Joe White Drive Time Podcast

Put on Jesus Today - Romans 13:12-14

"This Labrador Retriever seldom leaves my side. His pure black shiny coat glistens in the sunlight as he gallantly retrieves the doves and ducks and pheasants and anything else that we're hunting together. But you know, try to take a chicken bone away from this dog and you might as well lose your hand. But if you lay a freshly cooked juicy sirloin steak on the sidewalk beside him, he'll drop that little nod chicken bone in a split second."

Family Discussions:

1. How does Jesus' love actually replace your desire for sin?
2. Describe the deceitfulness of sin.
3. How can Jesus truly become your friend in your sense of fulfillment?

Transcription:

00:13          Well, today is going to be fun. We're gonna be with Chief. My best buddy here. And we're in Romans chapter 13, verses 12 through 14, and it says this, "The night is almost gone and the day is near. Therefore, let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave properly as in the day, not carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality not in strife and jealousy, but put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lust. Put on Jesus today. This Labrador Retriever seldom leaves my side. His pure black shiny coat glistens in the sunlight as he gallantly retrieves the doves and ducks and pheasants and anything else that we're hunting together. But you know, try to take a chicken bone away from this dog and you might as well lose your hand. But if you lay a freshly cooked juicy sirloin steak on the sidewalk beside him, he'll drop that little nod chicken bone in a split second.

 

01:22          You know, sin is a lot like a chewed up chicken bone. It may satisfy your craving for a season, but in the end it will choke you like a hangman's noose. Listen to these quotes from letters I've received from some high school friends of mine. One said, you know what? I knew it was wrong, but I did it anyway. Another one said, I never knew anything could hurt so bad as the one late night and the things we did there. Another letter said, I felt like I had 600 knives go through me. I was crushed. Another letter said, my friend told me his girlfriend had been raped and now she thinks she's pregnant. Another one says, I feel so used and ashamed.

 

02:07          Wow. It seems so meaningless, doesn't it? Why do we keep sinning like that? And you know what? The only difference between adults and students that write me so much is our sins are so much bigger and sometimes so much more disguised. But you know, drinking looks fun and sex looks fun. Satan looks cool. You know what? God knows that. So he doesn't only say he knows. He says, I'm going to give you something about a zillion times better than all of that. I'm going to give you my son, Jesus. If you'll take his companionship that I give you, if you'll take his friendship that I give you, if you'll take his unconditional love that I'll give you.

 

02:50          Now I want you to listen to some other quotes from some of my other friends. Check this out. I have fallen in love with Jesus this year. God has blessed me with the strength to stay free from drugs, alcohol, and sex. God has given me peace in my life. Another one said this, I have acquired the sense of peace that only he could bring. Do you get it today y'all? Another one says, while doing my Bible study this year, my relationship with the Lord has grown greatly. I've made new friends. My focus in life is not as much on me, but on the Lord and I become great friends with him. I used to lead a life that had no purpose. But now I've realized that my goal in life should be to love him and to spread his word. I used to rely on drugs and sex and fun, but now God has forgiven me and loves me like I've never been loved before. One man came up to me at a recent conference, he said, I've been addicted to alcohol for 20 years, but today at the cross, I've fallen in love with Jesus. And now I am free.

 

03:54          Here's the questions for today. How does Jesus' love actually replace your desire for sin? And then second question is this, describe the deceitfulness of sin. And then the big one is this. How can Jesus truly become your friend in your sense of fulfillment? And here's the lifeline for today. When something that you love is removed from your life and you feel a void, you can successfully replace it with something you love even more.

 

Bitter or Better - Romans 5:3-5

"My first girlfriend left me for my best junior high guy friend. You know, that was puppy love, but the puppy sure thought it was love. It also was a pain in my gut. I'll never forget that day. A whole lot more painful than that was when my first wife, my college bride, left me from my best friend. She had fallen in love with him."

