We want to finish the message on Using Your Weaknesses.
The fact is everybody has weaknesses – emotional, physical, intellectual, relational, financial. We all have weaknesses. What we usually do with our weaknesses is we deny them or we hide them or we pretend they don’t exist or we ignore them or we excuse them or we blame other people for them. God comes along and says, “I’ve got something totally different. I want to use your weaknesses.” We say, “No, God! You don’t want to use them. You want to take away my weaknesses !” God says, “My ways are not your ways. My ways are higher than your ways I’m smarter than you. I have a plan. I want to use your weaknesses.” You say, “But God, don’t You want to use my strengths? You gave me all these abilities and talents. Why don’t You use my strengths?” He says, “I will use your strengths, yes. But I also want to use your weaknesses.”
Remember what we defined weakness as. We’re not talking about something you can change. We’re not talking about a sin, a character defect, a fault – overeating, chocolate, being late. No, that’s stuff you can do something about. When we talked about God wanting to use your weaknesses, we’re talking about any limitation in your life that you either inherited or you cannot change. There’s some things in your life you go, “Why God? Why did I have this relationship? I didn’t choose my parents. I didn’t choose my body. I didn’t choose my natural makeup. I didn’t choose the fact that I may have a predisposition toward depression, or worry, or losing my temper. I didn’t choose a lot of things in my life, yet they do limit my life, they often cause pain in my life. I can’t change some of those things.” If you naturally have a bad back, you’re going to have a bad back all your life. God says, “I have a plan even for your weaknesses. Not just your strengths but even your weaknesses.”
1 Corinthians 1:27 “God purposely chose what the world considers nonsense in order to put wise men to shame and what the world considers weak in order to put powerful men to shame.”
Underline “purposely chose” and circle “weak”. God purposely chose the weaknesses in your life, not the sins, not the character faults, but those limitations in your life that you cannot change and you just inherited them. You’ve got them
and God says He wants to use them.
There are three steps God has to take us through in order to use our weakness.
1. First, I must admit my weakness. That’s pretty easy for most people. I don’t know anybody who maintains that they’re perfect. We all have shortcomings and faults and areas we’re weak in. So the first thing, we just say, “You’re right. I don’t have it all together. I’d like to pretend that I do. I’d like to think that I do. But I don’t.” So I stop pretending. I stop hoping that my weaknesses will just go away if I ignore them. I stop making excuses. I stop blaming other people for my weaknesses. I stop defending them. I stop denying them. I just admit: I have some weaknesses in my life – physical, spiritual … all these areas. That’s a pretty easy step. The second step is a little more difficult.
2. I must be grateful for my weaknesses. Why would anybody be grateful for their weaknesses? We talked about four reasons. Paul says “I’ve cheerfully made up my mind to be proud of my weaknesses because they mean a deeper experience of the power of Christ in my life. When I have weaknesses it …
1) guarantees God’s power, because I’m depending on Him.
2) prevents arrogance, because I know I can’t do it all on my own.
3) it causes me to value others. Nobody gets all the pieces of the puzzle in their box. You don’t have all the gifts. God wants us to value each other, so nobody gets it all. You’re lacking some things and I’m lacking some things so we need each other. I need you, you need me – we need each other. We’re supposed to have helpers and friends who compensate for our weaknesses.
4) It gives me a ministry. Your greatest ministry, the way you can make the biggest impact on earth is that God will take your greatest weakness and turn it into a ministry. And God will take your deepest hurt and turn it into your life message. The Bible says He takes us through problems and comforts us so we can turn around and help people with the same comfort we’ve been given. Who could better help somebody going through a divorce than somebody who went through the pain of a divorce? Who can better help somebody struggling with an addiction than somebody who was an addict and Jesus helped them through it? Who could better help a couple with the pain of not having children when they wanted them than a couple who wanted children but were unable to have them for one reason or another? The very thing you’re most ashamed of, that you’re most embarrassed about., the very thing you wished nobody knows about, that skeleton in your closet, the very thing that still hurts you and pains you, if you’ll let God work on it in your life and touch you and heal you, God will use to help other people. That’s called a ministry.
But none of this can take place unless you’re willing to take step three. That’s what we’re going to talk about. I have to recognize my weaknesses, be grateful for them and think how God can use them. But if you want God to use the weakness in your life.
3. YOU MUST BE WILLING TO SHARE.
I must openly share my weaknesses. I let down my guard. I take off the mask. I put aside my defenses and just admit it. It’s like that “great” theologian, Flip Wilson, used to say, “What you see is what you get”. You be open and honest with people. This is called being vulnerable.
Would you agree that if you’re open and honest about your weaknesses with everybody around you, then that is a risky thing to do? It is. Highly risky. You don’t know how they’re going to respond to it. “I’m afraid to let you know what I’m really like because if you don’t like it, I’m up a creek because I’m all I’ve got. So what I’ll do is wear a mask and pretend to be what I think you want me to be. Then I think you’ll like me. Because if I really let you know what I’m really like, with all my faults and hurts and weaknesses and you reject that, I’m dead in the water. Tough luck!” So we live with masks most of our lives. It’s scary, risky, to be honest – gut level honest about your weaknesses with people.
God says do it. Four reasons. James Cook had to learn this lesson the hard way. He was the captain who discovered Hawaii and the Fiji islands and a number of other South Pacific islands. On one of the islands he discovered, they treated him like a god, put him on a pedestal because they’d never seen anybody like him. When he left on board the ship and pulled out to sea, they ran into a storm. Captain Cook was afraid the boat would capsize. Out of fear, they turned around and came back to shore. When they did, the natives murdered Captain Cook and his crew. He’d fallen off their pedestal and they couldn’t handle it. He wasn’t a god. No god would be afraid of a storm. They realized he was a mere mortal. He had disappointed them so they killed him.
I doubt any of you are going to get killed for being open and honest about your fears, but it is a risky proposition. So why should I learn to live a lifestyle where I’m honest and open, up front, about the emotional, physical, intellectual, spiritual weaknesses in my life? Four reasons:
1. It is emotionally healthy
Maintaining an image of perfection requires an enormous amount of energy. When you try to live a life that shows everybody “I’ve got it all together” when you know you don’t and everybody else does too but you keep up the pretense, that’s why you’re under such stress. When you walk around with a mask on all the time, it creates enormous pressure in your life – tension, anxiety – What if I let the mask drop? One of the reasons you’re so stressed out and you’re near burn out is that you’re trying to be something you’re not. You’re trying to pretend you’ve got it all together when you know you don’t. Everybody else knows it too but you’re trying to keep up the façade that you’ve attained perfection and you’ve got it under control and everything’s hunky-dory. On the other hand, if you drop the mask and let down your guard and be real, honest, there is nothing as liberating emotionally than just being real, being honest, and not trying to put on show. In fact, that’s the only healthy way to live.
James 5:16 “Confess your faults to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.” Circle “each other”.
You probably do a pretty good job of confessing your faults to God. But it says to confess them to each other. It says you confess them to each other so you can be healed. Revealing your feeling is the beginning of healing. That’s the starting point. Some of those things that still hurt in your life, if you don’t get rid of, they’re never going to be gotten rid of until you share them with another person.
The very fact of sharing it with somebody else means the door is opening. The boogieman is not the boogieman anymore. They’re on the road to recovery. That’s the first step.
There are some things in your life that just won’t budge. Habits that you just can’t get rid of no matter how many messages you listen to, how many books you read, seminars you go to – there are some things in your life that you don’t like that just won’t change no matter how much you pray, “God, please take this out of my life!” It’s not going to, It’s not going to budge until first you be honest about it with some other human being. God wired us up that way. He wants us to help each other. We’re all stuck on this planet together. (starburst video)
Revealing your feeling is the beginning of healing.
It is emotionally healthy to let it go. As long as you’re not sharing with anybody saying you can handle it on your own, God says, “No, you can’t.”
If you’re looking for a place to do it, a good place is called FOCUS*. This place is a hang out for sinners. We’re all a bunch of guys and girls who have blown it in various areas. In fact, when we put up our sign, it ought to be “No perfect people need apply.” This is only for people who lie, cheat, steal, and have other kinds of faults. This is for human beings. This is not a place where people are perfect. This is a place for people who want to change. This is a place for people who want to grow. If you don’t want to grow, or you want to wear a mask and pretend like you’ve got it all together, you’re in the wrong church! This is the place where people are real and vulnerable. Why? It’s emotionally healthy.
2. It’s spiritually empowering.
The Bible says in the book of James, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Circle “grace” and “humble” Those two words go together.
What is grace? Grace is the fact that God gives you what you need not what you deserve. Aren’t you glad God doesn’t give you what you deserve? If we got what we deserve, none of us would be here right now. He gives us what we need. That’s called grace. Grace is the power to change. You need grace every single week. You’re going to need it this week. You’re going to need grace to handle the problems you’re going to face in the next seven days. You’re going to need grace to handle the people you face in the next seven days – the conflicts. You’re going to need grace to handle the pressures you’re going to face in the next seven days.
How do you get grace? God gives grace to the humble. How do I get grace? By humbling myself. How do I do that? By being honest about my weaknesses. That’s what humility is. Humility is not denying your strengths. Humility is being honest about your weaknesses. You are a whole bundle of strengths and weaknesses. You have some tremendous strengths in your life. There’s no doubt of that. You also have some tremendous weaknesses in your life. I’m sure of that to because it’s the same in my life. I’ve got some great strengths in my life and I have enormous weaknesses.
Many people have a false idea of what humility is. You think humility is putting yourself down all the time, “I’m no good! I’m a bum! Worthless. Nobody loves me, everybody hates me. I’m going to go eat maggots! I’m a piece of junk.” Jesus Christ did not die for junk. The cross shows you value. Jesus said, “Let me show you how much I value you.” This much and he stretched his arms out on the cross. He says we’re worth dying for. Jesus did not die for junk. And the very fact that Christ died for you shows how much you matter to God, how much He values you. Humility is simply being honest about your weaknesses. And the more honest we are, the more grace we get. The more grace we get, the more power we have to change.
3. It is relationally attractive.
People like you more when you do it. A whole lot more. The fastest way to endear yourself to other people is to quit trying to pretend like you’ve got it all together. And just admit your weaknesses. We love people who are honest, open, vulnerable, down to earth, real and admit it when they’ve blown it. We love those kinds of people. We love being around them.
On the other hand we despise people who are deceitful, hyper-critical and pretend like they’ve got it all together when they don’t and are arrogant and they’re jerks. We don’t’ like that. If you want people to be open to you, all you have to do is be open to them. Be honest.
Whenever you go out and share your strengths, that always creates competition. It’s bragging. But whenever I share weakness that creates community. Vulnerability is the key to fellowship. Would you like to be closer to your husband/wife? Would you like to have a more intimate relationship with your kids or best friends? Would like like to have a more solid relationships? The key is to be vulnerable.
What is it in your relationships that you’re pretending not to know? There’s a big problem in your home, your friendship, with that person you’re dating or engaged to. It’s like a big pink elephant sitting in your living room and you’re saying, “I don’t see any pink elephant.” What are you pretending not to know, that you know is wrong in that relationship? You’re not doing anything about it, you’re not talking about it, you’re not being honest.
We are emotionally distant until we break down the barriers and admit our weaknesses.
Have you ever done that? Have you ever shared your greatest fear with your spouse? I’m not talking about “I’m really afraid of spiders.”
Husbands, have you ever shared your deepest fears? “I’m afraid that I will not be able to provide for you, that I might loose my job and can’t find another one.”
If you want to be close to somebody there’s only one way to genuine intimacy. Remember?
Truth... Trust... Transperancy
There is no intimacy without vulnerability. That’s why some people can never have a relationship. They’ll never let anybody get close to them. So they’re lonely. God says, “I want you to learn to be an open, vulnerable person because it’s emotionally healthy, spiritually empowering, and it is relationally attractive.”
4. It’s a mark of leadership
If you want to be a leader, you’ll have to become vulnerable. Every one of us is called to be leader. Every one of you are leaders in different areas, different domains. Sometimes you’re a leader in your community, your neighborhood, you block, your family. You have to take a leadership role sometimes with children, sometimes with aged parents, sometimes at work or at school. There are some times you have to take the lead.
Leadership can be summed up in one word -- influence. Leadership is influence. It’s not position. It’s not title. It’s influence. If I were to take you to the grade school and at recess on the playground, within five minutes you could pick out which kids were the leaders. It’s real simple. They’re the ones who are influencing everybody else.
If you want to be an influential leader, if you want to say, “I don’t just want to waste my life. I want to make an impact. I want to leave the world a better place because I was here,” you’re going to have to be a leader. The way you become a leader is through credibility. Credibility is the one essential requirement for leadership. If you don’t have credibility, people won’t trust you. And if people don’t trust you, you certainly can’t influence them.
How do you get credibility? By being vulnerable, open. When you go to a bank and borrow some money do they immediately hand over the money to you? No. They do what’s called a credit check. They look and see are you credit worthy? Are you credible? Do you pay off your debts on time, with interest, without any late payments or penalties? Are you trustworthy? And if you are credit worthy, then they’ll loan you money.
Every moment of your life, people around you are doing credit checks on you. Your kids, before they do what you say, they’re going to say to themselves, “Does their life back up what they say? Are they worthy of trusting? Are they worthy of following?” Your friends, your neighbors, the people you work with, if you’re a salesman, your customers, “Are you credible?”
How do you be credible? Not by being perfect but by being honest. If you have to be perfect to be a leader, how many leaders are we going to have in the world? None. You don’t have to be perfect to be a leader but you do have to be honest about your weaknesses. When you’re honest about your weaknesses they say, “This person’s not trying to give me a snow job. Not trying to blow me away. He’s not wearing a mask. He’s the real article, the genuine item. I can trust what that person says so I will follow them. I will do what they say.” It’s integrity, humility – credibility – being vulnerable.
When you do that you can influence others.
We have to decide in life whether we’re going to impress people or influence people. You can’t do both. You can impress people from a distance, but you can only influence people up close. From a distance, you look pretty classy. You could be a celebrity from a distance but when you get up close to people they see your warts and liver spots and cellulite and other failings, faults, failures in your life. But you don’t have to be perfect to be a leader, you do have to be real. God says I want you to be that because He wants leaders in this world to impact the world for good, not for evil.
Why are we talking about this? Why have we spent two weeks on this?
Since Cathleen and I began ministry about 12yrs. ago, we’ve been trying to build a model of LAF (Love, Acceptance, Forgiveness) and vulnerability - it has culminated here @ FOCUS. We’ve always wanted this family to be a place where you don’t have to have it all together and people can be honest, open about their struggles. The tragic thing is in alot of churches, that’s the last place you want to share your weaknesses, to be honest. “If I let them know what’s going on in my marriage, with my kids, in my life or the addictions and secret sins in my life right now, they’re just going to judge me. They’re going to put me down. If I tell the church it will be gossip.” But if there is any place that ought to be able to help you when you hurt, it ought to be God’s family. For 12yrs., we’ve tried to model this, be open and honest about our own faults and weaknesses. And the other staff and other people.
Let me give you five things to share. What do I share? These are all out of the examples of the Apostle Paul. Paul was honest in all five areas.
1. My failures.
2. My feelings. Some of you men have never done that with your wife.
3. My faults.
4. My frustrations.
5. My fears.
You could take a survey of the Bible to see you that God
always uses weak people. His gift is turning weakness into strength.
Moses – Moses’ greatest weakness was his anger. He got angry one day and killed an Egyptian so he got kicked out of Egypt. He got angry one day and struck a rock that God told him to speak to and that kept him out of the Promised Land. He got angry and threw the Ten Commandments down and broke them. He had to go back and get them again. Anger was Moses’ greatest weakness. And yet, in the Bible, there were only two people called meek. “Meek” means “anger under control” – Jesus and Moses. God took his greatest weakness and turned it into his greatest strength. He was a patient man. He put up with a million babies for forty years in the wilderness.
David is called “a man after God’s own heart.” You’d think Mr. Purity. David stole a man’s wife, committed adultery with her and then had the man killed. I don’t call that purity. Yet David’s greatest area of failure, God turned it around and built strength in his life. He became a man so pure that calls call him a man after His own heart.
Abraham, in the Bible, is called the Father of faith. He’s a spiritual giant. He has enormous faith. Yet when you study Abraham’s life, his greatest weakness was his lack of faith. He was a doubter, always worrying. One time the enemy came and he said to his wife, “Tell them you’re my sister so they won’t kill me to take you.” I’m sure his wife was thinking, “There’s a man of faith!! He’d save his neck by giving his wife away.” God took the man’s greatest weakness and turned it into a strength.
Peter. Jesus came to Peter and said, “You are a rock. You’re going to be called Rock from now on. You’re stable.” Peter was anything but stable. He was Mr. Impulsive. Mr. Foot-in-Mouth. Mr. Do-Something-Impulsively-And-Later-Regret-It. “I’ll never deny You!” then three minutes later he’s denying Him three times! When they came to arrest Jesus, Peter pulls out his sword and knocks off a guy’s ear – that’s before Tyson! Jesus said, “Don’t do that!” and sticks it back on. Peter was Mr. Impulsive. Yet his greatest weakness is turned into a strength.
All of God’s giants have been weak men and weak women.
