Pathway Church in Palo Alto is a new church. We had our first public gathering on January 23, 2005. If you're looking for more than just another service, then check us out. We are a group of friends walking with God and each other on the journey of life
We started with a version of old game show "To Tell The Truth".
We were trying to figure out who really did this truth... “I’m ________ and I personally climbed two volcanoes. (*Listen to the audio to discover the real volcano climber!)
Knowing what’s true in life is as important as knowing what reality is.If you don’t know what’s true in life you’re no better off than someone who doesn’t know what reality is.
How do we know what’s true?What’s right?What’s wrong?Is it what the majority says?Is it what the minority says?Or is it only what, the media, our educational system, or science tells us is true?
Most of us believe that we’re independent and think for ourselves.We don’t think that we’re that influenced by others.
But I want to show you this morning that that’s not true!
Every single one of us herehave been influenced.
We’ve been swayed by almost "invisible forces" in our culture that have influenced us all in some way. Once you realize what these forces are, then you'll see their powerful ability to sway you and your friends.
Possibilities.Potential.These are things that are usually hidden from the naked eye.It’s so hard to see the true FULL potential in someone and it’s even harder to see it in yourself.Let me give you an example…
Cullen Jones was just an ordinary kid living an ordinary life until one day he almost died.When he was 5 year old his family went on vacation to a water park in Pennsylvania.Jones became separated from his inner tube at the end of a ride down a slide and passed out. He almost drown until they pulled him from the water and performed CPR on him.
Because of that accident his Mom, Debra, just days later, enrolled him in swimming classes.And that decision revealed his true hidden potential as swimmer.In the summer of 2006, he became a professional swimmer after signing with Nike.
(Show other shirtless pic) At the 2006 Pan Pacific Championships he set a meet record in the 50m Freestyle with a time of 21.84. He also swam a in the world record breaking 4x100 m Freestyle Relay along with Michael Phelps, Jason Lezak and Neil Walker.
Jones is the third black swimmer to ever make a United States Olympic squad.
And the race he one with Phelps, Lezak and Walker made him the first African-American to hold or share a world record in swimming
If you saw him on that day back in Pennsylvania being rescued from the water, you would’ve have guessed that his potential to be a swimmer.wasn’t very good.But if you would’ve guessed that back then, you would’ve been wrong!
Someone’s true possibilities and potential are sometimes invisible to the eye. What are all the possibilities of what youcan really do and become?
What’s your true potential?
If we could see the combined true potential, the true possibilities, of each person here in this theater we would be shocked!
The problem with people and potential is that so many of us live below our full potential.
Jim Rohn - Every life form seems to strive to its maximum except human beings. How tall will a tree grow? As tall as it possibly can. Human beings, on the other hand, have been given the dignity of choice. You can choose to be all or you can choose to be less. Why not stretch up to the full measure of the challenge and see what all you can do?
Why do we live below our potential?Sometimes it’s because of fear.Sometimes it’s because of doubt.
But the fact is so many people settle for less than they could be and do.People live below their possibilities...
Did you know that to reach your God-given potential you're going to need to accomplish MORE that just the possible?You're going to need todo the impossible.
I want to talk to you today about two big problems we have and give you two major solutions.
You can see our first problem revealed in this video – check it out… (You can see the video I showed this Sunday here.
Or you can watch a similar video below...)
Copyright 2007 Orchard Valley Community Church, Aurora, IL www.orchardvalleyonline.com info@orchardvalleyonline.com
For those of us in this room who consider ourselves Christ-followers, we have a big problem!
People love (or least like) Jesus, but they have a problem with us. Did you hear what they called us? “Trouble,” “Weak,”“Boo!”
Why do you think people like Jesus, but have a problem with Christ-followers? I think some of the reasons are...
Christians misrepresenting Jesus with their words and actions, Christians treating non-believers harshly, & media misrepresenting Christ-followers.
I don’t think that any of us are this way, but either way we still have an image problem that we need to overcome if we’re going to ever have a chance to be effective in sharing Jesus with people.
In just a minute we’re going to look at Colossians 4 and see a solution to this problem, but before we do that let me tell you about our second problem…
Our second problem is that we’re missing out on some things in our lives – some things we realize we’re missing and some things we don’t. We’re less effective than God wants us to be and we’re not experiencing all that he wants us to.
We’ll see the answer to that problem in Colossians 4 today.
First let’s review where we’re at in this series. We’re doing a series I’m calling "Supreme." It’s based on a book from the Bible called Colossians. We’re looking at the things God has done for us or wants to do for us that are so much greater than all we chase after in life.
The first Sunday, we looked at Colossians 1 and saw the dangers of letting other things in our lives take the place of God.
The second Sunday, we looked at Colossians 2 and saw the danger there was in adding to Jesus. The danger of adding other philosophies to him and the danger of adding rules and rituals to him.
The third Sunday, we looked at Col. 3 and the mystery that Paul understood about Jesus that few Christ-followers understand: Paul understood the mystery of our union with Jesus. We talked about how realizing this can help us to live more powerfully.
Last Sunday, we looked at a Col 3:18-19 and saw passage of scripture that’s has been misused in the past in ways that caused wives to be mistreated and husbands to be harassed. I helped break apart the old interpretations and helped us see the real meaning that is more freeing and fulfilling to both husbands and wives.
I got a lot of good feedback and response last Sunday after the gathering. If you weren’t with us and want to hear this talk, then look in your bulletin for the URL and you can go stream it online or download it onto an MP3 player.
Alright, so let’s get back to our 2 problems for today…
1. We have an image problem with some people. 2. We’re less effective and experience less than what God has for us.
Let's look at what Paul gives us as our 2 solutions in Colossians 4:2-6...
