How do you limit God?

After reading John 11 it was obvious that Mary and Martha's faith only went so far. They believed Jesus could do anything yet they did not think it was wise to roll the stone away from the tomb so Lazarus could be raised. They did not believe that Jesus was going to (or could) raise Lazarus physically from the dead. The more I contemplated about this whole idea of limiting God I came to this conclusion: Limiting God is a form of unbelief that deceptively tries to take root in everyone's life. They only way to prevent those roots is a continual honest dependent relationship with God and being involved with other believers that are able to help keep you accountable. Below is what I believe at least 8 common ways we limit God.

 

8 ways we Limit God:

1. I need more… (Education, resources, money, etc…) (Discontentment)
   
2. I need another clear sign
   
3. Not being satisfied with what we have
   
4. We do not spend time deepening our relationship with God (Bible, prayer, corporate worship)
   
5. Circumstances are not what we consider ideal
   
6. We jump to meet the need instead of being patient and waiting on God
   
7. We are to easily satisfied (was ask for far too little)
   
8. We trust in our finite resources instead of God's infinite resources
   

How To Persistently Love Others and God

This sermon was preached on June 7^th 2009. As believers we much become persistent lovers.

 

How to persistently love others and God

Persistent love Requires Humility, Contriteness and Trembling

6-7-09

 

 

Introduction:

We live in a dog eat dog world. Love is not a word that you would use to characterize this world. Pride is a much more suitable word. People mainly look out for themselves. This means that everyone is constantly on the defensive. People are either constantly trying to impress others because they feel as though their every movement is being scrutinized or they go to the other extreme and say they just don't care what other people think and they often respond harshly and negatively. Politics have taught us that it is okay to do whatever it takes to the get the job. It's okay to lie, steal, cheat, slander, or anything else. There is a reality show called the apprentice and it shows that it's okay to try and destroy someone as long as you win. But, this is not how God calls Christians to be. In Matthew 5:14 he tells us that those who believe in him are to be lights in this dark world. We are to stand out. And in Matthew 22:37-39 he tells us to love God with all of our heart, soul, and mind, and we are also to love our neighbor. In essence, Jesus said it is by your love that people will know you are different than the world. The way you love people will be an incredible witness to all who know and see you.

 

Last week we saw that God is our Persistent Lover and we also are to persistently love God and others. Today we are going to look at how we are to persistently love God and others. How do we go about loving others in such an incredible way that we shine brightly for God and others experience his grace and mercy?

 

Review Isaiah 63 – 66

Isaiah chapters 63 and 64 are a prayer to God from Israel, they are confessing their sins and their need for God as their Lord and Savior.

In chapters 65 – 66 God reveals the great act of redemption and restoration that he is performing.

 

Read Isaiah 66:1-2

Beverly Hills to Harlem

The Incomparable Greatness of God and His Creation

God is creating all things new

God's presence will transcend all things

 

Who will enjoy this new creation?

1. Those who humble themselves in order to lift others up and exalt God
   (turn to John 13)
   
   1. Humility defined: the world defines this as being at the bottom of life's heap. God defines it as those who are willing to take the lowest places before God and man.
      
   2. John 13:3-15 (Judas was still there)
      
      1. In verse 12 Jesus asks, "do you understand what I have done to you?"
         
      2. In verse 14 he says, "if I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet."
         
      3. We are to humble ourselves not just before those who will return the favor, but we are to humble and serve those who are trying to hurt us.
         
2. Those who are contrite and rely solely on God' strength and grace
   (turn to Psalm 51)
   
   1. Contrite defined: this means to be consciously aware of the damage wrought by sin. It is the personal inability to stand upright before God.
      
      1. You realize you are a sinner, and you deserve nothing more than to be separated from God for eternity suffering in eternal fire.
         