My favorite of these is Jacob. Jacob was a deceiver. Jacob was a manipulator. Jacob was a schemer. All his life, he spent scheming to get his way. He made one mess after another and then he’d run from it. He ran his entire life because of all the messes. He’d create a mess and run. Create a mess and run. Out of one relationship into another. One night he had a dream. He had a vision that he was wrestling with God. He said, "I’m not going to let go until you bless me, God.” And God said, “Ok, I’ll bless your life.” Then it says He grabs his thigh and pulls his hip out of socket. He touched him. Your thigh muscle is the strongest muscle in your body. God touched him at his greatest point of strength. The Bible says from that point on, Jacob’s life was blessed, but he walked with a limp the rest of his life. Touched at his greatest point of strength and turned into a weakness. Why? Two reason:
1) God wanted him to have a constant reminder: You’ve got to depend on Me from now on. (thorn)
2) Jacob could no longer run away from his problems. That old habit of creating a problem and running from it, he couldn’t do any more because he had a limp.
Jacob’s name was changed to Israel. And the entire nation was named after that guy. It was changed from “Jacob” which means “schemer, deceiver, manipulator” to Israel which means “Prince of God” and the nation of Israel was named after that man.
God wants to take the greatest weakness in your life and turn it into a strength. But if He does, if God blesses your life in a great way, you will walk with a limp the rest of your life. There will be a thorn, a reminder that God’s in charge.
The greatest example of God turning weakness into strength is what Jesus did on the cross and that’s what we remember at communion. “Although He died on the cross in weakness, Jesus now lives in the mighty power of God. We, too, are weak, but we live in Him and have God’s mighty power.”
Sunday, March 19, 2006
Sunday, March 12, 2006
USING MY WEAKNESSES - part 1
We’re going to look at Using Your Weaknesses. Every one of us has weaknesses. You have physical weaknesses, emotional weaknesses, relational weaknesses, financial weaknesses, intellectual weaknesses. There are things your body can’t do. (How many of you can roll our tongue? Under?) Some of us have fashion weaknesses. We have all different kinds.
The real issues is, What are you going to do with your
weaknesses?
What we normally do is deny them, we defend them, we excuse them, we resent them and most of all we hide them – we don’t want anybody to see our weaknesses. Then God comes along and in the Bible, He says, “You know what I want to do with your weaknesses? I want to use them.” “That doesn’t make sense,” we say, “Use my strengths not my weaknesses.” We think God wants to use our strengths: “I can do this. How come I’m always setting on the shelf here. Use my strengths.”
God does use your strengths obviously. But in the book of Isaiah 55, God says, “My ways are not your ways. My thoughts are higher than your thoughts.” I’m smarter than you. He says, “The way you think I should work is often the exact opposite of the way I really work in life” God says, “I don’t want to work around your weaknesses. I don’t want to work in spite of your weaknesses. I want to work through them – through your weaknesses.”
1 Corinthians 1:27 “God purposely chose what the world considers nonsense in order to put wise men to shame and what the world considers weak, in order to put powerful men to shame.” Underline “God purposely chose” and circle “weak”. It’s not by accident. The weaknesses you have in your life, God purposely chose them and God works through weak people. Why? It demonstrates His power.
When I was a kid, I used to think that Samson was this giant, muscle bound hunk – kind of a Jewish Rambo. Bulging biceps. The truth is that Samson was a very ordinary looking guy. The Bible says that when the enemies looked at him they couldn’t figure out why the guy’s so strong. From all appearance, he just looked normal. He was not some beefcake. The Bible tells us that his strength laid not in his muscles but in the Spirit of the Lord. He probably looked more like Conan O’Brien than he did Schwarzenegger. They couldn’t figure out his secret. It wasn’t muscles.
God is not impressed with might. We are, we’re really impressed with strength and might. But the Bible says in Zachariah 4:6 “`It is not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord.” God says, “I like to choose and use weak ordinary people because that’s when My glory, My grace, My strength, My power shine through the most effectively.”
That’s good news, really good news, because most of us are not extraordinary people. We don’t have bodies like the models. We don’t have extraordinary intellect. We’re just normal, ordinary, average people. God says that’s ok, because I don’t choose to work through natural strength. I choose to work through natural weakness and then My power shines through.”
So this week and in the second half of this message, we’re going to look at how do you not avoid your weaknesses, excuse or resent them, but how does God want to use them in our lives
When I talk about weakness, I’m not talking about sins, character flaws you can change (like overeating, impatience, greed, laziness.) I’m not talking about things you can change.
Weakness is any limitation in my life that I inherited or I cannot change.
There are all kinds of limitations like that.
There are circumstantial limitations that you were born with, that you don’t have any control over that you can’t change – disadvantages, problems, external pressures that you can’t control.
There are financial limitations when you don’t have enough money. Have you ever had unexpected expenses that weren’t your fault? Sure.
There are relational limitations. Some in this world really have a heart for God but their spouse is spiritually apathetic. They don’t care about the Lord. Maybe they’re not even a believer and that’s a limitation in your life. Or you have a difficult child or difficult children or a rebellious child. Or you have a handicapped parent. Something in your life that you either inherited or you cannot control that causes pain in your life.
There are emotional limitations. Some of us have a tendency, a predisposition, to get depressed. It’s in your nature. That’s no sin, just your nature. Some of us have a tendency, a predisposition, to worry about everything. Some of us have a tendency, or predisposition, to lose our temper and get angry. Or to be fearful. It is the natural inclination. When we make bad choices, we give in to that.
We have talent limitations. There are some things you just cannot do and you never will be able to do. Jesus said there are one talent people, and five talent people and ten talent people.
And of course, we have physical limitations. You have a certain amount of energy and no matter how much you work out you’re never going to have more energy than that, given your physique, your make-up. Maybe you deal with a
handicap or bad back, or some other kind of physical limitation in your life.
All of these things, God says, He purposely chose. Why? 2 Corinthians 4:7 “We have this treasure from God, but we are like clay jars that hold the treasure. This shows the great power is from God not from us.” God says, “I put my treasure of wisdom and joy and salvation in you, in your body, but your body is just a clay pot,” and a lot of our bodies are just cracked pots. The thing about clay pots is they break easily. If you drop a clay pot, it breaks. It’s not indestructible. Every clay pot has inherited design faults and flaws in it. It is weak, it is not indestructible. Paul was saying, “Yes, I’m a Christian and God’s in my life but I’m not indestructible. I’m a human being. My body is a clay pot so I have weaknesses in it.” It says that God chooses to do this because it shows the great power in our lives is from God and not from ourselves. God puts His greatest gifts in ordinary containers – like you, like me. Some think, “God could never use me in a great way. I’m just an ordinary person.” You’re the kind of person God uses. He puts His greatest gifts in ordinary containers. He takes ordinary, weak people and uses them in extraordinary ways.
We’re going to look at how can I use my weaknesses?
The Bible says there are three steps. (2 this week)
1. ADMIT MY WEAKNESSES
(vid) That’s obviously the starting point. That means I stop pretending I’ve got it all together. Because I don’t. Nobody has it all together. It means that I stop hoping that my weaknesses will go away if I just ignore them. Out of sight, out of mind. If I pretend they’re not there, maybe they’ll go away. They won’t. It means I stop making excuses for my weaknesses. It means I stop blaming other people for my weaknesses. It means I stop denying that I’ve got them and stop defending them. I just admit I have weaknesses. Nobody has it altogether!
You may be an entrepreneur – small business owners or large corporation owners. This is really the secret of building any effective organization. You first sit down and figure out, What am I good at? What are my strengths? And you start building on your strengths. But you also look at - What are my weaknesses? What am I not good at? What am I really bad at? Then you start hiring people who compensate for your weaknesses. That’s how you build a great team.
That’s what we’re doing here @ FOCUS* I have tried to gather people on our staff who are smarter than me in different areas. Together we compensate for our weaknesses. We don’t all try to be the same kind of person.
Warning: Because God wants you to admit your weaknesses, sometimes He has to bring something into our lives to get us to admit them. That is called a crisis. A crisis is a weakness identifier. When you go through a crisis it says, “Here’s the fault in my life, the failure in my life, the lack, the weakness, the weak spot.” My advice is: Don’t wait. It’s far less painful to identify your weaknesses and admit them up front than having to go through crisis after crisis for God to get you to admit, “I’m not God. You are and I’m not.”
Once you have admitted your weakness you go to step two.
2. I MUST BE GRATEFUL FOR MY WEAKNESSES
You say, “You’ve got to be kidding! I want to come to church and I want you to tell me how to take a magic pill to get rid of all my weaknesses. I don’t want you to tell me to be grateful for them. I want to know how to be freed from them all.” God says, “I want you to learn to be grateful for your weaknesses.” 2 Cor. 12:9 “I have cheerfully made up my mind to be proud of my weaknesses.” I love that phrase, “cheerfully made up my mind.” He says, “… because they mean a deeper experience of the power of Christ.”
Paul’s saying, instead of wasting your time posturing yourself constantly like you’ve got it all together, I am confident, I am composed, and most important I want everybody to think I am in control. He says, since everybody knows that’s not true anyway, instead of posturing yourself and wearing a mask, why don’t you just stop, admit your weaknesses and start focusing on God’s power and realize a deeper
experience of the power of Christ.
I’ve been a Christian for many years. I’ve been around alot of believers and I would say most Christians have never experienced a deeper experience of the power of Christ. Why? Because they haven’t admitted their weaknesses and they haven’t grasped a grateful attitude for them.
I love this verse in the Living Bible, “I’m glad to be a living demonstration of Christ’s power instead of showing off my own power and abilities.” Paul says instead of resenting my weaknesses I’m glad and I’m grateful for them. Why in the world would anybody do that? There are many benefits. You don’t realize it but the weaknesses, the limitations that you inherited and can’t control are actually blessing in disguise.
Four benefits:
1. It guarantees God’s help.
When I have weaknesses in my life, that guarantees God’s help. This next week, when you attempt to face any challenge or solve any problem on your own power, God says, “I’ll step back and watch. Be My guest. Go ahead and do it. If you think you can handle this on your own, great. If you think you can solve that problem at work, if you think you can make that marriage hang together, if you think you can turn that kid around on your own power, be My guest.” And He stands back and watches. “If you think you can pull yourself out of that financial low, go right ahead.” But the moment you come to God and say, “God, I’m weak. I don’t have what it takes for all the pressures that are on in my life, I don’t have what it takes. God, I need You.” God says, “I knew that. I just wanted you to realize it.” Then He plugs you into His power and you realize a deeper experience of God’s power and find power you would never have on your own to make it, to not only survive but to thrive in life.
2 Corinthians 12:10, God says “I am with you. That’s all you need.” We could stop right here and go home because that’s all you need to hear this week. God says, “No matter what you go through this next week, I’m going to be with you and I’m all you need.” You may have a major happenings going on this week - Some of you have a problem you have to solve this week. You have a conflict maybe at home, at work, at school. You need to resolve it this week. You’ve got a difficulty that seems insurmountable. All you need to know is two things. God says, “I’m with you. And that’s all you need.” We don’t usually realize that God is all we need until God is all we’ve got. What happens is, God intentionally allows everything else to fall apart. All those props and gimmicks and all those things that give you safety and all those relationships you think you need to prop you up, all of a sudden go by the wayside. And God is all you have. When God is all you have, you turn to him and realize He’s all you needed in the first place. One plus God equals a majority. If God’s on my side, who can be against me.
God says, “I want to teach you this week that I’m with you and that’s all you need.” Paul says “So when I am weak, then I am strong. In fact, the less I have, the more I depend on Him.” This is a lesson that I have to learn over and over and over. And so do you. We have short-term memory when it comes to this. We’re in a tight financial situation and God comes through with flying colors and bales us out and helps us through it and then the next day we’re acting like an atheist again. We forget how many times He’s worked in our lives. He’s been there. He’s helped us. He’s made it through the situation. We forget. We have to learn this lesson over and over. We naturally resent our limitations.
When there’s something in my life that I’ve inherited and I can’t control it but it causes pain in my life (emotionally, physically, spiritually – any other way) my reaction is “Why me, God? I’m a good guy. I’m trying to live for You. Why did You allow this?”
God says “My power shows up best in weak people.” If that’s true, why should God take away your weaknesses? You know the thing you’ve been praying about – “God, please take this away!” and He hasn’t done it, it’s probably a weakness. God’s saying, “My power shows up best in your weakness. Why in the world would I take it away?” If you didn’t have any weaknesses in your life, if you could solve every problem and meet any need instantly, how much would you depend on God? Zip! Not at all. You’d think you were God. If you could meet every need and solve every problem, you’d think you were God. “I’m invincible! I’m the master of my faith” God says, “No, you’re not. You’re a human being. I made you and I love you and I created you and in your weakness, that’s where My power shows up strongest.”
2. It prevents arrogance.
2 Cor. 12:7 “To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassing great revelations, it was given to me a thorn in my flesh.” What is a thorn? He said, “I have a thorn in my flesh to keep me from getting arrogant.” God blessed his life so much. He’d learned so many things. He’d had so many great revelations from God. (He got to write most of the New Testament.) God gave him a thorn.
What is a thorn? It is a weakness. It is a limitation I’ve inherited or cannot change that causes me pain and limits my ministry. He says this was given to him as a reminder. If Paul could have changed it, he would have. In fact, the Bible says he prayed three times, “God, take this away.” And God said, “I’m not going to do it because My grace is sufficient for you.” That thing you’ve been praying, “God take this away in my life,” and He hasn’t, it may be a thorn.
It may be your thorn.
Thorns are given by God so they’re not sins. God doesn’t give sin. If thorns were sin and you prayed, “God, take it away,”
He would. Because God always removes sin. So we’re not talking about some sin in your life.
Some thorns are temporary in our lives. Some thorns are removed gradually. Some you have for a lifetime, as with Paul.
What does a thorn do in my life? It’s that persistent perplexity that causes me pain, that gets my attention, keeps me dependent upon God, keeps me humble before Him. It acts as a governor on my life. It guides and directs me and it
motivates me.
It’s my thorn. (migraines; cant talk, cant breath) I’ve asked God to take it away but He hasn’t. But the greatest pain in my life has also been the greatest blessing in my life because it’s kept me dependent upon God. It’s kept me close to Him.
If God is ever going to use you in a great way, expect a thorn. He will do it to get your attention.
It may not be a physical thing like mine. It may be a relational, emotional, some other kind of thorn. But it will come because it prevents arrogance and it guarantees God’s help.
3. It causes me to value others.
One of the dangers of strength is that it breeds an independent spirit. If I don’t have any weaknesses in my life, I tend to think, “I don’t need anybody!” I don’t need to be in a small group. I don’t need any close relationships. I don’t need you. I’ve got it all together.” But God made us to value each other. He wants us to value each other. So nobody gets all the gifts. Nobody gets all the pieces of the puzzle. You need other people to complete the puzzle in your life.
One of the biggest lies in our society is that significance is the same thing as prominence but it’s not. Significance is not prominence. In our society, we tend to think if you’re well known then what you have to say is very important. But you can be a celebrity and be living a totally trivial life. Just because you’re well known or prominent does not mean you’re important in the whole scheme of life. A celebrity is not necessarily a hero. Too often we confuse that in our society. We think if you’re well known then you’re a hero. No you’re not.
You may have some very prominent features physically (eyes, great smile, cute nose) But they’re not very significant. You could lose your nose and live the rest of your life it may prominent; but it’s not significant. On the other hand, there’s some things like a spleen, a liver, both kidneys. They’re not seen, not prominent at all, but they’re far more significant. We can’t live without those things.
The Bible says, “Some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are really the most necessary.” That’s true in the body of Christ. God allows each of us to have weaknesses, so that all the parts will recognize their need for each other. “The hand can’t say to the foot, `I don’t need you.’ And the eye can’t say to the ear, `I don’t need you.’” We need each other. God allows us to have weaknesses so we see the value of other people.
You make a strong rope, not by making one solid cord. That breaks pretty easy. You make a strong rope by putting a lot of strands together – a lot of strands of weak cords. When you take a lot of weak cords and put them all together, you’ve got a pretty strong rope.
You’re pretty weak and I’m pretty weak, but together we can do stuff that nobody thinks is possible otherwise. That’s the value of unity. That’s the value of church family. A person without a church family is a weakling. You don’t have any other support. All you have is your part of the puzzle. You don’t have all the other pieces. I’m not talking about just coming to church, listening to the sermon and going on out. I’m talking about getting involved, developing relationships, getting in a community group, so that when a crisis hits your life there’s somebody there to support you. And you’re there to help others when they go through crisis. Because it’s inevitable.
4. It gives me a ministry.
God puts you on earth, not just to live for yourself, but to help other people. Your greatest ministry will flow out of your weaknesses. The greatest life message, the message that God wants to say to the world through you (what He put you here on earth for), your greatest life message, may come out of your deepest hurt. The very thing that causes you the most grief and pain, God can use in the ministry and can use it as a message for other people to encourage them. The thing you’re most embarrassed about, the thing you’re most ashamed of, the thing you don’t want anybody else to know about, you want to hide it, put in a closet, forget it, push it out of your mind – God wants to use that to encourage other people. Pain makes us more sensitive to the hurts of others.
If you want to have a Christ-like ministry, that means sometimes other people are going to be helped, encouraged and even healed by the wounds in your life. Jesus Christ, received a bunch of wounds in His body and we all benefited from it. You will go through some pains in your life that, if you will admit them, be grateful for them, learn to share them with others (the lessons you’ve learned), others will be benefited by it. It becomes a ministry.
