Hindrances To Holiness by Shane Idleman

you I want to talk to you tonight about probably one of the most difficult topics among Christians and I don't say that flippantly it's one of those topics where when you talk about holiness the holiness of God they say preach it but when then you show what it looks like an application they label you a Pharisee or legalistic or narrow-minded or a fundamentalist because it's okay to talk about holiness but when we get to the practicality of it you will be labeled I will be labeled but levering mind everyone in this room that the the power of the spear filled life doesn't lie araly in our words it lies in our actions it lies in the condition of the heart and that's why Isaac Watts the famous hymn writer from from centuries ago said true Christianity where reigns in the heart will make itself appear in the purity of life let me say that again because it's profound true Christianity when I'm talking about genuine Christianity not somebody who clicks Christian on Facebook I'm talking about genuine Christianity holiness is a byproduct of a genuine relationship with Jesus Christ holiness the holiness of God talking about who he is what he stands for as we talked about last week I'm gonna remind or make some points that I made last week because I've got to set the stage there's some new faces out there number one number two is we need to hear it again in many cases because as our culture is submerging itself into a cesspool of perversion they are taking the church with them I can't even look at the news anymore with all the the the perversion that's out there the debauchery if I may use that that old term one of the fastest growing businesses in our nation is clinics for those who are sexually addicted the Christian community is putting these programs that I said last week we're extension the nostrils of righteous holy pure God the Christian community is putting these at the top and the number-one ratings box-office hits best shows all these different things of Christian community and I think it is a time for us to come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and what I said last week still pertains this week that the lukewarm condition of the church hates conviction they'd will not like this type of message they probably won't come again because what it does is it challenges the idols of the heart when we love the things of the world which which and we begin to follow those things the Bible refers to that is as idolatry and the nation of Israel set apart for God would often be led astray by what the poll of the world it's not that God let them down it's not that his word was untrue but that strong pull of the world and that will be your constant battle here in this life because is Elijah said calling the people back as they begin to worship Bell and the prophets of Bell he said people how long will you waver how long will you falter between two opinions if God is God follow him see there's no mediocore Christianity there's no lukewarm Christianity there's no Saturday or Sunday only Christianity it is a full fully surrendered life or no life at all now I need a big fat disclaimer in there because I'm not talking about perfection we're not going to be perfect and do everything right but there should be a heartbroken and looking at the condition of our family looking at the condition of what's going on and I said last week we just we watch Leave It to Beaver for the first time a long time and it's it's almost like you you don't even live in the nation anymore the the respect and this and look how far society has declined in 50 years not five hundred fifty years the perversion now that's filling the internet and and it's Christiane's half of men attending a Promise Keepers convention said we're interviewed or they got statistics at half of them we're looking at pornography in the bedrooms at a Promise Keepers convention the need to come out from among them and be separate has never been greater that's why Isaac Watts can say true Christianity where it rains in the heart will make itself appear in the purity of life a genuine conversion when somebody is genuinely converted there's a heart after the things of God and what happens is when we talk about holiness and and I see it all the time at conventions or conferences or talking with people and yes the holiness of God yes preacher brother preach it but when we talk about obedience to the Word of God that's when you're labeled see it's okay to talk about it but what does holiness look like see I don't want to talk about I want to see what it looks like I need practical application I need to know I need to know if my hearts falling wholeheartedly after Christ and what happens is a lot of times you know how I like to do the pendulum swing and getting out of balance and a lot of times we get on this side and and we say it's all about us doing this and doing this and not watching this and not watching that and not watching this and doing here I can't go there I can't I got a doo doo doo doo doo doo doo that's wholly not necessarily because you can do a lot of things and you'll be religious but not wholly and set apart for God because the Pharisees did a lot of things so it's not about doing doing doing now granted a broken surrendered humbled life seeking hard after God is going to make a lot of choices that resemble certain things but then we have the other side over here that says you don't have to do anything rather just sit at home let God's Spirit change you it's that sanctification is God's job he'll change you and that's true but you've got to surrender to the work of the holy spirit by obeying the Word of God I mean if we could sit here for an hour and I and I could probably take a more than an hour and go over over every scripture dealing with obedience to the Word of God and I've talked to counselors before marriage family therapists all these different in asking what is the major crisis what's going on one thing obedience to the Word of God you would eradicate 90% of all counseling appointments if there was obedient to the Word of God husband's love your wives as Christ loved the church you would kill half of them right there you wouldn't need to call the pastor you wouldn't need to make a counseling appointment the light your marriage would be transformed wives show your husbands the due respect honor him to and cherish him you'd eradicate some more see it's about obeying in the Word of God and but I don't want to get caught up on this this legalistic you got to do this you got this you you don't have to do anything but one of the signs and hopefully I can go into this at some point of the life that's been truly reborn is a hunger and a thirst things of God blessed is the man who hungers and thirsts for righteousness for he shall be filled there's got to be a hunger and a thirst and a desire and wanting to obey the Word of God if there's no desire to obey God's Word you have to wonder have I truly been converted because that is a sign there's no way around that genuine conversion comes out in the purity of life seeking hard after God now I want to read a few scriptures on this issue of holiness if you don't think obedience is required listen to this first Corinthians 6:20 you have been bought with the price therefore glorify God in your body that tells me I have a responsibility to glorify God in my body I mean I didn't translate the Greek today and I didn't try to understand the nuances there but that's pretty clear therefore glorify God in your body first John all who have this hope and him purify themselves just as he is pure we purify ourselves making ourselves holy present your bodies Paul would say in Romans as slaves to righteousness which produces sanctification see when you present your bodies as living sacrifices saying God have my life taken do what you will with it when you do that that leads to righteousness that leads to holiness