SLIDE #1
Prayer
Welcome…
During the past several weeks it has become very clear to me… that even though man thinks that he is in control of his destiny… he is not.
For thousands of years…man has held on to the foolish presumption that everything that happens in this world is because of his ability and his effort.
-Pharaoh...Thought he was a god. –Hitler...thought he was a world leader -Professional Athlete’s...think they are the best
And sadly enough… it usually takes a major event to happen to us in our lives…for us to admit...Who the one is that is in control of our destiny.
It doesn’t matter if you are the President of the United States…the first lady…or Bill Gates who currently holds a net worth of 56 Billion dollars…
If you are not daily placing God first in your life…this I know...it is just a matter of time until God gets your attention.
When God created each of us…
He did it with the mindset that every living person...man and women alike... would have a relationship with Him.
Strange enough...as simple as it is to be connected to Him...many people still choose not to include Him in their lives.
You see the only way that… God can be connected to us…is by us First connecting to Him.
If you’re the person here today who is thinking….
Well Pastor...that’s the exact reason why I’m here... because I don’t even know who God is and what He wants from me…
Let me explain to you what God says about the importance of you being connected to Him.
Slide # 2
In the book of ...John 15:5-7...Jesus says....
5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me—and I in him—bears much fruit, because apart from me you can accomplish nothing.
6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown out like a branch, and dries up; and such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire, and are burned up.
The exciting part for you today is this…Jesus goes on to say in verse 7
7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want, and it will be done for you.
We all know what happens to a branch that is cut off from the tree.
-within a few days...wilt -within a few weeks...dries up
The most important thing in this life is that you... ”Connect to Him”.
The bible is very clear by explaining to us that when we are connected to God…whatever we ask of Him…He will hear…and answer us.
God wants us to connect to Him in prayer.
Personally it had been over 35 years since I was as sick as I was these last few weeks.
And I’m here to tell you…as a pastor…I love God…and I trust Him with my all my heart and my life but…
But like all people in this world...When life slips out of our control.... (not being able to get my breath)…
I couldn’t help but find myself asking Him for extra help…
You see...Knowing God has its advantages…the most important advantage is this. (re-read vs. 7)
God always places your best interests in front of His own.
He is not... -Greedy -selfish -prideful
Rather He is... –Loving -Kind -Compassionate
When God decides our time on this world is over…He promises all those who are connected to Him.
That when they die... they will spend eternity with Him forever in Heaven. (Comforting isn’t it…)
All I could think about during my sickness was…I hope He’s not done with me yet... because there are many people I need to share Jesus with.
More specifically…I personally need to share Jesus with all the people He has laid on my heart…from my past and the future.
I thank God that I am finally at a point in my life that I understand that without me sharing Jesus with them...
These people might just spend their eternities in a place that neither man nor woman should be... Hell.
Hell is eternal...The Bible describes it as -Fire and Brimstone -Darkness -A Lake of Fire
Satan was originally created as God’s most powerful Angelic being.
But he rebelled against God and convinced about 1/3 of the angels to join him. (The worldly always seek power and control)
As a result of this...God cast him out of heaven to earth.
If you’re new to the church today...or a seasoned member...
This knowing and serving Jesus thought...Must become a priority in your life.
It has to become a personal matter to each of you...
And the only way that will happen is by YOU connecting to Him!
VIDEO Work as Worship
Slide #3
One of the hardest things about knowing Jesus...is trying to figure out where you fit into His plan.
So Before each of you leave Church today...God wants’ you to understand 3 simple things...
First He wants you to understand that His...
Slide # 4 Work Requires Determination
Serving God takes commitment…it takes hard work…it takes an extreme step of faith on your part…
You have to be ready and willing to place all your trust in Him...
You have to be willing to surrender your whole heart to Him
...not just in church… (Sunday/Wednesday)
Just as the video just showed us...He needs you to serve Him in your workplace.
And truth being told...this is where most workplace believers drop the ball.
They feel they don’t know enough or have the right words to say.
But that is not how God works...
He has always expected and counted on His people to...