2 Corinthians 1:4 “God comforts us in our troubles so that we can comfort those in trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received.” Most people have pain. God comforts us in our problems.
And we can turn around and comfort others with the same comfort we’ve been given. Who could better help somebody who’s going through a divorce, than somebody who’s had a husband or wife walk out on them and leave them for somebody else? They know that sting of rejection. Who could better help somebody who’s just been devastated by unemployment than somebody who’s went through that? Who after 20-30 years of faithful service was canned? Who could better help somebody come out of a gay lifestyle than somebody who was stuck in a gay lifestyle and found freedom? Who could better help somebody with a Down Syndrome child than somebody who had a Down Syndrome child? Who could better minister to a family who’s had a teenage son or daughter go off the deep end, get into drugs, have a teen pregnancy than somebody who went through that very experience themselves?
God never wastes a hurt. God will use the thing in your life that you are most ashamed of, most embarrassed by, most heartbroken over to encourage other people if you’ll learn to admit it, see what God wants to do in it, be healed yourself through it and begin to share it with others.
The real issues is, What are you going to do with your
weaknesses?
What we normally do is deny them, we defend them, we excuse them, we resent them and most of all we hide them – we don’t want anybody to see our weaknesses. Then God comes along and in the Bible, He says, “You know what I want to do with your weaknesses? I want to use them.” “That doesn’t make sense,” we say, “Use my strengths not my weaknesses.” We think God wants to use our strengths: “I can do this. How come I’m always setting on the shelf here. Use my strengths.”
God does use your strengths obviously. But in the book of Isaiah 55, God says, “My ways are not your ways. My thoughts are higher than your thoughts.” I’m smarter than you. He says, “The way you think I should work is often the exact opposite of the way I really work in life” God says, “I don’t want to work around your weaknesses. I don’t want to work in spite of your weaknesses. I want to work through them – through your weaknesses.”
1 Corinthians 1:27 “God purposely chose what the world considers nonsense in order to put wise men to shame and what the world considers weak, in order to put powerful men to shame.” Underline “God purposely chose” and circle “weak”. It’s not by accident. The weaknesses you have in your life, God purposely chose them and God works through weak people. Why? It demonstrates His power.
When I was a kid, I used to think that Samson was this giant, muscle bound hunk – kind of a Jewish Rambo. Bulging biceps. The truth is that Samson was a very ordinary looking guy. The Bible says that when the enemies looked at him they couldn’t figure out why the guy’s so strong. From all appearance, he just looked normal. He was not some beefcake. The Bible tells us that his strength laid not in his muscles but in the Spirit of the Lord. He probably looked more like Conan O’Brien than he did Schwarzenegger. They couldn’t figure out his secret. It wasn’t muscles.
God is not impressed with might. We are, we’re really impressed with strength and might. But the Bible says in Zachariah 4:6 “`It is not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord.” God says, “I like to choose and use weak ordinary people because that’s when My glory, My grace, My strength, My power shine through the most effectively.”
That’s good news, really good news, because most of us are not extraordinary people. We don’t have bodies like the models. We don’t have extraordinary intellect. We’re just normal, ordinary, average people. God says that’s ok, because I don’t choose to work through natural strength. I choose to work through natural weakness and then My power shines through.”
So this week and in the second half of this message, we’re going to look at how do you not avoid your weaknesses, excuse or resent them, but how does God want to use them in our lives
When I talk about weakness, I’m not talking about sins, character flaws you can change (like overeating, impatience, greed, laziness.) I’m not talking about things you can change.
Weakness is any limitation in my life that I inherited or I cannot change.
There are all kinds of limitations like that.
There are circumstantial limitations that you were born with, that you don’t have any control over that you can’t change – disadvantages, problems, external pressures that you can’t control.
There are financial limitations when you don’t have enough money. Have you ever had unexpected expenses that weren’t your fault? Sure.
There are relational limitations. Some in this world really have a heart for God but their spouse is spiritually apathetic. They don’t care about the Lord. Maybe they’re not even a believer and that’s a limitation in your life. Or you have a difficult child or difficult children or a rebellious child. Or you have a handicapped parent. Something in your life that you either inherited or you cannot control that causes pain in your life.
There are emotional limitations. Some of us have a tendency, a predisposition, to get depressed. It’s in your nature. That’s no sin, just your nature. Some of us have a tendency, a predisposition, to worry about everything. Some of us have a tendency, or predisposition, to lose our temper and get angry. Or to be fearful. It is the natural inclination. When we make bad choices, we give in to that.
We have talent limitations. There are some things you just cannot do and you never will be able to do. Jesus said there are one talent people, and five talent people and ten talent people.
And of course, we have physical limitations. You have a certain amount of energy and no matter how much you work out you’re never going to have more energy than that, given your physique, your make-up. Maybe you deal with a
handicap or bad back, or some other kind of physical limitation in your life.
All of these things, God says, He purposely chose. Why? 2 Corinthians 4:7 “We have this treasure from God, but we are like clay jars that hold the treasure. This shows the great power is from God not from us.” God says, “I put my treasure of wisdom and joy and salvation in you, in your body, but your body is just a clay pot,” and a lot of our bodies are just cracked pots. The thing about clay pots is they break easily. If you drop a clay pot, it breaks. It’s not indestructible. Every clay pot has inherited design faults and flaws in it. It is weak, it is not indestructible. Paul was saying, “Yes, I’m a Christian and God’s in my life but I’m not indestructible. I’m a human being. My body is a clay pot so I have weaknesses in it.” It says that God chooses to do this because it shows the great power in our lives is from God and not from ourselves. God puts His greatest gifts in ordinary containers – like you, like me. Some think, “God could never use me in a great way. I’m just an ordinary person.” You’re the kind of person God uses. He puts His greatest gifts in ordinary containers. He takes ordinary, weak people and uses them in extraordinary ways.
We’re going to look at how can I use my weaknesses?
The Bible says there are three steps. (2 this week)
1. ADMIT MY WEAKNESSES
(vid) That’s obviously the starting point. That means I stop pretending I’ve got it all together. Because I don’t. Nobody has it all together. It means that I stop hoping that my weaknesses will go away if I just ignore them. Out of sight, out of mind. If I pretend they’re not there, maybe they’ll go away. They won’t. It means I stop making excuses for my weaknesses. It means I stop blaming other people for my weaknesses. It means I stop denying that I’ve got them and stop defending them. I just admit I have weaknesses. Nobody has it altogether!
You may be an entrepreneur – small business owners or large corporation owners. This is really the secret of building any effective organization. You first sit down and figure out, What am I good at? What are my strengths? And you start building on your strengths. But you also look at - What are my weaknesses? What am I not good at? What am I really bad at? Then you start hiring people who compensate for your weaknesses. That’s how you build a great team.
That’s what we’re doing here @ FOCUS* I have tried to gather people on our staff who are smarter than me in different areas. Together we compensate for our weaknesses. We don’t all try to be the same kind of person.
Warning: Because God wants you to admit your weaknesses, sometimes He has to bring something into our lives to get us to admit them. That is called a crisis. A crisis is a weakness identifier. When you go through a crisis it says, “Here’s the fault in my life, the failure in my life, the lack, the weakness, the weak spot.” My advice is: Don’t wait. It’s far less painful to identify your weaknesses and admit them up front than having to go through crisis after crisis for God to get you to admit, “I’m not God. You are and I’m not.”
Once you have admitted your weakness you go to step two.
2. I MUST BE GRATEFUL FOR MY WEAKNESSES
You say, “You’ve got to be kidding! I want to come to church and I want you to tell me how to take a magic pill to get rid of all my weaknesses. I don’t want you to tell me to be grateful for them. I want to know how to be freed from them all.” God says, “I want you to learn to be grateful for your weaknesses.” 2 Cor. 12:9 “I have cheerfully made up my mind to be proud of my weaknesses.” I love that phrase, “cheerfully made up my mind.” He says, “… because they mean a deeper experience of the power of Christ.”
Paul’s saying, instead of wasting your time posturing yourself constantly like you’ve got it all together, I am confident, I am composed, and most important I want everybody to think I am in control. He says, since everybody knows that’s not true anyway, instead of posturing yourself and wearing a mask, why don’t you just stop, admit your weaknesses and start focusing on God’s power and realize a deeper
experience of the power of Christ.
I’ve been a Christian for many years. I’ve been around alot of believers and I would say most Christians have never experienced a deeper experience of the power of Christ. Why? Because they haven’t admitted their weaknesses and they haven’t grasped a grateful attitude for them.
I love this verse in the Living Bible, “I’m glad to be a living demonstration of Christ’s power instead of showing off my own power and abilities.” Paul says instead of resenting my weaknesses I’m glad and I’m grateful for them. Why in the world would anybody do that? There are many benefits. You don’t realize it but the weaknesses, the limitations that you inherited and can’t control are actually blessing in disguise.
Four benefits:
1. It guarantees God’s help.
When I have weaknesses in my life, that guarantees God’s help. This next week, when you attempt to face any challenge or solve any problem on your own power, God says, “I’ll step back and watch. Be My guest. Go ahead and do it. If you think you can handle this on your own, great. If you think you can solve that problem at work, if you think you can make that marriage hang together, if you think you can turn that kid around on your own power, be My guest.” And He stands back and watches. “If you think you can pull yourself out of that financial low, go right ahead.” But the moment you come to God and say, “God, I’m weak. I don’t have what it takes for all the pressures that are on in my life, I don’t have what it takes. God, I need You.” God says, “I knew that. I just wanted you to realize it.” Then He plugs you into His power and you realize a deeper experience of God’s power and find power you would never have on your own to make it, to not only survive but to thrive in life.
2 Corinthians 12:10, God says “I am with you. That’s all you need.” We could stop right here and go home because that’s all you need to hear this week. God says, “No matter what you go through this next week, I’m going to be with you and I’m all you need.” You may have a major happenings going on this week - Some of you have a problem you have to solve this week. You have a conflict maybe at home, at work, at school. You need to resolve it this week. You’ve got a difficulty that seems insurmountable. All you need to know is two things. God says, “I’m with you. And that’s all you need.” We don’t usually realize that God is all we need until God is all we’ve got. What happens is, God intentionally allows everything else to fall apart. All those props and gimmicks and all those things that give you safety and all those relationships you think you need to prop you up, all of a sudden go by the wayside. And God is all you have. When God is all you have, you turn to him and realize He’s all you needed in the first place. One plus God equals a majority. If God’s on my side, who can be against me.
God says, “I want to teach you this week that I’m with you and that’s all you need.” Paul says “So when I am weak, then I am strong. In fact, the less I have, the more I depend on Him.” This is a lesson that I have to learn over and over and over. And so do you. We have short-term memory when it comes to this. We’re in a tight financial situation and God comes through with flying colors and bales us out and helps us through it and then the next day we’re acting like an atheist again. We forget how many times He’s worked in our lives. He’s been there. He’s helped us. He’s made it through the situation. We forget. We have to learn this lesson over and over. We naturally resent our limitations.
When there’s something in my life that I’ve inherited and I can’t control it but it causes pain in my life (emotionally, physically, spiritually – any other way) my reaction is “Why me, God? I’m a good guy. I’m trying to live for You. Why did You allow this?”
God says “My power shows up best in weak people.” If that’s true, why should God take away your weaknesses? You know the thing you’ve been praying about – “God, please take this away!” and He hasn’t done it, it’s probably a weakness. God’s saying, “My power shows up best in your weakness. Why in the world would I take it away?” If you didn’t have any weaknesses in your life, if you could solve every problem and meet any need instantly, how much would you depend on God? Zip! Not at all. You’d think you were God. If you could meet every need and solve every problem, you’d think you were God. “I’m invincible! I’m the master of my faith” God says, “No, you’re not. You’re a human being. I made you and I love you and I created you and in your weakness, that’s where My power shows up strongest.”
2. It prevents arrogance.
2 Cor. 12:7 “To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassing great revelations, it was given to me a thorn in my flesh.” What is a thorn? He said, “I have a thorn in my flesh to keep me from getting arrogant.” God blessed his life so much. He’d learned so many things. He’d had so many great revelations from God. (He got to write most of the New Testament.) God gave him a thorn.
What is a thorn? It is a weakness. It is a limitation I’ve inherited or cannot change that causes me pain and limits my ministry. He says this was given to him as a reminder. If Paul could have changed it, he would have. In fact, the Bible says he prayed three times, “God, take this away.” And God said, “I’m not going to do it because My grace is sufficient for you.” That thing you’ve been praying, “God take this away in my life,” and He hasn’t, it may be a thorn.
It may be your thorn.
Thorns are given by God so they’re not sins. God doesn’t give sin. If thorns were sin and you prayed, “God, take it away,”
He would. Because God always removes sin. So we’re not talking about some sin in your life.
Some thorns are temporary in our lives. Some thorns are removed gradually. Some you have for a lifetime, as with Paul.
What does a thorn do in my life? It’s that persistent perplexity that causes me pain, that gets my attention, keeps me dependent upon God, keeps me humble before Him. It acts as a governor on my life. It guides and directs me and it
motivates me.
It’s my thorn. (migraines; cant talk, cant breath) I’ve asked God to take it away but He hasn’t. But the greatest pain in my life has also been the greatest blessing in my life because it’s kept me dependent upon God. It’s kept me close to Him.
If God is ever going to use you in a great way, expect a thorn. He will do it to get your attention.
It may not be a physical thing like mine. It may be a relational, emotional, some other kind of thorn. But it will come because it prevents arrogance and it guarantees God’s help.
3. It causes me to value others.
One of the dangers of strength is that it breeds an independent spirit. If I don’t have any weaknesses in my life, I tend to think, “I don’t need anybody!” I don’t need to be in a small group. I don’t need any close relationships. I don’t need you. I’ve got it all together.” But God made us to value each other. He wants us to value each other. So nobody gets all the gifts. Nobody gets all the pieces of the puzzle. You need other people to complete the puzzle in your life.
One of the biggest lies in our society is that significance is the same thing as prominence but it’s not. Significance is not prominence. In our society, we tend to think if you’re well known then what you have to say is very important. But you can be a celebrity and be living a totally trivial life. Just because you’re well known or prominent does not mean you’re important in the whole scheme of life. A celebrity is not necessarily a hero. Too often we confuse that in our society. We think if you’re well known then you’re a hero. No you’re not.
You may have some very prominent features physically (eyes, great smile, cute nose) But they’re not very significant. You could lose your nose and live the rest of your life it may prominent; but it’s not significant. On the other hand, there’s some things like a spleen, a liver, both kidneys. They’re not seen, not prominent at all, but they’re far more significant. We can’t live without those things.
The Bible says, “Some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are really the most necessary.” That’s true in the body of Christ. God allows each of us to have weaknesses, so that all the parts will recognize their need for each other. “The hand can’t say to the foot, `I don’t need you.’ And the eye can’t say to the ear, `I don’t need you.’” We need each other. God allows us to have weaknesses so we see the value of other people.
You make a strong rope, not by making one solid cord. That breaks pretty easy. You make a strong rope by putting a lot of strands together – a lot of strands of weak cords. When you take a lot of weak cords and put them all together, you’ve got a pretty strong rope.
You’re pretty weak and I’m pretty weak, but together we can do stuff that nobody thinks is possible otherwise. That’s the value of unity. That’s the value of church family. A person without a church family is a weakling. You don’t have any other support. All you have is your part of the puzzle. You don’t have all the other pieces. I’m not talking about just coming to church, listening to the sermon and going on out. I’m talking about getting involved, developing relationships, getting in a community group, so that when a crisis hits your life there’s somebody there to support you. And you’re there to help others when they go through crisis. Because it’s inevitable.
4. It gives me a ministry.
God puts you on earth, not just to live for yourself, but to help other people. Your greatest ministry will flow out of your weaknesses. The greatest life message, the message that God wants to say to the world through you (what He put you here on earth for), your greatest life message, may come out of your deepest hurt. The very thing that causes you the most grief and pain, God can use in the ministry and can use it as a message for other people to encourage them. The thing you’re most embarrassed about, the thing you’re most ashamed of, the thing you don’t want anybody else to know about, you want to hide it, put in a closet, forget it, push it out of your mind – God wants to use that to encourage other people. Pain makes us more sensitive to the hurts of others.
If you want to have a Christ-like ministry, that means sometimes other people are going to be helped, encouraged and even healed by the wounds in your life. Jesus Christ, received a bunch of wounds in His body and we all benefited from it. You will go through some pains in your life that, if you will admit them, be grateful for them, learn to share them with others (the lessons you’ve learned), others will be benefited by it. It becomes a ministry.
2 Corinthians 1:4 “God comforts us in our troubles so that we can comfort those in trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received.” Most people have pain. God comforts us in our problems.
And we can turn around and comfort others with the same comfort we’ve been given. Who could better help somebody who’s going through a divorce, than somebody who’s had a husband or wife walk out on them and leave them for somebody else? They know that sting of rejection. Who could better help somebody who’s just been devastated by unemployment than somebody who’s went through that? Who after 20-30 years of faithful service was canned? Who could better help somebody come out of a gay lifestyle than somebody who was stuck in a gay lifestyle and found freedom? Who could better help somebody with a Down Syndrome child than somebody who had a Down Syndrome child? Who could better minister to a family who’s had a teenage son or daughter go off the deep end, get into drugs, have a teen pregnancy than somebody who went through that very experience themselves?
