Ps Darin Browne @ Ignite Christian Church
Religion & Spirituality:Christianity
We've been talking about faith, and so I started to ask the question, “Who is the person that God chooses and then chooses to use?
CHOOSED AND USED?
In Don’t Waste Your Life John Piper contrasts two stories. The first story is about two women, one over eighty, the other in her late seventies, who had given their lives to make Jesus Christ known among the unreached people of Cameroon. In April, 2000, their brakes failed, their car went over a cliff, and they were both killed instantly. Piper asks, “Was that a tragedy?” He answers, “No, that is not a tragedy. That is a glory. These lives were not wasted. And these lives were not lost. ‘Whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it’ (Mark 8:35).”
The second story shows how to waste your life. The February, 1998, Reader’s Digest, told of a couple who took early retirement when he was 59 and she was 51. They moved to Florida where they cruise on their boat, play softball, and collect shells. At first Piper thought that the story was a spoof on the American Dream, but then he realized that this is the dream: “Come to the end of your life—your one and only precious, God-given life—and let the last great work of your life, before you give an account to your Creator, be this: playing softball and collecting shells.” “That,” says Piper, “is a tragedy.”
Most of us here want to make a difference in the world. We don't want our life to amount to us doing things only for ourselves, things that simply make us happier. Most of us have a feeling that, deep down, we want to bless people around us and not just satisfy our selfish desires.
As Christians, most of us want to do something significant for God in our lifetime. The big car, big house, big business or big career are secondary to making the world a better place for our passing through, right?
You're not the first to want to serve Jesus. Many Christians have this desire, but many do nothing about it. Others sense God’s calling and will do anything to grow into it. Perhaps they join Isaiah…
Isaiah 6:8
And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”
My question to you today is this… do you want to be the one chosen by the Lord for a special task, used by Him to reach our generation? Do you want to be CHOOSED and USED of God?
CHOSEN PEOPLE
1 Peter 2:9
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
Like it or not, when you accept Christ you are chosen. You may have thought that you chose Him, but long before that He chose you. He did not choose you because you're good looking, smart or talented, but because you are you. God chose you because He knew your heart, and before you were even born He had a destiny planned for you that would blow your mind!
Jeremiah 1:5
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
before you were born I set you apart;
I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
You're not an accident, you're not a product of chance. Long before you even drew breath, the Bible says God knew you by name. He knows your life, when you will die, and what He has planned out for you.
If you are willing, God wants to use you. If you want your own way, He won't, or your effectiveness for Him will be limited. The choice is yours. Are you all in, all out, or do you just want to dabble a bit, be a good person, an average Christian and achieve not very much that's world changing?
We said when discussing faith, it's not about your circumstances, it's about God.
I've met single mums with small kids, not here in Australia on a pension but on the mission field in India. Helen Keller couldn't see or hear, but she made a massive difference world wide.
What about the farm boy who used to draw pictures for his neighbours for money then became the cartoonist for the school newspaper. No one would give him a job, so he started illustration ads, then made his own cartoons. One time he drew a mouse, and for Walt Disney the rest is history.
If you are willing today, God can choose to use you, no matter who you are, where you are from, the colour of your skin or what Problems or disabilities you have. There are clear, Biblical steps you can take to be used by God. Question is, do you want it?
So what are these steps and how can you and I be used by God in the fullness that He intends for us?
1. DESTINY
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 hope and a future.
God has plans for us, to prosper and not harm us. He has a future for us, a hope, a destiny for each of us, and if you are willing and obedient, it will blow your mind. But destiny is not some cosmic force blowing around out there, carrying you along without your permission. It's not something that randomly happens to you either…
Destiny is a series of choices!
And here's the thing… despite God’s plans for you and His perfect destiny, you can lose it by making the wrong choices. You can step out of your destiny and lose it forever, if you choose!
