Pluck the Day
Pluck the Day
Living in the Moment
The Key to a Joy Filled Life
June 9, 2007 and June 10, 2007
John 16
24 /Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete. [1] /
33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
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John 17
13 /“I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. 14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. [3]/
-Amazingly John devotes 1/3 of his gospel to the last 24 hours of Jesus.
-Jesus had some important things to say to His disciples.
-He seemed to be talking about opposition and tribulation.
-On of the things Jesus gave as the antidote to trouble was to have HIS JOY.
Luke 10
21 /At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure. [4] /
-One of the key secrets to living and walking in victory is to live and abide in this Joy Jesus left for us.
Acts 13
50 But the Jews incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region. 51 So they shook the dust from their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium. 52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
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-There is a remarkable connection to victory over problems and JOY.
-I’m not just talking about joy in a service where we manifest the Holy Spirit.
-I am talking about an abiding fruit of the Spirit that shows up and almost seems to be the opposite of what is going on.
-We have all had times when at the oddest time the Presence of God…the Spirit of Joy just welled up in our hearts.
-The word “enthusiasm” means “in God”.
(Life is too short to drink weak coffee!)
-I am victorious because when things look the most difficult the force of God’s joy shows up in my life.
-We often confuse happiness with joy.
-We feel happy when all is well. It is a feeling that comes and goes.
-Joy on the other hand is a force that stays and abides.
Hebrews 12
2 /Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. [6] /
James 1
2 /Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.[7] /
-James said this is a great opportunity for joy.
JOY IS THE POSITIVE CONFIDENCE I POSSESS BY KNOWING AND TRUSTING GOD REGARDLESS OF CIRCUMSTANCES.
-Joy is independent of circumstances.
-Paul wrote a book all about joy-Philippians.
-Read it sometime and underline all of the times he mentions JOY.
Philippians 4
10 /I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength. [8]/
-Joy kept Paul the same and stable whatever was going on.
-He had learned to walk in Joy even when he wasn’t happy.
-He had learned to disconnect himself from the surrounding circumstances to the point that he wasn’t affected by them.
Larry Stockstill’s example of PICKLE ON HIS PANTS.
-How do we do it?
-I think there are times of experiencing the presence of God in special ways.
-But day in and day out the key is to:
LIVE IN THE MOMENT
There is a phrase by Horace that you may have heard….carpe Diem-Seize the day or better rendered PLUCK THE DAY.
If fruit is ripe it had to be plucked or picked. The key is to pluck what is ripe. In order to pluck the day….we have to live in the moment.
Matthew 6 Message
“Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.
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1. Give Your Entire Attention to What God is Doing Today
-It is very easy to drift to yesterday or tomorrow.
People ask if I am part of the Charismatic movement or the faith movement. I tell them I was but I got moved.
-The only way to really make a difference in life is to contact God and eternity in the now.
Jesus said to pray;
Give us today our daily bread
Luke 4
20 /Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, 21 and he began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” [10] /
Hebrews 3
7 So, as the Holy Spirit says:
“Today, if you hear his voice,
8 do not harden your hearts
as you did in the rebellion,
during the time of testing in the desert,
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Hebrews 13
13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. 14 We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first. 15 As has just been said:
“Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts
as you did in the rebellion.”b
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-God is the God who is, who was, and who is to come.
-The devil doesn’t mind us talking about history or what will be someday. He just doesn’t want us to talk about the time that matters most TODAY…where we contact eternity.
-God set a certain day…calling it TODAY.
-You are here today. Discipline you mind to stay with you.
-If it wanders to another time period too much it can cause problems.
-Each day is NEW.
-His mercies are NEW every morning.
-The fruit is ripe.
Blackberries grow wild in America. They are green then they ripen but quickly fall off. You have to pluck them when they are ripe.
2. Release Yesterday into the past
-We all have things we wish would have gone differently.
A medical doctor said depression is the past superimposed on the present.
-Some Christians are grave diggers.
We had an old Indian burial mound on our property and it was very old. My friend and I were digging until we heard it was against the law. They call that grave digging….no matter how old it is.
Philippians 3
12 /Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. [13] /
-There are good things and bad things that we want to revisit.
-Memories are good but not if they have too much of a hold on your present.
