The Basket Case
introduction: Have you ever met someone that you would call a basket case. They are so distraught that they cannot function. It happens often when someone in the family passes or when you're dealing with someone who is going through some serious health issues. They have difficulty making some of the simplest decisions.
I know there has been times when we have gone through some serious attacks of the enemy when trying to make a decision was impossible and you're lucky if you are able to just get up out of bed and get through your day.
When we look at scriptures we can see many times that people were basket cases. Abraham whenever he would go into a new land would make some serious stupid decisions like telling his wife to tell them that she is his sister.
How about when David chose to flee Israel because his son Absalom chose to come against him. Or even greater when he chose to number how many fighting men 2 Samuel 24 and God’s was serious upset with him and gave him three choices 3 years of running from his enemies, 3 years of famine or 3 days of plague and he chose the 3 days of plague and 70,000 people of Israel were killed until he built an altar and sacrificed a oxen in an act of repentance.
Again we hear the story of the people of Israel after returning to captivity of 70 years still didn’t get that they had sinned and they married foreign wives and began to worship the idols. They were more interested in their own comfort and desires instead of honoring God. Because of that we hear of them repenting, rebuilding the wall and even the temple, but for 500 years God really didn’t have anything to do with Israel again until Jesus comes to earth.
Then men tried their best to come against him because they didn’t want their lives disrupted, nor their authority.
One such man was called Saul. He trained with one of the greatest leaders called Gamaliel. Was being trained to become one of the ruling council, part of the Sanhedrin. He was literally being groomed because he was considered such a prodigy.
However, in Acts 9 we see that everything changed when he had an encounter with Jesus. He tried so desperately to use his knowledge of what he had been taught to argue with the Jews to help them convert to Christianity.
Acts 9:22-25 Saul's preaching became more and more powerful, and the Jews in Damascus couldn't refute his proofs that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. After a while some of the Jews plotted together to kill him. They were watching for him day and night at the city gate so they could murder him, but Saul was told about their plot. So during the night, some of the other believers lowered him in a large basket through an opening in the city wall. NLT
You see even though Paul had a lot of head knowledge and now had God in his heart he had to really be trained to be able to do God’s work.
For three years he went off to Arabia, and then for another 7 years just learning and listening to what his marching orders were going to be. Even though he was qualified more than most to preach to the Jews, God wanted him to be a light to the gentiles. Because he obeyed two thirds of our New Testament is written by Paul.
I want to challenge you this morning to consider your own life and what God has called you to do and what He is calling you to do now.
1. God’s directions may be different than your qualifications.
-Prov 16:1 Mortals make elaborate plans, but God has the last word. Message
-Prov 16:1 We can make our plans, but the final outcome is in God's hands. TLB
-God’s direction His plans always work out if we will seek His direction. In other words, go for it make all the plans you want to do whatever you think best, but in the end if they don’t align up with what God wants it’s going to fail.
-There are many times that God has told me that something is going to happen and I get so excited that I try to help God out as if He needs my help. What usually happens is He’ll bring me back and give me a spanking and then puts on the right trail.
Just because something sounds good doesn’t always mean that is what God wants for your life! listen friends it’s important that we get this because we are not just stumbling ourselves, but we will lead to other’s stumbling as well. Sometime the best thing you can do is keep your mouth shut no matter how much you want to put your two cents worth in. Get out of God’s way He can handle it much better than you or I and if you feel it is from the Lord check and see if it’s scriptural.
2. The secret to success is Christ!
-2 Cor 12:5-6 That experience is something worth bragging about, but I am not going to do it. I am going to boast only about how weak I am and how great God is to use such weakness for his glory. I have plenty to boast about and would be no fool in doing it, but I don't want anyone to think more highly of me than he should from what he can actually see in my life and my message. TLB
-Paul goes on to say that because God didn’t want me to boast He gave me a thorn in the flesh something that would prick his pride.
-Remember last week I shared that word out of Eph 2:8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God. NLT
-Another version says so no one can boast about it. it’s a gift from God.
-A successful file is one that counts on the blessings of God. I was reading in the Evangel last week about a lady that wanted to go to China to be able to build an orphanage. She was approved however, WWII broke out and then was denied. She later though well why can’t God do that right here in the US. So she placed 10 cents and her purse and prayed. Lord you gave me this call so you will have to provide. She went all over the country and eventually was able to buy a house and begin an orphanage for children. It says that many times she would have to travel to Springfield to talk with them and everytime she only had enough to get there without having return bus or train fare. She would go by faith and God would provide. Because she allowed God to use her and she showed christ not herself we now have the Heritage house here in North Texas. To this day they do not take any government assistance, but everything is provided by churches and others that have the burden on their heart. This home is used to help out families that need to get their life back on track and then the kids return back to their home.
Christ is the success story not the the lady, but through her obedience to the call of God in her life and the belief that God will provide she was able to see the vision God gave her come to fruition.
3. The Lost is at the heart of God
-Paul went and preached the Gospel to whomever would listen. When the Jewish people chose to not listen he went to the Gentiles. If men wouldn’t listen he went to the women.
-When Jesus was here in the flesh He never denied access to anyone that truly wanted to get Him. When the disciples tried to keep the children from bothering Jesus He said in Matt. 19 “Let the children come to me.” He went to the Lepers when no one else would touch them, He even noticed a Short man that climbed a tree to see Him.
-That song we sing often “Amazing Grace” He saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now I am found, was blind but now I see.
-Can you remember when you were lost. God sent someone to tell you. When I wanted nothing to do with church, God or those mean Christians God sent a girl to entice me to at least come to church and then I had someone that loved me enough to teach me after I was saved. Even after I left God God and went on my own way He pursued me.
Conclusion:Friends, there are many people out there that God is pursuing that He wants here in this church.
You personally have to decide are you going to be use of God and allow Him to be seen so keenly in you that you're willing to reach out when He tells you or are you going to be a stumbling block and place obstacles in the way for them to know who He is.
That obstacle can be your attitude. Could be a religious spirit. It can be a holier than thou spirit. if so I pray that God will send something to prick you like He did with Paul so that you will not have pride, but a humble heart. Too many people are going to hell because we choose not to obey God and be His vessels of Grace and His doorway to seeing Jesus.
