BETTER Is Patience

 This month we have been learning how to make life better by looking at specific passages from the Bible that contain the word “better” and tell us how to live that better life.  We have been encouraging people to memorize these verses so that we will know where this better life comes from and how to experience it.  So one more time, let’s look at these verses and say them together.  

The first week we learned that a better life comes when we live with the awareness that God is always with us.  Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere.  Psalm 84:10

The second week we learned that a better life comes from letting go of the things that don’t matter so we can hold on to the things that do matter.  Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind.  Ecclesiastes 4:6

The third week we learned that what will lead us into a better life is not our wisdom but the wisdom of God.  How much better to get wisdom than gold, to get insight rather than silver.  Proverbs 16:16

And last week we learned that having a good name can open doors for us and lead us to a better life.  A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.  Proverbs 22:1.  

Today’s final verse highlights something that many of us lack and yet can help us lead a better life if we can learn it and that is patience.  Again from the book of Proverbs we hear:  Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city.   Proverbs 16:32

Patience leads us to a better life and maybe the best example of this is found in the kitchen.  You know I had to include another example of the better life using food to make the series complete, but if you are any kind of a cook or baker, you know that patience makes things better.  

When I was in seminary I invited a bunch of friends over and decided to make several cheesecakes.  I had never made a cheesecake before but there was a big article in the local paper and they had some great recipes that looked pretty easy so I decided to give it a try.  They came out pretty good and they really were easy so since then I have made a lot of cheesecakes.  One of the things I have learned is that you cannot rush baking a cheesecake.  The cake has to cook for at least an hour at 300 degrees and you can’t rush it.  I have tried.  I have tried setting the oven higher because I was short on time and all that happened is that the top got brown, the cake cracked, and the inside didn't cook enough.  

Let’s face it, since the invention of the microwave oven, we have been trying to find ways to cook things faster because we don’t like to wait.  For popcorn, the microwave might be great, but not for a roast turkey, but people are impatient so in 2010 the first Instapot was sold.  I have not tried one but I hear they are pretty good.  I read this week that it only takes 50 minutes to cook a fully frozen turkey breast.  While it might taste good, it can’t be better because it takes more than 50 minutes to fill your house with the aroma of turkey.  You can cook things faster, but that doesn’t always make things better.  

Patience can make food better and it can make life better, but let’s face it, we aren’t very patient people.  We get irritated when a store doesn’t open up a new line fast enough or when have to wander through a huge store looking for an item and we can’t find a clerk anywhere to help us.  You know what it’s like to walk through Lowes and you are looking for an item and you have no idea where to even start and then you can’t find anyone wearing a red apron to help you.  That experience can be so bad that we then decide to just by what we need online but then get frustrated that even with Amazon Prime the shipping might take more than 2 days.  And let’s not even talk about how impatient we get while driving and the thoughts that go through our head as we are on the road.  

In these situations, and so many more, being impatient leads to frustration and anger.  Impatience makes us want to fight in order to be heard, fight to get our point across, or fight to make sure everyone knows our way is the right way and that is going to be THE way.  But God says the better way is to be patient.  Better a patient person than a warrior, a person who can control their temper than one who fights to take a city.  Patience is better.  

One of the classic stories about the dangers and consequences of being impatient comes from the Old Testament.  Saul was the first king of Israel and before he led his troops into battle against the Philistines, the prophet Samuel told him to wait for seven days and then he would return and offer a sacrifice to give them God’s wisdom and strength.  So Saul waited, but during those seven days more of the enemy gathered to fight them and the people of Israel began to scatter in fear.  In the end, Saul grew impatient and didn’t wait for Samuel.  He offered the sacrifice himself, which he wasn’t allowed to do.  Because of his impatience and disobedience, Saul lost his place as king.  Saul’s impatience cost him everything. 

Impatience can be costly and destructive. The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.  Proverbs 21:5

Impatience can cost us everything.  Better a patient person than a warrior and here are three ways that patience makes life better.

1. Patience can build, strengthen and restore relationships.  

I was able to see this principle at work this past week on our local mission site.  The patience that volunteers had with one another helped build new relationships and it strengthened existing relationships.  The patience people had with one another didn’t have to restore relationships because it kept relationships from breaking in the first place.  

The patience seen this week really was amazing.  It’s not easy to have six unique projects all going on at the same time, especially when each project makes an impact on what others are trying to do.  At times, work in one area would have to stop because something needed to be done in another area and everyone patiently worked together.  And Anna, the homeowner, showed amazing patience as we invaded her home and created quite a mess and constantly were asking her questions and finding more problems.  She was the picture of patience the entire week – even as she had to dust furniture again and again.  

Now here’s the thing, I’m sure that at times this week people got frustrated with those around them.  I’m sure there were moments of impatience in the work being done or the pace of work being done.  I’m sure there was some impatience when Roger and I went to run some errands and were gone for about 4 hours.  And no, we didn’t stop for a leisure lunch, we were the ones at the Lowes store looking for parts and not able to find what was needed nor anyone who could really help us.  

As we were standing there frustrated about the situation, I kept having to tell myself, patience is better.  Roger never seemed impatient and that helped me stay patient and everyone back at the work site was patient.  Patience ruled the day and the week and because of that patience, an amazing amount of work was done for Anna and her family and God was glorified in the work!  Patience led to a better life for all of us this past week.  

Here’s why patience makes relationships better, because patience is really just love put into action.  1 Corinthians 13, known as the love chapter, begins talking about love by saying, love is patient.  In many ways love has to begin with patience because everything then flows from patience.  When we are patient we don’t insist on our own way, we don’t keep a record of wrongs, and we persevere even when it would be easier to give in or give up.  Patience keeps going.  Patience is love in action so when we are patient with others all relationships are better.  With patience, life is better.  

