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Look at Acts chapter 2 now as Jason was reading that of course It's a very famous chapter of the day of Pentecost With the disciples of Christ having the power of the Holy Ghost come upon them and then able to speak in many different languages Okay, and Peter gets up and gives this great speech there But I just want you to notice part of the great speech in verse number 22 Acts chapter 2 verse 22 He says ye men of Israel hear these words Jesus of Nazareth a man approved of God A man approved of God the title for the sermon tonight is approved of God Okay approved of God now the reason I wanted to preach on this This is basically how I live my life In many ways okay one thing that I've noticed obviously I've been saved since I was four years old I didn't really grow till is in my 20s roughly you know as a Christian one thing that I noticed with a lot of people You know I'm not even talking about the unsaved I'm just talking about this saved you know people that are brothers and sisters in the Lord that sometimes you know some believers can have a positive outlook to life and Some believers can have a very negative outlook to life You know it's like that You know the glass is a half full or it's a half half empty You know that kind of perspective, and I realize that it really taints your life It really affects people around you how you react to certain situations You know something can happen in life Just you know and someone looks at that event and goes you know has a very negative attitude to it And it brings them down it brings everyone around them down and some people will just blow it off You know what's the difference well? Why is it that some people can just blow things off you know some people make might make a comment about you right there? If they say something negative about you and some people will get really offensive. You know really offended You know they have very they're very sensitive They react very quickly to a situation and then others like who cares like why is that what why have you ever wondered? why is it that people react in different ways and And The you know the answer is not because the person that blows it off doesn't care that's not the answer okay It's not that the person that blows it off doesn't care. We're all made of the same flesh and blood We all have the same feelings we all you know someone says something negative match It's going to affect you of course okay, but obviously some reacts worse than others, and why is that? Why is that and I'll tell you the secret to it? It's basically the title of sermon said it's approved of God if your concern in life is just to be approved by God Man everything else in life is not going to bother you okay if your focus is I just want to make sure God approves of me, and how I believe things how I act how I live my life I'm telling you other things in life. It's not going to bother you as much as it does today, okay, and You know another word the Bible uses when it comes to approval or being approved of God is the word accepted You know if you did a word study for but proves of God or accepted by God these two things are very similar Okay, so the purpose for this sermon today is to make you a more content person And it's making you more happy in your life having more confidence about the way you live your life being steadfast And I'm not being someone that's that's you know tossed to and fro not someone That's how you know that's always very weak and unsure about themselves You know I don't want you to be overly sensitive, and I don't want you to be easily offended I mean, I think this is what everybody wants everyone wants to have confidence in their life Okay, and of course the world when they look for confidence they look for confidence in the flesh You know they look for confidence in finances how much money they make you know how good they look you know how well their body Is toned or whatever it is now people look for confidence in different areas maybe their? University degree or you know their their career path or they look for confidence in all these things But what we should be looking for is the approval of God. That's the key thing that we should be striving for Now if you can just turn to Romans chapter 2 Romans chapter 2 verse 11 Romans chapter 2 verse 11 The first thing we need to talk about just very quickly I want to just you know obviously tailor this message to believers But the first way that you're you're approved of God is the way where of course common sense is salvation You know needing to be saved you know because as an unsaved person you are not approved of God There's nothing you can bring to the table where God will say hey, yeah, that's acceptable I'll take that you know as as as your entrance into the kingdom of God into eternity You know to have salvation no the Bible says in Romans 2 11 for there is no respect of persons We've God there is no respect of persons. We've got there's nothing you can bring you know as an unsaved Person without Christ there's nothing that you can do or show of yourselves your finances like I said your strength your good looks There's nothing that God will turn around and say wow I approve of that okay I respect that no God is not a respecter of persons and look if God is not a respecter of persons Do you think we should be respecter of persons? No we shouldn't right? I mean the only way you can be approved by God is salvation is to be clothed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ You know first and foremost and of course once you are clothed in the righteousness of Christ You know you know that God is not a respecter of persons Don't you become a respecter of persons okay? If we're striving to be more godly striving to be more like Jesus Christ Then that's something we need to aim for okay not to respect persons But to seek the approval or the acceptance of God now go to Luke chapter 20, please Luke chapter 20 And I'm going to read to you from Proverbs 28 verse 21 you guys go to Luke 20 I'm going to read to you from Proverbs 28 verse 21 the Bible says to have respect of persons is not good For for a piece of bread that man will transgress Says look if you if you lift up if you respect somebody or if you're seeking the respect of a person He says it's not good It's not something we should be doing as believers because that same person