Abiding in Christ: Transforming Your Heart in a Distracted World
Podcast 67 Blog
Living a godly life in today’s world can often feel like an uphill battle. In this episode of “Living God’s Way,” titled “Abiding in Christ: Transforming Your Heart in a Distracted World,” we explore how to stay true to biblical truths despite societal and religious distortions. Based on 1 John 2:24-29, this episode delves into the importance of abiding in Jesus’ teachings and the transformative power of spiritual rebirth.
In a world that increasingly pushes God aside, it becomes crucial to recognize and resist the distortions that can mislead us, especially when financial gain is involved. Many Christian-like denominations compromise biblical truths to attract more followers, but this episode underscores the necessity of adhering strictly to God’s Word. By abiding in Jesus and being born again, we can truly grasp the promise of eternal life and the guiding role of the Holy Spirit.
Confidence in our walk with Christ comes from listening to the Holy Spirit. This divine relationship shapes our preferences and behaviors over time. Daily Bible reading, prayer, and fellowship are essential practices for nurturing our connection with God. These practices not only keep us grounded but also help us grow in our faith, making us more like Jesus. The episode stresses the importance of maintaining a direct relationship with God, free from deceit, and living righteously without falling into legalism.
The concept of spiritual rebirth is pivotal. True righteousness cannot be achieved through our own efforts but through the blood of Christ. This episode distinguishes between being born again and infant baptism, explaining why the latter is insufficient. The journey of prioritizing a relationship with God over worldly distractions is a recurring theme. It’s not about adhering to a set of rules but about a loving, daily connection with Him.
Weekly worship and fellowship with fellow believers are also emphasized. Regular commitment to these practices integrates them into our lives more effectively than sporadic attendance. The episode encourages listeners to make worship a consistent part of their routine and to connect with the community through platforms like brmaul.com, where they can share testimonies and experiences.
In the first chapter, “Living God’s Way,” the episode begins with a stark reminder of the ungodliness prevalent in today’s world. The dangers posed by Christian-like denominations that compromise biblical truths for financial gain are highlighted. The significance of abiding in the teachings of Jesus Christ and the transformative power of being born again are discussed in detail. The promise of eternal life and the role of the Holy Spirit in guiding believers are underscored. The chapter concludes with a warning about those who attempt to deceive and pervert God’s message.
The second chapter, “Abiding in Christ for Confidence,” emphasizes the importance of listening to the Holy Spirit’s guidance in our daily lives. Walking with the Lord changes our preferences and behaviors, making us more like Jesus. The Holy Spirit teaches us directly through God’s Word, and having good teachers and pastors aids our understanding. Daily Bible reading, prayer, and fellowship are essential for nurturing our relationship with God. The concept of abiding in Christ and the truthfulness of God’s Word are discussed, emphasizing our direct connection with Him as His children.
In the third chapter, “Practicing Righteousness and Being Born Again,” the importance of practicing righteousness as a testament to being born of God is explored. The concept of spiritual rebirth is highlighted, distinguishing it from infant baptism. The episode addresses why some may find the notion of being born again offensive and shares personal experiences and reflections on abiding in Jesus. The transformation that comes with prioritizing a relationship with God over worldly distractions is emphasized.
The final chapter, “Weekly Worship and Connection With Community,” underscores the importance of weekly worship and fellowship with fellow believers. Regular commitment to these practices integrates them into our lives more effectively. The episode encourages listeners to make worship a consistent part of their routine and to connect with the community through platforms like brmaul.com. Sharing testimonies and experiences helps uplift others and fosters a closer walk with the Lord.
In summary, this episode of “Living God’s Way” provides a comprehensive guide to living a godly life in an ungodly world. By abiding in Jesus, listening to the Holy Spirit, and practicing righteousness, we can transform our hearts and stay true to God’s Word. Regular worship and fellowship further strengthen our faith, helping us navigate the challenges of a distracted world. Whether you’re struggling with societal pressures or seeking a deeper connection with God, this episode offers valuable insights and practical advice to help you on your spiritual journey.
Podcast 67 Transcript
This is a computer generated transcript of this podcast. This is NOT a typed transcript and it has not been edited. Expect grammatical and syntactical errors.
B.R.Maul: 0:28
Hello and good day. I am BR Maul and this is Living God’s Way in an Ungodly World. And yes, we do live in an ungodly world, and I am not in any way being negative. I am being truthful. It only takes watching the news, or reading the news, watching society around you, and it is very evident that this is an ungodly world. As the world continues to push God out and trying to lift up themselves or their other gods, often the individual, the person, becomes their own God.
