Real Life Radio

Guest (Male): Today, on Real Life Radio.

Jack Hibbs: You've sinned so far you can never come back. Hey, the next time that happens, seriously, listen up. Take this hand and put it on your wrist and feel a pulse. If you feel a pulse, you can still come back to God. Period.

Guest (Male): This is Real Life. Welcome to Real Life Radio with Pastor Jack Hibbs. I'm David J, thanking you for joining us today as we listen, learn, and are challenged by God's Word, the Bible.

Guest (Female): Today, more and more Christ followers are living out their faith no matter what. And one way we can help is through our website at jackhibbs.com/realradio. You'll find access to Pastor Jack's devotions, YouTube channel, podcasts, Facebook, livestreamed events and so much more. Again, our website is jackhibbs.com/realradio. That's jackhibbs.com/realradio. And don't forget to download the Real Life Mobile App for on-the-go access to all that Pastor Jack has to offer.

Guest (Male): On today's edition of Real Life Radio, Pastor Jack continues his series now called The Book of Ephesians in a message titled, We Are Blessed in God, Part Two.

Ephesians is a letter the Apostle Paul wrote from prison to the church in Ephesus, showing every believer who they really are in Christ. And here Paul wants us to know we've already been blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ. You see, so many of us feel drained, run down, and barely getting by. But the truth is, everything we need has already been given to us. We're not waiting on more, we just need to reach out and take hold of all that God has for us.

So today Pastor Jack teaches that the Holy Spirit doesn't just live inside us. He wants to come upon us and empower us day by day. When we ask the Lord to refresh us, He gives us exactly what we need for that moment. Now with his message called We Are Blessed in God, Part Two. Here's pastor and Bible teacher, Jack Hibbs.

Jack Hibbs: Listen to this. I got this postcard. You see the postcard? I don't know where this is. It is somewhere in Sentosa, Singapore.

And listen to this. "Thank you," He's thanking you, "for going out of your way to send the taped services."

"It's very hard to worship with the Lord out to sea. Your tapes allow me to keep my studies alive. As I enter into the Persian Gulf on February 4th, I do not know what rough things are ahead of me, but I know that I can keep worshipping the Lord."

And here's a guy that on 5,500 guys on a ship, he's getting blessed by God. The guy, he's just going to worship the Lord. That's neat to hear.

You can be rich in Christ, and you are. You and I are wealthy in Him. Jude says in Jude, verse 20, verses 20 and 21. Jude says, "But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith." Well, how do you do that? You're doing it right now tonight. You're doing it. You've been doing it.

Praying in the Holy Spirit, keeping yourselves in the love of God. Now what does that mean? That means where God is, you'll be there.

I'm amazed that people, and I see it all the time, and please, don't you dare make this mistake. But in a group this size, statistically, someone's going to do it.

"Well, you know, things are going just fine, and I got this, and I got that, and I can't come anymore, and I I I'll hit a couple Sundays." And then the next thing, you get about three months later, you find out that they they're just fallen apart at the seams. And they start drifting away. Things start pulling on their hearts and taking them out.

Keeping yourselves in the love of God, doing what you know you ought to be doing and what I ought to be doing. Is that legalism? No. You eat every morning, I eat. I eat every morning. I don't know about you, but I eat every morning.

And we need to eat spiritually, and we need to keep ourselves in the love of God. And it goes on to say in verse 21 of Jude chapter 1, "looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life." The mercy of God.

Another thing I want you to consider is that the resources are every spiritual blessing. What on Earth does that mean? Everything that Heaven can afford us to have our walk succeed has been given. Did you hear that? Everything that is in Heaven has been given for our walks to succeed.

So that if you and I backslide, it's not God who led us into that temptation. It's not God that's tripped us up. And by the way, if you're backslidden, you just come right back home right now.

Isn't it amazing in this one little verse, three times in one verse, it announces to us that we are we are blessed or blessing? Because the Ephesian believers, listen to this, this is great. The Why did Paul say this? Why did Paul push it? Why did he nail it three times in one verse? This is great. Historians tell us that the Ephesians the Ephesians believe that they were the most blessed people on all the earth because remember the statue of Diana, the meteor that fell out of Heaven? Talked about it. Landed in their hometown. They thought that they were the most blessed people in all the world because Diana had visited them. The goddess. So they used to walk around prideful.

"I'm an Ephesian. I worship Diana." "We're the most blessed people in the world." So Paul says all this, "Blessed, blessed, blessed!" To the church that is in Ephesus. Isn't that neat? You know, a little bit of background about why he did that. You kind of see what's going on in Paul's head.

