Saturday, October 22, 2005
Sermon Notes: 10/9/05--Rehab pt. 2
Note: Sermon available on Video--ask/email for details
Scripture:Matthew 10:22; James 1:21
So, last week we talked some about my rehab, and our Rehabilitation and reconciliation with God, ie, Salvation. We talked about how our condition is not a separation of ligaments or joints, but rather a separation from God, a hole in our hearts where the connectedness with God should be. We need to realize that we have a problem to realize that we have a problem We need to realize we need to seek the right treatment for it. Today, we are going to talk about two elements in our rehab process, receptivity and endurance.
You know, I didn't know how to fix my knee. However, I was told to go see people who would know how to fix my leg. But, in order for it to be fruitful, I had to be receptive to their advice. I had to listen to their instructions for the care of my knee, as well as the advice for doing exercises. My therapists had to get me to listen to their instructions. I had to force myself to pay attention to details.
Likewise, we must be receptive to the instructions of God, to the advice and the directions He gives us in life. God is out there calling to us. He calls to us with His Word. He calls to us with His servants who reach out to us. He calls to us with His intervention and guidance. He is out there, plainatively calling for us and giving us guidance. We, however, have to train ourselves to listen.
How do we become receptive? We have to quiet ourselves. There is so much noise in our lives. So many people and forces out there pushing and pulling us. People who think they are the experts, that they have the answers. Evil forces out there that deceive us into thinking that they are the right thing for us. You know, I could listen to that voice that says, rehab is too expensive, I can figure it out. And, of course, i would end up with serious problems. Likewise, when we listen to those other little voices other than God, we end up with more emptiness in our hearts. We try the other "medications" like sex, drugs, alcohol, other addictions. All we end up with is further separation. We must be willing to listen to the urging of the Holy Spirit, to God's Word. And this requires us to be quiet in ourselves, to quiet the voices therein and be receptive.
The other thing we need to have in our rehabilitation/reconciliation with God is endurance. Why? Well, sometimes what the therapist says for us to do is not easy. In fact, most of the time it is not easy. Likewise with our reconciliation with God. We are in a race against time and against evil, but it is a marathon, not a sprint. One of the first things the therapist told me was, 'we are going to help get you better, however you have to be willing to work hard and it is not going to be easy.' God is in the same boat. He gives us the prescription, He gives us the direction, but He also tells us it is not going to be easy.
In my physical therapy, it has been very difficult. When I began, the first session, it all seemed easy. This can't be so bad. However, the next session, they decided to up the ante a bit. They really added the torture. I thought that I would not make it. I thought, what happened to that easy time I had last time? Likewise, the same thing can happen to us. When we first come to the Lord, at that altar call, that confession moment, we feel full of the Spirit and the world seems our oyster. Then, that newness is over. We are back in the real world. WE are left with just the exercises God gave us, and they are harder now. Prayer is more difficult when we are down. Reading hte Bible is not as easy as when we are first saved. However, that is when we need to reach down deep and suck it up. WE have to have that spiritual endurance. There will be more times that God will call us to stretch ourselves, whether it be physically, emotionally, or more often than not, spiritually. Through gaining this endurance, we grow.
In my rehab, I have had failures. I have not been able to get that bicycle pedal to go all the way around. I have not been able to do a whole set of some of the exercises. Likewise, in our Christian walk, we will have successes and failures. WE learn from the failures. God sometimes allows setbacks to happen so that we can learn valuable lessons. As long as we are receptive to God, we can turn even failure into success. God will give us the guidance, to help push our endurance.
Each little obstacle can be overcome in time. Recently, I made that darn pedal turn around. REcently, I was able to reach all my set limits on the exercises. I went down to one crutch. We can have success, but we have to have the endurance to get past the obstacles and distractions. I could just as easily not do my exercises at home and veg out. Then my leg would seize up and bammo! back inot being more disable than I am now. It takes endurance, and it takes being receptive to God giving us the warnings. I have to be recptive to my body when it gets tight so I can know to do the rehab. WE have to be receptive to the Holy Spirit urging us on.
If we listen, if we are recptive, and if we are willing to gut it out, with God acting as our coach and our crutch, giving us support, then we can make it to the end. The road is narrow, it is frought with chugholes, but it is straight. And if we are receptive to God, He will not lead us astray. If we allow Him to build our endurance, beyond what we can even think is possible, we will have not only the power through God to overcome our obstacles, but to help our borthers and sisters as well.