In the summer of 1986, two ships collided in the Black Sea off the coast of Russia.Hundreds of passengers died as they were hurled into the icy waters below.News of the disaster was further darkened when an investigation revealed the cause of the accident.
It wasn't a technology problem like radar malfunction--or even thick fog.The cause was human stubbornness. Each captain was aware of the other ship's presence nearby. Both could have steered clear, but according to news reports, neither captain wanted to give way to the other. Each was too proud to submit and yield first. By the time they came to their senses, it was too late.
I’m going to talk to you about something that, in our society, is almost considered a bad word.I want to talk to you today about “submission.”
In our culture submission, in general, is thought of as a negative thing.Submission is seen as a sign of weakness.It’s something for a weak person to do.It’s what you do when you lose or give in.It’s something a less educated or less powerful person should do.
But what if our society’s view of submission is wrong and backwards?
The Bible has a different view of submission.The Bible has a positive view of submission.The Bible actually reveals submission as a requirement for all people in some form whether it’s submitting to God or to submitting to each other.The Bible actually reveals submission as a part of God’s nature!
Bible Commentator, David Guzman said this about submission…
”This idea of an order of authority and submission to an order of authority are so important to God that they are part of His very being. The First Person of the Holy Trinity is called the Father; the Second Person of the Holy Trinity is called the Son. Inherent in those titles is a relationship of authority and submission to authority.
“The Father exercises authority over the Son, and the Son submits to the Father's authority - and this is in the very nature and being of God! Our failure to exercise Biblical authority, and our failure to submit to Biblical authority, isn't just wrong and sad - it sins against the very nature of God.”
Today we’re to take a look at a passage of scripture that talks about submission in marriage and also in some other realms of life.This passage has been has been misapplied by Christ-followers in the past.And I want to shatter those misconceptions and talk today about what the Bible really does say about the roles of husband and wife and about the role of submission and authority.
First let’s review where we’re at in this series.We’re doing a series I’m calling "Supreme."It’s based on a book from the Bible called Colossians.We’re looking at the things God has done for us or wants to do for us that are so much greater than all we chase after in life.
The first Sunday, we looked at Colossians 1 and saw the dangers of letting other things in our lives take the place of God.The second Sunday, we looked at Colossians 2 and saw the danger there was in adding to Jesus.We saw that it was dangerous to add other philosophies to him and it’s dangerous to add rules and rituals to him.
Last Sunday, we looked at the mystery that Paul understood about Jesus that few Christ-followers understand: Paul understood the mystery of our union with Jesus. He understood how we’re one with Jesus just like husband and wife are considered one.
Today we’re going to look at a passage of scripture that’s has been misused in the past in ways that caused wives to be mistreated, husbands to be harassed. The crazy thing is that's not what the Apostle Paul meant! Paul was saying something that was meant to improve marriage relationships.
Today we'll shatter the old, incorrect understanding of these verses (Col. 3:18-19) and look at what these verses really mean for us today.
An unknown poet wrote these words that I want to start with today...
My life shall touch a dozen lives before this day is done;
Leave countless marks for good or ill, ere sets the evening sun.
This is the wish I always wish, the prayer I always pray:
Lord, may my life help other lives it touches by the way.
Even though we don’t know who wrote these words, we can all relate to this person because this is a person who, like us, wants to live a life of influence.
Last Sunday, I told you that when we think and talk about salvation we usually overlook something.That’s this…
The fact that Jesus saved us for something, not just from something.
God has a purpose for each one of us, individually, and he has a purpose for us as a church.He saved us so we could accomplish something, so we could have an impact on the world and people around us.
Not only does God want us to accomplish something, but each of us here have a desire to matter in this life. We all want to live a life that will make a difference in this world.
We want to have a life that has an influence on others and on this world.
The question I asked last Sunday was this…
*If that’s what God wants and what we want, why don’t more of us find ourselves living a life of influence and impact?
I told you that I think the reason is because we don’t know where to start. We don’t know how to use our gifts and talents in a way to impact other people’s lives in a big way.
And with so many needs out there, wee don’t know who we can help out in the biggest way.
That’s why for these last two Sundays I’m doing this series called, “Big Give.”
In this series, we’re going to be looking at a new matrix that will allow you to discover a way to have larger impact on the people in need around you. It will help you to discover, develop and/or deploy your gifts and talents in new ways.
Last week, I reminded you of this…
God is the one who took the first step and he did the ultimate Big Give. He gave himself and he paid the ultimate price: his ife. And God now expects us to give to others as he’s given to us.
When he sent the disciples out on their first mission Jesus told them this in Matt. 10:8, “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.”
Jesus wants us to give to others in the way we’ve received – generously and freely! He wants us to help them out, bandage them up, heal them, lift them up, and set them free people who are in need around us.
I told you that the funny this is that I’ve been seeing TV shows living out what God wants us to do better than Christ-followers. Shows like “Extreme Makeover Home Edition”. I think they appeal to people because we crave to live a life like that. I told you last week that it was after watching Oprah’s “Big Give” show that I suddenly had a new idea…
We don’t have to wait until we’re a bigger church to give big.We can have a huge impact on people’s lives at this stage.
It will happen when we each find the sweet spot of our maximum effectiveness.It will be when we begin to live this out together – inspiring each other, working togetherand challenging each other in the process.
We’re going to provide this through a friendly challenge I’m going to give Smaller Gatheringssthat will allow us all to live these ideas out in a unique way.Hebrews 10:24it says (NLT),“Think of ways to encourage one another to outbursts of love and good deeds.”TheNIV translates it this way…“And let us consider
how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.”
I’m challenging the SG groups to take the ideas that we’re talking about in this series and run with them in such a huge way that it will be a way we can encourage and spur each other on toward actually living out these outbursts of love and good deeds!
