Sermon Tone Analysis

\\ Scripture: Proverbs 3:1-12

 

The message this morning is a call for every man, woman, boy and girl to answer the question posed in the message title?

Am I trusting God today?

Can I trust God today?

! *In His Grip*

 

\\ Read:  Zephaniah 3:14-20

 

/The Lord loves the just and will not forsake His faithful ones./

/--Psalm 37:28/

 

It's the grip.

Not mine, but His.

Sometimes I forget

And latch on to something,

Or someone,

Forgetting my first love.

It's the grip.

Rock-strong, love-led.

Holding me when I want to run and hide,

Or disappear,

Forcing me to stand still.

It's the grip.

Pure grace, His ways.

Leading me through the angst and chaos,

Or cloudless sky,

Forging a path He has chosen.

It's the grip.

God's hand, on me.

Saving me,

And quieting my anxious mind,

Or fearful heart,

Forever held in His grip.

–TF

\\  

1.

You can’t determine the worth or value of anything in this world until you are willing to give it your full weight.

You’ve got one foot in the boat and one foot on the dock

Half of your faith in Jesus and half in the Wall Street stock

And you’re hoping that opportunity is going to find your door and knock

You’ve got one foot in the rowboat and one foot on the dock

 

If you want to find the fruit you have to get out on a limb.

The nature of the Christian life if it is to be fully experienced is to take risks.

If no one ever took risks, Michelangelo would have painted the Sistine floor.

-- Neil Simon

 

! RISK

 

To laugh is to risk appearing the fool

To weep is to risk appearing sentimental

To reach out for another is to risk involvement

To expose feelings is to risk exposing your true self

To place your ideas, your dreams before the crowd is to risk their loss

To love is to risk not being loved in return

To live is to risk dying

To hope is to risk despair

To try is to risk failure

 

But risks must be taken because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing

The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing and is nothing

They may avoid suffering and sorrow, but they cannot learn, feel, change, grow, love, live

 

Chained by their certitudes, they are a slave, they have forfeited their freedom

Only a person who risks is free.

Unknown

 

Peter who was terrified in the boat wanted to get out and walk on the water when he saw his Lord doing it.

It’s like coming to the edge and backing away.

There are people who inspire me to get out of the boat every once in awhile and I thank God for them.

We can play it too safe.

The amusement park thing.

They have a slide in the Magnetic Hill water park called the Kamikaze – now what kind of a name is that for a water slide?

The name is only partly as bad as the ride itself.

Is there any place in life where there are no risks?

People who play it too safe take the greatest risks.

Did you know that?

In the long haul, the intelligent risk takers develop the greatest security.

It's a wise person who learns the importance of risk taking.

During World War II, psychologist E. Paul Torrance made a study of United States aces flying in the Pacific theater of operations.

He reported that the most salient characteristic of the ace was his risk- taking ability.

Throughout his life, he had kept testing the limits of his abilities.

And the life histories of these men showed that they were highly resistant to accidents, and in combat they suffered fewer casualties than pilots who were inclined to play it safe.

Dr.

Torrance said, "Living itself is a risky business.

If we spent half as much time learning how to take risks as we spend avoiding them, we wouldn't have nearly so much to fear in life."

Putting your weight down on what God has promised.

This is the true exercise of faith.

Letting go of what lies behind.

Ø     Can I trust Him with my treasure?

Mark 10:17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him.

"Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" 18 "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered.

"No one is good--except God alone.

19 You know the commandments: `Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.' " 20 "Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy."

21 Jesus looked at him and loved him.

"One thing you lack," he said.

"Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.

Then come, follow me."

22 At this the man's face fell.

He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

Ø     Can I trust Him with for the Truth?

It’s the compass thing – when the compass says one thing and everything within me says another then can I override my desire to trust myself?

If you can’t accept the Bible as it is, the whole thing as a trustworthy guide then . .

.

Are you willing to accept the scriptures as your guide and authority for life?

The Scriptures have been translated into more than a thousand languages by many worthy organizations.

In fact, the Old Testament books are presently being made available in another hundred new tongues!

The Word of God lends itself well to this necessary and wonderful work.

For instance, the American Bible Society reports: "We in the United States love the Lord with our 'heart,' but the Karre people of French Equatorial Africa love Him with their 'liver.'

The Conob Indians of Guatemala love with their 'stomachs,' and the Marshall Islanders in the South Pacific with their 'throats.'

But do all these different words in the various languages distort the message?

Not at all.