Living a Life of Balance

Transcription

1 Living a Life of Balance

2 What is this Balance? The struggle to live as the Bible instructs us in a way of Strong Influence(Emotions) and Strong Doctrine. The Bible wants us to be a people of Strong Doctrine, with a sense of purpose and passion.

3 First Scenario-The Unanchored Life Heavy Emotion-Weak Doctrine Prov 3:5,6 Jer 17:9 Ecc 9:3 Learn where to lean The heart is deceitful Madness in their hearts

4 Characteristics of the Unanchored Life Basing your spiritual decisions most of time on your feelings Most of your spiritual thinking is centered around how you are feeling and not how you are pleasing Him Very easily offended due to being grounded in emotions If anyone suggests something that is new into the Church you fail to ask Is that authorized in Scripture, rather you think how will that make me feel.

5 Unanchored End Results Eph 4:14 I Tim 4:1 Spiritual Infancy Abandon the faith I Cor 14:26-28 Any speaking in tongues are to be interpreted otherwise it is a waste of time.

6 I firmly believe that one of the most important marks of spiritual maturity is a basic understanding that emotions if left unchecked by strong doctrine can cause your spiritual demise. Emotions are like a river. If it flows within the confines of the banks of the river they are pleasing. If left unchecked they call spillover and cause damage.

7 Practical Example You get up on Monday Morning and feel a particular way about an issue. You get up on Tuesday Morning and feel entirely different about the issue. Do you want to trust this???

8 Admit to yourself Can you admit to yourself if guided by nothing but emotions you are like a lost sheep. Put another way you are like a ship without a compass. Your guidance is constantly shifting and changing.

9 Second Scenario-The Parched Life Heavy Doctrine-Weak Emotion Strong Biblical Doctrine but no real feelings or emotions regarding your spiritual life. In essence you are simply going thru the motions of the Christian Life.

10 Biblical Examples Rev 2:3,4 Forsaken your first love Rev 3:15,16 Spit you out of my mouth Matt 24:9-12 Love grows cold

11 A little clarity This is not me saying strong doctrine is not important, rather me saying that your strong doctrinal stance should be used as a foundation to drive you to a Biblical passion and fire that cannot be put out.

12 Parched Life Characteristics A spiritual life that is dry and being lived without an over-arching feeling of being forgiven A feeling at times that you are merely going thru the motions Dry meaningless worship devoid of a feeling of intense Love for the Lord and His Church

13 How could this ever be? I John 3:1 Love has been lavished Lavished-giving in great amounts, occurring in profusion Phil 3:10 Fellowship of sharing in His suffering

14 The Gift of Song There is something really powerful about music. If you are ever in a situation where you are afflicted with a disorder such as Alzheimer s or Dementia it is one thing that seems to stick indefinitely. Music is powerful and it is exactly why He wanted it included in our worship. Our lifting our voices up in song is powerful beyond measure. Don t let it become something mundane or ordinary. It is far from it.

15 Powerful Music Hymn 77 Breathe on me breath of God Hymn 785 Your destination. Own it now!!! Enjoy the gift of song in our hymns they can be a springboard for some deep, meaningful, biblical emotions.

16 Deep Christian Living How could we have allowed our Christian Lives to become so parched. Let His Love and Sacrifice reach deep down into the bottom of your soul this morning and stir anew your Christian passion. Relish in the joy of really worshipping when you get here on every occasion.

17 Having Balance The real key to having long term success in your Christian life is the following. A basic understanding that you need both a strong doctrinal stance and the passion and fire to have a genuine influence (salt). Matthew 5:13 Becoming Salt

18 Practically Speaking Use your strong doctrine to dive deep into the expanse of His Love for you. When you read learn to feel. Use your strong emotions to inspire you to improve spiritually (doctrinally) to be approved. We want to be pleasing to our Master by living with both of these in mind.

19 Where do you stand? Have you ever noticed how hard it is to scrutinize yourself. Scripture is made to rebuke, reproof and correct us. Are you honest enough with yourself this morning to see your own error? We owe it to him to live like He wants us to!