Excerpt from my notes in Sermon Series: Fool-Proofing Your Life- a Study of Proverbs
What is the PORTRAIT of a FOOL from teachings of Solomon in Proverbs?
The fool is the antithesis of a God-follower. While the Book of Proverbs, and the Bible as a whole use several words for “fool”, it must be understood that this individual isn’t just silly or goofy like the Three Stooges, but an actual menace- full of destruction, deceit, and death.
Fools can be recognized by the following characteristics:
We are called to apply wisdom. Wisdom is ONLY found in the Fear of the LORD. To Fear God is to hate what is evil, love what is good, and to stand in reverent awe of God and His law.
Wisdom in SKILLFUL LIVING and the only way to AVOID playing the FOOL.
Too often, we see rules and laws as stealing the best in life- telling us what we can't eat and all the fun we can't have. AND in the Name of God...
The Bible seems a like a mountain of laws, rules, civil codes, from hygiene, food care, clothing, home care, medical practices, what foods to eat, not eat, sexual practice and morality. These seem so legalistic!
Jesus actually said the same thing about the religiously leaders who added to God's Law...
Jesus was challenging these religious leaders that God's Law was not about religious observance but total moral renewal. The Law wasn't about appearances (what can be seen) but the heart.
The goal wasn’t to “cover up” rottenness OR to look religious, but something deeper.
God wants to clean deep parts of our lives. Then, why all the civil law and commands to be holy? How does this apply to my life TODAY?
Read Leviticus 11:43-44 (NIV). The word "consecrate" is to chose an ordinary thing, and set it apart for special purpose.
We are called to Be Set Apart
Read Deuteronomy 26:16, 19, (NIV). God's Law comes from His desire to set apart this nation as His special, chosen people to show all people what is best. His Law is from His love and relationships with Israel.
Law of God was for their best- to enjoy, embrace life NOT to prevent them from best. God gave the Law for their well-bring, to instruct them how to live healthy lives and have honorable relationships. This civil law prevented wide spread disease, outbreaks of plagues, sickness.
Observance of law made them different and distinguishable.
SO? God's Law is for OUR well-being. The Bible is not restricting us, but teaching us how to live for our own well-being. We think we know what’s best, but we must be willing to trust that God knows best, then obey Him by FAITH.
When we obey God's Law, we are noticeably different and distinguishable without the devastation and destruction that comes from sin.
Be Set Apart for Your Wholeness
Read Deuteronomy 26:16, (NIV).
The Law is about heart issues not appearance issues. Jesus corrected Pharisees since they missed point.
The Bible is not about behaviors- trying to make people look holy. BUT to lead people to wholeness in their BODY, SOUL, HEART- whole being.
However, the Law cannot make someone whole, anymore than a traffic sign can make someone drive safely. it can only exposes disobedience.
Therefore, the Bible is not about conformity but consecration.
Read Romans 7:19-8:3 (NIV). The Law isn’t bad. It actually is a reflection of God and His character.
BUT the Law does reveal that we cannot live up to it to experience the best wholeness God offers.
Jesus taught that wholeness doesn’t come from being perfect in the law (impossible), but by having a whole heart. Only God can make the heart whole- restore life and offer true wholeness.
When we give God full access and invite Him to clean up our insides rather than just change some of our behavior, an amazing transformation occurs. What we once were gives way to the new life that God intended for us to have. We are cleansed from the inside.
Not only are we cleansed but the inner wholeness begins to spring out of us, just like the filth and vile once did.
We can’t keep anything hidden- whether evil or good. It will come out. When we allow Jesus to transform our hidden shame, the new joy, life, and hope that begins exists will emerge.
“Faith which does not doubt is dead faith” -Miguel de Unamuno
Many contend that we shouldn’t doubt, that doubt is some how the enemy of our faith.
However, doubt isn’t our enemy. God is big enough for our questions and doubts. The Bible deals with people who struggled with doubt and hard questions head on:
“I cry out to you, O God, but you do not answer; I stand up, but you merely look at me… when I hoped for good, evil came; when I looked for light, then came darkness." Job 30:20, 26, NIV.
Many biblical heroes of the Faith doubted and struggled with dry season in their journey with God! Men like Abraham, Moses, Gideon, Elijah, Samuel, John the Baptist, and even Jesus’ disciples.
