Fwd: Abraham's Faith Shadows

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Begin forwarded message:

From: ryanjaustin@comcast.net
Date: November 28, 2012 4:44:59 PM EST
To: ryan austin <ryanjaustin@comcast.net>, Ryan Austin <ryan@southpointcc.com>
Subject: Abraham's Faith Shadows

Holy Spirit give me eyes of faith tonight. Help me to see what you see.

 

I.              ABRAHAM OBEYS

 

-       God calls Abraham to go to an unknown land. He goes. God tells him he is going to be the father of many nations. Abraham believes. At 99 he gives birth to Isaac (the promise). God tells him to sacrifice Isaac. Abraham again obeys!

 

-       When was the last time God told you to do something that seemed impossible and you obeyed without asking? It is easy to obey when you know what lies ahead. But what about when you have no clue? This "unknown" and "unseen" territory that God has called you is different for all of us.

 

o   Respecting mom (Isaac, Brandon). Me leaving Texas & later believing for God to give me a wife. Friends & Bible (KJ).

 

II.            WHAT WAS THE KEY TO ABRAHAM'S OBEDIENCE??

 

-       (Hebrews 11:8-12) "By Faith…"

-       Abraham had no Bible, no church, no history to lean upon, yet he walked into unknown territory abandoning everything to obey the word of the Lord. He had magnificent faith!

-       I believe one of the keys to living an obedient life in God and reaching the destiny that God has for you is living by faith.

 

III.         WHAT IS FAITH?

 

-       (Hebrews 11:1-3) 2 part definition.

-       (Hebrews 11:13) Faith welcomes from a distance

-       Magic eye

 

1.    "Evidence": Faith is the spiritual seeing or perceiving of the fingerprints of God on things he has made.

 

The Magic Eye:

 

-       Some all they can see is chaos and colors. Others look deeper and see what's really there.

-       (skies, rivers, valleys, trees—chaos or something much more?)

-       Abraham saw something different. He saw something others didn't. Faith isn't making up things in your mind like wishful thinking. It is seeing the reality of what's really there! (For Ex: Empire State Building. God. I know because I have seen both).

 

2.    "Substance of things hoped for" Faith is a kind of spiritual tasting of what God has promised so that we feel a deep, assurance of things hoped for.

-       (Hebrews 11:13) pulls the future and brings it to now. (This is how we stay pure)

-       It is the "substance" or smell of the steak cooking that keeps you from eating the BS!

 

IV.          DON'T LET YOURSELF BECOME TOO SMALL!

 

When Abraham was being tested and he didn't have a son til 99, those years of waiting could have made him really really small. When you are waiting for the promise of God and it seems like it will never come into existence it can become really easy to start thinking of God's destiny for your life as small. The promises of God will start to look small and you might even start seeing yourself as small, as someone that isn't really going to change the world. You stop seeing yourself as set apart and begin to see yourself as a part of the crowd (no different than the rest of the world). YOU ARE DIFFERENT! YOU WERE MADE TO BE DIFFERENT! YOU WERE MADE TO REWRITE HISTORY NOT BE THE NORM IN HISTORY!

 

 

 

 

 

Shadows of Joseph

Shadows: Joshua and Caleb (Courage)

 

Shelby and I were watching one of our favorite movies the other night, We Bought a Zoo. One of my favorite scenes in the movie is when Matt Damon is talking to his son about having courage. He tells him, "All's it takes is 20 seconds… 20 seconds of insane courage, of feeling horribly uncomfortable, and you can change everything."

 

As I was thinking about this I thought, "You know this is true. 20 seconds of insane courage could create a miracle. 20 seconds of asking your friend if they want to come to church. 20 seconds of sharing the gospel with your teammate. 20 seconds of insane courage to walk up to one of your teachers and ask them if you can start a prayer group in their class room."

 

When you first give your life to Jesus everything seems nice and pleasant. The first 3 weeks are easy. But as you journey further along into the promised life that God has for you courage becomes a big requirement. It takes courage to leave the comfortable life you are used to. What happens when your friends start questioning your new belief system?  When they start rejecting you for being a Christian? When that boyfriend or girlfriend that you adored so much tells you that you need to come to the party and hang out with your "real" friends and not be a weird religious freak? It's then that the line is drawn in the sand. You now have a choice. Will you have the COURAGE to leave that old life and follow Jesus?

 

A STORY OF COURAGE

 

In Numbers 13 God tells Moses, "Send men to spy out the land I am giving them. Choose a chief from each tribe to go explore." Why would God, who is all knowing, tell Moses to send men to spy out the land? It can't be so God could know how amazing the land is. It had to be for the Israelites. I believe God wanted to give them a glimpse of the land so that he could see if they were willing to have the courage to follow him. It was basically a test. In other words, God has promised each of us a life filled with hope, full of joy and fulfillment. But it is going to take courage to take the life God has for us and follow him obediently into the unknown. God has showed each of us, "Look at the life I have for you! But it's going to take courage to get it!"God is waiting to see if we will have the courage to follow him into the promised land.