2. Patience gives God time to work.  

When we are willing to be patient with all that is going on in our lives, both the good and the bad, it gives God the time and opportunity to work in ways that bring about God’s perfect plan.  One man who had to be patient for many years in order to see God’s hand at work was Joseph, the son of Jacob.  

Joseph had 11 brothers but he was his father’s favorite which is why he was given a beautiful robe.  Every time Joseph wore the robe it irritated his brothers and caused hard feelings.  Then Joseph told his brothers about the dreams he had where he would rise to prominence and power and they would all have to bow down to him.  You can imagine that this also didn’t help their relationship.  In time Joseph’s brothers decided to get rid of him and instead of killing him, they sold him as a slave to a group headed to Egypt. 

Once in Egypt, Joseph was sold again and he became a servant in the house of Potiphar, a captain of the guard in Pharaoh's household.  Over time, Joseph made a name for himself as a leader and rose to prominence but then he was falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife and thrown into prison.  You might think that after being sold by his brothers, then sold again as a slave and then patiently working hard to better his life only be falsely accused and sent to prison that Joseph would be frustrated and angry.  You might think Joseph’s impatience with God and his situation would cloud all his feelings, but it didn’t.  From prison, Joseph was patient and made the best of his situation and rose once more as a leader.   

From prison, Joseph was summoned by Pharaoh to interpret some troubling dreams he had and from those dreams, Joseph predicted that 7 years of plenty were going to be followed by 7 years of drought and that Pharaoh and the people needed to be prepared.  Because of his wisdom, Pharaoh decided to put Joseph in charge of storing up food during the good years and distributing it in the difficult years.   It was during this time that Joseph’s brothers arrived to buy food for their family and they had no idea that Joseph was the one they were meeting.

If Joseph had met his brothers in the year after they sold him as a slave, the meeting may have gone very differently.  Joseph may have been bitter and resentful toward his brothers.  Joseph may not have been willing to forgive his brothers or help them in a time of need, but Joseph’s patience gave God time to work.  Joseph’s patience gave God time to work in his heart and in the hearts and lives of his brothers so that the brothers could ask for forgiveness and so Joseph could let go of his bitterness and forgive.    

If we are willing to be patient during good times and difficult times, we give God time to work in all our circumstances. The Bible says, Wait for the Lord.  Be strong and let your heart take courage and wait for the Lord.  Our patience gives God time to work things out in our hearts and lives. Even when it seems like nothing might be happening, God can be at work behind the scenes to bring about his purpose and plan.  

The summer I worked in Yellowstone NP I didn’t start out being very patient.  Everywhere I looked I saw jobs that looked better than the one I had so I asked for them.  When I finally got a job that looked better to me, I realized it was actually worse and then I had to get out of it.  If I had just been patient, I would have seen that God’s plan for me from the beginning was to be right where I was, working in the kitchen.  Too often our impatience tries to direct God’s plans or speed things up - but God’s timing and God’s plans are always better.  God works for the good in every situation and if we are patient we will see God’s goodness.  

3. God is patient with us.  

The last reason patience is better and we need to learn it is because God has been patient with us. Because of God’s patience, God didn’t give up on me when I was willing to give up on Him.  Because of God’s patience, when I didn’t wait for God, God was willing wait for me and then work things out for me.  Because of God’s patience, I know I am forgiven when I fail to be faithful again and again.  Every day I am reminded that without God’s patience, I would be nothing and that encourages me to learn patience.  

 Peter was one of the disciples that personally understood the patience of Jesus.  When Peter told Jesus that he should do things his way, Jesus rebuked him because he didn’t understand God’s plan.  Jesus rebuked Peter but He didn’t cancel him.  When Peter fell asleep in the garden of Gethsemane instead of staying awake and praying with Jesus, Jesus didn’t dismiss him and tell him to go home.  And when Peter denied that he knew Jesus, Jesus didn’t cut him off forever.  At every turn and with every failure, Jesus was patient.     

Peter personally knew that the patience of Jesus led to forgiveness and the salvation of God, which is why Peter wrote these words,

But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:8-9

Without the patience of Jesus, Peter would have been canceled and cast off, but with His patience there was forgiveness and salvation.  God’s patience leads us to moments of repentance, which leads to forgiveness and not just a better life but eternal life. That alone is a great incentive to learn patience in our lives.  

As you think about how God’s patience has worked in your life, as you think about the times God’s love has forgiven you, cleansed you, restored you, and blessed you, don’t just thank God but return to God and ask Him for the patience you need to live a better life.  

Patience is one of the fruits of God’s spirit that can grow in us as we live in the presence of God. So we go back to where we started a month ago - Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere.  Better is one day knowing God’s grace and mercy than a lifetime of running and hiding in sin and shame.  God’s patience has brought us all to this place and this moment and God’s patience that is calling us to come to Him to experience life that is BETTER. 

 

Next Steps

Better is Patience

Memorize this week’s Better verse:  Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city.   Proverbs 16:32

When and where do you find your patience tested the most?

Where are you finding yourself experiencing more patience?

There are consequences to our impatience.  Read 1 Samuel 13:1-14

When has impatience cost you something important?

Patience builds, strengthens and restores relationships.

● Read 1 Corinthians 13.  Love starts with patience.

● What relationships need your patience and love today?

● Ask God for the patience needed to work with and forgive people.

Patience gives God time to work.

● When have you seen patience allow God time to work?  

● What situation needs you to be patient today so God can bring about His perfect plan?

● Ask For the patience needed to wait on Him.

God is patient with us.  

● Think of 3 ways God’s patience has forgiven you or helped you.  

● Use these examples as motivation to be patient with others.  

