THE EXTRODINARY POWER
OF THE ORDINARY
11/11/01
1 Cor 1:26-31
26 Notice among
yourselves, dear brothers, that few of you who follow Christ have big names or
power or wealth. 27 Instead, God has deliberately chosen to use ideas the world
considers foolish and of little worth in order to shame those people considered
by the world as wise and great. 28 He has chosen a plan despised by the world,
counted as nothing at all, and used it to bring down to nothing those the world
considers great, 29 so that no one anywhere can ever brag in the presence of
God. 30 For it is from God alone that you have your life through Christ Jesus.
He showed us God's plan of salvation; he was the one who made us acceptable to
God; he made us pure and holy and gave himself to purchase our salvation. 31 As
it says in the Scriptures, "If anyone is going to boast, let him boast
only of what the Lord has done."
Rom 12:16
16 Work happily
together. Don't try to act big. Don't try to get into the good graces of
important people, but enjoy the company of ordinary folks. And don't think you
know it all!
TWO
WEEKS AGO I INTRODUCED THIS NEW MINI-SERIES ON THE EXTRORDINARY POTENTIAL OF
THE ORDINARY BY LOOKING AT GOD’S CHOICE OF A WOMAN TO BE THE MOTHER OF HIS
SON. YOU WOULD THINK THAT GOD WOULD
LOOK AMONGST ROYALTY OF ISRAEL OR AMONGST THE WEALTHY, POWERFUL OR THE
ELITE. BUT GOD CHOSE RATHER TO LOOK
AMONGST THE ORDINARY, AS HE SO OFTEN DOES.
THERE’S NOT MANY MIGHTY CALLED, NOT MANY RICH AND NOT MANY NOBLE WHO
WILL SAY YES TO GOD’S CALL UPON THEIR LIFE.
MARY, ON THE OTHER HAND CAME FROM THE MOBILE HOME VILLAGE OF NAZARETH, A
PLACE THAT WAS OF QUESTIONABLE RENOWN.
IT WAS SAID OF NAZARETH, “CAN ANY GOOD THING COME OUT OF NAZARETH.”
John 1:45-46
45 Philip findeth
Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and
the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
46 And Nathanael said
unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him,
Come and see.
GOD’S
SELECTION IS NEVER BASED ON THE EXTERNAL, HE ALWAYS LOOKS UPON THE HEART AND
OFCOURSE THERE ARE ALWAYS SOME GOOD PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN NATORIOUS AREAS AND
MARY WAS THAT KIND OF A PERSON.
GOD
OFFERS AN INCREDIBLE OFFER TO THIS LITTLE GIRL, MARY. SHE THINKS ABOUT IT FOR A MOMENT AND THEN WITHOUT HESITATION
RESPONDS YES. BY SO DOING, SHE STEPS
INTO THE WILL OF GOD AND WALKS ONTO THE STAGE OF HUMAN HISTORY. AS A FOURTEEN YEAR OLD GIRL IN AN
IMPORVERISHED TOWN CALLED NAZERETH THE ANGEL GABRIEL WAS SENT TO HER WITH THESE
WORDS:
Luke 1:26-38
26 The following
month God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, 27 to a
virgin, Mary, engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King
David. 28 Gabriel appeared to her and said, "Congratulations, favored
lady! The Lord is with you!" 29 Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to
think what the angel could mean. 30 "Don't be frightened, Mary," the
angel told her, "for God has decided to wonderfully bless you! 31 Very
soon now, you will become pregnant and have a baby boy, and you are to name him
'Jesus.' 32 He shall be very great and shall be called the Son of God. And the
Lord God shall give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 And he shall reign
over Israel forever; his Kingdom shall never end!" 34 Mary asked the
angel, "But how can I have a baby? I am a virgin." 35 The angel
replied, "The Holy Spirit shall come upon you, and the power of God shall
overshadow you; so the baby born to you will be utterly holy-- the Son of God.
36 Furthermore, six
months ago your Aunt Elizabeth-- 'the barren one,' they called her-- became
pregnant in her old age! 37 For every promise from God shall surely come
true." 38 Mary said, "I am the Lord's servant, and I am willing to do
whatever he wants. May everything you said come true." And then the angel
disappeared.
