Monday, February 28, 2011

February 28, 2011

"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."  II Corinthians 4:16-18

Hope is an incredibly powerful force! You know that! But maybe you don't always know where to look for hope.

Scientists have proven the significance of hope. They have documented that people can live longer without food or water than they can without hope. Perhaps that is true because the spirit is more important that the body!

Paul wrote to these Corinthian Christians to offer some hope to these struggling believers. I want to share that hope with you today just in case you are in short supply.

Where can you look for hope?

Hope In God's Power!

"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day," V. 16

Aging can take a toll on you. It can stir up doubts and anxieties as you see strength and vitality ebb. Illness can do the same. So can suffering.

You are an eternal soul contained within a temporary body. Getting out of bed each morning is a reminder of the that! Aching joints and muscles can be reminders of that! A glance in the mirror can be a reminder of that! The graying hair and the sagging skin remind you that your body is wearing away.

Where is the hope in that?

Paul answers that by reminding you that when the reality of aging causes you to despair, remember a great reality - the power of God that is at work in you! His spiritual power at work within in you is greater than the force of aging, the force of illness, the force of life's pressure, or any other hope-draining challenge you may face!

Are you a believer? Do you know Him as your Savior? Then His power is at work in you! Hope in His power!

Hope In His Promise!

"For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all."  V. 17

Suffering, pain and misery can rob you of your hope! As the long hours meld into long days, your optimism can melt like wax. Maybe that is where you find yourself today.

How can I hold onto hope when life hurts all the time?

In addition to God's power at work in you - which is no small thing! You also have the promises of God - all of them - hundreds of them - that assure you that your celebration will far outlast your suffering!

Find your comfort in His power today and take your hope from His promises for tomorrow!

Hope In His Perspective!

"So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." V. 18 

You know that a glass of water can be seen as half-full or half- empty. Both are true but can result in a different set of emotions and a different set of decisions.

Reality is like that glass of water, it is part awareness and part attitude.

The awareness keeps you in touch with what is happening around you but your attitude determines how you will respond to it. Will you lose hope or will you choose hope! Paul encourages you to be aware of the reality you face but at the same time, be aware of a greater and eternal reality that awaits you! Your attitude toward your present reality and the actions you take will impact your eternal reality.

Hope comes not from avoiding reality but hope comes from believing in a greater reality - a more powerful and eternal reality! You live today because you are hoping for tomorrow - and the tomorrow after that!

There is hope that awaits you today! The hope of His power! The hope of His promise! The hope of His perspective!
























Saturday, February 26, 2011

February 27, 2011

There is much confusion over that these days. Is evil something that is done by you or to you or is evil something you are? Is it a dark and powerful personal force within you or is it the harmful and hurtful things you do? That confusion contributes to many of our problems in our world today and could be responsible for how evil is on the rise around our world.
If we are going to overcome evil, obviously we must have a clear and actual understanding of what evil is.

And, how we understand evil will determine how we understand good.

In this sermon series we have been defining what it means to Live on Purpose.

Our Purpose Is To Overcome Evil With God


Our Place Is To Discover Our Spiritual Gifts And Serve


Our Purity Is Living In Sincere Love


Our Peace Is Giving Grace, Having Empathy, and Living Humbly


Our Power Is Responding To Evil With Goodness

THE POWER OF EVIL, V. 17

"Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody."

The New York Times reported a study about the diminishing belief in the devil among Americans. Two-thirds of Americans do not believe in the devil as a living entity. In a randomly selected survey of over 1,000 Americans, pollsters asked whether they agreed that Satan is “not a living being, but a symbol of evil.” Sixty-two percent agreed with the statement. That means nearly 149 million Americans believe that Satan has no influence but that Satan is just a symbol of evil. We should know and understand that Satan is real and evil is real and that this is our number 1 enemy as believers in Jesus Christ.

This 12th Chapter of Romans thinks that evil is a problem because it warns us that if we do not overcome it we will be overcome by it. Let’s just do a quick survey of the Scripture:

V. 2 - By nature you are conformed to this world

V.2 - Your evil nature does not know God's will

V. 3 - Your evil nature is conceited

V. 9 - Your evil nature is insincere and loves what is evil

V. 13 - Your evil nature is selfish.


God thinks evil is a problem because He gave the Commandments to define it and then sent Jesus to defeat it and commissioned His Church to destroy it in the power of the Holy Spirit!
The answer to my previous question is that evil is BOTH a noun and a verb.

In other words, I do evil because I have evil in me. I am evil by nature. So are you.

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:9

In our nature we have a rebellious anti-God, anti-Christ, anti-truth bent that seeks to make everything in life about my desires and my opinions.

Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.”
Wow! That is pretty radical stuff! Why would Jesus propose such a radical response?

When you hear the radical things Jesus said about evil and when you see the radical action Jesus took you know evil is serious business!



THE PROBLEM OF EVIL, V. 18

"If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone."

You only have to look as far as the origins of evil. Look what happened in Heaven when Lucifer made an evil choice. His relationship with God was shattered eternally and 1/3 of the angels became evil.
You only have to look as far as the early chapters of Genesis when Adam and Eve chose to do evil:

1) They experienced shame

2) Their relationship was strained

3) Their relationship with God suffered

4) Later, one of their sons murdered the other.

5) We inherited their evil nature

6) Every horrendous despicable tragic that that ever happened since are due to this evil.

Figure 1: shows how drastically the actual knowledge of high school students began to drop at an accelerating rate after 1962. David Barton, who did the report notes that the upturn in SAT scores since 1981 is due to the increase in private Christian educational facilities which began to flourish at that time. Statistics have proven that students from private Christian schools showed higher academic achievement and higher test scores.


Figure 2: This graph shows the increase in sexual activity in unmarried teen-age girls after the 1962 Supreme Court decision. It is evident from the figures provided that in the years previous to the removal of prayer the rates remained stable and relatively unchanged. In the post- prayer years the numbers immediately began to soar. The sudden increase on the graph appears as if a great restraining force had suddenly been removed.

Figure 3: Unwed women 15-19 years of age showed a phenomenal increase in the rate of pregnancies after the School Prayer decision. Note that the figure jumps drastically after the Supreme Court’s Roe vs. Wade decision which made abortion legal in the U.S. The United States now has the highest incidence of teen-age motherhood in any Western country.

Figure 4: For the 15-19 and 20-24 age group, the rates of youth suicide remained relatively unchanged during the years from 1946 to the School Prayer decision in 1962. But in the years since, suicides among the same group have increased 253 percent, or an average of 10.5 percent per year.

Figure 5: Stability in the family has also been affected since the 1962 decision. Divorce, single parent families, couples living together but not married, and adultery are areas of family breakdown which have experienced radical growth in recent years. In the graph above, the increase in single parent families (households with only a mother and children) are detailed. Note the dotted line at the bottom, which shows the rate of growth prior to the 1962 decision.
Figure 6: Crime, productivity, and national morality had been on a fairly stable level prior to the 1962 decision, but that is no longer the case. It is obvious that such a quantity of students praying for their nation had a very positive effect on the course that this nation had taken. The rate of violent crime, as shown above, has risen over 330 percent.


What God hates most about evil, besides the fact that it offends His holiness, is how it wrecks relationships and hurts people. Those are the two things He values most!

If I were to ask for a show of hands from anyone who has suffered from a relationship that has been shattered or strained by some form of evil habit or influence I would expect to see a room full of hands. EVIL WRECKS RELATIONSHIPS AND BREAKS GOD’S HEART!

So – do you dare be casual about evil?
 
THE POWER OVER EVIL, Vv. 19-21


"Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."
“All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” Edmund Burke

What is it I should do to overcome evil? How can I stand against evil and stem the tide of evil in an increasingly evil world?

FIRST, REPENT OF YOUR EVIL


What is repentance? Gordon MacDonald helps us to understand with these sobering words: “Repentance is not necessarily repentance for what I have done although it may necessitate that. Repentance is for, more significantly, what is in me as a sinner. I suggest to you that the Bible is teaching us over and over again that in the soul of every person in this room — even in the children — is a volcanic pocket of evil so virile and so full of potential that anyone in this world would probably be capable of destroying the world five times over if all of that evil got out.”

SECOND, BE CLEANSED OF YOUR EVIL AND FILLED WITH HIS SPIRIT


THIRD, LIVE IN HIS LOVE AND HOLY GOODNESS, Vv. 19-21


BECOME PURELY PROACTIVE – STOP REACTING!

One evening a woman was driving home when she noticed a huge truck behind her that was driving uncomfortably close. She stepped on the gas to gain some distance from the truck, but when she sped up the truck did too. The faster she drove, the faster drove the truck.

Now scared, she exited the freeway. But the truck stayed with her. The woman then turned up a main street, hoping to lose her pursuer in traffic. But the truck ran a red light and continued the chase.

Reaching the point of panic, the woman whipped her car into a service station and bolted out of her auto screaming for help. The truck driver sprang from his truck and ran toward her car. Yanking the back door open, the driver pulled out a man hidden in the backseat.