      2. It does not mean you wallow in guilt and feel as those you are helpless and go around saying, "woe is me."
         
      3. It does mean that you will echo Paul's cry, "I can do all things through him who strengthens me", or when he says, God's grace is sufficient for him, "for when I am weak, then I am strong."
         
      4. Contrition means you realize your helpless state and only be relying on God are you strong. It's realizing you are in the middle of the ocean without a boat, life preserver or anything else. You are just floating and eventually you will sink and die. But then God comes up in a huge Coast guard boat and offers to save you. Being contrite means you are helpless in your condition and you need a savior. The opposite of contrition is if you said to God as he came up in the huge boat, "no, I am good, I will save myself, I don't need you."
         
   2. King David is a great example of a contrite man. I love using him as an example because he was a regular guy that was used by God to slay giants and destroy other kingdoms. He was a man's man through and through. But he was a man that knew he as a sinner and he desperately needed God's grace. I am going to read Psalm 51, this is this psalm that David wrote after he had slept with Bathsheba and killed her husband Uriah.
      
   3. Psalm 51
      

      ¹     Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love;
      

      according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.
      

      ²     Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
      

      ³     For I know my transgressions,
      

      and my sin is always before me.
      

      ⁴     Against you, you only, have I sinned
      

      and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak
      

      and justified when you judge.
      

      ⁵     Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
      

      ⁶     Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom
      

      in the inmost place.
      

      ⁷     Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
      

      ⁸     Let me hear joy and gladness;
      

      let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
      

      ⁹     Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.
      

      ¹⁰     Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
      

      ¹¹     Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.
      

      ¹²     Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
      

      ¹³     Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you.
      

      ¹⁴     Save me from bloodguilt, O God, the God who saves me,
      

      and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.
      

      ¹⁵     O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.
      

      ¹⁶     You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
      

      you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
      

      ¹⁷     The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart,
      

      O God, you will not despise.
      

      ¹⁸     In your good pleasure make Zion prosper;
      

      build up the walls of Jerusalem.
      

      ¹⁹     Then there will be righteous sacrifices, whole burnt offerings to delight you;
      

      then bulls will be offered on your altar.
      

      
       

   4. Application of being contrite:
      
      1. It means that you will content in all circumstances. Paul said, "I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities." Why would Paul be content with these things, these are not what most of us would desire. I believe one reason is because he knew he was an unworthy sinner and that it was only by God's grace he was alive. He did not have a mentality that said, "I deserve a raise," or "I deserve this job." He didn't go around saying, "I am a good person, I shouldn't be going through these trials."
         
      2. Being contrite means that you realize you are alive only by God's grace and mercy. It also means that just as you God continually shows you grace and mercy you are to show others grace and mercy. Grace and mercy are to flow from your life as naturally as a water flows in a river.
         
3. Those who tremble at the Word of God
   
   1. Tremble defined: [extreme] sensitivity to God's Word
      
   2. Puzzle Illustration:
      
      1. Missing one piece and the puzzle is not complete. We must tremble at the Word of God if we truly are going to receive and share God's love.
         
      2. Without trembling at the Word of God, we will be incomplete.
         
   3. Read Is. 66:3
      
      1. Here God's tells his people that the heart it what he is looking at. It is blasphemy to go around obeying God if in your heart you are rebelling. This is what characterized the Pharisees. They knew the word of God better than anyone, but they did not let word travel from their minds into their hearts.
         
      2. Being intellectually bright and analytical does not mean you are wise. True wisdom begins with humility. Real insight and obedience comes from knowing the Word of God in our hearts. It's more than just knowing the truth, it's living it. (It's easy to read the word arrogantly)
         

         
          

   4. "Paganism that sets aside God's word and ritualism that obeys it in the letter only and not the spirit are like abominations to the Lord."
      
   5. When we tremble at the Word of God it means that we will daily dig into God's word looking for treasurers a miner digs for gold. Those of you who say, I'm not really much of reader", until you begin breaking open the word of God daily and spending time with God trembling at his word you will be more like a dimly lit bulb. Versus being like one of those powerful floodlights found at football stadiums.
      
