Today on real life radio. That nestled in and around God's perfect will for your life is a lifetime of challenges. That's how we grow. The Word of God loves that. The Word of God is powerful.
and takes on those things. Yeah. This is real life. Welcome to Real Life Radio with Pastor Jack Hibbs. I'm David Jay, thanking you for joining us today as we listen, learn, and are challenged by God's Word, the Bible.
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So my prayer is that RLN will keep reaching more people with truth and equipping them as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ and pointing them to this generation for His glory. On today's edition of Real Life Radio. Pastor Jack continues now in his series called Disciplines of Life and a message titled The Discipline of Duty.
Now the Christian walk is full of disciplines, trials, and setbacks, but God uses the hard seasons of life to shape our faith from the inside out. And now, after 31 weeks in this series, we come to the final discipline that ties everything together, and that is our calling to serve. You see, duty isn't a burden for the believer who truly knows God's heart. When we understand that we've been saved for a purpose, that God has equipped us with gifts and placed us here for such a time as this, duty becomes our joy. It's not something we have to do, it's what we get to do.
So today, Pastor Jack teaches that the discipline of duty means doing the will of God, even though the times are rough. Following Jesus, it's not always easy, but it's always well worth it. God has challenged each of us to do great things for his kingdom while we still have the freedom and the opportunity to do just that.
Now with his message called The Discipline of Duty. Here's Pastor and Bible teacher Jack Hibbs. Desiring the will of God is the evidence of a new life. Do you, listen, church, desire the will of God? First Peter 2.
Verse 1 says, Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, run away from it, fight it, push it off, get away from it. Verse 2, as newborn babes. Desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby. What do newborn babies do? They eat they drink milk.
Yeah. Sometimes, when it's a real little baby, I'm dedicating and I'm holding the baby, and you know, the and now sometimes I'll go like it's hilarious from my angle.
Sometimes they'll get just a little, watch this: it's like a level with a bubble in it. You know, a level? And you lean the kid over just a little bit and the bubble must move in their head. Because here I am, I'm an absolute stranger. I am not their mother.
And the little mouth goes... I'm sorry, buddy. I just can't help you. Ain't nothing there. Ha ha ha.
What's that kid doing? By nature, that kid is looking for nourishments. Right? As newborn babes desire milk. We desire God's will through his word we find it.
It's a dangerous thing. I tell you, it's a terrifying thing for someone to have said, Jesus, come into my heart, come into my life, and then you never pick up the Bible after that. Listen. I personally, I'm not judging anyone. I have no one in my mind.
I'm just telling you right now, one of the evidences of. A new life. Is a desire for the will of God, and that will be manifested in the pursuit of the Bible. It doesn't mean it's going to be a battle. It will be a battle.
Uh But there's a new life. Second is the proof of the Holy Spirit's work. You can see the Holy Spirit at work in your life. Desiring the will of God is the proof of the Holy Spirit's work. In your life, he's working in the believer's life all the time.
Ask yourself, If this is a fact in your life. When you first gave your heart to Jesus Christ, listen, you sat, listen carefully to this. You sat and you listened and you grew and you couldn't get enough of the Bible. Listen. Then, as time went on, you began to get a little bit, I would put it, motivated.
That's what happened to me, but I handled it wrong when I was a new Christian. You get motivated. What does that mean? You've got thoughts of, like, hey, I can teach this message better. Or, I can greet better than those people.
I could usher better than those people. I can be a pastor better than those pastors. I can watch. At that moment, church, listen. At that moment, you've reached a critical, critical, beautiful, horrible crossroad.
You have grown. It's in your head. But if it doesn't translate into duty, Christian service, you know what happens? Listen, it happened to me 30 years ago. I was too scared to step out and serve, but I knew a lot.
So what happens?
Well, I don't know why they park cars like that. I'm serious, listen. If I were him. I wouldn't have used that verse for that sermon. I'm sitting down as a punk new believer.
Listening to Chuck Smith. And thinking in my pea brain Well, I don't know why he didn't use Romans 8, 2 on that. point And I had to learn this the hard way. God sent me to the woodshed. And I'm not going to tell you how he beat me up.
