1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:03,520 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:07,520 --> 00:00:10,400 Speaker 2: Welcome to the Love Offering Podcast. I'm your host, Rachel Adams, 3 00:00:10,440 --> 00:00:13,119 Speaker 2: author of Everyday Prayers for Love, Learning to Love God, others, 4 00:00:13,160 --> 00:00:16,720 Speaker 2: and even yourself. Each week we dive into meaningful conversations 5 00:00:16,720 --> 00:00:19,200 Speaker 2: about how to live out the greatest commandment, living God 6 00:00:19,239 --> 00:00:21,279 Speaker 2: with all of our heart's soul, mind and strength, and 7 00:00:21,360 --> 00:00:25,760 Speaker 2: loving our neighbors as ourselves, whether through inspiring stories, practical wisdom, 8 00:00:25,840 --> 00:00:28,040 Speaker 2: or biblical truth. My hope is to encourage you to 9 00:00:28,160 --> 00:00:31,240 Speaker 2: love boldly, live faithfully, and reflect God's love in your 10 00:00:31,240 --> 00:00:34,199 Speaker 2: everyday life. Today, I'm honored to welcome Cheryl Marshall to 11 00:00:34,360 --> 00:00:37,360 Speaker 2: the show. Cheryl serves as director of Women's Ministry at 12 00:00:37,360 --> 00:00:40,440 Speaker 2: Founder's Baptist Church in Spring, Texas. With more than twenty 13 00:00:40,440 --> 00:00:43,400 Speaker 2: five years of experience discipling and teaching women in the 14 00:00:43,440 --> 00:00:46,720 Speaker 2: local church, Cheryl is passionate about helping women grow deeper 15 00:00:46,760 --> 00:00:50,160 Speaker 2: in their devotion to Christ and live lives fully surrendered 16 00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:53,000 Speaker 2: to Him. Her newest book, All of Me, Pursuing a 17 00:00:53,080 --> 00:00:56,280 Speaker 2: Life Wholly Devoted to God, explores the transforming truths of 18 00:00:56,360 --> 00:00:59,440 Speaker 2: Romans Chapter twelve, Verses one and two, and invites readers 19 00:00:59,480 --> 00:01:02,320 Speaker 2: to discover what it truly means. To worship God with 20 00:01:02,360 --> 00:01:05,080 Speaker 2: every part of their lives. You can also hear Cheryl 21 00:01:05,120 --> 00:01:09,200 Speaker 2: weekly on the Whole Life Worship podcast. Well, hello Cheryl, 22 00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:11,560 Speaker 2: and welcome back to the Love of Ring podcast. I'm 23 00:01:11,600 --> 00:01:12,560 Speaker 2: so happy to have you again. 24 00:01:12,600 --> 00:01:14,679 Speaker 1: Well, it's nice to be back. Thank you for having me. 25 00:01:14,800 --> 00:01:16,759 Speaker 2: Okay, so you just told me that you are getting 26 00:01:16,800 --> 00:01:20,240 Speaker 2: to live maybe a dream of mine. Tell us where 27 00:01:20,280 --> 00:01:21,400 Speaker 2: you are right now. 28 00:01:22,920 --> 00:01:26,400 Speaker 1: I am just outside of Oxford, England. My husband and 29 00:01:26,480 --> 00:01:29,560 Speaker 1: I are here for the semester. He's on sabbatical from 30 00:01:29,600 --> 00:01:34,120 Speaker 1: his professor position at Houston Christian University, obviously in Houston, 31 00:01:34,600 --> 00:01:37,160 Speaker 1: but we are in Oxford and we're actually staying on 32 00:01:37,200 --> 00:01:40,080 Speaker 1: the grounds of a manor for the entire time we're here. 33 00:01:40,160 --> 00:01:43,720 Speaker 1: It's called Yarnton Manor and we live on the farm, 34 00:01:43,920 --> 00:01:46,480 Speaker 1: which basically means we are in one of the cottages 35 00:01:46,680 --> 00:01:49,200 Speaker 1: and we're spending our time here sight seeing but also 36 00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:52,680 Speaker 1: working on projects. He's working on a commentary, I'm working 37 00:01:52,760 --> 00:01:55,560 Speaker 1: on different things and it's just been a RESTful time 38 00:01:55,600 --> 00:01:58,920 Speaker 1: but also a time of some good focused work and 39 00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:01,400 Speaker 1: I'm so grateful to the Lord for this time that 40 00:02:01,440 --> 00:02:02,440 Speaker 1: we've had together here. 41 00:02:02,520 --> 00:02:05,440 Speaker 2: So have you been posting some of this on Instagram 42 00:02:05,440 --> 00:02:07,200 Speaker 2: because if so, we all need to head over there. 43 00:02:07,800 --> 00:02:13,560 Speaker 1: Oh yes, yes, others have said that. I've gotten comments 44 00:02:13,600 --> 00:02:16,120 Speaker 1: people saying I'm living through you at this time. So 45 00:02:16,600 --> 00:02:18,720 Speaker 1: even this morning, I just posted what I call the 46 00:02:18,800 --> 00:02:22,200 Speaker 1: secret Garden. There literally is a secret garden here at 47 00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:25,920 Speaker 1: the Manor. So yeah, I'm posting things from our trips 48 00:02:25,960 --> 00:02:29,160 Speaker 1: and from the Manor just beautiful flowers of course. So 49 00:02:29,440 --> 00:02:30,320 Speaker 1: it's been a blessing. 50 00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:35,160 Speaker 2: Well I'm going to head over there after on Instagram Instagram. 51 00:02:35,280 --> 00:02:40,160 Speaker 1: Okay, trimmed, Well good, I may head over there too. 52 00:02:40,840 --> 00:02:44,040 Speaker 2: So your your new book All of Me, and I'm 53 00:02:44,040 --> 00:02:46,240 Speaker 2: so excited to talk about it. But I'd love to 54 00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:51,040 Speaker 2: just know when did you give God all of your heart? 55 00:02:51,120 --> 00:02:52,440 Speaker 2: I kind of tell us a little bit about your 56 00:02:52,480 --> 00:02:53,639 Speaker 2: testimony to begin. 57 00:02:53,639 --> 00:02:56,720 Speaker 1: Good question, I would say, when did God get all 58 00:02:56,760 --> 00:03:00,960 Speaker 1: of me? Right? I was a very young I was 59 00:03:01,160 --> 00:03:04,120 Speaker 1: five years old. My parents had been sharing the gospel 60 00:03:04,120 --> 00:03:06,239 Speaker 1: with me, and my mother says that I started asking 61 00:03:06,320 --> 00:03:08,240 Speaker 1: lots of questions and I really do believe that the 62 00:03:08,240 --> 00:03:10,760 Speaker 1: Lord saved me at age five. And so as an 63 00:03:10,880 --> 00:03:13,680 Speaker 1: encouragement to all you mama's out there, just be sharing 64 00:03:13,720 --> 00:03:16,920 Speaker 1: the gospel with your children, but also trust the Lord 65 00:03:16,960 --> 00:03:19,799 Speaker 1: to do his work in his time. And in my situation, 66 00:03:19,960 --> 00:03:22,640 Speaker 1: it was very early in life. So I still remember 67 00:03:22,720 --> 00:03:25,880 Speaker 1: the day I was speaking with my mother and you know, 68 00:03:25,919 --> 00:03:29,600 Speaker 1: I quote unquote asked Jesus into my heart. But what 69 00:03:29,680 --> 00:03:33,600 Speaker 1: I do remember, I do remember distinctly thinking I am 70 00:03:33,639 --> 00:03:37,080 Speaker 1: a sinner and only Jesus can save me. And I 71 00:03:37,320 --> 00:03:39,400 Speaker 1: prayed and I asked the Lord to save me, and 72 00:03:39,440 --> 00:03:41,440 Speaker 1: I really do believe he did. And I burst into 73 00:03:41,440 --> 00:03:43,600 Speaker 1: tears and I looked at my mother. I said, Mommy, 74 00:03:44,200 --> 00:03:46,160 Speaker 1: why am I crying? And I was so sweet. She 75 00:03:46,200 --> 00:03:48,520 Speaker 1: just looked at me and she said, Cheryl, a lot 76 00:03:48,560 --> 00:03:52,800 Speaker 1: of people cry when they come to Jesus. So I 77 00:03:52,800 --> 00:03:56,080 Speaker 1: don't remember a whole lot of spiritual growth during my 78 00:03:56,240 --> 00:03:58,600 Speaker 1: elementary years. Of course, you know a lot of that's 79 00:03:58,720 --> 00:04:01,480 Speaker 1: just a blur. But when I was in junior high, 80 00:04:01,560 --> 00:04:04,000 Speaker 1: there was a woman at our church named Coleen, and 81 00:04:04,040 --> 00:04:06,840 Speaker 1: she started taking me through the Book of James. And 82 00:04:07,080 --> 00:04:09,480 Speaker 1: it almost makes me teary to think about it, but 83 00:04:09,560 --> 