Will basically transgress or commit sin or do wrong for a piece of bread There's that there's that saying that everyone has a price That everyone will commit sin for some value of something now look the truth is I'm sure we've all committed sins For something as stupid or as insignificant as a piece of bread It's very difficult because this is the flesh that we walk in right sometimes There are some sins we struggle with we're really trying to fight against it And maybe we still fall and there are some other things that we just do like that You know you know just so insignificant to us we commit that sin And that's why we shouldn't respect people because they're not perfect. They're all sinners We're all sinners you know the only one we ought to seek out the respect or approval for from is God Now in Luke chapter 20 verse 21 Luke chapter 20 verse 21. This is when Jesus Christ is in the temple This is the last week before he's being crucified and the Pharisees and the Sadducees are sending their disciples to try to trip up Jesus Christ they're asking many questions to see you know trying to find where he can fail trying to find a reason to Accuse him of and this is what they say of Jesus in verse 21 And they asked him saying master we know that thou sayest and teach us rightly Now these guys are not genuine. They're not they're not saying so a genuine heart, okay? But what they're saying is true, okay, what they're saying is true, but they're not saying we've in it with any genuineness Okay, they're trying to find fault in Jesus, but then it says this so that they acknowledge that he teaches rightly Neither except us thou the person of any but teach us the way of God truly Now do you want to be people that know the way of God truly? Do you want to be people that teach rightly that know rightly what the Word of God says? You know you want to base your faith and practice in life on the Word of God And you want to be as true to the Word of God as possible if that's you then what was said of Jesus it said there Neither Exceptest thou the person of any so that they're acknowledging Jesus when you teach when you preach You don't care about the thoughts of others You know you don't care how they're going to get offended by your preaching you don't care about their opinions You just seem to care about teaching the Word of God You know and that's my job as your pastor. You know to get behind the pulpit, and you know yes You know I I do Care for you. I do love you You know I but that shouldn't stop me from preaching the Word of God truly, okay That shouldn't stop me and I better compromise I better not say these things because I know brother so-and-so sister so-and-so is struggling this area I'm not going to talk about that or sugarcoat around it because I don't want to offend them now That's not how I preach or ought to be that's not how a teacher ought to be and the same for you when you come To the Word of God you know and you know you have your faults and problems You need to be someone that says you know what regardless of my faults and problems I'm gonna read the Word of God And I'm going to take it for what it says and if it offends me so be it Because if it offends me that's awesome because now I know that's an area of my life that I need to change Okay, we need to build our faith and practice of course your faith is what you believe your practice is How you live out your life? You know based on the Word of God Seeking the approval that God gives us and we see what it was said of Jesus He was approved of God, and he preached the truth regardless of who it may affect who it may offend all right Now please turn to 2nd Corinthians chapter 10 2nd Corinthians chapter 10 Because there is a third category to this there are those that you know we should be striving to seek God's approval There are those that seek the approval of men, but then you've got a third carry category They're the self approvers they approve of themselves They they they love to speak of themselves and in 2nd Corinthians chapter 10 verse 17 the Bible says But he that glory of let him glory in the Lord that's 2nd Corinthians 10 17 But he that glory of let him glory in the Lord Hey And this is what's going to give you a positive outlook in life is when you when you glory about things don't glory about This world no don't glory about these earthly things because it's all going to come to an end It's all temporal find your glory in the Lord, but then it says in verse 18 For not he that commandeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commandeth Okay, so someone that goes around commending themselves You know speaking highly of themselves. You know seeking you know self promoters It's said here that the Lord does not commend him You know they're commending himself that person is not approved by God Okay And that is what some people fall into because they care about how others feel they care about what others have to say about themselves And what no one else no one's saying anything nice about me No one's saying anything positive about me, but I want to be look good in front of others well If no one's gonna do it. I'm gonna promote myself. I'm gonna speak highly of myself I'm gonna talk about all the great things that I've done you know and and by doing that you sort of put people in a Corner because look have you ever been next to someone that just keeps promoting themselves keeps talking themselves up You kind of feel rude to say hey, you know you shouldn't talk like that. You know you're sort of like yeah You know you've done great. You know they're seeking that kind of approval from you as well Hey, but the Lord does not commend that person the Lord does not lift up that person all right now in Matthew chapter 6 Verse 1 if you can turn if you want Matthew 6 verse 1 Matthew chapter 6 verse 1 By the way there's two ways of being a self approver one way is to commend themselves one ways to approve and lift themselves up I'll go to the second one in a moment, but just in Matthew 6 verse 1 Matthew 6 verse 1 It says take heed that you do not your arms before men to be seen of them So arms are your good works. You know when you do your good works before men Or do not do your good works before men to be seen of men otherwise you have no reward of your father Which is in heaven? Okay, so what do you want in your life? Do you want God to see your works? Do you want