From Gary V. Womack... DISCOURAGEMENT (two parts)

DISCOURAGEMENT

Life is not always made up of mountain-top experiences. Sometimes, it is lived down in the valley - which may lead to discouragement.

When life is good - we feel like taking on the world - courage runs high.

"courage" - (Webster) "The attitude or response of facing and dealing with anything recognized as dangerous, difficult, or painful, instead of withdrawing from it... Fearless or brave...."

But when life is low - or trouble is on the horizon - discouragement is near.

"discourage" - (Webster) "To deprive of courage; make less confident, or hopeful, dishearten."

Example of discouragement:

Josh. 2:8-11 Rahab described Jericho's loss of courage in the face of Israel's presence and the prospects of war.

Discouragement robs us of enthusiasm and distracts our focus. It blinds us to what is possible & emphasizes the negative. It dismantles our hope & darkens our vision.

Discouragement is the failure to use trials as opportunities for growth.

Good parents will challenge their children, but not break them.

Fathers are admonished not to be a discouragement to their children.

Col. 3:21 "Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged."

To provoke is to become antagonistic - to "stir up" - or demand that which is beyond grasp & impossible to achieve

Our heavenly Father knows how to admonish without discouraging:

Heb. 12:9-11 Chastening is not pleasant, but it is beneficial.

"chastening" [paideia] - "Denotes the training of a child, including instruction; hence, discipline, correction, chastening." (Vines)

How does God do this - to admonish without discouraging?

1 Cor. 10:13 "No temptation has overtaken you such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it."

Rom. 8:18, 28, 31-ff All things work for our good - even suffering.

If God is for us, who can be against us?

DISCOURAGEMENT - Part 2

The Challenge of Spiritual Growth

Consider how the Father dealt with Jesus:

Heb. 12:1-8 Jesus was allowed to be exposed to "shame" & "the cross" - which involved contact with people who hated & abused Him.

Isa. 53:3 "He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him."

The experience of things suffered promotes growth & obedience.

Heb. 5:8 "Though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered."

God gave Him a fleshly body subject to physical suffering & death.

Heb. 2:17-18 "Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. (18) For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted."

So must we learn & grow by those unpleasant experiences that God permits us to be exposed to.

How we deal with those growth opportunities will depend on whether we become discouraged or become spiritually mature.

We should PRAY for spiritual growth. Such as patience:

Beware - The answer to your prayers may involve exposure to difficult challenges that must be experienced in order to benefit & grow.

I prayed for patience. I was given 4 grandchildren.

What you suffer may be an answer to something you have prayed for.

Every trial is an opportunity for growth

Being brought in contact with certain people challenges us to grow.

Sometimes this may involve brethren who may be hard to get along with. Sometimes we may become discouraged by our own brethren:

Why don't they grow faster? Why aren't they here? Why don't they show interest?

Example: Paul & John Mark - An opportunity for growth in trial:

Acts 12:25 "And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their ministry, and they also took with them John whose surname was Mark."

Acts 13:5 "And when they arrived in Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. They also had John as their assistant."

Acts 13:13 "Now when Paul and his party set sail from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia; and John, departing from them, returned to Jerusalem."

Acts 15:36-40 A rift between Paul & Barnabas over John Mark.

Paul & Mark had a difference in ZEAL.

2 Tim. 4:9-11 "Be diligent to come to me quickly; (10) for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed from Thessalonica - Crescens for Galatia, Titus for Dalmatia. (11) Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry."

When we pray for spiritual growth - remember that God's way is perfect.

Psm. 138:7-8 "Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch out Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and Your right hand will save me. (8) The Lord will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever; Do not forsake the works of your hands."

The Lord is not done with any of us yet. He is still working on us.

Pray that He will not give up on finishing us.

He is the Potter - We are the clay. Good clay is pliable and able to be molded into shape. Are you?

Isa. 64:8 "But now, O Lord, You are our Father; We are the clay, and You our potter; And all we are the work of Your hand."

Acts 8:36-37 "Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, 'See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?' (37) Then Philip said, 'If you believe with all of your heart, you may.' And he answered and said, 'I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.' (38) So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him."

From Jim McGuiggan... My Ethel and her talky husband

My Ethel and her talky husband

I know there are countless people that know better than I how powerful words are but I’m not sure there’s anyone that believes it morefervently than I do. But I do go on a bit sometimes. That may be true of all that try to communicate. I’m afraid we fall into the mistaken belief that everyone is as enamoured with the sound of our voices as we are. We talkers are so wise, don’t you think so?

