{"id":301926,"date":"2009-11-26T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2009-11-26T17:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/%series%\/seeing-the-power-of-god-among-us-part-1\/"},"modified":"2009-11-26T12:00:00","modified_gmt":"2009-11-26T17:00:00","slug":"seeing-the-power-of-god-among-us-part-1","status":"publish","type":"podcast","link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-today\/seeing-the-power-of-god-among-us-part-1\/","title":{"rendered":"Seeing the Power of God Among Us, Part 1"},"content":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Is forgiveness merely an idea?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":91,"featured_media":294104,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","inline_featured_image":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"https:\/\/web.familylifetoday.com\/fl2009-11-26.mp3","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"00:","filesize":"11.41M","filesize_raw":"11966441","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[2699],"podcast_series":[7691],"cwp_profile":[3349],"series":[2101],"class_list":["post-301926","podcast","type-podcast","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-forgiveness","podcast_series-seeing-the-power-of-god-among-us","cwp_profile-bryan-chapell","series-familylife-today"],"acf":[],"episode_featured_image":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1001\/2024\/09\/FLT-Podcast-Cover-2-508x508-3.jpg?w=508","episode_player_image":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1001\/2023\/02\/image-scaled.jpg","download_link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast-download\/301926\/seeing-the-power-of-god-among-us-part-1","player_link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast-player\/301926\/seeing-the-power-of-god-among-us-part-1","audio_player":null,"episode_data":{"playerMode":"light","subscribeUrls":{"apple_podcasts":{"key":"apple_podcasts","url":"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/familylife-today\/id212174303?mt=2&app=podcast","label":"Apple Podcasts","class":"apple_podcasts","icon":"apple-podcasts.png"},"google_podcasts":{"key":"google_podcasts","url":"","label":"Google Podcasts","class":"google_podcasts","icon":"google-podcasts.png"},"spotify":{"key":"spotify","url":"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/0j5UaKdQOHQCuo1bt0ebEm","label":"Spotify","class":"spotify","icon":"spotify.png"},"youtube":{"key":"youtube","url":"","label":"YouTube","class":"youtube","icon":"youtube.png"}},"rssFeedUrl":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/feed\/podcast\/familylife-today","embedCode":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"KWbuUXzWiZ\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-today\/seeing-the-power-of-god-among-us-part-1\/\">Seeing the Power of God Among Us, Part 1<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-today\/seeing-the-power-of-god-among-us-part-1\/embed\/#?secret=KWbuUXzWiZ\" width=\"500\" height=\"350\" title=\"&#8220;Seeing the Power of God Among Us, Part 1&#8221; &#8212; FamilyLife\u00ae - A Cru Ministry\" data-secret=\"KWbuUXzWiZ\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script>\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/\/# sourceURL=https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-includes\/js\/wp-embed.min.js\n<\/script>\n"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1001\/2024\/09\/FLT-Podcast-Cover-2-508x508-3.jpg",508,508,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"kfairris@familylife.com","author_link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/author\/kfairrisfamilylife-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Is forgiveness merely an idea?","meta_box":{"show_notes":"","transcript_url":"https:\/\/transcript.familylifetoday.com\/fl2009-11-26.pdf","transcript_content":"<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0Is it kind and compassionate to confront another person about his sin?\u00a0 Bryan Chapell says it is.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bryan:<\/strong>\u00a0 Your awareness of the dangers of the wrath of God mean for the sake of another person, when you are aware of their sin, that you would confront them for their sake, with their own wrong.\u00a0 And if he repents, forgive him.\u00a0 If he sins against seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, \u201cI repent,\u201d forgive him.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 This is <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> for Thursday, November 26<sup>th<\/sup>.\u00a0 Our host is the President of FamilyLife, Dennis Rainey, and I\u2019m Bob Lepine.\u00a0 We are never more like Christ than when we are forgiving another person.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAnd welcome to <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em>.\u00a0 Thanks for joining us.\u00a0 You had quite a crew join you for Thanksgiving.\u00a0 A lot of your kids were in town and grandkids as well for the Thanksgiving holidays, right?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 That\u2019s right.\u00a0 Our table is getting longer at our house Bob, we are having to add leafs to it.\u00a0 I mean the high chairs \u2026\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 You just wanted to talk about the new grandbaby didn\u2019t you?