MAKING A DIFFERNECE
JEREMIAH 29:10
INTRODUCTION: I read a story of a man traveling through Atlanta who noticed in the Yellow Pages, in the listing of restaurants, an entry for a place called Church of God Grill. The peculiar name aroused his curiosity and he dialed the number A man answered with a cheery, "Hello, Church of God Grill!" He asked how the restaurant had been given such an unusual name? "Well replied the owner, we had a little mission down here, and we started selling chicken dinners after church on Sunday to help pay the bills. Well, people liked the chicken more than the church, and we were doing such a good business, that eventually we cut back on the church services.
After a while we just closed down the church altogether & kept on serving the chicken dinners. We kept the name we started with, and that’s Church of God Grill."
SOMETIME WE ARE LIKE “THE CHURCH OF GOD GRILL” WE LOSE OUR PURPOSE IN LIFE! WE GET SO CAUGHT UP IN LIFE’S DEMANDS THAT WE LOSE SIGHT OF WHO WE ARE & MORE IMPORTANTLY WHO’S WE ARE!
WE FORGET OUR PURPOSE! OH, WE BELIEVE THAT GOD IS SOVEREIGN, IN CONTROL & THAT HE HAS A PLAN FOR OUR LIVES…BUT SOMEHOW SOMEWAY THAT KNOWLEDGE DOESN’T FIND IT WAY INTO OUR HEARTS & IF IT’S NOT IN OUR HEARTS IN WILL NOT BE LIVED OUT IN OUR LIVES.
THERE ARE MANY WHO WRESTLE WITH THESE TWO QUESTIONS:
1. WHO AM I?
2. WHY AM I HERE?
THE ANSWERS ARE FOUND IN THE WORD OF GOD…THE BIBLE!
WE ARE THE CREATION OF GOD…MADE IN HIS IMAGE TO BE HIS CHILDREN WHEN WE EMBRACE & LIVE WITHIN OUR IDENTITY NOT ONLY IS THERE PEACE BUT PURPOSE …AND WHAT IS THAT PURPOSE…GLORIFY, HONOR & WORSHIP THE FATHER.
1. “WHO AM I” – A CHILD OF GOD…CLEANSED, FORGIVEN, HOLY, RIGHTEOUS, PURE BLOOD BOUGHT & HEAVEN BOUND! THE IS MY IDENTITY!
2. “WHY AM I HERE” - TO BRING & OFFER UP GLORY, HONOR, PRAISE & WORSHIP TO THE HEAVENLY FATHER!
ITS ONE THING TO KNOW GOD HAS A PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE IT YET ANOTHER TO LIVE IN & WITH PURPOSE.
THIS MORNING I WANT US TO MOVE FROM GOD’S PLAN FOR OUR LIVES TO HIS PURPOSE FOR OUR LIVES BOTH ARE ESSTENTIAL IF WE ARE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR HIM.
**** JEREMIAH 29:10 ****
Jeremiah 29:10-14
10 This is what the LORD says: "When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD , "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you," declares the LORD , "and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you," declares the LORD , "and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile."
I COR. 13:13 AND NOW ABIDE (IN) FAITH, HOPE, LOVE; BUT THE GREATEST OF THESE IS LOVE.
GOD HAS A PURPOSE FOR YOUR LIFE!
1. A FAITH THAT DARES- AND NOW ABIDE IN FAITH
MANY CHRISTIANS TODAY LACK A FAITH THAT DARES. THEIR FAITH IS COMPLACENT, INACTIVE & INDIFFERENT SUCH A FAITH FAILS TO ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING FOR GOD! WHERE ARE THE GREAT MEN & WOMEN OF FAITH? PEOPLE LIKE…
- ABRAHAM THAT WOULD PICK UP EVERTHING HE OWNED & MOVE…
- MOSES WHO DARE TO APPROACH PHAROH & DEMAND HE LET GOD’S…
- GIDEON WHO WAS OUT NUMBERED 450 TO 1 YET TRUSTED GOD TO…
- ESTHER WHO WAS WILLING TO TRADE HER LIFE FOR HER PEOPLE.
- DAVID WHO LAYED DOWN HIS STAFF & PICKED UP A SEPTOR.
ANNIE ARMSTRONG, JOHN WESLEY, LOOTIE MOON, MOTHER TERESA
TELL ME WERE ARE THE GREAT MEN & WOMEN OF THE FAITH! PEOPLE WHO WERE SOLD OUT! DETERMINED! DEPENDABLE! SOULWINNERS!
I’LL TELL YOU WHERE THEY ARE…THEY ARE ALMOST EXTINCT! NON-EXSISTANT!
A FAITH THAT DARES IS ACTIVE, ALIVE IT SEEKS THE FATHERS WILL & OBEYS IT. IT ATTEMPTS GREAT THINGS FOR GOD…IT EXPECTS GREAT THINGS FROM GOD!
