to prepare your kids to be bullied not to be the bully we're raising our kids Christian there have to be the bully but listen someone's gonna say something to them in life and they need to be able to take it they need to be able to be strong because it's not the end of the world that Johnny criticizes Billy's toy or whatever the case may be are you with me it's going to happen prepare your children to stand in the truth that God loves them that God thinks so highly of them that Christ came for them and that God is a plan for them but the truth of the matter is to gird up the loins of the mind is to bring all our thoughts under the control of Jesus what does that mean that means everything you hear from this pulpit everything that you hear from somebody you need a judge at Christian by the Word of God let this filter be between that mouth speaking in your ears we need to learn how to do this in fact jesus said in Luke 7:35 wisdom is justified by her children wisdom is justified by her offspring so when the Bible says therefore gird up the loins of your mind this is very serious very serious Jesus is saying your thoughts have children Peter is saying your thoughts have children what are those children of our thoughts decisions did you know that whatever you're thinking and the area of your mind your thought life you're gonna act on the thought and you're going to do something based on your thought and listen that action is the offspring regarding our thought process how you think what you think matters what's in your mind that's the decision you're gonna make look we all know people we used to be those people maybe we still are those people they just have an incredible propensity to do the wrong thing why does somebody keep making the wrong decision because listen the word implies that we bring the thought under the control of Christ and listen this is powerful it means to have a mind a disposition a character a thought life listen of waiting to be patient he's gonna reiterate this more in the second argument in a moment rather than reacting quickly and responding the Bible says to wait we need God's help on that we need God's strength on that Romans chapter 12 and I always love reading this verse because God doesn't want you to go out and kill yourself in his name he doesn't want you to blow yourself up aren't you glad you worship the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob now go out there and prove your love to me and blow yourself up no you never find in the Bible God says the opposite God says if you love me go out there and lift for me let's go live this thing let's go dude life therefore I urge you brothers and sisters in the view of God's mercy to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice holy and pleasing to god this is your true and proper worship do not conform to the pattern of this world you know the world wants you to conform to its demands church family but be transformed by the renewing of your mind then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is his good pleasing and perfect will that is a tremendous instruction manual for life what a great bit of information that is that God wants you to live and he wants you to make the right decisions because God's got a right and holy planned for your life God's will is good for you God's will is good for us and that's a strong thing number two we look at this is that go now is the word because we're secured by the grace of God the grace of God look the verse continues be sober and rest your hope fully upon the grace I'm gonna pause right there at the word grace be sober and rest your hope fully upon the grace the word sober here yata Circle it and write it down because it's a word that we all need to happen in my life I know I do the word nee means to be listen calm and level minded think of a great level you know the level you know level with the little ball in the middle in the bubble how do you know if something's level the Bible is telling us here with the word sober listen he's not referring to drink he's referring to your mind being level the word means to be called it means to stop listen to stop being intoxicated by emotional impulses this is a strong word are you prone to emotional impulses I have to tell you don't tell anybody but I'm that way I'm very passionate about whatever I'm excited about if I'm not excited about it you'll know I won't say anything about it I mean look no I don't care if the Dodgers are the Angels win I know that offense some of you greatly and you'll never be back to this church I don't really care though about about about the angels or the Dodgers here's the fun part about that whoever wins that's why I decide to be rooting for it at the end of the game why cuz I don't care it's I don't have a dog in that fight does that make sense and I don't get excited about everything but in the context that I know you if you see me on the street or wherever or here I'm very excited about the things of God I love the things of God God has saved my life you God has given me purpose God has blessed me I can't believe I'm standing in front of you this is a miracle I'm so grateful to God and I'm excited about that but my mind look I have a TD I you know I have severe insomnia those are bad combination by the way because I'm up all night and all day and I'm thinking all the time I mean good I need to work at calming my mind down I need meditation upon the Bible to keep the bubble in the middle are you with me I know you're not like that I'm the only one like that apparently I'm one I need God's Word to stabilize the constant pool about my passions whatever they may be emotional impulses can drive us and drive us to destruction and as Christians this is our stabilizer