Q1. Balance

[Pastor Ralph]

Q1. (Joshua 23-24) Why are we tempted to think that we have accomplished so much by our own strength? Why are we tempted to do nothing and expect God to do all the work? What is the balance? Which side of the balance have you been on personally? How about your church?

[charisbarak]

We live in a "do it yourself" society.  It is looked on as being weak if we don't.

Some may be tempted to leave it all to God to do--but that is laziness & sin--He has commanded us to obey His requests of us.

We know God has the power to accomplish whatever He puts His hand to--He wants us to do it and He will supply the power.  But, He gets all the glory!!

I desire to give God the glory--I still need to grow in obeying totally.

My church desires to GO and responses vary as people vary.  Hopefully, we are all growing to give the glory to God!

[ducminh]

Unbelievers and proud people often think the success depends on their effort and good planning.  The believers know that God will bless the work of those who work hard and help them to achieve the desire success.

Anyone who have faith in God will always remember the following verses:

Pro 16:9  A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.

Pro 19:21  There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.

Php 4:13  I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

God never support or work for anyone who does not listen to His command and does not abide to His commandments and His laws.  Christ has also given us the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14-30.  The conclusion of the above mentioned parable shows that God even removes His blessing from lazy people:

Mat 25:29  For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.

Mat 25:30  And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Therefore no one can expect that God will prepare a ready meal for them to eat.

Christian Churches should not expect blessings and support from God if they have denied God’s commandments and His laws.

[van]

We have a tendency to think we accomplish things on our own just because we don't see God working. We are tempted to do nothing because we feel that God doesn't need our help to complete a job He is mighty by Himself. God increases our strength and ability many-fold. They still had to fight, but God fights alongside them. I lean on God for strength because I can't do it by myself.
 

[Gladys E.]

We are tempted to think we do it on our own because we uses our natural strenght, not seeing any help from God with our eyes.

We expect God to do everything for us because He has promise us He will fight for us, and because of that we can't help Him.

The balance is, as God empowers us, we too must fight.

Personally,  I surrender everything to God and believe He would help me.

[blezed]

(Joshua 23-24) Why are we tempted to think that we have accomplished so much by our own strength? Why are we tempted to do nothing an expect God to do all the work? What is the balance? Which side of the balance have you been on personally? How about your church?

We are tempted to think that we have accomplished so much by our own strength because 1) human nature 2) it is easy to forget that it is the Lord that empowers us so we must be reminded.  We have a tendency to sit back and wait on God.  We must find the balance between trusting God to fight our battles, and being willing to do everything in our power to fight alongside him in the battle. I recognized that God will be there to help fight my battle but I must put forth some effort too.  My church is full of believers that truly believe and trust God.

 

[JanMary]

finalJoshua Lesson 8: Joshua 23,24:

Q1: Why are we tempted to think that we have accomplished much by our own strength?

 

I think it is because so much of what God does, He does quietly without fanfare, and He is invisible, and since we're on the scene we can be tempted to think we accomplished what was really impossible apart from His strength. Miraculous healings are like that...someone prays with the sick person and healing is manifested, and it appears to be the work of the one praying because we can't see God!

 

Why are we tempted to do nothing and expect God to do all the work?

 

Like the men Moses sent to spy out the land, we can be easily intimidated by the enemy or the size of the "mission". We also may not like to take responsibility, especially when there is a possibility of failing. Sometimes we lack "fire" and "desire", or are just worn out or burned out and can't imagine picking up the "sword" again. We have an enemy who majors in discouragement! We saw how he worked through men to discourage the rebuilding of the wall in Ezra, and he is always at work to oppose the work of God, in us, and through us. I don't know if this happens to others, but in the early days of my walk, I thought I was supposed to do whatever I was asked to do...didn't know to ask Him if He wanted me or someone else to take on what was being asked. There was no desire to do it, no inspiration, no strength. THEN I prayed and "heard" "I didn't ask you to do this, but you stepped in and are hindering the one I did ask, and who was slow to respond". I resigned, repented and learned to check with Him first....the other person finally stepped up and did a fantastic job!

 

What is the balance?

 

Show up willing to do my part, while relying on Him to do the heavy lifting, supply the power, the wisdom needed and to gift me with the experience and reward of serving.

 

Which side of the balance have you been on personally? How about your church?

