Inland Empire: Riverside
Are You Still Converted? - Audio
Church Feel a little profession now with this tell my phone. I like this We are easy. I know I hear you I hear you a little louding. I'm loud and clear, right? You guys hear me okay here Good Excellent. Well as brothers and sisters is uh, it's also involved also invited visitors here today Let's make sure that as it says in Scripture. You will know their love You should I say you know that they're my disciples by the love for one another. So let's all stand up at this time For one minute Get out some love give out some encouragement And introduce yourself. Maybe to somebody you have not seen Let's see why no see you You You You You How you doing young man, it's good to see you Frankie Hey, man, let's go ahead and bring it back in Find your way back to your seats. Let's make it our way right back on in Father in heaven It is a privilege to be here this morning father Thank you so much for allowing each one of us to come here and make it here safely. I Do pray that if there is anyone Still making their way here that they will get here safely to be able to just be a part of the fellowship and be able to hear your word Father we thank you so much. We are so privileged father to be a part of this church You've given us so much Your blessings have been poured out on to us father for so many years May we not turn back from you, but may we always love you with all of our heart mind soul and strength We thank you for this time. Please take me out of the way. Allow your spirit to work to me in a powerful way It's in your son Jesus name that I pray. Amen Amen Very encouraged to be able to speak with you through God's word this morning Some of you know especially my teens Even for those of you who are visiting that may not know who I am. My name is Terrence Spencer and I have a wonderful wife Leah Spencer We have two beautiful boys Terrence junior and also cadence Spencer and We actually leave the youth and family ministry in ministry here in the Ellen empire, but as my teens know and I always tell them I'm into the basics. I love the basics the basics are what help us to grow spiritually It's what helps us to stay grounded spiritually amen When we lose the basics When we think that we have things on track spiritually a lot of times we have to be brought back to the basics To the very simple truths of God's word our theme Scripture even for this lesson Matthew chapter 18 one through four Says at that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? He called a little child and had him stand among them and he said I tell you the truth Unless you change you become like little children. You will never enter the kingdom of heaven Therefore whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven What a very convicting scripture isn't it to humble ourselves like a child Not act like a child Make sure to clear that up real quick, right? But to have the humility of a child. I remember my first year as A disciple just kind of thinking back. I I think we all need to do this go back to what it felt like What were we like when we first became Christians? What did it feel like coming out of those waters of baptism? After you studied the Bible after you really found out who God really was and who you really were before God and Really seeing God's love My first year I kind of wrote down some things here that I really reflected on and how I felt and really what I think Other people not only saw but also what I saw too within my own character was my heart was softer than I ever had imagined it In my entire life. I'd never felt my heart that soft that first year that first time. I really saw God's love All changed in my life were seen through a what perspective rather than a Y perspective People who were completely different than me became close friends because the Holy Spirit is what bonded us I Looked at correction as a sign of love not criticalness I not only endured being rebuked. I actually encouraged it It was an adrenaline wash to get into Bible with someone you ever felt that Wow felt so good didn't it know that you're sitting down opening up God's words showing someone things that men You know that it's gonna change their life if they accept it Going on evangelistic expeditions up in Lawrence, Kansas for like going to a football game Standing up for God and debating scripture felt exciting Getting kicked out of the ball or a venue for sharing your faith was an honor Giving sacrificially of your time of your money was a joy and a privilege Watching someone get baptized more than just a clap It was emotionally exhilarating wasn't it? You knew something big was gonna happen having my quiet times with God actually made my day It didn't just start my day. It made my day Praying to God seemed like a pleasant dream When I finally opened up my eyes and raised my head Wow This feels so good. I had never felt that before my entire life Here's the question Does that still exemplify our spiritual walk right now? All the things that I just talked about about how it really felt To really have that heart soften to really have the heart of a child. Is that where we are right now? What other people say that exemplifies your walk with God right now? Bottom line, it's a fight to stay consistently humble as a child would stay humble the way they receive God's kingdom. Amen The title of today's should I say this morning's lesson is not common. It's actually a question Are you still converted? Are you still converted? You know instead of having our usual three-point lesson structure. I decided to kind of take us in a different direction. You okay with that? Some a little bit different here. Let's have a discipling time. How do you feel about that? We're gonna look at five different areas over lives and actually reevaluate If you still have the humility of a child that our father in heaven is looking for amen Well number one, let's start with discipling You know I purposely started with this area first Because this is used of the first area in which we lose humility as we walk that walk don't we and we talk that talk of a disciple Proverbs 27 verse 17 it says as iron sharpens iron so one man sharpens another You know the mere thought of someone taking a couple hours out of their day to help sharpen me and help