God to reward you or do you want man to see your works and for man to reward you? Those are your options those are your options, and if you promote yourself in front of man If you talk highly about your great works Then your reward will be from men And it won't be from God verse number two therefore when thou doest thine arms Do not sound a trumpet before thee as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets they may have the glory of men Verily, I sense you they have their reward hey women to go into glory in women to glory in the Lord But these guys are looking for the glory of men verse number three But when thou doest arms let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth That thine arms may be in secret and thy father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly Man if you can just take this on board just this one principle from Jesus. It's going to change your life. It's going to change life Because it's natural when you do something good. It's natural. It's natural okay when you do something good It's natural to want people to see the good and say well done and give you a pat on the back It's it's natural okay, because you know you do it, and it's like well I didn't see that you know, but here's the thing it's better if it's in secrets And you know that someone has seen it's always God who sees us okay, and this will change everything I promise you you start thinking like this God sees everything that I do God sees all my good works You know and if God sees my good works. God will approve of my works. God rewarded my works It doesn't matter what happens outside of that hey if I do good works and someone criticizes me It doesn't matter because God saw my good works. God will reward me accordingly okay, but here's the thing when someone speaks bad about good works Can't believe he said that Can't believe they said that about me why because you're seeking the approval of men and that's going to get you downcast That's going to cause you to have a negative outlook in life all right now Please go to Isaiah 43 turn to Isaiah 43 the second way people Seek acceptance or approval of men is not that they just lift themselves up for their good works But they seek acceptance for the bad that they have done they seek acceptance for the bad that they've done You know they'll go you know look we've all not all but some have lived a more sinful life than others Okay, some have made some serious mistakes compared to others and you know Don't be this kind of person don't be the kind of person that Keeps bringing up your mistakes that keeps bringing up all your past sins to other people Okay, because look think about this if let's say I lived I had a really horrible I go in jail I was drug addict and I was stealing cars and all this stuff And I just kept saying to you guys on man. I messed up my life. You know such a sinner You know I did all these horrible things You know I wish someone gave me the gospel early in my life I wish I had direction for my parents. You know I wish all these things. What are they seeking? They're looking for you to go. It's okay brother. It's okay. God understands No look whether you you know if you've sinned if you've done wickedness Whether you knew the Word of God or whether you didn't know the Word of God it was wrong to do still a sin You know don't go seeking for others approval to say well God understands why you were like that God understands your situation look of course God understands That's why you had to send Jesus Christ to come and pay for the sins your sins on the cross Okay, they've been handed they've been taken care of they've been nailed to the cross It's time for you to let go of it You don't need to keep bringing it up to people Seeking for people to feel sorry for you to support you pat you on the back let go of it all right Psalm 103 verse 12 says as far as the east is from the west so far have God removed our transgressions from us As far as the east is from the west it never meets Okay, that's how far God has removed our transgressions. Why do you want to keep bringing it back? God wants to get rid of it. God wants to be done. He's done with it You know you guys are in Isaiah 43 verse 25 Isaiah 43 verse 25 It says I even I this is God speaking and hear that blood of out thy Transgressions for mine own sake and will not remember thy sins God says look when I've forgiven you. I don't look not only have I forgiven you I've forgotten about it I don't remember him anymore. I don't bring them back to remembrance You know God doesn't look God doesn't want to keep remembering your sins. He wants to forget it He wants to put it put it behind him. He wants you to put it behind him Okay, and look God has forgiven you that should be sufficient It should be sufficient for you to know that God has paid for my sins that he's removed it from me that he's forgotten about It therefore I'm gonna forget about them. I'm gonna move on with my life I'm not gonna keep bringing it up because when you keep bringing it up This is what's going to give you a negative outlook to life Okay, what you should be thinking about is praise God they're paid for that will give you a positive outlook on life Okay, you think about what God has done for you glory in the Lord, okay? Don't go trying around. You know trying to seek people's opinions and approval. Yeah, it's all understood. Look don't worry about it It's been dealt with Okay, it's been dealt with your sins have been dealt with you don't need to keep bringing it up to everybody's face You know they're causing them to remember look people are gonna have a bad outlook on you You keep bringing up the past, you know, we all have past we all made mistakes, but they've been paid for by Jesus Christ So moving on to the next point I'll get you guys to turn to Acts chapter 10, please actually 10 Because the question will become you know, well, how then do I find myself approved of God and Not seeking that after man. What do I need to do? You know, how is it that I need to find myself approved? I'm not talking about an unsaved person. We're talking about save people today Right, and how do I find myself approved of God and how do I prevent myself seeking it from man? I've got basically two points for this, but I go to our acts 1034 Acts 1034 Acts 1034 While reads then Peter opened his mouth and said of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons