R1580 Living Between the Two Easters

Conditional love, if this, then that. Sometimes we think that's a bad thing.

Sometimes it's mission critical. Welcome to The Encouraging Word, featuring the Bible-based preaching of Dr. Don Wilton, well-known author, evangelist, and pastor. And today, his topic is, If My People. God's love for us is unconditional, but if we want our land to change, there is a condition. And it's a condition to those of us that call ourselves followers of Christ. This is a challenging message we're about to hear from Dr. Don Wilton, but here's the good news.

It's a challenge we're in together. If you need someone to pray with you and for you, we're standing ready right now to take your call at 866-899-WORD. We would love to pray with and for you.

866-899-9673 or online at tewonline.org. And now, Dr. Don Wilton. I'm going to ask you to open your Bible to 2 Chronicles, chapter 7. Then I'm going to ask you to open your Bibles to 2 Corinthians, chapter 6. Then I'm going to ask you to open your Bibles to 1 Peter and chapter 2.

2 Chronicles, chapter 7. I want you to be ready with your Bibles. Then I'm going to go to 2 Corinthians, chapter 6. And then I'm going to read to you from 2 Peter, 1 Peter, chapter 2. I want you to listen very carefully today. Some of what you're about to hear in the next four weeks is not going to make you feel comfortable. God is going to sift us out. This is what the Word says. And I'm going to begin in 2 Chronicles, chapter 7, and I'm only reading one verse today.

We've got four weeks. 2 Chronicles, chapter 7 and verse 14. If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from them up in heaven. Then I will forgive their sin.

Then I will heal their land. Turn with me to 2 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, chapter 6, and I'm beginning at verse 16. 2 Corinthians, chapter 6, and I'm beginning at verse 16. What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God. For as God said, I will make my dwelling among them, and I will walk among them, and I will be their God.

And they shall be my people. Therefore, go out from their midst and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing. Then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord God Almighty. Chapter 7 and verse 1. Since we have these promises, people of God, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of the body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.

Turn with me quickly to 1 Peter, I beg your pardon, 1 Peter chapter 2 and verse 9. But you, God's people, are a chosen race. You are a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people.

Once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. I want to speak to you today on the subject, If My People. We're going to ask a number of questions to try to work on this. People all around us continually use phrases like we're all the children of God.

I've heard people say many, many times, and I respect this greatly. Well, we just all need to ask God. We just all need to pray.

Yes, we do. What does God have to say about this, and who is he talking to? And who is God? Who is God? And who is God talking to?

Who am I? What does God have to say to me? And why does he if me? Why does God say if my people? Why would he say that to me if I am one of God's people? Well, let's take a look at this together. Number of questions. First of all, who are God's people?

Well, the Bible is chock full of defining who God's people are. I'm going to make this as simple as I possibly can for you. I know you're going to have to write quickly. You can go to our web. You can download. You will see this outline right there for you. You can copy that.

You can study this. Who are God's people, according to the Scriptures? Just five things. Number one, we are saved. We are saved. God has saved us from our sin. We are the redeemed. We were born in sin. We suffer the consequence, the wages of sinners death, but God in Christ Jesus. Who is God? He's the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. And God so loved the world that he gave Jesus so that you and I might be saved.

Isn't that wonderful? We are saved. Number two, we are indwelt. We are indwelt. God's people are indwelt by the Spirit of God. When Jesus went back to heaven, God sent his Spirit, and his Spirit came down at Pentecost, and he filled every single believer, God's people. I am an indwelt person of God because the Spirit of God is in me. Number three, we are accompanied. God is not only in me by his Spirit, but he is with me in that he accompanies me.

Did you know that God goes everywhere with his people because he's in them and he accompanies them? That's what defines me as the person or the people of God. We are saved, we're indwelt, we're accompanied.

Number four, we are family. Great passage that I read to you a minute ago in 2 Corinthians. God tells us very clearly that we are sons and daughters. You are my brother and my sister in Christ.

That's, I love you. We are family together. We're part of God's family. He's my heavenly Father.

He's your heavenly Father. I am one of God's people. If my people call by my name, who are we?

Who are you? Who are God's people? We're saved, we're indwelt, we're accompanied, we're family. But there's a fifth one I put there, we're fearful. We're fearful. Why are we fearful?

Because we fear God. Please forgive the interruption. We'll be back with more of today's message, my people, with Dr. Don Wilton in just a moment.

But now more than ever, in this time of separation, we would have never thought this pandemic would have gone on this long. And there may be situations in your life you need someone to pray with you about. We would love to do that. As Dr. Don would say, we would be honored to be one of your 2 a.m. friends. Anytime, call us at this number. If you haven't jotted down or stored it in your cell, do so now, 866-899.

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866-899-WORD. All prayer calls are confidential. We would love to pray for you. The encouraging word is a viewer and listener supported ministry. Thank you for listening today. Now back to today's powerful message from Dr. Don Wilton called, If My People. This is the encouraging word.