me to become better for God You know that blew my mind That blew my mind. Are we numb to that now? Do we feel like people should they ought to they better or? Are you still blown away by that? That people are actually willing to invest a couple hours each week to sit down and help you become better for God To help you to see who you really are and to really help Mature you as a young man as a young woman as an older man as an older one wherever you are But to help you to be better for God I'll never forget the people involved in my life The first year when I was in Lawrence, Kansas Clyde and Sharice King Steve and Shonda Stevenson Nathan and Shawn Millhouse Do people in your mind do they still read you still have these people's names in your mind that? Invested their lives in you Help you to come back to the basics when if you started to just drift a little bit Really bring you back and really give you even more convictions in what you needed Or you're more concerned about what kind of discipling you're getting We can be focused on that too, aren't we? What kind of discipling you're getting rather than just the fact that I have somebody invested in my life is that good enough I? Isaiah chapter 55 verse 8 for my thoughts are not your thoughts Neither are your ways my ways declares the Lord Whoever is in your life is in your life for a reason. Do you believe that? Is that a thought that we have really taken in and really understand that I mean I've been in the cycle now teen years may 2nd 2001 I became a disciple and I remember The people involved in my life and I have to sit there and say I have even over the years I have even had thoughts in my head that have popped in from time to time is this person really supposed to be the person in my life God doesn't make mistakes does he? He never has and he never will Whoever you're at right now in your own walk whoever is in your life right now. They are in your life for a reason And that is to help build you up to be better for God You know the thoughts of my kids, you know once a week they may go see my mom and dad They are a static about going to see my mom and dad once a week Do we feel that way about our brothers and sisters? Hmm or right now even me saying that it's kind of like the hair raises up on your back Something to be really evaluating our hearts, isn't it? What about that excitement that excitement of going to see someone helping them to grow spiritually even helping you to go to grow spiritually It's an amazing how we can Sit there and go to a time with somebody to help them to grow but all of a sudden we walk out going I think I got more from that than they did How many times we felt like that? Over and over again I get with you and sometimes I can feel that way But I really do anything here because I feel like I just grew right now But that's the beauty, isn't it? That's the beauty of iron sharpening iron is that we get encouraged in that way It helps us to be better men and better women for God since we're called to love one another deeply Let's focus on having a heart like that amen Let's look at a second basic thing This year of um, you know, I think this is something that is definitely worth talking about as a basic which is leadership Are we still in awe? Of the people who are willing to invest their lives to preach train develop and inspire others to fight the good fight I remember coming from the world and being around a lot of great leaders being a lot being around a lot of great people They had a lot of great influence, but I never felt So to be honest I never felt so intimidated in my life than coming to the church and seeing the way brothers had convictions about areas in life That I know the world never had And it was an awe I was an awe of what I had seen Even still now, I mean Yeah, I look at Mike Rock of the Doug when Steve lounge very daddy saw his brothers in our own region here And I'm and I'm in all of them. I Feel privileged. I feel honored to be on staff. I Look at the men that are leading this church. Oh, I honestly sometimes I step outside of that box and I go it's them Because I feel just so much like wow, I mean it just takes so much it takes so much character it takes So much to be a true man of God to be a true woman of God. I'm in awe still of leadership Are we still in awe of leadership is the question? Hebrews chapter 13 verse 17 Oh, Bay your leaders and submit to their authority They keep watch over you as men who must give and account Obey them so that their work will be a joy not a burden For that would be of no advantage to you Does that scripture it does it encourage you or does it worry you? If it encourages you, I think you're in a very great place spiritually If that worries you you must ask yourself Where is my child like humility? You know one of the things I hear quite often and You know, I think this is you know that this is part of my character I actually like I like for myself to be called out on the carpet and I also like to challenge myself I also could challenge others to and even call others to the carpet I think God wants us to really have that a heart to sharpen each other even in that way Say the things that may not necessarily Rub you the right way, but it's gonna help us to grow, right? here's one of the things I hear quite often and You know, I definitely have to say it can rub me the wrong way Is I don't want things To go back to the way they used to be before I Don't want things to go back to that again. I Heard that a few times But I also got to think about it was that and which helped save your soul It was that In which you were brought up into the kingdom of God and you started to mature and understand who God really was Now that many talks many talks many one-on-one talks even about that saying there Is it easier for you to obey and submit to your boss that work? Order leaders who have been entrusted to God's people Something we all have to check our hearts on from time to time right and this is a very sensitive topic I know that but I do understand it. It's also basics It's also basics even though it's a very sensitive topic, you know our church We have a history right just like any other church. We have a history don't we and with that there's a great There's great things there's often as many victories, but at