R717 The Absolutes Of a Purpose Driven Life, Pt.1

God has an encouraging word for you and me today through the Bible-based preaching of Dr. Don Wilton about the absolutes of a purpose-driven life. Today we begin a series with Dr. Wilton about this living out of a purpose-driven life. And as we do so, know that we're available for you connecting right now at www.tewonline.org.

That's www.tewonline.org. Let's get connected. Now today's great teaching with Dr. Don Wilton. I'm going to guarantee you, I know this to be true, because of God's word. I promise you this. I guarantee you, if you open your heart, you allow the Lord Jesus to speak to you. Lay aside all your dispositions.

Lay aside all the things that so easily beset you. Let God speak to you. I promise you, he'll set you free. He will liberate you. He'll write his song upon your heart. And he'll bless you.

He'll fill in those gaps. And above all, he will declare himself to you. And he will show you again what his divine purpose is. So let me tell you what it is. And then I'm going to talk to you a lot about what it is this morning from the word of God.

We're going to be studying the absolutes of a purpose driven life. What is an absolute? Let me just talk to you for a moment.

An absolute is kind of like when you go to your mom and dad sometimes. And you absolutely want to do something. Or you want to eat something.

You know, like your mom made the most delicious chocolate cake you've ever seen. And you just want another slice of that chocolate cake. You want some more pie or something like that. And you go and you say, I want some more. You want some cookies or you want to go somewhere. And your daddy looks at you and he says to you, sweetie pie, no, you cannot have any more. And you go, I want something and I want it now.

Why can't I have it? Now I know none of you have ever done that because if you did, you would have your left leg amputated. Do you know what I'm talking about? That's not nice. And your daddy says, no.

So you say, well, I've got an idea. I'm just going to go to mama. So you wait and you go to mama. You go up to her and you say, mama, can I do this? Can I eat that?

Can I have that? And all of a sudden you find your mommy and daddy just love each other far too much. And they kind of on the same page and they just don't ever do things like that to mess you up. And mama knows better than that because mamas have got ears behind their, I'm telling you, got ears behind their heads and eyes all over their body.

They can see and hear everything. And mama says, well, what did your daddy say? And you say, well, it doesn't matter what daddy said, mama, I've come to ask you because you're the sweet one and you smell so nice.

And your mama looks at you and she says to you, sweetie pie, I love you. But if daddy said no, it's no. Boys and girls, that's an absolute.

You know what it means? It means it doesn't matter how badly you want it. Doesn't matter how good you think that chocolate cake is going to be for you. It doesn't matter how deprived you are.

It doesn't matter how you react. Your mommy and daddy said no. That's an absolute. See, the ones who have been entrusted with you that love you so much, they doing that because they love you. Not because they want to be selfish or they want to be ugly.

They're doing that for whatever reason because they think it's better for you and they love you. Now, boys and girls, God is like that. God is our heavenly father and he loves us and he puts down on the table through the Bible some absolutes. And when he puts those down, it doesn't matter what Dr. Don thinks about it or what we as a church think about it or what some book says about it.

It actually doesn't matter. God says it. I mean, he's made that decision.

It's settled. That's what an absolute is all about. We're going to be looking at the absolutes of a purpose-driven life.

Now, folks, watch this. God has a purpose for all of us. Every one of us, as Steve read a moment ago as the praise team was singing, every one of us are fearfully and wonderfully made. Do you know that God handcrafted you all to his glory. He's made us all unique and he's made us with a specific purpose in life and he reveals his plans to us as he sees fit and he guides us and he directs us. But folks, before we can even get to first base, let alone face the first pitch of God's purpose for us, we've got to understand the absolutes upon which God bases his purpose.

These are the non-negotiables. All right, let's begin this morning. I want you to turn in your Bibles to Romans 11. Romans 11.

Wonderful, wonderful doxology. This is a blessing. This is unbelievable what is said here in Romans 11. Now, I want to just read it to you because it's going to help us to contextualize the absolutes of a purpose-driven life. Verse 33 of Romans chapter 11. Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God.

What a statement. How unsearchable his judgments and his paths beyond tracing out. Who has known the mind of the Lord?

