“Your Own Side” v. God’s Side Luke 9:21-26

Modern Psychology: “Be on your own side” “Be for yourself.” (Self-love, self-esteem, self-assurance and self-confidence) Hardwiring Happiness: The New Brain Science of Contentment, Calm, and Confidence (Rick Hanson, Ph.D.) Stop the self-criticism and being “mean” toward yourself “Do unto yourself what you want others to do unto you.”

“Hardwiring Happiness” Rick Hanson, Ph.D. “Using this book, you can beat the brain’s negativity bias, which is like Velcro for negative experiences but Teflon for positive ones. This bias evolved to help ancient animals survive, but today it makes us feel needlessly frazzled, worried, irritated, lonely, inadequate, and blue.

“Hardwiring Happiness” Rick Hanson, Ph.D. “Instead, in just a few seconds at a time in the flow of daily life, you can turn your experiences – the pleasure in a cup of coffee, the accomplishment in finishing a tricky email, the warmth from a friend’s smile – into lasting inner strengths built into your brain, such as resilience, balance, and positive emotions.

“Hardwiring Happiness” Rick Hanson, Ph.D. “Grounded in neuroscience, Hardwiring Happiness is super practical, full of easy-to- use methods and guided practices to grow a steady well-being, self-worth, and inner peace. And it has special sections on children, motivation, relationships, trauma, and spiritual practice.”

Be on your own side? We need a healthy level of “self-criticism” 2 Corinthians 13:5; 1 Corinthians 11:31 Self-confidence can be misplaced, Luke 18:9; Romans 2:17-20, 24 Yes, everyone is valuable, including you Confidence must be in Lord and His word, Acts 28:31; Ephesians 3:11-12

The World Says Be on your own side to be happy, by caring about yourself, first. This wisdom of men takes God completely out of the equation of life – its purpose, meaning and goals, Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 World says your purpose in life is to discover your own happiness cf. Solomon, Ecclesiastes 2:10-11

The Bible Says Be on God’s side! “Pursuit of anything in this world, without a healthy consideration of the ultimate and eternal consequences of our actions, leads only to frustration and emptiness.” (Dan King, Searching for Happiness, 11) By surrendering yourself to Him, you find the path to joy and peace, Matthew 11:28-30; 16:24; John 14:26-28; 16:22, 33

“Be for Yourself” (“Am I On My Own Side?”) Means you care about yourself, first Bible love (agape): Look out for the interests of others before yourself, Philippians 2:4; 1 Corinthians 13:5 (does not seek its own) Dramatic conflict between human wisdom and God’s wisdom Who is on the Lord’s side? Exodus 32:26; Joshua 24:15

Whose Side Are You On? Feelings seem right, Prov. 14:12 “Your Own Side” God’s Side Feelings seem right, Prov. 14:12 Can easily lie to self, Psalm 14:1; 5:9 God is right, Isaiah 45:19 God’s word is true, John 17:17

Whose Side Are You On? Heart deceives, Jeremiah 17:5, 9 “Your Own Side” God’s Side Heart deceives, Jeremiah 17:5, 9 All is vanity, Ecclesiastes 2:22-23 God is trustworthy, Jeremiah 17:7 Joy, peace and contentment, Philippians 4:4-8

Whose Side Are You On? “Your Own Side” God’s Side Fill up desires, but never satisfied, Hebrews 11:25; 1 John 2:17 You will lose your life, Luke 9:24 Sacrifice for fulfillment, Mark 10:28-31 You will save your life, Luke 9:23-24

Summary You are important to God, John 3:16 But, you are not more important than God and His will for you, Luke 9:23 To “save your life” you must “lose it” Have complete devotion to Jesus Always be on His side, Luke 9:24-26