David expressed, under inspiration of Holy Spirit, his doubts and spiritual dryness.
"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning? 2 O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent." Psalm 22:1-2, NIV.
Circumstances led to doubt. Experience trumped belief. Pain darkened his faith.
So, if doubting isn’t unbiblical or an indication of a lack of faith, what do we do with it?
We Walk by Faith.
How? To Walk by Faith, Explore Your Doubts.
God doesn’t correct doubt and spiritual struggle, but teaches His followers to embrace these seasons as part of their faith-journey.
We’re not robots programmed on how to think nor lemmings in a mindless religious cult. Jesus' called us to make "disciples" which means literally "students".
When hard questions arise, don’t run from them, allow them to drive you to deeper exploration of the Bible, heightened understanding of truth, and an emboldened faith. The greatest struggles in doubt forge our strongest convictions.
To walk by faith, trust.
"All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads: 8 “He trusts in the LORD; let the LORD rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him.” Psalm 22:7-8, NIV.
But faith isn’t just a blind belief. Faith is substance. Faith is active.
How do we demonstate trust? In a bridge? We are willing to rely on it and put our life into care. This trust is earned and learned. Observed and experienced.
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17, NKJV.
Faith grows as we hear and read God’s Story in the midst of scar stories.
We are invited to trust what we discover to be trustworthy- that Jesus is the Son of God.
To walk by faith, obey.
LORD, I praise you in the great meeting of your people; these worshipers will see me do what promised. Psalm 22:25, NCV.
The word “faith” in Greek is means both to trust (rely on) and obey. Not just belief, but my dependence on truth produces action.
And in Hebrew, there is no separation between knowledge and action. To" know" means to live accordingly. We often “know”, but don’t respond. Faith means that my actions match my beliefs.
God’s story intersects with our story, and the scars of Jesus heal our scars.
We don't avoid loneliness, betrayal, and depression. BUT we can come THROUGH them.
At Lifehouse, we're going through a sermon series called "Scars".
We don’t avoid isolation, loneliness, or moments, even seasons, of depression. We go THROUGH it.
What for? What is the lonely for? Psalmist gives us the answer...
Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God… Psalms 42:5.
God takes tragedy, desperate situations and turns them into triumph!
We are not shielded from the lonely, when the odds are against you, but God, in the worst of all situations, through Jesus, His Son, died and overcame to offer us HOPE.
There is no true hope, help, deep connection outside of faith in Jesus Christ.
Hope in God through these times. HOW?
To Hope in God, Depend on His Will
Send forth your light and your truth, let them guide me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell. Then will I go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight. Psalm 43:3-4, NIV.
Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Matthew 26: 39
To Hope in God, Be Refreshed by His Presence
Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. Psalm 42:5, NIV.
These lyrics say it best:
Some room is empty/ If I feel hollow that's just my proof that there's more/ For me to follow - that's what the lonely is for
From the deep of your dreams, the height of your wishes/ The length of your vision to see, the hope of your heart/ Is much bigger than this/ For it's made out of what might be That's What The Lonely Is For Lyrics - David Wilcox.
Subscribe, download, or just stream weekly podcast sermons at Lifehouse Church East. Currently in a series called Love & Other 4 Letter Words, and examining what it means to love as Jesus-followers, and how that love impacts every part of our life.
Most recent message addressed the identity and role of men according to the Bible.
Yes, it's counter cultural. Yes, it'll offended some people. Yes, it will challenge you to live different than what you've been taught by our cultural teachers of TV, news, and movies.
BUT guys need a challenge and a fight worth fighting. In a generation plague with fatherless homes and male role models like Charlie Sheen, we could deeply use an infusion of counter- cultural teaching that goes counter- intuitive to our own desires and nature.
To a generation that has seen the role of men torn down to nothing more than negligent sperm-donors or helpless saps.
We need a strong teaching and model of what it means to be real MEN. HUSBANDS. FATHERS.
Listen to this teaching from Ephesians 5:25-33. and discover what it means to BE a MAN!
Get them while they're available. St Patrick season 2 videos and sermons are now available at youtube and at our website, but they're only available to a limited number of people for viewing and download. So, if you want to see or hear, go NOW!