Family Discussions:

1. How do trials build character when God is in charge?
2. What has been the greatest time of brokenness for you?
3. What are you going through now and how has God building character in you through that experience of pain?
4. Describe how he gave you hope and how he gave you hope through the pain.

Transcription:

00:14          Today's Bible study is a painful for me to give, but it's a good one and we all need it. It's in Romans chapter five verses three through five and it says this, "And not only this, but we also exalt in our tribulations knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance and perseverance brings about proven character and proven character hope. And hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts, through the Holy spirit who was given to us." Pain and promise.

 

00:48          You know what? My first girlfriend left me for my best junior high guy friend. You know, that was puppy love, but the puppy sure thought it was love. It also was a pain in my gut. I'll never forget that day. A whole lot more painful than that was when my first wife, my college bride, left me from my best friend. She had fallen in love with him. And you know what? That was true love back then and it was a pain in my heart that lasted for months. I felt months. I felt like I was going to die. It almost killed me. You know what my first wife was and is a wonderful person. As was my friend. They became infatuated with. You know what? There's no doubt that initiating divorce is wrong. It's wrong. It's wrong. But I've never blamed her. And I've never been bitter. I'm sure if I would've been the man that she needed, that would've never happened. I just bet. But I just cried my eyes out for months.

 

01:46          But in that valley, I fell completely in love with God. From that valley, you know, I've given my, today's. I'll give him my tomorrows. Because somewhere in that valley, God accepted my broken heart. And not only did he heal it but somehow in his miraculous care, he brought Debbie Jo to me. She's the greatest woman alive. And she's the mom of my four kids. And I've been married to her for almost four decades. But she has given me love and more importantly, God has given me a passion. Down in that passion, I mean that Valley of pain, God's given me a passion for people who like me, find themselves at the bottom of the Canyon with no apparent way to get out. You know what, man? I have learned a lot in my brokenness before God and I'm sure that there's more ahead, but God is at his best when we are at our worst. He'll never be closer than the day you fall on your face.

 

02:56          You know what? Pain gives us a choice. When we run to God, we get better. When we run to ourselves, we get bitter. Pain is like a golf tee to me. It could cause you to be teed up or teed off. It either makes me mad and useless or it makes my ball go a whole lot further off the tee. You see, God has this spirit who is never more ready to fill our hearts than when we're not down. And the Holy Spirit's great skill is to give us bravery, to get us out of the Canyon and to give us more deep, solid character and to give us great hope. Pain is the greatest teacher of all.

 

03:37          And here's the questions for today. How do trials build character when God is in charge? And then secondly, what has been the greatest time of brokenness for you? Or maybe what are you going through now and how has God building character in you through that experience of pain? And then the last question. Describe how he gave you hope and how he gave you hope through the pain. You know what? This is not heaven down here. Pain happens here, but how can you prepare yourself for the, during trials that lay ahead. And here's the lifeline for today. Bitter or better. It's your choice when the cruel ball of failure is hit into your court.

 

A Pop Quiz on Righteousness - Romans 3:10-12

"Imagine a bizarre announcement over the school's PA system. Just as you packed up your backpack with all your books and notebooks after a hard day of classes, and prepared to make a mad dash home. Over the PA system, you immediately recognize the superintendent's voice. And here's what he says. "Students, I know this sounds unusual, but we have a very special guest visiting school today, and I want everyone to immediately proceed to the auditorium for a spontaneous assembly.""

Family Discussions:

1. Righteousness on your own means making a hundred on the pop quiz. Why does everyone fail the test?
2. How can a Holy God allow unholy people like me for most of all in heaven?
3. What is God's remedy for this eternal dilemma? And aren't you glad that he has a remedy?