Because you want to talk about blessing. We're not talking about some piece of rock that fell out of the sky here. We're talking about you being in the Heavens. The blessings of God.

You know, the world can give a blessing. It tries, dresses it up, tries to bless you in its way. The blessings of God will absolutely leave you ravaged and wasted.

In the Book of Hebrews 11:25, the Bible says there about Moses, that Moses chose rather to suffer the afflictions with God's people than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. Sin is pleasurable. Come on, let's face up to the fact that there's that twisted thing. Somebody winks at you. You get all giggly goofy about it. Sin is pleasurable for a season. That word in the Greek, "season," is it's even less than a season that we have the four seasons. It means a moment, like a fleeting moment. Oh, sin's great for a fleeting moment.

But a lot of people are in their season, sowing the seeds of sin. And then they're praying when they come around. After the moment, it's over. Oh, no! Why did I do it? Oh, no! And then they start praying, "Oh, God, stop it." You know, and they sow their wild oats and they pray for crop failure, and God, it just doesn't work that way.

He loves us. And so because of that, the Scriptures tells us in Galatians chapter 6, verses 6 and 7, that that we will not mock God. That whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap. But listen, just because you've backslidden away, doesn't mean you're going to have to eat dust for the rest of your life. Because positionally, you are still blessed in Christ. Is that amazing?

We can fall down, and God will pick us right back up. But the world out there wants to bless us its way, and it will rape us of our self-worth and molest us of peace and rob us of joy and bleed us of power.

And who hasn't been here when the backslidden Christian is all but dead and feels that there's no way back? Have you ever been there? Have you ever been backslidden and then you realize, "I'm going to come back to God"? And then the enemy comes and whispers in your ear, "What does he what do you think he wants you for? You've walked out on him." Did did anybody ever hear that when they had backslidden? Three people. Four. Me. God bless you.

Isn't that weird? And you know, when you're backsliding away, Satan is just as quiet. He's he's like my flight instructor used to tell me. He said, "He, man, you're up there flying around." He goes, "You better doubt everything that tower tells you." I go, "Well, come, man, I thought that guy was like, knows everything." He said, "That guy in the tower has got a cup of coffee and a donut. He's fat, he's dumb, and he's happy." That's what he told me. And he said, "You're up here hanging on some metal."

And when he says something you you yeah, is that 219? Okay, right. You question. Your life's at stake. Satan says nothing when you're sliding back. He's always after you if you're walking with Christ and pursuing Christ and staying close to the Lord, and he's always nipping at your heels. He'll have somebody come and tempt you, and he'll be after you and trying to pull you down. And the moment you start to give up, Satan gets quiet. And he just lets it slide.

Until you make the decision, "This stinks." "I don't want anything to do with this anymore. I want to come back to God." And he goes, "Never happened. You've sinned so far, you can never come back." "Hey, the next time that happens, seriously, listen up. Take this hand and put it on your wrist and feel a pulse. If you feel a pulse, you can still come back to God." Period.

And Satan hates that. Now, we're blessed. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing. Look, in the Heavenly places in Christ. And I had fun with this today just for me, and I don't know if it's even for you to get excited about. But if you look back up in verse 2, or verse 1, it says, "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints who are in" fill in the blank, wherever you're from, "and faithful in Christ." Okay.

You're from a geographical position. We studied that last time, but you're in Christ. Then you drop down to verse 3, and it says, "who has blessed us in the Heavenly places." That's a spiritually speaking geographical location. It's somewhere. But look at the common denominator, "in Christ." You can be in Chino Hills in Christ. You can be in Heaven in Christ. You can be in Chino Hills, in Heaven in Christ. That's the way God wants us to live.

You can be in Rubidoux in Christ. In the Heavenlies. It's amazing. We're in Him. Our world's falling apart. Well, it may seem that way. Feels like it. Maybe the pressure's coming in against you, but you're in Christ.

And you need to tap into that. It's not something you earn, it's not something you buy, it's something that you apply. Charles Spurgeon said this, listen, this is beautiful. Charles Spurgeon commenting on this verse, he said, "He who has given us the Heavenlies now will certainly give to us enough spending power along the way so that we will not starve."

And sometimes Christians talk about the sweet by and by. Well, that's fine, and I'm glad we're going there. But I want help now. And we have it in Him. Listen, and we'll wrap this thing up. First Corinthians chapter 2, verse 9. First Corinthians 2:9. "But it is written, 'Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the hearts of men the things that God has prepared for those who love Him.'" That is coming. Oh, that's great, Jack, and I'm glad it's coming. But what about now? Well, what about now is Romans 5:8.

