Sermon Central
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The Iron Did Swim Series
Contributed by Maurice Mccarthy on Feb 10, 2014 (message contributor)
Summary: Getting back your cutting edge some times involves God taking you back to a place where you lost it, and doing a work of deep sorrow in our hearts. Just because you asked God forgive you doesn't mean you have properly dealt with your sin. Contrition.
The Iron Did Swim
PPT 1 Series Title
Gods best version of me
PPT 2 Today's Message Title
Where Did You Lose IT
We began our series talking about how God's call is always forward, and you will remember I used the example of a cars gears and asked are you in park, neutral, reverse, or drive? God's best version of you is being in drive. Moving forward, growing in grace, not stuck in a spiritual rut.
Then we preached, not only do we need to be reaching forward, but we also need to be very aware that we don't let slip the things God has already given us.
The thief comes for to steal...
What do you have the devil wants? Salvation, the Holy Spirit, deposits God has made in your life, a testimony.
PPT 3,4 Text
2Ki 6:1 Now the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, "Behold now, the place before you where we are living is too limited for us.
2Ki 6:2 "Please let us go to the Jordan, and each of us take from there a beam, and let us make a place there for ourselves where we may live." So he said, "Go."
2Ki 6:3 Then one said, "Please be willing to go with your servants." And he answered, "I shall go."
2Ki 6:4 So he went with them; and when they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees.
2Ki 6:5 But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water; and he cried out and said, "Alas, my master! For it was borrowed."
2Ki 6:6 Then the man of God said, "Where did it fall?" And when he showed him the place, he cut off a stick, and threw [it] in there, and made the iron float.
2Ki 6:7 And he said, "Take it up for yourself." So he put out his hand and took it.
Last weeks message we pointed out how he lost and said it was because he wasn't practicing due diligence. The leather that held the axe head on began to get lose and he didn't perform basic maintenance.
This week I want to talk about where he lost it, and next week we will wrap up this discussion showing an example from Abraham's life on how, when, where he lost it and how he got it back.
Last week as I said we talked about it being lost probably as a result of not keeping up with basic diligence of his tools as a Christian that speaks to us of 3 things: prayer, the Word, and attendance in the house of God. You cut back on any of those three and you will lose your ability to influence others and be salt and light in this world.
I want to make a general observation and then we will dig into our subject:
PPT 5
Character will take you places your gifting cannot.
Gifting can take you places your character cannot keep you.
John Wooden quote: "Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are."
A good attitude at work, working hard when no when is watching, honesty, reliability, integrity, can advance you in the secular world places your skills are not best suited for.
Why? Because those things are as valuable to employers as skill sets are.
Secondly gifting can take you places your character cannot keep you.
You can be promoted to a place that you will face temptations your character cannot handle. History is littered with carcasses of Christians whose spiritual lives were destroyed because of advancement in the secular world. The pressure of the office Christmas party, or to look and act a certain way....
Illus: I like to watch American Idol, a couple weeks ago a young black woman told the judges her singing had its roots in the church. She was asked by one of the judges what church folk thought of her singing secular music, without hesitation and with force she said, I don't care what the say. My heart sunk as I heard her say that, to me it was if she had said. "I will willingly walk away from my faith if I can make it as a secular musician." Many have done so. But I was overjoyed that on the show this past week she made the announcement that she was dropping out of the competition because of the negative impact it was having on her walk with the Lord. Wow! How is awesome is that, that she did it and Fox broadcast it. I guess the Lord took her to the wood shed over her comments, and she made the right decision. I laud her honesty, and the fact she placed her walk with God as more important that worldly fame. Gifting can take you places your character cannot keep you, if that is true for you, like her you need to run from the situation.
