Gods Process for Building Sons — Phil Beach Jr.

Wife Pippa are Visiting us from England. By the way after Bruce speaks for a few moments. My dad would like to address everyone. Particularly regarding the success of the pregnancy care center banquet.

It was a tremendous success. Everyone was very pleased so afterwards he'll. He'd like to just make a few comments. But Bruce and Pippa are with us and we first met probably about seven years ago. I believe in that air vicinity and God has knit our hearts together.

With Bruce and Pippa how many remember Mike Barton who has been in our midst? Mike has come a few a number of times. Well, Mike is Pippa's father and. And they're a team. Bruce and Mike are a team. The Lord knit them together quite a many years ago and and The Lord has knit our hearts together and they've been a blessing to our lives and to the lives of many Saints and so.

It's a joy to be able to sit and listen as Bruce opens up God's Word to us this morning. And we pray that he'll speak to our hearts so without any more delay will Turn things over to Bruce so he can share whatever's on his heart.

If you want to use this you may.

I'm told I want to use this so I want to use it. Okay, all right, I Really want to use it. It is it's a real privilege for us to be here in Hackett's town. We've been looking forward to this for a while.

We came from England through Newark on the 4th of September. Came through the airports and have been here since then. And are now on our way back to England and we've had all thanks brother. We've had a just a great time.

Seeing some of you folks some of you I've known before and some of you I'm just getting to know and we've had a great time, of course with all the beaches and And Enjoyed some fine. I keep wanting to say football, but I can't say that in America.

We enjoyed some fine soccer yesterday and With one of your sons was in goal, is that right yesterday? That was some fine goalkeeping. I tell you what I thought you know what that boy may be living with us in England before a long plane in the Premier League.

God's Purpose in the Last Days

That was just some good goalkeeping. I was pleased to see that yesterday. So Was the coach the other team was not so pleased. This morning, I just want to look in the scriptures together for a while, you know, we're living in an interesting time.

People for ages have been saying we're living in the last days. In the last few peaks last few weeks people are starting to say man. We're really living in the last days. But you know in all these things in the midst of all the situations that are happening in the world.

It's crucial that we keep God's perspective on what's going on and realizing that in all things He's working out his purpose. And they're going to be all kinds of events. They're going to be all kinds of situations turmoil.

But God has one objective and that is that his son be glorified in all the earth and That his people be brought to the fullness of the stature of Christ Jesus. And everything moves toward that end. But in the midst of that There is no doubt There are going to be times of trial.

There are going to be times of difficulty and as we come to the climax of the age Things are going to continue to heat up and Luke chapter 21 Jesus is addressing this issue and the whole chapter goes on and he talks about signs and the Sun and the moon and the stars and Nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and the tossing of the sea.

And here's a scripture that's probably been fulfilled more in the last few weeks than it has been for quite a long time that men Will faint from terror apprehensive of what is coming on the earth a Lot of people are scared right now a lot of people are scared.

But Jesus said when these things take place lift up your heads. For your redemption draws nigh and then a few verses down at verse 34 of Luke 21. He makes this comment. He gives us a warning. He says be careful and my apologies at all the King James purists.

I'm reading from the NIV he says be careful or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation drunkenness and the anxieties of life and That day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap. For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth be always on the watch and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen and That you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.

In the midst of all these things Jesus gives us the warning be careful. Be careful be watching. Because it's possible that in the midst of all the turmoil and the tribulation we can get weighed down with with things.

And he mentions three things and the first two are pretty obvious. Church going people they don't they say oh, yeah the drunkenness and the dissipation. Sure. Sure. I got that. No problem I'm not going to get weighed down, but then he drops that third one and it's kind of a bomb the anxieties of life.

Where are people who get caught up in America? I have to say is probably the worst of any place. I've seen in the world and Getting caught up with stuff. Just stuff the everyday events of life can just all of a sudden begin to weigh and weigh and weigh and weigh.

And we get so caught up in to the things that are going on. That suddenly this thing springs on us. And you know the word keeps coming out. Get back to normality. Big events have happened get back to normality and you know, there's a great truth in that.

