Sheryl Brady - Making a Decision to Change Your Default

Go with me to the book of Hebrews. If you’re able, please stand on your feet and join us today as we read the word of the Lord. If you’re not able, just remain seated; don’t feel bad about it; I totally understand. But if you’re able, while standing, let’s honor God for His word. Thank you to all our ministers, elders, deacons, and children’s workers. We are blessed in this church! Look at somebody and tell them, «We’re a real church; the Lord has blessed us!»

Hebrews is where we’re going today, specifically the twelfth chapter. I was reading this in my Bible last night and literally ripped it out, so I had to clip it together. But Hebrews chapter 12—I’m going to begin reading at the eleventh verse. The Bible says, «Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present but painful; nevertheless, afterward—thank God there even is an afterward!» That one word right there helps the entire verse! «Nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore, strengthen the hands that hang down and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet so that what is lame may not be dislocated but rather be healed. Pursue peace with all people and holiness.» Somebody shout «holiness!» We don’t hear that word often in the church, but it’s in the Bible, so we need to hear it in the church! Pursue peace with all people and holiness, without which no man will see the Lord.

Looking carefully, lest anyone falls short of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; lest there be any fornicator—oh, if I didn’t lose you over bitterness and holiness, I’ve surely lost you now! —or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected; for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears. He wanted his inheritance; he was supposed to have it. It was laid up for him; it was his. But he didn’t get it, even though he repented and cried for it. He failed to inherit it all because he was hungry.

Today, by the grace of God, I want to work with this text a little bit, and I want to talk to you about making a decision to change your default. Look at somebody and say, «Decide to change your default!» It’s a decision. Decide! It’s not about the tears you cry; it’s about the decision to change your default.

Father, today I honor You for Your word. I don’t even know what all You’re going to say in here today, but I know that we’re hungry and we’re waiting. Somebody is thirsty; somebody has been reaching; somebody has been praying. Someone has been saying, «God, I need a word from You. I have situations in my life that I need to see changed. I need to see growth in certain areas.»

So today we’ve laid aside every weight, and we’ve come into the house with gratitude. We’ve come before Your courts with praise! We bless You; we honor You; we sang Your praises. Today we are positioning ourselves to hear, Lord. They need more than what Cheryl can say; they need to hear what God would have to say. Thank You for speaking to all of us and yet being able to say something different to each of us at the same time. You are amazing like that, and we will forever give Your name the praise and glory. In Jesus' name, as a matter of fact, we’re going to give You some of it in advance right now. Come on, clap your hands and just thank Him right now!

Think about your favorite meal being laid in front of you, and tell Him, «Thank You in advance!» In Jesus' name, on your way down, touch somebody and tell them, «You’ve got to change your default! Change your default!»

I’m going to get quickly into the Word of God because I want to share what’s on my heart if the Lord says the same. The writer in this book is warning us; he’s telling us and giving us a heads-up about the discipline of God. We often talk about the love of God, the grace of God, and the kindness of God, but the same God who loves us, extends grace to us, and shows kindness is also a God who brings discipline to those of us who are His children. He is telling us that as we say yes to the correction of God, this legitimizes our place in the family of God. If you can’t say yes to God and He cannot correct you, then the Bible says that you are a bastard and not a son.

Chastisement, however—sometimes children have the goal of saying, «If I can just grow up, reach 18, or become 21, I can get out of this house.» But they have, somewhere along the way, failed to understand, or we have failed to help them understand, that chastisement is not limited to childhood. Some children grow up just wanting to escape from home because they don’t want anyone to correct them. But it is our job to help them understand that the day of correction is essential.