Or who has been his counselor? Who has ever given to God that God should repay him? For from him and through him and to him are all things. And so to him be the glory forever and forever.

Amen. Absolutes are everywhere. Some of you might say to me, pastor, here at First Baptist Church, we are contemplating becoming a part of First Baptist Church. Are there any absolutes in this congregation? And I'm glad to report to you that there are.

There are many of them. One of those is the Bible. This book that I hold in my hand today. You see at First Baptist Church for generations, ever since this church was founded, this church believes that this Bible, this book is the inerrant infallible word of the living God.

Now friends, listen. What that means, it means that all through the pages of this book, from Genesis to Revelation, this book doesn't contain God's word. It's not symbolical of. It is God's word. It doesn't tell us about truth.

It is truth. Everything that God has showed to us in his word. So it shouldn't surprise you that our sole authority in this church comes from the word of God. And when something comes up in our own personal lives or in our congregation, our church, whatever it is that we're doing, we try our very best as a congregation, rallying all godly people from all over the congregation. I try to do it as your pastor. I try to do my best.

You try to do your best. Our Sunday school teachers, everybody in this church, we're always trying to go back and ask ourselves what does God's word have to say? Why do we do that? Because we believe that God's word is absolute truth. God's word's not dependent upon what I think about it or what the chairman of deacons, Al Clark thinks about it or what the deacons think about it or what a Sunday school teacher thinks about it. God has said what he says.

Our job is to know what God's purpose is to determine his will and to carry that out as he has given it to us through his word. God's word teaches us about the absolutes of the word of God that are non-negotiable. Here in this church, for example, and I know that I'm spending a lot of time introducing the subject, but I beg your pardon today. Friends, I will sin against the Lord. If there is anybody today who is worshiping with us who does not feel that God is speaking to you about that which will liberate your heart, if you understand the matter of absolutes, you will be set free.

Now listen carefully. If you have a weak theology, now what is the word theology? Comes from theos, which means God. It is about God.

Theology means about God. If you have a weak understanding about God, you're going to have a weak lifestyle. You see, the less you stand upon God and his word, the more you have permission to do whatever it is you want to do. That's why we live in a world today that says, I'm going to do whatever I want to do. God says, excuse me, that's not freedom. You want to be set free. You tie your life into the purpose that God has in store for you. Because let me tell you something folks, the reason why that mom and dad told that little boy or girl, no more chocolate cake or no more pizza or no more going out or whatever it was, was for one reason.

They loved their son and daughter. They are doing it for their benefit. God doesn't sit down there and say, now let me see how miserable I can make them today. Well, I'm just going to restrict their lives. I'm just going to take this away and I'm going to take that away and I'm going to just make them so miserable. God doesn't do that.

In fact, the very opposite is true. Jesus Christ has come to set us free. Friend, listen, if it wasn't for Jesus Christ and you went through a divorce, you'd be the most miserable person that's ever lived. But because of Jesus Christ and the absolutes of his truth concerning forgiveness, you have been set free.

You've been liberated. God has set you free and forgiveness and redemption through his blood is an absolute. God doesn't say, well, I'm going to forgive you for your sin accepting if you've done this, this, this and this.

No, forgiveness is an absolute. But you've got to understand it. You've got to understand where it comes from, what it means, because in understanding that and holding to that, God sets you free.

He liberates you once and for all. We may have plans and aspirations, but I'm going to tell you something, folks. We will not do anything for Jesus Christ if we don't understand the absolutes upon which he bases his plans for us. Well, this church has got some absolutes. In fact, we believe that there are three overriding principles that govern the behavior of this church.

I'm going to share them with you this morning. There are three non-negotiables that this church as a congregation, First Baptist Church of Spartanburg, South Carolina, that we hold in our hearts. They are three non-negotiables that are based upon biblical principle that are absolutes. Number one, there is the matter of absolute truth. There's the matter of absolute truth. Well, you might say to me, pastor, what is absolute truth?

Well, we've been talking about it. You want to know where absolute truth is? It starts in Genesis 1, goes through all the way through the end of the book of Revelation. Absolute truth is God. Absolute truth is the Lord Jesus Christ.

