Thoughts on behavior and feelings

Sometimes we get focused on solely on behavior.

On one hand, that is understandable because behavior is observable and measurable.

On the other hand, the motivation and feelings behind the behavior are vital but difficult to quantify and make tangible.

 

In one sense feelings are not right or wrong, they just exist. Our behavior is what counts.

But you can't separate them in living your life.  You can't feel without it affecting your behavior and what you do will affect your feelings.

 

In one sense commitment to a relationship is vital for its success.

In another sense, for a relationship to work the commitment must be mutual.

“Good Lessons from Bad Examples” Acts 5:1-11; I Cor 10:6; July 24th , 2016

“Good Lessons from Bad Examples”
Acts 5:1-11; I Cor 10:6; July 24th , 2016

We all grew up with a mix of good examples and bad examples.
>My dad was a good example of being financially responsible.
>My dad was a bad example in communication skills.

We also see good examples and bad examples around us.
>I have a friend in Spokane who is an example of a very good father.
>Our current political season has lots of bad examples of candidates demonizing each other.

We can learn from good examples (like Barnabas last week) and we can learn from bad examples (like Ananias and Sapphira).

The first lesson.
I. Evaluate motivation: In their desire for acclaim they misrepresented their generosity (11-2)
1 But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, 2 and with his wife’s knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

Evaluating motivation can be a tricky activity.
>On one hand, we should do the right things for the right reasons.
“Do all things for the glory of God.”
>On the other hand, if I waited to clearly have the right motivation for everything, I don’t think I would ever do anything.

We need to ask ourselves
Is what I am saying true or doing true to God’s standards?
Is it loving? Will it help anyone? Will this reflect the character of Jesus?


II. Be Honest:  why did you lie to God and misrepresent your gift? (3-4)

3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land?
4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own?
And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal?
Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart?
You have not lied to man but to God.”

A warning passage in I Corinthians
1 Corinthians 11:27-32 (ESV)

There is a clear parallel is verses 3 & 4.
lying to the Holy Spirit is exactly the same as lying to God.
This verse is a clear declaration of the Deity of the Holy Spirit.


III. Don’t Presume: Judgment is sometimes sooner than people expect (5-6)
5 When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last.
And great fear came upon all who heard of it.
 6 The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him.

God judged Ananias directly. His time was up.

Years later, the Apostle Peter wrote.....
1 Peter 4:17 (ESV) 17 For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?

IV. Don’t miss opportunities to come clean   (7)

7 After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.

V. Remember God’s holiness:  why did you test the Spirit of the Lord by misrepresenting your gift? (8-9)

8 And Peter said to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much.” And she said, “Yes, for so much.”
9 But Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord?
Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.”

How close can I get to the line to something I should not do without a consequence? How much can I  get away with? Those are questions reflecting of a bad attitude.

We are clearly warned.....
Deuteronomy 6:16 (ESV) 16 “You shall not put the LORD your God to the test, as you tested him at Massah.

VI. The Lord’s clear judgment leads the church to fear God (10-11)

10 Immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last.
When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband.
11 And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things.

God’s judgment was as clear on Sapphira as it was on her husband Ananias. Sometimes when believers cross the line, God judges them.

Most of the time God disciplines His Children, Hebrews 12:7-11
The greater purpose of God’s kingdom and the church’s holiness were at stake so God judged this couple.

If God positively answers our prayers for revival, one of the clear signs of that will be a much greater sense of the greatness and holiness of God.

We are to never take God for granted..

To the early believers, as they tried to figure out what this act of judgment on this couple meant
I would think they asked a version of this.....

Was the Lord Making a point or Setting a Pattern?

Outline for Acts 4:13-22

“Opportunity Came Knocking”
Acts 4:13-22
July 3rd, 2016

The implications of the public miraculous sign from God

I. To the established religious leaders of the time [13-18]
A. Amazed at the boldness and clear testimony of Peter and John who had been discipled by Jesus (13)
13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and  perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished.  And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. 

B. In a  Quandary on account of the presence of the cured man who was lame.(14)
14 But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had 
nothing to say in opposition. 

