Truly Truly 2 | Choose to Believe

Hi, everyone. I just saw some whiny, I thought

was that for me. But obviously, it's not going to

see what this water and I realized just had communion, of

course, right? Okay, not that.

I want that. I don't want it at all.

Okay, so welcome to the second week of the series truly, truly,

and last week, Richard did a wonderful job and it's just

amazing how God works, with your passions and you works with your

interest when he calls you to do something.

Because, six weeks ago, I think about six weeks, Chris gave

everybody who's going to be speaking on the series, he gave

them their verse. And so I saw the email and I

looked at everybody else's verse and then I thought, you know,

I've got the best one. Yeah.

I've got the best one. But the interesting thing is

that Richard last week said that he had the best one and I Look

To Riches and I thought I'm so glad.

I'm not doing that one because I don't know what I'm going to say

on that one. So it's just amazing how God

works in your passions and your I'm really passionate about this

text. So, my text said, some or this

takes. I'm going to be talking about is

found in John 5:24. So if you've got your Bible,

John 5:24

just turn to John, 5:24, or your electronic device, or you can

just look on the screen. And so it says, very truly, I

tell you, whoever hears my word and believes in him, who sent me

has eternal life and will not be judged by has crossed over.

Over from Death To Life. Crossed over from Death to life.

Now. The Book of John, one of the

aims of the Book of John is to show that Jesus is the Messiah

specially for the Jews, because they didn't believe they

struggled to believe that. And In this passage.

Jesus is highlighting his authority.

And it would have been really controversial.

You would have had religious leaders.

Just going. Whoa.

Whoa. Whoa, stop right there.

Now. This is way below the belt.

What you're saying? You are basically putting

yourself as God, how dare? You do that, that is wrong.

This is wrong. And this is what would have just

LED for them to want him to go because he was shaking things up

and I used to think that it would have been so easy, so much

easier to believe in Jesus, when he walked, and he did his

ministry because you could have talked to him and your to send

the Miracles and it was just been easier to have faith in

him. But you know why it would have

been just as difficult as it is now so path, when I I did my

degree part of my degree. I had to do this module, called

biblical Theology. And so you looked at the Bible

as a narrative and you just drew theological answers, from what

you saw as a narrative. And so we looked at the Old

Testament and we also did stuff in the New Testament, and we

looked at the gospels, and for that term, I really got into

that just imagining that I was with Jesus, and what it would

have been like, and at the end of it.

I said to my teacher. Do you know what?

I'm not sure if I would have believed.

I don't know because here is this man saying that he's God,

and so many people would have been against, it would have been

not the mainstream. It would have been something

alternative. You got religious leaders say?

No, this is madness. And I would have thought, even

though he's charismatic, suppose love got it wrong, even though

I'm get, you know, emotionally, I'm changing, but supposing, I

need to focus on my rational mind.

And so this is why when you do believe you've got to go with

what you've experienced with Jesus, you have to have a

personal Encounter With Jesus and walk in faith in that.

Anyway, can I have a look at that verse?

So I'm going to pull bits out of it.

So very truly, I tell you, whoever hears my word.

Now. The Greek word for to here is a

coup. And in this context is to listen

immediately. Now, almost seems like

no-brainer, because when you hear something, you hear it,

immediately, it's not like we've got lots of sounds that are

parked in our face, and then in due time, you know, we It, we

hear things immediately. So there's something deeper

here. And so we have to look at the

words. And so his word, which is logos.

He's teaching his instruction that has power.

It has power. If we look at John 11.

It says, in the beginning was the word and the Word was with

God and the Word was God. There's power there.

Also in Ephesians, in Ephesians 6, we look about how you know,

we need to put on God's armor when we are Are, you know, when

we're dealing with the Enemy, we need to put on the armor of God.

And so, we might not might we had like, the breastplate of

righteousness. We have the shield of faith and

in verse 17, sin 6:17. It says, you know, put on the

helmet of your salvation and also you hold the sword of the

spirit, which is the word of God's is the word of God.

You see, his word is like a sword.