But in every nation hear that fear of him and worketh righteousness is Accepted with him. Hey, how is it that you want to be accepted by God? How is it that you want to be approved by God? Well, it said here that you must first fear him You must first fear God and work his righteousness, you know fear God and work righteousness That's step number one. Okay, that's step number one. Why why is that? Because here's the thing if you fear God in the right measure if you fear God, you're not going to fear man Okay, if you feel what God has to say about your life if you're concerned about how God sees your life and the things that areas That you're not doing well in the you know, it's going to cause if you have a fear of God It's just going to naturally cause you to say well man. I'm afraid of God I'm afraid of the terror of the Lord there. I better do what's right. I better walk in accordance to his commands I better do things as I see them in the scriptures That's what's gonna strive you to do it is when you have a healthy fear of God that's gonna override your fear of man Okay, because here's the reason here's the reason why you don't do certain things that God asked you to do is because you've got a fear Of man, what's man gonna say if I do these things if I put this into place? What's man gonna say? Hey, that's the fear of man. No, you got to have the fear of God Okay, the fear of God is greater than the fear of man All right If you had the right balance of the fear of God You're not gonna worry about what men have to say about you and you're gonna be driven to walk in righteousness to do the works Of righteousness that God has asked you to do Please turn to Romans 12 verse 1 Romans chapter 12 verse 1 Romans 12 verse 1 Romans 12 verse 1 I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice Hey God wants us to Use our bodies as a sacrifice for him. Okay, say well, that's too much work says here whole living sacrifice. Holy Acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service He says look you offering yourself as a sacrifice doing the things that God has asked you to do is your reasonable service He's not asking too much This is this makes perfect sense for what God has done for you. Surely you can give something back to him surely you can uphold his word and walk in his ways and then verse 2 says and Be not conformed to this world, but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove What is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God? How is it that you know, what's acceptable to God you must renew your mind, right and prove? Okay, every area of your life prove it whatever it is that you do Prove it is this aligned with what God wants me to do Is this what God wants me to do whatever it is that you set your heart on your hands upon Is this what God finds approved, you know, or is it not, you know? Is this a line with his perfect will or not? You know, have I renewed my mind enough or not? So that's step number one step. Step number one is to fear God and work righteousness. Okay Now step number two if you guys can go to 2nd Timothy chapter 2, please 2nd Timothy chapter 2 verse 14 2nd Timothy chapter 2 verse 14 The second step and I've already kind of covered this as we're leading into this is make the Bible The basis of your faith and practice make the Bible the basis of your faith and practice Go to 2nd Timothy chapter 2 verse 14 The Bible says of these things put them in remembrance Charging them before the Lord that they may that they may that they strive not about words to no profit But to the subverting of the hearers and look at this study Study study what the Word of God study to show thyself Approved unto God a workman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly divided in the word of truth But shun profane and vain babblings for they will increase unto more ungodliness All right, so God says look study know the Word of God Why is it I why is it that I believe this? Because pastor Kevin preached it. No, that's wrong. Okay. Yes, you may have learnt it from pastor Kevin But the reason you know this to be true is because it's what the Bible says and I can turn to the scriptures and show You the Bible says is this is why I believe that okay. Well, why is it that you homeschool your kids or whatever? Well, the Bible says that I should be trained my kids from sunrise to sunset All right, that means they're going to be in the presence of mom and dad, you know They're not going to be put away in some institution. They're gonna be raised by mom and dad I've got my reasons behind that let alone how evil and wicked, you know, as society is the schools are these days You know, I've got my reasons behind that, you know, it's built upon the Word of God It's not because other families in the church are homeschooling and I'm feeling the pressure now I gotta homeschool cuz yeah, man, what are they gonna think of me? Hey, that's the fear of man No, you know, that's not why you homeschool and that you know people that homeschool for the wrong reasons Because they feel the pressure from church They're the ones that give up homeschooling because they're not doing it based on the Word of God they're not building their faith and practice on the Word of God and You see One thing we talk about the Christian life. And of course if you live a Christian life, there are challenges Okay, God has a high standard but also the Christian life in many ways is very easy It's it's it's very easy in many ways. Okay, and what what do I mean by that? It's because You know ungodly worldly people without Christ. They have to make the same decisions in life that we all have to you know Looking for work getting married, you know Whatever, you know raising the kids and whatever people do with life, you know Everyone's got to make a decision and decide how they're going to go about doing things And one thing that's great about being a Christian is because I got the Bible I don't need to worry myself so much Am I doing the right thing or the wrong thing if I can just find in the Bible? That's what God says. Oh, that's the right thing. Like it's just a burden that's off my shoulders I don't have to worry about that. I don't have to struggle. Is this right or wrong, you know, and You know, I don't stress about you know, ask you the question, you know as a man Should I be the one working as a man? Should I be the one