Five Things that Hinder Our Joy
Revelation 3:14-17
DATE:
7 May, 2000 AM
PLACE: BBC Blarney
I.
Introduction (John 16:33)
A. I wish we all believed that verse! I find it hard sometimes, so I know there must be others as well!
B. But Jesus tells us to Rejoice – to be of GOOD CHEER – in the face of any and all tribulation we may be going through
C. I want to introduce you to five miserable people in the Bible, some of which were saved and going to heaven. No doubt you know people like this. I’ve known plenty. Well, here in this Book are provided for us an examination of both why they were miserable, and the answers to their misery.
D. I believe learning from them can help us, and our own attitudes this morning. The five kinds of miserable people are:
1. Those who are unsure of their Salvation
2. Those who are undisciplined in Prayer
3. Those who are unseparated from Sin
4. Those who are unable to witness for the Lord
5. Those who are uncertain of the Will of God for their life
II.
Message - Five
Miserable People in Churches Today (Revelation
3:14-17)
A. The Person Unsure of His Salvation is Miserable – Thomas (John 20:24,25)
1. Here was Thomas – one of the twelve disciples
a. Supposed to be a “believer,” yet was quite unsure Jesus was even alive after the crucifixion – just never settled the facts in his heart!
b. Should have been the happiest man alive – that His Lord was alive, and had conquered sin and death – oh man, if anyone should have been excited, Thomas should have been
c. But he was miserable – hiding away up in an upper room, unsure of anything that Jesus spoke about now – why?
2. He is miserable because:
a. There is no change in his life (2 Cor 5:17) - Needs to evaluate his salvation experience, and see if he or she was “just praying a prayer” or if they are really repenting, and trusting completely in Christ!
b. There is no supernatural love for other Christians in his heart (1 John 3:14). Most Christians need to re-evaluate their love for each other!
c. There is no chastisement in his walk (Heb 12:6-8). If you see yourself getting away with a lot of sin right now, it ought to make you wonder! You will always be miserable until your eternity is settled and in Christ’s hands!!!
3. The Answer rests in settling your eternity on:
a. The written words of God. What does God say - not your emotions! “I don’t feel anything,” or, “I don’t agree with your opinion,” or whatever is your reasoning! Find out what God said to do, and then, by faith alone, DO IT!!! Trusting that GOD works!
b. The FINISHED WORK of Jesus Christ - no longer YOUR work! Believe that His blood completely paid for your sins!
B. The Person Undisciplined in Prayer is Miserable - King Saul (1Sa 14:36-37)
1. King Saul was an awful king. His attitude towards God, and towards others was dreadful – just wanted to kill David for the last 7 years of his life. One of the ingredients to his downfall was an undisciplined prayer life
2. Only prays at desperate times – never developed a “walk with God”
a. Lazy in his prayer life. Not a priority – never see him up early to pray like David, and Christ was!
b. Last minute in his prayer life – always in final desperation!
c. Lost for words in his prayer life – didn’t really want to fellowship (open up his heart) with God. Just going through the motions
3. We were created to walk with God, and to fellowship with Him. It is in our nature to lean upon God. It is when we do not fulfill our design, that we become very miserable. The opposite to King Saul was King David!
4. What should be the Christian’s walk with God?
a. A regular prayer time each morning – set aside, and protected
b. A moment by moment choice to seek wisdom and strength from God
c. A constant attitude of praise and thankfulness towards God for EVERYTHING – communing with God throughout the day, and night
d. A desire to pray with everyone about EVERYTHING
1) When someone is ill – take time out to pray first off
2) When things are going wrong, take time to pray, right then
3) When things are great, stop and pray
5. When we are undisciplined in our prayer life, then our overall life will be miserable! Mark it down!
C. The Person Unseperated from Sin is Miserable (1Cor 5:11)
1. Two Examples: Lot (2 Pet 2:7,8), and Solomon (1Kgs 11:2)
2. Miserable because you lose fellowship with God
3. Miserable because you lose your family (Ps 106:35-37)
4. Miserable because you lose your power (2Tim 2:21). Who would want to spend their Christian life constantly grieving, hindering, quenching, and frustrating the Holy Spirit in their lives? It was the power of the Holy Spirit that enabled Jesus to defeat every enemy – it will only be the same with you!
