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New Life COTR Sunday March 25, 2007
TOTAL DESTINY
“God can use You”
INTRODUCTION: This month we have focused on TOTAL DESTINY. Yes God has a DESTINY for you. GOD CAN AND WANTS TO USE YOU!
He’s given you some gifts and talents and He wants to use you to make a difference in the world.
Many times people are afraid to step out. They fear failure. The fear of failure haunts many people.
They don’t want to fail God, their family, their friends.
In Matthew 25 we read about the PARABLE OF THE TALENTS.
Matthew 25:24,25(NIV)- “Then the man who had received the one talent came, Master he said, I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not scattered seed. SO I WAS AFRAID and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.”
I was afraid of failing so I went out, Dug a hole and hid the talent you gave me.
I WAS AFRAID OF MESSING UP. I WAS AFRAID OF FAILING!
What did Jesus say?
verse 28- “Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents.”
GIVE THE TALENT TO THE ONE WHO WASN’T AFRAID TO FAIL!
2Timothy 1:7- “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.”
God wants to do more in you and through you than you could ever imagine!
THE EVIL ONE WANTS TO PARALIZE YOU WITH A FEAR OF FAILURE!
TRANSITION: Today we’re going to look at three characters from the Bible and discover the three types of people God’s likes to use.
Each of these had to overcome a FEAR THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THEM TO FAIL!
I. MOSES-GOD LOVES TO USE THE INSECURE
Moses was a brilliant leader who God used mightily to deliver the nation of Israel from Egyptian bondage but MOSES WAS INSECURE!
Exodus 4:10- “Moses said to the Lord, O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant, I am slow of speech and tongue.”
I’m slow, I get nervous, crowds freak me out. I’M INSECURE!
Here’s my resume for failure. Not smart enough, good enough, to inadequate.
GOD LOVES TO USE THE INSECURE! You may not confident in who you are but God is so get some GOD CONFIDENCE!
1. You show up and do the believable and let God do the unbelievable.
2. You do the credible and let God do the incredible.
3. You do the natural and let God do the supernatural.
Exodus 4:11,12- “The Lord said to him, Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I the Lord? NOW GO; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”
WHATEVER GOD ASKS YOU TO DO YOU DO AND WATCH GOD MOVE!
TEANSITION: God loves to use the insecure!
II. DAVID-GOD LOVES TO USE THE UNLIKELY
The one everyone else overlooks. God specializes in using the unlikely.
God sends Samuel the prophet to the House of Jesse of Bethlehem to anoint a King for Israel.
When Samuel arrives he’s sure he’s found the next King.
1Samuel 16:6,7- “When they arrived Samuel saw Eliab and thought, Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord. But the Lord said to Samuel, Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
GOD USES THE UNLIKELY! God doesn’t look at the outward appearance but the heart.
God chose David because of what was on the inside not the outside!
GOD SEES THINGS IN YOU NO-ONE ELSE SEES!
In some Christian Magazines in the back they’ll have a place where churches are looking for a Senior Pastor.
1. Five years of Experience
2. Master of Divinity
3. Must be married
Jesus Christ the Son of God would not qualify to be the Senior Pastor in most American churches!
GOD LOVES TO USE THE UNLIKELY! The one no-body else thinks can do it!
(Tell the story of the Pastor who 12 years ago was rejected by a denomination. Now has 11 campuses with 40 weekend services and 18,000 people who attend.)
STOP BELIEVING WHAT OTHER PEOPLE SAY ABOUT YOU!
Who are you to try that? That’s stupid, you’re not smart enough!
LISTEN TO WHAT GOD SAYS ABOUT YOU. YOU’RE UNIQUELY CREATED BY GOD AND HAVE A TOTAL DESTINY HE WANTS YOU TO LIVE.
“Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.” “you can do all things through Christ which strengthens you.”
Do you feel a little bit afraid? Feel the fear and take the step anyway!!!!
Feel the fear and obey what God calls you to do!!!
TRANSITION: God loves to use the insecure. God loves to use the unlikely.
III. PETER- GOD LOVES TO USE THE FAILURES
Those that everyone else wants to write off.
The ones who aren’t good enough to use in the church because they messed up in the past!
Peter was the guy who told Jesus, “Man I’ll never forsake you. When everyone else has left you I’ll be the guy who’ll be by your side to the end.”
Peter failed Jesus THREE TIMES!
Luke 22:60-62- “Peter replied, Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about! Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times. And he went outside and wept bitterly.”
Feel the pain of Jesus turning and seeing that denial.
Peter went out and cried and cried and cried!
HE HAD FAILED THE BIG ONE!
The big bomb in the church, DIVORCE!
I raised my kids in church and then they go the other way- I must be a bad parent!
You’re swinging for the fence in a business deal and you end up loosing it all!
WITH GOD FAILURE IS NEVER FINAL!
(Story of the Pastor of had the fastest growing singles ministry in the south. It grew from 120 to 4. He stood before those 4 and said he was a failure)
God spoke to him and said, “Don’t blame yourself for the decline because if you do you might take credit for the increase.”
GOD LOVES TO USE FAILURES
In John 21 Peter experiences the forgiveness and love of Jesus Christ. Eye to eye with Jesus.
Who does God choose to preach the greatest message ever heard on the day of Pentecost? You guessed it Peter.
3000 people are born again and God used a failure to do it!
CONCLUSION: Feel the fear and take the step of faith!
God loves to use the insecure
God loves to use the unlikely
God loves to use the failures
KEY THOUGHT: YOU HAVE TO STEP OUT TO FIND OUT!
God’s calling you to do something.
Matthew 14:28- “Lord if it’s you Peter replied, tell me to come to you on the water. Come he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat , walked on the water and came toward Jesus.”
YOU HAVE TO STEP OUT TO FIND OUT!
(Story of Pastor who was offered a church but instead went and planted a church)
God had put something on that pastors heart that he couldn’t explain!
WHAT DOES GOD WANT TO DO THROUGH YOU? Satan is going to try and talk you out of it!
YOU’VE GOT TO STEP OUT TO FIND OUT!
GOD USES THE INSECURE
GOD USES THE UNLIKELY
GOD USES THE FAILURES
YOU HAVE A TOTAL DESTINY!
New Life COTR Sunday March 25, 2007
TOTAL DESTINY
“God can use You”
INTRODUCTION: This month we have focused on TOTAL DESTINY. Yes God has a DESTINY for you. GOD CAN AND WANTS TO USE YOU!
He’s given you some gifts and talents and He wants to use you to make a difference in the world.
Many times people are afraid to step out. They fear failure. The fear of failure haunts many people.
They don’t want to fail God, their family, their friends.
In Matthew 25 we read about the PARABLE OF THE TALENTS.
Matthew 25:24,25(NIV)- “Then the man who had received the one talent came, Master he said, I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not scattered seed. SO I WAS AFRAID and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.”
I was afraid of failing so I went out, Dug a hole and hid the talent you gave me.
I WAS AFRAID OF MESSING UP. I WAS AFRAID OF FAILING!
What did Jesus say?
verse 28- “Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents.”
GIVE THE TALENT TO THE ONE WHO WASN’T AFRAID TO FAIL!
2Timothy 1:7- “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.”
God wants to do more in you and through you than you could ever imagine!
THE EVIL ONE WANTS TO PARALIZE YOU WITH A FEAR OF FAILURE!
TRANSITION: Today we’re going to look at three characters from the Bible and discover the three types of people God’s likes to use.
Each of these had to overcome a FEAR THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THEM TO FAIL!
I. MOSES-GOD LOVES TO USE THE INSECURE
Moses was a brilliant leader who God used mightily to deliver the nation of Israel from Egyptian bondage but MOSES WAS INSECURE!
Exodus 4:10- “Moses said to the Lord, O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant, I am slow of speech and tongue.”
I’m slow, I get nervous, crowds freak me out. I’M INSECURE!
Here’s my resume for failure. Not smart enough, good enough, to inadequate.
GOD LOVES TO USE THE INSECURE! You may not confident in who you are but God is so get some GOD CONFIDENCE!
1. You show up and do the believable and let God do the unbelievable.
2. You do the credible and let God do the incredible.
3. You do the natural and let God do the supernatural.
Exodus 4:11,12- “The Lord said to him, Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I the Lord? NOW GO; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”
WHATEVER GOD ASKS YOU TO DO YOU DO AND WATCH GOD MOVE!