B.R.Maul: 1:12
Even more frightening are those Christian-like religions, and there are many of them. There are tens of thousands of denominations that are Christian-based, and those are the ones that concern me the most, because much of it is to do with God’s Word. Unfortunately, there are bits and pieces that are left out. Usually, those are the bits and pieces that clergy, or whatever they may be called in their religion, are afraid of losing people because that’s how they make money. Often, the question is how can we bring in more people to the church? And through the experiences that God has shown me and what I have learned in his word and comparing the two, often it is money that is the motivator for churches, and that really does sadden me, but that’s why we come together here each week to read God’s Word and then to learn it, because it is important.
B.R.Maul: 2:15
If you are born again, it is your duty to be reading God’s Word. It is how God talks to His children. It is how he sanctifies us so we become more like his beloved son and our Savior, jesus Christ. So without being in his word and without studying his word, so reading it and understanding it and there’s some really interesting terminology that we’re going to be going over today in 1 John that touches on that and words of encouragement. I have often taught that we do not need to go to a seminary, we do not need to go to higher education and pay money for somebody to teach us God’s word. Once you are born again, beloved, it is a promise that the Holy Spirit will help you understand God’s word, and John will be talking about that today.
B.R.Maul: 3:17
So we are in the book of 1 John, chapter 2, starting with verse 24, the reading begins Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father, and this is the promise that he has promised us eternal life, verse 26,. These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you, but the anointing which you have received from him abides in you and you do not need that anyone teach you. But as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in him. Verse 28. And now, little children, abide in him that when he appears, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of him. Heavenly Father, I ask you to guide me as I teach these verses. Let nothing of my own agenda escape my lips, only allow that which you are teaching those who are listening, lord, and I pray that those who are listening open up their hearts and soften their hearts. Help them to put aside pride or any insecurities that may be getting in their way to hearing your voice as you are knocking at their hearts In Jesus’ name, amen.
B.R.Maul: 5:18
So verse 24 will unpack each of these. Therefore, john says will unpack each of these. Therefore, john says let that abide in you. Which you heard from the beginning, in what you heard from the beginning, abides in you. You also will abide in the Son and in the Father. He is referring to the information he spoke about in the beginning of his letter, and it is the gospel we are talking about, the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is the very foundation that we stand on as children of God the miracle life of Jesus, him being sinless, his blood being pure, his death on the cross and his resurrection. So that is the gospel, and that gospel abides in you as a born-again believer.
B.R.Maul: 6:17
If you are listening and you are not born again, this stuff may seem very foreign or even silly to you, because this does not abide in those who are not born again. To be born again. In Romans 10, well, you are told that with the tongue one confesses the Lord Jesus, that is, confessing that he is the Lord of your life, and with the heart believe that God, the Father, raised him from the dead. So this is the kind of belief that is in the heart. It is not the belief in the head. I may believe that tomorrow we have a chance of rain because I looked at the forecast. Well, that’s a belief in my head. But believing in our heart, that is part of our fabrication. It’s who we are. It’s the kind of belief that nations go to war over to fight for what they believe. We don’t fight for head knowledge, we fight for heart knowledge.
B.R.Maul: 7:28
So back to what John is saying here as a child of God, he abides in you. Now, abiding, that’s a relationship. To abide with somebody is to live alongside of them, to have your life intermixed, overlapped, affecting one another. That’s abiding. So he says. You will also abide in the Son and in the Father. So with that, it is in your heart. And in verse 25, he says and this is the promise that he has promised us eternal life. Isn’t that a wonderful promise, eternal life. And it’s a promise beloved, because he is in you, you are in him, the Holy Spirit dwells in you, you are in Him, the Holy Spirit dwells in you. And we’ll be talking a little bit more here about the Holy Spirit.
B.R.Maul: 8:29
In an upcoming verse, verse 26, john is warning God’s children that there are those who are going to pervert God’s word, that there are those who are going to pervert God’s word. These are people who often know God’s word very well, but they pervert it to fit their agenda. In the time of John’s day, in ancient times, that would be the Pharisees, and there are Pharisees that we know of, such as Nicodemus, who were born again. So it doesn’t mean that somebody gets to a certain place where they cannot be saved. But we, as God’s children, must be very careful, beloved, because we are surrounded In my heart.
