Look To the Growth

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Big Youth Event

January 22 (Sunday Evening) 6-8pm

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Introduction

Story of getting Physical “Things didn’t get easier, you got stronger.”

If I ride a bicycle long distance, it isn’t easy. As I do it over time, it doesn’t get easer, I just gain more endurance. The change point wasn’t with the bike, but with me.

If I bench press 200 pounds, it isn’t easy. As I do it over time, it doesn’t get easier, I just get stronger. The change point wasn’t with the weights but with me.

Playing guitar isn’t easy. As I do it over time, it doesn’t get easier, I become more talented. The change point was with the guitar, it was with me.

Putting a basketball in a hoop isn’t easy. As I do it over time, it doesn’t get easer, I become more accurate. The change point was not with putting a basketball in a hoop, it was with me.

Why is this important

Many times in life we want the change point to be the things around us, whether it is our weaknesses, situations, hardships, trials, temptations, or shortcomings. The problem with that, is most of the time, those things are out of our control.

Scripture

Mark 4:35-41 “On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?””

In this story there was a problem....what was the probelm?

And what did Jesus do to solve the problem?

This is how we tend to want God to answer our prayers and intervene in the situtions of our life.

There is this hard situation that is out of our control and we want God to change that situation.

Many will point to this story in Scripture and use it as a metaphore for how God wants to calm all the storms in your life.

A strained relationship

Diagnosis of sickness

An unwanted situation

An emotional hardship

But the point of this story was not that God just removes all of our unwanted problems…the point of the story was to point us to Jesus and say “Who is this man?”

It was to be a revealer that Jesus is God.

Now we can pray for God to intervene in our lives, and God will remove obstacles at times, but many times rather than changing the thing, he changes us.

That strained relationship may not get easier, but I grow more mature.

That diagnosis of sickness might not go away, but my character growth allows me to handle it with grace.

That unwatned situation may still be around, but I can rest on God’s promises.

That emotional hardship might still be present, but I learn to handle it from a position of strength.

It’s not everything around us that needs to change....you and I are the change point.

Stop trying to control the uncontrolable, and allow yourself to change.

The good news is, the real change point is ourselves.

So if we are the change points, what is the catalyst?

AKA what is the stimulus, what is the promp, where does the power to change come from.

Because situations can cause us to become cynical, bitter, unforgiving, depressed, anxious, etc....or they can cause us to grow in our character, joy, peace, strength, etc....

Where does the power to grow in the right direction come from?

Application

Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

I have been crucified with Christ.

In the same way that Christ died for my sins, I’m dying or departing from my own way of life, and surrendering to his way of life.

It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.

The result is that I have the very power of Christ living within me to empower me to grow in that right direction.

And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Growth is a process, but I can grow in my holiness starting from a place of being accepted and loved by God.

That takes a way the codemnation for my mistakes

It gives me room to grow without living in the fear of being pushed away by God because of my shortcomings.

Because my goodness is not what God my accepted in the first place, it was Christ’s goodness.....that’s why He had to die for me.

Look to Jesus this New Year, He is the one that changes you into who you should and can be.

If you have been on the fence....or complacent with your faith.....make the decision to give God everything and surrender it all.

Ask Him what that means for you and what it looks like

Spend adequate time in prayer and reading Scripture.