   6. It means that when we come across passages like:
      
      1. Philippians 2:14-16a that say, ¹⁴ Do everything without complaining or arguing, ¹⁵ so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe ¹⁶ as you hold out the word of life
         
      2. Or passages like Matthew 28:19-20 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
         
      3. Or Matthew 22:37-39 Love God and love others
         

Conclusion:

This world is a dark scary place but God desires to use you and I as lights bringing love and hope where there is none. They way we must go about showing this amazing life changing love is through humility, contriteness, and trembling at the Word of God.

As we take communion today we can so easily see how Jesus demonstrated all three of these.

He humbled himself by coming down from heaven and all splendor to this earth. His contrition is demonstrated in the fact that he willingly suffered and died for you men. If anyone could have said, "why me" it would have been Jesus, he did not deserve anything that he received here on earth. And he trembled at God's word by obeying all that he was asked to do. Jesus is our example of being a persistent lover, me too must persistently love God and others.

Nehemiah 5:9

Nehemiah 5:9

⁹ So I said, "The thing that you are doing is not good. Ought you not to walk in the fear of our God to prevent the taunts of the nations our enemies?

 

I was reading Nehemiah this morning and I was struck by this verse above. Nehemiah has just rebuked much of Israel for oppressing their fellow brothers. Then he says, Ought you not to walk in the fear of our God to prevent the taunts of the nations our enemies?" Walking in the fear of God is a great witness to the nations. When we as believers walk in the reverent fear of God, others will clearly see God. It's as if we are walking under a spotlight and our actions and motives are clearly pointing to God as our Lord and Savior. However, when we do not walk in the fear of God it's as if we are a thief lurking in the shadows. When this happens are lives will not bring glory and honor to God and we will begin to fall prey to various sins. As sin begins to root itself in us, God's name will be distorted and taunted. However, when we walk in the fear of God, the mouths of our enemies will be shut and God will be seen as the Glorious One whom all worship is due.

As I read this passage today, I prayed that I might learn to walk more in the fear of God that the nations will have no grounds for taunting but rather they will see the need to humble themselves and worship God.

God Is Our Persistent Lover

This is the message I preached on May 31^st for the graduates at our church. I believe it is a very powerful message that we as Christians must apply to our lives. Below is the outline of the message.

God Is Our Persistent Lover

As believers we are to persistently love others as God persistently loves us

Hosea 1-3

This year we have mentioned the word "Spiritual Greatness" many times. I truly believe that if you desire to live a spiritually great life then you must adopt this message into your life.

(Explain title and Proposition)

I want to defined the word persistent:

"to go on resolutely or stubbornly in spite of opposition… to remain unchanged or fixed in a specified character, condition, or position" "lasting or enduring tenaciously"

Persist is a verb. It is an action. We must be persistent lovers allowing nothing to hinder us from showing God's love.

If we are to live spiritually great lives that will result in much glory for God and immense rewards for us in heaven then we must be persistent lovers.

Before we continue I need to clarify one more thing. The world is a persistent lover also, but we are not to love the way the world loves. Why? The world loves itself. Everything it does revolves around itself. When on earth Jesus said love God and love others. The love Jesus talked about honors God and spreads his grace on others. When you love like this, you will stand out in this world, you will be unable to blend into the surroundings.

Read 1:1-9 and summarize

Hosea and Gomer

3 Children are born (2 boys and a girl)

1. Jezreel – God will scatter v.4 (boy)
   
2. No Mercy v.6 (girl)
   
3. Not My People v.9 (boy)

Unfaithfulness of Israel (2:2-13)

Israel has gone after other lovers (2:5)

Israel does not know where here gifts come from (2:8)

Israel forgot about her husband (2:13)

God's Persistent Love (2:14-23)

Verses 2:2-13 have just described the harlotry and unfaithfulness of Israel. Now in verse 14 the first 2 words we see, are "therefore, behold". Now remember, whenever we see the word therefore, we must ask ourselves why is the word therefore there for? We also said last week the word Behold is one of the words that is used to draw attention to what is about to be said. As the first part of this chapter has shown, Israel has been unfaithful and deserves punishment. We are now ready to see what God will do to his unfaithful bride.

