Evening Service for 3/22/2009
(Mat 5:6 NIV) Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Introduction:
Imagine that you’re in a boat and the autopilot is set for east, but you want to change directions and go west. You take hold of the wheel, and you push and pull with all your might. Finally you manage to force the boat west. As long as you hold that wheel steady by your strength, the boat keeps going west; but soon, you get tired of fighting against the boat’s inclination, and you finally let go of the wheel. Now, you’re heading east- because that’s the direction the boat is programmed to go. But you still want to go west, so you muster up your willpower again, grab the steering wheel, and force the boat west. Yet the whole time you have to struggle and fight because you’re going against the preprogrammed inclination of the boat. So again you give out and...
WBTU:
A. That’s how it is when we try to fight against our own internal autopilot. By our own willpower, we try to force new behavior. We try and try, but soon we get tired… and we let go. We go off the diet, get involved in another unhealthy relationship, start smoking again, go back to gambling, etc. We go back to the way we have always acted.
B. If we want to change, the only way, the only solution is to reprogram the autopilot.
C. We have been working our way through the beatitudes via Celebrate Recovery.
D. Blessed are the poor in spirit- we need to admit that we need help
E. Blessed are those who mourn- we need to accept God’s offer of help
F. Blessed are the meek- we need to overcome our reluctance to rely upon ourselves.
G. Blessed are the pure in heart- we have come clean about our hurts, hang ups and habits to God and to others.
H. Now, we come to the transformation choice. We are ready to submit to God and allow Him to change us. Blessed are those who hunger. Have a desire to change, have a desire to do God’s will and have His way in us.
I. (Rom 12:1 NIV) Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship.(Rom 12:2 NIV) Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.
J. Is renewing our mind easy? Will the changes be easy? Will they happen overnight? Of course not. The promise of this beatitude is that when our greatest desire is to do what God requires, we will be happy.
K. God loves us so many he does not want to leave us the way we are.
Thesis: Cooperate with God in His process of changing us.
For instances:
I. Where do our character defects come from?
1. Our chromosomes
A. Our mother and father contributed 23,000 chromosomes to our development. From our parents we inherited some of their strengths and some of their weaknesses. Many positive and negative things. Maybe inherited some physical defects, as well as some emotional defects. This explains our predisposition toward certain problems.
B. Drive in our day to say that homosexuals are born that way. Only partly true- they may have a predisposition toward this but no one forces them to go down that path. God doesn’t make junk. Because of the fall, all of us have something that is a weakness for us. We could say the same things about alcoholics. This explains why whole families have the same problems. If your great great grandfather had problems with liquor, if your grandfather had the same problem, if your father had the same problem, then there is a high chance that you will have the same problem. Look at families and some don’t go down that path.
D. We have a tendency for a hot temper, but that does not give us an excuse to go out and punch somebody. We may have a tendency toward certain addictions, but that doesn’t give us an excuse.
E. This provides us with some understanding of our weaknesses but not excuses.
2. Our circumstances
A. How we were raised, what we saw when growing up, even our current circumstances, contribute to our character. Learn much from watching others.
B. Much of this from childhood was attempts to protect ourselves, to handle hurt and rejection, and to cope.
C. Much of our current character defects are attempts to satisfy unmet needs. Respect- if we don’t get it one way we will get it in another. Love- if we don’t get it in the right way we will get it in the wrong way. Security- if we don’t get it in God we might get it in the accumulation of possessions.
3. Our choices
A. These are the things we can do something about. We can change choices.
B. Do something negative long enough it becomes a habit.
C. Our choices may have been influenced by our chromosomes or our circumstances, but ultimately we are responsible for the choices we make.
II. Why does it take so long to get rid of our character defects?
1. Because we’ve had them for so long. This is familiar and we don’t like getting rid of something familiar. They’re comfortable like an old pair of shoes.
2. Because we confuse our defects with our identity. “I’m nervous when I get on planes.” What’s going to happen the next time I get on a plane? Self fulfilling prophecies. “This is just the way I am.” We should not let our hurts, hang ups and habits define who we are.
3. Because every defect has a payoff. Take a pill, temporary relief from pain. It gives us something that delivers what we feel we need.
4. Because Satan discourages our efforts to change.
A. (John 8:44 NIV) You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
B. (John 8:32 NIV) Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
III. How do we cooperate with God’s Change Process?
1. Focus on changing one defect at a time. (Prov 17:24 NIV) A discerning man keeps wisdom in view, but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth.
2. Focus on victory one day at a time.
A. (Mat 6:11) Give us today our daily bread.
B. How do we eat an elephant? One bite at a time. “Life by the yard is hard, but by the inch, it’s a cinch.”
C. (Phil 4:6 NIV) Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (Phil 4:7 NIV) And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
3. Focus on God’s power, not your willpower.
A. Do you remember New Year’s Resolutions? How many have done them?
B. (Jer 13:23 NIV) Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil.
C. (Phil 4:13 NIV) I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
4. Focus on the good things, not the bad
A. (Phil 4:8 NIV) Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.
B. Study and read God’s Word.
C. Every time we think a thought- positive or negative- it sends an electric impulse across our brains, and that impulse creates a path. Every time we think the same thought, the path gets deeper and reinforces that brain pattern. Some of us have negative ruts in our minds. But we can also create positive pathways in our mind. The only way to replace the negative ruts is to think God’s Word over and over.
5. Focus on doing good, not feeling good. (Gal 5:16 NIV) So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.
6. Focus on people who help, not hinder you
A. (1 Cor 15:33) Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character."
B. (Eccl 4:9 NIV) Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work :( Eccl 4:10 NIV) If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! (Eccl 4:11 NIV) Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? (Eccl 4:12 NIV) Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
7. Focus on progress, not perfection. (Phil 1:6 NIV) being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