the same time there's also been many challenges So I'm not gonna avoid talking about it even though it's a sensitive area. I will continue to speak it. Amen You know I love my brothers sincerely from the bottom of my heart and my sisters I want to call us all to step up to the plate and be better men and women for God and not think about the past because Remember love keeps no record of wrongs does it? Love keeps no record of wrongs in order for us to move on and be who we need to be We have to be able to move forward and look at what are the basics in my life that are lacking right now? That is holding me back from being who I need to be maybe that first year as you were a Christian That feel that you had these two are you still zealous for God? What you think about God is it make you excited? When you think about this next area right now, I'm gonna talk about it to make you excited the third thing evangelism Are we excited about evangelism church? Oh? Mmm, see what I mean by the basics. Let me give you a quick story real quick When I first went to Baker University in Kansas Once again, you already know I don't know why I was there until I obviously found out I became a disciple, but year 2000 We started off the season seven or no. We were seven. We're undefeated This is the year 2000 another team in our division. I was also undefeated. There is seven and oh we came together and It was all on the papers all everything. It was just a big deal In the fourth quarter of that game Three minutes to remember three minutes and 42 seconds left in the game. We were up 13 to zero We thought the game was over We actually ended up losing that game 14 13 We Were looking around and we said how in the world did that happen? We don't even understand how that happened. We said how did that happen? When we went the next morning and we watched the film of the game It's amazing But the things that we learned before we even had our first game We stopped doing in that last three minutes and 42 seconds of the game the basics The little things matter, don't they? The basics is what left us in The same way spiritually we do the same thing we get very confident spiritually, don't we? Sometimes we can think we're going at a very good pace. We can get into a mode of just feeling like, you know What everything's going okay right now. I can kind of take a break But it's when we do that that Satan gets a foothold and we find ourselves struggling with things that we have never struggled with before finding our convictions getting soft Evangelism when I said right now we excited about evangelism. It's amazing, but there are pockets of excitement But why not everybody's shouting for joy Matthew 28 verse 18 through 20 basic scripture, we know it all very well Then Jesus came to them and said all authority and heaven and on earth Has been given to me therefore go and make disciples of all nations Baptizing in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey Everything I have commanded you and surely I am with you always to the very end of the age Here's one of the things I love about my kids You know they have no problem walking up to complete strangers Telling people how awesome our church is and inviting the church That's called true evangelism from the heart, isn't it? How excited are we when we come and talk about the church? Do we have a zeal is there a light that comes on our face and we talk about the goodness of God and we talk about how great our fellowship is Or in the back of our heads are we thinking about some of the things we have issues with Some of the things that are challenging But not realizing that God is the big picture Not realizing that what we have even as I prayed in the beginning what we have Nobody has what we have here Do we feel grateful about that? Sometimes we can get a little numb a little dull in our senses We struggle spiritually when we're not involved in planting and watering seeds of faith We struggle bad spirits. It is one of the things there's three things sometimes that I sit down and when I when I know somebody's going through some really Tough times in our life. I'll ask them three questions. I say, how's your time with God going or? Or how's your prayer life going or who you in a Bible study with? One of those areas as we know if you don't have all those areas on straight, you're probably going to be struggling aren't you? And what I've come to find out recently is that there's not a lot of people that are really sitting down and showing people how to become Christians Sitting down showing people how what it takes to be a true disciple of Christ Can you sit down with someone one-on-one and show them what it takes to become a disciple? Something we have to really check our hearts on right? Something we have to really think about could we leave here at the church service? So we go to Starbucks sit down to somebody says, you know what? I was really thinking about having a relationship with God. Can you help me out with that? Could you sit down and Show them what it takes to love God and seek God. Can you sit down and even walk them through that study? If the shoe fits where it right This is something guys We cannot be afraid even talk about or challenge others with if we are disciples of Christ We call ourselves disciples We have got to be prepared and ready to sit down and do exactly what Jesus's purpose was which was to seek and save the lost He's used us to do that He's used us to sit down and help people see him clearly Not fuzzy not unclear, right? But to see him clearly The next thing let's talk about relationships Number four relationships as the beauty of God's kingdom become unattractive to you John 13 34 through 35 it says a new command. I give you Love one another as I have loved you so you must Love one another by this all men will know That you are my disciples if you love one another You know one of the things I also You know I hear this most commonly probably from teens but I do have to say even as adults we have to really be careful of this and You know I think we all can get caught up in this from time to time but it's kind of become I think a little bit of a pet peeve to me and You know I've actually heard this before which is the reason why I'm not close to this person because they're so different than