Transcription:

00:13          Today's scripture in Romans 3:10-12 is just amazing and super impacting. Check this out. "For it is written. There is none righteous, not even one. There is none who understands. There is none who seeks for God. All have turned aside. Together, they've become useless." Check this out y'all. Go with me back to the days. And for some of us, it's centuries. It seems like. When we dreaded those pop quizzes. I've taken biology at SMU in the pre-med days. I mean, I remember the pop quizzes, I hated them. But imagine a bizarre announcement over the school's PA system. Just as you packed up your backpack with all your books and notebooks after a hard day of classes, and prepared to make a mad dash home. Over the PA system, you immediately recognize the superintendent's voice. And here's what he says. "Students, I know this sounds unusual, but we have a very special guest visiting school today, and I want everyone to immediately proceed to the auditorium for a spontaneous assembly."

 

01:20          Man, you grumble. And as you, you know, a couple of friends, you'll head for the auditorium. What's this all about? You know, you're saying to your friend and inside man, you kindle the anxiety that begins to raise its head inside your mind. Who is this guy who thinks he's important enough to come to our school and extend an already long day? He'd better be good. It's better be a good assembly. The auditorium fields with whispers of complaints and speculation. Within moments the guest abruptly appears on the stage, long white robe, greatly wrinkled face, super long white beard. His voice resonates through the assembly as the crowd hushes in silence. Hello students. He says, I am God. You probably don't recognize me, but I've been concerned that many of you are going to flunk the final exam. So today I've come to give you a little pop quiz. Then he whips out a copy of the 10 commandments. He instructs you and all the other students to score yourself. His voice is deep and sober. Give yourself a 10 he says, if you keep this commandment perfectly and a zero, if you've ever broken it, even in one part. Any scored less than a hundred means complete failure. Man, nobody cracks a sound until the pop quiz is over.

 

02:43          Here's the questions for today. Righteousness on your own means making a hundred on the pop quiz. Why does everyone fail the test? And by the way, remember Jesus' words in Matthew 5 when he says, it's not just about killing somebody, but even anger is like killing somebody. And it's not so much just committing adultery, but even committing adultery in your heart is committing adultery. Like it's the real thing. So how can a Holy God allow unholy people like me for most of all in heaven? And here's the great question of the day. What is God's remedy for this eternal dilemma? And aren't you glad that he has a remedy? And here's the lifeline for the day, without the cross man, without the cross of Christ, heaven would be an empty jury.

 

Move Closer - Revelation 5:9-10

" I heard a story years ago that I will never forget the story was of a man who entered the museum. And the museum was famous for all of its fantastic artwork. But when the man came in, his face was downtrodden and sad and the caretaker of the museum has seen this face many, many times because people would refer people to his museum when they were going through incredible difficulties in life. "

Family Discussion:

1. Who is the object of your worship?
2. What would your new song be if you were on your knees as close to Jesus as you can get looking up in his face today?

Transcription:

00:13          If you and I could possibly imagine the fascination that John must've been in the day that he saw the vision that the angels of the Lord began to speak to him and tell him that the things that were to come. In this particular passage in Revelation chapter five verses nine and 10, John comes to a moment when he begins to weep because he sees the scroll with the seven seals and scholars believe that the scroll may have been the title deed to the earth. In each of the seven seals is a judgment upon the earth. In Revelation five nine and 10 begins to open up the next chapter of the judgements of God and he says this, "And they sing a new song. Saying worthy are you to take the book and to break its seals. For you were slain and purchased of God with your blood. Men from every tongue and people and tribe and nation, You've made them to be a kingdom of priests to our God and they will reign upon the earth."

 

01:10          John weeps because no one can break the seals. But then Jesus, who has purchased us with his blood, comes and breaks the seals one at a time in the rest of chapter five and on. Tell us about each of the judgments in the seals of God, but as John beholds Jesus, he begins to worship. He worships Jesus as one who is worthy. He worships Jesus as one who was slain. He worships Jesus as one who bought us out. Scripture says he purchased us by his blood. He redeemed us. And this is where John begins to worship because the word for redemption is the Greek word exagorazo. Exagorazo means that we've been bought out the slave market never to be returned to the slave market of sin again. And John begins to praise and worship Jesus and begins to sing a new song. And it makes me think today, what is the object of my praise and worship? What is the object of your praise and of your worship?