 

Because of  my abusive and violent childhood, fear, insecurity and timidity have always plagued me. I seldom have been tempted to think I can accomplish what I'm being asked to do...so I rely on God completely, knowing if it's going to get done, He has to show up and give me courage to go forward, wisdom and guidance and trust in Him. He is so amazing, how He can work through such imperfect and inadequate people! When I was asked to write Bible Studies for our church, I had no idea how to do such a thing. The first lesson I handed in for review was all wrong...the approach. Everything! I wanted to quit. The Lord showed me that with my brain issues, I had to work backwards to get to the objective! So that's how He and I did it....I showed up, read and studied, digested and meditated on the word...then He'd wake me up at night when I was quiet and rested and give me the questions to ask, and what to add in the notes! (I gave Him all of the praise when I was told they were some of the best studies some had ever done and admitted that I was just the scribe holding the pen while He did the writing!)

 

I think our church is typical of most believing churches....all degrees of maturity, even in the pastoral staff. (We have several very young pastors.) So we have a few who function as though the load is on their shoulders alone, and their attitude shows in their words and demeanor. For the most part the load is so huge, with a K through 12th  school, a large campus, many missionaries to support, and a building program to complete, that the majority know that only God can carry and complete and continue the heavy load with much prayer and dependence upon Him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[haar]

Q1. (Joshua 23-24) Why are we tempted to think that we have accomplished so much by our own strength?

Because we assume wrongly that our achievements are as a result of our efforts

Why are we tempted to do nothing and expect God to do all the work?

Ignorance I think. We need to know that God works with/ through us and to accomplish our desires.

What is the balance?

Pray as if everything depends on God and the work as if everything depends on us

Which side of the balance have you been on personally?

To a certain extend I have been balanced- praying to God and also working.

How about your church?

Same as I do
 

[Eilen]

We forget that God controls our lives, our achievements.  He has a plan for us.  Everything that we achieve is in his plan; we tend to forget this.

Because of His promise to provide accordingly to His will and timing. He is there to forgive us our sins, heal us when we are ill, to guide us.  We tend to take God for granted.

The balance is that we must not sit idly by and wait for God to do the work.  We may desire something but we cannot just around hoping that God will provide; we have to start working earnestly on what it is we want.   We pray and work towards what we want knowing that He is with us always.

I always try to pray and thank God for the blessings he has bestowed on me.

My church is 2 years in existence.  We pray to God for a building but we are working very hard on fund raising activities to achieve this.   

[Ganti Vivek]

As believers sometimes we are tempted to think  that because of our own strength and good deeds we have attained and accomplished several things in life, we forget to thank God for all that He has done for us, but think because of my prayers, fasting, my advice etc, self pride will try to dominate without glorifying God.

We don't do anything but expect God to do everything for us, without working hard for it, God expects us do our bit to provide what we need like, when God provided "Manna" from heavens, He expected the Israelites to get up early in the morning pickit for the day and if anybody is lazy and picks for 2 days it gets spoiled. So one has to work to get the blessings fulfilled sitting idle will not help.

pray and work for to achieve what is required, then leave it His will. Learn to lead a proper balance.

The present day church goers go to church only for getting something from God and they are tilting only to one one side. 

[PrayingMan]

Q1. (Joshua 23-24) Why are we tempted to think that we have accomplished so much by our own strength? Why are we tempted to do nothing and expect God to do all the work? What is the balance? Which side of the balance have you been on personally? How about your church?

We are tempted to think we do it all because we take the credit for that which God did.  On the other hand, if we believe God is conquering the battle, we can sit back and do nothing, but God wants us to join Him in what He is doing so we can see the power of God at work in that which we are involved with doing.  The balance is joining God in what He is doing, give our all, but trust God for all.  I tend to overbalance in leaning more on my strength than God's.  We continually seek to trust more in God.

[Debra Grant]

Q1. (Joshua 23-24) Why are we tempted to think that we have accomplished so much by our own strength? Why are we tempted to do nothing and expect God to do all the work? What is the balance? Which side of the balance have you been on personally? How about your church?   

 

1.We forget about the Lord.We think we have more power than we do.It's easy to make mistakes:We did it ourselves, so aren't we great. Sometimes pride gets in the way and makes us think we are something so important.

2. The flesh doesn’t want to do anything. The flesh likes things easy, but our mind have to rebuke the flesh. There is no good thing in the flesh.

3. "Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you." That captures the balance we strive to achieve. We have to make a move and not depend on God to do everything.

4. I have been on the side of praying to God for something and doing what was needed to allow the situation to come to pass.

