He resigned a few YEARS back. After years successful evangelistic ministry in that church He resigned. You might know the church if I named it. He did it to do his part to ensure peace and try to keep the church together. It didn't. All the Many who came while he was there, the young families and many teens, left to go somewhere else, or some (sadly) nowhere else.
He resigned and it was because of the BIG Problem .
Was it the fundamentals of the faith?
Did he deny the virgin birth? The sinless life? The atoning death and shed blood of Jesus?
No! ...it was because he had gotten the pews removed and replaced (think of it) with soft chairs...and Oh may the Lord forgive Him...he had established a lively praise and worship team. Oh, Most of the people loved it, but the ones who had been in power for years didn't and that was when they decided to do something about it.
It was a denominational church, the current supervisor was former pastor and knew and had pastored those dear old saints who had the problem, and so this upstart pastor ( he wasn't from here anyway) is finally gone.
There is only one problem, The body of Christ is fractured once more.
Whose fault is it? Who cares really? At this point God will sort that out, but it points out to me a grave problem facing the church, and that is us, ministries, works of all sorts come under the umbrella of Gods Church....
I have entitled this little blog methods and messages...and hope that you will give ear to my radical views, .and maybe save a great deal of pain .
Matthew 15:1-9 These Pharisees had long ago abandoned the message of Gods grace to all nations through Israel. They had gotten a list of standards, formed a religion, and it's traditions bound it and them into a style and form that dishonored God.
Now bear with me, I am not going to put to death the tried and true. I do hope, however, to slay a number of sacred cows. For they need slaying just as they did in Moses day. Most sacred cows are more BULL than cow anyway.
Now let me venture down one lane first, then I shall return and mow the grass on the other lane so that all may be equally offended. Fair enough?
1 Corinthians 9:19-23 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.
Do you see? Paul used a variety of methods to reach a variety of people.
Now I can hear some ulcers acting up, “but what about sinful methods?”
I’m glad you asked. Let me post this from the Message by Eugene Petersen if you will.
Even though I am free from the demands and expectations of everyone, I have voluntarily become a servant to any and all in order to reach a wide range of people: religious, nonreligious, meticulous moralists, loose living immoralists, the defeated, the demoralized-whoever. I didn't take on their way of life. I kept my bearings in Christ-but I entered their world and tried to experience things from their point of view. I've become just about every sort of servant there is in my attempts to lead those I meet into a God-saved life. I did all of this because of the message. I didn't just want to talk about it, I wanted to be in on it.
Nowhere does the scripture condone sin to produce righteousness. But beware of what you call sin. Remember that the early church was persecuted because the religious crowd called this new movement sin, but even then there were more level heads. Read Acts 5 :33 following if you would.
Listen and listen carefully. Beware when you let your preferences lead you into wrong attitudes and actions against others. Be careful how you attack a method someone is using based solely on the fact that it didn't come out of YOUR generation.
That sword cuts both ways younger ones! If you were thinking I hope THEY are listening you are guilty too.
Paul was in prison and listen to this: Philippians 1:12-18 But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which
happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the
gospel; So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and
in all other places; And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing
confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without
fear. Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also
of good will: The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely,
supposing to add affliction to my bonds: But the other of love, knowing
that I am set for the defense of the gospel. What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.
It may not be YOUR method or preference, but don't count it out. God may have a use for it.
Now I want to go back a minute over those passages and note a common thread
Christ is preached. He points to reaching out with the gospel the cross of Christ, (word of God ). Its all about Jesus
Also I might ad, don't Poo Poo the traditions, for they have value as well.
2 Thessalonians 3:6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.
As long as they are good and biblical , don't knock them. Remember what goes around comes around? (Sack races, three legged races...those kids had FUN!!!) And they weren't a bunch of losers.
Whatever am I trying to say? Simply what Paul said (Romans 12 18 if it be possible as much as lies in you, live peaceably with all men. 14:19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another).
And what Scripture has long taught:
Ps 34:14 Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.
Ps 133:1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
Eph 4:3 Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
In other words, Grown ups, act like it. Be courteous and kind to each other. If an idea instantly makes you angry, guess what, you better check whether it a righteous anger of God or a selfish one from the other guy.
If the main response to a method change is anger , grow up. But if the main response when the method doesn't change is anger; you better grow up too?
Let me state things another way then one more and then I will do something that will make everyone glad. Stop!
Here they are, Here are the big Points the important things we need to get. AND it is so important I got a direct quote from the guys who wrote it. Ready?
The first one was so close to Jesus he called himself the disciple Jesus loved.
1 John 4:7-8 “Beloved let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loves is born of God, and knows God. He that loves not knows not God; for God is love.
The second was probably pretty close too, he was 1/2 brother to the Lord:
James 1: 19 -20 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man works not the righteousness of God.
God has big plans for the Church, the Body of Christ. He has always has had . The ups and downs over the years have seen one major thing happen. People coming to Jesus.
I like the line from “Mr. Holland’s Opus.” He was getting his students to really enjoy their music theory classes. He had used the music of their day. When called to task for using that style music by the vice principal, a man whose shorts were probably way too tight, and the principal, who said she had to explain this method to the school board.
“ Now when that issue comes up, what can I tell them?
Mrs. Jacobs, you tell them... that I am teaching music... and that I will use anything... from Beethoven to Billie Holiday to rock and roll... if I think it'll help me teach a student... to love music.
Loved ones, I want people to love Jesus, and I will use anything from riding my motorcycle to places you might not want to or even dare go, to staying up late at night to demonstrate that desire to soldiers coming and going, or riding the same bike to the funerals of American soldiers and Marines.
Please consider that, Amen.
Monday, July 2, 2012
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Vain Regrets (From a study in Job)
Job...Vain Regrets Ch 29-30
A little side road of sorts here drawn from my daily readings of Job. Something that struck ME as I have wasted much time in the pursuit of this very thing and hope to grow more from this as well as stimulate growth in others.
Benjamin Disraeli said: Youth is a blunder; Manhood a struggle; Old Age a regret. - Benjamin, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield Disraeli Coningsby, bk.3, ch.1.
I cannot count the hours I have wasted in this pursuit. Hours of wanting to “go back but with what I know now.” (as if I somehow would not make the same mistakes because I am so very much improved). Hours of vain, empty regrets.
There are whole years for which I hope I'll never be cross-examined, for I could not give an alibi. ~Mignon McLaughlin, The Neurotic's Notebook, 1960
I have wanted to correct sins by reliving them and erasing them and changing the decisions I made. I have wished I was bolder or less bold or nicer or not so nice on this or that occasion.
I am at an age when I often wonder if my life has been of much value at all in regard to eternity.
Now Job ,in his great pain and distress, after his 3 friends have blasted him for his wretchedness, sits in a very sad spot. And Job. like you or I, indulges in this very thing. VAIN REGRET.
I read this on Monday AM and decided to interject this in here before Elihu’s speech, because it is just before it.
Just a few thoughts about why Job had regrets and why we might indulge in them as well.
In the first 11 verses we see Job wishing things were as in days of old.
1 Job further continued his discourse, and said: 2"Oh, that I were as [in] months past, As [in] the days [when] God watched over me; 3When His lamp shone upon my head, [And when] by His light I walked [through] darkness; 4Just as I was in the days of my prime, When the friendly counsel of God [was] over my tent; 5 When the Almighty [was] yet with me, [When] my children [were] around me; 6 When my steps were bathed with cream, And the rock poured out rivers of oil for me! 7"When I went out to the gate by the city, [When] I took my seat in the open square, 8The young men saw me and hid, And the aged arose [and] stood; 9 The princes refrained from talking, And put [their] hand on their mouth; 10 The voice of nobles was hushed, And their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.
Job though he would like to go back and had regrets because he remembered the good things in those days.
Can we talk? I remember in Belfast when things got real tough and I was struggling I said to my wife,”some days I wish I could just go back to Greenville where things were good and people liked me.”
She would hug me and smile and say “You are only remembering the good parts, Steve. You forget the times when you came to me frustrated and struggling and ‘upset by those ‘twits...”
You know what? She was right. I love the people of our church in Greenville, but they were sinners nonetheless, and I was just as up and down there as I ever am now. The times were not ALL that rosy all the time.
Job has a selective memory as well. We know that the Job himself had stated in 14:1 Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.
It is the birthright of sinful humanity to have struggles. Looking back things were not ALL that good all the time for Him, for me, and perhaps for you.
Carly Simon, in her song Anticipation” said : And tomorrow we might not be together
I'm no prophet and I don't know nature's ways So I'll try and see into your eyes right now
And stay right here 'cause these are the good old days
Remembering the good stuff is healthy. It is what allows us to forgive past offenses and live in some measure of joy now. But there is also a time to look back reflectively and remember that “life was hard then too.” So we need to live on with today.
Now look at verses 11-17: 11 When the ear heard, then it blessed me, And when the eye saw, then it approved me; 12 Because I delivered the poor who cried out, The fatherless and [the one who] had no helper. 13 The blessing of a perishing [man] came upon me, And I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy. 14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; My justice [was] like a robe and a turban. 15 I [was] eyes to the blind, And I [was] feet to the lame. 16 I [was] a father to the poor, And I searched out the case [that] I did not know. 17 I broke the fangs of the wicked, And plucked the victim from his teeth.
Quite an impressive resume there isn’t it? Job remembers the good deeds he did and now he feels as if he should receive better repayment than the misery he is in .
I found this in a blog called Patti’s homepage:
One of the most difficult attitude problems any counselor faces is that of "entitlement". Entitlement is an attitude of "I'm owed." It is apparent in beliefs such as these:
"I'm a college graduate, so I deserve a high-paying job."
"I've been good to my friends, so they owe me their loyalty."
"I am a senior citizen, so I deserve younger people's respect."
"We weren't put on this earth to suffer, so life owes me a break."
"I took care of my kids when they were young, so I am entitled to some special care from them when I grow old."
Our culture loves to foster these notions in us. During the 1970's, McDonald's restaurants built an entire ad campaign around the slogan, "You deserve a break today." In the 1980's, another ad campaign said, "Pamper yourself with Calgon." In the 1990's, it was "You owe it to yourself to buy a Mercedes Benz." Society continues to bombard us with the message that we are such fantastic people, we are entitled to an equally fantastic way of living.
To some degree, we all have entitlement feelings. We carry around a sense of being owed for something we have done or for some wonderful trait we have. When we feel entitled, we focus on what we are owed, not what we might need to give to others. It is a "one-way street" mind-set. When these feelings are strong and people don't meet our expectations, we often find ourselves bitter, resentful, and angry. Relationships can be (and often are) destroyed by feelings of entitlement.