● Thank God for His patience and ask Him for the patience to love others. 

Reread all 5 better passages and commit them to memory.  

BETTER is a Good Name

Two months and 2 days till Christmas, how many of you have your shopping done?  Anyone started yet?  Thanksgiving is one month and 1 day away, has anyone gotten your free Turkey yet?  OK, let’s get more serious, next week is Halloween, has anyone gotten their candy yet?  You don’t want to wait too long because if you do you might become known as the house that gives out circus peanuts or bit-o-honey.

When I was growing up, I lived in a small beach community that only had a handful of year-round residents so we didn’t get to go trick or treating at a lot of homes.  We would walk to the dozen or so people who lived there to get our little candy bar, but there was one house we couldn’t wait to go to.  It was the best house at the beach and it wasn’t because it was all spooky and scary looking, it was because they gave out full size candy bars!  They would invite us in and they had a plate with big full size candy bars and you got to choose which one you wanted.  One year I remember they even had twinkies!  I remember that because my mom never bought twinkies.  It was like Christmas going to that house.  

What kind of candy are you going to be known for this year?  Full size bars?  Fun sized bars but the good stuff?  Generic knock offs?  Or the worst yet… individual bags of candy corn.  What are you known for at Halloween?  

On a more serious note, what are you known for?  When people hear your name, what do they think of?  This month we are looking at Bible passages that show us how to experience a better life and each passage contains the word better.  The first week we learned that a better life is found when we live in the presence of God.  Better is one day in your courts, O God, than a thousand elsewhere.  

The second week we learned that one handful with tranquility is better than two handfuls with toil and a chasing after the wind.  Less of what doesn’t really matter in life is better because it makes room for what does matter.  And last week we learned that wisdom is better than gold.  

Today we are going to see that a better life is also experienced when we have a good name.  Our better verse is from Proverbs 22.  

A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.  Proverbs 22:1.  

A good name is better than gold or silver. You can have all the wealth and power of the world but if you don’t have a good name, if you don’t have a good reputation, your life will be filled with strife and conflict and stress.  I’m sure we can all think of someone who is known for their wealth and power and yet doesn’t have a good name.  No matter what side of the political aisle you are on, I’m sure that right now you can think of the name of someone with wealth and power but without a good name.  They aren’t living a better life. At times it might look better from the outside but think of the stress and problems they face.  A good name is better.  

So what are you known for?  What do people think of when they hear your name? Are you known for being honest and true to your word?  Are you known for being a person filled with the fruit of God’s spirit, a person of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  If you are known for this spiritual fruit and if these things are truly part of your life, then you are experiencing a better life.  

Now let’s be clear that having a good name doesn’t mean that we are perfect.  There is no one who is perfect.  There is no one who doesn’t fail at some point in living up to their good name.  A good name doesn’t mean being perfect it does mean being willing to be perfected by the one who is perfect.  A good name means being willing to be perfected by Jesus.  It means striving to live as a follower of Jesus and always being willing to learn and grow and change when we need to.  A good name means being humble enough to admit our mistakes, confess our sin, ask for forgiveness, and then keep going in faith.  The apostle Paul said it this way, 

It’s not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.  Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 3:12-14

Part of having a good name is being willing to forget the past and push on to a better future.  But why is a good name better?  What are the benefits of a good name?  Let me share three:

1. A good name instills confidence.  Now you might think that I’m talking about instilling confidence in others, which a good name can do.  A good name in business can instill confidence in others and in turn get you more customers.  Maybe you are old enough to remember the lonely Maytag repairman.  He was lonely because Maytag had a reputation for selling appliances that were well built.  Their good name instilled confidence in others, but a good name can instill confidence in us and that can help us have a better life.  Proverbs 10:9.  Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out. 

When we are living up to our good name, when we are walking with integrity, then we experience less anxiety.  We aren’t afraid of being caught or found out.  Have you ever replied to an email and been critical of someone or shared something about someone that wasn’t the most uplifting and kind.  As soon as you hit send did you have that moment of terror wondering if you hit reply or reply all?  Do you know that feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when you say or do something out of frustration and then wonder who was around to hear it or watch your melt down?  When we aren’t living up to our good name and walking with integrity, there is fear of being caught and then having to face the consequences.  That’s not the better life.  

The better life comes when we walk with integrity and have confidence that we are who people think we are..  Now again, none of us are perfect.  At times we will say or do the wrong thing, but even in those moments we can live up to our good name.  Will we admit our mistakes?  Will we own up to what we have done and apologize.  A good name means working to make things right and then pushing ahead once again.  A good name can bring us confidence and peace because we know we are always doing our best and always asking for God’s help.  

2. A good name can speak for us.  A good name can help us experience a better life because it can go before us and open doors that can lead us to more opportunities and blessings.  The author of many of the proverbs we find in the Bible is King Solomon.  Solomon knew wisdom was better than gold so asked God for wisdom and God gave it to him.  Solomon was known for his wisdom. His reputation as a wise man spoke for him and spread all over the world.  

Because of his good name, the Queen of Sheba, which is in modern day Ethiopia, heard of his wisdom and came to Jerusalem to see for herself if he was truly a wise king. 2 Chronicles 9:5-6

The Queen said to King Solomon, “The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true.  But I did not believe what they said until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half the greatness of your wisdom was told me; you have far exceeded the report I heard. 

Solomon’s name and reputation spoke for him and it opened doors that no one else could open.  After seeing for herself how wise Solomon was, the Queen gave him huge amounts of gold and spices from her land.  His good name brought blessing to Solomon and God’s people.  It is often our good name that can provide us with opportunities that we would have no other way.  

