## The Balanced Christian Life

## Proverbs 30:8-9

1 COR. 14:40 SAYS, "LET ALL THINGS BE DONE DECENTLY AND IN ORDER."

(2 TIM 4:2) "PREACH THE WORD; BE INSTANT IN SEASON, OUT OF SEASON; REPROVE, REBUKE, EXHORT WITH ALL LONGSUFFERING AND DOCTRINE."

Reprove - rebuke - exhort. That is talking about balance. Not all reproving, not all rebuking, not all exhorting, rather a proper balance of each.

We know that every Christian is to study the Bible, but if we incorporate 90% study and 10% in other spiritual matters that will not be proper. Neither will 10% study and 90% in the other. There must be a balance.

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, but all play and no work will make him a bum.

If a boat has two oars in the water and both are functioning properly the boat will move forward. If only one oars is working, the boat will go in circles. An automobile engine must have the proper balance of fuel, air, and electricity to properly perform.

There are a lot of principles. I suppose that there must be balance in but let me give you just a few tonight.

I. Balanced In Getting And Giving

(1 COR 11:23A) "FOR I HAVE RECEIVED OF THE LORD THAT WHICH ALSO I DELIVERED UNTO YOU..."

A. Concerning Service.

1. Let's say that we give, give, give, give, and give. After a while we will get empty.

2. If we get, get, get, get, and get without giving, then we will become stagnant and dead.

3. If we get and give, and get and give, then we will become a channel that God will use.

4. There must be outlets for the intakes that we have.

B. This Is True With Finances Also.

1. If we only take in money and never put any out into the work of God to help others, then we will become a Scrooge.

2. We will become selfish, and will die an unhappy person.

3. God commands us to give, however, there must be a balance.

4. Try only writing checks and never making deposits and see how long that will last.

5. We will be reading about you in the paper!

6. As we give to the work of God, He will give back to us and bless us, so that we can give again.

II. Balance In Hearing And Doing

(JAS 1:22) "BUT BE YE DOERS OF THE WORD, AND NOT HEARERS ONLY, DECEIVING YOUR OWN SELVES."

A. We are to have a balance in that which we hear and that which we do.

1. We have two ears to hear and only one mouth to speak.

2. I think that means that we are supposed to listen twice as much as we speak.

3. If we hear, hear, and hear, and do not do, then there will be severe problems develop.

B. The application of the Word of God is equally as important as the instruction.

1. It is true in every other area of life.

2. Mechanic tells you what is wrong with your car...are you satisfied?

3. Doctor diagnoses the pain and problems we have physically and charges us an office call...are we satisfied with that?

4. Why should we think God would be satisfied with our knowing His Word, but not obeying?

III. Balance In Doctrine That We Preach

A. Baptism.

1. Baptism is a very important doctrine.

2. We must teach it and preach it.

3. Yet, there are some who are over balanced in this doctrine.

4. If we over balance on this we will begin to teach that baptism is and must be part of the salvation experience.

5. It isn't; Baptism pictures salvation.

6. If we overstate baptism, then we will have an imbalance in our doctrine.

B. The Lord's Supper.

1. It is a great doctrine.

2. It also pictures the death and shedding of blood of our Saviour.

3. When we observe it here as a local church we are observing a memorial of what He has done for us.

4. But there are some who teach that actual physical cells of the body of Christ has been transferred into the juice and the bread.

5. Many teach that through the observance of this ordinance we are saved.

6. That is not taught in the Bible.

C. The Filling Of The Holy Spirit.

1. The filling of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer is a wonderful truth.

2. To fulfill the work that God has given us to do, He empowers us; fills us; and controls us.

3. He fills us so that we can become witnesses for Christ.

4. The Holy Spirit never seeks to be recognized like the "wild fire movements" display Him today.

5. The filling of the Spirit of God is a daily process.

a. We must be filled over and over again.

b. If we get over balanced in this matter then we could wind up in some Charismatic cult.

6. Again we need to be balanced in our teaching.

D. The Second Coming.

1. I long and am looking for the Second Coming of the Lord.

2. But if I go and start setting dates, sell my house, or go off to some mountain top...I am out of balance.

IV. Balance In The Home

A. Dad Is To Be In Charge. Society says different. But hear me, society is wrong. God made man first and then made woman. In the first family there were three males and one female. That should tell you the percentage that is Biblical. Ooooooooooh, that was bad, wasn't it? Look out for the flying song books.

B. Mom Is To Be The Helpmeet. Mom is to be subject to her husband. I'm not just joshing on this. It is a Bible fact that the wife is to be subject to her husband.

C. Children Are To Be The Blessing.

Anything other than these are an imbalance. The home will not function properly and will produce imbalanced children.

I see homes where mom and dad are under bondage of the children. The 5 year old is giving orders and making the rules of the home. That ought not to be. The parents are scurrying back and forth like puppets trying to please the master. That's sin.

If dad is mean and hard and never displays any grace about him, then that is imbalance. Dad, you need to wear white gloves sometimes. That means to be delicate and soft. You won't lose your manliness. You should help with the housework sometimes.

Mom, you are part of this balance, too. You should make sure that your end of the scales are balanced.

If mom and dad will both make sure that their part of the home is balanced, then the children will be balanced. That will happen automatically. It won't be near the problem that most homes make it to be if all is balanced in a Bible manner.

VI. BALANCE IN YOUR ENTERTAINMENT

By balance in this subject I do not mean that we can have an equal amount of good entertainment and bad entertainment. A balance in the entertainment vs. work relationship.

You had better raise your children teaching them how to work. Teach them responsibility. Teach them honesty. Teach them faithfulness to church, the home, and to each other.

A. Our Society Today Takes Nothing Serious. There is no sanctity in anything today. TV has totally destroyed everything.

B. Human Life Is Not Taken Serious. That's why there is such an assault of murder and killings today. Human life means nothing. It is acceptable to blow someone away as it is to drink a coke.

C. Marriage Means Nothing.

We throw them out of the home at 17 or 18 years old and say, "Good luck". They are no more ready for that than anything.

Life is not just a great big game. SOME DAY FOR EVERYONE LIFE BECOMES REAL.

You want to know why there are so many homeless on the streets? There was no balance on this matter of responsibility in their life.

A person who is responsible will make it in life. He will not have to be down on skidrow eating out of garbage cans. There are some who are satisfied with that.

We are more concerned with the balance of the cold cereal that our children eat than the things that will determine their destiny.

Are you concerned about the balance in your life, and in the life of your family?

I have given you some matters that will help you live a balanced life for the Lord. Will you do it?