Ok, that's not true. Anybody can watch, listen, and download. And we hope you do! Pass them around, email the links to your friends, family, and neighbors who you're inviting to Lifehouse, or to those who would benefit from this sermon series. OR to those who need a good laugh at MY expense.
It happens often enough and most of the time, I realize it too- I make mistakes, mess up, or am flat out wrong. Much of the time, many don't even realize that I am, other times those around me are waiting for me to realize it or wonder if I know. But there is always this critical moment when I realize I was wrong. What do I do now?
The other day I sent an email out citing the example of Abraham sacrificing his son Isaac, but instead of saying Abraham, I called him Moses. Sounds benign, right? But what if, in the middle of my sermon I'm recounting an historical narrative, and make a blatant error in recounting the story. For example, this past Sunday, I was retelling the story of how the Philistines "returned" the Ark of the Covenant by placing it on a new cart, yoked two oxen that had never plowed AND we're still nursing from their mother (where I got this from I have no idea). But that simple statement was wrong. Actually, here's what 1 Samuel 6 says about the oxen, Now then, get a new cart ready, with two cows that have calved and have never been yoked. Hitch the cows to the cart, but take their calves away and pen them up (1 Sa 6:7).
So, they weren't young calves, but nursing mothers who wouldn't want to leave their calves behind and would be maternally wanting to stay with or return to their babies. Interestingly, I had not intended on telling the full background of that narrative, but once I started preaching, I felt the need to give more context. But since I had not recently read it, that detail was off.
I could overlook that error, hope that no one even noticed OR address it and correct it. So, as publicly as I can, I want to let everyone know that I'm wrong. I'm willing to study and make sure that I'm biblically accurate.
Wish I could say that my only failings have been in simple error or forgotten details. There are other times when I've really done wrong or hurt someone. Then what?
The bigger lesson: When I'm wrong, I'll take full responsibility for it, acknowledge it and let those involved know it, not blame or pass the buck, then correct my mistake, wrong, or sin with clear action. Repent if necessary. Make restitution when needed or warranted. Then, I'll move on and learn from my mistakes and failures. I don't keep looking back at my sins and failures, but accept forgiveness from God, others, and myself, and live looking forward.
Failures are expensive lessons to develop character, growth, and maturity in my life.
What failures or wrongs do you need to acknowledge and make right?
ALL sermons for "is TRUE LOVE only in fairy tales?" series are up here. See the previous post for the trailer for the series. I'm strongly encouraging you to download the mp3 files and SHARE them. Get your kids to listen to them, pass them on to your friends, classmates, or secretly load them onto someone's iPod.
We took a lot of time on this series, and I addressed some tough, but very relevant issues, as we walked through the Song of Songs. These messages are straight from the Bible with no fluff, just honest, timeless truth that will profoundly impact the lives of those who will live them.
Really preached my heart and guts out on this series. Hope you enjoy and are impacted for eternity!
We'll also have the whole set on CD available on this Sunday, March 14th.
First, I really enjoyed leading our 2 services and preaching twice yesterday. It fired me up, and that's after not eating for a week, since we're in 21 Days of Fasting and Prayer.
Secondly, please be patient with us as we work out some kinks in the services and the building. I know it was still cold in the lobby. We're working aggressively on it!
In leading both services, there are things I really like about both of them. I can see why some of you said that you wanted to attend both, just to see what they'd be like. Hopefully, you enjoyed which ever service you participated in and were impacted and changed by God's presence.
Third, join us at 6am and 6pm Mon - Fri at the theater for 1 hr of prayer. There is a different focus each day, and it'd be great to have a group of people to rally in prayer and truly cry out to God for our community and church.
Finally, don't forget that we have a very important "business" meeting this Saturday starting at 8am. If you're a ministry partner at LHE, we need you there, since you'll be deciding whether to approve the decision to move forward to purchase the theater or not. Once we meet, we will break into groups and begin renovations.
If you are planning on joining a renovation team, please let us know ASAP, since we'll need you to be ready to work and bring tools depending on which team you serve on.
Thanks for reading and let's walk with the confidence that our lives and invest of time, energy, and money is making a huge difference for God's Kingdom and eternity!
