Destiny

Destiny

(This is my story)Once upon a time there were two couples who were married on the same day, in the same town.

Neither couple knew the other.

Both couples had family and friends from all over who came to wish them blessings for their futures.

Both couples ate wedding cake and received wedding gifts.

Both brides threw their bouquets and they left with their groom to begin their honeymoon.

Both couple even chose the same honeymoon destination: a resort town in the Rocky Mountains called Estes park.

Both couples traveled the same windy canyon roads under the same sun toward Estes Park, full of hope and happiness.

But only one couple made it to the Park,

Had their honeymoon, and began their life together.

The other couple careened off the windy road while trying to avoid oncoming traffic.

The groom was killed in the accident that resulted.

It was over

The surviving couple is still together today. They have three children, they are happy where they live, and minister…

I ask the question

Why wasn’t it me who died…?

I believe each Christian has a destiny to fulfill

God has a plan for our lives

and as long as we walk in paths of righteousness for his namesake

we will have an opportunity to fulfill that plan.

Metaphorically, when we veer from the pathway set out before us chances are we are going to crash and burn, and never see the end of what God has planned for our lives.

This happens when Christians

¤ Fall into sin and form habits that are displeasing to the Lord.

¤ When Christians divorce - what could have been can never be

¤ When we stubbornly make our own answers to our problems

¤ When we seek satisfaction in the things of this world

¤ When we Put other things in first place over the Lordship of Christ

There is hope however; the beauty of Christ’s redemption is that when we walk in repentance He will give us a second chance.

1 John 1:9

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 3:1-3

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. [2] Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. [3] Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.

He knows we are not perfect,

he knows we might fail,

fall into sin,

even divorce

But does that mean that he has given up on us

By no means

Philip. 1:6

being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus

Some may ask

I don’t know what God’s plan is for my life

I Don’t know what destiny he has for me

Maybe you feel like you have followed God to a certain point and now you are not certain of the next step.

Let me show you the key to getting started on the path toward God’s destiny for your life.

Psalm 119:35

Direct me in the path of your commands,

for there I find delight.

I. First of all we need to realize Obedience to God is the path

There are many in scripture that knew their destination and the path they had to follow.

You and I may not have some great destiny to fulfill, but God does have a plan for us and no matter how great or small that plan is it will require obedience to God to fulfill it.

A. I think Jesus is our finest example of this point

Turn with me to

Luke 2:34-35

Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, [35] so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too."

Simeon revealed the destiny of Christ.

Christ Himself demonstrated what it took to fulfill that destiny

It would take a long time to demonstrate all the ways that Jesus walked in obedience…

So I have selected three

1. Jesus Began his ministry in OBEDIENCE and was baptised publically

Matthew 3:15

Jesus replied, "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness." Then John consented.