A FAITH THAT DARES SETS US FREE FROM SIN, SATAN & SELF & POSITIONS US TO BE USED BY GOD TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
Romans 5:1
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith…
Romans 5:2
…we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand…
2 Corinthians 5:7
We live by faith…
Ephesians 2:8
…have been saved, through faith…
Ephesians 3:12
…through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence
ILLUSTRATION: A small boy riding a bus home from Sunday school….
was very proud of the card he hadreceived, which had a picture and a caption that read: “Have Faith in God.” Then to hisdismay the card slipped from his hand and fluttered out the window. “Stop the bus!” he
cried. “I’ve lost my ‘faith in God!’”The driver pulled the bus to a stop, and as the lad climbed out and went to retrieve hiscard, one of the adult riders smiled and made a comment about the innocence of youth. A
more perceptive adult observed,
“All of us would be better off if we were that concerned about our faith."
2. A HOPE THAT SHARES - “AND NOW ABIDE IN HOPE”...
THAT WORD “ABIDE” MEANS TO DWELL, LIVE or REST! PAUL IS SAYING DON’T TALK ABOUT FAITH, HOPE & LOVE…OR READ & SING ABOUT THEM, NOR LET THEM BE SOMETHING YOU KNOW BUT..
RATHER MAKE FAITH, HOPE & LOVE YOUR HOME, THE PLACE YOU LIVE…REST IN THEM & DRAW STRENGTH FROM THEM.
GOD’S PLAN IS FOR US TO ABIDE IN FAITH, HOPE & LOVE…HIS PURPOSE IS FOR US TO SHARE THEM WITH OTHERS! THE WORD NEEDS HOPE!!!
THERE ARE THOSE WHO HAVE BUILT THEIR LIVES, & PLACED THEIR HOPE IN THE TEMPORAL THINGS OF THIS WORLD. - A HOME, A JOB, A RELATIONSHIP, THEIR APPEARANCE, A PORTFOLIO.
ONLY TO FIND OUT TO LATE, THAT THESE THING OFFERED NO HOPE AT ALL.
ILLUSTRATION:
Lucy and Linus were sitting in front of the television set when Lucy said to Linus, "Go get me a glass of water."
Linus looked surprised, "Why should I do anything for you? You never do anything for me." "On you 75th birthday," Lucy promised, "I’ll bake you a cake."
Linus got up, headed to the kitchen and said,
"Life is more pleasant when you have something to look forward to."
A HOPE THAT SHARES REACHES OUT TO THE LOST, NEEDED & UNFORTUNATE WITH THE MESSAGE OF HOPE, JESUS SAVES JESUS SAVES GIVING THEM SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO!
GOD’S PURPOSE FOR OUR LIVES IS THAT WE HAVE A FAITH THE DARES…A HOPE THAT SHARES AND…
3. A LOVE THAT CARES “ABIDE IN LOVE...”
WE LIVE IN A DAY WERE VERY FEW UNDERSTAND THE MEANING OF LOVE.
WE USE THE WORD SO FLIPPANTLY I LOVE YOU, I LOVE THAT, I LOVE THIS,
I LOVE THEM & THOSE…BUT LOVE THAT IS REAL & SINCERE MUST EXPRESS ITSELF.
MATTHEW 5:46 46If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?
Matthew 22
36"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" 37Jesus replied: " ’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[1] 38This is the first and greatest commandment
John 13:34
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
John 14:15
"If you love me, you will obey what I command.
ILLUSTRATION: A FAMILY CAME DOWN OUT OF THE HILLS TO THE CITY
A family from a remote part of the country was making their first visit to a big city. They checked in to a grand hotel and stood in amazement at the impressive sight. Leaving the reception desk they came to the elevator entrance. They’d never seen a elevator before, and just stared at it, quite unable to work out what it was for. An old lady hobbled towards the elevator and went inside and the door closed. About a minute later, the door opened and out came a stunningly good-looking young woman. Dad couldn’t stop staring. Without turning his head he patted his son’s arm and said, "Go get your mother, boy!"
A LOVE THAT CARES REACHES OUT & LOVES UNCONDITIONALLY JUST AS JESUS DID.
-TRUE LOVE, GOD’S LOVE DOESN’T LOOK AT APPEARANCE OR OPPORTUNITY
- TRUE LOVE IS NOT IMORALITY OR LUSTFUL
- TRUE LOVE HAS NO CONDITIONS OR STRINGS ATTACHED!
- IT SIMPLY LOVES!!!!
YOU WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN 99?
1. God has a plan for your life:
- Prosper you.
- Protect you.
-Give you a Future.
2. God has a purpose for your life:
- A FAITH THAT DARES
- A HOPE THAT SHARES
- A LOVE THAT CARES