 

So Moses chooses twelve spies. These twelve spies, who were strong chiefs (not wimpy guys), were sent to see what the land had to offer. After 40 days of spying the land they returned with a report: "We came to the land to which you sent us. It flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. However, the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large. And besides, we saw the descendants of Anak there." (Numbers 13: 27-28)

 

Just like so many of us these men saw the wonderful life God had for them: "Man this life that God has for me is incredible! Look at the blessings, the joy, the hope! Check out the fruitfulness, the success he has for us! Oh look over here! What is this? Check out this! These trees are producing the largest most delicious fruit I've ever seen! Hey Joshua come over here look at this… can you believe it!" But then in the middle of all this excitement one of them saw something they didn't expect to see: "Hey guys!Shhh… Come over here! Be quiet… Look… is that what I think it is? It sure is. It's a giant of Anak! The giants ofAnak are here! We'll never be able to take this land!"

 

Do we not do the same? We are offered this life full of fruitfulness and can't wait to have the blessing until we see the giants of Anak: "Wait, I have to give up that?? You want me to forgive her? You want me to love him? Share the gospel with who? Really!? There's no way!" And because of fear of what we will lose we decide the wonderful life God has for us is too difficult. (Numbers 13:30) "No we can't there are giants! There are mighty fortresses!...Let's just go back to Egypt!" (Numbers 13:31-14:4). We even begin to think to ourselves, "Man, I was better off before I was saved. Egypt—the old life of being a slave suddenly becomes more appealing to us.

 

But not everyone shrinks back in fear. There were two spies that were courageous and believed that they could get what God had promised: "Joshua and Caleb tore their clothes and said to the congregation: 'The Land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land. If the Lord delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land flowing with milk and honey. Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not fear the people of the land, they are bread for us. Their protection is removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them."

 

Every man saw the opportunity, but only two seized it.Courage is more than seeing the opportunity. Courage is seizing it.

 

In verses 26 through 35 God brings judgment on the people by putting to death those who grumbled against the Lord and refused to take the promise land but promises to give Joshua and Caleb the land. Because of the Israelite's disobedience God makes them wander in the desert for 40 years until all those who grumbled died. Only Joshua and Caleb inherited the promise land. Joshua and Caleb had to have courage for 40 years! Can you imagine them coming up to the promise land boundary line in Joshua chapter one?  "All this I'm going to give you! Only be strong and courageous." It takes being courageous not just once, but every day of your life to get what God has for you.

 

WHY WE MUST HAVE COURAGE

1.

Joshua 1:6 "You will lead these people to inherit the land…" God hasn't just called you to have courage to walk into the land, but to bring your friends with you.

2.

Joshua 1:7 "To do everything written in God's Word." It takes courage to live out God's Word

 

HOW WE BECOME COURAGEOUS…

 

1.

Joshua 1:5. Caleb (Numbers 14:24) and Joshua (Numbers 27:17-18) were both filled with God's Spirit. If we are not filled with the Spirit we will cradle. Are you allowing God to fill you up in prayer and the word? If God is with you, who can be against you? How close you are to God will determine how courageous you are to live out the life he has for you (Joshua 1:5).

2.

Joshua 1:8 Obedience produces courage

3.

FRIENDS. Caleb and Joshua had each other.

 

 

 

 

 

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SET APART TO CHANGE THE WORLD

Fwd: Blog Set Apart to Be Great

SET APART TO BE GREAT

 

Paul, in 2 Timothy 4:9-10 addresses Timothy by saying, "Do your best to come to me soon. For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessolonica." Paul is making a very important point. John Piper says that Paul is warning Timothy about how the love of this world destroys your ability to minister. He says, "There is a love for this world that makes ministry impossible. There is a love for this world, this present age, this God ignoring, God distorting, God demeaning products of culture that is mutually exclusive with real, deep love for Jesus."

 

God chose Demas for greatness. He chose him to be the apostle Paul's right hand man to change history. But because he loved the world, he turned his back on the greatness that God had for him.

 

God has called you to be set apart for greatness. He saved you to live for him and rewrite history on your campus, in your family, with your friends. He designed each of us for greatness. But there is a love for this world that makes this impossible. There is a love for the world that makes being sold out for God impossible.

 

KING SAUL SET APART FOR GREATNESS…(WHAT HAPPENED?)

