Study the Word

Guest (Male): on how to be blessed. Here's Pastor Tom Keller.

Pastor Thom Keller: Listen, do you want to be blessed? Everybody says, oh, I want God's blessings. Well, here's how. Psalm 25 says this. The Lord is good and does what is right. He shows the proper path to those who go astray. He leads the humble in doing right, teaching them his ways. The Lord leads with unfailing love and faithfulness all who keep his covenant and obey his demands.

Guest (Male): Keeping God's word, or as old hymn puts it, trust and obey. It's the only way to be happy in Jesus. No doubt some are thinking that's easier said than done. Well, on today's study the word with Pastor Tom Keller, we'll get some practical help in this endeavor. We'll find that in Colossians chapter 3. But first, with what gets in the way of the blessing, picking up in verse 15, here's Pastor Tom.

Pastor Thom Keller: Someone's wrong me, and I go to pray for them. This is what my prayer sounds like. God, bless them. Bless them good. Now, what I mean is crush them. Pay them back. Let that would be the best thing I could see that could happen to this person. Let them have it like they led me have it. Yeah, bless them. Well, you know, the only way you get over that that I have discovered is when you pray for that person, you really pray for that person. Something like this. God, I pray that you would bless this man in his family relationships, in his relationship with his wife, in his relationship with his children, his relationship with his his parents, his relationship at work, his relationship in the church, his relationship with you.

I pray you bless him financially, physically, spiritually, in every arena bless him. And the more you do that, the more you add to that list, the more it takes away that that anger. You really can't do both. Listen, folks, I'm old enough to have a bunch of these happen in my life. And I'm telling you, this is the only thing I've ever discovered that can really take that away. You pray that God would really really bless them and go through the list. It's worth it because as you do, you feel you feel that anger, that resentment subsiding.

Item by item, as you add it, you feel it subsiding. It's what has to happen. And remember also any wrongs that you have done to others, ask God to forgive you. And if necessary, go and make restitution. I've shared this before, but when I was in high school, a bunch of us broke into the school and stole a whole bunch of sports equipment. And I could tell you a lot about that, but anyway, when I when I got gave my life to Christ at 30, God convicted me of this, and I went back to my back to the high school, and I spoke to the superintendent.

His name was Mr. Good. How would you like going back to Mr. Good telling him that you stole stuff? And I said to Mr. Good, I was in high school, I stole a lot of stuff. Here's a list of what I took, and I'd like to make this right. Every story I ever heard when people did this, the person that was wrong said, oh no, I don't want the money. You know, you just keep it. Everyone that I went back to, they all took my money. Every single one of them. Every single one. He made a list.

I came back, and of course I paid that amount of money. But here's my point. Folks, when I walked out of the school that day, I remember this like yesterday. It is that gray terrazzo floor in the summer. The lights were all out, and I'm walking out of Elco High School. No one in that building except me that I could see. And I'm walking on a foot of air. I felt so free. I felt so light that I started praying, God, what else can I go back and find forgiveness for? And there were other items at colleges as well.

And I heard if colleges that would take degrees back because of something, and I thought about that. I again I took track stuff, football stuff from college, and I thought they could pull my degree. They took my money instead. I remembered I stole some pumpkins and threw them down on the road with a bunch of guys. I went back to that farmer, and he in about seems like he had about 15 sons, big strapping guys, and they're all standing there like this. Pretty intimidating. And he said, yeah, what do you want? I said, well, when I was in high school, I stole some pumpkins, and you know, I thought what are these guys going to do me?

He took my money. I just encourage you folks, if you know, it's one thing to forgive other people, but listen, there's a lot of weight comes off of you when you go back and make things right and and offer restitution. Ask forgiveness and forgive, overcome evil by doing good. Listen to this. Don't curse it, don't nurse it, don't rehearse it, reverse it. That's pretty good, isn't it? Don't curse it, don't nurse it, don't rehearse it, reverse it. You reverse it by asking forgiveness and giving forgiveness. Let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts.

For as members of one body, you are called to live in peace and always be thankful. It ends with and always be thankful. I would like to suggest that if you are not by nature or by lack of ex practice a grateful person, you work on this. Here's a practical tool. You ready for this? Try to think of 10 things you're grateful for every time a complaint comes to your mind. Try to think of 10 things you're grateful for every time a complaint comes to your mind. Do you know what employees say about bosses who have not learned to express gratitude and only complain about their work?

They say something like this. Just try to catch me doing something right sometime. Just try to catch me doing something right sometime. This is what employees say they want and what employers think employees want. Employers think they want good wages number one, job security number two, promotion number three. What do employees really want? Number one, full appreciation for work work well done. Number two, feeling in and things. Three, sympathetic help with personal problems. A good leader, this is from Howard Hendricks. I heard that Vance Havner said this, but a good leader has a compass in their head and a magnet in their heart.