I want your SG group to find an individual or organization that you can do the BIGGEST Give to.I want the idea that you know other groups are using their creativity and aiming high to spur your group to go for it a big as you can
Today will help you to do that.You might want to have a pen handy again as we start.
I haven't had a chance to post "Gift #2" yet, so this is out of order. Sorry!
Intro: I want to start today by talking about unseen dangers.These are the little-known dangers that are around us, all the time.You can look just where you live and find them! Did you know…
·A Household dryers can be dangerous?Dryers cause more than 15,000 house fires every year.
·Toothpaste is poisonous? If you shallow too much of it can actually kill you!Label… “If you accidentally swallow more than used for brushing, seek professional assistance or contact a PoisonControlCenter right away.”
There are dangers like this from everyday items that we use all the time.I saw something funny online when I typed in “warning labels” on Google…
These are labels from the 11th Annual M-LAW Wacky Warning Label Contest…
Third place: A baby stroller featuring a small pouch for storage that warns: "Do not put child in bag."
Second place: An iron-on T-shirt transfer that warns: "Do not iron while wearing shirt."
Grand Prize: A label on a small tractor that warns: "Danger! Avoid Death."
The gift we’re going to look at today is another amazing gift that can do a lot of good in our lives and others lives, but there also is a danger comes with it.It’s a danger that most of us don’t even think about, but it’s serious!It has the power to ultimately destroy our lives if we don’t use it carefully!
We’ll look more at that in a second, but first… Let me remind you about what we’re trying to do in this series.When we started this “Life Management” series and I told you…
God has given you (and will give you) all of the "raw materials" and opportunities you need to reach your full potential.
At the end of our lives, no one is going to be able to blame God that he didn’t give them what they needed to make it in this life.
Whether you reach your full potential, or not, will be based on how you managed what you've been given.Did you waste yourgifts or cherish them?
For 5 Sundays, we're looking at 5 of the most important raw materials you've been given to form your life with. I'm calling these 5 raw materials of life "5 Gifts" that God has given you to manage.
The FIRST week, I talked about the first gift that God has given us to manage, which is TIME.
You only have 1440 minutes given to you everyday.If you sleep 7 hours that leaves you 1020 minutes.You can never get more.The only way to make more time is by managing it better.How we manage our time becomes our worship to God.
It makes “Time Management” a holy thing!
The LAST Sunday we were here at the theater, I talked about the second gift that God has given us to manage, which is our health.I showed you in the Bible that God care about all of us – not just our spiritual health, but also our mental, emotional and physical health.
I told you that how you manage your gift of health will decide the quantity and quality of your life.You can listen to these last two talks at PathwayPaloAlto.Blogspot.com.
Today we’re going to look at the 3rd gift.The third gift God’s given us to manage is Wealth.This gift has one major danger...
Let’s talk about gifts for second.(Show wrapped gift)
We all like getting these.I don’t know anyone who hates getting gifts!
Why do people give them?
To show someone we love or appreciate them.To see the excitement on their faces.To give them someone what they need or want.
But a gift always leaves us with a choice: Will you accept it and use it or will you reject it and throw to the side?
God has given you (and will give you) all of the "raw materials" and opportunities you need to reach your full potential.
At the end of our lives, no one is going to be able to blame God that he didn’t give them what they needed to make it in this life.
Whether you reach your full potential, or not, will be based on how you managed what you've been given.Did you waste yourgifts or cherish them?
For the next 5 Sundays, we're going to look at 5 of the most important raw materials you've been given to form your life with. I'm calling these 5 raw materials of life "5 Gifts" that God has given you to manage.
What are you going to do with these 5 gifts God’s given you?Will you accept them or reject them?Use them or abuse them?An unaccepted or unused gift isn’t any better than no gift at all!
Today we’re going to look at the first gift.(Begin opening wrapped present)Let’s see what it is…
Spoken on 10/14/07 (*Scroll down to stream or download the audio or read the intro first)
Intro: In The Chronicles of Narnia, by C.S. Lewis, there’s a scene where he has the two girls, Susan and Lucy, getting ready to meet Aslan the lion, who represents Jesus.I want to start this morning by reading you that from scene because it contains an important truth.
Two animals, Mr. and Mrs. Beaver, get the girls ready to meet Aslan. "Ooh," said Susan, "I thought he was a man. Is he quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion."
"That you will, dearie." said Mrs. Beaver. "And make no mistake, if there's anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knee's knocking, they're either braver than most or else just silly."
"Then isn't he safe?" said Lucy. "Safe?" said Mr. Beaver. "Don't you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? Of course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the king, I tell you!"
In the Bible “Fear of God” is a positive thing.It was a way to describe someone who knew God and walked with him.To say that you have no “Fear of God” was a negative thing back then.It was the way non-believers were described.
Nowadays it’s the opposite!We’ve emphasized “The Love Of God”, “God as our father”, “God as our friend” so much that we have no fear of God left!In fact we think of “fear of God” now as a negative thing!
“Good…but not safe.” is a description of God that we all need to have and know again.It’s the place where wisdom, life and success all begin.
Many of us misunderstand what it means to fear God.
Today, I want to help us have a Biblical view of the fear of God. Today I’m going to talk to your about what I’m calling “Life Giving Fear”.
Spoken on 10/7/07 (*Scroll down to stream or download the audio or read the intro first)
Intro:
How many of you know who Ann Landers is? She’s a famous old advice columnist who wrote her column for 43 years.Her column ran in newspapers across the country.People would write to her with all kinds of questions and problems and she’d give them advice.
In the book, “Conquer Fear!” by Lisa Jimenez she tells this story about Ann Landers that I want to start with today.Listen to what it reveals..