 

In the book of I Samuel the Israelites ask God for a king to rule over them and protect them. Even though the Israelites were going against God's leadership, God decides to give them a king to rule over them. God uses the prophet Samuel to choose the man who shall rule the Israelites as king. This young man is Saul, a normal man that God anoints who soon becomes extraordinary because of God's anointing. This story starts in 1 Samuel 9:

 

"Tomorrow about this time I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over my people Israel. He shall save my people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have seen my people, because their cry has come to me." (1 Sam 9:16) "As they were going down to the outskirts of the city, Samuel said to Saul, "Tell the servant to pass on before us, and when he has passed on, stop here yourself for a while, that I may make known to you the Word of God. Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on his head and kissed him and said, "Has not the Lord anointed you to be prince over his people Israel? And you shall reign over the people of the Lord and you will save them from the hand of their surrounding enemies. And this shall be the sign to you that the Lord has anointed you to be prince over his heritage…Then the Spirit of the Lord will rush upon you, and you will be turned into another man. Now when these signs meet you, do what your hands finds to do, for God is with you" (1 Samuel 9:27-10:1,6,7).

 

Saul soon becomes very successful. He has a golden touch on everything he does. He is winning victory after victory, walking out the greatness that God has for him because of the anointing God has placed on his life. But we discover in chapter 15 Saul go south as the greatness of God is stripped from his life. What happened?

 

In Chapter 15 God tells Saul to completely destroy the wicked Amalekites. So Saul musters up his men and God begins giving them the victory once again. Saul starts to destroy everything…but then he sees a few things that him and his men like a little too much to destroy. So he decides to only destroy the things that are bad, but keep the things that are appealing.

 

When God sees that Saul has not fully obeyed him, he decides to take away his kingship and give it to another. God confronts Saul through the prophet Samuel, "Saul, did you fully destroy the Amalekites like God told you? Did you obey him?" "Of course I did… I killed the Amalekites like God told me." "Then what, Saul, is this sound of sheep that I hear? What is this cattle I see?" "Oh we saved these because they were still good. We could give them to God. Maybe they could be used for God's purposes…you know…" "Does the Lord like sacrifices and offerings more than obedience, Saul? To obey is what the Lord wants! You were not keeping these for God. You were keeping these for your own selfish ambition. Because of this God has taken away your kingdom!" "You're right, I've sinned…I feared man more than God. I wanted affirmation from them more…"

 

Saul could not let go of this world and because so he saw God's anointing or greatness stripped from his life. Do you want to be famous or do you want to be great? God designed you for greatness! How many of us come to God, ask him into our lives, are excited about the greatness he has for us, but then the love of the world keeps us from following God's commands?

 

God tells us: "Chris, I'm going to use you to save Sandalwood. Ben I have chosen you to bring revival. Andrew, I have called you to lead. I've placed my anointing on you, my greatness, to rewrite history!" We get all amped up. God starts giving us success, destroying the Amalekites and bringing us victory through our lives… BUT THEN…

 

"Billy, give up these friends holding you back. Chris, throw that God demeaning music away. Andrew, step out of your comfort zone" "But wait, wait… I can't destroy that! It's not going to hurt anything…" God replies, "What's this bleating of sheep that I hear?" I.E. "What's this music I hear? What's this habit? What's this thought I see? Is that pornography? What's this party you went to?... I WANT FULL OBEDIENCE!"

 

AND BEFORE OUR VERY EYES WE ARE STRIPPED OF OUR GREATNESS. Have you been stripped of the anointing, the greatness of God on your life because of a love for this world? There is more to life than that! Demas in love with this present WORLD lost EVERYTHING!" Are you obeying God…FULLY?

 

WHAT TO DO PRACTICALLY:

 

YOU ARE A NEW CREATION (2 COR 5:17). THEREFORE, PUT ON THE NEW SELF (COL 3)

 

-       (Col 3:2-4) When you give your life to Jesus you are a new creation. Why should we set our minds on above and not worldly things? Because you died to the world! (last week). Your life is not hidden/found in status, popularity, athletics, scholarship, the crowd, in being accepted and the "cool kid." It is found in God!

 

The reward in this is when Christ returns and ALL the things in this world perish, and He is ALL that is left in this dead world, you too will appear with him in his glory! (WOW!! It's worth it to lay down the world for Jesus! –that boy, status, pleasure…)

 

-       (Col 3:5-8) What do you need to put to death?

-       (Col 3:9-10) Your life is now defined by Christ! Don't go back to letting the world dress you!

-       (Col 3:12-17) What you need to put on!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HUNGER GAMES "Guard your Heart"

HUNGER GAMES: "Guard your Heart" 

 

WHY IT'S MOST IMPORTANT TO GUARD YOUR HEART

 

Proverbs 4:22-23 says, "Above all else guard your heart with vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life." God tells us in his Word that the heart is the most important thing to guard. Why? Your heart is the deepest part of who you are. This proverb says, the springs of life flow from it. In other words, your heart is what pumps life to your spiritual body. Looking at how a physical heart works, this makes sense. A physical heart is at the center of who you are, and when working properly works as a pump pumping blood, carrying oxygen to your organs and muscles. It literally pumps "life" throughout your body. Likewise, when your spiritual heart is working properly it is pumping life throughout your spiritual body.

 

Whatever is in your heart is what is being pumped throughout your entire body. The human heart pumps blood throughout all your veins and vessels to feed your organs and muscles the oxygen it needs. If the enemy can make your spiritual heart impure, he can destroy your whole self. If your heart goes bad, then your whole self goes bad.

