Sermon notes: July 21, 2013.
Our God is awesome; he can move the mountains.
The word greatness is something we constantly hear.
£. Moving into greatness. £
- What is greatness? and how does it apply to us as Christians.
- We hear about it all the time, in movies, athletes, in the political scene, technology, etc.
- Philippians 2:12-18
- When you analyze this letter, you see that because Jesus humbled himself, God exalted him and made his name great.
- Humility came before exaltation.
- In order to be great in the kingdom of God, you have to let go of your agenda so that He can manifest Himself in you, according to His agenda.
- When we are weak, that is when we are strongest.
- His strength projects in our weakness.
- God defines greatness.
- We achieve greatness according to God's definition, by aligning our priorities with His.
- So that what God says is important becomes important to me.
- Often in the Bible, it is important to notice what isn't said as much as what is said.
- In this verse, Paul is saying work for something God has already given you.
- Not to earn it because you already have it but to show it.
- Let what He has done on the inside, out.
- Let what God has done in your heart become visible to those around you.
- Work your salvation out by letting God manifest His salvation in you through fear and trembling.
- To have a healthy fear for God means to respect Him.
- That your salvation ought to be the most sacred thing.
- To handle your salvation with great care.
- Greatness is positioning my life so it can be of usefulness for God.
- Just because you're saved doesn't mean God is going to use you.
- How many of you want more than just salvation? For Him to save you, but also use you?
- After praying for salvation, you should pray for God to use you.
- He doesn't use just anybody; he uses people who put themselves in the position where God can touch their life and use them to His will.
- God is the source of greatness.
- The reason why because God doesn't use me more than what I would like, is because I don't want Him to.
- Why don't you pray more than you pray or read your Bible more than you do?
- Because you don't want to.
- You say I don't have time.
- You let other things rob you of your time, and God is not your priority.
- All the things that we have to make our life better, phones, computers, TVs. It all robs us of our time with Jesus.
- Is a want-to problem.
- There are people who give up their life for a false religion. Bow down to statues and change the way they dress and act.
- Yet in church, or as followers of Christ, we have the truth and have to prep it up. Make it fancy, pretty, and pink for others to want to indulge in it.
- We don't do things because we don't want to.
- There are some things I want to do for God, but I don't think I can.
- Is an inadequacy problem.
- I can't do it.
- Philippians 2:13
- God who is in work with you gives you the desire and power for you to do what pleases Him.
- Ask God to forgive you for the lack of the desire, and according to this verse, if you ask Him, God will give you the desire and enthusiasm that He wants you to have.
- He will not only give you the desire but the power.
- How many of you wake up and think I have the power of the living God in me?
- There is nothing God calls me to do that He will not give me the power to do it.
- Your goal should be to do the things that please God.
- Understand I'm not where I want to be, but I can get where God wants me to go.
- He will take me there.
- It's all about the concept of potential.
- I'm already, but not yet.
- I am safe, but I'm not yet the person He wants me to be.
- God has placed spiritual potential within you.
- You've been created by God.
- If you believe in evolution and all that mumble jumbo, you don't understand that God wrote all your days in the book before you had your first breath.
- Your talents are sometimes God-given from birth and other times they are acquired as you age.
- Each and every one of us, created by God, has potential.
- All we need is for God to light the match.
- How do we fulfill the potential?
- Focus on your relationship with God.
- If you don't give Him more attention, how are you going to grow spiritually, if He is not the focus of your attention.
- Church, Bible studies, and all the rest can't take His place. Only He can occupy His place.
- Stop trying to substitute Him.
- Take responsibility for your life.
- Don't require a spiritual babysitter to stay committed to Christ.
- Some people need others to keep them motivated.
- God wants people who have a love for God all on their own.
- It shouldn't be up to other people for you to follow God and seek Him.
- We have to take responsibility for our own spiritual life.
- If you don't want to do something, ask God to fix it.
- He will give you the power to become the man He wants you to be.
- Don't be negative.
- Do all things without grumbling or disputing.
- Grumbling means complaining.
- In order to move in greatness with God, you can't be cynical, negative, pessimistic, etc.
- The first part of victory is acknowledgment.
- God says do all things without complaining.
- What's wrong with complaining?
- I'm undermining the severity of God.
- This is what we are thinking/saying: I know you're in charge, but were you asleep when this happened?
- Negativity makes you think of yourself as a victim.
- I'm this way because my family is dysfunctional.
- Every family is. But we accept it and move on.
- You're not a victim; you're an overcomer.
- It doesn't matter if you were raised in poverty; you got riches in Christ.
- It doesn't matter what race you are, white, black, Hispanic, Chinese, Australian, etc.; we're all children of God.
- It's negativity all around us, the news, the radio, at home.
- But don't get swallowed up into that victim mindset.
- God says positive, positive.
- Jesus is Lord, and everything equals positive.
- Don't argue with God.
- Complaining is denying God's power.
- Disputing is arguing with the circumstances He has set ahead of you.
- Job 40:1-2
- Some of us need to put our hand over our mouth and let God be God.
- It's rarely helpful to dispute with people; imagine with God.
- Greatness distinguishes you.
- Paul says that when you're moving into surrender to God, you will be more and more blameless.
- There is going to be less of you and more of Him.
- Christians want to be so in keeping with worldly acceptance.
- The Bible says it's about being set apart for Him, being different than the world.
- This little light of mine, I'm going to let it shine.
- Don't walk with a flickering candle, but walk with a welding torch.
- An almighty consuming flame that gives light wherever we go.
- Ask Him for forgiveness and repent.
- Remember, we are already but not yet, and the difference is potential.
