I was speaking to an old friend last week. His Birthday is the day following mine. We’ve been friends for over thirty years but, as men typically do, we don’t really talk all that much but never fail to communicate at Birthday time.
Its funny how it works with us. We haven’t spoken lately at all but, when we talked last week, it was as if we never left-off where we were thirty years ago.
As we were talking I asked him, “So you still trying to change the world buddy?” He was one who always had big dreams and wanted to make a difference in the world. Unfortunately, he never really found his “niche” as he let the ways of this world defeat his purpose.
Unlike me, he isn’t really a believer. He has lived his life, through his trials and tribulations, by the cuff of his sleeve and seat of his pants. He was always ready for the battle but never really understood its purpose.
He’d seen a lot of my posts on Facebook and even watched a few of our “live” broadcasts. Seeing those and knowing how I believe, his response to me was, “Nope, but I see you’re about the change the world yourself. Looks like you found your way.”
Maybe I have, maybe I haven’t. I’ll leave that up to God to decide and will simply keep listening to Him and recognize the signs He puts in front of me before I decide if my friend was right.
More than this, what bothered me the most was that my friend thought his world was coming to a close and there wasn’t anything he could really do about it. Well, knowing me as you all do, you can imagine the conversation that ensued after his statement to me.
All of this being said, I’d like to take a little time this morning to try and make sure you understand the fact that God has given each of us a purpose here.
You Are Unique
The first and foremost thing I believe we should all understand is we are all unique. We all have a different set of skills that a lot of us fail to even recognize.
As an example (taken from the lesson on God Given Talent):
Good Listener (bar-tender, close friend, sibling or parent)
Good Speaker (teacher, preacher, motivator)
An Artist (painter, sculptor, poet or photographer)
A Musician or Song-Writer
Good with Children (Nanny, baby-sitter, nursery school attendant)
Caretaker (doctor, nurse, live-in caretaker)
A good and loyal husband or wife
A good friend
God made us all for a very particular purpose. Each and every one of us has something inside of us that God has put there. Before we were even born, He planned every day of our lives to serve this very purpose.
Psalm 119:73-74 – “Your hands made me and formed me; give me understanding to learn your commands. May those who fear you rejoice when they see me, for I have put my hope in your word.”
If you are unsure of your purpose, pray these words from Psalm and ask that God help you in your journey. Ask that He open your eyes and your heart and make you realize the value that He sees in you.
Forget Your Failures
It all sounds simple, doesn’t it? But where does our doubt, crashing down around us, come from? Why can’t we just believe God has a purpose for us… grasp it, and run with it as He would have us do?
You are not a failure because you’ve fallen down on your journey. You are only a failure when you stop getting back up!
When your enemies, or the non-believers around you, criticize you for falling, remember what the prophet Micah wrote:
Micah 7:8 – “Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light.”
Forget about past failures. God hasn’t given up on you so why would you give up on Him. Do what you can do, God will do for you whatever it is you feel you can’t!
Believe in Your Gifts
Remember what we talked about earlier, God has made us and formed us into what He intended us to be. Whatever “skill” that you might have, though it may be different than another one’s skills, it is yours and yours to give unto others. Get your passion back, and understand…
1 Corinthians 12:5-6 – “There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.”
Whatever it is you feel you can do… do it! Even more importantly than that, do it for God. Be persistent as persistence has always been the path to success.
Look what we’ve done here at Sunrise Chapel. We don’t advertise in magazines or on TV. We don’t walk around the mall parking lots leaving pamphlets on people’s windshields.
We are simply here, every Sunday providing whatever lessons we can to glorify God the Father; Christ the Son; and the Holy Spirit… persistently and consistently!
Don’t Listen to the Devil
You already know how hard the devil will try and knock you down. You already have heard us say, on numerous occasions, how the devil lies to us, and tries to deceive us into thinking “I’m not good enough! I am not worthy! I can’t do this!”
Remember what was said in 2 Corinthians as the Apostle Paul wrote to the Church of God in Corinth as he fear they would fall subject to the devil’s lies.
2 Corinthians 11:13 – “But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.”
Everything that you try and accomplish, as you get closer and closer to Christ, the devil says, “no way!” But remember…
John 14:6 – “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Yes, Jesus is the way… and through all of our darkness, lies and deceptions from the devil, He will be our light.
Also, never forget this valuable lesson we talk about nearly every week… the devil wouldn’t be fighting so hard if you weren’t getting so close to Christ!
In Conclusion – Fill-Up with God!
We’re going to do battle with Satan. He will do everything he can, with all the tools available to him here on earth, to block, damage and completely destroy our relationship with God. He wants nothing less than to separate us from Jesus and fall into his dangerous trap… taking away our chances for eternity in the Kingdom of Heaven. How do we put an end to this? Simple… Fill-Up with God!
Make time with God. Allocate times of your day, even into the night, to spend time with Him; to talk with Him; to recognize His lessons… understanding and growing in His precious light!
Talk to God. Give thanks every day for what you have and what you are yet to receive. He already knows what you need. Trust in Him! Believe all that you need will be delivered to you, when He sees fit.
Instead of begging and pleading with him to cure your illness; fix your addictions; help your marriage or fix your job… simply give thanks, for He already knows.
Don the armor of God!
Take up His sword and shield!
Something good is going to happen to me!
Something good is going to happen through me!
Today is the Day!
I am not weak, I am strong!
I am not who I once was or where I used to be!
I am HIS!
Believe!
Go with God; be good to one another; always stay humble; always be kind… God Bless (Amen)
