Regaining Lost Ground

Shane Idleman: Philippians 1:6, and I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. But it's going to be difficult. There's going to be challenges. Here's the thing, though. Make sure you're not stopping that completion.

The Bible I read has a lot of scriptures about submitting to the will of the Father. Do not quench the Holy Spirit. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit. Make no provision for the flesh. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. There's a lot of verses that give me some responsibility.

Guest (Male): Thank you for joining us here at Westside Christian Fellowship, located in Leona Valley, California, one hour north of Los Angeles. Today on Regaining Lost Ground, we return for the conclusion of the message titled, "If All Is Well, Why Am I Like This?" and is from the sermon series Through the Bible.

English writer and preacher John Bunyan when speaking on humility once said, "The people of the Lord in humility are to lay themselves and their prayers and all that they have at the foot of their God, to be disposed of by him as he in his heavenly wisdom sees best. Yet not doubting but God will answer the desire of his people in the way that will be most for their advantage and his glory."

Please join us as Pastor Shane encourages us to honor the Lord today, clothing ourselves in humility, quick to forgive, and quick to submit to one another in Christ's love. We encourage you to listen to this message of hope, allowing the Holy Spirit's peace to fill you, that peace that passes all understanding found only in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

You can hear the whole message at Pastor Shane's YouTube and Rumble channels. Make sure to subscribe today. For more information, visit us online at westsidechristianfellowship.org. We also encourage you to hear more truth from Pastor Shane with the Idleman Unplugged weekly podcast. And now from Westside Christian Fellowship in Leona Valley, California, here's Pastor Shane Idleman.

Shane Idleman: We have found if you go to the area indigenous people and somebody who's already in Brazil, let's say, and you make that person a pastor. He's already a Brazilian. He already lives there. He already knows the language. He already knows the people. It takes about 3,000 a year. So we can support 30 indigenous missionaries, getting them Bibles, buying goats, pigs. You can do that. You can help with goats and milk and support that a lot more than spending money on somebody from the states going over.

Missionaries from the states aren't a bad idea. It's a good idea. But you can see how people might do money differently. There's also a big church over here on the west side. I remember when I was in construction and finding out it cost like 18 million dollars to build. I was kind of critical for a while. And still, I think you can find a nice big industrial complex, two or three million and really save some money. So I kind of got rid of my judgmental spirit. But I wouldn't do that. Why did you do that? And so we just need a lot more grace on all sides. I personally still don't think that's a wise investment, but I'm going to leave that up between them and God.

And we have to realize that not everyone is on the same page with things. And we wanted to fully exhaust the pew and chair issue for a while, get prices. What does this look like? What does it really do before we let anyone know? And even as of now, we're not going in that direction unless God changes that. Also, leadership has dual responsibility. We have dual responsibility. I have a responsibility to the congregation number one, but then I also have a dual responsibility to God and to others in the congregation.

So what we might do here might hurt you. Does that make sense? So if we handle something a certain way for this group, this group gets offended. And so we have a responsibility. We have to take some things to the Lord, make some decisions based on the needs of the church. Also, leadership should err on the side of confidentiality. Leadership should err on the side of confidentiality. So what that means is we don't always vent everything that's going on because you've got how many people watching us online all over the United States.

And some people, church is like a treadmill these days. And I've noticed over the years, over 12 years, is somebody will come and they'll want to do something or maybe we'll do something and make an appeasement. For example, the communion Sunday mornings. Great idea, right? Somebody brought that to our attention. That's not a bad idea. And then they're gone in six months. So we just did this for you and now you're gone. And that happens all the time. People come, "I think we should do this." Okay, it's a good idea. And then they're gone.

So at what point do you say, "You know what, right now I think it's just me and three people in this room that have been here the whole 12 years"? And so we make decisions what's based on the whole church and going forward in the church and the future of the church. And so often we err on the side of confidentiality. So it doesn't mean we're being secretive. It means we're being selective on certain things. I know there was a church I used to go to, me and my wife actually met there.

