True vs. Worthless Religion | Pastor Daniel Batarseh (Maranatha Shabiba Conference 2022)

I was planning to do this tomorrow in our final session,

but can we genuinely show our appreciation for this praise and

worship team? Here's, here's my personal.

Thank you on a public platform to the worship team.

Thank you, not just for leading Us in worship, but worshipping,

as you lead us in worship, makes a big difference.

Doesn't it? and, It's an honor to know that

I can serve alongside each member of the worship, team on a

week-to-week basis at our local church.

So, I praise God, for all of you, and thank you for taking

your gift. Seriously and taking this

weekend, seriously, you've blessed us tremendously By

exhorting Us in song with the truth of the scripture.

I also want to say, one more thing before we dive into the

word of God, I always miss calculate whether this is my

seventh or Year. But I've gone to know many of

you for many of those years. And sometimes I only see you

around this time and others I've kept in touch throughout the

year and we meet here in person. I don't know if anybody can

agree with me and maybe this won't make sense to anybody, but

I'm saying this as an encouragement, every year, I

Maranatha special for different reasons, but this year in

particular is special to me. Because what I've personally

noticed in my conversations especially with those that I

know though they are from different states, There was a

tangible observable growth in the spirit and many people.

You know, sometimes when you see somebody after a long period of

time, you can tell physically, if they've taken care of

themselves, it's very obvious. And I believe that the true the

truth can be said, also of the spirit that there is a

mannerism, there is a way of speech.

There is a substance in the conversations concerning the

things of God that I have been so blessed by by talking to many

of you. And so I'm just personally

edified usually conferences like this tend to have an emphasis on

Reviving people who have been backslidden for the whole year

or even preaching, the gospel will do that.

Every single year, I have great conversations with a couple of

different people about the gospel.

People who have no church background, we're just like,

what does it mean to be saved? But this year feels more like an

equipping. This this year feels more like

just adding more fuel to a fire that you brought to this

conference. And here's my admonition to you,

just keep going, keep going, keep loving the Lord, keep

serving the lord keep growing in the Lord.

If, if you feel like that's not affecting anybody in your world,

know that this weekend, you have, you have caused me to

rejoice in the Lord in a special way.

So I praise God for that as well.

Which is a perfect segue into what we are going to speak

tonight. If you're joining us for the

first time, welcome, we've been in this past couple of days,

discussing the warnings in the New Testament about how

Christians can be deceived and the different Avenues of

deception. Will seek to attempt a

misdirect. Us to believe something to be

true and various facets when things are in fact, not true.

And with that being said, I believe we can be free from

every form of deception. Whether it's from our hearts,

whether it's from people around us or from Satan himself.

The Bible gives us absolute assurance that we can soar above

the tactics of Satan who seeks to create a fog in our

perception so that we can bump our heads.

And even do more damage than that spiritually speaking.

But I'm sure you would agree that there are different levels

of deception that have different levels of threats.

There are some deceptions that are more devastating than

others. And I am under the persuasion

that there is nothing more. That the holy spirit will want

us to have Clarity on then on the absolute certainty of the

health of our spiritual condition.

The Holy Spirit wants to make sure in his word that you and I

as followers of Jesus Christ know for certainty that we are

pursuing true spirituality. And the danger is that we can

actually do the opposite and put all our energy.

And our emphasis on that, which God does not call us to

prioritize, or even ask of us. Now, this clarity about the, the

condition of our spirituality, for some, even some in this

place is a matter of life and death.

It's a matter of life and death, because please pay attention,

especially, especially if you're not sure you're a true

Christian, you can fall asleep after this point, but pay

attention to this. I don't want you to be the

person who, at the end of the road will realize at the

judgement that all your empty rituals.

And even your knowledge of Evangelical Creed's had no

saving value. and so I was jokingly saying you can fall

asleep, but don't I just want to grab your attention with that

statement, because what I want you to be assured of Is that you

do know? Jesus Christ.

And your soul is indeed saved. At the same time for those who

are truly regenerated by the Holy Spirit, you are born again,

this deception is still very real and how it threatens you.

And I as Believers is that it can stunt our growth and taint.

Our testimonies to the degree, in which we bring displeasure to

God and become ineffective, in our fruitfulness, to those who

desperately need a taste, something of the grace of God,

through our lives. And what happens to many

Christians is, Because they slip into this deception their

Devotion to God is reduced to nothing more than just a

performance void of any true life and Life Giving value.

The other day. You and I heard that we are

capable of being deceived about calculating sin the same way God

does. And I want to make the same

point about this that you and I are also equally in danger to

believe that God evaluates a pleasing and fruitful life.

The same way do we do? And assuming that I'm speaking

to a group of Christians in this room, the message today will

help us avoid again that which God does not ask of us.

And to pursue the exact thing that he is looking from us as

Christians. Now again, let me address those

who might be confused about how this whole thing works, how this

Christianity thing works. Do not misinterpret this message

to say that we pursue genuine spirituality to please God in a

saving way. We don't do that.

We come to God broken. We come to God and sin, we come

to God. Filthy and just as we are, we

confess our need from him and this is what happens.

