12 Inches From Glory

" TWELVE INCHES FROM GLORY "

REVELATION 2:1-5

OVER THE YEARS I HAVE COME TO REALIZE ONE PROFOUND THING ABOUT MY REALTIONSHIP WITH GOD, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE GOD WITH MY LIFE IF I LIVE IT IN SUCH A WAY THAT DENIES HIS GUIDANCE. IT IS MORE THAN POSSIBLE TO MISS THE MARK IF WE TAKE OUR EYES OF JESUS BUT IS PROBABLE THAT WE WILL MISS THE MARK WITHOUT CHRIST. THROUGHOUT THE WORD OF GOD WE ARE WARNED NOT TO BECOME PUFFED UP WITH PRIDE AT OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND WE ARE TOLD NOT TO LEAN ON OUR HUMAN MIND, OUR OWN UNDERSTANDING, BUT INSTEAD TO TRUST IN THE POWER OF GOD TO GUIDE US. WE ARE DULY WARNED THAT JUST HAVING A KNOWLEDGE ABOUT GOD AND THE THINGS OF GOD AND THE WORD OF GOD WITHOUT APPLYING IT TO OUR LIVES IS DANGEROUS.

IN THE SOCIETY WE NOW LIVE IN WE ARE CAPABLE OF UNDERSTANDING THAT SOMETIMES THE ONLY THING THAT SEPERATES A WINNER FROM A LOSER IS A MATTER OF INCHES. SOMETIMES THE ONLY THING THAT SEPERATES A VICTOR FROM THE CONQUERED, A CHAMPION FROM THE DEFEATED IS A MATTER OF INCHES. WE SEE EVENTS LIKE THIS PORTRAYED ALL AROUND US EACH AND EVERYDAY IN THE ATHLETIC CONTESTS WE HAVE GROWN SO FOND OF. WE UNDERSTAND THE FEW SCANT INCHES THAT ALLOWED A HALF-FOOTED MAN TO KICK THE WORLD RECORD FIELD GOAL FOR THE NEW ORLEANS SAINTS SO MANY YEARS AGO BECAUSE HE ONLY CLEARED THE GOAL POSTS BY A MATTER OF INCHES. WE HAVE ALL SEEN OLYMPIC RUNNERS STRAINING TO STRETCH THEIR BODIES JUST ONE INCH FARTHER THAN THE MAN RUNNING NEXT TO THEM IN STRIDE. SOMETIMES THE ONLY THING THAT SEPERATES A CHAMPION FROM AN ALSO RAN IS A MATTER OF INCHES.

WHAT SPIRITUAL APPLICATION IS AVAILABLE TO US AS WE SEARCH FOR WAYS TO APPLY THE PRINCIPLE OF INCHES TO OUR LIVES. WHAT IS IT THAT CAN SEPARATE US INTO A CHAMPION FOR CHRIST INSTEAD OF JUST A PARTICIPANT IN THE CHRISTIAN FAITH?

BEFORE WE BREAK THE BREAD OF LIFE TO SEARCH GOD’S WORD FOR HIS ANSWER, WE HAVE TO ASK OURSELVES TWO VERY IMPORTANT QUESTIONS…

1. DO I WANT TO BECOME SOMEONE WHO IS A CHAMPION FOR CHRIST?

2. AM I WILLING TO GIVE GOD ALL THAT I AM SO THAT I CAN BECOME ALL THAT HE DESIRES?

EVERYBODY SITTING HERE TODAY HAS THE POTENTIAL OF BECOMING A CHAMPION FOR JESUS CHRIST AND I BELIEVE IN MY HEART THAT EVERY CHRISTIAN SITTING HERE HAS A DESIRE DEEP DOWN TO SERVE GOD MORE, TO KNOW GOD MORE AND LIVE A LIFE THAT IS PLEASING TO GOD. MOST CHRISTIANS WANT TO DO THINGS AND LEARN THINGS ABOUT GOD THAT WILL PRODUCE FRUIT IN THEIR LIVES THAT IS PLEASING TO GOD, BUT THEY JUST DON’T KNOW HOW.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD THAT IS REAL AND PERSONAL?

WOULD YOU LIKE TO HEAR GOD SPEAK TO YOU? WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW WHAT GOD IS TELLING YOU? WOULD IT MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR LIFE IF YOU COULD ACTUALLY SEE GOD AT WORK ALL AROUND YOU?

WOULD YOU LIKE GOD TO INVITE YOU TO JOIN HIM IN THE WORK HE IS DOING?

· WOULD THAT MAKE YOU LISTEN TO THIS MESSAGE TODAY AND APPLY IT TO YOUR LIFE INSTEAD OF JUST HEARING A BUNCH OF MEANINGLESS WORDS AND PHRASES?

· THE ONLY THING SEPARATING YOU FROM A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD THAT IS REAL AND PERSONAL AND HEARING GOD SPEAK TO YOU AND USE YOU IN HIS WORK IS A MATTER OF INCHES

· I BELIEVE IN MY HEART THAT EVERY PERSON WITHIN THE SOUND OF MY VOICE IS ONLY ONE FOOT FROM GLORY AND LIVING AN ABUNDANT LIFE THROUGH THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

YOU KNOW THAT IF YOU DON’T THINK GOD IS ABLE TO BRING YOU CLOSER TO THE FOOT OF THE CROSS OR USE SOMEONE LIKE YOU IN HIS GREAT MASTERPLAN, YOU ARE SAYING MORE ABOUT WHAT YOU BELIEVE ABOUT GOD THAN WHAT YOU BELIEVE ABOUT YOURSELF. IF GOD CAN RAISE CHRIST FROM THE GRAVE AND SEAT HIM AT HIS RIGHT HAND TO RULE, SURELY THERE IS HOPE FOR SOMEONE LIKE YOU.

TURN TO THE LAST BOOK OF THE BIBLE, THE BOOK OF REVELATION CHAPTER TWO BEGINNING IN VERSE ONE.

PRAYER

SOME OF US WOULD BELIEVE THAT A SHORT DISTANCE OF ONLY TWELVE INCHES COULD NOT POSSIBLY SEPARATE ME FROM HAVING A RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST THAT WOULD TRANSFORM MY LIFE. SURELY I HEARD YOU WRONG BROTHER MIKE YOU MUST HAVE MEANT TO SAY A DISTANCE OF TWELVE HUNDRED MILES KEEPS ME FROM GLORY AND IF I COULD JUST TAKE A TRIP TO THE HOLY LAND THEN I WILL BE ABLE TO SERVE GOD. MAYBE YOU MEANT TO SAY THAT TWELVE MILES DOWN THE ROAD IS ANOTHER CHURCH THAT GOD WILL USE TO REVEAL HIMSELF TO ME IN A WAY THAT WILL TRANSFORM MY LIFE. SURELY THAT’S WHAT YOU MUST HAVE MEANT PREACHER BECAUSE IT CAN’T BE AS SIMPLE AS THAT.