making decisions the way GOD makes decisions…

if the problem in making up your mind is indecision then what’s the solution?  the solution, the prescription is wisdom.  get wisdom.

it says in james 1.5 (tniv), if any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask GOD, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.   he gives some practical steps.

first of all you admit your need.  verse 5 (tniv), if any of you lacks wisdom…

now i detect a little sarcasm here in that statement.  “if any of you don’t have it all together.”  james is the book of wisdom in the new testament like proverbs is the book of wisdom in the old testament.  we all lack wisdom.  it is universal.  we all lack wisdom.  you see, wisdom is different than knowledge.  wisdom is knowledge put into practice.  wisdom is seeing life from GOD’s point of view.  wisdom is making decisions the way GOD makes decisions.

the word for wisdom in greek is the word “sophia.”  “phila – sophia” equals “philosophy” – which means the love of wisdom.  wisdom means practical application of knowledge. 

the bible talks a lot about wisdom but we are interested in knowledge.  the world is impressed with knowledge but GOD is impressed with wisdom.  what do you do with your knowledge?  do you put it into practice and make use of it?  wisdom is the ability to make decisions the way GOD would make decisions.

proverbs 11.2 (tniv), when pride comes then comes disgrace.  but with humility comes wisdom. 

you can’t learn anything if you think you know it all.  one of the reasons why we never learn wisdom is we think we have it all together. 

he’s saying, “admission of the lack of wisdom is the beginning of wisdom, ‘i don’t have it all together.’”

for some of you it may be hard for you to go home and say to your wife, “i was wrong.”  when was the last time you said, “i was wrong.”  that shows how wise you are.  the admission is the beginning of wisdom.

i’ll be honest i have problems with knowing what the questions are, let alone the answers.

just a thought from the front porch… 

i am responsible...

as I said you have to admit that anger is not some other person’s responsibility, not some circumstantial responsibility. it’s my responsibility. instead of blaming others, you take responsibility for your anger in that moment. you must – i must – take responsibility for my anger. if i don’t take responsibility for my anger, no one else is going to take responsibility. if i don’t take responsibility for my anger, i’m going to live with this the rest of my life. i’m going to be a slave to it the rest of my life.

we use phrases like “you make me so mad!” who is responsible in that little phrase? you are! the truth is you don’t make me so mad, the world doesn’t make me so mad, circumstances don’t make me so mad. i make me so mad! the choices i’m making are the things that cause that anger to happen in my life.

once i do that, once i take responsibility for my anger, i begin to do things like GOD encourages us in philippians 4.6-7 (nlt), don’t worry about anything. instead pray about everything. tell GOD what you need and thank HIM for all HE has done. if you do this, you will experience GOD’s peace. you tell GOD what you’re worried about and you experience HIS peace instead of the anxiety and then the anger. you tell GOD you’re grateful even in the midst of difficult days. tell HIM what you’re grateful for. and you experience HIS peace.

just a thought from the front porch…

anger and anxiety…

we have been looking at the “top five” things you can do to not be easily angered and #3 is release your worries to GOD. because our worries and anxieties often take us down a road that lead us straight to anger. anger and anxiety are closely connected.

psalm 37.8 (lb) says, stop your anger. turn off your wrath. don’t fret and worry. it only leads to harm.

fretting and worrying often leads to anger and wrath in our lives because we’re anxious. it comes out in angry words.

in the movie toy story, the toy woody is angry with the toy buzz because he’s feeling some loss in his life. he’s feeling anxious about losing his place in the toy world.

when you’re filled with anger, ask yourself, “what am i worried about? what am i anxious about?” it will often help you to break through. the loving thing is to ask yourself those questions about the person you love who may be angry. what are they worried about? what are they anxious about? what’s going on?

that means that you have to admit that anger is not some other person’s responsibility, not some circumstantial responsibility. it’s my responsibility. instead of blaming others, you take responsibility for your anger in that moment. you must – i must – take responsibility for my anger. if i don’t take responsibility for my anger, no one else is going to take responsibility. if i don’t take responsibility for my anger, i’m going to live with this the rest of my life. i’m going to be a slave to it the rest of my life.

just a thought from the front porch…

it is a major step in healing relationships…

another practical way to practice being humble is to practice admitting when i’m wrong.

this comes a little easier for some than it does for others. the truth of it is, all of us make mistakes. and we do so with great regularity. i have found that we even say we’re wrong to a degree. it’s easy to say, “i was wrong,” if i only have to own that for a minute and then go back into attack mode. i can throw it back in another direction. “i was wrong. but you…” or “i’m really sorry, but if only you had…” or we start this excuse making, because of this or because of that. it’s all of this sugar coating. when in fact what we need is brutal, humble honesty. “i own it. i was wrong. i’m sorry.” it’s so difficult for us these days to really just come out with the hard news of what’s going on in our life – the truth about who we really are.