He doesn't tell us what to do to get cleaned.

He cleans us. And so what you need is not

behavioral modification. Listen, what you need is not

steps to become spiritual. What you need is your spirit to

come to life. And the way, your spirit comes

to life is not by one to hear some hoops.

Let me stand on my head and impress, God, the way you come

to life is just, as you are in confess, your need for

somebody's righteousness to be imputed into your bankrupt soul.

And so I understand that we are people of Grace.

We are people who rejoice in the fact that we even saved by the

mercy of Jesus. And all that, we're doing here

as we live the remainder of our lives.

With that Grace that has saved. Us is with a joy with a true

Joy, wanting to know how we can actually represent.

And please the one who has saved us.

So we're not trying to Merit anything here.

We're not trying to get brownie points with God.

We're not trying to make sure the balance of our good and bad

is in favor. So that when we get before God

he can, you can say you've passed, we're doing this because

he already saved us. and so I want you to understand something

before we move forward, believers, ask yourself now,

even before we go to our text, When you think of what should be

expected from a Christian, a true spiritual Christian.

What comes to mind? Just think about it.

What image comes to mind? What lifestyle comes to mind.

What does their day-to-day look like?

What is a true spiritual Christian look like?

I'll think about it for a few seconds.

Now, consider this Turn with me to 1st Corinthians.

Chapter 1, verse 4. I don't want you to see

something that is quite sobering.

Keep those qualities in mind. Who is it in your life that you

can say? That's a spiritual man.

That's a spiritual woman and I want you to know how Paul

addresses the Corinthian Church. This is not even our main text

in chapter 1 verse 4. Paul says in his introduction, I

give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God,

that was given you in Christ Jesus.

That in every way you were enriched in Him in all speech

and all knowledge and anniversary.

He goes on to say that you've been gifted in every way.

And how true is that? When you read about the

Corinthians, you see that it is so obvious, that God has poured

out, a special Grace, by the will of the spirit.

They were operating in miraculous gifts, not just

administrative gifts, not just speaking.

His miraculous signs and wonders were a regular occurrence and

their church at people with the gifts of healing people with the

gifts of Prophecy, the gift of knowledge, all these amazing,

wonderful things and even more. So we re here that they were

enriched with speech. So even the gifts of

communication oratory Exposition if I can use that word preaching

teaching in sight right knowledge, even knowledge, the

depths of the word of God, the depths of who Jesus Christ.

Is Paul says, honestly, you have really hit something special

here and that's all by the grace of God.

It was a very unique Church in that sense.

Now, with all of that in the introduction, You go to 3:1 and

notice what Paul says, again, as he addresses them.

But I Brothers could not address you as what spiritual people.

I could not address you as spiritual people, but as people

of the flesh, As infants in Christ.

Do you see how this is kind of conflicting with our assessment

of what true spirituality is? He told him that they were

enriched with all knowledge. He told him that they were super

naturally gifted and he had two chapters later.

He says I can't talk to you as spiritual people.

And so revisit your list now. And ask yourself.

What does true spirituality look like?

Because according to these scriptures, I realized that it's

not about having supernatural abilities.

I realized that it is not about having and being engaged with

spiritual activities. I see that it's not about

powerful preaching, son about deep knowledge and memorization

of the word of God. Those things do not assess the

Holiness of a person or a Ministry. do you see how we can

obviously find ourselves deceived about our own

sanctification, our own Pursuits, or even the piety in

the purity of other people who claim to be spiritual, he

claimed to be sensitive to the things of God who claim to be

holy Now you have this to deal with, you have and I have my own

list, my own misjudgments and then I wonder if I were to ask

the Holy Spirit. Oh Lord.

What do you say is a spiritual man?

How do you quantify, genuine, spirituality?

And I don't have to wait for a subjective voice.

I have the word of God and you have the word of God and he

discloses to us ever. So wonderfully of what he

expects from us. What it is to have top tiers,

spiritual health in a way that touches the heart of God and

will be most effective to touch the hearts of other people.

So you might be shocked to know what it is that God asks of us

you got a little glimpse of it today.

You who are spiritual restore him, who is caught and

transgression. But I want to stir your heart

even more leaving this place this weekend to ReDiscover.

What it is that God really ask of us in our sanctification What

is it that the Lord really wants from me?

And here's what I want to tell you beforehand, this message

though, the verse I'm going to read is going to have some umph

to it. It's going to be kind of because

the writer of it is very strong and his writing.

Please share it as as a very encouraging thing because you

will see the mind of God and know this with everything that

you hear that, we are told that the commands of God are not

burdensome. So turn with me to a book that

tells us what true Faith looks like in James chapter 1.

James 1 · chapter mention

We get one glimpse Small window. Into house.

Of many windows. Of what it is.

It means to abide in the will of God, James chapter 1 Verse 26.

James 1:26

If anyone thinks he is religious.

And does not Bridle his tongue. But deceives, his heart.

This person's religion is worthless.

If anyone thinks he is religious and does not Bridle his tongue

but we've heard this word all weekend but deceives, his heart.

