MAKING MY WEAKEST POINT MY STRONGEST
A. It is occasionally and correctly stated that repentance in the Bible is found as much, if not more, among those who are "born again" than it is among those who aren't.
B. One of the great teachings of Christianity is that God frequently extends to us the time and opportunity to correct and recover from wrong decisions previously made and go on to great heights of endeavor, and fulfillment.
C. This is good news to those of us who think we'll never recover from the painful fruit of our wrong decisions.
D. Let's look at a few Biblical examples.
A. ABRAHAM (Genesis 12:11-13) had a tendency to be "faithless" in times of severe testing.
1. When under pressure, he would lie to save himself, even at the risk of damaging his wife.
2. Genesis 20:1-18 tells us he didn't learn his lesson the first time. So he continued doing it.
3. Sometimes, God has to thump us on the head a number of times before we learn the lessons He intends for us.
B. MOSES (Exodus 2:11,12) had a tendency to involve himself in other people's arguments when he should not have. Psalm 15:3 tells us not to take up a reproach against our neighbor (or, "speak evil of a friend").
1. He was a "busybody" (curious meddler) in other peoples affairs (2 Thessalonians 3:11; 1 Timothy 5:13; 1 Peter 4:15).
2. Proverbs 25:17 tells us not to visit our neighbor too often, lest he be weary of us, and hate us.
3. A busybody will waste so much time doing that which he has no business doing that he fails to do that which he is supposed to do.
C. DAVID (2 Samuel 11:2-4 - the Bathsheba affair), in a time of temptation, didn't control his adulterous urges.
D. JONAH (a Jew) (Jonah 1:1-3) had such "racial prejudice" that he would not go and preach to the Ninevites (Assyrians).
E. JOHN (MARK) (Acts 13:13) was a "deserter" from the work of the Lord.
F. PETER (Luke 22:54-62), when Jesus was arrested, "denied" the Lord three times to save his own skin.
A. ABRAHAM, who had been faithless, became "the father of all them that believe" (Romans 4:11).
B. MOSES, who had been a busybody, became the meekest man on earth (Numbers 12:3), with great ability to appraise matters correctly.
C. DAVID, who had been an adulterer, became known as a man after God's own heart (Acts 13:22).
D.
JONAH (a Jew), who had been racially prejudiced,
preached to the people of
E. JOHN (MARK), who earlier deserted the work of the Lord, became useful for ministry (2 Timothy 4:11).
F. PETER, who earlier denied the Lord, became one of His most ardent public preachers (Acts 2:14,41).
A. As we have already seen, God's people often excel LATER IN LIFE in the very area in which they were failures.
B. The reason is because we work hardest on that which hurts the most, so it won't happen again.
C. Thus, we often make our weakest point our strongest point. This generates constant improvement.
D. One of the worst things that can happen to a person is to get away with a wrong deed. If he does, he continues in it until it destroys him. He is soon recommending it to others.
A. To each of the six Bible characters mentioned who made wrong decisions, but later succeeded in the same areas, the Lord sent people, or a marine mammal, or painful circumstances, to move them along in reconsidering, and amending, their decisions.
1. ABRAHAM was spoken to by Pharaoh (Genesis 12:19,20).
2. MOSES' wrong choice was made known by the Hebrew person he had earlier defended (Exodus 2:13).
NOTE: The indication is that the Hebrew person Moses protected felt Moses was wrong in his actions.
3. DAVID was confronted by Nathan (2 Samuel 12:7).
4. JONAH had to be swallowed by a whale (Jonah 1:17).
5. JOHN (MARK) was rejected by Paul (Acts 15:37-41).
6. PETER had to be rebuked by those who heard him deny the Lord (Luke 22:54-62).
B. It is doubtful than any sincere Christian would want a preacher that did not frequently prod him (or, her) toward thinking and doing right.
1. Summary (What have we learned?).
A. Even the so-called "great Biblical personalities" of the past occasionally made wrong decisions, in one way or another.
B. But they didn't remain permanently resigned to these wrong decisions.
C. The fruit of their wrong decisions led them to amend their choices and then go on to great heights of successful endeavor and fulfillment.
2. Application
a. Starting over is God's desire for all who have made wrong decisions.
b. Nothing is more convincing than the fruit of our wrong decisions to make us correct them.
c. My mother use to say, "You'll regret that you made that decision when your chickens begin to come home to roost."
3. Motivation
a. Almost without exception, one's life is transformed for the better when he corrects his wrong decisions in order to makes things right.
b. Think also of the others who often benefit (spouse, children, friends, church, and humanity in general).
4. Invitation
a. Are you currently hurting from a wrong decision?
c. In the overwhelming majority of cases, you don't have to remain bound to that decision.
d. Right now, make up your mind that you are going to correct that wrong decision, and adjust accordingly; come what may, cost what it might!
e. In the near future, you may find yourself set free from whatever it is that binds you today, and going on to greater accomplishments, success, and fulfillment.
Bob Bruton
July 12, 1998 (A.M. Service)
Code 1005, V2,T87