Living with Urgency: Faith That Grows Stronger
Summary
As we journey through life, it's easy to become complacent, especially as we age. But the closer we get to the end, the more urgent our mission should become. We often start our Christian walk with radical faith, eager to take risks for the Lord. Yet, as responsibilities grow, we tend to settle into comfort, losing the fervor we once had. This is backwards. As we near the finish line, our intensity should increase, not diminish. We should be like Caleb, who at 85 was as ready to conquer as he was at 40, driven by the belief that God was still with him.
Reflecting on the story of King Asa, we see a man who started strong, relying on God, but later trusted in his own resources. This shift led to his downfall. It's a cautionary tale for us all. We must remember the days when we had nothing but God and how He provided. We should strive to maintain that childlike faith, regardless of our age or resources. God is actively seeking those whose hearts are fully committed to Him, ready to support them. We must be those people, living with the intensity and urgency of a race, knowing that our true happily ever after begins when we stand before God.
In our churches, we need a blend of generations, where the elderly lead the young in faith, not just in words but in actions. Young people are longing for mentors who live out the gospel with radical faith. We must show them that faith doesn't diminish with age but grows stronger. Our legacy should be one of boldness and courage, demonstrating that our hope is in the eternal, not the temporal. Let us live in such a way that when we stand before God, we hear the words, "Well done."
Key Takeaways:
- As we age, our urgency to live for Christ should increase, not decrease. We are closer to meeting our Savior, and this should drive us to live with greater intensity and purpose. Like Caleb, we should be ready to conquer new challenges, knowing God is with us. [08:33]
- The story of King Asa teaches us the danger of shifting our trust from God to our own resources. We must remember our early days of faith when we relied solely on God and strive to maintain that dependence throughout our lives. [19:08]
- God is actively seeking those whose hearts are fully committed to Him. He desires to support and strengthen those who are truly seeking His kingdom. We must be those people, living with a heart blameless before Him. [10:06]
- The church should be a place where generations blend, with the elderly leading the young in faith. Young people are looking for mentors who live out the gospel with radical faith, showing that faith grows stronger with age. [24:21]
- Our ultimate goal is to stand before God and hear the words, "Well done." This should drive us to live with boldness and courage, knowing that our true happily ever after begins in eternity. [30:04]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[00:42] - Backwards Living
[01:23] - Urgency in Faith
[02:39] - Evaluating Time
[03:35] - The Amazing Race Analogy
[05:03] - Comfort vs. Radical Faith
[06:30] - Happily Ever After
[07:23] - Living for the Eternal
[08:03] - Caleb's Example
[09:02] - 2 Chronicles 16:9
[11:54] - Context of King Asa
[15:20] - Taking Courage
[17:57] - Asa's Downfall
[21:23] - Personal Reflection
[24:05] - Generational Faith
[29:04] - Living for "Well Done"
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. 2 Chronicles 16:9
2. Joshua 14:10-12 (Caleb's example)
3. Matthew 25:21 (Well done, good and faithful servant)
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Observation Questions:
1. What was the main reason for King Asa's downfall according to the sermon? How did his trust shift over time? [18:54]
2. How does the sermon describe Caleb's attitude and faith at the age of 85? What does this reveal about his character? [08:33]
3. What analogy did the pastor's wife use to describe their marriage, and how does it relate to the urgency of faith? [03:35]
4. According to the sermon, what is God actively seeking in people, and how does this relate to 2 Chronicles 16:9? [10:06]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the story of King Asa serve as a cautionary tale for believers today? What lessons can be drawn from his shift in trust? [19:08]
2. In what ways does Caleb's example challenge the common perception of aging and faith? How can this perspective be applied to modern believers? [08:33]
3. How does the concept of living with urgency and intensity, as described in the sermon, align with the biblical idea of running a race? [06:30]
4. What does it mean to have a heart that is "blameless" before God, and how can believers strive to be the kind of people God is seeking to support? [10:06]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your current stage of life. Are there areas where you have become complacent in your faith? How can you reignite your passion and urgency for God's mission? [06:15]