This person's religion is worthless now in Christendom, I

believe we have developed an unofficial Christian dictionary,

that is universally shared and understood.

I'll prove it to you collectively.

I think most of us have the same definition when you hear the

word religion, Religious. And it's generally understood to

be a negative thing inherently, because it denotes some kind of

empty ritualistic behavior. That is, that is not, that is

not true obedience to the Lord, but has some kind of veneer of

pleasing God but it's really just void void of true life.

But that is not what the original word means. when James

tells us, if anyone thinks he is religious in the original, the

word means, if anyone thinks that he worships or fears, God

genuinely It's an attitude, it's an outward added to a manifest

outwardly in Deeds that are stimulated by a sincere desire

to please an honor, the Lord, so you and I can safely rephrase

the statement in the following way, if anyone thinks that he is

living in a way that is offering sacrificial worship to God and

reverential honor to his name. Pay attention.

Listen closely. He's saying if you believe that

about yourself. So if you're a person in here

and you're like I like yeah I can say I I live in a way that I

believe pleases God I actually I actually honor God with my life.

What James is saying, if anyone thinks like that, this is for

you. This is for you.

So lean in and understand what he's about to convey here.

In the mind of the holy spirit, this is, this is so amazing.

One of the most revealing and reliable proofs.

Of the purity of someone's Devotion to God is studied by

her manner of speech. Now, this is not the only thing,

but it is one of the strongest indicators of whether a heart is

harnessed by the influence of God's spirit or not.

And this is so important that if that element is ignored, you

know what James is saying, it actually nullifies.

All the other evidences that we would Point ourselves to others

through to try to justify the genuineness of our practical

righteousness. He's like if your tongue is out

of control, Like any other thing that you try to point?

It's actually worthless like it's so profound and serious in

the eyes of God that it has the ability to cancel all other

things that we would try to seek comfort in again, in our

practical righteousness. And so it's almost as though we

have to say, Okay? Like so all the services I

attend, and all the Ministries I serve, and all the books that I

read and all the theology that crammed into my mind and the

things that I can explain, That is a race of this thing.

This tongue is out of control in the Holy Spirit.

Would say yes yes. And some of us are probably

losing our breath right now. And that's okay, because this

is, this is important. Some might even be thinking

really and I love honest, people have had honest conversations

with people this week. I love it because I believe

Jesus loves it, he loves it about Nathaniel, there is no

guile in him. this is the way I communicate verbally actually

have the weight of significance to determine whether Whether my

faith is meritless or not. And that question alone proves

that this is why the holy spirit gives a verse like this. because

he says here, that He deceives his heart, he's very specific.

He deceives his heart. Why the heart?

Why not the mind? Because it's about feeling.

This is this is where the seat of our emotions rest, and and

this is, we can be deceived and how we feel about even our own

spirituality. No matter what may seem positive

in our assessment, James's your feelings, do not determine it.

Understand that feelings have a pull have a power.

That can make you trick yourself about yourself.

He's not speaking about conscious Hypocrites.

He's are speaking about those who like, you know, I want to

fool people. So I'm going to pretend to be

religious he's speaking about those who genuinely think they

are religious. But they're deceived.

And as we understand this, God is giving us his help to avoid

it so that we can know pure and undefiled religion that reaps

genuine reward, like genuine Rich rewards in this life and

the next, but you, and I have to make a determination right from

the beginning, right here, right now, you and I have to make a

choice. And the choice is the first half

of the second verse. No, look what he says here in

verse 27 religion. Yeah, that's not the negative

thing. True religion true worship in

fear of God religion. That is pure and undefiled

before God, the father is this Notice notice the wording before

who God the father. And so every person in here has

to understand that there is pure and undefiled religion before

God and there is pure and undefiled religion before man.

And what James is saying, whole listen.

This is what God the Father sees us.

True Holiness. This is what knee is near God's

heart. This is what blesses him So you

and I have to make the choice is my pursuit of sanctification

going to be the standard based on the, the eyes of men,

including my own or to live before.

God the Father. And if your interest is in God,

the father and his assessment of your life, then he says

understand what I'm trying to say.

Listen genuine Holiness, understand this Begins by

discovering what it is that God the Father looks in my life and

looks for a my life. Once you discover it, then to

determine it to be the mark in which you strive towards in the

power of the Holy Spirit. That's true Holiness.

If you want to simplify true, Holiness, living before God the

Father. Now your elders.

Now your pastors necessarily not your mom, not your dad living

before, God, the Father. I've often say this people

Champion accountability Partners.

Don't they Champion it. Most people that I know who have

accountability Partners, prove that a county part of this

barely work. Now, I might have just hit a

nerve there, right? Because of our Christian

culture, But I see my Bible and emphasis of living before God

the Father, then about worrying about if so-and-so finds out

about what I'm doing. Is the greatest accountability

partner in this life is the fear of God.

The fear of God will go to with you to that business trip.

When your wife is at home, the fear of God will be with you in

the bedroom when everybody else is asleep.

In your before the laptop, the fear of God will be with you

when you're punching your numbers in with the taxes and

everybody else doesn't know what you're doing.