Romans 5:8 says, "But God demonstrates." This is the present tense. Now. "God demonstrates His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Is that amazing? Right now, He's demonstrating to you His love.

Guest (Male): You're listening to Real Life with Pastor Jack Hibbs. To learn more about this ministry or to catch up on some previous episodes, go to jackhibbs.com. That's jackhibbs.com. And now, let's get back to today's message. Once again, here's Pastor Jack.

Jack Hibbs: Romans chapter 8. You know this by heart, beginning at verse 31.

You know, nobody likes this verse. It's kind of like, "Gosh, I've heard this a thousand times," until you're having a trial. Then it's the greatest verse in the whole world. So, for me and whoever else is out there, Romans 8:31 says, "What shall we say then to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?"

"He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him," that is Jesus, "also freely give us all things?" How much is it going to cost us? Nothing. It's free. Can this be true? Why aren't people beating the door down to this building because of this message and that verse? The world out there should be saying, "Get out of my way! This is what I want!"

He's blessed us. He's given it to us freely. And who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who's justified. Who is He who condemns us? It's Christ who died, and furthermore, is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, and who makes intercession for us. Jesus is praying for us tonight. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, sword, IRS? Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loves us. Past tense. We are more than conquerors. It's done. Are we conquering?

Here's that verse we mentioned earlier tonight, Ephesians 5:18. This is how we conquer. I love this verse. Paul says, "Don't be drunk with wine." And I want to ask the question, how come? He says, "Well, because it dissipates. It's don't be drunk with wine where with there's dissipation." It leaks out. You'll sweat it out, or you'll get rid of it.

And the really neat point that Paul's making is really slick. He is saying, "Don't be possessed by wine because its effects wear off." Oh, okay, well, "Hey, Paul, you got anything stronger?" "I mean, what are you talking, man? You got the stuff?" Yeah, Paul would say, "I got something that doesn't run out." "I mean, one absolute shot of this and you're fixed." "Really?"

Like, remember that old song Huey Lewis, "I Want a New Drug"? What a great song. You listen to the words. "I want a new drug, one that doesn't make me sick." One that doesn't, you know, he's talking about his head spinning and his stomach wrenching and just being messed up for life. He goes, "Man, I want a new drug." You know what he was crying out for, and he didn't even know it? "I want Jesus in my life." So, what do you got, Paul?

Well, "Be filled with the Holy Spirit," wherewith there's no dissipation. There's no leaking out. And you might be saying tonight, "Jack, I already got the spirit." Well, let me ask you this question. Did you ask Him to fill you afresh this morning when you got out of bed or today or tonight? Before you worshipped Him, did you say, "Lord, fill me with your Holy Spirit that I might worship You exactly the way You'd have me to worship You"?

And when you ask that, God will give you what is needed for the moment. Is it study? Is it for a test? Be filled with the Spirit. Listen, quickly, understand this that Paul is writing to a church of believers in Ephesus, a gathering of Christ's very own people. And whenever and wherever you and I get together, we're a church. It can be right out here in the parking lot, doesn't have to be in here. Whenever two or more are gathered, as believers, in Christ, a church is spiritually formed.

Jesus said in Matthew 18:20, "Wherever two or more are gathered in My name, there I am in the midst." You can have a gathering, you can have a building, you can have a name on a building and say it's a church. It's not a church. It's not a church until Jesus is in it. It's not a church until Jesus is in the people.

And there's a lot of places meeting, nonprofit organizations, with the name church on the front. They play Bingo and Parcheesi or whatever else they do. And if Jesus is not in the believer by the power of the Holy Spirit, you've got nothing but a social club or a Rotary deal. Jesus said in Revelation 3 to the church at Laodicea, this is a church. Jesus is knocking on the door of the church trying to get in.

You know, a lot of us, including myself, we use that verse, Revelation 3:20, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock." That is not an evangelistic verse. Don't tell Greg Laurie that. That is not an evangelistic verse, you know. That's not toward unbelievers. That was, that came out of the church of Laodicea. Jesus is knocking on the door of the church saying, "Hey, let me in!" He wasn't even in it.

They said, "Yeah, we know you, but we're a rich, we got everything we need." He says, "No, you're not, you're naked, man, you're poor, you have nothing." "Let me in, will you?" "Why?" Because when He comes into your life, when He's in the church, the church will prosper, God will bless it, and you'll be flourishing as a believer.

And then I want to end with this, and I promise we will end. It's not easy being a Christian if you haven't caught on. Jesus says, "Beware when all men speak well of you." Christian or not, life is tough, but I thank God that He's with me to go through it.

