April 14, 2012

What should you expect from a God who knows no limits and can do anything He wants any time and anywhere?

 

 

That is a very important question that deserves some honest, thoughtful and biblical answers. To find some answers we are studying the story of David and Goliath to see if we can learn what he expected of God when he confronted Goliath.

In our last post we discovered that David expected a godly viewpoint. Because of that he saw Goliath differently that all of the others. They saw a giant that was too big to fight and he saw a giant that was too big to miss!

This morning we will see the second expectation David had of God. He expected godly valor as he confronted the giant. David behaved differently toward Goliath because he believed differently about him.

“When the Israelites saw the man, they all ran away from him in great fear.”  V. 24

“As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him.”  V. 48

Why did David have such courage when the soldiers, who were battle tested, didn’t?

1)       His Experience

“But David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock,  I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it.  Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. The LORD who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.” Vv. 34-37

David was confident in His public battle because he had tested God in his private battles. As a shepherd caring for his sheep he had rescued them from the attack of a bear and later when a lion attacked his flock he also killed it.

I am sure that the first time David had to fight a lion or a bear, they seemed like a giant to him. But when he was able to take them on and kill them with the help of the Lord, they became less frightening - and so did the giant!

 

 

God won't allow you to face a giant until you have trusted Him and proven Him against some bears or lions. Confidence in God is gained through winning private victories in your personal battles.

 

 

Let me ask you, “How are your private battles? How are you handling your personal giants – or lions – or bears?”

God expects you to trust Him to win your personal private battles before you trust Him to give you public victories!

2)       His Expectation

“David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the LORD will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel.  All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.” Vv. 44-47

He knew this was the Lord’s battle so he knew that the Lord would give him the victory.

He expected God to win the battle because he knew – he fought for the right principle – he fought for the right purpose and – he fought with spiritual power.

David won a major victory on the public battlefield because he was winning on his private personal battlefield. God was able to help him publicly because David had allowed God to help him privately.

The fact is if you aren’t winning the private personal battles the public battles will eventually expose you and bring you down!

April 13, 2012

"David asked the men standing near him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” I Samuel 17:26

When David arrived on the scene he saw the same thing that the soldiers saw but he saw it very differently!

THEY LOOKED AT GOLIATH AND SAID, “HE IS TOO BIG TO FIGHT!” DAVID LOOKED AT HIM AND THOUGHT, “HE IS TOO BIG TO MISS!”

I believe that one thing you and I should expect from God when faced by a giant challenge is a GODLY VIEWPOINT!

What does that mean AND how do we get it?

What It Means

If you or I are to respond to a giant in a way that honors God doesn’t it make sense that we should view it from His perspective?

1)       Who to fight – Spiritual Principle

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”  Ephesians 6:12

In life it is important to know which battles to fight. Face it, you can spend so much time and energy fighting little battles that you don't have anything left for the really big ones. David didn't make that mistake.

* Not people – could have been offended by his brothers or by King Saul when they rebuked him and dismissed him and belittled his passion. David knew his battle was not against people.

* Spiritual principles – Goliath was profaning and defying God and causing the army of God to lose heart.

       2)       Why to fight – Spiritual Purpose

^“David said to Saul, “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.”  V. 32

God’s people needed to be encouraged and His Name needed to be defended. David's zeal for his God would not allow him to ignore the blasphemous giant.

Something had to give and someone had to go. David knew who to fight and why!

I dream of a church fellowship where the people stand and fight for God and the purposes of His Word. And I dream of a place where the people fight FOR each other and never against each other.

3)       How to fight – Spiritual Power

God’s power met David at his point of preparation and passion. He had been able to slay a lion and then kill a bear in the strength of the Lord when his sheep where attacked by them. Because of his experience with using God's power against his enemies.

David’s strength went against Goliath’s weakness (His sling not Saul’s armor). The courage and competence of David with a slingshot was a secret weapon against the arrogance of Goliath. Because of the giant's giant-sized ego he left himself vulnerable to the pinpoint accuracy of the shepherd's slingshot.

How To Get It

David was a servant and they were soldiers. The servant heart of the shepherd boy allowed him to think differently than the cynical soldiers and to see the giant from a different viewpoint.

David’s focus had been fixed on God while they had been preoccupied by Goliath. That made a difference in how they viewed the situation.

DAVID WAS SUCCESSFUL AGAINST GOLIATH BECAUSE HE HAD GOD’S VIEWPOINT ON THE SITUATION.

He fought for God’s principle and he fought for God’s purpose and he fought in God’s power.

Can I ask you a question, “Do you think you would have fewer disappointments with God if you fought your giants with His viewpoint?”

Don’t you think you should expect God to give you His viewpoint?

Do you possess the heart of a servant?  

Do you focus on Him more than on your giant?

April 12, 2012

^"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,  to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."  Ephesians 3:20-21

Okay, can we just admit it and get it out there – you have been disappointed with God. Does it help to know that you are in good company?