providing for my family or should I be sending my wife out there instead? Is that is that what I know? I don't need to it's answered the Bible the Bible has answered that for me Okay, that that's the requirement. That's the responsibility of the man, you know, or disobedient children, you know What's the right show watch Supernanny's that you know? Am I gonna get the right ways as disciplined kids on super nanny? Should I should I do the timeouts or you know? Should I they don't I wonder should we take privilege make privilege? We're gonna take privileges away from them or take toys away from the things that they like, you know It's answer for me get the rod of correction the Bible says and I take out the rod and spank your kids Answered I don't have to worry about what the right or wrong answer is. I know what the right answer is. All right You know, should I should I be in support of homosexual marriage? You know that our government had that plebiscite, you know When was that two years ago a year and a half ago the plebic look the government doesn't know what's right or wrong Let's go ask everybody else what they think, you know I'm not there wondering not should I put yes or no, you know, what's the answer there the answer it's answer They should be stoned to death. That's the answer the regards not about marriage. It's about being stoned to death That's what the answer that's what the Bible says. I don't have to worry about that I don't have to stress about those kinds of questions in life That's what you know Being a Christian is easy in one way because you know the right as long as you know the Bible Of course, you you know the right answer to those things and you know what that will give you confidence in life It'll give you confidence when you go about doing something Are these spent your kids? Oh, man, I'm gonna report you to it. That's how I've had that You know said to me at work Oh Kevin how do you raise your kids? How are they so well behaved? Well, we spanked them we get the right what I'm gonna report you to the two docks It's like you just told me how good they were You know, I don't worry about those kinds of things, you know, I know what God says it gives me confidence You know, I'll just I don't beat around the bush You know get out and I say what did your parents never give you a good smack. Oh, yeah, they did Well what you turned out? Okay, right, you know and it gives you confidence in life You're never wondering about things, you know I remember a few years ago this this book this novel the DaVinci Code came out this DaVinci Code It's a fictional book fictional book about Jesus getting married to Mary Magdalene apparently found evidence that They found the evidence of Jesus tomb in the tomb It said that Mary Magdalene was his wife and they had a son so they had descendants or something like that I don't know. So anyway, some guy writes a fictional book about it and I remember it being like a big news like it's going around, you know And like oh wow, this new evidence and blah blah and I'm like, who cares I know what the Bible says I know that Jesus died rose again from the dead and then you send it up to be on the right Yeah, the right hand side of the father, you know, I mean Or see it at the right hand of the father, you know Like I'm not worried about DaVinci Code. Maybe they've discovered something new. Maybe that's gonna unsettle my faith in the Bible No, who cares? That's a nonsense. Well, I'm gonna waste my time on that stuff. That's what people get unsettled I'm telling you Christians get unsettled with those things because they haven't got the confidence in the Word of God You know, I don't get unsettled if on the news they discover some new Evolutionary missing link, you know see this proves that men came from apes or something Unsettled me who cares. I know what the Word of God says I know the word, you know, the world's about six thousand some years old and that you know Adam and Eve were our forefather our first father and mother and I'm not unsettled by that kind of information You know some Christians are some Christians are unsettled by that, you know And you know, that's what I'm saying to you If you know the Word of God if you build your faith and practice on the Word of God It's going to give you confidence It's not going to cause you to be you know, uncomfortable or wondering or doubting and and having that negative outlook to life No, it's not going to do that You know if everybody in the world if nobody in the world homeschooled their kids I'm not gonna stop homeschooling my kids because I know why I'm doing it, you know I've built it upon the Word of God. I have confidence. That's the best way to raise my children and When you base it upon the Word of God, it's also going to give you thicker skin It's gonna make you less sensitive less offended by the words of others Okay, what they say is not gonna bother you as much. Well, it should it will bother you to some extent It always will a little bit but you're gonna have better control of your emotions You're gonna have better control because you know, you're doing it in accordance to Word of God. That's what matters I want to know that I'm approved of God. I don't care about the approval of men, you know And you know this I'm sure you've all experienced this You know, I mean just I mentioned a homeschool I mentioned just you know, my wife staying home and raising the kids You know just these little things Disciplining your kids the human like the stuff that people have been doing for thousands of years, right? But people now look at it. It's like oh man, you know, what kind of world you live in, you know I know you're raising your kids in this bubble and you know They're going to be traumatized for their look. I have confidence. My kids are going to turn out Okay, I have confidence that my marriage is going to be strong because we're basing the things that we do on the Word of God It doesn't matter if my brother I'm not saying my brothers have done this but doesn't matter if my closest relatives are saying Hey, you know, that's a bad way of doing it. You shouldn't put your kids You know your kids are missing out on on social on social activities at school. They're not going to get the teaching I don't care. I mean you can feel that way. I actually and this is a positive outlook. I Appreciate that you actually care about the family that that