me Mmm, I heard some giggles out there, too Brothers and sisters First Corinthians chapter 13 verse 11 When I was a child I Talked like a child I Thought like a child I Reasoned like a child when I became a man I put childish ways behind me That's not to negate the scripture that was a theme scripture to start off with and Matthew chapter 18 one through four but that is to say if we have that perspective on Really being close to our brother and sister We need to check our heart because the second thing you also scripture says in second Corinthians 5 16 It says so from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view Though we once regarded Christ in this way we do so no longer It is the Holy Spirit that bonds us you guys understand that It's the Holy Spirit that bonds is not our personalities Oh, I can sit down and think about I mean I just actually last week. I Just had one of my teens say that they said, well, yeah, I don't know I don't feel real Close to this person because they're just so different than me And I said wow no no no no no no no no no no We've got to change that thought it's a renewal. It's a transformation right Romans 12, isn't it? We have to renew our mind that the transform our thinking don't we? We do not we do not we do not view anyone from a worldly perspective from a worldly point of view We're dealing with our brothers and sisters. It doesn't matter what your personality is like it I mean hey some of us say I've been called annoyed. I've been calling knowing should I say? Sure some of you know that my wife my lovely wife. Yes, you're really not right, but you know my lovely wife has said They get it to calm down You're getting a little irritating right now In love right right amen in love Now by saying that should she pull her love away from me We're different We're different But it's the Holy Spirit that bonds us The greatest friends I have in the church Are those that are different than me? Some of the men that have helped me most spiritually are men that are completely different than me Most of the people I've baptized are different than me Take the example of children They can play on the playground with another kid for an hour, and what do they say when they come back? I? Made a new friend And they're excited aren't they? Two days so now that's their best friend Wow That's called Humility of a child isn't it? So many times we get the conversation with somebody we have dialogue with somebody realize of what they don't like the same music We like they don't like doing the same things. I like yeah, I'm gonna just when I see that brother I'm okay. I'm gonna make sure I avoid him at all costs Well, that's sister at all costs, right? But are we called to be that way? That's looking at someone from a worldly point of view amen and all seriousness We need to have that conviction to not be that way. I Called a fellowship break for one minute for that simple purpose to Is is there somebody in here that maybe you're not close to maybe somebody here that you do not know too? Well, and maybe you see them day in and day out weekend and week out And you have not made the effort to go and bond with your brother or your sister It's a challenge for each and every one of us here isn't it? Sometimes that's scary too, isn't it? You thinking going oh boy. He's putting out a challenge. That's just not my character It's not my personality. Just go up to somebody and go hey Right you're probably scared when you do that too. They say you do that to Mike you might get punched. Okay but Hey, man, Alicia did you at least you're being spiritual? It's it's reaping hot coals on my head. So don't worry about it. You'll be all right. You'll be all right Okay Yeah, amen The heart of a child though their amen is what we need to imitate and that's being close to one another The last thing I want to talk about here is maturity number five maturity Hebrews chapter five Let's turn there together in Hebrews chapter five Hebrews chapter five we're going to start here in verse 12 In fact Though by this time you ought to be teachers You need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again You need milk not solid food Anyone who lives on milk being still in infant is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness But solid food is for the mature who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil Isn't it amazing how we can be 10 years old 15 years old 20 years old spiritually But really By our lack of constant use we can really only be two years old spiritually We can stunt our growth spiritually by not constantly training and using the word It's even hard to distinguish good from evil you guys notice that the things that we once held as very strong convictions Even the things I'm talking about right now Would it have been louder for you two years ago three years ago five years ago Thought I said leadership. Yeah Evangelism. Yay discipleship. Yay. Would you have cheered from the top of your lungs? right or Is it still constant use that has been applied to your lives in the word? How are your daily quiet times going? Your daily times have got to your wrestling with the same problems over and over and over and over again Without training yourself and wondering why am I still going through this? Why am I still dealing with this? And once again, I know I know I think we've all experienced that at one point of our lives or another we're maybe going through it right now, right? Which is there are certain areas in our lives that we need to make sure that we are digging in God's word and training ourselves So that way we can step outside and be able to help even someone else after we get through that particular sin or that problem But it's only going to happen through constant use of the word In fact the less that we read our Bibles the softer our convictions come, isn't it? Wanna hear I want you to I want you to read a quote for you here. This is from Ralph Waldo Emerson People do not seem to realize that their opinion of the world is also a confession of character It's a good quote. Let me read that again in case you didn't get it People do not seem to realize that their opinion of the world is also a confession of character What is your opinion about the church? About relationships About evangelism about leadership