Slide #5 Attempt the Impossible
Think about Noah..God counted on Noah....he was a man who was called to attempt a work that had never been heard of or done before…
Build an ark in a land that never knew what rain was.
Because of Noah’s faith in God...for approximately (100 years) ...He began to attempt the impossible.
He committed to step out on faith by building the Ark!
Because of his faith...he saved the existence of mankind.
Slide #6
Next think about Paul…God counted on Paul...the man who before his conversion…did everything in his power to stop Christianity…
Before Paul’s conversion to Christ...all his work in his life specifically focused on stopping the newly-forming Church...by trying to destroy it.
Paul’s conversion on the road to Damascus...drastically changed his life.
Because of his conversion...He spent the remainder of his life faithfully traveling around the Roman Empire...
Sharing the life changing power that Jesus offers...instead of jeopardizing it.
Slide# 7
And who can forget...Nehemiah…
God counted on Nehemiah...The cup bearer for King Artaxerxes...the king of Persia...what a promising career...(food/wine taster)
Nehemiah obediently stepped out on his own faith journey...By attempting the impossible.
God asked him to return to the unprotected city of Jerusalem and rebuilding the great walls that had been destroyed by war.
Thinking about Noah...Paul...and Nehemiah.
All three of these men were just ordinary people like you and I before Jesus entered their lives.
And look at what happened thru them...as a result of them stepping out on faith by serving Him.
Who here today is willing and ready to step up a challenge by attempting the impossible?
I know I am…
Before you leave church today...the second thing God wants you to understand about Him is this…
Even though He expects you to do the impossible...He also wants you to have confidence in knowing...that He
Slide #8 Works in Unexpected Ways
How many of you have heard the old saying…”Faith never figures?”
Its true…God always shows up in our lives when we are at our wits end... (When things are falling apart at both ends...He shows up)
In my all my years of serving God…I have witnessed Him show up in people’s lives in very particular ways.
And one thing I have found to be true is this...
“Even when people lose their faith in God…He never loses His faith in people”.
Let me remind you of just a couple ways He worked thru un-expected ways…
Slide #9
One way God worked in an un-expected way... was when God allowed Moses to part the Red Sea by using a piece of wood.
We read in the book of Exodus where Moses and millions of Israelites were trapped between the Red Sea and Pharaoh’s army.
When God told Moses to Lift up his staff and stretch out his hand over the sea and witness the power of God by Him dividing the waters.
As soon as Moses did this the waters parted...the ground beneath the sea became dry...and the Israelites crossed over to safety.
I wonder how many of the Israelites or Pharaoh’s Army saw that one coming.
Slide # 10
We find another story of God working in an un-expected way by Him speaking thru a talking Donkey in Numbers chapter 22.
Balaam the prophet was going against God’s will.
God told Balaam to Go...But he went for the wrong reason $...
Donkey saw the Angel w/ sword... 3 times... Balaam beat the donkey...
Donkey talked...
Just like Moses and Balaam... before God appears in your life…nothing will make sense.
The Third thing you need to know about God before you leave church today is this…
Slide #11 God Will Never Disappoint
3 weeks from today…Churches all over the world will hear the story of how much God does love every person by sending His only Son to the cross.
The greatest thing about knowing God is that it doesn’t matter what gender you are.
What race you are...or where you grew up.
The only thing that He is concerned about is your life.
He is well aware of your past...matter of fact...He knows more about you than you know about yourself.
And still knowing this... He still sent His son to that cross...for you.
Every one of us here today is left with a decision to make.
...Walk out of this building knowing that God loves you and has forgiven you.
...Or walk out of this building continuing to carry around the weight of our sin.
If you’re a guest with us today.
First of all...thank you for being with us today.
And second...I want you to understand that it’s important that you don’t walk out of this building an unchanged person.
You might be thinking that you don’t want people to know that you have never asked Jesus to forgive you.
But what you need to realize is this room is filled with people just like you...
Every one of us here including myself... were once a guest in God’s home.
And the only thing He wants us to know is that...He loves you...and wants you to become connected to Him
Please Stand