Newspaper columnist Ann Landers was once asked, “Out of all the thousands of letters you receive each month, what problem is most dominant in people’s lives?”
Her answer was shocking! “It’s fear!” she replied without hesitation.“The one thing that keeps people from the life they dream of is fear. People live every day in their fear.They’re afraid of losing their wealth. They’re afraid of losing their loved ones. They’re afraid of being themselves. They’re afraid of growing up and being responsible.They’re afraid of making the wrong decision. They’re afraid of making a commitment. They’re afraid of life itself!”
When I was praying and thinking about what I should talk to you about for our next series I felt like God led me to this topic of fear because it’s so universal.
No one is completely fearless.We all fear something or some things.It doesn’t matter whether you’re a student or a parent, single or married, young or older – we all have things we’re afraid of.
What I’m afraid of might be nothing to you or what you’re afraid of might be nothing to me.Fear is unique because it’s subjective and really in the eye of the beholder.
And just like when we were kids, most of the things we’re afraid of aren’t real.They’re make-believe or at least not real yet!
But these make-believe fears, in a very real way, hold most of us back from doing, living and being what we’re meant to do, live and be!
That’s what makes fear such a negative and restrictive thing.But fear isn’tonly negative!HowItWorks.com said this about fear…
If we couldn't be afraid, we wouldn't survive for long. We'd be walking into oncoming traffic, stepping off of rooftops and carelessly handling poisonous snakes. We'd be hanging out with people who have tuberculosis. In humans and in all animals, the purpose of fear is to promote survival.
“Fear is an emotional response to impending danger, that is tied to anxiety. Behavioral theorists, like Watson and Ekman, have both suggested that fear, along with a few other basic emotions (e.g., joy and anger), is a trait innate to most higher functioning organisms. Fear is a survival mechanism, and usually occurs in response to a specific negative stimulus.”And later it says, “Fear is related to a number of emotional states including worry, anxiety, terror, fright, paranoia, horror, panic (social and personal), persecution complex and dread.”
Not all fear is bad!God gave us fear to protect us.Without it we’d be clueless and constantly in danger and not even know it!We’d be like young kids.
Picture of why we need fear:Addison is 18 months old now and he’s fearless about falling.He’ll walk, stand, and fall on our chairs, couches, and our bed.When he’s doing this he’s laughing and completely clueless that he’s in danger.He needs to have some fear of this, not so he’s too afraid to ever stands on a chair (he’d never be able to change a ceiling light bulb if he was like this), but he at least needs to have a fear that causes him to be careful.Otherwise he’s going to get hurt!
What I’m going to be talking to you about today is NOT about completely getting rid of all fear.It’s impossible and not healthy or smart to totally get rid of fear!
I’m going to be talking instead about changing the way see/respond to fear!We have to change our paradigm of fear.
Stephen Covey in his classic book “7 Habits Of Highly Effective People” says this about paradigms…
“It becomes obvious that if we want to make relatively minor changes in our lives, we can perhaps appropriately focus on our attitudes and behaviors.But if we want to make significant quantum change, we need to work on our basic paradigms.”
We need a new way to see and respond to fear.Instead of seeing fear as something to run from fear we need to make friends with it and realize that it can help us and inspire to action.
If we don’t do this, then we’ll never get rid of one of the major barriers thathold us back from living and fulfilling our purpose!
Can you imagine all that you could do and be if you could change how you think and respond to fear?Have people imagine/write down what they’d do if they weren’t afraid (1 minute).Isn’t that reason enough to change your mindset?
The good news is that God wants you to change your view and response to fear too! God doesn't want you to be afraid.God doesn't want you to live as a prisoner of your fears. He wants to set you free.
Thatmakes this quest to change our mindset about fearso much more doable and possible because God and we both want the same thing!We just have to ask God for help and do our part and we’ll begin to see this barrier dissolve!
Today I want to look some more at fear and give you specific things you can do to change your mindset of fear from your enemy to your friend.
(Scroll down to stream or download and listen to this talk now.)
Today, I want to talk to you about the greatest battle that you’ll ever face in your life.It’s the battle whose victory matters most – more than any other.
The battle I’m talking about is the battle within.This is a battle against your own destructive desires.It’s our ultimate battle.
We all have good qualities, strengths, and a desire to do what’s right.You probably have done and probably will do some pretty impressive things in your life.You probably have done and will do some pretty good and kind things in your life.
In some ways you’re a pretty good person!In some ways I am.But we all have a problem.
Deep down we all have thoughts, desires, and emotions that are wrong.They’re not just wrong, but they’re dark, destructive – even evil.You might hide them, suppress them, and keep them in the dark, but they still exist.
The biggest danger this dark side of us has is that if we feed these negative qualities we could destroy a part of our lives or even destroy ourselves.
I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like Owen Wilson.He’s a funny, likeable, successful guy. But recently his dark side showed itself.A source close to him has said, “A good portion of his [Owen’s] life has been dedicated to fighting depression and addiction… This is the third time he’s tried killing himself.”
In People magazine another source close to the actor said, "Owen is in bad mental shape but said he is thankful to be alive.He knows he came close to ending his life, and he is happy that he was saved from himself. He is basically at home with people watching him 24/7."
Owen isn’t the only successful comedian this has happened too.Chris Farley died at the age of only 33 from what they say was a combination of obesity and substance abuse.Jim Belushi died of an overdose.
It’s not just comedians who have a dark side.Check the news and you see senators, businessman, housewives, and pastors being caught in adultery, embezzling money, murder, and all sorts of crazy things!
But it’s not just them!These people are all people just like us. The only difference is that they happen to be in the spotlight, they made decisions that fed their dark side and eventually destroyed part of their lives.