Several years ago I got a phone call from a couple who wanted to move their cub scout pack to Faith Church.  Since they were moving from another UMC in the area, and that church was getting a new pastor, I encouraged them to stay and see how things went.  A few months later I got another phone call from this couple asking if they could move their cub scout pack to Faith Church.  They told me that the reason they wanted to move wasn’t because of problems at the other church as much as it was what Faith Church had to offer.  They told me that Faith Church is known for serving the community and they wanted their scouts to see that and have opportunities to serve with us.  I agreed and today we continue to be blessed by the presence of these cub scouts.  

One of the reasons people continue to visit us and join our congregation is because we have a reputation for serving our community.  We helped lay the foundation for the Faith Centre.  We continue to feed hundreds of people on Christmas Day.  We support missions here and around the world and this coming week we hope to bless a family in our own area who has come to inspire us.  A good name opens doors.  A good name speaks for us, it provides opportunities and blessings that might not come any other way.  A good name brings a better life.  

3. A good name can inspire others.  Perhaps the person with the most revered name in the church, beside Jesus, is the Apostle Paul.  The letters of Paul make up ⅓ of the New Testament and his name has inspired people all over all over the world.  Paul didn’t use his good name and solid reputation to gain wealth or power, he used his good name to inspire others to follow Jesus.  In his letter to the church in Corinth, Paul said, Follow my example as I follow the example of Christ.  1 Corinthians 11:1.  

I love that Paul didn’t use his good name to shine light on himself or to enrich himself, he used his good name as a follower of Jesus to inspire and invite others to follow Jesus.  When we use our good name to point the way to Jesus, we not only bless others but we are experiencing the better life God wants for us.   

Think of all the good names that have inspired people throughout history.  Just hearing some of these names can be inspiring. 

Rosa Parks.  Dr. Martin Luther King.  Billy Graham.  Anne Frank.  Mother Teresa. Nelson Mandela.  Winston Churchill.  Queen Elizabeth II.  Ed and Joanne Foster.  David DeGraff.  

Wait… who?  My guess is that you do not know the last few names I mentioned, but they are inspiring to me.  Ed and JoAnn Foster were my youth leaders who inspired me to get more involved in the life of the church and to be the leader they believed I could be.  They encouraged me, believed in me, and loved me in ways that helped me become who I am today.  And David DeGraff was the man I mentioned a few weeks ago who taught me how to pray by praying with me.  He is the one who didn’t tell me how to follow Jesus but showed me through his life.  While he didn’t actually say it, everything in Dave’s life screamed, follow me as I follow Jesus, and I did.  Because of Dave, I met Jesus.  His name inspires me.

What names inspired you.  Maybe it’s a grandparent who loved you unconditionally, or a Sunday School teacher who made you feel special.  Maybe it’s a coach who saw more in you then you ever saw in yourself.  Maybe it is a friend who is always there for you and still encourages you to be more than you think you can be.  If you take notes, write down the name of someone who inspires you and reflect on what makes that name so important.  

All of our names should be an inspiration to someone else.  Like Paul we should say, follow me as I follow Jesus.  Our good name should inspire people.  I know you may be saying to yourself that you are just too bad to have a good name.  In some sense we are all too bad, we are all sinners who fall short of God’s glory, but Jesus is too good.  Jesus is too good to let our past define us.  God forgives us. God cleanses us and God makes us into better people who can have a good name that can inspire others.  

King David has a good name.  He is known as a man after God’s own heart.  But he also had an affair, conspired to have the husband of the women he slept with killed, and then tried to hide the entire thing from others.  You might think his name would be too bad to be an inspiration, but his name does inspire and here’s why.  David was confronted with his failure and said this, Psalm 51:1-13

The name of King David is an inspiration to those who know it because he reminds us that we can never fall beyond God’s grace and mercy.  There is no sin that can separate us from the love of God and if we will repent, if we will turn to God and ask for mercy, God will give it.  So no matter what your name says about you today, tomorrow it can be an inspiration because God is that good.  

Next Sunday, Pastor David is going to lead a workshop called share.  One of the rhythms of life that helps us have a faithful relationship with the world is knowing how to share our faith story with others.  Just as each of us has a unique name that God can use to inspire others, each of us has a unique story that can be used to point people to Jesus.  No matter what our story might be, God wants us to share it so that others can come to know and follow Jesus.  We invite you to learn how to share you story and live into the goodness of your name.  

Our faith story can inspire others.  Our name can inspire others and if you are thinking that you need to do some work to get a good name, then let me share three ways to get a better name:

1. Surrender fully to God and live in his presence because Better is one day in your courts, O Lord, than a thousand elsewhere.  

2. Don’t pursue the things of this world but instead take hold of things that ultimately matter because Better is one hand with tranquility then 2 hands with toil and a chasing after the wind.  

3. Do all you can to get wisdom because Wisdom is better than gold and silver.  

Seeking to live a better life will lead us to a good name and a good name is better than gold or silver.  A good name inspires others, and a good name blesses others and brings us the better life.  

Next Steps

A Good Name Is Better

Memorize this week’s better verse:

A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.  Proverbs 22:1.  

Why is having a good name so important?

• What are you known for?

• What do you want to be known for?

A Good Name Instills Confidence

• In what one area do you need to live with more integrity?  How can you walk the walk this week?

• If you have failed in an area, how can you seek to make things right?  

A Good Name Inspires Others

• What good name has inspired you and how?

• ____________________________________

• ____________________________________

• How would you like your name to inspire others?  

• What do you need to do differently to be that inspiration?