B.R.Maul: 9:21
I firmly believe, and I don’t doubt it one bit, that in America there are more churches who are teaching deception than there are teaching the truth. And why do I say that? Because so many churches are more caught up with their denomination. Very few people I know, and I do know some, that they just claim to be a child of God, someone who was born again, a follower of Christ. But most people will tell me that they are a Methodist, a Baptist, a Lutheran, a Catholic. Now, that’s a warning sign, that’s a red flag to me, because in my experience that the Lord has shown me over the years, it’s these doctrines of denominations that are deceiving many people. I firmly believe. The deception is so deep because Satan himself is the forerunner. Satan himself continues to fuel this mess. But the deception is so deep that there are many teachers, evangelists, who are in these denominations, those who are in leadership positions, that they themselves are deceived, and they’re not trying to deceive because they themselves are deceived.
B.R.Maul: 10:46
It’s one of those basic law of nature. We can’t teach somebody something we don’t know. You would agree with that, I hope. If I spend years going to school so I can teach English, well, I’m going to have a really hard time. If I’m going to try to sit down and quickly try to teach somebody advanced mathematics, I would feel sorry for that person because I don’t have that knowledge. So I can teach them English, teach creative writing, but I can’t teach advanced mathematics. So it’s the same thing.
B.R.Maul: 11:25
Whatever we learn about God’s word, well, that’s what we’re going to teach Now. I can get a lot deeper into it, but I’ll just touch upon it because the deception is quite broad as well. Deep and broad, because there are those who are not even called by God to be a pastor, but they go to school, they pass tests and they become a pastor, and that’s also just how mankind has made it a profession. Being a pastor should never be a profession. Not that a pastor cannot be professional in how he teaches and how he cares and loves his brothers and sisters in the faith. Yes, professional, but not a profession. There are too many pastors who are leaving the ministry just because they decide. Well, you know, it’s just it’s a lot more work than I thought and it’s really not a whole lot of money.
B.R.Maul: 12:27
But for those who are called, we truly love teaching God’s word. In fact, we are compelled, held. It’s one of those things where myself and I’ve talked to other brothers who have the spiritual gift of teaching. When they are teaching God’s word, they must do it because it drives them crazy when they can’t. Verse 26, these things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you. Now, verse 27,.
B.R.Maul: 12:58
Here’s where we’ll talk a little bit about the Holy Spirit, as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in him. Now that’s a pretty long verse, so I’ll back up here. The anointing which you have received from him abides in you. This is an anointing for every Christian, everybody who was born again. This is the anointing of the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit enters and stays inside a born-again believer, the Holy Spirit will seal that believer and that Holy Spirit dwells forever in the believer. And we are told to call upon the Lord when we are reading his word and to ask for guidance, and that’s what the Holy Spirit will do. The Holy Spirit will counsel us, will teach us right from wrong.
B.R.Maul: 14:13
Sometimes it’s as simple as you just get that gut feeling before you want to say something nasty, or before you’re going to watch a show or a movie that well, you know you probably shouldn’t because it’s not very good. But then you get that gut feeling when you’re about ready to play it and you’re thinking, ah, gee, I don’t know. Well, that’s when we are to respond, because the Holy Spirit is counseling us, teaching us, and the more that we listen to the Holy Spirit, by the way, the more that we are sanctified and become more like Jesus. You walk with the Lord long enough, beloved, and you will find that when you look back every passing year, you have changed.
B.R.Maul: 15:04
There are things that at one point you used to find amusing, but now you find offensive, but you don’t like to listen to it, or you don’t like to watch those programs anymore, or listen to that kind of music or read those kind of books, and you’ll find you start to speak differently. Cursing begins to sting when you say it, because the Holy Spirit lets you know and reminds you quickly the power of the tongue that God has given us that we can speak wholesome words that are like the tree of life, we’re told, and to heal other people with our words, to lift them up, to give them hope. Or if there’s perverseness in our tongue, we’ll do the opposite and we can break somebody’s spirit, we can bring them down, mush them into the mud, but the anointing which you have received from him abides in you. And the next part of that is and you do not need that anyone teach you. This doesn’t mean that we don’t listen to sermons. This doesn’t mean that teachers of God’s Word are not needed. And why do we know that? Remember, beloved, always check the Bible against the Bible, the fact that the spiritual gift of teaching God’s Word and in the letters to Timothy and to Titus, Paul speaks quite a bit about the characteristics of those who are teaching God’s word and the importance of that. So John, we know, isn’t saying you do not need that anyone teach you, you don’t need to get together with brothers and sisters, you don’t need to have someone who that’s their spiritual gift is teaching. Well, of course he’s not saying that because that would be not what the rest of God’s word says. So what does that mean? It means that, with that Holy Spirit abiding in you, beloved, you can learn by reading God’s word directly. And you should yes, you should have a good teacher. Yes, you should have a good teacher. You should have a pastor, someone who is called with his spiritual gift to teach, because that will further you all the more and we are to continue to grow in God’s word as a body of Christ, and that is what teaching pastoring is the mouth, and that is what teaching pastoring is the mouth. We just keep on blabbing, but we are so compelled those of us who love teaching God’s word, we also have a desire to learn God’s word, and so we are constantly reading God’s word and we’re constantly digging into it and finding out more and more into it and finding out more and more and all the things that we learn. We are so excited to pass that along to brothers and sisters in the faith, to the rest of the body of Christ that the Lord has put us in. So it’s that teaching part of it, but that’s as a group.
