In this sermon, the speaker shares about an interesting situation where they were selling things to Christian students. They would give the buyers a leaflet about Luke 14:33, which made some of them feel guilty and return the items. The speaker then talks about the importance of finding balance in the Christian life, using Philippians 4:19 as a reference. They also discuss the need for discernment and wisdom, emphasizing the importance of using common sense along with faith. The sermon touches on the topics of submission and freedom, and encourages further study and discussion on these subjects.

How we praise God for what He is doing here each evening and answer the prayer in the hearts of many people. The Bible says there's joy in heaven over just even one sinner who repents. So let us be rejoicing and thanking God for those that have come to know Jesus Christ in a personal way over these past few days. This morning we want to consider this important subject of Christian and spiritual maturity. Paul wrote to Timothy and he said, be strong, be strong in the great that is in Jesus Christ. The most important subject that we could consider from God's Word. We praise God that so many have been going over and buying some of these great books, especially the books by A.W. Tozer. There's not many left. I'm so glad that in the Bible, especially in three other books, plus this very important small book. This is the Gospel of John. It's because an elderly praying lady sent me this book through the mail that I started on the road to Jesus Christ. Carefully start distributing that little booklet. I was speaking a few years ago. I had it in Spain. But he's going all over the world. Beyond healing. When he and his sovereignty chooses nothing. From the minister C.H. Spurgeon. For each day of the year. One of the best books. Well, I know you're going to rush over there. But this is the book to read. From verse 7 through verse 16. What a power. Yeah. Notice this is preceded by verses 4 through 6, which is another great plea for unity. There are so many other things I would have loved to have said yet. It's important to understand that in each one of these major subjects we are discussing each morning from God's Word. It's just the beginning. And it's up to you through the Word and through books to develop this subject on your own in your own Bible study and in your discussion group. I would remind you that I'm still open to receive any prayer requests or any questions. You can just turn them in at the book table. Read verse 7. Let's pray. Father, we thank you for your Word. We thank you for what you have been doing each day in our midst. Help us now to concentrate. That we may not be just hearers of the Word only, but doers. If there's any resistance, any pride, we pray, Oh God, break our hearts this morning. You know the worries and the thoughts that may be running through our minds on different issues. They link together. Some people who may think they're not converted, in their faith, they have never grown up. So when we talk about Christ, more than anything else, He's one of His children. In serving others, for the bringing, is in their Christian faith where they're now. In India, in Turkey, in Norway. We don't want to sin. This is a lifetime. Even as mature Christians, we do sometimes sin. Look at 1 John, chapter 2. 1 John is a very short epistle. You can easily read it. The theme is reality, maturity and love. 1 John 1 and 2, that brought me out of that difficulty and failure and sin to repentance and cleanse. Verse 8 in chapter 1 is a heavy blow to perfectionism. Walking in the light from all sin. To deal with sin in your life, you will never... Big, heavy, outward temptations like dreaming about robbing the local bank. Or wanting to go down the road and punch some old lady in the nose. More of our sins today are dispositional sins, which A.W. Tozer often talks about. You know, I'm tempted to speak on the subject. In England, in our churches, we don't like to... Be thou in dealing with sexual... When you speak about sex, people get the idea that you have a problem. Chapter 2, verse 1. I'm fortunate in Poland, there doesn't seem to be so much porn... 16 years of age, I was 16. Christian leaders around... Many, many leaders around the world have the same problem. And you know, sometimes we're not afraid to talk about our sins before we were a Christian. I was a drug addict. But Jesus saved me. We bring these people in to give their testimonies in our churches. He was giving his testimony. He was in deep wickedness and sin and iniquity and terrible things in his life. He was doing terrible things. He was drinking, sinning, doing a lot of evil. And he said, Christians are facing Christ when they were children. They want to see, God wants reality. That's the road to maturity. Cleanse me and brought me up from a... ...magazine. And in the name of Jesus, a laser beam of spiritual power went from me... ...and just is... ...a fool out of me that day in those woods. And you know, when we sin like that... ...and it may be in some other area... ...sins connected with sex, from what I read in my Bible... ...but when we sin in such a shameful way... ...one of Satan's... ...you can write this down... ...the Bible says Satan is the accuser... ...he