How do you know if your life is pleasing God? | Rock Springs Church

[Music] well good morning great to be in the Lord's house folks up let's stand I want you to get comfortable can we just stand up feel like I'm gonna preach about an hour and 15 minutes and I know I'm kidding I'd pass out if I did you probably would too all right The Book of Luke the Book of Luke I want you to look at whether your Bible iPad iPhone whatever you have hearts right here on the screen Luke chapter 3 verse 21 in verse 22 this is what the Bible says it says now when all the people were baptized it came to pass that Jesus also being baptized wasn't will the greatest joys of your life pastor Minnie you've traveled the world preaching what was one of the greatest joys of your life here is one of the greatest joys of my life baptizing Barbara in the Jordan River baptizing Barbara if I am any of you I'm baptized I'm going back in July it'd be my honor and privilege to baptize you in the Jordan River some of you I've been wanting to for a long time you know Jesus also been baptized and praying the heaven was opened and then verse 22 says and the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him and a voice came from heaven which said thou art my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased let us pray God unless you come there'll be no preaching unless you anoint these lips of clay everything's vanity and vexation but should you choose to place your hand upon us in a great way today Lord yokes are be broken lives to be changed discouraged will be encouraged marriages will be restored sinners will be saved back sliders will be reclaimed great things will happen the Lord if you do that so god I just seek your hand to blessing I seek your anointing use me and for all you do I'm gonna give you glory honor and praise for I pray this prayer with a grateful heart for I pray this prayer in Christ's name Amen you may be seated I want to take a few moments and I want to talk to you about how do you know how do we know that our lives are pleasing to God how do we know you know there's some people that are just constantly negative I've said there's some people so negative if they walked into a dark room they developed a man the people just negative those people that were just given aspirin a headache a man I mean literally there's a there's a little boutique where Barbara and I do most of our shopping I think the name of its Walmart and uh many times when I'm in that store I see certain people in out duck behind the corner and I'll hide because I don't want to ask them how they're doing because I don't have that much time hey man you've been there but there was a man he was so negative and he had a friend and his friend was out one day on the lake and he was looking at that Lake he noticed a dog walked up and this dog wasn't AB or dog it was just a dog and this dog walked up and this dog started walking on the water and he said my goodness I've never seen anything like that he said my friend that's so negative and you've got one just like that my friend that is so negative he said I'm gonna bring him and I'm gonna let him see that he's got to say something positive when he sees that so the next day he brought his friend out and sure enough that dog was walking on the water and he said to his friend what about that and his friend said that dog can't swim Kenny you know what I know there are certain people there's just no way that you can please them but here's what I do know you can't please God because proverbs 16 and 7 says when a man's ways please the Lord you can please God let me ask you something folks you see pastor Benny my bank accounts got more money in it than it's ever had our marriage is going wonderful right now our children are doing great in school all of my children are healthy brother Benny you ought to see that new Ford truck that I've purchased pastor you ought to see the boat that were taken to the lake we're so excited how much we're enjoying it brother Benny I know with all the good things that are happening my life must be pleasing to God well let me say something none of that has anything to do with whether or not God's please for you none of that has not anything to do you said well Benny I uh you know I I've got the nothing I've got enough money I can go get a backrub I've got a hot tub I'll have a drink at the pub none of that has anything to do with whether or not God's pleased with you but I want to talk to you today on how do you know how do I know I mean I'm preaching to me how do I know that my life pleases God because see this is what I'm convinced of God said to Moses he said Moe let me day if you'd been moe he had some herring Curly's there dude flaring curlies but he said moe you're out here in the desert and I want you to speak to that stone and I'm gonna give the people the drink and you know what happened he smote it twice he smote it twice now water came from the rock God's still been omniscient knew that the people need to drink but think about this when Moses did that he smote the rock instead of spoke to the rock God said Moses you're not going into the Promised Land you're not gonna leave the children in because you've displeased me but if you had been there if I'd been there and he smoked that rock and water started flowing I would have said Oh me-mow is the man you would have to make did you imagine pastor Benny smokes the rock and water starts flowing he said man I'll follow this guy to the jump in our place but God was sitting in heaven saying I'm not pleased with you let me taste something because the crowd and because the world says everything's wonderful that doesn't make it wonderful if you study the Bible folks most of the time the majority was wrong 10 spies said we can't do it - said we can if you study the Bible throughout the Bible most of the time the majority was wrong so what I'm trying to get you to see folks how we see things and how God sees things is totally different so how do I know pastor because I want I