Walking In God's Purpose

0:00 Real Life presents the Jack Hibbs Podcast with intention and boldness to proclaim truth, equip the saints, and impact our culture. My heart's desire is to see you move in those areas that God has given you life, a reason and a purpose to live your glorious life that He has saved you to live. You can get the outlines of this podcast by going to jackhibbs.com slash 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.

0:42 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. we must be open to what he, that is God, has next. In verse 23, he says, but now no longer having a place in these parts. I'm going to stop right there at that verse. But now no longer having a place in these parts. When I say that, I can hear some, but now no longer having a place in these parts. Sounds like a line out of some Western. What was Paul saying?

1:25 Paul was announcing, you know what? I have evaluated the situation here in Corinth and I have preached the gospel. Churches have been established. There are people doing the ministry. There's no reason for me to be here anymore. These parts have been covered and are being covered by the Christians that are there. Here's what it doesn't mean. It doesn't mean that Paul witnessed to every Corinthian. He didn't witness to 500,000 people personally. It means that he witnessed and he also left ministries.

2:05 Are you with me? To do the work. And so Paul looks around and he says, nothing left for nothing here for me to do. It's time for me to go. Isn't that a great thing? I was talking to somebody just the other day and their, uh, their career is based in, uh, in things like this. At the end of the day, they can see what they've done. And I have to tell you, and I told them, I said, I'm, I'm a, I'm not supposed to admit this to you. I'm a pastor, but I'm envious of you. You get up, you go, you work. And at the end of the day, you back away from your project and you can see that you built that thing and it was just installed and the homeowner loves it and you take a picture and you post it and now you move on to your next project.

2:52 He goes, that's a great sense of accomplishment. And when he said that, I went... Because I don't have that. I'm not supposed to have that. I don't get that. Listen, I can kind of relate to a mom. Because a mom works so hard. Hardest job in the world. A mom works so hard and she knows I am not going to get any credit for any of this until this nut has some kids. Amen. Right? Think about it. How long is that? 20 years.

3:32 And this day and age, 40 years. God bless all the moms in the world. As a pastor, I don't know. At the end of the day, I can't go, Woo, look at that. Wow. Wipe my brow. What a great day of achievement. I can't do that. I got to wait till I'm dead. To see what happened. I don't get a progress update or a report card until it's all over. And my heart's desire is to see how you do. My heart's desire is to see you move in those areas that God has given you life, a reason and a purpose to live your glorious life that he has saved you to live.

4:19 And all these various areas of life God's people are in is a remarkable thing. It goes on, that verse does, having a great desire, he says, these many years to come to you. Wow, many years. The word desire, look at this beautiful word. Having this great desire, many years. A persistent longing for, to yearn. The word means to have an underlying desire to have or to be. in this sense, a fit regarding a thing or a place, meaning that as Christians, our desired values and pursuits have changed and are now upon lasting things. Paul says, I have so long desired, yearned to be with you, but he endured the time.

5:09 Because he was involved in the things of God. But all the while, he had this desire to go see the brothers and sisters that he had heard about in Rome. He had this great desire and desire is a very powerful thing. What are, take inventory. What are your desires? I know in this church, cause the word of God goes out. There's many of you that are thinking, I need to know, I need to know. I want the desire that God desires for my life. That's a great prayer. And I know what you mean by that. Write this down, please. Psalm 37, verse four. This is fun. Psalm 37, verse four. You know, Paul knew this verse. Delight yourself in the Lord. Stop right there, comma, delight.

5:50 Be consumed with him. What does he want to do? What is he doing? What would be the God thing to do? Remember those little rest bands? What would Jesus do? Delight yourself in the Lord. This job, this event, this situation, this relationship, what would God do? delight yourself in the Lord. Next. And he shall give you the desires of your heart. Did you get that? The qualifier is delight yourself in the Lord. He begins to change your heart. God is so good.

6:31 Watch this. God starts to change your heart as you delight yourself in him. He changes your heart. And you start desiring things. that you don't realize until later that God put it in your heart. So for example, I mean, I'm just making this up obviously, but you say to yourself, I would never, I would never move to Detroit. I would never move to Detroit. Now, God is not gonna change your heart to punish you. But here's what happens, as you delight in him, He winds up putting a desire inside of you that winds up being your delight.

