Sermon Tone Analysis

• Last week, we left off with counting the cost.

• We were talking about getting ourselves together so that we can walk in our calling and make amends

1. Greed is not a money issue.

It’s a heart issue.

2. It takes a second to ruin a life; it can take a lifetime to put back together.

Jeremiah 29:2–3 NKJV2(This happened after Jeconiah the king, the queen-mother, the eunuchs, the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen, and the smiths had departed from Jerusalem.) 3 The letter was sent by the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah, the son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon, to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, saying,

• Jeconiah is 26 here.

he took office when he was 18.

This happened eight years later.

• he took everyone of value with Him.

Romans 12:8 NKJV 8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

“He who leads, with diligence;”

• every person leads their won lives.

no one is responsible for my life but me.

• I am my own leader.

• its up to me to take a realistic look at where I am, how I got there, what I need, what I want, how I can get there.

• this is why last week we talked about a spiritual inventory.

• the reason that we are involved in the body of Christ ( the church) is because we can easily be overcome by grief at the reality of the time we have wasted, strained relationships and ignored responsibilities.

what is diligence?

Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (Eleventh Edition) Diligence

1dil•i•gence \ˈdi-lə-jən(t)s\ noun

[Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin diligentia, from diligent-, diligens] 14th century

1 a: persevering application: ASSIDUITY

b obsolete: SPEED, HASTE

2: the attention and care legally expected or required of a person (as a party to a contract)

2di•li•gence \ˈdi-lə-ˌzhäns, ˈdi-lə-jən (t)s\ noun

[French, literally, haste, from Middle French, persevering application] 1742: STAGECOACH

dil•i•gent \ˈdi-lə-jənt\ adjective

[Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin diligent-, diligens, from present participle of diligere to esteem, love, from di- (from dis- apart) + legere to select—more at LEGEND] 14th century: characterized by steady, earnest, and energetic effort: PAINSTAKING 〈a diligent worker〉 synonym see BUSY—dil•i•gent•ly adverb

• We have to learn to play the long game.

• There are no exceptions based on chronology.

• chronological age is not the same as wisdom.

There is an old English proverb, “There is no fool like an old fool.”

The Bible adds to the popular definition of what a fool is, a person who not only scoffs at wisdom but also refuses to walk in the wisdom of God.

Just because a person feels an urgency about a wasted life does not mean they get to skip the processes that The Lord has put in place.

We seem to think we can judge how quickly God restores to us what we think He should.

Of course, you know as you read this point that is not true.

We are all foolish to some extent.

But we should not want to be foolish.

When it comes to getting back to basics we have to persevere.

• 1 Peter 4:1 “1 Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,”

• we need to cease from sin. this sin is not overt sin as we think.

This sin is the sin of fainting while doing well.

Galatians 6:9 “9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”

• in due season, who decides when do season is? not us, rather it is God himself who puts things in chronological order.

• 1 Peter 4:2 “2 that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.” when we talk about the lust of the flesh here we are talking about the desire to advise God.

• 1 Peter 4:3 “3 For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries.”

what would be your list of messing up not waiting on God?

• 1 Peter 4:4 “4 In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you.” we come to submission of God.

• 1 Peter 4:5 “5 They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.”

• 1 Peter 4:6 “6 For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.”

• we do the inventory it helps us to know how we get pulled off track, not for condemnation.

• know what is in your heart.

Good & Bad.

• I am not trying to bring condemnation, I am trying to bring revelation.

• Notice this phrase:

“His Own”

• we all have our own.

3. Slow & Steady Wins the Race.