B.R.Maul: 18:12
Every Christian needs to open the Bible and for those who listen to me on a regular basis, you already know what I’m going to say that we need to read God’s word daily. And not because of legalism that you’re going to get in trouble. God’s going to discipline you if you don’t read the Bible this day. No, it’s because it’s for our own good, just like praying to him, just like coming together with brothers and sisters and worshiping and fellowshipping. All that is important.
B.R.Maul: 18:44
But John is specifically speaking to the fact that you don’t have to find that teacher and sit down with him and always have him there when you’re reading God’s word, because God will teach you, he will give you the understanding. You only need to ask for it. And if you read something that you don’t understand, I encourage you to come back to it another time and ask the Lord Lord, please give me understanding, please help me see what it is that you are teaching me through your word. And he will do that. Beloved, he will give you that understanding. That means and going on from that, and you do not need that anyone teach you, but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in him. That’s that relationship.
B.R.Maul: 19:53
As you read God’s word, you cannot escape abiding in Christ. I don’t see how it’s possible, and I’m speaking to born-again believers. So this is with the assumption that you are born again, the Bible way in John 3, as Jesus has taught us. And so with that, that truth is in us. We don’t learn a lie. There’s no lie in God’s word. It is 100% pure truth. And as you learn from it, as the Holy Spirit dwells in me, I have this direct connection to our Heavenly Father, to Jesus Christ. We are one with him. It is absolutely amazing.
B.R.Maul: 20:47
It’s easy to forget that, because on this side of the grave, since we’re not glorified, that’ll happen after our body expires, after our death, or when God calls us home, whichever one comes first. But in this process of being sanctified, unfortunately, we’re still in these broken bodies. The flesh continues to fight with us and it’s easy to quickly forget that we are his children, that we have this direct connection with him Verse 28,. And now little children abide in him. I’m going to just stop right there. There’s more to it, but John continues to remind us to abide in him, or that we are abiding in him when we are reading his word, when we are walking with him. So this is very important.
B.R.Maul: 21:49
I hope you’re able to see the importance of being born again, being born a child of God. I hope you see the importance beloved, of abiding, in other words, having that relationship with Jesus Christ. Not going to church, but being the church, not reading about him, but abiding with him. Not knowing in your head, have head knowledge and can rattle out stories of the Bible, can rattle out dates, can rattle out verses, but it’s all just in your head, no, in your heart, where, like anyone that you love, if you don’t see him, if you do miss a day where you have read his word, taken yourself out of the world, the things that are happening around you and just finding time for you and him, when you miss a day, you yearn for him. You want to resume where you left off and you want to as soon as you can.
B.R.Maul: 22:53
So in verse 28, john says and now little children abide in him, walk with him, have a relationship with him, continuing that when he appears we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming. Now, have you ever thought of that? That might be a good reason. Right there, as a born-again believer, you just keep reminding yourself if you need to write a note to yourself. He is coming. John says that when he appears, that’s referring to his second coming and that will happen. The next thing to happen is the rapture. There’s nothing else that we are waiting for. Any prophecy that needs to be fulfilled before Jesus comes for his church and it’s raptured, it is taken from this earth. So John is saying that do this, abide with him so when he does come. Abide with him so when he does come, you may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming Makes a person really sit and wonder.
B.R.Maul: 24:06
If he says that we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming, that means it is possible to not have confidence and to be ashamed when Jesus comes. I don’t want to be in that position and I hope and pray that you won’t be in that position that upon our death, when we are ushered to him, or when he comes and raptures the church, either way, the day will come that we will be looking him in the eyes. I don’t want to be caught not having confidence and feeling ashamed because, well, that’s, all I’ve been doing is just wasting my time. I’ve been just doing as little as possible and I could maybe try to use some stupid excuse that. Well, you know, I just don’t want to rock the boat, I don’t want to offend anybody, but we’ll know when we look him in the eyes and realize what he has done for us. And we wasted our time just sitting around watching movies, going out to eat as much as we can and saving up for retirement. I think we will have a lot of shame if that is what we are doing. But we are to abide and if we are abiding in him, if you are abiding with Christ, it’s going to be really hard to do those things, to just lay around and do nothing, because the Holy Spirit will begin to prompt you and then to prod you and then eventually to light a fire underneath you. And I pray that you respond when that happens. Verse 29, and I pray that you respond when that happens Verse 29, if you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of him.