I feel like we were in England Lisa and I were in in Cotswolds and Cornwall England on our vacation Lisa took me there for it was my 60th birthday she planned the whole thing it freaked me out it was amazing well for the first thing that freaked me out was driving on the wrong side of the road in the wrong side of the car I'm not kidding we got out there and I'm gone and in five minutes in five minutes I said what are you doing and then I remembered I was the wrong well I was the one on the wrong side of the road I was in their country and they're looking at me like I'm nuts and I was telling them how to drive and then I realized wait a minute I'm in their country I'm in the one in the wrong and I had to bring my emotions it's terrifying and then we're in the countryside and the country you're driving in a road that's hedged in by 10-foot high hedges and it's wide enough to get your car through that's it you have to pull your mirrors in at times and then somebody comes down the road and you have to back up a half a mile now how do you get around in this country it was amazing and all along the way until I began to get used to it so okay this is the way that it is I need to just need to be careful because I love to drive you know that but I was driving Lisa nuts poor thing she's over there on the right side of the car but with no wheel I'm on the wrong side with the wheel and numerous times she had as she said no Jack you're the one on the wrong side of the road here you need to go to the left side because my emotions were saying one thing and yet I had to go back to the truth maybe my emotions say I want to do this I want to do that I want to thank this I want to thank that and listen I need to get those thoughts under control and bring them in line with the will of God in the Word of God and that's done by the grace of God God's grace the Bible says listen the same verse but in the King James version of the Bible 1610 version of the Bible it says and read it with me look at the screen therefore gird up the loins of your mind be sober and hope to the end and this is a great word now to know if this excites you or not but I love the meaning of the word end here in the old King James the word is teleosts it's a scientific term teleosts the word means in the original language to transfer logos word information logic data to communicate information from point A to point B teleosts for those of you are in physics or mathematics you'll recognize that's the root word to our modern-day vernacular word of trajectory if you launch a missile or a rocket or if you're on a flight from Los Angeles to Paris you're going to be on a trajectory satellites help that GPS will help you with that what does it mean it means that God is saying listen Christian that from the moment Christ comes into your life you are on a trajectory that God has determined it's finished point did you know that Christian yield to the will of God embrace the grace of God in your life in your relationships in your business issue and this in the stuff at work or in the stuff that's taking plate don't panic get the bubble in the middle of the level you can do that through Christ because why God's in control follow him and you'll find your life on a trajectory that is going to land in the exact pinpoint spot that God has ordained Christian God wants you to live your life like that that's good news that is wonderful news listen you know it should be banned from the Christian language the word look there's no such thing as luck in the Christian life if you go to Ireland they'll they'll tell you admit that look at the Lord be with you isn't that funny what a statement is that the look of the Lord did you know in Hebrew there's no word in Hebrew for coincidence there's no word because the God of the Bible doesn't offer a coincidence he does a working chance he's exact his details are perfect your life today and the life that you're living listen assuming you're walking with God if you're not walking with God that's okay just change course today and begin to walk with Him and you're gonna find order to your life you're gonna find a trajectory for your life and listen you may not we will not understand all things that are taking place in our life but you can relax God's in control I hope you know this Oh parole on this journey together as we follow him you may think this is cool or not I don't know I I tried it last service and it didn't work but when I started looking at dejected it was very spiritually romantic to me to learn it led me to this to an article regarding the Apollo space programs and it said that at the 15-second mark of the countdown when it reached 15 seconds before ignition of that rocket that stands taller than the Statue of Liberty NASA ground control would say to the astronauts onboard guidance is internal close quote meaning that at that moment that which was programmed on earth had been teleosts placed now inside the aircraft or the spacecraft just before launch which would guide them from earth to its or to their destination what was external was now placed internal and Jesus said in John chapter 14 the holy spirit who has been outside convicting you of sin and telling you about heaven now that you open your heart to Christ Jesus said the Holy Spirit will now dwell we're inside of you and from that moment on every true believer has an internal guidance guidance is now internal God leads you from the inside that's why we give a great stress to a Bible more Bible Bible why the more Bible that's in you the greater guidance system you have for decision-making in life God's great grace is there for that to happen and of course that word grace means unearthed a ver it means that you were blessed without