00:04:13,600 Speaker 1: she really influenced me. She taught me what it meant 84 00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:16,120 Speaker 1: to walk with Jesus day by day, and he has 85 00:04:16,160 --> 00:04:19,040 Speaker 1: always been faithful. Life has not always been easy by 86 00:04:19,040 --> 00:04:22,479 Speaker 1: any stretch. But he has always been faithful and so good, 87 00:04:22,520 --> 00:04:25,760 Speaker 1: and I'm grateful for how he saved me when I 88 00:04:25,800 --> 00:04:28,400 Speaker 1: was young and how he has taught me. And he's good. 89 00:04:28,560 --> 00:04:29,360 Speaker 1: He's just so good. 90 00:04:29,440 --> 00:04:33,880 Speaker 2: So moving on to your college year's early adulthood, when 91 00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:36,039 Speaker 2: did you meet your husband? Because it is neat that 92 00:04:36,120 --> 00:04:38,359 Speaker 2: you all are in kind of the same industry and 93 00:04:38,440 --> 00:04:41,360 Speaker 2: have the same passion for the Lord and getting to 94 00:04:41,400 --> 00:04:43,039 Speaker 2: write and chair and speak about him. 95 00:04:43,360 --> 00:04:46,839 Speaker 1: Yes, yeah, even today he was speaking at something and 96 00:04:46,880 --> 00:04:48,840 Speaker 1: this afternoon he said, oh, we both get to do 97 00:04:48,920 --> 00:04:51,400 Speaker 1: something like that today. So, yeah, you're right, we both 98 00:04:51,440 --> 00:04:55,680 Speaker 1: get to share about the Lord often. But we met 99 00:04:55,680 --> 00:04:58,240 Speaker 1: in college. We both went to the Master's University in 100 00:04:58,279 --> 00:05:01,880 Speaker 1: Southern California, And it is a long story of how 101 00:05:01,920 --> 00:05:04,480 Speaker 1: that meeting actually took place, and I won't bore you 102 00:05:04,520 --> 00:05:07,680 Speaker 1: with that, but we met maybe my junior year or so, 103 00:05:08,120 --> 00:05:11,280 Speaker 1: and he was uncertain about what he wanted to do 104 00:05:11,440 --> 00:05:14,840 Speaker 1: in the future, but he finally decided on seminary, and 105 00:05:14,880 --> 00:05:16,760 Speaker 1: so we went down to After we got married, we 106 00:05:16,800 --> 00:05:20,000 Speaker 1: went down to Westminster Theological Seminary in San Diego and 107 00:05:20,040 --> 00:05:24,080 Speaker 1: from there eventually went to Southern seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, 108 00:05:24,160 --> 00:05:26,840 Speaker 1: and there I got to attend seminary as well. And 109 00:05:27,279 --> 00:05:30,360 Speaker 1: so the Lord has I think the longer we're married, 110 00:05:30,600 --> 00:05:33,760 Speaker 1: the more and more I see why this is the 111 00:05:33,800 --> 00:05:36,720 Speaker 1: man God gave me. So I am thankful for him, 112 00:05:36,760 --> 00:05:39,520 Speaker 1: and I am blessed. And the Lord was good again. 113 00:05:39,600 --> 00:05:40,320 Speaker 1: The Lord is good. 114 00:05:40,440 --> 00:05:43,600 Speaker 2: Yes, absolutely, Well, I'm only a couple hours from Louisville. 115 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:48,080 Speaker 2: I'm a Kentucky girl. Okay, we probably crossed perhaps before. 116 00:05:48,600 --> 00:05:50,080 Speaker 1: Probably probably. 117 00:05:50,720 --> 00:05:53,120 Speaker 2: Well, we're going to take a brief break to hear 118 00:05:53,200 --> 00:05:55,080 Speaker 2: a word from today's sponsor, and when we come back, 119 00:05:55,120 --> 00:05:57,880 Speaker 2: we will talk more about Romans twelve and what it 120 00:05:57,920 --> 00:06:04,040 Speaker 2: means to become a living second. Welcome back. I am 121 00:06:04,080 --> 00:06:06,640 Speaker 2: talking with Cheryl Marshall about her book All of Me. 122 00:06:06,839 --> 00:06:09,720 Speaker 2: And so you really focus on Romans chapter twelve and 123 00:06:10,000 --> 00:06:12,920 Speaker 2: just two verses, which is amazing to write a book 124 00:06:13,320 --> 00:06:15,440 Speaker 2: just on that. So it really serves as the foundation 125 00:06:15,520 --> 00:06:17,800 Speaker 2: for this book. So why do you believe these verses 126 00:06:17,839 --> 00:06:21,240 Speaker 2: provide such a powerful roadmap for wholehearted devotion to God. 127 00:06:21,240 --> 00:06:23,919 Speaker 1: I think these two verses are placed in such a 128 00:06:23,960 --> 00:06:26,880 Speaker 1: strategic place in the book of Romans. No Romans one 129 00:06:26,960 --> 00:06:30,800 Speaker 1: through eleven is all about the mercies of God. The 130 00:06:30,880 --> 00:06:33,520 Speaker 1: Romans twelve one starts off with by the mercies of God, 131 00:06:33,600 --> 00:06:36,560 Speaker 1: yourselves a living sacrifice. So Romans one through eleven is 132 00:06:36,600 --> 00:06:39,240 Speaker 1: all about God's mercies. That's where he shows us our 133 00:06:39,279 --> 00:06:42,240 Speaker 1: desperate need for a savior. He shows us how Christ 134 00:06:42,560 --> 00:06:45,239 Speaker 1: is the savior. And then in those chapters he also 135 00:06:45,279 --> 00:06:48,480 Speaker 1: explains how it's by His sovereign grace that we are 136 00:06:48,520 --> 00:06:50,839 Speaker 1: now saved. And you get to the end of Romans 137 00:06:50,920 --> 00:06:54,679 Speaker 1: eleven and it's amazing. That's where Paul then just erupts 138 00:06:54,800 --> 00:06:57,240 Speaker 1: and praise right, and he says, for from Him and 139 00:06:57,279 --> 00:07:00,000 Speaker 1: through Him, and to Him are all things. To Him 140 00:07:00,240 --> 00:07:04,320 Speaker 1: be the glory forever and ever a men. And then 141 00:07:04,360 --> 00:07:06,920 Speaker 1: he turns the corner right at Romans twelve to one, 142 00:07:07,200 --> 00:07:10,120 Speaker 1: and he says, therefore, by the mercies of God, by 143 00:07:10,160 --> 00:07:13,120 Speaker 1: all I've shown you so far, present your lives, present 144 00:07:13,200 --> 00:07:16,880 Speaker 1: your bodies, a living sacrifice wholly and acceptable to God 145 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:20,640 Speaker 1: as your spiritual service of worship. And then what you 146 00:07:20,720 --> 00:07:22,880 Speaker 1: have for the rest of the book of Romans is 147 00:07:22,920 --> 00:07:25,400 Speaker 1: then how to live out the Christian life. And so 148 00:07:25,480 --> 00:07:28,000 Speaker 1: what Paul provides is there, I believe under the inspiration 149 00:07:28,040 --> 00:07:30,920 Speaker 1: of the Holy Spirit is a word, picture, or a 150 00:07:30,920 --> 00:07:34,240 Speaker 1: paradigm or something that we can really latch onto and 151 00:07:34,320 --> 00:07:37,480 Speaker 1: think about. That we are now to be living sacrifices 152 00:07:37,840 --> 00:07:40,640 Speaker 1: for the rest of our lives, and God is perfecting 153 00:07:40,680 --> 00:07:43,240 Speaker 1: that He's working through us, as it says in Flippings 154 00:07:43,240 --> 00:07:45,400 Speaker 1: one six, to make us more like His son, and 155 00:07:45,480 --> 00:07:48,960 Speaker 1: one day our worship will be completely perfected in heaven. 156 00:07:49,120 --> 00:07:51,640 Speaker 1: And so as I started looking at Romans twelve, one 157 00:07:51,720 --> 00:07:54,360 Speaker 1: and two, I realized this is something I need to 158 00:07:54,440 --> 00:07:57,360 Speaker 1: grow in. I need to mature in this, and I 159 00:07:57,400 --> 00:07:59,880 Speaker 1: saw there what I now call the elements of whole 160 00:07:59,880 --> 00:08:02,680 Speaker 1: life worship just laid out in those first two verses 161 00:08:02,680 --> 00:08:05,760 Speaker 1: of Romans twelve. And then that is what the book 162 00:08:05,800 --> 00:08:08,480 Speaker 1: is all about, the how, the what, the why of 163 00:08:08,600 --> 00:08:11,760 Speaker 1: being a living sacrifice, of being a whole life worshiper 164 00:08:12,080 --> 00:08:12,720 Speaker 1: unto the Lord. 165 00:08:12,800 --> 00:08:15,960 Speaker 2: When we hear the words sacrifice, we're tempted to just 166 00:08:16,040 --> 00:08:20,240 Speaker 2: kind of like these feelings them. I don't want to 167 00:08:20,320 --> 00:08:24,320 Speaker 2: sacrifice because we're so selfish. So you know, even though 168 00:08:24,320 --> 00:08:27,240 Speaker 2: we know that that is what we are called to 169 00:08:27,280 --> 00:08:31,960 Speaker 2: do and be obedient in, that is not our natural inclination, right. 