RULES AND BOUNDARIES

RULES AND BOUNDARIES

by Pastor Mark Taylor

Matthew 7:21-27

Matthew 7:24-27 Jesus gives a parable of two men, one wise and one foolish that built their house. One built on solid rock and the other built on sand. 

The man who built on solid rock lived with security. Security is closely related to freedom. Each man had the freedom to build on whatever foundation he desired. 

When you build your life on Jesus you have a rock solid foundation to construct the rest of your life. Only the person who builds his life on Christ is secure, all other ground is sinking sand. The life build on Christ is delivered from fear. The life grounded in Jesus has no need to fear the present or the future.

It is the rules and boundaries that make sports an exciting game. Take away the rules and boundaries and you have no game. Even so in the Christian life God’s commandments are given for our own good. God gave us boundaries to keep us safe and remove confusion from our lives. Without rules and boundaries your life would be in constant chaos and all relationships would implode. 

God has set boundaries for your own good. When you know the boundaries and practice them you enjoy a fun filled life. When you know and practice boundaries you enjoy freedom and security.

God has given everyone the freedom to choose. You can choose to stay within His boundaries or go outside His boundaries. It is in that true freedom to choose that you find authentic love.  Whether it is your relationship to God or to others if you take away freedom you take away love. It is only when you are free to chose and disagree that you are free to love.  God designed the entire creation for freedom. We were not created to control each other we were created to love each other freely.  Where there is extreme control and abuse there is not love. Boundaries are not something you set on another person. They are something you set on yourself.

It is possible to live without boundaries. The devil will try to fool you into thinking that living without boundaries is the way to freedom.  Breaking outside of boundaries can be dangerous.  One word gives the key to “freedom.” That one word is obedience. You can know about the commandments and boundaries God has given. You can brag on how much you know about spiritual truths, but the important thing to Jesus: “Are you walking the talk.” 

Jesus is speaking of the absolute necessity of building your life on the right kind of foundation. Because the foundation is what holds everything up; it’s what holds everything together. No matter what quality of materials you use; no matter how carefully you join the frame together; no matter how skilled your craftsmen may be – if the foundation isn’t solid and stable, your “house” will lack integrity. Over time, cracks will develop in the walls. The windows will stick. The roof will leak. And sooner or later, the storms of life will bring it crashing down, and everything you’ve worked so hard to build will be lost.

Both the wise man and the foolish man build a great house. Both worked hard. One was wise and the other foolish. Why? The wise man build on a solid foundation and the foolish man build on sand.

Jesus gives you the choice where you will build your life. You can build on temporary sand. You can disregard His teachings. Or you can choose to build your life on Christ the solid rock. You build on a solid foundation by -Obeying the teachings of Christ

-Paying attention to the building codes – regular pray,  Bible study, worship, small group fellowship and by  Making choices that honor and please the Lord.

People who live without boundaries often lack self-control. Paul wrote to Timothy, "Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness. For godliness is profitable not only in the this life but also in the age to come." (I Tim. 4:7,8) The Bible teaches us, "When to say Yes, when to say No and when to take control of your life." 

Limits and boundaries are good for everyone, know your limits, know how far you can go.  This is true in how you treat yourself and how you allow others to treat you.  This is true about the way you treat your health and it is true about moral decisions you make.

There is a spiritual law of sowing and reaping.  When you set boundaries in your life and build it on a good foundation, you will reap good things  When you do not follow the boundaries God has set for you because He loves you, you will reap the natural consequences of your decisions.

Start today planting good seed so that you will have a good harvest.  Reinforce your foundation so that your life will be able to withstand the storms of life.

ONE MORE NIGHT WITH THE FROGS

ONE MORE NIGHT WITH THE FROGS

By Pastor Mark Taylor

“And Moses said unto Pharaoh.. When shall I ask God for you, and for your servants, and for your people, to destroy the frogs from you and your houses...And he said Tomorrow” (Exodus 8:9-10)

How many people know in their heart what they should do, and have good intentions but they keep putting it off? One of the greatest challenges we face is procrastination. The interesting thing about procrastination is that it is so easy to justify. We may say:  One day… 

 I’ll get serious about my relationship with God.

 I’m going to forgive that person who hurt me.

 I’m going to get back in shape.

 I’m going to get my finances in order.

 I’ll find a ministry and start serving God.

What is your…

“One day I’ll __________________”? 

“Tomorrow”- Are you serious? When given the opportunity to get rid of millions of nasty, stinky, diseased ridden frogs at any moment,  Pharaoh said, “Tomorrow”.  He could have gotten rid of them at that very moment. When given the opportunity to rid yourselves of all of the nasty, stinky, diseased things within your life; why do you tell God, “Later”?

Pharaoh’s procrastination not only affected him, but his family, servants, and the whole nation of Egypt with the exception of where God’s people were living.  When we delay “getting right with God”, it affects everyone that is in our sphere of influence.

Procrastination is dangerous because it robs us of that which can never be regained.  An opportunity unused is indeed an opportunity lost. Let us resolve to take advantage of the opportunities presented unto us. “Redeem your time, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:16)

It is a bad decision to put off obeying the gospel and spend one more night with the frogs.  It is true that God is very patient.  The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering towards us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.  But the day could come when God would give up 

on you.  “And the Lord said, My Spirit shall not always strive with man...” (Genesis 6:3).

The people of Noah’s time lived lives in which the thoughts of men were continually evil.  God gave them 120 years to turn to Him, and then he sealed the door of the ark and no man could open it.   They had spent one night too many with the frogs and lost the opportunity to have a relationship with God. 

It is a bad decision to spend one more night with the frogs because the conscience may become hardened.  “Today, if you will heart His voice, harden not your hearts.” (Hebrews 3:15).  

God does not easily give up on people.  He is a God of mercy and love.  But there are times when people choose to give up on God and reject the Holy Spirit speaking to them.  When their hearts becomes so depraved by repeated rebellion to God that their conscience is no longer open to the Word of God, they are risking the salvation and forgiveness He offers.  “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not right.  Became filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, full of envy murder, debate, deceit,   malignity (malice, meanness, nastiness, spitefulness), whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable (hardheaded, hard-nosed, headstrong, immovable, obstinate), unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.”  (Romans 1:28-32).

It is a bad decision to spend one more night with the frogs because of the uncertainty of death.  “You do not know what shall happen tomorrow.  For what is your life?  It is even as a vapor, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away...Therefore to him that knows to do good, and does it not, to him it is sin.”  (James 4: 14, 17).  What is is that God is telling you today?  God is the Creator of time. God’s great gift to you is #1-Jesus and #2-Time. The Lord has given us time to work, time to play, time to laugh, time to labor, etc... We need to learn to see that every day is a gift from God. Did you know that every morning a gracious God, who loves you, deposits into your bank of time 1,440 minutes?

Identify the priorities of your day.  Motivate yourself to do it now.  Energize yourself with God’s power, not your own.  “Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90:12.   Wisdom is the art of spending time wisely. 

What frogs are you letting stay in your life until later? Will you spend one more day or night with the frogs and risk your heart becoming harden?  Recognize that God wants to deliver you today from the sins that are keeping you from another day of peace and happiness that He has to offer you.

“Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.”        (James 4:17)