is the accuser of the brethren. You're a big hypocrite. Why don't you do this Christianity business... ...and... ...Christian maturity... ...in repentance... I noticed someone had a tape recording here yesterday... ...someone showed me a tape recording... ...from a group that comes out of America... ...that teaches, if you are really spiritual... ...you will have lots of money. That is the mark of spiritual maturity. The Bible. If you are really spiritual... ...you will have lots of money. You will be a rich man, well-established... ...lots of money. This verse... ...it may seem great to someone... ...justifies the extreme materialism... ...of some people in the western world. The vast majority have... ...emphasis. You see, it's taking a truth to the extreme... ...without incorporating other truths. God does prosper some people. God does answer prayer... ...and bring in finance for His work. God doesn't prosper everybody financially. Most of the Christians I know around the world... ...don't have much money. And often when they get some money... ...they always want to give it away. I have lived in India for a number of years... ...and I just wish you could come... ...because literally millions of people... ...live in the streets... ...at a lower level... ...than anyone in Europe would keep a pet... ...a dog. And at the same time... ...India has some of the most wealthy people... ...in the entire world. It used to be common... ...to spend a million zlotys... ...just on a wedding. That's nothing. Your money's zlotys. Well, dollars and whatever. Most of the Christians in India... ...are not living in the streets. So God has. The Bible emphasizes... ...the importance of doctrine... ...and the Word of God... ...if we are to grow into maturity... ...and not be blown about all over the place... ...like it says there in the mix. So love... ...verse 50... ...in love. Do you see the picture? Balance. And as you go through the Word of God... ...you will find again and again... ...the need... ...for balance. Even many times... ...the things that we are arguing about... ...as Christians. One brother says... ...hey, we need to do it this way. We need more messages on this... ...over here. Another brother says... ...no, no, no... ...we need it this way... ...over here. This is the emphasis we need. I believe... ...the truth is often... ...in the middle. The truth is often... ...a blending of different extreme... ...Bible statements... ...to bring us into spiritual balance... ...and Christ-likeness. When I was first converted to Christ... ...I was a natural extremist. I find one verse... ...free. God, did you see that? This is what we need today. That pastor doesn't know... ...what he's talking about. Look it. Here the Word of God came across... ...Luke 14, 33. That was a big, big moment... ...in my life. Luke 14, 33. I was a materialist... Luke 14, 33. I was a materialist... ...and I had money... ...and I knew how to spend it... ...the nightclubs, the fun... I was converted to Christ... ...or to be my disciple. That's exactly what it says. So, I started preaching... ...Luke 14, 33. And I started practicing it. I gave away almost everything I had. I sold my businesses... ...and I started living on the littlest amount of money every day... ...less and less. After two years at university... ...where I caused a great amount of grief to some people... ...I went to a Bible college. I was there one week... ...and I thought the place needed revival. I started praying for all the leaders... ...started preaching Luke 14, 33 to the students... ...and my room turned into an auction... ...my little bedroom. As different students heard my message... ...they would bring their possessions to my room... ...and I would sell them. And then I'd send the money to missionary work. And the leaders of the school were very concerned... ...about this fanatic extremist... ...who was upsetting the school. We had some very interesting situations... ...because who were we going to sell these things to? They were all Christian students. So we put a sign on... ...and people would come to my room... ...and they would buy some of these things... ...and as they would go... ...we'd give them a little leaflet about Luke 14, 33. Some of them, after a couple of days... ...so we would sell them again. But you know, it was a wonderful day in my life... ...when I discovered the book of Philippians. And chapter 4... ...you can write this right next to Luke 14, 33. What does it say? But my God... ...chapter 4, verse 19... ...my God shall supply all your need... ...according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Do you know what happened next? I thought this is impossible. You know, God has us in His great school. It's like being in a school. God's primary school... ...God's university... ...and then... ...God's graduate program. And then... ...is marriage. When I was 21... ...I was winning many people to Christ. I was spending much time in prayer. I was reading all these great books... ...Andrew Murray, Watchman Nee. I could speak about all these things. I thought, I'm really getting mature and sanctified. And something really big happened in my life. I got married. And through marriage I discovered... ...was nothing but a blessing. I was not crucified and had it. How