 

02:07          I heard a story years ago that I will never forget the story was of a man who entered the museum. And the museum was famous for all of its fantastic artwork. But when the man came in, his face was downtrodden and sad and the caretaker of the museum has seen this face many, many times because people would refer people to his museum when they were going through incredible difficulties in life. And as soon as he saw the man, he pointed to a painting over a wall. And it was a gigantic painting, but the man couldn't see what it was. And the curator, the museum said, move closer. And the man moved closer to the museum. And then the curator said, now lower.

 

02:43          And the man started stooping down and the curator said, move closer. And they may move closer to the painting. And the curator said, now lower. Move closer. Now lower. Move closer. Now lower. Move closer. Now, lower. Pretty soon the man was standing under the painting or actually kneeling under the painting, looking straight up into the painting right over his head and their on his knees as close to the painting as he could get. He could see the face of Christ on a cross crucified with blood down his brow, looking down at him. And a spirit of hope and a spirit of compassion begin to melt into this man's broken heart. And the man became relieved and smiled. You can only see Christ when you're low and when you're on your knees.

 

03:24          And when I think about the judgements that are coming upon this earth, and I think about the one who could open the scroll to begin to describe the judgments will be the one that would redeem you and redeem me. He purchased us by his blood. It makes me move closer and it makes me get lower. It makes me move closer and it makes me get lower. And there you'll find the compassion in the face of Christ. And when you're in that position, you will sing a new song and you will worship him both men and woman. And the questions for the day are this: who is the object of your worship? And the second question is, what would your new song be if you were on your knees as close to Jesus as you can get looking up in his face today? Make it be a day of worship.

Harmonious, Sympathetic, Brotherly - Peter 3:8-9

"Counselors that'll meet each other at Kamp and then they'll marry each other. But one of my favorites of all of our marriages is this couple that are married. They're raising kids together. But three years ago, they were ready to kill each other." 

Family Discussion:

1. Who is it in your life that you need to love like that?
2. Who is it that that may be the hardest to love, but that you need to watch God do a big miracle as you begin to love that person like Jesus would?

Transcription:

00:13          You know, here at Kanakuk at the sports Kamps and Kids Across America, I get to see some of the greatest relationships. Counselors that'll meet each other at Kamp and then they'll marry each other. But one of my favorites of all of our marriages is this couple that are married. They're raising kids together. But three years ago, they were ready to kill each other. I mean, three years ago, there was so much strife in their marriage. I mean they had already thrown in the towel, but then they went to counseling and God showed up as they begin to replace the insults with kindness and they replaced the anger with forgiveness. And now they're walking hand in hand and loving each other socks off. Listen to what first Peter Three, eight and nine said, if you've got a dad in your life or a brother or an employer, employee or spouse and you just, you know, you feel like they're just ridiculing you or they're like your enemy.

 

01:09          This should it encourage you? It sure does. Me Listen to what first Peter says, chapter three, verse eight and nine. "To sum it up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, humble in spirit, not returning, not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead. For you were called for this very purpose that you might inherit a blessing." One of my favorite things in sports, you know, as I get to share with teams around the country and college and pros is after the game. You know, before the game, they're getting fired up to smash each other. And during the game they're doing that. They're trying to take each other out. But after the game, the Christian guys will get together and they'll get in circles. It happens all over the league and in NFL. The cameras don't show it.

 

02:03          You know, the TV producers, they're uncomfortable with prayer for some strange reason, but these teams, after they play each other, the Christian guys, and sometimes you'll see 20 or 30, 40 players out on the field. As Christian brothers holding hands and praying together after the game because that's what scripture says to do. It says to love your enemies, to pray for those who persecute you. I used to admire my dad so much, but one of the most admirable things about him was the way he forgave my brother. He was going through some awful times as a teenager. And he ran away. And my daddy was so mad when he left home, but when he came back, I remember he walked in my house and he had this big, beautiful smile on his face. And the first thing my daddy said to him, even though he had been, you know, evil or battered, you know, when he left. But the first thing my daddy said to him, he said, I wouldn't, I wouldn't trade $1 million for that smile. And when my daddy died, my brother was sitting at his grave and he said, my daddy was my best friend.

