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New Life COTR Sunday March 11, 2007
TOTAL DESTINY
“Developed For Destiny”
INTRODUCTION: This month we are talking about TOTAL DESTINY. Total God, Total Others, Total Destiny.
Having a Destiny and being a person of Destiny are two different things.
Every one of us has a God-Given Destiny. But how many of us are living that Destiny?
God has a plan, a purpose for your life. A reason for you to be alive.
In 2004 there were 32,439 suicides in America. There were and estimated 800,000 attempted suicides.
On average someone attempts suicide every 40 seconds in the U.S. By the time this service is over with 135 people would have attempted suicide.
Approximately 88 people die every day because of suicide.
HERE’S A BETTER WAY TO DIE!
Acts 13:36- “For when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep;…”
THE APOSTLE PAUL SAID IT LIKE THIS
2Timothy 4:7- “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
David, Paul, they were men of Destiny. They lived out the purpose of God for their lives.
Today God is calling you and me to be people of Destiny!
TRANSITION: Share the story of approaching the Rainbow Bridge.
We can see clearly at the beginning of the journey and we can see are destination but somewhere in between, things get foggy.
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE FOG? I believe we’re being
DEVELOPED FOR DESTINY
One of the first steps to being a person of Total Destiny is understanding that God will DEVELOP YOU FOR YOUR DESTINY!
Ephesians 4:11-13(MSG)- “He handed out gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, and pastor-teacher to train Christians in skilled servant work, working within Christ Body, the church, until we’re all moving rhythmically and easily with each other, efficient and graceful in response to God’s Son, fully mature adults, fully developed within and without, fully alive like Christ.”
DEVELOPED FOR DESTINY
TRANSITION: How does God DEVELOP US FOR DESTINY? Many people drive off the bridge or have a wreck in the fog because they don’t understand how God DEVEOPS US FOR DESTINY.
I. A DREAM
God gives you a Dream- an idea, a goal or ambition. Every great accomplishment first begins as a God-Given dream in someone’s mind.
Genesis 37:5- “Joseph had a dream…”
Ephesians 3:20(LB)- “God is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of-infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts or hopes.”
Are you DREAMING today? If not you’ve lived you’re greatest day!
DEVELOPED FOR DESTINY- God gives a DREAM
II. A DECISION
A dream is worthless until you decide to do something about it! For every 10 dreamers there’s only one decision maker!
This is the moment of truth where you decide to invest your time, money, energy, and reputation and let go of security!
IF YOU WANT TO WALK ON WATER YOU’VE GOT TO GET OUT OF THE BOAT!
James 1:6,8- “You must believe and not doubt….a double-minded man is unstable in all he does.”
DEVELOPED FOR DESTINY- A DREAM, A DECISION
III. A DELAY
There is always a time lapse before your dream becomes a reality. God uses this waiting period to teach us to trust Him!
REMEMBER, A DELAY IS NOT A DENIAL!
Maturity is understanding the difference between “no” and “Not yet.”
Habakkuk 2:3(LB)- “God says, These things I plan won’t happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, do not despair, for these things will surely come to pass. Just be patient! They will not be overdue a single day.”
DEVELOPED FOR DESTINY- A Dream, A Decision, A Delay
While in the fog, don’t get in such a big hurry you have an accident!
Next in being developed for destiny
IV. A DIFFICULTY
Now while you’re in a place of DELAY God DEVELOPS YOU FOR DESTINY through a DIFFUCULTY.
Now problems start popping up. Don’t drive off the bridge in fog! The two most common types of difficulties:
Critics
Circumstances
DON’T WORRY, IT’S ALL PART OF GOD’S PLAN!
1Peter 1:6,7- “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials,. These have come so that your faith-of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire-may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”
DEVELOPED FOR DESTINY- A Dream, A Decision, A Delay, A Difficulty
But it gets better!
V. A DEAD END
Your situation will deteriorate from difficult to impossible!
You are backed into a corner, you reach the end of your rope; it looks hopeless
CONGRATULATIONS! YOU ARE BEING DEVELOPED FOR DESTINY AND YOU ARE ON THE EDGE OF A MIRACLE!
TRUST GOD!
2Corinthains 1:8,9- “We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.”
YOU’RE BEING DEVELOPED FOR DESTINY- A Dream, A Decision, A Delay, A Difficulty, A Dead End
YOUR DRIVING IN THE FOG AND THEN ALL THE SUDDEN THE SKY CLEARS AND YOU CAN SEE CLEARLY! WHY?
VI. A DELIVERANCE
God provides a supernatural answer!
Miraculously, things fall into place!
GOD LOVES TURNING CRUCIFIXIONS INTO RESURRECTIONS SO YOU AND I CAN SEE HIS GREATNESS!
Psalm 27:13,14- “I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”
CONCLUSION: DEVELOPED FOR DESTINY
A Dream, A Decision, A Delay, A Difficulty, A Dead End, A Deliverance
Hebrews 12:2- “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
New Life COTR Sunday March 11, 2007
TOTAL DESTINY
“Developed For Destiny”
INTRODUCTION: This month we are talking about TOTAL DESTINY. Total God, Total Others, Total Destiny.