It's a weapon and it will cut. Through and slice and penetrate

and do something even in Hebrews.

It says, for the word of God is alive, and active sharper than

any double-edged sword. It penetrates even to dividing

Soul, and Spirit joints and Marrow, it judges the thoughts

and attitudes of the heart. See, God's word is like a

double-edged sword, so it cuts both ways and it separates and

it will show. What is right.

What is wrong? Is good.

What is bad? Where to go?

Where not to go? And so when Jesus is saying,

whoever hears my words, and you have to hear it immediately, it

does something and it penetrates it does surgery in your heart.

You're not the same again. Some of you may be thinking, you

know, what you've brought you brought friends here and they

came and they don't believe and then they leave and you think

oh, wonder if it was okay, you know what?

I had a friend who came in and sat all 10 minutes or 10 minutes

and then walked out and I cried, but, you know, people encouraged

me, you know, what a CD is new. So, you see, when you hear the

word of God, something happens. Something happens.

And so I like, studied this two weeks ago, two Saturdays ago and

on the Sunday. I saw it demonstrated, so I was

standing here, standing right here.

I can remember and he was just preaching, any was just

preaching the word of God, and I was at the front and there was a

lady somewhere in the middle. And as soon as he said a

statement, I heard this woman. Go.

Yes. Oh, I feel that like that.

And it just shows that it instantly does something.

So we're going back to the text. Whoever hears, my word, and

believes in him who sent me he's talking about believing in the

god. Who sent him Jesus, not the God,

not an animal guard, not a God, who doesn't believe in Jesus.

Not a material, God. But the God who sent him in John

John 3:16

3 verse 16. It says for God so loved the

world that he gave his only begotten son, that who shall

ever believe in him will not perish, but have eternal life.

It's Jesus. The God who sent him, who sent

Jesus. And the next part I want to look

at is that Will not be judged. Now, I grew up in a really

strict, religious background and always constantly.

I was told there is going to be judgment, that you got a fix up.

Look sharp, be good because judgment is coming.

The, our judgment is coming. I was so scared that, you know

what, I used to like look outside, look at the clouds and

if they look to certain Wireless, think I don't know.

Maybe this is it, this is it when Jesus come and I'm going to

be judged. I was in fear, but do you know

what? I tell you that if you are in

You won't be judged. There is no condemnation when

you are in Christ, when you accept him as your savior and

you allow him to live in you and you live in him.

There is no condemnation. It's like he's a bodyguard and

he standing in front of you and he just takes the bullets and

you're just walking and you're protected by Jesus.

You can just walks right through.

You can walk with through there's no judgment years ago.

My husband and I went and stayed in this really expensive hotel

in London and it must have been about, I don't know, three,

four, five hundred pounds, a year per room for a night.

And we didn't pay that Ian had new, a friend in management.

And so she got us in, for the weekend for 25 quid was amazing.

It was amazing. It was over Christmas.

We didn't have kids then. Yeah, so we stayed there a

Christmas. Now you have you ever been in a

situation where somebody gives you a great opportunity and you

don't clarify everything? Because you're just so excited

that you've got an opportunity. I think she said that we had

Christmas dinner, but I wasn't sure and I didn't want to ask.

So anyway, we're at this place and we're thinking, we need to

know if we're going to eat, there are Christmas and we

couldn't afford, it wasn't like a 30-pound.

This is going to be like a couple of hundred pounds.

And meal. And we just needed to know, I

said, I think, I know, I think she said we had it, but I wasn't

sure. And my husband was quite, you

know, fed up with me because he's like, you know, you need to

know what you stand in everything and I, you know,

sometimes leave everything to sort of float.

So anyway, Christmas day came and we were thinking, what we

going to do because in London, has anyone being in London the

Centre of London on Christmas day?

There is a much to eat. And if it is You have to book in

advance and it's really expensive unless you go

Chinatown or something like that.

And so Christmas day came and we were hungry and we didn't know

if we had a meal and we went downstairs and we were nervous

because everybody look well to do in the hotel and Alan.