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 That\u2019s right.\u00a0 And, you know, our table is getting longer at our house, Bob.\u00a0 We\u2019re having to add leaves to is.\u00a0 I mean the high chairs \u2026\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 You just wanted to talk about the new grandbaby.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 I\u2019ll tell you what.\u00a0 It\u2019s fun to spoil them.\u00a0 It really is fun to spoil them.\u00a0 We are going to talk about spiritual life over the next couple of days with a friend of our ministry Dr. Bryan Chapell.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 That\u2019s right.\u00a0 Bryan was here to visit with our staff awhile back and shared a devotional with our team that was just a great devotional on our walk with Christ.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 Let me introduce our listeners to Dr. Bryan Chapell.\u00a0 He is the President of Covenant Seminary since 1994 and he also serves as the professor of practical theology.\u00a0 That seminary is located in St. Louis, Missouri.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 That\u2019s right.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 It\u2019s kind of your home town up there Bob.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 It\u2019s just right around the loop from where we used to live.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 And I think our listeners are going to enjoy Bryan\u2019s easy preaching style.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 He\u2019s just easy to listen to, and enjoyable as well.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 Well, and they\u2019ll be familiar with the passage from which this message is taken.\u00a0 It\u2019s that story about the ten lepers who were healed and the nine who went on their way.\u00a0 Let\u2019s listen together.\u00a0 Here\u2019s Dr. Bryan Chapell.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bryan:<\/strong>\u00a0 Would you look at Luke 17 just to give you context a little bit.\u00a0 Maybe your church is like mine.\u00a0 Lots of time there is peace and joy and togetherness, but not always.\u00a0 At our national assembly a few years ago there was an issue that was dividing us.\u00a0 And we had debated all morning.\u00a0 The words that were spoken were really what you might not wish, either in nature or character of expression, and we went to lunch with the leaders of the two sides, very much divided.\u00a0 But when we came back from lunch, the two chief speakers\u2014the two leaders of the opposing sides\u2014were sitting on the front row together.\u00a0 Nobody said a word, but there was a message in that, and we all got it.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tIn Luke 17, there are two very different men.\u00a0 There is a man who refuses to give thanks.\u00a0 And there is a man who must give thanks.\u00a0 They are very different, but they come right together.\u00a0 And there\u2019s a message in that, if we\u2019ll see it.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tLook at verse 7, we\u2019ll pick up mid-parable.\u00a0 Jesus is speaking, \u201cSuppose one of you had a servant plowing or looking after the sheep.\u00a0 What do you say to the servant when he comes in from the field, \u2018Come along now and sit down to eat.\u2019\u00a0 Would he not rather say, \u2018Prepare my supper.\u00a0 Get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink.\u00a0 After that you may eat and drink.\u2019\u00a0 Would he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do?\u00a0 So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do should say, \u2018We are unworthy servants.\u00a0 We have only done our duty.\u2019\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tNow on his way to Jerusalem Jesus traveled on the border between Samaria and Galilee.\u00a0 As He was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met Him.\u00a0 They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, \u2018Jesus, master, have pity on us.\u2019\u00a0 When He saw them He said, \u2018Go show yourselves to the priest.\u2019\u00a0 And as they went, they were cleansed.\u00a0 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back praising God in a loud voice.\u00a0 He threw himself at Jesus\u2019 feet and thanked Him.\u00a0 And he was a Samaritan.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u201cJesus asked, \u2018Were not all ten cleansed?\u00a0 Where are the other nine?\u00a0 Was no one found to return to give praise to God except this foreigner?\u2019\u00a0 Then He said to him, \u2018Rise and go.\u00a0 Your faith has made you well.\u2019\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tA sign appeared in a lawn near us, these words, \u201cMom on strike.\u201d\u00a0 \u201cMom on strike.\u201d\u00a0 Michelle Tribot, 36 years old, Belleville, Illinois, had had it up to here with the back talk and the lack of cooperation in her household, and so she moved out of the house to the tree house in the back yard and put the sign out front.\u00a0 \u201cMom on strike.\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWell, some of the local media types in our area actually got hold of it and began to broadcast the story of the Tribot\u2019s.\u00a0 And I was interested in the interviews that would follow \u2026 I mean not just the interview of Michelle.