Keeping My Confidence

Posted on December 3, 2015 by dkoop

Hope AgainIn the last post we discussed that confidence is not ultimately found in heritage, religion or social status but by knowing Christ.   Now how do we keep our confidence?  Here are three ways:

  1. Be Honest About My Weaknesses

 A lot of people are afraid to admit their weaknesses because they are more interested in pretending they have arrived.  Sometimes you have to choose between the two — Do I want to appear confident?  Or do I want to be confident?  Confidence is kept through honesty.

Our church is a church for imperfect people.  Like Paul, we say, none of us have arrived.  We don’t need perfect people in this church.  We are people who are growing, people who admit we don’t have it all together.

 Paul was honest about his faults.

12 I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection! But I keep working toward that day when I will finally be all that Christ Jesus saved me for and wants me to be.

To me, that’s an amazing statement, because Paul is an old man now.  If anybody had the right to claim he had arrived it would be Paul.  He wrote most of the New Testament.  He single handedly spread Christianity throughout the Roman Empire.  He made an incredible impact on the world.  Yet Paul, at the end of his life, says “I don’t have it all together.  I haven’t arrived. I’m not perfect.  I’m still growing.”

The point is, confident people never stop growing.  They are always developing, growing, expanding, and learning.  Even when he gets to be an old man, in prison, he says, “I haven’t arrived.”

That is so contrary to people today.  Many people will give you the impression that they never have any problems.  They are sinless perfection, no problems or doubts!  I get indigestion from those kinds of people.  The longer I grow as a follower of Christ the more acutely aware that I am of my own inadequacies, limitations, weaknesses and faults.  Rather than saying “Look how far I’ve come,” I have to say, “Look how far I have to go!”

Secondly,

  1. Don’t Dwell on the Past

13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead,

Paul says if he is going to be all God wants him to be he’s not going to waste any more time on yesterday.  It’s gone.  It’s past.  My past is past.  I let go of my guilt, grief, grudges.  I let go of the past so I can get on with the present.

How do you forget?  Isn’t it true our brain stores everything you have ever done?  Isn’t it true that we never really forget anything?  So how do I forget the former?

To forget, actually means don’t let the past affect you anymore. Don’t let it control you or have power over you or manipulate you.  I can learn from the past without dwelling on the past.  There’s a big difference.  It’s human nature we tend to remember things we should forget and we tend to forget things we should remember.  We hold on to the cruddy, garbage memories we should let go of and we tend to forget the things we should remember, the lessons we learned through it all.

Do you continue to rehearse things in your heart that God has long since forgiven and forgotten?  Some people won’t forgive themselves. They’re holding on to the past.  Everybody here has blown it.  We have things in our past that we regret.  Paul, of all people, probably had many regrets that could have haunted him.  The Bible says in his B.C. days he was a persecutor of the church.  He hounded people who were believers.  He held the coats of the men who stoned Steven, the first martyr and probably enjoyed it.  Paul faced his faults and forgot the former so he could get on with life.

Nothing you ever do will change your past.  No tears, regrets, self-pity.  The past is past, over, dead.  You can’t do anything about it.  Let it go.  Learn from it and let it go.

Another thing to not dwell too much on is the successes.  It’s so easy to rest on your laurels, to live in the past, to base your security on past performance, to think, “I’ve got it made!”  “The good old days” are done with.

The problem with success is that it tends to make you complacent and fills you with pride.  Then you stop growing and learning and then you’re going to fail.

Are you continuing to allow the past to control your present? Are you allowing a past memory to hurt you now?  Your past cannot hurt you unless you let it.  Learn from it and let it go.

This is a church where we don’t care about your past.  I’m interested in what direction are you headed right now.  That’s what matters.  Not yesterday but today.  If God only used perfect people nothing would get done.  It matters where you’re headed now.  What counts now?  What’s the direction now?  Thirdly,

  1. Keep Going in Faith

14 I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven.

 Absolutely nothing worthwhile in life happens without effort.  The only way you coast is when you’re going downhill.  If you’re coasting in life right now you’re headed downhill.

The great people in life are just ordinary people with extraordinary amount of determination.  They don’t know how to quit.  They keep on keeping on.  They never give up.