If we don’t face the fact that we have a dark side whose desires, thoughts and emotions could one day destroy us, then we will be blindsided one day by it.
Today I want to use the movie Spiderman 3, as a backdrop to look at this idea and to discover some ways to help save us from ourselves.
The Spiderman 3 DVD isn’t out yet, so we’ll just use the trailer and an online clip to take a peek at the movie.
Listen to the talk below...
NOTE: I've edited the movie clips out of the audio, but you can pause the audio and watch the clips below when those parts of the talk come on.)
Intro: (Scroll to bottom to stream or download the audio now.)
I’ve felt like God’s led recently to do a personal self-study on faith again.I started reading Abraham’s story again, and others.I’ve reread Hebrews 11, Romans 4, and James 2.
In the middle of this study I’ve discovered what seems to be THE requirement for seeing God do huge things in and through your life.This simple thing is something that needs to happen before we see any results.
I want to talk to you about that today, but first I want to tell you an amazing story about an Eastern Indian women that I read in INC magazine.
This woman came to this country with just a simple goal.And it came true in a way that was beyond her dreams…
Prathiba Ramadoss emigrated from Chennai, a coastal city in southeast India, to St. Paul in 1999 when she was just 21 years old.She was newly married, and determined to start a business.
Two years later, with a six-month-old in tow, she launched an IT staffing firm, Business Integra, from her garage.When she started out she persistently called 50 to 60 companies a day until her husband, Selva Jay, a software consultant, came home to help her tackle the West Coast.
With Jay as her CTO, Ramadoss has transformed her company (now based in Maryland) into a full-scale contracting firm and software developer with $4.7 million in sales.
Listen to how she describes starting the company…
It was very difficult initially. When I called companies, they wouldn't listen--probably because of my accent. They would just hang up the phone. I don't blame them; they tend to get numerous calls a day. But I was patient and persistent. I would call the next day and say, "Sorry, when I called you yesterday the phone got disconnected. That was my fault, but I have some good consultants looking for a project, so if you have anything coming up I'd be happy to help." Now one of the companies that hung up on me calls me every day to get into our vendor program.
She went on to say…
My degree was in zoology, but my husband's experience in IT made it easy for me to transition. Otherwise, I would have gone into biotech.
They say behind every successful man is a good woman. Well, I have a good man behind me. Selva molded me into this level. It would have been different if I was in India, but here I am shy. He taught me the business way of talking. Like when we speak to clients, we should refer to our consultants as resources, not people. Because of my background in science, I also didn't have an in-depth knowledge of things like Dot.NET, Java, and data warehousing, which he explained to me. I'm planning to enroll in an M.B.A. program--once I have a little more time.
__________________
Did you catch where she said, “It would have been different if I was in India, but here I am shy.”She grew the company to $4.7 million in sales!And that’s when she’s SHY!
This woman came from another country and for some reason had enough guts and determination to start a business and see it succeed in HUGE ways.Her company is listed in INC as one of Americas 500 fastest growing private companies!
There are three things that she had or did that helped her succeed.She had faith.She believed she could do it.She gained the knowledge.She talked to her husband and learned the industry.And this is the most important part - she took action!She continually called 50 to 60 companies a day!And she didn’t just call them once.She called them again and again – even when they hung up on her!
A lot of people have more knowledge in the IT field, but they never accomplish anything like she did!
Why?I think there are two reasons.They don’t believe they could and they won’t take action.
Belief and action are BOTH needed in order to succeed.
If you have belief but no action you’ll have no results. If you have action, but no belief that you can do it, then you have poor results.You won’t try hard enough.You won’t be persistent, etc.
You have to have strong belief and action to succeed!
I just got a book in the mail yesterday, that I ordered from Amazon.com called, “The Magic Of Thinking Big”.It’s a classic book, that’s sold more than 4,000,000 copies, by a Ph.D. named David J. Schwartz.
The whole premise of the book is that successful people aren’t successful because they’re smarter, luckier, work harder or any other advantage like that.He says that the reason their successful is just they believe in themselves and because the aim higher!
They have the confidence and belief to try something BIGGER than most people would. I can really see that in Prathiba’s story!Can’t you?
This idea that has some things in common with what I’ve discovered in my study of the “greats” of faith.
Below is the intro to the talk to give you a little teaser of what the talk is about....
Intro: This story is fromReader's Digest, March, 1993, p. 123….
“A friend of mine awoke one morning to find a puddle of water in the middle of his king-size water bed. In order to fix the puncture, he rolled the heavy mattress outdoors and filled it with more water so he could locate the leak more easily. The enormous bag of water was impossible to control and began rolling on the hilly terrain. He tried to hold it back, but it headed downhill and landed in a clump of bushes which poked it full of holes.
“Disgusted, my friend threw out the water-bed frame and moved a standard bed into his room. The next morning, he awoke to find a puddle of water in the middle of the new bed. The upstairs bathroom had a leaky drain.”
Sometimes problems in life just seem to get worse and worse and make no sense at all.It’d all be funny if it wasn’t you!
·If you’ve ever felt like God has delayed his promises or blessings in your life, then what I’m about to talk about is for you.
·If you’ve ever felt like God’s forgotten you or that he just isn’t coming through for you, then what I’m about to talk about is for you.
Here’s the thought I want to plant in your mind as we start today…
What if the delay and the problems you’ve felt showed God was against you were actually a part of the plan to help you live out your purpose?
Last week, I read to you from John Eldredge’s new book “Epic: The Story God Is Telling”.I want to remind you again of one part of that quote from John.He says, “What if all the great stories that have ever moved you, brought you joy or tears – what if they are telling you something about the true Story into which you were born, the Epic into which you have been cast?