But he got my attention. Let me tell you something. If you're in that place right now and you're saying, well, I don't know why, and I come and that's a me and this and that and I don't know what, listen. You're in a dangerous spot. You know what?
You're gonna get bitter. and you're getting off track. Because God has invested, invested, invested, and invested and invested you. You've said and you've grown and you've listened and now it's in you and it wants to come out of you in ministry duty, in service. But it's gone to your head instead of your heart.
So, what do you do? You start criticizing instead of duty. And everything's wrong. The city is wrong, the state's wrong, the church is wrong. Everything's wrong, and then God, you don't say it, but you live it, and we all see it from a distance.
You're actually, in your arrogance, you're announcing God is wrong. Because what you're really saying is if I were God, I would have done it this way. I listen, some of you need to hear this, I'm guessing. It's a big room. I mean, I don't know anything.
It's just the law of probability right now. Think about it.
So what's the answer passage? Heck? The answer is Repent, humble your heart. and get plugged in. In Southern California, you can go in any direction and bump into a packed, Bible-believing, spirit-filled church.
We are rich in Southern California. You know what? I don't like this message. I'm going to go somewhere else. And that's fine.
Here's the thing: you better find some place to park. and get involved. Because unless your Christianity is dependent upon others. You're wasting your life. And you're wasting the time of others around you.
Did you hear what I said? This is strong stuff. We have to end strong like this. 30 weeks we've invested. In the Word of God, and the Lord is invested in us.
And now what does he say? He says, here's the deal. Time's short. The end's near. You're running out of opportunity, church.
Christian. Lay down your grievances and get up, grab sword and shield. Get your feet prepared and get in the fight. Stop pointing and start marching. Pretty soon, this is all going to be over, and you're Spiritual heritage will be, well, I would have.
And God's going to say, well, why didn't you ever? Bury what I gave you in the ground. knowing I was returning. Strong stuff needed. Desiring the will of God is the proof of the Holy Spirit's work.
Thirdly, under this point, is that it's the birthmark of every true believer desiring the will of God. Every true believer has a birthmark, and that birthmark is the will of God. John 10 verse 4 says, and when he brings out his own sheep, Jesus says, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice, yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from a stranger, for they do not know the voice of strangers. A birthmark of a true believer is desiring the will of God. And when someone comes like a false shepherd or a false leader with their own agenda, The Bible warns us on the last days that there'll be people to pull away out of the flock those to get their.
Agenda stacked. The Bible says watch out.
Now, the birthmark of every true believer is desiring the will of God, not following men. People, clubs, cliques, things. You say, man, we'll be a rebel then. That's right. True Christianity, in my opinion, is a rebel.
It's a rebel against hell, it's a rebel against evil, it's a rebel against apathy. True Christianity is a rebel. Against the things of this world. The world wants you to sit down, fall asleep, and it will tell you when to wake up. By the way, it will only wake you up after you're dead.
The Bible says, arise, sleeper, awake. Wasn't that the Salvation moment for Jonah. Arise, awake, O sleeper. Far too many people are asleep. The birthmark of the believer is desiring the will of God.
And you can read it later. Time doesn't permit, but John chapter 3, verses 1 through 8, you've got Nicodemus. You can watch a man Awaken. Nicodemus, a man full of religion. Having no Satisfaction in his soul, and Jesus draws him out and draws him into faith.
You're listening to real life with Pastor Jack Hibbs. To learn more about this ministry or to catch up on some previous episodes, go to jackhibbs.com. That's jackhibbs.com. And now, let's get back to today's message. Once again, here's Pastor Jack.
Third and final point, it's this. It's doing the will of God. Doing the will of God. This is where we end our series. Of course, obviously.
Doing the will of God. Means this. It means that I am now willing to follow him. Are you willing to follow Jesus?
Now, watch. Are you willing to follow Jesus?
Listen, I gotta warn you. This is a costly declaration. And I don't want anyone to take it lightly. In fact, I gotta tell you, in studying for this, it's like. Wow.
