Maintaining Balance

“Maintaining Your Balance”

Luke 10:38-42 [NKJV],Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. 39And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. 40But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” 41And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. 42But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” 

“I never said Martha chose the wrong thing.”  

Luke 10:39 [NKJV], And she [Martha] had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. 

Luke 10:40 [NKJV], But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone?” 

•  Rather than seeing Martha and Mary as two completely different approaches to our relationship with God, we should see the two of them as the perfect model of BALANCE in the Christian life.  

•  Balance means; “equal importance or value between two things.”

He wants BALANCE in our lives. 

“The kingdom of God intentionally produces a tension in our lives for the purpose of spiritual health and balance.”

•  By tension, we are talking about “two seemingly opposing thoughts/teachings that bring about balance."  

     Biblical examples of tension…

                 Grace — Truth

                   Faith — Works

                   Love — Holiness

                 Mercy — Justice

                   Spirit — Word

             Freedom — Order

                    Rest — Work

         Submission — Authority

               Serving — Leading

                Calling — Character 

              Humility — Confidence

                Victory — Suffering

       Forgiveness — Discipline

Fruit of the Spirit — Gifts of the Spirit

Freewill — Sovereignty of God 

Individual Walk — Corporate Body 

Family of God — Army of God

•   These opposing ideas/teachings are actually [by God’s design] meant to keep us BALANCED.  

Song of Solomon, The shining of your spirit shows how you have taken My truth to become balanced and complete.

•  Human nature to give preference or to over emphasize one area of Scripture over another [especially when "new revelation" is involved]. 

Negative effects of imbalance...

-hindered influence 

-creates division 

-produces bitterness 

-produces pride & self-righteousness

-creates watch dog mentality 

-distorted judgment 

-opens door to deception and confusion

-weakens convictions

-closed-mindedness

-frustrated spirit

-immaturity

Phil. 1:6 [NLT], And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

Positive Effects of keeping our balance...

1.  Freedom

John 8:31-32 [TPT], Jesus said to those Jews who believed in him, “When you continue to embrace all that I teach, you prove that you are my true followers. 32 For if you embrace the truth, it will release true freedom into your lives.” 

2.  Protection from the Enemy

1 Peter 5:8 [AMP], Be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion [fiercely hungry], seeking someone to devour. 

3.  Maturity [spiritual growth]

Ephesians 4:11-15 [NASB], And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; 13until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. 14As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; 15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ...

How to develop and maintain Balance in our lives...

1.  Eat Our Vegetables [balanced diet]

Matthew 4:4 [NIV], Jesus answered, "It is written:  Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." 

2.  Prepare It [study]

2 Timothy 2:15 [AMP], Study and do your best to present yourself to God approved...

2 Timothy 3:16-17 [TPT], Every Scripture has been written by the Holy Spirit, the breath of God. It will empower you by its instruction and correction, giving you the strength to take the right direction and lead you deeper into the path of godliness. 17 Then you will be God's servant, fully mature and perfectly prepared to fulfill any assignment God gives you. 

3.  Swallow It [apply it]

Hosea 4:6 [NKJV], My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected [not applied] knowledge.  

James 1:22 [NIV], Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves.  Do what it says.  

1 Peter 4:7 [AMP], The end and culmination of all things is near. Therefore, be sound-minded and self-controlled for the purpose of prayer [staying balanced and focused on the things of God so that your communication will be clear, reasonable, specific and pleasing to Him].

He want us to be BALANCED.