 

03:08          So my question for you today is this. Who is it in your life that you need to love like that? Who is it that that may be the hardest to love, but that you need to watch God do a big miracle as you begin to love that person like Jesus would? Go, hug somebody today.

Everybody Loves a Winner - James 4:4-8

" I used to be a big time baseball card fan and looking through these baseball cards reminds me of all my childhood heroes. They even have a Mickey Mantle Baseball card here. Remember Babe Ruth and Roger Mirrors, Willie Mays? You want to be a winner, man. Everybody wants to be a winner."

Family Discussions:

1. Why does everybody love a winner?
2. How do you draw near to God?
3. How do you resist the devil?
4. What is God like as the coach of a winning team?
5. What is Satan like as the coach of a losing team?

Transcription:

00:13 You know, I used to be a big time baseball card fan and looking through these baseball cards reminds me of all my childhood heroes. They even have a Mickey Mantle Baseball card here. Remember Babe Ruth and Roger Mirrors, Willie Mays? You want to be a winner, man. Everybody wants to be a winner. Let me read you about a winter today and how to be a winner for life. Listen to this. In James Chapter four, we'll start in verse four. It says this, "you adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility towards God? Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the scripture speaks to no purpose? He jealously desires the spirit, which he is made to dwell in us, but he gives a greater grace. Therefore, it says God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Submit therefore to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and he will draw near to you."

01:20 That's one of the greatest promises in the Bible. Man, Tiger Woods, you know, Michael Jordan, Shaquille O'Neal, Albert Pujols, you name it, man. Baseball cards and basketball cards. The old ones are getting more valuable every single year. I carry Willie Mays baseball card actually in my hip pocket. I carry it every day because Willie Mays never stopped swinging the bat and he never stopped trying. And then he became one of the greatest of all time. You know, they tell me that some Mickey Mantle baseball cards are worth hundreds of dollars. You know, an autograph from one of the Old Dallas cowboys greats like Roger Staubach or one of the great Steeler greats like, you know, Sam Bradshaw. Who will ever forget Joe Montana? They bring in huge dollars in football crowds.

02:12 You know, at the peak of Michael Jordan's success years ago, he was the most popular man in America to kids. Everybody loves a winner. You know, wise people always choose to be on the winning side in a game or in a war? You want a winner? Hey, God's a winner! He's always going to be the winner. He always coaches the winning team. He never loses. Man, Satan is a loser. He is losing today and he's gonna lose at the end. He will be ultimately defeated. And so he gives temporary highs and so he gives temporary things.You know it just so he can get your lasting destruction on the other side. God gives lasting happiness through helping you deny those temporary kicks and to recognize counterfeit happiness. You know, and you can choose God's team in every decision you make by drawing near to him as a baby kangaroo rest securely in the pouch of his mom. You can stay off the team by denying Satan's luring temptations. Resist the Devil James says, and he will flee from you and draw near to God and he will draw near to you

03:38 For the questions today, to this great word or this. Why does everybody love a winner? And specifically how do you draw near to God? How do you resist the devil? You know, what is God like as the coach of a winning team? And what is Satan like as the coach of a losing team? And the thought for the day is this, you know as parents and as children, man, let's point out to each other today in a loving way. You know, the things that surround us, that are of God and the things that are of Satan, and let's make each other in this home winners. Let's make this home a place where winners are born and where winners go out each day.

Sunshine to a Cloudy Day - James 3:6-8

"I have a friend whose name is Snake. His name is Rex Matzenbacher and he loves to collect rattlesnakes. Goodness!"

Family Discussions:

1. Why is taming the tongue more difficult than taming a lion?
2. How can God help you use the rudder of your personality?
3. Why is the tongue like the match of a forest fire?
4. How can we keep our tongue on the good side? How can we keep our tongue on the happy side of our home?

