Morning to all our viewers who are joining us this Sunday
morning, and we know that it's Mother's Day.
So happy Mother's Day to the mothers of our church and to the
new mothers that became mothers these past few months.
We just want to extend from the leadership to all of you, our
gratitude and our love and we pray for the families of our
church. We pray for the parents of our
church that God would continue to strengthen you and use you to
raise up Godly Offspring for his glory.
He and a personal happy. Mother's to my mother.
I love you. I wish I could see you and I
trust that we will be able to sooner than later.
I trust that you're awake this morning and that you have your
Bibles with you because we're going to just touch on a few
verses here, but it's going to be intensely practical.
We're not going to like a Bible study dig into various
scriptures to try to pull out some theological truths.
This is the illogical but it's going to be very very very
Practical and my prayers, that it's going to help.
It's going to be kind of a connecting message to last
week's. And if you're with us last week,
you know that we spoke about how to overcome a cold heart, how to
escape this lukewarmness, that many Christians have testified
of experiencing at one point in their lives.
And sometimes it's been a prolonged season of dryness and
complacency and indifference and we looked at the way to escape
that. That kind of a heart posture and
near the end of the message. If you were with us last week,
you remember that, we spoke about the necessity and the
discipline of feeding, the flame of the devotion that we have
towards the Lord, that despite emotion.
We must have necessary disciplines of an intake of the
word of God, of being honest and transparent with the Lord in the
place of prayer and sharpening ourselves by the fellowship of
other like-minded believers. Now, We all generally know that
though. We all know as Christians, that
the thing that we all have to do is pray read meet with other
believers and serve in your local church.
But I don't want us to just understand that General sense
because those tools can be handed to somebody and then they
can be adopted as principles. Only to be a mechanical routine.
Only to be an end in itself when they are means to an end.
And so what you have is people who understand this, who are
charged with this and then they end up trying to do it and they
feel as though they are absent minded throughout it and they
don't really know why they're doing it.
All they know is that this is what Christians do.
And so I'm going to do it and hopefully something will come
out of it. But that is not the way we ought
to think about these spiritual disciplines.
Imagine somebody being told that they need to go to the gym and
they are getting a membership. They get the right outfit and
everything else and day in and day out they go and they do what
they think they need to do and they move around with machines
and they spent a good hour every day in that facility.
And they come out after a year spending money spending time and
energy with little to no results.
How is that possible that happens to a lot of people?
And one of the reasons is because there is the wrong
approach. There isn't the comprehension of
how to do certain things and why they should do it.
And then they come out with greater disappointment and with
again little fruit in their efforts.
I would argue that when we understand the spiritual
disciplines, there has to be the right attitude, and there has to
be the right Outlook. Less, we find ourselves just
going through some motions and not seeing what God wants us to
see. And I think that what we need to
do is examine our own hearts and be as honest as possible to ask
ourselves. If this is what we find in our
thoughts, this is what we find in our souls concerning our
relationship with the Lord. Oh Lord, because what this
message is really going to do is touch on three types of mindsets
were three, attitudes, are three outlooks or our frame of mind
that is absolutely necessary to specifically and more
effectively feed the flame of our devotion to Lord it.
And really, they're all going to be drawn from one person and
even one book. And that is the book of
Philippians with a man named the Apostle Paul, and I love Paul.
Because if there is anyone, that was consistent in his Zeal for
the Lord, if there was anyone that God has given to us.
So as an example of how to live from beginning to end only going
from glory to glory, it is this man and this is going to be just
a brief touch on these points and I hope that again your heart
will be able to be honest enough to say yes.
This is true of my life and no it's not because if you're
honest enough and you're not able to say yes to these things
or you're not able to identify or connect with them, then
perhaps you found a reason why even though you're doing these
spiritual disciplines? Why they're not really effective
and not just effective why they're not enjoyable.
C by understanding this, we will know how we can have a
determination in these disciplines but not just in
determination. We want enjoyment and the light.
I think God has given us these things to really know a joy and
the reason why so many are either board or they are
distracted. Many of the times it's because
they don't realize what these things should lead to.
So join with me in your Bibles and turn to Philippians chapter
1. And let's look at the first
point that I think is absolutely necessary.
The ingredient that is needed to feed a greater flame for the
things of God. It's a flip Ian's one and let's
look at verse 21. It's a very familiar passage.
You probably heard of you probably memorized it.
But let's look at Philippians 1:21 and see what Paul says, he
says for to me to live is Christ.
And to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh,
that means fruitful labor for me yet.
Which shall I choose? I cannot tell.