If you don’t feel like you have a good name - get one:

1. Live in the presence of God. Better is one day in your courts, O Lord, than a thousand elsewhere.

2. Let go of things that don't matter and hold on to what does.  Better is one hand with tranquility then 2 hands with toil and a chasing after the wind

3. Ask God for wisdom. Wisdom is better than gold and silver.

BETTER Is Wisdom

 

Every day we are faced with lots of choices, if you don’t believe me, just walk down the cereal aisle at the grocery store.  Do I get name brand or generic, apple jacks or fruit loops, granola or raisin bran, chex or special K.  And the list goes on and on and on.  While some decisions we make might be small, like what kind of cereal I will buy, some are big.  As a senior in High School I had been accepted at 2 big ten universities and had to decide which one to attend.  That’s a big decision for someone who had just turned 18.  I chose MSU and while I went there for HRI management, I realized after a job at a hotel that maybe that wasn’t for me.  I spent the next two years searching for majors and once again trying to make a big decision. 

There are so many big decisions we have to make in life.  After graduation we have to decide where to live and what job to take.  There are decisions about relationships and do I want to get married.  Then there is the decision about children - should we have them, should we not, and how many.  I told my parents once that I didn’t want to get married but I wanted children.  We have decisions once we are in a job about staying put, moving up in the company or moving on. We face decisions about retirement, financial planning, how to get out of doubt, do we buy a house now or wait.  Every day we are faced with decisions and every season we are faced with decisions and the decisions we make are important because the decisions we make, make us.   

Who we are today is because of the decisions we made last week and last year and even years ago, so how can we make sure that we are making the best decisions today so we can be who we want to be tomorrow.  I can tell you what we shouldn’t use to make decisions, and that is the infamous magic 8 ball.  As fun as this might be, it is not a good way to make decisions.  Another way to not make decisions is to open the Bible and point.  I know people who have done this, ok, I have done this, but I’m telling you, the Bible is not a magic 8 ball where we just ask God to make the right verse pop up for us.  There is a better way to make decisions which leads us to our better verse for today.  

We are in a series looking at verses that can help us live a better life and today we are going to look at what God says is needed for us to make better decisions.  Proverbs 16:16,  How much better to get wisdom than gold, to get insight rather than silver!  

This teaching comes from King Solomon.  Solomon was the son of David and when he became the King of Israel, he honored God with a sacrifice of not 10 or 100 bulls but 1,000.  Solomon was honoring God in a big way and God was so moved by his heart that he said to Solomon, ask for anything and I will give it to you.

If God said this to you, what would you ask for?  And no, you can’t ask for 3 more wishes, this is God not a genie in a bottle.  Would you ask for money?  Would you ask to become vastly influential on social media because they all seem to have such great lives?  Would you ask for a loving relationship, a stronger marriage, or healthy, strong, and faith filled children. What would you ask for?  

As a new king, we might think that Solomon would have asked for all the money he would need to be a good king and reign of God’s people, or the power needed to subdue all his enemies, or the influence to shape his nation and the world.  Solomon could have had anything but what he asked for was wisdom.  

Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours?”  2 Chronicles 1:10.

Solomon asked for wisdom so he could lead God’s people.  Solomon understood that if he was going to be financially successful, a strong military leader, and be able to handle all the needs of a nation, he was going to need wisdom, knowledge, and understanding.  These things were more valuable than gold and silver.  So Solomon asked for wisdom, and God gave it to him.  

Solomon was given God’s wisdom and he shared some of that wisdom with the world in the Old Testament book of Proverbs.  

If you want wisdom - reading the book of Proverbs is a good place to start.  There are 31 chapters so you can read one chapter a day.  There are also studies on proverbs that help you read it thematically so you can gain wisdom for relationships and parenting, finances and money, or work and success.  If you want wisdom, this is a great place to start.  God’s wisdom is right here for us to read, but let’s look at three other ways we can gain wisdom.

1. Fear God.  

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.  Proverbs 9:10

Now let’s be clear, when Solomon talks about the fear of the Lord he isn’t talking about being afraid of God.  He’s talking about reverence.  He’s talking about understanding the sheer holiness and righteousness and power of God.  While there is nothing wrong with having a personal and intimate relationship with God, and Jesus Himself said we can call God, Abba, which isn’t Father as much as it is Daddy, we also need to understand that this Dad in heaven is also the creator of the heavens and the earth.  God is holy.  God is all powerful and all knowing.  If God showed up in our lives with His full power and might, we would not be able to stand.  

This Advent we are going to hear about the angels who appeared to Mary, Joseph and the shepherds and each time they appeared they had to say the same thing.  Fear Not.  There was a reason the angels had to keep telling people to not be afraid, it’s because each time the angels appeared, people were afraid.  These spiritual beings and messengers of God were so powerful and other worldly that scared the “you know what” out of Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds, but they were just angels.  

Think about what would happen if God Himself in all His glory, power and might showed up in your life.  We would be on our knees, or on our faces, unable to look up.  In the full presence of God there would be no worlds, no thoughts, no actions that we could muster.  We would be humbled.  

Maybe this kind of holy fear is needed because it will be the only thing that will help us overcome our other fears.  What often holds us back in life and faith is fear.  Fear of rejection, fear of failure, fear of the unknown and fear of what others might think of us can all keep us from making Godly decisions, so maybe we need our fear of God to overcome our other fears.  Standing in awe of who God is might be the first step we have to take in order to accept and then apply God’s wisdom in our lives.   

When I need a healthy fear of God, when I need to remember just how awesome and powerful God is, I turn to this passage from the book of Job.  It’s a little long, but bear with me and see if this doesn’t humble you just a bit.  Job 38-39 (Not on screen)

This humbles me.  This reminds me that God is God and I’m not.  It reminds me that as good as my thoughts and my ideas and my ways are, God’s are infinitely greater and that I need to learn from Him, listen to Him, live for Him and truly love Him.  This kind of fear and awe reminds me that my wisdom is nothing compared to God.  