2. Consider the story of King Asa. Are there resources or areas in your life where you have shifted your trust away from God? How can you realign your trust in Him? [19:08]
3. Caleb was ready to conquer new challenges at 85. What new challenges or opportunities for growth is God calling you to pursue, regardless of your age? [08:33]
4. The sermon emphasizes the importance of generational mentorship. How can you actively seek or become a mentor in your church community to encourage radical faith? [24:21]
5. The pastor mentioned the importance of living for the eternal rather than the temporal. What practical steps can you take this week to focus more on eternal values? [07:23]
6. How can you ensure that your life is characterized by boldness and courage, aiming to hear "Well done" from God? What specific actions can you take to live with this goal in mind? [30:04]
7. Reflect on the analogy of "The Amazing Race" used in the sermon. How can you apply this mindset to your daily life and relationships, ensuring you are running your race with purpose and urgency? [03:35]
Devotional
Day 1: Urgency in Our Christian Walk
As we age, the urgency to live for Christ should increase, not decrease. The closer we get to meeting our Savior, the more fervent our mission should become. Like Caleb, who at 85 was as ready to conquer as he was at 40, we should be driven by the belief that God is still with us. This urgency is not about fear but about living with greater intensity and purpose, knowing that our time is limited and precious. We are called to live with the same radical faith we had at the beginning of our journey, continually seeking new challenges and opportunities to serve God. [08:33]
Joshua 14:10-12 (ESV): "And now, behold, the Lord has kept me alive, just as he said, these forty-five years since the time that the Lord spoke this word to Moses, while Israel walked in the wilderness. And now, behold, I am this day eighty-five years old. I am still as strong today as I was in the day that Moses sent me; my strength now is as my strength was then, for war, and for going and coming. So now give me this hill country of which the Lord spoke on that day, for you heard on that day how the Anakim were there, with great fortified cities. It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall drive them out just as the Lord said."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you feel complacent in your faith? How can you reignite your passion and urgency to serve God in that area today?
Day 2: Trusting in God Alone
The story of King Asa serves as a cautionary tale about the danger of shifting our trust from God to our own resources. Asa started strong, relying on God, but later trusted in his own strength, leading to his downfall. We must remember the days when we had nothing but God and how He provided for us. Maintaining that childlike faith, regardless of our age or resources, is crucial. God desires our complete dependence on Him, and we must strive to keep our trust anchored in Him throughout our lives. [19:08]
2 Chronicles 16:7-9 (ESV): "At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him, 'Because you relied on the king of Syria, and did not rely on the Lord your God, the army of the king of Syria has escaped you. Were not the Ethiopians and the Libyans a huge army with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet because you relied on the Lord, he gave them into your hand. For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him. You have done foolishly in this, for from now on you will have wars.'"
Reflection: In what ways have you been relying on your own resources instead of trusting God? How can you shift your focus back to relying on Him today?
Day 3: A Heart Fully Committed to God
God is actively seeking those whose hearts are fully committed to Him. He desires to support and strengthen those who are truly seeking His kingdom. We must be those people, living with a heart blameless before Him. This means living with integrity, faithfulness, and a deep commitment to God's purposes. Our lives should reflect a genuine pursuit of God's will, and we should be open to His guidance and support in all areas of our lives. [10:06]
2 Chronicles 16:9 (ESV): "For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him. You have done foolishly in this, for from now on you will have wars."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to fully commit your heart to God? How can you take a step towards that commitment today?
Day 4: Generational Faith and Mentorship
The church should be a place where generations blend, with the elderly leading the young in faith. Young people are looking for mentors who live out the gospel with radical faith, showing that faith grows stronger with age. Our legacy should be one of boldness and courage, demonstrating that our hope is in the eternal, not the temporal. By living out our faith authentically, we can inspire the next generation to pursue God with the same passion and commitment. [24:21]
Titus 2:2-4 (ESV): "Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children."