The woman was running from the wrong person. From his high vantage point, the truck driver had spotted a would-be rapist in the woman’s car. The chase was not his effort to harm her but to save her even at the cost of his own safety.
That is how you and I tend to be and it is what makes evil so dangerous. We think that evil is something "OUT THERE". It is those liberals, or those conservatives, or those pro-lifers, or those pro-abortionists, or those Catholics, or those Muslims - anything but us!
So we join good causes and take good stands but evil continues to grow!
The worst evil is the evil within!
BUT - it is an evil you can deal with! It is an evil HE can conquer! You can make the world a less evil place!
Will you?








February 26, 2011

"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." Romans 12:21

There is a good reason that the writer of Romans admonishes you not to allow yourself to be overcome with evil. Here are three of them:

Lucifer was overcome by evil and lost his exalted place in Heaven:

"How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, “I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.” Isaiah 14:12-14

Ever since he became evil he has spread evil like a plague and is totally dedicated to overwhelming the world with evil:

“You will not surely die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Genesis 3:4-6

Once sin spread to the human race, Adam and Eve, the first parents contaminated the human nature with evil. Since then every person who has ever been born has been overcome by evil. You were born evil. I was born evil. It is our default position. Unless something dramatic is done, all of humanity will be hopelessly overcome by evil.

God sent Jesus, His Perfect Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin - without a sinful nature! That enabled Him to become the sacrifice to bear the penalty for our sins. He Who was Holy absorbed our evil and became evil for us:

"Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand and knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him. " Matthew 27:27-31

These three portraits of evil remind us of how hideous it is. They remind us of how powerful it is. So powerful is it that only God Himself can overcome it. What makes you think you can mess with it and get away with it?

Only the Second Adam could overcome the evil created by the first Adam. He is your only hope to be an overcomer!




Friday, February 25, 2011

February 25, 2011

"Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody"   Romans 12:17

Evil is incredibly powerful. These verses make it clear that evil will overcome you if you do not take deliberate and intentional spiritual action to bring the power of God to bear against the evil in your heart, it will eventually express itself in destructive ways. You never know the powerful impact that even one evil action can have.

Consider this example from recent American history.

How did the removal of voluntary prayer from the schools of the United States affect our nation as a whole? That question has been answered in detail by a research company in Texas which has gathered and tabulated statistics from hundreds of sources relating to the rates of moral decline in America.
Specialty Research Associates, under the direction of David Barton, has released a report entitled America: To Pray or Not to Pray which uses over 100 pages of graphs and statistical analysis to prove that crime, venereal disease, premarital sex, illiteracy, suicide, drug use, public corruption, and other social ills began a dramatic increase after the Engel vs. Vitale Supreme Court decision was made in 1962 which banned school prayer.
Prayer in schools prior to 1962 was utilized in school districts all over the U.S. in many varieties. Some teachers used extemporaneous prayers, simply expressing their thoughts and desires; others implemented structured prayers, such as the Lord’s Prayer or the 23rd Psalm, or others approved by local school boards. New York students prayed each day: “Almighty God, we acknowledge our dependence on Thee and beg Thy blessing over us, our parents, our teachers, and our nation.” It was this simple prayer which came under fire and went to the Supreme Court for the landmark decision.

Says David Barton, “It is impossible to know how many of the 39 million children were involved in daily verbal prayers, but most accounts indicate that a clear majority of the students voluntarily participated in daily school prayer. Is it possible that the prayers that were being offered by these children and their teachers across the nation actually had any measurable, tangible effect?”
Figure 1: The SAT: It was this question that led Barton to uncover the statistical proof that the removal of prayer did indeed take its toll on America. Below are just a few of the charts featured in Barton’s report, with a brief explanation of each: (Scholastic Aptitude Test) is an academic test that measures the developed verbal and math reasoning of a student exiting from high school or some similar type of learning facility. The results of these tests are commonly used by colleges and universities to indicate the strength of a student’s academic preparation and his potential for success on the college level.

Figure 1 shows how drastically the actual knowledge of high school students began to drop at an accelerating rate after 1962. Barton notes in his report that the upturn in SAT scores since 1981 is due to the increase in private Christian educational facilities which began to flourish at that time. Statistics have proven that students from private Christian schools showed higher academic achievement and higher test scores.

Figure 2: This graph shows the increase in sexual activity in unmarried teen-age girls after the 1962 Supreme Court decision. It is evident from the figures provided that in the years previous to the removal of prayer the rates remained stable and relatively unchanged. In the post- prayer years the numbers immediately began to soar. The sudden increase on the graph appears as if a great restraining force had suddenly been removed.

Figure 3: Unwed women 15-19 years of age showed a phenomenal increase in the rate of pregnancies after the School Prayer decision. Note that the figure jumps drastically after the Supreme Court’s Roe vs. Wade decision which made abortion legal in the U.S. The United States now has the highest incidence of teen-age motherhood in any Western country.