7:20 And you and God share the same delight. Until one day you say, somebody needs to do that in Detroit. And you start thinking about Detroit. And then you start looking at homes in Detroit. Detroit. And you take a vacation. You hear what I'm saying? And what you never would have anticipated in the flesh, God winds up doing a work in your heart over time whereby you begin to act like this now. Dear God, I'd love to go to Detroit. Show me if it's your will or not. And God says, hey, knucklehead. I put that in there. Because you've been delighting in me.

8:02 Your heart now has been knit to my heart. And you'll love the mission. You'll love it just as Paul loved those in Rome. That's a good work of God. And he'll give you the desires of your heart. That's a safe thing. Say, wait a minute. You mean if I go to Vegas and I throw down these numbers, he's going to, no, that's not what it means. It means because you're delighting him, which is perpetual, you're thinking, you're moving, your activity, your actions. Please, Christian, grab this and run with it. You are free every moment of your life, of your day, to walk with Jesus Christ. You're free. You're free because you know what?

8:43 You're following the Lord. He's prompting your heart. He's leading your life. He's interrupting your situations. Even if he doesn't want you to make it to Spain, you're on your way and he'll turn the boat. or the donkey, or the car, or the train, or whatever it is. It's a great way to live everybody. We need not make the mistakes that we so often do as we seek him and follow him. He wants to lead us, he delights in that, he loves it. He says in Isaiah, why don't you listen to me and let me lead you with my right hand? Why be like, well I'm not gonna say, it's old King James, but it's the back end of a donkey.

9:25 Why would you be like the rear end of a donkey and make it difficult for you where you have to use a bridle and a bit? Let me lead you with my hand. Do you want that with God? I do. We should. He wants to lead us. Psalm 37, four is very dear. Next thing is verse 24 is that we must be willing to do or to work together. So for the love of God, will we go to the ends of the earth? You see, Jack, I still don't get how that part applies to my life when I'm stuck here and this job or what. Just hang on.

10:07 We must be willing to work together. So you guys have all heard that term. That's like herding cats. That's like herding cats. I used to not understand this, but now I do understand this. So have you noticed, everybody, that as brothers and sisters, we're supposed to be willing to work together. Do you know in the ways of the flesh or human strength, we have better chances of building a reusable spaceship than, to catapult things and people out into space and have it return and land on a landing pad, that is much easier to get a team together and stay on target focused at SpaceX than it is in your local church.

11:08 I promise you that. I used to work for one of the biggest corporations in the world. And we were renowned for our team work. Amen. We were granted massive budgets in R&D to develop these inventions or ideas by world-renowned physicians. And I was a Christian, there was a Jehovah Witness, there was an atheist, there was a Mormon, there was a Buddhist. Very bright, very opinionated.

11:49 Let me tell you something. Oh, by the way, no time card. When you worked for that company, they allowed it time for that project. These things were supposed to be done. They did not follow you around. And I mean, I flourish in that kind of a setting. We didn't have a time card. At the end of six months or three months, how we spent that $5 million regarding that doctor's idea. Is it going to work or is it not going to work? It's up to you guys to see if that guy's got a good idea. Because if he does, we're going to make billions. So you guys are the ones that are going to find out if he's got a good idea. And we'll come and see you in six months. No time card, no punching in or out.

12:29 The end result was, did the team achieve today's goals? How long did it take? Didn't matter if it took an hour or, listen, not kidding, 18 hours. The team met the goals. High-fived each other, went back home, came back the next day to do it again until the project was complete. Listen, all of us had a completely different worldview. none of us would get together under any other circumstance, period. We would make that project work, we'd finish it, and that corporation then would produce it, and then the rest is investment history. That said, try to do that with church.

13:14 Well, I want to sit here. Well, we're going to go over here for... Why do we... Why there? Why? Okay, this is what we need to do. We need to make sure that we've got these things in place before we can have the new believers go this way. Well, I think it should be the opposite way. You guys, it's like herding cats. You want to know why? Because listen, Satan doesn't go around poking companies and scrambling their heads up. But Satan hates the church. Don't you want to be hated? That was very weak. That was kind of like, I don't know how I should laugh to that. Don't you want your name to be known in hell?