“We won’t begin to understand our lives, or what this so-called Gospel is that Christianity speaks of, until we understand the Story in which we have found ourselves. For when you were born, you were born into an epic that has already been underway now for quite some time. It is a story of beauty and intimacy and adventure, a story of danger and loss and heroism and betrayal.”
We looked last week at the story of David and Goliath and saw that God sends trials to use to prepare and train us so that we can learn to trust him, rely on him, take risks, and learn how to let God use us.
Today, we’re going to learn one final lesson about being used by God to live heroically.It’s something that could change the way you see your problems right now and it could reframe the way you see your whole life.
We’re going to discover this idea by looking at the life of Joseph.He was a guywho had a dream that didn’t get fulfilled in the way he thought it would.It was in harder, but greaterandlargerway, then he ever could’ve imagined!We’re going to start our story today inGenesis 37...
Intro:John Eldredge, author of Wild At Heart, has a new book out.It’s a little book called, “Epic: The Story God Is Telling”.I want to start by reading to you some of it today.And I want you to listen to what he says in it about our lives.He says…
“We find ourselves in the middle of a story that is sometimes wonderful, sometimes awful, often a confusing mixture of both, and we haven’t a clue how to make sense of it all.”
Then he asks, wouldn’t it be great to be able to know where you are in this story and where you should go?And he tells a clue about where to start.He says…
“Start with the movies you love.
I’m serious. Think about your favorite movies. Notice that every good story has the same ingredients: Love. Adventure. Danger. Heroism. Romance. Sacrifice. The Battle of Good and Evil. Unlikely heroes. Insurmountable odds. And a little fellowship that in hope beyond hope pulls through in the end.
Most of us haven’t stopped to ask ourselves, now why that heart? Why those longings and desires?Then he says…
Next, I want you to notice that all the great stories pretty much follow the same story line. Things were once good, and then something awful happened, and now a great battle must be fought or a journey taken. At just the right moment (which feels like the last possible moment) a hero comes and sets things right, and life is found again.
Its true of every fairy tale, every myth, every Western, every epic – just about every story you can think of, one way or another. Braveheart, Titanic, the Star Wars series, Gladiator, The Lord of the Rings trilogy. They all pretty much follow the same story line.
Have you ever wondered why?And this is the part I want us to hear from him today…
Every story great and small shares the same essential structure, because every story we tell borrows its power from a Larger Story, a story woven into the fabric of our being – what Jung tried to explain as archetype or what Joseph Campbell calls myth.
All these stories are borrowing from the Story. From Reality. We hear echoes of it through our lives. Some secret written on our hearts. A great battle to fight, and someone to fight for us. An adventure, something that requires everything we have, something to be shared with those we love and need.
There is a Story that we just can’t seem to escape. There is a Story written on the human heart.
As Ecclesiastes has it,
“He has planted eternity in the human heart”
Later Eldredge says this...
What if?
What if all the great stories that have ever moved you, brought you joy or tears – what if they are telling you something about the true Story into which you were born, the Epic into which you have been cast?
We won’t begin to understand our lives, or what this so-called Gospel is that Christianity speaks of, until we understand the Story in which we have found ourselves. For when you were born, you were born into an epic that has already been underway now for quite some time. It is a story of beauty and intimacy and adventure, a story of danger and loss and heroism and betrayal.”
Most of us here today don’t realize it, but the problems and junk that you’re facing in your life – that you think are holding you back and messing you up – could actually be the battle that gives you the greatest opportunity you’ve ever had to see God work in you and through you.
Today you’re about to hear one of the most famous, amazing stories in the Bible about a mild manner guy who because of his faith in God, faces a problem – the battle of a lifetime – and comes out of it as a hero.And after it all over, his life is never the same!
You’re about to see from the life of David the first lesson you need to learn to become a hero.Turn with me to 1 Samuel 16.I’m just going to just tell you the story today, but you can read and follow along – if you want to.
Backdrop:Israel has rejected God and asked for a leader.He gave them a great one named Saul, but Saul has turned from God and fallen from God’s favor.Israel now needs a new leader.And God is about to give them one.That’s where 1 Samuel 16 begins…
1 Samuel CHAPTER 16 - Samuel Anoints David as King
1Finally, the LORD said to Samuel, "You have mourned long enough for Saul. I have rejected him as king of Israel. Now fill your horn with olive oil and go to Bethlehem. Find a man named Jesse who lives there, for I have selected(past tense – already done) one of his sons to be my new king."
2But Samuel asked, "How can I do that? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me." "Take a heifer with you," the LORD replied, "and say that you have come to make a sacrifice to the LORD. 3Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you which of his sons to anoint for me."
4So Samuel did as the LORD instructed him. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the leaders of the town became afraid. "What's wrong?" they asked. "Do you come in peace?"
5"Yes," Samuel replied. "I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Purify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice." Then Samuel performed the purification rite for Jesse and his sons and invited them, too.
6When they arrived, Samuel took one look at Eliab and thought, "Surely this is the LORD's anointed!"By any human standards Eliab, Jesse’s oldest, was the man!He was the first born and he just had the look of a leader.But was he the one?Listen and see…
7But the LORD said to Samuel, "Don't judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The LORD doesn't make decisions the way you do! People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at a person's thoughts and intentions."
Let’s stop for a second here, so we don’t miss this…God has a certain standard he uses when he chooses someone to use and it’s not the same ours and the rest of the world’s standards.
We judge by people’s look, their personality, their charisma.We look on the outside.We look at their family background.We look at their resume.
But God decides who to use based on the qualities you can’t see.It’s based on their heart -their thoughts, desires, and intentions – and their faith.God’s looking for a person with a good heart.Someone who has good thoughts, desires and intentions - someone who has faith in Him.