and let me be clear here I'm not talking about holiness about you know wearing a big gown and a hat and and something we see halos in some of these pictures and aren't they so holy and and he's this and he's a bishop of this he's the most reverent of this he's some many of those people are not holy as the way the Bible defines it holiness is being set apart for God come out from among them and be separate holiness stands above all the other attributes of God even more so than God is love holiness stands out more than any other attribute the Angels fell down in the holy presence of God leaders Kings priests prophets fell down in the holy presence of God John had a vision and said oh he fell down and he stood John up and said get up because the holy presence of God Isaiah said I saw him high and lifted up the Train of his robe filled the entire temple and I realized I was unclean I and I was dwelling amidst amidst the people with unclean lips Lord sanctify meal or rejuvenate me Lord changed me this holiness of God there's a holy standard that can't be compromised it can't be it can't be debated it can't be missed it can't be and that's what's happening in the church the problem isn't that we raise our standard and miss it it's that we lower it and we hit it let me say that again we do not raise our standard of holiness and we miss it we lower it and we hit it don't worry I'll be teaching on the love of God next week let me get this out it's burning his word is in my heart like a burning fire shut up in my bones I'm weary of holding it back and I cannot this message of holiness I believe God is calling the church to a place of holiness not weirdness holiness he often called his people that was a whole role of the Prophet do you realize that the whole role of the Prophet and of course to prophesy foretell these different things but was to go and call the people back to God Jeremiah God says before I even formed you in the womb Jeremiah I called you and I sanctified you to be a prophet among my people he said oh but I am too young God said you're not too young Jeremiah you will go to who I send you you will preach what I tell you to preach you will do what I command you to do in the Bible records that God touched the mouth of Jeremiah and he said you will pull down you will root out you will destroy the unfruitful works of darkness Jeremiah that's your job to convict the people because without conviction there's no turning to God he was called to do that he was created to do that yet in our modern comfortable churches today in our society we don't need that anymore we're good no we're not good we need that more now than ever before and halfway through Jeremiah's ministry he's pushing forward and God says listen Jeremiah go tell the people that they're listening to prophets who are prophesying of their own vision of their own heart don't even listen to them they're telling the people peace peace when there is no peace there's no safety tell the people don't listen to these guys because what are they doing they're causing the people to walk according to the dictates of their own heart and God says I have not sent these prophets yet they ran I have not prophesied to them yet they spoke but had they truly stood in my counsel had these teachers truly stood in my counsel they would have turned the entire nation back to God is not my word like a fire like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces he told Jeremiah tell my people they have perverted the words of the Living God by not warning and instructing and encouraging and calling the people back did I get the point across that was that was the role of that prophetic element the Old Testament is to call the people back and sadly we read in 2nd chronicles that God said I sent my messengers God said I sent my messengers rising them up early and sending them because why I had compassion on my people that's why I sent these difficult messages it's not that God's anger he's calling a church back to him it's not anger it's love you better check your definition and angry God would say you're done all of you are toast but he called he said I sent messengers to my people what happened did they listen no it says they mocked my messengers despised at my word and scoffed at my prophets until the anger of the Lord arose against his own people until there was no remedy what do you do when God says you want it you got it see he calls a church back he calls us out of the world be not in the world or you're in the world but be not of the world come out from among them church and be separate but the great cry today is that's legalism shame no it's wisdom that's Bible now if we start to live like the Bible tells us to live now we're now we're label is fanatical way out there Jesus Freak extreme well that was Bible 2,000 years ago that's what a disciple of Jesus Christ was holy set apart for God now we're allowing allowing all this junk into our minds into our homes word word there's no difference there's no distinction and those of you who weren't here last week go online get part 1 of this message from last week I gave an analogy of what that looks like how can we be in the world we live in the world where we're here we work in the world we can't how're we supposed to come out from among them well first John says love not the world nor the things in the world for he who loves the world does not even have the love of the father in him might say what is it what is he talking about that word world there is cosmos it means the world's mindset the direction of the the world a Christian is swimming upstream you're always on battleground you your life is a battleground not a playground life is a battleground not a playground aw Tozer said fifty years ago in every generation the number of the righteous is small make sure that you're among them see there's this there's this remnant that's called out Church come out from among them be separate and you will not know the spirit filled life until holiness becomes a part of your life because when you begin to to separate yourself and remove sinfulness and these sinful activities when you begin to remove those God's Spirit overflows you and that's what Pentecostals refer to as a spirit filled life the life surrender to God exchange life that you can call it spirit filled you can call it baptism spirit you can call it unction you can call whatever you want but you better have it see see I would rather miss the theological term and have the power of the Spirit then miss the power of the Spirit and get the theological term just right and impress phd's down at Masters College I would I would I'd rather have I don't know what you want to call it you've got to have the power of the Holy Spirit in your life and the power of the Holy Spirit comes upon a broken humble heart whose holy and set apart for God period God does not negotiate he doesn't say try this consider this he says here it is I lay it out obey or not it's that's it and young adults especially oh that's so hard no as I've said many times before and I'll keep saying it from here on out God's principles are guardrails through the canyons of life they're guardrails they don't prevent you from having fun they prevent you from falling off the cliff if holiness is so needed desperately needed what's the problem the problem is and I just alluded to it is the love of this world see I've noticed that people often don't walk away because Christ fells them they don't walk away because God's Word fells them they walk away because the pole of the world the world pulls in Jesus talked about this many times one example was when he said good there's good see that falls on good soil 25% of the time but other times it falls on hard soil the enemy comes and gets it other times it falls on rock rocky soil so there's no root so when trials and tribulations come it withers away but one of the most dangerous parables is this