B.R.Maul: 25:49
If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of him. Now, that’s a test. That’s something that we can use to look at ourselves. That verse 29 is saying okay, ask yourself this beloved, are you righteous? We know that he is righteous. John is reminding us of that. That’s pretty obvious. God is 100% love, he is 100% righteous. God is 100% love, he is 100% righteous. So with that knowledge, well then, everyone who practices righteousness is born of him, is born of God. We can’t be righteous on our own strength, can’t be done. We’re told that our best of deeds are like filthy rags to him. Without the blood of Christ, all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. So without the blood of Christ, we can’t practice righteousness. So you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of God, and born of God is spiritually born or born again. See how that connects. Being born again is so important, beloved. Being baptized as a baby doesn’t do it. That’s not being born again, that’s just being wet, and not just infant baptism, baptism for anybody who does not in their heart believe in Jesus Christ, his blood, and confess with their mouth that he is their Lord. We want to be born of God.
B.R.Maul: 27:36
Many people find it offensive when they are not born again, when others speak about being born again and if that’s you, then I challenge you right here and right now, this moment. Well then you ask yourself why does that offend me? Because it shouldn’t offend you when we know something is a complete lie. If you know the truth and you are living the truth, you won’t be offended by it. If you ask somebody who is born again, if they are born again, they don’t take offense of you asking that and there’s no reason for them to. In fact, if anything, I love that because that means that’s another born-again believer, they understand it’s a brother and sister in Christ or they’re seeking the Lord Jesus and that’s exciting too. But if you ask somebody who was born again, if they are born again, they do not take offense, not at all. But ask somebody if they are born again and they’re not, they were just baptized whether as a baby, which in certain areas of the country is abundant when I grew up it was very abundant, many Catholics and many Lutherans and you ask them and they are offended.
B.R.Maul: 28:52
I know because I was one of them. I remember that. I remember being told that your infant baptism didn’t do anything. That made me angry. I wasn’t just a little upset. I’m thinking who do you think you are? You think you’re all better than me. And I mean I was mad, but that was before I was reading God’s word. That was before. I was abiding in him and he abiding in me. So how do you abide in Jesus beloved? Yes, by reading his word and by praying to him, and by meeting with other believers, others who are born again and worshiping him. That’s how you abide with God Almighty. It’s pretty simple. You know.
B.R.Maul: 29:41
The hard part really is breaking the shell of your old life, breaking away from having to do things like oh I just have these programs I have to watch. I used to have anywhere from about three to three and a half four hours on most nights. I had programming I loved watching, and now I don’t. Not because I discipline myself and I really want to watch this stuff, but I don’t. I just find that there’s so much more to life now. I’m not slave to oh, I got to keep up with what’s going on. I just I need this time.
B.R.Maul: 30:18
No, because God has given me way more than what the world offers, and a reminder that it is not legalism. God doesn’t tell us you better read my word daily, but I’m reminding you as a child of God, as someone who loves Jesus Christ and I care for you I am reminding you that you need to do it daily. It’s one thing to miss a day. Here and there, life happens. But when you get it in your life where you need that every day, just like you need to talk to those that you love every day, well, that’s abiding in him and pray to him. Talk to those that you love every day Well, that’s abiding in him and pray to him. Talk to him every day.
B.R.Maul: 31:04
I encourage worshiping and getting together with brothers and sisters weekly, and that’s because, well, anything we do weekly truly is a part of our life. Things that we do a couple times a month or once a month, or whatever it might be, can be a lot more difficult to stick with it, and that’s the reason for that. If you have any questions, you are so welcome to get a hold of me. You can go to my website, brmaul that’s b-r-m-a-u-l dot com, and just go to contact. If it’s a question or comment, get a hold of me. I’d love to hear from you. I’m here for you. If you have any questions or if you want to share what the Lord is doing in your life, I’d be happy to share with it on podcasts as well, to encourage others. But I hope and pray that you are walking with the Lord. But I hope and pray that you are walking with the Lord.
Until next time,
God Bless.
Songs from Storyblock
“Heroes Inspire Hope” and “Mountainscape” by Humans Win
“Lonely Dusty Trail” by Jon Presstone