HoHum:
There is the story of a woman who was a school teacher for 25 years. When she heard about a job that would mean a promotion, she applied for the position. However, someone who has been teaching for only one year was hired instead. She went to the principal and asked why. The principal responded, “I’m sorry, but you haven’t had 25 years of experience as you claim: you’ve had only one year’s experience 25 times.” During that whole time the teacher had not improved from her first year of teaching.
WBTU and Thesis:
Steven Covey wrote a book entitled, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. I want to use a play of words and entitle these two messages, 7 Habits of Highly Ineffective People. Share 3 of them tonight and 4 of them next Sunday night
For instances:
Highly Ineffective People are Not Good Time Mangers
“Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” James 4:14, NIV. We need to make the most effective and efficient use of that mist that we can.
“Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.” Ephesians 5:15-17, NIV.
We can be more effective and efficient by doing 4 simple things:
1. Prioritize- What is important? Keep the main thing the main thing The Great Commandment
2. Plan our time- What should I do today to reach important goals? Map out the week and at least have a plan for every day.
3. Eliminate- Decide what to do and do it. Decide what not to do and don’t do it. Need to focus on a few things and do them well. Cannot do a great job doing many things.
4. Steal an hour a day- An hour of service, making friends, pray and read the Bible. Stealing an hour a day to do these things means we have an extra month. Pay mortgage every week have an extra month a year.
Television, internet, anything to procrastinate, need I say more.
Highly Ineffective People have a losing attitude
This will fail. Of course it will if we have that attitude. A man named Victor Frankl, a Jewish psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor, discovered this great truth in the midst of a Jewish concentration camp during WW II. While seeking to survive the horror of this imprisonment Frankl began observing his fellow prisoners in the hope of discovering what coping mechanism would help him endure this horrendous existence. What Frankl discovered was this... Those individuals who could not accept what was happening to them, who could not make their present suffering fit with their faith, who could not find it’s meaning in their world view...they despaired, lost hope, and eventually gave up and died. But those individuals that could find a meaning from their faith, were then able to find hope for a future beyond their present suffering, and so could accept what they were enduring as a part of their existence, and they tended to be survivors. Frankl made this powerful observation: “We who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms -- to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way."
“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:37-39, NIV.
“I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13, NIV.
Two frogs fell into a can of cream- or so I’ve heard it told. The sides of the can were shiny and steep, the cream was deep and cold. “Oh, what’s the use?” said No. 1, “tis fate- no help’s around- Goodbye, my friend! Goodbye, sad world!” And weep still, he drowned. But No. 2 of sterner stuff, dog paddled in surprise. The while he wiped his creamy face and dried his creamy eyes. “I’ll swim awhile, at least,” he said, or so it has been said, “It wouldn’t really help the world if one more frog were dead.” An hour or two he kicked and swam- not once he stopped to mutter, but kicked and swam and swam and kicked, then hopped out, via butter.
Highly Ineffective People Quit Growing
“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 3:18
Churches are full of sleepy saints who are just logging time on God’s clock. Growing old is automatic. Growing up takes discipline, determination, and desire. Really grown through taking one class a semester at Cincinnati Seminary.
Christians were born to grow. We weren’t born to reach a certain level and then get satisfied. We are to continually strive to grow and renew. Nothing worse than a 25 year old baby Christian. Mark McGinnus.
“Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you. Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.” 1 Timothy 4:13-16, NIV. From these verses we find:
Growth takes effort- Devote yourself.
Gifts without growth= ineffectiveness. Do not neglect your gift. Susan Boyle, age 48, of Blackburn, West Lothian, Scotland. REMEMBER HER? She thrilled England and the world when she stood on that stage competing in the Britain’s Got Talent contest on April 11, 2009, and sang, “I Dreamed A Dream.” That was the most watched youtube clip for 2009. In only 9 days it had been watched over 100 million times. Susan Boyle, backward as she may seem to be, has a gift. She is a very talented singer. However, I don’t she started out singing to make money. I think she did it because she loved to sing. She kept improving. She took voice lessons and constantly improved throughout the 90’s the new millenia and before her appearance on the show.
Growth is essential for ourselves. Watch your life and doctrine- save ourself
Growth is essential for others- Save your hearers
Other should notice our growth- Vs. 15, Everyone may see your progress.
“Waiting For God” is a TV show in which residents of a convalesces home are just bidding there time until God takes them away. Is that how it is when we come up out of the baptistry? Are we striving for growth or just waiting for God to take us away?
Forget about the crowds, the size of the school, their fancy uniforms, and remember what got you here. Focus on the fundamentals that we've gone over time and time again. And most important, don't get caught up thinking about winning or losing this game. If you put your effort and concentration into playing to your potential, to be the best that you can be, I don't care what the scoreboard says at the end of the game, in my book, we're gonna be winners.” From the movie Hoosier. These verses remind me of that quote:
“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:12-14, NIV.
"If you would hit the mark, you must aim a little above it; every arrow that flies feels the attraction of earth."
Okay, the motivation is there. What are some things we can do to grow? ABC’s of growth
A= Assembling together. “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:25, NIV. Not just in these gathering, but also in small groups.
B= Bible study- “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,” 1 Peter 2:2, NIV.
C= Continuous prayer- “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” Colossians 4:2, NIV. This will help us to- “Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.” Ephesians 5:17, NIV.
D= Devoted service- “You know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints.” 1 Corinthians 16:15. “ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints” 1 Corinthians 16:15, KJV. Christians stagnate because they think of themselves. Some Christians take so much care of themselves that they become spiritual invalids.
Conclusion and invitation:
Might hear some of these things at a seminar on success in the workplace or in some other area that has nothing to do with Christianity.
Difference is found here. “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.” Romans 12:2, NIV.
“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31, NIV.
