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Heed The Word
Heed The Word is the online Bible teaching ministry of Pastor Ken Davis of Calvary Chapel Southwest Metro, a non-denominational church in Joshua, Texas. We are committed to bringing our listeners the Word of God by simply teaching the Bible simply. It is our hope that these broadcasts will encourage you to believe in Jesus Christ, and to grow as His disciple as you walk worthy of the calling with which we have been called.
Our latest episodes are a rebroadcast of our "Heed the Word" radio program. These episodes were originally broadcast on KDKR. At that time our church was located in Burleson, Texas though we have since relocated to Joshua. Additionally, these episodes indicate that CD copies can be ordered, but as they are now available through our podcast, we are no longer offering physical copies of these messages. It is our continued hope that these Bible teachings are an encouragement to you and we appreciate you joining us here on Heed the Word!
Heed The Word
True Transformation Through Spiritual Surrender
Why is the divorce rate within the church mirroring that of the secular world? Join us as we explore this challenging question and uncover the deeper issue of a lack of true submission to Christ. Drawing from the Gospel of Mark 8:34, we call believers to a higher standard—a faith marked by sacrifice, not mere sentiment. We contrast the deep commitment seen in global Christian communities with the convenience-driven mindset often found in American churches. As life is fleeting, embracing a life fully surrendered to Christ holds eternal value.
In a world brimming with distractions, prioritizing our relationship with Jesus is more crucial than ever. Through the lens of Martha's story, we illuminate the importance of sitting at Jesus' feet and following His guidance. This episode challenges us to shed earthly passions and embrace a life hidden with Christ, making us resilient to worldly harm. From tackling overt sins like idolatry to confronting subtle ones like anger and malice, we emphasize that true transformation is only achievable through Jesus. Let this episode be your call to live authentically, boasting only in His saving grace.
You're listening to Heed the Word with our pastor and teacher, Ken Davis. Pastor Ken is the senior pastor of Calvary Chapel, Southwest Metro. Please join us as we study our series entitled Lessons in Christian Living.
Speaker 2:Do you realize that the statistics tell us that the divorce rate is the same inside the church as it is outside the church? In fact, some surveys have suggested it might even be higher. How is that possible if we are submitted to Christ? The answer is it's possible because we're not submitted to Christ. That's the answer. Because of these things, the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you also once walked. I love that. Every time he points the finger at the world, he reminds us you were just the same as they were, so don't you get haughty.
Speaker 1:There's no shortage of self-help books, motivational speakers and even opinions out there about how we're supposed to live on this earth. But as Christians we need to take our direction in this area from the word of God. So we're bringing you our series entitled Lessons for Christian Living, taken from the 12th and 13th chapters of Paul's letter to the church in Rome. Believers aren't perfect. We have to live in and battle with our flesh every day, but we shouldn't continue to struggle in the same areas over and over again. You see, in Jesus we can have victory over the indulgence of the flesh. If you're not experiencing victory, perhaps it's because you're not submitting to the Word of God. Don't forget to stay with us after today's message to hear more information about Heed the Word, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching. But for now, please open your Bibles to the Gospel of Mark, chapter 8, verse 34,. Open your Bibles to the Gospel of Mark, chapter 8, verse 34, as we join Pastor Ken with the conclusion of part two in our series entitled Lessons in Christian Living.
Speaker 2:And these bodies are just the seed that, as they are planted, god is going to transform them into something miraculous, something that looks a whole lot like Jesus, and that's pretty awesome. So what he's saying is are you going to take that and go and practice unrighteousness with that which belongs to God? You're not going to do that. I pray. You see, the life that I live is no longer my life, because the life I was living was a life that was given over to sensuality, that was given over to self, that was given over to the pleasures of this world, that was given over to making me happy. And guess what the result was? I was miserable. How many of you can say the same thing? You seek all your earthly life, all of your life in the flesh, to satisfy yourself, and yet yourself is never satisfied. And yet in Christ we find a satisfaction that goes beyond anything we could ever have dreamed or hoped for. He gives us what we do not deserve His grace, his blessing, his mercy, his peace, his joy, his love. It's a gift. Turn with me to Mark, chapter eight, verse 34.