Our God is awesome; he can move the mountains.
The word greatness is something we constantly hear.
£. Moving into greatness. £
- What is greatness? and how does it apply to us as Christians.
- We hear about it all the time, in movies, athletes, in the political scene, technology, etc.
- Philippians 2:12-18
- When you analyze this letter, you see that because Jesus humbled himself, God exalted him and made his name great.
- Humility came before exaltation.
- In order to be great in the kingdom of God, you have to let go of your agenda so that He can manifest Himself in you, according to His agenda.
- When we are weak, that is when we are strongest.
- His strength projects in our weakness.
- God defines greatness.
- We achieve greatness according to God's definition, by aligning our priorities with His.
- So that what God says is important becomes important to me.
- Often in the Bible, it is important to notice what isn't said as much as what is said.
- In this verse, Paul is saying work for something God has already given you.
- Not to earn it because you already have it but to show it.
- Let what He has done on the inside, out.
- Let what God has done in your heart become visible to those around you.
- Work your salvation out by letting God manifest His salvation in you through fear and trembling.
- To have a healthy fear for God means to respect Him.
- That your salvation ought to be the most sacred thing.
- To handle your salvation with great care.
- Greatness is positioning my life so it can be of usefulness for God.
- Just because you're saved doesn't mean God is going to use you.
- How many of you want more than just salvation? For Him to save you, but also use you?
- After praying for salvation, you should pray for God to use you.
- He doesn't use just anybody; he uses people who put themselves in the position where God can touch their life and use them to His will.
- God is the source of greatness.
- The reason why because God doesn't use me more than what I would like, is because I don't want Him to.
- Why don't you pray more than you pray or read your Bible more than you do?
- Because you don't want to.
- You say I don't have time.
- You let other things rob you of your time, and God is not your priority.
- All the things that we have to make our life better, phones, computers, TVs. It all robs us of our time with Jesus.
- Is a want-to problem.
- There are people who give up their life for a false religion. Bow down to statues and change the way they dress and act.
- Yet in church, or as followers of Christ, we have the truth and have to prep it up. Make it fancy, pretty, and pink for others to want to indulge in it.
- We don't do things because we don't want to.
- There are some things I want to do for God, but I don't think I can.
- Is an inadequacy problem.
- I can't do it.
- Philippians 2:13
- God who is in work with you gives you the desire and power for you to do what pleases Him.
- Ask God to forgive you for the lack of the desire, and according to this verse, if you ask Him, God will give you the desire and enthusiasm that He wants you to have.
- He will not only give you the desire but the power.
- How many of you wake up and think I have the power of the living God in me?
- There is nothing God calls me to do that He will not give me the power to do it.
- Your goal should be to do the things that please God.
- Understand I'm not where I want to be, but I can get where God wants me to go.
- He will take me there.
- It's all about the concept of potential.
- I'm already, but not yet.
- I am safe, but I'm not yet the person He wants me to be.
- God has placed spiritual potential within you.
- You've been created by God.
- If you believe in evolution and all that mumble jumbo, you don't understand that God wrote all your days in the book before you had your first breath.
- Your talents are sometimes God-given from birth and other times they are acquired as you age.
- Each and every one of us, created by God, has potential.
- All we need is for God to light the match.
- How do we fulfill the potential?
- Focus on your relationship with God.
- If you don't give Him more attention, how are you going to grow spiritually, if He is not the focus of your attention.
- Church, Bible studies, and all the rest can't take His place. Only He can occupy His place.
- Stop trying to substitute Him.
- Take responsibility for your life.
- Don't require a spiritual babysitter to stay committed to Christ.
- Some people need others to keep them motivated.
- God wants people who have a love for God all on their own.
- It shouldn't be up to other people for you to follow God and seek Him.
- We have to take responsibility for our own spiritual life.
- If you don't want to do something, ask God to fix it.
- He will give you the power to become the man He wants you to be.
- Don't be negative.
- Do all things without grumbling or disputing.
- Grumbling means complaining.
- In order to move in greatness with God, you can't be cynical, negative, pessimistic, etc.
- The first part of victory is acknowledgment.
- God says do all things without complaining.
- What's wrong with complaining?
- I'm undermining the severity of God.
- This is what we are thinking/saying: I know you're in charge, but were you asleep when this happened?
- Negativity makes you think of yourself as a victim.
- I'm this way because my family is dysfunctional.
- Every family is. But we accept it and move on.
- You're not a victim; you're an overcomer.
- It doesn't matter if you were raised in poverty; you got riches in Christ.
- It doesn't matter what race you are, white, black, Hispanic, Chinese, Australian, etc.; we're all children of God.
- It's negativity all around us, the news, the radio, at home.
- But don't get swallowed up into that victim mindset.
- God says positive, positive.
- Jesus is Lord, and everything equals positive.
- Don't argue with God.
- Complaining is denying God's power.
- Disputing is arguing with the circumstances He has set ahead of you.
- Job 40:1-2
- Some of us need to put our hand over our mouth and let God be God.
- It's rarely helpful to dispute with people; imagine with God.
- Greatness distinguishes you.
- Paul says that when you're moving into surrender to God, you will be more and more blameless.
- There is going to be less of you and more of Him.
- Christians want to be so in keeping with worldly acceptance.
- The Bible says it's about being set apart for Him, being different than the world.
- This little light of mine, I'm going to let it shine.
- Don't walk with a flickering candle, but walk with a welding torch.
- An almighty consuming flame that gives light wherever we go.
- Ask Him for forgiveness and repent.
- Remember, we are already but not yet, and the difference is potential.