many of you are married? Raise your hands. Not so many. Yeah, I didn't wait long enough. How many of you occasionally, you know... ...it may have just entered your mind... ...just for a moment, you know... ...raise your hand. The thought about marriage is just... ...it's a wonderful marriage. The others? OK. The rest of you are living in a general state of confusion. If you are an extremist... ...and by the way, God has many other graduate schools... ...you don't have to get married... ...and for the sake of the gospel... ...are committed to the single life... ...God has no problem giving them an advanced training program. But if you are an extremist... ...I recommend that you don't get married. Because marriage demands biblical balance. Let me give an example. I didn't believe in spending any money... ...except for the word of God and Christian literature. So when I met the woman... ...who later became my wife... ...I decided not to spend any money... ...during the engagement period. Because she lived in a boarding house... ...they were supplying the food... ...and nothing else was needed. They were giving me food... ...and nothing else is needed. So for over one year... ...we were going together... ...and I never spent a penny. And I didn't spend a single penny on her. I don't know how she lived without me. We had some very interesting experiences. One day we were sitting by the lake... ...talking to each other. I had already told her... ...on our first meeting... ...that if she married me... ...I didn't think that would happen of course... ...but that if she married me... ...I was going to be a missionary... ...she would probably end up... ...being eaten by cannibals in New Guinea. That was on our first meeting. The second meeting... ...I gave her my dirty laundry to wash... ...to test her submissiveness. The third meeting... ...we went door to door... ...selling books to the Spanish people. On the fourth meeting... ...we started a long study in the Book of Acts. Anyway, we were sitting there that day... ...and we were getting hungry. But we were a long way from the school. So I thought... ...well, we just have to trust God... ...we don't want to spend any money. So I would pray some very wild prayers. Then some people came... ...and they sat behind us... ...and they started to take food out of their bag... ...and eat sandwiches. And we just sat there... ...and we were getting hungry... ...she was getting hungry... ...and those people, they got up... ...and they threw their bag in the rubbish basket. This was a big step of faith for me. Rubbish basket... ...and I went over to my fiancée... ...and I said, the Lord is teasing me... ...the amazing thing... ...and... ...there were sandwiches and fruit... ...that had not been touched... ...wrapped in paper... ...it had not been touched... ...and I gave that to my wife. Now, after the marriage, this became more difficult. We went to live in Mexico together... ...and we didn't eat very much food... ...we lived in the back of a Christian... ...we opened a Christian bookstore... ...and we just lived in a little room in the back... ...and I didn't give her any money. And for a long time, she didn't say anything. But as I came into balance... ...I gave her one dollar... ...I said, this is for you... ...feel free to spend it however you want... ...you don't even have to tell me. Now, we can laugh... ...but this could have completely ruined my life. ...our marriage... ...especially when the children came along... ...I'm not going to buy anything... ...to put the children in... ...baby baskets... ...just put them in the dresser drawer... ...pull out the drawer... ...you can see... ...why I believe in spiritual balance. Somebody once said to me... ...you should buy flowers... ...for your wife... ...to show her... ...that you really love her. Flowers? God's money for flowers? This money is needed for world evangelism... ...to feed those who are hungry. No flowers. My wife always tried to be so brave... ...she doesn't need flowers. Finally, balance came. I went out into the woods and found some old flowers... ...and I brought those to my wife. But it was a miraculous day in my life. I actually spent some money... ...and bought some flowers... ...it's a miracle when I gave them... ...my wife did not have a nervous breakdown. Why do I share this with you this morning? Because everywhere I go in the world... ...I'm getting into extremes... ...not in the same way as me... ...but in some other form of extremism. Your problem will not be like mine. There are many, many different problems. But I would beg of you... ...to let one biblical portion of scripture... ...bring the other portion... ...and bring it into balance in your life. I have listed in my Bible... ...over fifty areas... ...fifty, five, zero... ...where I am working to find spiritual balance and maturity. In my Bible I have listed fifty different areas... ...of life where I should seek balance. The first strategy of Satan... ...is to prevent you from giving yourself completely to God. The second strategy... ...when you have come to know Christ... ...and you're committed to Christ... ...and you're filled with the joy of God... Satan will try to get you into extremism. Especially if you're strong temperament, strong minded. Do