Do you know that you're born for more?
Do you feel that in your heart that there's something that God wants to do that's unique
in your life?
Something bigger than what you could ever think of or imagine?
Well, that's because God loves you and he does have a plan for your life.
But I've kind of noticed a pattern today and I want to talk about it out of the book
of Jeremiah.
Jeremiah was an amazing prophet and it's an amazing book, but in the very beginning,
in chapter 1, he has this divine encounter with God.
And he gets this word, and it was, Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you.
Before you were born, I sanctified you and I ordained you a prophet to the nations.
I mean, wouldn't that be exciting to hear?
You're getting confirmation of this calling.
Then I said, and he says, Oh, Lord God, behold, I cannot speak.
I am but a youth.
Now what is it about us?
Human nature.
We have a divine encounter.
God comes into our lives.
He saves us.
He turns us around.
And then he wants to use us and the first thing we want to do is say, wait a minute,
I just don't feel qualified.
I, God, really, are you sure?
And it's funny because it goes on here and the Lord says to him, Do not say, but I am
a youth for you shall go to all whom I send you.
And wherever I command you to speak, you shall speak.
Do not be afraid of their faces.
Oh, don't you like that?
Don't be afraid of their faces for I'm with you to deliver you, says the Lord.
And then he goes on with them and he touches his mouth and he confirms to him that he's
going to speak.
Behold, I put my words in your mouth.
See, I've set you this day over the nations and over the kingdoms to root out and pull
down, to destroy and throw down, to build and to plant.
I think we all have this excitement about life and living and, and wanting to do the,
the bigger, broader thing and to make our life matter here on the earth.
But where you're going to find that purpose is in Christ.
And when Christ does begin to deal with you, your human nature is going to kick in and
you're going to be like Jeremiah and you're going to want to run and you're going to want
to make excuses and you're going to think of all of your inadequacies and you're going
to begin to reason with him.
But God, I just can't do this.
God is so good.
If you, if you study person after person in the Bible, he always uses people that are
inadequate.
You know why?
Because when he uses inadequate people, he doesn't share his glory with anyone.
It's all about him.
It's about his plan.
It's about his purpose.
It's about his kingdom.
And it's not about you.
And if you're willing to get out of God's way and be broken and humble, I'm telling
you, he will use you.
Part of the process of walking into the great thing that God is going to call you to do
is he's going to take you through seasons of preparation.
And days of preparation are never wasted days.
He will put you in the right place, he'll put you in the right position, he'll put people
around you who can pour life into you and begin to give you the certain skills that
you're going to need for that next season.
Then just like all the Old Testament prophets, what he'll do is he'll call you out.
He'll call you out of your complacency.
He'll pull you to the very edge of what he's doing.
He'll show you what the big plan is on the earth, and then he'll tell you to go.
Like most men and women of God who have had the Lord do something like that in their life,
there's going to be a hem and a haw and a wait a moment.
I mean, think of Moses, you know.
Here is the great Old Testament man of God, you know, and he's supposed to lead them out
of Egypt.
And he tells God, but God, I can't speak.
And the Lord says, I've given you Aaron, and I've given you a rod, now.
