Sermon Tone Analysis
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Introduction
Today we finish our series on Walking In Victory.
There are so many different thoughts that went through my mind concerning this message, it was hard to nail down anything specific.
What I want you to know this morning is that the Lord is vigorously pursuing His portion and He is patiently waiting for us to pursue ours.
When we consider what our portion truly is in comparison to what the Lord has done, is doing, and will continue to do for our benefit, for our success, for our victory; we have the easier part for sure.
Matthew 6:
I. Seek first the kingdom of God
A. All material provision comes from God.
To the LORD your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it.
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
The economy changes.
Success is fleeting.
But when we get success through God, it’s from one who “does not change like shifting shadows.”
Just as the birds’ and the flowers’ provision comes from God, so the best of things for us come from God.
Maslow’s Hierarchy vs. Jesus’ command.
How many people know about the five levels of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs?
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Physiological Needs
The basic physiological needs are probably fairly apparent—these include the things that are vital to our survival.
Some examples of the physiological needs include:
Food-Water-Breathing-Homeostasis
In addition to the basic requirements of nutrition, air and temperature regulation, the physiological needs also include such things as shelter and clothing.
Maslow also included sexual reproduction in this level of the hierarchy of needs since it is essential to the survival and propagation of the species.
Security and Safety Needs
As we move up to the second level of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, the requirements start to become a bit more complex.
At this level, the needs for security and safety become primary.
People want control and order in their lives, so this need for safety and security contributes largely to behaviors at this level.
Some of the basic security and safety needs include:
Financial security-Heath and wellness-Safety against accidents and injury
Finding a job, obtaining health insurance and health care, contributing money to a savings account, and moving into a safer neighborhood are all examples of actions motivated by the security and safety needs.
Together, the safety and physiological levels of the hierarchy make up what is often referred to as the basic needs.
Social Needs
The social needs in Maslow’s hierarchy include such things as love, acceptance, and belonging.
At this level, the need for emotional relationships drives human behavior.
Some of the things that satisfy this need include:
Friendships-Romantic attachments-FamilySocial groups-Community groups-Churches and religious organizations
In order to avoid problems such as loneliness, depression, and anxiety, it is important for people to feel loved and accepted by other people.
Personal relationships with friends, family, and lovers play an important role, as does involvement in other groups that might include religious groups, sports teams, book clubs, and other group activities.
Esteem Needs
At the fourth level in Maslow’s hierarchy is the need for appreciation and respect.
When the needs at the bottom three levels have been satisfied, the esteem needs begin to play a more prominent role in motivating behavior.
At this point, it becomes increasingly important to gain the respect and appreciation of others.
People have a need to accomplish things and then have their efforts recognized.
In addition to the need for feelings of accomplishment and prestige, the esteem needs include such things as self-esteem and personal worth.
People need to sense that they are valued and by others and feel that they are making a contribution to the world.
Participation in professional activities, academic accomplishments, athletic or team participation, and personal hobbies can all play a role in fulfilling the esteem needs.
People who are able to satisfy the esteem needs by achieving good self-esteem and the recognition of others tend to feel confident in their abilities.
Those who lack self-esteem and the respect of others can develop feelings of inferiority.
Together, the esteem and social levels make up what is known as the psychological needs of the hierarchy.
Self-Actualization Needs
At the very peak of Maslow’s hierarchy are the self-actualization needs.
"What a man can be, he must be," Maslow explained, referring to the need people have to achieve their full potential as human beings.
According to Maslow’s definition of self-actualization:
"It may be loosely described as the full use and exploitation of talents, capabilities, potentialities, etc.
Such people seem to be fulfilling themselves and to be doing the best that they are capable of doing...
They are people who have developed or are developing to the full stature of which they capable."
Self-actualizing people are self-aware, concerned with personal growth, less concerned with the opinions of others, and interested fulfilling their potential.
If we attain to our basic needs, but we don’t fulfill our higher purpose—then our life has been a waste (vs 25b)
Example: The Mercedes in the gas station.
You may have the nicest car, but you’re so worried about feeding it gas that you never take it out and drive it.
We can be the same way if we worry so much about meeting our basic needs, but never leave the gas station and accomplish our higher purpose.
B. We must therefore attain success through God’s prescribed method.
1. God’s method of seeking success is to not seek it at all.
2. We must seek God—not things… and he will give us the things!
It’s a matter of trust!
, Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
a. God is very much interested in our trust for him.
If everything he told us to do made sense, then we wouldn’t have to trust him.
b.
We can “reason” or “think” together about what would make us successful… but God says that we should not lean on our own understanding.
Even when it contradicts our logic, we must trust that his ways are right.
c.
In all your ways—the reason so many people don’t find the Christian walk working for them like it should, is they try to go about it half-heartedly.
God’s ways work!
But only when we follow them completely.
d.
We spend so much time in life wondering where to go and what to do… b/c life throws curveballs at us.
But God promises that if we trust in him and follow his ways that he will make the way in front of us straight:
No confusing twists and turns…
Making a road straight also meant removing obstacles in the roadway to make it travelable.
C. We cannot hold back from God, in order to attain success.
If we do so, we’ll cut ourselves off from the source of our success.
1. Church is important.
If you’re too busy for the House of God, you’ll never find success.
Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
II.
And his righteousness
A. There is a lot of talk about prosperity in Pentecostal churches.
I’m not here to promise you that being a Christian will make you rich.
But where the Bible does talk about material blessings, it’s not about “name it and claim it” or anything else, it’s about RIGHTEOUSNESS.
B. When we are living right, we enter into a new kind of life, where our every action is directed by the Lord, who desires nothing but good for us.
NLT, “The steps of the godly are directed by the Lord.
He delights in every detail of their lives.
Though they stumble, they will not fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.
Once I was young, and now I am old.
Yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken, nor seen their children begging for bread.”
C. It’s not that we’re signing a contract with God to become millionaires when we start living right.
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