God never wastes a hurt. God will use the thing in your life that you are most ashamed of, most embarrassed by, most heartbroken over to encourage other people if you’ll learn to admit it, see what God wants to do in it, be healed yourself through it and begin to share it with others.
Sunday, March 05, 2006
Raising the Bar - Connecting Out-of-Network
Review - turn to Luke 17
Draw a triangle on your outline - at the top write the word God, next to God write the word up - Imagine our lives as a triangle, God created us in life to be connected upward - true meaning in life always comes from being connected to God -
That is where balance of life comes from, if we’re always doing stuff for other people and ourselves life will be out of balance
- we need to be connected to God to for real balance in life. On left side of triangle write ‘IN’ - God not only created us to connect upward, He also created us to connect Inward - meaning we all value relationships, not one of us at the core of our selves does not want to be loved and accepted.
He created us to be connected inward, He created us to be in community, to do life with other people w/in small
communities, small pockets of people that we begin to connect inward to enjoy life with, do life with in network.
On right side of triangle write the word ‘OUT” - with an arrow pointing away - He never created us, the church to just be connected in-network, just us alone w/in these walls - never God’s intention for us to take on this mentality of ‘Us 4 and no more’ - He also created us so we could connect outward, to connect out-of-network, b/c we live in a world of people, that unless they hear it from you or me, they will never ever know. We can never assume that someone else is going to share that love, we can never make that assumption that, “well someone else is going to take care of it” (rom.10)
God created a balanced journey with Him to be a life connected up, connected w/in, connected outward.
Luke 17:11
Jesus is on His final steps towards Jerusalem, here’s what He knows that the cross is coming and the cross is coming soon, we need to know that here, b/c if you and I were on our last journey of life, those things that we chose to teach, the things we chose to do would probably be or something we considered pretty important - if you were on your last weeks of life, how many of you would waste time?
Jesus is thinking, I’m gonna leave behind these few guys who are going to carry on my work, the mission, so... here are the things I want them to know. read v.11
Samaria is a place where a good Jew wouldn’t even let the dust on his sandals get near, they wouldn't even travel thru Samaria b/c they didn’t want the dust of Samaria on their shoes. Samaritans at that time were considered half-breeds, these mixed races that no one wanted anything to do with.
It’s interesting how often you find Christ telling good stories about Samaritans or traveling through Samaria.
In His journey now there’s this interesting exchange about to happen - v.12a
To have leprosy during this time, is not like having a bad case of acne, this is bad stuff, this stuff will kill you, there’s no cure, there’s no treatment - when you contracted leprosy, no matter what race you were you became an outcast (you may want to write in the margin of your bible to remind you, ‘outcast’) So it didn’t matter who you knew or how much you knew, you never associated with a leper, ever, you did not do it - it was commonly thought they will share the disease with you and so when you approached a lepers presence, they yelled, ‘Unclean, Unclean - then they would remove themselves and keep themselves at a distance -
they were outcasts.
As Jesus is traveling here, it says He comes upon a village and He meets these 10 guys w/ leprosy - circle 10, gona come to that - So here is Jesus, the Son of God, on His way to the cross, busy, has a lot to cram into a small amount of time - He really doesn’t need 10 outcasts disturbing the journey, you know what I mean? But Christ often goes against what we think would be the natural route - v.12b-13
They say something here, Jesus, Master have pity on us or compassion on us, it’s interesting they didn’t call Him Rabbi, but Master. You know what Master meant: the one we know that can meet our needs. Umm - they have yelled to others no doubt, but Jesus, this guy they’ve heard of, they know He heals, He gives sight to the blind, enables cripple to walk, has raised people from the dead, there’s hope - ‘pity on us’
v.14, ‘when He saw them’ ahh, big difference here, not with these eyes (eyes) but with these eyes (heart) - there’s a
difference between seeing and Seeing - there’s a difference between knowing there’s a need, and Seeing there’s a need
(Ex. Makeover: see with your heart and it is broken and cries out for them in their plight)
When Jesus saw them, timeout, busy, lot of places to be, lot of things to do - but He saw them w/ the eyes of His heart and then He said this - v. 14 - healed, but not on the spot, as they were on their journey back to see the priest they were healed - read v.15-16 and he was a what?, a Samaritan, the one that really didn’t fit in - we believe all the others were Jews, all healed, no strings attached, all touched with nothing in return. One said thank you, listen, I don’t want you to miss this, but the 9 to Him were worth it. B/c they now knew what their Heavenly Father thought of them, whether they understood it or not. read v.17-19
Meaning he was set free now on the inside - interesting story
I have taught on this passage a few times, always referencing the one who came back - but this story, He healed all ten didn’t He? With no strings attached - I’d like you to write down that little phrase, “With No Strings Attached” -
there’s a message in it for all of us.
(Cathleen and I moved here in ‘96 for ministry purposes and we believed someday we’d Pastor. We came with a
message LAF, we gotta LAF - Love, Accept, Forgive - listen, ‘with no strings attached -
it’s not about the one who comes back, we’re about all 10)
Jesus modeled this for us and He left us with the commission to go into all the world and tell the good news, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Sprit. B/c God is all about others. He wants us too, to be all about others
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything” Matthew 5:13
Jesus said, ‘If a seasoning has no flavor, it has no value. - So if we... Christ followers make no effort to affect the world around us, well... It is our job, our call to be the salt.
To affect those in our realm of influence the way Jesus did -
THE S.A.L.T. APPROACH
SEE COMPASSIONATELY
So that we can see with these eyes(heart), not these eyes (head) - here’s the deal, we’ve talked about partnering w/ YWAM in Montrose and helping all those people, up to 150 a week, now how many of them have ever returned to say, ‘thank you’? - So should we quit?
They don’t line up outside of the Y each Sunday yearning to come in here and grab a seat - so why do we go?
B/c God has taught us to see compassionately, to see w/ the eyes of our heart.
When we see w/ the eyes of our hearts we say, “they have no hope unless we go” We want to make a difference for the Kingdom of God, it’s not about our church, it’s about THE Church and we can’t make the assumption that someone else will do it.
When he saw them, ( here’s the difference - when we see someone hurting or who needs help from here [head] we say, “ahh, that’s too bad” but when we see it from here [heart] it tears us up, keeps you up at night - you see people wandering around at night and they’re hopeless, no future, no direction - we are called to be a people who see
compassionately- not for what we get in return, that is not the issue, we do what God has called us to do - does that make sense?) he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. Luke 17:14
ACCEPT FREELY
The lepers had the social stigma of the day - they were the outcasts, no one wanted anything to do w/ them -
and the guy from Samaria had a doubly bad time
God has called us to be there for people who don’t even want anything to do with God, much less Christianity. “Ahh those people are a bunch of hypocrites, they only want your money” or whatever...
Until you walk into their lives and love them w/ no strings attached, you love them until they say why?
Why in the world would you care about me, care for me?
You know the answer? B/c that’s what my Savior did for me.
Did any of you have anything to offer God? I didn’t - It’s kinda like a gag gift - we get Heaven, streets of gold, eternal feasting and so forth... God gets us
He accepts freely - the down and out, the broken-hearted, the broken dreams, and He’ll help you put the pieces back together again
God did not call us to get up on our soap box and call out everything everyone is doing wrong, does it mean we
condone sin? NO, but they may not know any better or even care about it right now, but it doesn’t matter, that’s not our job! We have been called to accept freely. W/out judgement, w/out condemning, "Why haven’t you been at church? What’s wrong w/ you?" - not our job, just accept freely.
(photos - accept?)
As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him… He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. Luke 17:12+16
LOVE UNCONDITIONALLY
We are called to love others. That’s what God wants, “love you neighbor as yourself.” In living a balanced life we
connect up, and w/in and out-of-network.
However it’s not always that easy to love others is it?
We don’t always feel up to the challenge do we? There are some freaky, weird, wacked-out people out there, and I’m not just talking about your extended family.
Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" Luke 17:17-18
All were healed, Jesus didn’t hold anything back, He did not withhold His love for the others, b/c oh by the way, Jesus knew, He knew they were not going to return, but He did it anyway, He loved them all the same.
On our cell phone packages that we pay monthly, it always cost more to connect out of network, right? I mean we pay our monthly fee, it includes a certain amount of minutes and in-network is free! But to connect out of network, you’re gona pay for that.
Isn’t that true in life, it may cost us more to reach out to the unlovable, the unwanted, those who may not give anything in return, but you never know the day you walk into their life may have been the day they were considering walking out on life, ending it all, giving up completely. That’s what God has called us to do, and that’s what He has modeled for us to do. Not to be a church that says, hey everybody come here, but He called us to GO - be salt to those who need LAF, be salt to those in your realm of influence.
TOUCH PRACTICALLY
You know one of the things I love about Jesus’ life is that when He gave He meet physical needs, nothing in return.
Hey when we love this way, our lives will change and others will notice - is this the way our world loves? No, we love w/ strings don’t we? I’ll love you if you love me, ever do break-up in H.S. we’ll still be friends, no you won’t, you’ll never speak again - you begin to love w/out strings, the world will notice and be careful what it may do to you
Can you imagine what would happen if all of us started to LAF to Love, Accept, Forgive others unconditionally, what do you think would happen? Oh WOW, the world would wonder where you came from, “yer not from ‘round here is yas?”
…they were cleansed. Luke 17:14b
We are called to be salt of the earth, to See
Compassionately, Accept Freely, Love Unconditionally,
and Touch Practically.
Draw a triangle on your outline - at the top write the word God, next to God write the word up - Imagine our lives as a triangle, God created us in life to be connected upward - true meaning in life always comes from being connected to God -
That is where balance of life comes from, if we’re always doing stuff for other people and ourselves life will be out of balance
- we need to be connected to God to for real balance in life. On left side of triangle write ‘IN’ - God not only created us to connect upward, He also created us to connect Inward - meaning we all value relationships, not one of us at the core of our selves does not want to be loved and accepted.
He created us to be connected inward, He created us to be in community, to do life with other people w/in small
communities, small pockets of people that we begin to connect inward to enjoy life with, do life with in network.
On right side of triangle write the word ‘OUT” - with an arrow pointing away - He never created us, the church to just be connected in-network, just us alone w/in these walls - never God’s intention for us to take on this mentality of ‘Us 4 and no more’ - He also created us so we could connect outward, to connect out-of-network, b/c we live in a world of people, that unless they hear it from you or me, they will never ever know. We can never assume that someone else is going to share that love, we can never make that assumption that, “well someone else is going to take care of it” (rom.10)
God created a balanced journey with Him to be a life connected up, connected w/in, connected outward.
Luke 17:11
Jesus is on His final steps towards Jerusalem, here’s what He knows that the cross is coming and the cross is coming soon, we need to know that here, b/c if you and I were on our last journey of life, those things that we chose to teach, the things we chose to do would probably be or something we considered pretty important - if you were on your last weeks of life, how many of you would waste time?
Jesus is thinking, I’m gonna leave behind these few guys who are going to carry on my work, the mission, so... here are the things I want them to know. read v.11
Samaria is a place where a good Jew wouldn’t even let the dust on his sandals get near, they wouldn't even travel thru Samaria b/c they didn’t want the dust of Samaria on their shoes. Samaritans at that time were considered half-breeds, these mixed races that no one wanted anything to do with.
It’s interesting how often you find Christ telling good stories about Samaritans or traveling through Samaria.
In His journey now there’s this interesting exchange about to happen - v.12a
To have leprosy during this time, is not like having a bad case of acne, this is bad stuff, this stuff will kill you, there’s no cure, there’s no treatment - when you contracted leprosy, no matter what race you were you became an outcast (you may want to write in the margin of your bible to remind you, ‘outcast’) So it didn’t matter who you knew or how much you knew, you never associated with a leper, ever, you did not do it - it was commonly thought they will share the disease with you and so when you approached a lepers presence, they yelled, ‘Unclean, Unclean - then they would remove themselves and keep themselves at a distance -
they were outcasts.
As Jesus is traveling here, it says He comes upon a village and He meets these 10 guys w/ leprosy - circle 10, gona come to that - So here is Jesus, the Son of God, on His way to the cross, busy, has a lot to cram into a small amount of time - He really doesn’t need 10 outcasts disturbing the journey, you know what I mean? But Christ often goes against what we think would be the natural route - v.12b-13
They say something here, Jesus, Master have pity on us or compassion on us, it’s interesting they didn’t call Him Rabbi, but Master. You know what Master meant: the one we know that can meet our needs. Umm - they have yelled to others no doubt, but Jesus, this guy they’ve heard of, they know He heals, He gives sight to the blind, enables cripple to walk, has raised people from the dead, there’s hope - ‘pity on us’
v.14, ‘when He saw them’ ahh, big difference here, not with these eyes (eyes) but with these eyes (heart) - there’s a
difference between seeing and Seeing - there’s a difference between knowing there’s a need, and Seeing there’s a need
(Ex. Makeover: see with your heart and it is broken and cries out for them in their plight)
When Jesus saw them, timeout, busy, lot of places to be, lot of things to do - but He saw them w/ the eyes of His heart and then He said this - v. 14 - healed, but not on the spot, as they were on their journey back to see the priest they were healed - read v.15-16 and he was a what?, a Samaritan, the one that really didn’t fit in - we believe all the others were Jews, all healed, no strings attached, all touched with nothing in return. One said thank you, listen, I don’t want you to miss this, but the 9 to Him were worth it. B/c they now knew what their Heavenly Father thought of them, whether they understood it or not. read v.17-19
Meaning he was set free now on the inside - interesting story
I have taught on this passage a few times, always referencing the one who came back - but this story, He healed all ten didn’t He? With no strings attached - I’d like you to write down that little phrase, “With No Strings Attached” -
there’s a message in it for all of us.
(Cathleen and I moved here in ‘96 for ministry purposes and we believed someday we’d Pastor. We came with a
message LAF, we gotta LAF - Love, Accept, Forgive - listen, ‘with no strings attached -
it’s not about the one who comes back, we’re about all 10)
Jesus modeled this for us and He left us with the commission to go into all the world and tell the good news, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Sprit. B/c God is all about others. He wants us too, to be all about others
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything” Matthew 5:13
Jesus said, ‘If a seasoning has no flavor, it has no value. - So if we... Christ followers make no effort to affect the world around us, well... It is our job, our call to be the salt.
To affect those in our realm of influence the way Jesus did -
THE S.A.L.T. APPROACH
SEE COMPASSIONATELY
So that we can see with these eyes(heart), not these eyes (head) - here’s the deal, we’ve talked about partnering w/ YWAM in Montrose and helping all those people, up to 150 a week, now how many of them have ever returned to say, ‘thank you’? - So should we quit?
They don’t line up outside of the Y each Sunday yearning to come in here and grab a seat - so why do we go?
B/c God has taught us to see compassionately, to see w/ the eyes of our heart.
When we see w/ the eyes of our hearts we say, “they have no hope unless we go” We want to make a difference for the Kingdom of God, it’s not about our church, it’s about THE Church and we can’t make the assumption that someone else will do it.
When he saw them, ( here’s the difference - when we see someone hurting or who needs help from here [head] we say, “ahh, that’s too bad” but when we see it from here [heart] it tears us up, keeps you up at night - you see people wandering around at night and they’re hopeless, no future, no direction - we are called to be a people who see
compassionately- not for what we get in return, that is not the issue, we do what God has called us to do - does that make sense?) he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. Luke 17:14
ACCEPT FREELY
The lepers had the social stigma of the day - they were the outcasts, no one wanted anything to do w/ them -
and the guy from Samaria had a doubly bad time
God has called us to be there for people who don’t even want anything to do with God, much less Christianity. “Ahh those people are a bunch of hypocrites, they only want your money” or whatever...
Until you walk into their lives and love them w/ no strings attached, you love them until they say why?
Why in the world would you care about me, care for me?
You know the answer? B/c that’s what my Savior did for me.
Did any of you have anything to offer God? I didn’t - It’s kinda like a gag gift - we get Heaven, streets of gold, eternal feasting and so forth... God gets us
He accepts freely - the down and out, the broken-hearted, the broken dreams, and He’ll help you put the pieces back together again
God did not call us to get up on our soap box and call out everything everyone is doing wrong, does it mean we
condone sin? NO, but they may not know any better or even care about it right now, but it doesn’t matter, that’s not our job! We have been called to accept freely. W/out judgement, w/out condemning, "Why haven’t you been at church? What’s wrong w/ you?" - not our job, just accept freely.
(photos - accept?)
As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him… He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. Luke 17:12+16
LOVE UNCONDITIONALLY
We are called to love others. That’s what God wants, “love you neighbor as yourself.” In living a balanced life we
connect up, and w/in and out-of-network.
However it’s not always that easy to love others is it?
We don’t always feel up to the challenge do we? There are some freaky, weird, wacked-out people out there, and I’m not just talking about your extended family.
Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" Luke 17:17-18
All were healed, Jesus didn’t hold anything back, He did not withhold His love for the others, b/c oh by the way, Jesus knew, He knew they were not going to return, but He did it anyway, He loved them all the same.
On our cell phone packages that we pay monthly, it always cost more to connect out of network, right? I mean we pay our monthly fee, it includes a certain amount of minutes and in-network is free! But to connect out of network, you’re gona pay for that.