 

THE ENEMY'S PLAN IS TO CORRUPT THE HEART

 

This passage in Proverbs says that from your heart flows the springs of life. Back when this was written springs in Jerusalem or any city were extremely important. The springs were where the people got their most important resource for survival—water. Today we take water for granted because it is so easily accessed in America. Go to a foreign country that does not have a water system like ours, and you will understand what I am talking about. There is a reason civilizations migrate towards water. It is essential for survival.

 

A few years ago I went to Israel and had the opportunity to go beneath Jerusalem into the secret spring fed water tunnels of king Hezekiah built thousands of years ago. These tunnels were strategically built for protection from foreign army attacks, not so the people could escape, but so that the city could have an alternate supply of water for when the enemy attacked. What they told us is that when a foreign army attacked, the first objective of the foreign army was to stop up the springs so that the people in the city being attacked would have no water and eventually have to come out and surrender. These tunnels prevented Israel's enemies from doing this.

 

Likewise, the enemy is doing everything he can to corrupt our hearts with impurity. He understands that from your heart flows the springs of life, and if he can just slip in through a crack of compromise then he can wreck your entire life. If he can just get a little compromise—lust, pride, bitterness, jealousy, insecurity, or a desire to be lusted after, then he can stop the life flow. You will dry up and your heart will be hardened. You will face spiritual dehydration and the enemy will then take over your entire life just like an army takes over a city.

 

We must, therefore, learn to guard our hearts!

 

WHAT ARE SOME SIGNS THAT OUR HEARTS HAVE BECOME HARD?

 

Here are some signs of a hard heart that my sister wrote about in her blog A Women that Wins: 20  Signs That You Might Be Losing Your Step. (Some I have changed or added to)

 

1.     You haven't read your Bible in a few days, but you don't miss it.

2.     Going to church is now a tough decision that you have to make every week.

3.     Good things have replaced God things in your pursuits but you can't tell the difference.

4.     Sarcasm is your humor of choice.

5.     You are afraid of silence.

6.     You assume that asking a lot of questions means that you are searching for the truth.

7.     You now proudly dawn a "Coexist" sticker on your ride.

8.     It takes a lot to make you laugh deeply.

9.     Prayer is not the first reaction to a crisis.

10. You show up late and leave early to youth relational gatherings.

11. You are letting feelings of deep loneliness and emptiness go undealt with.

12. You haven't seen a "red flag" flying for quite some time.

13. You now find yourself questioning the idea of absolute truths.

14. You struggle with authority figures.

15. You are always the victim and are quick to exit tense relationships.

16. The escape seems worth the risk now.

17. You're looking for love in all the wrong places.

 

 

HOW TO GUARD OUR HEART

 

Going back to Proverbs 4, Notice how the author commands us to guard the heart, then begins to explain HOW to guard the heart. He says, "Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you. Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot from evil."

 

1.      "Put away from you crooked speech and devious talk from your lips" (v 24). Watch what you say!

 

James 3 says that what you say can set you whole world on fire. It's like the rudder of a ship. It directs your whole life. What you say can either nourish your heart or destroy it. A negative word, a bitter comment, a jealous remark, a perverted statement will start off as a small spark but in the end lead to a wild fire. It's not just the crooked and devious speech that creates an impure heart. It is an impure heart that produces impure speech: "From the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks." So yes crooked speech will corrupt your heart. But it is also a sign that your heart is bad. It's not just speaking impurely that corrupts you. It is also listening to impure words. My lost friend the other day was talking about how he was checking out girls. I knew the enemy was trying to distract me so I told him, "My eyes are for my wife." He just laughed but it shut him up about talking about girls. We must guard our hearts from crooked and devious speech! It's interesting how the enemy starts off with words to get your heart curious for sin. It may be at your lunch table, with friends at the beach that don't know God, Facebook conversations, etc. Just make sure you keep away from this talk!

 

2.     "Let your eyes look directly forward" (v25)

 

In other words, look ahead like a vigilant watchman. Don't be distracted by the decoys or activities of a non-soldier. If you have ever seen any movies with castle attacks, you will notice that the army attacking the castle almost always tries to distract the watchman on the towers so they can sneak into the city. Kyle and I did this the other night in our staff game Agency. When we returned from Islands of Adventure Doug and Bryan sabotaged us. We ran and hid and then Kyle hid behind the bushes while I lured Bryan in as the bait. Bryan completely focused on me did not see Kyle 10 feet away from him. When Bryan came for me, Kyle was able to shoot him. There are billions of lustful temptations trying to distract you saying, "Just look over here!" "Or he's looking at you! Acknowledge him!"

