Scripture Reading: Luke 9:21-26

"Your Own Side" v. God's Side

Intro.

1. Modern psychology says you must “be on your own side;” “be for yourself.” (Codependent No More, Melody Beattie: “Have a Love Affair with Yourself”). This is an exercise in self-love, self-esteem, self-assurance and self-confidence, that what you feel is what will make you happy. (“Maybe deep down you feel you don’t deserve to be happy.”)

2. Hardwiring Happiness: The New Brain Science of Contentment, Calm, and Confidence (Rick Hanson, Ph.D.) (quote)

a. Stop being “self-critical and “mean toward” yourself. “Do unto yourself what you want others to do unto you” (Matt. 7:12).

b. “Whatever the reason, many people are not strong advocates for themselves.”

3. We need a healthy level of “self-criticism,” 2 Cor. 13:5; 1 Cor. 11:31.

4. Self-confidence can be misplaced, Lk. 18:9; Rom. 2:17-20, 24.

a. Everyone is valuable; Not discounting your worth, nor should you.

b. Confidence must be in Lord and His word, Acts 28:31; Eph. 3:11-12.

5. The world says: “Be on your own side” to be happy, by caring about yourself, first. This wisdom of men takes God completely out of the equation of life – its purpose, meaning and goals, Eccl. 12:13-14.

a. World says your purpose in life is to discover your own happiness, cf. Solomon, Eccl. 2:10-11.

b. “Pursuit of anything in this world, without a healthy consideration of the ultimate and eternal consequences of our actions, leads only to frustration and emptiness” (Dan King, Searching for Happiness, 11).

c. Individual happiness cannot be viewed as an end in itself, Eccl. 12:13.

6. The Bible says: “Be on God’s side” by surrendering yourself to Him, and have joy and peace, Matt. 11:28-30; 16:24; Jno. 14:26-28; 16:22, 33.

I. “BE FOR YOURSELF” / “AM I ON MY OWN SIDE?”

A. “Means You Care about Yourself.” (Look out for your own best interests.)

1. Bible love (agape): Look out for the interests of others before yourself, Phil. 2:4; 1 Cor. 13:5 (love does not seek its own).

2. Dramatic conflict between human wisdom and God’s wisdom.

B. Who is on the Lord’s Side? Exo. 32:26

II. WE WILL SERVE THE LORD, Josh. 24:15.

“YOUR OWN SIDE”

GOD’S SIDE

Feelings seem right, Prov. 14:12

God is right, Isa. 45:19

Can easily lie to self, Psa. 14:1; 5:9

God’s word is truth, Jno. 17:17

Heart deceives, Jer. 17:5, 9

God is trustworthy, Jer. 17:7

All is vanity, Eccl. 2:22-23

Joy, peace, contentment, Phil. 4:4-8

Fill up desires, but never satisfied

Heb. 11:25; 1 Jno. 2:17

Sacrifice for fulfillment

Mk. 10:28-31

Lose your life, Lk. 9:24

Save your life, Lk. 9:23-24

Conclusion

1. You are important, you are valuable to God, Jno. 3:16.

2. But, you are not more important than God and His will for you, Lk. 9:23.

3. To “save your life” you must “lose it” through complete devotion to Jesus, and always being on His side, Lk. 9:24-26.

Sources

Hardwiring Happiness (by Rick Hanson, Ph.D.) http://www.rickhanson.net/writings/books/hardwiring-happiness/ —

“Using this book, you can beat the brain’s negativity bias, which is like Velcro for negative experiences but Teflon for positive ones. This bias evolved to help ancient animals survive, but today it makes us feel needlessly frazzled, worried, irritated, lonely, inadequate, and blue.

“Instead, in just a few seconds at a time in the flow of daily life, you can turn your experiences – the pleasure in a cup of coffee, the accomplishment in finishing a tricky email, the warmth from a friend’s smile – into lasting inner strengths built into your brain, such as resilience, balance, and positive emotions.

“Grounded in neuroscience, Hardwiring Happiness is super practical, full of easy-to-use methods and guided practices to grow a steady well-being, self-worth, and inner peace. And it has special sections on children, motivation, relationships, trauma, and spiritual practice.”

By: Joe R. Price

Posted: June 2, 2016