Wednesday September 16, 2020
The purpose of this teaching is to help you be a healthier happier you. Be all you can be, who God created you to be.
I’m going to give you some ingredients of growth that will help you move forward!
IF I WERE TO ASK YOU: How do you get over depression, anxiety, stress, an addiction. What would your answer be?
You have talents and goals but you never seem to be able to reach them.
How do you make that happen when you haven’t been able to?
There’s probably a thousand answers to these questions.
At the end of the next two sessions I want you to go away with a formula, the formula on how to make anything better!
I HATE FORMULA’S but this is one that works and you can depend on it!
It’s a formula you see all through the Bible.
HOWEVER YOU APPROACH IT 3 INGREDIENTS ARE NECESSARY.
Luke 13:6-9- “Then Jesus told this story: “A man planted a fig tree in his garden and came again and again to see if there was any fruit on it, but he was always disappointed. Finally, he said to his gardener, ‘I’ve waited three years, and there hasn’t been a single fig! Cut it down. It’s just taking up space in the garden.’
“The gardener answered, ‘Sir, give it one more chance. Leave it another year, and I’ll give it special attention and plenty of fertilizer. If we get figs next year, fine. If not, then you can cut it down.”
THIS IS ONE OF THOSE PARABLES THAT HELPS ANYTHING THAT GETS STUCK.
Life-long anxiety or stress or depression or problematic relationships, being co-dependent, drug or alcohol addiction.
FIRST LET’S UNDERSTAND A COUPLE OF THINGS WE READ IN THIS PARABLE THAT APPLY TO OUR LIVES.
- BAD TIME- The time we are applying some kind of effort for something to get better and it’s not getting better. It’s a universal thing.
The tree was planted in the vineyard but for (3) years he kept looking for it to get better. He kept looking for the depression to get better. The anxiety to get better. The addiction to get better. The stress to get better. The relationship to get better.
Then we have the most predictable response to failure.
(2) A LEGAL RESPONSE-JUDGEMENT. He judges it. CUT IT DOWN! And when the judge hits the gavel, case over. There’s not a lot of fixing going on in the courtroom.
Paul says we were all born under God’s law. This law of sin. Even people who don’t know the Bible were born under this law of sin.
C.S. Lewis- called it the experience of “oughtness”! I ought to be better, I ought to be doing this.
Then we point at each other and say “you should be this or you shouldn’t do that!
We look at our kids and we say “you ought to do this or you ought to do that! YOU OUGHT TO BE THIS WAY.
We judge each other, we judge our kids and then we judge ourselves.
What is inherent in us as humans is judgement! When we fail or someone else fails and doesn’t meet our expectations WE JUDGE! IT’S LAW!
Paul is clear, about this. THE LAW, THIS JUDGEMENT PRODUCES WRATH!
Romans 4:15- “because the law brings wrath…”
Have you ever been angry at yourself or someone else for not being who they ought to be?
James 1:20- “because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.”
For some this is there number one parenting style. The kid doesn’t meet our expectation then what is our response? Judgement, wrath!
Not to mention our spouse not meeting our expectation! Then we judge and there’s anger, guilt, shame and fear!
THE LAW, OUR JUDGEMENT, MAKES THE PROBLEM INCREASE! IT GETS WORSE!
Notice this tendency within yourself. When you don’t measure up to your own expectation. YOU GO UNDER JUDGEMENT!
YOU ARE STUCK!
The church has given a theological definition to this. What do we call it when someone feels bad about what they’re stuck in? CONVICTION!
Friends that’s not conviction! THAT’S HOW COME I FEEL GUILT, OR SHAME THAT LEADS TO A SPIRITUAL DEATH! I FEEL BAD.
WE MAKE PEOPLE FEEL SHAME. WE MAKE THEM FEEL GUILTY! THAT’S NOT GOD AND THAT’S WHY YOU’RE STILL STUCK!!!!!
MANY CHURCHES HAVE A THREE POINT OUTLINE:
- God’s Good
- You’re bad
- Try Harder
CONCLUSION:
Romans 2:4- “Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?”
2 Corinthians 7:9-10- “Now I’m over-joyed—not because I made you sad, but because your grief led you to a deep repentance. You experienced godly sorrow, and as God intended, it brought about gain for you, not loss, so that no harm has been done by us. God designed us to feel remorse over sin in order to produce repentance that leads to victory. This leaves us with no regrets. But the sorrow of the world works death.”
John 1:14- And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”