Fix My Life
Discovering a Hope
Deeper Than Your Circumstances
Fix My Life: Finding the fix
Rick Warren: Purpose Driven Life
“When you grasp the eternal consequences of your
character development, you'll pray fewer "comfort me"
prayers ("Help me feel good") and more "conform me"
prayers ("Use this to make me more like you").
Easy
“Fix My Life”
Hard
Great health
Bad health
Wealthy
Zero cash
Brand New Car
Car Issues
Perfect Family
Family a mess
Straight A’s
Low Grades
High $$, great job
Bad/no job
2 Corinthians 4 - Circumstances
We are hard pressed on every side,
but not crushed; perplexed, but not in
despair; persecuted, but not
abandoned; struck down, but not
destroyed. 2 Corinthians 4:8-9
Therefore we do not lose heart.
Though outwardly we are wasting
away, yet inwardly we are being
renewed day by day. For our light and
momentary troubles are achieving for
us an eternal glory that far outweighs
them all. 2 Cor. 4:16-17
• Hard
pressed
• Perplexed
• Persecuted
• Struck
down
• Wasting
away
• Troubles
Not crushed
Not in despair
Not abandoned
Not destroyed
Not losing heart
Being inwardly
renewed
• Achieving eternal
glory
•
•
•
•
•
•
C. S. Lewis: Mere Christianity
“Human History is the long terrible story of man trying to
find something other than God which will make him
happy.”
Psalm 73:25-28 (NIV2011)
Near
Far
Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has
nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart
may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my
portion forever.
Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy
all who are unfaithful to you. But as for me, it is
good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign
LORD my refuge...
Psalm 73:25-28 (NIV2011)
Ephesians 2:13 (NIV)
Near
Far
But now in Christ Jesus you who once
were far away have been brought near
through the blood of Christ.
Ephesians 2:13 (NIV)
Easy
Near
Far
1
Hard
2
Pleasant joy
Painful joy
3
4
Disconnected
ease
Disconnected
misery
1
Pleasant joy
Relationship with God: Near
Circumstances: Easy
2
Painful joy
The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He
makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me
beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He
guides me along the right paths for his name’s
sake.
Disconnected
Disconnected
Psalm 23:1-3
ease (NIV2011)
misery
3
4
1
Relationship with God: Near
Circumstances: Hard
Pleasant joy
2
Painful joy
Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no
grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and
the fields produce no food, though there are no
sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I
will Disconnected
rejoice in the LORD, I will be
joyful in God my
Disconnected
Savior. ease
misery
Habakkuk 3:17-18 (NIV2011)
3
4
In his pride the wicked does not seek him; in all his
thoughts there is no room for God. His ways are
always prosperous; he is haughty and your laws are
far from him; he sneers at all his enemies. He says
to himself, "Nothing will shake me; I'll always be
Pleasant
happy
and neverjoy
have trouble." Painful joy
Psalm 10:4-6 (NIV2011)
1
3
Disconnected
ease
2
4
Relationship with God: Far
Circumstances: Easy
Disconnected
misery
Some sat in darkness, in utter darkness, prisoners
suffering in iron chains, because they rebelled
against God’s commands and despised the plans of
the Most High.
Painful joy
Pleasant
Psalm
107:10-11joy
(NIV2011)
1
2
3
4
Relationship with God: Far
Circumstances: Hard
Disconnected
ease
Disconnected
misery
Easy
Near
1
Pleasant joy
Far
Hard
2
Painful joy
3
4
Disconnected
ease
Disconnected
misery
To Close:
• My “square” right now?
• Fix my life = Fix my circumstances
• “Near” or “Far”?
• Others?
B . L . E . S . S . – prayer for others
But now in Christ Jesus you who
once were far away have been
brought near through the blood
of Christ.
Ephesians 2:13 (NIV)