parable about the seed that falls in and wheats weeds grow up with it and it chokes the the good the good harvest why does it choke it Jesus said because the cares of this world we live in such a blessed nation that the cares of this world just pull our flesh the flesh says more the Spirit says no the flesh says I want more the Spirit says you better get back to putting God first the flesh and the spirit are not friends the Bible says that the flesh is at enmity with God it is at war with God and that's alarming because you know what who I'm afraid of more than anything else the potential that's inside that's why Paul can say Paul the writer of most of the New Testament Oh wretched man that I am who can deliver me from this body of sin and death for with the mind I serve the law of God but with the flesh I serve the law of sin it is a battle it's a constant battle what happens is the love of the world comes in loving the things of the world caring for the things of the world and we just get sucked right in because say it's no big deal everybody's doing it right it's no big deal everybody's doing it as I was preparing for the sermon up in a few months ago actually I was working on the series I came across a story of a governor back in the deep south probably a hundred years ago now and certain trends were coming in and being popular with the young women and he told his daughter you're not gonna wear that you're not gonna start dressing like that and she said but daddy everybody's doing it it's the end thing it's in style daddy it's in style he looked at her daughter and he said young lady you do not follow the styles you set the styles may I present the same argument here with the church you do not follow the pattern of the world you come out from among them and be different be distinct I'm not talking about a Pharisee where everybody hates us but I'm talking about something who there's a difference there there's a distinction he is he is set apart for God the problem is so let me get to that next I don't want to jump ahead that's gonna be a good point oh actually I'm there right now it will cost you holiness will cost you I'm here to tell you without a shadow of a doubt holiness will cost you do you want to hunger and thirst for righteousness do you want to know God more it will cost you it will cost you it will cost you many things but as I often used to tell people losing weight in the fitness industry whenever you subtract something say from your diet you better add something beneficial what happens in this area you can't begin subtracting all these things to become a Rekluse and never add anything if you're going to remove the opinions of men you better add the opinions of God if you're gonna begin to remove worldly pleasures you'd be getting be a better add godly pleasures to your life because you're subtracting all these things out you better start feeding on the Word of God because if you sweep your house clean and seven demons come back he says the last state of that man is worse than this first state now contextually that's not dealing with holiness I got it understanding but the principle still applies that when you remove things from your life you've got to start adding the Word of God you've got to start adding godly relationships and godly choices because you've got to fill that void and it will cost you and the first thing I want to talk about we talked about this briefly last week is it'll cost you the opinions of men let me say that boldly let me say that loudly let me say that clearly no sleeping on this point it will cost you the opinions of men it will and we don't realize how hard this is but it's very hard oh you don't want people to think I'm fanatical or this or extreme and me and my wife we some we sometimes laugh about this and it's really not funny but it is funny every I mean so many people and you guys are so gracious and we get emails that we you know people say we would love the messages keep preaching the truth brother churches got to hear this we got to do this but nobody wants a post on Facebook I'll go listen but I don't want people to know I'm identified with that radical guy see that there's 20 friends that might like that message shame but I'm worried about the 400 who won't know we see it all the time nobody wants to post anything why I've been guilty of it myself the opinions of men what will people think then I'll be labeled a radical a Jesus Freak I'll be labeled all these things narrow-minded now I'm not expecting a surplus of this message to go on Facebook okay I understand I'm not saying but the point is you know exactly what I'm saying we're worried about the opinions of men way too much and that's why Jesus said woe be to you and all men speak well of you when you seek holiness and seek guard after God you there will be friendships that will not stand they cannot stand when you when you I saw this 1999-2000 I must have lost a dozen friendships and it wasn't you know and they're like oh you're so much better than us and you're so much better than you got no I'm not so much better I want to follow hard after God and I don't care what it costs me it's because I'm not much better it's because I see my need for him I need to fall fall a whole hat hardly after him these relationships keep bringing me down and it's not that you're better it's not that you're uppity it's not that your arrogance not that any of that it's the I cannot engage in that lifestyle anymore I need to come out from among them and be separate it's usually Christians who aren't following wholeheartedly after Christ that are gonna have a problem with it oh you've changed you went got spiritual you went matured huh no I'm just I'm seeking holiness and this is not gonna work anymore I mean was 1999 told a friend of mine after a trip to Laughlin and jet skis and lots of Crow and I said I can I keep doing this this is ridiculous he called me a super Christian Jesus Freak and I don't think we've maybe said hi a couple times since I can't I can't do that anymore guys that's right I can't I got a you can call me or whatever you want you can call me whatever you want I've got to follow God and it looks funny to the world it looks funny to many Christian friends now I'm not going out there and saying blow out your relationships cut all ties I'm just saying when you begin to follow Christ and say I'm not gonna watch that I'm not gonna view that I'm not gonna keep getting drunk I don't want to keep getting hungover I don't want to keep having those conversations I don't want to keep going to those places I don't want to keep spending my money there I don't want to keep wasting on my time doing this because I got to spend time in the Word of God you will be labeled and we don't want to be labeled we that we don't we don't you think I like to be labeled No people ran to me so you're that guy who preaches for an hour like okay I guess that's that's all right right gosh like they should go back and listen to the Puritans and read those hour and a half to our sermons come on takes me 20 minutes to get through the introduction but it'll cost you the opinions of men number two it'll cost you worldly passions blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness were they were they I'm sorry blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled you've got a hunger and thirst for righteousness and I'm gonna walk a very tight rope here on this topic because when I talk about worldly passions there are some things that are good so I'm not coming after all the other there are some things that are good but let me remind everybody in this room that the enemy often destroys the best with the good that's one reason I don't want my kids in soccer and baseball and hockey and basketball and 4-h in this club and that Club and busy busy busy busy busy we're all so busy we have no time to seek the hit face of the father he ruins the best with the good