Nobody could take his place. He's the one who died on the cross. Absolute truth is the salvation that we have through his shed blood upon the cross. Absolute truth is the Bible, the word of God. Now, folks, watch me. Watch me and listen carefully. In so far as I'm able to do so, in so far as our chairman of deacons is able to do, in so far as our deacons, our leadership, and in so far as the whole body of Christ, this body of believers, in so far as we are able to do it as a family together, we give one another permission never to compromise on absolute truth. Now, folk, you have my word on that. I'll guarantee you the deacons will stand with one voice. You've got our word on that.

The body here at First Baptist Church will stand on it. You have our word on that. The matter of absolute truth. If God has written that down in his word and we have studied it and the Spirit of God has opened our heart, by the way, are we all going to exactly agree on everything exactly the same way?

Of course not. Folks, that's the Spirit of God. The Spirit of God gives us utterance.

We're not here to say, man, everybody's gonna be right here. Listen, but when it comes to absolute truth, we're all on the same page. There's no question about it and we give ourselves permission never to negotiate or compromise when it comes to absolute truth. The second non-negotiable principle is the matter of personal conviction. Now, folks, personal conviction, very important. I'm a man of great personal conviction.

You know that. I think most of our people are people of wonderful personal conviction. I pray all the time that our mothers and fathers are going to be people who will inculcate personal convictions in the hearts and lives of their sons and daughters.

We must be. And let me add this to you. If you're non-negotiable on absolute truth, that's where your personal convictions are going to come from. Personal convictions grow out of absolute truth, or at least they ought to, but they don't always necessarily do that because personal convictions are not necessarily based upon a clear word from God through His word. Personal convictions many times are things that are based upon our upbringing, based upon what we've been taught. They are our value systems. They are important, folks. They ought never to be discounted.

In fact, the very opposite. We ought to encourage that, but I want everybody to listen to me in so far as I'm able to do so. We do not, we do not give anybody in this church permission to impose their personal convictions on this congregation as absolute truth. Now we need to listen carefully, folks, because God will set you free. Your personal convictions are important, ought to come out of absolute truth, but not necessarily because we are all the products of our society, our culture, our parents, our heritage, personal convictions. Listen, just being an American brings incredible personal conviction.

They are good, but we can never impose our personal conviction on God's church as absolute truth. Well, the third non-negotiable principle, and I love this one, is the matter of personal preference. Personal preference.

Uh-oh. Now folks, we've all got personal preferences. I tell you, I certainly do. Just come with me to Chick-fil-A and you'll see I've got personal preferences.

Boy, I drive up to that window and drive them batty. You know why? Because I like it this way and that way. I want one pickle instead of three. I either like tomatoes or I don't like tomatoes.

You like tomatoes and that's why you're all messed up. Well, when you come into God's house, can you imagine how many personal preferences there are here this morning? Those of us who are Christians, and I can understand that. Boy, there are some people who would look at me, they've got personal preferences.

I'll guarantee you there's some people who prefer me to wear red tie, not a silver tie. There's some people who say, well, man, I wish that preacher would stand behind that pulpit and be so quiet he sounds like he's about the business of articulate snoring. And others would say, man, we like the preacher when he gets all fired up and moves around and he's got some action in him. Some people say, look, man, I don't like singing those choruses, man. I hate choruses.

I wish they'd never brought choruses. Other people say, man, I just want to sing hymns. Some people like the quieter wear blue and others want them to wear white. Some people like the chandeliers this way and other people like them that way. Some people want this and some people want that. Some people want this color carpet.

Some people want that. Some people want to stand when they sing. Every time we stand, I know there's somebody sitting out there saying, I wish that Steve Skinner would let us sit down. And then when we sit down, I'm telling you, there's somebody out there saying, you know, how can we sit down and sing like this?

I've never heard anything so ridiculous. I wish he'd let us stand up. Let me tell you something, folks, watch this. In so far as we are able to do so, we do not give anybody in this church permission to impose their own personal preferences on this church as absolute truth. Now, please listen carefully.

Please listen. That is why this is such a happy place to be. Folks, we don't allow one another to become embroiled in personal convictions and personal preferences. And I say this with all the love of my heart. There are Southern Baptist churches all over South Carolina that are falling apart.