We're launching 2 (that's two) services TODAY! They're at 9am and 10:30am. Both have same service and ministry opportunities. There are a few different life groups available during each service.
This morning I'm kicking off our theme for 2010 and our latest sermon series called "SHINE". Come discover who your life can become vibrant and full. Live a life that others notice and wish for.
You don't want to miss THIS Sunday AND Bring a Friend!!
Sharing with you our steps in preparation for a new year (for church planters and pastors). I'm including in this several resources and links that might help you as you approach the end/ beginning of the year.
1. Evaluate/ assess the following: personal life, ministry life, church life. Goal should be to invite leadership team to honestly and candidly evaluate how they are doing personally, how YOU are doing as a leader, how their ministry is doing, and then, how the overall church is doing.
We have worked hard to create a culture that is honest, candid, and willing to embrace the brutal (in love) facts.
Honesty and candidness are two way streets. Usually, I have to be willing to take honesty and opinions on the chin several times before my team trusts me enough, that they'd be willing to hear my brutal honesty of their leadership and ministries.
2. Review all evaluations and condense them into one document. Here's ours from this year.
3. Leadership Advance or gathering point: we go away for a day and a half each November for prayer and planning. Here's what we do when we get away:
Spiritual renewal: as leaders, we're often working in ministry, that it's easy for us to start running on "E" and that leads toward burnout. So, I encourage and challenge our leaders to get renewed and refocused on their personal life.
Celebrate "wins": we take time to talk about the great things God did in us and through us this year.
Review the combined evaluation form to determine: what we need to keep doing? what do we need to stop doing? and what do we need to do better?
Cast vision for next year. Based on prayer, vision, and evaluation, we're able to make a fair and prophetic look at what God is calling us to do next year. This should certainly start in the heart of the leader and be embraced by the entire leadership team.
4. Theme for next year: as I just mentioned, it's my responsibility to hear from God, and determine the prophetic "season" or direction of our church as we transition into a new year. Couple of thoughts on themes and annual vision statements:
This isn't biblical, but it's also not unbiblical. Just realize that there are no expectations for having a statement or theme for every year. I have personally adopted a prayer focus as we approach closing out one year and entering a new one. There are times when I am confident that God gave me clear insight into what would happen broadly in the life of our church.
It's important to evaluate the "season" of the church. Like the sons of Isaachar, we must be people who "know the times and seasons".
The theme must be born of God and focus on the positive direction of the church.
A theme might not end on December 31, so ask God if you are to continue to point towards this years theme. Additionally, a theme usually builds on last years. So, if God has been "pruning" then it might be time for growth, then fruit.
5. Calendar planning. Take time now to look over next years calendar, look for important holidays that must be planned for and around. Pay attention to "pitfall" dates on the calendar. Determine when new sermon series will begin, and when is the best time for a Friend Day, baptisms, and vacation time.
6. Planning your preaching calendar. Nelson Searcy has an incredible resource on planning your 2010 preaching calendar (listen to it here). This should be done with great prayer and fasting. Believe and ask God to speak to you NOW about what to speak on throughout 2010.
Ok, gave way more content than should probably be dissemenated via blog or email. But wanted to provide the best information to those who need it.
What do you do as you lead out of one year and toward a New Year?
I'm really enjoying preaching the Gravity sermon series. The whole premise: just like there are basic "laws" of the universe and nature, that we must cooperate with, there are fundamental principles established by God to govern life. We don't have to like them, but we must cooperate with them.
It was fun to welcome 2 tree frogs to the stage and share the preaching platform with them. They did as good a job as I did, some may say better. I illustrated the "frog syndrome", explaining how we can adapt to destructive situations. Sin is out to destroy us.
Jesus used nature to teach some of the deepest principles of life and God's Kingdom. A kernel of corn or a grain of wheat can illustrate better than a thousands words that we must "die to live".
Just a thought:I present the toughest messages with the highest level of creativity and illustration. Why? I believe that creativity and powerful illustrations invite people to lower their guards and presuppositions about God, religion, and the Bible. Great illustrations are memorable, and when the TRUTH of God's Word is presented in a memorable way, the Holy Spirit has room to bring it back to remembrance in our hearts.