THE
ANGEL SAYS TO THIS LITTLE GIRL IN ESSENCE, YOU ARE FAVORED OF GOD TO BE THE
MOTHER OF HIS SON. AND MARY’S RESPONSE
WAS BE IT UNTO ME ACCORDING TO YOUR WORD.
AND THE REST, WELL, ITS HISTORY. WE CAN LEARN FROM THIS RECORDED EVENT
THAT ITS NOT JUST ABOUT MARY. ITS ABOUT
YOU AND ITS ABOUT ME. AND SUDDENLY ITS
MY NAZARETH, MY NO WHERE LIFE, MY NO
ACCOUNT PLACE, MY ORDINARY, ORDINARY LIFE.
CAN ANY GOOD THING COME FROM MY LIFE JUST LIKE THEY SAID ABOUT THIS
MOBILE HOME PARK CALLED NAZARETH? AND THE ANSWER IS THE SAME………...YES! YOU BET, BUT THERE ARE SOME CONDITIONS. THERE ARE SOME TERMS THAT HAVE TO BE AGREED
ON. GOD MUST MAKE HIS OFFER AND I MUST
ANSWER YES. WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU SAY
NO? YOU’LL HAVE TO FIGURE THAT OUT FOR
YOURSELF. WHAT WOULD YOUR LIFE BE LIKE
FROM THIS MOMENT ON IF YOU SAID NO TO GOD?
COULD YOU COME UP WITH AN ALTERNATIVE BETTER THAN GOD? ARE YOU THAT WISE? YOU COULDN’T LOVE YOURSELF MORE THAN HE LOVES YOU. YOU COULDN’T POSSIBLY KNOW BEST FOR YOURSELF
MORE THAN HE KNOWS. SO PRUDENCE ALONE
BEGS YOU TO SAY YES TO HIS OFFER CAUSE YOU CAN’T POSSIBLY KNOW BETTER THAN HIM
AND YOU’D BE EXTREMELY FOOLISH TO THINK YOU COULD. SO FROM THIS LITTLE STORY ABOUT AN ORDINARY LITTLE GIRL CALLED
MARY WE CAN SEE THAT YES IS THE ONLY RESPONSE GOD IS LOOKING FOR FROM OUR
ORDINARY, INSIGNIFICANT LIFE. WE CAN
LEARN THREE MAJOR LESSONS ABOUT LIFE FROM MARY AND WE’RE GOING TO LOOK AT EACH
OF THEM THIS MORNING. LET ME QUICKLY
REVIEW THE FIRST ONE.
Luke 16:10-12
10 No! For unless you
are faithful in small matters, you won't be in large ones. If you cheat even a
little, you won't be honest with greater responsibilities. 11 And if you are untrustworthy
about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven? 12 And
if you are not faithful with other people's money, why should you be entrusted
with money of your own?
Zech 4:10
10 Do not despise
this small beginning, for the eyes of the Lord rejoice to see the work begin,
to see the plumbline in the hand of Zerubbabel. For these seven lamps represent
the eyes of the Lord that see everywhere around the world."
1
NEVER OVERLOOK THE EXTRODINARY POTENTIAL IN THE ORDINARY. NEVER
OVERLOOK THE POTENTIAL OF THE ORDINARY.
WE LIVE IN A CULTURE THAT BOMBARDS US WITH BIG. EVERYTHING SUCCDESSFUL
IS...SUPER. WE HAVE THE SUPER BOWL AND
THE WORLD SERIES. EVERYTHING IS SCALED
IN AMERICA UP TO EPIC PROPORTIONS. OUR
ENTIRE WORLD VIEW IS CONTINULLY ASSULTED WITH BIGGER, BETTER, GREATER, THINNER,
SHINER, BRIGHTER, FASTER, RICHER, MORE POWERFUL. SO WE’RE CAUGHT IN THIS PULL THAT’S ALWAYS LOOKING FOR THE BIGGER
BIG OR THE HIGHER HIGH, THE FASTER FAST, THE PRETTIER PRETTY OR THE WEIRDER OR WEIRD. EVERYTHING HAS GOT TO GO UP, UP, UP! AND WE STAY DRIVEN IN THIS MAZE LOOKING FOR
THE SPECTACULAR AND WHEN WE DO WE CONSTANTLY MISS THE EXTRORDINAY POTENTIAL OF
THE ORDINARY (WHICH IS ALL AROUND US).
