Latest / The Daily Word / June 4 – When Values Diverge
Transcript
- Brandon Dirmann: Well, welcome once again to the Daily Word Podcast. In case we haven't met, my name is Brandon, and I am one of the pastors here at our church. And like we say often, thank you so much for listening and being a part of this podcast. It really is a huge opportunity. And ⁓ we we just c consider it such an honor and such a privilege to be able to every day open up the Bible and share it with you. ⁓ in case you are new to the podcast, our goal Is twofold. Number one, to simply bring an encouragement every day from the scripture. We're using the life journal reading plan. It's a Bible reading plan that we use for our church. One that you can grab on the Bible app or you can ⁓ order a life journal from our church or from ⁓ you know the actual life journal web webpage. ⁓ but it simply is a Bible reading plan that we use and we're just on the Daily Word podcast, taking the New Testament portion of that reading plan and opening it up and sharing a scripture, a passage. Something that we journaled on, something that was meaningful. And our hope is to simply encourage you. ⁓ allow God's word to speak to you through us, but also remind you that every single day God wants to spend time with you in the secret place. So I love all the people who are listening to this, but let me just remind you if this is your only source, there's another source, and I would even say maybe a better source, and that is spending time with Jesus for yourself in the secret place. And so, even if you only got 15, 20 minutes, open your Bible today, spend time reading the scripture, ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you. You'll be amazed at what God will speak to you if you'll just give him time and you'll ask him to speak to you. That being said, today it is June the 4th, and our reading today is Romans chapter 16. Romans chapter 16 in the New Testament portion of the life journal reading plan. And this morning there were two different passages that really stuck out to me. And I'm gonna go with the first one that I captured in my journal and share it with you. And it's this Romans chapter 16, verse 17. Let me double check myself. verse 17 through 18. Yeah, I wanted to make sure it was both those verses. And here's what it says Paul is writing to the church in Rome. remember, he's talking to the church in Rome, and he's talking to a church community. Talking to a group of people. And here's what he says to this group of people. Now I urge you, brethren, note those. Take take take note of those. Pay attention to those. Highlighter highlight. It's a big deal. Note those who cause division and offense. Who cause divisions and offense. Listen, contrary to the doctrine which you have learned, and avoid them. Verse 18. For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech, they deceive the hearts of the simple. I read this scripture today, and it reminded me of just the culture that we're living in today. We live in a culture and in a world where ⁓ so many people they're not serving the Lord Jesus, they're serving as part Paul would say it, their own belly. Ultimately, I want to do, I want to live, I want to enjoy, I want to think, I want to like I want to live my life the way that I want to live it. Just like you go to a restaurant and you look at the menu and you're going, hmm, what is gonna sound and feel good for me to eat that will satisfy my belly tonight? So many people. They're not serving the Lord Jesus, they're serving their own belly. They're they're serving their own desire. They're serving their own appetite. They're serving what, yeah, yeah, but but this seems good. This feels good. I want to do this. And the the the the marker of these people is that they don't have a conviction, we'll say this, of the word of God. Because Paul Paul says here, I want you to note those who were causing divisions and offenses. Not because they're just like mean people, but because they're living in a way or they're saying things that are contrary to the doctrine, contrary to the word that has been given to you. What we have the word of God in totality, Genesis to Revelation, Old Testament, New Testament. We've been given the word of God. And our call from God in our serving Jesus is to be people, excuse me. Who live life according to the word of God. Yeah, listen, I know what so-and-so said, but the word says. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Like I know that would be easier, but the word says. Absolutely. I want to do that, and that would feel good for my flesh, but the word says, hey, I understand what stemic culture is saying, but the God is asking us and calling us to be people that we live our life according to the word of God. We live our life according to the word of God. And Paul goes, there's some people among you that they're not living life according to the word of God, according to the doctrine that's been handed to them. Rather, they're living life according to what feeds and satisfies their flesh, what feeds and satisfies their own belly. And Paul says, here's what's happening: it's causing division among you. It's causing there to be r relational fractions. that ⁓ that are there not because you're you're in a conflict but you're it it's there because you have different convictions you're you're you're living by two different sets of values and he says i i want you to note those people and listen to what he says and avoid them avoid them note those people and and ⁓ avoid them and he here's what just stuck out to me this morning ⁓ and and this might sound so you know not pastoral And and like that's that's not that's not good advice for a pastor to say, but let me just say it anyways. ⁓ there are some relationships