Who are God's people? We're saved, we're indwelt, we're accompanied, we're family. But there's a fifth one I've put there, we're fearful. We're fearful.

Why are we fearful? Because we fear God. God, our Heavenly Father, is not to be trifled with. You don't disrespect God. Many of us are guilty of treating our own mothers and fathers with great disrespect at times.

Many of us, when we're younger, we have regrets. Many times we talk to our fathers in a manner that's not pleasing to the Lord. Many of us do that when it comes to God, our Heavenly Father. And He won't accept it.

He won't tolerate it. We are God's people. We are fearful of God.

We stand in awe of His presence. Question number one, who are God's people? Question number two, why did God choose?

A people. Why did God choose a people? Why? Why did He do this? Well, there are three big reasons in the Scripture amongst many others.

Here they are. Number one, He chose us as God's people to be the object of His blessings. We are the object of all His blessings.

Isn't that just too magnificent that a holy and a righteous God, our Heavenly Father, would choose us to be His people so that we can be the object of His blessings? I have three grown children, Rob, Greg, and Shelly. They're all adults serving the Lord Jesus across the nation. My daughter serves the Lord overseas with Samaritan's Purse.

I can tell you this as father to my three grown children. They are the object of my blessings. Not only did God choose us to be His people so that we might be the object of His blessings, but that we might be the instrument of His blessings.

The means by which God carries out His mission. I am God's instrument. You are God's instrument.

Isn't that wonderful? God chose us to be a people not only so that we might become the object of His blessings and the instrument of His blessings, but third, that we might be the living proof of His blessings. I am one of God's people. I am a son of the living God. You and I are sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father, and because we are, God has chosen us to be His people in order that you and I might be the living proof of the very blessings of God.

In other words, God chose us so that the character of God might reflect in and through us. Yes, as His objects. Yes, as His instruments, but yes, as the living proof. You are salt and light. You are salt, my friend. You're the living proof that God is the God of His word.

He's the great I am. Why would God choose us? Number three, what is the requirement for God's people? Does the Bible have any requirement? Oh yes, the Bible does. God has a very stringent set of requirements.

Nowhere in the Scriptures does the Bible teach us an easy believer-ism, an insipid form of lukewarm Christian faith. Nowhere does the Bible say, well, you're one of God's people, just get out there and do whatever you want to. Nowhere in the Bible does God say, well, whenever you feel like it, serve me. Nowhere in the Bible does God's word say, anytime you kind of feel like it, just seek my face. God's word doesn't say, you know, it's not important. You don't have to turn from your wicked ways. It's okay, I can deal with that. I'm going to accommodate your eccentricities and your sin and your waywardness and your politics. No. What is the requirement for God's people?

If my people are called by my name, what is the requirement? I list just four of them. Number one, continual denial. Jesus said, if you want to follow me, you've got to deny yourself. What does it mean to deny myself? It means that nothing about myself matters. Nothing about me comes first. This goes to the root and to the heart of the very means by which we become one of God's people. Deny myself.

It's nothing about me, it's all about you. Requirement number one. Requirement number two, continual repentance. For God's people. 1 John 1, 9, if we, God's people, if we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If my people who are called by my name will turn from their wicked ways.

I'm going to get onto this if. The very big question, what is the requirement for God's people? That we just simply go to church? That we just simply look like Christians? That we just simply every once in a while take God out of a box?

No. What does God require of us? Continual denial and continual repentance. Continual obedience. Jesus led the way. He was obedient to the Father even to His death upon the cross. Perpetual continual obedience.

What does that mean? Yes, Lord. That's what it means. This is what God says, if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray. Yes, Lord.

Are you willing to be obedient? In everything. Not in some things, in everything. With your money, with your time, with your affections. With where you go, with what you do, with how you speak. Continual obedience. Number four, continual righteousness. God's call, that's why we fear God, because He calls us to live holy lives, pleasing unto Him.

Peter put it like this. He said, be holy. That's God's call to us. Be righteous. It's the active ingredient of the very requirement that God places upon all of God's people. Nothing more, nothing less.

Boom, it's just like that. Question number four. What then is the responsibility of God's people? Do we have a responsibility? Well, I've read to you out of 1 Peter, 2 Corinthians, in our primary text for the next four weeks, the Bible tells us very clearly that God has a specific set of responsibilities that He puts upon God's people. He doesn't ask us to call the synod together. He doesn't say, why don't you have a deacons meeting to discuss whether or not we're going to do these things? He doesn't say, well, depending which church or denomination you come from. He doesn't say whether you're rich or you're poor is going to determine your responsibility. No, He says this of all of God's people, all of us, every one of us.

What does He tell us? I'm just listing three. Number one, to separate, separate.