some of these things are absolutely great of course we do him but he gets us so busy and busy and doing all these different things in our in our in our community in our culture today and there used to be a saying back again I'll mention the Puritans it was in their chapters of their books it was in their sermons they used to always say and I love this phrase others may you cannot what does that mean others may do something but you cannot they might be able to live this glamorous lifestyle and be doing all these different things and busy and and working overtime working under time doing all these different things it isn't that so great and now Facebook really helps us doesn't it because now we know what everybody's doing and they have paint this picture of really who they want people to believe they are and it will cost you some of those worldly passions some things need to be given up to to fully surrender and go after holiness but you have to go in your own heart and ask what these things are for me I know many times have been made of fun of going to bed early sometimes so I can get up at 4 or 4:30 a.m. and spend time with God yeah you can ridicule me and do whatever you want but I cherished that time I wouldn't I wouldn't give up anything for that time men play golf that's wonderful but if you're playing 18 holes 4 times a day your kids never see you have no time for the Word of God there's a problem there we're so busy with our worldly passions in our culture today we want the the broad road I'm sorry we want the narrow road to be broad we want the cross to be light we don't want to carry any burdens we don't want to make any distinctions we want to live in the world we love the world but God says come out from among them be holy be set apart for I am the Lord thy God and again I'm walking a fine line here because a lot of these things are good there's nothing wrong with it but I'm saying if you truly want to have holiness in your life and seek after God there are some things you need to go through your lifestyle and remove easy very easy is this helping me is this helping my relationship with Christ with my family or is it pulling me down because he can get the enemy once God has you the enemy wants to keep you so busy that you're not effective you're not filled the spirit you're stressed out you're all you're doing all these things and there's no time for him no time for fellowship no time for for the Word of God you have the worldly pleasures have to have to go the ones that are pulling you down again a big disclaimer there because some of those things are good and god-given and we need to be entertained and relax and go out and shop or vacate I understand all those thank God for those things I'm looking forward to a few of those I'll be fly fishing out with the kids up in the lakes at some point the wife of course will be there so I'm not saying that there's anything wrong with these things but it's when we get so busy and I hear that I think I hear that more than anything now she and I try I wish I could but I just I'm just you must have a lot more time with than I do but I'm so busy they say I'm so busy and you've got to eradicate those areas that are causing a distraction in your life he'll come in and he'll get you with those little things those little distractions the next point it will cost you I don't even know if I want to give this point right now but it has to be said it will cost you genuine holiness seeking heart after God it will cost you your sins oh you can hear a pin drop you all know the verse if my people are called by my name will humble themselves pray seek my face but wait a minute that's where many churches stop that's a big divide right now in the churches in America we all talk about humility isn't it great to be humble the postmodern church says we're so humble because we don't really know the truth aren't we so humble and then other churches say we're humble because we're serving God and that's true and then they all say pray yes we have to pray all religions pray right we're not necessary praying of the same God but all religions pray and then all most places and religions and churches say seek God he's their brother just find him you know as long as you're sincere you'll find him just seek God but it's his fourth point that gets us in trouble if my people are called by my name will humble themselves pray seek my face and turn from their wicked ways see that's the kicker that he he God get mad at him I just read the Bible verse if my people turn from their wicked ways and we hear that word wicked we're like whoa I can't I'm not wick wicked is just anything that opposes the Wills ways and nature of God that's wicked wickedness sin in our lives myself included there are areas in our lives that we've got to turn from it to truly seek holiness in the spirit filled life in the surrender life and to have a passion for the things of God let me read what JC I wrote on holiness 100 some years ago holiness will cost a man his sins he must be willing to give up every habit and practice which is wrong in God's sight there must be no separate truce with any special sin he loves our sins are often as dear to us as our children we love them we hug them we Cleavon them we delight in them to part way with them as as hard as cutting off a right hand or plucking out a right eye but it must be done the parting must come there are areas in our lives that prevent holiness guys that are hooked on porn think it's no big deal they are seriously misled if we're not treating our spouses right with anger if we're not treating others right with jealousy and envy and backbiting and gossip if we've got all these little secret sins we love it's just the way I was raised it's just how I was born it's just my nature I'm German and Irish so I can get upset now innit we have all these excuses we want to hold on to these little sins God says you must eradicate them you must remove those hindrances to holiness now I know this type of message is going to ruffle some feathers but that's the purpose because we've got to start looking at our lives and saying Lord is there areas in my life that you that are not pleasing to you now for the title the message hindrances to holiness separation must occur I know I've made this point across but now we're gonna get into the stepping on toes part of the this message that I'll be glad when this is over don't email me for a few days let me just a you know rest at home separation must occur come out from among them be separate see what we don't realize is when you separate from the world that's when you influence the world that's when you impact the world because now you step out you're separate your whole your set apart for God now he can use you there's notice if there's no distinction there's no difference we look just like the world Jesus says you're lukewarm I'll vomit you out of my mouth their separation must occur to be to truly influence I'm gonna read second Corinthians 6:14 through 18 now listen up this is vitally important no cell phones no talking we're gonna get to the meat of it do not do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers now we use that often in marriage counseling of course but look what he's saying here do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers for what Fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness and what communion has light with darkness and what Accord has Christ with Belial for bail however you want to pronounce out or what part has a believer with an unbeliever and what agreement has the temple of God with idols for you are the Temple of the Living God and God has said I will dwell with them and walk among them I will be their God and they shall be my people because of this therefore come out from among them and be separate says the Lord do not touch what is unclean and I will receive you I will be a father to you and you shall be my