C. Deliberation and warning to Peter and John (15-17)
15 But when they had commanded them to leave the council,  they conferred with one another, 
16   saying, “What shall we do with these men? For that a notable sign has been performed through them is evident to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. 
17 But in order that it may spread no further among the people,  let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name.” 

D. Command to Peter and John not to speak or teach about Jesus (18)
18 So they called them and  charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 


II. To the witnesses of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus ......

A. They challenged the religious leaders to acknowledge the authority of God (19)
19  But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God,  you must judge, 

B. They rejected a ban on their speaking (4:20)
 20 for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.” 

III. To the established religious leaders continued hardhearted response [21-22]

A. They threatened and then released Peter and John (21a)

21a And when they had further threatened them, they let them go,

B. They were intimated by the crowds who were praising God (21b)
21b  finding no way to punish them, because of the people,  for all were praising God for what had happened.
C. They could not deny the reality of the miracle (22)
22 For the man on whom this sign of healing was performed was more than forty years old.

Thoughts of my mother’s life and death.

My mother was born during the depths of the Depression. She died Easter morning, 2016.

She met dad on a blind date in November of 1956 and they were married in March of 1957. Two people found comfort in one another’s arms for the next ten years. My sister was born in the late 50's and I was born in the early 60's.  Mom and dad’s relationship deteriorated over their last ten years together which culminated in divorce in 1978.  Mom then moved in with grandma and took care of her until she passed in 1997.  My sister moved in with mom to help take care of grandma in the early 90's.

In the late 1960's when dad was in Vietnam mom gave me and my sister a Children’s Bible.  The words were in small print and the hard to read King James English. However, On one inside flap in big print was printed the well known 23rd Psalm.

This psalm is an expression of trust in God’s goodness,  His grace, and His strength through all the turmoil of a person’s life.

Psalm 23:1-6 (KJV)
1. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

I enjoyed the following application I read of this passage.
Remember the phrase: “the Lord is my shepherd.” Those five words pack in a lot of truth
>"The--because, we're talking about one of a kind."
> "Lord." The king himself.
>For the next finger remember that God himself is right here.
> my, a personal commitment and relationship.
>For the last finger: shepherd, the one who owns, who died, who cares and loves: Jesus.

In the time that Mom had,  she and my sister lived comfortably together for many years until she fell a few months ago. My sister has done a very good job of looking out for mom over the years and has especially shined over the last few difficult months.

Mom’s dementia increased rapidly after her fall and she stopped recognizing my sister at times and didn’t even remember her favorite dog when she was brought by.

Mom’s time was always the present. She did not dwell on the past much or focus on the future.
More than anyone else I’ve known, she truly lived in the moment. In her present she loved her pets, movies, and television, especially “Dancing with the Stars.”  For years when I called she would frequently ask, Charlie, did you watch “Dancing with the Stars” last night? I never said yes, but she always asked. She lived in the moment of what was important to her.

Mom has four grandchildren. I am grateful that she lived long enough to see them all grow up.

In a similar context to which we are all now experiencing the death of a beloved mother and friend,  Jesus spoke these words to those present then to us here now:
John 11:25-26 (NKJV)
25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.

When we believe in the Lord Jesus we can face life and ultimately death with certainty because Jesus rose from the dead.

The next verse states....
26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?"

Jesus always applies the truth He teaches. “Do you believe this?” It is an invitation to trust him as always. It is the same as the most famous verse in the Bible.

John 3:16 (NKJV) 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

As always, God' Word calls us to respond to His truth.

Christ-centered?

One of the verses that I have been mediating on for a long time is 2 Corinthians 1:20 (ESV)

²⁰ For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. 

The immediate question is, how are the promises of God yes in Christ?

My reasonably confident answer is that we need to read and interpret all of the promises of God (OT and NT) in how they relate to the life, ministry, death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus.

Some are promises are obvious:

Isaiah 53:6 (ESV) ⁶ All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Some are less obvious:

Genesis 3:15 (ESV)  ¹⁵ I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”

We always need to be fully Christ-centered in how read and study the Bible.

We need to be purposefully Christ-centered as we view and live our lives.

So the questions in life become different:

Instead of ‘what do I want?’ we need to ask what does the Lord want?

Instead of ‘what pleases me?’ we need to ask what pleases the Lord in this circumstance.