Job felt that all the benevolence of his past entitled him to special favor now. He longs for this .
We can indulge in vain regrets when we think “After all I did for them, why did they do this to me?” Job was in that mode to some degree as well.
Now looking at vv 18-20 18 Then I said, 'I shall die in my nest, And multiply [my] days as the sand. 19 My root [is] spread out to the waters, And the dew lies all night on my branch. 20 My glory [is] fresh within me, And my bow is renewed in my hand.'
Job, in his life, had expectations.
I know of a woman who always dreamed that her grown daughter who lived in another state would come and drop her life and care for her.
When the daughter (who knew nothing of this) indicated the direction of her life, the woman was deeply hurt. She had false expectations.
We can have expectations of others or of circumstances that are unrealistic or at the least not reality. He had a good retirement. And now all of that was gone and all he had was empty regrets.
Job EXPECTED that , as his life was fine, he would live long a die in his nest.
We may look back in our lives with vain regrets because we had false expectations of people or things or circumstances. Even false expectations of what we think the Bible means.
Some read “all things work together for good” to mean that all the bad stuff that happens will have a good outcome. But the rest of that scripture goes on to show that it is speaking of God ‘s perfecting hand in forming us into his likeness.
So vain regrets can come from false expectations.
Now look at vv 21-25 "21 [Men] listened to me and waited, And kept silence for my counsel. 22 After my words they did not speak again, And my speech settled on them [as dew]. 23They waited for me [as] for the rain, And they opened their mouth wide [as] for the spring rain. 24 [If] I mocked at them, they did not believe [it], And the light of my countenance they did not cast down. 25 I chose the way for them, and sat as chief; So I dwelt as a king in the army, As one [who] comforts mourners. /
Job had vain regrets because he used to have honor and felt he deserved better.
That sort of overlaps previous thoughts so i will move on into chapter 30.
1. But now they mock at me, [men] younger than I, Whose fathers I disdained to put with the dogs of my flock. 2 Indeed, what [profit] is the strength of their hands to me? Their vigor has perished.
Here is the BUT NOW section of Job’s vain regrets. Here he contrasts his present misery with his past pleasures. He says “It just isn’t fair.” He compares the indignity of NOW with the dignity he felt he had earned.
I visit in hospital often enough. I have done so for over 25 years. LISTEN! Many formerly dignified persons go there in their older years and the first thing they have to sacrifice is dignity.
This isn’t done to be mean, it is just that to attend to the physical needs of many patients, certain procedures need to be done. (ICU=robe with no back).
I know I have often gone for a coffee at the appropriate moment just to salvage some of the dignity of a close friend. We are born wrinkled, bald , naked and crying and by and large we leave the same way. It just doesn’t seem fair.
Now Job’s shattered sense of dignity was a bit different. People paid him no respect. People whose Dad’s were not allowed to hang out with his sheep dogs because they weren’t deemed good enough. And now they looked down on him.
I see a lot of disrespect among many young people today, I see kids shoving past older people, pushing through and not thinking for a minute that that old man stormed the beaches at Normandy, or that Grammy looking woman saved countless lives in her service in Vietnam. They do not know that the sweet ,quiet lady who can’t move fast enough for their speedy selfish little feet, tended the sick at a hospital or cared for elderly. It just isn’t fair. And if we are not careful we can have vain regrets because we feel we deserve better. BY THE WAY... Those older folk DO, young folk and I am pleased when I see you showing them honor.
But Job’s vain regrets come from a violated sense of dignity.
And the situation he is in now, added to by these regrets we see in vv 16-23
"16 And now my soul is poured out because of my [plight]; The days of affliction take hold of me. 17 My bones are pierced in me at night, And my gnawing pains take no rest. 18 By great force my garment is disfigured; It binds me about as the collar of my coat. 19 He has cast me into the mire, And I have become like dust and ashes. 20"I cry out to You, but You do not answer me; I stand up, and You regard me. 21 [But] You have become cruel to me; With the strength of Your hand You oppose me. 22 You lift me up to the wind and cause me to ride [on it]; You spoil my success. 23 For I know [that] You will bring me [to] death, And [to] the house appointed for all living.
/All of these inner thoughts have drained Job. I wonder if he remembers the great outburst of chapter 19 “My redeemer lives?”
My wife, in my times of vain regrets or mulling over what can’t be helped, says “Steve, you think too much.” Job is mulling over things that can’t be changed, he cannot go back, he can only go forward. But he is in despair and in verses 24-31 he contrasts once more the “THEN and the NOW.”
Surely He would not stretch out [His] hand against a heap of ruins, If they cry out when He destroys [it]. 25 Have I not wept for him who was in trouble? Has [not] my soul grieved for the poor? 26 But when I looked for good, evil came [to me]; And when I waited for light, then came darkness. 27 My heart is in turmoil and cannot rest; Days of affliction confront me.
28I go about mourning, but not in the sun; I stand up in the assembly [and] cry out for help.
29 I am a brother of jackals, And a companion of ostriches. 30My skin grows black and falls from me; My bones burn with fever. 31 My harp is [turned] to mourning, And my flute to the voice of those who weep./
Folks, all of Job’s lapsing into vain regrets have brought him into self pity, they “Why ME syndrome.”
This is an easy place to be if we do not have a good understanding of what is going on behind the scenes. Job has no clue how the “heavenlies” are tuned in to his plight. All he knows is that he is in deep despair and hurting badly and All his “friends, the 3 stooges, can do is taunt and criticize and condemn.
I am understanding that I cannot go back, I cannot fix the horrible mistakes of my past, cannot UNDO the sins, cannot recall the unkind words cannot relive those choices.
I have but one choice. Go to God though Jesus and accept it, accept what he has done. He has purged my past and he alone can make it clean and whole.
Rush of fools wrote: "Undo"
I've been here before Now, here I am again Standing at the door Praying You'll let me back in To label me A prodigal would be Only scratching the surface Of who I've been known to be
Turn me around, pick me up Undo what I've become Bring me back to the place
Of forgiveness and grace I need You, I need Your help
I can't do this myself You're the only one Who can undo what I've become
That is one important step. Let Jesus have your past, your sins your failures and even your successes. Lay your horrors AND your honors at his feet that he may make of them and of you what he thinks best.
Because you cannot go back.
May I share a private pain, a moment of MY vain regrets?
Glory Days ( a poem of self pity)
Underachiever? Or just content to be average. In my life were no glory days to look upon.
An average student in high school years no effort to excel or rise above and in my life so oft I’ve missed the best of things because I just didn’t try
Yet good things have come to me and I cannot take credit for them They came despite no honest days of glory gone.
In Uncle’s Army, while others went to fight in foreign war I spent an almost easy time in European hills untouched by all the misery and the gore
And was the guilt not merited because I lived and others died alone And can I hold my head up high when heroes tread in glory march back home?
Because my memory was good I passed the test yet learning was not always there
And coasting through my ministries has burdened me a times and i really really want to care.
No glory days in yester-life, no blazing moments of my past to wow the crowds
just average,not so glory days and I didn’t always do my best a fact of which I am not proud.
A smattering of German , of Igbo just a bit, of french enough to buy a meal and Spanish? Not a wit And with an aptitude, they say, for language, you can see I’m not in line for glory days no power in me for glory days I’m just an average me. (Steve Nute)
Lord, help me be the best average me I can be...
All that is is self pity and vain regrets.... you cannot go back.
So because you cannot go back, make sure that your future self doesn’t have regrets.
Live today for Christ, “you cannot turn back the hands of time, but you can wind the clock” (Bonnie Prudden)
Live to the max, let Jesus be your master and commander and give it all to him, your past with it’s honors and it’s horrors, and let him help you wind the clock.
I conclude with “This is by an unknown author, but it was on an old WORD record by Stuart Hamblen that my Mom had. It stayed with me and I finally found it on the web,and filled in my blanks. Listen to this as an encouragement to live large in the present and not dwell on past regrets.
You can not control the length of your life, But you can the width and the breadth,
And the place you obtain in those quiet halls of fame, That position is yours to decide,
And the trail that you blaze in life's rugged hills can be broad and easy to find,
And the height you reach, inspire others to climb, Those generations yet unborn to time.
You can not steal back from a day that is spent idle words or one single deed,
They are posted at night on the bill board of time, For others who follow to read,
Nor can you dictate what history will write, be it mean or be it sublime,
But what's written of you will have an effect, On those generations yet unborn to time.
Did the world get a bargain the day you were born, Or has you life to others brought shame,
Do you ponder the fact how the folk will react, When descendants of yours speak your name,
Will the ink of your life stand bold, or fade out, As history appraises the lines,
Is their untarnished value in what you bequeath, To those generations yet unborn to time?
--Author Unknown
Please think about that. AMEN
A little side road of sorts here drawn from my daily readings of Job. Something that struck ME as I have wasted much time in the pursuit of this very thing and hope to grow more from this as well as stimulate growth in others.
Benjamin Disraeli said: Youth is a blunder; Manhood a struggle; Old Age a regret. - Benjamin, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield Disraeli Coningsby, bk.3, ch.1.
I cannot count the hours I have wasted in this pursuit. Hours of wanting to “go back but with what I know now.” (as if I somehow would not make the same mistakes because I am so very much improved). Hours of vain, empty regrets.
There are whole years for which I hope I'll never be cross-examined, for I could not give an alibi. ~Mignon McLaughlin, The Neurotic's Notebook, 1960
I have wanted to correct sins by reliving them and erasing them and changing the decisions I made. I have wished I was bolder or less bold or nicer or not so nice on this or that occasion.
I am at an age when I often wonder if my life has been of much value at all in regard to eternity.
Now Job ,in his great pain and distress, after his 3 friends have blasted him for his wretchedness, sits in a very sad spot. And Job. like you or I, indulges in this very thing. VAIN REGRET.
I read this on Monday AM and decided to interject this in here before Elihu’s speech, because it is just before it.
Just a few thoughts about why Job had regrets and why we might indulge in them as well.
In the first 11 verses we see Job wishing things were as in days of old.
1 Job further continued his discourse, and said: 2"Oh, that I were as [in] months past, As [in] the days [when] God watched over me; 3When His lamp shone upon my head, [And when] by His light I walked [through] darkness; 4Just as I was in the days of my prime, When the friendly counsel of God [was] over my tent; 5 When the Almighty [was] yet with me, [When] my children [were] around me; 6 When my steps were bathed with cream, And the rock poured out rivers of oil for me! 7"When I went out to the gate by the city, [When] I took my seat in the open square, 8The young men saw me and hid, And the aged arose [and] stood; 9 The princes refrained from talking, And put [their] hand on their mouth; 10 The voice of nobles was hushed, And their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.