13:55 I do. I want my name on a chalkboard in hell saying, we ought to do something to stop this guy. What an honor. Did you know, listen, did you know that God cannot or Satan cannot do anything in your life and against your life without the permission of your father? That means go reckless. Well, I want to tell that lady the gospel, but what if God's not in it? Stop thinking like that. Step out and do it. And if God's not in it, nothing's going to happen. But don't stand around and analyze it. You'll never get off your couch. For the love of God.

14:36 That's why we do it. And so this getting together, it's hard. And church life's tough. And I should say this right now. So it's amazing to see how people have these skills and they come and they bring an application. And they've got, I mean, they could be Harvard, Johns Hopkins University. I don't care what it, they got all these skills and all of these achievements in the world. And then they come into the church life in a staff position and it's a total disaster. And they don't even know why. Because you can't take the things of the world. Because God will not do his church with worldly wisdom.

15:22 Dr. Warren Wearsby says, if you can explain what's going on in your church, God is not the one doing it. So be nice to me when you guys ask me, so what's going on around here? And I say, I don't know. You should say, praise the Lord. Yeah. But we got to work together. And he says in verse 24, Whenever I journey to Spain, I shall come to you. That's those that are in Rome. For I hope to see you on my journey. And to be helped. This is so amazing to me. Hang on everybody. Please don't take this the wrong way.

16:02 And to be helped on my way. There, that is to Spain. By you. If first I may enjoy your company for a while. Okay, listen, you're not going to like this, but this is what he's saying. Can't wait to see all of you guys. It's going to be awesome. I'm on my way to Spain, but I'm going to swing by down into Italy, and then I'll head out from Rome on my way to Spain. And I can't wait to see you guys, and I know you guys cannot wait to see me. And I also know that you are going to help me financially get to Spain. He just says it. I love it.

16:42 When God is in something, he's going to provide for that thing, whatever it is. In your marriage, listen, friends, listen. Those of you who are going through a rough patch in marriage, God provided your spouse. He will get you through this rough season. He'll get you through it. Corporation, God's next step for you, he'll do it. But I love the fact that Paul is just being so honest with them. He's not afraid. The word hope means to have full expectation or to expect. He's got that assurance. And then the word helped. This is that word. Are you guys okay? We're almost done. You all right? We're not going to finish. I gave up hope again.

17:25 The word helped to establish a beachhead. Those of you who are military-minded, you got to establish a beachhead if you're coming onto the enemy's territory in the area of ocean or sea. How does, what, that's what the word means? Exactly. I want to be, he says, I expect to be helped by you. I expect from you guys, he's saying, to help establish a beachhead for me. What does that mean? To stop and to be filled up with supplies. The word means to have provision. Provision. so as to continue on in the work or race for human souls.

18:10 What an amazing word. I'm coming to Rome. Can't wait to see all of you. Oh, and by the way, you guys are going to help me establish that stop as a beachhead because you're going to prepare me to get into Spain to launch the gospel there. Tarshish, that's where we're going. That's the intended destination. Scholars don't know if Paul ever made it there or not. Some say he did, some say he didn't. I don't care. Paul had his sights set on Spain. And he's going to get there by way of Rome. I'm going to ask you something. Do you have your eyes set on heaven? When you got up this morning, when you get up tomorrow morning...

18:54 The big challenge is this. The big hindrance is this. Will the things of the world consume you? Get your attention? Or is your aim to preach Christ? Say, Jack, I'm not a preacher. I'll say that in a moment. I'll address that in a moment. Is to preach Christ and to reach the ends of the earth for the love of God and I'm going to do that by way of fill in the blanks. Are you longing to be in ministry to make a difference for the kingdom of God, but you're the best welder that the company has.

19:39 And you have been struggling where, Lord, use me. I've just abandoned here at this company. Maybe you're the school teacher. Maybe you're the housewife, or maybe you're the house husband now. Lord, use me. Excuse me. Hello? Take a deep breath. Look around. I would say to you today, are you open to the will of God? And you would say, yes, I am. For the love of God, would you do what he asked you to do? Yes. Yes. Do you trust him? Think, everybody. Side note. Side. Pause. Pause. In your own life, ask yourself, are you able to say to God right now, not out loud, God, I'm willing to do whatever you want me to do.

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