Steps To Greatness

Scripture: Jeremiah 1:1-10; Proverbs 3:5-6

Theme: How to Be Your Best

Title: Steps to Greatness

Step One – Embrace Good Spiritual Mentors/Teachers – Those who will Challenge You and Encourage You

Step Two – Embrace Proper Spiritual Nourishment – Spiritual Vitamins (A – Abiding in Christ B- Bible Reading C – Communication (Prayer) and Communion (Fellowship and the Lord’s Supper)

INTRO:

Grace and peace from God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit!

Remember the story of Queen Esther?

Around the same time that Queen Esther was living there was a Greek historian that was born that later was given the title of being the “Father of History” (by the Roman orator Cicero). His name was Herodotus.

Herodotus wrote a book centered on the Greco-Persian wars using a new method of writing. Herodotus would systematical gather all the data and then critically arrange his writings to form what would later be called a historiographic narrative.

Herodotus was interested in more than just the plain facts. He wanted to reveal to his readers what was going on in the background. It was important for him to try to figure out why certain things happened at certain times.

He wanted to know more than just the facts that the Persian army was powerful and that the Persian nation was taking over the world. He wanted to know all of the background stories. What caused Persia to suddenly be able to overtake the Assyrian and the Babylonian Empires? What caused Persia to be able to defeat the mighty nation of Greece?

He makes a statement that applies to our message this morning:

Herodotus says, "Very few things happen at the right time, and the rest do not happen at all. The conscientious historian will correct these defects".

“Very few things happen at the right time …” In other words, if we want certain things to happen in our lives we cannot give into the idea that they will happen by fate or by accident. If we want certain things to happen then there has be purpose or intention involved and then we have to of course act on that purpose and intention.

That is the way it was for Jeremiah. His birth was not am accident. His life was not something that just happened.

+The LORD GOD ALMIGHTY designed Jeremiah even before he was conceived

+The LORD had a definite plan for his life – The LORD had already set him apart and had appointed him to be a prophet to the people of God

Jeremiah’s whole life was one that was designed by God and was one that was ordered by God.

But just because the LORD wants something to happen does not mean that it will always happen. Jeremiah, like all humans had (has) free will. Even though the LORD had a plan for his life and had set him apart it was still up to Jeremiah to fulfill that plan.

Jeremiah could have rejected the LORD’s plan for his life. He could have made the same mistakes that King Saul made during his life time. King Saul was a man like Jeremiah in the sense that he had been given a divine destiny to fulfill. The LORD had a definite purpose in mind for King Saul but as we read his story we see that King Saul rejected that plan. He did not do all the things that the LORD wanted him to do with his life and as a result good people, innocent people suffered.

Free will is our privilege and God given right. We can either choose to follow God’s will for our lives or we can reject the convictions and leadings of the Holy Spirit. Both choices have consequences.

Rejecting God’s will for our lives will always lead to a life of chaos, destruction and disaster. Rejecting God’s will for our lives will not only adversely affect our lives but the lives of others as well.

However, the same is true when we obey God’s Will. The more we align our lives with God’s purpose and design ( a life of holiness) the more that we can bring and experience God’s blessings in our lives and in the lives of those around us. There is nothing more wonderful we can do in our own life, in the lives of those around and in the lives yet to come than to be a person following and doing God’s Will.

In fact, the more we try to do God’s Will the better we will know God’s Will:

Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us:

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will and in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.”

As we see just in that passage there is nothing that is left to fate, fortune or accident. There is purpose – there is intention – there is action: