I Am A Person Of Power!

SERMON OUTLINE AND NOTES—Pastor Don Hawks

Bridgewater UMC—August 12, 2007

I AM A PERSON OF POWER!

Exodus 3:1-6

ANSWERS:

TO REALIZE THAT I AM A PERSON OF POWER, I NEED TO ACCEPT MY GOD-GIVEN POTENTIAL. GOD’S SPIRIT WOULD HAVE ME SAY TO MYSELF:

(With the Power and help of God’s Spirit)

1-- I am whole!

2-- What I do is important!

3-- I have time!

4-- I know that I am needed wherever I go.

CONCLUSION: I am a person of power!

INTRODUCTION:

“For the Commandments… are all summed up in this one: Love your neighbor AS YOURSELF!” Romans 13:9

Did you know that your life is a visual aid to others? Your life tells those ones around you whether life is worth living—both for you and the other people.

Katharine Hepburn tells the story in her book Me: Stories of My Life of how she talked to herself and retrained herself to become a woman of power despite her weakness.

When people start their spiritual quest they often feel inadequate, that they are not tough enough. And while this is true of human resources alone, it is not true of a human being in partnership with God.

Have you put off this journey of believing in yourself to be a person of power and potential? What will it take for you to see yourself as beloved child of God? I want to share with you some thoughts that have come to me recently, that....

TO REALIZE THAT I AM A PERSON OF POWER, I NEED TO ACCEPT MY GOD-GIVEN POTENTIAL. GOD’S SPIRIT WOULD HAVE ME SAY TO MYSELF:

1--_________________________________________________________________

[The woman] said to herself, ‘If I only touch his cloak, I will be made well.’ Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, ‘Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.’ And instantly the woman was made well. Matthew 9:21-23

God loves you and you are whole! It does not matter your weight or height, you have the ability to grow and develop in a perfect way because God has placed God’s own spirit within you Each one of you has unique God-given gifts that when expressed make the world a better place.

Like Moses at the burning bush, you sometimes are confused, feeling unworthy. Like Moses you hide your face afraid to look. The voice in the bush says, "Take your shoes off - where you stand is holy ground.”

God used this phenomenon to get Moses’ attention, and in that moment he understood he was with God. My friend, where you stand is also holy ground! Do not be confused, the help that you need is at hand. The kingdom of God is near.

Know that you are a beloved creation of God and that you are endowed with spiritual power. God loves you and you are whole! It does not matter your weight or height, you have the ability to grow and develop in faith because God has placed God’s own spirit within you Each one of you has unique God-given gifts that when expressed make the world a better place. With God’s spirit in you you can declare "I am whole!’

2--_________________________________________________________________

"Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them." Romans 12:6

“You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” Matthew 5:14-16

We each have different gifts given to us from God. The gifts given to us from God are truly gifts. They are not something we earned, but we must use them to fulfill the purpose God has given us--to make the world around us a better place.

You do not use your gifts properly by keeping your light under a bushel: You are the light of the world

3--_________________________________________________________________

“…this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on towards the goal for the prize of the heavenly* call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14

A great number of times I have listened to people that think they’re running out of time. People quit because they feel they don’t have time. I heard about a woman in her 50s refused the opportunity to learn to drive –because she said, “I’m too old now.” She lived past 90.

In Philippians Paul says to us basically: ….. I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.