It's Time To End Self Focus

00:00 - Speaker 1 Real Life presents the Jack Hibbs Podcast with intention and boldness to proclaim truth, equip the saints and impact our culture. 00:09 - Speaker 2 When we are of the same mind. It means, for example, every single one of us have the same thought, because we know the Bible, that it is this I need to have more compassion and I need to know how to weep with that person who's weeping. I need to know how to rejoice properly when that person's rejoicing. Why do we all think that way? Because we're of the same mind. How did that happen? Because we read God's word. 00:35 - Speaker 1 You can get the outlines of this podcast by going to jackhibbs.com/podcast today. If this podcast lifts you up and encourages you to live a more fulfilled life in Christ, then make sure you leave us one of those five-star ratings. To us that's like saying amen or yes. Then that rating will encourage others to listen Now open your hearts to what God's Word has to say to you. Here is Jack Hibbs. 01:04 - Speaker 2 Self-focus destroys lives, destroys friendships, destroys marriages. Rejoice with those who rejoice. And the word says and weep with those who weep. Now some might say, well, it's easier to weep with those who weep than to rejoice with those who rejoice. It just depends. When it says weep here, it actually simply means exactly that. But it means to weep in the sense of you have empathy for them, you have knowledge or you're understanding what they're going through, and so it doesn't watch everyone Listen. 01:37 In the days of Jesus in the first century, if you had a funeral going on and you really loved that person, if you had a funeral going on and you really loved that person, if you had the money, you could hire professional mourners. It was actually a real job. Can you imagine that somebody could cry loud enough and so fake enough that it looks so real? It's like AI 2,000 years ago where hey, yeah, listen, so my wife just died. I loved her immensely, she was amazing, so I'd like to buy. You know, I'd like to rent 200 mourners. Can you guys come and really, I mean listen, I'll tip you extra big if you really really cry loud. Yeah, you got it, we'll be right there. Can you imagine they pull up? You know, all these black donkeys pull up and they get out. And they get out and they say where do you want us to stand? Oh, just stand right here. Okay, you're on the clock. Now Go. That's not the word. 02:45 The word for the believer is to weep with those who weep, because we've stopped focusing on ourself enough to get inside their skin and to be able to say meaning it. And to be able to say meaning it. I feel this. I feel what you're going through Sometimes. Listen, be careful when someone is mopping up the suicide of their teenager. Don't show up and say I understand how you feel. Just don't do that. Just cry. You understand what I'm saying? Don't show up and say you know, all of us go through difficulties in life. It'd be best for you to stay home. 03:40 There's a time when the grief reaches a point where there's only tears, there's only weeping. You've been gutted, there's no more air. The grief reaches a point where there's only tears, there's only weeping. You've been gutted, there's no more air left in your lungs and you don't want to hear a voice. You just have brothers or sisters in Christ that are weeping with you, and the Bible says weep with those who weep. And I don't know about you, but maybe I'll confess it for myself. 04:14 There's times when I'm hearing what's going on and I have to ask God. Lord, you have to soften my heart. This is the fourth time I've heard this this week. You hear what I'm saying? Everybody. I'm telling you right now Don't raise your hand. 04:24 But if you are a doctor or a nurse, if you're a caregiver, if you are a police officer or a judge, the danger is that. Or a pastor in ministry, the danger is that you can be tempted to treat every, so to speak, case the same. None of them are the same. But when we live in a world where we begin to, well, I need to. I need to protect myself, so to speak. In this situation it's the fourth time I've heard it this week. I'm not going to let it get into me that's when it's time for you to retire. 04:57 Time doesn't allow us to go through the scriptures on how many times the Bible tells us that Jesus wept. He wept at the tomb of Lazarus. He wept. The Bible tells us that Jesus, seeing the multitude, that they were tired and hungry, was moved. The Bible says and the word in Greek means that his bowels. It was in his heart, it wasn't in his thighs. The word used in the Greek language is Jesus's bowels were grieved to, where his actual physical stomach was churning because he saw them hurting. This is the Jesus of the Bible. When you're hurting, he wants to weep with you. Listen, there's a supernatural stupidity about us. We think when we're hurt, or that when we're hurting, that God doesn't care and he's far from us. The exact opposite's true. He's there. And when was the last time you thought that Jesus is weeping with you when you weep? And he weeps. And the Bible goes on to tell us regarding self-focus, how do we heal that up? 06:07 Verse 16 says that we be of the same mind toward one another. Now, that's impossible unless we're all in the same book. The Bible says the Bible has been given for us for the renewing of our minds. The Christian community works the best when it's Bible saturated. We think Bible together. 