06.08.2014 How to be Transformed in Your Vocational Health

06.08.2014 Facing Giants in Life and Work from Grace Summit on Vimeo.

SermonAudioThis is the 7th and final week of Fifty Days of Transformation – previously we have looked at being transformed in 6 areas of our lives – Spiritual/Physical/Mental/Emotional/Relational/ and Financial health. This week’s topic kind of wraps it all up – Being transformed in our vocational health –
So what is your vocation? It is not just your job – it could be your job – but it could also be a calling or even how you spend your days –If you are retired, your vocation might be helping out here at the church (looking at Bob!) - or it might be playing cards with the guys at the senior center, but looking for opportunities to share Christ’s love - If you are a stay at home mom – that is one of your vocations. If you’re a working mom, you are really bi-vocational. Slightly ironic in this is that when I googled bivocational, the only results after several pages of looking describe my position here – working as a part-time pastor while working another job.
When I was in college, I had been out late doing ministry – and the next morning, the Lord led me to 2 Tim. 2:4 – which says – No soldier who wars entangles himself in the affairs of this life, so that he may please the one who has called him to be a soldier – and my first thought was – Engineering or ministry, God? And I felt like God was saying – Yes – I need Christians in ministry and I need Christians in the workplace
I work for a company that I shall refer to as “The Large Corporation that is about to be Split in Two” – as an engineer - One of our taglines used to be ‘Stronger.Together’ – but the shareholders must have thought ‘Stronger.SplitApart would be a better motto, so they voted to spin off the Steel business, where I work. This can produce fear and uncertainty in the workplace – as we’ve become more attractive to being bought out – and who knows what the share prices will actually do? It is an uncertain time to work at “The Large Corporation that is about to be Split in Two”.
Also, It is a little bit ironic that I am sharing on this today – because after the services today I have to go in to work – and I think my boss is a little upset that I was not there at 8:30 this morning – but I explained to him – I’m scheduled to preach – He asked, can’t they find someone else to preach? And I replied, I AM the someone else to preach! Never in my nearly 26 years of work do I remember being scheduled to come in on a Sunday – until today – the day I am speaking about being transformed in Vocational Health.
Today’s message is titled, Facing Giants in Life and Work – and it uses the story of David and Goliath to illustrate some key points – let’s pray:
Heavenly Father, we are so thankful to be here in Your presence, worshiping You; we desire to hear from You – and ask that You would help us to grow in each of these areas. Relational health – to be ones to edify/strengthen each other in faith. Give us wisdom and insight into Your word to further Your kingdom wherever we work – you said in whatever you do, do it in the name of the Lord Jesus. In Your Name we pray.
Let’s read part of our story from 1 Samuel 17
From First Samuel 17:1 “Now the Philistines had gathered their forces for war... They occupied one hill and the Israelites another, with the valley between them. A champion named Goliath, from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp...
If you were to come down into the plain and approach the other hill – it is a well-fortified position – there was a standoff for some time.
... He was a giant of a man, over nine feet tall (6 cubits and a span!), wearing a huge bronze helmet, and a coat of bronze armor that weighed over 125 pounds. He also wore bronze leggings, and slung a huge bronze javelin over his back...
... The iron spearhead alone weighed 15 pounds, and a soldier with a large shield always walked in front of Goliath.
The interesting thing about David and Goliath is it is a story many of us have heard since we were children – and yet, there are some surprising aspects that I had never considered before.
Malcolm Gladwell points out some of these aspects in his latest book, titled, David and Goliath – subtitled, Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants. In a lot of ways, this is a business book – giving some examples of people who have risen above their circumstances to become very successful – and to write this book, he did an in-depth study of the story of David and Goliath.
He asks an interesting question -
Why do we think of David as being the underdog?
Well – at first glance, some of the reasons are obvious:
Opponent is huge/ David is small – probably my size – but younger, and skinnier!
opponent has been trained in war since his youth /David is but a youth
opponent has hundreds of pounds of armor –the latest technology - with leggings, a helmet, and a large shield/David has no armor – no leggings, no helmet, no shield.
Opponent has a sword, a javelin, and a spear with a spearhead that weighed as much as a bowling ball (think about that!)/ David has no sword – no javelin, no spear.
All he has is a sling.
Let’s start there – this is not a slingshot - like a child’s toy – a slingshot is not a deadly weapon – if it were, most parents would be dead by now.
With anything that is interesting, you will find a group of people who have studied it out - People who study slings – yes, there is a group of sling nerds out there – an experienced slinger can rotate a sling at 6-7 times/second and sling the stone at 35 m/s – so if Goliath is 50 feet away – the rock was to the giant in less than half a second.