Do you know why they falling apart? Because they are being built on personal preference, not on absolute truth. I'm going to be perfectly honest with you folks. I will never be a part of a church that is built on personal preference. Please hear what I'm saying. I'm so grateful.

I don't think this would ever happen. I'm telling you, this church started to fuss about something. I'm out of here.

I got too much to do. I will not spend five minutes of my life in ministry fussing about carpets, which side the window is going to be in, whether or not we should tear that down, whether this choir should be there, whether that should happen. I will not spend 30 seconds of my ministry playing around with junk that Satan used to split and break the church.

I want to be about the father's business. Is there someone who will say amen to that? Let's give God a hand this morning. Folks, there is too much.

There is too much hurt in this world. And if you and I, as believers, we find ourselves saying, Oh God, speak to my heart. Would you show me what your perfect will is?

God says, before I say one other word, I want you to know there are some absolutes. You're listening to Dr. Don Wilton, our teacher here on The Encouraging Word, and he'll be back with the rest of today's message in just a moment. But I want to remind you about some resources on our website right now at www.tewonline.org. That's www.tewonline.org. You'll discover this wonderful be salt and light message from the pastor and a book, A Call for Courage, both wonderful resources that'll help us defend our faith in the world in which we live.

It's online at www.tewonline.org. Now back to today's great teaching with Dr. Don Wilton. That you never determined into existence. There are some non-negotiables that you must accept whether or not you understand them. There are some things that I've put in place through my word. And folks, I'm just going to be focusing on three of them.

You might say goodness me, that's not very much. It will suffice for the purposes of the purpose driven life. What is this all about? What is it all about?

Why the absolutes of a purpose driven life? I'll tell you why folks, because just like you, I've been on many a steep climb. I've been many a deep, deep valley. I've seen poor people hurt. I've watched people cry out for mercy from the Lord. I've seen precious people just drop through the cracks. I've watched parents who've brought up their children in godly homes and who've seen their children grow up and seemingly turn their backs on God and ask why. I've seen bad things happen to good people. I've watched people hurt in every way you could imagine.

And folks, let me tell you something. How can we ever tap into what God has purposed for us if we've got nothing to stand on? What do these absolutes do for us?

I just want to give you three things that will happen to you. First of all, they bind us to the heart of God. They bind us to the heart of God.

That's what absolutes do for you through the word of God, folks. They bind you. Now that word they bind, it sounds like you're going to be in captivity. No, not in terms of a prisoner, excepting that Paul put it like this. He said, I am a prisoner for the sake of Christ.

You see, if you don't know Jesus Christ, you've never trusted him. You've never been set free. You are a prisoner of Satan. You are bound. You are constricted. You are restricted.

You cannot turn. When Jesus Christ comes into your heart, he'll set you free. Now, does he set you free to license? No, he sets you free to true love. He sets you free to true freedom. Number two, absolutes hold us to the word of God. They don't only bind us to the heart of God, they hold us.

See, this is accountability, folks. This is ultimate discipleship. What is God doing with you? This is the purpose driven life and if we are to understand the ops, the absolutes of the dispensation of the grace of God, we must understand that these are those things that God has written in the constitution of almighty God that bind us to his heart, that hold us to his word and that motivate us to listen to him. But I want you to know that God says, my purpose for you is that when you come into my kingdom, that I will say to you, well done, good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy.

As God stirred our hearts in the Bible based teaching of Dr. Don Wilton today, I hope that you would open your heart to now what he wants to step into the studio and just share from his heart. Are you ready to give your heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ? Why don't you pray this prayer with me right now? Dear God, I know that I'm a sinner and I know that Jesus died for me on the cross. Today I repent of my sin and by faith I receive you into my heart in Jesus name. My friend, I welcome you today into the family of God.

This is exciting news. Perhaps you just prayed along with Dr. Wilton to give your life to Christ or rededicate your life to Jesus. Dr. Don Wilton has wonderful resources he wants you to have if you'll call us, 866-899-WORD. These resources are absolutely free, 866-899-9673 and we love to pray with you. Remind us of your prayer request when you call or if you'd like to tell your story to Dr. Wilton, his email is Don, D-O-N at T-E-W online.org. He would love to not only hear from you to celebrate what God's doing in your life through the ministry of the encouraging word, but also pray for you.

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