Life With A Difference # 1 Series

Series - Maximum Impact, Life with a difference # 1

Ever hear of a ‘Cruise to Nowhere’? On Friday night people board luxury cruise ships for a 2 to 3 day sail on the seas that literally goes nowhere! The ship leaves port on Friday night, out to sea, sails in large circles, and returns to port on Sunday evening. These cruises are generally sold as ‘get away’ cruises, and they offer an escape in luxury for a couple of days. That might be fun for a weekend.

What about living life like a ‘cruise to nowhere,’ drifting aimlessly, finding diversions in food, fun, and sleep - passing time while accomplishing nothing? Not so great, in my opinion, and yet; that is how some people live - either by choice or because they just don’t know any better.

God did not design you or me to drift from birth to death, finding a few diversions in life along the way. In his best-selling book, The Purpose Driven Life, Pastor Rick Warren, opens with these words:

“The purpose of your life is far greater than your own personal happiness, your peace of mind, or even your happiness. It’s far greater than your family, your career, or even you wildest dreams or ambitions. ... you must begin with God. You were born by His purpose and for His purpose.”

Some of you are growing tense even as I speak:

“Pastor, I don’t need another guilt trip. I’m already buried up to my eyeballs in work.”

Or maybe you’re thinking:

“Yeah, right. Purpose? My life is so full of drama, obligations, and responsibility to even think about some purpose and meaning is a joke. I just survive.”

I have no interest, nor does the Lord, in laying a burden of guilt on you so that you will do more. I get the sense of frustration that we all feel from time to time when life seems to be out of But, He is deeply concerned that each of us is living in a way that pours our energy into the right efforts!

I am going to insist in this message that there is a better way to live than sitting and staring at you HD TV for hours every evening to escape the boredom or pressures of life. Sure, it is easy to find some happiness by turning into Sherlock Holmes, or Brad Pitt in the Bourne Legacy. Yes, even for just for a few moments, we can pretend to be rich, or famous, or thin, or beautiful, or powerful... but what happens when the screen goes dark?

There is more to life than a cruise to nowhere!

Over the next few weeks, God-willing, we will be exploring choices that help each one of us to live to make a maximum impact in the world. God will be honored by your life, and you will build a rich reward in Heaven, and you will be a happier person.

PRAY

Jesus, was walking through Samaria, a spiritually barren region. His disciples were with him. Samaria was nothing to them. They had written off the people there as being beyond help, unworthy of the least effort to bring them the hope of the Kingdom of God. Jesus got in their face and demanded that they change their perception - “As you look around right now, wouldn’t you say that in about four months it will be time to harvest? Well, I’m telling you to open your eyes and take a good look at what’s right in front of you. These Samaritan fields are ripe. It’s harvest time! “The Harvester isn’t waiting. He’s taking his pay, gathering in this grain that’s ripe for eternal life. Now the Sower is arm in arm with the Harvester, triumphant.”

John 4:35-36 Message

Is He asking us to see things differently, too?

Have you written off your family as being beyond redemption?

Have you decided that America is finished and destined for destruction?

Have you been tempted to give up on yourself, concluding that you will never be the Christian others seem to be?

Jesus is saying - “OPEN YOUR EYES and take a good look at what’s in front of you!”

TEXT - Judges 6. In your Pew Bible, you can find the story on page 381.

As you’re turning there, I want to remind you that

the Bible absolutely declares that God makes everyone of us with a purpose. Furthermore, He gives gifts to us through His Spirit, resources to us so that we can serve His plans and purposes effectively.

Several hundred years before the time of Christ, the people of God had failed Him in major ways. He removed His protection, allowing an invading army to carry the best and brightest among them away to Babylonian captivity in Assyria. Years later, when they were repentant, He sent this word through the prophet, Jeremiah!