I hate the word “quit”.  It sounds like such a losing word.  I don’t like the word “impossible” either.  God says all things are possible.  Yet the world is full of quitters, people who cop out at the drop of a hat.  They give up on their marriage, their kids, relationships, dreams.  Paul said “I am not going to quit.  No matter what happens, I’ll never give up.”  I want God’s best for my life and I’m going to complete what He’s called me to do.

Notice the terms Paul uses “I strain” Feel the intensity of Paul here, the determination in the Greek it literally means “I over extend myself.  — I go for it with all I’ve got. I throw myself into it, straining with every nerve and ounce and muscle to reach the prize.”  He’s a man of intensity, maximum effort.

What would happen if Christ followers would put as much energy into growing in Christ as we do into our hobbies or favorite sports?

This is a church that focuses on the future.  We have a mission, “KNOW Christ and GROW to be like Him… and then SHOW Christ to our world.  To take the good news of Jesus Christ to everybody in this community.  As long as there is one person who doesn’t know Christ we will continue to focus on that goal.  This is a church where we do not quit.  We do not quit on people and we do not quit on things we know to be the will of God.

I need a power outside of myself to let go of the past and to be able to focus on the future and to have the power to keep going, to keep on keeping on to do the things I know to be right.  You do too.  That comes in a relationship with Christ.  Christ gives me confidence and He helps me keep my confidence.

Darrell

www.RidgeFellowship.com

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Gaining Confidence

Posted on December 1, 2015 by dkoop

Hope AgainWhat do you place your confidence in?  Is it achievements, looks, money, social status, good deeds or religion?  Paul writes,

4 I could have confidence in myself if anyone could. If others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more! Philippians 3:4

According to Paul, (Philippians 3:5-6) Confidence Is NOT Found In

  • My Rituals

5 For I was circumcised when I was eight days old,

 Paul says “I was circumcised on the eight day, of the people of Israel.”  We have our own rituals today, sacraments, baptism, communion, catechism, etc.  Never confuse the symbol with the substance.  Rituals do not bring salvation only a relationship with Christ.

  • My Heritage

having been born into a pure-blooded Jewish family

Don’t trust in heritage. Have you ever heard anyone say, “Daddy’s a Christian, My mom was a believer, My uncle was a pastor? ”  You can get religion from your family but you can’t get Christ unless you accept him yourself.   Its like saying, “my mom is married, therefore I’m married.”  Just as marriage is a decision a relationship with Christ is also a decision.

  • My Social Status

that is a branch of the tribe of Benjamin.

Benjamin was a noble tribe Israel. Paul was named after the first king, Saul, who was a Benjamite.  We may have a great family with money and prestige but it doesn’t change our status before God.

  • My Traditions

So I am a real Jew if there ever was one!

No religious group or denomination has a copyright on truth or a patent on God.  We all are imperfect humans needing forgiveness and a savior.

  • My Religion

What’s more, I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law.

Don’t trust in religion.  Paul was a religious person.  Paul kept all the rules.  We think of the Pharisees as hypocrites but there were some genuine, sincere ones.  They were the spiritually elite of that age. They took the Ten Commandments and expanded them into 619 other commandments.  They were pros at religion.  Jesus has nothing to do with religion. Religion is man’s attempt to get to God.  Jesus Christ is God’s attempt to get to man.  That’s a relationship and that’s a big difference.

  • My Sincerity

6 And zealous? Yes, in fact, I harshly persecuted the church.

Maybe some of you think if your bad works are a minimum and are good works outnumber them then you will make it to heaven.  But God doesn’t grade on a curve.  He judges by a perfect standard — Jesus Christ.  To be good enough to get to God you’d have to be as good as God.

  • My Righteousness

And I obeyed the Jewish law so carefully that I was never accused of any fault.

Today we have people saying; “I read the Bible, I go to church…”The point is there is nothing wrong with any of these things. The problem is thinking that they give me points with God, and they don’t.

In all of the religious accomplishments Paul mentions in verse 4, God is not mentioned once.  You can be religious and not know Christ.  If you have religion and no relationship, you don’t have Christianity, you have churchianity.  The answer to your problems and America’s problems is not religion. It is a person, Jesus Christ.

 My Confidence Is Found In…

  • Knowing Christ

7 I once thought all these things were so very important, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. 8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.