\u00a0 I was particularly interested in what her husband would say.\u00a0 And when he was interviewed, he said this.\u00a0 He said, \u201cI\u2019ve got the kids doing their chores again.\u00a0 I\u2019ve told them to cool it with the sarcasm. We\u2019re doing whatever we can to get her to come down.\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tYou know, it just makes perfect human sense that when you\u2019ve done something to offend, when you haven\u2019t measured up to someone else\u2019s expectations that you\u2019ll do what you can to make it right, that you\u2019ll make amends.\u00a0 It makes perfect human sense, and no spiritual sense whatsoever.\u00a0 If what we think we do is going to make things all right with God, these passages are designed to tell us we are way off base.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAfter all, what is God telling us here?\u00a0 He\u2019s speaking to us at our point of deepest desire. What do we really want from Him?\u00a0 We want God to come \u2026 if you\u2019ll forgive the analogy \u2026 we want God to come from whatever tree house He occupies in heaven and come down.\u00a0 We want God here.\u00a0 We want Him present.\u00a0 We want His power real among us.\u00a0 Isn\u2019t that what we really want? \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBut the trouble is, how do you get God to come down when His standards are so high?\u00a0 If you want to see how high the standards are, just look at the beginning of chapter 17.\u00a0 Jesus said to His disciples, \u201cThings that cause people to sin are bound to come but woe to that person through whom they come.\u00a0 It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his desk than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin, so watch yourselves.\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWhat\u2019s the first standard?\u00a0 Cause no sin.\u00a0 That is a high standard, but Jesus is just getting started.\u00a0 If you\u2019ll continue in verse 3, see what is said.\u00a0 \u201cNot only watch yourselves, if your brother sins, rebuke him.\u201d\u00a0 Not only should you cause no sin, you should confront others\u2019 sin.\u00a0 Your knowing of the reality of hell, your awareness of the dangers of the wrath of God mean for the sake of another person when you are aware of their sin, that you would confront them for their sake with their own wrong.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAnd Jesus still isn\u2019t done, for He continues in verse 3, \u201cNot only if your brother sins, rebuke him,\u201d but this, \u201cAnd if he repents, forgive him.\u201d\u00a0 If he sins against you seven times in a day and seven times comes back to you and say, \u201cI repent.\u00a0 Forgive him.\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tCause no sin.\u00a0 Confront others\u2019 sin.\u00a0 Forgive any sin.\u00a0 These really are high standards.\u00a0 The disciples knew it and it intimidates them.\u00a0 And so they have a prayer of sorts expressed in verse 5.\u00a0 \u201cThe apostles said to the Lord, \u2018Increase our faith,\u2019\u201d which is just kind of a sanctified way of saying, \u201cYou\u2019re going to have to help us out here.\u201d\u00a0 I mean if these are really the standards, then you\u2019re going to have to increase something in us that we can fulfill what you are requiring.\u00a0 And Jesus commends the question even in a sort.\u00a0 I mean he does say it really is a matter of faith.\u00a0 I mean if you\u2019re wanting to see the power of God enabling you to do what He desires, then it is a matter of faith.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAfter all, He says in verse 6, \u201cIf you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, \u2018Be uprooted and planted in the sea and it will obey you.\u2019\u201d\u00a0 You want to see the power of God come down, then you have faith. But faith in what?\u00a0 See, that\u2019s the question.\u00a0 Faith in what?\u00a0 And it\u2019s what the rest of the account is meant to answer, because what we are being told here in ways that sometime shock us is God, if you want to see Him move, you want to see God come down, you must understand God is not moved by the deeds that you do.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWe don\u2019t like even seeing it, but the conclusion is in verse 10, \u201cSo you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, \u2018We are unworthy servants.\u00a0 We\u2019ve only done our duty.\u2019\u201d\u00a0 Do you remember the parable?\u00a0 There\u2019s been a man who\u2019s been out working the field at the behest of his master.\u00a0 And he\u2019s been watching the sheep and plowing.\u00a0 He\u2019s tired.\u00a0 He comes in at the end of the day.\u00a0 And does the master say, \u201cWell, you\u2019ve had a hard day.\u00a0 Come sit at my table.\u201d\u00a0 He said, no, the master doesn\u2019t say that.\u00a0 He says, \u201cFix my meal.\u00a0 After that, you can eat.\u201d\u00a0 He doesn\u2019t thank him for what he was supposed to do.\u00a0 And Jesus said, \u201cSo you also, when you\u2019ve done everything you were supposed to do, should say, \u2018We\u2019re just unworthy servants.\u2019\u201d\u00a0 Man.\u00a0 I don\u2019t like hearing those words come from Jesus.\u00a0 It doesn\u2019t sound very shepherdly.