The smooth stones from the creekbed were probably Barium Sulfate (I didn’t actually find it on the page when I looked for it – but I remembered it because Bury’im is what they were going to do to Goliath, and it pretty much sealed ‘Saul’sFate’ – twice the density of most rocks – would give an impact of that of a 45 caliber gun.
Slingers are accurate – can hit a bird in flight. My father-in-law is a trap-shooter – he has won awards for his accuracy – sometimes hitting over a hundred in a row – but there were a group of slingers in the Bible –
in Judges 20:16
Out of all these people 700 choice men were left-handed; each one could sling a stone at a hair and not miss.
The point is, a slinger can be VERY ACCURATE.
Why else might David not be quite the underdog he appears?
Goliath expects hand-to-hand combat – he is very good at that – COME TO ME – come close, so I may feed you to the animals…
But David is not dumb – he changes the rules of combat without telling his opponent.
So David uses superior technology, changes the rules of combat - and he has the spirit of God on him – and a zeal for God - and we call HIM the underdog?
We have not only misunderstood David’s power – but also Goliath’s prowess. When you read the passage – there are things that are inconsistent with the idea of Goliath being the greatest warrior of all time.
1) Led down by an attendant – if he is the greatest warrior, why is he being led down like a preschooler crossing the street?
2) Biblical account also stresses how slowly Goliath moves
3) Takes him a long time to figure out what is going on. David has a staff and rocks and is wearing a shepherd’s outfit – this kid has no intention of fighting hand-to-hand – and he still expects him to do hand-to-hand combat.
4) There is this strange thing he says – Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks? Why does he say sticks, when he only has one? Why is Goliath seeing sticks when there is only one.
There is a group of Gigantism nerds – called Endocrinologists (no offense if you are an endoctrinologist) who provide an explanation. Most common cause of Gigantism is acromegaly – caused by a tumor on the pituitary gland – which causes an excess of HGH – human growth hormone. A couple examples of this:
Andre the Giant (he doesn’t even exercise, tip of the hat to The Princess Bride) – was 7’4” and weighed over 500 pounds – and was very skilled at hand-to-hand combat – for any of you who watched WWE or whatever it was called in the ’80s.
Robert Wadlow – tallest man in recent history – 8’11 – died at age24.
The tumor can grow so large to compress the optic nerves – many who have acromegaly have restricted vision. They also have foot/ankle and leg problems. Now - Think of this in the context of the anomalies – here is a man who moves slowly – scared of tripping on a rock he can’t see. Led by an attendant – takes forever to figure that David doesn’t intend to fight hand to hand – and he says – come to me – because he can’t see him! Why does he see two sticks? He has double vision – what the Israelites saw – a mighty warrior – but the thing that gave the giant his size gave him his greatest weakness.
So the first thing we really learn about life and work from this -
Giants are not always what they seem. The obstacles we face are not what they appear to be. Look closely and you’ll see a different truth – particularly for those who have the spirit of the Lord in their hearts.
It is unlikely you’ll have to face a physical giant like David – but you’ll face a lot of other giants – financial/relational/ spiritual/vocational/– etc.
Before David faced Goliath, There were other giants that David had to face – things that are just as big and intimidating.
A little background – chapter 16 – Samuel – chief religious leader of the day – God speaks to Samuel and says - I want you to go to Bethlehem and find Jesse – and you’ll anoint Jesse’s son as the next king of Israel. Saul was still alive – so this is kind of a secret plan. God had rejected Saul – and had seen David’s heart. Samuel goes – do you have a son? I have to look at them all. Jesse brings the seven oldest – and he shows him the oldest – and Samuel says – this must certainly be the one, but God says not the guy… next…5,6,7 – you got any other kids? Jesse says - There is one more –t he youngest, the runt – out tending the sheep – bring him in – Samuel says – that is the guy – that is the one after God’s own heart.
You know what happens after this? Nothing. Get back out and tend the sheep. Nothing changes. He has been given this dream – and there is this long delay before he sees the fulfillment of this dream. There is a big delay.
The first giant we face when God gives us a dream… OOO – let’s talk about dreams for a second. I hope you are doing the study – we are encouraged to take some time with the Lord and if you have not done this – I encourage you to do it now – spend some time dreaming about what God would have you do – ask, What do you want me to do with my life? How can You use me for Your kingdom? How can I be more effective for You? And then Listen – how to do what God calls you to do.
The first dream buster? Delay. No dream is fulfilled instantly. It can be years later. There is always a time delay – a waiting period. That dream I had of being in ministry back in college took a long time before I would be up here sharing like this.
His Dad holds him back from the dream – get back out there and tend the sheep. He thought he was not old enough or strong enough to be the king of Israel.
David was “HELD BACK” to care for the sheep.
VS. 12-15 “Now David was the youngest of Jesse’s eight sons... His three older brothers enlisted in Saul’s army... but David was held back to care for the sheep in Bethlehem.”
- 1st barrier to your dream= when someone holds you back