 

The enemy is very smart. Do you think it is coincidence that those cute guys are looking at you? Do you think it is coincidence that those pretty girls are put in your path and dressed like that? Some of us may think, "Man I must be good looking or have a great humor because it seems like everyone is attracted to me!" Let me just say something, it is not because you are good looking or have a good humor. It is because you are the enemy's target! 2 Corinthians 11:14 says that the devil disguises himself as an angel of light. In other words, that cute guy or girl is a trap! It looks all innocent (angel of light) but it is the enemy's plot.

 

John Bunyan, in Pilgrim's Progress, tells a story about how the main character Christian is introduced to Mr. Worldliness. Mr. Worldliness is very nice and has three gorgeous daughters named Lust, Pride and Crave that everyone wants to marry. Mr. Worldliness, who appears very nice, asks Christian if he wants to marry one of his three beautiful daughters in exchange for coming to his house and doing some chores. Christian can't believe it and decides he is going to go and work for one of these girls. Upon arriving to Mr. Worldly's house he discovers hundreds of young and even old men working in the fields and thinks, "Man Mr. Worldly has quite a few workers." Then Christian sees something he never expected. As he gets closer to the workers he discovers that they are all wearing chains and are bound. Christian realizes just in time that Mr. Worldly has been using his three daughters Lust, Pride and Crave to ENSLAVE the young men. He escapes just in time.

 

It is no different with us. The enemy, like Mr. Worldliness, has come dressed as an angel of light, offering you all the pleasure you can handle only to enslave you! It's just like the movie TAKEN. Two teenage girls go to Europe and are distracted by a cute guy who is actually a decoy to put the girls in sex slavery. This really happens today in the physical. But it happens even more in the spiritual realm. Are you enslaved today? Has the angel of light deceived you and distracted you? Looking is the first step to slavery!

 

3.     "Ponder the path of your feet" (v26)

 

In other words, make a conscious step-by-step path to where your decisions will lead you. If you go alone to look at that YouTube video where will it lead you? If you just for a second glance at that girl, where will it lead you? If you go to that party with those friends, where will it lead you? If you watch that T.V. show, where will it lead you? If you look up that guy's or girl's Facebook, where will it lead you? If you listen to that radio station, where is it leading you? If you look at that picture, say that word, think that thought, read that magazine, walk in that direction, look over there, give into that jealous thought, go along with that crowd where will it lead you?

 

4.     "Do not swerve to the left or to the right."

 

Don't even swerve! Even a little compromise, a little resting the eyes, a little giving in to the flesh because you are tired, gives the enemy a crack to enter in! Aaron and I were biking a couple months back and Aaron moving along at a quick pace of 27mph slightly swerved and was tossed from his bike, flipping and shattering his helmet. I tiny swerve was almost disastrous. Aaron has horrible road rash and shoulder pain from this spill.  We think a little compromise won't hurt us: "Just a quick glance won't hurt. Just a few minutes of the computer in my room, just one song on that station won't hurt... I'll make sure I turn it right off…Or not stare just see if I know that person…" It is these little deceptive compromises of the enemy that lead to disaster. Joseph in Genesis responded correctly to temptation by not even swerving a single bit. He did not hesitate for a single second to even think if it was wrong or not. He simply ran! We need to run when we see temptation. Go the other way! The enemy is after our hearts and we must do everything we can to protect them. If you know there could be temptation where you walk, then you are going the wrong way. I will purposely walk in a different direction if I know temptation is there.

 

WHY A PURE HEART IS SO IMPORTANT

 

A pure heart is able to love God more. Matthew 22:37 says, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart…" Matthew 5 says, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." Purity helps you love more and experience God's love in your life. What you must realize, is nothing in this world can satisfy that longing you feel in your heart but Jesus. God wants all of you! If you allow him to fill your heart, you will experience a life filled with more joy and excitement and pleasure than you could ever imagine. But it takes you repenting from impurity and allowing God to change your heart.

 

If you have a bad heart tonight. If any sort of impurity has slipped in, God is willing to give you a new heart: "I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit will put in you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh" (Ezekiel 36:26). He is simply asking you to humble yourself just as David did Psalms 51 (READ).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fwd: Hell (Godtest)

Sent from my iPhone

Begin forwarded message:

From: ryanjaustin@comcast.net
Date: May 30, 2012 5:25:38 PM EDT
To: ryan austin <ryanjaustin@comcast.net>
Subject: Hell (Godtest)

Fwd: Godtest paper

Sent from my iPhone

Begin forwarded message:

From: ryanjaustin@comcast.net
Date: May 15, 2012 3:16:43 PM EDT
To: ryan austin <ryanjaustin@comcast.net>
Subject: Godtest paper

Fwd: Parable of Barren Fig Tree

Sent from my iPhone

Begin forwarded message:

From: ryanjaustin@comcast.net
Date: April 18, 2012 3:58:47 PM EDT
To: ryan austin <ryanjaustin@comcast.net>
Subject: Parable of Barren Fig Tree

Storyteller: The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree

 

 

Last week we touched base on the issue of worry. If we take our focus off of ourselves and set our focus on Jesus our worries fade. It's when we realize who Jesus is in the midst of our worry that we discover peace in the storm.