Not only be different, but look different. Come out from among. One of my friends I was told recently made this statement and it's very powerful. Perhaps during this time of the coronavirus, big G-O-D, big God, is removing all the small G-O-Ds from our lives. He's showing us that He, big G-O-D, is the only one who matters. He's telling us to come out and to separate ourselves from all the small G-O-Ds that have become gods in our lives, whether it be athletics, sport, hunting, fishing, whether it be doing this, going that, whether it be our own self-sufficiently. God says to God's people, separate yourself.

Come out from among. You and I can enjoy the great things of life. Oh, how much I miss watching my favorite sport.

I miss that greatly. I too am looking forward to football season. I don't know what it's going to look like and I'm going to enjoy it. I'm looking forward to being able to go out to restaurants again. I'm really looking forward to going on vacation. I'm looking forward to going down to the beach. I'm looking forward to fishing. I'm looking forward to visiting my friends, but I cannot make all of these things that God has blessed us, the gods of my life.

Can you feel it? I think God is realigning us, don't you think, my friends? I think God is readjusting us and He tells us what we need to be doing. He says, if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven. Then I will forgive their sin.

Then I will heal their land. I want to ask God to do that. And I am one of God's people. By God's definition, He's talking to me.

I believe He's talking to you too. God is saying something and we better listen to God. What is the responsibility of God's people? To separate. Number two, to avoid. Number three, to strive. There are three active words, separate, avoid, strive. Listen, it takes a lot of spiritual discipline to please God.

You better believe it does. You've got to strive. Why? Because we're sinners by nature and we're sinners by choice. It's jolly hard work, living for Jesus.

Because of our human enfleshment. Paul put it like this, he said, the good that I would, that I do not, and the evil that I would not, that I do. He called himself a wretched man and I do too. I'm the chief of sinners. But by God's help, these things I will do because I'm one of His children. Question, so then how do people become God's people?

I use the acronym three letters, ACT. How do people become God's people according to Scripture? Number one, acknowledge your sin.

The Bible says all of us have sinned. Number two, confess your sin. Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life.

No man can come to the Father but by me. Number three, trust in God by faith. The Bible says the just shall live by faith. Those who it is just as if they had never sinned get to that point by virtue of their faith, putting their faith in and through the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ by His Spirit.

Do that. Would you give your life to Christ today? I want you to give your heart to Jesus today. I call upon you to become one of God's people because God had something to say to us and He's speaking to us today and He's saying, if you are my people, are you? And if you are, why did God if His people? Well, there are four possible reasons why God if-ed His people.

Number one, because if describes a distinct possibility. God if-ed my people who are called by my name because if that condition describes a distinct possibility, I think God is saying, maybe not. Maybe you are not, which is why you don't. Or maybe He is saying, if you are, that doesn't mean to say you will. If my people who are called by my name.

Oh, it raises a distinct possibility. A, that I'm not one of God's people. That's why I've invited you to give your life to Christ. That B, if in fact I am and I am, that if raises the distinct possibility that even though I belong to Jesus, I'm not humbling myself and praying and seeking His face.

I'm not turning from my wicked ways. Why did God if His people? Number two, because if infers a definitive demand. That little word if, you could use the word unless my people who are called by my name. Unless it infers a definitive demand.

It carries a warning. Here's what God is saying to us, my friends. Unless we, God's people. This is not a clarion call to the way speaking to America.

This is to God's people. If, unless it implies, it infers a definitive demand. Number three, this if eliminates any level of uncertainty. God's telling us if. In other words, there is no other way.

It eliminates all the uncertainty. There's no other way. God says, you want me to hear from heaven? You want me to forgive your sin? God says, you want me to heal your land? Well, if my people called by my name will humble themselves and pray, seek my face, turn from their wicked ways, then if eliminates any level of uncertainty.

Number four, number four, get this. Why did God if His people? Because it carries an absolute promise. If carries an absolute promise. Isn't that great? God says, if my people do, then I will.

I love that. If my people do what? Do what? Humble themselves, seek my face, pray, turn from their wicked way, then I will do.

What am I going to do? I'm going to hear from heaven. I'm going to forgive their sin. It's God's promise to heal our land as we humble ourselves. And perhaps the Lord has stirred your heart today that you need to humble yourself, not about praying for this country, not about praying for our land, but about praying for your own soul, about coming to grips with the reality that God's using this broadcast to let you know He loves you.

He's challenging followers of Christ to pray, but He's challenging you as a distant, perhaps friend far from God, to turn your life to Him now. You can do that in a simple prayer. Repeat after me, Lord God, I realize my sin has separated me from You, so I turn away from my sin. I repent. I decide to follow You, Jesus.

I believe You are the Son of God and died for my sins on the cross of Calvary. Save me. In Jesus' name I pray. Oh, how we'd love to talk with you, pray with you. If you have made that commitment in your heart, God's ready to change your life. Meet us at 866-899-9673 or online at tewonline.org.