| Home |
|---|
| About Us |
| ServiceTimes |
| Missions |
| Contact Us |
| Members Log-in |
Ministries:
Adult | Teens | Children
Pastor's Pen's:
2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001
Sermon Series:
Following Jesus
Earthly Cross
His Name Is
Apostles Creed
Dealing with Feelings
Jonah
Get Real
Promised Land Living
Grace Church
257 Kendall Street
Burlington, WI 53105
(262) 763-3021
Email:
Pastor Scott Carson
Grace Church of Burlington
June 25, 2006
“It doesn't matter how often you get knocked down;
what matters is how often you get back up.”
This morning we are concluding our series Keeping the Faith When You’re Running on Empty. I truly hope that this series has been helpful and encouraging to you. During these three and half months we’ve looked at many, many perspectives of trials and suffering. I hope that some of your basic questions were answered. Having a Biblical worldview assists us in being faithful even when it hurts and we don’t want to. Last week we talked about the “long view of life” and remembering that whatever we go through in this life is temporary and that heaven is our final destination and eternal Home. This morning we want to give you one last piece of ammo for your arsenal as you battle against Satan and his plot to get you to throw in the towel – Perseverance.
Jesus alluded to this battle that we are in when He gave the parable of the sower. As He explained the parable to His disciples, He said “The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful” (Matthew 13:22). Those “worries of this life” are some of our greatest enemies and hinder us from victory.
First, they distract us. They keep us awake at night. They keep us from the Word and prayer – we don’t have time to spend with the Lord, we’re too preoccupied with them. They’re not blatant or abhorrent...they just preoccupy us.
Secondly, they discourage us. We become weary physically, emotionally and spiritually. When we’re weary we don’t have the energy that we need to deal with the difficulties of life. And rather than making the changes that we need to make – spending time with the Lord and giving Him our cares – we do even less of that which will bring real relief and strengthen us.
Thirdly, they detour us. This is where the deceitfulness really comes in. Because we so long for the pain and struggles to stop, we start thinking and putting our focus on other things...nearly anything that will bring us some level of relief.
Finally, they destroy us. We have now been fully deceived and are convinced that God’s way and plan does not work. While we still have pain, while we still hurt – we now “believe” that returning to the Lord would either be too difficult, didn’t work or would cause us more pain.
Psychologists tell us that people suffer from numerous complexes today. One of the most common in the Church is the “obstacle complex.” You know the symptoms: “I tried that once...It would never work...I could never do that...It’s never been done before...I just don’t have what it takes...The difficulties are too great...I hurt too bad.” That’s how people think and often talk who suffer from the “obstacle complex.” God, though, wants us to be faithful and persevere.
When the great Reformer, John Calvin, lay dying, the leaders of the church in Geneva were gathered around him. Calvin encouraged them in how they were to carry on after he was gone. Then, gasping for breath, he uttered his last words “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present world are not worthy to be compared with...” He never finished the verse but he experienced it, “...the glory which is to be revealed in us.”
Friend, are you tempted to quit? Don’t!! Have you already given up? Then, start over today. Begin by surrendering anew to Christ and tapping into the Holy Spirit’s power. He will enable you to “keep the faith even when you’re running on empty,” to persevere until you finish your course and attain to the noble goal He has given you in life!