Transcription:

00:14 If this was a real snake, I would not be playing with it. I am not a fan. I have a friend whose name is Snake. His name is Rex Matzenbacher and he loves to collect rattlesnakes. Goodness. You know what? Today I want to talk about a snake and this snake shows up in every person's life almost every day. I think we need to kill some snakes today. Listen to this. Out of James Chapter Three James is talking about the power of the human tongue and he compares it to the bit in a horse's mouth and how, even though a bit is small and the horse is huge, the bit can control the horse that he talks about the rudder on a sailboat, even though the rudder is smaller than the sailboat is large, the rudder can control the entire sailboat. He compares the bit in the rudder to the power of the tongue, even though it's small, it can control like a flame to a forest fire.

01:07 Listen to this, it says "the tongue is a fire. The very word of iniquity. The tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body and sets on fire the course of our life. And it is set on fire by hell itself. For every species of bees and birds of reptiles and creatures of the sea is tamed. It has been tamed by the human race. But no man contain the tongue is a restless, evil, and full of deadly poison." Gossip, cursing, negative comments, sarcasm, cutting people, putting each other down or encouragement, enthusiasm, man. Compliments of praise. Telling your mom how awesome she is. Your dad, how much you appreciate him. Your children. It's like a friend of man says you need to give your kids 10 attaboys 10 I'm proud of yous's for every time you correct them. This friend of mine, you know that I called snake a minute ago, he actually trains rattlesnake.

02:16 You know, he doesn't exactly turn them into play toys, but he subdues them and he really kind of makes pets out of them. If you can imagine that. You know, the most fun part of going to the circus, you know, back when I was a kid was, was the tame lions. You ever seen those? And how they would tame elephants and even bears are tamed. You know, my kids and I used to love to ride horses together and run those big beautiful animals across the pasture and through the woods. You know, at our sports camps, you know, we do surfing, wind surfing and sailing and it's become an incredible sport as you kinda catch that wind and you just skip hastily across the water.

02:58 You know, harnessing the wind, and guiding a horse and, you know, training a wild beast, you know, subduing a rattlesnake. They're all possible with time and patience and a small rudder and a little bit on a horse's bridle. But our tiny tongue continues to hurt each other with poorly chosen words. You know, on the other side of the coin, what a great encouragement it is to get a love letter or a pat on the back or an I'm proud of you or a good job from someone I care about. An encouraging word brings sunshine to a cloudy day. I carry in my wallet a little Bitty Blue Note that my wife stuck in that wallet months ago and she just put two words on that little note. It just says, love you. But from that girl, it's one of the greatest gifts I've ever gotten in my life.

03:54 Here's the questions for the day, man. Why is taming the tongue more difficult than taming a lion? And next, how can God help you use the rudder of your personality? You know your little tiny tongue to guide your words. Proverb says, "Lord, put a guard over my mouth." And then next, why is the tongue like the match of a forest fire? And finally, how can we keep our tongue on the good side? How can we keep our tongue on the happy side of our home? The thought for the day out of this great word from James is this, you know what? Each person can contribute one positive idea and one negative idea of how the tongue could be used for good or for evil. And then we can take all the input and decide how we're going to turn it to good everyday in our family and in our life out in the marketplace and out in the schools.

Faith and Good Works - James 2:14-18

"I had an old friend and he was a true relic of a man. He ran a saw mill where I used to buy my lumber for some building projects here at our camps. And you know what? His name was Mr. Plumber. And he was in his mid eighties, at least as he lived out his final days of his life in these historic Ozark mountains. I spent hours visiting with this savvy old character."

Family Discussions:

1. What is faith that works and why is this kind of faith a true faith, and a sincere faith and a saving faith?
2. Why is faith dead if it doesn't have arms and legs?
3. How does faith work? What is an example of faith that works?