The fear of God is the greatest accountability partner, so get

the fear of God, you can have the numbers of the most Godly

and Spiritual Bible teachers. It will not come close to having

your heart awakened to the reality that God is there.

besides the point so living before God, the Father this is

what is pure and undefiled go by what he says and you know what

he says at this point That's something that is, as overlooked

as our speech is what God is looking for my children.

I'm looking at you and I'm asking you to understand that if

you want, something that is pure and undefiled that radiates

light I understand that it has to do with this little thing in

between your two sets of teeth. Have you ever wondered how much

the Bible speaks about speech, just in the Book of James

Journey with me. You have a Bible with you.

I'm like a book guy so you won't hear me say scroll with me.

Turn with me in your bibles. If you have the technological

version, there's no condemnation.

Don't worry. I just don't like getting

notifications while I read my Bible.

Let's go here and James 1:13. We're just going to read these

James 1:13

verses. Let no one say when he is

tempted. I'm being tempted by God for

God. Cannot be tempted with evil and

himself temps, no one. James 1:19 know this, my beloved

James 1:19

Brothers let every person be quick to hear slow to speak.

Slow to anger. Skip a couple chapters 3:14.

That's the sound that we like to hear, right?

But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your

hearts, do not boast. Do not boast and be false to the

truth. James 4:11.

James 4:11

Do not speak evil against one, another brother's, the one who

speaks against a brother or judges, his brother speaks evil

against law, and judges the law. But if you judge the law and are

not a doer of the law, but a judge 5:9 do not Grumble against

one, another brothers, so that you may not be judged behold.

The judge is standing at the door.

James 512, but above all my brothers, do not swear, do not

swear either by heaven, or by Earth, or, by any other oath,

but let your yes. Be yes, and your no be no.

So that you may not fall under condemnation.

You see, you just gather all the evidence.

As we say, Lord, I want to know what it means to live before.

God the father and Purity and undefiled true Devotion to you.

This is right here, right here, just by doing that, I understand

what the Lord is. Keep from you as his child as a

brother, two other sisters and brothers a true Christian

doesn't blame God for evil. A true Christian is discipline

to listen and is slow to react in speech with anger.

A true Christian is not exaggerated or boast in things

that are not true, especially about their piety.

A true Christian does not speak evil about another brother but

is extremely extremely careful on how they handle the names of

other people and their reputations, especially in their

absence. A true Christian, doesn't

complain to other Christians. True.

Christian doesn't give another Christian.

A reason to be further discouraged.

The true Christian has salt and edifies a true Christian has

developed such a reputation of Integrity than when somebody

asks that Christian, if they can do this, or if this is true, all

they need to do is say yes, all they need to do is say no, and

that's if Isis. Pure and undefiled religion

before, God, the father is this? Is this?

My focus and this message is not to help us.

Adjust our speech. That can be a sermon series in

itself. The purpose of this is to Nudge

by the scriptures to nudge and say, would you read discover

what it is that God really asks of us.

Would you look and explore and be on a quest to say?

Oh Lord, what it is it that you really want from me?

And that should excite us because what you will realize on

that Quest is that you don't have to get a PhD.

You don't have to be a skill for writer and you don't have to be

somebody who knows how to operate in Supernatural, gifts

of the Spirit, in order to carry the fragrance of Jesus Christ.

What God says, he desires us something.

We can all attain something we can all achieve, no matter our

differences, no matter your demographic, no matter the place

you are at in life today. All of us here by the grace of

God by the wisdom of God can walk.

And now here's the thing, you preach like this and you you're

hoping that people are already at the place where they say my

heart has been changed where I want to please the Lord.

And so this is to me, it's like you're on the edge of your seat.

Tell me what it is that my master Longs for me.

Oh he has done so much already to save me.

Would you show me preacher? What it is that the Lord desires

for me? That's what I hope I'm speaking

to right now. And if you want to Simply

categorize, if you want a summary, if you want an

umbrella, if you want a banner by which you can live by

confidently about what it is that the Lord looks were from

Heaven. That is near to his heart.

Look at verse 27, again, religion, that is pure and

undefiled before God, the father, is this to visit orphans

and widows in their Affliction and to keep oneself unstained

from the world. Two things.

Two things. That have practical implications

underneath both but two categories.

And the first is this practical acts of service with a heart of

deep compassion, widows and orphans and second personal

Holiness and consecration from worldliness.

That's true spirituality right there.

That's it. Look at the first one to visit

orphans and widows in their Affliction.

Now orphans and widows today have greater advantages have

greater opportunities than they did in James's day.

Western societies provided much help to be able to ease, the

burden of the unfortunate circumstances.

But here's the idea, it's not just to see the surface level.

It's to dig a little bit and to see the heartbeat behind the

verse and the heart be behind the verse is very

straightforward. Visit Affliction with the Holy

Spirit is essentially saying, is look at people and and be

sacrificially present in the lives of others especially

especially especially when they are in need.

I'm just giving you the keys to Christian Life.

I'm giving you the clues to Christian Life.

You heard it a little bit today. True spirituality.

