The Three That Will Set You Free

THE THREE THAT WILL SET YOU FREE

1 Cor. 13:13

INTRO

A. How many of us gathered here today would agree that our life is too complicated?

1. Is it just me or does it seem like we are spending most of our time running in fast forward?

a. Running here, running there…never seeming like we have any quiet time for ourselves?

b. Listen if you will to the typical day in the life of a suburban wife.

 Up at six pm…getting kids up at six-thirty.

 6-7 getting kids ready…getting breakfast together (usually in the microwave)

 7-8 getting kids off to school…smaller ones to day care…husband off to work!

 8-12 at work

 12-1 At lunch (running errands for husband…shopping at the grocery store)

 1-5 At work.

 5-6 picking up kids from daycare…doing the shopping she didn’t get done at lunch.

 6-7 cooking supper…helping with homework…refereeing the inevitable fights.

 7-8 getting supper over with…getting started on baths…

 8-9 Getting kids in bed…getting supper cleaned up…

 9-10 Getting clothes set out for tomorrow…laundry if necessary…

 10-11 Unwind, get ready for bed.

 11-12 Try to get our mind slowed down enough to sleep!

 And this on an easy night when there is no soccer games, ballet lessons, little league, PTA meetings, parent teacher conferences, piano lessons and the like!

2. Does any of this sound vaguely familiar?

a. Have we let our lives become so complex that we don’t have time for the things of the Lord?

b. When is the last time we stopped and smelled the roses.

c. Even our sleep is becoming corrupt!

Job 7:4 When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? and I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day.

d. Sounds kinda like a normal night doesn’t it?

3. It doesn’t have to be so!

a. Do you know who wins when our lives become so complicated and fast paced?

b. Satan does…

c. If you are a child of God, your soul is safe from the wiles of the devil..but your life is NOT!

d. He can’t have your soul…but he can have you!!! Bro. Ron what in the world are you talking about??

e. Satan loves us to be busy!

f. He knows that if we are busy chasing this American Dream like a dog chasing his tail, we will not have time to spend time with our Father every day.

g. What makes a Christian strong??? Spending time with the Father!

h. What makes a Christian weak??? Not spending time with the Father!

i. If we would just learn to back a couple of things out of our lives each week to make time for the Lord, it would drastically improve our lives.

j. I’ve seen people rearrange their entire week around a TV show!

k. Why can’t we do that to make time for the Lord?

4. What if there was a way to uncomplicated our lives?

a. How many here would be interested it this?

b. At what price?

c. If there were a secret formula to uncomplicate your life, what would you be willing to pay for it?

d. Would you be willing to put into effect the changes that would lead to a better life?

5. I’m so glad we serve a God who teaches us simply from His Word how to live the abundant life.

a. His way of salvation is simple trust and faith.

b. His way of living is simply have faith and trust!

c. When Jesus left this earth he left us with all the things we need to have a full and fulfilling life.

d. If we will learn to FOCUS on these things, we will live the abundant life so many are seeking for.

e. It is the focus that is important…how is focus important??? Sometimes focus alone will change the outcome of people’s lives.

f. With focus, a beam of light cuts through a steel I-beam like a hot knife through butter.

g. Without focus, that light will only illuminate the problem.

h. There are three things we need to FOCUS on today that will change and uncomplicated our lives.

1Co 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

BODY

A. The first thing we need is a FAITH That DARES!

1. Too many Christians are just living a life today of misery and defeat.

a. Their faith is complacent, inactive…and it fails to accomplish much…if anything… for God.

b. We are so afraid of water (the world) we don’t dare rock the boat.

c. Faith that dares is a faith that is ACTIVE.

d. Faith that is active is faith that is doing something!