Devoted: Dedicated to Christ (2)

There comes a time in everyone’s life when you have to ask yourself. Am I devoted to Christ? Not am I a christian. Take that term out of the equation. The term Christian has been watered down and distorted. It has been trampled on and redefined to the point that I can’t even pinpoint a definition of it anymore.

Truth is the line in Christianity has become so distorted that it’s hard to see who is on your side and who isn’t. Christianity is more than just knowing of Christ. It’s more than saying you believe. It’s more than even just following Christ because at times following Christ is easy. I’ve been taken on many trips to deepen my faith. Those trips usually happen in the wilderness when you feel lost and alone. They remind me of a good father child talk. When dad takes you for a drive, locks the doors, buys you ice cream to go and lays out some tough truths on the little mind sitting next to him.

The true question is: Are you truly devoted to Christ?

This morning I want to deliver to you a tough message. Probably won’t get you excited. Probably won’t get me a bunch of Amens or a raise bump in salary. But hopefully it will get you to take inventory. Of yourself. I believe God is getting ready to do great and mighty things across the world and here in Nicholson. I believe if people get passed the way church is always done the church will be lit on fire like never before. But 2 things I’ve learned about mighty moves of God. You don’t have to be prepared for when they are happening. You have to be prepared for the battle to get there and the battle when it’s over.

See Satan can’t move when God’s moving and mighty. He may try, but we know he gets knocked down rather easily. No Satan greatest moves are 1. Before a mighty move of God. 2. After a mighty move of God.

Before to discourage you and after to disarm you.

Discourage 2. Disarm.

I can tell you personally I believe I am in the discouraging state. I’ve been told my whole Christian life that you know your on the right path because blessings will follow. Open doors will happen. And that’s great advice until it isn’t. Until doors aren’t opened. Until you find your life falling apart. Until everything you thought you would be isn’t anywhere close to where you are.

Then you get asked this question:

Are you devoted to the Blessed life? Or Are you devoted to Christ?

In tough times people will tell you it will all work out. God has a plan. hold strong because there is light at the end of the tunnel.

The danger is this: When things are going well we tend to have faith in the blessing. Not in the blesser. We believe because we can see the fruits of our beliefs. We walk because we are getting somewhere. God has direction for our life. We know where we are going. We sing in church. We love our spouse, our kids, our job, our life.

But for every mountain top experience there is a valley. Moses when he was one with God his faith was easy. But when he descended the mountain he couldn’t hold it together and broke the tablets.

David. David got called out among his brothers. Anointed. Told he would be king, but sent back to the sheep. I wonder how long David was tending his sheep before he began to let go of the anointing. Until he got the call to the castle. Sing for Saul. This must have been the door God would use to get him in. But then Saul tried to kill David. David was on the run hiding in the rocks.

We can’t lose God while we are waiting and we can’t lose God in the rocks. And we can’t lose God when we don’t have all the answers. And we can’t lose God when we feel lost. And it’s really easy to say when you are on the mountain but really difficult to maintain when you’re in the valley.

So how do we maintain faith when we don’t see God? That was Adam and Eve’s biggest failure. It wasn’t when they were walking with God when they began to question the goodness of God. It was when they were alone.

John 16:29–31 ESV

29 His disciples said, “Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech! 30 Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from God.” 31 Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe?

The disciples for a while were living the high life. Everything was going great. They were with Jesus. Although people came against them Jesus handled every battle flawlessly. But Jesus saw the dark alley. He knew tough times were coming ahead. The disciples just declaired their belief. But then Jesus asked Do you believe?

Your trust in God is tested in the hard times

And understand something. I believe Christians have some of this mixfused. God doesn’t test you so He knows where you are. God tests your so you know where are you.

Hard times raise hard questions.

Do you believe?

We find out what we believe when we hit hard times.

We read in the book of John and in the book of Acts. The difficulties the disciples had maintaining the walk when Jesus left them. They ran, they went back to what they knew. They did everything but stay put. We tend to try to get busy when faced with tough questions because don’t want to dig deep in ourselves and get the answers.

John 16:33 ESV

33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

In this one verse I see a beginning, a middle, and an end.

This seems to be every situation we fall into. In the beginning we have joy and Peace. Jesus is with us. Then tribulation happens. We ask tough questions, grow in our faith and trust in God, then we overcome.

To take heart means to being to gain courage or confidence in. This tells me two things. 1. There will be a time when you don’t have courage but 2. There will be times when you have to begin to muster that courage yourself. You have to begin to believe. You have to make the choice to believe.

2. Hard times create hard choices

It isn’t a choice about what you are or aren’t going to do. We all make those choices to move forward. That’s the easy part. Life continues no matter what state your life is in.

The hard choices that you face in tough times is who do you believe in? Is your faith stronger than feelings and your failure.

When David sinned he knew he was being punished, but when Job suffered he didn’t know why he was suffering. He didn’t understand where it came from. Many times we suffer by our own hands, but there are times when we suffer and we don’t know where the suffering comes from.

Who then who do we believe in? Do you have faith in God when God doesn’t do what we want him to do?

3. Hard times create sweet victories

John 16:33 (ESV)

33 ...But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

God overcomes. He restores. He gives way to bigger things. It’s in the discouraging journey where we lose more of ourselves to gain more of Christ.