Transcription:

00:14 Man, I love building stuff. I love 2X4's. I love nails and hammers. I'm a boy. But uh, I've had as much fun finding my lumber as I have using my lumber. I want to tell you about somebody who used to give me lumber in a minute. You'll never forget this man. We're going to read from James Chapter two verse 14 today, and it says that "what use is it in my brethren, if someone says he has faith but has no works, can that faith save him? If a brother or sisters without clothing and need of daily food, and one of you says to them, go in peace, be warmed and be filled. And yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body. What use is that? Even so faith if it has no works is dead being by itself. But someone may will say, you have faith and I have works. Show me your faith without the works. And I will show you my faith by my works."

01:10 I had an old friend and he was a true relic of a man. He ran a saw mill where I used to buy my lumber for some building projects here at our camps. And you know what? His name was Mr. Plumber. And he was in his mid eighties, at least as he lived out his final days of his life in these historic Ozark mountains. I spent hours visiting with this savvy old character. And one time I asked him where he went to church, he scowled at me and told me he would never go to a church because the people of one church bought some lumber from him probably 30 years before. And they cheated him on some money they were supposed to pay Mr. Plumber and he died never having gone back to church.

01:51 What use was that Church and all of their beautiful prayers and hymns? You know what good are 16 bibles in a home if they're not read? What good is a huge savings account if it's not used for those in need? What good is a smile that's not shared with somebody? You know what uses a hug or an I love you that's not given today? What use is faith without work? I just see so many homes. I mean, so many marriages and so many parents have so many kids who are just starving for love and so many people in the hallways of schools that are dying for a friend. We've got faith. We've got God's word. Now it's time to put that faith into action.

02:35 The discussion questions today are this: number one, what is faith that works and why is this kind of faith a true faith, and a sincere faith and a saving faith? And question number two, why is faith dead if it doesn't have arms and legs? And then discussion question three, you know, bread and butter, peanut butter and Jelly, faith and works, they always come as twins, don't they? How does faith work? What is an example of faith that works?

03:12 And the thought for the day is this: yesterday we talked about the less fortunate. Can someone around your family share how they put their faith into action lately? Faith and works. Siamese twins. Let's put our faith to work today and let's come home tomorrow. Let's talk about the smiles we put on people's faces.

Faith Lived Out - Philemon 1:4-6

"The sisters of charity, the story goes, were invited by the president of Mexico to open a home in Mexico City. All of the years of the sisters that they visited in the outskirts of the city were extremely poor, but the requests of the people surprised the sisters very much."

Family Discussion:

1. Who can you think about in this world in which we live?

Transcription:

00:13 Today I'm excited to share with you from a little bitty book with a whole lot of truth. It's the book of Philemon. It's one chapter and it's verse four through six and it says this, "I thank my God always making mention of you in my prayers because I hear of your love and of the faith which you have towards the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints, and I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective. That the fellowship of your faith may become effective through the knowledge of every good thing which is in you for Christ's sake." The sisters of charity, the story goes, were invited by the president of Mexico to open a home in Mexico City. All of the years of the sisters that they visited in the outskirts of the city were extremely poor, but the requests of the people surprised the sisters very much.

01:05 The first thing they asked for was not clothes, medicines or food. They only said, "Sisters, talk to us about God." You know, once Mother Teresa picked up a small girl who was wandering the streets, lost. Hunger was written all over her face. Who knows how long it had been since she'd eat anything. Mother Teresa offered her a piece of bread. The little girl started eating it, crumb by crumb. Mother Teresa told her, "Eat, eat the bread. Aren't you hungry?" The little girl looked up and told her, "Yeah, but I'm just afraid that when I run out of bread, I'll still be hungry." You know, Jesus died on the cross for us. Comes to us and yet sometimes we refuse to welcome him. He comes in the broken bodies of the poor. He comes in the hunger of those who have no food.