170 00:08:32,480 --> 00:08:35,800 Speaker 1: That is right, but it's a lifelong process of God 171 00:08:36,040 --> 00:08:38,520 Speaker 1: teaching us that that's what we really are. We are 172 00:08:38,600 --> 00:08:41,240 Speaker 1: a living sacrifice unto Him. One of my favorite verses 173 00:08:41,280 --> 00:08:44,600 Speaker 1: is Tewod Corinthians five point fifteen, which says died for all, 174 00:08:44,960 --> 00:08:47,800 Speaker 1: that those who live should no longer live for themselves, 175 00:08:47,840 --> 00:08:51,720 Speaker 1: but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf. 176 00:08:51,920 --> 00:08:54,079 Speaker 1: And what I love about that verse is right there, 177 00:08:54,200 --> 00:08:56,360 Speaker 1: very close to one another. You have a reference to 178 00:08:56,440 --> 00:08:59,160 Speaker 1: the Gospel. Then you have a reference to what the 179 00:08:59,200 --> 00:09:02,080 Speaker 1: glorious thing our lives are now they are to be 180 00:09:02,200 --> 00:09:05,040 Speaker 1: lived unto Him. I don't belong to myself. It's sort 181 00:09:05,080 --> 00:09:07,760 Speaker 1: of like what it says in one Corinthian six twenty. 182 00:09:07,920 --> 00:09:11,360 Speaker 1: You have been bought with a price. Therefore glorify God 183 00:09:11,440 --> 00:09:13,480 Speaker 1: in your body. And one of the things I tried 184 00:09:13,559 --> 00:09:17,480 Speaker 1: to bring across in the book is what a wonderful 185 00:09:17,720 --> 00:09:22,480 Speaker 1: and glorious thing this is that we now can worship God, 186 00:09:22,520 --> 00:09:25,160 Speaker 1: that we can now be a sacrifice unto Him, like 187 00:09:25,200 --> 00:09:28,400 Speaker 1: a sweet aroma unto Him for the rest of our lives. 188 00:09:28,520 --> 00:09:32,440 Speaker 1: We were once dead, right dead, in our trespasses and sin, 189 00:09:32,720 --> 00:09:34,920 Speaker 1: but it's by the mercy of God. He's made us 190 00:09:34,960 --> 00:09:38,080 Speaker 1: alive in Christ, and I want women to understand what 191 00:09:38,559 --> 00:09:42,720 Speaker 1: a wonderful, otherworldly thing that is and to really grasp 192 00:09:42,800 --> 00:09:45,640 Speaker 1: that and say this is a good thing. Doesn't mean 193 00:09:45,640 --> 00:09:49,480 Speaker 1: it's always easy, because we are still battling the flesh, right, 194 00:09:49,720 --> 00:09:53,520 Speaker 1: We're learning we are not autonomous. We depend upon the Lord, 195 00:09:53,559 --> 00:09:56,880 Speaker 1: whether we recognize it or not. But he teaches us. 196 00:09:56,920 --> 00:09:59,280 Speaker 1: He's patient with us to teach us how to be 197 00:09:59,400 --> 00:10:01,960 Speaker 1: on the alt time, how our bodies, the whole of 198 00:10:02,000 --> 00:10:05,320 Speaker 1: who we are, our whole person is now devoted to 199 00:10:05,400 --> 00:10:07,680 Speaker 1: him and we learn to walk in that through every 200 00:10:07,720 --> 00:10:08,560 Speaker 1: season of life. 201 00:10:08,600 --> 00:10:13,920 Speaker 2: Well, and Jesus modeled being a living sacrifice, so you know, 202 00:10:14,160 --> 00:10:16,600 Speaker 2: we're not doing anything that he didn't already do, and 203 00:10:16,640 --> 00:10:19,400 Speaker 2: that's that's who we're sacrificing for. So talk to us 204 00:10:19,400 --> 00:10:23,240 Speaker 2: about the love of God and Jesus and how he 205 00:10:23,320 --> 00:10:24,760 Speaker 2: modeled it first, right. 206 00:10:24,720 --> 00:10:27,280 Speaker 1: Well, it makes me there's so many things that could 207 00:10:27,280 --> 00:10:29,480 Speaker 1: be said about that, right, Like, my mind goes in 208 00:10:29,520 --> 00:10:32,200 Speaker 1: a million different ways, but one of the things you 209 00:10:32,240 --> 00:10:37,160 Speaker 1: see about Jesus is how he delighted in loving the 210 00:10:37,280 --> 00:10:40,080 Speaker 1: Father by doing the Father's will. So I'm just going 211 00:10:40,160 --> 00:10:42,400 Speaker 1: to focus there. There's many other things that could be said, 212 00:10:42,760 --> 00:10:45,200 Speaker 1: but especially since we're looking at Romans twelve one and two, 213 00:10:45,280 --> 00:10:49,160 Speaker 1: so verse two says, do not be conformed to this world, 214 00:10:49,200 --> 00:10:51,959 Speaker 1: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so 215 00:10:52,000 --> 00:10:54,840 Speaker 1: that you may approve what the will of God is, 216 00:10:54,880 --> 00:10:58,280 Speaker 1: that which is good and acceptable and perfect. Now Jesus, 217 00:10:58,280 --> 00:11:00,000 Speaker 1: out of love for the Father and love for us, 218 00:11:00,400 --> 00:11:04,079 Speaker 1: he perfectly kept the law of God. He perfectly and 219 00:11:04,200 --> 00:11:07,200 Speaker 1: fully fulfilled the will of the Father all the way 220 00:11:07,360 --> 00:11:10,319 Speaker 1: unto death on the cross. He was a sacrifice all 221 00:11:10,360 --> 00:11:13,240 Speaker 1: the way unto death. And now we are the recipients 222 00:11:13,240 --> 00:11:16,160 Speaker 1: of that benefit. Right, We now have new life in him. 223 00:11:16,200 --> 00:11:18,840 Speaker 1: We're reconciled to the Father, we're forgiven of our sin, 224 00:11:18,960 --> 00:11:22,520 Speaker 1: we have eternal life. But he shows us what it 225 00:11:22,679 --> 00:11:26,040 Speaker 1: means to live a life wholly devoted to the Father. 226 00:11:26,280 --> 00:11:29,040 Speaker 1: Only he could do it perfectly. But now we walk 227 00:11:29,120 --> 00:11:32,200 Speaker 1: in his footsteps. And it's because of his love, the 228 00:11:32,280 --> 00:11:35,319 Speaker 1: love that is within the Godhead, that we can now 229 00:11:35,440 --> 00:11:38,720 Speaker 1: love him and in so doing beloving one another. And 230 00:11:38,760 --> 00:11:39,520 Speaker 1: how we live this. 231 00:11:39,559 --> 00:11:43,120 Speaker 2: Out to you because I agree wholeheartedly with everything you're saying, 232 00:11:43,240 --> 00:11:46,840 Speaker 2: but I want to bring this to our practical everyday lives. 233 00:11:47,000 --> 00:11:49,839 Speaker 2: So how does maybe the cry of our hearts we 234 00:11:49,920 --> 00:11:52,720 Speaker 2: understand that we should, how do we actually do that? 235 00:11:52,760 --> 00:11:55,240 Speaker 2: And we're not just talking about once a week at 236 00:11:55,240 --> 00:11:58,480 Speaker 2: a church service. How is whole life worship different than 237 00:11:58,520 --> 00:12:01,319 Speaker 2: simply just attending church or just participating in a few 238 00:12:01,320 --> 00:12:02,280 Speaker 2: spiritual activities. 239 00:12:03,640 --> 00:12:06,920 Speaker 1: Well, what I love about Romans one and two is 240 00:12:06,920 --> 00:12:09,360 Speaker 1: that Romans one tells us what we are to be. 241 00:12:10,040 --> 00:12:12,080 Speaker 1: Twelve Verse one tells us what we are to be. 242 00:12:12,280 --> 00:12:16,240 Speaker 1: Romans twelve verse two tells us how and there's really 243 00:12:16,280 --> 00:12:18,880 Speaker 1: nothing new under the sun. It's like there's no new 244 00:12:18,960 --> 00:12:21,560 Speaker 1: thing for me to bring there as much as to say, 245 00:12:21,640 --> 00:12:24,600 Speaker 1: this is what it actually says. And so again, be 246 00:12:24,760 --> 00:12:27,520 Speaker 1: transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you 247 00:12:27,600 --> 00:12:29,880 Speaker 1: may approve what the will of God is. You see, 248 00:12:29,920 --> 00:12:33,280 Speaker 1: I think we sometimes have a very limited view of 249 00:12:33,320 --> 00:12:35,400 Speaker 1: what worship is. A lot of times we think of 250 00:12:35,480 --> 00:12:38,400 Speaker 1: worship as just going to church on Sunday mornings, or 251 00:12:38,440 --> 00:12:41,920 Speaker 1: worship is something we just do with our words. That 252 00:12:42,000 --> 00:12:44,720 Speaker 1: it's verbal praise, whether it be out loud or silent. 