Each morning I bathe and dress Ethel. Along with paraplegia and numerous other ailments she has heart difficulties that mean that lying in certain positions makes it more difficult for her to breathe. We often discuss biblical and related issues while she’s getting up and into the wheelchair. About a week ago I was making the profound point that life's difficulties often make it hard for people to engage in theological reflection. I admit I was going on a bit long with my recondite deliberations but finally I reached the point where I said something like, "People who are hanging by their thumbs aren’t much interested in sermons and explanations." At this, while she puffed for breath, she dryly remarked, "People who are having a hard time breathing don’t care much for them either." Touché (as the man said when he cut off the head of his opponent).

I was reminded again how "thick" we can be even when we think we’re sensitive and aware. I was developing this deep truth (not widely known—only a very few of us understand it though we’re modest enough not to go around saying so). Ahem...as I was saying, I was developing this deep truth that I had completely mastered (of course!) and even as I spoke it I was proving myself an idiot. I had the proof of my proposal right there before my eyes and was attempting to prove it to her with words. I was churning out this torrent of speech, delighted that I could prove what she already knew with the power of breathless personal experience. If I had had a grain of sense at that moment I could have asked her, "Tell me, how much interest do you have in a Bible question at this very breathless moment?" Knowing her she’d have said something like, "Not nearly as much as I would if you let me up to get some air."

God enlighten us talkers and give us practical insight. God deliver the poor hearers that have to endure our going on and on. Or, if he doesn’t completely deliver them from us, may he give them the grace and power to forgive us.

©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.

Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, the abiding word.com.

From Mark Copeland... The Unforgiveable Sin

                          "THE GOSPEL OF MARK"

                    The Unforgiveable Sin (3:22-30)

INTRODUCTION

1. During His earthly ministry, Jesus faced great opposition from
   religious leaders...
   a. By Pharisees and Herodians who plotted to destroy Him - Mk 3:6
   b. By scribes from Jerusalem, who accused Him of using demonic power
      - Mk 3:22

2. In our text for this lesson, Jesus easily answered the scribes'
   charge...
   a. For Satan to cast out demons defeated his (Satan's) own purpose
      - Mk 3:23-26
   b. On the contrary, casting out demons was integral to defeating
      Satan - Mk 3:27

3. On this occasion Jesus mentioned an "unforgiveable sin"...
   a. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit - Mk 3:28-29
   b. For which there is no forgiveness - cf. Mt 12:31-32

[These words of Jesus have troubled many, who wonder if they have
committed this "eternal sin" (ESV) that "never has forgiveness".  Let's
first seek to identify exactly what was...]

I. THE UNFORGIVEABLE SIN THEN

   A. WHAT WAS THIS SIN...?
      1. Jesus described it as blaspheming the Holy Spirit - Mk 3:29
         a. Blaspheme - "to speak reproachfully, rail at, revile,
            calumniate, blaspheme" - Thayer
         b. Thus to speak evil of the Holy Spirit in some way
      2. Mark reveals exactly how they spoke evil of the Spirit - Mk 3:30
         a. "because they said, 'He has an unclean spirit.'"
         b. By attributing Jesus' power to cast out demons to Beelzebub
            (Satan), they spoke evil of the Holy Spirit by whom Jesus
            cast out demons - cf. Mt 12:28
      3. In effect, they were calling the Holy Spirit a demon; in so
         doing...
         a. They denied the evidence that Jesus was truly from God
         b. They deprived themselves of evidence to believe in Jesus
         c. They divested all hope of forgiveness that comes only
            through Jesus
      -- The unforgiveable sin was to believe that the Holy Spirit was
         in fact Satan!

   B. CAN IT BE COMMITTED TODAY...?
      1. "Probably not. It was a sin committed when Jesus was on earth
         performing miracles. Since He is not physically on earth today,
         casting out demons, the same possibility of blaspheming the
         Holy Spirit does not exist." - Believer's Bible Commentary
      2. "People who worry that they have committed the unpardonable sin
         have not done so. The very fact that they are concerned
         indicates that they are not guilty of blasphemy against the
         Holy Spirit." - ibid.
      3. From the NET Bible:  "Three things must be kept in mind..."
         a. "The nature of the sin is to ascribe what is the obvious
            work of the Holy Spirit (e.g., releasing people from Satan's
            power) to Satan himself"
         b. "It is not simply a momentary doubt or sinful attitude, but
            is indeed a settled condition which opposes the Spirit's
            work, as typified by the religious leaders who opposed
            Jesus"
         c. "A person who is concerned about it has probably never
            committed this sin, for those who commit it here (i.e., the
            religious leaders) are not in the least concerned about
            Jesus' warning"
      -- Even if it can be committed today, if you worry that you have,
         you haven't!

[Speaking of "unforgiveable sins", we do well to review how we can still
fall into a condition where forgiveness is not possible as long as we
remain in it...]