I looked like two fugitives and then we went down and we were

too scared to just ask and we got a free meal and so must have

the courage. And I stood there and I said,

hi, and they're so big. You got this, elaborate this.

Beautiful dinner Hall and we couldn't see in but they had a

man standing at the door. And we said hello.

We just want to know if we're on the list.

And he said, what's your name? And we said our names and he

said, and what room number you are always holding the room

number and he goes and who do you know?

And at that point, my husband said we're friends have at least

that was my friend's name, and he looked and he said, friends

of Elise. Lucky you and he just moved out

of the way and we Waltz right through, there was no question.

He just said your friends of Elise, come on in and we sat

down, and this place was so beautiful.

We had a nine-course meal. Do you know what one of the

courses was like a moose of toothpaste?

Yeah, I guess this is what Posh people have just to clear the

palate. We had this toothpaste mousse,

and we said, That's we sat there and we prayed and we started

crying because we felt like we were in heaven and we were at

God's table. We were just like, wow, this is

amazing. And you know what?

This is the same thing with us. When we accept Jesus Christ.

As our savior, we will be able to sit at God's table and you

know, what, we won't have nine courses.

Why not anyone have level who had probably about 50 million

courses and we're just going to eat and eat and eat and do you

know what? It doesn't matter?

What you look like? It doesn't matter what you've

done. It doesn't matter what's going

on because you Accepted Jesus, and you're welcome at his table.

You are welcome. You are welcome, doesn't matter.

So the next part is that we crossed over from Death to life.

And at this point right now. I want to just make it clear

that this talk is not about. If you believe in Jesus, you're

going to be rewards is and if you don't believe you're going

to be punished, it's not about that.

It's where your heart is. Is so is where your treasure is.

So if your hearts with Jesus, who is life, that's where your

treasure is. If you're focused on the world,

which is here today and gone tomorrow, which is essentially

death. That's where your treasure is.

So this is why when you accept him, you cross over from Death

to life and many of us, many of us struggle with just focusing

on Jesus, focusing on God, focusing on him.

We're like focused on the world. And you know, what?

I've been in small groups when people are talking about their

issues and then they were Just get to the conclusion where they

say, you know what? It's just so hard though, isn't

it? So hard to believe in Jesus.

When are we going to stop saying it's so hard, you know, is too

easy. So just leave as a conclusion.

It's so hard. We've got a reply.

We've got a reply God into our life.

And so I was thinking as I was, you know, making this up, I was

just thinking, you know, why it's a bit like this where we're

looking at the world and we're just consuming everything that

the world has and Jesus is behind.

Us Girls behind us and we just looking at the world and we just

go God could you just make this happen?

And then we consume consume consume or trying to find

significance in all the things that we have and we just focused

on that and then we're just saying God could you just fix

that? And we really need to turn to

God and we just consume him but we're just constantly looking at

the world looking at that relationship to complete us.

Looking at that, you know, that great thing we have and then

something happens. And then we start shouting at Oh

God. Where are you?

God? Where are you?

Why can't this happen? Why can't I have that job?

I need a job. I need a job.

Where are you? You know, last week, Richard

said, prayer is not about looking for God.

Letting God see you. It's not like you're going God.

Hey, hey, I'm here. Could you make sure that I've

got enough money for a mortgage? It's not about that.

It's about us seeing God. It's about us saying, God,

you're so great. You're so amazing.

You Wonderful. Your glory is forever.

It's about focusing on God, not our things.

And I say this and I say this is some of my friends when I'm

talking to them. I don't say this on my high

Shire horse, looking down at you.

We just shared them. Pony.

I'm down there too. I'm down there too.

And it's a battle. It's a daily battle, but you've

got to make a decision to believe or what's the point?

What's the point recently? I have been feeling a bit out of

my comfort zone and when I'm out of my comfort zone, I try and

seek things to comfort me. And I've said this to you before

that I live in a flat with big Windows, which is lovely because

the light shines through. But I look out the window and I

see things, and I come to conclusions conclusions, which

would probably not true. You see, I live opposite my

son's school. So I see a lot of people outside

that I know, and I'll look at Mom's and our look at people

having fun, and I'm like, oh, look, they're having fun!