Isn’t that true in life, it may cost us more to reach out to the unlovable, the unwanted, those who may not give anything in return, but you never know the day you walk into their life may have been the day they were considering walking out on life, ending it all, giving up completely. That’s what God has called us to do, and that’s what He has modeled for us to do. Not to be a church that says, hey everybody come here, but He called us to GO - be salt to those who need LAF, be salt to those in your realm of influence.
TOUCH PRACTICALLY
You know one of the things I love about Jesus’ life is that when He gave He meet physical needs, nothing in return.
Hey when we love this way, our lives will change and others will notice - is this the way our world loves? No, we love w/ strings don’t we? I’ll love you if you love me, ever do break-up in H.S. we’ll still be friends, no you won’t, you’ll never speak again - you begin to love w/out strings, the world will notice and be careful what it may do to you
Can you imagine what would happen if all of us started to LAF to Love, Accept, Forgive others unconditionally, what do you think would happen? Oh WOW, the world would wonder where you came from, “yer not from ‘round here is yas?”
…they were cleansed. Luke 17:14b
We are called to be salt of the earth, to See
Compassionately, Accept Freely, Love Unconditionally,
and Touch Practically.
Sunday, February 26, 2006
Raising the Bar - Connecting In-Network
Last week we talked about what it means to be connected to the Tower - on any cell phone there’s nothing more frustrating than not being able to hold a connection, nothing more frustrating than losing that call, losing that connection - not being able to connect with the Tower. When you cant connect with the tower it shuts down communication, so even though you may want to call out you’re unable to - have you ever needed to make an important phone call and were unable to call out - it’s very frustrating.
Last week we talked about how that Tower represents our relationship w/ God and how many times in our journey we’ve hit dead spots, we hit dead zones where we just don’t connect w/ the Tower like we used to or should and we go weeks at a time w/ out connecting to the Tower.
We learned that the Tower never moves, it’s set, but we move in a million different directions. So the issue is never the Tower, it’s always us.
In our lives God is always there, Heb. 13:5 - there are times in our lives we just don’t connect w/ God for a # of reasons.
How do we develop a strong and lasting connection? Through Intimacy, developing intimacy w/ Father God.
Luke 22 - Time, Trust, and Transparency
Well as we continue in this I could boil today down to this one statement, ‘God did not create us to be alone’
God did not create you to live alone - God created a community for you to do life with, we were not created to live life alone, God has created a network for you and I to identify with - turn to Hebrews 10
All through the New Testament from the book Acts, after Gospels completed, Jesus had ascended back to heaven
within the Word of God, the word brother or brothers and sisters which refers to the family of God that God created for the church is mentioned over 147 times b/c God considers the Church as a family important.
Look at outline you see that ? that says, Is this true of me?
I want you to answer this question, “I live life around many people, but I experience life deeply with none.”
You know it was George Gallop who said, “Americans are among the loneliest people in the world.”
The most advanced society, the most technologically driven people ever created, yet we feel all the time, that we’re in this thing alone, doing life by ourselves.
Although we work in offices and people are around us all the time, we drive into our neighborhoods full of houses, our head can hit the pillow at night and we feel like we’re all alone. Ever felt that way?
How many of you would agree life is confusing at times - raise hands? how about difficult at times?
Then why in the world would we want to try to figure it all alone - why try and do this journey by ourselves? So often in life we think, I’ll just go at it alone and that is not how God created it to be.
God created this network w/in the church to help us do life.
We believe here at FOCUS* that the church must grow larger and smaller at the same time. (Always reaching out to others growing the church and at the same time doing life together in a multitude of small community groups)
Explain Heb. 10 start reading v.22 - circle every time you hear ‘Let us’ - read 22,
back then they had the High Priest and before they went into the Temple they would do this ceremonial cleansing, cleaned there hands and so on.. they could not be defiled in any way - what the writer of Hebrews is saying, we should never lose that focus, that intentionality when we go before God, we go in with clean hands and a pure heart.
We should draw near to Him w/ a sincere heart, the “cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water” is approaching God humbly, saying I’m bringing all of me to all of You - that’s what he’s saying.
v.23 - I love the imagery there, “hold unswervingly to the hope” meaning we hold onto what we believe with all we’ve got!
Ever find yourself doing that, b/c everything in this world tells you not to, but you know you have to - everything in the world tells you, “you don’t need God, you can do it w/out Him’ - almost like you’re out there by yourself sometimes and you hold unswervingly to the hope - v.24
All of sudden he moves from more of a personal talk to more of a corporate talk - this group of people you’re doing life with, let’s consider how we can encourage one another to spur on, meaning to urge and admonish one another on
toward love and good deeds - v.25
It had sort of become customary during this time that you have a relationship w/ God and all’s been done on your part so really you don’t need to gather together anymore, you don’ t need to gather in groups, you can just do it yourselves and what he says in Heb. 10:25 is let’s not give up meeting together, not only corporately but together from house to house in small groups (Acts 5:42)
I’m not real sure how you walked in here felling this morning and when I mentioned Gallop said Americans are some of the loneliest people it may have resonated with you or maybe you have thought I have a lot of friends but the
relationships are about this deep.
Ladies and gentlemen God did not create you to live alone - He created you to do life with other people
What’s the big deal about connecting in network - we all have needs:
1. I NEED OTHERS TO KNOW ME.
Beyond the superficial, I need others to know me - not know who I am, I want others to know me. (it has been one of the frustrating things to deal with in moving here to Houston - left tight knit group of back in Cali.) I want that deep relationship, not just business, not just let’s go play hoops once a month, someone to know me. And there’s not 1 of us in this room that does not have this desire w/in us to be known.
Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing… Hebrews 10:25a
It’s interesting that the writer continues to make this a plural assumption, ‘Let US not’ - God created us for community - for others to know us. Doing life with others is God’s answer to loneliness
Community is God’s answer to … LONELINESS.
2. I NEED OTHERS TO WALK WITH ME.
I need to know I’m not doing this journey by myself.
What a shame, when we hit difficult spots in life and wish we had someone around to tell us what’s next - God put this process in place, this network called community w/in the church for us to do life with to know were not alone.
Maybe parenting issues arise, were not sure how to handle something, “I wish we had some others in our lives to help”
Maybe a job/career change, “I sure would like some input from a close friend” We feel like we’re in it all alone.
Community is God’s answer to …
SPIRITUAL IMMATURITY.
Do you know what we learn from others in our lives that we cant get from a seminar or a book, real life experiences, been there done that. Some of the greatest lessons I’ve learned in life didn’t come from a book or seminar, they came from another persons life b/c they help grow you up.
Ever hit that phase in life where it's all about you - it’s all about me, my stuff, my life and in that
there are times I need others to walk w/ me so I can grow up.
3. I NEED OTHERS TO CARE FOR ME.
Let us consider (think about)how we may spur (encourage, urge) one another on toward love…Hebrews 10:24
Let’s just talk, there’s just times when we get down, isn’t there? Isn’t there times when you just hit a wall -
you just need someone to come along a put their hand on your back and say keep your head up, keep going, you’re gonna make it - do you ever get that? Do you need that? I know I do, even recently
But you know what, we cant get it just coming here for an hour on Sunday - not even if you do lunch occasionally
We all hit a crisis, there are times where there’s just no answers and life is not easy - those days are comin’ and when they do we are going to want someone in our lives walking w/ us and caring for us.
Listen folks, no one will just walk in if we haven’t cultivated that relationship - it happens spending time together -
the best way is to get hooked up in-network, get plugged in to a community group (guys thur, girls tue.)
You see the enemy knows, if he can keep you isolated he can keep you down - look at God’s answer
Community is God’s answer to … DESPAIR.
From feeling like you’re going down and there’s nobody there to help you - there’s just something about being there with other people - Christianity, this journey is not meant to be done alone, it’s a team game.
We could have an amazing time together on Sundays, great worship, God’s Word may pulsate within you, I’m talking you walk out of here different - which is incredible and only by God’s Holy Spirit, but that alone is not enough, that is not how God created us. God created us for community.
4. I NEED OTHERS TO SERVE WITH ME.
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward … good deeds. Hebrews 10:24
B/c we are selfish-driven people our lives tend to focus only on our needs, our wants, our desires so I need other people around me to remind me that it’s not all about MUAH!
We are to serve others
It’s one of the reasons we’re involved in the Montrose Street Church -
we just give, we just serve... together
Community is God’s answer to … SELFISH LIVING.
It’s His answer to ‘it’s all about us’
5. I NEED OTHERS TO WATCH OUT FOR ME.
…but let us encourage one another… Hebrews 10:25b
Community is God’s answer to … SPIRITUAL ATTACKS.
If you were going out to war and the battle is looming, one of the 1st things we want to know is, “who’s got my back?”
Would you agree?
The Bible tells us in Ephesians we are in a war, and the battle is not on the ground, it’s in the spiritual realm.
We need others to have our backs, to pray for us, lift us up, keep us in mind.
Here’s the deal guys, I know that you know God, I know that you have Christ, I know you have your bible... you need someone with skin on who can talk about your value & the significance of your place, your person, somebody who understands how you’d love to pinch the heads off your kids, somebody who understands what it feels like to work for that pushy boss - life can be hard, it can be a battle, we need others who will be there for us -
you’ll find them in-network... get plugged in, don’t pull out, stay connected,
Make it a PRIORITY.
A sign of growth in the world of nature is change - change in the dimensions of a tree, fruit appearing on the vine, flowers blooming - in a similar way, change for us means new levels of maturity, of understanding, of the way we relate to family and friends in-network - But what does it take for change to occur?
GET CONNECTED
Last week we talked about how that Tower represents our relationship w/ God and how many times in our journey we’ve hit dead spots, we hit dead zones where we just don’t connect w/ the Tower like we used to or should and we go weeks at a time w/ out connecting to the Tower.
We learned that the Tower never moves, it’s set, but we move in a million different directions. So the issue is never the Tower, it’s always us.
In our lives God is always there, Heb. 13:5 - there are times in our lives we just don’t connect w/ God for a # of reasons.
How do we develop a strong and lasting connection? Through Intimacy, developing intimacy w/ Father God.
Luke 22 - Time, Trust, and Transparency
Well as we continue in this I could boil today down to this one statement, ‘God did not create us to be alone’
God did not create you to live alone - God created a community for you to do life with, we were not created to live life alone, God has created a network for you and I to identify with - turn to Hebrews 10
All through the New Testament from the book Acts, after Gospels completed, Jesus had ascended back to heaven
within the Word of God, the word brother or brothers and sisters which refers to the family of God that God created for the church is mentioned over 147 times b/c God considers the Church as a family important.
Look at outline you see that ? that says, Is this true of me?
I want you to answer this question, “I live life around many people, but I experience life deeply with none.”
You know it was George Gallop who said, “Americans are among the loneliest people in the world.”
The most advanced society, the most technologically driven people ever created, yet we feel all the time, that we’re in this thing alone, doing life by ourselves.
Although we work in offices and people are around us all the time, we drive into our neighborhoods full of houses, our head can hit the pillow at night and we feel like we’re all alone. Ever felt that way?
How many of you would agree life is confusing at times - raise hands? how about difficult at times?
Then why in the world would we want to try to figure it all alone - why try and do this journey by ourselves? So often in life we think, I’ll just go at it alone and that is not how God created it to be.
God created this network w/in the church to help us do life.
We believe here at FOCUS* that the church must grow larger and smaller at the same time. (Always reaching out to others growing the church and at the same time doing life together in a multitude of small community groups)
Explain Heb. 10 start reading v.22 - circle every time you hear ‘Let us’ - read 22,
back then they had the High Priest and before they went into the Temple they would do this ceremonial cleansing, cleaned there hands and so on.. they could not be defiled in any way - what the writer of Hebrews is saying, we should never lose that focus, that intentionality when we go before God, we go in with clean hands and a pure heart.
We should draw near to Him w/ a sincere heart, the “cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water” is approaching God humbly, saying I’m bringing all of me to all of You - that’s what he’s saying.
v.23 - I love the imagery there, “hold unswervingly to the hope” meaning we hold onto what we believe with all we’ve got!
Ever find yourself doing that, b/c everything in this world tells you not to, but you know you have to - everything in the world tells you, “you don’t need God, you can do it w/out Him’ - almost like you’re out there by yourself sometimes and you hold unswervingly to the hope - v.24
All of sudden he moves from more of a personal talk to more of a corporate talk - this group of people you’re doing life with, let’s consider how we can encourage one another to spur on, meaning to urge and admonish one another on
toward love and good deeds - v.25
It had sort of become customary during this time that you have a relationship w/ God and all’s been done on your part so really you don’t need to gather together anymore, you don’ t need to gather in groups, you can just do it yourselves and what he says in Heb. 10:25 is let’s not give up meeting together, not only corporately but together from house to house in small groups (Acts 5:42)
I’m not real sure how you walked in here felling this morning and when I mentioned Gallop said Americans are some of the loneliest people it may have resonated with you or maybe you have thought I have a lot of friends but the
relationships are about this deep.
Ladies and gentlemen God did not create you to live alone - He created you to do life with other people
What’s the big deal about connecting in network - we all have needs:
1. I NEED OTHERS TO KNOW ME.
Beyond the superficial, I need others to know me - not know who I am, I want others to know me. (it has been one of the frustrating things to deal with in moving here to Houston - left tight knit group of back in Cali.) I want that deep relationship, not just business, not just let’s go play hoops once a month, someone to know me. And there’s not 1 of us in this room that does not have this desire w/in us to be known.
Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing… Hebrews 10:25a
It’s interesting that the writer continues to make this a plural assumption, ‘Let US not’ - God created us for community - for others to know us. Doing life with others is God’s answer to loneliness
Community is God’s answer to … LONELINESS.
2. I NEED OTHERS TO WALK WITH ME.
I need to know I’m not doing this journey by myself.
What a shame, when we hit difficult spots in life and wish we had someone around to tell us what’s next - God put this process in place, this network called community w/in the church for us to do life with to know were not alone.
Maybe parenting issues arise, were not sure how to handle something, “I wish we had some others in our lives to help”
Maybe a job/career change, “I sure would like some input from a close friend” We feel like we’re in it all alone.
Community is God’s answer to …
SPIRITUAL IMMATURITY.
Do you know what we learn from others in our lives that we cant get from a seminar or a book, real life experiences, been there done that. Some of the greatest lessons I’ve learned in life didn’t come from a book or seminar, they came from another persons life b/c they help grow you up.
Ever hit that phase in life where it's all about you - it’s all about me, my stuff, my life and in that
there are times I need others to walk w/ me so I can grow up.
3. I NEED OTHERS TO CARE FOR ME.
Let us consider (think about)how we may spur (encourage, urge) one another on toward love…Hebrews 10:24
Let’s just talk, there’s just times when we get down, isn’t there? Isn’t there times when you just hit a wall -
you just need someone to come along a put their hand on your back and say keep your head up, keep going, you’re gonna make it - do you ever get that? Do you need that? I know I do, even recently
But you know what, we cant get it just coming here for an hour on Sunday - not even if you do lunch occasionally
We all hit a crisis, there are times where there’s just no answers and life is not easy - those days are comin’ and when they do we are going to want someone in our lives walking w/ us and caring for us.
Listen folks, no one will just walk in if we haven’t cultivated that relationship - it happens spending time together -
the best way is to get hooked up in-network, get plugged in to a community group (guys thur, girls tue.)
You see the enemy knows, if he can keep you isolated he can keep you down - look at God’s answer
Community is God’s answer to … DESPAIR.
From feeling like you’re going down and there’s nobody there to help you - there’s just something about being there with other people - Christianity, this journey is not meant to be done alone, it’s a team game.
We could have an amazing time together on Sundays, great worship, God’s Word may pulsate within you, I’m talking you walk out of here different - which is incredible and only by God’s Holy Spirit, but that alone is not enough, that is not how God created us. God created us for community.
4. I NEED OTHERS TO SERVE WITH ME.
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward … good deeds. Hebrews 10:24
B/c we are selfish-driven people our lives tend to focus only on our needs, our wants, our desires so I need other people around me to remind me that it’s not all about MUAH!
We are to serve others
It’s one of the reasons we’re involved in the Montrose Street Church -
we just give, we just serve... together
Community is God’s answer to … SELFISH LIVING.
It’s His answer to ‘it’s all about us’
5. I NEED OTHERS TO WATCH OUT FOR ME.
…but let us encourage one another… Hebrews 10:25b
Community is God’s answer to … SPIRITUAL ATTACKS.
If you were going out to war and the battle is looming, one of the 1st things we want to know is, “who’s got my back?”
Would you agree?
The Bible tells us in Ephesians we are in a war, and the battle is not on the ground, it’s in the spiritual realm.
We need others to have our backs, to pray for us, lift us up, keep us in mind.
Here’s the deal guys, I know that you know God, I know that you have Christ, I know you have your bible... you need someone with skin on who can talk about your value & the significance of your place, your person, somebody who understands how you’d love to pinch the heads off your kids, somebody who understands what it feels like to work for that pushy boss - life can be hard, it can be a battle, we need others who will be there for us -
you’ll find them in-network... get plugged in, don’t pull out, stay connected,
Make it a PRIORITY.
A sign of growth in the world of nature is change - change in the dimensions of a tree, fruit appearing on the vine, flowers blooming - in a similar way, change for us means new levels of maturity, of understanding, of the way we relate to family and friends in-network - But what does it take for change to occur?
GET CONNECTED
Sunday, February 19, 2006
Raising the Bar - Connecting to the Tower
Is there anything more frustrating than when were on a call losing that phone call - or it’s just breaking up constantly?