about discipleship of things that I'm talking about here right now You have very very strong opinions about that or you ground it spiritually about what you need to know about those areas This is a question. I got to ask myself on a daily basis because every day Satan attacks me with something And he takes me away from the basics. It makes me think things that I shouldn't be thinking You know there are two words I know that I've been able to look at myself and go how well am I doing in my maturity? There's two words I then have stood out for me And those two words are what and why? When I'm going through challenging times and I'm going through situations in my life And believe me over the last 10 years and I mean at good night I've the look up to brothers that have been Christians 15 20 25 years and I go that's exactly where I want to be But even though the last 10 years of what I've gone through as a Christian. I've gone through some pretty overwhelming things But I've noticed that it was two words that really helped me to identify What was my maturity level in those particular incidences and that was what and why meaning this? Every time I go through what I'm going through. Do I ask myself? Why am I going through this right now? Why is God doing this to me? Or do I say what is God trying to teach me? What is God trying to teach me? drastically different drastically different because you know why Satan will fill all your whys He does a great job at telling you why It's because you're inadequate. It's because you can't He tells you all the things that you don't do that you don't need to hear in order to have victory spiritually He will plug in all those boys all those wise, but when you say what is God trying to teach me? Now you're going somewhere Now God is going to reveal to you what he is trying to teach you There's things I've gone through like I said I look up and I go I've gone through the same thing before and I've asked myself why And then Satan fills in the gap of the why and then I continue on in that process of sin I continue on doing the very things that I do not want to do because I keep asking why But the moment that I humble out and I become as it says you're the heart of a child The humility of a child and I say what is okay. God. What are you trying to teach me here? What are you doing God? What are you trying to show me here? Then and only then do things get revealed to me in a totally different perspective in a totally different way And I start to learn things that I have not learned before That's the beauty of God's word it always it's new isn't it you can read the same passage 20 times and on the 21st time you act like you never read it before You ever know you know that it's like you've never read it before I'm gonna wait a sec I know I've read the scripture a thousand times How is it that my take on this scripture is so much different right now? And that's really because of the maturity process, right? The maturity process God exposes what he needs to expose it in your life when he needs you To say the right thing, which is what are you trying to teach me God? I want to close out here with you in one last scripture. This is Isaiah chapter 40 In Isaiah chapter 40 we're gonna start in here in verse 28. You still with me Isaiah chapter 40 verse 28 Do you not know have you not heard the Lord is the everlasting God? The creator of the ends of the earth he will not grow tired and weary and It's understanding. No one can fathom He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak even youths grow tired and weary teens and Young men stumble and fall But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength amen No one can fathom God's understanding I Love that that way we can never tell anything that's going on in our future right as it says in Ecclesiastes, right? When times are good be happy when times are back and sitter God has made the one as well as the other God makes all thing he allows all things Bottom line as we know the only thing better than becoming a Disciples of Christ is staying the disciples of Christ amen The only thing better than actually going into the waters about to the next you coming out and staying faithful to the day you die That is really our goal that is really what we're striving for a day in and day out To make sure that we're developing each and every day trying to come back to having that heart of a child In order to do that we must hold to the basic foundations of our faith the basic foundations when I discussed here is It's nothing over our heads But what it is is something for us to grasp Grasp on a daily basis I challenge you to go back on your own to reevaluate Reevaluate these specific areas of your life and honestly answer the question Are you still converted? am I still converted am I still who I say I am when I said Jesus is Lord is Jesus still Lord is He still number one in my life or Has he dropped in priority? Does he stay at the top of my list? So I challenge you not just to really be honest with yourself and reevaluate this for yourself But also get a brother and sister involved in your life that will challenge you to become more for God Daying and day out only then when we have the accountability that we need to be really grow I Appreciate Doug so much, you know yesterday last night, you know, we celebrated his 50th birthday and Great milestone Doug is a he's an awesome man of God and I love him to death He's a great example for me as a young man to imitate in his faith in Christ His faith of just standing up and being a true man and being a real man Each and every one of us you need to look at the same thing Look at someone in your life that you can imitate because that's what it says, right? This is imitate your leaders who spoke the word of God to you Look at their way of life look at their outcome of life To encourage you to be more and not stay where you are Because you're either growing or you're dying amen There is no in between there's no purgatory You're either growing or you're dying So you must stand firm You must have the conviction to push forward and then and only then do I think we'll be able to change and become like little children amen To God be the glory amen. Thank you so much. I miss 15 You [BLANK_AUDIO]
Sunday lesson by Terrence Spencer.