Paul says his number one goal in life is to know Christ better and better.  How well do you know Jesus Christ?  I know a lot of Christians who have been Christians, 5, 10, or more years and they really don’t know Jesus Christ well.  There is a big difference between knowing and knowing about.   One time I had the privilege to meet George W. Bush.  I know about him, but I don’t know him and he doesn’t know me.  Do you know Christ? Does Christ know you?  When you ask Christ into your life, confessing sins and asking him for forgiveness you begin that relationship.  Its not a one and done relationship.  The relationship should continue each day, each week and each year.

Never stop growing and developing your relationship with Christ.  Continue to pray, read the bible, participate with other believers in a local church by serving, giving and encouraging others. So many Christians stay too close to where they “got in” to the Christian life.  They haven’t grown one bit since they made that initial decision.

Paul says that his number one ambition in life is to know Christ at the end of his life.  He’s in jail in Rome.  He’s getting ready to die.  He knew Christ already, but he wanted to know Him even better.  Knowing Christ is what brought him confidence and security.

  I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I may have Christ

The translators translating the Greek word to English here are being polite.  “Garbage” is not the word used.  The word used here is the Greek is the word for “dung,” “manure.”   Paul is actually saying,

Compared To Christ, Everything Else Is…Crap

That’s right, it’s what gets thrown out and left behind. Paul points out that life consists of trade-offs.  That’s an important lesson you must learn in life.  He said he gave up something in order to gain something else.  He gave up his religion in order to have a relationship.

When I gave my life to Jesus when I was eleven years old, what I got is worth more than everything I gave up.  You can gain more too! You give up guilt and gain a clear conscious.  You give up worry and gain a power for living.  You give up frustration and lack of purpose in life and gain real meaning and purpose in life.  You give up going to hell and gain going to heaven.  You gave up trying to solve all your problems in your own power and gain having the resources of God to help solve your problems.  That’s a pretty good trade-off!

What gives us confidence?  Confidence is found in relationship with Christ.

Darrell

www.RidgeFellowship.com

 

 

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Stop Complaining

Posted on November 18, 2015 by dkoop

Hope Again14 Do everything without complaining or arguing.  Philippians 2:14  

A man joined a remote monastery deep in the woods followed a rigid vow of silence.  Their vow could only be broken once a year. That monk could speak only two words. He went in after one year of being there and to see the Abbot and said, “Bed Hard” 365 days later he got to speak again he went in to see the Abbot and said, “Food Bad” 365 days later he got to speak again he went in to see the Abbot and said, “I quit” The abbot said, “That doesn’t surprise me! You’ve done nothing but complain the whole time you’ve been here!”

Do you ever find it easy to complain?  I do.  I want to stop and I hope you’ll join me.

Ever been around people who thought they were holy, mature believers but were actually just cantankerous? We only wish their complaints were two words! Cantankerous is not holy or mature but immature.  When our children argue and whine do we say, how mature you are?

I know that sounds pretty basic but I believe that 90% of the problems facing the church would be solved if we would stop complaining get unified about reaching people for Christ.

Churches waste so much energy thinking and acting in ways that cut each other down and doubt each other and question each other – instead they need to rally to each other, helping and working together for the common purpose of reaching people for Christ and helping believers KNOW Christ and GROW to be like Him!

I am proud to say we have very little of this compared to many churches. But this is why I talk about it even though it’s not a problem it can quickly become one.  You need to know that complaining is not acceptable, not mature and not helpful.  Paul reminds us why we shouldn’t complain or argue:

15 so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life.   Philippians 2:15

When I chose NOT to complain I will:

  • Be appreciated for not causing trouble.  “blameless” “without fault”

Complaining is draining.  It causes trouble and kills the moral a group trying to work together.  When the moral is down who’s to blame? The one who complains! When you choose NOT to complain, you make things so much easier. You are liked.  A few years back, I coached soccer and before the season started when I only had a list of kids, the director said, “by the way, you have a trouble making mom on your team, she likes to complain.” “Great!” I thought. “Thanks for the heads up.”  I said.  What that made me do was to look at the rest of the team and appreciate the fact that they were not “trouble makers.”  When you choose NOT to complain you are appreciated!

  • Have Integrity  “pure.” 

Non-complainers are people of integrity.  Paul says non-complainers are “pure” meaning they are not defiling or polluting those around them.  Complaining is verbal pollution.  Choose to be pure to those around you.  Vomiting out every aspect of what you don’t like or agree with on a regular basis is “crooked and depraved.”

  • Truly represent God as his child “children of God without fault.”

When we complain and argue we are not good children of God we are more like “BRATS OF GOD” or “children of the devil.”

