I Won't Complain

I Won’t Complain

Phillipians 2:12-18

PRAYER: Eternal God, I ask that you hear my prayer as I strive to be humble, watch over your servant, that I survive when I stumble. May these your people be blessed by thee, and not impressed by me. That they might see you more clearly, love you more dearly, and walk more nearly with you Lord. Now may the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer! Amen!

INTRO: It is important that each of you know that you are here today b/c of Divine Providence. Not b/c of anything you have ever said or done, but b/c God predestined you to be here. Let me say it again, you are here b/c of God’s Divine Providence. Therefore, you should stop trying to figure out what it is you’ve done to deserve to get here, and just be happy that, like the Williams’ Brothers say, you’re still here! You made it through another days journey! God kept you here! Give God a handclap of praise just b/c He’s been good to you!

I came across something that I shared with First Baptist Muscle Shoals on last Sunday, and I just had to share with you folks here at home. ** Our world is filled with the young and the restless, and those who think they are bold and beautiful, only to find themselves living in the heat of the night. While the days of our lives are filled with crime scene investigations, many find themselves in the general hospital because there is no law and order. Consequently, Ryan has no hope, and it appears that all my children have never been touched by an angel but are looking for an American idol to take them to another world!

HONOR, REVERENCE, THANKS…

TEXT: Phillipians 2:12-18. Key verse 2:14.

BODY: I begin this afternoon with a question. Do you ever get tired of your life? Do you ever get tired of the same old routine? The same ‘ol same ‘ol? Don’t you ever get tired of just going through the motions? You get up every morning out of that same bed, put on them same clothes, and walk to the same table. You eat that same old breakfast, pack the same lunch, put the same kids on the same bus, kiss your same old spouse goodbye, and drive that same old car to the same old job. Which leads to you getting off at the same time, driving down the same streets into the same driveway, having the same dinner, watching the same old TV shows, and getting into that same old bed. All of this, just so you can get up the next day and do it all over again! And we call this life! That’s not life!!! In the midst of this journey, I have found something to be very disturbing. I see us falling into this routine, not only in life, but also in church! I wish I had some help in here today! Instead of getting up in the morning and wondering what the devil is going to do to you today, you ought to throw the covers back and say I wonder what I get to do to the devil today! I don’t know about you, but I double-dog dare any devil out of the smoking, belching, black pit of hell to even think it can come against me! Because greater is He that is in me, than he that is in the world! Now, that is power! What kind of power? Cancer-erasing power…crippled leg straightening power…heart disease eradicating power…blood pressure changing power…pornography destroying power…life changing power! Power! Wonder-working power! Somebody say preach white boy! **It has been said that a church that is supported by tea parties, ice cream socials and fried chicken is as weak as the tea, as cold as the ice cream, and as dead as the chicken!!!

The story is told of 2 hunters that fly north to go elk hunting, just as they did the year before. During their hunt, they are successful, and kill 6 large elk. As the pilot returns to pick them up, he tells the men that only 4 elk can come on the plane, due to weight restrictions. The men argued that 6 were allowed last year, and eventually the pilot gave in. They took off, and in a few minutes….CRASH!!! As they were climbing out, 1 hunter asked “ do you know where we are?”. The other replied, “ I think so, looks like the same place we crashed last year!”! We don’t mean to, but we settle into a routine. If you do what you’ve always done, you get what you’ve always got!!!

**In the book of Isaiah the people of Israel were experiencing spiritual softness. They had a desire for God to do something in their life. They were tired of being in a rut. Some of us are that way today. Your life has the same things it had a year ago. You find yourself searching for meaning. Isaiah tells the people the same thing that I want each of you to know today. That God has something incredible for each and everyone of you. You’ve just gotten so caught up in life, in a routine, in church, that you have forgotten what a joy it is to serve the Lord!!! There is more to life than what we are experiencing. You see your life is not based on your own ability, but the Spirit that dwells within you. Not your ability, but your expandability! Let me ask you this! Which is bigger, a water bottle or a balloon? Water bottle, of course. Now, which holds more water? Balloon. Why? The bottle is restricted, it cannot expand! See, it’s not about your size, it’s about your willingness to grow! In order to realize your calling from God you must expand your capacity.