One Thing
The proper care and feeding of the soul • Sermon • Submitted
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· 4 viewsYour soul will only find health in the stream of God's love and strength, as you listen to the Him and live the way He leads.
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
What is the “Trouble Train?” All of a sudden, I am hearing people talking about being on the trouble train.
My best guess is that it has something to do with the year 2020.
Let’s take a look at some people’s perspective of 2020.
PowerPoint pics
So…maybe we have been on the “trouble train” this year. The question arises: “Who is your travelling partner?” “Who is the engineer?”
I am going to go out on a limb as say this: No matter how difficult this year has been, God hasn’t left your side. You might not have been looking for Him, listening to Him, or talking to Him, but He was and is there.
Don’t you think He is there for a reason? He loves you — He has extended an invitation — His plan is to grow you and bless you in all the seasons He allows in your life.
Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.
Prayer
My focus lately has been the proper care and feeding of the Soul. The main word picture we have used is the fact that each one of us is the keeper of the stream…and that stream is our own soul.
God has given us life, hope, and love through Jesus and He tells us clearly that His desire is to be in relationship with us.
Our responsibility is to care for our soul…because it is the stream connecting us with the mighty love, presence and power of God, through the sacrifice of Jesus.
The important ingredients to care for our soul (keeping that stream healthy) include:
Sin makes us perpetually needy souls...the only solution (the only thing that can satisfy) is found in God because His grace and love are unlimited
Realize that anything in your life that comes before God is an idol - which makes you an idolater…walking in disobedience and rebellion.
What the soul desires, at its very core, is God
My soul yearns, even faints,
for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh cry out
for the living God.
Our soul is needy…the only thing that can satisfy is a daily relationship with God
As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, my God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When can I go and meet with God?
Understand that caring for you soul is your responsibility before the Lord — We are to steward our soul — keep it healthy — stay close to the Lord — learn the spiritual actions that will strengthen your soul, mind, and body
Keep your soul well fed through balance, hope and rest
Your soul will only find health in the stream of God's love and strength, as you love Him with everything you are or hope to be
One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”
“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
The “one thing” that will open your eyes and energize you to take care of your soul is your love
Transitional: I want to give you a few more important concepts on the proper care and feeding of your soul
The Healthy Soul Will Lead Through Servant-hood
Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
The Healthy Soul Needs a Dependable Source of Strength
Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
The strength we need comes from the Holy Spirit, not us
Allow God to define you
Your self-worth, to be legitimate, comes from the Lord
Realize that the trouble train does not block or slow down God’s Love for you nor His plan
In His strength you encounter the mystery that a broken heart finds hope and deep contentment in Him
In His strength you experience the miracle of supernatural empowerment when you have nothing left to give
Let us be good stewards of the pain of the train
In His strength we find His character, fruit, and gifts showing up in our lives…in unexpected and overwhelming ways.
The Healthy Soul Needs a Lifestyle of Prayer
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
More than just talking…or reciting something
Learn to flow in the Holy Spirit in your daily life
Purposefully tune your soul’s ears to listen to the move and direction of the Lord
Keep that flow free from things that block it stream
A life-style of prayer includes
Meditating upon God’s living Word
Intercession
Worship
Fellowship
Serving
Listening
Silence
Sabbath - stop everything…rest
Recreation and laughter
Ministry to fellow believers - including transparency and accountability.
Conclusion
These might sound like good things to do…you might be feeling like, “Yes, I need to work on all of those things…I want to be closer to the Lord.”
Or you might be thinking, “That is a long list of stuff…some of it sounds really hard for me…I’m pretty sure I will fail.”
I want to remind you today that these practices can either be just a list for you to try and check off, or they can be a response to God’s amazing love and grace you have experienced
These practices can be a burden and frustrating to you, or they can be beautiful places in the stream of your soul…connecting you more closely with Him — rapids, deep and quiet pools, wide rushing rivers, or softly flowing places where you can stop and drink deeply.
Here is the one thing that makes the difference between just a list of things to try and check off or a lifestyle walking with the Lord - a lifestyle that properly cares for and feeds the soul.
One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”
“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
Jesus spoke these life-giving words during the last week of His life - He was fast approaching His Gethsemane prayer, His betrayal, arrest, trials, Judgement, flogging, crown of thorns, carrying His own Cross, and His ultimate and excruciating death upon that Cross
In that week He defeated death, Hell, and the grave - He rose again victorious - sealing the deal so that all who call upon Him can receive His mercy and grace, the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, and adoption as sons and daughters of the Living God.
Why did He do all of that? He loves us — He took the most extreme measures to clear the path — making it possible for us to not only be saved, but to have a living and active relationship with Him.
Communion
For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
