40 days- 2nd message
God’s Plan, not mine
Matthew 22: 35 Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” 37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
As we complete this first week of prayer for revitalization, you might find yourself in one of three camps; either you completed the week of devotions, today being the last this week, or you didn’t, or you partially did. If you did, I hope you were blessed, and maybe gained some insight into yourself, our church, and God’s will.
If you didn’t do the devotionals this week because you didn’t get a book, please grab one today. We’ll be on week two if you want to be with us doing the devotionals at the same time as the rest of us.
If you got partially done, and maybe that discouraged you. You might have said, I’ve already messed it up, what’s the point in trying. Let me remind you of something I was told one time about a daily Bible reading plans.
Most of you who have started a daily Bible reading plan of some sort, the kind where you read the Bible through in one year, at some point you probably got behind, and discouraged. But let me say to you, about that devotional what someone said to me about daily Bible reading; the point behind daily Bible reading is not to get through the Bible, but to get the Bible through you.
And the point of this 40-day devotional is not to get through it in 40 days, but to get its truths through you. So don’t get discouraged, just pick up where you left off, and read the Word and prayer with that goal in mind.
When I looked at this week’s devotionals, I decided the theme for this week was relationships. We have to have our priorities straight, right, resolved, settled, our relationships synchronized correctly in order to see revitalization in our church. And there are three relationships that I need to get right; with God, with others with myself.
This is the “Me third” agenda.-placards- Or JOY; Jesus, Others, Yourself
Haddon Robinson points out that one old recipe for rabbit started out with this injunction: "First catch the rabbit." Says Robinson: "The writer knew how to put first things first. That's what we do when we establish priorities -- we put the things that should be in first place in their proper order.
Church priorities
You have to have your priorities straight. The world has these priorities exactly backwards. Each individual puts themselves first, others second, (especially those who are dear to me) and Jesus is last, if He appears in the list at all.
But, if we are going about the business of seeking new life for our church, that life will only come from God, so we have to have the priorities in order according to His will.
We’ve got to get first things first.
One at a time-devotionals
prayer
I. Relationship with God
There are really two things we need to check to determine if we are in right relationship to God. In everything we do, first, are we walking by the empowering and guidance of His Holy Spirit. And number two, everything you do, are we doing it for God’s glory. If we are walking by the Spirit, the actions will be right, taking steps that Spirit directs directs you, if it is for God’s glory the motive will be right.
If you’ve got actions and motives correct-you got it all.
A. Walk in the Spirit
Ephesians 5: 18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,
3 things; mind, attitude and actions
What does walking by the Spirit mean? Let me point out some Scripture passages.
Mind
Romans 8:5 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.
Your mind is set, it begins in the mind.
Ephesians 4: Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
That’s partially why we are doing this prayer guide.
This means that prayer is not bending God's arm to give us what we want. Prayer is the means whereby the Christian aligns his/her will to the will of God. Prayer is not asking God to move towards us as much as it is asking God to move us towards Him.
attitudes
Galatians 5:22-25 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 [a]gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Actions
Walking in the Spirit is setting your mind on the things of the Spirit, attitudes, actions, setting aside the things of the flesh. Allowing the fruit of the Spirit; love, joy, and peace to be our persona.
Do you want one word for all of that? Obedience, do you want three words? Trust and obey.
When we start talking about walking in the Spirit, sometimes we get the idea that the Spirit’s work in us is associated with some experience. Feeling- Walking in the Spirit means seeking some feeling of closeness to God. “I felt the Spirit at work because I got the God goosebumps, the preacher told a story that made me cry and take stock of my life.” The Spirit
I’m not saying that those things don’t happen, or that they are not necessarily associated to the work of the Spirit. But they may not be there. Walking in the Spirit is simpler than that. It is simply seeking God’s will in His Word, and making the choices to obey His Word. Daily, moment by moment, surrendering
The second part of our relationship to God is being obedient, for His glory. You see, it’s possible to follow the Word of God, to be obedient, but to do so with pride in ourselves.
B. All for His glory
For His name’s sake—33 times
1 Samuel 12:20-22 20 Then Samuel said to the people, “Do not fear. You have done all this wickedness; yet do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. 21 And do not turn aside; for then you would go after empty things which cannot profit or deliver, for they are nothing. 22 For the Lord will not forsake His people, for His great name’s sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you His people.
For Your name’s sake, O Lord, Pardon my iniquity, for it is great.
Help us, O God of our salvation, For the glory of Your name; And deliver us, and provide atonement for our sins, For Your name’s sake!