253 00:12:44,840 --> 00:12:49,160 Speaker 1: We're singing, we're praying, We're maybe meditating on the scripture 254 00:12:49,240 --> 00:12:54,319 Speaker 1: silently or praying silently, and we're praising, adoring, giving, thanksgiving. 255 00:12:54,480 --> 00:12:58,080 Speaker 1: All of that is verbal praise, and it's good, it's wonderful. 256 00:12:58,160 --> 00:13:00,280 Speaker 1: The Word of God calls us to it. But you 257 00:13:00,360 --> 00:13:03,080 Speaker 1: also see throughout the scriptures there are other words that 258 00:13:03,120 --> 00:13:06,520 Speaker 1: we translate as worship in our Bibles which actually mean 259 00:13:06,800 --> 00:13:10,560 Speaker 1: or imply service. It's a worship of doing, and I 260 00:13:10,559 --> 00:13:12,760 Speaker 1: really think that that is what Paul is getting at 261 00:13:12,800 --> 00:13:15,920 Speaker 1: in those two verses. In particular, again at the end 262 00:13:15,920 --> 00:13:18,840 Speaker 1: of chapter eleven, we hear all the verbal praise, and 263 00:13:18,880 --> 00:13:22,000 Speaker 1: then he calls us to a life of praise, a 264 00:13:22,120 --> 00:13:25,440 Speaker 1: life of worship. And so how has that accomplished practically? Well, 265 00:13:25,480 --> 00:13:28,400 Speaker 1: first of all, we see there in verse one to 266 00:13:28,559 --> 00:13:31,920 Speaker 1: present your bodies as a living sacrifice. So I really 267 00:13:31,960 --> 00:13:34,920 Speaker 1: do believe he's talking about the literal body to start with. 268 00:13:35,360 --> 00:13:38,199 Speaker 1: So our hands, our feet, our eyes, our ears, all 269 00:13:38,240 --> 00:13:40,439 Speaker 1: of this we need to think of it as belonging 270 00:13:40,480 --> 00:13:43,000 Speaker 1: to the Lord. And am I using every part of 271 00:13:43,040 --> 00:13:46,080 Speaker 1: my body in such a way that honors him. So 272 00:13:46,240 --> 00:13:48,760 Speaker 1: one of the other passages that really help us understand 273 00:13:48,840 --> 00:13:52,720 Speaker 1: that is Romans six twelve through fourteen, and that's where 274 00:13:52,800 --> 00:13:56,080 Speaker 1: Paul is saying, use the instruments of your body, or 275 00:13:56,200 --> 00:14:00,280 Speaker 1: use the members of your body as instruments of righteousness. 276 00:14:00,440 --> 00:14:03,079 Speaker 1: Do not use the members or the parts of your 277 00:14:03,120 --> 00:14:07,600 Speaker 1: body as instruments of unrighteousness. So all of those big words, 278 00:14:07,640 --> 00:14:10,520 Speaker 1: what are we talking about. Simply put, use your body 279 00:14:10,760 --> 00:14:13,800 Speaker 1: to obey the Lord, don't use your body to disobey 280 00:14:13,840 --> 00:14:17,120 Speaker 1: the Lord. Now we all know that, but we forget 281 00:14:17,640 --> 00:14:20,840 Speaker 1: that this physical body belongs to the Lord as well 282 00:14:20,880 --> 00:14:23,600 Speaker 1: as our soul. I think sometimes a lot of times 283 00:14:23,720 --> 00:14:26,120 Speaker 1: Christians can think, you know, God is just concerned about 284 00:14:26,120 --> 00:14:29,120 Speaker 1: my spirit, He's just concerned about my soul, my heart. 285 00:14:29,320 --> 00:14:31,760 Speaker 1: But no, he made your body. He gave you your 286 00:14:31,840 --> 00:14:35,920 Speaker 1: particular body. Whether it is well or whether you are ailing, 287 00:14:36,120 --> 00:14:39,080 Speaker 1: it's in that body. He's called you to glorify Him. 288 00:14:39,160 --> 00:14:42,040 Speaker 1: And so, first of all, our body belongs to him, 289 00:14:42,080 --> 00:14:44,280 Speaker 1: and we need to remember that even in those moments 290 00:14:44,320 --> 00:14:48,480 Speaker 1: when we're tempted to do what dishonors him. So, for example, 291 00:14:48,640 --> 00:14:51,320 Speaker 1: to bring it down to the nitty gritty a little bit, 292 00:14:51,480 --> 00:14:54,200 Speaker 1: let's say you have a child who is really misbehaving. 293 00:14:54,320 --> 00:14:57,880 Speaker 1: Sometimes we may discipline and anger and we know that's wrong, 294 00:14:58,040 --> 00:15:00,440 Speaker 1: but let's think about it. We're now using our mouth, 295 00:15:00,600 --> 00:15:04,200 Speaker 1: our tongue as an instrument of unrighteousness. We may be 296 00:15:04,320 --> 00:15:08,280 Speaker 1: using our hands in some way as an instrument of unrighteousness. 297 00:15:08,360 --> 00:15:10,560 Speaker 1: There's a moment there where as believers we need to 298 00:15:10,640 --> 00:15:13,520 Speaker 1: pause and look down at our hands and say, these 299 00:15:13,720 --> 00:15:16,680 Speaker 1: hands are part of a living sacrifice that belongs to 300 00:15:16,720 --> 00:15:19,160 Speaker 1: the Lord. These are the hands by which I have 301 00:15:19,240 --> 00:15:24,040 Speaker 1: an opportunity here to use them for righteousness, even in 302 00:15:24,160 --> 00:15:27,760 Speaker 1: this moment that is so difficult. So our bodies belong 303 00:15:27,840 --> 00:15:30,600 Speaker 1: to him. But I do believe also that Paul uses 304 00:15:31,240 --> 00:15:35,600 Speaker 1: our bodies specifically in this passage to represent something greater, 305 00:15:35,800 --> 00:15:39,880 Speaker 1: to represent the whole person that we are. So for example, 306 00:15:40,320 --> 00:15:42,440 Speaker 1: there may be a young man who asks for a 307 00:15:42,480 --> 00:15:45,280 Speaker 1: woman's hand in marriage. Well, we all know that he's 308 00:15:45,320 --> 00:15:48,320 Speaker 1: not just asking for her hand, right, He's not just 309 00:15:48,440 --> 00:15:51,960 Speaker 1: asking for the body attached to the hand. He's saying, 310 00:15:52,200 --> 00:15:55,080 Speaker 1: will your life? Will all that you are now be 311 00:15:55,240 --> 00:15:58,320 Speaker 1: joined to my life? Will we now build? Will you 312 00:15:58,760 --> 00:16:02,080 Speaker 1: agree to now build a life with me? With your life? 313 00:16:02,080 --> 00:16:05,000 Speaker 1: And so Paul here he's using the word bodies, and 314 00:16:05,040 --> 00:16:06,880 Speaker 1: I think it is physical. But I also think that 315 00:16:06,960 --> 00:16:10,360 Speaker 1: there is a representation of all that we are. So 316 00:16:10,440 --> 00:16:15,440 Speaker 1: our hopes our dreams, our thoughts, our motives, our efforts, 317 00:16:15,880 --> 00:16:19,760 Speaker 1: our abilities, our talents. The list could go on and on. 318 00:16:19,960 --> 00:16:22,120 Speaker 1: All of me, all of this is now to be 319 00:16:22,200 --> 00:16:25,760 Speaker 1: presented to him. So how verse two, this transformation of 320 00:16:25,800 --> 00:16:27,960 Speaker 1: our minds with the word of God. We need to 321 00:16:27,960 --> 00:16:30,120 Speaker 1: bring the word of God to bear on how we 322 00:16:30,240 --> 00:16:33,200 Speaker 1: use our bodies, but also everything else that's going on 323 00:16:33,360 --> 00:16:36,280 Speaker 1: inside of us. Like I just mentioned the efforts, the thoughts, 324 00:16:36,400 --> 00:16:39,400 Speaker 1: the emotions, all of that. Am I day by day 325 00:16:39,600 --> 00:16:44,200 Speaker 1: spending time in the scriptures being changed, being transformed by 326 00:16:44,200 --> 00:16:46,960 Speaker 1: the Spirit of God with his word, so that I 327 00:16:47,160 --> 00:16:50,480 Speaker 1: can present these things to Him in such a way 328 00:16:50,560 --> 00:16:53,280 Speaker 1: that honors him. So there's, like I said, there's nothing 329 00:16:53,320 --> 00:16:57,480 Speaker 1: new under the sun. It's really an issue of being sanctified, 330 00:16:57,600 --> 00:17:01,080 Speaker 1: being conformed to the image of Christ in our thoughts 331 00:17:01,120 --> 00:17:03,760 Speaker 1: and our behavior and our beliefs. But that will only 332 00:17:03,840 --> 00:17:06,760 Speaker 1: come as we are communing with Christ in his word, 333 00:17:06,920 --> 00:17:10,080 Speaker 1: and as his thoughts are becoming ours and his ways 334 00:17:10,359 --> 00:17:11,280 Speaker 1: are becoming ours. 335 00:17:11,400 --> 00:17:14,639 Speaker 2: You know in the book you identify distraction, disobedience, and 336 00:17:14,720 --> 00:17:18,880 Speaker 2: discouragements three ways our devotion can become divided. So can 337 00:17:18,920 --> 00:17:23,800 Speaker 2: you unpack these ideas of the distraction disobedience and discouragement, 338 00:17:23,840 --> 00:17:26,160 Speaker 2: and sheer practical ways women can overcome them. 339 00:17:26,200 --> 00:17:29,960 Speaker 1: Sure, So first of all, with distraction, it'd be very 340 00:17:29,960 --> 00:17:32,840 Speaker 1: easy for us to just jump straight to talking about 341 00:17:32,840 --> 00:17:36,200 Speaker 1: social media. But we know social media is a distraction 342 00:17:36,320 --> 00:17:40,240 Speaker 1: in our lives. But for millennia people have not had 343 00:17:40,359 --> 00:17:42,800 Speaker 1: social media. But there's still been a temptation to be 344 00:17:42,960 --> 00:17:45,920 Speaker 1: divided in our devotion to the Lord. There are other 345 00:17:45,960 --> 00:17:49,119 Speaker 1: things to distract us. We saw that with Mary and Martha, 346 00:17:49,359 --> 00:17:51,920 Speaker 1: right when the Lord goes to visit them and Martha 347 00:17:52,040 --> 00:17:54,800 Speaker 1: is distracted and he says, you are worried and bothered. 348 00:17:54,840 --> 00:17:58,240 Speaker 1: You are being dragged away by so many things. Doesn't 349 00:17:58,240 --> 00:18:01,720 Speaker 1: mean that her service was in necessarily wrong, but there 350 00:18:01,760 --> 00:18:03,879 Speaker 1: was something else going on in our heart. So in 351 00:18:03,920 --> 00:18:05,480 Speaker 1: the book, I try to deal with the heart a 352 00:18:05,520 --> 00:18:08,760 Speaker 1: little bit more. Our distractions, Yes, they do come from 353 00:18:08,800 --> 00:18:11,399 Speaker 1: having very busy lives. I'm sure you have a busy life. 354 00:18:11,440 --> 00:18:13,959 Speaker 1: I do. Our listeners do. A lot is going on 355 00:18:14,080 --> 00:18:17,720 Speaker 1: a lot of good responsibilities, responsibilities the Lord has given us. 356 00:18:17,760 --> 00:18:20,439 Speaker 1: But sometimes what we're truly distracted by is not just 357 00:18:20,520 --> 00:18:23,400 Speaker 1: those things, but by the motives that are underneath them. 358 00:18:23,560 --> 00:18:26,399 Speaker 1: So sometimes we're just so busy because we're seeking the 359 00:18:26,440 --> 00:18:29,280 Speaker 1: approval of others, or maybe we may have some sort 360 00:18:29,320 --> 00:18:32,920 Speaker 1: of saying, maybe we have some sort of strange self 361 00:18:32,960 --> 00:18:36,439 Speaker 1: approval that we're seeking after trying to feel better about ourselves. 362 00:18:36,520 --> 00:18:39,679 Speaker 1: Sometimes a motive may be, you know, I just like 363 00:18:39,720 --> 00:18:41,680 Speaker 1: to get things done. I like to cross it off. 364 00:18:41,720 --> 00:18:43,360 Speaker 1: I like to do a good job, and that's it. 365 00:18:43,440 --> 00:18:46,120 Speaker 1: But sometimes we go through our days without thinking about 366 00:18:46,440 --> 00:18:48,760 Speaker 1: it at all. Why do I do what I do? 367 00:18:48,800 --> 00:18:50,720 Speaker 1: I think that's a very key question for us to 368 00:18:50,760 --> 00:18:53,760 Speaker 1: ask ourselves. Why do I do what I do? And 369 00:18:53,840 --> 00:18:56,520 Speaker 1: if there's no sense of God and his glory in 370 00:18:56,560 --> 00:19:00,360 Speaker 1: our answer, then I do think that our worship him, 371 00:19:00,440 --> 00:19:03,600 Speaker 1: our whole life worship of Him, is becoming divided. So 372 00:19:03,800 --> 00:19:07,159 Speaker 1: first of all, there's distraction. Second of all, there's disobedience, 373 00:19:07,320 --> 00:19:10,359 Speaker 1: and of course we know disobedience hinders our fellowship with 374 00:19:10,440 --> 00:19:12,920 Speaker 1: the Lord. But what we may do sometimes we may 375 00:19:13,119 --> 00:19:16,040 Speaker 1: compartmentalize our sin. Maybe we have a pet sin or 376 00:19:16,080 --> 00:19:19,000 Speaker 1: a pet attitude over here that we know dishonors the Lord, 377 00:19:19,040 --> 00:19:21,639 Speaker 1: but we're not dealing with it. We're not repenting of it, 378 00:19:21,720 --> 00:19:24,879 Speaker 1: we're not confessing it to the Lord. And it can 379 00:19:24,920 --> 00:19:26,480 Speaker 1: be very tempting to say, you know, I'm going to 380 00:19:26,520 --> 00:19:28,800 Speaker 1: hold onto this sin over in this little pocket of 381 00:19:28,840 --> 00:19:31,679 Speaker 1: my life, but I'm going to yeah, I'm living faithfully 382 00:19:31,760 --> 00:19:34,359 Speaker 1: to the Lord. No, the Lord says, I'm calling you 383 00:19:34,400 --> 00:19:37,320 Speaker 1: to a whole heart. You think of David King. David, 384 00:19:37,359 --> 00:19:38,840 Speaker 1: there was a man who knew what it was like 385 00:19:38,920 --> 00:19:42,560 Speaker 1: to have a divided heart. There I was sin in 386 00:19:42,560 --> 00:19:45,960 Speaker 1: his life. There were other things distracting him. But in 387 00:19:46,000 --> 00:19:49,040 Speaker 1: Psalm eighty six eleven he praised this. He says, unite 388 00:19:49,160 --> 00:19:52,280 Speaker 1: my heart to fear your name. Unite my heart. So 389 00:19:52,400 --> 00:19:54,760 Speaker 1: I look to you, and I revere you, and I 390 00:19:54,920 --> 00:19:57,560 Speaker 1: obey you, and I honor you and follow you. And 391 00:19:57,600 --> 00:19:59,640 Speaker 1: so that is a prayer that we should have. God, 392 00:19:59,680 --> 00:20:02,120 Speaker 1: Please unite my heart to fear your name, and turn 393 00:20:02,160 --> 00:20:05,040 Speaker 1: away from that sin. Confess it, deal with it, and 394 00:20:05,280 --> 00:20:09,280 Speaker 1: don't let that pile up. Sometimes we end up minimizing 395 00:20:09,280 --> 00:20:12,520 Speaker 1: our sin, We rationalize our sin. But as soon as 396 00:20:12,600 --> 00:20:16,159 Speaker 1: you see that and the Holy Spirit convicts you of 397 00:20:16,200 --> 00:20:19,359 Speaker 1: the way you're talking to your husband maybe or something 398 00:20:19,359 --> 00:20:22,280 Speaker 1: else going on at work, and your gossiping and complaining. 399 00:20:22,600 --> 00:20:25,639 Speaker 1: When the Holy Spirit convicts you of that, repent and 400 00:20:25,720 --> 00:20:29,600 Speaker 1: confess quickly and then, of course there is discouragement. And 401 00:20:29,640 --> 00:20:32,920 Speaker 1: I think this is something we miss sometimes as understanding 402 00:20:32,920 --> 00:20:36,040 Speaker 1: how this can divide our devotion and our worship of 403 00:20:36,080 --> 00:20:38,640 Speaker 1: the Lord. And when I say discouragement, I mean when 404 00:20:38,640 --> 00:20:42,240 Speaker 1: we fall into the lie or believing the lie that 405 00:20:42,359 --> 00:20:45,639 Speaker 1: we can't glorify God in our situation. And I know 406 00:20:45,680 --> 00:20:47,600 Speaker 1: a lot of women feel like this. So maybe a 407 00:20:47,640 --> 00:20:51,040 Speaker 1: woman is in a season of sacrifice here's the word again. 