And you might be asking tonight, "Man, I need something to lift me up and pick me up and and help me to go." Listen, everything's been provided. When's the last time you grabbed all that God has provided desperately? When you cried out and you said, "God, I need You," and like Jacob, "I'm going to wrestle with You until You bless me, but I'm not going to let You go." Listen, God is in you, but He's begging you to come and wrestle with Him.

He says, "If you seek Me with all of your heart, you'll find Me." He says, "Without holiness, without holiness, no man will see the Lord." What does that mean, that we pull our hair back in a bun and wear a black dress? That's not what He's talking about. He's talking about your pursuits and your heart and your drive and your your passions are in Christ.

Now listen, all of us have pressures and temptations. The thing that you've gotten into, it's not unusual. Your coworkers are coming down on you? God's with you. Your spouse is giving you pressure and tempting you? God's with you. Your teachers are on you, trying to get you to compromise and change that paper you wrote because you wrote glorifying Christ. And your roommate's trying to get you to compromise? Listen, God's with you. And you're not experiencing a temptation that is too radical that you cannot handle.

In First Corinthians chapter 10, verse 12, Paul says, "So if you think you stand firm, take heed lest you fall." "No temptation has seized you except what is common to every man." What you're going through is common. "And God is faithful." Here it is, listen. "He will not let you be tempted what you are able to bear, but when you are tempted, He will also provide a way of escape so that you can stand up under it." And God does not tempt, by the way.

Oh, God, I know I have a drinking problem, and I know I need to get that, I'm just going to get a glass of water, so I'm going to pull right in here to Kelsey's Bar and Grill. That's stupid. You're setting yourself up. God doesn't tempt. But when a temptation comes from Satan himself, God has provided a way of escape. Listen, guys, when you go to the office tomorrow, and and Bubbles is leaning over by the drinking fountain, "Hey, how you, you look so strong today. Handsome. How's the wife and the 20 kids?" You know what? Stop right there. And look around for a place of escape. Start looking. "Okay, I got fire exit there. I got a I got a ladder here." Get out of there. Run. Joseph gave us the example of that.

Ladies, you go to the market or to the store or to the business or to the place or whatever it is, and Billy Buff is just, "Hey, sweetheart, you're looking good. How you doing, babe?" Look for a door. Jump. And look, you have to make that decision. Now watch this. We're laying. Oh, we're out of time. But doggone.

That person will turn on the little tempting device and, "Well, I do feel a little strong today." And you're absolutely being stupid. You can feel the hair go up on your neck when it happens, right? See, I remember because this happened to me like 20 years ago. It doesn't happen anymore, but I can remember. And it's like, "Run, man." Run.

And if you linger around, you'll get burned. Then you get hurt, and then you'll blame God. It happens every day. If you're struggling right now, and you think God has put you in that, you're wrong. You may be in a place where you wanted it so bad, you pushed buttons and pulled strings and you got it, and you're in that spot, and now you're going under. Listen, does your walk closer to God or is it further away? Oh, it's further away. God didn't do it.

But then maybe again, you're in that spot and God did send you there, but you're still sinking. The reason why is because you've taken your eyes off of Christ, and you have forgotten that you're blessed in Christ and every every spiritual blessing in the Heavenlies. We are rich.

Guest (Male): Pastor and Bible teacher, Jack Hibbs. Here on Real Life Radio, with his message called We Are Blessed in God, Part Two. Thanks for spending part of your day with us. You know, this message is part of Pastor Jack's series called The Book of Ephesians. It's a series through Paul's letter to the Ephesians, discovering the riches, the walk, and the warfare of every believer. And we'll continue on the next edition of Real Life Radio.

Are you searching for answers these days in a world where truth is hard to find? Well, my friend, as you heard in our broadcast, Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. And if you'd like to learn more about what that means to you personally, just go to our website, jackhibbs.com. And then click on that tab there that's labeled "Know God," and there you'll be guided through what committing to Jesus Christ really means, and the freedom that you'll find in knowing God. That's the "Know God" tab at our website, jackhibbs.com. That's jackhibbs.com.

Hey, thank you again so much for listening. And if you'd like to hear or see more of what we do here, you can always go to jackhibbs.com for all the latest on what's going on with this ministry. And please, if you're ever in the Southern California area, come see us at Calvary Chapel Chino Hills. We'd love to see you there in person. It has been so good to be with you today, and I pray you find yourself in the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ. See you on the next episode. This program is made possible by the generous contributions of you, our listeners. Visit us at jackhibbs.com. That's jackhibbs.com. Until next time, Pastor Jack Hibbs and all of us here at Real Life Radio wish for you solid and steady growth in Christ and in His Word. We'll see you next time here on Real Life Radio.