sons and my daughters says the Lord God Almighty and then he finishes in chapter 7 therefore since we have these promises of doing these things dear friends let us purify ourselves from everything that that's pretty dramatic Paul would be written off as a legalist right there right there that Paul he sure is a legalist he's not wanting us to have any fun Paul says Paul says remove everything that contaminates the body and spirit perfecting holiness why out of reverence for God that reverence there that fear of God see there's another thing we don't want to talk about the fear of the Lord but the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge the fear of the Lord is the beginning of understanding Jesus said don't kill that man who can kill your body fear Him who can cast both body and soul in hell Jesus said that this fear this reverence for God we should want to live holy lives because we have this respect and on coming out from among them and be separate this is where we do not follow the styles we've got to set the styles we've got to come out from among them and it's never been harder than any other period in history I am afraid for my kids growing up in this culture on one hand on the other hand of course there's great peace and knowing God and having him be their true heavenly father and guide them but look at how sick and perverted our society has become the need for this type of separation has never been greater the first point I want to hit on real quick holiness holiness cannot flow through polluted relationships and polluted unions now I'm gonna be careful here too because I have a lot of friends that aren't believers so we all do so we have to be careful here holiness cannot flow through polluted relationships and unions Paul says do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers he says for what Fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness and for those of you don't know yoked together it's like with the oxen used to wear those big yokes that would sit on their neck and they would pull they would plow the field or they would pull certain things they'd have there's a yoke and they're yoked together they're pulling in the same direction but what happens when a believer in an unbeliever you cannot be yoked together you're not going in the same direction you have to go in unison and you're not so this has a lot to do with contractually contracts marriage covenants a believer and unbeliever now if that's the case you've married an unbeliever well then there's grace Paul says why that and touches on this in 1st Corinthians 2 stay with them and to hopefully God will win them because of your chase conduct and and that's okay there's grace there there's forgiveness so don't think I'm um you know pointing fingers directly at you at this point but what I'm saying is if you've not yet married the need to be equally yoked is one of the most important decisions you will ever make as a married person or as a single Bar None without a shadow of a doubt there's got to be an equal yoke and equal passion for Christ I tell young adults all the time follow wholeheartedly after Christ and see who catches up that's who you should be dating and courting what ya follow wholeheartedly after him and see if they if they catch up because if they don't and they begin to pull you down and pull you away from him there's an unequal Union there the God saying come out from among them and be separate in this area another area is contracts with employment as far as your business partner you're entering in and you're entering into a union a business partnership you want to tithe or offering I don't want to you know get any mean emails on this one either wait call whatever you want if you want to give to the church and this other person doesn't want to they wanted you want to do this with the money you want to honor God they want to cook the books they want to inflate the profit margin they don't want accurate P&L statements they want to lie to the board of directors this person wants to do everything upright you think there's going to be a conflict there there's to be tolling set apart there cannot be this Union it'll fall apart now this is different than working for somebody and you collect a check for a job well done basically you do their you do a job and you're not yoked with them though so it applies in many different areas you have to come out from among them be separate the other area of this what part has a believer with an unbeliever let me say that again what part has a believer with an unbeliever I've been talking to some guys lately that in the community that I know and they're wanting to come to church more than wanting they know they need to turn their life over to Christ but this destructive relationships come in and they pull them away destructive relationships pull them away and let me say right now if you're curious if a relationship is good or bad what direction is it leading you is the relationship pulling you in the right direction or pulling you in the wrong direction let me give you example destructive friendship it's a guy who says I love going to Vegas with Vince and Laughlin tulare those guys those guys can party like nobody's business that's a destructive relationship because that darkness actually they're pulling you out of the light into the darkness that's a destructive relationship if they're pulling you ministry looks like when Vince gets back from Vegas and Larry gets back from Laughlin let's get lunch let's talk let's go out with play golf let me then you're in control the environment you're in control the situation I'm tired of people compromising so much in these areas say but Shan we're winning them winning them to what to the fully surrendered life winning them to holiness wait wait winning them to true discipleship winning them to cross carrying are we really winning them you're winning them of you're quoting scripture as girls walk buying g string bikinis and free drinks are delivered every 30 minutes really you're winning them I don't think so come out from among them and be separate be set apart now a lot of these are examples of what I came out of I did all those things Laughlin vegas Palm Springs Spring Break I saw that I'm using things from my own life you never a minute I mean you can go there and make a difference of course but you've got to be very careful in these areas come out from among them be separate because W Graham scroogie said I know he's got a funny name but the good quote he said light light and darkness right and wrong good and evil truth and air are incompatible you can't compromise them you can't compromise them when you do it's the light the right the truth and the good that are damaged that's what's happening our life you cannot compromise the light in the darkness the right and the wrong the truth and the air the good and the bad you try to compromise them it's the good things that are damaged and the next point on this holiness cannot flow through a polluted mind holiness cannot flow through a polluted mind what communion Paul says what communion has light with darkness and what Accord like on that piano you're playing a chord it sounds great but you start beating it and it's what accord there's no chord but there's no Accord there's nothing there's no union with Christ and Belial what Accord is that this word Belial means the hit'em e of evil it's worth it's used for Satan for the Antichrist Paul but he's not mincing words here he's not he's not kind of counted coding anything he says what communion basically what Fellowship has light with darkness what Accord has Christ with the epitome of evil and that's where it's happening right here the battles in the mind the mind gate the mind gate psalms tells us not to put anything wicked before our eyes first Timothy says be examples of decency and purity Philippians 4 H of silence any debate in this area finally brethren