INTRO: I was living in Kearney, Nebraska, just graduated from the university with finance degree, Tammy was finishing her degree, and Felicia was around a year old. The doctors, several months earlier, informed us her heart was enlarged and beating too fast because of some heart condition that needed to be fixed or she would not live very long.
The surgery was done in Omaha, the first procedure did work so they tried another. It went well. Tammy would stay in Omaha with her mom visiting Felicia while I drove back to Kearney couple hundred miles to go back to work. I got a call the next night from Tammy in tears saying the procedure failed. The doctors at that point didn’t know what to do.
Getting off the phone, asking God about the situation, and all of sudden peace flooded my heart and mind that it was going to be ok. And it was ok. Felicia did have to go through another surgery a few years afterward to finally fix the problem. God was faithful.
Today: We’re going to look at how to live a blessed or privileged life.
TITLE: Keep the Fire Lit TEXT: Philippians 4:6-8
I. Everyone has had some difficulty (problem, tragedy). This does not matter if you’re a believer or not. Bad circumstances happen to everyone because we live in a broken world. Bad things happen to good people as well as bad things happen to bad people.
A. The key – am I going to be blessed through it and after it.
1. Many people mistakenly assume just because they’ve gone through some hardships or tragedies that somehow the world owes them or that people owe them.
-Because they’ve been hurt or have been wronged.
Point: This is a wrong way to think, this will only lead to a life of despair, anger, bitterness, disillusionment.
B. Understand the depth of pain and hurt you suffered does not equal comfort and ease on the other side.
Example. Friendship. You are the one who does everything in the relationship for years and now that person abandons you. You’re hurt, you’re wounded, you’re in pain. You think that person owes you.
Marriage. I’ve been faithful to that woman all these years and she’s run off with a younger man. You think she owes you and if you’re not careful you’ll wait around the rest of your life to be paid back. This leads to anger, bitterness, disillusionment and it will spill over in other relationships you have.
1. This is not the way to think. We need to move in truth, the truth will set us free.
II. Truth to a blessed life – text today.
A. Rejoice in the Lord always. Notice the word of God gives us instruction to rejoice in the Lord.
-Paul not only says it once but twice, showing us how important it is.
1. Our joy is in the Lord – when we live like this our attitude will be one of rejoicing.
2. Paul goes on to say – let your gentleness be evident to all.
-Why can I be gentle – because the Lord is near. When I understand the Lord is near I don’t have to worry or be anxious no matter what the situation is because the Lord is near.
Example. Daniel, prophet of God, was thrown into a lion’s den by some individuals who wanted his job. They manipulated the circumstances. As a result he was tossed into a pit of hungry lions. But the Lord was there. Daniel prevailed because he trusted in the Lord. Daniel recognized the Lord was near.
B. Pray rather than worry. In fact we are to present our request with thanksgiving.
1. Notice what our attitude is to be like – thankful, joyful, not anxious.
Question: How can this be when I’m in a difficult painful circumstance? It’s the idea that Father is going to see me through it.
2. Do you know what he does – he will give you a peace that transcends all understanding that goes beyond, past what we could even understand.
-This peace stands guard in our hearts and minds.
3. Understand the great apostle is writing this, falsely accused and imprisoned. He is chained to a Roman guard 24 7 awaiting trial. Paul knows suffering and hardship.
-He’s telling us how to get the peace of God.
Thought: God is the only one who can give you a blessed life. You can eat at the finest restaurants in the world but the Lord is the only one who can give you true joy. You can have all the power in the world like Joseph Stalin who ruled the Soviet Empire, a ruthless individual who killed anyone who stood in his way. But he had trouble sleeping, afraid someone was going to kill him. So he had several secret bedrooms he slept in, paranoid someone was going to do him in. God is the only one who can bring peace.
TS: I believe we all would agree up to this point. God is the only one who can bring peace to minds and hearts (fulfillment).
III. How do I turn this truth into action? I have had the opportunity over the years to see people believe that this is true only to see them walk in defeat and misery. Why?
A. They don’t walk in faith. They don’t believe, therefore they are not set free. 1. Let me try to illustrate it.
-Do we believe good overcomes evil (God over the devil). We would all say yes. But when we encounter a hurtful situation where we’ve been wronged we usually repay evil with evil (I’ll get them back). I share my feelings, my prayer request, all the time destroying that person who hurt me. After all you feel they owe you (worldly thinking).
2. A Christian understands there is a higher level – God’s ways.
-I will bless those who do evil to me. -Pray for those who persecute me.
-I will love those who hate me.
-I will forgive those who have hurt me.
3. When a circumstance crushes me I have a choice at that moment to live a life of faith (obeying God) or not walking in faith (going the way of the world).
a. When I don’t walk in faith, what happens.
-Hebrews 11:6a, "and with faith it is impossible to please God". -Romans 14:23b, "everything that does not come from faith is sin".
Point: When I’m not walking in faith, I’m not only not pleasing God but I’m sinning against him. Therefore God is not going to stand guard over my heart and mind with his peace and joy. I’m not going to experience his blessings. In fact I’m going to face his discipline.
C. In the Old Testament it was the responsibility of the priest to keep the altar going. They were to get wood, remove ashes, stoke the fire.
1. If they were faithful in this, the Lord would bless them because they were being obedient.
2. In the new covenant 1 Peter 2:9 tells us we are a chosen people, a royal priesthood. -We who are believers are all priests unto God. Our job is to keep the fire lit. a. God will light it, it is our job to keep the fire going.
The mistake many Christians make is they expect God or others to get the wood, carry out the ashes, etc., and not do it themselves and then they get mad when others are not helping the way they expect them to.
D. A life of faith – is standing on the truth of God and believing God is going to act.
1. When this happens I want to assure you the enemy will try and shake you loose from what you’re doing.
-Because he knows if you stand on the truth you will be set free.
2. That’s why Paul gives some practical advice how to overcome the negative thoughts that the enemy will multiply.
-The battle starts in the mind when there’s no peace it looks to blame others (lie).
a. Paul tells us how to think.
: 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. Paul also instructs us to take every thought captive.
-Just don’t let it float around in your mind doing damage. Take it captive and line it up with Christ and his word and it it’s wrong get rid of it and start thinking about pure things.
In Conclusion
-When I walk in faith obeying the word, God will stand guard with his peace in my mind and heart.
-When I’m in a difficult situation, I’m going to do what the word tells me and Father is going to act on my behalf (when he chooses and not when I demand).
: So when the Bible tells me to love I’m going to love.
: So when the bible tells me to submit I’m going to submit.
: So when the Bible tells me to stop gossiping I’m going to stop. : So when the Bible tells me to forgive I’m going to forgive.
-You will have a blessed life.