06:28 Isn't it amazing when we are of the same mind? It means, for example, every single one of us have the same thought because we know the Bible that it is this I need to have more compassion and I need to know how to weep with that person who's weeping. Or I need to know how to rejoice properly when that person's rejoicing. Why do we all think that way? Because we're of the same mind. How did that happen? Because we read God's word. It's beautiful. And then that word same mind means exactly what it says to understand in such a way, to see things from the same angle. Imagine if today, the church in America alone began to think Bible thoughts of the same mind. The church would be instantly, instantly, a force to be reckoned with for good. 07:25 And then, when he says to be of the same mind toward one another this is a beautiful word, the word toward, it's so cool have this mind toward your Christian brothers and sisters, which means listen. What if your daughter, what if your son's a Christian? What if your mom and dad are Christians? They are your brothers and sisters in Christ, and it is this have your mind toward them. Meaning the word means to have your mind behind them, on the side of them and ahead of them. You encompass them. Have this mind thinking about them. That, Lord, I'm praying for them, I'm rejoicing with them, I'm weeping with them. And many times we have to say, Lord, bring me into that relationship, bring me into that moment where I can live this out because this is your will. So you and I are to be witnesses in this day and age like never before. 08:21 And James 4, verse 1, says where do wars Wow, he's speaking to believers when do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure, that war in your members? Think of that alone. According to the Bible, every single word battle, angst, issue in both brother, church, sister, christian, home, life, family. The Bible says why is this happening in your home? The Bible says I'll tell you why. Because somebody, maybe all of them, or someone, has got this selfish desire for pleasure, whatever that pleasure might be, to exhaust, spend, even destroy your neighbor, your family, the church, so that you can have it your way. This is powerful. And James says where do these wars and fights come from? Do they not come from your desire for pleasure, that war in your members? That is your body. You lust and you do not have. You murder, yikes and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Remarkable, he's talking to the church yikes, self. 09:40 Scripture goes on also to say in 1 Corinthians 12, verse 26, if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it. Or if one one member suffers, all the members suffer with it, or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. That's what we're to be like as brothers and sisters, and you know you look at. I love the fact that this holds no bounds, in the sense that, with all the devastation that's happened in Southern California, when you go to these locations and when you meet up with people, how many times are you not even realizing until later that you're talking to a fellow brother or sister in Christ Jesus that just had their home burned to the ground or swept away? It's amazing and you connect with them in the things of the Spirit and there's this unity because you're all feeding from the same book in the family of God, and there's this focusing upon others. 10:40 He goes on in verse 16 and says do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. This is a beautiful statement. Do not set, don't anchor your mind upon high things. The word high things means this things that are lofty Now hang on to your seats, everybody, it's gonna get tough. It means, as a believer, do not set your mind on things that are extravagant, lofty, high shelf. We would say things like this, and maybe you can help me out, things like we would say gourmet, things that are reserved. 11:14 It's kind of funny again, because I'm traveling. All these airport analogies are in my head. You're standing there traveling. All these airport analogies are in my head. You're standing there, everybody looks the same at the gate and then the announcer I mean the flight attendant says we're ready to board now for all of our platinum members, first class. Basically, they're saying all the people who have been successful in life, the awesome people, can get on first. I get it. That's how they make their money to fly these planes. They're charging these people through the nose and then they let us on and that's just. That's the way that it is. But if you're in my group in coach and you're looking ahead's the way that it is. But if, but if, if you're in my group and coach and you're looking ahead to the first class people and you're saying, wow, those people, really, I mean those people, that's something. Okay, first of all, don't do that. You know what's worse than that to be those in the first class group saying, excuse me, please, excuse me. You know, excuse me, I'm coming. They've called all platinum members first class, excuse me. The Bible says you better not be thinking like that. Look, even if you're flying first class, you better not be thinking like that, wow, in the church and you know what's cool about this At the writing of this in the Roman Empire, slaves were the biggest number group in the church in the first century, but there were also middle class and rich people. 