The Folly Of Incomplete Obedience Series

What am I Missing Here?

Steps to Recovering Your Joy

August 22, 2010

Calvary Baptist Church

Ephesians 5:14

SERMON 3: The Folly of Incomplete Obedience

NOTE: This sermon is based in part on a sermon by F.B. Meyer entitled, “Where am I Wrong?” This sermon appears as chapter 2 in two of his books, Some Secrets of Christian Living and The Secret of Guidance. Portions also from Gerald Flury, “Following Your Feelings.”

What am I missing here? What is wrong with me? Why am I not finding joy in the Lord?

• First, may I say to you, that it is good that you have noticed this.

• It is only by the Holy Spirit’s work in your life that you even care.

• Furthermore, it is a good sign of genuine conversion.

• For the lost man or woman, there is no thought of this.

• To them, they are just fine and see no need of the question.

• But to you, whose spirits resonate with this preacher’s question, you know that something is missing.

• You see in the faces, in the lives of others, a light, a joy, a power.

• And as you honestly evaluate yourself, you must admit that you do not have this light, this joy, this power!

• Here the words of the Apostle:

Ephesians 5:14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

REVIEW

1) Dispositions differ

2) Emotions are not the test of our spiritual state.

• In our first sermon, we considered that a lack of joy may be traced to one’s …

• FAILURE TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN HIS STANDING (OR POSITION IN CHRIST) AND HIS CIRCUMSTANCES.

• My circumstances will always change with the weather.

• But my standing in Christ is constant and steady!

• In study 2, we considered another possible robber of your joy:

• PERHAPS YOU LIVE TOO MUCH IN YOUR FEELINGS, TOO LITTLE IN YOUR WILL.

• We learned that the Bible term for feelings is often the word “heart.”

• Jeremiah declared that the heart is deceitful.

• We learned to live in our faith, in the facts of the word of God, and not in our feelings.

• We learned that if we do not control our feelings, they WILL control us.

• Today, we look at another possible reason for loss of joy and victory …

• PERHAPS YOU HAVE DISOBEYED SOME CLEAR COMMAND

I. Identifying the Sin of Omission (Ps. 36:1-4; Luke 16:10; John 14:15)

SIN (OMISSION) Neglecting to do what is required.

Psalm 36:1–4 The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, That there is no fear of God before his eyes. 2 For he flattereth himself in his own eyes, Until his iniquity be found to be hateful [or that his sin will not be found out to be despised]. 3 The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit: He hath left off to be wise, and to do good. 4 He deviseth mischief upon his bed; He setteth himself in a way that is not good; He abhorreth not evil.

QUOTE: The Bible is Not a Buffet!

• Jesus taught the importance of faithfulness in the small things.

Luke 16:10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.

QUOTE FROM F.B. MEYER

Sometimes a soul comes to its spiritual adviser, speaking thus: "I have no conscious joy, and have had but little for years." "Did you once have it?" "Yes, for some time after my conversion to God." "Are you conscious of having refused obedience to some distinct command, which came into your life, but from which you shrank?" Then the face is cast down, and the eyes film with tears and the answer comes with difficulty: "Yes, years ago I used to think that God required a certain thing of me; but I felt I could not do what He wished, was uneasy for some time about it, but after a while it seemed to fade from my mind, and now it does not often trouble me." "Ah, soul, that is where you went wrong!”

Is not this the cause of depression to thousands of Christian people? They are God’s children, but they are disobedient children. The Bible rings with one long demand for obedience. The key-word of the Book of Deuteronomy is, Observe and Do. The burden of Christ’s Farewell Discourse is, If ye love me, keep My commandments (John 14:15). We must not question or reply or excuse ourselves. We must not pick and choose our way. We must not take some commands and reject others. We must not think that obedience in other directions will compensate for disobedience in some one particular. God gives one command at a time, borne in upon us, not in one way only, but in many; by this He tests us. If we obey in this, He will flood our soul with blessing, and lead us forward into new paths and pastures. But if we refuse in this we shall remain stagnant and waterlogged, make no progress in Christian experience, and lack both power and joy.