concerns you actually appreciate that But I don't care about how you say those things until I know why I'm doing it I know that it's built on the Word of God. And if God says that's okay. I'm all for it. I have the confidence I'm not going to be shaken by that Okay But here's the thing when you don't have the confidence in the Word of God when they say those things it's going to cause you To get unsettled. How dare they say that about me? How dare they say that? I'm a bad parent because It cares what they say you care about what God says that's what you should care about I promise if you can apply this to your life You're gonna have a much happier life. You're gonna be have so much more positivity about you, you know, and You got Jason mentioned that I smile a lot, you know now I'm giving you, you know, living your best life Now how to remain positive. I'm becoming more like what's the guy's name? Joel Osteen. Yeah, my students are becoming more Joel's thing. It's not but look this is important You know, it's important God's given us this life. God's given us this time on the earth You know He doesn't want us to go around moping and complaining and whinging and being easily offended all the time God wants us to live confident lives in accordance to his word Now one thing I do want to say one thing that I've noticed it as a pattern amongst people is And this is not obviously a hard and fast rule But I've noticed this is that people that have grown up in a broken home or people that have grown up without their fathers You know all that just just without a good godly or you know, manly father in their life I just noticed that a lot of these people tend to look for the approval of people More than the average person like more than the average person that's grown up in a decent home with mom and dad there and you Know that and they've been you know, mom and dad have given them approval have given them confidence in life You know, they tend to not be bothered so much by the words of others But people that didn't grow up in them in the best home environment They tend to be looking for the approval of other people. Okay, and that's something that I need to realize as well You know, it's it's just that you know some Sometimes in life some people's you know the way things worked out for them. Unfortunately have been more difficult than others You know, I'm thankful that God's given me a godly father and mother, you know, I appreciate that But I also acknowledge that other people have not had the same life that I've had Okay, and that may cause them to be more sensitive to be more easily offended and these kinds of things nevertheless nevertheless It's still true the way to have a positive outlook in life the way to be confident Okay is to build your faith and practice on the Word of God regardless Okay, the Word of God has the answer for all of us. Okay in how we ought to progress and live our lives Please take your Bibles and turn to Philippians chapter 1 Philippians chapter 1 verse 9 Philippians chapter 1 verse 9 the Bible says and this I pray that Your love may abound yet more and more in the knowledge and in all judgment. Okay, so He wants our love to be abounded more and more But that love needs to be based on something it says in knowledge and in judgment again, that's coming from the Word of God Verse 10 that you may prove that you may approve things that are excellent Okay, he wants if we want to be approved of God We need to make sure that the things that we do are excellent. Okay that you may be sincere and without offense Till the day of Christ Being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God You see the more you approve things in excellence According to knowledge and judgment it said there that you're gonna be without offense Okay, that means you're gonna be less likely to offend people But at the same time you're less likely to take the offense, you know be easily offended because you're building upon Things that are proved in excellence, okay now What I want to talk about here quickly is that I just want to talk to you about how to handle people That practice things differently to you that do things differently to you and how you should respond to that with love okay, we've loved and I'll give you an example of this and and I'm not saying this, you know I'm not trying to take if this is an example that's happening this church, you know, I don't know Okay, just just by accident, okay But I'm just talking about things that happen all the time in every church in every all the time when you have families Gathered together and people talk and people have strong opinions of their beliefs strong opinions about how they should ought to live life And I'll give you one example, you know, you know one mother might say to another mother, you know I bought my daughter a smartphone, you know, I bought my daughter a smartphone on her birthday, you know and look Some parents would not approve of that. Okay, some parents say would not why would you do that? You know and and This is where you need to be mindful. Okay, you need to be mindful because That child is not your child. Okay, the mother that bought the smartphone for that child is the authority in that person's life Okay, it's up to them. It's their decision. Okay, and they probably feel this is fine. This is good You know, this is something that that that they need for life. It's gonna make our lives easier or whatever But then you may feel well, I would never do that. You know, that's not something that I would do So, how do you respond? How do you respond? You know, I'll tell you not how to respond to you and how not to respond, you know I would never buy that for my daughter, you know, don't you know the problems that she can develop don't you know? You know how you know how I don't know whatever I know that it has this problem will cause this in her life records that in life. Don't you know I would never do that They never asked for your opinion. Who cares? All right, that's not how you respond and if you're that type of person that responds that way It's because you haven't got your you haven't built your approval upon God You see what people get triggered about how other people live their lives They get triggered because they haven't got confidence in themselves in how they live their life Okay, and so when other family does something differently to how they feel