That's so good. A compass in their head pointing north, always directed by the Holy Spirit, directed by the by the Lord. A compass in their head and a magnet in their heart. Listen, one of the highest compliments a person can pay you is when they say to you, I like myself the best when I'm with you. I like myself the best when I'm with you. Parents, would your children say they like themselves the best when they're with you? Husbands, would your wife say I like myself the best when I'm with you, honey? Wives, would your husband say I like myself the best when I'm with you, honey?

See, that's what it should be. Years ago when I surrendered my life to Christ, it was a major revolution in my understanding. The very first note I wrote in the front pages of my Bible, which I took a picture of, the very first thing I wrote, and now those pages are filled with other notes. The very first thing that hit me was Luke 6:37, never criticize or condemn. It struck me because that's something that I really struggle with. It's so easy to criticize. It's so easy to condemn. You might ask, okay, but how do I address problems if I can't criticize?

Here's your answer. Be very very careful. It's kind of like my wife, very very careful. This is the way my wife works as an example. She says, Tom, that joke this morning was really funny, but I'm sure the joke for next week will be even better. What did she just say? That joke stank, but you can do better. You know, it's like I remember a church board meeting when I was back at Midway, and they were talking about somebody, and one of the people nobody wanted to say anything. And the one deacon said, well, you know, he's just a little bit the way he is.

He's just a little bit the way he is. Now, what did he say? He didn't say anything, but he said enough. He's just a little bit the way he is. It's like the pastor who did not like rhubarb pie at all. And one Sunday a woman gave him a rhubarb pie been the church. The next Sunday he was ready for her. She came up and said, Pastor, how did you like that rhubarb pie? He said, oh, rhubarb pie like that doesn't last long in our house. Never criticize or condemn. Parents, husbands, wives, employers, supervisors. When you move into the realm of correction or criticism, walk very tenderly.

Listen, just you trying to walk tenderly. Listen, just you trying to walk tenderly. They will read that, sense that, and appreciate you for that. You just backing away and measuring your words. They're going to see that. They're going to get that. Your heart will be revealed in that moment if your heart is really not to want to criticize or condemn them. They will sense that. It's the right start. Abraham Lincoln said, I don't care much for a man's religion whose cat or dog isn't better off because of it. You get it? Our religion has to have practical applications that shows in our lives.

Martin Luther said, spare the rod and spoil the child. That's true. But next to the rod, keep an apple to give him when he has done well. Again, Luke 6, never criticize or condemn. Think of other ways. Verse 16. Let the message about Christ and all its richness fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives, saying psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. You know, this is so beautiful. And the key word here is let the words of Christ live in your heart, dwell in your hearts.

In Greek, the word for dwell is and it and it means to dwell in one and influence one for good, to dwell in one and influence that person for good. And this is more than just reading your Bible. It's reading your Bible and then doing what it tells you to do. Listen, do you want to be blessed? Everybody says, oh, I want God's blessings. Do you want it? Well, here's how. Psalm 25 says this. The Lord is good and does what is right. He shows the proper path to those who go astray. He leads the humble in doing right, teaching them his ways.

The Lord leads with unfailing love and faithfulness all who keep his covenant and obey his demands. Verse 12 and 13. Those who are those who fear the Lord, he will show them the path they should choose. They will live in prosperity, and their children will inherit the land. And knowing God's word and obeying God's word keeps you from stumbling. 2 Peter 1 verse 10. So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things. Do these things, and you will never fall away. And if you would like to live in peace, free from anxiety and fear, here's your answer.

Here's your answer. Listen to and obey this book. Proverbs 1:33. But all who listen to me will live in peace, untroubled by fear of harm. What a promise. ESV says, all who listen to me will live without dread of disaster. New King James says without fear of evil. And NIV says without fear of harm. But but it is not just to listen to this book, to read this book. There's a second part. Also to listen and obey. James 1:22. Do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror, and after looking at himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.

But whoever looks intently into the perfect law of God that gives freedom and continues in it, not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it, they will be blessed in all they do. You know, the Bible is like a refiner's fire. It reveals the true condition of your heart and mind. You know, in the morning before you ever get to the mirror, you assume wrongly the way you look. You think that the way you went to bed is how you look in the morning until you get to the mirror. Hair all over the place, sleepy dirt encrusted and all over your face, a clump of raisin bran still at the corner of your mouth from your late night snack.

But then you get to the mirror, and it shows you what you really look like in the morning. And that's what the word of God does for us. It shows us what we really look like. Sometimes it even shows you how others see you. Really. Proverbs 27:19. As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the real person. One translation says, a mirror reflects a man's face, but what he is really like can be told by the friends he chooses. It's been said, show me your friends and I will show you who you really are.

I said this before, but for a job interview, probably especially younger people, I'm going to say under 25, probably the best, most helpful interview that I could provide to give an accurate assessment of who it is that I'm interviewing would be to say to the person that's applying for the job, you don't need to come in. You don't need to come in for the interview. Just send me your three best friends. What do you mean send me your three best friends? You won't even know what I'm like. Oh, yes, I will. Yes, I will. See, if I interview you, you are going to show me what you want me to see.

