Unfazed by Culture

Un-fazed Series
Living with Confidence in a Troubled World
Un-fazed by Culture
March 11, 2018

I’m excited about the new series we are starting this morning. The series I’m calling, “Un-
fazed.” Maybe that term isn’t familiar to you. To be fazed (spell it out) is to be confused, shocked, surprised, deterred, thrown or flustered. This morning part one is “Un-fazed By Culture.”

Now we are very naive if we think we are unaffected by our culture. Culture is a very powerful force that can be good, or it can be bad. (In our connect groups we have been having discussions about this.) Culture has its good and redeeming qualities as well as the bad and very ugly elements. The Bible, God’s Word seeks to help us establish the way to live that gives us stability and confidence in a troubled world!

This is what the writer of the Psalms 73 is talking about. Sometime today read the entire Psalm and soak in its meaning and message. But for the sake of time this morning we are going to read a select portion of it. Following along…

Ps 73:1-5, 13-17, 28
Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. 2 But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. 3 For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 4 They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. 5 They are free from the burdens common to man; they are not plagued by human ills.
    
13 Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure; in vain have I washed my hands in innocence.14 All day long I have been plagued; I have been punished every morning. 15 If I had said, "I will speak thus, “I would have betrayed your children.
16 When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me 17 till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny.

28 But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds. NIV

God’s Word tells us we can live with confidence in a troubled world! That…
 We can be unfazed by our culture
I.               By Avoiding Envy (Psa. 73:3) 3 For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

Envy is a cruel taskmaster! Numerous people are ruled by its harsh demands. I’m talking about Envy or the feeling of discontented or resentful longing aroused by someone else's possessions, qualities, or luck.

The quotes of several people remind how those who have been phased by it are affected.

·       "I defy you to show me an envious man who is a happy man" (Billy Graham)
·       "Of all the 7 deadly sins, envy's the only one that's 'no fun at all'" (Joseph Epstein). 
·       "Envy remains thoroughly unenviable" (Graham Tomlin).

Not only will envy NOT make us happy it is clear….
a.    Envy is a slippery slope (v. 2) This verse states it 2 But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold.
                                              i.     Envy will cause you to lose your footing and slip spiritually
                                            ii.     It means it leads to deeper depths of sin & destruction
[ Remember the Story of Achan]
b.    Envy is blinding (v.4 & 5)
·      There is a reason that the phrase. “Blinded by envy” was coined!
·      Verses 4 & 5 illustrate the truth - They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. 5 They are free from the burdens common to man; they are not plagued by human ills.

[At one time, perhaps one of the most enviable persons on the planet was Steve Jobs. At the time of his death in 2011, Steve Jobs' net worth was estimated at $10.2 billion. From his early days at Apple, Jobs had been rich. He had a net worth of more than a million dollars by 1978 when he was 23 years old.

Did he have a life free of struggles and ills? Far from it! Dysfunctional family dynamics – he had a daughter Lisa Nicole Brennan whom he denied being her father for years. There was even a paternity suit. Steve died of pancreatic cancer.

Point to live a life “Un-fazed” we must avoid envy and take the next step revealed in our text. We must...

II.              Focus on the Hereafter as well as the Here and Now (Psa.73:13-17)
13 Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure; in vain have I washed my hands in innocence.14 All day long I have been plagued; I have been punished every morning. 15 If I had said, "I will speak thus, “I would have betrayed your children.
16 When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me 17 till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny.

We are easily fazed by the present, that is what we see. The psalmist said here it the text, I don’t see how keeping my heart pure is to my advantage.  It’s all been in vain to live this way. He lost perspective by only seeing the present!

·      The reason we are phased, confused or thrown, is that we most often don’t see the entire picture clearly!
·       We must have God’s help (Word) to see both the present and future. Psalms 73:16 & 17 tells us that trying to discern this issue with our natural eyes sight will give us a splitting headache.

I want to point your attention to I Timothy 4:8 but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. NIV

a.    Godly living holds promise for the present life (I Tim. 4:8) How?
·      Living godly and not being sexually promiscuous – Avoids STD’s
·      Living godly and not being ruled by anger and unforgiveness – Avoid jail, being killed and numerous health conditions!
·      Living godly and not being controlled by laziness (Slothfulness) – Avoid a breeding ground for all kinds of sin and destruction!

b.    Godly Living hold promise for the life to come (I Tim. 4:8)
·      Because it grasps the faith and understanding that death is not the end
·      Because understands that the one to come is far better! The best is yet to Come!

Point is that we are Un-fazed by the culture of our day without focus of the hereafter as well as the present because we know we are not home yet!

Finally, we are Un-fazed when we follow the psalmist example in verse 28…

III.           By Drawing Near to God (Psa.73:28)
28 But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds. NIV

This is the greatest key to living a life that is un-fazed, drawing near to God!

a.    Draw near, by being pure in heart (v.1) Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.

·      This is impossible in and of ourselves we must have the transforming power of God to change our hearts. Christ came to do this, if any man, women, boy, girl be in Christ… is the starting point.
·      We must remain in Him and Him in us for continued renewal and transformation, so we are unfazed in this present life.
·      Eph. 5:26 tells us we are washed by the water of the word

An organization called the Center for Bible Engagement asked people how often they pray, how often they went to church, how often they listen to spiritual music or watch Christian television, and how often they read their Bible to see what exactly would affect their actual behavior.
The conclusion was that if a person were to engage with the Bible – four or more times a week it would dramatically (and visibly) change their life. Statistics proved a lower bent for substance abuse, divorce, sex addition issues, even lying, cheating and emotional issues all significantly fell. Which means that if a person reads the Bible only 1-3 times a week, prayed, went to church, or listened to spiritual music or programs significant changes don’t happen. But at the four-day mark of engaging in the Bible each week, there was a true difference. 4 or more days a week of Bible reading was the tipping point. http://www.philcooke.com/an-interview-with-kathleen-cooke-on-her-new-devotional/#more-15815

b.    Draw near, by entering the sanctuary (v.17) 17 till I entered the sanctuary of God
·      I need not only the Word to draw near to him,  I need worship!
·      I need an awe of God and worshipping and experiencing God in Worship keeps me in awe of his transcendence. True worship is transforming to heart, mind, and spirit.

The point is to be unfazed and keep my heart pure I must draw near to God by reading and engaging His word 4 or more times a week. I must worship in spirit and truth to remain Un-fazed!

Conclusion:

I close with the question, “Are you a thermometer or a thermostat?” You know the difference – one reflects the temperature the other changes it. Are you reflecting the world we live in or are you unfazed by it as you are transformed by the power of God.

·      Call those who tried of being thermometers to make the first step towards transformation.
Location: 3829 S Carrier Pkwy, Grand Prairie, TX 75052, USA

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