that we should not be fighting to preserve. There, I said it, and I'll I'll qualify myself, but that there's just some relationships that we don't need to be. We don't we shouldn't be fighting I'm I'm striving to preserve them because the the the relational tension that I'm feeling. And the the relational break that happened, it's not because we're not walking in forgiveness or because we have a disagreement, it's because somewhere along the way you chose a different set of values. Somewhere along the way, you chose to begin to live life according to what satisfies your appetites and your belly, not according to the doctrine. And can I tell you it is difficult. To have relationship with people and to be in koinania, intimate, close connection with people when you have two different sets of values and two different sets of convictions. That's hard to be in close relationship. And here's what Paul said these people were doing. Paul says, with their smooth words and flattering speech, they're deceiving the hearts of the simple. See, here's what happens when we fight to preserve relationship. And we fight to preserve koinonia, deep intimate connection and community with people who have values that are apart from God's word. What happens is we end up getting deceived, we we end up moving backwards, and it becomes harmful to our faith. This is why Paul would say in 1 Corinthians 15:33, do not be deceived. Evil company corrupts good character. In other words, when people have made a decision, To live life according to a different set of values, not according to the word of God. And I fight to stay in that relationship. What can happen is it actually is detrimental to my faith, and I end up being the one who is deceived. And so what what is it that we do? We certainly don't talk bad about those people. We certainly don't, you know, wish evil on them. We certainly don't, you know, go, well, forget that person. No. No, God loves them. And and and God is pursuing them and God is desiring for them to repent and turn from their sin and put their full faith and trust in Him. So so so what do we do? We we pray for them, we encourage them, and we trust God. Just say it again. We pray for them, we encourage them and we trust God. I'll I'll close with with this just example. But there was a relationship a number of years ago, someone that I I was close to. And it just some some some things happened and they they got hurt and they got frustrated and and they ended up walking away from Jesus because of it. You gotta be careful. Cause God desires to work all things together for our good, but we're when we're going through the midst of trial and tribulation, we have a choice to make that either we can get bitter or we can get better. I would advise that we get better, not bitter, but this person just got bitter and frustrated and hurt and and they ended up walking away from their relationship with God. They ended up through smooth words and and flattering speech, talk just just talking all this, you know, how how they're they're they're evolved now and they're different. And the reality is that they they they've departed from the faith, they've departed from the sound doctrine of the word of God, and they're living a life to feed their own appetites. And here's what I realized I I can't fight for this relationship anymore. I I have to note this decision that they're making. And and I have to allow, by the way, you don't have to cause separation. Separation will naturally happen. I have to allow and embrace the separation that's naturally happening right now. I'm not gonna fight for it. However, here's what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna continue to pray for this person. I pray for this person regularly. And as the Holy Spirit leads me, I will call them and I'll leave them voicemails reminding them who of who God is. reminding them of what God's word has said and encouraging them. I'll I'll send them text messages. Hey, I'm praying for you today. And I I know that we we we we believe different things now, but I'm praying for you. And I want you to know and I'm I'm praying for them and I'm looking for every Holy Spirit led opportunity to encourage them. And and so the application today and what what I would just encourage you with is you you got to realize that that not every relationship we should be fighting for And not every relationship is is gonna last because of the decision people make. And when that happens, we we we have to, as deaf tough as it may be, embrace the separation that may come and then commit ourselves to praying and interceding for that person and yet ourselves never departing from the sound doctrine of God's word. I hope that makes sense and I hope it encourages and speaks to you today on on some level. ⁓ and I I know this podcast is a little bit longer than normal. I apologize, but But but I really do hope it's an encouragement. So let me pray for you today as we close and we'll conclude right here. Lord Jesus, thank you for your word. I'm asking you that you would speak to us in a real and a profound way, and that you would give us the wisdom and lead us, Holy Spirit, to know in every relationship what you're saying. God, for anyone that we know that's in our life that's departed from sound doctrine, God, we pray for them and we ask you that you would draw them back by your mercy and your grace, and you give us the wisdom to be a part of that. If you so choose. Lord, we love you so much and we thank you for it. In Jesus' name. Amen. Thank you for joining me today on another episode of the Daily Word Podcast. Two minutes over our 10-minute commitment. ⁓ but I think it may have been worth it. Love you so much. Have an awesome day. We'll see you tomorrow on the Daily Word Podcast.