There will be people who hold you back from the dream that God has given you. Some of you know what I am talking about – because of your age/race/gender – some of you have been held back – not pretty/handsome/smart enough. No form of discrimination should hold you back from God’s dream for you - Discrimination in any form is a barrier that you have to break through. Sometimes the people who hold you back the most are those who love you the most. David’s dad. He would lose a worker. God has a plan for your life, but so does everyone else!
Others have plans for your life – David’s dad just wanted him to be a shepherd.
Now, at one point, Jesse goes – you know – my 3 favorite sons? They are out on the front line. And Jesse sends David out with the food for the brothers. While there, David hears the taunts and notices that no one is doing anything – they are embarrassed, afraid, scared to death.
Second dream buster you may face– discouragement – everyone around you is scared to death – no one thinks you can do it – and they are convincing each other that it is impossible to make a difference. Goliath had created a climate and culture of fear.
You can imagine – where I work right now, there is a climate and culture of fear – we don’t know how this spinoff will work – but I need to be an example of one who trusts the Lord and that He will take care of us no matter what happens.
8-10 – “Each day Goliath would stand and shout at the ranks of Israel’s army, "Why do you come out here and line up for battle?... Choose one man to fight me. If he’s able to kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I kill him, you’ll become our subjects and serve us." (I guess they should have got that in writing!) Day after day Goliath taunted them saying “This day I defy the ranks of Israel! When Saul and the Israelites heard this, EVERYONE was deeply shaken and paralyzed with fear.”
They are all demoralized, terrified, traumatized – so frightened they couldn’t do anything. Maybe you are at work and everyone believes it can’t be done – and they are convincing each other because they are filled with fear.
Something to realize: Conventional wisdom is often wrong!
Everyone there was wrong.
Goliath challenged the ranks of the army. Sometimes the solution has to come from outside the rank and file. When everyone is being discouraging, take a step back, look at the situation with fresh eyes, and see if there is not a win-win to benefit everyone. The professionals and crowd were wrong. Just because the crowd says it is true does not make it true. Why had they given up? They were listening to the wrong voice – they were listening to this guy for 40 days!
VS. 16 “For forty days, twice a day, morning and evening, the Philistine giant loudly berated the Israelite army.”
Q: Who are you listening to- Who says it can’t be done?
We need to fill our minds with God’s truth. That is how you slay the giants.
Who is putting down your dream? Who is telling you that you are not the person to do it? If you listen to negative people long enough, you know what happens? You get negative.
Maybe you should stop listening to talk radio! It is so negative. If you listen to people who are against everything – saying America is going to hell in a hand basket – you start believing it.
VS. 23-24 “As David talked with his brothers on the front line, he saw Goliath start shouting his usual threats to Israel’s army When the army heard Goliath, they all ran away in terror.”
Advice: Don’t hang out with fearful people. It’s contagious! If you hang out with bitter people, you become bitter. Angry/angry fearful/fearful.
Don’t listen to lies. People have asked how do you do that?
Say you have been put down all your life. Look at verses that tell you the truth about how God feels about you – there are lists and lists online – I am a child of the Most High God! He calls me his son or daughter! He loves me! He considers me to be valuable! Replace the lies with the truth.

First barrier – delay
Second – discouragement – everyone telling you things – and they are wrong.


3rd dreambuster: The giant of
3. DISAPPROVAL: You have to be willing to face the disapproval of others – people don’t go after the dream because they want approval. Even David’s brother. We want everyone to like us!
But you’ll always have naysayers, critics – people who judge you – because they don’t get it and they don’t like your dream

HIS BROTHER QUESTIONED HIS MOTIVES
Treated David w disdain & disgust & he disregarded him;He belittled him.