Now, Paul, this point is expressing, because he's writing
from prison. He is expressing the possibility
of him dying at some near point, and he is distressed about this
possibility of dying at a near point and the distress that he's
experiencing. Her expressing is not because he
has a fear of death. It's not because he is in dread
of pain, know, the turmoil that he is expressing is because he
is trying to convince himself. If living is better for him, or
dying, is better for him. Most of us want to live.
We don't want to die. And that's a great thing, life
is a gift. But Paul here, as though he did
have the choice is saying, listen.
I have the choice to either be with Jesus and he goes, that is
far better because there's nothing that can compare to
that. This is my longing.
This is why I live to know him and to experience him and to
have that as we heard even last Friday without hindrance.
Oh, that's my number one choice, but this might be shocking to us
as much as that is a desire to pawn.
It should be the desire of every believer.
There is one. Other thing that would keep Paul
Earthbound. There's another thing here that
would keep him in this scene shattered, broken depressing,
dark world, and it is found here in this verse where he says, yet
to remain. In the flesh, means fruitful
labor for me. This is his turmoil.
This is the one other thing that would keep him on this side of
Eternity. Do you realize how profound this
thought is. Do?
You realize what Paul is saying? He's saying the only reason why
I would not be in the presence of Jesus enjoying his glory
forever. The only reason why is because
there is a sense of mission that I have in this life and if I can
glorify him more with my breath, then I will choose to do that
because I'm going to end up going to heaven.
Anyway, I'm going to be in the presence of Jesus, no matter
what, that is where I am headed. So the longer I can stay here to
glorify him and to live for him. I'll do that in the ends up
concluding saying yep. On your account, for your sake.
I'm going to stay. Think about how this man lived,
his life was all about. One thing.
It was framed around one certain direction and that was to serve
the Lord with everything within him.
Do you think Paul is saying this because he's it's a lesser
option. It's not obviously as more
amazing being with Jesus, but you have to understand Paul had
a joy in serving the lord in Acts 20:24.
He says, but I did not account my life of any value nor as
precious to myself. If only, I may finish my course.
And the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify
the gospel of the grace of God. He was my life, literally has no
significance. There's nothing about living on
this Earth, that matters more to me than living to bear fruit for
the glory of the name of Jesus Christ.
So you're saying what's your point?
Here's my point. This is not to say that your
identity has to be in your ministry and it wasn't for Paul.
But you can't deny that he had a joy in it and that his life was
organized around it that all the events in the planning and the
motivation and the ambition was centered around this truth.
So the question in the point to make is this, that if you want
to know a consistency in a passion and a Zeal for the Lord,
you must have a grasp on your personal mission for God.
You personally. Yes, you watching, whoever you
are. You, you must have a grass, an
understanding of your personal mission for God.
Paul had that and that's what kept Paul going.
That's what made Paul want the state, he knew what he was
called to do and he would live for that with everything within
him. This is what kept Paul
energizes. What kept Paul animated.
This is what gave something called to pray over.
And Weep over into contemplating to dream up.
And to hope for, he knew that there was a calling from Heaven.
He knew he responded to that call, and he knew that there is
nothing greater than living for that call.
And this is what every believer is called to do at the same
time, because unfortunately, what you have as many Believers
that are either deceived by ill motive leaders, or they
themselves have tricked their own understanding of the faith
or the Devil Himself. Has brought them into a state.
Of deception and to thinking what?
That all my Christian Life. You can sum it up in the purpose
for it. Is this formality in attendance?
As long as I have a church, as long as I go there to hear a
message as long as I give from time to time, I may not be a
super Christian but on the standard Christian, that's a lot
of people think. I have a church named.
I attend their I give I here I've done my part and that's
exactly what my life is all about as a Christian.
That is deception. That is not God's Will and that
is a great reason why many people are lukewarm and that is
pervading our generation today because they've adopted that
mentality. When I was in high school and
even early on before high school, I played a lot of
basketball. Something I gave myself to with
great Zeal and passion, but there is a season of my journey
in basketball where I had to spend a lot of time on the
bench, especially my early years of high school.
I had to sit down a lot if not most of the games and come in
from time to time, but most of the times, every other night,
when we had a game, I would sit on the bench and I would watch
my friends play. And even though we were
encouraged and I wasn't even trying to stir myself up to be a
good Sportsman at the Clapping to applaud and to show my
support. Can I be honest with you?
It was boring. It was boring.
I did not want to spend all of my time sitting and watching
other people contribute to an effort to win while I'm just
here shouting and yelling. I wanted to get in there.
I wanted to do something. I wanted to contribute.
Give me some kind of a goal here.
Give me Some kind of a roll here, even if it's just for a
few moments. I'll give everything I have.
Whenever I have the chance I was able to do that.
Now, here's the thing. Sports might be organized to
have people who are playing and other people who are on the
bench as a backup, but that is not how the kingdom of God is
organized. That's not how its organized.