Consider these surprising quotes from some well regarded people:

"I have my moments of deep discouragement. I have to go to God in prayer with tears in my eyes." - Billy Graham

"I am exhausted crying for help....waiting for my God to help me." - King David (Psalm 69)

"Where is God? Go to Him when your need is desperate and what do you find? A door slammed in your face." - C. S. Lewis

"I have had enough, Lord.....Take my life."  - Elijah

"In my soul, I can't tell you how dark it is....I feel like refusing God." - Mother Teresa

"My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?" - Jesus

"God has no right to treat me like this -- it isn't fair!" - Job

I would take a guess that most, if not all of those people whose quotes were represented in that clip are enjoying Heaven right now and I guarantee you that they are not disappointed!

Let me ask you, “Have you ever disappointed God?” Again, let me ask you, “Have you disappointed God more often than He has disappointed you?”

“Did God quit on you when you disappointed Him?”     “Will you quit on Him?”

Okay, I will go first! I have been disappointed with God.

In order to resolve this faith crisis I had to face some hard options, "Was God insensitive to my need?" or "Was He unable to meet my need" or "Was He unwilling to do so?" or "Were my expectations unrealistic?"

Given those considerations I had to finally conclude that my expectations of God were unrealistic because I just couldn't come to the other conclusions. I know my God cares and I know He is able and I know He is willing.

So, this brings us back to the question, "What should I expect from God?"

That is a HUGE question that will take several weeks to answer. But in the meantime, I leave you with another quote to help keep you from being disappointed with God:

"When I can't trace His hand I can trust His heart." - Charles Spurgeon

April 11, 2012

^"I call with all my heart; answer me, LORD, and I will obey your decrees. I call out to you; save me and I will keep your statutes. I rise before dawn and cry for help; I have put my hope in your word. My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promises. Hear my voice in accordance with your love; preserve my life, LORD, according to your laws. Those who devise wicked schemes are near, but they are far from your law. Yet you are near, LORD, and all your commands are true. Long ago I learned from your statutes that you established them to last forever."  Psalm 119:145-152

Have you ever beem disappointed with God?

It's okay to be honest, we are friends here.

Okay, I will go first! I have been disappointed with God.

I found it to be an extremely gut-wrenching soul-searching experience. In order to resolve this faith crisis I had to face some hard options, "Was God insensitive to my need?" or "Was He unable to meet my need" or "Was He unwilling to do so?" or "Were my expectations unrealistic?"

Given those considerations I had to finally conclude that my expectations of God were unrealistic because I just couldn't come to the other conclusions. I know my God cares and I know He is able and I know He is willing.

So, this brings us back to the question, "What should I expect from God?"

We REALLY need to know some answers, but where should we go?

Between now and the end of May join us for a study of some of the great Biblical heroes and we will learn from them about their expectations of God! I am talking about godly leaders like David, Joshua, Moses, the Three Hebrews, Daniel and the Children of Israel in the wilderness.

The study will get specific with the encounter between David and Goliath, but first, here's a big picture matrix to work with as put together the pieces.

Realistic expectations of God will be consistent with:

God's Word

God will never act in a way that is inconsistent or in violation of His Word. Make sure that your expectations of God are consistent with the truths and teachings of the Bible.

If you want to know what to expect from God, become more familiar with His Word!

You will see that demonstrated in the stories of David, Joshua, Moses, Daniel, et al.

God's Will

Nor can God move contrary to His will or His nature. You should not expect Him to do so.

If you want to know what to expect from God, become familiar with God's will!

Again, you will see that true in these stories of these biblical Heroes!

God's Way

Don't expect God to act in a way that contradicts His Word or His Will or anything incompatible with His nature.

If you are expecting God to respond to your need according to your plan, prepare to be disappointed!

If you want to know what to expect from God learn His ways as Moses did:   "He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel: The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love." Psalm 103:7-8

Expect God to respond to any and every situation consistent with His Word, according to His Will and in His Way.

Any other expectation is unrealistic and destined for disappointment.

April 10, 2012

"For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen."  Ephesians 3:14-21

I find it fascinating how the Apostle Paul follows up on his prayer for the Ephesian believers. Right after praying that they would get a greater grasp on the crazy love of God, he concludes by reminding them of what they should expect from God.

That seems to fit the pattern of all the great men and women of God. As their realization of God's love expanded so did their level of expectations from God.

Expectations are tricky. They are closely tied to faith and yet different from faith. Faith believes in the Person and the power of God and expectations project faith forward to change the present reality. But what can we and what should we realistically expect from God?

When I do pre-marital counseling with couples I spend considerable time dealing with this crucial area of expectations. Coming into a marriage there are high expectations held by each partner and as important as they are, they are rarely shared but simply assumed. Unless the couple is pressed to articulate them and communicate them they end up as two different visions of what should happen in that marriage. Differing expectations that operate within two different assumptions result in two very disillusioned people. Disillusionment breeds disappointment which breeds distance, which breeds distrust, which breeds disaster in the relationship.