Figure 4: For the 15-19 and 20-24 age group, the rates of youth suicide remained relatively unchanged during the years from 1946 to the School Prayer decision in 1962. But in the years since, suicides among the same group have increased 253 percent, or an average of 10.5 percent per year.

Figure 5: Stability in the family has also been affected since the 1962 decision. Divorce, single parent families, couples living together but not married, and adultery are areas of family breakdown which have experienced radical growth in recent years. In the graph above, the increase in single parent families (households with only a mother and children) are detailed. Note the dotted line at the bottom, which shows the rate of growth prior to the 1962 decision.

Figure 6: Crime, productivity, and national morality had been on a fairly stable level prior to the 1962 decision, but that is no longer the case. It is obvious that such a quantity of students praying for their nation had a very positive effect on the course that this nation had taken. The rate of violent crime, as shown above, has risen over 330 percent.


You say, "I agree that this is terrible. This evil decision to ban praying in school has exponentially spread throughout our culture with devastating moral effects. But what can I do about that? I can't change the law."

That is true, but the point is this. You must realize the power of evil. And, the evil you should be most concerned about is the evil within you. Repent of it immediately and ask God to cleanse you with the blood of Jesus and fill you with the Holy Spirit.

Overcome evil with God!

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

February 24, 2011

"Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody."  Romans 12:17

Evil is easy to recognize in others.

But when it comes to owning up to the evil in you, that is a little tougher. You have your weak areas and your struggles, but you are not really evil. Right?

Let's see what Jesus has to say.

"You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell." Matthew 5:21-22

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." Matthew 5:27-28

Would you admit that any person who would commit a murder is an evil person? Certainly you would admit that murder is an evil deed.

Well, Jesus said if you have ever been angry at another person you have an evil in you that is capable of murdering someone.

And He is also saying that if you have ever lusted for a woman, that indicates you have a evil that is capable of committing adultery.

So, getting angry or lusting after a woman indicate an inner evil resident within you. Are you evil? If you have done either or both of these then you have evil in you. Yes, you.

In this very chapter evil is defined and identified.

In verse one, evil is refusing to surrender spiritually to God.

Verse two identifies evil as being conformed to the world.

The third through eighth verses indicates evil is using your gifts for yourself rather than serving others. Or, it is not using them at all.

Verse 9 mentions embracing evil as something evil.

Verse 10 indicates that self-centered love is evil.

The rest of the chapter reveals that being overcome by evil is evidence of evil within you. Refusing to do the good thing or the right thing or the godly thing opens the door for evil in your life.

Then the question becomes, "What am I going to with that evil?"

Will you tolerate it? Will you ignore it and hope it goes away?

Or, will you confess it and repent of it and resist it every day? Admit that you are evil and ask God to cleanse it out of you by His blood and His Spirit.






Tuesday, February 22, 2011

February 23, 2011

"Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody."  Romans 12:17

When the writer of Romans penned these words I think he assumed that his readers would know what evil is. Nowadays that may not be the case.

Is evil a noun or is it a verb?

There is much confusion over that these days. Is evil something that is done by you or to you or is evil something you are? Is it a dark and powerful personal force within you or is it the harmful and hurtful things you do? That confusion contributes to many of our problems in our world today.


If we are going to overcome evil, obviously we must have a clear and actual understanding of what evil is.


A study of the whole 12th chapter will give you a good concept of what evil is.


V.1 - Evil is refusing to surrender your sinful nature to Christ.


V. 2 - Evil is conforming to the "world" or the "cosmos" in your thinking and your values.
          Evil is not desiring the will of God.


V. 3 - 8 - Evil is failing or refusing to serve God with your gifts and talents.


V. 9 - 13 - Evil is self-seeking and despising others.


V. 14- 20 - Evil is being conceited, spiteful and retaliatory toward those who disagree with you.


You will either overcome evil or it will overcome you. And until you deal with the evil that controls your nature, you will be overcome by evil.

So, evil is a noun.

It is a nature that dwells in you from the time of your birth. Being born evil you are also born separated from God. And that spiritual separation from God is the essence of your evil.

But, evil is also a verb!

It is because of the evil that dwells in you, evil guides your thoughts and decisions. Evil thoughts breed evil attitudes that are expressed in evil actions.

God calls you to be delivered from evil. You can choose to allow Him to deliver you and cleanse you from evil.

Or, you can be overcome by evil. Which will  it be today?
      

Monday, February 21, 2011

February 22, 2011

"Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."  Romans 12:17-21

The power of goodness is the power to be proactive.