The kingdom of God, is organized in such a way that every single
person that has chosen to be a part of God's team has a role to
play. There is no such thing as a
bench. But what we have is many
believers who have created this spiritual bench and are sitting
on it and are looking upon others who are serving God,
mainly leaders, who are praying evangelizing, a dreaming
sweating, pouring everything out to serve God, and they're there,
and they're showing their support.
There are plotting their cheering, they show their
appreciation. But again, you have to
understand that is not how God designed his kingdom.
The kingdom of God is not a sports team.
The kingdom of God, is in our me.
This is way bigger. This is a way of life.
It's not something that we just do recreationally know.
But unfortunately, again, we have people is convincing
themselves that as long as they have the Jersey.
And as long as they tell other people and they convince
themselves, they're part of the team that they've done
everything they need to do. You will not find such an
attitude in the New Testament. And let me tell you this, that
kind of mentality might soothe your religious conscience, but
it will not contribute to an ongoing Zeal that you and I
desperately need. Paul knew his personal mission
from God. And the question you and I have
to ask this morning. Yes.
Right now is this is where it gets very practical.
What part do I me as I'm sitting and watching and hearing this
via livestream. What part do I fill in the
blank? My name play in contributing to
the advancement of God's kingdom while I attend church.
No. No, that doesn't mean anything.
That's part of it. What part do you play?
What do you give yourself to? What is the gift?
You were exercising. What it what is it that you are
saying? This is what I'm giving myself
to in order to best help Advance the message of the Gospel in my
local context. Now, you might be hearing and
saying yeah, I totally understand what you're saying.
And yes, now you are stirring my heart to even to even consider
what I should do. So, you know, what I'm going to
do. I'm going to be a blogger.
I'm going to be a worship. I'm going to be a guest speaker.
I'm going to be the next Ravi Zacharias.
That's what I'm going to be. Now, hold on.
Since when did being used by God mean that you have to be known
in order to be effective or to no fulfillment.
God can use anybody for one of those things on a public
platform. But many people get this idea
that the only way that I can serve God and to know a personal
mission is if I have a title if I'm known.
If I'm recognize if I'm demanded for Is that really true?
Is that how we ought to think about what it truly means to
know the calling that God has for us?
Or is it possible that God has callings and many callings that
are hidden? That are unknown that man may
not be able to identify or even vocalize appreciation for I like
to think that there are some who are in the background and their
hidden agents for God, those that are unknown around the
world that are glorifying God, and that is true.
But unfortunately, because I believe this idea of celebrity
culture has invaded the church. It is affected the way we view.
What it means to truly be used by God and then it's
disappointing thing. But here's what you and I have
to grasp. That you don't have to be known
or you don't have to pursue Fame in order to no faithfulness.
That is going to be one of the most frustrating things in your
life. If you begin to covet, somebody
else who has a public Ministry and you think that is the only
way that I can truly serve the Lord.
No, that is not the case at all. I think we have to understand
one core understanding here concerning being used by God.
The you and I are not limited to those things.
There is a array of ways of being energized by the Holy
Spirit to have anointed Ministries, that would touch
lives, whether people recognize it or not.
And I think what you and I have to settle at this point.
If we do not know what God wants us to do.
I think we have to be comfortable and convinced of
this that no matter what it is that God wants me to do.
I will not look to another. I will not try to get into
somebody else's Lane. I will seek what God has for me.
I will exercise the gifts that he's given me to the capacities,
giving it to me, and I will try to do it with as much patience.
Enjoy that he can offer. If not, you'll just add more
frustration to this spiritual Zeal that you're trying to tap
into, but there is also another group of people that are hearing
this and understand. Okay.
I got to know my personal mission for God.
I got to know what it is that God wants me to do.
And they think to themselves. Well, I just don't know.
My lifelong purpose. I know, I need it.
But I don't know. I prayed about it.
I fasted, I've sought counsel I researched but I don't know what
it is from now to the last point of giving my breath.
I don't know what it is. And that's another thing too is
because some people they want to know a definite.
Category or a definite Lane to be in so that they can give
everything they have into that kind of a thing, and that's
okay. And some people even know it,
they sense a certain calling in their life, but because of the
lack of opportunity, the lack of resources or even the lack of
maybe open doors, people begin to feel discouraged and maybe
even disqualified. I hope this is making sense.
I hope this is reaching different people who have
different kind of thoughts about this idea of knowing what God
wants me to do. Now, listen, if there's any
advice I can give to you, there's any piece of wisdom that
has blessed my life. And I hope will bless yours.
Let's simply be this that you. And I should not be concerned
about the long-term you. And I should not be consumed
about the lack of clarity of what I am supposed to do or even
being frustrated, a lack of opportunity.