MARY, WHO WOULD NOTICE HER, AFTER ALL, SHE WAS JUST A PEASANT GIRL. WHAT COULD POSSIBLE COME OUT OF HER. LOOKING OUTWARDLY, NOT MUCH. BUT GOD LOOKS AT MARY AND SEES POTENTIAL OUT
OF HER WILLINGNESS CREATES A DEFINING MOMENT IN HISTORY. MARY BECOMES THE ONLY WOMAN ON EARTH TO BE
IMPREGNATED WITH THE SON OF GOD. So never overlook THE EXTRODINARY POTENTAIL
OF THE ORDINARY. YOUR LIFE MIGHT SEEM
ORDINARY, NON-DESCRIPT. YOU MIGHT
APPEAR TO BE NOTHING MORE THAN BLENDING INTO THE STATUS QUO OF LIFE AS YOU KNOW
IT. YOUR YOUTHFUL PASSIONS THAT ONCE
BURNED BRIGHT FROM HIGH SCHOOL THAT CAUSED YOU TO DARE AND DREAM, HAS NOW
DIMMISHED TO A SLOW SURRENDER. THEN YOU
START TO ACCEPT SOMETHING SMALLER THAN WHAT YOU WANT OR DREAMED OF ACHIEVING IN
BUSINESS, IN YOUR RELATIONSHIPS AND IN YOUR MINISTRY. DON’T DO IT, THAT’S NOT WHAT YOU WERE CREATED FOR. YOU AND I WERE CREATED FOR GOOD WORKS OR
GREAT WORKS.
John 14:12-14
12 Verily, verily, I
say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also;
and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. 13 And
whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be
glorified in the Son. 14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
Eph 2:10
10 For we are his
workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before
ordained that we should walk in them.
SO
GOD DRAWS NEAR TO US TODAY, JUST LIKE HE DID TO MARY OF OLD AND TOUCHES OUR
ORDINARY LIFE WITH HIS TRANSFORMING POWER AND RAISES OUT OF THE ORDINARY AND
INTO THE EXTRORDINARY. WHAT HE DID WITH
MARY HE CAN DO WITH YOU AND ME IF WE SAY YES TO GOD’S WILL. THE FIRST LESSON THIS MORNING IS THIS: NEVER
OVERLOOK THE EXTRODINARY POTENTIAL OF THE ORDINARY. BE FAITHFUL IN
YOUR ORDINARY LIFE AND GOD WILL BRING YOU THE OPPORTUNITY FOR SUCCESS AND SIGNIFICANCE.
2. NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE EXTRODINARY POTENTIAL OF GOD’S SPOKEN WORD TO
YOUR LIFE. NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE
POWER OF A PERSONAL WORD FROM GOD TO YOU.
WHEN
THE ANGEL APPEARED TO MARY HE SAID, “HAIL MARY.” THAT’S WHERE WE GET HAIL MARY FROM, IT WAS A NORMAL GREETING FROM
THE ANGEL GABRIEL. IT’D BE LIKE SAYING
HI MARY, HOW YA DOING? THIS IS NOT A RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE HERE ITS JUST A
GREETING. HEY JOE, DON’T BE AFRAID, THE
LORD SENT ME. HAIL MARY, YOU ARE FAVORED
OF GOD TO BE THE MOTHER OF HIS SON. NOW
YOU HAVE GOT TO KNOW THAT THAT WAS THE HOPE OF EVERY JEWISH GIRL TO BE THE
MOTHER OF THE “DESIRE OF THE NATION.”
Gen 3:14-15
14 So the Lord God
said to the serpent, "This is your punishment: You are singled out from
among all the domestic and wild animals of the whole earth-- to be cursed. You
shall grovel in the dust as long as you live, crawling along on your belly.