By contrast, evil is reactive. And evil reacts with greater force than what was used against it causing an escalation of evil.

Overcoming evil requires you to determine in advance that no matter what evil is done against you you will not retaliate with evil.

There is no way you can win the battle with evil unless you predetermine to do so. If you are not proactive in your commitment to good, you will react to evil with evil.

Any person can be reactive. It is human nature. You don't have to be a spiritual giant to respond with to an evil act with anger and retaliation. That takes no moral or spiritual conviction.

But it does take the love and power of God to refrain from retaliating? It takes the presence of the Holy Spirit and His power to prevent you from retaliating against one who hurts you.

What is really gained by retaliating? Does it make you feel good? Is it wise? Is it advatanageous? Is it helpful to any one?

What retaliation normally means is that "when you bring a knife, I bring a gun". I am going to hurt you more than you hurt me.

Paul says, "That sort of reaction takes no special power of ability. Pick someone out of the crown and he can retaliate. But you may have to stop a number of people to find one who refuses to return evil for evil.

When Jesus told His disciples to pray, "Deliver us from evil". This is what He had in mind. "Oh, Lord, keep me from saying or doing something that will dishonor you and make a bad situation worse."

How do you respond to hurtful or harmful acts committed against you?

Or will you try to overcome their evil with greater "shock and awe"?

Overcoming evil doesn't happen by mistake. Overcoming evil is a commitment that declares, "No matter how evil you decide to be toward me, I will respond with love."

Is that how you lived yesterday? Is that how you plan to live today?












Sunday, February 20, 2011

February 21, 2011

"Don't pay back evil with evil. Be careful to do what everyone thinks is right. If possible, live in peace with everyone. Do that as much as you can. My friends, don't try to get even. Leave room for God to show his anger. It is written, "I am the One who judges people. I will pay them back,"— (Deut. 32:35) says the Lord. Do just the opposite. Scripture says, "If your enemies are hungry, give them food to eat. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. By doing those things, you will pile up burning coals on their heads." — (Pro. 25:21,22) Don't let evil overcome you. Overcome evil by doing good."

Romans 12 tells you that you are living on purpose. So far we have learned that your purpose is to "overcome evil with good". But, to do that you must overcome the evil in you. That happens when you surrender yourself to God and become a "living sacrifice holy and acceptable to God". He promises to renew you by the transfomring of your mind.

Once God has transformed you and filled you with His Spirit, then you can discover your place in His Kingdom. Romans affimrs that you have a spiritual gift, a special God-given, Spirit activated ministry strength that will allow you to serve Him in the church. 

As you serve God within the church a new passion will arise within you for Him and His people. You will serve Him with sincere love that protects the unity and community of the church.

Then you must find your peace. Peace comes from being a grace-giver and not a grudge-holder. And peace comes from empathizing with the emotions of others - sharing their joys a though they were your own and entering into their pain to help bring comfort. Then, peace comes through humility that maintains harmony.

Verses 17-21 ends by showing how to find your power. We will be examining that over the next several posts.

"Don't pay back evil with evil". When you understand your purpose, and when you find your place and your passion and your peace, you will have the desire and ability to overcome the evil that seeks to overwhelm you.

You do not have to be overcome by evil! You have the power to be an overcomer!

How?

By aborbing it!

That's right! Just take it and return good for evil!

That takes incredible power! The power of love. The power of grace! But, in God you have that power!

Evil is overcome each time you refuse to return evil for evil. Will you be an overcomer today? Or, will you be overcome?







Saturday, February 19, 2011

February 20, 2011

"Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited."   Romans 12:16

I. Let’s Think About Harmony


You don't have to be an expert in music to appreciate the importance of harmony. Even an untrained ear can hear when the music doesn't mesh!

First of all, you wouldn't want to listen to an orchestra consisting entirely of one type of instruments. One violin is beautiful when played properly. Even several of them when played harmoniously can sound good. But an entire orchestra made up of violins would grow tedious rather quickly.


Even worse, would be an orchestra made up entirely of violins and everyone of them playing out of tune.


When you listen to an orchestra or a choral group you expect to hear instruments or voices lifted in harmony. All the instruments or all the voices meld into one glorious sound, full and rich. It is a thing of beauty! It touches the soul!


But when you go to a concert prepared to be inspired by the music you notice right away if one of the voices or one of the instruments is out of tune or off key. The fine music of the many is spoiled by the lack of harmony by one.


Harmony is many blending their talents together into one beautiful result. It is what a local church is supposed to be. When each member plays his part so as to blend with the parts of the others in harmony, you have an example of what God wants His Church to be like. When that happens those people make beautiful music that is like a masterpiece in God's ears.