He’s not looking for someone who is perfect.He’s looking for someone who wants to do their best to do what’s right.He’s looking for someone who will trust and rely on him.He’s looking for someone who will take a step of faith and take a risk for him.That’s someone he can use!
This is good news!That means that anyone – any of us – can qualify to be used by God. If we just guard our hearts and trust in God.
Alright, back to the story…
8Then Jesse told his son Abinadab to step forward and walk in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, "This is not the one the LORD has chosen." 9Next Jesse summoned Shammah, but Samuel said, "Neither is this the one the LORD has chosen." 10In the same way all seven of Jesse's sons were presented to Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, "The LORD has not chosen any of these." 11Then Samuel asked, "Are these all the sons you have?" "There is still the youngest," Jesse replied. "But he's out in the fields watching the sheep." (Jesse didn’t think God could want to use David, because he was the youngest and in their culture that meant you were the lowest on the totem pole.)"Send for him at once," Samuel said. "We will not sit down to eat until he arrives."
12So Jesse sent for him. He was ruddy (reddish faced) and handsome, with pleasant eyes. And the LORD said, "This is the one; anoint him."
13So as David stood there among his brothers, Samuel took the olive oil he had brought and poured it on David's head. And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him from that day on. Then Samuel returned to Ramah.You can’t imagine how amazing this moment was for David.His other brother had to be shocked and jealous!
Before we go on, I want you to remember today, that it doesn’t matter today if you meet the requirements of what the world says is a successful person.God has a different set of requirements and he might just have chosen you or be choosing you to do something great through.
But first he has to prepare you for the big day when he can use you.You won’tbe able to be used by God unless he can teach you how to trust him, rely on him, take a risk, and let him use you.And that lesson isn’t learned quickly.It takes repetition and practice.
You’re about to see how God prepared David and you might just find out that you’re in the middle of your training right now and not even know it…
CHAPTER 17
Goliath Challenges the Israelites
1The Philistines now mustered their army for battle and camped between Socoh in Judah and Azekah at Ephes-dammim. 2Saul countered by gathering his troops near the valley of Elah. 3So the Philistines and Israelites faced each other on opposite hills, with the valley between them.
4Then Goliath, a Philistine champion from Gath, came out of the Philistine ranks to face the forces of Israel. He was a giant of a man, measuring over nine feet F58 tall!
I want to stop for a second and clarify something here.Goliath was not a giant like in the story Jack and the beanstalk.As kids that’s the way we were told the story and that’s what made it seem to unbelievable to us later as grown-ups.
He was not a giant.He was just a huge man.Goliath was 9.75 feet – 3 meters.3 ft 4 in. taller than Ioannis.(A lot taller than me!)That’s huge, but it’s not an unbelievable height.
The tallest recorded man to ever live according to the Guinness Book of World Records was Robert Pershing Wadlow.(See pic) He was 8 ft 11 in.He lived in Alton, Illinois and was measured on July 15, 1940.Goliath was only 10 inches taller than this guy.
So see?This story’s not so unbelievable!Let’s get back to the story…
5He wore a bronze helmet and a coat of mail that weighed 125 pounds. F596He also wore bronze leggings, and he slung a bronze javelin over his back. 7The shaft of his spear was as heavy and thick as a weaver's beam, tipped with an iron spearhead that weighed fifteen pounds. F60 An armor bearer walked ahead of him carrying a huge shield.
8Goliath stood and shouted across to the Israelites, "Do you need a whole army to settle this? Choose someone to fight for you, and I will represent the Philistines. We will settle this dispute in single combat! 9If your man is able to kill me, then we will be your slaves. But if I kill him, you will be our slaves! 10I defy the armies of Israel! Send me a man who will fight with me!" 11When Saul and the Israelites heard this, they were terrified and deeply shaken.
Jesse Sends David to Saul's Camp
12Now David was the son of a man named Jesse, an Ephrathite from Bethlehem in the land of Judah. Jesse was an old man at that time, and he had eight sons in all. 13Jesse's three oldest sons—Eliab, Abinadab, and Shammah—had already joined Saul's army to fight the Philistines.14David was the youngest of Jesse's sons. Since David's three oldest brothers were in the army, they stayed with Saul's forces all the time.15But David went back and forth between working for Saul and helping his father with the sheep in Bethlehem.
16For forty days, twice a day, morning and evening, the Philistine giant strutted in front of the Israelite army.
17One day Jesse said to David, "Take this half-bushel F61 of roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread to your brothers. 18And give these ten cuts of cheese to their captain. See how your brothers are getting along, and bring me back a letter from them."Jesse and David don’t realize this at the time, but Jesse is about to set his son up for a moment in time where he’s going to get the chance to be used by God to become a hero.
19David's brothers were with Saul and the Israelite army at the valley of Elah, fighting against the Philistines. 20So David left the sheep with another shepherd and set out early the next morning with the gifts. He arrived at the outskirts of the camp just as the Israelite army was leaving for the battlefield with shouts and battle cries. 21Soon the Israelite and Philistine forces stood facing each other, army against army. 22David left his things with the keeper of supplies and hurried out to the ranks to greet his brothers. 23As he was talking with them, he saw Goliath, the champion from Gath, come out from the Philistine ranks, shouting his challenge to the army of Israel.
24As soon as the Israelite army saw him, they began to run away in fright. 25"Have you seen the giant?" the men were asking. "He comes out each day to challenge Israel. Andhave you heard about the huge reward the king has offered to anyone who kills him? The king will give him one of his daughters for a wife, and his whole family will be exempted from paying taxes!"