want to please God how do I know that I'm pleasing God well they make four statements first of all when God's pleased with me when God's pleased with you guess what he tells us he tests look what Luke says look what Luke says and the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him and a voice came from heaven which said now God's speaking speaking concerning Jesus he said this is my beloved in whom I'm well pleased God the Father told God the Sun I'm pleased let me tell you if God's pleased with us and when God's pleased with us he tells us he tells us well pastor Benny how does he tell us he tells us with his word just like his word to his son we have folks let me let me tell you sometimes we need the Bible we need the Word of God most people feel the same way about the Bible as they do Brylcreem a little dabba do you but we need the Word of God we need much of the Word of God now when he tells us what does he tell us is pleasing him number one salvation in Christ Hebrews 11 and 6 says this it says but without faith it is impossible to please him I didn't say that God said that without faith is impossible to please him for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and he's the reward of them that diligently seek Him without faith folks Ephesians 2:8 9 says for by grace are you saved through faith that not of yourself it is a gift of God not of works lest any man should boast I want you to know God loves all people but he's pleased with people who put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ he's pleased with people who put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ because Jesus Christ is the way to heaven he's not the good way to heaven he's not a better way to heaven he's not the best way to heaven he's the only way to heaven without Jesus Christ jesus said I am the way I am the truth I am the life without him there is no knowing without him there is no growing without him there is no going he is the way the truth and the life so if we're gonna please him ladies and gentlemen it's salvation in Christ we tell the second way we praise Him we please him when we're spirit bled when we're spirit led a lady met me at the door one time and she said dr. Tate I want to just say something to you she said him you do something wonderful I said tell me about it she said here you are you bring the Bible down on common people's level and I said to her I said honey I'm not bringing anything down I'm own common people's level that's just who I am now let me share some folks look what the Bible says in Romans chapter eight verse eight so then they that are in the flesh cannot please God explain that to me well brother Benny let me quote the next verse and I'll explain it to you but you're not in the flesh but in the spirit if so be the Spirit of God dwelleth in you now if any man have not if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his now let me explain when you come to know Christ I'm not trying to make this complicated I'm trying to make you simple the Holy Spirit comes inside you the Holy Spirit comes inside you someone said well how do you get him I like it better when he gets me a man the Holy Spirit comes inside you and folks then you have a choice whether or not you lean to the flesh are you lean to the spiritual man you have a choice whether or not you lean to the Spirit are you lean to the flesh and if we're going to please God we're going to have to be controlled by the Spirit of God not doing what this whole flesh wants but doing what the spiritual man wants but you'll see there's gonna be a battle going on there's a bet see there's a battle there's a battle between the spiritual man and the fleshly man there's a badly I mean I've often said folks it you say what's going on it's kind of like being a ham sandwich and going to a Jewish picnic a man you're in a battle but I won't you know if we please God world being led by the spirit not led to this flesh you said pastor me I don't think I can live the Christian life I've got a newsflash for you you can't you can't live the Christian life you say well it's difficult to live the Christian no no no it's not difficult to live the Christian life it's impossible to live the Christian life you say well how can I do it Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live yet not i but Christ liveth in me and the life which I live I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me all I'm trying to say ladies and gentlemen if we're gonna please God you're gonna be spirit lead I'm gonna follow the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit will tell us what's right he'll tell us what's wrong he'll do you said well pastor meaning what do you mean is he constantly speaking no no you just feel it inside you just feel like I shouldn't do that I shouldn't say that I shouldn't have said that I shouldn't do that that's how we you don't need a bunch of rules the Bible is not a bunch of rules folks the Bible is not a bunch of rules the Christian life is about the Holy Spirit leading you and directing you and showing you what you need to do it's not a bunch of do's and it's not a bunch of don'ts it's about the Holy Spirit controlling our lives and showing us what we ought to do and let me tell you I'm so glad folks that Rock Springs Church packs out and I'm so thrilled but there's nothing worse than a full Church of half-full people salvation in Christ spirit lien but let me tell you something say I want to please God sold out sold out look what Colossians says that you might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God you want to please God just wave the white flag say God I'm sold out Lord you've got all of me you Lord I no no I'm I'm not compartmentalizing part of my life you've got all of me a pastor was preaching it up at a campus a college campus and a man walked into hell the aisle and the pastor said I look down and four legs he had wooden spikes and he said that young man in college there were wooden spot said to me pastor could