WORSHIP GUIDE - SECOND ALTARS: "It Is What It Is"

1. GOODNESS

2. HOLY SPIRIT

3. GREAT ARE YOU, LORD

MESSAGE: "It Is What It Is"

Hear the word that the Lord speaks to you, O house of Israel. 2 Thus says the Lord:
 “Learn not the way of the nations,
     nor be dismayed at the signs of the heavens
     because the nations are dismayed at them,
   Jeremiah 10:1-2 (ESV)

An idol is anything we begin to trust, love, fear, or depend upon more than God.

"Idols give us a sense of being in control, and we can locate them by looking at our nightmares. What do we fear the most? What, if we lost it, would make life not worth living? We make 'sacrifices' to appease and please our gods, who we believe will protect us.”
Timothy Keller

"There is none like you, O LORD; you are great, and your name is great in might."
 Jeremiah 10:6 (ESV)

“I would rather be faithful and uncertain than successful and disobedient.”

“But the LORD is the true God; he is the living God, the eternal King.”
Jeremiah 10:10 (ESV)

JESUS: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30 (ESV)

What am I trusting? Today I am asking God to show me what competes with Him for my trust.

What am I most afraid of losing?

What do I believe I must have in order to be okay?

What am I tempted to sacrifice my convictions for?

 Where am I tempted to say, “It is what it is,” instead of doing what I know is right?

 What idol do I need to surrender to God?

MOVING FORWARD THIS WEEK

MONDAY - BY John Hougom

Read: Jeremiah 10:1-16

Faith Exercise:

How many times have you heard others say, “It is what it is I guess.” Or more importantly, how often have YOU uttered that phrase? Me too.... Faaaaarr more than I care to admit. But it is often true. For example, when your flight gets altered, or your car breaks down mid-drive. I have tried to erase this from my vocabulary because it carries such negative connotations. But underneath the surface, it can become an excuse. Sometimes we regurgitate this saying because it often says, “I know I should not do this, but I cannot stop, or I know I am compromising what I believe, buttt. I know I have certainly done this! HELLO.... GUILTY. The truth of it is, we do not wake up one day and say, “I am going to rebel against God today. It usually begins because something we want or something we want to happen and yet are skeptical of the results. OK, let us get to brass tacks, it is because we say we trust God and yet we really do not. That belief can then become an idol. Ohhh, we trust him in meneal areas of our life, but what about our finances, our career? So, today’s faith exercise asks each of you to examine this pitfall in our lives by giving thought to the following:

• Do I find myself using this phrase? If so, around what area(s) of your life?

• Are there any areas of your life that you refrain from giving God access to? If so, then why?

• How can I turn this phrase around to say, “I do trust God with this?”

Pray:

“Dear Jesus, please search each aspect of my life. Reveal to me Lord, any area in which I do not trust you completely. Guide my self-speech to show my complete trust in you, Lord. Amen.

Live:

When we learn to trust God in each area of life, not just the ones that are easy to, we begin to grow in relationship with Jesus. The more we begin to trust God, the more areas of life we begin to open to Him. See how this works? So, in what area of your life do you need to entrust with God more, my friends?

Wednesday Devotional:  Watch Sunday's message if you were not in person. https://www.youtube.com/@RestorationChurchDurham/streams

Read:  Jeremiah 10:1–16

Faith Exercise: 

As a reminder, this section relates to a “shift in perspective” and acts as a bridge between biblical truth as stated in the message today and personal application.  This part is designed to stretch, challenge, or realign our mindsets and bring us back into alignment with God’s truth.

Pastor Leah’s message to us today as inspired by the Holy Spirit, challenges us to take action, to take inventory, to ask God to search our hearts and reveal our need for a shift in perspective, a shift in beliefs, a shift in anything that has slipped away from aligning with what God’s word says.

Let’s take the questions from the message and seek God to reveal any place at all in our lives where even the hint of idolatry could be lurking.  Let’s make the conscious effort to come humbly to God, repent, and surrender.   Let us take the knowledge, apply it, and be transformed into the likeness of Jesus.

Live:  

This section is a reminder of practical, hands-on application.  This calls each of us to action, to act upon the message that was presented.    Let us not merely listen but take action, ponder, go back and hear it again.  If needed, read Jeremiah 10 again and meditate on it.  Let’s avoid filing today’s teaching in the file cabinet of our minds or sitting it on a shelf.  Let’s act upon the things that were presented in the message today.  We are called to action.  “Faith without works” is dead.”    Hearing the Word, thanking Pastor Leah, and walking away changes nothing. If we don't apply the message, we might as well toss it in the trash on our way out of the door.

This time let’s seek the Lord about this message and make a spiritual “To Do” list.   The purpose of this section is to “turn passive faith into active obedience through concrete actions”.     If this message feels uncomfortable, then ask the Holy Spirit why and reveal what needs to be changed, shifted, or sifted in our lives, our hearts, our thinking, our beliefs.   Help them to come back into alignment with God’s Word.

Pray:  

This section bears reminding that when we pray, it is asking for the Holy Spirit’s guidance, strength, and grace to carry out the things that were revealed in the Word today through the message.    This part grounds everything “in dependence on God”.  

Father God, thank you for this message today.  Give each of us the determination to be “doers of your word and not hearers” only.    Let us come to you asking for revelation of any areas of our lives that need to be uprooted and weeded out.  Holy Spirit, walk through the garden of our hearts and pluck out the idols that are sitting in our cucumber fields.  Help us to become a “FROG” - Fully Relying on God – for everything.   In Jesus' name, we pray, amen.

Reminder:   

Information + Application = Transformation

Information – Application = Frustration

FRIDAY MEDITATION

READ

Read Jeremiah 10:1–16 slowly. Then read verse 10 again: “But the LORD is the true God; he is the living God, the eternal King.” Ask: What does this verse tell me about God that my idols cannot provide?

Write one sentence: ________________________________________________

FAITH EXERCISE

The “What If?” Test: Take something you value deeply—your career, finances, reputation, relationships, success, comfort, or plans for the future. Ask: “What if God asked me to surrender this?” Simply notice your emotional reaction. What do you feel? Fear? Anger? Anxiety? Resistance? Peace? Your reaction may reveal something about where your trust has been placed. Now pray: “God, help me trust You more than I trust this.”

An idol is anything we trust to provide what only God can provide. This week, don't simply ask, “What am I worshiping?” Ask the deeper question: “What am I trusting?” Because the answer will often reveal the idol. The idols of this world cannot carry you. But the God who created you can. So we will trust Him, follow Him, remain faithful to Him, and allow God alone to take care of us.

PRAY

Ask God: “Lord, reveal my idols.” Then sit quietly for a few minutes. Ask: “What am I afraid to lose?” “What am I trying desperately to control?” “What am I willing to compromise to obtain?” “Where am I trusting myself instead of You?” Write down whatever comes to mind. Then surrender it to God.

LIVE

This week, practice one intentional act of trust.

• Saying no to something that would require you to compromise.
• Giving generously rather than clinging to your resources.
• Turning off comparison and social media for a period of time.
• Refusing to participate in gossip even when it would help you fit in.
• Taking a step toward obedience even though you don't know the outcome.
• Resting instead of constantly working.
• Apologizing when pride tells you to protect your reputation.
• Letting go of something you have been trying to control.

Your challenge: Choose faithfulness over the shortcut.

When you face a decision this week, ask: “Am I trusting God—or am I trusting this to take care of me?” Then choose God.