Job though he would like to go back and had regrets because he remembered the good things in those days.
Can we talk? I remember in Belfast when things got real tough and I was struggling I said to my wife,”some days I wish I could just go back to Greenville where things were good and people liked me.”
She would hug me and smile and say “You are only remembering the good parts, Steve. You forget the times when you came to me frustrated and struggling and ‘upset by those ‘twits...”
You know what? She was right. I love the people of our church in Greenville, but they were sinners nonetheless, and I was just as up and down there as I ever am now. The times were not ALL that rosy all the time.
Job has a selective memory as well. We know that the Job himself had stated in 14:1 Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.
It is the birthright of sinful humanity to have struggles. Looking back things were not ALL that good all the time for Him, for me, and perhaps for you.
Carly Simon, in her song Anticipation” said : And tomorrow we might not be together
I'm no prophet and I don't know nature's ways So I'll try and see into your eyes right now
And stay right here 'cause these are the good old days
Remembering the good stuff is healthy. It is what allows us to forgive past offenses and live in some measure of joy now. But there is also a time to look back reflectively and remember that “life was hard then too.” So we need to live on with today.
Now look at verses 11-17: 11 When the ear heard, then it blessed me, And when the eye saw, then it approved me; 12 Because I delivered the poor who cried out, The fatherless and [the one who] had no helper. 13 The blessing of a perishing [man] came upon me, And I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy. 14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; My justice [was] like a robe and a turban. 15 I [was] eyes to the blind, And I [was] feet to the lame. 16 I [was] a father to the poor, And I searched out the case [that] I did not know. 17 I broke the fangs of the wicked, And plucked the victim from his teeth.
Quite an impressive resume there isn’t it? Job remembers the good deeds he did and now he feels as if he should receive better repayment than the misery he is in .
I found this in a blog called Patti’s homepage:
One of the most difficult attitude problems any counselor faces is that of "entitlement". Entitlement is an attitude of "I'm owed." It is apparent in beliefs such as these:
"I'm a college graduate, so I deserve a high-paying job."
"I've been good to my friends, so they owe me their loyalty."
"I am a senior citizen, so I deserve younger people's respect."
"We weren't put on this earth to suffer, so life owes me a break."
"I took care of my kids when they were young, so I am entitled to some special care from them when I grow old."
Our culture loves to foster these notions in us. During the 1970's, McDonald's restaurants built an entire ad campaign around the slogan, "You deserve a break today." In the 1980's, another ad campaign said, "Pamper yourself with Calgon." In the 1990's, it was "You owe it to yourself to buy a Mercedes Benz." Society continues to bombard us with the message that we are such fantastic people, we are entitled to an equally fantastic way of living.
To some degree, we all have entitlement feelings. We carry around a sense of being owed for something we have done or for some wonderful trait we have. When we feel entitled, we focus on what we are owed, not what we might need to give to others. It is a "one-way street" mind-set. When these feelings are strong and people don't meet our expectations, we often find ourselves bitter, resentful, and angry. Relationships can be (and often are) destroyed by feelings of entitlement.
Job felt that all the benevolence of his past entitled him to special favor now. He longs for this .
We can indulge in vain regrets when we think “After all I did for them, why did they do this to me?” Job was in that mode to some degree as well.
Now looking at vv 18-20 18 Then I said, 'I shall die in my nest, And multiply [my] days as the sand. 19 My root [is] spread out to the waters, And the dew lies all night on my branch. 20 My glory [is] fresh within me, And my bow is renewed in my hand.'
Job, in his life, had expectations.
I know of a woman who always dreamed that her grown daughter who lived in another state would come and drop her life and care for her.
When the daughter (who knew nothing of this) indicated the direction of her life, the woman was deeply hurt. She had false expectations.
We can have expectations of others or of circumstances that are unrealistic or at the least not reality. He had a good retirement. And now all of that was gone and all he had was empty regrets.
Job EXPECTED that , as his life was fine, he would live long a die in his nest.
We may look back in our lives with vain regrets because we had false expectations of people or things or circumstances. Even false expectations of what we think the Bible means.
Some read “all things work together for good” to mean that all the bad stuff that happens will have a good outcome. But the rest of that scripture goes on to show that it is speaking of God ‘s perfecting hand in forming us into his likeness.
So vain regrets can come from false expectations.
Now look at vv 21-25 "21 [Men] listened to me and waited, And kept silence for my counsel. 22 After my words they did not speak again, And my speech settled on them [as dew]. 23They waited for me [as] for the rain, And they opened their mouth wide [as] for the spring rain. 24 [If] I mocked at them, they did not believe [it], And the light of my countenance they did not cast down. 25 I chose the way for them, and sat as chief; So I dwelt as a king in the army, As one [who] comforts mourners. /
Job had vain regrets because he used to have honor and felt he deserved better.
That sort of overlaps previous thoughts so i will move on into chapter 30.
1. But now they mock at me, [men] younger than I, Whose fathers I disdained to put with the dogs of my flock. 2 Indeed, what [profit] is the strength of their hands to me? Their vigor has perished.
Here is the BUT NOW section of Job’s vain regrets. Here he contrasts his present misery with his past pleasures. He says “It just isn’t fair.” He compares the indignity of NOW with the dignity he felt he had earned.
I visit in hospital often enough. I have done so for over 25 years. LISTEN! Many formerly dignified persons go there in their older years and the first thing they have to sacrifice is dignity.
This isn’t done to be mean, it is just that to attend to the physical needs of many patients, certain procedures need to be done. (ICU=robe with no back).
I know I have often gone for a coffee at the appropriate moment just to salvage some of the dignity of a close friend. We are born wrinkled, bald , naked and crying and by and large we leave the same way. It just doesn’t seem fair.
Now Job’s shattered sense of dignity was a bit different. People paid him no respect. People whose Dad’s were not allowed to hang out with his sheep dogs because they weren’t deemed good enough. And now they looked down on him.
I see a lot of disrespect among many young people today, I see kids shoving past older people, pushing through and not thinking for a minute that that old man stormed the beaches at Normandy, or that Grammy looking woman saved countless lives in her service in Vietnam. They do not know that the sweet ,quiet lady who can’t move fast enough for their speedy selfish little feet, tended the sick at a hospital or cared for elderly. It just isn’t fair. And if we are not careful we can have vain regrets because we feel we deserve better. BY THE WAY... Those older folk DO, young folk and I am pleased when I see you showing them honor.
But Job’s vain regrets come from a violated sense of dignity.
And the situation he is in now, added to by these regrets we see in vv 16-23
"16 And now my soul is poured out because of my [plight]; The days of affliction take hold of me. 17 My bones are pierced in me at night, And my gnawing pains take no rest. 18 By great force my garment is disfigured; It binds me about as the collar of my coat. 19 He has cast me into the mire, And I have become like dust and ashes. 20"I cry out to You, but You do not answer me; I stand up, and You regard me. 21 [But] You have become cruel to me; With the strength of Your hand You oppose me. 22 You lift me up to the wind and cause me to ride [on it]; You spoil my success. 23 For I know [that] You will bring me [to] death, And [to] the house appointed for all living.
/All of these inner thoughts have drained Job. I wonder if he remembers the great outburst of chapter 19 “My redeemer lives?”
My wife, in my times of vain regrets or mulling over what can’t be helped, says “Steve, you think too much.” Job is mulling over things that can’t be changed, he cannot go back, he can only go forward. But he is in despair and in verses 24-31 he contrasts once more the “THEN and the NOW.”
Surely He would not stretch out [His] hand against a heap of ruins, If they cry out when He destroys [it]. 25 Have I not wept for him who was in trouble? Has [not] my soul grieved for the poor? 26 But when I looked for good, evil came [to me]; And when I waited for light, then came darkness. 27 My heart is in turmoil and cannot rest; Days of affliction confront me.
28I go about mourning, but not in the sun; I stand up in the assembly [and] cry out for help.
29 I am a brother of jackals, And a companion of ostriches. 30My skin grows black and falls from me; My bones burn with fever. 31 My harp is [turned] to mourning, And my flute to the voice of those who weep./
Folks, all of Job’s lapsing into vain regrets have brought him into self pity, they “Why ME syndrome.”
This is an easy place to be if we do not have a good understanding of what is going on behind the scenes. Job has no clue how the “heavenlies” are tuned in to his plight. All he knows is that he is in deep despair and hurting badly and All his “friends, the 3 stooges, can do is taunt and criticize and condemn.
I am understanding that I cannot go back, I cannot fix the horrible mistakes of my past, cannot UNDO the sins, cannot recall the unkind words cannot relive those choices.
I have but one choice. Go to God though Jesus and accept it, accept what he has done. He has purged my past and he alone can make it clean and whole.
Rush of fools wrote: "Undo"
I've been here before Now, here I am again Standing at the door Praying You'll let me back in To label me A prodigal would be Only scratching the surface Of who I've been known to be
Turn me around, pick me up Undo what I've become Bring me back to the place
Of forgiveness and grace I need You, I need Your help
I can't do this myself You're the only one Who can undo what I've become
That is one important step. Let Jesus have your past, your sins your failures and even your successes. Lay your horrors AND your honors at his feet that he may make of them and of you what he thinks best.
Because you cannot go back.
May I share a private pain, a moment of MY vain regrets?
Glory Days ( a poem of self pity)
Underachiever? Or just content to be average. In my life were no glory days to look upon.
An average student in high school years no effort to excel or rise above and in my life so oft I’ve missed the best of things because I just didn’t try
Yet good things have come to me and I cannot take credit for them They came despite no honest days of glory gone.
In Uncle’s Army, while others went to fight in foreign war I spent an almost easy time in European hills untouched by all the misery and the gore
And was the guilt not merited because I lived and others died alone And can I hold my head up high when heroes tread in glory march back home?
Because my memory was good I passed the test yet learning was not always there
And coasting through my ministries has burdened me a times and i really really want to care.
No glory days in yester-life, no blazing moments of my past to wow the crowds
just average,not so glory days and I didn’t always do my best a fact of which I am not proud.
A smattering of German , of Igbo just a bit, of french enough to buy a meal and Spanish? Not a wit And with an aptitude, they say, for language, you can see I’m not in line for glory days no power in me for glory days I’m just an average me. (Steve Nute)
Lord, help me be the best average me I can be...
All that is is self pity and vain regrets.... you cannot go back.
So because you cannot go back, make sure that your future self doesn’t have regrets.