Lived in England for 16 years and we've had our share of terrorist Situations with the IRA, you know city blocks get blown up and that kind of thing. Mike and I have been one time we had to go get visas for a trip to Nigeria and while we were in the Subway in London the voice came over the loudspeaker.

We've had a bomb threat. You have 90 seconds to get out. When you're four stories down you do find out that you can run backwards up escalators, you know, it is possible. But in the midst of becoming normal, we can allow things that are just the cares of this world to start weighing again.

And we miss what God's wanting to do because you see the next verse Jesus says that the day will come upon all those Who the NIV says who live on the face of the whole earth. But the Greek says the day will come upon all those who are settled on the earth and This words kind of an interesting word to help us out a little bit in Genesis chapter 26 in the Greek translation of the Old Testament the Septuagint.

Isaac and the Danger of Spiritual Complacency

In verse 17, this same word is used that is used in Luke 21. Genesis 26 verse 17 and it's the situation where Isaac is given the land of his father Abraham and he moves back to where Abraham had been established and Genesis 26 17 says Isaac moved away and encamped in the valley of Gerar and he settled there.

And the Hebrew indicates that he sat down and became one who was at ease. He made himself comfortable and He reopened the wells that had been dug in the time of his father Abraham. And he just decided he was going to make himself comfortable right there but the thing with this situation is as You read through the passage Isaac was still riding on Abraham's covenant with God.

He was still riding on something, but somebody else had had established with God. But he wanted to settle on that and Be at ease on the basis of that and this is an interesting situation. Because if you read through the passage down around verse 19 of Genesis 26 Isaac's servants started digging wells and The NIV is kind enough at the at the bottom in the margin to give the meaning of some of these names and they're all so interesting in verse 20 they opened a well and The herdsmen around the area didn't like that and said this is our water.

So a dispute broke out so they named the well Isaac which means dispute and then they dug another well. But they quarreled over that one also so they named it sit now which means opposition. Then he moved on from there and dug another well and no one quarreled about that one so he named it Rehoboth which means room.

Or an open place. He said the Lord has given us room and we will flourish in the land. Sometimes we want to get settled and we want to get real peaceful and maybe even ride on somebody else's coattails and God starts bringing things into our lives to make sure that doesn't happen.

Because if we get too settled the day is going to close on us unexpectedly like a trap. So God sometimes sends opposition sometimes he sends dispute and Sometimes he brings us into a place of room, but it's usually after the dispute in the opposition.

Very rarely before unfortunately. There is a process we have to go through. But you see this passage is interesting because even when the third well, which was the place of room had been opened God wasn't done with Isaac yet and in verse 23 he went from there up to Beersheba and That night the Lord appeared to him and said I am the God of your father Abraham.

Do not be afraid for I am with you. I Will bless you and will increase the number of your descendants for the sake of my servant Abraham. God's not wanting Isaac to be riding on Abraham anymore. But he says I was the God of your father Abraham, but this is about you and me and you know a lot of times we come as Believers and and a lot of the teaching that's prevalent in the church today rides real heavily on the fact that Christ has done all the work and that's true.

That's totally true. The work of the cross is a finished thing and it's a done deal and we walk into the fullness of that forgiveness and that Salvation. However, a lot of us we kind of get that place and then say well, you know what?

I'm going to settle now I'm going to kind of get at ease. He's done it all that's good. I'll just kind of take my spot. And we just kind of come into a place relaxation and our covenant with God is a legitimate thing there's that there's a recognition there, but it's still based on that and we haven't really entered into it for ourselves and Isaac was kind of in that place he had wandered he had saw it and he had gone to different things and Verse 25 says that Isaac finally after God came to him and said yeah, I'm the God of Abraham.

That's no doubt. But this is about you and me. This is about taking it a step further Isaac. Isaac built an altar there and he called on the name of the Lord. It's interesting, you know, you you read through the life of Abraham every time something significant happened.

What did Abraham do? He built an altar and So now Isaac he comes into that place for himself where he recognizes boy. I build the altar. And that's an interesting thing. These guys they they must have been thirsty boys.