And every week in the bulletin, I guess we don't have bulletins anymore, but they would print in the bulletin how much we collected, 44,000 that week. And I remember I was like, "Oh my Lord, 44,000 in a week? I'm not giving." Am I alone in that? Who else would think you've got to be kidding me? But also people say, "Well, that's transparency." Well, it is in some cases, but it's also can be very detrimental in other cases. Biblically speaking, there's some gray area there on how do you handle tithe and offering?

Do you pass it around all the time? Do you tell? Because I, the first couple of years, whenever we would say, "Okay, here's what we're doing. What do you guys think?" You'd have 100 different people, you'd have 100 different opinions. And especially when it comes to finances. For example, we have a pie chart. This much to administration, this much to payroll, this much to missions, this much to budget, this much to savings. So we have it. We have that available. But not everyone agrees.

"Why aren't we spending more here? Why aren't we doing more here? Why don't you go plant a church over there?" Do you have 2.5 million? That's about what the building would cost. "Why didn't you do this? Why don't we pave this? Why don't we put grass back here?" It's like my goodness. Right? Because we all have different desires. Just like your own checking account. And so with the church as a plurality, we make decisions on what is best for the body.

And if there's something big, the roof, we mentioned the air conditioning units going out when we redid the flooring and all, we bring big issues to the congregation so they know. So that's basically the submission issue. There's a safety in a plurality of elders. That's why the Bible encourages that because there is safety in submitting. Because here's what happens. I'm going to open up about my own self. When I would go to churches and I'd go to pastors, "Why does that pastor have a Mercedes?"

Now I think we need to be careful of course. You don't want to be over the top. But I would say, "Why did they do that? Why did they build that building?" I mean, there's a big one out there in West Palmdale, I won't name names, but I remember 18 million. I was in construction back then. 18 million. Why don't they just go? And man, I was so critical. And God began to deal with me about a critical heart because it's so easy to get offended. Everything can offend us if we let it.

And so that's why yielding is so important. Does that make sense? I'm erring on the side of grace. I'm going to yield. I'm going to err on the side of grace unless I know something is fact. See, that's a difference. Because many times we don't know something is fact. Actually, this week it's going to be a pretty challenging situation here at the church. I don't know with a certain issue dynamic going on with a family member or family, I'll just leave it at that.

But I mentioned to the guys, I said, "Listen, all of this is speculation and opinion. We don't have any proof. Proof." And so Proverbs says to see both sides. Now I have an idea. I have an insight. I'm thinking this is not going any good direction. But before we act, we need the proof. And that's what a lot of people, they just we just have to start erring on the side of grace, guys. Unless, of course, it's a big deal, main issue, you caught somebody in lying, cheating.

Of course, I'm not saying that. But the problem isn't that we err on the side of grace. The problem is that we err on the side of judgment. And that's where it gets really challenging. I don't know if I put this quote up here from Leadership Pain. It's a book I'm reading right now. "The best leaders have to endure the most pain." I wish I read this 12 years ago. Many can never have more influence because they didn't have a big enough leadership pain threshold. Isn't that amazing? If you are not hurting, you are not leading.

I'm hoping this might help somebody. This isn't just a book for pastors, but this is just in general. That pain threshold. You've got to be able to deal with pain. Relational pain. And that's how you grow. And God will only give you what you can handle. And those who can deal with the most pain often God begins to give more people and more influence and more things. When we're pushing people, here's with Westside Christian Fellowship. Let me this is one of the most true statements I've ever written.

When you're pushing people to be closer to God, when you're convicting them to make deep meaningful changes, when you're convicting passivity and calling out sin, your fan base drops significantly. Yes, you can take pictures. You can tweet it. You can write it down. That's just the truth. I've noticed over the years, unless I want to turn into Joel Osteen or if I want to remain Shane Idleman, I'm going to upset people. That's what God has called me to do.

And when you're pressing people to draw closer to Christ and get here for morning worship. "You keep telling me to come to morning worship." Yeah, because I want you to draw closer to Christ. "I don't like that." Well good, I'm just telling you. And when you begin to convict them about areas of their life, they don't like it. It convicts them. And so your fan base completely drops and you are now the target of their shots. I'm just teaching the truth. I'm just telling you what's on my heart, what scripture is teaching, what we're going through.