King Saul had a destiny to become Israel’s first and greatest king. In 1 Samuel 15 we read that disobedience caused him to lose his destiny. Samson was a great judge, who lost his destiny by a series or bad choices, including chasing the wrong partner. Ananias and Sapphira could have been an integral part of the fledgling church, but instead were a dead loss.
But what about you. I believe that each of you have a destiny, something special that God has lined up for you. Do you choose to follow Him into your destiny, or do you choose to satisfy your own desires and just make yourself happy.
Ephesians 2:10
For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
God has good works prepared for you, but you need to decide to walk with Him into your destiny. This morning the choice is yours, but remember the gravity and the consequences of the decisions you make.
2. DREAM
Martin Luther said, “I have a dream,” but many of you have a dream as well.
A dream is not your destiny necessarily. A dream is something placed in your heart that you want to do. You may dream of playing football for the Broncos. You might dream of being a pastor, or a fireman, or you might change your hairstyle and dream of becoming the president of the US.
Many dreams are actually given to you by the Lord Himself…
Job 33:14-15
For God does speak—now one way, now another—
though no one perceives it.
In a dream, in a vision of the night,
when deep sleep falls on people
as they slumber in their beds,
And in the last days, which we now live in, the Holy Spirit will bring dreams and visions to mind
Acts 2:17
“‘In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams.
If you believe that God has placed a dream in your heart, obey Him and ask Him to bring it to pass. Draw near to Him, because if He's given you that dream it will come to pass, and if it's not His will you won't care less if you are close to Him. Either way, you win!
3. DEVOTION
OK, here's where it starts to get a bit tricky. To see your dreams come to pass, obedience is better than sacrifice. Most of us become devoted to something in life, but many a well meaning Christian has lost their destiny by being devoted to the wrong thing.
Why? Because Devotion is actually an act of worship, so be careful what you become devoted to!
Romans 12:1
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
Being devoted to anything or anyone before Christ will block and maybe even lose your destiny. The measure of this is often the amount of time you devote to it. I've seen many Christian men who love God devoted to their businesses to the extent that they live their lives ultimately unfulfilled in ministry. I've seen many a Christian woman so devoted to the family that they miss their destiny in Christ.
So if devotion is key, what should be become devoted to? Our football team? Our families? Our jobs? Our church?
Matthew 6:33
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Become devoted to God, and everything else comes into perspective. As you live for Him, as you are devoted to Him, all your dreams begin to come true.
I always wanted to sing. I wanted to be a rockstar. I wanted to play in front of thousands of people. I gave it all up to the Lord, I stopped playing in bands, I stopped by own concerts, I gave it all up and served Bill Newman. Since deciding that, I have ministered in front of tens of thousands, up to 80,000 people.
Devoted to my ministry? No chance, I want to be devoted to Jesus!
4. DIRECTION
If you are devoted to the Lord, and if you are seeking Him and His will for your life, how do you know what to do next?
Psalms 32:8
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
Psalms 143:8
Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,
for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way I should go,
for to you I entrust my life.
Psalms 37:23-24
The steps of a man are established by the Lord,
when he delights in his way;
though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong,
for the Lord upholds his hand.
Following God, having our steps “ordered by the LORD”, does not guarantee success in every endeavour. The verse does not say he will never fall, but that when he does the Lord will uphold him.
Thing is, some lessons that God wants to teach can only come through failure. When God’s people fall, however, He does not allow them to be “utterly cast down” or “cast headlong.” Instead, He helps them back up so that they can learn what He wants to teach them and move on toward success. The only real failures are those who give up on God and refuse to get up and go on.
So walking hand in hand with the Lord, through success and failure is the way ahead for those who want to be used by God. Better to step out in faith and start serving than to sit and do nothing. It's easier to steer a moving ship.
5. DRIVE
If you are stepping out and serving the Lord, you need to have drive or zeal. Even as a pastor, there are days I just don't want to even get up. Some of the situations I face and try and navigate through just break my heart and sometimes attempt to break my spirit. But…
Psalms 69:9
For zeal for your house has consumed me,
and the reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me.