It is impossible to know, pure and undefiled religion without

relationship impossible without Community.

Impossible, without getting in people's worlds impossible.

And what we're supposed to direct our energy towards by the

grace of God is just this, go to the ones who are overlooked, go

to the ones who have nothing to give to you and return step

outside of your world step, aside of your group of friends

that make you comfortable and go into other places and spaces

with the intentional awareness of where they're at.

And say I'm here. You may not know widows or

orphans. I am totally convinced all of

us, know people who go through different kinds of affliction.

What is near to the heart of God is first people to be willing to

take time and energy to do something as simple as well.

Ready for is. True.

Serious reality. Check it out.

I'm here. That spirituality.

That's spirituality, I'm here to be present in your suffering,

why? Because God is present in our

suffering. It's a reflection of his heart.

Thank you for making the time. I want to just be here and you

give them a near to unburden, their hearts with and you give

them a hand to make the load a little bit lighter and you

strengthen their feeble knees. And you sometimes in wisdom even

have to contribute something from your own pocket and Times

of unusual distress, that is spirituality.

That is spirituality. And do you know what this

demands? Are you just heard it

intentional relationship intentional intentional

engagement with people even with those check this out.

Even with those who have nothing to contribute to your life,

socially, like they're awkward. There is awkward and Sometimes,

it's very draining to be in their presence, Maybe.

But you say, you know what, this is what the Lord has to me.

This is what Jesus would do. You want to know who Jesus hung

out with just look at the 12 that he picked.

And he's my example. Is he not yours?

That he with the spirit of God upon him in a special way.

Was able to mingle with people who have personalities that

could easily have caused issues. I mean, you had Simon the zealot

You had the tax collector you had fishermen.

I mean, it just bods everywhere. And Jesus was able to draw each

of their hearts in a special way.

And so listen, this goes beyond this goes beyond my personality

and my social skills. There's something spiritual

about this, there's something so spiritual about this.

I've given this example after I'm not the best at

illustrations. So forgive me if you've heard

this before, but hopefully this will help somebody who's never

heard it before. And pray for my ability to find

illustrations. I remember someone told me and

just touch me, it's so simple, but spirituality is so simple.

They told me that a good portion of their service to God was to

do something that would seem insignificant to the Corinthian

Church. Who thought they were spiritual

because they can stand up in a room like this and prophesy, and

somebody over there can do something else and then people

get healed and you're spiritually ready for this

brother. There is someone who lives so

far from our local church and are being.

So I was the one who volunteered to pick them up and drop them

off every single time we had a meeting and you know what?

Motivated me I said, what was I felt like I was picking up

Jesus. I felt like I was going to go

pick up. Jesus, I felt like Jesus was

waiting for me. And so I have no problem

sacrificing my time have no problem filling up my car with

gas. I never asked for money, never

asked for that. I felt like I was going to pick

up the Lord. There was no hesitation with

that ever before me. Jesus say that Matthew 25.

When you fed them, you fed me when you gave them a drink, you

gave me a drink when you visited them.

You visited me. That's that's what it is.

I mean think about it. Jesus will sit on his throne and

the beginning of the millennial reign in the judgments of the

goats and the sheep and he will judge certain people based on

that white because it spirituality I guess in this

free, I hope so. This is freeing, this is

wonderful. This is glorious.

Like, that's the mind of God. You gave somebody a drink when

they were thirsty. really, really And we move on and we see

that there's another part to this part that is

underemphasized says here, that there is an pursuit of keeping

oneself, unstained from the world.

Keeping oneself unstained from the world.

So you have you have like these two things, right?

And I'm afraid that even in the pursuit of these things, there's

another danger and that's an imbalance.

So you have some people who make Holiness and spirituality all

about acts of service and there is no concern.

And there is no desire and there is no intentionality with

personal piety. So, this is what God wants just

give give give give give all the while their garments are stained

everywhere. And yet you have others who do

the opposite and they make their spirituality, all about not

doing And so they shelter themselves, right?

And they don't even they don't get into any conversation

because in the midst of talking to an unbelieving, you can get

contaminated. So I just gonna hide over here

and just wait for the rapture That's not spirituality man.

You beat you were laughing. Now, you be Mason on how many

young people who grew up from a traditional background.

Try to convince me about these people and the Saints of old who

go live in some rock and some doesn't like into that spiritual

and what spiritual about it? What spiritual about it is that

what Jesus it came to the world and he hid in the wilderness and

he stayed there. And so, we have to be careful

here, even in the pursuit of that.

So we can be imbalance, right? May God give us wisdom by the

spirit. But notice here, he says That

the former point was a charge to give attention to others.

The latter point is a charge to give attention to ourselves and

he says you're keep yourself unstained from the world.

He doesn't keep yourself from the world.

Keep yourself unstained. How are you going to do the

first part? Because the widows and orphans

don't have to be from your church beyond that scope?

How are you going to do that? If you understand this to keep

yourself from the world just doesn't work What he is saying

is that be careful of it's polluting influence, be careful

of it's polluting influence. and this is a great danger today,

more than ever because the exposure of worldliness is very

close, is it not Very very, very close.