O Lord, though our iniquities testify against us, Do it for Your name’s sake; For our backslidings are many, We have sinned against You.
Daniel 9:18-2018 O my God, incline Your ear and hear; open Your eyes and see our desolations, and the city which is called by Your name; for we do not present our supplications before You because of our righteous deeds, but because of Your great mercies. 19 O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my God, for Your city and Your people are called by Your name.”
“Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name’s sake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went.
I write to you, little children, Because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake.
I looked up all the passages of Scripture with that phrase, “for His name’s sake.” Do you know what I found?
Out of 33, 16 to do with God forgiving for His name’s sake.
Frankly, if you are walking in Spirit-relationship witness to others will be right
II. Relationship to others
2 things; forgiveness, passing the faith
It has long been the temptation of Christians to concentrate exclusively on our relationship to God and forget about people. I’d love my job as a teacher, if it weren’t for the students. We can sit in our homes, read our Bibles and pray, go to church, and have very little to do with anyone else in the world. And it can feel pretty good.
But the Lord didn’t give you His light to hide it under a bushel basket. He didn’t make you the salt of the earth to stay in the shaker. You are meant to light your family, your work, your recreation, the church, and the world.
But sometimes we dampen the light by what we have done in our relationships to other people. And that affects the church. Our relationships affect the life of the church.
1 Peter 3:7Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.
A. In the church
In Ephesians 4:30, it admonishes believers not to “grieve the Holy Spirit.” 1 Thessalonians 5:9 says not to quench the Spirit. Taken together they tell us that when we willfully sin, it is a grief to God’s Spirit, and if it goes unrepentant, it quenches the fire of Holy Spirit power in our life and testimony, and in the life and testimony of the church.
So, what kind of sin are we talking about in Ephesians? Most are sins in relationships.
Ephesians 4:25-32 25 Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another. 26 “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 27 nor give [a]place to the devil. 28 Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. 29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary [b]edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, [c]clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
What’s the point? Grieve the Holy Spirit, relationships. The point is that we can’t see God revitalize a church whose people have unsettled relationship problems; hostility, unforgiveness, bitterness.
B. Outside the church
Making disciples to be disciplers
We have to be faithful –there have been movements—don’t marry or have children-they died out—you can’t be a revitalized—church full of life, if you don’t reproduce
We think we have to be Billy Graham or some event church—we have to be faithful
We have to be disciples who make disciples. Even Jesus and Paul, though their ministries were widespread, their chief work was with a very small group. Jesus and Paul both invested a great deal of time with just three people- Peter, James, and John, Silas, Timothy, Barnabus
Friend asked me to water plants—going on a trip—no problem—I didn’t think about it—1st morning, I pulled up to the house—his son’s car was there—I had forgotten that his adult son still lived there—well, why did he have me watering? Sad commentary—either his son refused, or his son was unreliable.
God has left us a task as a church
2 Timothy 2:1-2 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
III. Relationship to myself
Not self-centeredness. Not love of self
I gave a little tea party this afternoon, at 3. "Twas very small, 3 guests in all - I, myself, and me. Myself ate all the sandwiches while I drank all the tea. "Twas also I who ate the pie and passed the cake to me.
Traditional.
2-sided coin with myself
A. Forfeit my agenda
luke 22:39-46 39 Coming out, He went to the Mount of Olives, as He was accustomed, and His disciples also followed Him. 40 When He came to the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” 41 And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, 42 saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.”
Live life with one eye always on God’s sovereign will-God’s will-God’s plan for Jesus—it involved pain and salvation—but our other eye—this world—we can’t help it.
B. Keep on asking
Matthew 7:7-12 7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
Here Jesus was—God in flesh—He knew the plan of God—yet on the very night He knew he would be arrested still said—if this cup can pass –priorities—God, others, ourselves—a life worth living, a church worth saving
Conclusion
Milt Rood worked for years and years in Spokane as a car salesman. He was also very active with the Union Gospel Mission work with juvenile delinquents. Week by week he'd patiently teach the Word and pray with young boys in trouble. One week Milt went into the Hospital for exploratory surgery. The doctors found he was full of cancer. They sewed him up again and sent him home. He died within a week. After the funeral, Ron Kinley remarked, "It's interesting that at the funeral no one ever asked how many cars he had sold!"
Source Unknown.
When we arrive at the life after this one, if we were to stand before God as a church, nobody is going to ask how big of a building we built, or how big a budget we had.
The only thing that will matter then will be how many people came to salvation to the glory of God. How many people are with us, singing praises to the Lord Jesus Christ for eternity. So our priorities here have to be straight; God, others, ourselves