Live today for Christ, “you cannot turn back the hands of time, but you can wind the clock” (Bonnie Prudden)
Live to the max, let Jesus be your master and commander and give it all to him, your past with it’s honors and it’s horrors, and let him help you wind the clock.
I conclude with “This is by an unknown author, but it was on an old WORD record by Stuart Hamblen that my Mom had. It stayed with me and I finally found it on the web,and filled in my blanks. Listen to this as an encouragement to live large in the present and not dwell on past regrets.
You can not control the length of your life, But you can the width and the breadth,
And the place you obtain in those quiet halls of fame, That position is yours to decide,
And the trail that you blaze in life's rugged hills can be broad and easy to find,
And the height you reach, inspire others to climb, Those generations yet unborn to time.
You can not steal back from a day that is spent idle words or one single deed,
They are posted at night on the bill board of time, For others who follow to read,
Nor can you dictate what history will write, be it mean or be it sublime,
But what's written of you will have an effect, On those generations yet unborn to time.
Did the world get a bargain the day you were born, Or has you life to others brought shame,
Do you ponder the fact how the folk will react, When descendants of yours speak your name,
Will the ink of your life stand bold, or fade out, As history appraises the lines,
Is their untarnished value in what you bequeath, To those generations yet unborn to time?
--Author Unknown
Please think about that. AMEN
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Anger Management
1. Malice- 4. Envy- 5. Evil Speaking- saying things that are hurtful to others etc
I want to hone in on those 3 1x1 and see how to deal with each area.
We start with dealing with anger.
Anger is a divinely implanted emotion. Closely allied to our instinct for right, it is designed to be used for constructive spiritual purposes. The person who cannot feel anger at evil is a person who lacks enthusiasm for good. If you cannot hate wrong, it's very questionable whether you really love righteousness.
Dr. David Seamands.
RADNOR, Pa. - December 5, 2011 (WPVI) -- Police arrested a man for a road rage incident and say his young child was witness to it all. Radnor Police Chief William Colarulo says it was around 8:00 p.m. when an Audi driven by Robert Maxwell turned onto Lancaster Avenue. In doing so, police say Maxwell cut off a woman that was driving along the road. Colarulo says the female driver beeped her horn. Maxwell stopped his Audi, got out of the car, and began kicking the woman's vehicle and cursing.
The woman exited her car in an attempt to read Maxwell's license plate.Maxwell then assaulted the woman and proceeded to drag her through the street and into nearby hedges, Colarulo said. He kicked the woman until other passersby came to her assistance. Maxwell then got back into his car and sped off at a high rate speed nearly running the woman over.
Police say less than a mile up the road, Maxwell ended up getting into an accident.There he was arrested for DUI, aggravated assault, and related charges. Police say Maxwell's 10-year old son was in the backseat of his father's car the entire time. (Copyright ©2012 WPVI-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
Now, we wouldn’t do anything like that. But have you ever lost your temper? Do you ever do things you wish you hadn’t done, or say things you wish you had never said?
Well, the Bible has something to say about overcoming anger. Proverbs 19:11 says, "The discretion of a man delays his anger; and it is his glory to overlook a transgression.."
Now there is the secret, isn’t it? If someone offends you, & if you are a man of wisdom (God’s wisdom) then you can overlook it, & not allow the situation to become a major event that overwhelms you.There are several types of anger in the scriptures.. One is Wrath. Explosive sinful anger. There is stubborn anger. Bottled up and stuffed down Finally, there is proper anger. That anger is to be channeled.
I. Sinful ANGER IS TO BE CONTROLLED
A. First of all there is explosive anger, & the Bible says that is to be controlled.
1. Proverbs 14:17a says, " He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly: ..." We already knew that because we’ve experienced that in our own lives. We may blame our quick temper on our red hair. Or we may blame it on our heritage. After all, we’re Irish or something like that. We may even be proud of it.
But the bottom line is, if we have a short fuse, we’re going to do a lot of foolish things. When we lose our temper we’ll say things we know we shouldn’t have said, & do things that we’re going to be sorry for later on.
2. Next, Proverbs 15:18 says, "A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but [he that is] slow to anger appeaseth strife.." That simply means that if you have a short fuse, if you’re always losing your temper, if you’re walking around with a chip on your shoulder, if you’re just looking for somebody to say something that will irritate you, then you’re going to leave a trail of hurt feelings & unhappiness behind you.
ILL. Will Rogers said, "Whenever you fly into a rage, you seldom make a safe landing." And he is right.
ILL. Chuck Swindoll said, "I got so angry that I gave him a piece of my mind. And it was a piece that I couldn’t afford to lose."
As The writer of Proverbs said, "A wrathful man stirreth up strife: "
3. Proverbs 18:13 says, " He that answereth a matter before he heareth [it], it [is] folly and shame unto him.." Anyone else ever guilty of jumping to conclusions. We hear just a little bit of what is said, & instantly jump to a conclusion, & oftentimes it is the wrong conclusion. Solomon says that it is to our folly & our shame.
4. Proverbs 19:19 says, " A man of great wrath shall suffer punishment: for if thou deliver [him], yet thou must do it again.." We’re being told that almost every day. Doctors tell us that losing our temper consistently brings about high blood pressure, dryness of mouth, & a fast-beating heart. It could even bring pre-mature death.
A hot temper could also mean loss of family & friends. The penalties of losing our temper are many.
So the Bible says, "If you have a quick temper, then you need to control it." But how can we do that?
ILL. You say, "Why, I just can’t control my temper. It gets away from me." But you can. Have you ever found yourself engaged in a heated discussion Then the telephone rings & you say, "Hello." Sure, you can control your temper. Or ever been having a fight and you see your child fall out of a tree..... you can control it.
So we need to recognize that we have a problem with temper. As long as we deny it, as long as we blame it on heritage or short-fuse or whatever we choose to blame it on, we’ll never improve.
Then we must confess our problem to God & ask for His help. "Lord, I’m beginning to lose my temper, & I’ve done it many times before. Please help me see what is causing it to happen, & then help me to overcome it." The Bible teaches that when the Holy Spirit guides our life, that one fruit of the spirit is self?control. And if you have a sudden temper, you need to control it. (Personal ill.)
Not all anger is sinful, But some anger is. So let me give you some tests this morning to help you determine whether your anger is sinful or not.
A. In Matthew 5:21-22 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment:, ."
Now that passage tells us some things about anger that should help us realize when our anger is sinful & when it is not.
Notice first of all that it says, "Anyone who is angry with his brother." Now if you’re a brother or sister to someone it indicates that you are a member of the same family, whether a domestic family or the family of God.
If we’re brothers & sisters, we ought to be lifting each other up, supporting & helping each other. We should not spend our time being angry at one another.
The King James Version speaks about being angry at your brother "without a cause." If we are angry & don’t have a legitimate reason for being angry, then this tells us that our anger is sinful.
Then if you’re angry at your brother, that indicates that you are focusing your anger on a person. We should never focus our anger on attacking people, but rather on the attacking the problem with a view to a solution.
D. Now in Romans 12:19 Paul says, "Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but [rather] give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance [is] mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.."
So the next test of our anger is this: Is it anger that seeks revenge? The Bible teaches that God is the one who has the right of vengeance. Not us. "Vengeance is mine," says the Lord. . But rather, turn that over to God, anger that seeks revenge, is very sinful anger. Maybe it is also one you LIKE to hang onto.
A lot of people love being angry. They’ve been angry for years. Inside of them there is a boiling mass of anger. if anger is cherished, it most certainly is sinful anger. with an unforgiving spirit. And the secret to getting rid of anger is to be able to forgive. But if you can’t forgive, if you can’t release it, then it is a sinful response to anger.
SUM. So how to tell whether or not our anger is sinful anger.
1. Is it anger directed towards attacking a person and not toward the problem?
2. Is it anger without a justifiable cause?
3. Is it anger that seeks vengeance?
4. Is it anger that has an unforgiving spirit?
If any of the answers to those questions is "yes," then our anger is a sinful anger. And the Bible says that it is to be condemned. ,and we need to repent, to turn away from it, & allow God to forgive us of it so that we can become forgiving people, too.
Sinful anger is stubborn anger. It is an anger that just broods, day after day after day.
A. One of the classic passages that deals with anger begins in Ephesians 4:26. The KJV says, "Be ye angry, & sin not. Let not the sun go down on your wrath." And the next verse says, "And do not give the devil a foothold."
ILL. One day you go home & you’re angry. You’re carrying a chip on your shoulder, just waiting for someone to knock it off.
Then your wife says something you don’t particularly appreciate, & soon heated words are being exchanged. It really doesn’t amount to much, but you’re determined to get your way, & she is determined to get her way. So the argument continues.
The sun goes down & nighttime comes. Then in bed she faces that way & you face this way, & you both make very sure that you don’t touch each other.
Do you realize what has happened? The Bible says that you have opened the door, & said, "Mr. Devil, come right on in. We’ll make you welcome here."
Then in vs. 31, Paul mentions what happens when Satan begins to do his dirty work. The first result is "bitterness." You begin to think about all the bad things people do & say to you, all the insults, all of the inconsiderate things that go on.
Then Paul says, "After bitterness comes rage & anger." "Rage" is bitterness boiling & bubbling inside of you. And "anger" is rage being expressed. It is no longer just inside you. Now you begin to kick the cat, & hit the wall. Now you begin to say all kinds of things, until finally it becomes "brawling," which means "shouting loudly," & "slander" or "insults."
"Look at this house. It’s a pig sty. I come home every day & these kids are dirty. You don’t know how to take care of them. What makes you think you’re a homemaker?" And on & on it goes, back & forth.
And the end result of it all, Paul says, is "malice." And "malice" means that you really desire to harm. That’s why we’re always reading about someone shooting his wife & turning the gun on himself. Because the ultimate end of stubborn anger is malice.
Paul said, "Here is the way to get rid of stubborn anger. Don’t let the sun go down on your wrath." Vs. 32 says, "Be kind & compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."
So first of all, there is sinful anger. And it must be controlled.
, condemned. And it must be conquered.
But there is a proper anger: IV. Proper ANGER Is the God given Strength to deal wit a problem.
Proper anger. must be channeled in the right direction for God. Remember, Ephesians 4:26 says, "Be ye angry. . ." It is okay to be angry, but do not sin.
Don’t let the sun go down on your WRATH... you may not not solve the issue but deal with the wrath, “Look, we aren’t going to solve this tonight, but I can ask you to forgive my manner...or some such. (Not much good form arguing til 3 AM)
So the sinful response to Anger is either BLOW UP, or Clam up., Neither are helpful or healthy.