And so, there's an offensive to this, and there's a defensive of

this, and that's what it is. That's that's where that's where

in our thinking and our praying in are asking of the Lords of

molding for these. Two realities to be imperfect

sequence. Perfect relationship, perfect,

marriage, Perfect, Harmony I'm amazed to see some people when

they buy new shoes especially when they're white the way they

walk. It's like there's surveying

every aspect of the road they're making and then when something

like a speck comes just they don't even care man.

Just rubbing and they got product in their pockets and And

they're just like, and you know what?

Nobody looks at that and says that's crazy.

And even the person who's wearing those shoes could care,

less what you think. I paid a hundred and something

dollars for these shoes. I don't care if you care.

I care. And what happens over time,

though. You know happens?

Yeah, it's too much effort. He just next thing, you know,

they become a different color. And we look at that and I think

that's a wonderful parallel. What happened spiritually?

Right? We get very excited about this

very excited about godliness and Holiness.

When we put on those fresh pair, of the gospel of peace.

And we're very aware and we're and is it legalistic?

A legalistic. Do you feel that way?

Did you feel that way? Absolutely, there was a joy.

There was a joint protecting your heart and protecting your

mind, nowadays Christians will watch anything.

There's all he convinced himself do is just press the fast

forward button. Christians will listen to

absolutely anything and that's what happens just like the

shoes. There was a great, there was a

great longing and a yearning for something, more precious than

your Nikes more glorious. Then your dress shoes.

The testimony, the badge of wearing ambassador of Jesus

Christ. And something happens.

It just you get lullaby to sleep and just add that.

Without knowing just things pile up.

And now people can't stop. You can't even decipher between

Christians because everything's the same, the only difference

between many Christians and non-christians that the

non-Christian sleeps in Sunday, and you don't So, there needs to

be a revived message of Holiness in the church in America.

Today, we need to get back to True Holiness and godliness what

happened to the messages of carry your cross daily.

You don't hear that anymore. That's not what's cracking up,

hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube.

It's all about just tuck Jesus in somewhere and if you just rub

the lamp right, he'll make your dreams come true.

That's a set. That's if you want to know the

popular message, that's what it is.

Nothing about. Kiss the world.

Goodbye. Nothing about this.

World is crucified to me. Where is that?

And we wonder why there's so little power in the church

today. I believe because the holy

spirit is grieved. And so we see here that there is

a protective element to this. We need a shield ourselves.

And I wonder how many of us in our pursuit of Holiness.

Have a conversation with god from time to time?

Lord does this, please you? Is this please you?

I'll give you another illustration.

I'm just reaching back to something I used before.

A preacher went to a place once. And he was invited to speak at a

conference. This is overseas and he didn't

know much, you just knew that they were hungry for the word.

He was a preacher, preach the truth, and so many arrived

there, he realized that before the service.

All these men were outside smoking, cigarettes, This is

interesting. And this man vows that he

doesn't preach legalism. I mean, there's no chapter and

verse on this stuff, right? And so he asked God for wisdom,

you know? I mean he wants to make sure

that There's nothing because everything, the Bible says,

there are many things that are permissible but not beneficial,

right? So the the immature the infant

Christ asks is this sin or not? The mature Christian says, is

this beneficial or not? That's the two levels, right?

and so he has to look for wisdom and after the service Somebody

had asked him about that. What he thought about that?

And again there's no chapter verse.

All he said was next time. He told the man next time you

smoke a cigarette just ask Jesus if he wants one.

Okay. So the brake went on and they

had a second session and they came back and the man came up

and he goes I thought about what you said and I stopped smoking.

This is why I didn't tell you that it was a sin to Smoky.

I asked Jesus and I think he doesn't want one.

Pursue maturity in the spirit. Hebrews tells us let us lay

aside every weight and sin. Not just sin.

Wait, does this help me run? This is this amplify my

testimony or does it hurt my testimony?

This is this exalt Jesus in my affections or does it stifle my

affections go there? Go there and here's here's what

happened. Here's what will be unlocked?

There will be a sense of honour from the Lord.

There will be a blessing from the Lord.

There will be a Nearness of the Lord Right.

It's relational. The law says no no no yes yes,

yes. This is not what we're preaching

today. I'm trying to get you to get to

a place of being motivated by love.

By genuine love. Often times when people come up

and say, brother, I'm struggling in my devotional life, this and

that, and they don't even know if I'm a Christian anymore.

I just asked the question says, what does your heart feel?

Are you scared of hell? No.

No I'm not scared of hell. Are you scared of God pressing

the button to strike lightning? No, not at all.

What's in your heart? I miss the Lord.

I miss, I miss him speaking to me.

I miss being able to pour out my heart to my said, you're in a

good place brother. That's what the Holy Spirit does

in heart. He makes this whole thing

relational. He makes his whole thing so

wonderful effortless because it's I love him.

Lord, this is this hurt you. Okay.

That's it. No, no.

So sensitive. That's not, that's not how it

works. I want you to arrive to that

reality. Not just remember the unofficial

Christian dictionary. We're not a religion, where a

relationship. Well, what does that mean?

