Sermon Tone Analysis

This morning I want to close out our time of exploring keeping our soul.

I want to mention that if you want to go deeper in this area of study for yourself a book by Jon Ortberg of the same title

Soul Keeping...

I would like to look today at three other things the soul needs, but the way the soul attains these needs is by letting go or offering up, not by taking in and receiving.

Counter cultural to our society - we are always trying to “GET” thinking what we can attain in praise, power, position and pennies will make us happy and our soul fulfilled.

IT IS REALLY QUITE THE OPPOSITE!

1. Blessing Others

The soul needs to be blessed in life.

We do thrive receiving the blessings of others.

In our moments of doubt, discouragement, questioning, hardship - the blessing of another lifts our souls.

It can be quite humbling to receive blessings from others and sometimes we resist being blessed because two often we think the blessing of another requires us to return it to them.

It could not be further from the truth - blessing given with expectation is no blessing at all...

However, we are all aware that it seems like the world is full of takers.

Those who want something for free, or will take something they are not entitled to or that belongs to them.

In example: the Student Loan Forgiveness act has released the worst in people on Social Media.

Regardless of anyone’s political stance, and no one should be bought by the actions of government - i have watched people speak shame on any who would accept that benefit or blessing on their life as their own personal robbery or affront.

The reality is none of us will truly feel that difference as government sets wasteful budgets all the time and it generally makes no difference in our daily lives how they spend those monies.

What this reveals however, is the lack of human desire to bless others.

Not buy someone or control with finances, but to be offer blessing in our actions, attitudes and words.

The Lord reminded Israel that they are not to oppress a stranger because they were once that stranger.

Today, we are quick to complain about the foreigner or immigrant in the land.

I am not saying our system is not broken and needs repair, but we quickly forget there are real people and real lives - there are SOULS with depth and dignity.

How do we treat others - because the SOUL NEEDS TO BE BLESSED!

We are called to be the blessing as Ambassadors of Christ.

In blessing Abraham the Lord pronounced that through his offspring all people would be blessed - and they are through salvation in Christ.

Every day we encounter others and our interaction either blesses or curses them.

That driver in the car that stares you down and gives you a dirty look or the finger - is cursing you -

Cursing can come in an eye brow lift, a pause before a satirical statement or a snotty smile...

On the other hand blessing comes in genuine kindness, a smile, a kind word spoken...

Consider this quote by Dallas Willard an author and professor at University of Southern California on spiritual disciplines...

“There are two great words in the Bible that describe the posture of our souls toward other people.

One is to bless Te other is to curse.

We are creatures with wills, and in every encounter with other people we will what is good for them, or we fail to do so: we will what is bad.

We cannot help ourselves.”

Blessings projects good into the life of another and we must communicate that with our whole being.

One of the oldest blessings comes directly from the Lord given to Aaron the Priest over Israel to speak over the people...

Protection, Prosperity, Peace and favor spoken from our mouths to others...

To bless others is to love others ---

Instead we are told by Christ to

The example of the Good Samaritan speaks loudly to us and being moved with compassion and blessing others, even the stranger.

As much as our soul receives blessings, our soul must be willing to bless ---

Our soul is completed when we become givers and not just receivers.

2. Finding Satisfaction

Mic Jagger had a famous song -

“I can’t get no satisfaction”

The soul craves satsifaction — it longs to find fulfill and satiation in something...

It is why people gorge themselves on cravings in life!

Food, alcohol, drugs, pornography, sexual partners, material stuff, etc.

When we cannot get enough of something, when we are continually striving for things, constantly craving and jumping from one thing to the next we realize our SOUL IS NOT WELL!

When the mind is obsessed with the object of its desire ---

When the appetite of the body is the master and not the servant

The soul is out of order!

Habakuk goes on this entire chapter to talk of the greed, drunkeness and unsatisfied souls of men

Drew Carey once said,

“You hate your job?

There’s a support group for that.

It’s called everybody.

They meet at the bar.”

The University of Chicago did a study that showed the ten least happiest jobs were more financially lucrative and offered higher status then the ten happiest jobs which had a higher sense of meaning.

Here is the crux of the matter,

THE SOUL IS INCAPABLE OF SATISFYING ITSELF!

Its appetite is unfulfilled and searches to satisfy it, but nothing will satisfy our souls until they find fulfillment in JESUS!

Listen to the Psalmist describe His need for the Lord...

In order for our soul to be satisfied it must DIE TO SELF and then CHRIST LIVES through us and we find true satsifcation.

In order for our soul to be satisfied it must DIE TO SELF and then CHRIST LIVES through us and we find true satisfaction.

the NLT says satisfied!

A paramedic called to an abandoned building discovered a heroin addict about to die.

The place was utter filth, garbage everywhere, foul smelling with drug paraphernalia littered everywhere as well...

THe paramedic then exclaimed he now sees what true worship was...

The addict worships the drug that never brings satsifaction...

We are called to worship and give all for Christ who alone can satisfy our longing soul!

Only when we die to our self can our soul truly come alive in Christ.

3. Benefits of Gratitude

A few years ago I preached a thanksgiving sermon on the benefits of Thanksgiving....

The reality is that our soul thrives when it is grateful!!!

There are BENEFITS when we are thankful people.

One of the reasons why we spend time in praise and worship at the start of a service is to allow our soul time to express itself to God.

In other words if you sit there and stare, or think you are watching a praise team perform and you are not entering in, you are missing the opportunity not only to THANK THE LORD for all HE HAS DONE -

You are missing out on the benefits to your soul that come from our gratitude!

There are three BENES to pause and remember...

BENEfits - all that the Lord has provided - which is everything!

Are you saved?

Do you have a bed to sleep in?

Clothes on your back?

Food to eat? a job?

etc

These things are not at your hand, but because of...

BENEfactor - THe LORD HIMSELF WHO PROVIDES!

What we have is from our BENEFACTOR the LORD

BENEficiary - which is you and I

Gratitude comes from a position of humility not pride.

As long as we think we earned or deserved something we won’t really be grateful.

If you walked into a dealership and bought a new car and went home with it you would be excited and maybe even thankful you could do it from savings or loan....

But if I drove up to your home with the luxury car of your dreams and handed you the keys to it free of charge as a gift - I am pretty sure your gratitude is going to be far greater and expressive!!!

Do we approach life thinking everything is owed to us, or we are entitled or deserving....

You have heard me say it before and I will again...

Marketing and Media have a favorite expression - YOU DESERVE IT!

If we deserve it and we don’t get it than we become UNGRATEFUL

Entitlement and ungratefulness eat this nation up — jealousy and lack of rejoicing for another ---

It leaves the soul back in an unsatisfied position!