This weekend we continued in our 3rd message in a series of messages on the 12 steps to overcoming bad habits. I'll post them here weekly so you can stay up to date with what we're talking about. The full outline with scripture and such is what we passed out to students in service. They also, as always, get a follow up bible study on the back of the outline too. Today's message was titled:
WE ALL NEED COMMUNITY
A BASIC OVERVIEW OF WHERE THE MESSAGE IS HEADED:
Lies. There are lots of lies we tell ourselves that we’d really like to believe:
Anyway... one of the lies we like to tell ourselves is that we can solve our problems on our own. That we don’t need anyone else to help us get out of the rut we find ourselves in. Oops... I won’t do it again is what we tell ourselves.
However... not only is this a lie that hurts us, it hurts those around us too. When we do not open up our lives to others, it only keeps them from opening up to us. As a result, we all feel the need to keep faking it, acting like we have it all put together when we don’t- for fear that others might “find out”. It’s an ugly lie.
Reality is: WE ALL NEED COMMUNITY. Real community. Real faith, really lived out like the Encounter Banner Says... trust us. It says it. Faith Lived Out. That cannot happen if we bury our problems. It won’t change us individually or collectively, and that is a horrible idea.. Real change starts with you AND me
- If I had a little more money, I’d be happy.
- If I had a body like so and so, I’d be content.
- I could win the lottery. -Ok.. so that’s not a total lie, but it’s more lie than truth.
Anyway... one of the lies we like to tell ourselves is that we can solve our problems on our own. That we don’t need anyone else to help us get out of the rut we find ourselves in. Oops... I won’t do it again is what we tell ourselves.
However... not only is this a lie that hurts us, it hurts those around us too. When we do not open up our lives to others, it only keeps them from opening up to us. As a result, we all feel the need to keep faking it, acting like we have it all put together when we don’t- for fear that others might “find out”. It’s an ugly lie.
Reality is: WE ALL NEED COMMUNITY. Real community. Real faith, really lived out like the Encounter Banner Says... trust us. It says it. Faith Lived Out. That cannot happen if we bury our problems. It won’t change us individually or collectively, and that is a horrible idea.. Real change starts with you AND me
The 2 of the 12 steps we were examining this week were these:
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.6. We’re entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
THIS PASSAGE PRETTY MUCH SAYS IT ALL:
Prov. 28:13 He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.Prov. 28:13 You can’t whitewash your sins and get by with it; you find mercy by admitting and leaving them. (message paraphrase)
HERE'S THE BULK OF THE MESSAGE:
WE CANNOT CONQUER BAD HABITS ALONE. WE TRULY DO NEED COMMUNITY HELP.
Confession is not just a private help, it a prerequisite to healthy community.
3 Benefits of not keeping our struggles a “private matter”:
- We no longer feel alone
- Guilt cannot grow when we have nothing to hide. Sin does not grow in the light, but it flourishes in the dark.
- Our commitment level rises because our risk level went up a notch or two also.
We spent some considerable time examining the prostitute who comes clean with her problems with Jesus and before the religious leaders of the day in Luke 7. We talked about how she was broken, repentant, and fully aware of her own sinful condition and contrasted it with those who thought they had it all together instead.
WE CANNOT CONQUER BAD HABITS WITH VISIBLE CHANGES, IGNORING THE MAIN ROOT CAUSE(S): (CONFESS AND RENOUNCE)
3 bad habit crushing actions of those who are truly done with sin.
- Sincere personal regret.
- Daily sacrifice.
- Anticipation for a better tomorrow.