Speaker 2:Now, at this time, jesus is healing the multitudes, he's feeding people by the thousands, he's casting out demons. He is doing incredible things there in Israel and he was developing quite a following. He was getting pretty popular. People would go out for miles to hear him speak or maybe to receive a touch from him that they might be healed. And Jesus calls them all together and he says again whoever desires to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. Deny himself, but wait a minute, lord. That's kind of a negative confession, I mean. Aren't I supposed to have all this in Jesus too? You know Frank Farley wrote this too much of our Christianity today is drenched with sentiment but devoid of sacrifice. With sentiment but devoid of sacrifice. It's drenched with sentiment. Man, we talk a good game, you know. We praise the Lord and we worship the Lord, and the tears are running down our face right. But don't let us be inconvenienced. We might just have to find another church where they treat us better. You know, I talked to a pastor once who had the opportunity to minister in South Africa for a time and he talked about how the people that would come to the church where he was speaking as an evangelist would walk, sometimes for days, in order to be at that service. And yet there are churches where, if the parking isn't good enough, they're not going to walk blocks to get to the service. If the parking is full, well, we're going to go someplace else. You know, statistically speaking, they say that if a church reaches 80% capacity, visitors won't stay anymore because they think it's too crowded. They need a little more space. That's the church in America today.
Speaker 2:Guys, you know I love Jesus, but don't ask me to give up any of my personal comforts, right? Don't ask me to inconvenience myself, heaven forbid. Don't ask me to miss a Cowboys game. So only one life will soon be passed. Only what's done for Christ will last. Amen.
Speaker 2:If we seek to save our lives, to hold on to all that we are and all that we have, and to keep control for ourselves, guess what? There will come a day when you will lose everything. There will come a day, be it long or near, where you will lay there in that bed and know that the end is coming, when the doctor comes in and says to your family there's really nothing more that we can do. We can make them comfortable, we can make sure they're not in any pain, but, medically speaking, we've come to the end of the line. 100% of the people born eventually die. You're in that 100%. And if you seek to hang on to your life because you don't want to give any control to Jesus Christ, then, guys, the day is coming when that life will be ripped from your hands. But if you're willing to lose your life for his sake, then he's going to give it right back to you. You see, when we hold on to our lives for ourselves, we eventually lose them. But if we give our lives to Jesus to hold on to for us, there comes a day when he gives them back to us. You see, that moment when that doctor comes in and says there's nothing more that we can do. For the Christian, for the one who has the assurance of their salvation, for the one who really knows where they're going, it's not the end but the beginning of life. And the Christian can look at that moment and say all right, I'm going home. Those of you who know the Lord, who are confident in your salvation, aren't there days when you say couldn't it be today, couldn't it be now? But there's work yet to be done.
Speaker 2:Jim Elliot said he is no fool who gives up that which he cannot keep to attain that which he cannot lose. You can't keep this life, but you cannot lose the life that is eternal. So it is reasonable, it is rational, it is logical to say that I'm going to give my life as a living sacrifice to God to live not for my own pleasure or for my own desires, but to live for Jesus Christ, to live for him, to be his hands, to be his feet, to be his mouth, to go where he says go. To do what he says, do to say what he says, to say. There is no greater blessing than to know that you are a tool in the hands of a master craftsman, to know that you are a tool in the hand of Jesus Christ, romans 12. I beseech you, therefore, romans 12,.
Speaker 2:I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice wholly acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service, and do not be conformed to this world. Guys, as I said last week, the world wants to press you into its mold. The world wants you to look like it, because if you look like it it doesn't have to feel bad about how it is. But if you look like Jesus, then the world doesn't want you around, because you are pointing out to the world that it's not measuring up to the glory of God. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will.
Speaker 2:These two verses describe our relative position and attitude, as it should be, toward God when we become Christians, if we are truly born again, if we love Jesus Christ, if we remember that we have been forgiven for our sins and that we didn't deserve eternal life, but that he gave us eternal life, then the natural result within our hearts is going to be to respond with love and adoration and say Lord, what would you have me do today? Turn with me one last time to Colossians, chapter three. If Romans 12, 1 and 2 has told us why we should do this, colossians 3 is going to tell us how okay. So I want you to consider Colossians, chapter 3, your marching orders, as it were. This world, this life should not be your ultimate aim, but pleasing God should be your ultimate aim.
Speaker 2:You see, we worry about so many things, we focus on so many things. We're like Martha, running here and there. All these things to do, and yet one thing is needful, and that is to sit at the feet of Jesus and to do what he tells us to do. You see, if you have agreed and decided that you're not going to hold on to your life, but you're gonna give it to him, then where is your life? As I said before, he's holding it for you. Your life is hidden with Christ, in God. Now let me ask you a question. If your life is hidden in Christ, with God, then is there anybody on this earth that can take it from you? No, oh, they can kill the body, but they can't take your life. They can insult you, they can spit in your face, they can ridicule and revile you, but they cannot take your life, because your life is not here. Your life is there. When Christ, who is our life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Speaker 2:Therefore, put to death your members which are on the earth. Well, what are the members which are on earth that he's talking about? He's talking about your earthly members, right? Or your earthly passions or your earthly desires? Therefore, put to death your members which are on the earth. Fornication so, if you are truly born again, is fornication to be a part of your life? No, you're to put that thing to death. You're to kill fornication in your life. The Greek word for fornication is pornea. Sound like anything? You know how? About porn? Right, I'm going to tell you, christian, if there's porn active in your life right now, you better kill that thing. You better kill it now. Amen. You lay that on the altar and you let the Lord slay that thing. Therefore, put to death your members which are on the earth.