That's all I can figure. But they go looking again. They need another well so they dig again and they found a well and Down around verse 32. It says that day Isaac's servants came and told him about the well.

They had dug and they said we found water and he called it Sheba which means the well of oath or the well of seven. And to this day the name of the town has been bear Sheba. That well of seven the completion of what God was wanting to do with Isaac.

Not allowing Isaac to get too comfortable but working with him and stirring him and allowing things to make sure that he didn't get too settled on the face of the earth because We are a people in Pilgrimage.

We are people who are walking through this earthly land to a better situation. And you know something I've noticed. We've been able God has graciously opened a lot of doors for us to travel to a lot of countries and I've always noticed that the more We're in third world situations.

There seems to be a much greater appreciation for heaven. They're always talking about what's going to come now here. We're not so worried about what's going to come because we're doing pretty well as it is.

Thank you very much. And I have to tell you as good as George Bush and all his guys are right now. This isn't the Millennium folks. We're not there yet Thank God, huh? And if we're not careful we become settled and We become very comfortable with things and Jesus says be careful.

Watch or the day will spring on you unexpectedly like a trap. So he says watch be watchful and Always keep on praying. It's a continuous process. Always be watching always be praying because there's something going on.

There's a stirring happening. There's a shaking happening and we've got a people that are we've got to be a people that are aware of that. And I'm not talking about just the big events the big global things but in our own lives.

Just as we were praying about earlier today God allows things to come in and he begins to do things and sometimes, you know If you watch the if you watch enough of the stuff on Christian television and God sends things to make sure that you're unsettled.

Well, you start thinking. Well, my faith's bad or God doesn't like me anymore I'm not saying the right thing or something yet. Here God is with Isaac. He's saying Isaac I've got to take you into fullness.

You can sit here and what your father did if you want. But I've got to get you into fullness and that's going to mean there's gonna be a little dispute and there might be some opposition Now in them, but there's also going to be a place of room and there's going to be a place of growth Before we come to that, but you've got to see that that's the process.

God’s Refining Process Through Emptying and Testing

And there's another thing that God's doing in us in Jeremiah 48. There's just a couple verses that Are kind of an interesting little situation. There's a group of people that show up now and again throughout the Old Testament and They're really pretty unpleasant group by the name of the Moabites.

Now if you know much about Moab their start was pretty bad they were doomed from day one. Moab was one of the two offspring of Lot and his two daughters from the very beginning there was mixture and Throughout their history.

This is what Moab embodies is mixture. When Balaam was called on by Balak the king to prophesy against Israel and he couldn't do it God wouldn't let him do it. Everything he said was good things. Balaam thought man, you know, I'm.

They're paying me to prophesy bad stuff and I can't do it. What are we going to do and he said he calls Balak back and says, you know what? You couldn't get in that way. God won't let me do that. But I there's another way and The scripture says that at the instigation of Balaam the Moabites sent their women and Got the people of Israel and started mixing the worship with pleasure.

It started bringing in all kinds of other things and that mixture affected Israel and it took generations Literally to eradicate that problem. But almost every time you encounter Moab in the scripture, there's a mixture going on and in Jeremiah 48 We hear about Moab for the last time in the scriptures.

And I think there's a thing T Austin Sparks calls it the law of last mention. Where we hear God's final word on a particular group or something that's kind of symbolic throughout scripture and this is the last time we hear about Moab and In verse 11, it says this that Moab has been at rest from youth.

Like wine left on its dregs. Not poured from one jar to another she has not gone into exile. So she tastes as she did and her aroma is unchanged. There was no pouring going on. There was no pouring from vessel to vessel.

Nothing happening to get rid of the dregs that had settled to the bottom all the junk that ruins the taste and makes everything Bad and so she wasn't necessarily awful. But she was unchanged. The aroma wasn't good.

There was something mixed in there that was making it unpleasing and. So finally she's going to get sent into exile she's going to face judgment. Because verse 12 says that God says I will go ahead and send men who will pour.

But they won't pour from one vessel to another. They'll just pour it out smash the jars. And that'll be it. God's got us in a place now where we're able to make decision. Are we poured from vessel to vessel or are we going to just hold ourselves and say no and then the day will come on.