whatever things are pure and honest and Noble and upright meditate on these things the media is everything everything is not these things it's everything but these things whatever is not Noble whatever is corrupt whatever is evil whatever is this meditate we're meditating on everything but what God's Word says when it comes to our media choices let me read to you Romans 1:28 32 from the English standard version and since they did not see fit to acknowledge God God gave them up to a debased mind to do whatever they wanted to be done they were filled with now let me let me see if this sounds familiar today they were filled with all manner of unrighteousness evil covetousness malice they are full of envy murder strife deceit maliciousness they are gossips slanderers haters of god insolent and so insolent haughty boastful inventors of evil disobedient to parents foolish faithless heartless ruthless though they know God's righteous decree and that those who practice such things deserve to die they not only do them but they give approval to them and here is my concern with our media choices we are giving an approval to these things when we do not confront we confirm and what entertainment is you've got to be careful because you are allowing things to come in your mind you are approving these things let me watch this let this influence me let me enjoy this but Paul says do not be conformed to this world but be transformed how Paul by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable perfect will of God so we allow all this junk into our minds and we wonder why we have no passion for the things of God we wonder why we're not filled with the Holy Spirit because we're allowing a cesspool of things into our thought life it's hard enough as it is without outside influence it's hard enough as it is but we just keep adding these things adding these things if you want me to name shows go and watch last week so I'm not gonna do it necessarily again this week but all these things that God would call an abomination we are enjoying and never ever once in the Bible will you find that we are to be enthusiastic about things that god forbids never not even one chain know never are we to be enthusiastic about things that god forbids let me read some scriptures to you in light of some of the favorite movies out there today and what we're allowing into our mind see the challenge for me is I don't want to make this bigger than it is in a mountain out of a molehill but the same time we are being deceived and led astray and we don't even know it we wonder why we're not power filled with the power of God wonder why God's Word is boring I never want to read it that much churches okay but God seems distant it's because you're feeding your mind with things that directly opposes a will and way with God you're not coming out from among them be separate so the need almost on one hand is to discuss this more than we are now if I told you guys before I had one pastor tell me Shane you shouldn't mention anything about movies don't mention titles don't mention this you should just talk in general terms the problem is when you talk in general terms nobody thinks it applies to them oh yeah you should see Bob my neighbor oh you know what he watches look what he does like Oh what he know you we've got to be specific and the reason I'm so passionate about this is God radically changed my life in this area I moved in with my mom I've told this story before I didn't have television hooked up I began to pour through the Bible read through it year after year after year after year memorize memorize memorize memorize read church history read systematic theology read hermeneutics read homiletics read the early church fathers read the Puritans read inductive theological books read systematic theological book I read as much as I could I was hungry and thirsting for the things of God because I removed the pollutants out of my mind and this was at the point when God radically filled me with the Spirit of God and I felt a need to preach and to live holy and to call people back to Christ more than I've ever felt in my life I went from dead lethargic religion where I didn't even know if I knew God to a vibrant life feel at the Spirit of God simply because of the media choices so you don't think I have a passion in this area and when young adults young Christians can look at me and they have no problem glorifying vampires the witchcraft the occult I have a serious problem with that because there's no such thing as nice witches pleasant and chant mints good familiar spirits it's not it's not what happens is we get on the slippery slope of compromise we slip down and we compromise we slip down we compromise we're feeding our mind with things that directly oppose the will of God and I know the subject upsets people but I want to preach it till the day I die because it is an abomination the sight of God there is no excuse for allowing these things into our home to filter especially the mind of our children when they walk around they think it's no big deal well Shane does the Bible say anything about that well I'm glad you asked you have a minute just a minute Isaiah now if anybody thinks these scriptures out of context what in the world else do they mean Philippians let your mind or I'm sorry flip instances finally brethren whatever things are noble and right and honest and good and of good report meditate on these things you don't think that applies to our media choices I mean come on it's it's simple simple hermeneutics 101 the Bible is pretty crystal clear on some of these issues Isaiah 89 and when they say to you inquire of the mediums and the necromancer and necromancer was somebody inquiring of the living for the day going to somebody who was dead familiar spirits asking them for advice asking them for things and they inquire of these people who chirp and they mutter should not a people inquire of their God should they inquire the dead on behalf of the living look at Leviticus 19 give no regard to mediums and familiar spirits do not seek them out and so make yourselves unclean by them I am the Lord your God and for one hour straight my eyes got caught on this word give no regard give no regard to these things no regard well in the Hebrew it's an interesting word it means do not consider do not gaze at and do not pay attention to Wow that's exactly what we do not only do we consider it we gaze at it we pay attention to it and we love it feed me more and more and more oh but it's no big deal won't be to the man who says no big deal what we do the man who calls evil good and good evil these are crystal clear issues so when you feel the Spirit of God these things don't hurt you something is wrong with your spirit it's not legal is it much wisdom legalism says oh I'm so spiritual and I'm so great and I fall all these rules and I'm a much better shape with God than you are wisdom says Lord I'm broken I need you I don't want to lust after women either my wife I'm gonna watch my media choices I'm not gonna let these familiar spirits and wizards and witchcraft and vampires and all these things in the occult influence my children Lord I want to follow wholeheartedly after you I want to stand up like Joshua and say choose today whom he will serve as for me and my house we will serve the Lord you can call me narrow-minded critical and arrogant legalistic but I want God to know that I'm seeking hard after him and these things he says they are an abomination in my sight I I could have brought 50 more scriptures give no regard to familiar spirits do not seek them out now Galatians now the works of the flesh are evident he lists whole different things and he says and Sworcery I warn you before as I warned you before I warn you again as I warned you before those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God now Shane are you saying that somebody watches this is it participating absolutely