WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU’RE STUCK

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU’RE STUCK

Micah 6:8; Matthew 28:18-20; 1 Timothy 4:13

How to get moving again when we feel spiritually stuck.

  

CONNECT

Have you ever been stuck? I have and I’m sure you have. In fact, everyone everywhere seems to be struggling with it right now. There are books and blogs and websites springing up with the title “UNSTUCK”!

Story: Jesus Chapel bus stuck in front of a strip club…

Had to get help from a wrecker to get moving…

I want to give you some things to help you get moving. 

This is the beginning of a new series called “Unstuck”. 

During the next three weeks we will look at three verses I go to again and again when I want to get moving.  Now I could go to a lot of verses, but these three: one from the Old Testament, one from Jesus, and one from Paul, have been special to me over the years. 

REASONS WE GET STUCK

Things around us get unstable: trouble.

We quit doing the essentials: fatigue.

We focus on ourselves: selfishness.

THREE VERSES

Micah 6:8 – Old Testament 

Matthew 28:18-20 – Jesus

1 Timothy 4:13 – Paul

TODAY’S TEXT

Micah 6:8 (NLT) No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.

BACKGROUND

Micah preached during the Assyrian invasion that took the northern ten tribes of Israel into captivity. They have never recovered. 

Micah is preaching to the two southern tribes of Judah, warning them to get their act together or they face the same fate. 

Judah responds by whining, “What does God want us to do? We bring Him our best. Does He want our first-born children too?”

Micah responds by saying God really wants three things: justice, mercy, humility. 

Do what is right!

This is what God had always told them…

Deuteronomy 10:12-13 (NKJV) And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the LORD and His statutes which I command you today for your good?

1 Samuel 15:22 (NKJV) So Samuel said: “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams.”

EXPLANATION

What is the key word in this phrase? DO! When you are stuck, you have to do something to get out!

What can you do?

I was visiting with a friend the other day about some disappointments in my life. He just asked me point blank, “Have you done everything you could have done?” I said, “No.” He replied, “Then that’s why things didn’t happen!”

Application

I believe there are six essentials in the Christian life:

Daily quiet time

Bible meditation

Prayer

Church attendance

Tithing

Witnessing

Are any of these missing in your life?

LOVE MERCY

Now we all love mercy, don’t we. It has been said that grace is getting what you don’t deserve; but mercy is not getting what you do deserve!

Mercy is the most used word in the Bible to describe God’s character. He is a God of mercy. 

The OT word is ‘hesed’. It means: mercy, kindness, loving kindness, goodness, favor. 

To love mercy is to love covenant loyalty and faithfulness. God is looking for us to honor our commitments!

Hosea 6:6 (NKJV) For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, And the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

Jesus quoted this verse twice in Matthew!

Romans 12:1 (NASB) Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.

EXPLANATION

How do we demonstrate mercy, or loyalty, or faithfulness?

Matthew 10:7-8 (NKJV) And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.

We give away what we have. Remember Peter and John ministering to the man at the gate to the Temple? 

Acts 3:6 (NKJV) Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”

Application

How do we apply this?

Keeping our earthly commitments with our spouse, our kids, our church, our job, etc  

How about just keeping the Ten Commandments? Or the Great Commandment?

John 14:15 (NKJV) If you love Me, keep My commandments.

Illustration: Reese Howells, Intercessor by Norman Grubb. 

Why are still up? I am looking for any commandments I am not keeping!

WALK HUMBLY WITH GOD

James 4:8-10 (NKJV) Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

EXPLANATION

How do I walk with God? I have to draw near to Him  

Psalms 91:1 (NKJV) He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

How do I stay in someone’s shadow? By staying close to him. That’s how I should walk with God!

Sin separates me from God. Humility begins by dealing with sin. Notice the words James uses to describe humility before God:

Cleanse, Purify, Lament, Mourn, Weep, Mourning, Gloom… Is this how we deal with sin? Is this how I deal with sin?

I hear people say all the time: “I want to go back to the NT Church!” Well, here it is! James was the pastor of the Church at Jerusalem and he is calling for mourning before God over our sin  

Listen to these verses…

Joel 2:12 (NKJV) “Now, therefore,” says the LORD, “Turn to Me with all your heart, With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.”

Joel 2:17 (NKJV) Let the priests, who minister to the LORD, Weep between the porch and the altar; Let them say, “Spare Your people, O LORD, And do not give Your heritage to reproach, That the nations should rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?

Application

Is my confession up to date?

How do I confess?

Am I broken over my sin?

Illustration: Publican and sinner. 

ACTION STEPS

1. Am I doing all I know to do?

2. Am I keeping my commitments?

3. Am I keeping close to God?