Beauty for Ashes - Isa 61:3
July 14, 2024
remember what this series is all about… incredible, astonishing person of Jesus…
Acts 3:1-10… “lame man was healed… walking and jumping and praising God… and the people were full of wonder and surprise at what had taken place…”
surprize… an unexpected or astonishing event, fact or thing; as to seem incredible…
bible exposes us to Jesus… which creates a chain reaction of love, joy, peace… no fear of death… hope… simplicity of scripture… precious promises…
Eph 4:11-16… “build up body… equip saints… reach unity… in the knowledge of Jesus…”
Col 1:10… “pleasing God… fruitful in good work… thru knowledge of Him…”
2Pet 1:1-3… “given everything required for life… thru knowledge of Him…”
epignosis… precise and correct knowledge…
world exposes us to hopelessness, worry, fear (devo)… chain reaction to negative thoughts, feelings, actions… birth pains increasing in frequency and intensity…
Prov 12:25… “worry in the heart causes depression… a good word makes it glad…”
Eccl 11:10… “refuse to worry… and keep your body healthy…”
Mark 13:3-8… “wars, earthquakes, famines… these are beginning of birth pains…”
Luke 12:22-34… “can worry add a single moment to your life… if worry can’t accomplish a little thing like that… what’s the use of worrying over bigger things… dominates thoughts of unbelievers all over world… seek Kingdom first… and He’ll give you everything you need…”
1Pet 3:14-15… “don’t worry or be afraid of threats… instead, worship Christ…”
good news is our only hope… a crown of beauty for our ashes… pray…
Isa 61:1-3… “bring good news to afflicted… heal brokenhearted… proclaim freedom to prisoners… proclaim year of Lord’s favor… comfort all who mourn… give them a crown of beauty instead of ashes… garment of praise for spirit of heaviness… trees of righteousness…”
Prolonged Sorrow
all of us will experience sorrow… prolonged sorrow can lead to depression and other negative behaviors… how do you deal with it… focus on God’s promises… not what caused the sorrow… fill yourself with praise and thanks, not sadness…
Gen 50:10… “you planned evil… God planned it for good… to save many…”
Psa 30:5… “sorrow may endure for a night… but joy comes in the morning…”
Psa 40:1-3… “waited patiently for the Lord… He heard my cry for help… He lifted me out of the pit of despair… gave me a new praise song… many will be amazed and trust in Him…”
Psa 119:50… “this is my comfort in affliction… Your promise gives me life…”
Isa 35:10… “redeemed will sing… obtain joy and gladness… and sorrow will flee…”
Unfulfilled Expectations
expect nothing, appreciate everything… depression and disappointment can come when we expect something that doesn’t happen… can steal tangible blessings…
Psa 33:20-22… “we put our hope in the Lord… hearts rejoice and trust in Him…”
Psa 62:5… “wait for God only… my hope is in Him…”
Luke 6:35… “love, do good, lend… expecting nothing in return…”
Rejection
fuels depression… GenZ feels insignificant, lonely, rejected, unworthy… many do things to get rejected before others can reject them… complete acceptance is only found in Christ… only His opinion truly matters… not everyone will like you…
Mark 1:11… “you are My beloved (favorite)… I am fully pleased with you…”
Luke 6:22… “blessed… when people hate, exclude, insult, slander you… because of Me…”
John 5,8… “everything the Father says about me is true… your approval or disapproval means nothing to me… my Father says glorious things about me…”
Rom 12:18… “if possible… as much as you can… live at peace with everyone…”
Dead Religious Traditions
nothing can spiral you into depression faster than trying to keep OT law… always produces bondage, worry, fear… under law, you never give, pray, serve enough… only grace brings freedom, joy, peace… DRT will suck the life right out of you…
Acts 15:10… “why are you putting a yoke on us no one can bear…”
2Cor 12:9-10… “My grace is sufficient for you… take pleasure in insults, trouble…”
Gal 5:1… “Christ has set us free… don’t submit again to a yoke of slavery…”
Heb 9:14… “blood of Christ… has cleansed your conscience from dead works…”
zygos… slavery, bondage, burden; troublesome laws, especially the Mosaic law…
Sickness/Illness/Pain
live in fallen world… don’t understand why all aren’t completely healed here… devil uses these to open door to depression, substance abuse, self-harm, suicide… guard your heart from lies… stand on truth… be careful of the words you speak…
Job 3:25… “thing I feared most has happened… what I dreaded has come true…”
Psa 42:11… “why am I dejected and sad… hope is in Him… I will praise Him…”
Prov 4:23… “guard your heart… it determines the course of your life…”
Prov 23:7… “as a man thinks in his heart… so is he…”
Start Thanking God
good news is God has made a way out of the ashes… best weapon against devil’s attacks is thanks… in everything, not for everything… choice, not a feeling…
Prov 12:18… “the tongue of the wise brings healing…”
Matt 21:16 (Psa 8:2)… “praise is the strength which silences your enemies…”
Rom 1:18-32… “didn’t give praise or thanks… led to dark and confused mind, utter fools…”
Eph 5:20-17… “give thanks in everything… understand what God wants…”
Phil 4:4-9… “rejoice, pray, give thanks… peace will guard your heart and mind…”
1Thess 5:16-18… “rejoice, pray, give thanks… this is God’s will for you…”
Stop Complaining
average person complains between 15-30 times a day… does nothing good…
Num 11:1-3… “complained openly… Lord’s anger burned… fire consumed them…”
Prov 18:21… “words kill, words give life… either poison or fruit… you choose…”
Jonah 4… “complained to God… death certainly is better than this (suicide)…”
John 6… “stop complaining, does this offend you… many disciples deserted Him…”
1Cor 10:10… “don’t complain as some did… destroyed by angel of death…”
Jude 1:12-19… “they are discontented grumblers… create divisions… don’t have HS…”
Stop Comparing
leads to pride or disappointment… never peace… enjoy life, don’t compare… pray…
Jer 29:11… “I know the plans I have for you… for good, a future, and a hope…”
2Cor 10:12-18… “don’t compare yourself to others… it is not wise…”
Gal 6:4… “examine your own work… don’t compare to someone else…”
1Tim 6:6… “godliness with contentment (nothing needed)… is great gain…”