01:54 He comes to the naked bodies of the ones who have no clothes. He comes in the lonely hearts when there's no one to offer them love. You know, we've placed our trust and faith of Jesus because he's given everything for us. But when we share that faith not only in words but also in how we live. When our faith become an active faith, one lived out because of our love for Jesus. You know, man, we get to pray and to ask God to show us how our faith can be active. You know, in this letter of Philemon, Paul asked Philemon to live out his faith by forgiving Onesimus and accepting him as he would accept Paul himself. God might ask us to feed that little girl who's hungry or to listen and share with someone who desperately needs a friend.

02:40 He might ask us to encourage someone or even begin a Bible study at our workplace or in school. You know, faith in order to be genuine has to be generous and giving. Love and faith go hand in hand like peanut butter and Jelly. And our faith will be lived out when we see others as Jesus saw them. And to love them in the same way that Jesus would love them. And here's a couple of questions for you to think about and maybe share it with your family today. Who can you think about in this world in which we live? It may be down in Haiti, right off the Florida coast, or maybe in Africa, maybe in an inner city neighborhood, or maybe in your school, who liked that little girl needs a piece of bread from Jesus. It may be bread. It may be a gift, or it may be a great big hug. The joy of following Christ is to share his love with somebody else.

E M P T Y - Titus 1:10-11

"Mike was a lad that was probably what you would call a throw away, but one day he stood at the top rung of a ladder with a paintbrush in his hand at 6:00 AM that morning, his punishment for breaking the rules had begun. This 14 year old boy could hear the laughter and shouts of the other kids they swam and played basketball. Mike was mad because he had to paint all day long."

Family Discussions:

1. Can you look inside your very family, Can you look inside the place where you do business or the school that you go to or in the neighborhood you live and see someone like Mike. Who is that person that needs that kind of love?
2. What change could you make in that person's life if you begin to love that person to Jesus until they're ready to love another man to Jesus?

Transcription:

00:13 Hey, today I want to tell you about a teenage boy named Mike and a paintbrush and the power of the incredible power of mentoring and discipling. We're in Titus chapter one, verse 10 and 11 today and it says this, "for there are many rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision who must be silenced because they are upsetting whole families teaching things they should not teach for the sake of sordid gain." You know, Mike was a lad that was probably what you would call a throw away, but one day he stood at the top rung of a ladder with a paintbrush in his hand at 6:00 AM that morning, his punishment for breaking the rules had begun. This 14 year old boy could hear the laughter and shouts of the other kids they swam and played basketball. Mike was mad because he had to paint all day long.

01:05 He stood on the ladder and his anger welled up inside him. He had arrived at the Baptist Children's Village, a residential home for children and teens the previous week because his parents didn't want him anymore. Sure he had messed up and was expelled from school, but that was the last of a long list of things. Mike was angry and he felt like no one cared and no one loved him. There was no one to love that boy to Jesus. As he painted the frustration and anger inside him, he became more intense. He didn't know who to ask for help. He was so confused and in his frustration, Mike wrote with his finger the letters - E M P T Y in the paint. Stuck on the ladder painting all day long, Mike cried out for help. In one word, Mike described his entire life is empty. No one loved him.

01:54 No one cared. He had been told his entire life he would never amount to anything over and over. He was told that he would be just like his alcoholic father who abandoned him when he was two years old. There are a lot of Mikes in our neighborhoods and cities and place of business and families that had been told many lies. They have no hope. They think they're worthless because their entire lives the ones that supposedly loved them the most, filled their minds with garbage. Mike will either attempt to fill the emptiness with alcohol, like is dad, or use something else that will distract him from the pain or we can love him. Not preach to him, but love him for who he is. Right where he is. It's time we silence the lies by allowing God to love through us. And I have seen entire prisons changed by one man who would love one man to Jesus until he was ready to love another man to Jesus. And I want to ask you a couple of questions today, and these are great. Can you look inside your very family, Can you look inside the place where you do business or the school that you go to or in the neighborhood you live and see someone like Mike. Who is that person that needs that kind of love? And secondly, what change could you make in that person's life if you begin to love that person to Jesus until they're ready to love another man to Jesus?