15 From now on you
and the woman will be enemies, as will your offspring and hers. You will strike
his heel, but he will crush your head."
IN
ESSENCE, GOD MADE A PROMISE TO US HERE IN GENESIS. HE SAID, “ I WILL PUT AN EVERLASTING WAR BETWEEN YOU, SATAN, AND
THE WOMAN AND BETWEEN HER CHILDREN AND YOURS.
THERE WILL BE TIMES WHEN IT SEEM LIKE YOU PRVAIL AND THERE WILL BE OTHER
TIMES WHEN IT SEEMS LIKE SHE PREVAILS.
BUT EVERY SUCCESS YOU HAVE WILL BE NOTHING MORE THAN THE BRUISING OF HER HEAL BUT EVERY TRIUMPH SHE
HAS WILL BE THE CRUSHING OF YOUR HEAD.
THAT IS A PROMISE OF GOD TO YOU THAT YOU AND I NEED TO HEAR TODAY. AND ADAM AND EVE FINALLY HAD HOPE AGAIN
AFTER THEIR FALL INTO SIN AND SO DO YOU AND I.
John 6:14
14 Then those men,
when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that
prophet that should come into the world.
THAT
HOPE OF THE COMING MESSIAH CHILD PASSED FROM ONE GENERATION TO ANOTHER. EVERY YOUNG WOMAN WANTED TO GIVE BIRTH TO A
MALE CHILD IN HOPE THAT IT WOULD BE THE MESSIAH. GIRLS DIDN’T HAVE MUCH VALUE BACK THEN BUT GIVING BIRTH TO THE
MESSIAH, THAT WOULD REVERSE THINGS.
THERE WERE A FEW THAT LOOKED PROMISING, MOSES, SAMUEL, DAVID, AND JOHN THE BAPTIST JUST TO NAME A
FEW. BUT EACH OF THEM WAS UNMISTAKENLY
CLEAR, “NO I AM NOT THAT ONE. MARY GRE
UP WITH THIS SAME HOPE IN HER HEART, “COULD I BE THE ONE.” NA, NOT A CHANCE. ITS GONNA BE A PRETTIER GIRL WHO LIVES IN JERUSALEM NEAR THE
TEMPLE AND IS THE CHILD OF SOMEONE IMPORTANT LIKE A PROPHET OR A PRIEST. BUT GOD DILEBERATELY CHOOSES THE WEAK TO
CONFOUND THE STRONG AND HIS CHOICE IS NOT AMONGST THE PROMINIENT OF JERUSALEM
BUT FROM THE NO ACCOUNT VILLAGE OF NAZARETH.
MARY, IS THE ONE!
BEFORE
MARY SAID YES TO GOD SHE HAD A QUESTION FOR GABRIEL: HOW SHALL THIS BE SINCE I
NEVER KNEW A MAN, BEEN MARRIED OR SLEPT AROUND. THE ANGEL SAID O THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL COME UPON YOU AND
OVERSHADOW YOU AND THAT WHICH WILL BE BROUGHT FORTH FROM YOU WILL BE CALLED THE
SON OF GOD. LISTEN, GOD SAID IT AND ITS
GONNA HAPPEN. WHATEVER GOD SPEAKS TO YOU
WILL HAPPEN BECAUSE GOD’S WORD HAS POWER THAT IMPREGNATES YOUR SOUL THAT MAKES
IT COME TO PASS.
Heb 4:12
12 For whatever God
says to us is full of living power: it is sharper than the sharpest dagger,
cutting swift and deep into our innermost thoughts and desires with all their
parts, exposing us for what we really are.
GOD’S
WORD IS ALIVE AND IS FULL OF LIFE AND POWER.
WHEN HE SPOKE INTO NOTHING AND SAID LET THERE BE LIGHT, THERE WAS
LIGHT. THE WORD OF GOD HAS CREATIVE
POWER. YOU SEE, WE HEAR A LOT OF
SERMONS BUT THAT’S NOT GONNA CHANGE YOUR LIFE.
YOU NEED A REHMA OR A REVEALED WORD OF GOD SPOKEN TO YOUR LIFE AND
APPLIED TO YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES AND SITURATIONS.