12:59 Look, honestly, in the first century it was poor and there was aristocracy or there was the high shelf and they were getting saved and they sat down in church together, side by side, and listen, people, there was a big deal. I don't want to get sidetracked by this, but this was a very big deal and it was a problem in the early church. Because how can I? You know, I work for the senate, or I might even be a Roman senator, and you expect me to go to church on Sunday and sit next to one of my slaves? Well, guess what the answer is? You're busted. Yes, because, listen, you've been broken. Both of you were broken the same way by the blood of Jesus and you're going to be in heaven and no one's going to be saying listen, on the day when God opens up the kingdom, he's not going to say platinum members, first class, all of you Come on. No, no, no. The first shall be last, the last shall be first. It's amazing. I need to speed this up. You're doing fine. It's my fault right now. 14:08 James, chapter 2, verse 1. My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality. No clicks, no clicks, no clicks. For if there should come in to your assembly a man with gold rings and fine apparel and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him you sit here in a good place and say to the poor man, can you imagine? The Bible says no way. How can this be true? If we are really heavenly minded, we're gonna see all of ourselves, though we're different in this world of status. There are wealthy, middle class and poor in every church, to whatever degree that is. Only God knows, but he sees to it. I don't care if the church has got 10 people in it. Someone's gonna have more nickels than the other guy and someone's gonna have hardly any nickels or none at all. God will see to it. That's how the church lives, and will those who have bless those who don't and will those who don't bless those who have? It's amazing. And so the Bible warns us don't be partial. 15:36 Avoid cliques. They're everywhere. Wherever there's humans, there's going to be cliques, but they need to be resisted lovingly. They need to be resisted lovingly Most often. Pray, ask God to break them up Because he's not into cliques. Isn't that going to be great? You see, you, and I think in heaven there's going to be a section up front, near the throne, and it's Daniel and Joseph and Jeremiah and Ezekiel, all those Bible stars. They're going to be up front. We're in the back. That's not going to happen. Isn't that amazing to think? Well, abraham's got to be up front. Abraham might be in the back. We don't know. We don't know. Will there be a front and back? We don't even know. But we know this God hates cliques. He doesn't want partiality. 16:26 James 2, verse 9. But if you show partiality, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as a transgressor. 1 Timothy 5, verse 21. I charge you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels, that you observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing with partiality. Romans 2.11,. There is no partiality with God. Acts 10.34,. 16:51 Then Peter opened his mouth and said. In truth, I perceive that God shows no partiality. Wow, 1 Peter 1.17. And if you call on the Father, who, without partiality, judges according to each one's works, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay. I love how he puts it Conduct yourself throughout the time of your stay on earth, it's just a stay. I love that. Do so in fear or in reverential awe of God. 17:27 And then finally, we end with this. It's in verse 16, and that is the end of self-aware. Coming to the end of ourselves is coming to the end of being self-aware, and again this fixation upon self. He says do not be wise in your own opinion, don't do that. And the word wise I'm going to bore you guys with some technicalities here before we end when he says do not be wise, see those two English words do not, the Greek word is one word. It means stop it. It means listen that God knows our hearts and he tells us stop that. Listen that God knows our hearts and he tells us stop that. It's not like we're like oh, wow, God, those are sure terrible people, whoever they might be. God is saying will you stop it? I know it's you, it's all of you guys, he's saying it to all of us. You guys need to stop thinking this way. What is that way that we're pretty wise? It means listen. I got to read it to you. I want you to see this wise. 18:26 It's almost funny if it wasn't so painful. It's in the negative sense, of course. Not to think of yourself above beyond, better than others in rank, status or blood, not to think of yourself as being wiser than others, not more sensible than others, not more reasonable than others. Doesn't that listen that I want? I need to be broken about this, because I'm busted and so are you. We are in this together. 18:55 Why Do you have to some way shape or form? Do you have to get a word into the argument? Do you have to some way shape or form? Do you have to get a word into the argument? Do you have to be the last one with the final word in the argument? Is that your mode of operation? You'll. You're thinking in your mind let them spout off this blabber stuff. Oh boy, I'll act like I'm listening, because why? I have great solace in thinking I'm going to have the last word. That's that. You said yeah, but you said that's the word Yikes. Are you busted? Yeah, it's okay to be busted. Just don't stay there, go be broken about it. 19:50 - Speaker 1 This Jack Hibbs podcast, as well as all the broadcast outreach opportunities, are listener supported. Will you consider partnering with us through a special gift? Go to jackhibbs.com to learn more and stay connected.