i heard a story of a woman who was traveling on business away from her husband and kids and left him home to hold down the fort for her children. she called back one night to see how things were going, and he said, “not so good. the poodle died today.” she said, “that’s bad news, but what’s worse is the way you delivered that news to me. you could have kind of eased me into it, kind of built me up to that news, let me get ready for it. like the first night i call home, you could have said, ‘honey, somehow the poodle got up on the roof.’ then the next night i called you could have said, ‘the poodle fell off the roof and isn’t doing so well.’ then the third night you could have said, ‘the poodle died.’ then i would have been ready for the bad news.” he said, “i’ll try to do better next time.” she says, “well, let’s just change the subject. you’re home with the kids, watching over the house, i know that my mom came down for a visit. i know that you don’t like her very much. how’s that going? how’s mom doing?” he said, “she’s on the roof.”

we try to sugarcoat the bad news, but honesty and humility go a long way.

the bible talks about this. proverbs 28.13 (lb) says, a man who refuses to admit his mistakes can never be successful, but if he confesses and forsakes them he gets another chance.

i don’t know your background. some of us might have grown up in homes where we didn’t hear people say, “i’m sorry.” no one ever admitted, “i’m wrong.” so now we’re imitating that behavior and we find it a challenge to ever come clean in the workplace or in the classroom or in the home and say, “i was wrong.” somehow we believe if people come to know that we’re less than perfect, our esteem in their eyes will diminish. guess what? they already know you’re not perfect.

the first step in healing relationships will always begin with humility. james 5.16 (msg) says, make this your common practice. again practice. it’s a very profound concept that we are talking about. the fact that we can choose to be humble and we can practice it and become good at it. make this your common practice. confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so you can live together whole and healed.

just a thought from the front porch…

faith is acting as if…

do you remember the story of joshua and the children of israel when they came up to the jordan river? it was very similar to moses at the red sea. the whole nation had to pass over the river in order to get into the promised land. it was springtime and the banks of the jordan were overflowing. it was impossible. GOD said to joshua and the leaders of israel, “take the leaders and put them out in front of the people and tell them to walk into the river. after they begin to walk into the river i will dam it up a little way north and the waters will recede and you will be able to walk across on dry ground.”

the leaders began to walk into the river. the water was up to their ankles, then their knees, then their thighs. they were probably thinking, “i'm not going to walk very much further!” but look what happened. the bible says in joshua 3, when the priests put their feet in the water, the jordan river will stop flowing.

they acted as if the water would part and it did! GOD released HIS power. now there was a lag time in their faith because GOD stopped the river up stream so some of that water kept flowing down but they kept walking in faith, they kept walking as if.

now the amazing thing is that GOD wants to share his power with you but you've got to follow the steps. first you admit you have the need, then you believe in faith, then speak in faith and then act in faith. step out in advance, acting as if.

some of you are waiting for GOD to do a miracle in your life and you think that you are waiting on GOD. in reality GOD is waiting on you. HE's waiting on you to take the first step. the power will not be released until you take the first step. it's withheld. it's a deliberate choice: “i don't feel it but i know that it's the right thing to do. i'm going to do it.” you act as if you have the power to do what's right and it will be supplied.

men, monday when you come home from work and you're exhausted and you're tired and want to be left alone. you feel lousy and cruddy and you do not want to face your kids or maybe even your wife. you want to walk in the door and say to everybody “don't bug me!”

instead of doing that, why don't you try this: on the way home, while you're driving home, why don't you take a little pill called isaiah 40.31 (niv), they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength. they shall mount up with wings as eagles. they shall run and not be weary. ... they shall play with the kids and not faint.

before you get out of the car and go into the house say, “GOD, YOU've promised to re‑energize me if i wait on YOU. so i'm going to wait here a minute, take a death breath. i believe in faith that you can re‑energize me. i'm going to say it, i'm going to speak it, i believe it. i'm going to walk in and act as if i've got energy and i'm going to play with those kids. i don't have many hours of the day with them in the first place.”

just a thought from the front porch…

how to appropriate GOD’s power…

so how do you appropriate GOD's power in your life on a consistent basis? well #1. you admit that you don't have it all together. #2. you believe in faith. the key to personal power in our life is faith. not anything else. it's faith. the key to personal power is faith.

mark 9.23 (niv), everything is possible for him who believes. matthew 9.29 (niv), according to your faith it will be done to you. if that is true, and it is, let me give you two vital questions:

1. what are you expecting GOD to do in your life?
2. what are you expecting GOD to do through your life?
   