Read verses 2:14-20

1. God will woo His rebellious wife (2:14)
   
   1. The word "allure" in verse 14 refers to enticement or seduction
      
   2. The words "speak tenderly to her" is romantic language.
      
2. God promises her hope and safety (2:15)
   
   1. The valley of Achor has been a place of trouble from the time Joshua tried to defeat the city of Ai. They were defeated because a man named Achan had disobeyed God and kept some possessions for himself. But now God says he is going to give a new name, a name of hope. God is opening a door of hope to Israel.
      
   2. Verse 19 says he will make them lie down in safety. He will remove all threats of war.
      
3. God will renew his wife's betrothal
   
   1. The word "betroth" is much more formal than "go take," or "go love". Betrothal refers the engagement period before a marriage. During this time, the bride is already considered to belong to the groom forever.
      

Why does God do this? (2:20)

So Israel will know the Lord (Gen 4:1; Matt. 1:25)

Not only does this word refer to the intimacy that a married couple will experience together, it also refers to the bride making the appropriate response to the bridegroom by committing herself fervently and faithfully to the covenant

Read 3:1-5

Hosea and Gomer

1. Hosea is to pursue and love Gomer (3:1)
   
   1. I want you to think just how radical that command is, go and love your wife who is being loved by other men. Go and love your wife the harlot. Hosea is not to remain passive but he is to pursue Gomer. His love for her is persistent despite all the reasons she has given him not to love her.
      
   2. Imagine being married to a beautiful wife that you come home and have dinner with every night. After dinner you take romantic walks along the beach holding hands, talking, laughing, sharing intimate moments together.
      
   3. However one day you notice she has become a little less intimate
      
   4. Then one day she is not home for dinner but shows up afterwards for your evening walk
      
   5. You try and show her your love by buying her roses, and jewelry and writing her passionate love letters.
      
   6. You come home and one day and there is someone else sitting in your seat at the dinner table
      
   7. The next night you notice there are a many men sitting at your table all talking intimately to your wife.
      
   8. Then almost as if choreographed they all get up and head upstairs to the bedroom with your wife where they experience intimacy with your wife that once belonged only to you.
      
   9. She has become like a water fountain, anyone who walks up gets a drink
      
   10. What would you do?
       
   11. Would you be a persistent lover? Would you pursue your wife or would you throw in the towel.
       
   12. God tells Hosea go and love your wife. Persistent love does not look for the easy way out, it is enduring and steadfast. Persistent love is unwavering.
       
2. Hosea purchases Gomer
   
3. Hosea and Gomer worship God together (time of sexual abstinence, 1 Cor 7:5)(3:3-4)
   

Conclusion:

Application:

So why did I choose this sermon? Who preaches on prostitution for a graduation message? Here our 3 reasons why I believe this is message is very important for graduates and everyone else here also.

1. Commitment and Action are to characterize a Christian's walk
   
   1. I believe many people treat commitment and action as 2 completely separate subjects. I find that highly unintelligible.
      
   2. Illustration:
      
      1. Imagine if a football player signed a 5 year contract for $10 million dollars and then he decided he wasn't going to play. He blows off practices, or if he does come he leaves early. He shows up late to games and sometimes he does not even bring his uniform. Sure that sounds crazy but this is exactly what happens in the world today. People make commitments but they do not follow through. Whether it is a job, a marriage, something you are volunteering your time at, when you commit you must follow through with the appropriate action. Here in the story of Hosea, we see that God has committed himself to Israel and therefore does whatever is necessary to bring her back to himself. We also see Hosea committed to God and therefore when God tells Hosea to do something, he does it. Commitment and action go hand in hand. Imagine if when God told Hosea to marry a harlot, he said, "no way, I don't think so." That response and action would have indicated either no commitment or very low commitment towards God.
         