To properly deal with anger, we must attack PROBLEMS not PEOPLE. How?
Pro 15:1 ¶ A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.
90% of the friction of daily life is caused by the wrong tone of voice.
Leadership, Vol. 1, Number 4, p. 23.
Do not let the decibels rise. (not gritted teeth etc.)
Luk 6:41 -42 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother's eye.
Not that you are the one who is wrong and he is right... but what response of yours has fueled the decibels to get louder? What is YOUR part?
This is part of the process to relearn the habits of anger which have grown in us.
. And if you are wrestling with anger, God promises to give you victory, if you’ll listen to and follow the dictates of the Bible..
So be angry, but don’t sin. Don’t let the sun go down upon your wrath. Don’t allow the devil to have a foothold in your life. But use that anger properly so it can begin to accomplish victories for Jesus.
Of the 7 deadly sins, anger is possibly the most fun. To lick your wounds, to smack your lips over grievances long past, to roll over your tongue the prospect of bitter confrontations still to come, to savor to the last toothsome morsel both the pain you are given and the pain you are giving back--in many ways it is a feast fit for a king. The chief drawback is that what you are wolfing down is yourself. The skeleton at the feast is you.
Frederick Buechner, Wishful Thinking Transformed by Thorns, p. 117.
Now you think about that...Amen.
I want to hone in on those 3 1x1 and see how to deal with each area.
We start with dealing with anger.
Anger is a divinely implanted emotion. Closely allied to our instinct for right, it is designed to be used for constructive spiritual purposes. The person who cannot feel anger at evil is a person who lacks enthusiasm for good. If you cannot hate wrong, it's very questionable whether you really love righteousness.
Dr. David Seamands.
RADNOR, Pa. - December 5, 2011 (WPVI) -- Police arrested a man for a road rage incident and say his young child was witness to it all. Radnor Police Chief William Colarulo says it was around 8:00 p.m. when an Audi driven by Robert Maxwell turned onto Lancaster Avenue. In doing so, police say Maxwell cut off a woman that was driving along the road. Colarulo says the female driver beeped her horn. Maxwell stopped his Audi, got out of the car, and began kicking the woman's vehicle and cursing.
The woman exited her car in an attempt to read Maxwell's license plate.Maxwell then assaulted the woman and proceeded to drag her through the street and into nearby hedges, Colarulo said. He kicked the woman until other passersby came to her assistance. Maxwell then got back into his car and sped off at a high rate speed nearly running the woman over.
Police say less than a mile up the road, Maxwell ended up getting into an accident.There he was arrested for DUI, aggravated assault, and related charges. Police say Maxwell's 10-year old son was in the backseat of his father's car the entire time. (Copyright ©2012 WPVI-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
Now, we wouldn’t do anything like that. But have you ever lost your temper? Do you ever do things you wish you hadn’t done, or say things you wish you had never said?
Well, the Bible has something to say about overcoming anger. Proverbs 19:11 says, "The discretion of a man delays his anger; and it is his glory to overlook a transgression.."
Now there is the secret, isn’t it? If someone offends you, & if you are a man of wisdom (God’s wisdom) then you can overlook it, & not allow the situation to become a major event that overwhelms you.There are several types of anger in the scriptures.. One is Wrath. Explosive sinful anger. There is stubborn anger. Bottled up and stuffed down Finally, there is proper anger. That anger is to be channeled.
I. Sinful ANGER IS TO BE CONTROLLED
A. First of all there is explosive anger, & the Bible says that is to be controlled.
1. Proverbs 14:17a says, " He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly: ..." We already knew that because we’ve experienced that in our own lives. We may blame our quick temper on our red hair. Or we may blame it on our heritage. After all, we’re Irish or something like that. We may even be proud of it.
But the bottom line is, if we have a short fuse, we’re going to do a lot of foolish things. When we lose our temper we’ll say things we know we shouldn’t have said, & do things that we’re going to be sorry for later on.
2. Next, Proverbs 15:18 says, "A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but [he that is] slow to anger appeaseth strife.." That simply means that if you have a short fuse, if you’re always losing your temper, if you’re walking around with a chip on your shoulder, if you’re just looking for somebody to say something that will irritate you, then you’re going to leave a trail of hurt feelings & unhappiness behind you.
ILL. Will Rogers said, "Whenever you fly into a rage, you seldom make a safe landing." And he is right.
ILL. Chuck Swindoll said, "I got so angry that I gave him a piece of my mind. And it was a piece that I couldn’t afford to lose."
As The writer of Proverbs said, "A wrathful man stirreth up strife: "
3. Proverbs 18:13 says, " He that answereth a matter before he heareth [it], it [is] folly and shame unto him.." Anyone else ever guilty of jumping to conclusions. We hear just a little bit of what is said, & instantly jump to a conclusion, & oftentimes it is the wrong conclusion. Solomon says that it is to our folly & our shame.
4. Proverbs 19:19 says, " A man of great wrath shall suffer punishment: for if thou deliver [him], yet thou must do it again.." We’re being told that almost every day. Doctors tell us that losing our temper consistently brings about high blood pressure, dryness of mouth, & a fast-beating heart. It could even bring pre-mature death.
A hot temper could also mean loss of family & friends. The penalties of losing our temper are many.
So the Bible says, "If you have a quick temper, then you need to control it." But how can we do that?
ILL. You say, "Why, I just can’t control my temper. It gets away from me." But you can. Have you ever found yourself engaged in a heated discussion Then the telephone rings & you say, "Hello." Sure, you can control your temper. Or ever been having a fight and you see your child fall out of a tree..... you can control it.
So we need to recognize that we have a problem with temper. As long as we deny it, as long as we blame it on heritage or short-fuse or whatever we choose to blame it on, we’ll never improve.
Then we must confess our problem to God & ask for His help. "Lord, I’m beginning to lose my temper, & I’ve done it many times before. Please help me see what is causing it to happen, & then help me to overcome it." The Bible teaches that when the Holy Spirit guides our life, that one fruit of the spirit is self?control. And if you have a sudden temper, you need to control it. (Personal ill.)
Not all anger is sinful, But some anger is. So let me give you some tests this morning to help you determine whether your anger is sinful or not.
A. In Matthew 5:21-22 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment:, ."
Now that passage tells us some things about anger that should help us realize when our anger is sinful & when it is not.
Notice first of all that it says, "Anyone who is angry with his brother." Now if you’re a brother or sister to someone it indicates that you are a member of the same family, whether a domestic family or the family of God.
If we’re brothers & sisters, we ought to be lifting each other up, supporting & helping each other. We should not spend our time being angry at one another.
The King James Version speaks about being angry at your brother "without a cause." If we are angry & don’t have a legitimate reason for being angry, then this tells us that our anger is sinful.
Then if you’re angry at your brother, that indicates that you are focusing your anger on a person. We should never focus our anger on attacking people, but rather on the attacking the problem with a view to a solution.
D. Now in Romans 12:19 Paul says, "Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but [rather] give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance [is] mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.."
So the next test of our anger is this: Is it anger that seeks revenge? The Bible teaches that God is the one who has the right of vengeance. Not us. "Vengeance is mine," says the Lord. . But rather, turn that over to God, anger that seeks revenge, is very sinful anger. Maybe it is also one you LIKE to hang onto.
A lot of people love being angry. They’ve been angry for years. Inside of them there is a boiling mass of anger. if anger is cherished, it most certainly is sinful anger. with an unforgiving spirit. And the secret to getting rid of anger is to be able to forgive. But if you can’t forgive, if you can’t release it, then it is a sinful response to anger.
SUM. So how to tell whether or not our anger is sinful anger.
1. Is it anger directed towards attacking a person and not toward the problem?
2. Is it anger without a justifiable cause?
3. Is it anger that seeks vengeance?
4. Is it anger that has an unforgiving spirit?
If any of the answers to those questions is "yes," then our anger is a sinful anger. And the Bible says that it is to be condemned. ,and we need to repent, to turn away from it, & allow God to forgive us of it so that we can become forgiving people, too.
Sinful anger is stubborn anger. It is an anger that just broods, day after day after day.
A. One of the classic passages that deals with anger begins in Ephesians 4:26. The KJV says, "Be ye angry, & sin not. Let not the sun go down on your wrath." And the next verse says, "And do not give the devil a foothold."
ILL. One day you go home & you’re angry. You’re carrying a chip on your shoulder, just waiting for someone to knock it off.
Then your wife says something you don’t particularly appreciate, & soon heated words are being exchanged. It really doesn’t amount to much, but you’re determined to get your way, & she is determined to get her way. So the argument continues.
The sun goes down & nighttime comes. Then in bed she faces that way & you face this way, & you both make very sure that you don’t touch each other.
Do you realize what has happened? The Bible says that you have opened the door, & said, "Mr. Devil, come right on in. We’ll make you welcome here."
Then in vs. 31, Paul mentions what happens when Satan begins to do his dirty work. The first result is "bitterness." You begin to think about all the bad things people do & say to you, all the insults, all of the inconsiderate things that go on.
Then Paul says, "After bitterness comes rage & anger." "Rage" is bitterness boiling & bubbling inside of you. And "anger" is rage being expressed. It is no longer just inside you. Now you begin to kick the cat, & hit the wall. Now you begin to say all kinds of things, until finally it becomes "brawling," which means "shouting loudly," & "slander" or "insults."
"Look at this house. It’s a pig sty. I come home every day & these kids are dirty. You don’t know how to take care of them. What makes you think you’re a homemaker?" And on & on it goes, back & forth.
And the end result of it all, Paul says, is "malice." And "malice" means that you really desire to harm. That’s why we’re always reading about someone shooting his wife & turning the gun on himself. Because the ultimate end of stubborn anger is malice.
Paul said, "Here is the way to get rid of stubborn anger. Don’t let the sun go down on your wrath." Vs. 32 says, "Be kind & compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."
So first of all, there is sinful anger. And it must be controlled.
, condemned. And it must be conquered.
But there is a proper anger: IV. Proper ANGER Is the God given Strength to deal wit a problem.
Proper anger. must be channeled in the right direction for God. Remember, Ephesians 4:26 says, "Be ye angry. . ." It is okay to be angry, but do not sin.
Don’t let the sun go down on your WRATH... you may not not solve the issue but deal with the wrath, “Look, we aren’t going to solve this tonight, but I can ask you to forgive my manner...or some such. (Not much good form arguing til 3 AM)
So the sinful response to Anger is either BLOW UP, or Clam up., Neither are helpful or healthy.
To properly deal with anger, we must attack PROBLEMS not PEOPLE. How?