Speaker 2:Fornication, uncleanness Now, it's not talking about being tidy, it's talking about being a dirty person. Okay, uncleanness, passion that is, illicit passions or lust, evil desire and covetousness, which is idolatry. You say, well, wait a minute, I'm not an idol worshiper, I don't bow down to graven images. Really, how far do you bend over to polish those hubcaps? I mean, do you understand what I'm saying? Idols come in many shapes and sizes, don't they? And many models and makes in many years. Some of them are classics, some of them are brand new, some of them you'll be paying on for the next seven years, or however long it is. They finance those things. These days, paul is saying look, if you see something, whether it's a Corvette or a chocolate cake, if you have an illicit desire or a wrong desire for that thing that causes you to crave it beyond what is good, that's covetousness, and covetousness is idolatry.
Speaker 2:Because of these things, the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience. He's saying listen, those practices are going to bring God's judgment upon the earth. So if those things are going to bring God's judgment upon the earth, why should we who are of Christ practice these same things? We should not. Do you realize that the statistics tell us that the divorce rate is the same inside the church as it is outside the church? In fact, some surveys have suggested it might even be higher. How is that possible, if we are submitted to Christ? The answer is it's possible because we're not submitted to Christ. That's the answer.
Speaker 2:Because of these things, the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you also once walked. I love that. Every time he points the finger at the world, he reminds us you were just the same as they were. So don't you get haughty right. Don't you get an attitude. Don't you become self-righteous. Don't think that you're holier than they are, because you're not. Jesus saved you and cleaned you. That's the only difference. The fish that's been cut and gutted and cleaned has nothing to boast of over the fish that's still out there swimming in the lake, does it? Well, you're a cleaned fish, praise the Lord. The beauty is is, once he cleans his fish, they come back to life, amen, and they live forever with him. But don't forget where you came from, don't forget what you were, lest you boast over them. Your only boast is in the fact that Jesus saved you. That's it, and he could save them too.
Speaker 2:Because of these things, the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience in which you also once walked when you lived in them. But now you must also put off all these. So, in other words, look as a Christian, as someone who truly knows Jesus Christ. You probably are not committing fornication. You probably are not committing adultery. There are things in here that, if you are truly born again, you're probably not doing these things anymore. You've been redeemed from those things. But guess what? You still have some stuff to work on, don't you? He's saying. But now you must also put off all these. In other words, not just those really bad things we just talked about, right, but also these things need to be dealt with in your life.
Speaker 2:But now you also must put off all these anger, wrath, malice. Think of that as maliciousness. You ever just do something just because you just don't. You know, I'm just going to do that. It's malicious, maliciousness, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Ooh, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds and have put on the new man, who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of him, who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jews, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all. So, in other words, look all of these things that dishonor Christ. You need to put them off and you need to renounce those things. But the beautiful thing is this God never tells us to put something off and not give us something better to put on in its place.
Speaker 2:Hudson Taylor once said and this is not an exact quote because I didn't have the time to look it up, but the gist of what he said is this People ask me you know how it felt to sacrifice so much for Christ? You know, hudson Taylor gave his life to bringing the gospel to China. Founder of the China Inland Mission, went to the interior of China, where missionaries had never, never, never been and preached the gospel and established churches and leaders in those areas among the national people that were there. Hudson Taylor buried his first wife in China and I think at least three of his children buried his first wife in China and I think at least three of his children and he himself eventually died there as well, serving the Lord in the ministry. And people would ask Hudson Taylor about the incredible sacrifices that he would make and he says you know, I don't like to think of anything that I've done as a sacrifice, because anything that I have sacrificed for God, he has given me back something even greater in return. So really there's no sacrifice to speak of.
Speaker 2:So Jesus is saying here you've put off all these things. What now is there to put on, as Paul writes. He says here in chapter 3, verse 12, therefore as the elect of God. Meaning you know what? Because God has chosen you as his people, as the elect of God, holy and beloved. Do you realize? Paul just called you holy and that's amazing. You are holy. Holy means set apart. God has set you apart and has said that one's mine. You are holy before the Lord. Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on these things. What he is about to tell you is this you are the elect of God. You are chosen by God. You are his children. You are holy before the Lord, set apart for God's purposes. You are beloved of God. Now act like it. See what he's saying. You are all these things. Now act like what you are.