         
         

2. A Christian's love is to be like that of God's love
   
   1. Marriage: (really any relationship)
      
      1. Divorce is not an option (no giving up)
         
         1. God does not try and divorce Israel and Hosea does not try to divorce Gomer.
            
      2. Faithfulness is not dependent upon our spouse
         
         1. Despite Israel and Gomer proving themselves to be unfaithful, wretched harlots, neither Husband throws in the towel. God is faithful because that is a part of who He is. Hosea is faithful because he is trusting in God to provide for all he needs.
            
         2. Many of you here I heard say or I am sure you have thought things like, "if my spouse ever cheated on me the first I would do would be to divorce her." That's not God's reaction. The first thing we should do is ask God for the strength to be a persistent lover in a very difficult situation.
            
         3. If you are a persistent lover then you are not easily hurt because others do not return love. In fact, you will be spurred to love more those who love you least. This love is God focused and others focused!
            
      3. We are to be persistent lovers
         
         1. Hosea could have easily had Gomer stoned for her halotry. God would have been completely just if he had rejected Israel for her rejecting Him. As we said earlier, the word "therefore" in 2:14 prepares us for the horrible but just consequences that are about to befall Israel, but that is not what we see. When Gomer had left Hosea God told him to go and love the woman who is being loved by other men. Instead of the hammer God brings grace. His love has not been worn out.
            
         2. Everyone here and I especially say this you to graduates. There will come a time in your life where you will have to make a choice. It will be between bringing the hammer or bringing grace. Somebody at sometime will greatly disappoint you and you will have every right to lash out and hurt them back. But this is not what God does. He is persistent in his love even though he has been walked over countless times. We also must realize, that vengeance is not ours to take, but that it is God's and His alone.
            
         3. If we become persistent lovers we would not have problems here at church?
            
         4. If we were persistent lovers we would not have to take our foot out of our mouths for saying hurtful things.
            
         5. If we become persistent lovers I believe our homes and work environments would greatly be changed.
            

            
            

         6. Remember how Jesus spoke to Peter after he denied him 3 times. Jesus asked him if he loved him and told him to tend and feed his sheep. Jesus had every right to rip into Peter for denying him. Peter was betraying him as He was about to die for Peter's sins. It was as if Peter has arrested him and he was one the hammering the nails in to Jesus' flesh. But instead of ripping into him, Jesus lovingly talked with him and poured his grace out upon him.
            
      4. Love, Grace, Mercy, Service, Sacrifice, and Humility, is to dominate a believer's relationships
         

         
         

3. A Christian is called to be salt and light (Matt 5:13-14)
   
   1. Why is that Christians have difficult marriages?
      
   2. Why is it that Christians experience horrible tragedies?
      
   3. Why is it that God asks Christians to do seemingly impossible things or things that put them in harm's way.
      

   Could it be because we are to look different than others, than the world? Could it be that God wants to show though us His redeeming love, the power of his grace when it is least deserved? We live in a sinful world where we are surrounded by hurting people. Many times it is through the murk, the deep layers of mud and blood that Christ's love shines brightest. The world desperately needs this kind of persistent love.
   

   
   

   You are going to be faced with many incredible decisions in your life.
   

   Should you accept a job?
   

   Should you move here or there?
   

   Should you marry this person?
   

   Should you help this person?
   

   Should you buy this house?
   

   But the most difficult decisions will be choosing to persistently love others when they have personally hurt you.
   

   
   

   If you have made a commitment to Christ then we must be obedient in our lives to speak and act as He does not the world. We too must become persistent lovers of God and others.