VS. 28-29 “David asked, “What’s the reward for killing this Philistine and ending this disgraceful abuse?’... When David’s older brother heard this he burned with anger at David and said “Why are YOU even here anyway? Why aren’t you taking care of your scrawny little flock of sheep? I know about your pride and deceit. You just want to see the battle!!’ ‘Now what have I done?" said David. "Can't I even ask a question?"
Those closest to you can’t see the dream that God has put in your heart - what you see – but they don’t know you like God knows you – so they come out with this demeaning demoralizing disapproval.
FACT: Sometimes family doesn’t want your dream to succeed
Even Jesus had this problem! Jesus was born of a virgin – but the Bible says that they had many kids – and they followed Jesus around during his ministry. None of his siblings accepted him as Lord and Savior until after the resurrection – and then they became believers. I would show grace – how would you like to have Jesus as your older brother? What’s going on in here? Jesus did it! No he didn’t.
Even Jesus had to deal with sibling rivalry – because a brother or sister will say – who do you think you are when you have a dream. It says in Mark 3 that Jesus’ family thought He was mad. But Jesus knew His mission – His calling from God – and He knew how to deal with it.
When God gives you a dream and others are afraid to attempt it – you will be misjudged, maligned, misinterpreted, and misunderstood. That is the giant of disapproval.

: So David found out the reward: 1) Wealth
2) Marry the King’s daughter 3) Exempt from taxes for life! – That would be pretty good incentive!
Dreambusters: Delay, Discouragement, Disapproval -
4th dreambuster David had to face BEFORE Goliath: The giant of
4. DOUBT: Am I capable and up to this task?
THE EXPERT DOUBTED HIS ABILITY
King Saul hears about David being willing to take on the giant – he sends for him...
Here is the conversation:
VS 32-33 “’Don't worry about a thing,’ David told the King, ‘I'll fight this Philistine!’ ‘Don't be ridiculous!’ Saul replied. ‘There’s no way YOU can go against this Philistine! You’re only a youth, and he’s been a professional warrior from his youth!’ That’s enough to make you start doubting yourself!
SO HOW DO YOU DEFEAT THE GIANTS that are keeping you from being all God wants you to be? A person of great faith with a great life work?
Do what David did!
4 things he did before getting to Goliath:

1. REMEMBER HOW GOD’S HELPED ME IN THE PAST!
This is the first thing to do - This is a confidence builder! Recall & recollect….remember ways God has helped in the past – remember that time I thought I wouldn’t make it but I did? Alone, but wasn’t? helped in little times – will help in big times.
Remember how God has helped in the past.
When I was putting in the scrap systems seven years ago, we had a short time frame to do it – I felt like I wasn’t up to the task – Everyone knows I’m in over my head… - I hired Rob, brought in another Christian programmer – my boss came to bat for me – and I countered the over-the-head song with Casting Crown’s I will Praise You in this Storm.

VS. 36-37 “In protecting my sheep, I’ve killed both a lion and a bear... The Lord who delivered me from the teeth of that lion, and the claws of that bear, will surely now deliver me from this Philistine too!”
DAVID: “I've banked your promises in the vault of my heart…”
Ps. 119:11 (Mes)

Having a job, one of the things that I like to do is to go running at lunchtime. A few weeks ago, I was at Petros Park jogging and I ran into a guy from Ghana – I had talked to him a few years ago and I asked him some questions and we talked and I felt like I was able to be an encouragement to him. Then we ran into a woman whose husband was in need of a lung transplant whom I’ve been praying for. I walked with her and her friend for a little bit – and when I got back to work – I sent her a link to that song by Casting Crowns - I will praise you in the storm– and she responded – thanks for sharing that – that has been my attitude. Then I ran into another guy who I didn’t know was a Christian – and later that day he asked me “Have you heard of John Eldredge?” and I responded – “The Wild at Heart guy?” “Yes” “No, I haven’t!” – Well, he said, I just finished reading his book on Jesus and it really encouraged me!. Anyway – in using the gifts God has given you – you can use those to encourage others. When I got back to the locker-room – I was thinking – wouldn’t it be cool to be in full-time ministry – to maybe counsel people and encourage them like I helped these here – this was neat that God used me like this! But then I thought - if I were in full-time ministry, I wouldn’t even know these people! It has given me the opportunity to be a light in the workplace.
2. USE THE TOOLS GOD HAS GIVEN ME NOW!
Don’t wait for something you don’t have. Some are just wating for something to happen – you don’t wait for your ship to come in – you swim out to it.
My neighbor is from Serbia – he has been in the country for maybe ten years – he said to me yesterday – I do not speak English – I do not read English (he was saying this in the present tense) – I do not write English – but God had given him a set of tools – he said, I try to treat others like I would want to be treated, with fairness, and honesty – and he has built a business where he is employing over twenty people – it is a trucking distribution company – He did not wait until he knew English to start his business – and I doubt he had a lot of naysayers telling him he couldn’t do it – but God has used him and he really acknowledges that it is God who helped him.
Saul says – if you are going to fight this guy, you might as well use my armor! How would that work – Saul was a big man – and David was a little guy…