Without drive you just fall flat. With out drive you just struggle on and amount to nothing for the Lord. When you start you need to see it through and be full of zeal not for yourself, not even for your ministry but for the Lord and His house!
6. DEVELOP… IT TAKES HUMILITY
God uses humble people. Why? Because they are open and ready to learn and be developed.
Whatever your dreams, whatever your talents, whatever your ministry, you need to learn, train and develop your gifts. The Bible says..
Proverbs 27:17
As iron sharpens iron,
so one person sharpens another.
I've spoken to singers who want to be worship leaders and who believe they don't require training or mentoring, that the Spirit will lead and inspire them to become great worship leaders.
Sounds spiritual, but this is extreme arrogance. We all need training in our ministries. Even myself as a pastor, I am constantly being trained and mentored. When I think I've got it all together, when I think I have nothing more to learn, I am stepping out of God’s will and into pride!
If you want to be used by God, be open and humble enough to let others speak into your life. Especially, seek to be mentored by those further advanced in your ministry than you are. Make sure you are training in the right area.
As a Christian musician, I once faced a choice. The best lead guitarist I know offered to give me free lessons, but it was on the same night as Bible college. Do I train my music skills or my soul? I chose the latter, and that is the reason I stand before you a fully credentialed pastor. I chose training in the right area. My lead guitar is still average!
Our job as a church is to train and equip you for ministry. We want to train you and release you into what the Lord has for you in ministry. If you're choosed, and you want to be used, then this is a great place for you.
That's why we have 101 and 201. We want to train and equip you for ministry, and we also want to provide an avenue to serve, and opportunity and a team to serve the Lord with. We believe in teams, and if you go to the GO table afterwards, you can find out about 101 and 201, and discover a way into serving the Lord here at Coast Church.
7. DEDICATION
If you want to become great at anything, you need to be dedicated. Football players go to practice and train every day, great musicians practice regularly and actors practice over and over… anyone who becomes great at anything needs to be dedicated.
And if you are truly dedicated to being used by God, He will never let you down…
Matthew 19:29
And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.
Dedication to serving the Lord is how you take your dream, gift and training and make it all happen. Dedication is living it, breathing it and loving God more than anything, including your ministry! It's all about Him, not you, not your ministry, and not your gift or dream.
Colossians 3:17
And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Which leads me to the final step…
8. DEATH OF SELF
So many Christians have dreams, have gifts and have ministries, but they never move into all that God has for them because they face one huge, immovable obstacle… THEMSELVES.
But the Bible says,
Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
If you are ever going to become great in God's kingdom, you need to learn to be the servant of all. When you die to yourself, you lose your life, but ironically you actually find it in being used by the Lord.
Luke 9:23-25
And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?
If you are truly dead to yourself, you don't care who gets the credit for your ministry, you don't fight for your rights, and you don't push your own way all the time.
People who micromanage and control heavily and not dead to themselves. If you are truly crucified with Christ, His will becomes the most important thing to you, and your will is relegated way back. Ultimately, it's all about Jesus!
Humility and servanthood are the hallmarks of those who are great in the Kingdom. If you are dead to yourself, your own ambition, your own agenda and your own desires, then you are truly in a place to be used mightily by God to reach our generation.
IT'S OVER TO YOU!
So what about you? Are you choosed? Are you used? Do you choose to be used? Do you want to be used of God is an incredible , inspired and satisfying way? What's your dream for ministry? Are you prepared to be dedicated, trained, directed, devoted and dead to yourself?
Look deep into your heart. What's your dream? What has God placed there? I've watched some quiet, humble ladies recently gather folk after church and share coffee with them down the road. I didn't tell them to do this, their love for people and especially for God just did it. It's called ministry, and I'm so proud that God raises this sort of thing up all over Coast Church.
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