SO NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF A PERSONAL WORD OF GOD FOR YOUR
LIFE. ONE WORD FROM GOD CAN CHANGE
YOUR LIFE FOREVER. 20 YEARS CAN GO BY
AND YOU DON’T HEAR ANYTHING SIGNIFICANT AND THEN OUT OF OBSCURITY YOU HEAR A
PERSONAL WORD OF GOD FOR YOUR LIFE AND BOOM: THINGS START TO DRASTICALLY
CHANGE.
Isa 29:17-19
17 Is it not yet a
very little while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the
fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest? 18 And in that day shall the deaf
hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of
obscurity, and out of darkness. 19 The meek also shall increase their joy in
the LORD, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.
Isa 58:10-12
10 And if thou draw
out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy
light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday: 11 And the LORD
shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy
bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water,
whose waters fail not. 12 And they that shall be of thee shall build the old
waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou
shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.
ONE
WORD FROM GOD AND EVERYTHING IN YOUR LIFE CAN INSTANTLY CHANGE. GOD SPOKE TO A 100 YEAR OLD MAN AND A 90
YEAR OLD WOMAN. THERE WAS NO CHEMICAL,
DRUG OR HOPE THAT THEY’D HAVE A BABY.
THEY WERE SLEEPING SINGLE IN A DOUBLE BED. THERE WAS NO VIAGRA AND THERE WAS NO HOPE BUT A WORD FROM GOD.
THAT WAS ABRAHM AND SARA WHO SUPERNATURALLY CONCEIVED IN HER OLD AGE AND GAVE
BIRTH TO ISAAC.
MAYBE
YOU’RE THERE THIS MORNING. “I JUST
DON’T SEE HOW THIS COULD POSSIBLE HAPPEN?”
BUT ONE SPOKEN WORD OF GOD TO YOUR LIFE CAN CHANGE EVERYTHING FOEVER. IN THE DARKEST AGES OF CHURCH HISTORY A MONK
BY THE NAME OF MARTIN LUTHER GOD ONE WORD FROM GOD THAT CHANGED THE COURSE OF
HUMAN HISTORY AND REBIRTHED HOPE IN THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST. SALVATION BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH APART FROM
WORKS. AN IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS FROM GOD BY FAITH, NOT BY DOING PENNENCE OR COUNTING BEADS OR SAY HAIL MARY 30
TIMES. THAT ONE WORD STARTED THE
REFORMATION AND CHANGED THE WORLD AND YOU’RE HERE BECAUSE OF IT. ONE WORD FROM GOD TO YOU CAN CHANGE
EVERYTHING.
Matt 4:4
4 But he answered and
said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that
proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Eccl 8:4-5
4 Where the word of a
king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou? 5 Whoso
keep his word shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man's heart discerneth both
time and judgment.
WHEN
CHRIST OUTR KING SPEAKS A WORD TO YOUR LIFE OR MINE IT’S A DONE DEAL. WE DON’T LIVE OUR LIFE BY THE NATURAL
PROCESSES OF EATING AND DIGESTING FOOD BY READING, MEDITATING AND STUDYING THE
WORD OF GOD. BECAUSE IN THE COURSE OF
TIME GOD WILL DROP A SPOKEN WORD FROM THAT WHICH WE READ OR STUDIED AND
RADICALLY CHANGE OUR LIFE FOREVER.
1 Tim 4:15
15 Meditate upon
these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to
all.
2 Tim 2:15
15 Study to shew
thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly
dividing the word of truth.