VS 38-40 “Then Saul dressed David in his own armor... But David said, ‘I cannot go out in these, because I’m not used to them.’ So he took them off... Instead he chose 5 smooth stones for his sling.”
Some will oppose you – others will try to get you to do it their way. I see this in business – they are doing it that way, so we should too – but God doesn’t create clones. If you try to do it like someone else did it – you are bound to fail. Use the tools you have. Other people will sometimes load things on you


If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done. Eccles. 11:4 (NLT)
How many agree with that verse? Yeah. You won’t get started. Today is the day – we are ending 50 days – today is the day to start the new dream – when everyone else is saying you can’t do it (discouragement/doubt/delay, etc.)


3. IGNORE THE DREAMBUSTERS!
Interesting: As David is going to take on the giant - Not one person encouraged David! Not his dad – mom, brothers, the army – the king whose reputation is on the line – no one gave him encouragement.
So what did he do? …

1 SAM. 30:6 “... When others were speaking against him, David encouraged himself in the Lord.” Do you do that?
Do you do that? Spend time with Him – get in His word, memorize his promises. If you are going after your dream, you’ll have to learn to encourage yourself because no one else will – and it has to be IN THE LORD.
This is far more than just Positve Mental Attitude. Pos thinking is better than neg
But there are certain problems where positive thinking will not even help.
My friend whose husband needed the lung transplant could tell you – you can keep a positive mental attitude, but there comes a time when God has to step in. A week ago Friday, they got the call – it is time for the lung transplant! I have not heard back from her to know how it went – I am anxious to hear – but I have been praying for them consistently since then.
Yes, positive mental attitude is great – but there comes a time when God has to act and you have to have faith.

4. EXPECT GOD TO HELP ME FOR HIS GLORY!

This is what David did – what you must do – this is the faith factor – I love what David said to Goliath as he ran onto the battlefield…
VS. 45-47“David shouted to Goliath "You come at me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord Almighty!...Today the Lord will conquer you... and the whole world will know that there is a God! And everyone will know that the Lord doesn’t need weapons to rescue his people. It is his battle, not ours. The Lord will give you to us!"

Q: What are you expecting God to do in your life?
What is your dream? Think about it! Spend time! When God acts, it is because someone believed.
Bible: “Without faith it is impossible to please God “Whatsoever is not of faith is sin
Rick Warren said this:
You have no idea how much your unbelief could be limiting someone you love! Is your unbelief limiting your wife? Is your unbelief limiting your husband? Is your unbelief limiting your child? Don’t be a Jesse. It is not your dream for them – it is God’s dream for them. I won’t let my unbelief hold anyone else back, and I will not let anyone else’s unbelief hold me back.
If God calls my children to another country, am I willing to support that?
On the flip side of this - Melissa said last night – you really encouraged me, in going back to work, to take up nursing again.
MT. 9:29 “According to your faith will it be done to you."
There are a lot of thing in life you have no control over - You didn’t get to choose your family /race/gender/talent – but you do get to choose how much you will trust God – and it is that faith factor that will defeat the giants.
Last – this morning – the Lord awakened me very early – in the 4 am hour – and like back in college when he led me to 2 Tim. 2:4 – I do not encourage this as how God speaks to people - this morning He led me to 3 John 3 and 4 – (and it was 4:34 am)…
3 John 3 For I was very glad when brethren came and testified to your truth, that is, how you are walking in truth. 4 I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.
That is what this series has been about – replacing the devil’s lies with God’s truth – have faith – grow in faith - Walk in the truth – stop listening to lies – According to your faith it will be done to you – Let’s Pray:

Dear God, you have helped us many times in the past – helped us through things we never imagined we would get through. Help us to draw my confidence from that.
Even when people disapprove or misunderstand – help me to use the tools you’ve given, not to wait for the perfect time, but to seek You and to seek the counsel of those who are wise.
Help us to start each day with You – to encourage ourselves in you. Help us to expect You to come alongside us – not for our glory, but for Yours, that the whole world will know that there is a God – and that You love us, care for us – You are for us! And we ask all these things by the power of the name of Jesus. Amen.