-This may involve regret, forgiveness, accepting forgiveness, accepting that you made a mistake or took a wrong road.
-God has the power to separate you from your past by the blood of Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
-You can’t change the past but you can keep from having it change you.
-Release the past daily.
-Close the door on yesterday…..daily
-Learn this discipline.
3. Embrace Tomorrow only When it Becomes Today
-In other words…..don’t spend all of your time thinking about what might happen.
-We need a vision.
-We need a prophetic revelation of the future.
-But; ANXIETY IS THE FUTURE SUPERIMPOSED ON THE PRESENT.
-Jesus said not to worry about tomorrow about our provisions and clothing.
-Anxiety is unbelief in disguise.
-Paul said in Philippians to trade anxiety for prayer.
-This is a mind set.
-This is an attitude.
-This is a discipline.
2 Timothy 1
7 /For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. [14] /
-The KJV calls that a sound mind.
-In other words….you can discipline your mind.
-Here is the Math:
· Yesterday plus today equals depression
· Tomorrow plus today equals anxiety
· Today with memories and vision equals JOY.
Matthew 6
NIV
28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
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Message
34 “Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.
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-God designed you to handle life…..one day at a time.
-You were designed to experience joy. If you stay in today it will come.
Rabbi Story
They came to hear him speak and he just danced with them.
Song-DANCE
I hope you never lose your sense of wonder
You get your fill to eat
But always keep that hunger
May you never take one single breath for granted
God forbid love ever leave you empty handed
~ * ~ * ~
I hope you still feel small, when you stand beside the ocean
Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens
Promise me that you'll give faith the fighting chance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
~ * ~ * ~
I hope you dance ....
I hope you dance ....
~ * ~ * ~
I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance
Never settle for the path of least resistance
Livin' might mean takin' chances, but they're worth takin'
Lovin' might be a mistake, but it's worth makin'
~ * ~ * ~
Don't let some hell bent heart leave you bitter
When you come close to selling out, reconsider
Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
~ * ~ * ~
I hope you dance
(Time is a wheel in constant motion)
I hope you dance
(Always rolling us along)
I hope you dance
(Tell me who)
I hope you dance
(Wants to look back on their years and wonder)
I hope you dance
(Where those years have gone)
~ * ~ * ~
I hope you still feel small, when you stand beside the ocean
Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens
Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
~ * ~ * ~
Dance ....
I hope you dance
I hope you dance
(Time is a wheel in constant motion)
I hope you dance
(Always rolling us along)
I hope you dance
(Tell me who)
I hope you dance
(Wants to look back on their years and wonder)
I hope you dance
(Where those years have gone)
(Tell me who)
(Wants to look back on their years and wonder)
(Where those years have gone)
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
-I want to talk about why people really leave the ministry and check out on marriages and life.
-I once asked Buddy Harrison how he stayed emotionally healthy in ministry.
-He said he worshipped. I think that is part of it.
-Paul told the Ephesian elders to take heed to themselves and to the flock that God had appointed them over.
-If you are going to make it in the long term there are some important things you need to do:
· Stay in today
· Pray until your anxieties leave
· Apply to blood of Jesus to yesterday
· Decide your most important relationships
· Have a hobby….enjoy the life God gave you
· Realize that God is God and the world doesn’t rest on your shoulders
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[1]The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (Jn 16:24). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
[2]The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (Jn 16:33). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
[3]The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (Jn 17:13-16). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
[4]The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (Lk 10:21). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
[5]The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (Ac 13:50-52). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
[6]The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (Heb 12:2). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
[7]The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (Jas 1:2-4). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
[8]The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (Php 4:10-13). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
[9]Peterson, E. H. (2002). The Message : The Bible in contemporary language (Mt 6:34). Colorado Springs, Colo.: NavPress.
[10]The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (Lk 4:20-21). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
[11]The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (Heb 3:7-8). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
b Psalm 95:7,8
[12]The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (Heb 3:13-15). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
[13]The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (Php 3:12-14). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
[14]The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (2 Ti 1:7). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
[15]The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (Mt 6:28-34). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
[16]Peterson, E. H. (2002). The Message : The Bible in contemporary language (Mt 6:34). Colorado Springs, Colo.: NavPress.
