When Worlds Collide

When Worlds Collide

Gal 2:20, 2 Tim 1:12, Prov 3:5 - 6, Psa 91:4

August 7, 2004

I. I’ve been talking about the fact the Jesus is able deal with the changes that need to be made in our characters and personalities.

A. This week we’re going to talk about how He is able to deal with our problems.

B. Lloyd Ogilive tells a story about when his family took a vacation by sailing from New York harbor to Quebec.

C. They were going through the locks that allow ships travel up the river where they have to move to higher elevations.

1. You come into a lock at the level of the water where you are. Then the gates are closed behind you.

2. The gates in front are opened, and the water rushes in and raises you to a higher level.

D. Lloyd Ogilive and his family had decided to take a nap as they sat in one of the locks, he says that he woke up to the sound of a voice yelling" hey mate are you ready to move on?"

1. It was the lock master yelling at him, he said you can’t stay here forever, now tell me are you ready to move on?

2. After Lloyd Ogilive had gotten awake and ready the lock master opened the door to the lock and the water rushed in and lifted them to a new level in the river.

E. Life is kinda like going through locks, there are times that we think that we have gone as far as we can go.

1. The gate behind is has closed, because we have come far enough that we couldn’t go back to where we were.

2. But the problem is, that the door to the future is closed too, and there seems to be no way to go anywhere.

3. Then the eternal lock master ( Jesus) says "hey are you ready to go on?"

4. And the minute that we are ready and sincere about moving to a new level the gates open .

5. And the living water of Jesus rushes in and raises us to a new level.

F. The important thing is opening the new flood gate?

1. Where God’s power is concerned, the word power is spelled C-O-M-M-I-T-M-E-N-T.

2. When we are committed to move to a new level in our relationship with God enough to be what He wants us to be, his power raises us to a new level of life.

3. God knows when we are sincere, and the floodgates won’t open until we are sincere.

4. Commitment is mandatory if we are going to grow and live victoriously as a Christian.

5. Without Jesus we can’t, and without us Jesus won’t.

G. Paul was a man who was committed. His battle cry had become "for me to live is Christ!"

1. Paul was grateful for what Jesus had done for him!

2. He gives us a description of that in (Gal 2:20 NIV) I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

3. Paul was forever amazed that Jesus would die for him.

4. Paul realized that what Jesus did in his life and what Jesus wanted for his life were what really mattered.

5. And Paul knew that Paul was not able, but JESUS IS ABLE.

H. Paul committed his life and his problems to God, and the result was a tremendous flow of God’s power into his life

II. Near the end of Paul’s life, while he was in prison in Rome he wrote to Timothy and poured out his heart.

A. Paul had lived through some tough situations in life, and now he passed on to Timothy the secret for receiving power no matter what His surroundings were or how big the problems seemed.

(2 Tim 1:12 NIV) That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.

B. The word translated entrusted or committed carries the meaning of "a deposit committed to another person’s trust for safe keeping."

1. In Paul’s time there were no banks or FDIC.

2. There was no greater sign of trust than to give someone responsibility for your valuables.

3. The word translated "keep or guard" means to protect against robbery, and it carries the idea of an investment that will bring high return.

4. After years of life, here is Paul, not as young or as Strong as he used to be but he is saying in the strongest words he can think of, "there is no doubt in my mind that Jesus can be depended on"