408 00:20:51,400 --> 00:20:54,240 Speaker 1: She's maybe working a couple of jobs, she's taking care 409 00:20:54,240 --> 00:20:56,840 Speaker 1: of the kids, maybe she's taking care of an aging parent, 410 00:20:57,280 --> 00:20:59,320 Speaker 1: and she just thinks to herself, you know, I wish 411 00:20:59,359 --> 00:21:03,720 Speaker 1: I could do something significant for God because I'm not well. 412 00:21:03,840 --> 00:21:07,360 Speaker 1: She is she is doing something significant for His glory, 413 00:21:07,560 --> 00:21:10,680 Speaker 1: caring for her family and sacrificing like that. Maybe there's 414 00:21:10,720 --> 00:21:14,920 Speaker 1: someone who's in a season of physical limitations. Maybe they're sick, 415 00:21:15,160 --> 00:21:17,719 Speaker 1: maybe they're impaired in some way, and they are so 416 00:21:17,880 --> 00:21:21,359 Speaker 1: discouraged because I think, you know, my physical limitations are 417 00:21:21,480 --> 00:21:24,240 Speaker 1: keeping me from glorifying the Lord the way I wish 418 00:21:24,280 --> 00:21:27,160 Speaker 1: I could. But then again, there's also someone who may 419 00:21:27,359 --> 00:21:29,440 Speaker 1: just be dealing with a lot of regret. She has 420 00:21:29,520 --> 00:21:33,600 Speaker 1: wounds and failures and her past, maybe she has sinned 421 00:21:33,640 --> 00:21:37,320 Speaker 1: against others, maybe others have violated her, and now she 422 00:21:37,480 --> 00:21:40,560 Speaker 1: just wonders, am I even able to glorify the Lord 423 00:21:40,600 --> 00:21:43,760 Speaker 1: of my life? Am I even qualified or accepted by 424 00:21:43,880 --> 00:21:46,680 Speaker 1: him to do things, to live in such a way 425 00:21:46,760 --> 00:21:50,160 Speaker 1: that truly pleases him. I think probably most of our 426 00:21:50,160 --> 00:21:53,680 Speaker 1: listeners can fall into one of those areas discouraged, maybe 427 00:21:53,680 --> 00:21:57,560 Speaker 1: in a season of disobedience, or maybe just plain old distracted. 428 00:21:57,800 --> 00:22:01,280 Speaker 1: But my encouragement to you this is not to look 429 00:22:01,359 --> 00:22:04,280 Speaker 1: at any of those limitations as what keep you from 430 00:22:04,320 --> 00:22:07,960 Speaker 1: glorifying the Lord. It is those very limitations. It's those 431 00:22:08,200 --> 00:22:12,600 Speaker 1: very experiences through which the Lord plans and intends and 432 00:22:12,680 --> 00:22:16,480 Speaker 1: will glorify himself through you. So in those distractions of 433 00:22:16,600 --> 00:22:19,240 Speaker 1: caring for the kids or an aging parent, know that 434 00:22:19,320 --> 00:22:22,159 Speaker 1: this can be done as worship unto the Lord. I 435 00:22:22,200 --> 00:22:25,879 Speaker 1: can do this for his glory. As you're dealing with disobedience, 436 00:22:25,960 --> 00:22:28,840 Speaker 1: I can turn from this and I can give thanks 437 00:22:28,840 --> 00:22:31,840 Speaker 1: to the Lord for the forgiveness I have in my Savior, 438 00:22:32,359 --> 00:22:34,480 Speaker 1: and I can move forward, and maybe I can even 439 00:22:34,520 --> 00:22:37,840 Speaker 1: share with others how they can move forward out of 440 00:22:37,880 --> 00:22:40,640 Speaker 1: their sin as well. And then for those who are discouraged, 441 00:22:40,800 --> 00:22:43,920 Speaker 1: just realizing the enemy wants you to believe those lies. 442 00:22:43,960 --> 00:22:46,400 Speaker 1: But I love what it says in Ephesians two ten 443 00:22:46,680 --> 00:22:50,399 Speaker 1: that we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for 444 00:22:50,480 --> 00:22:53,639 Speaker 1: good works, which He prepared beforehand for those that we 445 00:22:53,720 --> 00:22:56,639 Speaker 1: may walk in them. And no Christian is excluded from that, 446 00:22:56,920 --> 00:22:59,960 Speaker 1: not even the woman who has regrets. God has given 447 00:23:00,200 --> 00:23:03,040 Speaker 1: you good things to do for His glory, and I 448 00:23:03,119 --> 00:23:05,879 Speaker 1: encourage you to not look at your past as an 449 00:23:05,920 --> 00:23:09,000 Speaker 1: obstacle to that, but look at it as the opportunities 450 00:23:09,000 --> 00:23:09,760 Speaker 1: to move forward. 451 00:23:09,840 --> 00:23:12,240 Speaker 2: Amen. Goodness, that was so good, And I can't wait 452 00:23:12,280 --> 00:23:14,520 Speaker 2: to continue today's conversation. But we're going to take another 453 00:23:14,520 --> 00:23:16,879 Speaker 2: brief break to hear a word from today's sponsor, and 454 00:23:16,960 --> 00:23:19,720 Speaker 2: when we come back, we'll talk about surrender, sanctification, and 455 00:23:19,760 --> 00:23:21,639 Speaker 2: living transformed lives. 456 00:23:24,200 --> 00:23:24,840 Speaker 1: Welcome back. 457 00:23:24,920 --> 00:23:27,440 Speaker 2: I am talking with Cheryl Marshall about her book All 458 00:23:27,560 --> 00:23:30,199 Speaker 2: of Me. You know, you emphasize that our devotion to 459 00:23:30,240 --> 00:23:33,560 Speaker 2: God begins with understanding his mercy. So why is remembering 460 00:23:33,600 --> 00:23:37,440 Speaker 2: God's mercy so essential to living faithfully rather than striving 461 00:23:37,480 --> 00:23:39,040 Speaker 2: out of guilt or performance? 462 00:23:39,359 --> 00:23:43,920 Speaker 1: Good question? All other motivations other than mercy will fail us. 463 00:23:44,240 --> 00:23:46,680 Speaker 1: None of them are strong enough to carry us through 464 00:23:46,680 --> 00:23:50,240 Speaker 1: a lifetime of genuine devotion to the Lord. And so 465 00:23:50,720 --> 00:23:55,159 Speaker 1: it's no accident that Paul there says, by the mercies 466 00:23:55,200 --> 00:23:59,080 Speaker 1: of God, present yourself as a living sacrifice. God's mercy 467 00:23:59,240 --> 00:24:02,639 Speaker 1: is stronger than any guilt, than any guilt that says, 468 00:24:02,760 --> 00:24:05,240 Speaker 1: you know, I need to do this and ort that 469 00:24:05,560 --> 00:24:08,399 Speaker 1: to make up for my past sin. God's mercy is 470 00:24:08,440 --> 00:24:10,800 Speaker 1: stronger than any fear, any fear that says, you know, 471 00:24:10,920 --> 00:24:12,680 Speaker 1: if I don't do this or I don't do that, 472 00:24:12,760 --> 00:24:15,240 Speaker 1: then God won't love me. And of course it's stronger 473 00:24:15,280 --> 00:24:19,000 Speaker 1: than pride. It totally obliterates pride, the kind of pride 474 00:24:19,000 --> 00:24:21,159 Speaker 1: that says, you know, I can live a good life 475 00:24:21,440 --> 00:24:24,720 Speaker 1: on my own without the Lord. This is something I'm 476 00:24:24,720 --> 00:24:26,639 Speaker 1: going to do. I'm just going to pull myself up 477 00:24:26,680 --> 00:24:30,800 Speaker 1: by my and live on my own in an upright way. Well, 478 00:24:30,840 --> 00:24:34,119 Speaker 1: we can't. We need the Holy Spirit within us. God's 479 00:24:34,160 --> 00:24:37,399 Speaker 1: mercy is his goodness and kindness towards those in need, 480 00:24:37,480 --> 00:24:39,560 Speaker 1: and so first of all, we need to understand how 481 00:24:39,640 --> 00:24:42,800 Speaker 1: needy we are that we come to Him in need. 482 00:24:43,560 --> 00:24:46,440 Speaker 1: Apart from His work in us. Like I mentioned earlier 483 00:24:46,440 --> 00:24:49,959 Speaker 1: in Ephesians, two ten. We cannot glorify him. We are 484 00:24:50,000 --> 00:24:52,480 Speaker 1: dependent upon the Lord. And so I think a good 485 00:24:52,520 --> 00:24:56,679 Speaker 1: exercise is actually going through Romans one through eleven. Just 486 00:24:56,800 --> 00:24:59,439 Speaker 1: open up your Bible and skim through it quickly with 487 00:24:59,480 --> 00:25:01,840 Speaker 1: a pen and pa and just start writing down all 488 00:25:01,880 --> 00:25:05,680 Speaker 1: the different ways we see God being gracious to us 489 00:25:05,800 --> 00:25:07,920 Speaker 1: in the Gospel. And as you do that, you'll find 490 00:25:07,960 --> 00:25:10,719 Speaker 1: there's a very long list, and you see God's mercy. 491 00:25:10,760 --> 00:25:14,159 Speaker 1: It's almost like a wave after wave after wave of 492 00:25:14,200 --> 00:25:16,800 Speaker 1: God's mercy pouring out on us. And another thing you 493 00:25:16,840 --> 00:25:19,200 Speaker 1: can do is actually sit there and circle the ones 494 00:25:19,240 --> 00:25:21,520 Speaker 1: that right now in your life, which ones are most 495 00:25:21,720 --> 00:25:24,840 Speaker 1: meaningful to you, and think about the meditate on them, 496 00:25:24,880 --> 00:25:27,720 Speaker 1: ask yourself, why is that one so meaningful to me? 497 00:25:28,000 --> 00:25:30,199 Speaker 1: And then prayerfully go through that. And I think as 498 00:25:30,280 --> 00:25:33,960 Speaker 1: someone starts to meditate on the scriptures themselves and starts 499 00:25:34,000 --> 00:25:36,879 Speaker 1: looking at all the ways God has been so kind 500 00:25:37,040 --> 00:25:39,840 Speaker 1: to us in his Gospel and so kind to us 501 00:25:39,920 --> 00:25:43,160 Speaker 1: through Christ, that it starts to fill up your heart 502 00:25:43,240 --> 00:25:46,480 Speaker 1: with thankfulness and praise. And what we then find is 503 00:25:46,560 --> 00:25:49,680 Speaker 1: that is the motivation for the living for Him. You know, 504 00:25:49,880 --> 00:25:52,920 Speaker 1: fear and guilt and pride, like I said at the 505 00:25:53,000 --> 00:25:56,480 Speaker 1: very beginning, cannot hold the weight of a life devoted 506 00:25:56,480 --> 00:25:59,000 Speaker 1: to him. It's only on the mercy of God that 507 00:25:59,040 --> 00:26:00,480 Speaker 1: we can build that kind of life. 508 00:26:00,520 --> 00:26:03,040 Speaker 2: For the woman listening today who longs to give her 509 00:26:03,119 --> 00:26:06,800 Speaker 2: whole heart but feels maybe distracted, weary, or spiritually divided, 510 00:26:06,880 --> 00:26:08,720 Speaker 2: what encouragement would you offer her today? 