 

This week we will discover what Jesus thinks about productivity as we look at the parable of The Barren Fig Tree.

 

When Jesus, the master storyteller told his parables, He did more than simply tell a good story. He brought revelation of who He was and what the Kingdom of God was about. Jesus' parables always answered a question—whether it be a life issue, a question about God, or a question of God's Kingdom. Usually the answer to that question or the meaning of the parable would be expressed at the end with a punch line—just like any great movie or story ending. Jesus did not just tell his parables to impart information. He told them to ultimately bring transformation. He calls us to action. As we study this parable ask yourself who you are in the story and what God's call to action for you is. Some of us look so deep into the parable that we miss the most important part—obeying!

 

In Luke 13:6-9 Jesus tells the parable of The Barren Fig Tree: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. And he said to the vinedresser, 'Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?' And he answered him, 'Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.'"

 

DOES GOD CARE ABOUT RESULTS?

 

The question posed here is, "Does God care about results?" Jesus answers this question with a "yes" by addressing the importance of fruitfulness. Being productive and bearing fruit are important to God. 

 

Religion says that our good deeds get us into heaven. When I am evangelizing to someone and ask the question, "Why do you think you're going to heaven?" the most common answer is, "Because I'm a pretty good person. I've done a lot of good things. I think as long as you are not evil but do more good than bad, then God will allow you into heaven." This is what religion teaches us—that by our efforts we can earn our way into heaven. The Bible, on the other hand contradicts this belief.

 

Ephesians 2:8-10 says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Here we discover God's view on works. Religion says that we are saved by our fruit. The Bible says we are the fruit of the work of Jesus. We are saved by grace alone. Many Christians who grow up in the church take this verse and move on the complete opposite side of the spectrum and say that works do not matter, and they miss out on the truth. They use "God's grace" as an excuse to be lazy and do nothing for God, because they have failed to read verse ten. The truth is God saves us by his grace to do good works. His grace in our life should produce fruit in our lives. If we have made Jesus our Lord and He lives inside of us we will produce the fruit of Jesus. So are works important? YES!

 

The question you must ask yourself is, "What area of your life needs to become more fruitful? What branches on your tree are not fruitful?" Ask the Holy Spirit to highlight the areas of your life that need to be more fruitful. What areas do you need to be more productive in, or bear more fruit in? Is it your quiet times, prayer, school work, respecting parents, reaching out to others, sharing the Gospel, making disciples? How about your kindness, selfless acts, encouragement to others, expression of thanks? Are you bearing the fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, self-control, goodness and faithfulness? God wants transformation!

 

When I went on my Israel hiking excursion a couple of years ago I noticed that fig trees grew like weeds there. As we hiked throughout the Judean hillside and into Galilee we would pick off huge, luscious figs and try to eat them, but they were too ripe. Every fig tree had hundreds of figs on them. Likewise, when God formed us, he created us to bear fruit. When we come to Jesus and surrender our lives to Him, it is only normal to bear good fruit. Something is wrong if we are not bearing fruit. We deserve to be cut down for our selfish lack of productivity.

 

But notice what the Gardner in the story says: "Give it one more year. Let me cultivate and fertilize it and we'll see if it changes." The good news is God is giving us another chance. If you have been unproductive lately and maybe have strayed away from your new year's resolutions, God is chasing after you, extending more grace so that you might be transformed. As Mark Driscoll says, "God has a long wick. No, He won't put up with our unfruitfulness forever, but he definitely has extended an abundant amount of grace." There is hope for us! It won't last forever, but God has given you another chance.

 

Notice the open ending of this parable. Jesus never says what happens at the end. He has left it open for us to finish the ending. Will you accept this offer of grace and bear fruit with what God has given you, or will you choose to be cut down.

 

Don't settle for a fruitless life. Determine to be productive with your life and bear fruit.

 

HOW TO BEAR FRUIT

 

1.     Cultivate your relationship with the Holy Spirit

 

Galatians 5:22 says, "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control." Fruit comes from being connected to the Holy Spirit. Fruit is not something we do. It is something God does in us. Therefore get to know, love and enjoy the Holy Spirit. We get to know him through our personal pursuit of Him. This is discovered when we read our Bibles, talk to him in prayer and are led by him.

 

Psalm 1 compares a righteous man who meditates on God's Word day and night to a tree that is connected to streams of living water and yields its fruit in season. So often we think if we'll just study more, determine to be productive and live right or work harder that we will be productive, when fruitfulness actually comes from cultivating our relationship with the Holy Spirit. 30 minutes with God is worth more than a days work in our own strength. We are exponentially productive with God.

 

2. Connect to the church

 

The other characteristic of this righteous man is he refuses to go along with the crowd. In ten years of doing ministry I have never seen someone be fruitful and be connected with the wrong crowd. Paul basically says in Corinthians, "If you are not connected to the church how productive can you be? The church is the body of Christ. Think about it—how can a finger do anything if it is not connected to the hand? How can the eye be useful if it is not connected to a body?" In essence, you cannot do anything apart from your spiritual family.