Pro 15:1 ¶ A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.
90% of the friction of daily life is caused by the wrong tone of voice.
Leadership, Vol. 1, Number 4, p. 23.
Do not let the decibels rise. (not gritted teeth etc.)
Luk 6:41 -42 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother's eye.
Not that you are the one who is wrong and he is right... but what response of yours has fueled the decibels to get louder? What is YOUR part?
This is part of the process to relearn the habits of anger which have grown in us.
. And if you are wrestling with anger, God promises to give you victory, if you’ll listen to and follow the dictates of the Bible..
So be angry, but don’t sin. Don’t let the sun go down upon your wrath. Don’t allow the devil to have a foothold in your life. But use that anger properly so it can begin to accomplish victories for Jesus.
Of the 7 deadly sins, anger is possibly the most fun. To lick your wounds, to smack your lips over grievances long past, to roll over your tongue the prospect of bitter confrontations still to come, to savor to the last toothsome morsel both the pain you are given and the pain you are giving back--in many ways it is a feast fit for a king. The chief drawback is that what you are wolfing down is yourself. The skeleton at the feast is you.
Frederick Buechner, Wishful Thinking Transformed by Thorns, p. 117.
Now you think about that...Amen.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Nurturing the Wounded
This sermon was first preached at a tent meeting in Belfast Maine where I had been assigned the topic. I believe God gave me these thoughts and am grateful to him.
Nurturing the Wounded
There are times in my life when I am called to teach on a topic which I fall short of living as I should, this one is one of those. There are times when I am ON in regard to nurturing, an there are times when I miss the mark so far it is a sin.
We are living in a day and age when people are crying out for their felt needs to be met more loudly than ever before. But I have noticed that in the body of Christ by and large, the chief complaints about MY NEEDS ARE NOT MET come from people who would never think of ministering to another's needs. So to preface this I want to repeat a story of 2 visitors to a church:
Two gentlemen,totally unknown to one another, decided to try to find a church in the neighborhood to which they had just moved.
On the first Sunday no one spoke to them in this rtaher large Church. On the second Sunday it was the same.
After the service one of the men said to himself "if no one talks to me next Sunday I will not return to that Church."
The second man said "If no one talks to me next Sunday, I will talk to someone."
They both stayed.
I find in the Scriptures a perfect story which Jesus used to show true nurturing. I want to look at that story today and discuss it, and then we will go home.
Please turn to Luke 10:25-37
And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said to him, What is written in the law? how do you read it?
And he said, You shalt love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.
And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. But he, willing to justify himself, said to Jesus, And who is my neighbor?
And Jesus said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothes, and beat him up him, and left him half dead.
And it happened that a certain priest came by: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And also a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And the next day when he left, he took out money, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatever you spend I will repay when I come again .
Which of these three, do you think, was neighbor to him that fell among the thieves?
And he said, He that showed mercy on him.
Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.
But a certain Samaritan. In the 80s while I was in Bible college, there was a move by the secular entertainment industry to feed the hungry of earth. You will recall these lines
“We are the world, we are the children, we are the ones who make a better day so lets start giving”... *
I remember it well an really admire the spirit of generosity it began to arouse in the world.
I also recall the reaction of much of the church to that. It was negative. It was critical. And I think I know why. Because we knew the one who, while he was on earth, said WE were to be HIS hands and feet and his heart, and we had degenerated into a public police force against evil, with little thought for the needs of the world of the day.
Sadly little has changed. We , the ones who Jesus said should be know by our love, are known by our Law. We, the bride of Christ, were to be the advocates for the world but have somehow placed ourselves in the position of prosecutor. What is lacking? Look at the next line:
He had compassion on him, The Key to any nurturing is this key, it is a heart attitude of compassion. It Literally means his guts were wrenched for him. When was the last time your guts were wrenched for anyone else's need? Yet that is to be the mark of nurturer, a believer in Jesus, according to the Lord.
Look at it demonstrated in the Masters life: Mt 14:14 And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.
His compassion moved him to action. That is the way it is to work in our lives.
In Mark 1: 40-45 And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If you wilt, you can make me clean. And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and said unto him, I will; be clean. And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was clean . And he strictly charged him, and sent him away; And said unto him, See that you don't say anything to anyone : but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony to them.
But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter so much that Jesus couldn't openly enter into the city, but was outside in desert places: and they came to him from every quarter.
See what happens here? Jesus knows that compassion demonstrated draws people to Him. We have to look closely at that. We have opted for another course in our religion today, POWER. We have forsaken love and opted for power. Political power, group power instead of compassion.
Someone has rightly said that you cannot have power and love in a relationship. One negates the other. Love excludes power plays, power plays exclude love. And the Savior, Lord of Lords, King of all the universe, the one with the most political clout EVER, opted for love.
If we are to truly nurture the wounded, then we must be moved with compassion once more. We must have our hearts broken over the plight of people like this Samaritan was.
When was the last time you honestly looked on someone with real compassion? When was the last time you let yourself be used by a panhandler? Oh we have all the religious reasons to screen the needy huh? But not Jesus, He liked to help the ones who needed help.
Look at what He told Nicodemus in John 3 The son of man did not come to condemn the world, but to save it. Let that sink in......
Now lets move this into the realm of nurturing the wounded brother. We, need to have compassion on those who have stumbled and fallen, We don't, but we really need to, we are told in Galatians 6:1 to have a restorative spirit. We are told to have a meek spirit, not as if we were superior, but as if we were are vulnerable too. Sadly much of our fundamentalist thought has, in past decades , turned into some sort of Jihad.
We are guilty on one or the other extreme. Either we tolerate sin in a brother, which Jesus never did, or we seek retribution instead of restoration. This is NOT in the nature of nurture. This Samaritan, a non-believer in Jewish eyes, models what real nurture of the wounded looks like. He gave of his heart , then look next: went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
He gave of himself. Oil and wine were the salve of the day, he gave first aid to this wounded man. BOUND UP HIS WOUNDS... sadly we in the sheep fold /church have acted more like hens that sheep. Hens pick on a wounded one until it is dead.
A little side note here. The traveler probably didn’t have a first aid kit, He had no bandages so most likely tore up his own cloth. This man, this Samaritan, gave what was needed to bind the wounds.
By the way, sometimes that wine could sting a bit, it was a disinfectant and got rid of dangerous germs. Sometimes your balm may sting too but it is needful if there is to be real healing to get the peroxide of Gods truth in where it can do some good.
2 Tim 3:16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
Speak the truth, NOT of your emotions but of Gods word.But it is with oil too please notice. As Paul put it in Eph. 4: SPEAK THE TRUTH WITH LOVE.. George MacDonald said: People will not care what you know unless they know that you care.
Steve Brown told of a friend who when a brother on the west coast fell into sin and the story got back to this man in FL, he called and said this: Brother, I do not want to know the story, all I want to know is do you need me to be there? He went to California and ministered Jesus to this brother.
Listen! Today it is the exception not the rule to minister in that way. Today we read articles that are published attacking ministries, attacking the body, attacking these liberals, or whatever person dares differ with their own most holy view.
Matthew 18 and its go first to your brother alone in hopes of restoration is a thing of the past.
Yet this man, this Samaritan Gave of himself to this wounded man.
What are you giving of yourself to help the wounded? Do you know anyone who is wounded? Have you wounded them? Has someone else? What are you doing to bind wounds?
The next thing we note is that he not only gave of his heart and of himself, He gave of his time. Look at verse 34-35: and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
Do you see what this business man had to do to really nurture the wounded? Did you notice that his pressing business (or busyness) stopped in the face of real compassion? He devoted time (not to mention personal risk from the same robbers). He went out of his WAY to meet the need. He stayed with this man all night!
I confess that the busyness of life has too frequently stopped me from taking the time to bind up the wounded. I confess that I have let the tasks I perceive that God gave me get in the way of what God really wanted me to do.
Oh don't be too hard on me. Your busyness is just the same as mine and it is why we are a broken and bleeding group. Few really drop their OWN business to minister to the wounds of others. We are quick to bleed if WE are hurt and withdraw to our seclusion, but slow to mend others. I know that many say well the pastors... Get off that, God deals with us don't you worry...you , the saints are to be just as involved as we are.
Give of your time to nurture . Not in church as we know it, but along the way like this man, that's where real nurture takes place.
So he gave of his heart, of himself and of his time. But that's not all, note in v 35 he also gave of his substance to speed healing. when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever you spend more, when I come again, I will repay you.
After seeing to the immediate needs of this man, the Samaritan saw to his ongoing needs, he made sure that other people carried the burden too, he made the need known and at HIS own expense hired someone to care for this man until he returned.
God isn't saying forget your duties and business, in fact Paul said in Phil 3 Look not every man only on his own business, but look also on the needs of others... recognizing that ones own business is a viable thing, a needed chore. But also remembering that people are Gods priority.
It is OK to get aid, Ok to find others to properly care for the wounded. But this man personally saw to it that there was accountability in that care.
I will be back, he said. I am going to check in and see how the man's wounds are doing. I will settle up with you then.
He spent his own money to fix this man up. His money was a tool of compassion and not a tool of greed. His money was an ends to a means not an end in itself.
Listen people, some of you have been very generous with the money God has entrusted you with. You have used it to meet needs and help the wounded along the way, you will never ever regret that in eternity.
Also note the concern in this man for ongoing care.. when I come again, I will repay you. He wasn't going to make a token visit, he was going to keep checking up!
Lets apply this. Lets ask some probing questions.
The Samaritan gave of his heart: How is your compassion level?
When was the last time your guts were wrenched for anyone else's need?
Seriously, when you hear that someone has sinned, or stumbled, what is your feeling? Do you feel sad that they are hurting? Do you feel like going out of our way to reach out to them? If not then ask God to begin to break your heart for the needs of others.
Secondly he gave of Himself : He took action , he took whatever action was needed to (notice ) BIND UP WOUNDS That is a process that has to be done with care. What are you doing to bind wounds? Are you taking the time to apply the healing words, actions to any situation?
Recall the proper tools are given in Paul's letter to Timothy The scripture is profitable for reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness. Are you applying them lovingly to a situation? Are your words seasoned with the sweetness of Gods love?
Also we recall that He gave of his time : What a precious commodity in a busy world. It is the chief excuse for not caring for one another I am just too busy. This man set aside all his business affairs for a stranger. We need to be prepared to let our schedule be violated for a brother for sure. Who owns your time? God? Really? Hmmm!
