Confidence Pt. 1

EXODUS 4:10-16

10 But Moses pleaded with the Lord , "O Lord, I'm not very good with words. I never have been, and I'm not now, even though you have spoken to me. I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled."11 Then the Lord asked Moses, "Who makes a person's mouth? Who decides whether people speak or do not speak, hear or do not hear, see or do not see? Is it not I, the Lord ?12 Now go! I will be with you as you speak, and I will instruct you in what to say."13 But Moses again pleaded, "Lord, please! Send anyone else."14 Then the Lord became angry with Moses. "All right," he said. "What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he speaks well. And look! He is on his way to meet you now. He will be delighted to see you.15 Talk to him, and put the words in his mouth. I will be with both of you as you speak, and I will instruct you both in what to do.16 Aaron will be your spokesman to the people. He will be your mouthpiece, and you will stand in the place of God for him, telling him what to say.

Our self-esteem and self-confidence are not derived from what come from within ourselves, but from God.

Take a look at Moses in this passage.  God speaks to Moses to free His people, the Israelites, from Pharaoh's control.  But Moses isn't so eager to take on the task.  The first thing out of Moses' mouth was "I'm not very good with words... I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled."  He immediately began looking at his own imperfections and insecurities.  But I love how God responds to Moses' plea, "Who makes a person's mouth?  Who decides whether people speak or do not speak, hear or do not hear, see or do not see?"   God is pointing out the fact that He created Moses' mouth and despite Moses' claims, He knows what Moses is capable of.

Now let's apply this to our lives.  I remember being a teenager and remember my fears and insecurities.  I remember truly wanting to tell my friends about Jesus but I wasn't sure how to even start the conversation.  And then I was afraid that once I even got the conversation going that I'd be asked a question that I didn't know the answer to, and would completely ruin this person forever.  But we can have confidence in God.  We may not have all the answers or even some of them, but we have THE ANSWER and that's in JESUS CHRIST OUR SAVIOR!  God understands our abilities better than we do since He's the very One that created us.

Our self-esteem and self-confidence are not derived from what comes from within ourselves, but from God!  Even Paul shook with fear when he spoke for God, but he didn't let it stop him.  All of us can take pride in what we do when Christ is living in us (Galations 2:20) and working through us (Galations 5:22-24).  Healthy self-esteem, then, doesn't come from thinking highly of ourselves - it comes from thinking rightly of God.

Challenge:  During your quiet time with God, ask Him to put in your heart someone that He wants you to share Christ with or simply invite to church.  This is a simple challenge.  I'm not asking you to go out a beat people upside the head with a Bible, just simply pray and ask God to show you the person.

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Winter Conference - Day 3 cont.

All I can say is Clayton King brought the heat tonight!!!  Here are my notes from his message:

"PROFIT OR LOSS"

Philippians 3:1-11

1 Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you.2 Watch out for those dogs, those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh.3 For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh—

4 though I myself have reasons for such confidence.
If others think they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more:5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee;

6 as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.
7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,

11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.

In verse 1, Paul lays the foundation. In verse 2 Paul gives a warning, a "watch out".  But in verse 3 Paul begins calling out these "dogs" or "pretenders" who were perverting the gospel.  Here his lists 7 of his achievements:

1. Circumcised by the 8th day.


2. Of the People of Israel


3. Tribe of Benjamin


4. Hebrew of Hebrews


5. a Pharisee


6. Persecuting the Church


7. Legalistic Righteousness - Faultless

Everything changes at verse 7. Paul was full of himself till Christ.

1.  There is No Joy in Legalism (verse 2)

• If I had to keep the law to be saved... I'm doomed!


• My joy is in Jesus and Jesus is in me and you can't take it away.


• You can't earn it.  If you did, then it wouldn't be GRACE.

2.  There is No Good in the Flesh (verse 3)

• Your flesh will continue to deteriorate.

3.  There is No Future in Your Past (verse 7)

• Wake Up!!! If you are investing your life in anything other than Jesus Christ then you are going to be disappointed at its dead end.


• The future only goes forward.

4.  There is No Righteousness Apart from Christ (verses 8-9)

• Just because you didn't engage in sin (i.e. sex outside of marriage) doesn't mean you didn't think about it (i.e. lust).


• Righteousness equals Perfect;  Perfect Thoughts and Perfect Motives.


• Paul says, "All I did before Christ is a pile of dung... but now I have Jesus.

All hope lies in Jesus Christ our Savior.  Do you know him?  Is Jesus Lord of your life?

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Winter Conference - Day 3 Pt.1

Here are notes from this morning's message given by fellow friend and youth pastor extraordinaire Jeremy Berger.

"AUTHORITY"

1 Samuel 24:1-7

1 After Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the Desert of En Gedi.”

2 So Saul took three thousand able young men from all Israel and set out to look for David and his men near the Crags of the Wild Goats.
3 He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave.

4 The men said, “This is the day the Lord spoke of when he said to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.’ ” Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.
5 Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe.6 He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord ’s anointed, or lay my hand on him; for he is the anointed of the Lord.”

7 With these words David sharply rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way.

1 Peter 2:18-20

18 Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh.19 For it is commendable if you bear up under the pain of unjust suffering because you are conscious of God.20 But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.

We are in a society that has a lack of respect for authority.

• Example, just make a comparison of television shows over the last 20+ years.  When we watch the 60's television shows like "The Donna Reed Show", "Leave it to Beaver", or "Ozzie and Harriet"... we laugh at how the children talk and act towards their parents.  It almost seems surreal to see so many "yes, sir" and "no, ma'am" but that's exactly how kids spoke to their parents.  Now watch a "family" show today.... (if you can even find one).   The "yes, sir" or "no ma'am" is replace with lots of rolling of the eyes, talking back or stomping off.

Romans 13:1

1 Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.

GOD HIMSELF CREATED AND ESTABLISHED AUTHORITY AND THE CONCEPT OF AUTHORITY.

1. Authority is meant to PROVIDE.

• Why do parents "have to" provide but  children don't "have to" respect and honor their authority?


• Children today live with a sense of entitlement.

2. Authority is meant for SAFETY AND PROTECTION

• If my baby girl Presley wanted to play with a knife should I let her?  After all, I use knives all the time and never get hurt and she really wants to play with the knife.  Now, I can admit that there is a small chance that she could have the knife and nothing happen... not hurt.  But I love her SO MUCH that I am not willing to take that chance of her pain.


• Teenagers get mad because they want to go to that "overnight party that everyone is going to" but parents won't let them.  Why?  Because your parents hate you?... NOT EVEN CLOSE.  BECAUSE THEY LOVE YOU SO MUCH THAT THEY AREN'T WILLING TO TAKE THE CHANCE OF YOU BEING HURT OR CAUSING YOU PAIN.

3. Absence of Authority leads to CHAOS

How Should We Respond to Authority?

1. Honor: Exodus 20:12  Romans 13:7  1 Timothy 6:1


2. Submit: Romans 13:1   1 Peter 2:13   Titus 2:9-10


3. Listen: Proverbs 1:8   Proverbs 4:1


4. Obey: Ephesians 6:1   Colossians 3:20   Ephesians 6:5-7   Proverbs 7:1

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