“Heart vs. Habit p.3 - Don’t Let Someone Else Come Between You And God!”

Pastor Jim Lowe III

Sunday Morning, 9:30am Stream 02/18/24 (3rd Sunday Message) (Final Version)

hashtags:

#guidinglight #pastorjim #givingthanks #hearinggod #hearing #voiceofGod

#faith #whatdoesGodsay #forgiveness #Godworks #savedtoserve #overflow #protector #Expectation #worry #Favor #deliverance #listeningears #Godspeaks #blessings #servingGod #heartafterGod

{All scriptures are “NIV84” unless stated}

Message Title:

“Heart vs. Habit p.3 - Don’t Let Someone Else Come Between You And God!” 

We’ve been talking about this scripture this month:

2 Timothy 3:1-5

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self- control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.

These things describe people in the last days. These things describe the “hearts” of people.

People who would be focused more on self than on God.

People who would be more concerned about things about them than things of God.

V. 5

5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.

Having a FORM of Godliness… but no power.

We’ve talked about if this applies to us… Are WE putting our own things above God? Are OUR feelings going before God?

Are we secretly having a form of Godliness but denying it’s power?

Are Our Hearts In The Right Place?

When we think about our hearts…what are they focused on? Because THIS is what separates us from others.

V. 5

5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.

The bible tells us to have nothing to do with those type of people. Don’t look like them…

Don’t act like them… Don’t BE them!

These things can keep our hearts from God! What’s one of the biggest?

What Is Keeping Our Hearts From God?

Our Lack Of Forgiveness Towards Others!

We talked about two Misunderstandings about Forgiveness last week. Let’s change the word to “myths”.

Myths About Forgiveness:

• Forgiving Someone Means We Give Them A Pass

Forgiving doesn’t mean we say: “What you did is okay.”

“I now approve what you did.” That’s not what it means.

It means we trade all the current feelings:

hurt, anger, rage, bitterness, unforgiveness

for our peace of mind back.

Because these things prevent our hearts from being fully on God.

Myths About Forgiveness:

• Forgiving Someone Is Based On Them Asking For It

We talked about these in small groups.

This means someone “accepting responsibility” for what happened. They apologize and ask for forgiveness.

Can You Forgive Someone Who Doesn’t Ask For It?

This person may no longer be in our lives. This person may have changed their number. This person may have passed on…

But forgiveness isn’t for them… it’s for us!

2 NEW myths for today.

Myths About Forgiveness:

• Forgiveness Means We Have To Reestablish The Relationship

People tend to think that forgiveness means to “go back to a bad situation.” There could be working relationships.

Friends… Family…

Forgiveness doesn’t tell you forget and go back. that’s not what it means.

Some jobs you may have to leave…

Some situations you may have to forgive and say good bye to. It means to forgive…put it in your past…look ahead.

There Are Situations Where It’s Okay To Forgive And Go

Some things we need to leave behind… But WHEN we move forward…

we aren’t driven by unforgiveness.

Myths About Forgiveness:

• Forgiving Someone Means We “Forget” What Happened

Part of wiping the offense from memory doesn’t mean we “forget.”

2 Corinthians 5:10

10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

We ALL must appear before the judgment seat of Christ… to receive payment for what we did…

Good or bad!

Even When God Forgives, It Doesn’t Mean We Got Away With It!

We all have to give an account!

If someone hits your car… you can forgive them…

but it doesn’t mean they don’t have to get it fixed.

It’s Okay To Forgive Someone And Still Hold Them Accountable

If there is a problem on the job…

a problem at home…

a problem with a friend…

and someone does something that hurts us.

We can forgive that person…

but it needs to be addressed.

You shouldn’t be held down by what happened…

but you should also not be told to “forget” it either.

These things are MYTHS about forgiving… They stop us from forgiving…

When Christ TOLD us to forgive!

Ephesians 4:32

32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Forgiveness isn’t easy… Yet Jesus told us to do it. Matthew 18:23 (summary)

talks about the parable where the king settled accounts with his servants one servant owed the king millions of dollars

that he couldn’t pay back

the King was going to sell the man and his family to pay the debt. the man begged for mercy.

the King had mercy on the man and FORGAVE the debt. the man goes out…

Matthew 18:28

28 “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.

Hundred denarii - pocket change…few dollars.

JUST LIKE THE FIRST MAN…begged for compassion

‘I CAN pay you back’ just give me a few!

No! He was thrown in prison…over a few dollars.

How Can We Ask God For Forgiveness, And We Won’t Give It To Someone Else?

This man didn’t even try and reason with him.

He grabs him and CHOKES him over a few dollars…

The king didn’t even choke the first man over the millions… The King finds out what happened.

Matthew 18:32

32 “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’

Why did the king call him wicked and lazy?

the man wanted compassion when he wouldn’t show it.

Ephesians 4:32 {listed again}

32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Why is this something we should do? The GOLDEN Rule!

Luke 6:31

Treat others just as you want to be treated.

Like the King…

We Will Be Treated The Same Way We Treat Others!

Even more important about the parable.

That servant was supposed to be representing the King!

Because WE are supposed to be representing Christ!

2 Corinthians 5:20

20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.

WE are supposed to be representing God… Not JUST God…

But God’s Love…

And what kind of representatives are we…. if we can’t forgive?

Ephesians 5:1

Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children…

What Christ did…

is what WE should be doing!

What did he do?

In the MIDDLE of being KILLED by those around him… being spit on…

Luke 22:34

34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.

THIS is how God expects us to act… and he doesn’t play about it.

Matthew 6:15

15 But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Forgiveness Is For Us! Not Them!

So…

How Do We Work To Forgive Someone?

We have to work to forgive others in our hearts as well as our actions.

{How Do We Work To Forgive Someone?}

• Make Sure To Pray To God For A Changed Heart Towards That Person

Sometimes before we can work on forgiveness for others… we have to make sure our heart is right.

Christ wouldn’t hang so much on our forgiving others if it wasn’t so important…

Psalm 51:10

10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

God can change our hearts…

Ezekiel 36:26 (a)

26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; The heart of Christ can forgive others WHILE they are killing him… Our hearts may not be strong enough…but God can change us!

{How Do We Work To Forgive Someone?}

• Begin To Pray For That Person Regularly

The more you pray for yourselves…

and THEN pray for someone else…

those feelings of anger and hurt begin to slowly change.

It will probably take time…

but the more time you spend doing the right thing… the more that thing can become real.

Remember forgiveness is for you.

{How Do We Work To Forgive Someone?}

• Make Sure To Pray To God For A Changed Heart Towards That Person

• Begin To Pray For That Person Regularly

THESE are the things that keep our hearts away from God…

2 Timothy told us to have nothing to do with those types of people… ESPECIALLY don’t let them be us.

Don’t Let The Thing That Keeps Us From God Be The Person We Can’t Forgive