Has that ever happened to you before?
You’ve had that connection then all of a sudden you hit a dead spot and you lose that connection - they think you’re still in conversation, but you’ve hung up, you’re trying to re-dial but you can’t get them b/c they’re still talking.
There’s nothing like establishing good connection and then keeping that connection.
You see the issue is never the tower - the issue is us.
The tower is set, the tower is in place, the issue is our phone -
and we all know living in Houston where some of the dead spots are - here’s the thing
we have dead spots in our lives too, we have those spots that we hit we can’t keep a connection w/ the Tower.
We can’t keep a connection w/ God, we want to, we try to but we hit those spots where we lose that connection and there’s no bars showing and there’s nothing more frustrating than when you feel like you’ve lost that connection.
Turn to Luke 22
How in the world do we keep a better connection w/ God?
(on your outline draw a line, 1 on left, 10 on right
a 1 means there’s absolutely no connection, maybe every no and then you come out of a cell and you connect with God but only for a few seconds - 10 means you are intimately connected - I mean you and God are hummin, smokin’ right together
all’s good, all’s well God’s right there by your side all the time. On that chart from 1 - 10 I want you to write where you think you are right now, this is just for you, do not cheat, do not look on the person next to you. On a scale from 1-10 where are you? this is just for you - it’s between you and the Lord, I’m not gonna ask you, and don’t ask me either.
How many of you would say, as i look at this I really would like my connection to be a 10, raise hand -
we all want it to be a 10 - what keeps it from being that? What happens to us that this connection that we want, that we desire, we know the Tower is there, we know it’s been established, and yet why do we keep hitting dead spots, why do we go month’s at a time where’s there’s no connection with God?)
What are some things that hinder your relationship with God? write them down on your outline, it may be work,
but you gotta work, it may be family, or hobbies. Basically wherever you are and that space to 10 you could write the word LIFE which would incorporate all those things wouldn’t it?
I know I’ve thought in the past that whenever I finished school or got a job promotion that life was gonna get easier - ever thought that? Who sold us that bill of goods?
We lose our connection with God for whatever reason, and really it’s us who were hurting the most - God is hurt that we are not hanging out with Him, but He doesn’t need it -
WE DO
God desires a connection with you
If you don’t know that, if you don’t think that’s the case, then you’ll never seek it or yearn for it, but God does -
He desires a connection with you and even more than we desire a connection with Him.
Now we can’t do anything about life can we, I can’t do anything about your job, I can’t do anything about your family,
and all those things, but we can establish some connections to help us remain strong with the Lord.
Luke 22 - Jesus knows the Cross is emanate, He knows it’s just around the corner. v. 39 circle ‘as usual’ it was normal for the Son of God to connect with His Father, it was the norm, it wasn’t an aberration, it was not something that happened every once and a while, it was the norm that He had a time that He connected w/ His Father. Jesus went out as usual, it could be said for us, Cole went to Starbuck’s as usual, Josh went to Kolache Factory as usual, Julie drank her Dt. Dr Pepper as usual, it’s a part of everyday life, it’s a pattern.
Jesus went out as usual, so what’s the big deal? Here’s this God-Man, who knows everything that’s to come, yet He understands and models for us how important it is to connect w/ Father God - it was a pattern in His life,
maybe there's something to it
read v.39-41, underline knelt and prayed
Remember we’re talking about the Son of God who scripture says could have called down 10,000 angels to whisk Him away yet He took time to connect w/ His Father, I think that’s a big deal.
Somehow we are more sophisticated and modern and we just don’t need to do that anymore - you and I have become so independent and strong and so all-knowing we don’t need that connection w/ our Father, do we? U better believe we do
See for all of us, life can be hard - get up early, scurry off to work, a full schedule, get home get dinner, take care of kids and their homework and showers and baths and bedtime - LIFE happens - read v.41-43
Jesus had something that you and I want, we all want a 10 - we want our relationship to be as strong as it can possibly be
we want it to be a 10, for that to happen there has to a word that sort of describes our relationship w/ God and that word is INTIMACY
We have to become intimate with our Heavenly Father -
here’s what it means:
Intimacy is to know fully & be fully known.
(15 yrs. ago Cathleen and I said, I DO - we thought we knew each other -
thank God there were no photos of here’s what this guy looks like in 15yrs.
but what we had at the altar 15yrs. ago - Who we are today and how we know each other pales in comparison)
Intimacy is to know fully & be fully known
It’s when you really know someone, you know everything about them, and you like ‘em anyways
But here we are 15 yrs. in and intimacy doesn’t just happen, it takes work - the 1st 4 yrs. no kids - then we had a kid - and now 2 - look at schedule now with the kids activities
and if you don’t work at intimacy you lose it -
just because you have a relationship does not mean you have intimacy
just because you have a relationship doesn't mean there's a spark there.
You know Joe, I’ve got this relationship with God, but no spark - I know that I know God,
but there’s just not that passion, I want that - I want it to be a 10
How do we do that - here’s some mile markers for us
The Road to Intimacy…
Mile Marker #1: TIME
there’s nothing that can develop intimacy greater that time.
it doesn’t happen in the home if hi, bye at the door
Intimacy is only developed thru time - if it’s that way here on earth, you can bet it’s that way our Heavenly Father.
How can we do that? I mean we give Him an hour or 2 on Sunday, but during the week I’m busy, I can’t give Him much.
Intimacy is developed thru time. scrip. 41 there was
· ONE-ON-ONE communication
He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed... Luke 22:41
Jesus w/ His Heavenly Father - we will never establish a healthy connection w/ God if we don’t put in time w/ Father God -
1 on 1, not sitting in a group, you and God together
to connect - there’s no magic pill, there’s no magic potion
It is only in developing the habit or pattern of TIME spent together.
We stop connecting w/ God when we stop spending time w/ God -
The Tower never moves, God never moves, us on the other, in a million different directions
Be still, and know that I am God… Psalm 46:10
how long has it been since you were still before God?
We have to find time to remind ourselves that the God of all creation wants to be with us.
You know what ‘Be Still’ means, to let go and ease up.
I’ve had to do that - how about you?
· Communication in the DAILY FLOW of life
it’s developing the habit daily - purposely spending time, scheduling time, what gets scheduled gets done -
how important is this to you? Do you want a 10?
We’ve talked about in the past giving God our 1st and best time
What to do? talk to God, read bible, find some sort of devotional to help guide you along - in dev. habit,
then when something happens crucial in our lives, God is the 1st one that comes to mind
‘Daily Flow’ is just what’s happening during the day (Cathleen and I didn’t dev. intimacy by just schedule time and talk only then - we talk all day, little bits here and there) - I want that w/ my Creator, don’t you?
…making the most of every opportunity, Ephesians 5:16
Mile Marker #2: TRUST
Time is important in dev. intimacy then time dev. trust.
“When we stop connecting we stop trusting”
Aren’t you stretching it a bit Joe, I mean I still trust God even if I don’t connect w/ Him on a reg. basis - well let’s think about this for a moment - when I don’t spend time going to God to help me make decisions and depending on his wisdom, who am I depending on? ME
So in reality, when we don’t connect w/ God and stop going to Him in all things we stop trusting in Him and banking on ourselves. The only problem with that is I don’t know what tomorrow holds, do you? But I have a Heavenly Father who knows the beginning, the end, and everything in between
that wants me/ you to trust Him.
… not my (Jesus) will, but yours (Heavenly Father) be done. Luke 22:42b
This is a faith thing, which is what, obedience.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; (why? cant see tomorrow)
in all your ways acknowledge him, (here’s what He’ll do) and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6
(He will give a light for your next step)
Cathleen and I have developed a great trust in one another, why? b/c we have spent 15yrs. in developing intimacy
Mile Marker #3: TRANSPARENCY
Transparency is when you see thru to the inside - it’s when we acknowledge who we really are.
Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me… Luke 22:42a (most of us are just not that intimate with God are we?)
We tell God, or better yet, if we tell God anything, we say, It’s all good, I’m fine - but quite often we tell our friends just how rough we got it. We just are not that transparent with God -
“God I’m really struggling in this area, I need some help”
“God this really ticks me off - why is this happening?”
You do know that He already knows how you feel - He loves you anyway.
God desires for us to take those masks off - not so He can see who we really are, but so that WE can see who we really are -
Intimacy is developed when we take off our masks and say God this is who I am, this is what I feel, this is what I think and God says, good, now we got something to work with.
We will never keep a strong connection with God w/out developing Intimacy through Time, Trust, and Transparency
(Tower has never moved)
God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." Hebrews 13:5
Those things that hinder, that stand between us and that 10, they sure rob us of a whole lot.
God desires to connect with you
But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." James 4:6
Has that ever happened to you before?
You’ve had that connection then all of a sudden you hit a dead spot and you lose that connection - they think you’re still in conversation, but you’ve hung up, you’re trying to re-dial but you can’t get them b/c they’re still talking.
There’s nothing like establishing good connection and then keeping that connection.
You see the issue is never the tower - the issue is us.
The tower is set, the tower is in place, the issue is our phone -
and we all know living in Houston where some of the dead spots are - here’s the thing
we have dead spots in our lives too, we have those spots that we hit we can’t keep a connection w/ the Tower.
We can’t keep a connection w/ God, we want to, we try to but we hit those spots where we lose that connection and there’s no bars showing and there’s nothing more frustrating than when you feel like you’ve lost that connection.
Turn to Luke 22
How in the world do we keep a better connection w/ God?
(on your outline draw a line, 1 on left, 10 on right
a 1 means there’s absolutely no connection, maybe every no and then you come out of a cell and you connect with God but only for a few seconds - 10 means you are intimately connected - I mean you and God are hummin, smokin’ right together
all’s good, all’s well God’s right there by your side all the time. On that chart from 1 - 10 I want you to write where you think you are right now, this is just for you, do not cheat, do not look on the person next to you. On a scale from 1-10 where are you? this is just for you - it’s between you and the Lord, I’m not gonna ask you, and don’t ask me either.
How many of you would say, as i look at this I really would like my connection to be a 10, raise hand -
we all want it to be a 10 - what keeps it from being that? What happens to us that this connection that we want, that we desire, we know the Tower is there, we know it’s been established, and yet why do we keep hitting dead spots, why do we go month’s at a time where’s there’s no connection with God?)
What are some things that hinder your relationship with God? write them down on your outline, it may be work,
but you gotta work, it may be family, or hobbies. Basically wherever you are and that space to 10 you could write the word LIFE which would incorporate all those things wouldn’t it?
I know I’ve thought in the past that whenever I finished school or got a job promotion that life was gonna get easier - ever thought that? Who sold us that bill of goods?
We lose our connection with God for whatever reason, and really it’s us who were hurting the most - God is hurt that we are not hanging out with Him, but He doesn’t need it -
WE DO
God desires a connection with you
If you don’t know that, if you don’t think that’s the case, then you’ll never seek it or yearn for it, but God does -
He desires a connection with you and even more than we desire a connection with Him.
Now we can’t do anything about life can we, I can’t do anything about your job, I can’t do anything about your family,
and all those things, but we can establish some connections to help us remain strong with the Lord.
Luke 22 - Jesus knows the Cross is emanate, He knows it’s just around the corner. v. 39 circle ‘as usual’ it was normal for the Son of God to connect with His Father, it was the norm, it wasn’t an aberration, it was not something that happened every once and a while, it was the norm that He had a time that He connected w/ His Father. Jesus went out as usual, it could be said for us, Cole went to Starbuck’s as usual, Josh went to Kolache Factory as usual, Julie drank her Dt. Dr Pepper as usual, it’s a part of everyday life, it’s a pattern.
Jesus went out as usual, so what’s the big deal? Here’s this God-Man, who knows everything that’s to come, yet He understands and models for us how important it is to connect w/ Father God - it was a pattern in His life,
maybe there's something to it
read v.39-41, underline knelt and prayed
Remember we’re talking about the Son of God who scripture says could have called down 10,000 angels to whisk Him away yet He took time to connect w/ His Father, I think that’s a big deal.
Somehow we are more sophisticated and modern and we just don’t need to do that anymore - you and I have become so independent and strong and so all-knowing we don’t need that connection w/ our Father, do we? U better believe we do
See for all of us, life can be hard - get up early, scurry off to work, a full schedule, get home get dinner, take care of kids and their homework and showers and baths and bedtime - LIFE happens - read v.41-43
Jesus had something that you and I want, we all want a 10 - we want our relationship to be as strong as it can possibly be
we want it to be a 10, for that to happen there has to a word that sort of describes our relationship w/ God and that word is INTIMACY
We have to become intimate with our Heavenly Father -
here’s what it means:
Intimacy is to know fully & be fully known.
(15 yrs. ago Cathleen and I said, I DO - we thought we knew each other -
thank God there were no photos of here’s what this guy looks like in 15yrs.
but what we had at the altar 15yrs. ago - Who we are today and how we know each other pales in comparison)
Intimacy is to know fully & be fully known
It’s when you really know someone, you know everything about them, and you like ‘em anyways
But here we are 15 yrs. in and intimacy doesn’t just happen, it takes work - the 1st 4 yrs. no kids - then we had a kid - and now 2 - look at schedule now with the kids activities
and if you don’t work at intimacy you lose it -
just because you have a relationship does not mean you have intimacy
just because you have a relationship doesn't mean there's a spark there.
You know Joe, I’ve got this relationship with God, but no spark - I know that I know God,
but there’s just not that passion, I want that - I want it to be a 10
How do we do that - here’s some mile markers for us
The Road to Intimacy…
Mile Marker #1: TIME
there’s nothing that can develop intimacy greater that time.
it doesn’t happen in the home if hi, bye at the door
Intimacy is only developed thru time - if it’s that way here on earth, you can bet it’s that way our Heavenly Father.
How can we do that? I mean we give Him an hour or 2 on Sunday, but during the week I’m busy, I can’t give Him much.
Intimacy is developed thru time. scrip. 41 there was
· ONE-ON-ONE communication
He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed... Luke 22:41
Jesus w/ His Heavenly Father - we will never establish a healthy connection w/ God if we don’t put in time w/ Father God -
1 on 1, not sitting in a group, you and God together
to connect - there’s no magic pill, there’s no magic potion
It is only in developing the habit or pattern of TIME spent together.
We stop connecting w/ God when we stop spending time w/ God -
The Tower never moves, God never moves, us on the other, in a million different directions
Be still, and know that I am God… Psalm 46:10
how long has it been since you were still before God?
We have to find time to remind ourselves that the God of all creation wants to be with us.
You know what ‘Be Still’ means, to let go and ease up.
I’ve had to do that - how about you?
· Communication in the DAILY FLOW of life
it’s developing the habit daily - purposely spending time, scheduling time, what gets scheduled gets done -
how important is this to you? Do you want a 10?
We’ve talked about in the past giving God our 1st and best time
What to do? talk to God, read bible, find some sort of devotional to help guide you along - in dev. habit,
then when something happens crucial in our lives, God is the 1st one that comes to mind
‘Daily Flow’ is just what’s happening during the day (Cathleen and I didn’t dev. intimacy by just schedule time and talk only then - we talk all day, little bits here and there) - I want that w/ my Creator, don’t you?
…making the most of every opportunity, Ephesians 5:16
Mile Marker #2: TRUST
Time is important in dev. intimacy then time dev. trust.
“When we stop connecting we stop trusting”
Aren’t you stretching it a bit Joe, I mean I still trust God even if I don’t connect w/ Him on a reg. basis - well let’s think about this for a moment - when I don’t spend time going to God to help me make decisions and depending on his wisdom, who am I depending on? ME
So in reality, when we don’t connect w/ God and stop going to Him in all things we stop trusting in Him and banking on ourselves. The only problem with that is I don’t know what tomorrow holds, do you? But I have a Heavenly Father who knows the beginning, the end, and everything in between
that wants me/ you to trust Him.
… not my (Jesus) will, but yours (Heavenly Father) be done. Luke 22:42b
This is a faith thing, which is what, obedience.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; (why? cant see tomorrow)
in all your ways acknowledge him, (here’s what He’ll do) and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6
(He will give a light for your next step)
Cathleen and I have developed a great trust in one another, why? b/c we have spent 15yrs. in developing intimacy
Mile Marker #3: TRANSPARENCY
Transparency is when you see thru to the inside - it’s when we acknowledge who we really are.
Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me… Luke 22:42a (most of us are just not that intimate with God are we?)
We tell God, or better yet, if we tell God anything, we say, It’s all good, I’m fine - but quite often we tell our friends just how rough we got it. We just are not that transparent with God -
“God I’m really struggling in this area, I need some help”
“God this really ticks me off - why is this happening?”
You do know that He already knows how you feel - He loves you anyway.
God desires for us to take those masks off - not so He can see who we really are, but so that WE can see who we really are -
Intimacy is developed when we take off our masks and say God this is who I am, this is what I feel, this is what I think and God says, good, now we got something to work with.
We will never keep a strong connection with God w/out developing Intimacy through Time, Trust, and Transparency
(Tower has never moved)
God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." Hebrews 13:5
Those things that hinder, that stand between us and that 10, they sure rob us of a whole lot.
God desires to connect with you
But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." James 4:6
Sunday, February 12, 2006
Desperate Households - Desperate Finances
George Gallop took a poll and found the #1 reason for arguments in the home is finances/money -
65% of marriages argue about finances - in fact it’s the leading cause of divorce in America today -
54% of all divorces are are related to money issues - maybe we should change the vows to ‘til debt do us part’ -
Would you agree if you don’t manage your money, your money’s gonna manage you?
