Dude, Calm Down

Speaker: Brad Daniel

No matter how strong, devoted, or spiritually mature you are, you can’t grow fruit on your own-whether you think you can, or not. 

If we are living our lives with Christ, our lives should be fruity and phenomenal.

Our world today is a rush. Lots of school, lots of activities, lots of places to go and people to see. We hardly have any down time at all. We hardly get any rest because we are always going, going, going. 

And often times, when we find a break, we just want “peace and quiet”, and that peace and quiet is usually really nice. 

But peace isn’t just being quiet. Peace isn’t just being relaxed. 

When we have true peace from God, it allows us to engage with the turbulence we face because we know that God is with us. Peace is believing that all is well, even when the world says, “Hurry up and fix it.” But we must remember that we need peace. Peace is a fruit we need to grow. And the process of growing fruit is slow. 

Romans 12:18

If it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

Matthew 11:28-30

28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” 

Last night, week 3 of our Peeled series, we talked about peace and how peace relates to self control. Because no peace usually means no self control. 

But like peace, we often have a skewed view of self control. 

Self control is not just doing good things. It is learning to master our good AND bad personal desires and passions. 

Self control is surrendering your control over your life, and giving it to God.

Self control is the freedom to do what is right when you are under pressure and stress. 

We were asked, “What is your bigger better yes?”

When you are with your friends, tempted to do something that they are doing, stop and think:

What is my bigger better yes? 

Your bigger better yes is saying no to things that are not life-giving or fruitful or godly.

Maybe your bigger better yes is watching your language, controlling your temper, turning off your electronic device, or changing what you allow yourself to consume….whatever it is…say yes to what is bigger and better, even when it is hard. 

That is self control. 

When we are growing in Christ, our fruit should reach a point where it becomes good enough that those around us who are struggling can come and see and taste that God is good. All the time. 

1 Peter 1:5-7

5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

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