  • Stand out like a light in darkness

We are told to “shine like stars.” You may remember the song we learned as children “This little light of mine, I am going to shine.” But the truth is greater than that, we are not called to be “little lights” we are called to be “bold, blazing, life giving, STARS!!!

But one thing is for sure, “The grumbling has got to go before the shining can start!” We don’t need to be shout or scream or make a scene we just need to shine. We do that by living a life free of complaining and arguing.

Our culture is so negative, so dark.  When I choose to not complain the contrast is obvious.  You will shine like a star in the middle of a dark night.  You will stand out as truly different to not be a complainer, to not be critical, to not be a put-down person, when you become that, you will shine like a star.

Don’t whine, shine!

Prayer:   God I pray for each of us that we would conquer the urge to complain. I pray that we would seek to be blameless, pure and shine like a star by choosing to do everything without complaining and arguing.”  Amen.

Darrell

www.RidgeFellowship.com

 

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Who’s Responsible for Spiritual Growth – You, God or the Church?

Posted on November 17, 2015 by dkoop

Hope AgainPsychologists say one of the primary causes of arguing in households is the dispute over what is called “the division of labor.”  Which task belongs to which person? If the bed goes unmade, if the dishes go unwashed, if the diaper remains unchanged, who is responsible?

For many Christians there is complaining and confusion about the division of labor as it relates to spiritual growth.  Who is responsible for Spiritual Growth? Is it the individual? Is it the church? Or is it God?

There are 3 Approaches to Spiritual Growth, which one do you tend to be?

  1. Zap Me

Some Christians say it’s solely the job of God. They say, “If I do anything at all, if I make any effort to be holy its legalism. I’m living in the flesh.” They say human action is futile, doomed from the start.  They object to any call for extra effort or costly following by saying that human effort is opposed to grace. Some pastors will say anytime they speak of costly sacrifice, obedience, people will say, “we are about Grace, that costly stuff is legalism” They may be the name and claim it group, saying things like, “I just claim the fruit of the spirit!  I wake up in the morning and just claim joy!”  I don’t have to do anything but claim joy!”  That would be nice but it is just not the way things are set up, or I would just claim “breakfast!”  and zap!  Or “paycheck!  Zap!  No effort!

2. Rambo Christian

On the other hand, some Christians take a Marine approach to spiritual life, evaluating spiritual growth as a product of one’s effort alone.  “Run! Push! Cram, On your knees and give me 20 minutes of prayer!”  The church then becomes a place of contest to see who is the most holy, who has memorized the most Bible verses, who has witnessed to the most people, who has the most regular quiet time, who has prayed the most. People with this checklist mentality believe as long as they think if they’re doing these things they must be growing spiritually, even if love and joy aren’t present.  If its all up to me I better never relax I got to be doing something spiritual ALL the time, I’ll listen to Christian radio, watch Christian TV wear Christian jewelry, wear Christian apparel and drink Christian coffee, phone service, Christian magazines, book clubs and list goes on!

3. Super Church

Then some think that their spiritual growth is all the church’s responsibility.  If they are not growing well then look no farther it’s the church’s fault! They will say things like “My church doesn’t have an adequate program for spiritual growth.”  “If I could find the right church, I could grow spiritually” “My small group leader is not very good, I could grow a lot spiritually if he had his act together!” “I am not being fed!”  Or very similar, they blame others: “My husband/wife doesn’t give me the spiritual leadership I need to grow spiritually.” I’ve told him over and over, start leading me now!” But he doesn’t lead the way I tell him to lead!  If I had a spiritually mature spouse I would grow spiritually.”  “My co-workers pull me down, if I had a job around other Christians I would grow spiritually.”  “I want to work for a Christian business or corporation.”

The truth is that spiritual growth is a process where you join God AND others.  It’s a “both/and.”

First, Paul puts the responsibility in our lap and says:

12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed–not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence–continue to work out your salvation.  Philippians 2:12

“work out your salvation”   What does that mean?

  • This is not saying that a Christian must do something to earn salvation.
  • The word translated “work out” was the same Greek term popularly used for “working a mine” or “working a field.”[i]
  • Our lives have tremendous potential, like a mine or a field “working out your salvation” is getting the most value from your salvation.

 Examples:  Our body & exercise

 One of our members, Jason Perez is a 4th degree Black Belt in Karate.  In visiting with him, I found that it is a fairly lengthy process of training. I asked, “How long does it take to get each belt?”  He explained to get a black belt, it would take at least four years of continued training and testing.