not but I'm saying how can something that is going to keep somebody from the kingdom of God entertained you look at this he says the works of the flesh are idolatry in the media loves to put idols up there there's an American Idol out there somewhere there's all these different things that we want idolatry strife jealousy fits of anger dissensions divisions they feed all these things second chronicles and he burned his sons as an offering in the valley and used fortune-telling and omens and sorcery and dealt with mediums and with necromancer's he did much evil in the sight of the Lord provoking him to anger a man or a woman who is a medium or a necromancer Leviticus 20 shall surely be put to death now granted that's the verse that a lot of them used back when in Asia our nation was founded what for the Salem witch trials but they don't tell you about the three Christian men who often who brought that the whole thing to an end do they and said it's at point they want to keep pointing fingers and putting look at see look what you guys did Leviticus 20 if a person turns to mediums and necromancer is whoring after them that's a strong language I will set my face against that person and cut him off from among his people and you have to ask are these movies drawing you closer to Christ are your media choices draw you closer to Christ or further away I wasn't going to say it but I'm gonna say it when I wrote on this issue last year it was disheartening like when I said hey might want to consider this Harry Potter series and all this there was a tall Shane you should go and watch it so I went and rented it I am more convinced than ever before that this stuff is an abomination the sight of God I'm sitting there watching a girl levitate bleeding out of her mouth as a snake comes and bites her and as they're casting spells and spirits oh that should entertain the church I almost want to throw up it's not legalism it's brokenness this is ridiculous guys seeing there's a battle I have to fight every Saturday on Lord I do not want to say this but it has to be said because these things god I could not find one scripture that supports our viewing habits not even one as a matter of fact they all go against it we're committing adultery in our mind by what we're watching we're allowing these things and the enemy does not just push it off the building as I said before he takes you down one step at a time one compromise at a time one wrong choice at a time and it's no surprise that these people who are filling their mind with all this junk are not spear filled believers on fire for Christ living and ministering and winning people to the Lord very rarely they might win them to their lifestyle say a little prayer yeah sure nothing has to change winning them to what there's no dying to self no crucifixion of the world no following heart after God no love of God's Word no no no rejecting those things that will pull you down no all these different things what are we winning them to following Christ is not about saying a little prayer it's about dying to self saying I'm a sinner in need of a savior Lord I give my life to you I need you I will follow you if we had time we could talk about Jesus saying go sell everything follow me big man said I can't I've got too many possessions jesus said if you even if who even loves his father you've got to hate your father and hate your mother and prefer me people say that's pretty strong well in the original language it means to for one above another crisis saying you've got to prefer me you've got to die to self that is a spirit-filled life just remember as a man thinks in his heart so is he what you put in is what you get out what we're putting into our mind there is no such thing as good evil there's no such thing as good evil we cannot keep making all these different arguments about things that God has forbidden the reason is he wants to protect our heart and he wants us to he wants us to follow after him I know I'm really driving that point home but I have to because that is the fully surrendered life just hit an hour again I'm trying to be under the our sermon guy that's alright that's I knew it was gonna be a little long that's why I told Jordan you three songs I had it I had it planned out a little bit but you know what I'm not going to go on much longer but I want to talk about these things if coming out from among them we talked about different things I want you guys to consider all areas of your life look at look at Facebook look at what we're posting on Facebook look at the pictures look at these things it's you're not coming out from among them you're not being separate there's there's things on there that are not glorifying god the way we're dressing women especially tight here alluring this pulled down up oh look at me isn't that great no you're supposed to be holy and set apart for God and Facebook should represent God not weirdness I got it I'm not talking about weirdness okay I'm talking about hearts that are truly broke in a while you serve God you follow me around for a week you'll probably see that I don't make right choices all the time either we've rented plenty of movies and said we should have not have been watching this there's I have no problem with that I have no problem with somebody goes and sees Hunger Games or Twilight or Potter if that's what they want to I have no problem with it but don't you dare say that God's Word doesn't have anything to say about this stuff don't dare say it won't affect your mind all right we can't we're not neutral do you realize that human beings are not neutral what we put in is what we get out and the closer I draw to God the more corrupt this media becomes I said this before there's Carl's jr. commercials and make a Playboy model blush nobody seems to care so because the church is watching it guys it's a wake-up call the church is putting these ratings up is the so-called Church of Jesus Christ the blood-bought church the Bride of Christ who when Jesus said I will return for my bride that we are watching these things music all these things you just got to watch watch what you do now I'm going to close right here the solution then you might say that what is the solution well often when I talk on this area the solution is in the pulpit and the solution is in the Pew the pulpit of America have to again go back to God's righteous standard this used to call the church back to God it's okay to do that it's okay to do that like I quoted Jeremiah he called Jeremiah his very purpose for existence Jeremiah you are called to root out and to pull down and to destroy not guns not weapons not warfare but with the Word of God going out of a the power of the Holy Spirit to radically change and convict people you don't see that anymore we don't think we need that more announced about building building big churches big audiences politically correct it's about doing this it's about about me and though it should be should be about brokenness and preaching God's Word the pulpits of America have to be a flamed with righteousness again the problem is many people do not like this type of message they do not want it but I'm not trying to grow a big church necessarily I'm trying to honor God's Word and to prepare a people for a soon coming King Leonard Ravenhill many of you have heard him he died probably thirty years ago he wrote on this I want to read something briefly he uses the word prophet but I switched it with preacher because there's so many negative negative definitions that go along with that term but he said the preacher in his day is fully accepted of God but totally rejected by men the degree of his effectiveness is determined by his major of unpopularity unpopularity compromises not known to him he has no price tags he marches to another drummer his messages repent and be reconciled to God he is the villain of today in the hero of tomorrow he is excommunicated while live and