Confident - In God's Way

Confidence

Last week we began this series on being Confident

We said we be confident in what Christ has done for us and thus have Joy

Here is the question;

If we trust what Christ has done, why don’t we trust God’s way?

I have said this:

If we know Him we should be looking like Him, talking like Him, acting like Him, etc.

What we do and how we do it reveals a lot of what we have confidence in.

Talking our relationships, our generosity, our work ethic, our families

Faith is a living, daring confidence in God's grace, so sure and certain that the believer would stake his life on it a thousand times. Martin Luther

Confidence

This morning I want you to think:

Has God ever let me down?

Does my life reflect me doing it God’s way or my way?

1 John 5:13 CSB

I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.

We can have confidence in what Christ has done and thus must have confidence in God’s way.

This morning I want to look at what that should look like in our daily life.

Turn to 1 John 2

Let’s pray

Two Powerful Questions:

Am I obeying His commands?

1 John 2:3 CSB

This is how we know that we know him: if we keep his commands.

Two Powerful Questions:

Am I obeying His commands?

What are His commands?

Mark 12:30–31 CSB

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is, Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other command greater than these.”

Two Powerful Questions:

Am I obeying His commands?

Love - God - if you love Me you will do it my way (will be able to keep commands John 14)

our actions will reflect our love by being obedient

Love - neighbors - are we serving our neighbors, are we sharing the Gospel in word and deed

Are we obeying when it is hard and doesn’t make sense?

Luke 5:4–6 CSB

When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” “Master,” Simon replied, “we’ve worked hard all night long and caught nothing. But if you say so, I’ll let down the nets.” When they did this, they caught a great number of fish, and their nets began to tear.

What are we missing by not obeying?

Rest in this - it is His business to lead, command, impel, send, call or whatever you want to call it. It is your business to obey, follow, move, respond, or what have you. - Jim Elliot

Two Powerful Questions:

2. Is there someone I won’t forgive?

1 John 2:11 CSB

But the one who hates his brother or sister is in the darkness, walks in the darkness, and doesn’t know where he’s going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

Two Powerful Questions:

2. Is there someone I won’t forgive?

Hurt people hurt people.

Everyone of us has had someone hurt us

Matthew 18 - Jesus tells the story of a servant who was forgiven but would not forgive.

In Matthew 6, when Jesus teaches us how to pray he ends it with

Matthew 6:11–15 CSB

Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. “For if you forgive others their offenses, your heavenly Father will forgive you as well. But if you don’t forgive others, your Father will not forgive your offenses.

Two Powerful Questions:

2. Is there someone I won’t forgive?

To forgive is mentioned around 50 times in NT

Forgiveness is not only about releasing someone else but it is free to us

It is not easy but it is necessary

It is letting it go and not bringing it up

I can forgive, but I cannot forget, is only another way of saying, I will not forgive. Forgiveness ought to be like a cancelled note - torn in two, and burned up, so that it never can be shown against one. - Henry Ward Beecher

Confidence

We can walk in confidence that’a God’s way is the best way.

Deuteronomy 11:26–28 CSB

“Look, today I set before you a blessing and a curse: there will be a blessing, if you obey the commands of the Lord your God I am giving you today, and a curse, if you do not obey the commands of the Lord your God and you turn aside from the path I command you today by following other gods you have not known.

Confidence

It is about trust

We cannot always trace God's hand, but we can always trust God's heart.

- Charles Spurgeon

Confidence

Is there an area where you are not obeying - deal with it today

Is there someone you have not forgiven - they need to be here to forgive - deal with it today

Our way leads to bondage - God’s way to freedom

Today let us choose freedom

Let’s pray