Wednesday October 21, 2020
(3) Things about the image of God
- Relational Bond
- Boundaries
(3) God has the capacity to put Good and Bad together at the same time.
But He told Adam and Eve, “Don’t eat from the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil. Stay away from it, that’s a boundary.
Here’s the problem we have with Good and Bad. We were designed to be perfect in a perfect world with perfect people. That’s what we’re made for, originally!
IDEAL
We can all imagine what a perfect me would look like. What a perfect you would look like . What a perfect world would look like.
Romans 8:20-23- “Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us.”
We fell from the ideal state but now we long for that ideal state. BUT NOW WE HAVE
REALITY
It’s imperfect but we need to be working toward the ideal through our union with God. It’s a journey, it’s a process.
There’s a gap between the ideal and the real and it will always be there until that day we are with Him in eternity!
But what do we do the gap between the ideal and the real. What do we do with those imperfections?
WE JUDGE! We get angry, make you feel guilt and shame. We judge ourselves and make ourselves feel guilty.
BUT WHAT DID GOD FIRST DO WITH THE GAP? HE IMPLEMENTED THE LAW. THE LAW SHOWS US THAT WE ARE UNFIXABLE. WE NEED A SAVIOR.
But the Savior didn’t say, “You must rise to the challenge and meet me where I’m at.”
Philippians 2:7-8- “Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.”
Jesus doesn’t ignore where we’re at, instead He meets us where we’re at and wants to heal our imperfections!
Jesus emptied himself and became 100% human. He did’t just sit up there and say “rise to the challenge.” JESUS CAME DOWN TO US!
Hebrews 4:15- “This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin.”
Isaiah 53:3- “He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.”
SO AGAIN JESUS SAYS, “STOP JUDGING, I’M HERE TO HEAL!”
Romans 8:28- “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”
BUT HERE’S WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE MOST IMMATURE PERSONALITIES.
They split good and bad. They either see things as all good or all bad. Therefore that ride a rollercoaster.
They come into the church and it’s the greatest thing in the world. ALL GOOD! Then let something they perceive as wrong happen, like someone doesn’t remember they’re name, now the church is ALL BAD!
They don’t know how to process the good and bad together!
John 16:33- “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
One lady asked a Christian Phycologist in reference to raising children. What is the one thing, if you could only teach one thing, you’d teach your children?”
His response- HOW TO LOSE!
The only difference between winners and losers is the winners LOST WELL.
Someone who doesn’t know how to lose well they carry that loss forward 10,000 times and they never become winners because they can’t metabolize failure.
God spoke to me after our church plant failure- VERY PAINFUL- “Don’t you dare teach your son to be a victim of my will.”
We get to be mature by processing pain in a healthy way!
James 1:2-4- “My fellow believers, when it seems as though you are facing nothing but difficulties see it as an invaluable opportunity to experience the greatest joy that you can! For you know that when your faith is tested it stirs up power within you to endure all things. And then as your endurance grows even stronger it will release perfection into every part of your being until there is nothing missing and nothing lacking.”
THE FIRST STEP IN PROCESSING PAIN:
- Confess the Pain
Agreeing it’s true! Confess our faults!
REMEMBER: This is a hospital not a courtroom! Jesus is here to heal not judge!
We need to be real and authentic about our pain and weaknesses.
Bad things have happened to me and I need to submit to the healing process!
2. Take your Medicine
The Bible, that’s your medicine! This book will bring healing to every wound!
When the Doctor gives you medicine and helps you get better we’re like wow that Doctor is awesome.
That Doctor didn’t create that medicine. The bio-chemist in the lab created that medicine that helped you get well.
But we never want to give the bio-chemist any credit.
God is the bio-chemist behind the words of the Bible that bring healing to your soul!
Mark 11:28-30- “Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”
We just have to apply this scripture to our life!
Psalm 107:20- “He sent out his word and healed them, snatching them from the door of death.”
CONCLUSION: Where are you today when it comes to processing pain! Jesus knows your pain.
His goal is to restore your health and heal your wounds!