exalted when dead he eats daily the bread of affliction while he ministers but he feeds the bread of life to those who listen he walks before men for days but has walked before God for years he hides with God in the secret place but it has nothing to hide in the marketplace he is ordained of God but disdained of men that is why many of us do not like to talk about this subject if it was not for the power of the Holy Spirit within my life reading his word I would not preach this message I would preach your best life now and I would encourage you and I would have you leaving here filled with joy and peace and that's wonderful but if there's sin in our life and we're not following God there's no obedience I am being irresponsible and what we are commanded to do Paul told Timothy Timothy preach the word that's it be ready in and out of season for the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine the pulpits must again be proclaiming these truths not every single week I'm talking about the love of God next week God willing because I understand we have to balance the menu the problem is we've got so much America just thinks they're so wonderful and it's like that church in Revelation though Jesus said you think you are rich but you are poor you're blind you are miserable you are naked told another church you better repent and return to your first love you've got all these works but you've left your first love he's got some scathing words why can't we say it in love why can't we he did see what we want to do is we want to pick out the good stuff Jesus said turn the other cheek he said treat your enemies nice he said oh he forgave the women caught in the act of adultery yeah but he also told her go sin no more oh we don't want to read that part no you got to read everything everything there is many there's as much warning as Ariens encouragement now here's what has to happen in the poll in them in the pew that need for holiness has never been greater the only way we're gonna win this battle is to be holy and set apart for God you must hunger and thirst for righteousness like never before you don't know what that looks like go to God and ask him get in his word look this is what hunger and righteousness looks like I didn't just memorize all these scriptures to impress people I memorize them because I had to I was hungry and thirsty it was fit was it was fuel for my soul you have to hunger and thirst for that you have to remove the pollutants from your life you must approach holiness as a soldier approaches battle let me say that again you must approach holiness as a soldier approaches battle you must make the Word of God your primary influence you must make prayer your this weapon and send your greatest enemy we have lost the power of prayer as well in the churches of America I've talked about this before so I won't beat this drum again but we are not a praying church anymore the disciples didn't come and say Jesus teach me how to preach teach me how to witness teach me how to teach they said teach me how to pray where are the voices today where the nehemiah's who said I wept and I prayed for days why should I not be sad or in the place of my father's tombs lies in waste he would say Ezekiel God said Ezekiel I sought for a man from among them who would build the wall and stand in the gap on behalf of me but I found no one he found no one is yes or no prayer warrior prayer is the hardest discipline but it's the most important you think these sermons as I've said before come from a computer or eight o'clock at night they come buried in the prayer closet staying soaked where God's pouring it breaking my heart for having me repent and turn Lord I need you more than ever before I don't want to say these things give me the spirit of wisdom and knowledge of understanding Lord I want to pray like Solomon help me discern between good and evil help me preach your word so the prodigal returns help me we preach other wayward daughter returns might the Lord help me preach so conviction goes forth and changes somebody that they leave here different when they arrived because I cannot play Church as jordan salem come up we're gonna go into time of communion and i just want to remind everyone here there's too much at stake there's too much at stake at this topic so we don't we don't look at this topic well enough because god says you were bought with a price that costs that cross cost something you were bought i was bought at a price therefore he says glorify God in your body this issue of holiness is so important that the writer of ibrahim says for without holiness no one will even see the Lord see sinful man cannot stand in the holy presence of a righteous God so what happened Christ on the cross bore our iniquity imputed righteousness which means we take on the right standing with God now we can intercede now we can stand before God and say Lord I am holy and blameless and set apart because of what Christ did on the cross I don't want to confuse holiness and sanctification with holiness unto salvation some of you need to truly repent and surrender your life tonight because without holiness no one will see the Lord not your good works not your mom not your dad not your nobody will stand before you in the day of judgment it's what have you done with my son it he is the righteous standard he is the only standard and we repent and we trust in him and what I like about communion is you're gonna come up at your own convenience you come up and take the elements back to your seat you can go in the corner you can go whatever you want and you take them you take the the blood the the the drink that resembles the blood shed on the cross the the bread the broken body and what Paul talks about in communion is this is a time of examination he says do not take the Lord's body in vain and in unrighteousness and have this these things in your heart this is a time of seeking God and saying lord I need you I'm not right relationship with you but I want to fellowship with you again I want to partake in communion and that's what this time is it's just time of examination lord I pray tonight Lord this is a weighty message for all of us or but I know the your God who fears Lord I know that your God who wants us to live righteously and holy Lord not like modern day Pharisees or legal it's lower but just hearts that are broken over the condition of the church the condition of her family Lord the condition of the homes the condition of our culture as we see a culture sliding on a highway to hell Lord we need you like never before Lord I pray that you would awaken a spirit of holiness and revive on seeking heart after you Lord remove the opinions of men from our lives Lord have people leave here not caring necessarily what people think but what you think of them lord help them leave here with the hunger and a desire for the things of God Lord have them turn from those areas in their life sin that we can call sin Lord that you call us away from Lord have them turn from that tonight men who are addicted to porn lord begin to release them of that have them get into the Word of God Lord how them get accountability partners or throw the computer out whatever it takes or women that are so caught up in gossip and jealousy and backbiting or men to Lord just begin to clearing and clear our hearts Lord with the brightest standard do you have set before us was we going this time of communion Lord I pray you would pierce the hearts and we thank you for sending your son we are thankful that we can do this this communion tonight and remember what Christ did on the cross we ask this in Jesus name amen

Channel: SermonIndex.net

Views: 12,618

Rating: 4.9261212 out of 5

Keywords: Revival, Character Of God, Free Sermons, Video Sermons, Jesus Christ, What Is The Gospel, SermonIndex, What Is The Truth, Shane Idleman

Id: _EONJQb_Aig

Length: 69min 47sec (4187 seconds)

Published: Sun Jun 30 2013