So again, back to this point: two nations are in your womb. Two people shall be separated from your body. One people shall be stronger than the other and the older shall serve the younger. Ships are safest in the harbor, but they are not made for the harbor. Amen? Ships are safest in the harbor, but they are not made for the harbor. I've got some bad news and good news. What do you want to hear first? The bad news? I'm only halfway through the sermon. The good news is part two is going to be really good.

And I don't want to rush through it. And one group of people I do upset more than any other group. Two people: believers, carnal Christians, and Pharisee legalistic arrogant Christians because I call them both out. You want to know why? I've been both. I can go to this side real quick. Stop praying. Stop praying. No more worship. Let me get my Great American Country back on. George Strait, Alan Jackson, going to date myself. Who's the new one now? Dierks Bentley and all.

And I'm going to get carnal again. I'm going to get back into "let's have some alcohol at our Bible studies." Let's and you start to get carnal again. And "let me go out, the movies, I know it's R and there's nudity, but man, it's so good." See, I'm drifting. I'm becoming carnal as a pastor. Or the Pharisee. There's someone in sin in this room today. There are sinners in this room. How dare you come into the house of God? God's wrath is upon you. You'll never measure up.

How dare you blow it? How dare you not live a holy, blameless, perfect life like me? I've been doing that since I was 18 years old. And they're red and they're upset. But I call them both out. The arrogance and the carnality. Carnal believers will mock you. One thing Morgan and we've lost friends over the years and thought we were friends and you're hanging out. It's like, "Hey, I don't really want to watch Harry Potter. I don't really want to get drunk tonight. I don't want to do that." Now they don't like me.

"Hey, I can't go to Laughlin and Vegas and do this all the time and I'm really wanting to seek God." "Oh, you super Christian. You're super spiritual." Carnality does not like to be called out. When you start talking about the fullness of the spirit, worship nights, or worship mornings, or prayer, intercession, living a holy blameless life, they don't like it. And let's not forget the vision Isaiah saw in six. I'll talk about it Wednesday. I saw the Lord high and lifted up.

His train filled the whole temple. And the angels cried, "Holy, holy, holy." Actually, the seraphim, they covered their eyes and they covered their feet. They probably covered their eyes because they couldn't see the glory of God. And they covered their feet in shame and they just cried, "Holy, holy, holy." And the doorposts shook. And that doorpost was probably 27 feet tall, six feet wide. And those foundations just shook with the holiness of God. Holy, holy, holiness of God.

And so you can call people to holiness and those who don't want it will rebuke you because they love their carnality. "Don't call me out. I love my sin." So you have those against you as well. And anybody have family and friends against you? Man, that's unbelievable. It's like, "I'm just trying to live for Jesus. Why all the hate?" That's a good shirt. I just thought of that one. But isn't that true? I'm just trying to love Jesus. I'm just trying to follow God. Why do you hate on me?

Here's why. Your lifestyle will convict. You don't have to say a word. "Oh, goody two shoes." You don't have to say Have you ever upset anybody and you don't say a word? You just live your life. So be encouraged. That's part of the journey. And that's why these are so important. Let me just read these. Matthew 10:22, "And you will be hated by all for my namesake." Matthew 10. It's Isaiah 37. You see that one too. I wanted to break down this whole thing of "in God's will," but the time clock kept ticking.

But you will be in challenges in God's will. And that's why we need endurance. Matthew 10 says, "You will be hated by all for my namesake, but the one who endures will be saved, not give up." So that tells me I'm going to be hated. Get over it. Shane, not everyone's going to like you. You will be hated for my namesake. When you say things from the pulpit, people will not like you. What am I supposed to do with that? Unless I'm misquoting or in error or in a lot of arrogance, sure.

But if I'm just preaching my heart out, people are not going to like it. Romans 5, "We rejoice in our sufferings." Knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope. Galatians, "And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season you will reap if you do not give up." Hebrews, "For you have the need of endurance so that when you have done the will of God." That tells me the will of God is hard.

That tells me it's hard to submit to others. That tells me it's hard to err on the side of grace. That tells me it's hard to humble myself before God and others. That tells me repentance is going to come at a cost and I need to be able to endure when I know that God has called me to do this. And you put up with the hate that is coming and the fiery darts of the enemy and you just keep moving forward. He says, "You need endurance to get through the will of God."