Reflection: Who is one young person in your life that you can mentor in faith? How can you begin to invest in their spiritual growth today?
Day 5: Living for the Eternal Reward
Our ultimate goal is to stand before God and hear the words, "Well done." This should drive us to live with boldness and courage, knowing that our true happily ever after begins in eternity. We are called to live with an eternal perspective, focusing on what truly matters and investing our lives in things that have lasting value. By keeping our eyes on the eternal reward, we can live with purpose and passion, knowing that our efforts for God's kingdom will not be in vain. [30:04]
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (ESV): "So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."
Reflection: What is one way you can shift your focus from the temporal to the eternal today? How can this change impact your daily decisions and actions?
Quotes
I think the older I get the more intense I get about this because I feel like we do things backwards in the Christian church a lot of times we do these radical amazing things for Jesus when we're 18 to 25 and then we start to mellow out and throughout the years we get more and more comfortable and there are fewer and fewer things we do by faith. [00:00:29]
I just think you know I'm getting closer you know every year I'm getting closer to the end I'm getting closer to that moment that moment when I'm going to see him like I'm going to stand in his presence and there's nothing left and so if you know you're getting closer and closer to the end wouldn't you get more urgent. [00:00:58]
I want to end this thing well because again we do this backwards, we do so much when we're young and people take such Steps of Faith but slowly it just kind of declines and we get more and more comfortable and I I get it I get why we do it I mean when you're when you're 18 what do you got to lose right. [00:04:53]
I don't want to live my life that way I don't want to get more comfortable every year I am trying to take a bigger and bigger step of Faith every year because I'm just thinking I'm getting closer and closer to the finish and if I've got 13 years and if that's what the Lord has for me man then I go I just want to go 100% because I want to end well. [00:06:08]
The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him I love that verse the eyes of the Lord are roaming throughout the Earth do you believe this do do you take scripture literally like I do do do you go you know what right now God on his throne is literally looking around the earth. [00:09:05]
God's actually looking for someone to support see sometimes when we pray we go God please please come on support me give me some strength as if if he doesn't want to do that God's saying no no I'm the one that's pursuing I'm just looking is anyone here anyone's heart really for me like are you really seeking my kingdom. [00:10:20]
King ASA was an amazing guy he was an amazing King and if you know anything about the history of of Judah and of Israel you know when there was a good good King good things happened but that was rare usually they were bad kings and the bad kings took them into just horrible horrible places and so very early in King asa's Reign a prophet comes to him. [00:12:09]
He took courage I I was even thinking about that phrase take courage you know he says take courage it's something you've got to grab right I mean I I think most of us like me I'm not naturally courageous I'm not naturally fearless and I need someone to tell me man take it take the bull by the horns come on take that courage into you. [00:13:09]
I love stories like this because man don't you dream of being a man of God like that or a woman of God like that this ISS I don't care the way that it's always been done I just heard from the Lord and I'm going to take courage I'm going to do things the way that he wants me to do them and there was an intensity there. [00:15:18]
I used to rely on the Lord because I had nothing but then suddenly he starts giving me resources giving me abilities he did it all but at some point I kind of try to take over it's like man I've written a few bestsellers now I could I I know how to get an income I know how to do this I have friends I have resources. [00:21:29]
I want to show them you know we charge this I'm I'm darting for that finish line and follow my example I want my grandkids looking and going man look at Grandpa that's the example look at Grandpa Caleb he's 85 and he's ready to fight a war that is that is that is a God thing man don't you want to be that man. [00:26:40]
I want that for you I want you to imagine at that moment when you're standing before him Yahweh God is there anything you're going to care about other than whether or not he says well done man you set an example yeah you you got comfortable there for a while but when you heard the word of God you were just like King ASA. [00:29:44]
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