pull them out of out of Egypt into freedom. When he gives you something to
do in the earth he's always gonna give you people. You're gonna move in a team
or with a group of others. You're gonna work together. You're gonna build
strength and those strengths are often areas of your personal weakness. Trust
me I've been there. And then he'll give you tools. Moses was given a rod. We all
have our tools. And I'm not just talking about people that may be called into
ministry. Maybe you're called into a different arena right now. I mean we all
you know want to obey God but maybe you're called into corporate America for
a season or maybe you're called into the military or maybe you're called to teach
or fly or be a pilot or work in technology. Whatever it is that God is
calling you to do it's always gonna be overwhelming. It's always gonna feel
bigger than you are. One of the things I've noticed with students and with
friends of mine in ministry if it doesn't seem overwhelming, if it doesn't
seem on the verge of impossible, then it's probably not him. And one of the
things I'm really grateful for is that sometimes he's not going to show you the
end from the beginning. And here's why. Because if you knew the ending from the
beginning you'd mess it all up. And you'd try to do it your way. And you would try
to make it happen. And God doesn't want you to do that. You know what he wants to
do? He wants to take you step by step by step. You get to this place he'll open
this door. You'll get to this place he'll open this door. You'll get to that
position he'll give you this promotion. He'll give you to this place and you'll
build a relationship with this person and it will lead you into the next
season. That is how God moves. So just relax. What do you have to do? You have to
get ready. And you really, timing is huge. Being at the right time at the right
place with the right people and being prepared is really what will launch you
into that next season. And will it be scary? Sure. All great men and all great
women walk into big things that are scarier than what they could have ever
imagined. And that is when greatness is discovered. And you know what? That is
when you are most alive. That's when you're really living. I mean it's really
easy to go sit home and you know sit on your couch and flip through the channels
and you know watch TV and eat something. But are you really living? I mean are you
really are you really living on the edge? Are you living the exciting life that
God has called you to walk in? How boring. I mean anybody can do that, right? Or you
can really step out and you can live the adventurous life that he wants you to
lead. You can't be moved by fear. When I was going through this and I began
thinking about like who else could I use as an example? What other great
examples are that are used in either stories or scriptures that we could talk
about? And I love the Lord of the Rings. How about you? The story is amazing
and there's so many Christian parallels that I can see in it. But one of my
favorite characters is actually Frodo. And I pulled a quote from him and he's
the main character in the movie or in the book and he has to carry this ring.
And it's powerful and it has great symbolism and and the enemy wants to
take it from him. And the quote is, I do really wish to destroy it, cried Frodo. Or
well or to have it destroyed. I'm not made for perilous quests. I wish I had
never seen the ring. Why did it come to me? Why was I chosen? You know we're
entering a season in human history right now where there's a lot of scary stuff
going on. And you're saying why was I chosen? Because you're able. Because
you're available. Because you were prepared. Because you're ready. And you
can listen. You can make a litany and a list of everything that you cannot do.
Or you can trust with great humility that God will give you the grace and the
wisdom and the power.
the divine appointments and the passion to follow it through and to live the
life that you were born for. You were born for greatness. Why would you want to
compromise? I mean you can be like Frodo and you can try to talk God out of your
calling but is that really gonna work? I love this other quote too and this is
actually from The Hobbit and it's another Tolkien quote and it's Gandalf
and if Gandalf turns to Frodo and says, I have found that it is in the small
everyday deed of ordinary folks that keep the darkness at bay. Small acts of
kindness and love. It isn't that you have to be such a big person or it may
be rationed in your head that you have to be something other than what you are.
You know God uses ordinary people doing little kind things with great love and
great compassion and those people are the people who shake the
world for Christ and that's my prayer for you today. Be obedient. Don't
question or doubt yourself. Don't give God a list of everything you
cannot do. If you are in a position of influence now lead and lead boldly for
Jesus. You were born for this. If you're concerned about
maybe the next step, well trust him. He's good and sometimes when things don't
happen when you want them to, there's that element of timing and timing in the
kingdom and timing in greatness and timing in destiny is everything. You can
be ready and it can be the wrong time. It can be the right time and you cannot
be ready for it and you can miss it just as well. But if you put those two
together, I'm at the right time and I'm at the right place and I'm ready for
what he wants to do with me, I can tell you the favor of God will cover your
life and you will walk into that next phase and you will live the adventurous
abundant big life that God has ordained for you. But you have to make a choice
and that choice often is going to entail you guarding your mind and not making a
bunch of excuses, wanting to run. Trust me I've been there. I did it. I made excuses.
God, I can't handle that. You know what? In spite of me running and my
excuses, he used me anyway and he will use you too. He's faithful. Thank you for
listening and have a good day.