Just Above Your Head

Introduction

Illustration: Five Strategies to Deal with a Compulsive Attention Seeker by Dr. Andrea F. Polard

Not getting ample attention causes real harm; loneliness is a sad and silent killer. On the other hand, receiving incessant attention can cause huge problems for both the demanding person and the community. The demanding person might grow increasingly dependent on external attention and develop a shallow and unstable sense of self. Usually, this causes anxiety, depression, and an angry demand for more and more attention.

Most incessant attention-seekers suffer from a nagging insecurity and must get their “fix” of attention to feel the resemblance of inner peace. While he or she might look vibrant, there is a great deal of suffering in “wanting more.” True happiness is the absence of wanting more and an openness to the world as it unfolds.

Meanwhile, the environment of an attention-seeker becomes barraged with demands; everybody gets exhausted and charge with emotions. As drama unfolds, everybody becomes unhappy.

5 strategies that can help attention seekers:

Remove the positive reinforcement for attention-seeking behavior- stay emotionally neutral & don’t get triggered

Teach how to calm the mind

Normalize attention-seeking behavior while role-modeling appropriate behavior- do not shame him or her. Show the attention-seeker how to advocate for him or herself without going overboard

Go deeper

Help the attention-seeker connect with & develop his or her strengths to pursue a higher goal

When we think our church buildings solely get the LIRD’s attention, we can be literally sorely wrong...

Transition To Body- Solomon & Israel’s Attention Seeking Behavior

King Solomon Spreads His Hands Toward Heaven

King Solomon Knelt on Knees in Publicly In Presence Of God’s People

2 Chronicles 6:12–14 ESV

12 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands. 13 Solomon had made a bronze platform five cubits long, five cubits wide, and three cubits high, and had set it in the court, and he stood on it. Then he knelt on his knees in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven, 14 and said, “O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven or on earth, keeping covenant and showing steadfast love to your servants who walk before you with all their heart,

The LORD’s Glory Fills The Temple

2 Chronicles 7:1–3 ESV

1 As soon as Solomon finished his prayer, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. 2 And the priests could not enter the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord filled the Lord’s house. 3 When all the people of Israel saw the fire come down and the glory of the Lord on the temple, they bowed down with their faces to the ground on the pavement and worshiped and gave thanks to the Lord, saying, “For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.”

Extravagant Sacrifices & Worship

2 Chronicles 7:4–6 ESV

4 Then the king and all the people offered sacrifice before the Lord. 5 King Solomon offered as a sacrifice 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. So the king and all the people dedicated the house of God. 6 The priests stood at their posts; the Levites also, with the instruments for music to the Lord that King David had made for giving thanks to the Lord—for his steadfast love endures forever—whenever David offered praises by their ministry; opposite them the priests sounded trumpets, and all Israel stood.

Consecrated Altar For Burnt & Peace Offerings

2 Chronicles 7:7 ESV

7 And Solomon consecrated the middle of the court that was before the house of the Lord, for there he offered the burnt offering and the fat of the peace offerings, because the bronze altar Solomon had made could not hold the burnt offering and the grain offering and the fat.

Burnt- that which goes up (cause to ascend)

Continual Celebration In The LORD’s House

2 Chronicles 7:8–10 ESV

8 At that time Solomon held the feast for seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great assembly, from Lebo-hamath to the Brook of Egypt. 9 And on the eighth day they held a solemn assembly, for they had kept the dedication of the altar seven days and the feast seven days. 10 On the twenty-third day of the seventh month he sent the people away to their homes, joyful and glad of heart for the prosperity that the Lord had granted to David and to Solomon and to Israel his people.

Solomon Successfully Accomplishes the Plans for the LORD’s house and his house

2 Chronicles 7:11 ESV

11 Thus Solomon finished the house of the Lord and the king’s house. All that Solomon had planned to do in the house of the Lord and in his own house he successfully accomplished.

Body- When God’s People Get the LORD’s attention

2 Chronicles 7:14 ESV

14 if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

Unconditional Surrender (To The LORD)

My people who car called by my name humble themselves

Personal Prayer (To The LORD)

My people who are called by my name pray

Romans 8:26–27 ESV

26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

Pray Vocally & Mentally.

Adoration/Blessing.

Thanksgiving/Gratitude.

Supplication/Petition/Intercession

Contrition/Repentance.