Then recall He gave of His substance. We need to once more look to the world I am afraid, Pagans raise tons of money to help those in need, Now I thank God that many saints do the same, but personally let us look and see if we would give to a poor person, or if we would feel violated if a panhandler hit us up for money.
We are the beggars who found bread that God has left here to show other beggars where to find bread.
How are we doing? How are YOU doing?
Are you really any where near as nurturing of the wounded as this sinner was?
I close with this letter which came from the internet. It may or may not be true, but it's message is right on.
I am a mother of three (ages 14, 12, 3) and have recently completed my college degree.
The last class I had to take was Sociology. The teacher was absolutely inspiring with the qualities that I wish every human being had been graced with.
Her last project of the term was called "Smile". The class was asked to go out and smile at three people and document their reaction. I am a very friendly person and always smile at everyone and say hello anyway so, I thought, this would be a piece of cake (literally).
Soon after we were assigned the project, my husband, youngest son, and I went out to McDonald’s one crisp March morning. It was just our way of sharing special play time with our son.
We were standing in line, waiting to be served, when all of a sudden everyone around us began to back away, and then even my husband did. I did not move an inch. An overwhelming
feeling of panic welled up inside of me as I turned to see why they had moved.
As I turned around I smelled a horrible "dirty body" smell, and there standing behind me were two poor homeless men.
As I looked down at the short gentleman, close to me, he was "smiling" His beautiful sky blue eyes were full of God's Light as he searched for acceptance.
He said, "Good day" as he counted the few coins he had been clutching. The second man fumbled with his hands as he stood behind his friend. I realized the second man was mentally deficient and the blue eyed gentle man was his salvation. I held my tears as I stood there with them.
The young lady at the counter asked him what they wanted. He said, "Coffee is all Miss " because that was all they could afford (to sit in the restaurant and warm up they had to buy something...they just wanted to be warm).
Then I really felt it, the compulsion was so great I almost reached out and embraced the little man with the blue eyes. That is when I noticed all eyes in the restaurant were set on me, judging my every action.
I smiled and asked the young lady behind the counter to give me two more breakfast meals on a separate tray. I then walked around the corner to the table that the men had chosen as a resting spot.
I put the tray on the table and laid my hand on the blue eyed gentleman's cold hand. He looked up at me, with tears in his eyes, and said, "Thank you".
I leaned over, began to pat his hand and said, "I did not do this for you, God is here working through me to give you hope".
To whom is God working through you to bring restoration? hope?
You think about that...Amen.
8 "We Are the World" is a song and charity single originally recorded by the supergroup USA for Africa in 1985. It was written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, and produced by Quincy Jones and Michael Omartian for the album We Are the World.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
The purpose for broken people.
In Romans 12, we see the handling and treatment of difficult people, of those who have hurt us, and our response to them. But this little side road on cracked pots letting out the light has developed into a bit of a longer detour than I first intended. We will get back to Romans in time, but let’s enjoy the scenery along the way and maybe pick up a few thoughts on why we are broken.
2 Corinthians 1 1Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia: 2Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. 3Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; 4Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. 5For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.6And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.7And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.
It is important to note that God is the God of all comfort: But knowing that we still ask :That is all well and good, God is a God of all comfort, but why? Why does it have to be like this? Why am I going through this? Why has God chosen me? The question we are asking today is: Is there a plan and is there a purpose in my pain, in my affliction
Note Paul has suffered, so have you. Suffering is part of the curse left by sin.
One common misconception about suffering is this: “if you are spiritual you will never be confused, never get in a tizzy, you'll never shed a tear, you'll never buckle under pressure. In life you will always have success.”
Forget that, this is absolute nonsense! The greatest men in the Bible were men that at times were greatly perplexed, in great distress, great tribulation, some of them in great depression. Charles Spurgeon prayed that God would never put on you what God put on him in his life! Don't think that because you're going through trouble, that in some way God is punishing you - that might be the case, but it's not always the case.
Another common misconception is that life should be easy and have no hardships, But That’s not life, is it.Now the sooner, as believers, we grab hold of that the better. For some of us live in a dream world where nothing goes wrong and we don't expect any trouble.
If you turn to chapter 11 of 2 Corinthians, we see that life was not like that for Paul. He was beaten, he was whipped, he was put in prison, he was out on the ocean in shipwreck, he was despised, told lies about, he was chased by false prophets - men swore upon their own lives in fasting that they would kill him before they would eat. Life is not easy, there was never ever a promise that it would be so. So forget about those two things, put them to death now - one: that you're unspiritual if you suffer and if you're perplexed, and two: that life ought to be a breeze
Now God allows things into our lives..I don’t know why. BUT God knows why. Several things suggested by this passage.
We said God is the God of all comfort and the Father of mercies.When dark,you have to trust that. Believe there is a purpose, Thank God for the purpose and praise him .
Asaph is the Psalmist who wrote
Psalm 57 1Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast 2I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me. 3He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth. 4My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword. 5Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; let thy glory be above all the earth.6They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down: they have digged a pit before me, into the midst whereof they are fallen themselves. Selah. 7My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise. 8Awake up, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early.9I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: I will sing unto thee among the nations.10For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds. 11Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: let thy glory be above all the earth.
He is in difficulty and IN THE MIDDLE OF IT, verse 7 he makes a decision: I am in a pit BUT I am determined to sing and give praise. THAT is the realization that God is on this. see, he says awake my glory, get stirred up inside me ,my soul. Have faith. Is that easy? NO, but it is essential to your growth (impossible to pleas him w.o faith) God wants to be trusted.
This is where the rubber meets the road - and this is where I fail so much in my life. God loves to be trusted'. God loves to be trusted! Do you trust Him? I mean, do you really trust Him? The One who says the hairs of your head are numbered when you read the Gospels - In George Mueller's biography the writer A.T. Pierson quotes the Gospel writers emphasis on God's care for us in our trials. He says that it speaks of the odd sparrow, do you remember the odd sparrow? If you look to Matthew 10 you will find that it records there that two sparrows are sold for a farthing, two sparrows for one farthing. Now if you go to Luke chapter 12, you find there that five sparrows are sold for two farthings. Now why is that? Well, it would appear that when the man was buying four sparrows that the man who was selling threw in an extra sparrow for nothing - have you got that? In other words that fifth sparrow, that odd sparrow, was of little value and so worthless that it was able to be given away with the other four. Yet God says through the Lord Jesus, even that one sparrow is not worth being taken into the account of that man's deal, but God cares for it! God cares for what the world thinks is worthless and hopeless - to Him it's priceless. Not one of them, He says, will be forgotten. Not one of them will fall to the ground without God knowing it - and what a force, when the Lord illustrates it like that, and then He comes to His children and says: 'Fear ye not therefore, for ye are of more value than many sparrows'.
But , back to 2 Cor. not only that we may trust God, believe he has a plan and purpose: Also that we may pass along the comfort we have gotten from the Lord.
I have often stated that if I have a diagnosis of Lymphoma, the first person I am going to talk to is Jim. Why? He has walked there, he understands, he has been through things and can help me.
In our trials and troubles we can shine a light of confidence in God (that grows by the way) I remember Carmen, trusting God through her cancer. She was growing..(told her daughter-in-law “I’m not exactly thrilled over this you know ). Steve Brown stated once that when a pagan gets cancer God lets a believer get it so the world can see the difference. I am not sure that's good theology, but IT OUGHT to shine out in practice.
And when we suffer and grow in understanding and hope,then suddenly there is another person in our lives and we can come along side them in their distress.
I got this e-mail this week and it seemed appropriate.
Come with me to a third grade classroom....... There is a nine-year-old kid sitting at his desk and all of a sudden, there is a puddle between his feet and the front of his pants are wet.. He thinks his heart is going to stop because he cannot possibly imagine how this has happened. It's never happened before, and he knows that when the boys find out he will never hear the end of it. When the girls find out, they'll never speak to him again as long as he lives...
The boy believes his heart is going to stop; he puts his head down and prays this prayer, 'Dear God, this is an emergency! I need help now! Five minutes from now I'm dead meat.'
He looks up from his prayer and here comes the teacher with a look in her eyes that says he has been discovered.
As the teacher is walking toward him, a classmate named Susie is carrying a goldfish bowl that is filled with water. Susie trips in front of the teacher and inexplicably dumps the bowl of water in the boy's lap.
The boy pretends to be angry, but all the while is saying to himself, 'Thank you, Lord! Thank you, Lord!'
Now all of a sudden, instead of being the object of ridicule, the boy is the object of sympathy. The teacher rushes him downstairs and gives him gym shorts to put on while his pants dry out. All the other children are on their hands and knees cleaning up around his desk. The sympathy is wonderful . But as life would have it, the ridicule that should have been his has been transferred to someone else - Susie.
She tries to help, but they tell her to get out. You've done enough, you klutz!'
Finally, at the end of the day, as they are waiting for the bus, the boy walks over to Susie and whispers, 'You did that on purpose, didn't you?' Susie whispers back, 'I wet my pants once too..'
This girl had the right heart. She had God’s heart in the matter and we need it too.
"For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope." Rom 15:4
The shouting from the boat
This is a sermon from my archives, I bring it out again with purpose today. I want to talk about FAITH today, faith both in and out of the boat, faith that holds Peter up as well as faith that upholds Peter.
Matt. 14: 22 -33 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side, while he dispersed the crowds. And after he sent the crowds away, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone.
Meanwhile the boat, already far from land, was taking a beating from the waves because the wind was contrary or against it.
As the night was ending, Jesus came to them walking on the sea.
When the disciples saw him walking on the water they were terrified and said, "It's a ghost!" and cried out with fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them: "Have courage! It is I. Do not be afraid."
Peter said to him, "Lord, if it is you, order me to come to you on the water."
So he said, "Come." Peter got out of the boat, walked on the water, and came toward Jesus.
But when he saw the wind boisterous he became afraid. And starting to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!"
Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?" When they went up into the boat, the wind ceased. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."
Once again we find ourselves not really understanding, not really being in the mind set of these people. We somehow have a "storybook" larger than life idea about these plain old average men, the disciples of Jesus. People just like you and me.
We really think that they were just a little taken back by what they saw... But lets put ourselves in their sandals just a moment and see what life would have been like if WE were there.
Look at v. 24 My old King James makes this poetic and calm saying ." The wind was contrary"
Don't you get a picture of a naughty little breeze playing tag across the surface of the gentle water? Well honey, guess again. What that word means is "these suckers were sailing against the wind.. (I sang a line from that old song here)
So right off things aren't ideal, right off they are bucking a stacked deck... all they want is to rest and they have to fight this wind that won't co operate....and a little further down we see that the wind was also "boisterous". That means it was violent, strong... its the same word we use to say a strong, mighty man. So this isn't just a playful breeze here.. its hard going and they are just like you and I and do not love hard going...so here they are struggling and trying awful hard not to lose patience with each other... well, probably not awful hard if you know these disciples... and suddenly the work stops NOW.
