Excessively Dependent On The
8/6/06
I want to talk about the
danger of being excessively dependant upon others (singular or plural)
resulting in never developing a strong personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
My mom can't get me into
heaven. my dad can't get me into heaven, my wife can't get me into heaven, my
best friend can't get me into heaven, Billy Graham or the pope can't get me
into heaven--that choice is mine and mine alone!
We all need
encouragement. And we should all be
encouragers, but we can develop a excessive dependence on someone else that is
unhealthy.
I am not referring to being
discipled. But we must reach a point
when we grow up!
Phil.
2:12 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 with fear and trembling, 13for it is God who works
in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
Paul
is saying--you don’t have to have me with you to grow up!
As
helpful or hurtful as others may be, we are individually responsible for what
we do.
The story of Joash
2
Ki. 12:1 In the seventh year of Jehu, Joash became king, and he reigned in
Jerusalem forty years. His mother’s name was Zibiah; she was from Beersheba. 2Joash
did what was right in the eyes of the LORD all the years Jehoiada the priest
instructed him. 3The high places, however, were not removed; the
people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.
2
Ki. 12:17 About this time Hazael king of Aram went up and attacked Gath and
captured it. Then he turned to attack Jerusalem. 18But Joash king of
Judah took all the sacred objects dedicated by his fathers—Jehoshaphat, Jehoram
and Ahaziah, the kings of Judah—and the gifts he himself had dedicated and all
the gold found in the treasuries of the temple of the LORD and of the royal
palace, and he sent them to Hazael king of Aram, who then withdrew from
Jerusalem.
19As for the other events of the reign of Joash, and all
he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? 20His
officials conspired against him and assassinated him at Beth Millo, on the road
down to Silla. 21The officials who murdered him were Jozabad son of
Shimeath and Jehozabad son of Shomer. He died and was buried with his fathers
in the City of David. And Amaziah his son succeeded him as king.
The scripture never contradicts
itself, but there are places in the Bible where we don’t get the full picture
unless we read every passage related to the same subject or story. This is a good example of that.
Read 2 Chr. chapters 21-24
David Strengthened himself in
the Lord his God!
1
Sam. 30:1 David and his men reached Ziklag on the third day. Now the Amalekites
had raided the Negev and Ziklag. They had attacked Ziklag and burned it, 2and
had taken captive the women and all who were in it, both young and old. They
killed none of them, but carried them off as they went on their way.
3When David and his men came to Ziklag, they found it
destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. 4So
David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep. 5David’s
two wives had been captured—Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal
of Carmel. 6David was greatly distressed because the men were
talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and
daughters. But David found strength in the LORD his God.
We can be encouraged by
others, but we have to fight our own battles!
Ja. 5:13 Is any one of you in
trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of
praise. 14Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the
church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.
be
afflicted, endure afflictions (hardness), suffer trouble.
Now this parable makes
sense. Our relationship cannot depend
on someone else’s oil!
Mat.
25:1 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took
their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2Five of them were
foolish and five were wise. 3The foolish ones took their lamps but
did not take any oil with them. 4The wise, however, took oil in jars
along with their lamps. 5The bridegroom was a long time in coming,
and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
6“At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom!
Come out to meet him!’
7“Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps.
8The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our
lamps are going out.’
9“‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both
us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’
10“But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the
bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding
banquet. And the door was shut.
11“Later the others also came. ‘Sir! Sir!’ they said.
‘Open the door for us!’
12“But he replied, ‘I tell you the truth, I don’t know
you.’
13“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day
or the hour.