Today we’re gonna take a look a one of the wisest and wealthiest men to ever live - Solomon
He gave us 2 books, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes - and w/in these 2 books there is a wealth knowledge for us to take in.
So ofcourse he speaks of money and finances - did you know the Bible speaks more about money, and finances, and giving and treasures than any other subject? I think it’s b/c God knew we were going to need some help
I. How we get into trouble
Human desires are like the world of the dead—there is always room for more. Proverbs 27:20
Someone once asked Howard Hughes,
(wealthy man - ‘Aviator’), “How much does it take to make a man happy? He said, ‘Just a little bit more’
Why is it we feel like more will make us happier?
What we hope having more will bring:
- More Satisfaction
We think more will bring satisfaction - all advertisement tells us that, “If you get more you’ll be happier” Americans are known for Life, Liberty, and the PURCHASE of happiness.
The problem is our Yearning will always exceed our Earnings
“If you love money, you will never be satisfied; if you long to be rich, you will never get all you want. It is useless.”
Ecclesiastes 5:10
Why? b/c the desire to acquire is always growing.
- More Significance
Somehow we’ve bought into the lie that more stuff equates with importance and prestige and significance, but the Bible tells us otherwise.
“...your true life is not made up of the things you own, no matter how rich you may be." Luke 12:15
Your net worth is not the same as your self worth.
We must never confuse our valuables with our Value.
? - Is there a problem with acquiring wealth? in having alot of things? - I believe the answer lies in our motivation
Where’s your heart? To show off, or no - there’s absolutely nothing wrong with possessions as long as they don’t
possess us. I would have to ask myself, “Is my desire to get more stuff more important than my relationship w/ Cathleen, with my girls, or my walk w/ God” - that’s what we have to ask ourselves, is it the focus of our lives, are the truly
important people and matters suffering in my pursuit of CASH?
More stuff does not equate w/ significance.
- More Security
How big of a pile do we need to feel secure?
We can never really have enough, b/c we can lose it all overnight in a million different ways. (MSN Money:
"Winning the lottery isn't always what it's cracked up to be," says Evelyn Adams, who won the New Jersey lottery not just once, but twice (1985, 1986), to the tune of $5.4 million. Today the money is all gone and Adams lives in a trailer.
William "Bud" Post won $16.2 million in the Pennsylvania lottery in 1988 but now lives on his Social Security.) AND
the same goes for huge corp. Enron/ Kmart
“Your money can be gone in a flash, as if it had grown wings and flown away like an eagle.” Proverbs 23:5
Right here in God’s Word - our money can be gone in a flash!
What Having More Really Brings Us:
- More Expenses
The more we make, the more we spend - the more our income increases, the more our expenses increase.
It always cost more to have more - we look over at the ‘Jones’ and think the grass is greener over there, yeah and the water bill is higher too!
“The more money you have, the more you spend, right up to the limits of your income.” Ecclesiastes 5:11
We can relate to that.
- More Worries
“A working man... can get a good night's sleep. The rich, however, have so much that they stay awake worrying.
Ecclesiastes 5:12
We worry how are we going to save it, how are we going to protect, can I get a good return on it, how to insure it, how to avoid paying taxes on it - worry, worry, worry
- More Pain if Lost
“...risky investments that turn sour, everything is lost...
and everything will be swept away....Throughout their lives, they live under a cloud – frustrated, discouraged, and angry.”
Ecclesiastes 5:14-17
Notice it says, if I have a whole lot and lose it, 4 pains are comin’ my way - 1st off I’m gonna be gloomy, “living under a cloud”, feeling distressed b/c I lost what i had - then frustrated, how many would agree that our finances can become quite frustrating? About the time you catch up with the Jones’, they re-finance - then discourages, huge
disappointment - finally comes anger, which is what? bitterness -
(Chiro. put wallet in front pocket - the bigger the wallet, the more pressure it puts on you - how true)
Always wanting more is the cause of many problems, we just looked at 4, not only that it can be immense pressure on our marriages - Money is not a bad thing, it's heart issue, is God in control?
II. Financial Freedom
1. Keep Good Records - principal of accounting
You know where your money is going, you keep track of it.
“Riches can disappear fast... so watch your business interests closely. Know the state of your flocks.” Prov. 27:23-24
Have you ever used the phrase, “I just don’t know where my money is going” or something like that?
That’s a troubled statement by the way, The Bible says, “watch you business interests closely”,
in other words, keep good records.
Many of the financial problems we have is due to the fact that one of the partners in marriage does not know what’s going on financially, they’re in the dark, they need to know. When you don’t know where your money is going, you’re headed for trouble.
In keeping track of our finances, here’s 4 things we need to know:
What I own
What I owe
What we earn
Where it goes
2. Plan Your Spending - principal of budgeting
Set some financial goals and stick with them.
We can’t do money by the seat of our pants, it only leads to misery - we need to budget.
“Plan carefully and you will have plenty; if you act too quickly, you will never have enough.” Proverbs 21:5
Solomon says, Financial freedom is not based on how much you earn, it’s how spend what you earn.
Studies show that the average american spends 6 hours a week in spending related activities -
some of us may be way above average.
“act too quickly” - impulse buying/shopping - unplanned expenditures, “i have to have that, right now!”
All advertising is geared to get us to buy impulsively - the pizza hot out of the oven, the chocolate dripping down the side of the ice cream, the Aber/Fitch model that makes you think, “I can look like that too with those clothes” -
commercials are all based to stir us emotionally, if they can stir us emotionally, they’ll get us financially.
(videos - McDLT w/ Jason Alexander - VaPooRize w/ Jack Black from "ENVY")
Ofcourse there is one word ad agencies and retailers use more than anything else to entice us to buy impulsively,
what is it? SALE.
We become like magnets, “but honey we saved so much money by spending right now, this deal is not available next month - we’d be foolish not to get it” REALLY?
The Bible says we need to plan our spending,
“Stupid people spend their money as fast as they get it” Proverbs 13:11 (JB)
This is God’s IQ Test - God says, “You’re not very bright if you spend your money as fast as you get it”
(Weekend rich)
I’ve been known to do that a few times in my life too, I guess that’s one of the reasons people call me a Big Dummy!
Spending impulsively can become very addictive - just as addictive as drugs or alcohol or eating disorders and the like.
Then with the invention of plastic money, instant credit, it becomes a whole lot easier to buy impulsively.
The average consumer carries 7 credit cards into the mall and the average balance of each card is $2347 -
in 1980 the ave. bal. of c.c was $533, in 1990, $1833
I like the thoughts of Dave Ramsey, money and business guru, “Kill the Cards” - pay cash!
How do you spell relief? B-U-D-G-E-T
A Budget is telling your money where to go, rather than wondering where it’s went -
if you want to control spending, you gotta nip it in the BUDGET.
Each family should develop a budget, see how much is
coming in, figure out how much is going out, stay within those parameters. ‘Financial Peace Univ.’
3. Save for the Future - principal of saving
“The wise man saves for the future, but fools spend whatever they get.” Proverbs 21:20
The average Japanese family saves 25% of their income, the average eroupean family saves 18% of their income,
The average american family saves less than 5% - why? b/c we gotta have right now!
MTV generation
We have to put away for the future, and not be consumed in keeping up with the ‘Jones’
If we base our lives on what everybody else has, we will never save a dime.
“...whoever gathers little by little will increase it” Proverbs 13:11
What does this say, put away a little each week, or month,
put a little away in savings.
4. Tithe Back to God - principal of tithing
It’s giving the 1st 10% of everything I make back to God.
Why do you think God asked for 10%? Does God need our money? No, God is Almighty, all powerful, He has everything - if He didn’t have it, He’d create it. So why does God ask for 10% - He wants what it represents - it represents your heart,
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” Matthew 6:21
3 reasons why to Tithe
1. Gratitude/worship - it’s saying God I know You’re the One who gives me all things. You’ve given me my hands, my mind, my abilities, my opportunity to work, God, I’m giving back to You b/c You’ve been so good to me and I’m grateful.
2. Priority/worship - God I’m putting You 1st in my life, and I’m gonna put my money where my mouth is -
For us to say we’ve put God 1st in our lives and not Tithe, we’re kidding ourselves.
In essence, We’re saying we don’t trust God, if we don’t Tithe. It’s an issue of trust, saying God I believe
You will take of me and my family on the 90%
3. Faith/worship - It’s an act of Faith, believing God will take of us.
We talked about faith last week, we said faith is obedience.
Doing what God has said - how do we know what He said?
In His Word.
Tithing is an act of Worship, we display that we love God
“The entire tithe... a tenth... belongs to the Lord” Leviticus 27:32
Honor the LORD by giving Him the first part of all your income. Then he will fill your barns... to overflow.
Proverbs 3:9-10
Here’s the thing, we can’t out give God - There are more promises from God about our giving than anything else.
God says, “Test me in this” - I won’t let you down, I will take of you, and give you more than you could ever imagine.
“To him who by means of his power working in us is able to do so much more than we can ever ask for, or even think of”
Ephesians 3:20
This principal goes far beyond money, it applies to every part of our lives. If you want God to bless your life, give Him the 1st part of it, If you want God to bless your family, give God your family, if you want God to bless your career, give God your career. If you want God to bless you finances, give God the 1st part of your finances, that’s the tithe in every area of life.
Some say that this is an Old Testament principal and that it’s not for today, however there’s few flaws in that thinking and one of those is that Jesus taught this principal:
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 6:33
Put God 1st in every area of your life, every area, family, career, finances, put God 1st and everything else will fall into place.
(Rockafeller way to wealth - 10:10:80)
If we have found ourselves in a desperate situation in our finances, God says, Tithe your way out.
5. Enjoy What You have - princ. of contentment
“It is better to be satisfied with what you have than to be always wanting something else.” Ecclesiastes 6:9
Isn’t it true we can get so pre-occupied in pursuing more that we don’t enjoy what we already have.
There’s this syndrome we can get caught up in that goes in 4 phases: 1st phase - Yearning exceeds Earning
2nd phase - Over-extended Financially, we buy, buy, buy and become indebted over our heads, now we’re in trouble.
phase 3 - Hustle constantly - rush through life, working 3 jobs to make ends meet
phase 4 - Family life begins to deteriorate
All of a sudden everybody’s angry, everybody’s irritable, b/c we’re working so hard just to make it - pretty soon you have absentee parents who are trying to buy their children stuff and things and toys, instead of spending time with them.
Parents listen, your kids don’t need more toys, they may be beggin, but what they truly desire is more of you. If given the choice at 1st they may say, I’d love all the toys and little
parents, but it wouldn’t take long before they’d give everything up to be with you.
“If God gives us wealth and property..., we should be grateful and enjoy what we have worked for. It is a gift from God.” Ecclesiastes 5:19
This is God’s message: Learn to be content. Enjoy what you have, we already have more than 90% of the rest of the world, so we need to enjoy and be grateful for what we have.
We live in a desperate world where desperate people do desperate things - for many it’s a prison of desperate
finances - God has given us the foundational truths in His Word for financial freedom.
"Have I put my trust in money or felt secure because of my gold?... it would mean I had denied the God of heaven.”
Job 31:24,28
65% of marriages argue about finances - in fact it’s the leading cause of divorce in America today -
54% of all divorces are are related to money issues - maybe we should change the vows to ‘til debt do us part’ -
Would you agree if you don’t manage your money, your money’s gonna manage you?
Today we’re gonna take a look a one of the wisest and wealthiest men to ever live - Solomon
He gave us 2 books, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes - and w/in these 2 books there is a wealth knowledge for us to take in.
So ofcourse he speaks of money and finances - did you know the Bible speaks more about money, and finances, and giving and treasures than any other subject? I think it’s b/c God knew we were going to need some help
I. How we get into trouble
Human desires are like the world of the dead—there is always room for more. Proverbs 27:20
Someone once asked Howard Hughes,
(wealthy man - ‘Aviator’), “How much does it take to make a man happy? He said, ‘Just a little bit more’
Why is it we feel like more will make us happier?
What we hope having more will bring:
- More Satisfaction
We think more will bring satisfaction - all advertisement tells us that, “If you get more you’ll be happier” Americans are known for Life, Liberty, and the PURCHASE of happiness.
The problem is our Yearning will always exceed our Earnings
“If you love money, you will never be satisfied; if you long to be rich, you will never get all you want. It is useless.”
Ecclesiastes 5:10
Why? b/c the desire to acquire is always growing.
- More Significance
Somehow we’ve bought into the lie that more stuff equates with importance and prestige and significance, but the Bible tells us otherwise.
“...your true life is not made up of the things you own, no matter how rich you may be." Luke 12:15
Your net worth is not the same as your self worth.
We must never confuse our valuables with our Value.
? - Is there a problem with acquiring wealth? in having alot of things? - I believe the answer lies in our motivation
Where’s your heart? To show off, or no - there’s absolutely nothing wrong with possessions as long as they don’t
possess us. I would have to ask myself, “Is my desire to get more stuff more important than my relationship w/ Cathleen, with my girls, or my walk w/ God” - that’s what we have to ask ourselves, is it the focus of our lives, are the truly
important people and matters suffering in my pursuit of CASH?
More stuff does not equate w/ significance.
- More Security
How big of a pile do we need to feel secure?
We can never really have enough, b/c we can lose it all overnight in a million different ways. (MSN Money:
"Winning the lottery isn't always what it's cracked up to be," says Evelyn Adams, who won the New Jersey lottery not just once, but twice (1985, 1986), to the tune of $5.4 million. Today the money is all gone and Adams lives in a trailer.
William "Bud" Post won $16.2 million in the Pennsylvania lottery in 1988 but now lives on his Social Security.) AND
the same goes for huge corp. Enron/ Kmart
“Your money can be gone in a flash, as if it had grown wings and flown away like an eagle.” Proverbs 23:5
Right here in God’s Word - our money can be gone in a flash!
What Having More Really Brings Us:
- More Expenses
The more we make, the more we spend - the more our income increases, the more our expenses increase.
It always cost more to have more - we look over at the ‘Jones’ and think the grass is greener over there, yeah and the water bill is higher too!
“The more money you have, the more you spend, right up to the limits of your income.” Ecclesiastes 5:11
We can relate to that.
- More Worries
“A working man... can get a good night's sleep. The rich, however, have so much that they stay awake worrying.
Ecclesiastes 5:12
We worry how are we going to save it, how are we going to protect, can I get a good return on it, how to insure it, how to avoid paying taxes on it - worry, worry, worry
- More Pain if Lost
“...risky investments that turn sour, everything is lost...
and everything will be swept away....Throughout their lives, they live under a cloud – frustrated, discouraged, and angry.”
Ecclesiastes 5:14-17
Notice it says, if I have a whole lot and lose it, 4 pains are comin’ my way - 1st off I’m gonna be gloomy, “living under a cloud”, feeling distressed b/c I lost what i had - then frustrated, how many would agree that our finances can become quite frustrating? About the time you catch up with the Jones’, they re-finance - then discourages, huge
disappointment - finally comes anger, which is what? bitterness -
(Chiro. put wallet in front pocket - the bigger the wallet, the more pressure it puts on you - how true)
Always wanting more is the cause of many problems, we just looked at 4, not only that it can be immense pressure on our marriages - Money is not a bad thing, it's heart issue, is God in control?
II. Financial Freedom
1. Keep Good Records - principal of accounting
You know where your money is going, you keep track of it.
“Riches can disappear fast... so watch your business interests closely. Know the state of your flocks.” Prov. 27:23-24
Have you ever used the phrase, “I just don’t know where my money is going” or something like that?
That’s a troubled statement by the way, The Bible says, “watch you business interests closely”,
in other words, keep good records.
Many of the financial problems we have is due to the fact that one of the partners in marriage does not know what’s going on financially, they’re in the dark, they need to know. When you don’t know where your money is going, you’re headed for trouble.
In keeping track of our finances, here’s 4 things we need to know:
What I own
What I owe
What we earn
Where it goes
2. Plan Your Spending - principal of budgeting
Set some financial goals and stick with them.
We can’t do money by the seat of our pants, it only leads to misery - we need to budget.
“Plan carefully and you will have plenty; if you act too quickly, you will never have enough.” Proverbs 21:5
Solomon says, Financial freedom is not based on how much you earn, it’s how spend what you earn.
Studies show that the average american spends 6 hours a week in spending related activities -
some of us may be way above average.
“act too quickly” - impulse buying/shopping - unplanned expenditures, “i have to have that, right now!”
All advertising is geared to get us to buy impulsively - the pizza hot out of the oven, the chocolate dripping down the side of the ice cream, the Aber/Fitch model that makes you think, “I can look like that too with those clothes” -
commercials are all based to stir us emotionally, if they can stir us emotionally, they’ll get us financially.
(videos - McDLT w/ Jason Alexander - VaPooRize w/ Jack Black from "ENVY")
Ofcourse there is one word ad agencies and retailers use more than anything else to entice us to buy impulsively,
what is it? SALE.
We become like magnets, “but honey we saved so much money by spending right now, this deal is not available next month - we’d be foolish not to get it” REALLY?
