Thursday, June 20, 2019

Father's Day - June 16, 2019


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.

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