even asking it means that you were blessed by no means of earning it what do you think about that I think that's a good thing I think that's a great thing you want to see how it works class okay all of you listen all of you take your hand left or right I don't care and look reach under your seat and see if there's an envelope under your seat go ahead if you have if you found an envelope that you don't recognize hold it up I'll give you a clue somebody needs to obeyed this command and look under your seat in that section over there hold it up if you don't recognize it can you open it up by the way what's well she does that where were some of you just looking at me I just all I asked you to do was look under your seat and you're like this not nothing to do nothing well you wish you would have done it and ended here what what what does that say it's hard to read cuz the font is really fancy I know here's what here's what he's reading never forget this the Lord is good and he desires to favor me and if I'm willing to believe in his promises then it says present this coupon at the bookstore for a $50 gift right now look listen what did he do what did he do to get that he did nothing but look what did he do to earn it nothing if I a mere little man mere little guy do a little pathetic not so overwhelming illustration but at least he's blessed by it it should have communicated to you Wow under my seats I didn't do anything I just sat here exactly exactly turn to Christ do you understand listen he died on the cross for our sins we can't pay him that debt it's impossible we offended him before we even knew he existed we already offended him when you and I woke up to the existence of God we had already sinned remember and then he says just bring me your sin and I'll forgive you and I'll write my name in your book of life well how do I get that to happen just come to me in other words open up the envelope in some of you interesting people just looked at me a moment ago like this I am NOT a pastor I'm not gonna do one thing you say it could have been under your seats you see yeah but it wasn't but it could have been that could have been yours you don't earn it it's given by the grace of God God does that with His grace toward us the Bible says look unto the Lord and be saved all you ends of the earth look to him third thing in verse 13 is the fact that God's love is provided it says that the grace that is to be brought to you see the word brats this is an amazing word the word brought means that is to be carried aloft it is to be borne aloft the word is a nautical term it's a sailing term from 21 centuries ago and it means this that the wind hits the sails and when wind hits the sails what happens to the violets the boat begins to move under what Tower listen is it under the power of the boat or is it under the power of the wind and God is saying to us that very thing that God's grace is being brought to you it's arriving now this week since I got back I've I've been to numerous homes and gatherings where people have either well past to Jesus and so I was with the family with tears they were praising the Lord because mom wife knew the Lord and they're not lost they know exactly where they're at and then I met with somebody this last week who's gone to this church for years she can't make it anymore she just had to surrender that freedom 96 years old Audrey missionary to Guatemala 96 years old and she's all bummed because she can't come to church but she's ready to meet Jesus and she's she's she's finished her course she wants to go she hasn't gone yet but she wants to go she was so happy to go see Jesus I wanted to go with her it's like let's go she listened she's talking to me and she's talking about him and you would have thought that she's 16 years old talking about some boy she met and it made me jealous in a precious way what does this mean to the Christian it means theologically that every day you live your life you're getting closer to the day the Lord comes for all of us or the Lord comes from you and it means this His grace is increasing toward you it's being brought like a ship that is being brought or pushed along by the wind every day are you a Christian every day His grace is magnifying that's what it means to the day when your moment comes His grace will be present for you how do you think listen how do you think men and women you know Lisa and I went and stood at the place where Hugh Latimer in England and Oxford was burned to death at the stake for preaching the gospel how is it that you're being burned to death at the stake and you're preaching the gospel as the flames consume you and and you have an you have an agreement with your fellow prisoners that if the minute if I'm not tormented by the flames I'll keep my hands up you guys watch me if I'm not being tormented by the flames I'll keep my hands up and they stoke the flames around these defenders of the truth and they preach the gospel with their hands up on fire ladies and gentlemen how does that happen it's impossible but for the grace of God do you understand that that was brought to them and listen if you're in the hospital for cancer if you've been in an accident whatever's going on in your life God's grace as a believer is being brought to you think of a butler as it were bringing to you these benefits that you could never get on your own it's being bestowed to you God's grace is being brought to you you don't need to fear the future and for every one of us today what I just challenged you with a moment ago will become more precious you don't need to worry God's love is going to be provided His grace will be there because God's will is to govern your life the Bible says in Romans chapter 8 verse 35 to 39 you