What does that mean? So when people look at us and

they see a purity and they see a disassociation from the world,

that's where we say. This is a relationship.

I love my master. Oh my God, I want to please him.

And I want to show you a man and closing.

Who gives a perfect balance of both of these Pursuits in one

text? Would you like to go there?

You have no choice. Go to 2nd Kings 4.

Second Kings chapter 4. And look at verse 1 and then

2 Kings 4 · chapter mention

we'll go over to verse eight very briefly.

Second Kings 1. Now the the wife of one of the

sons of the prophets crying to Elijah, your servant.

My husband is dead and you know, that your servant feared the

Lord. But the Creditor has come to

take my two children to be his slaves.

So here's a woman, her husband was in Ministry.

He was in seminary, he died. We don't were not told why he

has two babies, two children. And at this time, there is no

governmental age. She was in a difficult spot.

So much so that the merciless creditor was like if you can't

pay up I'm taking your two kids with me.

That's that's messed up. And so what she does is she goes

to the profit of the day Elijah and she comes with that need.

And she says, this is my situation and what I want you to

see very simply this is not a deep point, it's just really

something so beautiful. Eautiful is not what Elijah

says, how he says it, verse 2, and Elijah said to her, what

shall I do for you? Tell me what have you in the

house? You don't need the help of a

commentary to hear, the deep-seeded care that this man

has for this woman. What shall I do for you?

Tell me what have you in a house and the house.

She tells him. Your servant has in the house.

Nothing in the house except a jar of oil.

A prophet, a man of God, you read chapter 3 before this.

You know, what he was doing this man was standing before Kings

and prophesying to them. You're talking about a man who

had stature you're talking about a man which status you're

talking about a man who can move in the miraculous double of what

Elijah was doing. And I love the contrast because

here you see them, you see him determining Destinies of kings,

and, and their lives and their dynasties.

And in the next chapter, here's this.

Overlooked marginalized woman who comes up to him, and he has

such a deep love for her. If she came before those kings

that she came before those false prophets, they would, they would

not even give her a lick of attention.

And yet here's a man of God who looks at this woman in need, and

just tell me what you need there.

That's passion. That's love that spirituality.

So his heart was moved as James, would say, to help the Widow to

help the orphan in their Affliction, this man of God did

not think that he was Superior. He did not think that his

gifting was unrelatable to her. He did not.

He did not try to give any excuse, he would just fully

bear. Tell me, I'm here for you.

And then you read on in verse 8 and you see the second part of

what James speaks about. One day, Elijah went to shun.

Mmm. We're a wealthy woman lived, who

urged them to eat some food. Very Middle Eastern of this

woman. So whenever he passed that way,

he would turn in there to eat food.

Verse nine and she sets her husband behold.

Now, I know that this is a holy men of God who is continually

passing our way. This woman from shun.

Mm, there's so much to say about her. but notice that this godly

woman after seeing Elijah passed by in her town, Simply had this

level of relationship. Hey listen.

I know you're a preacher. I know you're a prophet whenever

you come by just knock on my door, and I'll have my servants.

She was a wealthy woman. I have my servants come and

we'll make you a lunch or a dinner.

How does that sound? And Elijah.

Yeah. So he would do that frequently

were not told how frequently but notice that after a certain

amount of visits in verse 9, the woman rightly accurately makes a

conclusion of this man's conduct and character.

She looks at her husband says behold.

Now I know that this is a holy man of God.

And when I read that, I stepped back and I thought to myself,

she didn't hear him preach a sermon.

She didn't witness him performing a miracle yet.

She didn't see some significant sign that made him stand out,

obviously, as a prophet, she didn't really have much to work

with. In fact, the only thing she

really had to work with was a conversation over some good

food. And after those frequent

conversations in the context of a home based on that alone, she

can look at her husband. Say that guy is the real deal.

Again, no signs, no wonders, no, series of sermons that displayed

his death, in his eloquence and his power and authority.

None of that. The only thing she had to work

with was from time to time a one-on-one conversation.

What did she see? What did she see?

What did he say? How did he say it?

What was his manners? Like how can she just from that?

Come to the police saying, that's a man who walks with God.

That excites me more than anything else. because as you

see Elijah's relationship with God was proven within the

boundaries, Of the home. And there is no other place

where a true cells become more. Raw more bear than when we were

spending day-to-day. When we are spending day-to-day.

I've met many broken broken people.

Specially pastors kids. Who is Tears in their eyes?

Say yet the guy you see on the pulpit is not the guy, once he

steps foot in the living room. Elijah was a different person.

What is our speech sound like our home?

What does our worship look like at home?

What is our Purity look like at home?

What is our compassion and our patients?

What is our tone of voice? Sound like at home over the

years more and more as a study, the scriptures about what true

spirituality is. The sermons people preach.

I mean, they're important, the word of God being declared as a

poor. But if I really want to know who

a man of God is, I'll ask the people know what's he like with

his wife. What you like with his kids?

And God, I believe. Looks at the kitchen before he

looks at the pulpit. It's true Holiness, guys.

