The Constant Refrain

(Exodus 34:6) “And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness…”

God is a holy God and His nature is not to be taken for granted…but His nature is clearly revealed again…He wants to save!

Relate rebellious nature of the children of Israel and see the end result:

(Numbers 14:18) “‘The LORD is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.'”

The law is read before a large group of people and, after standing for hours, they repented of their sins…and remembered God in the past and related it to their present:

(Nehemiah 9:17) “They refused to listen and failed to remember the miracles you performed among them. They became stiff-necked and in their rebellion appointed a leader in order to return to their slavery. But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. Therefore you did not desert them…”

Psalmist complains about the abuse he’s taken in life:

(Psalms 86:15) “But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.”

(Psalms 103:8-14) “The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. {9} He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; {10} he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. {11} For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; {12} as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. {13} As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; {14} for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.”

This statement is like John 3:16 to the Jewish people……it is given as a constant reminder for the Israelites…..(Psalms 145:8) “The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.”

¹⁶ “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

(Joel 2:13) “Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.”

(Jonah 4:2) “He prayed to the LORD, “O LORD, is this not what I said when I was still at home? That is why I was so quick to flee to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity.”

(Nahum 1:3) “The LORD is slow to anger and great in power; the LORD will not leave the guilty unpunished. His way is in the whirlwind and the storm, and clouds are the dust of his feet.”

We are converted to Christ, not the church’s shepherds, teachers, minister, worship leader or friends.

• Primary focus of your life should be your relationship with God.
• let’s overcome disappointments by seeking to think more maturely in Christ.

Certainly there is a place for learning about those in error. But there can be dangers involved in doing so…if it is done in an arrogant, self-righteous spirit. If it is done to make us feel good or superior.

Such As Constantly Exposing Denominational Errors

• Certainly there is a place for learning about those in error
• But there can be dangers involved in doing so…
• If it is done in an arrogant, self-righteous spirit
• If it is done to make us feel good or superior
• If it is done to the exclusion of learning what WE need to do if we are not careful, it can create carnal Christians, given to strife and envy

WHEN “NEGATIVE” TEACHING IS CALLED FOR…It should be done:

• For the purpose of trying to understand and teach those in error: 2 Timothy 4:1–2 (ESV) I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: ² preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.

Acts 20:27 (ESV) for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.

When “negative teaching” is called for…
1. It should be done: for the purpose of trying to understand and teach those in error…out of love.
2. It should be done as Paul did it…
a. With prayer for their souls
b. With recognition for their accomplishments Romans 10:1–3 (ESV) Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. ² For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. ³ For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.

It should be done with the qualities mentioned in 2 Timothy 2:24–26 (ESV) And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, ²⁵ correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, ²⁶ and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

If it is done to the exclusion of learning what WE need to do.

If we are not careful, it can create carnal Christians, given to strife and envy

It should be done with the qualities mentioned in (2 Tim 2:24-26) “And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. {25} Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, {26} and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.”
   What can we do?

• Never get weary in doing good. Proper time God will reward. (Gal. 6:9)
• What God wants to do through your life He will do and no one can stop it.
• What God doesn’t want you to do, don’t try to do, you will be a failure.
• Your First concern should be your relationship with God.

Other Reason • Sometimes God allows you to be ignored to test you or build you up in you spiritual characters. (Ex. Joseph, David, etc)

• God may want to see what is in your heart. (Deut. 8:2)
• People may do it intentionally but believe in God’s sovereignty

Disappointed by Lack of Opportunities. You can’t do what you want to do or what you used to do.

• You want to do something but you have no opportunities to do
• There are others who are already doing it and you don’t get chance.
• You were doing something for a long time and now you are in a new place and no one is recognizing you. There are people who already do it.
• Parents are worried and argue/fight for getting opportunities for children.
• What can we do? • Believe in the Sovereignty of God.
• Understand that what you are its because of God and it is God who has anointed you. (Ex. David)
• You are a resource in the hands of God and he will use in what way He wants and not in the way you want.
• Humble and commit yourself to God. God will use you in a way and at the time he wants. (Jam 4:10. 1 Peter 5:6)
• Allow God to mould and build your children in His way.

Four Stages of Spiritual Growth • Christians generally go through four stages of spiritual growth…

• The “ball of fire” stage, following their conversion to Christ
• The “reality” stage, when the disappointments start to come in
• The “up and down” stage…

Here, people either grow through it to the next stage… or they fall away, or become apathetic (i.e., “pew-warmers”)

Finally, those who persevere reach the stage of “steady as they go”, where growth is progressive and steady.

“But the path of the just is like the shining sun, That shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.” – Proverbs 4:18

Conclusion-Disappointments. There may be other disappointments new Christians face, but I have found these to be quite common

• To reach that stage where we will grow steadily…
• We need to have REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS of problems to come

The Christian life can sometimes feel like a roller coaster ride when strong hope and faith collide with an unexpected reality. When our prayers aren’t answered as we desired and our dreams become shattered, disappointment is the natural result.