We'll just have to be poured out, and that's the end of it this jars are smashing. It's a done deal. No, we're able in a place right now where God can work. And you know it doesn't have to be nasty stuff.

So often we think oh boy if God's going to work all brother. Oh, no God's going to work in my life. How bad can it get? You know a lot of times. It's not from one thing worse to another it may be just from one thing to another.

Sometimes it may even be better things. But God's trying to develop different aspects. He's trying to bring about different qualities. He's trying to enlarge the nature of Christ in our life and you know Proverbs gives quite a few there are a lot of a lot of Proverbs, but in the in the book of Proverbs that talk about Unrighteousness and all difficulties, but there are also a lot of Proverbs that talk about the fact that crucibles and testing come through applause and blessing and Prosperity and God uses those things to test and prove sometimes just as much as he does the fire of affliction.

But the fact is what he's doing is he's emptying from vessel to vessel. Getting rid of a little bit of the grit that's still in the bottom of the wine kind of Wanting to prove that taste a little bit make sure the aroma keeps getting better and better.

Always looking for higher quality. But we allow him to do that. We allow that process to go on he never forcefully does that with us but if we'll allow him to he will begin that work and he begins that process and he continuously is Bringing about a pouring and a cleansing and a removing and improving.

He never leaves us in a vacuum, but he always wants to bring us to a higher level. It's a very positive thing and we're in a situation where I believe we're coming to a point where God is Up in the stakes is a wrong way to phrase it, but he's bringing us to a higher level.

Where I think God's saying it's kind of put up or shut up. Kind of time, you know because in the events of the world the way things are going. Middle road sitting I'm going to just wait and see which way this thing's going to go.

That option is becoming not possible. You see in Revelation. You notice something that occurs with the people in Revelation chapter 6 when the first real run of judgments come. The people fear God and they acknowledge the God of heaven and they say boy, this is from him.

But by the time you get to Revelation chapter 16 The people are cursing God. See they had an opportunity. They acknowledged where it was coming from. But they never responded to what God was doing and by the time they come to those last judgments they're not fearing God, but they're cursing him and We have to be so careful.

The Kingdom That Cannot Be Shaken

Jesus says be careful and watch. Don't let these things weigh you down and start causing the hardness to come in but stay sensible. Stay sensitive to what he's doing. To the fact that he's pouring so that he can remove those things so that he can improve the fragrance of Christ in our life.

So that there's a continual Situation where there's more and more and more of him. Hebrews chapter 12 is another scripture that kind of looks at this and a lot of people have been quoting this verse lately.

For obvious reasons. At verse 25 Hebrews says see to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. For they if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth. How much less will we if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven?

At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised once more. I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens. The words once more indicate the removing of what can be shaken that is created things.

So that what cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken. Let us be thankful and so worship God acceptably with reverence and all for our God is a consuming fire.

Everything that can be shaken is going to be shaken. Well, I heard more people quote that verse after September 11th than I can remember. But you know what? There's a truth to what's going on. Things that are of this earthly Temporary realm are going to be shaken.

They're going to be stirred. Because God is wanting to make sure that we're not settling on that. Which is sand that has no foundation underneath it that when the winds and the waves and all the difficulties come they're going to fall.

So he is shaking. Everything in our lives. Not just a big global stuff, but right here and who we are our relationships. The things that we consider to be those immovables our Security our place of trust what makes us who we are.

He's going to shake those things, but here's the great thing about God. Verse 27 says the words once more indicate the removing of what can be shaking. Shaken, but it doesn't mean that taking away and God never leaves a vacuum.

But the Greek indicates Almost the substituting of one for another. He's going to shake what needs to be shaken. He's going to clear it out, but he isn't going to leave you hanging. But he's going to replace it with that which is eternal.

Because the scripture says That we are to be given a kingdom not that will not be shaken, but he says it cannot be shaken. It's immovable and we have to be getting our foundation on that which isn't going to shake.

