Awakening To Help

Awakening To Help (I Can’t Do This On My Own)

Pastor Chuck Bernal - April 30, 2017

 If you want change in your life to be permanent, strong and continual you need other people to help make it happen. This is the principle of community and it is woven through every page of the Bible. God has wired us up with a need for other people. We were designed and created for relationships: with God and with others. None of us were meant to walk the journey of life all alone, but many often do. The truth is this: we really do need each other to make it and we need to awaken to help.

THREE MINDSETS THAT WILL KEEP US DISCONNECTED

__________________________  “I don’t need anybody!”

___________________________ “What if nobody cares?”

___________________________  “Why bother?”

FOUR REASONS WHY YOU REALLY DO NEED THE HELP OF OTHER PEOPLE

When you are ___________________________, you need the help of others!

The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim.  Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands.” So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill.  As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword. (Exodus 17:8-13 – NIV)

When you are ___________________________, you need the help of others!

 For I am already being poured out, and the last drops of this drink offering are all that remain; it’s almost time for me to leave . . .  Come to me, Timothy, as soon as you can. You see, Demas has fallen for this world, abandoned me, and headed off to Thessalonica. Crescens took off for Galatia. Titus has gone to Dalmatia. Luke is the only one left . . .  On your way here, pick up the cloak I left with Carpus in Troas, and bring the scrolls—especially the parchments. Keep your eye out for Alexander the coppersmith! He came against me with all sorts of evil— so watch your back. When it was time for my first defense, no one showed up to support me. Everyone abandoned me . . .Try your best to come before the cold winter winds blow in.  (2 Timothy 4:6, 9-11, 13-14, 16, 21 – Voice)

When you are ___________________________, you need the help of others!

 Once again there was a battle between the Philistines and Israel. David went down with his men to fight against the Philistines, and he became exhausted. And Ishbi-Benob, one of the descendants of Rapha, whose bronze spearhead weighed three hundred shekels and who was armed with a new sword, said he would kill David.  But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to David’s rescue; he struck the Philistine down and killed him. Then David’s men swore to him, saying, “Never again will you go out with us to battle, so that the lamp of Israel will not be extinguished.”   (2 Samuel 21:15-17 – NIV)

 When you are ___________________________, you need the help of others!

 Jesus got into a boat, and His disciples followed Him. Out of nowhere, a vicious storm blew over the sea. Waves were lapping up over the boat, threatening to overtake it! Yet Jesus was asleep. Frightened (not to mention confused—how could anyone sleep through this?), the disciples woke Him up. “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” Jesus said, “What are you so afraid of, you of little faith?” Jesus got up, told the wind and the waves to calm down, and they did. The sea became still and calm once again. The disciples were astonished.  (Matthew 8:23-27 – Voice)

 You were never meant to walk through life alone. This has nothing to do with whether you’re single or married. Marriage does not solve the issue; community does. And you will only find community in your spiritual family — the Body of Christ. Some of people say, “What’s wrong with walking alone? I like waking alone. In fact, I prefer it. I can go at my own pace. I don’t have to wait for anybody.” You may like walking alone, but you need others to walk with you through life – especially when things get hard and the going gets rough.

 Life with the help of others is _________________________

Life with the help of others is _________________________

Life with the help of others is _________________________

 It’s better to have a partner than go it alone. Share the work, share the wealth. And if one falls down, the other helps, but if there’s no one to help, tough! Two in a bed warm each other. Alone, you shiver all night.  By yourself you’re unprotected. With a friend you can face the worst. Can you round up a third? A three-stranded rope isn’t easily snapped.  (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)

 AWAKENING PRINCIPLE 2:  Life was never meant to be lived ________________  and we really do ____________________ each other’s help to make it through.

Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are all parts of his one body, and each of us has different work to do. And since we are all one body in Christ, we belong to each other, and each of us needs all the others.  (Romans 12:4-5 - NLT)

THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION:  Help comes by being a part of a ______________

 God, if you are real, make Yourself real to me.  Awaken in me the willingness to connect with other people and let them help me when I need it.