you have any of those people in Poland? I know Henry here. Are there any other people like Henry? Strong minded. And God uses that. But it has to be continually brought into balance. And that's why often God gives this kind of person a very special wife. How I thank God for my wife. Spiritual balance can come in many ways. You may not have a wife. But you may have a friend. You may have a spiritual counselor. God uses many things. What are some areas where you'll be wrestling with this balance and maturity? Let me see how many I can give you before it's eleven o'clock. You can make a list. Number one, the crisis versus the process in our Christian growth. Acts 4.31 is a crisis. Acts 20.32 is a process. I'll repeat it. Acts 4.31 is a crisis. Acts 4.31 is a crisis. Acts 20.32 is a process. If you come forward in one of the evening meetings and you're saved or you recommit your life to Christ there may be some tears. There may be some emotions. Don't be afraid of emotions. Jesus wept. Paul wept. But the big factor now is when you leave here God's process grows daily in the Word of God. Daily on your knees in prayer and intercession. Daily fellowship. Daily worship. Daily denying self, taking up the cross. It's not one or the other. And you may meet some people. I met some in Poland. Very crisis oriented. Whatever problem you have you just need to be zapped by the Holy Spirit. Then you won't have any more problems. It's just not true. And in my meetings I see plenty of people zapped or filled with the Holy Spirit. I speak in some of the biggest churches in the world of all different denominations. But I know without God's process people get off balance and they don't go on from there. Number two. Discipline and liberty. 1 Corinthians chapter 9 talks about buffeting the body talks about the discipline line. Galatians 5, 13 talks about the liberty the freedom we have in Jesus Christ. Some churches emphasize discipline. Some churches emphasize freedom. Some churches get easily into legalism. It's all rules and things you're not allowed to do. Others overreact to that and they get in a completely liberty situation where they're getting into all kinds of problems. Number three. The balance between zeal and wisdom. And second. AW Tozer said the greatest gift needed in the church today is discernment. That's deep spiritual wisdom. Oh, how important that is. In my own life I was strong on zeal and weak on wisdom. We have an important word in English. It's called common sense. God wants us to use common sense mingled with faith. Another area, number four, submission and freedom. There's some extremist teaching going on today. We have to submit to our church leader no matter what he says. We just submit. We do exactly what he says. Others are over here. They say, no, whatever the Holy Spirit leads me to do, that's what I'm going to do. I don't listen to man. Isn't the truth somewhere in the middle? We need biblical submission. But not to the destruction of our own unity and the responsibility of finding God's will for our lives. In England, whole churches have been split in two fighting over this particular issue. Number five, the warfare, the emphasis on spiritual warfare. Second Timothy, chapter two. Brought into balance by the emphasis on the rest of faith. Hebrews, chapter four. Both are in the Bible. In our work, we became too extreme about being soldiers. We're not soldiers. That's only one of dozens of ways to describe a Christian. We are also friends of God. We're also kings and priests. We're not just soldiers. And we need the balance of all of the descriptions in the New Testament as to what a Christian is. And we need to know that rest of faith, where we're living the life, not in our own striving, but we're resting in the Lord and His work on the cross. Between biblical principles, and policies of our particular church or group. In the early days of our work, we had campaigns, kids programs, between a biblical principle clearly written in the word of God and a policy that may be unique to your church or denomination. And worship. And number nine, very difficult. To the human being. Everything we do all day. The human factor in my life. We can enjoy. We can enjoy. Many, many people get all caught up with the work in the church. They neglect their families and then the big troubles come. Well, I think that's enough for one morning. You're so patient in the morning. I have another 50 areas where I'm trying to find the balance in my life. Spiritual maturity. Is total commitment to spiritual balance. The whole counsel of God for the whole person. And hopefully the whole church. Let us pray. Father, help us as we discuss these things in our group. Maybe you'll lead different ones to share where they at times have got into extremism. Maybe there are some that don't have any problem with balance because they've never committed themselves to you in the first place. Into the glorious light of freedom in your son Jesus Christ. Father, we thank you that we don't have to be afraid to speak about ourselves. For if we cannot speak honestly about ourselves, then what? And we thank you for the great example in your Word and the Apostle Paul and many others in this area. May you guide us through the activities of this day. In Jesus' name. Amen.