April 19 Sermon Notes Letting God Be Just Enough

Title: Letting God Be Just Enough
Text: John 10:1 - 10
Message: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVWIReZCnmE&list=PLYSdk4DAv_anFhxfY0u-bVYvh0vcgJIqn&index=3&t=365s

(note we played a song up front so skip to 6:53 for start of message)

In this season it is easy to ask questions like:

- Why is God allowing this?
- If God is so loving why is there disease?

To answer those questions let me start by throwing one more out there:

- Why did or does God lead his people into the desert?

For the past several weeks we at Faith have been looking at what we can glean from the desert situations that God places us in.  This series is based on a series I preached through back in 2018 after returning from a deployment to the desert and on a series by Ray Vander Laan (RVL) titled Walking With God in the Desert.

In previous weeks we learned that God molds and shapes us in our desert moments and in those moments we learn to trust and depend on him as we see his protection and provision.  As RVL says "deserts are a place of danger and peril, but also protection and provision."  But that is if we have eyes to see.

In the shepherding world:

Pasture = Provision and Sheepfold = Protection....but how do shepherds lead their sheep?

Take a moment to read John 10:1 - 10

Main Point: God leads his people into desert moments to train us to hear and listen to him.

In essence to listen and respond to his word.

Here the message walks through and looks at John 10 and briefly Psalm 23

If you were to look at shepherding in Israel you would understand that the place that happens is not in pasture like we in the States are used to, but rather out in the wilderness where the pastures look like places where there isn't even and grass.  But the shepherd leads them along paths where they find just enough grass to live on.  They move from mouthful of grass to mouthful of grass as the shepherd talks to them and leads them.

Lesson Point: God's promises are for those who walk down paths of righteousness following the Shepherd.  You leave the path you leave the shepherd and his protection/provision.

Decision Point:

Follow God and depend on him or play the victim and blame God?

Challenge:  Control what you can control namely your reaction to the trial.

To do this ask yourself:  Do I have enough for right now?

RVL shares a story and a lesson he learned when a rabbi asked him:  Can you handle what is coming in 10 minutes?  How about tomorrow?

We do not know what is coming in tomorrow much less in 10 minutes. But we do know that God provides for and protects those who follow him.  However sometimes that is just enough for the moment.  The rabbi went on to share that"worry is dealing with tomorrows problems on today's pastures."  You see the shepherd provides just enough for right now and will provide just enough in 10 minutes and tomorrow as well.  Another example of this is how God provided just enough manna for today...those who gathered and tried to hoard for the next day woke up to find that it had spoiled.

Lesson Point:  God doesn't change so we know that he will be there providing around the next corner.  God is just enough if we will listen for, hear his voice and follow.

Decision Point:

In the beginning of John we see that Jesus is God's Word.  Is Jesus enough?

Challenge:  In the midst of this desert can you slow down enough to hear the voice of Jesus and will you follow?

Conclusion:  We have a golden opportunity in this season to slow down, listen and follow Jesus.  My prayer is that you and I do not squander this season with fear and worry, but rather embrace it and the lessons that it holds to draw us closer to God.

Blessings,
PT

Why am I feeling the way I do in the midst of the COVID Pandemic?

From time to time I sit back and observe people.  Under a Safe at Home order here in my state my closest subjects to watch or observe are my own family (although I have been in so many Zoom mtgs of late that I get to watch others as well).  It is interesting how people are responding to and coping with the COVID-19 pandemic.  My family is no different.  Our seven year old son has moved his bed into Heidi's and my bedroom and declared "I am staying here until this is over."  Our sixteen year old son has launched out on an adventure and built a "home" in one of our maple trees out of pallets and blue tarps.  He moved his mattress and an electric heater out there and has been sleeping there for the last two weeks.  A simple scroll through Facebook and you will quickly discover all of the comfort food that many are turning to.  Others are lashing out in anger and we hear more and more about domestic violence, child and alcohol abuse.  The question that I want to take a look at today is "what is the root of this behavior?"  Would it surprise you if I said "Grief and Loss?"

In the midst of COVID-19 everyone is experiencing loss. Grief is the normal and natural reaction to loss and results in a variety of feelings.  We become sad, angry, and scared to name a few.  Sadly we have, over time, transitioned to a belief that we need to be happy all the time and try to suppress or bury these feelings.  This is unhealthy and in the midst of this season we need to allow ourselves to grieve. Unfortunately, we have been ill equipped to do this through six myths.  Take a look at these and see if have heard these or are buying into them:

Myth 1.  Don't feel bad.    (It would be easy to hear someone saying: "Don't feel bad you do not have it" or "Don't feel bad at least you have a job that you can work from home")

Myth 2.  Replace the loss.  ("Well at least you can find another job" or "Once this is over you can get more hugs from everyone")

Myth 3.  Grieve alone.  ("I can't be sad around my family so I have to go and hide in my room for a while")

Myth 4.  Be strong.  ("I am not going to live in fear so I do not have to wash my hands" or "I am not going to let this have control so I am going to....")

Myth 5.  Keep busy.  ("I will do all of these jobs around the house so I do not have to think about COVID")

Myth 6.  It just takes time.  ("Once this is over I can return back to normal")

When these myths do not work we turn to what the Grief Recovery Institute calls Short Term Energy Releasing Behaviors (STERBs) or coping mechanisms to deal with it.  The problem arises in that they are only effective in the short term and not a long term solution.  At worst these can become addictions in the long run or extra pounds.  A better approach is to realize what is going on and address it by releasing the emotions and talking about it with family and friends.  

To learn more:

- here is a link to my YouTube video on this topic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQPhTclcj_w&list=PLYSdk4DAv_anFhxfY0u-bVYvh0vcgJIqn

- get the book The Grief Recovery Handbook by John James.

- visit the Grief Recovery Method's blog page: https://www.griefrecoverymethod.com/blog

As always feel free to message me with questions.

Blessings,

PT