"The Vital Need for God’s Blessing" Psalm 127:1-5,

The Vital Need for God’s Blessing
Psalm 127:1-5,
March 20th , 2016

[Introduction]
Solomon’s declaration of this perspective is in reflected in the phrase,  “Under the Sun.
Ecclesiastes 1:14 (ESV)
14 I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.

Ecclesiastes 2:11 (ESV)
11 Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.

Perspective is the angle from which we see things.
We need God’s perspective: what is important from God’s view?
We need God’s Presence and Blessing; God’s work in and through us for His glory and our ultimate good.

Human effort without God’s perspective,  presence and blessing is ultimately meaningless.

Negatively: Human effort in life is useless without the Lord’s  blessing.
Positively: The Lord’s blessing is vital in Work and Family

God’s presence gives meaning and purpose to work and family.

I. . Work [1-2]
A.  A firm foundation and protector (1)
1 Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.
 Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. 

“In vain” means meaningless, purposelessness, uselessness.

[illustration]
The Lord led Nehemiah to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. He organized, planned, and led the people. He set guards.
But unless the Lord was watching over the process, which He did, it would have been a wasted effort.

God’s presence gives meaning and purpose to work.

B. Useless of labor without God’s blessing (2)
2 It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep. 

Hard work does not make up for God’s presence.
We need to work hard, but more importantly we need God’s blessing.

God’s presence gives meaning and purpose to family.

II. Family (3-5)
A. Children are a heritage.  (3-4)
3 Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. 
4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. 

Children are a heritage, a reward, a gift.

Unfortunately, too many people see children as an inconvenience.

[application]
At times Attitude can be more important than action.
While I would never tell anyone that they had to have children to obey God, I would say that you should call a blessing what God calls a blessing.

God calls children a blessing.
We too should call children a blessing.

God’s presence gives meaning and purpose to family.

B. Flourishing legacy                 (5)
5 Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!
 He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate. 

Children of those who seek the Lord are a flourishing legacy.
It is an encouragement to children to go on and serve the Lord.
That is a terrific legacy.

[Conclusion]
Seeking God’s blessing, presence, in our work and family may not give us the results that we perceive as success.
The Lord may use a bad experience at work to lead us in a different direction.
He may use it to teach us patience or something else.

His presence and blessing give purpose and meaning to work.
Seeking God’s blessing, presence, in our family may not turn out the way we want.
Our children may make poor choices. But a godly legacy is of great value.

While proverbs are not promises, they describe what generally happens.
Proverbs 22:6 (ESV)
6 Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.
A godly legacy is a great gift that we can give to our children.

Even if we don’t have children, our godly influence is a great gift we can give to those we know.

Don’t just see things from a human perspective, only “under the sun”, but seek God’s presence and purpose to give meaning to our lives.
God’s presence is vital in our work and family life. May we seek His blessing in all that we do.

“Live with an Eternal Perspective”

To “Live with an Eternal Perspective” puts life in order with an emphasis on what is truly important.

From an unknown author.....

Only One Life
Two little lines I heard one day, Traveling along life's busy way;
Bringing conviction to my heart, And from my mind would not depart;
Only one life, 'twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one, Soon will its fleeting hours be done;
Then, in 'that day' my Lord to meet, And stand before His Judgement seat;
Only one life,'twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.

Only one life, the still small voice, Gently pleads for a better choice
Bidding me selfish aims to leave, And to God's holy will to cleave;
Only one life, 'twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.

Only one life, a few brief years, Each with its burdens, hopes, and fears;
Each with its clays I must fulfill, living for self or in His will;
Only one life, 'twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.

When this bright world would tempt me sore, When Satan would a victory score;
When self would seek to have its way, Then help me Lord with joy to say;
Only one life, 'twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.

Give me Father, a purpose deep, In joy or sorrow Thy word to keep;
Faithful and true what e'er the strife, Pleasing Thee in my daily life;
Only one life, 'twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.

Oh let my love with fervor burn, And from the world now let me turn;
Living for Thee, and Thee alone, Bringing Thee pleasure on Thy throne;
Only one life, "twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one, Now let me say,"Thy will be done";
And when at last I'll hear the call, I know I'll say "twas worth it all";
Only one life,'twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.
Author Unknown