SO
NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF A PERSONAL WORD FROM GOD TO YOU. ONCE HE SPEAKS IT, IT’S A DONE DEAL BUT YOU
MUST SAY YES TO GOD. IT COULD BE A WORD
OF REPENTANCE AND YOU HAVE TO SAY YES I’LL CHANGE AND GO THE OTHER
DIRECTION. IT MIGHT BE A WORD ABOUT
TITHING IN YOUR FINANCES TO BRING ABOUT RESTORATION. IT MIGHT BE A WORD ABOUT UNFORGIVENESS THAT IS HINDERING YOUR
HEALING. IT COULD BE A PROMISE OF DOING
A GREAT WORK FOR GOD BUT IT WILL BE CONDITIONED BY SAYING YES TO GOD’S WILL AND
WAYS. SO NEVER, NEVER , NEVER
UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF A SPOKEN WORD OF GOD FOR YOUR LIFE. MARY SAID, BE IT UNTO ME ACCORDING TO YOUR
WORD EVEN THOUGH UNWED, PREGNANT WOMEN ARE OFTEN STONED TO DEATH AND ARE THE
OUTCAST OF SOCIETY… BE IT UNTO ME ACCORDING TO YOUR WORD.
LET’S
REVIEW ONCE AGAIN: 1. NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE EXTRODINARY POTENTIAL OF THE
ORDINARY. I BET MRS. ONEAL WAS JUST AN ORDINARY MOTHER THAT GAVE BIRTH TO AN
EXTRODINARY SON, SHAKEAL WHO HAS 100 MILLION DOLLAR CONTRACT TO PLAY
BASKETBALL. SHE WAS JUST AN ORDINARY
WOMAN. 2. NEVER UNDERVALUE OR NEGLECT THE POWER OF A PERSONAL WORD OF GOD
FOR YOUR LIFE. AND HERE’S NUMBER THREE.
3.
NEVER HESITATE TO SAY YES TO AN OFFER GOD MAKES YOU. NOW YOU HAVE TO CONSIDER
AN OFFER IN BUSINESS OR IN YOUR CAREER BUT WHEN GOD MAKES AN OFFER TO YOU HE’S
NOT LOOKING FOR NEGOTIATION, HE’S LOOKING FOR ONE WORD AND THAT IS: BE IT UNTO
ME ACCORDING TO YOUR WORD OR SIMPLY YES.
HERE’S WHAT YOU ATTITUDE SHOULD BECOME LIKE: THE ANSWER LORD IS YES, NOW WHAT’S THE QUESTION. AND HERE’S WHY:
Eph.2:10 AMP
For we are God’s own handiwork, His workmanship
recreated in Christ Jesus, born anew that we may do those good works which God
predestined or planned before we got here.
Taking paths which he prepared ahead of time that we should walk in
them, living the good life which is pre-arranged and is made ready for us to
live.
God said, before you got here I already went ahead
and prepared a path for you to walk in.
We run around like chickens with our heads cut off looking for the
purpose and meaning of our life when god’s already got it all together. All we have to do is pursue god and he’ll
make sure we follow his plan and purpose for creating us. Have you ever said, “why am I here” or what
is my purpose in life.” I did and I ran
smack into god. It was at augustana
college in sioux falls where I met a spirit filled black professor named
stephen emery who had a word that a word from god that changed the direction
and course of my life. Listen, god has
a plan and a path for you to follow and if you say yes and get on it you’ll
discover the good life. Listen, god’s
got one path for your life so quit changing lanes all the time. Some people change churches, change wives
and change jobs like they change their underwear. Thye’re always looking for something better that will bring them
the good life. Stop doing that and
choose the path that god has already gone before and prepared for you. Learn to be faithful where you are at in
your ordinary, ordianry life and you will become significant in your sphere of
influence. Just say yes lord, now what
is it you want me to do. Well, you
might ask, what does god think about me, or what does he expect from my
life. The answer is in:
Jer 29:11-14
11 For I know the
thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of
evil, to give you an expected end. 12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall
go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. 13 And ye shall seek me, and
find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. 14 And I will be
found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity...I will turn
your situation and circumstances around.
DID
YOU EVER GET THAT PROMISE IN CHRUCH BEFORE.
I NEVER DID WHEN I WAS GROWING UP SO I JUST RAN AROUND TRYING TO FIGURE
OUT THE MEANING OF MY LIFE WHEN GOD HAD ALL THE ANSWERS AND THEY WERE ALL GOOD. WELL, I THINK I CAN COME UP WITH A PLAN
BETTER THAN GOD. DUH! I DON’T THINK SO, HE KNOWS MORE, HAS MORE
AND IS MORE THAN I’LL EVER BE. I’LL
JUST SAY YES LORD, NOW WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO.