511 00:26:08,760 --> 00:26:11,680 Speaker 1: I would say, focus on Jesus again. I'll mention Mary 512 00:26:11,680 --> 00:26:16,040 Speaker 1: and Martha, and I think of Mary sitting at Jesus's feet. 513 00:26:16,160 --> 00:26:19,720 Speaker 1: She adored him, she listened to him, she communed with him. 514 00:26:19,920 --> 00:26:22,960 Speaker 1: And I believe that Martha learned from that situation. When 515 00:26:22,960 --> 00:26:26,520 Speaker 1: the Lord rebuked her. We later see how she responded 516 00:26:26,600 --> 00:26:28,439 Speaker 1: rightly to the Lord. But I would say to that 517 00:26:28,480 --> 00:26:31,680 Speaker 1: woman who is struggling, who is feeling dry, maybe she's 518 00:26:31,720 --> 00:26:35,919 Speaker 1: feeling weary, maybe she's feeling unmotivated, to go to the 519 00:26:35,920 --> 00:26:39,000 Speaker 1: Lord again, to go to Romans, to look even in 520 00:26:39,040 --> 00:26:43,280 Speaker 1: the Gospels, at how patient and kind and gracious the 521 00:26:43,359 --> 00:26:46,720 Speaker 1: Lord is with his people. And just be praying, praying, God, 522 00:26:46,920 --> 00:26:50,040 Speaker 1: unite my heart to fear your name. If there are 523 00:26:50,240 --> 00:26:53,000 Speaker 1: distractions in your life, bring them to the Lord in prayer. 524 00:26:53,200 --> 00:26:55,960 Speaker 1: Talk to him about it. He knows your weaknesses. He 525 00:26:56,200 --> 00:26:59,960 Speaker 1: understands the struggles that are on your shoulders that you're 526 00:27:00,160 --> 00:27:02,440 Speaker 1: having to bear, and ask him, Lord, will you please 527 00:27:02,480 --> 00:27:05,600 Speaker 1: show me in this from your word, how to take 528 00:27:05,640 --> 00:27:08,760 Speaker 1: the next step of obedience in a way that honors you, 529 00:27:09,000 --> 00:27:12,040 Speaker 1: as mundane and as routine as it may be. For 530 00:27:12,119 --> 00:27:15,600 Speaker 1: the person who is struggling with disobedience and they sense 531 00:27:15,640 --> 00:27:18,600 Speaker 1: that there's something in their life that they are aware 532 00:27:18,600 --> 00:27:22,280 Speaker 1: of that is holding them back from that from honoring 533 00:27:22,359 --> 00:27:24,359 Speaker 1: the Lord with their lives, I would say, look again 534 00:27:24,480 --> 00:27:27,199 Speaker 1: to Christ in the Book of Romans, and see what 535 00:27:27,320 --> 00:27:31,720 Speaker 1: a beautiful, wonderful, gracious savior you have, and bring your 536 00:27:31,880 --> 00:27:34,119 Speaker 1: sin to him in prayer. He knows it's there. You 537 00:27:34,200 --> 00:27:36,560 Speaker 1: know it's there, Confess it. And I would also say 538 00:27:36,560 --> 00:27:38,479 Speaker 1: to the woman who may be in that situation, if 539 00:27:38,520 --> 00:27:40,879 Speaker 1: you're like you know, I am really struggling with the 540 00:27:40,960 --> 00:27:43,520 Speaker 1: sin of my life, I encourage you to approach your 541 00:27:43,560 --> 00:27:46,520 Speaker 1: pastor maybe some other leader in your church, an older 542 00:27:46,560 --> 00:27:49,000 Speaker 1: woman that you know in the faith, and ask her, 543 00:27:49,160 --> 00:27:52,320 Speaker 1: just be humble, ask them, will you please help me 544 00:27:52,359 --> 00:27:55,639 Speaker 1: walk through this and give me accountability and encouragement. And then, 545 00:27:55,680 --> 00:27:58,359 Speaker 1: of course for the woman who is in a time 546 00:27:58,359 --> 00:28:02,280 Speaker 1: of discouragement. I think of Elijah in One Kings nineteen 547 00:28:02,880 --> 00:28:05,480 Speaker 1: after the Mount Carmel experience, where he has seen the 548 00:28:05,560 --> 00:28:09,560 Speaker 1: victory of God against the prophets of bail and Jezebel says, 549 00:28:09,600 --> 00:28:12,600 Speaker 1: I'm going to now kill you because you've destroyed my men, 550 00:28:12,920 --> 00:28:15,399 Speaker 1: so I'm after you now. And Elijah's so discouraged. He 551 00:28:15,480 --> 00:28:17,960 Speaker 1: runs deep into the wilderness and he falls underneath a 552 00:28:18,040 --> 00:28:20,040 Speaker 1: tree and he goes to sleep. The Angel of the 553 00:28:20,080 --> 00:28:23,639 Speaker 1: Lord comes and meets him there and gives him something 554 00:28:23,640 --> 00:28:26,240 Speaker 1: to drink, something to eat, and allows him to rest. 555 00:28:26,359 --> 00:28:29,479 Speaker 1: A short time later, the Lord speaks to Elijah and 556 00:28:29,520 --> 00:28:31,840 Speaker 1: he reminds him of his presence, and then what he 557 00:28:31,880 --> 00:28:34,960 Speaker 1: does is he gives him new instructions to go do 558 00:28:35,080 --> 00:28:38,040 Speaker 1: something more. And you're like, give the guy a break, 559 00:28:38,280 --> 00:28:41,520 Speaker 1: let him rest. But I think God knows that even 560 00:28:41,560 --> 00:28:45,440 Speaker 1: in times of discouragement, we need to listen to his voice, 561 00:28:45,600 --> 00:28:47,400 Speaker 1: and today we do that in his words, and then 562 00:28:47,440 --> 00:28:49,720 Speaker 1: we need to go on to the next thing he 563 00:28:49,760 --> 00:28:52,040 Speaker 1: has given us to do. And sometimes we say I 564 00:28:52,040 --> 00:28:55,200 Speaker 1: don't want to do the next thing. Okay, take a 565 00:28:55,280 --> 00:28:59,360 Speaker 1: drink of water like Elijah, and have something to eat, rest, 566 00:28:59,520 --> 00:29:03,560 Speaker 1: take advance of the physical help the Lord has given 567 00:29:03,600 --> 00:29:07,160 Speaker 1: you in this moment, But then more importantly, listen to 568 00:29:07,240 --> 00:29:10,200 Speaker 1: him and his word. Go back to his word, and 569 00:29:10,240 --> 00:29:12,000 Speaker 1: then what he tells you to do in his word, 570 00:29:12,240 --> 00:29:14,360 Speaker 1: get up and do it. And it is as we 571 00:29:14,480 --> 00:29:17,600 Speaker 1: do that over and over again, he is strengthening those 572 00:29:17,800 --> 00:29:23,040 Speaker 1: spiritual muscles to be women who truly worship Him with 573 00:29:23,160 --> 00:29:27,200 Speaker 1: our lives. Yes, we adore him with our words, but 574 00:29:27,280 --> 00:29:32,480 Speaker 1: there's an element of biblical worship that also includes allegiance. 575 00:29:32,720 --> 00:29:37,000 Speaker 1: This is my good Lord, this is my good King, 576 00:29:37,120 --> 00:29:41,360 Speaker 1: and I now get to honor him with my next step. 577 00:29:41,440 --> 00:29:44,320 Speaker 2: So is there a biblical concept of love that you 578 00:29:44,400 --> 00:29:46,480 Speaker 2: think applies to this topic today? 