God use half a man but he said I looked at him and I said God could use half a man that's totally sold out for God but he can't use a whole man that's halfway sold out for God let me take that he tells us salvation in Christ spirit lead so that but but number for sharing with others look what the Bible says and don't forget to do good and to share with those in need these are the sacrifices that please God what pleases God when we share with those in need when it's about my 4 and no more that's not pleasing to God you get this down when God blesses us he always has more than us in mind God Augustine said God has been so good to me he's given me more than I need but he's also shown me others that need it and folks when you talk about this people their mind were in a polluted world it immediately runs to money I'm not that's not even oh my god there's so many ways to give you could give of your time you could give up your talent you could give of your personality you could give up your giftedness there's so many ways that we can share with others because this was a great day in my life this is a great day in my life it was a great day in my life when I realize people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care and if you genuinely care for people that's what really matters because that's what we all want that's what I will that's what you want we all want people to care about us and when we care about people who are willing to share ourselves we tell you when God's pleased he tells you but but I teach something else when God's pleased and by the way that's the longest point so don't get scared when God is pleased he tests you when God is pleased he tests you I think it was last year over at Athens Georgia Kirby smart had the football team rounded up and he had this one old boy he was a big defensive lineman he just just a big old boy but he wasn't real smart I mean just one of those guys he was big enough to eat hay and dumb enough to enjoy it and Kirby got so frustrated with him Kirby said to him I want to give you a test oh boy okay Kirby said what is - pause - I know boy thought for him he needed he said four and when he said that the other players on the team said give him another chance coach [Laughter] [Applause] [Applause] lubaantun Luke chapter 4 says now get this folks and Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost so so we get his spiritual condition returned from Jordan and was led by the spirit into the wilderness being 40 days tested of the devil and in those days he did eat nothing and when they were ended he was afterward a hundred no wait God just said I'm very pleased with you but now I'm gonna test you keep in mind folks you said well pastor Benny I'm going through a tough time get this down when I was in school they taught me a lesson and then I had a test but what I've learned about life I have a test that teaches me a lesson now here's what I want you to see folks the test was not a sign of God's displeasure it was a sign of God's pleasure what I'm trying to say you said grows meaning I'm going through a tough time God must not be pleased with me no no you're going through a tough time it could be an indicator that God is very pleased with you he's very pleased with you he just said I'm very pleased with my son but now he's got to go through a taste God may be very pleased with you and you're walking through a test God may be very pleased with you and you're walking through a trial not because I said that because the Word of God says that see here's what I want you to understand somebody said pastor I'm going through a test because I've got to prove my faith to God well let me say something did ever it did ever occur to you that nothing ever occurred to God listen God knows everything you don't have to prove yourself to God I heard about a preacher was preaching one time he got in a big way preaching and he said Jesus would roll over in his grave if he knew what was going on in America couple things that are not theologically sound about that a man but you understand something folks you don't go through a test to prove your faith to God you go through a test to prove your faith to you you go through a test so you can learn that God is sufficient and God is my source and God will be enough you go through a test to learn I've been through enough to know he'll be enough for me he comes through so many times and that puts my mind at ease for good and I'll stake my very life that God will take care of you and me because I've been through enough to know he'll be enough for you and me [Applause] see understand something folks when God is pleased he tells you but when God is pleased he tests you but there's something else I want you to see when God is pleased he thrusts you out I can't help it I'm just so in doing this because there's things coming from me that coming through me that I know we're not from me when God is pleased he thrust you out see look what the Bible says in Luke and Jesus returned in the power of the spirit into Galilee and there went out a fame of him all throughout the region about him here's what I want you to see God told him I'm pleased with you God put him through 40 days of testing but right after the test God said now is what I'm gonna really use you many times right after your hearts been torn out that's when God uses you greatly many times right when you've been through the most difficult thing in your life that's when God puts you out there that's when God thrust you out see no you said what Brisbane you don't realize I've been set back on God didn't set you back he was just setting you up he was just setting you up what God was doing God was taking all that pain God was taking all about hail God was taking all that heartache and he was just getting you right where he could trust you out and really use your life that's what the Lord God said I want to turn that pain into the passageway of the greatest blessing in your life what I'm going to do I'm going to turn all that hurt into a