for them it's like a slap in the face on them It's like well, you're giving them a phone, but I wouldn't do that. What are you saying that? I'm the bad parent No, we're not so I'm just talking I gave her a phone. That's what happened I bought her a present because I love my daughter. That's what happened. It's got nothing to do about you Okay, but the wrong response is I would never do such a thing No, because here it is your your your you got thin skin you're highly sensitive Okay, you haven't got confidence in the Word of God and how you live your life and you want to seek approval from other people And so when other people are not living like the way you would live it Unsettles you it unsettles you and if that's you that means you're a respecter of persons You're looking for approval from other people Rather than having the confidence that comes from knowing the Word of God and living your life according to the God's Word All right. Now, how should you respond if you don't approve of it? You know, well, maybe don't say anything. Maybe don't say anything Or you could just say you know what? Yeah, you know for our kids We just don't think it's it's right for them at this point in time to have Phones behave your kids mature enough to handle that good on that's the way that's the best way to respond You know and here's the thing as well that I've noticed with some Christians We're meant to love one another as brothers sisters in the Lord and Sometimes, you know, you may do something or you do, you know practice something or whatever that I don't approve of But I know about it, but I don't approve of it. Okay. Oh, I mean I wouldn't do it from in my life But then should I just ignore that aspect of your life? Should I just say well, I don't approve it Therefore I'm not gonna bring it up. I'm not gonna mention it. I'm not gonna ask them how that's going No, because I meant to love you Okay, and if you're doing something that's a major part of your life that I don't think is right, but you're doing it Anyway, hey, I'm still gonna go up to you say hey, how's that situation? How's that thing? Going that you're going that's going on there Is there anything you know that I can help you out with it's anything I can pray for whatever it is Why because I'm meant to love you. Okay. I don't need to necessarily approve of every decision you make in your life You need to be making your decisions based on what the Word of God says not how pastor Kevin Sepulveda feels or anyone else in the family, you know anyone any other family in the church feels alright The last thing that I want to talk about here is if you seek God's approval. It's going to give you stability It's going to give you stability turn to Hebrews chapter 12 verse 28 Hebrews chapter 12 verse 28 Actually not the last thing the second last thing stability Hebrews chapter 12 verse 28. I'll just read through this quickly The Bible says wherefore we receive in a kingdom which cannot be moved Let us have grace whereby we may serve God Acceptably acceptably with reverence and godly fear for our God is a consuming fire What I want to bring to your attention here guys, is that we can have stability The Bible says here that the kingdom of God which we received cannot be moved Okay, the kingdom that we're part of is stable Okay, we can have stability in our lives We can have that confidence in our lives because we know God's Word will never change We know how God feels about something today is the same way He feels about it forever the same way he felt about it in the book of Genesis is the same way He's going to feel about it when we live out revelation You know we can have confidence in his kingdom and once we've answered the king we have the confidence that we'll never Leave that kingdom because it's everlasting life Okay gives us confidence to stand in the kingdom that God has given us You see what I want to bring to your tune here is that this world is not our home Okay, this temporal world is not our home. Okay, and look. I'm not I've got a house We've been able to purchase a house But here's what happens a lot of Christians feel the strain they feel the pressure I've got to buy a house, but why this is not your home Okay, this is not your home your home. What's gonna. Give you stability is the kingdom of God. It's not owning a house That's going to give you stability okay now if you're able to do it go for it. I'm not saying that's wrong I'm just saying hey make sure your your mind is in the right place because I see believers become unstable I see believers become you know feel feel you know Not important okay, because they don't own a property who cares it's all gonna get burnt up the house I know I own is gonna get burnt up one day all right. I don't care I want I want the mansions like God's prepared for me. Oh that is okay, so stability You know getting the approval of God You know making sure that you're adding your golden bricks in heaven whatever your treasures in heaven look like that you're working toward that That's what's going to get God's approval in your life rather than you worrying about temporal material things You know first Peter chapter 2 verse 4 just read it quickly to whom coming as unto a living stone disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God and precious Ye also talk about you as Lively stones are built up a spiritual house and holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices Acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. We're talking about before you know your body being that living sacrifice, okay Acceptable to God by Jesus Christ wherefore also it is contained in the scripture Behold I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone elect precious and hear that believer on him shall not be confounded So I just want to draw from that is your stability comes from Christ your stability comes from Jesus Christ Hey, God wants to build you as a lively stone, but he wants you to be built upon the foundation of Jesus Christ Okay, you walk in the ways of Jesus Christ. You're gonna have stability You're gonna be strong the same way that Jesus Christ was strong He was able to face his enemies people that were seeking to kill him He was able to speak to them with strength, but he also had compassion He also had love he had a great balance of all these qualities in his life And that was that's what gave Jesus stability hey, Jesus did not have a house Jesus did not have a house. He didn't have a place to rest his head Okay, but he's the most stable person you're gonna read in the Bible. Okay. He had the perfect balance in life Okay, nobody could trip him over he knew exactly what his mission was and he knew to teach the Word of God without compromise your stability comes from Jesus Christ and Lastly can you guys turn to 1st Peter chapter 2? 