TEANSITION: God loves to use the insecure!
II. DAVID-GOD LOVES TO USE THE UNLIKELY
The one everyone else overlooks. God specializes in using the unlikely.
God sends Samuel the prophet to the House of Jesse of Bethlehem to anoint a King for Israel.
When Samuel arrives he’s sure he’s found the next King.
1Samuel 16:6,7- “When they arrived Samuel saw Eliab and thought, Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord. But the Lord said to Samuel, Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
GOD USES THE UNLIKELY! God doesn’t look at the outward appearance but the heart.
God chose David because of what was on the inside not the outside!
GOD SEES THINGS IN YOU NO-ONE ELSE SEES!
In some Christian Magazines in the back they’ll have a place where churches are looking for a Senior Pastor.
1. Five years of Experience
2. Master of Divinity
3. Must be married
Jesus Christ the Son of God would not qualify to be the Senior Pastor in most American churches!
GOD LOVES TO USE THE UNLIKELY! The one no-body else thinks can do it!
(Tell the story of the Pastor who 12 years ago was rejected by a denomination. Now has 11 campuses with 40 weekend services and 18,000 people who attend.)
STOP BELIEVING WHAT OTHER PEOPLE SAY ABOUT YOU!
Who are you to try that? That’s stupid, you’re not smart enough!
LISTEN TO WHAT GOD SAYS ABOUT YOU. YOU’RE UNIQUELY CREATED BY GOD AND HAVE A TOTAL DESTINY HE WANTS YOU TO LIVE.
“Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.” “you can do all things through Christ which strengthens you.”
Do you feel a little bit afraid? Feel the fear and take the step anyway!!!!
Feel the fear and obey what God calls you to do!!!
TRANSITION: God loves to use the insecure. God loves to use the unlikely.
III. PETER- GOD LOVES TO USE THE FAILURES
Those that everyone else wants to write off.
The ones who aren’t good enough to use in the church because they messed up in the past!
Peter was the guy who told Jesus, “Man I’ll never forsake you. When everyone else has left you I’ll be the guy who’ll be by your side to the end.”
Peter failed Jesus THREE TIMES!
Luke 22:60-62- “Peter replied, Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about! Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times. And he went outside and wept bitterly.”
Feel the pain of Jesus turning and seeing that denial.
Peter went out and cried and cried and cried!
HE HAD FAILED THE BIG ONE!
The big bomb in the church, DIVORCE!
I raised my kids in church and then they go the other way- I must be a bad parent!
You’re swinging for the fence in a business deal and you end up loosing it all!
WITH GOD FAILURE IS NEVER FINAL!
(Story of the Pastor of had the fastest growing singles ministry in the south. It grew from 120 to 4. He stood before those 4 and said he was a failure)
God spoke to him and said, “Don’t blame yourself for the decline because if you do you might take credit for the increase.”
GOD LOVES TO USE FAILURES
In John 21 Peter experiences the forgiveness and love of Jesus Christ. Eye to eye with Jesus.
Who does God choose to preach the greatest message ever heard on the day of Pentecost? You guessed it Peter.
3000 people are born again and God used a failure to do it!
CONCLUSION: Feel the fear and take the step of faith!
God loves to use the insecure
God loves to use the unlikely
God loves to use the failures
KEY THOUGHT: YOU HAVE TO STEP OUT TO FIND OUT!
God’s calling you to do something.
Matthew 14:28- “Lord if it’s you Peter replied, tell me to come to you on the water. Come he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat , walked on the water and came toward Jesus.”
YOU HAVE TO STEP OUT TO FIND OUT!
(Story of Pastor who was offered a church but instead went and planted a church)
God had put something on that pastors heart that he couldn’t explain!
WHAT DOES GOD WANT TO DO THROUGH YOU? Satan is going to try and talk you out of it!
YOU’VE GOT TO STEP OUT TO FIND OUT!
GOD USES THE INSECURE
GOD USES THE UNLIKELY
GOD USES THE FAILURES
YOU HAVE A TOTAL DESTINY!