 

2.     Count your figs

 

Notice in the parable the landlord kept count of how many figs each tree in the garden produced. Some of us need to learn how to measure success and keep track of our progress. Harvard business review says that a person is ten times more likely to accomplish a goal if they write it down. I tell students all the time the most important key to making good grades is writing down your homework assignments and taking good notes in class. I remember carrying around a planner wherever I went so I could track my progress in how much homework I had finished. Something that changed my life was when my dad made my brother and I start writing down a to do list every morning before we got into our daily activities. I still try and do this everyday and have noticed my productivity level exponentially increases when I do so.

 

3.     Measure fruitfulness, not busyness

 

As you count your figs make sure you measure fruitfulness, not busyness. The most productive people in life are actually the least stressed. I hear left and right people saying, "I'm so stressed! I'm so busy! I have so much on my plate! I just don't know if I can handle this." Then I'll ask, "So what have you done?" "Umm… you know I just have a ton of homework…" "Ok, but what have you done?" What I have discovered is that busyness does not equal productivity. It's like all the ridiculous busy work your teachers give you in high school. How productive are you really doing that work? Almost always busyness comes from our priorities being skewed. Some of us will try to read 5 different books at once and finish 1 in 3 years. It's simply a lack of focus. The root of the problem is we say we are too busy to live for God, go on prayer walks, read our Bibles, pray and go to church. The irony of this is the less time we spend with God, the less productive we become. This is why God must always be our ultimate priority: "Seek first the Kingdom of God and all the other things in life will be given to you." (Matt 6:33).

 

4.     Use your manure

 

Notice in the parable the gardener asked for one more year and decides to use the manure to fertilize the tree and help it bear fruit. Mark Driscoll says that God will use the things in our life that just plain stink to grow us. Your finances may be manure. Your relationships may be full of manure. They may just plain stink! But the good news is God wants to use that trial that stinks in your life right now to grow you!

 

5.     Be consistent

 

Lastly, be consistent. Fruitfulness doesn't come over night. The good grades, the joy, the self-control, the change in character, the cultivation of your relationship with the Holy Spirit is going to take years. The most important characteristic of a tree that bears fruit is the consistent watering and nourishing. When running in college my coach used to always tell us its not how much training you can do in 3 months, but 2 years that make you great. The most successful triathletes I know are the ones that are consistent in off-season. Likewise, we will bear fruit when we become consistent in these areas. Anyone can record notes in class for a week, what about a year though? Anyone can read their Bible for a month, but what about 10 years? Consistency is what it is all about.

 

 

 

 

Fwd: Storyteller My Story

Sent from my iPhone

Begin forwarded message:

From: ryanjaustin@comcast.net
Date: March 28, 2012 4:57:33 PM EDT
To: ryan austin <ryanjaustin@comcast.net>
Subject: Storyteller My Story

            STORYTELLER

 

"For He chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will." God has a unique story for you prewritten before the foundations of the earth were laid. God did not create you and then say, "What should I do with Ryan?" He had, in mind a magnificent story he wanted to write with your life. Therefore, he created you.

 

The world is doing everything it can to blind us from seeing this truth. I was at UNF yesterday talking to an agnostic for two hours about God. This young man who once came to Resolution and claimed to be a Christian argued with me for two hours how life has no meaning. To him everything is simply an idea. There is no purpose to life. I was perplexed as I listened to this young man. When and how did he ever give into the lie that there is no purpose in life, that God has no story for him? The world is doing everything it can to keep you from the beautiful story God has for your life. If the world can get you to believe there is no purpose, no story and no Author, then it will rob you of living the story God has for you.

 

WHEN OUR STORY MAKES NO SENSE

 

What happens when our story makes no sense? Two weeks ago I led my first funeral. A young man at the age of 33 went on to be with Jesus leaving behind his young wife and six year old son. A glimpse at this story appears tragic: "Why would God allow this? What purpose is there in this?" We all ask the question, "Why?" at some point in our lives—whether it be the loss of a loved one or a broken relationship, sickness or other tragic happening. I remember asking this question when Shelby and I broke up our engagement. I had lived pure my entire life, never even kissed a girl, had waited for the one, and I felt God telling me to break up: "Why Lord?"

 

Psalm 73 paints a picture of exactly what I'm talking about. The psalmist, Asaph, is in bewilderment asking the question, "Why?" "Why am I struggling with sickness, while the wicked are healthy? Why is the world successful, while we who are living righteously are struggling with all we've got just to make it…" Asaph's story wasn't making sense. He was looking at others who weren't even serving God, and they appeared to be doing better than he was. You may be thinking the same as Asaph. Your story makes no sense right now: "Why me? What's going on?" Maybe your story has really never made sense your whole life. Like Asaph, you're thinking: "Is life even worth living right? Surely have I kept my heart pure in vain" (v13).