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBut maybe you can make sense of it by putting it in a modern context.\u00a0 I mean just imagine that you\u2019d been working all day, whatever, you know, outside work you do, and some Saturday you\u2019re checking off your honey-do list and kind of working through it there.\u00a0 And by the end of the day, you know, you\u2019ve made the fifth trip to the hardware store to get that fitting that still doesn\u2019t fit.\u00a0 You\u2019re tired.\u00a0 You\u2019re frustrated.\u00a0 And your spouse may be frustrated, too \u2026 with you maybe \u2026 but anyway frustrated with you, too.\u00a0 And so instead of fixing dinner, you all go out to eat.\u00a0 And you go wherever you \u2026 the local Denny\u2019s or whatever, and you can imagine there\u2019s somebody who\u2019s going to serve you there.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tNow that waitress, she\u2019s been working all day, too.\u00a0 She\u2019s tired, too.\u00a0 But just imagine after she comes and serves you and puts your plates down, that she puts down another plate and pulls up a chair.\u00a0 You say, \u201cWhat are you doing?\u201d\u00a0 She said, \u201cWell, I served you so I\u2019m going to eat at your table.\u201d\u00a0 And you\u2019d say, \u201cOh, no, you don\u2019t.\u00a0 You were just doing your duty \u2026 your job.\u00a0 That doesn\u2019t give you a right to my table.\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tActually if you were to understand the ancient Near East, what is being said is far stronger.\u00a0 For if you were to have a seat at the master\u2019s table that really meant you had the rights of his household.\u00a0 I mean the better example in our culture would be if a realtor had helped you buy a home, worked with you for months, just imagine.\u00a0 You now move into that home, and just as your moving van is moving out of the driveway, another moving van comes into the driveway.\u00a0 And your realtor\u2019s in the passenger seat.\u00a0 \u201cWhat are you doing?\u201d\u00a0 \u201cWell, I helped you move into your home, so I\u2019m moving in, too.\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u201cNo, now wait a second.\u00a0 You were just doing your duty.\u00a0 That does not give you a right to my house.\u201d\u00a0 And what Jesus is saying to us is, \u201cWhen you have done your duty, it doesn\u2019t give you a right to the household of heaven.\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThis scares me.\u00a0 It\u2019s not what I want to think.\u00a0 What I want to do is I want to be able to trophy my works before God.\u00a0 Say, \u201cLook, Lord \u2026 Look what I did.\u00a0 Look how good I\u2019ve been.\u00a0 Look at these great things that I\u2019ve done in your behalf.\u00a0 Surely now you must bless me because of these things that I bring before you, my wonderful trophies of goodness.\u201d\u00a0 And surely the Lord will say, \u201cWhy, child, that\u2019s really wonderful.\u00a0 By the way, have you caused no sin?\u00a0\u00a0 Have you confronted others\u2019 sin?\u00a0 Have you forgiven any sin?\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tYou see, when we begin to recognize that great disproportion between our best works and God\u2019s true holiness, we understand what the Scriptures mean, that our best works are only what to God?\u00a0 Filthy rags.\u00a0 When we want to trophy our goodness, we must recognize that before God, there\u2019s a certain sulliedness to even our best.\u00a0 And the result of that is we can\u2019t trophy our good works without recognizing the devastation that will have upon us if that\u2019s really what we\u2019re trying to buy God with, our goodness.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI went to the home of a pastor after I\u2019d preached in his church some months ago now and invited to lunch with some other guests after the service.\u00a0 And as we went in the front door, it was really very impressive.\u00a0 There were various large game trophies around the living room.\u00a0 You know, there were chairs made out of antelope skins and there was this large zebra skin on the wall and there was this huge elephant\u2019s foot that had been turned into a stool that you could sit on.\u00a0 It was very impressive.\u00a0 And, you know, the pastor began to explain these various trophies that were around.\u00a0 But even as he was presenting the trophies to us, he knew enough to discern the dialog that was going on in our brains.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u201cAren\u2019t these endangered species?\u201d\u00a0 And so even as he was telling us, you know, the background of these animals, he was apologizing for the trophies.\u00a0 Even as he would show them to us, you know, he would say, \u201cNow these were shot a long time ago before they were endangered species.\u00a0 And I didn\u2019t shoot them.\u00a0 My father-in-law shot them.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t do it.\u201d\u00a0 Apologizing for the trophies.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI wonder if we recognize it as what God is requiring of us.\u00a0 Not that there\u2019s not good in our righteousness.\u00a0 But there\u2019s not sufficient good to warrant His favor.\u00a0 I want to bring my goodness before God like currency to buy His favor.\u00a0 But God is saying, \u201cIf what you\u2019re really trying is to put me in debt according to your righteousness, I will tell you I will be no man\u2019s debtor.