But the very thing that makes it beautiful is the same thing that makes it difficult – bringing all those different instruments and their musicians together!

 
Get In Tune – Vv. 1-2



“Do not have your concert first, then tune your instrument afterwards. Begin the day with the Word of God and prayer, and get first of all in harmony with Him."  John MacArthur

Harmony is a matter of getting in tune with God! He is the Music and He is the Maestro! Until you harmonize with Him you will ever be out of tune with life, and love and hope! The inspiring music you just enjoyed happened because all the musicians got in tune with each other and the musical score.


Get Your Tone – Vv. 3-8


Harmony is a matter finding your tone. Each of those lovely Irish ladies sang a separate part. One was a soprano, one was a second soprano, one was an alto, and one sang the melody. In the orchestra, each instrument has a unique sound and different notes that when played correctly blended into beautiful music.


Similarly, in the church, each believer has unique gifts and talents that must be recognized, acknowledged and committed in concert with other believers in the church. When each plays his part, the church makes inspiring music for the glory of God!


Get His Timing


Every song has a time signature. For the music to work, the tune must be correct and in tone and then done together with the proper timing. The notes and the words must all be played and sung together at the same time and in the right way!



If this analogy makes sense to you, understand that it is a beautiful illustration of the Church! That is how God designed His church. It is not a place for solos or for stars to perform. It is a fellowship of God-lovers presenting a concert of love in unity with His Spirit and one another. At the heart of the harmony is humility.


The Church of Jesus Christ is better when each of us blend with all of us! When I humbly honor you and merge my talents with yours we hit all the right notes for God and He is glorified!


II. Let’s Think About Humility

My favorite definition of humility comes from Dr. Elton Trueblood, the great Quaker scholar and theologian. He wrote, "Humility is not thinking less of yourself, humility is not thinking of yourself at all."


If humility is anything, it is certainly removing your self-interest from the spiritual equations of your life. It is being delivered from the natural human inclination to ask, "What's in it for me?" Humility is "seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness". Humility is factoring how you can benefit God and others.


Pictures work better than words, so let’s look at the best picture of humility - EVER!

Be invested in interests of others

Give up your “god complex” – (pride)

Die to self

Live to glorify God


Harmony is preserved and protected by humility.


How so?


Each member of the orchestra must agree to play his part and only his part, nothing more or less. Perhaps there is a brief solo piece somewhere in the score for the concert, but the beautiful music is realized when each member plays his music in a way that blends with the other instruments.


Leonard Bernstein was once asked which instrument was the most difficult to play. He thought for a moment and then replied, "The second fiddle. I can get plenty of first violinists, but to find someone who can play the second fiddle with enthusiasm - that’s a problem. And if we have no second fiddle, we have no harmony."


WILL YOU BE WILLING TO PLAY SECOND FIDDLE?


III. Let’s Harmonize!


Mark Twain once said, "I built a cage and in it I put a dog and a cat. After a little training I got the dog and the cat to the point where they lived peaceably together. Then I introduced a pig, a goat, a kangaroo, some birds, and a monkey. And after a few adjustments, they learned to live in harmony together. So encouraged was I by such successes that I added an Irish Catholic, a Presbyterian, a Jew, a Muslim from Turkestan, and a Buddhist from China, along with a Baptist missionary that I captured on the same trip. And in a very short time, there wasn’t a single living thing left in the cage."


The challenge to harmony is many different types of instruments played by many different people and they need to play in such a way that it sounds like one!


AS I WRAP THIS UP THIS MORNING I WANT TO SHOW YOU TWO EXAMPLES OF THE POWER OF HARMONY. ONE IN A NEGATIVE SENSE AND ONE IN A POWERFUL POSITIVE SENSE:



BABEL


God says in Genesis 11:6, "If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them."  God realizes that when people are unified in purpose they can accomplish impossible feats, both noble and ignoble. This is why unity in the body of Christ is so important.

 
PENTECOST


Acts 2:1-6 – “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.”


WHEN WE COME INTO UNITY OF PURPOSE


WHEN WE COME INTO COMMUNITY AND SERVE IN OUR PLACES



WHEN WE COME INTO SINCERE LOVE AND FIND OUR PASSION


WHEN WE FIND THE PEACE THAT COMES FROM GRACE-GIVING, AND ENTERING INTO EACH OTHER’S JOYS AND PAIN, AND LIVING HUMBLY – THE GOD WILL BRING US HARMONY AND MAKE US A SYMPHONY OF HIS LOVE AND POWER!


YOU KNOW HOW YOU SOMETIMES GET A CATCHY TUNE IN YOUR MIND AND YOU CAN’T GET IT OUT…….?