So many things and I tell you I know. This is difficult the times that are coming. I think are going to be difficult for people in America. Everything's pretty easy. You know, there's not a whole lot of difficulty that comes America's way, I've seen people getting fistfights over ice when hurricanes hit Miami, you know, who's gonna get the ice first.

Well in England, we don't use ice. So it's not a problem. But some of the things that we consider to be so important Are pretty minor things and they're very temporary things. And so God's going to shake and he's going to shake.

Because he's wanting to get us focused on that which cannot be shaken that which is eternal that which is immovable and That comes from that which is of his hand. It's got to be based on his character the eternity of who he is.

The infinity of who he is the fact that he does not change from one day to the next the fact that he knows to Begin beginning from the end. He's the a he's the Z. He's everything in between he's the Alpha and the Omega the first and the last and everything that we have in him is Where he's wanting to plant us.

But for all I would say probably all of us. I Know for me at least. There's got to be some shaking in there. So that there's some removings of some things and some replacing with that which is of him.

With that which is eternal and what we have to see is that in all of these issues God is at work. There there are times and there are situations where absolutely the enemy comes in like a flood. But you know what even with Job?

That whole thing started when God said have you seen my servant Job? Take your best shot now. Job didn't know that but God did. God knew the boundaries he had set and Satan knew the boundaries he had said and we're so encouraged boy rebuke the devil you get that Phil and I were joking yesterday.

We we came to the soccer game and dropped everybody off and then went over to buy a bunch of coffee at Dunkin Donuts and I You can tell I don't live here. I ordered all wrong and that's a whole nother issue and the guy just kind of laughed at me.

But we got there in the end. But Phil had a real good parking spot when we dropped everybody off it was the second one in we said oh, man It's a shame. We're going to lose this place but we're gonna go get the coffee and we came back and Just jokingly completely jokingly.

Let me clarify that I Said to Phil will fill we need to just claim that parking spot as we come into the parking lot and brother It'll be there. And sure enough we drove around and there was not one. But there was two the first two were together and I said see there it is abundance.

But there are some people who almost feel like they have to rebuke the enemy if they don't get the parking place thereafter because they've claimed It you know and everything that's bad is the enemy attacking him and God sure wouldn't want it to happen.

But God is the one that does the pouring out. He's the one that he's going to bring the shaking. He's going to bring the stirring. Because he's got a purpose in mind and that purpose involves us coming into the fullness of the stature of his son.

So we have to recognize that he's at work. He's at work and he is doing his purpose his plan. He's accomplishing it and there is nothing going in our lives that he's not aware of nothing. There's not a thing not a situation however Hebrews 12 a little earlier on Makes it pretty clear that it's not just God's responsibility, but that we're involved in the process as well.

Throwing Off Sin and Running With Perseverance

And I just want to take a couple minutes. I won't take a long time with this, but there in the first half of chapter 12 there are a few directives and They're all action words for us, and they're all Imperative words you do.

Not well if you think it's not a bad idea but there do this and Hebrews 12 one says therefore since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses first one. Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.

This is one place where I do think the NIV's got the right word entangles because it's the kind of stuff that just gets in there and Like if you're trying to run through woods and vines have grown across or something.

You just can't get through it and you just get yourself all caught up in it. And you find yourself entangled. I think the King James says besetting and that's true part of it, too. It's something that just seems to keep hitting this over and over and over but this but the writer to the Hebrew says throw it off.

Make the effort to get rid of it. Whatever it takes the things that hinder the things that entangle. Jesus said it in almost the same way the things that weigh you down. The anxieties but here these things aren't anxiety so much as their sins their things that have become Almost a part of who we are habits have become character and God has to alter that thing, but we start by saying yes Lord not by myself.

But with you I'm going to throw this stuff off in your power. I'm going to start getting rid of these things and I'm going to start walking. We're going to start walking to the fullness of what you have and then he says let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

That's a word that the Western world does not really care for much these days perseverance. We want it quick we want it short we want it sweet no bother no trouble. If it's a war situation in out in two weeks time, they shouldn't take any longer than that should it and we'll be done.

But for the long haul no, I don't really have time. Busy schedule, but the scripture says this is going to be something that's going to take day after day after day after day. And we're going to be in there day.