Do you know what you're supposed to do?
We can't get caught up in that. The one thing that God wants you
and I to do is simply this to know the purpose he has for us
in This season alone. And to take a hold of it with
everything within you and to trust that at his own pace.
He will unveil what he needs to unveil.
That is extremely important. If there is any inspiration
regarding this in the Bible, you might be surprised to hear the
name, Philip. Philip in the New Testament is
one of the most inspiring people to me.
Concerning the subject of serving the lord.
Wholeheartedly, no matter what has been given to him.
Look at Philip in Acts chapter 6, with six others.
He's been called to his literally serve tables and he
does it wholeheartedly, you go to Acts chapter 8, the same
Philip, you know what he's doing.
He's not waiting on tables. He doesn't have an apron on,
he's not washing the dishes. After the Fellowship of the
church, know he is preaching at a Revival and Samaria.
And God is doing miracles to him and there is mass conversions
and awesome baptisms. And then at the same chapter,
you see, God taking Philip from that Revival and putting him
with one Ethiopian eunuch, who is reading the scriptures and
needs Clarity. And he evangelized him and
disciples him. Just one from a Revival 21.
And then you go to Acts chapter 21 and you read a Philip who had
four unmarried daughters, who were able to prophesy.
I love this. What does it tell us?
Well, should tell us at least one thing that no matter where
Philip found himself in a matter.
What kind of a service he was given, he did it with everything
within him. He was serving tables.
Wholeheartedly if he was preaching a Revival without
compromise, if he was talking to one-on-one, he would do it with
patience and join. He let him with Christ and if
you found him in his home, he would raise up his family to
love and honor God. No matter where you found this,
man. He was bearing fruit.
No matter what he was given, no matter what role, no matter what
opportunity, lack thereof in terms of breath.
He loved to serve the Lord. And everything he touched turned
to Gold because I believed he had that right mind.
He loved Jesus, and he served him with whatever was granted to
him. This is how you and I have to
understand this Mission from God.
It is sometimes seasonal. It is.
Sometimes in part. It is now always this long thing
where your this is who I'm going to be for the rest of my life.
And this is what I'm going to do.
Can I be transparent with you? When I first got saved.
I thought it was going to be a full-time evangelist.
That was at least what I desired.
That is what I was dreaming about and throughout time.
God led me to something that I never thought I would do.
That was to be a full-time pastor, but I do it with so much
joy and Thanksgiving, but that A, how I understand it.
Now. There was a season of my life
where it was full-time evangelism.
And in fact, it was not the way you and I might think of
full-time evangelism. It wasn't doing Crusades and
preaching in front of thousands. Know when I got saved, I knew in
my heart that I was called to full-time Ministry.
I knew it within a few months and had great desires, and great
dreams and great prayers before God, but guess what?
I didn't have the opportunities that I thought I would have and
I didn't have the resources. Resources, but what did I have?
I had a college campus. And So, within a few short
months was there with a Christian group and we would
read together, pray together and hand out pamphlets and try to
talk to students. There was a youth group.
I was a part of, and I was a leader that youth group.
And I would sit down with a group of students that were
assigning me every week, and we would go over questions on a
sheet based on the message and just talk and pray together.
There's no Pulpit. There was no camera.
There is no conferences. It was simply whatever God gave
me and whatever I was I was out my disposal and to serve him to
that capacity and slowly. But surely God began to just
like when you're in a car at night and there is so much light
you receive from the headlights. You see it in part and as you're
driving more, has revealed more to reveal, God began to reveal
it at his own pace and I thank God.
He did it at his own pace. No, the mission even if it's
seasonal, what is it now? How are you serving God?
Now. And you don't have to be a
revivalist to be used by God. I look at Susanna Wesley, who
raised up to Godly men. She had many children and
perhaps apart from her Godly influence.
We would not have these revivals that we read of, in our book.
We will not have these hymns that we read of but there was a
Godly mother behind the scene, I think about the necessity of so
many parts in the kingdom of God.
That need to come together in order to make the bigger
picture, a greater reality. I think about those who invest
themselves in media and those in graphic design and those who
say, I'm going to take the gospel.
I'm going to display it in the Avenue in which we are living in
this generation. I want to I want to help get.
You might not be the guy on the other side of the camera
speaking, but you can be the guy that chops it up and edit sits
and does something with it to make it effective and gripping,
all these different things. I can go on with example, after
example, but what you need to be convinced of right?
Now, or you need to figure out between now.
And the next time, you are allowed to go out into this
world, is what does God called me for?
What is it? And don't again look for the
title and don't look for the grand picture.
Just look for it, seasonally in this time.
In this moment. It might be to give it might be
too to be an intercessor. It might be to just be a Sunday
school teacher or youth lie, whatever it is seasonally.