I mean everyone just freezes in place and not a tack line or rudder is touched...and you know why already but you don't understand the cold chill of fear that froze these men in their tracks.. not unless you have ever been out at night with friends far from anything and have started talking about vampires and wondering if the really do exist and then from the old stone barn across the barely moonlit field you see a huge bat gliding towards you then you have some idea of what these guys were feeling.. and in a boat you can't put in B for boogie... so you just freeze, and maybe the water in your immediate vicinity gets slightly warmer for a second or two.
These guys had just seen Jesus turn a few loaves and fish into a mega-meal that fed over 5000 people. They had handed out the grub and were blessed with twelve baskets full left over...12 baskets full? How many disciples? 12 right? you see already Jesus is saying to them... I am not only the provider to the masses who come to see me.. I am provider to those who come and serve me.
But now, the guys are out of sight of Jesus, they can't see Him that is, He of course knows their whereabouts and as we will see He is never too far away to answer our cries of need. They really did see something, it was terrifying.. Once more the poetic language softens the blow," 26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.
I looked up that word in the Greek too... it says,"to strike ones spirit with fear and dread"
These guys were scared and they cried out for FEAR, that is phobos...terror, or dread... this is no picnic, it makes Stephen King look like Momma goose... this is real and its now and then this ghost speaks: V.27 "Have courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.".
Now is where the real fun begins: Now the bold brassy brave blustery boy Apostle steps forth... still a little on the nervous side and says," "Lord, if it is you, order me to come to you on the water." (Same test as Thomas but we call him doubting T)
If you or I were one of the twelve, what would we be thinking about now? NO I don't mean the retrospective Sunday school answer, I mean honestly, when someone else stands and faces the fear and looks toward Christ and dares grasp the plan of God, the vision of what God can do, wants to do, what would you be thinking?
I guess our feelings would differ depending on our relationship with Jesus at the moment...trusting John might be saying , whew, it must be Jesus... Thomas might be saying, Peter you fool, don't talk to it, you have no idea what it is. Matthew might just be sitting stunned like most of the rest...Judas, just stuffed the money bag under a seat tied to His PFD so it and he would not drown.
I really don't know, but possibly some of them may have been a little peeved with Peter, or maybe ashamed that they didn't say it? Who knows... but remember they are just like us, and Peter is entering a difficult walk of faith... and though he and they may not know it, what they do and say does matter very much.
Now Jesus calls," Peter Bar Jonas, Come on Down" Now the test of faith begins... we talk a lot about the beginning of testing and the end of trials, but we don't talk a lot about the middle of trials...we need to... we need to so we know how to help others walk as well as walk ourselves.
What is needed in our trials is what Peter needed in this walk of faith...endurance, the strength not to sit down and turn away but to walk.. Peter started well, He had faith...didn't need new faith, only needed to use the faith that he had... its like muscles...we all have the same amount of muscles but for some reason I look a lot different than Vin Diesel Its exercise of those muscles that makes the difference. So Peter starts out exercising his faith. That's what you need to do too-exercise the faith you have not wait for some "new faith"or some new zap from God. But faith will never grow ,apart from endurance.
There's no such thing as instant faith or instant endurance... we shrink when we are immobile. So good old Peter exercises His faith. HOW? By stepping out firmly on the water. That's how faith gets to be real you know, when it turns into action. Other than that its only theory, useless.
You say you believe the bible?
It is revealed PROPOSITIONAL TRUTH.
Meant to be acted upon
Lets go back into the boat, the very quiet boat for a minute... what do think they are thinking as bold, Peter steps out? "Hmmmmph, it'll serve the turkey right if he sinks" or "who duz he think he is?" or perhaps, "Man, if my name meant 'rock', I don't think I'd try to walk on water."
Remember, they are just like us and we get attitudes, don't we.
Now lets speculate as to what is going on, or might be if we were in that boat watching Peter try to do something that was innovative and new and different and risky.
Now I think that the first guy into action would be dear doubting Thomas, planting a seed in Peters mind as he called out "Peter, don't be a fool, you can't walk on water, that's not Jesus calling you, its your own over inflated sense of importance, you can't do it, you'll fail"
I think so because whenever anyone steps out and tries to follow God's call to come closer to Him, that is quite often the reaction they get too. "You'll never make it, you can't do it, are you really sure its God, I think you just want to go have a good time or be famous"
Then there is always the Judas, the keeper of the purse, I think maybe you'd hear him calling out to Peter,"Peter, you won't make it, consider the odds, water doesn't hold people up, it never has and never will."
Like Judas, many of us are troubled with what one writer (Jack Miller in Outgrowing the Ingrown Church)calls,"Spiritual tunnel vision" we have to see the visible means of support, and can't seem to stretch out in faith that God provides when God guides."
I'm sure dear Andrew was concerned as Peter walked out of the boat,"Peter, please don't make a fool of yourself, he would say half aloud, but maybe our friend Andrew would hold his tongue and see, after all, HE had just handed out a ton of loaves and fishes.
I don't know who said,"We ain't never done it that way before", but I guarantee you in a group of Christians someone did.
And I can't imagine who said,"What will people think" but rest assured that old show stopper was around then too.
I speculate on all this, of course, but it is because of what happened next.
v. 30 But when he saw the wind boisterous he became afraid. And starting to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!"
Peter saw the wind... did you ever see the wind ? Peter did. Perhaps it was his natural inclination to look away from Jesus, but as we speculated, the cat calls from brothers could have had a lot to do with it. You see, Jesus wants us to uphold each other and support each other and just like those guys, we let each other down.
What would have happened if instead of saying it couldn't be done, and dragging Peter down so he sank like a rock there had been a different kind of chatter in that boat? What if Andrew had been shouting"Go brother, go for it, yes, keep your eyes on him".
What if Philip had been just as loud saying,"Remember the loaves and fishes Peter, He will keep you up, trust HIM."
What if The doubter had said,"Yes Peter, I am with you and your faith inspires me to believe" and what if the old and worn"we ain't never done it that way before" became" Wow, Peter, you are breaking new ground for the body, go for it."
And what if "what will people think" became "WOW wait'll they hear this babe."
What the body of Christ needs in this "boisterous" sea we live in is some cheer leaders. What your pastor and his bride need, what the church leadership needs, WHAT you all as the body of Christ need at this bold moment in this assembly is this: Cheerleaders who are hollering twice as loud as the world.
We are embarking on a project so big that it may seem foolish to some. We are seeing some of our people step out of the boat and walk toward Jesus on the water in an attempt to replicate his feeding of the 5000 just past. My dear friends, we need to really consider what out task is in regard to this monumental task.
You need to be saying things to each other like" we are here behind you, go for it, Keep your eyes on Jesus uphold righteousness ....and we need to be letting them hear it. We need the faith to be innovative and use what God has given us, jump out of the old shaking, wind tossed boat and step out in faith, exercise the little faith we have and go for it.
And we who will step out, need cheerleaders to lift us up, not anchors to drag us down. We need supporters, we need each other to help us keep our eyes focused on Jesus.
We need to quit putting our own self interests first and meet the needs of others, by praying instead of watching TV, by being holy instead of caving into pressures. BY daring to step out and say, " I belong to the king, and I will not be defiled with the things of earth."
Yes Steve, but what if we do that and it goes sour? What if our mission doesn’t reach it’s goals? What if we fall? what if what if what if... Look at vss 31 -33
Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?" When they went up into the boat, the wind ceased.
Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."
LISTEN!! LISTEN !!!
EVEN when Peter listened to his doubts and fears, Jesus never failed. Even when he was trapped into feeling that Jesus wasn't enough, Jesus never failed.
Even if your friends turn away, Jesus never fails, even if your mission falters, Jesus never fails, even if you are thought of as too venturesome Jesus never fails.
Get the message? Jesus had a 40 foot arm right? I mean he immediately stretched forth His hand and caught him. No It doesn't mean that Jesus has a 40 foot arm, IT Just means that no matter how far away you think HE is, HE is never far at all.
And you know what? Look at verse 33: They that were in the boat.... did what? WORSHIPPED JESUS.
Do you think that God only gets glory from your successes? Then you are wrong. God gets glory from your failures if he so desires. He just did with Peter. Why? Because Peter stepped out and if you step out the world can watch as Jesus catches you... ...have you? Have you dared to step out? Or are you just content to sit in the boat and rock it once in a while? (row or rock)
Are you still seeing the storm and the ghost? Or are you standing up on the edge hollering,"GO FOR IT PETER BABY, YOU CAN YOU CAN YOU CAN.(as Peter did with wife)
I am going to close in a minute, As your pastor I see the Feed My Starving Children venture as WAY beyond me, But I am not going to listen to people in the boat who are drag anchors any more. We are going to see more people struggling with life issues, more people stepping out to work on short term missions. How will you respond?
Kathryn, Kendra, well done. Kiki, We are PUMPED! We need to encourage and get a little of the fire that burns in our mission returnees. The have entered raw bold reality, by walking on the water to Jesus and not sitting in the boat all soggy and trying to dampen everyone else.
When did our commitment to Jesus get so laid back as not to be visible?
We are all foreign missionaries, we are strangers and aliens , we are not of this world. We are called to carry a simple message, beggars remember? Beggars who have been called to show other beggars where to find bread! Jesus loves you and wants you to have a great forever.
We have people from our church involved in short term mission outreach, encourage them.
Places like Japan,and Zambia and Haiti.
We have people working in summer camps this year. Cheer them on. Go for it Katie, Jay, Ben, Zach and Kendra. Go with GOD’S strength.
We have people attempting the impossible to feed the starving of the world and the hungry of Maine.... do not let them forget that it is GOD who calls
People, you are either a cheer leader for Jesus or a part of the problem which is it?
I can do all things through Christ who Strengthens me
I can do all things through Christ who Strengthens me
I can do all things through Christ who Strengthens me
I can do ALL things through Christ who Strengthens me
I can do ALL things through Christ who Strengthens me
I can do ALL things through Christ who Strengthens me
It is God who works in us both to will and to do his good pleasure.
Folks get out the pom-poms, start writing those encouraging notes and collecting pictures of dead presidents and let us be the cheerleaders that might JUST have kept Peter afloat. That just MAY keep those attempting such a faith walk to keep their eyes on Jesus as well.
remember to tell them:
You can do ALL things through Christ who Strengthens you.
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