579 00:29:46,600 --> 00:29:49,120 Speaker 1: Yes, yes, I see it on both sides. I see 580 00:29:49,120 --> 00:29:51,440 Speaker 1: it on the front side where we can say it's 581 00:29:51,560 --> 00:29:54,440 Speaker 1: because of the love of God. The love of God 582 00:29:54,480 --> 00:29:58,640 Speaker 1: now controls us, it says in Second Corinthians, and right 583 00:29:58,680 --> 00:30:01,240 Speaker 1: after that it says that's the passage where it says 584 00:30:01,640 --> 00:30:03,800 Speaker 1: Christ died for all that we should no longer live 585 00:30:03,880 --> 00:30:07,480 Speaker 1: for ourselves but for him. Jesus loves us. We have 586 00:30:07,600 --> 00:30:10,160 Speaker 1: a love for Jesus, and a response of that is 587 00:30:10,160 --> 00:30:12,800 Speaker 1: to be a life of worship unto him. So it 588 00:30:12,840 --> 00:30:14,840 Speaker 1: goes all the way back also to seeing the love 589 00:30:14,920 --> 00:30:17,680 Speaker 1: between the father and the son. Again, the father gave 590 00:30:17,880 --> 00:30:20,560 Speaker 1: the son his people to come redeem and out of 591 00:30:20,600 --> 00:30:24,440 Speaker 1: love for the Father, the son obeyed the Father all 592 00:30:24,480 --> 00:30:27,520 Speaker 1: the way unto death for us for his people. And 593 00:30:27,560 --> 00:30:30,400 Speaker 1: as we sit and meditate upon that in the Word 594 00:30:30,440 --> 00:30:33,440 Speaker 1: of God again in Romans one through eleven, which then 595 00:30:33,560 --> 00:30:37,400 Speaker 1: leads us to Romans twelve, we see how glorious God's 596 00:30:37,400 --> 00:30:39,760 Speaker 1: love is for us. And then on the other side 597 00:30:39,800 --> 00:30:42,920 Speaker 1: of Romans twelve one and two we then see this 598 00:30:42,960 --> 00:30:45,520 Speaker 1: is how I now express my love to the Lord. 599 00:30:45,720 --> 00:30:49,800 Speaker 1: I get to love him. Yes, that may include sacrifice, 600 00:30:50,360 --> 00:30:54,600 Speaker 1: and that may go against what I wish at times, 601 00:30:54,760 --> 00:30:56,200 Speaker 1: But once I get to the other side of that, 602 00:30:56,320 --> 00:30:58,720 Speaker 1: I see how good God is and I see how 603 00:30:58,720 --> 00:31:01,040 Speaker 1: his plans for me are perfect. 604 00:31:01,440 --> 00:31:03,520 Speaker 2: You know, before we head on over to Instagram to 605 00:31:03,560 --> 00:31:05,160 Speaker 2: go look and see where you are, I think we 606 00:31:05,200 --> 00:31:08,160 Speaker 2: need to be all head over to Romans chapter eleven 607 00:31:08,200 --> 00:31:09,000 Speaker 2: and chapter twelve. 608 00:31:09,080 --> 00:31:10,040 Speaker 1: That would be a good stop. 609 00:31:10,280 --> 00:31:13,959 Speaker 2: That would way good stop. Well, so I know that 610 00:31:14,000 --> 00:31:16,120 Speaker 2: I want to stay connected with you, as your listeners 611 00:31:16,160 --> 00:31:18,760 Speaker 2: are going to want to, So tell us something you're 612 00:31:18,840 --> 00:31:20,840 Speaker 2: loving right now and then tell us how we can 613 00:31:20,880 --> 00:31:21,920 Speaker 2: stay in contact with you. 614 00:31:22,000 --> 00:31:25,160 Speaker 1: Well, right now, I am just loving being in England. 615 00:31:25,280 --> 00:31:27,840 Speaker 1: I'm loving the flowers that are here at the manor, 616 00:31:28,040 --> 00:31:31,520 Speaker 1: and every few days, every week or so, you see 617 00:31:31,520 --> 00:31:34,479 Speaker 1: a new color and a new plant blooming, and so 618 00:31:34,840 --> 00:31:37,040 Speaker 1: you just see that and you see God's creativity, you 619 00:31:37,080 --> 00:31:39,880 Speaker 1: see his power, you just see the beauty living in 620 00:31:40,120 --> 00:31:43,040 Speaker 1: Actually I live in Houston, Texas, I don't always get 621 00:31:43,080 --> 00:31:45,800 Speaker 1: to see this kind of beauty in the flowers, and 622 00:31:45,880 --> 00:31:48,560 Speaker 1: so I'm grateful for that. I just love that. And 623 00:31:48,600 --> 00:31:52,080 Speaker 1: as far as staying in touch, my website is Cherylmarshall 624 00:31:52,120 --> 00:31:55,640 Speaker 1: dot com and Instagram is Underscore Cheryl Marshall if you 625 00:31:55,680 --> 00:31:57,920 Speaker 1: want to see some pictures of England. And then of 626 00:31:57,960 --> 00:32:00,960 Speaker 1: course there's the Whole Life Worship pot Cast which comes 627 00:32:00,960 --> 00:32:03,640 Speaker 1: out weekly and I'd love to have you all join 628 00:32:03,720 --> 00:32:04,000 Speaker 1: me there. 629 00:32:04,040 --> 00:32:05,960 Speaker 2: We will include that in the show notes. But would 630 00:32:06,000 --> 00:32:08,080 Speaker 2: you pray for us as we come to a close today. 631 00:32:08,160 --> 00:32:10,760 Speaker 1: Heavenly Father, we thank you that you are a God 632 00:32:10,800 --> 00:32:13,520 Speaker 1: of love. You are the God of love who has 633 00:32:13,600 --> 00:32:16,600 Speaker 1: loved us with an everlasting love. We thank you for 634 00:32:16,640 --> 00:32:19,440 Speaker 1: how you've shown us that through your son Jesus Christ, 635 00:32:19,560 --> 00:32:21,960 Speaker 1: thank you that he died on the cross for our sins, 636 00:32:22,080 --> 00:32:25,160 Speaker 1: that because of him, our sins are forgiven. We are 637 00:32:25,200 --> 00:32:28,960 Speaker 1: completely made clean and we are now restored to you. 638 00:32:29,040 --> 00:32:31,720 Speaker 1: And Lord, I thank you also that we have eternal 639 00:32:31,760 --> 00:32:35,880 Speaker 1: life awaiting us, that we will spend eternity worshiping you, 640 00:32:36,160 --> 00:32:39,720 Speaker 1: praising you, serving you. Lord. We don't even know what 641 00:32:39,760 --> 00:32:42,680 Speaker 1: that looks like, but our hearts long for it. And 642 00:32:42,760 --> 00:32:45,440 Speaker 1: for those Lord who are listening today and they hear 643 00:32:45,480 --> 00:32:48,720 Speaker 1: about the discouragement and the disobedience and the distractions, and 644 00:32:48,760 --> 00:32:51,600 Speaker 1: they say, God, that's where I am. Take me out 645 00:32:51,640 --> 00:32:53,920 Speaker 1: of this. Lord, I pray that you will meet them there, 646 00:32:54,080 --> 00:32:55,880 Speaker 1: that you will take them by the hand and by 647 00:32:55,920 --> 00:32:58,560 Speaker 1: your spirit, that you will lead them forward. Lord, I 648 00:32:58,600 --> 00:33:01,160 Speaker 1: thank you that when you get give us instruction in 649 00:33:01,200 --> 00:33:04,840 Speaker 1: the scriptures, you also give us the grace to follow, 650 00:33:05,000 --> 00:33:06,840 Speaker 1: and we just praise you for that. Thank you for 651 00:33:06,920 --> 00:33:09,640 Speaker 1: loving us in that way and in Jesus precious name. 652 00:33:09,680 --> 00:33:13,160 Speaker 2: Amen, Amen, Cheryl, thank you for encouraging us. It's clear 653 00:33:13,200 --> 00:33:16,160 Speaker 2: and evident that you have given the Lord all of you, 654 00:33:16,320 --> 00:33:19,400 Speaker 2: and thank you for encouraging us and inspiring us to 655 00:33:19,440 --> 00:33:21,440 Speaker 2: do the same. Thank you, Thank you so much for 656 00:33:21,520 --> 00:33:24,680 Speaker 2: listening to The Love Offering Podcast. I hope today's conversation 657 00:33:24,800 --> 00:33:27,160 Speaker 2: encourage you to love God, love others, and even love 658 00:33:27,200 --> 00:33:30,680 Speaker 2: yourself with greater grace and intention. If you enjoyed this episode, 659 00:33:30,720 --> 00:33:32,440 Speaker 2: please share it with a friend and leaver review. It 660 00:33:32,480 --> 00:33:34,480 Speaker 2: helps others find the show and spreads the message of 661 00:33:34,520 --> 00:33:37,000 Speaker 2: love even further. To connect with me, visit me on 662 00:33:37,040 --> 00:33:39,840 Speaker 2: my website at Rachelkaadams dot com, where you can download 663 00:33:39,880 --> 00:33:42,360 Speaker 2: the Love Offering Calendar, a free resource field with simple 664 00:33:42,440 --> 00:33:45,320 Speaker 2: daily ways to love those around you. Be sure to 665 00:33:45,400 --> 00:33:48,000 Speaker 2: pick up Cheryl Marshall's new book All of Me, Pursuing 666 00:33:48,080 --> 00:33:50,640 Speaker 2: a Life Wholly Devoted to God. A special thank you 667 00:33:50,680 --> 00:33:53,160 Speaker 2: to Life Audio for supporting this podcast and making it 668 00:33:53,240 --> 00:33:57,400 Speaker 2: possible to find more great podcast visitlifeaudio dot com. Thanks 669 00:33:57,440 --> 00:33:59,920 Speaker 2: again for joining us today. Until next time, let's make 670 00:34:00,120 --> 00:34:02,160 Speaker 2: our lives and offering of love