What is it? And take a hold of it again.
Paul had this mindset and I know and we have to understand it.
Contributed to his passion and his Zeal and I think the reason
why so many people don't have that seals because they don't
know what they're here for. They're sitting on that
spiritual bench and it looking at others play.
And again, they're happy. They have the Jersey on, I'm a
Christian. They have a number, they're part
of the team. But listen, that's boring.
That might work for sports. That might be good.
Sportsmanship, that not in the kingdom of God.
Everybody has to get on the field and that is what you and I
have to understand. But there's a second point is
not just understand my personal mission for God.
The second point is that you and I must believe that there's so
much more for God to reveal to us.
Go to Philippians chapter 3, verse 13 to 14 and see that with
me. Look what Paul says in
Philippians 3:13. Brothers, I do not consider that
I have made it my own. But one thing I do, Paul says
forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies
ahead? I press on toward the goal for
the prize of the upward call of God in Christ.
Jesus. Many people quote verse 13 of
this chapter to encourage people who have perhaps failed in their
past who have, perhaps disappointed God or a Fanta,
Grievous sin or of wasted money. Each time and they quote, this
refer get what lies behind and just strain forward to what lies
ahead and that is absolutely true.
And this is a wonderful wonderful scripture to use to
bless others who might feel disheartened because of
something that's happened in their past, but we can't limit
what Paul is saying here, to seeing past failure, as a
potential way of paralyzing us and moving forward in the
present, we can use it, but it's not limited to that and many
people limited to that. We have to broaden the
application here and I'm sure Paul understood it in this way
as well. There is another danger of your
past and mind that can be equal equally as the mobilizing.
As our past failures. Do you know what it is?
It's your past successes. It's your past achievements
spiritually. These things can be equally
paralyzing to somebody growing in their Zeal and faith and
service to God. How can that be?
Well, when you have somebody who has had wonderful experiences
with God, or has been used by God, whether individually or
corporally the dangers that is it can produce a
self-satisfaction where it makes somebody relax in their Pursuit.
Greater things. It's possible to have witness
got to do amazing things only to continue to contemplate on those
matters and not believe God for more ahead.
And so, the person's heart can almost think like this.
Well, I've seen God, do these miraculous things.
I've received Revelation from the word of God in such and such
a way. And so there seems to be this
kind of numbness or this neutrality and believing for
more or church can even experience it corporately.
They we have witnessed God do things.
We've experienced wonderful manifestations of his presence
and then we just continue to rehearse those.
Still a point where we don't look forward, always looking
back. You know what?
Paul would say to that. I forget what lies behind me,
his failures know, even his past achievements.
Now, doesn't mean that we don't talk about those things.
It doesn't mean we draw, and we don't draw encouragement from
those things. But to keep your eyes on those
things. Can I, can I ask you don't
experiment with this but visualize it try driving, even a
mile. In your car, by looking in the
rearview mirror the whole time and see how well that goes and
many people doing the same. They always have their eyes on
the rearview mirror and they're looking either at their past
mistakes or they're looking at their past successes and equally
are dangerous for you to not going where you need to go.
And what Paul is saying here is simply this no matter what
Christ has used me for no matter, the mountainous
achievements that he is enabled me to accomplish.
I'm straining forward to what lies ahead.
Do you think this was wishful thinking, you think Paul had
false? Hope?
What did Paul have an Insight in his relationship with God?
That it only goes Higher and Higher and it only gets greater
and greater and the possibilities of things that no
matter how much I've tapped into can take me from one level of
Glory to another Yes, Paul did not have wishful thinking Paul
really believe what many Believers unfortunately, don't
believe. And what makes it worse is when
you have believers who haven't had any kind of testimony of God
doing something in and through them.
And so they haven't tasted something for them to crave
more, and they are just left with the status quo
Christianity, and they've been left with this unfortunate
standard that we've talked about in the first point.
And they think this is just the way it's supposed to be.
No, it's not. It's not and the moment.
You even come to a place where you get a little sample of the
glory of God, where you see what the gospel can do through your
life. If you surrender to it.
If you just yield as a vessel and allow the Holy Spirit to
take control of your life. And you just get a little taste.
You'll never be the same again. Paul believed there was
something more, this Paul who is experienced so much.
So, the question we have to ask is this number one?
Do I have a grasp on my personal mission for God and not just
that number to do? I believe that, no matter what
I've known in the past, that there is something greater ahead
for me in the future. Now ask yourself that now.
If you don't know the answer, if you don't know the answer, if
you can honestly examine your heart.
And say, I believe that there is something more, or I don't know
if I believe all you have to do is this one thing ready, pay
attention. Examine your prayer life.
That's all you have to do. Just look back at the language
of your prayer life and you will be able to determine whether or
not you have what Paul is saying and talking about here.