already know it but let me repeat it this is what's being brought to you who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation distress persecution famine nakedness or peril or sword as it is written for your sake that's God's sake we are killed all day long we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us for I am persuaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other created thing that includes me she else separate me or shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord what a promise do you believe that you will not only survive if you believe that you'll flourish because you'll know that God's love is provided for you and then he says in closing it's going to happen at the revelation of Jesus this grace is coming in ultimately consummated at the coming of Christ look at the end of verse 13 by the way this is the fourth time in 13 verses that Peter makes mention of the coming of Christ for the believer we're comforted by this comforted by the return of God this is our this is our final point listen it's a final point we still have 10 minutes it doesn't mean we're done so hang on to final point you guys the Bible is clear from old to new Testament every one of God's kids are comforted in the Bible and revealed to us to be a clean clear doctrine of the Bible that the return of Christ for us is a comforting thought the Bible says in 1st Thessalonians 4 verses 13 to 18 regarding the coming of Christ that he could come at any moment therefore comfort one another with these words don't answer out loud I want to ask you this question are you right now comforted knowing that Christ could come for you today if you're not comfortable with that I ask you why if Jesus came today if Jesus met you one hour from this service today that's that does that terrify you does that put a little bit of fear in you it shouldn't and for the Holy Spirit is speaking do you need to ask him why ask him to show you he loves you is there something keeping you from God maybe you're a Christian today and you say well pastor I love the Lord but I that kind of terrifies me by the way I asked for a service to this and I just give you the same answer some said out loud they said I don't want Jesus to come today because my grandkids aren't saved yet that's a legitimate concern but you pray for them that's irrelevant of God's coming or not that's irrelevant of that God knows his time he's perfect but you pray you tell your grandkids you tell everybody I get that somebody said not being ready somebody said loving the things in the world somebody had the boldness to say living in sin and you know that's true why would you not be excited about Jesus coming today Peter told the believers 21 centuries ago that what's coming to the believer is God's abundant grace that's good news ladies and gentlemen that's comforting and the Bible says very clearly two very profound statements first John 2:28 first John 2:28 says and now little children is that sweet how the Bible calls you little kids abide in him was I mean hang out live with Jesus day-in day-out that when he appears we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him it is coming that's God's will Titus 2:13 and 14 looking for the Blessed hope and the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ who gave himself for us that he might redeem us ladies and gentlemen family that's good news that's good news the older I get the more sweet the Bible becomes to me I hope it's true for you and by the way you have to think things through as you get older the other day I saw penny on the ground a penny say you know so what well it used to be I just walked by those pennies but there's just something about getting older she's like that's a penny didn't Ben Franklin say a penny saved as a yeah that's right so then I had to stop and I had to bring my emotions under control and put them on the level and gird up the loins of my mind and ponder this for a minute make a very serious decision my emotions said keep going don't even stoop down to get it but then responsibility said it's a penny if I pass by it's almost as though as i'm unthankful to god and i had to weigh this out and then i took my life into my hands because this is what i was thinking if i bend down to get that penny at my age i could slip a disc Nana cost me a thousand bucks Lord show me thy will O God and I made sure I bent my knees and I bent down and I picked up the penny and I turn it around and I saw what was worth more than a thousand bucks exactly and God We Trust and God We Trust my friend today is it and God you trust because he's coming Jesus said in an hour that you're not expecting me and in a day that you're not looking for me I will come suddenly and I'm going to set you up to bring you to a deep reality first slide this was happening across our nation right now isn't that a political statement this is just a fact for those of you who are following either the markets or the world for those of you who get paychecks you've already seen a difference by the way this is CNBC there's a nut Fox stock markets value under President Trump has grown 6.9 what's the word I'm sorry what's the word trillion dollars to 30 point six trillion it's never happened before in the history of our nation on those levels right now the g7 meeting with the leaders of the world you can look it up later to see what's happening regarding that and what the leaders opinions are of how things are going on financially in America listen Europe is delighted Japan is delighted Singapore is delighted of what's happening in America you're buying stuff you're investing you're bringing more money home now in your paycheck something's happening you would think we'd all be jumping up clicking