\u00a0 Your righteousness has no currency with me.\u00a0 If it\u2019s a bribe or a buy, it has no currency with me.\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI don\u2019t believing that.\u00a0 I\u2019m president of a seminary and I want to believe if I\u2019m good, God has to bless the seminary.\u00a0 Don\u2019t you think that way sometimes?\u00a0 If we will be consistent in our family devotionals, troubles won\u2019t enter our home.\u00a0 If I\u2019m honest in my business, God has to give me success.\u00a0 If we operate with integrity, surely God will bring the Gospel power into this place and we\u2019ll have success and grow and, you know, He\u2019s got to because we\u2019re good.\u00a0 I\u2019m not condemning your goodness, but if it\u2019s leverage with God, you have to recognize what God says.\u00a0 \u201cWhen you have done all that you were supposed to do, you should say we are unworthy servants.\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 Well, we\u2019ve been listening to part one of a message from Dr. Bryan Chapell, dealing with \u2026\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 Actually we\u2019ve been sitting here convicted.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 You know, I was thinking \u2026 he was talking \u2026\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 You and I both looked at each other and like \u2026 uh-huh.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 When he talked about consistent family devotions, is that what you\u2019re talking about?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 That or getting up from your quiet time and feeling sufficiently pious, thinking that God ought to bless you because you had your quiet time.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 I was thinking back to earlier this fall when we were trying to get some of these disciplines established, you know, and it\u2019s just like Bryan was saying.\u00a0 You think in those moments, God is going to bless you.\u00a0 And instead, here\u2019s what happened.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 Everything comes unglued.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 The car had to go in for repairs because we were having transmission leakage on the floor.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 Right.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 Mary Ann\u2019s purse got stolen.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 Right.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 I mean it was just one thing after another.\u00a0 And I finally looked at Mary Ann and I said, \u201cI just realized where all this is coming from.\u00a0 It\u2019s coming from the fact that as we do try to become more consistent and more disciplined, we raise the attention of the enemy who wants to keep us spiritually neutralized.\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 That\u2019s right.\u00a0 And you know, you can\u2019t discount spiritual battle as it swirls around our lives.\u00a0 And as Bryan was talking, Bob, I kept thinking about Galatians chapter 3, beginning in verse 1.\u00a0 It says, \u201cYou foolish Galatians.\u00a0 Who has bewitched you?\u00a0 Before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified, this is the only thing I want to find out from you.\u00a0 Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by hearing with faith?\u00a0 Are you so foolish, having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 Right.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 And the answer to the questions of Paul, how did we become a Christian?\u00a0 By hearing the Scripture and by believing.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 And we didn\u2019t receive the Spirit, we didn\u2019t receive new life from Christ by perfecting the flesh.\u00a0 No way to get there from here.\u00a0 The only way we receive the Spirit is by hearing the Scriptures and by embracing God\u2019s message by faith, and as a result, God\u2019s work was done in our lives.\u00a0 And I think all of us from time to time need to be reminded what\u2019s going on in our lives.\u00a0 He is wanting to work out His life in and through you, to your spouse, to your family, to your neighbors, to your associates at work.\u00a0 And sometimes when the purse does get stolen or the transmission goes through the floor, those are moments when God\u2019s saying, \u201cOkay, will you trust me?\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 \u201cWill you obey me, and will you allow my work to be done in your life?\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 You know, that made me think of another kind of person I run into routinely \u2026 people who think they are Christians but according to the biblical definition, they\u2019re really not.\u00a0 These are people who would follow the statement, \u201cWell, I\u2019m a Christian,\u201d by saying \u201cWell, I try hard to live a good life.\u00a0 I\u2019m a basically good person.\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAnd when they make that statement, they\u2019re actually saying the exact opposite of what they just said because a Christian is not a person who says, \u201cI try hard.\u201d\u00a0 A Christian is not a person who says, \u201cI\u2019m basically a good person.