Because to be honest, a lot of professing Christians, all their
prayers have been reduced to is this Lord Jesus, protect my
family from harm and feed the poor, and those who are
unfortunate in Jesus name. Amen.
There's nothing wrong with that. But can I tell you something
else God wants you to have more than your family being protected
from harm and other people being blessed by not your service of
helping the poor. But God somehow using somebody
else to bless the poor. God's not interested in just
those things in your prayer. Life.
Ask. Where's the desire?
Is there more for me? And you might be wondering what
he's talking about more when you're saying more?
I mean, I have all of God. Now I'm saved.
I have all that I need in. God and toes are said this the
great Paradox of Love Is that we have God or God has us yet.
We search for him and long for him still.
It's a great Paradox. We do have the fullness of God,
but there is experientially a Pursuit Of God that we do not
have in fullness. So what I mean by more I'm
talking about this. I'm talking about a greater
awareness of the presence of Jesus Christ in your life.
I mean more I mean greater insight and Holy Spirit, Led
revelation of the word of God that will burst life into your
soul. What?
I mean more. I mean, that God wants to use
you. You don't have to be a pastor.
You'd have to be an evangelist. You know, how to be a gifted
speaker. God wants to use you to touch at
least one person on this Earth, who is Bound for an eternal hell
to taste of the goodness of God through a vessel that's been
saved. What I mean by more, I mean, you
being able to witness something of the glory of God, even in
your church context where God can at any moment, crash into a
service and sweep through and sanctify.
His people in miraculous ways. That's what we're talking about,
more in the spiritual Realm. And again, I think the reason
why so many lack of zeal. So many who try to pray so many,
who try to come to prayer meeting so many, who try to
read, can't continue. Because the motive and the
ambition is missing. People don't really believe that
there's more. And so their devotional life,
the church spiritual disciplines are just things we have to do
because that's what Christians have to do.
We won't go far. It won't last.
God gives us a man by the name of Paul to show us and he even
allows them to experience things that you know, anybody watching
ever been to the third heaven. Anybody just comment if you have
if you've been to the third heaven, know anybody raise the
dead, anybody use their napkin and then have somebody take it
and lay it on a sick person. They recovered anybody.
Okay, so then there's more and even if you have had those
experiences like Paul, he said there's more there's more and
that's what kept Him going. That's what's going to keep you.
and I going, in fact, it wasn't just Paul.
It was Moses in Deuteronomy 3, verse 23.
He says and I pleaded with the Lord at that time saying O Lord
God. You have only begun to show your
servant your greatness in your Mighty hand.
Hold on, Moses coming near the end of his life and he's telling
God, you've only begun to show me after a hundred plus years of
experiencing. Interventions and miraculous
proportions. You're telling me.
Now, you've only begun to see what is he saying?
He's saying that there's more God, that there is no way of
exhausting the possibilities of your hand being stretched forth
in my life and seeing things that will keep me in all of you.
And that's why I look what he says here in verse 25, please.
Please. Let me go over and see the good
land beyond the Jordan. There's more.
Need to know Beyond the Horizon as long as I'm in this world
that there is something greater to experience here.
God. See his prayer language.
Do you sense the passion? Do you sense the Zeal?
Yes, because behind the prayer is the posture of Faith to say
God Almighty. I know, I know, I know.
I've only scratched the surface. I know that I've only
Entertained, the tip of the iceberg and God you have more.
As long as I have breath show me reveal to me, use me Empower me.
You know, what's amazing is what Paul says in Philippians 3, 15
and this demolishes any argument to think of this is only the way
pastors should think. This is only how full-time
Minister should think. Yeah as ministers.
You should think that there is more as pastors.
You should believe that there is more that's your ambition.
Just give me a sermon and I'll be happy.
I'll satisfy my spiritual Endeavors and will be inspired
by your Zeal for God, this verse will shatter that thought.
Look what Paul says in verse 15 of Philippians 3.
Let those of us who are mature, think this way, let those of us
who are mature, think this way and if anything, you think
otherwise God will reveal that also to do you see this, this is
so important. If you've missed any part of
this message, take a hold of this verse.
This is the context. Remember Philippians 3:13-14
forgetting It lies behind me and straining for two lies ahead.
I press on right, he's saying this and then I'm verse 15.
He goes. Hold on.
Let me just pause for a moment if there's any one Among Us, who
doesn't think this way? Realize that you are outside of
the category of mature Christianity.
He says let those of us who are mature, think this way.
So a sign of a mature Christian is a person who's thinking the
way Paul is thinking in these verses prior the sign of a
Believer who is who is growing in their zeal.
The evidence of that is that when you open up their thought
life, when you open up their hearts, they're going.
