Sermon Central
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A World Full Of Slipping Standards Series
Contributed by Paul Collins on Sep 7, 2009 (message contributor)
Summary: This sermon addresses the reason that many Christians find themselves struggling in the world that they should be impacting. Unfortunatly if we let little foxes roam in our lives then we discover ourselves slowing slipping into living a life of compromise
A world full of slipping standards – Song of Solomon 2:15
Do you believe that God has a plan for your life?
We all know Jeremiah 29:11
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 a hope and a future.
It really is a cool piece of Scripture aye. Yet when you think about what it’s saying, it’s saying the most incredible thing…The God of the heavens and Earth, the creator of all things - has a plan for your life - He knows you personally. That’s pretty out there thinking!!!
Do you believe it?
At the leadership course we are doing on a Wednesday night, on one of the videos the speaker challenged us with that very question.
Do you believe what you believe?
He went on to say…Well if you believe what you believe, it should change the way you live…so, has your life been changed due to the belief that you hold?
So let’s apply that to Jeremiah 29:11
If you believe that God has a plan for your life, then are you living your life in accordance with that plan?
If you’re not then you don’t believe that piece of Scripture even if you say you do…do you see how it works?
God has a plan for each one of our lives whether you choose to believe it or not.
In fact I want to show just how much God has a plan for each one of our lives.
ILL
If we take a look at the first 10 names of the redemptive lineage from Adam – Noah, we see God has a plan for all mankind and His plan includes every individual.
Are you ready for this? Are you sure?
Let this change your life…
We start with Adam and look at each son through the 10 generations.
ADAM = MAN
SETH = APPOINTED
ENOSH = MORTAL
KENAN = SORROW
MAHALALEL = THE BLESSED GOD
JARED = SHALL COME DOWN
ENOCH = TEACHING
METHUSELAH = HIS DEATH SHALL BRING
LAMECH = THE DESPAIRING
NOAH = COMFORT AND REST
In other words – put all the meanings together and this is what you get:
MAN - APPOINTED MORTAL SORROW, THE BLESSED GOD SHALL COME DOWN TEACHING, HIS DEATH SHALL BRING THE DESPAIRING COMFORT AND REST.
Simply amazing isn’t it but here’s the thing…God had a plan for each of those people and He’s included you in His plan just as much as any one of those other 10.
It is great when you see something like that but how often do you find yourself looking at your heritage going wow! God created me and I’m part of a line up just like the one we’ve looked at.
God has a plan for all mankind and He is using me (of all people) to fulfill it.
I think, truth be known…we don’t think like that very much do we.
Have you ever wondered why?
Maybe we don’t believe the truth of it as much as we used to. Maybe, just maybe, we have accepted little “untruths or lies” about who we are when viewed through the eyes of God.
And the problem is - as we have believed those lies, we’ve started to believe them to such an extent that we’re now living out what we believe.
You see, we can live out the negative things just as much as we can the positive.
We now have people that say “God has a plan for you but it certainly doesn’t extend to me because hey, I’m really no good for anything, anyway”…can you see a subtle change in thinking from what Jeremiah tells us?
What in effect has happened is where, God’s standard (that should be believed and acted on) has now been superseded by a lower standard dreamed up by man and adopted by those that choose to believe and act on that instead.
As a result, what do we find?....The onset of low self esteem in this case.
Unfortunately we are living in a world that’s full of these slipping standards.
Have you ever thought of just how different this world is from when you were growing up?
ILL
~ How Did We Ever Survive as Kids?
April 11, 2009 — Quick Daily Hits - rbs
Born before 1980?
TO ALL THE KIDS WHO SURVIVED the 1930’s 40’s, 50’s, 60’s and 70’s…
• After we were born, we were put to sleep on our tummies in baby cribs covered with bright colored lead-based paints.
• We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets – not to mention, the risks we took hitchhiking.
• As infants & children, we would ride in cars with no car seats, booster seats, seat belts or air bags. Riding in the back of a pick up on a warm day was always a special treat.