That is what God wants Christians to be. It is what He wants churches to be.


Is your life in tune with God?


Do you have harmony in your life? In your marriage? In your fellowship?


Friday, February 18, 2011

February 19, 2011

"Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not think you are superior."  Romans 12:16

I was thinking about the power of harmony. We know the beauty of it from a musical standpoint - a great orchestra or choir can bring tears to your eyes.

But I am thinking of two stories from the Bible that show the tremendous impact of people who are living in harmony.

The first comes from the old Testament in Genesis 11. It is the story of the Tower of Babel.

"Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. As men moved eastward,they found a plain in Shinar and settled there. They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth. But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower that the men were building. The LORD said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.” So the LORD scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. That is why it was called Babel — because there the LORD confused the language of the whole world. From there the LORD scattered them over the face of the whole earth." Genesis 11:1-9

Wow! Did you get that? God was afraid that if these people were to stay united - (in harmony) -they would be unstoppable in their evil plans to install their proud kingdom on the earth. In God's own words, "nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them". Their kingdom would anti-god.

So God sent division among them by breaking their harmony through confusing their languages.When their harmony was disrupted they quickly lost their power and strength. Their plan failed.

The second story comes from the New Testament Book of Acts and is the story of the Church of Jerusalem and the Day of Pentecost.

"When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them."  Acts 2:1-4

The harmony that was achieved among the 120 disciples of Jesus brought the tremendous power of the Holy Spirit into their midst and changed them forever. Through their unity there were 3,000 others who witnessed the power of God among them and repented of their sins and turned to Christ!

When you are reminded of the tremendous signs and wonders that accompanied the coming of the Holy Spirit, you clearly see that power of harmony. When you see the love and caring that happened as a result of this miraculous event, you can't deny the importance of developing harmony among a body of believers.

The two dramatic stories we have considered in this post show clearly the power of harmony.

Also, consider that if you and I understand the powerful potential of spiritual harmony, the Devil has to know it, too. And he is going to do his best to sow confusion and discord whenever and however he can. And all too often - he does! His most effective tool is pride.

So now you understand how important harmony is and that pride is the enemy of harmony, you should see the value of humility.

What are you willing to do to bring harmony to your marriage? To your family? To your church? Is there an area of pride you should deal with? Are you a grace-giver? Are you able to enter into the emotional celebrations and sobs of others?

In these dark and evil days, God is looking for believers who will give themselves humbly to Him and others to live in spiritual unity and harmony.

Will you be one?







Thursday, February 17, 2011

February 18, 2011

"Agree with each other. Don't be proud. Be willing to be a friend of people who aren't considered important. Don't think that you are better than others."  Romans 12:16

Humility is about the only way to preserve harmony. So, if you value harmony you must place a high priority on humility.

What is humility and how does it happen?

If you want to understand what it means to be humble there is not better example that this:

"Don't do anything only to get ahead. Don't do it because you are proud. Instead, be free of pride. Think of others as better than yourselves. None of you should look out just for your own good. You should also look out for the good of others. You should think in the same way Christ Jesus does. In his very nature he was God. But he did not think that being equal with God was something he should hold on to. Instead, he made himself nothing. He took on the very nature of a servant. He was made in human form. He appeared as a man. He came down to the lowest level. He obeyed God completely, even though it led to his death. In fact, he died on a cross. So God lifted him up to the highest place. He gave him the name that is above every name. When the name of Jesus is spoken, everyone's knee will bow to worship him. Every knee in heaven and on earth and under the earth will bow to worship him. Everyone's mouth will say that Jesus Christ is Lord. And God the Father will receive the glory."   Philippians 2:3-11

Humility is thinking toward others in the same way Jesus does.

He thinks about their needs and how He can meet them. Do you?

He counts others as more important than Himself and considers what is in their best interest.

He gave up His position and privilege to serve others.

He sacrificed His very life to save the eternal life of others.

Who can match the example of humility modeled by our Savior? Who has stooped lower than He did? Who suffered more that Him for the sake of others? Who has sacrificed more than Jesus?

He humbled Himself to restore harmony in the universe. He died and rose again so that it would be possible for harmony to be preserved among His people.

In short, to have humility you must have the mind of Christ. How does that happen?

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is true worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:1-2

Humility comes as a result of humbling yourself to God and allowing Him to purge your pride and self-centered mind and your self-seeking heart. In other words, harmony begins by getting yourself in tune with God - heart and mind.

Have you done that?

Will you?













Wednesday, February 16, 2011

February 17, 2011

"Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.Do not be conceited."  Romans 12:16
Here is a great example of harmony:
The Scripture says, "Live in harmony with one another". Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could live with a harmony that was as beautiful as that? Well, that is exactly what God calls us to do! And we certainly cannot do it without the AMAZING GRACE of God!