I know that there's so much more.
I'm believing that there's so much more.
And look what he says if in anything you think otherwise God
will reveal that also to you and what he's saying, he's saying
it's possible for you as a Christian.
Not to think the way that I'm saying.
It's possible for you watching to the saying, you've just laid
out a whole, another standard of Christianity, that I've never
even thought was possible. Are you saying that I can be
invited to know more and I should believe for more?
And this is the secret to knowing greater Zeal.
Yes. And if you don't he says God
will reveal that also to you. I love that.
Do you know why? Because a preacher can only go
so far a message like, this can only go so far.
It can pray. Philippe point you in the right
direction, But ultimately the person that's going to be able
to change the way you think and I think who's going to do it,
God. God is going to reveal it and
then God is able to change it. So if God is revealing it to you
right now and God is convicting, you if God is showing you the
lack of the maturity that Paul describes here, then don't
dismiss it. God is doing something in you
and now partner with God until he rewires the way you think.
For the sake of your Zeal. In fact, Paul is starting to
stay here. Is that if you want your heart
to burn with Zeal, you have to fuel it with the right mindset.
If you want your heart to burn with Zeal, you have to have the
right mindset. There's a connection between
what I believe here. For those of you are mature,
think this way and how it's going to feel the Zeal in my
heart to keep pressing on and to keep believing God.
It's very simple, isn't it? But we miss it completely.
So we see it in Paul. We see it in Moses, men of God,
and we know that they both had one thing in common, at least,
open to different covenants and though they had two different
Ministries. They had one thing in common
God, there's more So, let me see it.
I'm going to forget what lies behind.
I'm not going to just dwell on the past.
I'm so I'm striving towards greater things in the spirit.
Point. Number one.
Do you have a grasp on the personal mission that God has
for you? Well, I don't know what God
wants me to have been praying and seeking.
I need a title. I need to know what it is.
Hold on. What is it in this season?
That's all you need to know and it will be season by season
where God will reveal it. Number two, do you believe that
God has much more to reveal to you in your life.
Just just ask yourself. Well, I don't know.
Just go to your prayer life and see how you're praying over your
workplace. Is it your mission field?
See how you're praying over your family.
Sear your praying over your own life.
Do you desire? Greater christlikeness, sear?
You're praying for your church. See.
But let me come to point number three, here.
Point number three, is this you and I must be totally convinced
that nothing in life is more satisfying.
The point number one and point. Number two, you and I must be
totally convinced that nothing will be able to satisfy as more
in this life. Then point number one and point
number to see you can hear what's being said this morning
and you knowing that you have a mission from heaven and you
Really apprehending that there is more for me in my personal
life, for God personally, to do something wonderful in and
through me, you can have that. But listen, it will not go
unchallenged throughout your life.
It will be challenged. And one of the challenges that
will come throughout our lives. One of the temptation of the
zealous believer, is to diminish in their Zeal, by Satan the
world or your own flesh, trying to present something that will
be greater in Joy or satisfaction, and it doesn't
have to be necessarily evil things.
And so there has to be a protection over that.
And there must be a continual convincing and that obviously
comes through consistency in our disciplines.
But my mind must be preached to my mind, must be saturated with
things that would continue to keep me hungry and believing so
you don't have to experiment with the world to find out.
If it is greater than what you have in God.
I've met too many young people at different.
Conferences who can't respond to a call to surrender.
Because they've been cooped up in their Christian home, as they
would say it, and they have not experimented with the world.
And so they're going to experiment and then come back
when they try to weigh and balance the difference between
the significance of both pathetic.
That's not the way it works. And that's just a recipe for
disaster. No you.
And I have to trust by faith. That there's nothing that can
satisfy other than knowing that I have been given a task from
headquarters on high. And I know that I can have a
greater unveiling of the person of Jesus Christ and his
character and fruit through me. Oh, nothing can even come close.
Nothing can even come close. And you might be saying, well,
where's the verse for that? In Paul's life, go to
Philippians 3. Verse 8.
Indeed. I count everything as loss
because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ.
Jesus, my Lord for his sake. I have suffered the loss of all
things and count them as rubbish in order that I may gain Christ.
See what he's saying here. He was Christ.
He was the call that he's given me.
Here's the possibilities of his power being known to be in the
fellowship of his suffering. This is on one scale and here's
everything else. Whether good or evil on the
other side of the scale? And let me tell you how it is
Wade out. Everything is a loss, and
everything is counted as a rubbish.
That I may gain Christ. I've counted, I looked at it
said, that's it. I don't want any of it.
I don't want religion. I don't want performance.
I don't want sin. I don't want Mere entertainment.
I don't want the American dream. I want to gain Christ.
And that is the great shield for somebody's Zeal for the Lord.