Scripture:Matthew 10:22; James 1:21
So, last week we talked some about my rehab, and our Rehabilitation and reconciliation with God, ie, Salvation. We talked about how our condition is not a separation of ligaments or joints, but rather a separation from God, a hole in our hearts where the connectedness with God should be. We need to realize that we have a problem to realize that we have a problem We need to realize we need to seek the right treatment for it. Today, we are going to talk about two elements in our rehab process, receptivity and endurance.
You know, I didn't know how to fix my knee. However, I was told to go see people who would know how to fix my leg. But, in order for it to be fruitful, I had to be receptive to their advice. I had to listen to their instructions for the care of my knee, as well as the advice for doing exercises. My therapists had to get me to listen to their instructions. I had to force myself to pay attention to details.
Likewise, we must be receptive to the instructions of God, to the advice and the directions He gives us in life. God is out there calling to us. He calls to us with His Word. He calls to us with His servants who reach out to us. He calls to us with His intervention and guidance. He is out there, plainatively calling for us and giving us guidance. We, however, have to train ourselves to listen.
How do we become receptive? We have to quiet ourselves. There is so much noise in our lives. So many people and forces out there pushing and pulling us. People who think they are the experts, that they have the answers. Evil forces out there that deceive us into thinking that they are the right thing for us. You know, I could listen to that voice that says, rehab is too expensive, I can figure it out. And, of course, i would end up with serious problems. Likewise, when we listen to those other little voices other than God, we end up with more emptiness in our hearts. We try the other "medications" like sex, drugs, alcohol, other addictions. All we end up with is further separation. We must be willing to listen to the urging of the Holy Spirit, to God's Word. And this requires us to be quiet in ourselves, to quiet the voices therein and be receptive.
The other thing we need to have in our rehabilitation/reconciliation with God is endurance. Why? Well, sometimes what the therapist says for us to do is not easy. In fact, most of the time it is not easy. Likewise with our reconciliation with God. We are in a race against time and against evil, but it is a marathon, not a sprint. One of the first things the therapist told me was, 'we are going to help get you better, however you have to be willing to work hard and it is not going to be easy.' God is in the same boat. He gives us the prescription, He gives us the direction, but He also tells us it is not going to be easy.
In my physical therapy, it has been very difficult. When I began, the first session, it all seemed easy. This can't be so bad. However, the next session, they decided to up the ante a bit. They really added the torture. I thought that I would not make it. I thought, what happened to that easy time I had last time? Likewise, the same thing can happen to us. When we first come to the Lord, at that altar call, that confession moment, we feel full of the Spirit and the world seems our oyster. Then, that newness is over. We are back in the real world. WE are left with just the exercises God gave us, and they are harder now. Prayer is more difficult when we are down. Reading hte Bible is not as easy as when we are first saved. However, that is when we need to reach down deep and suck it up. WE have to have that spiritual endurance. There will be more times that God will call us to stretch ourselves, whether it be physically, emotionally, or more often than not, spiritually. Through gaining this endurance, we grow.
In my rehab, I have had failures. I have not been able to get that bicycle pedal to go all the way around. I have not been able to do a whole set of some of the exercises. Likewise, in our Christian walk, we will have successes and failures. WE learn from the failures. God sometimes allows setbacks to happen so that we can learn valuable lessons. As long as we are receptive to God, we can turn even failure into success. God will give us the guidance, to help push our endurance.
Each little obstacle can be overcome in time. Recently, I made that darn pedal turn around. REcently, I was able to reach all my set limits on the exercises. I went down to one crutch. We can have success, but we have to have the endurance to get past the obstacles and distractions. I could just as easily not do my exercises at home and veg out. Then my leg would seize up and bammo! back inot being more disable than I am now. It takes endurance, and it takes being receptive to God giving us the warnings. I have to be recptive to my body when it gets tight so I can know to do the rehab. WE have to be receptive to the Holy Spirit urging us on.
If we listen, if we are recptive, and if we are willing to gut it out, with God acting as our coach and our crutch, giving us support, then we can make it to the end. The road is narrow, it is frought with chugholes, but it is straight. And if we are receptive to God, He will not lead us astray. If we allow Him to build our endurance, beyond what we can even think is possible, we will have not only the power through God to overcome our obstacles, but to help our borthers and sisters as well.
# posted by Mark : 10:31 PM