Not without me, or do they like me?

And it's stupid. It's just being paranoid, and I

have to combat that lie. Anyway, there's this lady that I

know and she's not well at the moment.

So her mom is from South Africa and she's over for a couple of

months to support her. And so last week, I was feeling

a little bit, you know, just out of my comfort zone.

I was just hungry for someone great to just comfort me just to

make me feel like I'm okay. I'm alright, it's going to be

okay. So I'm looking out the window

and I see this lady Army down with her mum and Just hit me

there because it's what I wanted.

I want a mum who I can walk arm-in-arm down the road with,

and you know, what is so funny. Because every time I look out

the window, I see them walking down.

The road arm in arm is like, oh, gosh, here it is again.

And so Jesus said to me, When you go outside in a minute, I

want you to walk down the road and believe that I'm holding

Weir arm-in-arm together. We are arm-in-arm together and I

am God, he's saying I'm I'm God. I created everything.

Everything is so much more and I'm with you.

I'm Everlasting, our mums going back to South Africa.

Was she going to do then? But God is there all the time.

And I have to make that the truth because he's more real,

he's more real. Then her mom, arm in arm walking

down the road. And I have to say to myself.

That's right. I have Jesus with me.

I have Jesus with me. And, like I said, I keep seeing

them and it used to hurt me and then I thought, no, no, no in a

see that as a positive picture. God wants to show me.

Look I'm with you just like how she is with her daughter.

I'm like that with you. I'm like that with you and then

at times I'm feeling anxious and I have to just put my hands here

and I have to say, God is with me.

You know this world. He's going so fast.

I've been out of the loop because I've been a stay-at-home

mom for so long, and it just seems like everything is going

fast. And you've got a hustle.

You've got to be something. You've got to do it quickly

before somebody else does it? And I feel anxious, because I

don't know how to do it. And God is saying, I've got a

plan for you. I have a plan, a plan to prosper

you and not harm, you don't worry and then sometimes I think

oh gosh, am I? Okay.

Am I good enough? Do I fit in?

And he's saying this in your identity is in me, and I have to

apply his truth. To me rather than focus on the

lies. We've got to believe in God

believe in his words. Okay.

So lastly I want to just leave you a few things.

So five practical ways to hear God's word and believe in him.

And the first one is to read the word of God, read his word.

Simply, you know, so many of us running around trying to get

someone to give us a word, but you You know what?

There's his word in the Bible. You can't go wrong.

I'm not knocking a word from people but you can't go wrong

with this. If you read it.

So read his word and ask the Holy Spirit to just just make

it, make whatever God wants you to know plane.

So you can respond. And the second is to spend time

in prayer with God's be in his presence.

Don't just use him as someone to just give you things.

Being his presence and don't forget to just listen to him.

Listen to what he has to say to you.

And third one recognize God's glory and power and that he

loves you recognize a, he's amazing.

He's created the universe. That he's the strongest thing

there, and yet he loves you and he wants a relationship with

you. I've got this app.

This new app that I've downloaded for my son.

It's called Skyview. And what you do, you look

through your camera and it shows you where all the stars are in

the universe and it also shows you where the planets are.

So your client moving around and it would just show you right

there. Love a million miles is Mars.

And to the, you know, left is, is Venus right behind it.

And it was just puts you in perspective or where you are in

the universe. And I'm thinking, wow, my God

made all of that and yet you wants a relationship with me,

so, Recognize his glory recognize how amazing he is and

that he loves you. And the fourth one is if you

don't know what love is, if you don't know what, it's like to

have a real relationship, a healthy relationship.

Look at 1 Corinthians 13:4. 27. Have a look at what love is and

1 Corinthians 13:4

apply that to your life. Says love is patient.

See that God is patient with me. Love is kind.

God is kind with me. Have a look.

Look at that meditate on that. And number five.

The last thing is trust God with every aspect of your life.

Don't go to the world to tell you who you are.

Go to God receive God's love, because he's there for you.