5. My church is on the side of praying first and then making a move as God sees it necessary.

 

[hanks]

Q1. (Joshua 23-24) 
Why are we tempted to think that we have accomplished so much by our own strength? 
Why are we tempted to do nothing and expect God to do all the work? 
What is the balance? 
Which side of the balance have you been on personally? 
How about your church?
Perhaps it gives us a sense of satisfaction that there is something we can do in our own strength to impress God. Or a sense of pride in that we have the strength to do it ourselves, and therefore do not need God. 
Sometimes the task ahead of us might be so daunting that we just give up on it, expecting our Lord to take over and help us. 
We need to realize that when we act solely in our own power we are like spinning wheels getting nowhere, and that it is only when we bring God into our lives that everything is possible. This reminds me of the mustard seed Jesus spoke about in Matt 17:20 - nothing is impossible to those who believe.
When I was younger I was proud of my accomplishments. 
But as I matured as a Christian I saw that without God it all would not have been possible. 
Thinking back on my life now I see His hand in most of the decisions I had taken. 
I worked hard but He made it possible. This has taught me to acknowledge Him in everything I do. 
And I soon realized that in life, it is only the power of Jesus, living in us, that can change bitterness into sweetness; weakness into strength; tragedy into triumph; and sorrow into blessing.  
It has taken me a long time, but now I know that my relationship with Jesus is more important to me than any of my accomplishments.
It is the same in my church, we first bring everything to the Lord in prayer. 
 

[lighthouse2014]

On 6/10/2016 at 3:05 PM, Pastor Ralph said:

Q1. (Joshua 23-24) Why are we tempted to think that we have accomplished so much by our own strength? Why are we tempted to do nothing and expect God to do all the work? What is the balance? Which side of the balance have you been on personally? How about your church?

 

When tempted to think we have accomplished something on our own, it is the pride of the flesh that has taken over and we end up leaving God out of our lives.

When it comes to doing things that require faith we tend to fail to do anything at all. The flesh is weak so we figure if the Lord wants it done he will do it himself. We are the servants of the Lord and we are to do our part of the job and the Lord will do his.

The balance should be that when circumstances require our work we should pray in faith God will help and lead us in his work.

Personally my side of the balance has been about 50/50. Somethings I know I can not accomplish and depend on God to do most if not all of the work.

Our church has many visions of being a leading congregation in the community. Some pray, some evangelize and some disciple, so I believe we are 50/50.      

[Stanley Tavaziva]

Q1. (Joshua 23-24) Why are we tempted to think that we have accomplished so much by our own strength? Why are we tempted to do nothing and expect God to do all the work? What is the balance? Which side of the balance have you been on personally? How about your church?

Sometimes we have pride and when things are going our way we forget there is the one who needs to be worshiped. God is there for and He wants to make decsions on our own and balance his presents and honour him. My balance is 50/50.

Our church is an outreach and do a lot of wittnesing.

[Commissioned]

On 6/10/2016 at 4:05 PM, Pastor Ralph said:

Q1. (Joshua 23-24) Why are we tempted to think that we have accomplished so much by our own strength? Why are we tempted to do nothing and expect God to do all the work? What is the balance? Which side of the balance have you been on personally? How about your church?

 

We are tempted to think that we have accomplished so much by our own strength because we fail to see the hand of God at work in everything.

We are tempted to do nothing and expect God to do all the work because we fail to realize that He requires that we put our shoulders to the wheel and work.  He promised that He will be with us and when we are in the throes of life He will give us the wisdom and strength to come through victoriously. The balance is o do what we have been gifted to do with God's help and to invite Him to do what we cannot.  

A daily awareness of God's presence and knowing the abilities that we have will keep us in the balance as we labor in God's vineyard to bring the lost and the unsaved to receive salvation.

[Irmela]

Q1. (Joshua 23-24)

Why are we tempted to think that we have accomplished so much by our own strength?

Why are we tempted to do nothing and expect God to do all the work?

What is the balance?

Which side of the balance have you been on personally? How about your church?

I guess it is pride that makes us think we have accomplished something by our own strength, meanwhile we can do nothing alone. My prayer is that at all time I am willing to be His Hand extended, reaching out to the oppressed, etc. To be willing to be His Voice, speaking encouragements, warnings etc as is needed. Nothing that I have accomplished has been in my own strength.  God uses people, nature etc., to accomplish His plans. I need to be ready and willing to be used of Him, to fulfill whatever purpose He has in mind.