HE works according to faith. since GOD has unlimited power, we should not limit HIM because of our expectations of HIM. we limit GOD by our own belief. GOD has given us atomic bomb power and we live firecracker lives. there's no problem too big for GOD and there's no request that HE can't handle.

so what am i willing to believe GOD for? if you want to see GOD's power in your life you must believe in faith.

then #3. speak in faith. and this is very important. you must speak in faith. 2 corinthians 4.13 (tev), in the same spirit of faith, we also speak because we believe.

you must verbalize your faith. you must announce what you're intending GOD to do. you must not just think it in your mind, you must announce it. speak it. verbalize it.

that's what a goal is. a goal is a statement of faith. when i set a goal, "i believe GOD can help me do _______________ by _______________ time." goals are simply statements of faith. the size of your goal is determined by the size of your GOD. show me what your goals are in life and i'll tell you what you're believing GOD for.

it's very important that you announce your goals up front. say it in faith.

just a thought from the front porch…

GOD’s power is not automatic…

some of you may be saying, “i know i need to trust GOD. i do have problems that are about to get me down. but i don't know if this stuff really works. it seems to work for you, pastor bill but it doesn't work for me. i'm a believer but i never felt GOD's power in my life.” and i'm sure you are exactly right!

the fact is, GOD's power is not automatic. i would say that most CHRISTians do not have GOD's power in their life to any degree. there are some steps – some things you must do to appropriate it.

most CHRISTians never get GOD's power in their life. they never key into it. they are just as defeated as unbelievers and just as tired and fatigued. so the question then becomes, how do you appropriate GOD's power in your life on a consistent basis?

well for one i admit my lack of power. i admit that i don't have it all together.

you see, our problem is that we think we're omnipotent. we think we're GOD. “i can handle anything. i can do everything.” if you don't believe it, look at your schedule. who are you kidding?

if you burn the candle at both ends you're not as bright as you think you are. admit your need for GOD's power in your life. you can't do it all on your own. you come out of high school joe jock, believing you can take on everything. then, later, you realize that you don't have all power. stress, tension and frustration come as a result.

mid-life crisis is simply waking up to your limitations, realizing you are not GOD. you cannot control everything. you are not going to reach every goal you set in life. you're not going to make as much money as you may have thought. you are a human being. you have weaknesses. you're getting older! your hairline may be receding!

what do you do when you realize you are weak? 2 corinthians 12.9-10 (ph) paul says, GOD said to me “where there is weakness, MY power is shown more completely.” therefore i have cheerfully made up my mind to be proud of my weaknesses, because they mean a deeper experience of CHRIST's power. for my very weakness makes me strong in HIM!

when you pretend to be self sufficient, you short circuit GOD's power in your life. a self-made man needs to admit his inadequacy and then he can start having power. until then you're going to burn out.

just a thought from the front porch…

what do you need?...

some of you say, "i'd love to have GOD's grace, to have a clear conscious, to start over." others need GOD's strengthening grace – things in your life you'd like to change, weaknesses, habits and you don't have the strength or power to make those changes. you need GOD's strengthening grace. some of you are saying "i've been holding on to a hurt. i've got pain in my life – physical, emotional, relational. how in the world do i get GOD's grace in my life?"

there is only one single thing you need to do to get GOD's grace in your life. the key to receiving GOD's grace, james 4.6 (nkjv), GOD resists the proud but HE gives grace to the humble.

the key to receiving GOD's grace in my life is i admit that i need it. that's it! i admit that i need GOD in my life. pride prevents GOD's grace.

as long as i'm self dependent – "i can handle it. i don't need anybody to tell me what it's all about." the self-made man worships his maker. "i don't need anybody else. i've got it under control." – as long as you've got that kind of attitude you don't have it under control and that's why you've still got the problem.

you need GOD's grace to see it through, to make the changes, to get the forgiveness. all you've got to do is admit it. "i'm not making it on my own!"

this is the value of confession. some of you have a bad habit you'd like to break. the first step to breaking a bad habit is tell GOD and somebody else. when you tell GOD, HE's not shocked; HE already knows. it's no big surprise to GOD. HE just wants you to admit it. then tell it to somebody else. if you've never confessed it to anybody, that's why you still have the problem.

"but if i admit this bad habit or hidden sin in my life that's pretty humbling." you've got it! bingo! the very key to getting GOD's power in your life to change that bad habit begins by admitting it to somebody and getting humility into your life that you need GOD.

some of you are possibly having severe marriage problems at home. husband wife, wife husband and you go to church on sunday with a big front. oh nothings wrong. we don't have any problems. i don't need to put down on my welcome card that we have a problem. no way am i going to admit i need help but it won't go away. it is there and it is getting worse. maybe your kids know about it but nobody else does and you are saying, we can handle it. but you aren't and it's getting worse. you know what i'm talking about don't you?

some of you are parents and you have rebellious children and it's killing you. maybe they're on drugs, maybe they've been in jail, or maybe they're pregnant, or maybe involved in sex and not pregnant and you're saying, "i don't want anybody to know what's going on in our family." and that's why you're dying inside until you say, "we have some problems in our family."

listen, everybody has some kind of problems. nobody has a perfect family. as you come and say, "i need help!" and share that in a small group or with a CHRISTian friend and talk to the LORD about it and be honest then you start having the healing of the hurt in your life. and GOD's grace flows.

just a thought from the front porch…