Life's Toughest Challenge

Video- We Are the Church

Slide #1

Welcome…

Prayer

I would like to begin today by asking you a simple question…

What is the greatest challenge each of you will face in 2013?

Before I even asked this question…I knew how the majority of people would answer…

Most people when asked this question… answer… Just Trying to Survive Life!

And with the condition that our country is in today…who can blame anyone for responding that way?

The majority of people in America…are forced to live their lives paycheck to paycheck.

Both husband and wife are working to support the life style they have created…and as a result…God is completely being left out of the picture

And honestly it doesn’t matter if you’re a Christian or a non-believer……life is going to hold challenges for you.

Just look at the challenges of living here in Hobbs…

The oil field market is booming…daily people are arriving here from all over the country looking for work.

It reminds me of the gold rush days from the 1800’s.

People packing up everything…loaded up their wagons…and heading to the west …

They did this with the intention of living the American dream by staking their claim.

But once these people arrive in Hobbs…they quickly find out a few things about life.

1) There’s nowhere to live

2) If they can find housing…Rent is expensive

3) When/if they can pass the drug screening process (employed).

4) They should plan on kissing their wife, kids and lives goodbye…because you’re working 40-120 hrs. a week.

5) And if you think that’s as hard as it gets…it gets extremely hot in the summer and cold in the winter.

Slide #2

Hobbs’s is great place to live…you just have to be willing to adjust to the lifestyle change of living here.

When people are forced into adjusting to lifestyle changes…I become concerned…let me explain.

How many people actually ended up working their childhood dream job?

I believe one of the most difficult things about life in general…is being willing to accept change while adapting to it.

By America’s standards…when an 18 yr. old turns 19…they are no longer considered a child.

From that moment on…they are considered an adult…thus personal accountability and responsibility begins.

This is truthfully when life in the worlds eyes begins…these young adults are expected to either go on to college.

Or like many that have done before…get a job and begin working for the next 40-60 years of their lives.

At that moment…our young adults (children) have a very important decision to make about their lives.

(We’ve all been their haven’t we)

Do I go my own way…or do I follow in the footsteps of my...

Parents…grandparents…guardian…aunt…

uncle…Brother…sister…ect

Whoever it is that raised them?

They are either going to live their lives by how they have been raised or go out on their own starting a new direction.

This is why the decisions you make yesterday… today…and tomorrow…

Are so important in the eyes of your children…grandchildren…foster kids…adopted children…ect

Slide #3

How many of you have just taken the time to think about what life…is really all about?

Should our daily focus be…

1) Working the dream Job…

2) Raising the picture perfect family…

3) Making more $ than we ever dreamed possible…

4) Building our dream homes…

5) Thinking only about retirement…

Matter of fact… (When you think about it)…

These are the exact reasons why Jesus came to the earth…

He was working the dream job

He was raising the perfect family

He always spoke about money

He was building His dream Home

He was working for retirement.

The difference between Him and us is…

His reason for life was spiritually driven…where the world’s reason is for personal gain.

Slide #4

This is why I believe that Life’s Toughest Challenge in 2013 is going to be for the Church itself. (The continued existence of God)

In the world we live in today…God is dying…He is becoming less and less important to this Generation.

He is being removed from congress…our school system…our homes…and even in some of our churches.

The church is daily fading away…and we find ourselves standing here looking at empty chairs… and wonder why?

And as I shared last week…It’s our fault…

We are the ones that have been passing the blame from generation to generation instead of assuming the responsibility ourselves.

Whether or not…people are willing to admit it or not…very soon there is a time coming when all people will be calling out for His help.

I believe the saddest thing about life and the challenges we face while living it is…

Most people could care less about God and the church.

I understand that there is only so much each of us can do…our nation didn’t get to be the way it is over night.