Passionate Pivot (To The LORD)

My people who are called by my name seek my face

Purposely Turnaround (From Profane Living)

My people who are called by my name turn from their wicked ways

Leviticus 19:2 ESV

2 “Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.

Leviticus 20:7 ESV

7 Consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, for I am the Lord your God.

Leviticus 20:26 ESV

26 You shall be holy to me, for I the Lord am holy and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be mine.

Leviticus 21:8 ESV

8 You shall sanctify him, for he offers the bread of your God. He shall be holy to you, for I, the Lord, who sanctify you, am holy.

1 Corinthians 6:19–20 ESV

19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

2 Corinthians 5:16–17 ESV

16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

1 Peter 1:16 ESV

16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

Transition To Close

then will I hear from heaven

and will I forgive their sin

and heal their land

2 Chronicles 7:15 ESV

15 Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place.

Illustration:

MANY of the old football and baseball stadiums these days are being torn down and new ones are being built in their place. The older ones were okay, but they had features in them that modern technology has now improved on. One of the problems in any of the older stadiums is that much of the seating in certain areas had an obstructed view where the fans became somewhat disconnected from the activity on the field. A beam or a post would block full participation in the sporting event. Oftentimes if you were seated in one of these seats behind a column, a fan would ask another person what happened. They’d have to get secondhand information because they couldn’t see it for themselves. They could hear the noise. They could hear the shouts. They could hear the excitement, but the column kept them from being a full participant in the activities.

Many of us are in this stadium called the church and we’re worshipping God with an obstructed view because of sin. We hear the noise. We hear the singing, the celebration, and the meditation, but many of us are getting it all secondhand. We’re sitting in a seat, but we’re sitting in a seat with an obstructed view. Sin will keep us from full participation. It will keep a Christian from experiencing the reality of God operating in their lives.858

The main point, however, in the context is that God’s answer to Solomon’s intercession has taken the form of words that engage the mind as well as fire that thrills the soul

Close- When The LORD Appears

Illustration: The Preacher’s Wife

Rev. Henry Biggs seeks the attention of the LORD in prayer

The Christmas season promises little hope as he fails to keep a community center from closing down, a young church member is jailed after being falsely accused of robbery, and the basement boiler in the church building blows a gasket.

“LORD I know you are especially busy during this time of the year, but I’m just a little tired.

If you get a moment, I could sure use some help.”

Dudley (Denzil Washington) pointed his finger up (Just Above Your Head)

Glory of God Filled The House Of God

John 1:14 ESV

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Extravagant Sacrifice by the King

John 1:29 ESV

29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

Extravagant Love by the LORD God

John 3:16 ESV

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Extravagant Love Towards Us!

1 John 3:1 ESV

1 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

Our Great (Sympathetic) High Priest Jesus Christ

Hebrews 4:14–16 ESV

14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

After Solomon was Successful in building the temple & his own house

2 Chronicles 7:11–12 ESV

11 Thus Solomon finished the house of the Lord and the king’s house. All that Solomon had planned to do in the house of the Lord and in his own house he successfully accomplished. 12 Then the Lord appeared to Solomon in the night and said to him: “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a house of sacrifice.

Brick and physical stones don’t necessarily impress the LORD

Luke 21:5–9 ESV

5 And while some were speaking of the temple, how it was adorned with noble stones and offerings, he said, 6 “As for these things that you see, the days will come when there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” 7 And they asked him, “Teacher, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?” 8 And he said, “See that you are not led astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is at hand!’ Do not go after them. 9 And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified, for these things must first take place, but the end will not be at once.”

But living spiritual stones do

1 Peter 2:1–12 ESV

1 So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. 4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” 7 So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” 8 and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

Prayer that get’s the LORD’s attention

John 14:12–14 ESV

12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. 13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.

Charles Wesley would write

1 Father, I stretch my hands to Thee;

No other help I know.

If Thou withdraw Thyself from me,

Oh! whither shall I go?

2 What did Thine only Son endure,

Before I drew my breath!

What pain, what labor to secure

My soul from endless death!

3 Surely Thou canst not let me die;

Oh, speak and I shall live;

And here I will unwearied lie,

Till Thou Thy Spirit give.

4 Author of faith! to Thee I lift

My weary, longing eyes;

Oh, let me now receive that gift!

My soul without it dies.