The Bible says we need to plan our spending,
“Stupid people spend their money as fast as they get it” Proverbs 13:11 (JB)
This is God’s IQ Test - God says, “You’re not very bright if you spend your money as fast as you get it”
(Weekend rich)
I’ve been known to do that a few times in my life too, I guess that’s one of the reasons people call me a Big Dummy!
Spending impulsively can become very addictive - just as addictive as drugs or alcohol or eating disorders and the like.
Then with the invention of plastic money, instant credit, it becomes a whole lot easier to buy impulsively.
The average consumer carries 7 credit cards into the mall and the average balance of each card is $2347 -
in 1980 the ave. bal. of c.c was $533, in 1990, $1833
I like the thoughts of Dave Ramsey, money and business guru, “Kill the Cards” - pay cash!
How do you spell relief? B-U-D-G-E-T
A Budget is telling your money where to go, rather than wondering where it’s went -
if you want to control spending, you gotta nip it in the BUDGET.
Each family should develop a budget, see how much is
coming in, figure out how much is going out, stay within those parameters. ‘Financial Peace Univ.’
3. Save for the Future - principal of saving
“The wise man saves for the future, but fools spend whatever they get.” Proverbs 21:20
The average Japanese family saves 25% of their income, the average eroupean family saves 18% of their income,
The average american family saves less than 5% - why? b/c we gotta have right now!
MTV generation
We have to put away for the future, and not be consumed in keeping up with the ‘Jones’
If we base our lives on what everybody else has, we will never save a dime.
“...whoever gathers little by little will increase it” Proverbs 13:11
What does this say, put away a little each week, or month,
put a little away in savings.
4. Tithe Back to God - principal of tithing
It’s giving the 1st 10% of everything I make back to God.
Why do you think God asked for 10%? Does God need our money? No, God is Almighty, all powerful, He has everything - if He didn’t have it, He’d create it. So why does God ask for 10% - He wants what it represents - it represents your heart,
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” Matthew 6:21
3 reasons why to Tithe
1. Gratitude/worship - it’s saying God I know You’re the One who gives me all things. You’ve given me my hands, my mind, my abilities, my opportunity to work, God, I’m giving back to You b/c You’ve been so good to me and I’m grateful.
2. Priority/worship - God I’m putting You 1st in my life, and I’m gonna put my money where my mouth is -
For us to say we’ve put God 1st in our lives and not Tithe, we’re kidding ourselves.
In essence, We’re saying we don’t trust God, if we don’t Tithe. It’s an issue of trust, saying God I believe
You will take of me and my family on the 90%
3. Faith/worship - It’s an act of Faith, believing God will take of us.
We talked about faith last week, we said faith is obedience.
Doing what God has said - how do we know what He said?
In His Word.
Tithing is an act of Worship, we display that we love God
“The entire tithe... a tenth... belongs to the Lord” Leviticus 27:32
Honor the LORD by giving Him the first part of all your income. Then he will fill your barns... to overflow.
Proverbs 3:9-10
Here’s the thing, we can’t out give God - There are more promises from God about our giving than anything else.
God says, “Test me in this” - I won’t let you down, I will take of you, and give you more than you could ever imagine.
“To him who by means of his power working in us is able to do so much more than we can ever ask for, or even think of”
Ephesians 3:20
This principal goes far beyond money, it applies to every part of our lives. If you want God to bless your life, give Him the 1st part of it, If you want God to bless your family, give God your family, if you want God to bless your career, give God your career. If you want God to bless you finances, give God the 1st part of your finances, that’s the tithe in every area of life.
Some say that this is an Old Testament principal and that it’s not for today, however there’s few flaws in that thinking and one of those is that Jesus taught this principal:
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 6:33
Put God 1st in every area of your life, every area, family, career, finances, put God 1st and everything else will fall into place.
(Rockafeller way to wealth - 10:10:80)
If we have found ourselves in a desperate situation in our finances, God says, Tithe your way out.
5. Enjoy What You have - princ. of contentment
“It is better to be satisfied with what you have than to be always wanting something else.” Ecclesiastes 6:9
Isn’t it true we can get so pre-occupied in pursuing more that we don’t enjoy what we already have.
There’s this syndrome we can get caught up in that goes in 4 phases: 1st phase - Yearning exceeds Earning
2nd phase - Over-extended Financially, we buy, buy, buy and become indebted over our heads, now we’re in trouble.
phase 3 - Hustle constantly - rush through life, working 3 jobs to make ends meet
phase 4 - Family life begins to deteriorate
All of a sudden everybody’s angry, everybody’s irritable, b/c we’re working so hard just to make it - pretty soon you have absentee parents who are trying to buy their children stuff and things and toys, instead of spending time with them.
Parents listen, your kids don’t need more toys, they may be beggin, but what they truly desire is more of you. If given the choice at 1st they may say, I’d love all the toys and little
parents, but it wouldn’t take long before they’d give everything up to be with you.
“If God gives us wealth and property..., we should be grateful and enjoy what we have worked for. It is a gift from God.” Ecclesiastes 5:19
This is God’s message: Learn to be content. Enjoy what you have, we already have more than 90% of the rest of the world, so we need to enjoy and be grateful for what we have.
We live in a desperate world where desperate people do desperate things - for many it’s a prison of desperate
finances - God has given us the foundational truths in His Word for financial freedom.
"Have I put my trust in money or felt secure because of my gold?... it would mean I had denied the God of heaven.”
Job 31:24,28
Sunday, February 05, 2006
Super Sunday - End Zone Theology
text: 1 Samuel 17
Super Bowl Sunday, plenty of hype surrounding S.S. esp. since they moved it to 2 week waiting period.
Since the Nielson Ratings of the early 70's (polling the most watched Tv shows and events)
The Super Bowl is in the top 10 of the most watched TV shows or events 4 times!
- it’s HUGE - usually the most watched event of the year.
It is an epic battle between the 2 best football has to offer.
Today I want to talk about a few epic battles, the Seatle Seahwks v. the Pittsburgh Steelers, The Israelites vs. the Philistines, and you and me vs. the daily grind.
So often we live our lives in this very comfortable zone, where most things are pretty predictable, and somewhat
ho-hum. Which is not bad in itself, It's relaxing actually.
The only problem that comes from this is we may tend to get STUCK
and not move forward in life and what God has specifically designed for us individually. This happens in a # of areas of our lives but one in particular, our spiritual life.
This is an area where we can really find ourselves not
advancing, not genuinely chasing after God
(football field analogy - between the 20’s)
We may need to move out of our Comfort Zone and into the End Zone!
Another epic battle we can learn from can be found in
1 Samuel 17 - give background
I. Causes for Living in the Comfort Zone
1. Lack of Hunger (v.16)
They just sat there, none of them eager - if we sit in our comfort zone for a while even realizing that something needs to be done, if we stay, not do something about it - eventually we’ll let it be.
And we find ourselves stuck.
Where would you say you’re lacking?
2. Unwillingness to Pay the Price (v.16)
(slide - running out to avoid hit and extra yrds)
We may know what needs to happen or that something must be done, we may even want to do it, but in our comfort zone we’re unwilling to pay the price - to step out of that
predictability. Or we know and want to but were so
comfortable that it would would create some initial
uneasiness, some temporary difficulty in life - dont wanna pay the price
We just do not like to change. As a matter of fact, the only time we really like change is when it’s our idea.
more on that later
3. Lack of Confidence (v. 24; 45-47) read 20-24
Fear is a HUGE factor in getting stuck in our comfort zone.
It holds us back from ever trying or
We may have attempted some thing before and failed miserably, fell flat on our face. Or maybe it wasn’t that severe - maybe we didn’t accomplish what we set out to, it didn’t turn out the way we planned. So now we lack the confidence to try again or to try something new.
v. 45-47 - it is the LORD! We must understand that - our strength, our confidence is not in us, it is in GOD - never
forget that!
4. They are Struggling with Personal Issues (v.25-28)
David’s brother was jealous - He had already seen David be anointed as the next King of Israel (which Dave was the youngest and traditionally that is NOT who should be in line for the throne) - Eliab got some deeper issues
If that is the case for us, we will get stuck, never moving into the end zone.
5. They Put Their Personal Agenda above the Team
(slide - pic says it all) Those who are selfish, self-centered and even talented will always be considered losers - b/c it’s all about them - What’s the value of a team player - there are a # (T.E.A.M. - Together Everyone Achieves More)
6. They Have a Negative Attitude (v. 33)
Talk about a Bad attitude - you cant do - talk about someone stuck in their comfort zone. (T.O. - all the talent in the world,
people don’t want to be around him b/c of such a neg. att. - vid.) A neg. att. will hold us back
Chuck Swindoll - ‘Attitude’
Words can never adequately convey the incredible impact of our attitude toward life. The longer I live the more convinced
I become that life is 10 percent what happens to us and 90 percent how we respond to it.
I believe the single most significant decision I can make on a day-to-day basis is my choice of attitude. It is more important than my past, my education, my bankroll, my successes
or failures, fame or pain, what other people think of me or say about me, my circumstances, or my position.
Attitude keeps me going or cripples my progress. It alone fuels my fire or assaults my hope. When my attitudes are right; there’s no barrier too high, no valley too deep, no dream too extreme, no challenge too great for me.
7. They are Unwilling to Change (v. 38-39)
Often times for us to move forward, some things need to change don’t they? (slide - old photos)We get caught up in our comfort zone and we say, and maybe not aloud, but we think it, or it’s just in the way we present ourselves - “This is how I’ve always done it - it’s worked for me in the past, it’ll work now” buzzer - WRONG! You see, the times, they be a changin’ What has worked in the past does not mean it will work now - most likely it won’t. So we need to be willing to move out of our comfort zone and that usually means CHANGE.
II. How Do You Develop an End Zone Mind-Set?
Shaun Alexander was the MVP of the NFL. He led the NFL in rushing yards with 1880 (that’s alot) He’s a stud, but you know what’s really valuable about Shaun Alexander - He gets in the End Zone - He scores touchdowns! More than anyone else this year - not only that, he broke the single season record for the most rushing touchdowns in a season 28. Shaun Alexander gets in the End Zone - How do we?
1. Have a Game Plan
In order to Win - to get out of the comfort zone and into the End Zone - we must PLAN (v. 38-40)
David was prepared, he gathered what was needed to win
To prosper we must prepare - develop a game plan - we need to gather what we will need in order to win.
2. Continually Communicate
Throughout the story of this epic battle we see David continually communicating with different individuals, his Father, his brothers and other soldiers, with King Saul, and Goliath.
For us to be successful in life, to move out of our CZ and into the EZ we must continually communicate what is important to us. (talked about this in “Desp. Comm.” - say it often, say it clearly, say it every way you can - good listener)
3. Be Willing to Take a Risk (v. 48)
We need to be risk takers - how was David a risk taker - he took on a task much bigger that he was - why? He believed God would deliver! For David and for us to be a risk taker is to Live by Faith. What is Faith? one word: Obedience
Simply doing what God has said to do - it’s that simple.
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Hebrews 11:6
4. Score and Then Celebrate (v. 49-51)
David scored and celebrated - (Napolean Dynamite dance vid)
When we plan and prepare, cont. comm. what is important, and live by Faith - we will score - we will get into the end zone - that is God’s plan - His word says in Jer. 29:11, ‘plans for us to prosper’ in John 10:10 Jesus said, ‘I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full’
We’re to celebrate life - it’s a Party Theology (last week)
It is not God’s will that we get stuck in our CZ, but to Score - get into the end zone
Be a WINNER - Go for the END-ZONE!
Super Bowl Sunday, plenty of hype surrounding S.S. esp. since they moved it to 2 week waiting period.
Since the Nielson Ratings of the early 70's (polling the most watched Tv shows and events)
The Super Bowl is in the top 10 of the most watched TV shows or events 4 times!
- it’s HUGE - usually the most watched event of the year.
It is an epic battle between the 2 best football has to offer.
Today I want to talk about a few epic battles, the Seatle Seahwks v. the Pittsburgh Steelers, The Israelites vs. the Philistines, and you and me vs. the daily grind.
So often we live our lives in this very comfortable zone, where most things are pretty predictable, and somewhat
ho-hum. Which is not bad in itself, It's relaxing actually.
The only problem that comes from this is we may tend to get STUCK
and not move forward in life and what God has specifically designed for us individually. This happens in a # of areas of our lives but one in particular, our spiritual life.
This is an area where we can really find ourselves not
advancing, not genuinely chasing after God
(football field analogy - between the 20’s)
We may need to move out of our Comfort Zone and into the End Zone!
Another epic battle we can learn from can be found in
1 Samuel 17 - give background
I. Causes for Living in the Comfort Zone
1. Lack of Hunger (v.16)
They just sat there, none of them eager - if we sit in our comfort zone for a while even realizing that something needs to be done, if we stay, not do something about it - eventually we’ll let it be.
And we find ourselves stuck.
Where would you say you’re lacking?
2. Unwillingness to Pay the Price (v.16)
(slide - running out to avoid hit and extra yrds)
We may know what needs to happen or that something must be done, we may even want to do it, but in our comfort zone we’re unwilling to pay the price - to step out of that
predictability. Or we know and want to but were so
comfortable that it would would create some initial
uneasiness, some temporary difficulty in life - dont wanna pay the price
We just do not like to change. As a matter of fact, the only time we really like change is when it’s our idea.
more on that later
3. Lack of Confidence (v. 24; 45-47) read 20-24
Fear is a HUGE factor in getting stuck in our comfort zone.
It holds us back from ever trying or
We may have attempted some thing before and failed miserably, fell flat on our face. Or maybe it wasn’t that severe - maybe we didn’t accomplish what we set out to, it didn’t turn out the way we planned. So now we lack the confidence to try again or to try something new.
v. 45-47 - it is the LORD! We must understand that - our strength, our confidence is not in us, it is in GOD - never
forget that!
4. They are Struggling with Personal Issues (v.25-28)
David’s brother was jealous - He had already seen David be anointed as the next King of Israel (which Dave was the youngest and traditionally that is NOT who should be in line for the throne) - Eliab got some deeper issues
If that is the case for us, we will get stuck, never moving into the end zone.
5. They Put Their Personal Agenda above the Team
(slide - pic says it all) Those who are selfish, self-centered and even talented will always be considered losers - b/c it’s all about them - What’s the value of a team player - there are a # (T.E.A.M. - Together Everyone Achieves More)
6. They Have a Negative Attitude (v. 33)
Talk about a Bad attitude - you cant do - talk about someone stuck in their comfort zone. (T.O. - all the talent in the world,
people don’t want to be around him b/c of such a neg. att. - vid.) A neg. att. will hold us back
Chuck Swindoll - ‘Attitude’
Words can never adequately convey the incredible impact of our attitude toward life. The longer I live the more convinced
I become that life is 10 percent what happens to us and 90 percent how we respond to it.
I believe the single most significant decision I can make on a day-to-day basis is my choice of attitude. It is more important than my past, my education, my bankroll, my successes
or failures, fame or pain, what other people think of me or say about me, my circumstances, or my position.
Attitude keeps me going or cripples my progress. It alone fuels my fire or assaults my hope. When my attitudes are right; there’s no barrier too high, no valley too deep, no dream too extreme, no challenge too great for me.
7. They are Unwilling to Change (v. 38-39)
Often times for us to move forward, some things need to change don’t they? (slide - old photos)We get caught up in our comfort zone and we say, and maybe not aloud, but we think it, or it’s just in the way we present ourselves - “This is how I’ve always done it - it’s worked for me in the past, it’ll work now” buzzer - WRONG! You see, the times, they be a changin’ What has worked in the past does not mean it will work now - most likely it won’t. So we need to be willing to move out of our comfort zone and that usually means CHANGE.
II. How Do You Develop an End Zone Mind-Set?
Shaun Alexander was the MVP of the NFL. He led the NFL in rushing yards with 1880 (that’s alot) He’s a stud, but you know what’s really valuable about Shaun Alexander - He gets in the End Zone - He scores touchdowns! More than anyone else this year - not only that, he broke the single season record for the most rushing touchdowns in a season 28. Shaun Alexander gets in the End Zone - How do we?
1. Have a Game Plan
In order to Win - to get out of the comfort zone and into the End Zone - we must PLAN (v. 38-40)
David was prepared, he gathered what was needed to win
To prosper we must prepare - develop a game plan - we need to gather what we will need in order to win.
2. Continually Communicate
Throughout the story of this epic battle we see David continually communicating with different individuals, his Father, his brothers and other soldiers, with King Saul, and Goliath.
For us to be successful in life, to move out of our CZ and into the EZ we must continually communicate what is important to us. (talked about this in “Desp. Comm.” - say it often, say it clearly, say it every way you can - good listener)
3. Be Willing to Take a Risk (v. 48)
We need to be risk takers - how was David a risk taker - he took on a task much bigger that he was - why? He believed God would deliver! For David and for us to be a risk taker is to Live by Faith. What is Faith? one word: Obedience
Simply doing what God has said to do - it’s that simple.
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Hebrews 11:6
4. Score and Then Celebrate (v. 49-51)
David scored and celebrated - (Napolean Dynamite dance vid)
When we plan and prepare, cont. comm. what is important, and live by Faith - we will score - we will get into the end zone - that is God’s plan - His word says in Jer. 29:11, ‘plans for us to prosper’ in John 10:10 Jesus said, ‘I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full’
We’re to celebrate life - it’s a Party Theology (last week)
It is not God’s will that we get stuck in our CZ, but to Score - get into the end zone
Be a WINNER - Go for the END-ZONE!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)