1st Peter chapter 2 verse 20 1st Peter chapter 2 verse 20 if you seek the approval of God It's going to help you in personal attacks in personal attacks. Okay that come to you 1st Peter chapter 2 verse 20 1st Peter chapter 2 verse 20 For what glory is this is it sorry for what glory is it if when you be buffeted for your faults You shall take it patiently But if when you do well and suffer for it you take it patiently This is acceptable with God. Hey, what's acceptable with God? We want to be approved of God, right? We want to be acceptable with God. What is it that you get buffered when you do well? Hey when you do what's right and you get criticized you get attacked you get persecuted for doing rights Okay, the Bible says here if you take it patiently Hey, if you don't lose your cool, you know, you don't let it bother you don't get frustrated you take it patiently Says hey, that's acceptable with God. That's what that's where God wants you to be in life Okay that anybody can say anything about you. It's like who cares I care what God says That's where God wants you to be okay if you can do that man You're gonna live so much of a more happier life instead of you being concerned How why does that person feel that way if it doesn't bother you it's gonna bother them that it doesn't bother you Okay, it's gonna be upon them rather than upon you. You're carrying all these things, you know these concerns Did you know so-and-so said that about you? Did you know they said that about you? I don't care I know what God says and I'm doing according to what God says I'm doing what's good Hey, that's acceptable to God Hey, that's acceptable to God What you know praise God for this because otherwise you're gonna be thinking that life is about fixing all these All these fires that are burning around you and you got to do your you know your job to fix them No, don't worry you walk in the path that God has given you okay, and you do the works that God has given you to do and You know, I've seen Christians get flustered, you know, they do something good to someone and that person look You've all been there you've done something good for someone and they've never thanked you for it They never showed appreciation for it Maybe you've gone out of your length to really help someone out and they've just been like whatever They just showed no appreciation whatsoever Now tell me how would you feel? How would you react when that happened? How did you react when that happened? Did you get all flustered? I can't believe you know I did the best without trying to help them out and why don't they pretty cut even say thank you Can't they even turn around just appreciate what I did. How did you react? I would say that's how you probably reacted because that's that's how I've reacted before right as I reacted before Hey, but here's the thing, you know, and I've seen people say this, you know, I've done I've helped them Why can't they acknowledge the good that's been done? Well, if you've done good that should be sufficient Okay, regardless if they appreciate another if you've done good if you've done the best you can okay if you've shown love You know charity courtesy to people and they've just wasted it Well, guess who saw it God saw it God saw it if you did good You know you did good and God knows that you did good and that should be enough for you You need to get to that point where that's enough for you Okay, and if it's not enough for you still saying that person must say it thank you that person you've You're not gonna live a happy life. You're always gonna be negative always because people are always gonna let you down always Okay, it's always gonna happen. You've got to learn that's life. People are gonna let you down in life But God's never gonna let you down. Okay, God's never gonna let you down and in conclusion turn to 2nd Corinthians 5 verse 8 2nd Corinthians 5 verse 8 I'll just end on this one because I like it. It says here We are confident. Are you guys confident? In the Lord in the Word of God, we are confident I say and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord So we see here that their eyes are on eternity. Hey, they'd rather be in eternity They'd rather be in heaven right now than on the earth But then it says in verse 9 wherefore we labor that whether presence or absence we may be accepted of him Okay, whether presence on this earth or absent in heaven. He says I will we're striving to be accepted by him Okay, and I want that to be your desire that when you that's really be your desire in life, you know Because there are people that will say I just want to be with God right now I just want to be I just Jesus just come back right now I just want to be with him right now. Hey, that's a good desire to have Okay, but if that's all your desire and you're gonna miss out on living for God on this earth Okay, and God wants you to be accepted of him both absent and present. Okay, so please use your time wisely We only have a few short years of life. Okay, let's try to enjoy life Try to be positive the more positive you are about life the more you're able to achieve and do for the Lord Okay, and then you can be with the Lord forever it's all gonna be good then okay Hey, but great if you suffer for him today greater rewards in heaven, you know greater rewards in heaven And look you're gonna teach your kids you're gonna teach other people around just have thicker skins You know instead of those little things bothering you all the time getting around down. It's gonna be like, you know what? God says I'm doing right. I know I'm doing right. Hey, and if you're not doing right according to God Well, I know I need to change that. All right, good Okay, but that's what makes Christianity so easy is we know what God says All right, am I walking in God's ways? Yep. I'm not working God's ways. Why do you fix that? That's how life should be don't worry about what other people saying around you. Okay, don't let it bother you. Let's pray