Serious marriage problems often trace back to these dynamics of unrealistic or unrealized expectations in the relationship. That being true, transpose that into your faith relationship with God. Just as unrealistic expectations can damage marriages they also have caused many Christians to become disappointed with God and disillusioned in their faith. Perhaps you know someone who has struggled with that. Maybe you have struggled in that area. Could it be you find yourself in that condition right now?

How do you shape realistic expectations of a God Who unlike your human spouse, actually CAN do anything He wants, anytime He wants, in any way He wants, anywhere He wants? That is another level of complications and begs the questions, "What can I realistically expect from God and how do I know that?"

That IS the question isn't it? And it is a perplexing one to be sure! But, over the next two months we are going to dive into the deep end of the pool and try not to drown while we find some insights to help you more realistically shape and share your expectations of God. How will we keep from drowning as we get in over our heads? We will learn from some of the Heroes of our faith who were used by God to do supernatural works. By revisiting the great stories of Moses, Joshua, the Children of Israel, The Three Hebrews in the firey furnace, David and Daniel we will attempt to understand what they expected from God and how they formed those expectations.

In advance of our sermon series, I encourage you to read ahead to refresh your memory of these great men and their great moments with God. You can expect to get more from this sermon series if you study the stories.

I expect you will!

April 9, 2012

"Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" John 11:25-26

This is quite a claim made by Jesus! Very confident and quite comforting!

If you will live and believe in Jesus, and if you allow Him to live in you by faith, you will never die!

However, there ARE several things that WILL die when you die and I feel compelled to point those out.

When you die, suffering dies. The moment you slip away from your earthly body and into eternity with Jesus - your suffering is over! Forever!

When you die, sorrow dies. At your last breath in this life, you are done with sorrow! Once your spirit enters into the presence of God there will be only joy! Sadness has no place in Heaven! You will shed no more tears. You will know no more heartbreak!

When you die, sin dies. If you die in Christ and enter into His paradise you will enter a safe, secure, sin-free enviornment. Not only will you be free from sin but you will not have to deal with temptation either!

So, you see, death is final - final for the things that are not worthy of God or right for eternity!

As we bring the Easter Holiday to a close I just wanted to remind you of a few reasons why it is the pivotal event in all of human history! You will never die, but all the things that make your life difficult or painful will die!

He's alive! You will live! Your heart-ache and hardships won't! Your crises and crosses will become crowns!

April 8, 2012

"As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him."  Mark 16:5-7

When was the last time that NOT finding something was exciting for you?

You were having such a great lunch with a few friends and the conversation was so engaging that you walked out and left your I-Phone at your table. By the time you realized it and frantically went back to retrieve it - it wasn't there. Not finding it........NOT GOOD!

Busy working around the house you realize it has been over an hour since you let your not-quite-trained puppy out in the backyard. Going to the back to call him in you see a hole under the fence but you don't see your best friend. He is gone! Not finding him........NOT GOOD!

After a quick trip to the mall to grab a few things that were on sale, you hurry back to the parking lot to transport your treasures home. Just to be sure that you have no trouble finding where you parked you wisely jotted down the row number and counted how many spots from the end. Feeling very good about your deals you just captured and your foresight to mark your parking spot you make a beeline across the freshly seal-coated parking lot.

There's your row! Yes!

And there's your spot! Yes!

But there is no car! NO! NOT GOOD!

Feeling all pumped and energized from your work-out, you hurry out of the gym to get to the job. As soon as you plop into the drivers seat you notice something feels different. Instantly you realize you do not have your wallet in its customary hip pocket.

In a panic you sprint back toward the gym trying to visualize where you left it. A clear mental picture emerges in your mind and you arrive there as soon as humanly possible. Your already pounding heart goes turbo and then stops momentarily when you realize it is not there. NO WALLET! NO GOOD!

Maybe that is one of the reasons why Easter is so special to us. It is the one time we don't have to stress over something that is not there but we can celebrate it!

Jesus' bloodied, beaten, and lifeless body was placed in a tomb and very carefully sealed with a boulder and even more carefully guarded by Roman soldiers. Both the Romans and the Jewish leaders wanted to be sure it was there!

Early Sunday morning while the dawn was breaking, the ladies who loved Him most were hurrying to the tomb to care for His body. They were fully expecting to find Him while at the same time grieving over what they would find.

Arriving at the tomb they made the discovery that changed history - HE WAS NOT THERE! GOOD! VERY GOOD! The soldiers were gone, the boulder was rolled away, and an angel stood where they expected to find the lifeless body of Jesus. That angel announced, "HE IS NOT HERE! Take a look for yourselves!"

They did!

He wasn't!

THAT'S GOOD!

HAPPY EASTER!