D. The Person Unable to Witness for the Lord is Miserable – Jeremiah (Jer 20:7-9; Romans 10:11)
1. The person who has been born-again, and invited the God and Saviour of this universe into their hearts, will find it very hard NOT to open their mouths and tell somebody about it!
2. We have bought the lie of the devil that we will be better off if we just keep our mouths shut about our relationship with Jesus
3. Jeremiah ought to tell you enough – you only will be miserable
a. All of his witnessing had only gotten him in trouble
b. But the minute he stopped passing on God’s words to the people, he became REALY miserable – worse off
4. The happiest Christian alive is the one who has a clear conscience, and clean hands – clean from the blood of their family, and their neighbours, and their co-workers. To have done what we know must be done releases us from guilt and shame (see Peter’s misery after he has denied knowing Jesus 3 times)!
E. The Person Uncertain of the Will of God is Miserable – Martha (Lk 10:38-42)
1. Martha just had at least 13 grown men show up at her home unexpectedly. It was evening, and she clearly didn’t know what to do for them. She begins running around her kitchen trying to put together a feast, and wearing herself out – and then Jesus helps her see that there was only one thing needful at that moment – get close to Him!
2. Most of us, at one time or another were uncertain of God’s will, and unsure what our next steps should be in life.
a. We were sure of God’s will that everyone repent and get saved
b. We were sure of God’s will that we learn this Bible
c. But we may not be all that sure of whether God has a mate for us, or just what job to get into, or whether we should move here or there so to speak
3. They key is in knowing what God has clearly defined as right to do, and make sure that we are busy doing those things – and only then will we see His hand in directing our lives toward the other things
4. What is God’s clearly defined and expressed will ? It is called, “walking the Narrow Way”
a. That everyone, everywhere repent, and ask Jesus to save them
b. That everyone, everywhere get baptized and join up with a Bible-believing church
c. That everyone, everywhere witness the gospel to everyone, everywhere
d. That everyone, everywhere be filled with the Holy Spirit
e. That everyone, everywhere be thankful for everything
f. That everyone, everywhere be servants
g. That everyone, everywhere suffer through every trial
5. You get those things in motion, and I guarantee that you will find yourself right in the middle of God’s will, with the right mate, working at the right job, with the greatest peace of heart imaginable!
III.
Conclusion –
A. Thomas was Unsure of His Salvation, and was Miserable. He (like many of us) was miserable because:
1. There is no change in his life (2 Cor 5:17
2. There is no supernatural love for other Christians in his heart
3. There is no chastisement in his walk (Heb 12:6-8).
B. King Saul was Undisciplined in Prayer, and was Miserable.
1. Miserable because he was:
a. Lazy in his prayer life. Not a priority
b. Last minute in his prayer life
c. Lost for words in his prayer life – didn’t really want to fellowship (open up his heart) with God. Just going through the motions
2. What should be the Christian’s walk with God?
a. A regular prayer time each morning – set aside, and protected
b. A moment by moment choice to seek wisdom and strength from God
c. A constant attitude of praise and thankfulness towards God for EVERYTHING – communing with God throughout the day, and night
d. A desire to pray with everyone about EVERYTHING
C. Lot and Solomon were Unseperated from Sin, and were Miserable.
1. Miserable because they lost fellowship with God
2. Miserable because they lost their family (Ps 106:35-37)
3. Miserable because they lost their power (2Tim 2:21).
D. Jeremiah was briefly Unable to Witness for the Lord, and was Miserable. The happiest Christian alive is the one who has a clear conscience, and clean hands – clean from the blood of their family, and their neighbours, and their co-workers. To have done what we know must be done releases us from guilt and shame (see Peter’s misery after he has denied knowing Jesus 3 times)!
E. Martha was Uncertain of the Will of God, and was Miserable.