Once we have this healthy and holy fear of God, we can get wisdom by doing something so simple that it seems almost silly.  If we want wisdom we need to ask God for wisdom.  It’s so simple and yet too often we just don’t ask. Jesus’ brother James said, 

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. James 1:5. 

2. Ask God.

Ask for wisdom and it will be given to you.  Jesus said, Ask and it shall be given to you, seek and you shall find, knock and the door shall be opened.  If we want wisdom we need to ask for it.  That’s all Solomon did, he asked and God provided.  

One reason we may not ask God for wisdom is that He just might give it to us and then we would have to change how we live.  God’s wisdom might change our plans and our futures.  For example, God’s wisdom on finances might completely change our spending plan because God says we should give to Him first, give to others generously and always give joyfully. 

Tonight begins the grow workshop which will look at how we can grow in our faith by focusing on the same three relationships that formed the foundation of Jesus’ life: a relationship with God, the church, and the world.  Each relationship is shaped by 5 rhythms and one of the rhythms in our relationship with the church is generosity.  We grow closer to God and one another when we use our time and treasure, or our money, to further the kingdom of God.  

God’s wisdom tells us to give to God first and to give to God’s work a full 10%.  God says if we do that we will be blessed and we will be a blessing.  But following this wisdom is not easy and at times it doesn’t even seem to make financial sense.  With inflation and a looming recession, it might not make sense to give 10%, or more, to the church for the work of God.  When gas prices go up 20 cents in a few days, it’s hard to see how giving more to God will help our financial situation, but it is God’s wisdom.  Sometimes we might not ask for God’s wisdom because it might lead us to places we don’t want to go or ask us to do things we don’t want to do.  

God’s wisdom might tell us that we need to fight for relationships when it would be easier to walk away, or that we need to scale back our hopes and dreams to care for our family.  We might not ask God for wisdom because we don’t want to hear it and then have to follow it.  But if we genuinely want to grow closer to God and be in line with God’s will for our lives, if we want the better life God says is available to us, then we need to ask for wisdom, trust God will provide it and then apply it to our lives.  

If we are going to ask God for wisdom, then we have to be willing to go to the one place we know where we can find it, God’s word.  While I don’t advocate for the open and point method of using the Bible, this is God’s wisdom for us.  It is a letter God has written to us, it is a conversation God is having with us, it reveals the heart and mind of God so that we can know God more.  As we faithfully read God’s word, we will find all the wisdom and understanding we will need for a better life.   

To gain wisdom we need to fear God and ask for wisdom and then:

3. Hang out with wise people.  

Proverbs 13:20. Walk with the wise and become wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.

We encourage people to join a small group here at Faith Church because who we hang out with makes a difference.  I’m not saying everyone in those groups is wise, but we are trying to gain wisdom and grow in our faith.  Who we hang out with makes a difference.  When I started at MSU I was surrounded by a bunch of 18 year old guys who wanted to party.  My dorm was an all male dorm and I lived on an all freshman, so you can imagine what it was like.  I thought that was what I wanted but at the same time I joined a small group Bible Study and began to spend time with people who loved Jesus.  It was that love and their lives that made a difference in me.  Faith is more caught than taught and learning God’s wisdom can come from simply spending time with wise and faithful people. 

If you want to learn the wisdom of a long and faithful marriage, find a couple who has been married for 50+ years and hang out with them.  If you want to learn how to serve God and others, find people who are serving and serve with them.  If you want to learn more about the Bible, join a Bible study and learn with others.  Wisdom doesn’t come out of thin air, it comes when we seek wise people who can teach us and lead us. 

 It is our hope that through the life of Faith Church you can rub shoulders with and learn from people who are seeking wisdom.  Whether it is in small groups, Sunday School classes, Bible studies, or through spiritual coaches that we can provide, or the people you meet serving on a mission team or at football dinner, there are people right here who are willing to walk with you in life and faith.  

As much as Jesus taught others during His life, the disciples learned more by simply doing life with Jesus day after day for three years.  They wanted faith and wisdom so they spent time with the embodiment of faith and wisdom - Jesus.  One of the best ways to get wisdom is to hang out with wise people.  Find them and ask if you can spend time with them.  As a young pastor I was moved by the wisdom, faith, leadership skills of another pastor in the area.  I asked Steven if I could be part of the things he was doing, and by walking alongside him as I was able to learn and grow.  I learned God’s wisdom by hanging out with wise and Godly people.  

Wisdom is better than gold and silver or power and influence.  Wisdom can make our lives better and God willingly shares His wisdom with us. We can get wisdom.  

Fear God.  

Ask God.  

Hang out with wise people.  

Get wisdom any way and every way you can because it will help you experience a better life.  

How much better to get wisdom than gold, to get insight rather than silver!  Proverbs 16:16

 

Next Steps

Better Is Wisdom

Memorize this week’s better passage.  

How much better to get wisdom than gold, to get insight rather than silver!  Proverbs 16:16 

If God said you could have anything you wanted, what would you ask for?  Why do you think Solomon asked for wisdom?

What did God give him in addition to wisdom?  See 1 Kings 3:1-15.  

Three ways to gain wisdom:

1. Fear God

● Describe a time you truly feared God. 

● What causes you to stand in awe of who God is?  

● Read Job 38-39.  How does this help you fear God?

● Why is the fear of God the beginning of wisdom?

2. Ask God

● We are told to ask God for wisdom. Read James 1:5

● Why might we not want to ask God for wisdom? 

● When have you asked for wisdom and what was the outcome?

● What one area do you need God’s wisdom in order to make your life better?

3. Hang out with wise people

● Outside of your family, who do you “hang out” with the most?

● Where can you go to hang out with wise and faithful people?

