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God never meant for you to be an “ornamental” Christian (remember the plastic couch?) Rather He wants to use you and has called you to a life of serving Him and others. The Scriptures are clear: You are gifted… You are a vital part of the Body of Christ… and You have a work to do in this world. His call to action involves using You to accomplish His purposes in the lives of those both inside and outside the body of Christ.
We have all seen news stories of someone who went hiking alone and got stranded, or even died, and we wonder why anyone would do something so foolish. Yet we often do something just as dangerous when we attempt to live the Christian life alone. God created us for relationships, and it is vital that we “live connected” not only with other believers, but with those who do not know Jesus, so that they can see the Gospel on display in us. Are you living the Christian life alone? God wants you to live connected!
Our lives are so consumed by urgent things that we seldom have time for the important things. Jesus said in Matthew 6:33 that our pursuit of Him should be our number one priority. As you think about your life and your relationship with God, are you personally pursuing Him during the week? God longs to speak directly to you through His Word. Are you willing to make “pursuing God” your first priority?
Over the course of our lifetime we get asked thousands of questions, but very few of those questions are truly life-changing. However, there is one question that should change everything for those of us who are Christ followers, and that question is simply this: “What does God want?” Knowing what God longs for more than anything else will transform our lives completely and give us purpose like never before! Do you know what God wants?
Someone once said, “Falling in love requires a pulse… staying in love requires a plan.” With roughly 50 percent of all marriages ending in divorce, it is clear that “falling in love” is not enough to keep two people together forever. Do you have a plan to make sure your marriage ends up in the “right” 50 percent? We close this series with 3 key principles for a long, healthy, God-honoring marriage. In which of these areas are you currently doing well? Which do you and your spouse need to work on?
Today’s message was presented primarily to the children and students of LifePoint to teach how the choices they make today can have a significant effect on their future. But these principles of the “Law of the Harvest” apply to everyone, adults included. God wants to use your life to impact the lives of others in an eternally significant way. However, a spiritually fruitful life isn’t the product of blind luck, but is the result of whether one chooses to follow or ignore the principles God has given us.
Ladies, do you know the 3 most devastating things you can do to your husband to tear him down and destroy his sense of manhood? Are you currently doing any of these things to him? If you begin working on these 3 areas, you will be absolutely amazed to see him become the husband you’ve always dreamed of, and he will gladly go to the ends of the earth for you!
Men and women are different in so many ways, and because of these differences, problems and misunderstandings often arise between a husband and wife. 1 Peter 3:7 commands husbands to understand their wives by learning how she needs to be loved. If men would only take the time to love their wives like Christ loved the church, they would be amazed at the woman who emerges!
Far too many people who get married and have children, try to build their family on the shaky, cracked foundations of their past. But just as no building can stand tall and strong if built on a broken foundation, so no marriage will ever stand strong if problems from your past are not first dealt with. The Bible says if we hide our sins we will not prosper, but if we confess and forsake them, we will find mercy. Are there any areas of “rust” in your past that you have chosen to just paint over instead of dealing with? Rust will always eventually show through the paint! God calls us to deal with our past so that we can build a strong family on a clean, solid foundation.
The final sermon in this series is a warning to let you know the reality of what you will face if you do step out and live a life of holy ambition. Whenever we step out to follow God, we can expect to face attacks from the enemy, just as Nehemiah did. We will be criticized and ridiculed, we will face discouragement and doubt, and we must determine beforehand that we are going to have a courageous soul or we will cave in under the opposition. Are you going to finish what God has called you to, despite the difficulties?
Everything in life is just talk until we make a personal commitment to actually DO it. So often, the difference between people God uses greatly and people He doesn’t use comes down to which person is fully committed to Him. Is there an area of your life that you have been hesitant to commit the Lord? Why not give it to Him today?
Most people spend more time planning their vacation than they ever do planning to be used by God. But without a strategic plan, our best intentions will never become reality. So, what is your plan for your life? Your marriage? Your family? Your personal ministry? Do you have one? Plans clarify the vision and get us moving in the right direction. Planning shows faith in the vision God has given us… and God will move mightily through that kind of faith!