Having a Destiny and being a person of Destiny are two different things.
Every one of us has a God-Given Destiny. But how many of us are living that Destiny?
God has a plan, a purpose for your life. A reason for you to be alive.
In 2004 there were 32,439 suicides in America. There were and estimated 800,000 attempted suicides.
On average someone attempts suicide every 40 seconds in the U.S. By the time this service is over with 135 people would have attempted suicide.
Approximately 88 people die every day because of suicide.
HERE’S A BETTER WAY TO DIE!
Acts 13:36- “For when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep;…”
THE APOSTLE PAUL SAID IT LIKE THIS
2Timothy 4:7- “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
David, Paul, they were men of Destiny. They lived out the purpose of God for their lives.
Today God is calling you and me to be people of Destiny!
TRANSITION: Share the story of approaching the Rainbow Bridge.
We can see clearly at the beginning of the journey and we can see are destination but somewhere in between, things get foggy.
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE FOG? I believe we’re being
DEVELOPED FOR DESTINY
One of the first steps to being a person of Total Destiny is understanding that God will DEVELOP YOU FOR YOUR DESTINY!
Ephesians 4:11-13(MSG)- “He handed out gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, and pastor-teacher to train Christians in skilled servant work, working within Christ Body, the church, until we’re all moving rhythmically and easily with each other, efficient and graceful in response to God’s Son, fully mature adults, fully developed within and without, fully alive like Christ.”
DEVELOPED FOR DESTINY
TRANSITION: How does God DEVELOP US FOR DESTINY? Many people drive off the bridge or have a wreck in the fog because they don’t understand how God DEVEOPS US FOR DESTINY.
I. A DREAM
God gives you a Dream- an idea, a goal or ambition. Every great accomplishment first begins as a God-Given dream in someone’s mind.
Genesis 37:5- “Joseph had a dream…”
Ephesians 3:20(LB)- “God is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of-infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts or hopes.”
Are you DREAMING today? If not you’ve lived you’re greatest day!
DEVELOPED FOR DESTINY- God gives a DREAM
II. A DECISION
A dream is worthless until you decide to do something about it! For every 10 dreamers there’s only one decision maker!
This is the moment of truth where you decide to invest your time, money, energy, and reputation and let go of security!
IF YOU WANT TO WALK ON WATER YOU’VE GOT TO GET OUT OF THE BOAT!
James 1:6,8- “You must believe and not doubt….a double-minded man is unstable in all he does.”
DEVELOPED FOR DESTINY- A DREAM, A DECISION
III. A DELAY
There is always a time lapse before your dream becomes a reality. God uses this waiting period to teach us to trust Him!
REMEMBER, A DELAY IS NOT A DENIAL!
Maturity is understanding the difference between “no” and “Not yet.”
Habakkuk 2:3(LB)- “God says, These things I plan won’t happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, do not despair, for these things will surely come to pass. Just be patient! They will not be overdue a single day.”
DEVELOPED FOR DESTINY- A Dream, A Decision, A Delay
While in the fog, don’t get in such a big hurry you have an accident!
Next in being developed for destiny
IV. A DIFFICULTY
Now while you’re in a place of DELAY God DEVELOPS YOU FOR DESTINY through a DIFFUCULTY.
Now problems start popping up. Don’t drive off the bridge in fog! The two most common types of difficulties:
Critics
Circumstances
DON’T WORRY, IT’S ALL PART OF GOD’S PLAN!
1Peter 1:6,7- “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials,. These have come so that your faith-of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire-may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”
DEVELOPED FOR DESTINY- A Dream, A Decision, A Delay, A Difficulty
But it gets better!
V. A DEAD END
Your situation will deteriorate from difficult to impossible!
You are backed into a corner, you reach the end of your rope; it looks hopeless
CONGRATULATIONS! YOU ARE BEING DEVELOPED FOR DESTINY AND YOU ARE ON THE EDGE OF A MIRACLE!
TRUST GOD!
2Corinthains 1:8,9- “We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.”
YOU’RE BEING DEVELOPED FOR DESTINY- A Dream, A Decision, A Delay, A Difficulty, A Dead End
YOUR DRIVING IN THE FOG AND THEN ALL THE SUDDEN THE SKY CLEARS AND YOU CAN SEE CLEARLY! WHY?
VI. A DELIVERANCE
God provides a supernatural answer!
Miraculously, things fall into place!
GOD LOVES TURNING CRUCIFIXIONS INTO RESURRECTIONS SO YOU AND I CAN SEE HIS GREATNESS!
Psalm 27:13,14- “I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”
CONCLUSION: DEVELOPED FOR DESTINY
A Dream, A Decision, A Delay, A Difficulty, A Dead End, A Deliverance
Hebrews 12:2- “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