● Consider joining a small group or service ministry of Faith Church.  (Stop at the connection table or look online for current opportunities.)

● If there is a wise person you look up to, ask to spend time with them.  

BETTER Is One Handful

 We are in a better sermon series where each week we are looking at a Bible passage that shows us what a better life looks like.  Last week we learned that Better is one day….  Wait.  I hope you memorized this verse, so let’s try it together.  Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere.  While the world is always telling us that life is better on vacation or in retirement or when we get married or have the perfect job, the truth is that as good as all those things might be, what is better is a life lived with the constant awareness of God’s presence, power, and peace at work in our lives.  

Today we are going to look at another lie that the world tells us about what is best in life and this lie is so deeply ingrained in us that it shapes just about everything we think and do.  The lie is this, if one is good, then two are better.  In just about every situation we tell ourselves that if one is good then two are better.  One car is good but if we had two cars, an extra car or a sports car or an off road vehicle for adventure and thrills - it would be better.  When I drove out of my garage on Wednesday morning and heard the thump thump thump of a flat tire, a second car may have been good, but honestly, it wasn’t needed.  

If we have one house, that’s good, but if we had two houses, and if that other house could be a cottage at the beach or a cabin in the woods or an apartment in the city, life would be better.  If playing one sport is good, then playing two is better.  If having one TV or phone or tablet is good, then having two is better.  If having one dollar is good, then certainly having two is better.  

In many ways this lie goes back to the very beginning of history when Adam and Eve were placed in the garden.  God gave them every tree to eat from except one, the tree of knowledge of good and evil.  The serpent came to them and said, look if all this is good then one more has to be better.  It didn’t matter that God said don’t eat from that tree, Adam and Eve bought into the lie that one more is always better.  It’s a lie we still hear and believe today.  

During the fall season there is a big debate that we have to endure and no… it’s not political, but people can be just as passionate about it.  Do you like or dislike candy corn?  Is candy corn even candy?  And if it is candy, why did someone make candy that even looks like corn?  We don’t have candy peas or candy broccoli, so why candy corn?  Here is the big question, do you like candy corn?  I hate to admit it, but I do.  I’m not sure why I do, it tastes like sugary-wax, but I like it.  One handful is good.

But candy corn is one of those candies where one handful is good but if I were to eat two handfuls, all that waxy sugar just sits in my stomach and makes me feel not so good.  One handful is good, but two is not better.  Two can make you sick.  If you remember nothing else from this message, I hope that from now on, every time you see candy corn you will be reminded that more is not always better.  

The lie the world tells us is that two handfuls are better than one, but here’s the truth.  It is better to have less of what doesn’t matter and more of what does matter.  More is not always better, more can lead to all kinds of problems.  So here is our better verse for this week:  Better one handful with tranquility, than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind.  Ecclesiastes 4:6 

Why is one hand better?  Let me show you…  

If I have one hand free I can reach out and help someone who is in need.  I can encourage someone and lift them up.  If I have one hand free I can hold someone’s hand in love or in solidarity.  With one hand free I can reach out to God in praise or in prayer and I have an open hand to welcome and invite others into my heart or life or church.  With an open hand I can do those things that not only make life better but help me grow in faith.  

As followers of Jesus we are committed to growing in three primary relationships, a relationship with God, the Church, and the World.  That can’t happen without an open hand.  We need an open hand to use our gifts to serve others in the church.  We need an open hand to love our brothers and sisters in the community.  We need an open hand to welcome people and introduce them to Jesus.  We need an open hand to be a blessing to people in the world.  All of these things are rhythms that strengthen these relationships and without an open hand we can’t grow in these rhythms.  If you aren’t familiar with the 3 relationships and the rhythms of life and love that help us grow in them, then I want to encourage you to take part in the grow workshop next Sunday.  

With a free hand I can do all these things that make life and faith better, but if I have two handfuls, I can’t do much of anything other than hold on to these two handfuls.  I can’t help others. I can’t serve others.  I can’t love others.  I can’t welcome people or invite people because I have to just keep holding on to what’s in my hands. 

Jesus warned his followers about this “more is better” way of life when he said, Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.  Luke 12:15

Jesus then told a story about a man who thought if one was good then two is always better.  It was a man who was given such an abundant harvest that he didn’t have enough room to store all his crops so he tore down his barns to build bigger ones.  More is always better, he thought, because now I will have enough for the rest of my life.  I can take it easy, eat, drink and be merry.  But after those bigger and better barns were built, God said to him, “You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?”  Luke 12:20

The man spent his entire life working to get more and to keep more.  He trusted all that he held onto with his two hands and while he was rich in this world he was not rich in the things of God.  He allowed what he had to literally have him.  That’s what Jesus is warning us about, don’t let what you have, have you.  Don’t let what you hold on to with two hands get a hold of you.  Instead, hold on to what really matters.  

What ultimately matters to you?  If the doctor told you that you had just 30 days to live, what would you do?  What priorities would you set?  What stories have you heard from the people of Florida whose homes and possessions are literally gone but they still have hope and peace and joy because the things that mattered most to them, their families, friends, church family, and faith, are still there.  

What is really important to you?  I don’t want that to be a rhetorical question we just gloss over, I want you to think for a moment and if you are taking notes, write down what is ultimately important to you.  Go home and talk as a family or with your friends about what is ultimately most important in your life.  Ask that question on your social media pages and see what response you get.  My guess is people aren’t going to talk about bank accounts, types of cars, or their latest phones.  What they will talk about is family, friends, and faith.  But do we have an empty hand to focus on these things or are we too busy holding onto things that don’t really matter.  