our heels right now the US economy is booming record growth record wealth record low unemployment rate from nine point four under President Barack Obama 23.8 in the last 500 days more blacks more females more Hispanics are employed than any previous decades Isis has been defeated Trump has put Rocketman in his place and they're talking today in Singapore America is on a high if you're in the stock market you're in your investments have gone anywhere from 15 to 30 percent millionaires are being made by the minute and what's happening our kids are killing themselves teen suicide by the way the most the most dangerous group of people to be in America today is a teenager from 12 to 21 years of age white affluent you're the most likely to commit suicide in America did you know that by the way look at the data affluence seems to be one of the indicators of possible suicide remarkable the teen suicide rate has more than doubled here's how you can help save your child you can read that article the internet is full of it right now what's happening listen to this the number one thing cause they think is happening is that kids are online 24/7 and they're hearing the opinions of other people and they're going out and killing themselves because Susie who they don't even know said something bad about them you saw perhaps on the news that one Playboy Playmate was criticized by others in her community about what she had said about morality and she killed herself just the other day I like the guy I don't know him but I like this program I just liked him I seem I would like to have met him which is rare for me to want to meet him personality but I just liked the guy he hung himself the other day Anthony boudin well what's his last name Bourdain hung himself Kate Spade unlimited wealth incredible Fame sought out all around the world kills herself there are more people from Madison Avenue Avenue to Hollywood Boulevard the see the famous killing themselves today America is on a suicide epidemic while the stock market is exploding people are making more money what's my point money's not the answer listen in Beverly Hills speaking last Friday night you should have seen the parking lot I felt like a I felt like a fish out of water in the parking lot more say Oh Mercedes that was mercedes-benz BMW there was lowlife Lamborghinis Maseratis Porsche of I never knew they made Porsches like that Rolls Royces all of these cars and all of this stuff and I'm watching knowing the statistics of what's happening in the world and watching all this pomp and glory pull up and you would have thought listen dude if you have this one Lamborghini pulled up and it was I got a was awesome now if you had a car like that or even if you rented a car like that for the night wouldn't you think why would you would you get out of the car what would you act like all these people pulling up like this [Laughter] like they're bored but something's wrong like man whatever of course they act like that until you put a scratch in their car then they go insane what's the point the point is this listen if you are getting out of that car and you've never been used to that kind of car you discard no listen there's a it's it's fake it's a facade life listen the money is not gonna help you the positions not gonna help you clearly the fame doesn't help you go now from this place and know this that God has a plan for your life his love for you is immense His grace will get you all the way through to the end Jesus is coming back Church don't don't miss him father we pray and we ask Lord now that by your truth today Lord this feeble attempt to honor your word but your word has been spoken your word has been quoted and I quoted again you who fear the name of the Lord the Sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in his wings says the word of God so father I pray that you'd bring healing upon this church body and upon those who are watching right now and to those who are later to stream this message or other gatherings over this study and that God you'd bring hope Lord that you'd send the wind of the Holy Spirit to fill our sails of thought and father that we would leave this place being people that marched the drum of heaven to the beat of the will of God and not our own and father that you'd rescue church stand if you would as I pray I don't know why just stand okay as I continue to pray god we plead for our young people today we plead for the young people of America God that they would have hope that they would Lord read your promises that they would get away from being vandalized and victimized by tweets by posts by the tyranny of Technology and God that they would find their life and for any of us that are here today that we would find our identity in Jesus because he alone is our life and we thank you for the cross we thank you for the resurrection we thank you for our forgiveness we thank you that you Lord invite us by your grace to enter your kingdom by faith alone in Jesus name and all God's people said amen let's end this song with worship from our hearts and gratitude in Jesus name Amen let's praise Him now

Channel: Real Life with Jack Hibbs

Views: 40,874

Rating: 4.9147358 out of 5

Keywords: Go now, guard your mind, 1 peter, the greatest teaching on bible prophecy ever, bible prophecy, pastor jack hibbs, jack hibbs, salvation, doctrine of salvation, new testament, old testament prophets, how to be saved, saint peter, apostle peter, st. peter, first peter, 1 peter 1, 1 peter chapter 1, 1 peter bible study, bible study in 1 peter, book of 1 peter, god’s grace, born again, born again christian, jesus, calvary chapel, real life with jack hibbs

Id: xNK2XdJbVlM

Length: 54min 50sec (3290 seconds)

Published: Mon Jun 11 2018