How can this happen?

Get In Tune

Harmony is a matter of getting in tune with God! He is the Music and He is the Maestro! Until you harmonize with Him you will ever be out of tune with life, and love and hope! The inspiring music you just enjoyed happened because all the musicians got in tune with each other and the musical score.
Get Your Tone
Harmony is a matter finding your tone. Each of those lovely Irish ladies sang a separate part. One was a soprano, one was a second soprano, one was an alto, and one sang the melody. In the orchestra, each instrument has a unique sound and different notes that when played correctly blended into beautiful music.
Similarly, in the church, each believer has unique gifts and talents that must be recognized, acknowledged and committed in concert with other believers in the church. When each plays his part, the church makes inspiring music for the glory of God!
Get His Timing
Every song has a time signature. For the music to work, the tune must be correct and in tone and then done together with the proper timing. The notes and the words must all be played and sung together at the same time and in the right way!
If this analogy makes sense to you, understand that it is a beautiful illustration of the Church!
Wouldn't you love for your church to make inspiring music like this? Music that inspires love! Music that inspires hope! Music that draws others to Christ!

Is your life in tune with God?

Have you found your tone?

Are you in sync with His timing?

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                







Tuesday, February 15, 2011

February 16, 2011

"Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.Do not be conceited." Romans 12:16

You don't have to be an expert in music to appreciate the importance of harmony. Even an untrained ear can hear when the music doesn't mesh!

First of all, you wouldn't want to listen to an orchestra consisting entirely of one type of instruments. One violin is beautiful when played properly. Even several of them when played harmoniously. But an entire orchestra made up of violins would grow tedious rather quickly.

Even worse, would be an orchestra made up entirely of violins and everyone of them playing out of tune.

When you listen to an orchestra or a choral group you expect to hear instruments or voices lifted in harmony. All the instruments or all the voices meld into one glorious sound, full and rich. It is a thing of beauty! It touches the soul!

But when you go to a concert prepared to be inspired by the music you notice right away if one of the voices or one of the instruments is out of tune or off key. The fine music of the many is spoiled by the lack of harmony by one.

Harmony is many blending their talents together into one beautiful result. It is what a local church is supposed to be. When each member plays his part so as to blend with the parts of the others in harmony, you have an example of what God wants His Church to be like. When that happens those people make beautiful music that is like a masterpiece in God's ears.

Harmony is preserved and protected by humility.

How so?

Each member of the orchestra must agree to play his part and only his part, nothing more or less. Perhaps there is a brief solo piece somewhere in the score for the concert, but a the beautiful music is realized when each member plays his music in a way that blends with the other instruments.

That is how God designed His church. It is not a place for solos or for stars to perform. It is a fellowship of God-lovers presenting a concert of love in unity with His Spirit and one another. At the heart of the harmony is humility.

The Church of Jesus Christ is better when each of us blend with all of us! When I humbly honor you and merge my talents with yours we hit all the right notes for God and He is glorified!








February 15, 2011

"Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited."  Romans 12:16

For the past several weeks we have been studying about spiritual peace. This section of Romans 12 mentions three aspects of this peace:

Giving grace not holding grudges, V. 14
Empathizing with other's emotions, V. 15
Humility helps with harmony, V. 16

These spiritual characteristics are significant be cause they promote peace and unity within a church fellowship. But even more so because they show evidence that you have found spiritual peace within.

The fact that you can extend grace to someone who has hurt you shows a spiritual maturity that comes only from the Holy Spirit.

And being able to celebrate the joys of others as sincerely as you celebrate your own and being able to bear the pain of others is a sure sign of spiritual maturity.

Unless you have arrived at a point of peace and contentment in the Holy Spirit, you will not be able to live like this.

Humility is the third quality of a spiritual person. For the next several posts we are going to think about humility and come to a better understanding of why it is so important within a fellowship of believers.

My favorite definition of humility comes from Dr. Elton Trueblood, the great Quaker scholar and theologian. He wrote, "Humility is not thinking less of yourself, humility is not thinking of yourself at all."

If humility is anything, it is certainly removing your self interest from the spiritual equations of your life. It is being delivered from the natural human inclination to ask, "What's in it for me?" Humility is "seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness". Humility is factoring how you can benefit your brother or your sister.

Humility is a clear indication that your "flesh" has been crucified and that His love rules in your heart.

How do you measure on the humility scale?

Have you removed your self interest to the perimeter of your life?

Are your actions showing evidence that you "love God with all your heart and all your soul and your neighbor as yourself?"

Will you humbly assess your heart today?