I mean, I gotta back up. Doing the will of God. means that I am now willing to follow Jesus. Islamic Muslim terrorist attacks against churches in Iraq. Murdered.
Martyred. killed Christians. You say, well, that'll never happen here. How do you know?
Well, the rapture will happen before that. Who says? Where'd you get that idea from? Why would the church in America escape persecution? You say, well, Pastor, I mean, don't you believe the rapture could happen tonight?
Of course I do. I pray it does. But what if it doesn't? The way this nation's going, listen, do you think, listen, you may be old and you're saying, what do I care? I'll be dead soon.
I had someone tell me that. How'd a Christian tell me that? I don't care. I'll be dead soon. I said, well, thank you very much.
No, I did. I said, thank you very much. I said, I'd like to ask a question. Do you have any kids? No.
I said that explains your attitude. Because you don't have any kids. You don't have any grandkids. You have no heritage.
So you don't care how this world goes because you'll be dead soon. But what are we leaving? And if the Lord doesn't send revival, there'll be persecution in America. There's already legal persecution. At what point will it tip?
and someone throws the first stone. This is a big deal. Doing the will of God, I had to stop and think about this for a while. The Bible says in Psalm 23, the Lord's my shepherd. Everybody knows that verse.
But now, in light of what I'm thinking, do I believe it? He makes me to lie down in green pastures. Does he? Yeah. I don't know that yet.
I've not been brought to that place. Of being that Persecuted. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I'll fear no evil. I don't know what that's like. Do you know what that's like? For you are with me, for your rod and your staff they comfort me. Is that true?
His rod and his staff. His staff. Did you know that those are implements of saving and Disciplining. God says, Come here, I'm going to hold you. I'm going to burp you because you need it right now.
And then I go do something silly or stupid, and he says, turn left, and I turn right, and I wander in the wilderness and do doughnuts for 40 years. And God says, come over here.
Well why? And he takes, as any good shepherd does, he takes the leg of that little lamb, puts it between two rocks, and he gets a third rock, and he breaks the back leg of that little lamb. And he doesn't set it, he leaves it. And that lamb's crippled for the rest of its life. That's okay.
Guess what? That lamb will not leave the shepherd's side anymore after that. Am I willing to follow him? Secondly, it means that I'm now obedient to his word. The Bible says in Psalm 119, we're almost done.
Psalm 119, 105: Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light. to my path. Wow. We only know what that's like academically. In the context of what I'm talking about, doing the will of God.
In difficult days. You're going to do the will of God these days, my friend. You're going to be an enemy. of people, of movements. The way the government's going very soon.
To be obedient to the Word of God, you could get arrested. What will you obey? Is it true what Satan said? I think it is, huh? Satan said, skin for skin.
A man will do anything. to save his own Skin. You say, yeah, but that didn't turn out good for Satan. Yeah, that's true. Because Job's life It was in the hand of God.
God used Job To prove Satan wrong, listen. I believe Satan made a true statement, but God used Job. God will use the name you shouted out a moment ago to prove Satan wrong. It's personal. You understand?
It's all personal. Jesus saved you. And Satan hates your guts. And wants you dead. The only thing good The only thing that Satan would like more than a dead Christian There's only one thing better than a dead Christian.
to Satan and that is a powerless Christian. That's better. A sterilized Christian in the corner that has no salt and no light. Worthless. to be trodden underfoot.
Wow. And then finally this. Doing the will of God means that I'm now expecting great things. I end this. um with you guys personally i mean i want you to think about this Listen.
Nestled in and around the perfect will of God for your life and mine. is a lifetime of challenges. Did you hear that? nestled in and around you and I. Regarding God's will for our lives.
is a lifetime full of challenges. That's how we grow. The Word of God loves that. The Word of God is powerful. and takes on those things.
That nestled in and around God's perfect will for your life is a lifetime of challenges. A child, a husband, a wife, a business, your health. Your nation, I don't know, whatever. And I thought about this for a moment. Listen, we're almost done.
Listen, how many of you, watch, watch, how many of you would like to... Uh Go to Jerusalem. Raise your hand. How many of you would like to go to Rome? Raise your hands.