Ps 47:4
4. He (God) shall choose our inheritance for us, and
his choice is excellent. Selah.
YOU
SEE, GOD GIVES ME THE POWER TO MAKE MY ONW
CHOICES TO LIVE OR DIE, SINK OR SWIM, CHOOSE BELSSING OR CURSING, LIFE
OR DEATH OR YOU CAN STEP ASIDE AND SAY SOMETHING LIKE THIS: GOD, WHY DON’T YOU CHOOSE FOR ME. YOU’VE MADE ME AND DESIGNED ME FROM MY
MOTHERS WOMB AND HAVE GONE AHEAD AND PLANNED THE GOOD LIFE AND THE PATH THAT I
SHOULD TAKE. YOU WANT TO DO ME GOOD AND
NOT EVIL. SO, LORD YOU CHOOSE FOR ME AND I’LL JUST SAY YES LORD TO YOUR
WILL. NOW HERE’S AN EXAMPLE OF THIS
FROM GOD’S WORD:
1 Chr 21:7-13
7 And God, too, was
displeased with the census and punished Israel for it.
8 But David said to
God, "I am the one who has sinned. Please forgive me, for I realize now
how wrong I was to do this." 9 Then the Lord said to Gad, David's personal
prophet, 10 "Go and tell David, 'The Lord has offered you three choices.
Which will you choose? 12 You may have three years of famine, or three months
of destruction by the enemies of Israel, or three days of deadly plague as the
angel of the Lord brings destruction to the land. Think it over and let me know
what answer to return to the one who sent me.'" 13 "This is a
terrible decision to make," David replied, "but let me fall into the
hands of the Lord rather than into the power of men, for God's mercies are very
great."
WHEN
DAVID WAS GOING TO BE JUDGED BY GOD FOR NUMBERING THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL IN THE
O.T. GOD GAVE HIM THREE CHOICES.
DAVID’S REPLY WAS. LORD YOU
CHOOSE FOR ME. TALK ABOUT FALLING ON THE MERCY OF GOD! THE BEST DEAL IN TOWN IS THE ONE GOD COMES
UP WITH. WHEN IT COMES TO A HUSBAND, A
WIFE OR A CAREER IT SHOULD BE, “LORD YOU CHOOSE.”
Ps 16:6-9
6 The lines are
fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.
7 I will bless the
LORD, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night
seasons. 8 I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right
hand, I shall not be moved. 9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory
rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.
THAT
WORD “LINES” IN VERSE SIX IS REALLY TALKING ABOUT LAND OR PROPERTY. ANYTHING THAT GOD GIVES TO YOU WILL ALWAYS
BE BIGGER AND BETTER THAN ANYTHING YOUR CHASING OR COULD COME UP WITH FOR
YOURSELF. WE WORK HARD AT BEING SUCCESSFUL
AND THEN WHEN YOU GET IT YOU HAVE TO WORK HARD TO KEEP IT. BUT WHEN GOD CHOOSES FOR YOU ALL YOU HAVE TO
DO IS OBEY GOD AND SAY YES LORD TO HIS ONGOING WILL AND HE WILL DO THE REST. NO MORE STRESS, NO MORE ANXIETY AND COSTLY
DOCTOR BILLS. WHY? CAUSE THERE’S NO
WORRY IN DOING GOD’S WILL. AND WHEN WE
SAY YES, GOD TAKES OVER AND WORKS ALL THINGS TOGETHER AFTER THE COUNSEL OF HIS
OWN WILL.
Eph 1:11
11 In whom also we
have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of
him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
SO
IN ORDER TO EXPERIENCE SIGNIFICANCE FROM YOUR ORDINARY LIFE YOU MUST EMBRACE
THESE THREE TEACHINGS:
1.
NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE
EXTRODINARY POTENTIAL OF THE ORDINARY.
2.
NEVER UNDERVALUE OR
NEGLECT A PERSONAL WORD OF GOD FOR YOUR LIFE.
3.
NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE
POWER OF SAYING YES TO GOD’S WILL FOR YOUR LIFE.