You are going to put forth a face that you want me to to believe is you. But send me your friends, I'll know who you really are. Birds of a feather flock together. It's been said, listen, show me your friends and I'll tell you your future. Show me your friends and I'll tell you your future. Be very careful. Listen again, a strong promise. James 1:25. Whoever looks intently into the perfect law of God that gives freedom and continues in it, not forgetting what they've heard but doing it, they will be blessed in all they do.

This isn't in my notes, but I want to say this this quickly because it's so important here and listening to following the word. Listen, in every area of your life, almost every area of your life, there is someone alongside of you that is there to discipline you, to make sure you do the things you need to do in order to be successful. If you're in a work setting, you have a supervisor, you have a manager, you have somebody that if the guys in the department are slack, don't want to do it, they can come come come on.

Come on. Bring it together. Let's go. We got to do this. In school you have teachers to do this. In college you have professors to do that. You know, the only place where you don't have that is in your spiritual journey. There's nobody that comes alongside you personally says, are you reading your Bible every day? Are you praying every day? Did you take that to the Lord? You you don't get that. It's the most critical area of our life, our spiritual development, and yet there's no one assigned to us to give us management and oversight like in other places.

Think what a work setting would look like if there were no supervisors. Think of that. And yet that's what we've got in our spiritual life. The point being you have to discipline yourself to stay in the basics, to stay in the word, to stay in prayer. No one else is going to do that. You have to be that person. You have to be the person. Discipline yourself to stay in those fundamentals that are going to be the difference between you succeeding or failing, floundering or flourishing. It's your only choice. It's true. Going into verse 16, the second part of verse 16, it says, teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives.

Teach and counsel each other. Listen, on counseling. Folks, if you should need or seek counseling, please please seek Christian counseling. Christian counseling uses biblical truths and principles in seeking God's will for an individual's life. The Bible has a patent on all wisdom. So, to seek answers outside of this book, practically this is strong, but it actually leads to death. Proverbs 14:12 says this. There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death. I remember I met with a young girl one time. She was maybe 16 years old, and she'd been in secular counseling for a long time, probably 5 years plus.

It was concerning a relative who had abused her. And as I spoke with her, she indicated that in those 5 years her counselor never once addressed the issue of forgiveness. That is a tragedy. In just one session one session, she got freedom in forgiving her uncle for what he did. The point, when you seek counseling for yourself or others, please please only seek out counselors who use the Bible as the basis of truth for all that they do. And ask them before you start. Listen, if you get on a plane, you want to know where that plane is going before you get on it, right?

Why would you take the destination to the wrong place? Before you sit down with a counselor, you want to know where he's going. What are you going to be using? Will the Bible be your guide? Psalm 119 verse 24. Your statutes are my delight. They are my counselors. And then going under the last part of verse 16, saying psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. Psalms come from the 150 psalms. It literally means the psalms. Hymns are known as songs that are recognized by the fellowship. And spiritual songs mean songs that are inspired by the Holy Spirit.

Not necessarily a new song, just songs that have been inspired by the Holy Spirit a year ago, 5 years ago, 10 years ago, centuries ago. And folks, songs are an important part of our worship. We need to learn to really worship the Lord, to really have a heart filled with gratitude and sing those songs. So, how does today's lesson apply to me? If Paul has a theme throughout these verses, it's thankfulness. Verse 15 says this. And let the peace peace that comes from Christ rule in your heart for as members of one body, you are called to live in peace and always be thankful.

Verse 16. It says, sing psalms and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. In fact, whatever you do all the while all the while you're doing it, we're to give thanks to God through Jesus Christ. Verse 17 says this. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Giving thanks to God through Jesus. Thanks for what? Barnes, a commentator, said this, quote, the one who is the most likely to do his duty well is the one who goes at it with a heart overflowing with gratitude to God for his mercies.

And he who is likely to perform his duties with the most cheerful attitude is he who has a deepest sense of gratitude for the divine goodness of God in providing a savior for his lost and ruined soul. So, your homework this week, here it is. Number one. This is a big one. You ready? Never criticize or condemn. Think of a way around it. Just you pausing to think will help that person see your heart is right toward them. Never criticize or condemn. Number two. Another big one. Every time a complaint begins to well up in your mind, think of 10 things you're grateful for.

Oh, that'll be a helpful tool. And number three, live this week in God's Iranian peace, remembering We're not home yet. We're not home yet.

Guest (Male): You're listening to Pastor Tom Keller on Study the Word, and we're in a study of Colossians right now. Would you like to give this a second listen? Either go to our website at ccleb.com or visit our YouTube page. Simply subscribe to our channel at Calvary Chapel Lebanon, and you can watch our services live or on demand. That includes this series in Colossians. For those interested in a CD copy, call 717 273 5633. Once again, that's 717 273 5633. Study the Word is listener supported. With your help, we're able to reach thousands of people all over the world.

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