halo what I'm going to do I'm gonna turn all that test into a testimony and you know don't have the mone you're gonna have big tree you're gonna be the head and not the tail you're gonna be the overcomer you're gonna be a Victoire and not a victim that's what the Lord's gonna do folks see let me tell you something the devil will tell you get this come up real close I hope that camera comes up real close the devil will tell you because of your past you're finished the devil will tell you that but let me tell you something folks he's a liar he's the father of all hours and the Bible says in Romans 8 and 28 that he works all things for our good he works all things for our good and if the Bible was true folks he worked the divorce for your good he worked the death for your good he worked the fare for your good he worked the addiction for your good and he worked the betrayal for your good and he worked the bankruptcy for your good God takes what seems so bad and God turns around and he uses it for good because he's a good good father and he's a good good God you said what many let me taste them I used to somebody would be with me maybe in ministry and they'd walk away and God spoke to me one day and he said beanie your destiny it's not Todd that looks people who walked out and free and your destiny is not tied to the people who walked out of your life God still got a plan for your life God still got a purpose for your life God still wanting to use you in a wonderful way let me tell you something I've been preaching all these years ton of years every once in a while I know that God's given me a word for such a time as this and in this service God gave me that when God is pleased he tells you when God's pleased he tests you when God's pleased he thrust you out but let me test him when God's pleased he teams you up with others think about this he said Jesus I'm pleased with you Jesus you're gonna go through 40 days 40 nights of testing Jesus I'm gonna thrust you out but look what he did look what he did in Luke Matthew chapter 4 and Jesus walking by the Sea of Galilee little old body of water it's almost like a lake folks seven miles wide 13 miles long 200 feet deep at the deepest point and he saw two brethren Simon called Peter Pete the big fisherman and Andrew his brother God it was always bringing people to Jesus cast a net in the sea for they were fishers he sent them to them follow me and I'll make you fishers of men straightway they left their nets and they followed him let me tell you something when you're pleased when God's pleased with you he'll bring people into your life when God's pleased with you he'll want you to be a part of a team that's why I'm so excited about this fall we're launching life groups what is just a group of people that do live together just a small group that does life together because folks we all need each other mama said Johnny go to sleep he said I'm scared she said Johnny go to sleep he said I'm scared mommy sleep with me no no I can't Jesus you Johnny Johnny said Obama I need somebody with skin on sometimes we need somebody with skin on we need people that's why we ought to all be a part of a group a small group because we need people is it biblical to join a church it's very biblical to join the church very biblical that's why everybody ought to be a part of a church family we're a family we're a family folks you said well we we all look different that's okay we may even fuss and fight a little bit but we're still family we're family and we're all family everybody's welcome to be a part of this family I could care less if your wealth your own welfare you're welcome to be a part of this family I listen listen it matters not to me you said mother meaning out well it matters not to me if you're pink purple black or white that matters not you're welcome to be a part of this family that matters not that that matters not and when when when when race when race becomes an issue of whether or not people can be a part of Rock Springs Church many Tate is resigned in that day all people are welcome because we all need each other let me tell you some folks God wants you to be a part of a church family God wants you to be a part of people because God teams us up Jesus needed people you said well out a long Ranger well even he had Tonto a man we all need people this week I did something unique I went and had lunch with a lady in Memphis she and I had a wonderful lunch I've been meaning to tell you about it Barbara she was 85 years old her name was George Rogers her husband was my hero in ministry he went to be with the Lord in 2005 his name was Adrian Rogers I've heard Adrian's say a thousand times if you please God doesn't matter who you don't please but if you don't please God it doesn't matter who you do please I don't know how you are folks but I want to please the Lord don't you I had always pleased it but I sugar water pleased him I want to please him more than I want to do anything Adrian used to say I'd rather eat dirt is sin against God man if I'd been my case I need a lot of dirt but I want to please God I want to please him a musician pianist had a great concert he was a Liberace Dino Carson aqus he was a great pianist the people were spellbound by this young man as he played as he concluded the concert he received a standing ovation but there was no gray headed man on the second row he didn't stand he didn't clap and the pianist walked off the stage and he was dejected and his friend backstage said I don't understand you got a standing ovation everybody was pleased but that one old man on the second row he said that one old man on the second row was my teacher I wanted to please him more than I wanted to please them all ladies and gentlemen please in him it's more important than pleasing them all it's more important than pleasing of all his my life pleasing to God

Channel: Rock Springs Church

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Id: mwG1BZHfCaQ

Length: 32min 20sec (1940 seconds)

Published: Mon Jul 30 2018