Notes from the message "What do you fear to lose?" by Pastor Ed Lapiz

What do you fear to lose?
Pastor Ed Lapiz

These are things people are fearful of losing:
1. One's life.
2. Other people. Loved ones.
3. Material possessions.
4. Means of production. Jobs, business.
5. Power. Physical, financial, and social.
6. Prestige.
7. Pleasure.
8. Physical attractiveness.

What do people do to prevent these losses?
1. Worry - the most fruitless endeavor
2. Toil endlessly

What does the Bible say?

1. Don't love life too much.

• Hebrews 9:27 It is destined for men to die.
• James 4:14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
• 1 John 2:15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.

2. Don't love people too much because they can become your idol.

• Gen. 22:2 God told Abraham to sacrifice his only son, Isaac.
• Matt. 10:37 Anyone who loves father or mother more than God is not worthy of God.
• God wants to be our first love.

3. Be content.

• I have learned to be content in whatever state I am. (Philippians 4:11)

4. Do not seek and love power, especially power over people.

• 1 Peter 5:3 - "Don't lord it over people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example."
• Ezekiel 28:17 You corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor.
• Romans 7:18-19 -For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.
• Romans 7:24-25 Jesus Christ can make us overcome
• Phil. 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.
• Gal. 5:22-23 - self-control (fruit of the Spirit)

5. Do not seek fame.

6. Do not seek pleasure.

• Luke 8:14 - Choked by life's worries, riches, and pleasure.

7. Do not be obsessed with youth and beauty.

• What you fear losing will become your master.
• There is constant renewal in life. You cannot hold on to things forever.

James 4:2-3 - You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive because you ask with the wrong motives.

Be free from desire, from attachment.

Phil. 3:8 - Yes, everything else is worthless compared to the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake, I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ

SOLUTION: WORSHIP GOD.