What what's wrong? You know, it's rum's beautiful. You should put your hand up. It's cool. Say yeah yeah.
Okay, yep.
Sounds great.
So listen. Acts 23, 11. Listen, we're almost done. We're almost done, but who cares? But we're almost done.
But the following night the Lord stood by Paul and said, Be of good courage, Paul, for as you have testified for me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness of me in Rome. Jerusalem, yeah! Rome, let's go! You want to see Jerusalem? Yes.
You want to see Rome? Yes. How bad? Really bad. Bad enough to do the will of God?
Yeah. I just gave you a text. Let's read it in context. Acts 23 verse 10. Acts 23 verse 10.
Now, when there arose a great dissension, the commander, fearing lest Paul might be pulled to pieces, By them, the people commanded that soldiers go down and take Paul by force from among them and bring them into the barracks. Paul was preaching resurrection and the The Jews went nuts. They tried to kill him. And the following night the Lord stood by him and said, Be of good cheer, Paul, for as you have testified for me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness of me at Rome. Verse 12, And when it was day, some of the Jews banded together and bound themselves under an oath, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.
That's the context. Church, Paul was right in the middle of the will of God. and he was almost torn to pieces. He said, Pastor, you're scaring the But jeebies out of me. 1 Corinthians 1.1.
Paul Called to be an apostle. of Jesus Christ through the will of God. You got that? First Chino Hills 1-1. Hey, listen up.
No. Hang on, we're almost done. Jack, called to be a pastor of Jesus Christ through the will of God. First Anaheim, 1-1. Mike, called to be an engineer of Jesus Christ through the will of God.
Listen to this one. First diamond bar. 1-1. Kathy, called to be a school teacher of Jesus Christ through the will of God. You get my point?
Who are you? What are you? Are you a Christian? You're to live your life to the glory of God. Don't be fearful about it.
Be empowered about it. The Holy Spirit is your power. The Word of God is your promise. Jesus said, I'm with you always, even to the end of the world. And the last verse of this entire series.
Daniel 11, 32. Those who do wickedly against the covenant shall be corrupt and flattery. These are the saints during the tribulation period, the tribulation saints. But the people, that's the believers during the tribulation, who know their God shall be strong and carry out great exploits. Ladies and gentlemen, church family, if that's the promise to the saints of the tribulation period of Daniel 11, who will die for being believers.
What's our excuse? There's no excuse, only marching orders. If they carry out great exploits, while you and I have the freedom, the opportunity, and for now the financial resources. What are we doing? We must carry out great exploits for our God, and that is.
the discipline of life. Yeah. Pastor and Bible teacher Jack Hibbs here on Real Life Radio with his message called The Discipline of Duty. We're so glad you took the time to spend with us today. You know, this message is part of Pastor Jack's series called Disciplines of Life, a series on the disciplines that God builds into the Christian life.
The trials, the setbacks, the hard seasons, he uses those to shape a believer's character. And to deepen our faith. And we'll continue on the next edition of Real Life Radio. America's founding wasn't just political, it was biblical. In the American story, The Beginnings, Tim and David Barton uncover the scripture-anchored principles that shaped this nation from day one.
It's the history they don't teach anymore and the history every American needs. Give a gift to real life and receive the book, plus a free kids guide for America's 250th birthday. And check out our Faith in Freedom collection, bold apparel to wear in celebration of America. Visit jackkibbs.com or call 877-777-2346. Hey, thank you again so much for listening.
And if you'd like to hear or see more of what we do here, you can always go to jackhibbs.com for all the latest on what's going on with this ministry. And please, if you're ever in the Southern California area, come see us at Calvary Chapel Chino Hills. We'd love to see you there in person. It has been so good to be with you today, and I pray you find yourself in the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ. See you on the next episode.
This program is made possible by the generous contributions of you, our listeners. Visit us at jackhibbs.com. That's jackhibbs.com. Until next time, Pastor Jack Hibbs and all of us here at Real Life Radio wish for you solid and steady growth in Christ and in His Word. We'll see you next time here on Real Life Radio.