Tomorrow the next day with perseverance running the race set before us. Because you know. It's easy for us if we're readers at all. Especially if you read Christian biographies or things like that you can read one and say oh man that George Muller.

What a man of faith. I'll never get there. Or one that comes to mind immediately is brother Lawrence his little book the practice of the presence of God boy this guy. Just all the time. He's talking to God all every day.

But what you don't read in that little book is if you ever see any of his letters. It took him ten years of working to get to that place where the practice of the presence of God book is. Where he was just abiding and for ten years he was making some real goofy mistakes.

But there was perseverance going on and We have to be among those who are going to run with perseverance. For the long haul. Okay, God. Yeah, that's what you call a big goof. I Flopped major today, but that doesn't mean I say well forget it.

Let's go home. No you get up and we'll go again and That's the nature of what it means to persevere. To run the race with the intention of getting to the finish line no matter what it takes to get there.

Fixing Our Eyes on Jesus

But then he goes on and this to me is the big one let us fix our eyes on Jesus the author and Perfecter of our faith who for the joy set before him endured the cross Scorning its shame and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus or the More literal translation is let us look away. To Jesus look away from that to him it's a it's a total realignment of our focus and I tell you a Runner that wants that trophy that wants to see that finish line.

You don't run looking at the crowd or at the things you're going to have to avoid. You're looking or those things that are trying to catch you from behind. It's ahead looking away to him and then he goes on to say consider him consider him.

Who endured such opposition from sinful men so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. You're not the first that's been down this track. We've got an example of one who's done it before of One who's already cleared the path who's led the way and we look to him and then we don't just have a glance.

But we consider Folks we take the time in the course of our days. To sit down with the Lord of Glory and let him impart his life to us by his Holy Spirit. We let him impart his character we search the scriptures and become to know the man in glory.

The things that he faced and how he faced them the things that he used to become. The fullness how did he how did he handle the situations that he encountered the temptations that he encountered? How did Jesus face those things?

What was his response? How did he tell us to face them? We consider him. I'm reading a book right now. The man made an amazing a very simple, but it was a very applicable analogy. He was talking about the kid that watches baseball all the time wants to be a great baseball player.

So what's he do. He watches Barry Bonds and he goes out and he buys the right hat. He buys the right glove. He watches the way Barry Bonds holds his bat and man you and I used to do it when I was a kid.

It was Joe Morgan. I don't know if anybody remembers Joe Morgan for the Cincinnati Reds. He always used to cock his elbow before he hit. Anyway, that has nothing to do with this at all. But the kid sees all the right stuff and learns to do all the right things.

But he goes out there and it's just it's not happening. He's not Barry Bonds. What's the problem and The writer said what he's not doing is the things that in the six or eight hours that nobody ever sees Barry Bonds are going on the discipline the running.

The exercising the hours of just swinging that bat over and over and over and over until that techniques just right. That nobody ever sees it never makes ESPN. But that's what makes the person. And we want to kind of grab at the features of Christ or the features of Paul.

But we don't want to talk about going out into the wilderness and being alone with the father before anybody else was up or the fasting that's required or just meditating on the word and Those aspects of our lives that make who we are.

For when those game times come up. But that's got to be what we're about considering him. Who endured all these things? Who encountered all these situations, but he went through and We if we're considering him won't lose heart and grow weary.

But we'll walk with him in it and then the last thing and I won't read the whole passage but down in verse 7 The writer says endure hardship as discipline. We kind of come full circle. God is in the process of building sons.

Hebrews talks about the fact that he's bringing many sons to glory and if he's a good father He's going to discipline his children. He's going to do what's necessary to bring them to the fullness of sonship and That's not always pleasant but if we endure There is a harvest of righteousness and peace that is ours in Christ Jesus.

And all of those things are not God things, but they're us things. We choose to do. We choose to throw off the sin. We choose to run with perseverance. We choose to look away to Jesus. I think I heard I think it was Dave Wilkerson that said once if a man's an alcoholic and he's Inside the liquor store walking up and down the aisles checking out every kind of vodka he can find saying Oh Lord Jesus.