Recognizing Limits

Limits - ever feel guilty? I need to accept God's forgiveness. Speaker Kelly is a professor at Covenant College. Author. PHD.

Often people feel like they never get enough done. Do we confuse being limited with sin? We are finite, and have limits. Are you tired? Do you feel like I should've done more? The average day of a high school student 730 - 330 then extracurricular activities until 630 then study or other activities until 11. In college it gets worse. It's expected. Sleep. Bible study. Three meals. Class and study. For many it's literally impossible to get everything done. The church imposes it's own demands. Not a time management problem. It's a theological and pastoral problem. What about time watching TV and your phone? Why are we prone to screen time? Because we are dying to escape. The root problem…

Oliver Bergman 4000 weeks is the average lifespan. His book on time management. He says time mgt is an effort to deny mortality.

Humility: a good thing. Why? Because we are sinners? Focus on how bad I am? Leads to self-hatred. Instead all people are dependent on God, neighbor, and earth. Not a sin thing. It's okay to be dependent. We're made to be dependent. The basis of humility - being grateful, celebrating others.

Sin makes us view others as adversaries, rivals. Instead look for ways God has gifted others.

Matt 25: sheep and goats. A sober passage. The difference is how you treat the naked and infirmed. Do we take God's word seriously? We can't do everything. It takes the entire church to be the one body in Christ.

What does faithfulness look like, that allows work and rest and family. Looks different based on what stage of life you're in. Is the weight of what you feel unrealistic?

What does God expect of me? Are you crushed by expectations? He's not a taskmaster but a loving father. More healthy to be dependent on God and others.

Part 2 Why doesn't God change me immediately? Heal me immediately? Why can't I get past my problem? I want to change…but can't? As we continue to struggle we ask…does God care?

1. Process. The longer I work at something the more layered and better and deeper that thing will be. Most of us struggle to have the time to do this. We want instant gratification. Why won't God free me from my bad habits? Is the good news only that God forgives us? Is God perpetually disappointed in me?

God is more interested in my day to day process / progress  than me as a finished product. God understands my unique situation. He knows what I am going through and how hard it is for me.

Is the Christian life a burden? Or a joy? God wants to make you a new creation.

2. Time. God takes his own time. James Usher: regardless of how long it took God to create the earth, God took his time. That's good. That's good. God has a purpose. He doesn't panic-over process. He who began a good work in you will...

He will finish his work in me. He won't forget me.

3. Efficiency. Is God efficient? Is he simple? Not wasteful? Is efficiency his top priority?  God is a verily generous? That's the definition of efficiency. God's highest value is love and beauty. He is not wasteful. God's creation is so many different colors. Why so much wonder? Love and beauty. So sometimes God takes a longer slower route.

Friendship and community can be higher values than productivity and efficiency. Love can be inefficient. Having children will teach you this.

Don't lose heart. We often fall short. We want to change. God is interested in he we deal with things day to day.

These notes were from last night's men's meeting. Instead of using pen and paper, I open a new email on my phone and start typing. Most of the time I type constantly during the preaching, unless perhaps a story is being told that's not worth remembering. At the end of the sermon I hit send on the email. I could just send it to myself, but thought others might like to see the notes as well. By typing the notes out, that saves me from having to type out the notes at a later time. I usually post the notes to my blog. I figure that's better than saving the notes in a notebook or loose paper.

A decent talk that touched on how busy everyone is these days, and how we shouldn't feel guilty for not being able to do it all. Churches with lots of programs often add to the guilt. After the first half of the talk the speaker took a break, and each table of guys discussed a couple of questions. I was at a table with five guys from my Sunday School class: GE engineer David, Coke employee Jim, missionary Dan, Microsoft programmer Matt, and my other friend Reid. After the second half of the talk there were more questions. When guys at tables finished discussing them they were free to leave. Our table was the last to leave, by far. After discussing the questions Dan, Matt, and Jim started discussing their parents. David had to go. Reid and I were talking about other topics.

EDGAR MARTINEZ  [SABR Bio] was the first batter since WWII to lead the majors in batting playing for a last-place team. He hit .343 in 1992 for SEA, at 64-98, last in the AL West. That same season, he also led the majors in doubles and won his first Silver Slugger Award. Hit 46 doubles and won his first of five Silver Sluggers. He once needed five stitches after being hit by a bat flung by an opposing player. On 08-Sep-1997, in Kansas City, Royals DH Chili Davis swung his bat in the 6th inning. It landed on Edgar's head in the dugout.  Edgar stayed in the game and went 2-4 with two singles, getting his 100th RBI in the process. He said: "I lost sight of it in the lights.  I knew it was coming and I ducked to the left.  I must have ducked right into it.  It was scary, lots worse than having a pitch come at your head."