You need endurance to post something on social media with all the hate out there in the secular media and those who don't know Jesus. Do they mock you or do they say, "That's a wonderful post"? We all know the truth. Philippians 1:6, "And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." Paul says to the church in Philippi, "I am convinced that God who began a good work in you will complete it."

But it's going to be difficult. There's going to be challenges. Here's the thing, though. Make sure you're not stopping that completion. How can I stop that completion? Same way that Israel was stopped from going to the promised land: grumbling, complaining, bitterness, angry, arrogance, wrong heart, wrong spirit, not full of God, full of the flesh. That will sidetrack you. How do you know? Because it sidetracks me. Let me tell you. And God will bring it to completion.

Now he's also talking here about, I believe, the elect and those called of God and those who are saved, that God will complete a work he's doing in you. It's not about us doing all these things. It's about God changing us. But the Bible I read has a lot of scriptures about submitting to the will of the Father. Do not quench the Holy Spirit. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit. Make no provision for the flesh. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.

There's a lot of verses that give me some responsibility. And we just don't want to get because I have run into people, "Shane, you're too hard on people. You're just telling them well, just let them rest in God." Just let them rest in God while they're looking at porn? While they're ruining their life? While they're not being filled with the spirit? You see, that goes both ways. I rest in the Lord, Lord change me, Holy Spirit fill me, but I have to submit. I have to yield to the work of the spirit.

When we talk about the filling of the spirit, how do you fill something that's already full? Can somebody fill this with water? See, this is many Christians. This is arrogance. Arrogance, critical, negative, and they think they're filled with God's spirit. That's why Wednesday I'm talking about, "Woe is me, I am undone." We need to get back to that. I am completely undone. I am broken. I've seen the Lord of glory. My eyes have seen the king. And you empty yourself of self.

It's empty and then you say, "Lord fill me. Fill me up God, spirit fill me up." And then from this filling of the spirit, you begin to go out and do things for God. Doesn't mean your marriage is going to be perfect. It might be harder. People come, "How do you and Morgan just love each other and walk on clouds all day? And the house is always clean and there's no arguments. It's just this goal we have to obtain." Oh, it's tough. It's tough.

Why? Humble yourself. Yield to the spouse. Yield to the needs of the children. Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God. In due time he will exalt you. Can we all admit that pride has got us in a lot of problems? We have to humble ourselves. So he who has begun a good work in you will complete it. But I want to throw this out there. Has he begun a good work in you? Because a lot of people say, "Yeah, that's a good verse. That makes sense." But that's for believers.

If he has not begun a good work in you, you have to repent of the sin. You have to repent of the thing that's blocking that relationship. That's what repentance is. I remove this block. Lord, I need Jesus. And so look in your heart. Have you truly surrendered your life to Christ and become guilty over your sin and gave it to Jesus and let his blood cleanse you? Not that you've went to church, not that you're a good person, not that you own a Bible, but have you really had this life-changing experience?

John Newton wrote an incredible hymn. One of the lines says this: "My conscience felt and owned its guilt and plunged me into despair. I saw my sin, his blood has spilled and helped to nail him there." And it goes on to bring that person to repentance, a full surrender. And if you truly don't know him, you need to change that today.

Guest (Male): Hello, this is Pastor Shane Idleman. I wanted to let our listeners know that due to budgeting issues, we will be removing Regaining Lost Ground from some of the radio stations that we currently air on. Therefore, to continue listening to the sermons, I want to encourage you to follow me and Westside Christian Fellowship on YouTube and Rumble today, as well as other social media platforms.

Again, due to budgeting issues, we will be removing Regaining Lost Ground from some of the stations that we currently air our program on. Therefore, to continue listening to the sermons, I want to encourage you to follow me as well as Westside Christian Fellowship on YouTube and Rumble, and also follow us on all other social media platforms as well. If you have questions, please reach out to us at westsidechristianfellowship.org.

Again, that's westsidechristianfellowship.org. Westside Christian Fellowship is located 60 miles north of Los Angeles in Leona Valley, California. Thank you again for listening to today's message of Regaining Lost Ground, where we are reminded daily: times change, truth does not.