If you're not convinced that what I am speaking about is
greater than anything else. Of course, you're not going to
know consistency and Zeal. There's going to be a fight for
your Zeal. There's going to be a greater
struggle to keep a zeal. You might be saying, I know what
you're saying. But experientially I can't say
it's true. Then it's time to do something
about it until you can look at a verse like this and highlight it
with 10 different colors and say, my heart can say, Amen to
this. My heart can say, Amen, to this.
And sometimes it doesn't come through Temptations of worldly,
pleasure or meaningless Thrills in life.
Sometimes, you can come over time when you set your heart to
believe you have a mission from God.
And to set your heart to believe that there's more only to be
faced with disappointment. Only be due to be faced with a
lack of answer. Only the experience.
Many dry seasons, weather doesn't seem to be any rain as
you call upon heaven to be poured out upon your life.
But then again, we are called to live by faith and to believe
that God wants us to have this more than we think.
And I'm scared that many people and I even know of some people
who've burn for Christ in their lives who had a Zeal but have
now settled in their lives to simply be entertained to simply
just Be addicted to a TV show and to have no sense of passion
or or purpose in the things of God.
People who used to serve god with such intensity and joy.
And let me tell you something, if you're watching and that's
you, you know, that they happiest you've ever been is
when you were completely surrender to the will of God,
you know, that the most Joy you've ever experienced is when
you Full Throttle gave yourself to saying, God, I don't live for
anything else. I need more of you and I need
you to use Me For Your Glory, you know, you know that nothing
can compare to that. But so many have settled, so
many have just turned it off. And I've just Gone through the
motions. They're still good people.
They still love God, but they don't have zero.
They don't have the fire that God wants us to have.
And so, don't just exercise your spiritual disciplines.
Don't just think I'm going to pray moment to read more.
I'm going to Fellowship more. I'm gonna go to church more and
then I'm going to know is, he'll know if you're not doing it with
these motors in mind. You're not going to last a week.
But if you know that you have a call from heaven and if you know
that as you pray and as you read and as you meet and as you seek
and as you serve, that God is able to just blow your mind with
his power. And if you'd know that there's
nothing else in this world can be satisfied.
So the only thing that you're going to do is give all your
energy in your effort to this Pursuit, then your zeal.
Well, not only be kept, it will grow, it will grow.
Will it be challenged? Yes, will you feel dry?
Spell. Sometimes sure, but you will
know that there's nothing else. I give that to you this morning
hopefully as ingredients to add to your flame.
Hopefully as a way of stepping back and looking beyond the
mechanical issues here and the actions and to see the heartbeat
behind it that is necessary. And if you just adopt this
mentality and if you don't have Have it.
You can ask God for a what do you say?
God will reveal that also to he'll reveal and he'll help you
with it pulse, at him, Philippians, 3, 15.
This is what we need. We need faith.
We need understanding, need to sense of life, like Paul did and
we will know something of long-term passion for Jesus
Christ. So as you're sitting there this
morning, I want to pray with you through this camera that these
things would would be true in your heart and mind.
And that we would Into a new height of Devotion to Jesus
Christ. Let me pray.
Lord, we thank you for this message.
Simple yet so needed. The things that we need. as a
motive, has an attitude as a posture as As a frame of mind in
order to even no consistency in our spiritual disciplines and
more importantly, the passion for you, Lord.
And for your kingdom. Lord, May every person watching
this morning. Not in a bondage type of way,
but in an exciting way, seek you to know what it is in this
season of Life. They need to do to fulfill their
personal mission for the kingdom.
And Lord. We pray for those who have maybe
thought church and Christianity was all about hearing a message
and maybe taking some notes, only to leave a notebook filled
with something that probably won't be Revisited again.
Help us understand that this is experiential that there is
things that God you want to do in us and through us and you
require our hunger and our faith in our participation to
experience it. I even pray for those who have
believed those two things, but are very disappointed.
Maybe even now discouraged deflated.
They feel like I give up. I've sought God, and I just
maybe, I'm not the one chosen. Maybe I didn't make the lottery
for his purposes. Lord help them understand.
That there's nothing else to go to otherwise and that in your
time you make things happen. And lastly, we pray that you
would Shield us from any lie of the Flesh of the world of
compromising Christians. That we try to tell us that
there's Greater Joy outside of Point.
Number one, and point. Number two.
Keep us believing. Keep us believing these two
things and understanding them. Well, we give you praise and
glory. In Jesus.
Mighty name we pray. Amen.
May God lead, you and guide you.
In these points that were mentioned met.
You and I know a joy fruitfulness and a zeal.
That before this quarantine, maybe we didn't think would be a
possibility. God will meet us if we seek Him
in Jesus name. God bless you and we'll see you
next week.