II. THE UNFORGIVEABLE SIN TODAY

   A. WHAT IS THIS SIN...?
      1. There is a sin by which we "crucify again" the Son of God - He 6:4-6
      2. There is a sin for which there "no longer remains a sacrifice
         for sin" - He 10:26-31
      -- This sin is one in which there is no hope for forgiveness!

   B. HOW DO WE COMMIT IT...?
      1. Note carefully that it is an ongoing sin, a condition of
         rebellion against God
         a. Committed openly - cf. He 6:6
         b. Committed continually - cf. He 10:26 ("go on sinning", ESV,
            NASB)
         c. Committed willfully - cf. He 10:26 ("deliberately", ESV,
            TNIV)
         d. Committed knowingly - cf. He 6:4; He 10:26
      2. A spiritual condition in which one is doing grave things - He 10:29
         a. Trampling the Son of God underfoot
         b. Treating the blood of the covenant (Jesus' blood) a common
            thing
         c. Insulting the Spirit of grace
      3. A spiritual condition that left unchecked has grave
         consequences
         a. Fearful expectation of judgment - He 10:27
         b. Fiery indignation - He 10:27
         c. Worse punishment than death - He 10:28-29
         d. Vengeance and judgment by the Lord upon His people - He 10:
            30-31
      -- It is any sin that we knowingly refuse to repent of, despite
         many opportunities!

CONCLUSION

1. Many today worry about blaspheming the Holy Spirit...
   a. A serious sin indeed, but likely cannot be replicated today
   b. If one worries about it, they are certainly not guilty of it!

2. People should be more concerned about any sin...
   a. They knowingly commit
   b. They refuse to give up

Whether one is obeying the gospel of Christ for the first time, or has
already "tasted the heavenly gift" (He 6:4) and "received the knowledge
of the truth" (He 10:26), all sins are "unforgiveable" unless we repent.

Are we willing to let the goodness of God lead us to repentance...? -
cf. Ro 2:4-5

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011

 

From Gary... The side no one sees

Yesterday my granddaughter and I decided to get out of the house and took our cameras with us. Unlike previous times, she had the better camera and is better acquainted with hers than I am with my little point and shoot gadget.  She wanted to go to the park in Dade City and I reluctantly agreed.  You see, we had been there several times and I didn't think we would see anything new.  I was wrong.  Right away she took some pictures of this sign and at first I wondered why.  After all, we had taken pictures of it before, so why do it again?  Then I noticed something; Dade City had refurbished it, so it looked like new.  Nice sign!!!  If she could notice it, so could others, so I took a picture of Lizzie taking a picture and then my own picture of it as well.  Then, I wondered about the back side of it.  You know- the side no one sees.  As expected, it was not quite so nice.  Respectable, but just not even close to the front.  As I thought about this, I remembered David and Bathsheba from the old testament and the following passage from the New Testament...

2 Corinthians, Chapter 5

1 For we know that if the earthly house of our tent is dissolved, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal, in the heavens.  2 For most certainly in this we groan, longing to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven; 3 if so be that being clothed we will not be found naked.  4 For indeed we who are in this tent do groan, being burdened; not that we desire to be unclothed, but that we desire to be clothed, that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.  5 Now he who made us for this very thing is God, who also gave to us the down payment of the Spirit. 

  6  Therefore we are always confident and know that while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord;  7 for we walk by faith, not by sight.  8 We are courageous, I say, and are willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be at home with the Lord.  9 Therefore also we make it our aim, whether at home or absent, to be well pleasing to him.  10 For we must all be revealed before the judgment seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.  

Most people want to get to heaven.  They come up with all sorts of rationale to "approve" of their chosen lifestyles and still believe they are pleasing to God.  But God knows who and what we are; both the good and the bad.  People view us as Lizzie looks at the sign- head on at the manicured side.  But only God sees the not so nice reverse (or private side).  We may try to cover up our failures, shortcomings and rebellions by using some smokescreen (like the bushes do for the sign) but God sees everything and will judge us fairly in the life after life.  Now, we all SIN, we all FALL SHORT, we all FAIL in some way or other, but if we try to please God in all that we do, we will gradually get closer and closer to perfection.  The apostle John puts it this way...

1 John, Chapter 1

 5  This is the message which we have heard from him and announce to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in the darkness, we lie, and don’t tell the truth.  7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Signs are out there to make you aware of something and today would be a good time to think about your private life.  WHY you do the things you do and what you THINK about.  It is not too late, go ahead spruce up your life a bit- even the "hidden parts".  God can help!!!

PS. I thought my point and shoot camera took some pretty nice pictures!!!  Maybe I could do better with a high end camera - maybe not!!!