The 4G Life – Part 4

Story Time: Flood Insurance

Matthew 7:24–27

Psalm 62:2

Three Qualities:

• Immovable Vertically
• Flexible Horizontally
• Bend Without Breaking

Spiritual Building Construction

There is a parallel between physical buildings and spiritual buildings.

• The Vertical represents God (His person, purpose and plan for us)
• The horizontal represents humans (their personhood, purpose and plans)
• We must be immovable in God, but with people.
• Ironically, you have to to be immovable.

Construction Lessons From A Master Builder

Paul calls himself a master builder. (1 Corinthians 3:10)

What we think is towering spectacle is just the foundation for someone else’s .

This faith project is about taking care of how people build on the foundation.

1 Corinthians 3:11

Our Church Mission Lays the Foundation

Our church mission statement is how we communicate that Christ is our foundation.

Church Mission: We help people live for God’s purpose.

This is our way of saying that we help people become more like Jesus. 

When we are living for God’s purpose, we are like those seismic-ready building who are immovable vertically.

• People who live for God’s purpose find security in the .
• People who live for their own purpose find security in things.

God’s purpose for us presents two realities that shape our lives: His and our .

We are empowered by the vertical while making choices in the horizontal.

Just like in a seismic-ready building, the two do not cancel each other out.

Our choices do not uproot the person, purpose and plan of God:

• Obedience does not make us more righteous.
• Prayer does not give God more information.
• Giving does not make God richer.
• Trusting does not give God more confidence.

God’s character, value, purpose and power are unchanged by what we do.

God does not need us. Yet, He has chosen us to be partakers of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:3–4)

The Power of Choices, The Power of Options

In choosing us, He has invited us to make choices.

God has invited us to make choices in a world of constant change.

What the power of choice means is that in a world of constant change, we always have options.

The Constancy of Change

Change is a , yet we live as if changes will never happen.

The best thing to do in response to change is to for it.

Things That Change Are Deceptively

1 John 2:15 
1 John 2:17 

Anytime you fall in love with things that are subject to change, you are .

We are to things that change, but not fall in love with them.

Change Requires

You prepare for changes by making changes.

The Difficulty of Change is More than it is Physical

Preparation for change always issues, especially matters of growth and development.

You must make allowances for the emotional and psychological dimension of change, especially when addressing major changes.

Some of you come from generations where changes took place over long periods of time—they were much more gradual. They did not happen all the time—changes happened, but at a pace you could process.

The biggest psychological problem with change is the effect it has on our sense of .

Many people’s senses of identity are liked to external and temporary markers.

Top Twenty-One Tips for a Timely Turn if You’ve Endured the Test of Time

1. Get A New Name 
2. Start A Group That Responds to Your Needs 
3. Join A Group That Responds to Your Needs 
4. Get A Retirment Coach or A Life Coach
5. Get A Personal Physical Trainer
6. Get a Regular Health Check-Up
7. See A Chiropractor
8. See A Nutritionist
9. Get Therapy
10. See A Financial Advisor
11. What Would Somebody Else Do with Your Hand?
12. Figure Out What You Actually Want to Do.
13. Find People Your Age Doing What You Would Like to Do.
14. Figure Out Which Lane You’re In
15. Update
16. Eliminate Standards of Success That are Based on other People’s Versions of Happiness 
17. Be Willing to Begin Again (Lifelong Learner)
18. Stop Asking “What About Me?”: Psalm 92:12-15
19. Ask God What God Wants You to Do
20. Respond to What God Asked You to Do
21. Invest in Eternal Things:  1 Corinthians 3:14; 2 Corinthians 5:10

© Joshua D. Smith, Ph.D., 2021