\u201d In fact, he\u2019s a person who realizes that no matter how good he tries to be, he can never be good enough to merit God\u2019s favor.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 I always enjoy talking with a person who says what you just said, Bob, about \u201cMy good works are going to outweigh my bad.\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 I always enjoy getting a napkin and drawing a set of scales and saying, \u201cHow can you know for sure that your good deeds will outweigh all of the other stuff?\u201d\u00a0 The only way you can be assured of the scale being tipped in the right direction is when you allow Jesus Christ to become your sufficiency, and He is the weight that tips the scales.\u00a0 He is our salvation.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tIn fact, I\u2019m thinking of a passage over in 2 Corinthians chapter 5 that is \u2026 well, it\u2019s a great one to read here at Thanksgiving because it\u2019s going to remind some of you about your salvation.\u00a0 And maybe others who are listening right now just what you need to do, because you\u2019ve never come to that point of allowing Jesus Christ to be your righteousness, to be your forgiveness.\u00a0 Second Corinthians 5 reads, \u201cTherefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God was entreating through us, we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.\u00a0 He made him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 Right.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 And, you know, Bob, that\u2019s a great picture of Christ offering this gift of righteousness.\u00a0 But we must trust.\u00a0 We must place our faith.\u00a0 And we must allow Him to come in as Savior and Lord of our lives, if we are to experience that righteousness.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 Yes, and on our web site FamilyLife Today.com we have a link to what I think is a very helpful piece for folks to look at it\u2019s called \u201cTwo Ways to Live.\u201d\u00a0 It clearly explains the difference between somebody who is a follower of Christ and somebody who isn\u2019t a follower of Christ.\u00a0 It is those two ways to live and I want to encourage listeners go to our web site and click on the link.\u00a0 I think folks are going to find it really helpful. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 You know, Bob, it occurs to me there may be a person listening who right now they\u2019re convicted that they need to just stop \u2026 maybe stop what they\u2019re doing in their kitchen, their garage, or maybe pull their car off the side of the road and just pause right now and say, \u201cLord Jesus, be merciful to me, a sinner.\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 You know basically all you\u2019ve got to do is recognize the sufficiency of Christ\u2019s finished work on the cross, that he\u2019s alive from the dead, and ask Him to be merciful to you and forgive you and become your Master and Lord.\u00a0 And you know what?\u00a0 You can experience the new life that we\u2019ve been talking about on the broadcast all today.\u00a0 There\u2019s no reason you ought not to do that.\u00a0 Don\u2019t wait another moment.\u00a0 I would encourage you to do that right now, if you have never experienced Christ\u2019s forgiveness.\u00a0 It is full and complete.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 And if you do that, we would love to hear from you.\u00a0 If that is what you do today contact us at FamilyLife Today write us and let us know that as you were listening to the program God was at work in your heart.\u00a0 So go to our web site FamilyLife Today.com and leave us a note there or send us an e-mail and get in touch with us.\u00a0 Again we\u2019d be thrilled to know that God has used this program in that way in your life.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAs we wrap things up today we thought we\u2019d leave you with a little thanksgiving music.\u00a0 Tomorrow we\u2019re going to hear Part Two of Bryan Chapell\u2019s message from Luke chapter 17.\u00a0 I hope you can be back with us for that.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI want to thank our engineer today, Keith Lynch, who is also the producer for the music as we conclude today\u2019s program.\u00a0 This is the instrumental arrangement of the song \u201cLet All Things Now Living.\u201d\u00a0 A song of thanksgiving to God the Creator triumphantly raise.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tOn behalf of our host, Dennis Rainey, I\u2019m Bob Lepine.\u00a0 Have a great Thanksgiving Day.\u00a0 We\u2019ll see you tomorrow for another edition of <em>FamilyLife Today.<\/em>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> is a production of FamilyLife of Little Rock, Arkansas. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tHelp for today.\u00a0 Hope for tomorrow. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWe are so happy to provide these transcripts for you. However, there is a cost to transcribe, create, and produce them for our website. If you've benefited from the broadcast transcripts, would you consider <a href=\"http:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/donate\">donating today<\/a> to help defray the costs?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tCopyright \u00a9 FamilyLife. 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