Living Simply

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=50 BGCOLOR="#333366" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>Living Simply</B></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=165 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="132" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 35 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id79.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Outnumbered By Options"><U><B><IMG SRC="007151d0.gif" border=0 width="21" height="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id81.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="How Much Is Enough"><U><B><IMG SRC="008151d0.gif" border=0 width="21" height="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="20"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="35" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="20" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="13"></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="27"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></B></div> <div> Previous/Next Sermon</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="www.stanbaker.org"><U><B>Home</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id2.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Biblical and Theological Studies"><U><B>Biblical and Theological Studies</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id3.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Church Ministry"><U><B>Ministry Studies</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id15.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sermon Notes"><U>Sermon Notes</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id4.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><U><B>Links</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id5.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Personal"><U><B>Personal</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> www.stanbaker.org</div> <div> <A HREF="mailto:stan@stanbaker.org" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:stan@stanbaker.org"><U>stan@stanbaker.org</U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=430 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>“Living Simply, Simply Living,” Berean Bible Church, September 10, 2000</B></div> <bR> <div>      God wants us to simplify our lives around our relationship with him. What we do with our time is a spiritual issue for the Christian, just as how we use our money – God owns it, and he should control it.</div> <div> <B>I. In our complicated lives, God’s requirements are uncomplicated . . .</B></div> <div> A. Micah 6.6-8, God’s demands of you are simple – he wants control (“walk humbly,” be a willing follower, like a child walking along, holding the hand of his father who lead him and helps him avoid danger). God can’t control your <B>life</B> if he doesn’t control how you use your <B>time</B>. Jesus said in Matt 11.28-30, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >29</FONT> Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >30</FONT> For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Our learning from Christ can be a restful, peaceful experience of life.</div> <div> B. God expects us to order our lives around his priorities for us, with him at the center. Don’t let others set your agenda first and force you to leave God out. If God is not asking complicated stuff from us, why should we let the demands of others make life complicated?</div> <div> Because God wants to have control of our time . . .</div> <div> <B>II. We must talk to God regularly about his priorities for our lives.</B></div> <div>      We often make decisions based on what others want from us. Go first to God, find out what is required by him, and what are the best things that he wants you to do.</div> <div> A. Luke 10.38-42, Let God direct your priorities; this takes time with him. Mary listened, while Martha was distracted by her work. Mary was commended for making listening to Jesus the priority. If your focus is on Christ’s kingdom, let the King give you the specifics himself, through the Word, the Holy Spirit, and godly counsel from others.  Don’t just jump into good ideas, seek his direction first! </div> <div> <I>     </I>There are times when I have much to do, but spending time with God first helps me to focus on what is really important, and I am able to do that. It’s when I’m busiest that I most need to pause and spend time with God. And it is not just about spending time with God while we do all of our busy stuff, it is genuinely seeking God to know what to do and what not to do so we will not be so busy and stretched and stressed out (it might take some time for things to slow down, but let God lead you to that place).</div> <div> B. Be encouraged – God does not expect us to do it all. Mark 1.35-39: “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >36</FONT> Simon and his companions went to look for him, <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >37</FONT> and when they found him, they exclaimed: "Everyone is looking for you!" <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >MK 1:38</FONT> Jesus replied, "Let us go somewhere else--to the nearby villages--so I can preach there also. That is why I have come." <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >39</FONT> So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.”</div> <div>      Prayer was first, and then the focused work of preaching. Jesus didn’t try to do it all; he knew what he was called to do, regardless of the demands that others placed upon him. He didn’t heal every sick person. He didn’t teach everyone who could have used it. Again, you sometimes need to say “no” to perfectly good things. Don’t feel the need to “do it all.” It is not all resting on your shoulders.</div> <div>      In closing, God’s requirements for his people are not complicated, let’s let not life become complicated; let’s get our direction from God by spending time with him first. If you learn of a life threatening illness for you or a family member, you will immediately evaluate and possibly adjust your priorities. Don’t wait until an unfortunate situation or experience forces you to make changes and slow down – do it now. Slow down, simplify life by letting Christ give you direction. Stay in tune to what he is trying to do; don’t be so busy doing your own good things that you miss the simplicity of the best things that he wants for you.</div> </td> </tr></table></body>