It's so simple. It's so so simple and that's

what God is looking for. Other gods are pleased with

performances. Other gods want.

Great sacrifices, just ask the prophets of Baal who whip

themselves raw in a different way.

You know what? Our God looks for.

After you confess your sin, believe on Jesus Christ,

repented. And he seals you, with his holy

spirit, you know what? He looks for speech.

And he looks for. Who you are at lunch break at

work. That's what he looks for.

That may sound intimidating. But here's the best part about

pursuing true spirituality, God doesn't leave us with our

strength to accomplish it. Because true spirituality is

energized by the Holy Spirit who has been granted to us.

I'm going to prove it to you in one verse.

And then this part will be done. in Colossians chapter 1 verse

Colossians 1:28

28, You know, I found another exciting thing in my study, the

New Testament that there is legal grounds for a preacher to

say. I'm almost done when they're not

almost done. if you don't believe me, read the book of

Philippians and what we read Paul concludes in so many parts

and he keeps going at first, I used to feel guilty about I'm

like, I'm lying from the pulpit and then Paul didn't Syd, I'm in

a good place. Colossians chapter 1 and I want

Colossians 1 · chapter mention

you to see here. Can we Proclaim morning everyone

and teaching everyone that with all wisdom that we may present

everyone mature in Christ. Here's here's what Christianity

looks like after you get saved. Remember, the Corinthians were

known as infants in Christ and here's the goal of the minister.

And here's the goal of those being ministered to by the

minister maturity that has to be in our thinking, and our

praying, the has to be there. I want to grow.

I want these things to grow, but notice He says, in verse 29 for

this, I toil that scares us struggling as scares us even

more. But look what he says with all

whose energy Paul's energy. His energy.

That he powerfully works Within Me.

It's his energy. so, I look to see if people now And recent

history has shown us that things can change very quickly.

We may not have another Maranatha next year.

I hope we do. But here's what I give to you,

this is my final message which is not tomorrow is if the Lord

Wills but if this would be my final message to the believer in

this place, as you go and pursue true spirituality, in the part

of the vineyard that God has providentially led you into go

in the strength of the Holy Spirit.

He is with you, he will help you and you fall, you tell him you

fell, he already sees it. You come honestly before him and

he is right there to pick you up again and to move forward in his

will. He will supply it.

He will supply it. Listen, because I know people,

if they hear this, they can hear it wrong.

I know people whose try to strive for spirituality and its

really sad to watch. Because they're doing it in

their strength. Has sold to they read James 1

and they think I got to speak King James.

And they try to go and they and they almost premeditate and

they, and they're frustrated, because there needs to be a

dependency upon the holy spirit, daily daily daily.

And Trust his work in you you know so wonderful.

When you look at the construction of the temple in

Solomon's day, there's an interesting Insight where you

read that the sound of the building was silent.

I'm paraphrasing here. Do you remember that?

Passage some people, there was a silent work.

It could not be perceived. It was almost like it was mute

though. It wasn't mute.

And that's a perfect picture of the work of the holy spirit in

us. It's not always so loud and

obvious, But it's there. It's happening even when you're

not aware of it. And sometimes you catch

yourself. That wasn't me.

That was God. Surely.

And so I want to I want this time as we close in a moment.

Hopefully just with a little a little bit of verses here to get

your heart. Really start to say I'm going to

make this a quest to my Lord. What is it that you ask of me

that you would have the greatest motivation?

The greatest trust that God has for you and he's not waiting for

you to mess up. He's for you.

And he is so patient. And so may God help us.

If anyone thinks he is religious.

But does not Bridle his tongue. His religion is worthless.

May God preserve us from worthless religion.

Let's pray. Lord, thank you.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

And Lord in this place today. We have made a decision.

To submit to the stand of spirituality that you have set

before us by way, of example, through James.

Help us Lord, we fail often. We stumble quickly.

We miss the mark. Almost every day.

And Lord, we just ask. That you would show us what it

is. That it means to be a holy man.

A holy woman of God. Protect us from deceiving our

own hearts. and Lord if there is anybody in here who is deceived

About their salvation. Rescue them.

There is anyone here who is deceived about what it means to

truly grow in the Lord? What it means from the point of

their salvation to meeting you face-to-face, what that life is

supposed to be about. Show us, Lord show us where we

went wrong and show us what needs to change.

We want to live before God, the Father, help us at home.

Help us with the relationships that we are interacting with

daily help us with those that we would be tempted to not give

attention to Give us Divine opportunities to do what?

Elijah did and be eager to do it when it happens.

Lord, we give you all praise and glory as we worship as we sit

and meditate. We long for you Lord to smile

over our lives. Thank you.

That position, only you smile and you will always smile.

But Lord, by the help of your spirit.

We want to please you. With our life, that's our

desire, receive our worship now. As we meditate, May the

meditation of our hearts. And the meditation of our

hearts. The words of our mouths be

acceptable in your sight. Jesus name we pray.

Amen. Just sit.

Talk to the Lord. Pour out your heart before him

even before we sing guys, if we can just play Softly, And just

meditate before the Lord and let this be something between you

and him. And then we'll sing together.