Better one handful with tranquility than two hands and turmoil. How can we move into this one handful living?  It starts by being willing to let go of what doesn’t matter.  Hebrews 12:1 

Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,

Let us throw off everything that hinders us, everything that doesn’t matter but that we still hold on to.  Here are 3 ways we can begin to let go:

Cut Back

Throw Out

Turn Off

Cut back - I’m not sure what you might need to cut back on but many of us need to cut back in one of these two areas, spending or schedules.  Some of us need to cut back on our spending so that we can develop financial margins in life that can bring some peace and tranquility.  The more we spend, the more we think we have to spend to keep up with others, or to keep up with our own expectations.  That’s chasing after the wind because there will be a new fashion or a better technology that will come out next month and to keep up we will have to spend more to get it. If we begin to cut back, we might realize we don’t need as much, we don’t need what’s new, and we can then save more, and be more generous and again, generosity is a rhythm in our relationship with the church that can lead us to a better life.   

Some people need to cut back in their schedules because they didn’t put into practice what we learned last month, which is that we can’t handle it all.  We think we can do it all.  We tell ourselves we can do it all.  We try to do it all, and we try to make sure our kids are doing it all, but all we are doing is running ourselves and our families into the ground.  We are holding on to too many things and have no free hand and no free time to stop and breathe.  Cut back.

Or maybe what you need to do is literally let go and throw out.  

I heard a great phrase that week: throw away as if your life depends on it, because it does.  We think that all our stuff is important but for many of us, our stuff is just weighing us down and holding us back.  Just like the man in Jesus’ story, all our stuff needs to be housed and cared for so we build bigger closets, and when those are full we move things to bigger attics and basements, and when those are full we move things to bigger garages and when we still don’t have enough room we go and rent space to store our stuff because our stuff is important - but it’s not.  

Not long ago I realized that without children, all my stuff will go to my nieces and nephews who I can assure you don't want it, so I started to go through my stuff and throw things out.  Actually, I didn’t throw things out as much as I thought about - who would want this now?  Who could use this now?  What can I donate, what can I give away, and at times what needs to be thrown away?  What clothes did I not wear last winter that I won’t wear this winter as well?  Can I donate those now so they can get into the hands of someone who will wear it, someone who needs it?  

I will never forget when Bishop Yambasu from Sierra Leone visited and as I pulled my car into the garage he talked about how much stuff we have and how many people’s garages are so full.  He said his pastors didn’t have two pairs of shoes and we have so much stuff that our garages are full of boxes and we don’t even know what’s in them.  I was humbled and started asking myself what can I throw out and how can I cut back on buying more.  

Cut back, throw out, and Turn off.  What do you need to turn off in your life?  Maybe it’s the TV.  Maybe it’s your cell phone.  Maybe it’s one of your social media accounts.  Maybe you need to turn off CNN or Fox News.  It’s not just filling both hands that is a problem, it’s also filling our ears and minds and hearts with too much of the world that we can’t hear God.  Think how tranquil our lives might be if we turned off some of the noise around us.  Can we turn off this world so we can tune into God?    

Cutting back, throwing out, and turning off can help us let go of what doesn’t matter in life, but then we have to fight for what does matter. Earlier I asked you to think about what matters most in your life.  Look at those things again.  What would it look like for you to fight for those things?

When the people of Israel returned to Jerusalem after living in a foreign land for generations, they began to rebuild the walls of the city under the leadership of Nehemiah.  The people worked hard and were getting weary and the enemies of Israel thought the time was coming when the people would give up their work and when they did, they would be able to walk into the city and take it over.  Nehemiah knew what was going on so stood up and said this to his people.  

Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.  Nehemiah 4:14

This needs to be our battle cry today, fight for what matters.  Fight for your sons and daughters, fight for your marriage and family, fight for your faith and your values, fight for what is ultimately important and let go of what’s not.  I don’t know what this fight looks like for you, but my guess is that right now - you do.  

You know what it looks like to fight for your sons and daughters.  It means giving them your time and attention.  It means listening to their words and nurturing their hearts.  It’s making sure they are your priority in life and not just on some list.  

And you know what it looks like to fight for your marriage.  It means your love needs to bear all things, believe all things, hope all things and endure all things.  It means being the first to forgive and the first to serve.  It means getting help for the problems that seem to divide you and not be so quick to give up.  You know what it means to fight and it’s time to fight.  

And you know what it looks like to fight for your faith.  It means allowing God to speak to you or forgive you.  It means stepping out to live for God and to acknowledging God’s presence in your life.  It means making the commitment to learn more about Jesus and to grow in your relationship with God, the church, and the world.  It means stopping all the excuses and to start loving God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength.  You know what battle God is calling you to step into.  Let go of what doesn’t matter and fight for what does.  

Let go of what doesn’t matter and hold to and fight for what does.  Better is one hand with tranquility than two hands with toil and chasing after the wind.  

Better is one hand with tranquility than two hands with toil and chasing after the wind.

Next Steps

Better is One Handful with Tranquility

Memorize this week’s better verse:  Ecclesiastes 4:6

Better one handful with tranquility, than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind.   

How is always wanting more part of “original sin” and the story of Adam and Eve?  Genesis 3

Read Jesus' warning about wanting more.  Luke 12:13-21

One handful living starts by letting go of what doesn’t matter.

1. Cut Back

How has your spending and schedule gotten out of control?

Where can you cut back and experience some tranquility?

2. Throw Out

How has what you hold on to taken hold of you?  

Where can you begin to downsize this week? 

What can be donated or given away to those in need?

3. Turn Off

Identify one thing you can turn off this week.  TV, news, social media, cell phones, car radio, gossip, bitterness, comparing yourself to others.  Allow God to speak in the silence.

Now fight for what does matter!

What matters most in your life?  

How can you need to fight for these things today?