Speaker 2:Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suff, suffering. You know, most of the problems in marriages today would be eliminated if people would just treat one another with kindness, wouldn't they? If y'all would just be nice to each other, things would go so much more smoothly. It really really would. Kindness, therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering. Verse 13, bearing with one another and forgiving one another.
Speaker 2:Look, are you going to do boneheaded things in your life? Yes, are you going to treat each other badly, absolutely. Are you going to step on each other's toes? If you get close enough, I'll step on your toes, I promise you. If you look to be offended. I've said this before, I'll say it again If you come to this church looking to be offended or expecting to be offended. I promise we will not disappoint you. We won't. We will offend you. Why? Because we're human beings, because we're flawed, because we're sinners saved by grace, and we have not received that transformation into our glorious bodies yet, have we? So? Sin still dwells in us, though the spirit of God dwells in us as well. So are we going to blow it sometimes? Yes, but guess what? So are you. And so what is our reaction to one another when we blow it? Well, if we're Christians, forgive one another right.
Speaker 2:What does the Lord's prayer say? Forgive us our trespasses, even if we don't forgive those who trespass against us. Is that what it says? No, forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. So when you pray that prayer, remember you're asking God to forgive you the same way you're willing to forgive other people. So if you aren't willing to forgive other people, then how are you asking God to treat you? Think about that Bearing with one another and forgiving one another If anyone has a complaint against another, even as Christ forgave you. So you ought to do so, you should do. Come on y'all. What does it say? So you must do.
Speaker 2:Forgiving other people is not an option for the Christian. It's a requirement Bearing with one another and forgiving one another. If anyone has a complaint against another. Even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do, but they offended me. Well, guess what? You need to climb up on that cross, don't you? You need to become that living sacrifice, that person who does not think more highly of themselves than they ought to, and say so what if they offended me? I offended Christ, and yet he forgave me, so I forgive them. That didn't mean you're going to feel like you forgave them, but you can choose to forgive even if you don't feel like it. Amen.
Speaker 2:But above all these things, meaning everything that I've told you, here's the most important part of it. Above all these things, put on love, which is the bond of perfection. Do you realize? Love is not something you just feel. Love is something you choose. Love is something you put on like a coat and it looks good on everybody. You understand what I'm saying.
Speaker 2:Put on love, which is the bond of perfection, and let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which you also were called in one body, and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another, in other words, encouraging each other in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do, whatever you do of the Lord, and whatever you do, whatever you do in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God, the Father, through him. Guys, that is what it means to be a living sacrifice. What it means to be a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service, is to say this everything I do, in word or in deed, I do in the name of Jesus Christ. And what that means is this if Jesus Christ wouldn't do it, I shouldn't do it either.
Speaker 2:That's what it means to be a living sacrifice.
Speaker 2:It means to let Jesus Christ live his life through you. But you see, if you don't know Jesus, if he isn't your Lord and Savior, if you have not been born again, if your sins have not been forgiven, then not only do you have not been born again, if your sins have not been forgiven, then not only do you have no motivation to do this, you don't have the ability to do this. And if that's you this morning, if you have not given your heart to Jesus Christ, if you have not taken your life and put it in his care and entrusted him with your life, if you have not come to the point in your life where you can say Jesus Christ is my Lord and I'm gonna serve him for the rest of my life because he has given me life. If you haven't come to that place yet, you can today. You can be born again. You can be forgiven for your sins. You can go to heaven when you die. You can look death in the face and say you're no longer afraid if you come to Jesus Christ today.
Speaker 1:The Christian life was never designed to be a solo flight. God designed us with the need for relationships with others who can encourage us in our personal journey of faith. Maybe you're listening today and you don't have a home church and this message ministered to you. Well, we'd like to take this time to invite you to join us for one of our worship services. Calvary Chapel Southwest Metro meets each Sunday morning at 10 30 am and Wednesday evenings at 7 pm. Besides our Sunday morning services, we have ministries for children, men, women, couples and youth. To learn more about Calvary Chapel Southwest Metro, log on to heedthewordorg. That's heedthewordorg, and when you get there447-5675. That's 817-447-5675. So visit the website or call us today. Now we also want to encourage you to review this study.
Speaker 1:This study and many more taught by Pastor Ken are available at our website, heedthewordorg. Many of Pastor Ken's teachings are available in mp3 format. You can also receive a CD copy of this message. Simply log on to heedthewordorg and select the option for CD requests. The CD that you'll receive is the full-length, unedited teaching. When you fill out the order form, please keep in mind today's date. This helps us make sure that we send you the correct message. Well, that's all the time we have for today. Please join Pastor Ken next time as he continues teaching through our series entitled Lessons for Christian Living, right here on Heed the Word.