“So if I walked in and said, I want my black belt, how much do I have to pay, I have a busy schedule just give me a black belt! Would I get one?”    No! I would get a black eye. I have to follow the workouts listen to my instructor and work with my instructor?  Not just demand it.

 

An injury & the doctor

 My wife Niki is a Physical Therapist.  Sometimes they use the initials “PT.”  I joke with her that it stands for “pain and torture!”

If I were to hurt my knee, Niki says that I would first go to the doctor.  He would diagnose my injury and prescribe the proper treatment.  He would hand me a prescription to go the therapy.   Then when I go into see her, she would do an evaluation, then she would give me exercises for me to work out.

So far, everything has been done for me – the diagnosis, prescription, and the therapist. It now becomes my responsibility to follow the doctor’s orders and therapists as stated. By working out the process I enjoy the benefits of the physician and therapists’ contributions to my health. Now be honest, would it be like me to question Niki?  To think, “we’ll I’ve had some biology classes and P.E. why should I do therapy like you say?”  Yes! And If I survived that and continued in my foolish behavior and did not get any better, I wouldn’t have a leg to stand on!

*In each of these cases we see that there is cooperation, there is a process to follow.  Some things are provided for us, and some things we have to work through. The same is true of spiritual growth.

Now the passage explains that it is also  “GOD WHO WORKS IN YOU”

with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.  Philippians 2:13

 

We see God has a part too.  We need to know that…

  • Spiritual Growth is a shared project between me and God
  • I have a role to play but I can’t control it.

 Confession, I’m a control freak and one of the toughest lessons in life and one of the toughest lessons spiritually is understanding what I can control and what I cannot control.

 There are some things I can control:  I can make a phone call, drive a car, run an errand.
There are some things I cannot control: I can do nothing about the weather – only God can change the weather.  Like Aggie Football, only God can help the Aggies!
There’s a third category. There are some things I have to cooperate with:  Think about going to sleep. You can’t make yourself go to sleep the way you can make a phone call. We tell our kids this all the time, “Go to sleep, but I can’t, they reply.”  There are things you can do to cooperate with sleep, “Go in a dark room, lay down on a soft mattress, soft pillow, put on one of my messages!  You’ll be right to sleep in no time!

Spiritual Growth is like the difference between a motorboat a sailboat.  In a motorboat I’m in control. I start the engine, control the speed, and go wherever I want.  Do you prefer a motorboat to a sailboat?  I like to be in control, so I prefer a motorboat.

Sailing is different.  Do you prefer sailing?  I’ve only been sailing a few times, and I’m sailing, I’m not passive, I have a role to play – I hoist the sails and steer with the rudder – but I am dependent on the wind. There’s no room for believing I’m in control, because if the wind doesn’t blow, I’m not going far, just drifting! When the wind blows, on the other hand, amazing things can happen.

In John 3 Jesus compared the work of the Spirit to work of the wind.  It’s free and powerful, way beyond our control. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit, through whose life the winds of God are blowing.  The challenge to us is to hoist the sails, grab hold of the rudder and let the wind of the spirit mold and shape and direct our lives. My question to you is…

Am I cooperating with God and the church for maximum spiritual growth?

Many times we are not cooperating with what God is doing. We are not willing to cooperate; we think we can call the shots.  As a church we offer opportunities for people to grow spiritually but these opportunities often stay on the table and are not incorporated or ingested into the lives of those who attend.

Each semester we have a catalog full of GROWTH GROUPS with bible studies, book studies, men’s, women’s and youth groups, financial groups, marriage groups and parenting groups.  We have memory verses and discussion questions each week.  We have this blog. We have Our Daily Breads and bibles for free at the Ridge.

There so many devotions and bible readings that can be delivered to our phones daily. We have these choices every day, every week, every month but some leave them on the table and do not dig in.   In our Growth Groups, we have fellowship opportunities, serving opportunities, worship opportunities and mission opportunities but they are left untouched by many.  Its like food that is being eaten, the ones who are incorporating them into their lives will tell you, “I am growing!”

I pray you will take advantage of the growth opportunities that are around you.

Darrell

www.RidgeFellowship.com

 

[i] Charles Swindoll, Laugh Again: Experience Outrageous Joy. (Dallas: Word, 1991),97

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