 

THERE IS MORE TO LIFE THAN MEETS THE EYE

 

My answer to you is, "There is more to life than meets the eye." When you find nothing in this world can truly satisfy, there is only one conclusion: you were made for another world. When you look at the world and you see all the success, health, wealth and pleasure, you can soon grow weary and envious: "Why does the world get the pleasure? Why are they struggle free? Whey do they get all the attention, fame and popularity?"

 

 There is more to life than meets the eye! You can live in the world and gain the momentary surge of pleasure and think: "I have arrived! Life is good! This is the life!" But only for a moment, for you will not be satisfied deep down inside. In fact the moment the Ibuprofen wears off you will be left even emptier. Now you are not only empty but also disillusioned: "I thought that guy was my happiness. I thought listening to that music would revive me? It did didn't it? Or at least for a moment. But now look at me! At the end of the day now that the 'fun' is over I feel empty. I don't quite feel satisfied. Getting all the attention from those girls has only left me distraught. I thought for sure that movie was going to make me happy. I thought the good grades would bring me fulfillment. How could I be filling like this? I've been longing for this guy for so long!? Now that I have him, now that I have her… I no longer want him or her. I mean at first…but now that I've indulged in the temptation my heart still hungers. I'm still empty…" There is more to life than meets the eye. Let's look at Asaph to uncover this truth.

 

HOW TO DISCOVER YOUR STORY

 

1. Meet the Author in worship

 

After Asaph states his case and poses the question, "Why me?" he says, "When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny" (v16-17). Asaph finally decides he's going to go into the sanctuary and worship God. He's going to stop trying to figure out all the answers. He's simply going to set his focus on Jesus. The moment he does so, God opens up his spiritual eyes and he sees the truth. Beforehand, Asaph was trying to put all the puzzle pieces together and was lost in bewilderment. Now everything made sense. Now he had peace, an eternal perspective. He may not know all the details of his story, but he now knows that God is sovereign, that he is in control and he (Asaph) is safe inside God's will.

 

This is what worship does for us. It gives us the ability to meet with God, to encounter his presence. Worship is essential to you discovering and living the story God has for you. So often we find ourselves in bewilderment, asking ourselves: "What's going on with my life?" When the answer is found in our intimate worship life with God.

 

Notice Asaph's perspective change: "Yet I am always with you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." (v23-26). Now that he has encountered God's presence he sees what is truly valuable because he has an eternal perspective. The meaning of life and the source of true happiness are only found in the presence of God. Worship allows us to meet with God and discover this.

 

2. Know that the Author is Sovereign and let him write your story

 

One of my favorite books is the The Horse and his Boy by C.S. Lewis. C.S. Lewis tells a story about a young orphan named Shasta, who grew up never knowing his true parents, living under the harsh rule of a fisherman. Because of Shasta's abusive landlord he decides to escape. Through a series of events that happens as he runs away he is chosen to send a message to Narnia to warn them that the evil Tashbaan are coming to kidnap the princess. Nearing the climax of the story Shasta is on this journey exhausted, hungry, perplexed and lost. He is one straw from mental breakdown.

 

"Shasta begins to feel sorry for himself and says, 'I do think that I must be the most unfortunate boy that ever lived in the whole world. Everything goes right for everyone except me…' As Shasta begins to think about all this he begins to cry until he discovers something or someone is following him. He knew it was something big by the sound of its breath and that his horse could not outrun it: 'Who are you?' Shasta scarcely says above a whisper. 'One who has waited long for you to speak,' said the Thing. It's voice was not loud but very large and deep… 'Tell me your sorrows.'

 

Shasta was a little reassured by his breath; so he told how he had never known his real father or mother and had been brought up sternly by the fisherman. And then he told the story of his escape and how they were  chased by lions and forced to swim for their lives; and of all their dangers in Tashbaan and about his night among the tombs and how wild beasts howled at him… 'I do not call you unfortunate said the Large Voice.' 'What about all the lions!' 'There was only one lion.' 'What! I told you there were two lions the first night!' 'There was only one lion.' 'How do you know?'

 

'I was the lion.' And Shasta gaped with open mouth and said nothing… 'I was the lion who forced you to join with Aravis. I was the cat who comforted you among the houses of the dead. I was the lion who drove the Jackals away from you while you slept. I was the lion who gave the Horses the new strength of fear for the last mile so that you should reach King Lune in time. And I was the lion you do not remember who pushed the boat in which you lay, a child near death, so that it came to shore where a man sat, wakeful at midnight, to receive you."

 

All the puzzle pieces come together when you meet the Author of your story. Until you meet him your whole life will be lost. But the moment you meet him and let him direct your life you discover your amazing story.

 

God has prewritten a beautiful story for each of us, but sin changed this story to a nightmare. So God sent his Son Jesus to remove our selfish mistake so that our stories could be rewritten with Jesus' blood. What you choose to do with this amazing gift will determine what will be written.