Here's the PODCAST
and the NOTES...
OPEN
·
Life
is a picnic… easier for the rich… for the powerful… best jobs.
·
NO ONE REALLY LIVES
THIS WAY
·
Life
has pain… life will have some hardships… and we will feel weak sometimes.
·
Even
for someone w/ Wealth, Super Powers, Super Suite… Black Panther
o
Reminder
of series
o
Notice
how he deals with his pain!
·
CLIP #1 –
father’s death / anger / “I will deal with it”
o
He had a choice of how
to deal w/ weakness
o
He chose anger…
Ohio ONE
month from “hell”
·
Jobs
(AW 3 – CW 2)
·
Worship
leader – public affair
·
Church
building flooded
·
Dog
and Zeke – home daycare
·
Ethne
strange rash
·
Lawn
mower/rock
o
I
had a CHOICE of how to deal w/ my weakness
PRAYER
BIBLE
KEY IDEA: Grace is NOT the absence struggle. Grace means you’re NOT
alone.
Remember à grace isn’t just a Teflon suite that
makes the stuff of this life bounce off of you! Grace is the power to live this
life DIFFERENTLY because Jesus is with you.
The secret to
living a life of joy in the midst of struggle and weakness is remembering that grace
is a person (Jesus)… a person who loves us… cares about us… would give
everything for us… a person who doesn’t want us to be alone… a person who
things we are amazing and wants to give our lives destiny and purpose!
Grace doesn’t
me we won’t have struggles… there is a real enemy… and real people who will
sometimes make choices that will hurt us.
What we need to
realize is that we are NOT alone… AND we can go to Jesus with everything… Grace
is living in a constant relationship.
·
But,
we need to CHOOSE to live there.
·
That’s
what Hebrews 4 is all about…
Hebrews 4:15 ESV
“For we do not have a high priest who is
unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been
tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence
draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to
help in time of need.”
·
We
need to know who we are CHOOSING…
Know who Jesus
is…
·
Jesus
understands weakness
·
Jesus
understands temptation – Matt. 3 à food / authority /identity / more…
·
Jesus
understands how we can rise above our struggles
·
Jesus
WANTS us to come to Him!
Imagine your
best friend when you’re having a terrible day…
Imagine the
person you trust the most when you’ve screwed up…
Imagine a time
when someone was there with you at your lowest of lows…
In all of these
instances, you reached out for help from a friend or family member.
·
There’s
nothing wrong with this.
o Where is your starting point though?
o What relationship did you CHOOSE?
·
But
your friend/spouse doesn’t have the power to change your situation.
·
This
is the difference between an earthly and a Kingdom mindset
·
But
they may never have been through the things you’re experiencing.
·
Jesus
has…
·
Jesus
has experienced betrayal, personal attack, physical abuse, AND the weight of
everyone’s sin on the cross…
·
And
He has the power to overcome it.
·
And
He’s ready and willing to help you with your weakness
KEY IDEA: Grace is NOT the absence struggle. Grace means you’re NOT
alone.
·
Jesus
never went alone either!
·
He
always went w/ the Father
·
Jesus
CHOSE relationship in His weakness…
Where I think
we mess up this process is this…
·
We
intellectually know life has weakness
·
We intellectually
know that Jesus loves us
·
But
at the end of the day, we still try and do it on our own!
o
We
try and muster up the will power
·
Introduce
BP clip…
·
CLIP #2 –
self-effort
o
Notice his reaction
o
Others have pain too! …I
won’t let that happen to me
o
He had a CHOICE in his weakness… He CHOSE
willpower!
YOU
Where
does pain and weakness come from?
·
Stupid
decisions that WE OURSELVES have made
·
Poor
decisions/actions that OTHERS have made
·
Or
physical pains in our BODIES that are a result of Genesis 3
·
Will-Power
will NOT help you w/ these things!
They are all a
result of the enemies push back in our lives.
·
God
wants to give you life abundantly.
·
The
devil wants you to stay stuck in your weaknesses.
·
The
enemy wants you to do it on your OWN
·
…and
NOT rely on the grace of God to go through your stuff with you.
·
The
enemy doesn’t want you to CHOOSE Relationship
2 Corinthians
12: 7 TPT
The extraordinary level of the revelations
I’ve received is no reason for anyone to exalt me. For this is why a thorn in
my flesh was given to me, the Adversary’s messenger sent to
harass me, keeping me from becoming arrogant. 8 Three times I pleaded with the
Lord to relieve me of this. 9 But he answered me, “My grace is always more
than enough for you, and my power finds its full expression through your
weakness.” So, I will celebrate my weaknesses, for when I’m weak I sense
more deeply the mighty power of Christ living in me. 10 So I’m not defeated by
my weakness, but delighted! For when I feel my weakness and endure
mistreatment—when I’m surrounded with troubles on every side and face
persecution because of my love for Christ—I am made yet stronger. For my
weakness becomes a portal to God’s power.”
Did you hear
what Paul just said?!
·
If
you have a revelation of the grace of God… and the power it has in your life…
·
You’re
a threat… a threat to the power’s of darkness.
· Only
dangerous people are attacked by the enemy
·
But
no matter what weakness you’re experiencing…
·
Jesus
is enough
·
A
relationship with Him is where it’s at
·
Our
struggles (which are NOT from God) should push us toward our Father
·
Our
weaknesses should send us running to the Throne (Hebrew 4)
o
Where
are your tendencies? Who do you go to first?
o
Anger?
Willpower? A friend?
·
When
we are in our weakness – the PORTAL is opened through relationship with Jesus!
I love this.
·
KEY IDEA: Grace is NOT the absence struggle. Grace means you’re NOT
alone.
PERSONAL ILLUSTRATION
·
A
few years ago… Chris Hodges… white board.
·
“For every problem in the natural… there is
a battle in the spiritual.”
·
Guys,
pastors have problems.
·
Friends,
our buttons get pressed to.
o
Kids
sick
o
Hurt
my leg (pain and swelling)
o
When
offerings are low
o
When
I pray and someone’s not immediately set free
o
When
someone lashes out at leadership… or leaves the church
§
Then,
I have a CHOICE to make…
o
I
remind myself – Chris Hodges
o
I
remind myself to go to Jesus’ throne with ALL OF IT
o
I
let the grace of Jesus take control of my struggles
o
I
let Jesus remind me of WHO HE IS!
o
I
let Jesus remind me of WHO I AM
o
And
it gives me power to overcome in the midst of conflict
CLIP #3 – understanding
identity à Gives
us grace/mercy
·
In the midst of the struggle – hears the right
voice
·
In the midst of the struggle – responds the
right way
·
He CHOSE wisely
·
And it gave him power
·
And it gave him authority and integrity
ACTION
The
only way to overcome in times of weakness/struggle is through relationship
There
is no hope without the person of grace in your life
· So, press into
relationship
· ILLUST: use babies from this morning
· Curl up in Father’s lap
and let him be your source for everything.
o
Worship
o
Prayer (w/out ceasing)
o
Talk about finances, kids, job, etc.
o
Boldly and confidently
·
Life
may not always be a picnic, but remember…
·
KEY IDEA: Grace is NOT the absence struggle. Grace means you’re NOT
alone.
Don’t choose
anger, willpower or complaints…
CHOOSE
friendship with the person of Grace.