26David talked to some others standing there to verify the report. "What will a man get for killing this Philistine and putting an end to his abuse of Israel?" he asked them. "Who is this pagan Philistine anyway, that he is allowed to defy the armies of the living God?" 27And David received the same reply as before: "What you have been hearing is true. That is the reward for killing the giant."
28But when David's oldest brother, Eliab, heard David talking to the men, he was angry. "What are you doing around here anyway?" he demanded. "What about those few sheep you're supposed to be taking care of? I know about your pride and dishonesty. You just want to see the battle!"
29"What have I done now?" David replied. "I was only asking a question!" Isn’t this a classic argument between an older brother and his kid brother!?!30He walked over to some others and asked them the same thing and received the same answer. 31Then David's question was reported to King Saul, and the king sent for him.
David Kills Goliath
32"Don't worry about a thing," David told Saul. "I'll go fight this Philistine!" Are you wondering why/how could David have so much confidence to volunteer to fight this huge dude?You’re about to see why.Listen…
33"Don't be ridiculous!" Saul replied. "There is no way you can go against this Philistine. You are only a boy, and he has been in the army since he was a boy!"
34But David persisted. "I have been taking care of my father's sheep," he said. "When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock, 35I go after it with a club and take the lamb from its mouth. If the animal turns on me, I catch it by the jaw and club it to death. 36I have done this to both lions and bears, and I'll do it to this pagan Philistine, too, for he has defied the armies of the living God!
Can you believe someone could kill and bear & lion like that?Again I want you guys to see that this isn’t some make-believe, unbelievable story.I can prove someone killing a bear or lion like that because of what just happened less than a month ago!
Chris Everhart, an ex-Marine, saved the lives of his three young sons when a 300-pound bear attacked their Georgia campsite.
While cleaning up after dinner, the family came face to face with the large animal.
"From out of nowhere we heard this loud crash," Everhart said on "Good Morning America." "For a second, I didn't know what it was, but I realized it was a bear. I went to the back of the Jeep to get my pots and pans to scare the bear off."
At the same time, Everhart's 6-year-old son, Logan, tried to frighten the animal. Instead of running away, the bear turned on the boy. Logan's brother, Kyle, tried to help him.
"I threw about five rocks at the bear to keep him away," Kyle Everhart said.
Realizing his sons could be killed, Everhart grabbed a log and threw it at the bear's head, striking and killing him.
"I forgot all about pots and pans and picked up whatever I could to try to distract, fend off, do what I could to get this bear away," Everhart said.
(See pic and full story at http://www.abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=3306263)That’s living proof of someone killing and bear with a log, so it’s obviously possible to kill it with a club like David did!But don’t be fooled.Don’t think David was able to do this cause he was some tough or powerful guy.He knew it wasn’t from his strength.He told Saul…
37The LORD who saved me from the claws of the lion and the bear will save me from this Philistine!"
Let’s stop again for a second.Here’s the reason David had so much confidence!!He had already seen God help him defeat a lion and a bear.(Bear’saverage size can be up to 6 ft./Lion is 9.84 ft in length about Goliath’s size.)
David believed if God could help him defeat these two animals he could help him defeat anything!When you think about it that way, David’s confidence and faithseems a lot more logical.
Think about your current problems.What could God be training you for?In what ways could he be trying to grow your faith?One day if you trust God through it all you’ll be able to use this experienceto defeat a bigger problem… and see victory!
That should be your incentive to trust God in whatever you’re going through!That’s how David was prepare and trained for his battle with Goliath.Back to the story…
Saul finally consented. "All right, go ahead," he said. "And may the LORD be with you!"
38Then Saul gave David his own armor—a bronze helmet and a coat of mail. 39David put it on, strapped the sword over it, and took a step or two to see what it was like, for he had never worn such things before. "I can't go in these," he protested. "I'm not used to them." So he took them off again. 40He picked up five smooth stones from a stream and put them in his shepherd's bag. Then, armed only with his shepherd's staff and sling, he started across to fight Goliath.
It was good that David didn’t wear Saul’s armor, not just cause it didn’t fit him, but because it could’ve made him rely on the armor instead of on the Lord – the one who had always given him the victory before!This also allowed God to get the glory and credit in this.
41Goliath walked out toward David with his shield bearer ahead of him, 42sneering in contempt at this ruddy-faced boy. 43"Am I a dog," he roared at David, "that you come at me with a stick?" And he cursed David by the names of his gods. 44"Come over here, and I'll give your flesh to the birds and wild animals!" Goliath yelled.
I would’ve been getting nervous at this point, but not David.Listen to the faith and courage (in God) in his words…
45David shouted in reply, "You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD Almighty—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46Today the LORD will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head. And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel! 47And everyone will know that the LORD does not need weapons to rescue his people. It is his battle, not ours. The LORD will give you to us!"
The cool this is that David never forgot this whole time who his strength was in and what was going to give him victory.It wasn’t his strength, or skill with a sling.He knew it was God.
This next scene is so cool.You’ve gotta imagine it in your head with me.Listen to what it says…
48As Goliath moved closer to attack, David quickly ran out to meet him. 49Reaching into his shepherd's bag and taking out a stone, he hurled it from his sling and hit the Philistine in the forehead. The stone sank in, and Goliath stumbled and fell face downward to the ground. 50So David triumphed over the Philistine giant with only a stone and sling. And since he had no sword, 51he ran over and pulled Goliath's sword from its sheath. David used it to kill the giant and cut off his head.
This is one of those moments when one person’s heroic actioninspires and affects people all around him.Watch what happens next…
Israel Routs the Philistines
When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they turned and ran. 52Then the Israelites gave a great shout of triumph and rushed after the Philistines, chasing them as far as GathF63 and the gates of Ekron. The bodies of the dead and wounded Philistines were strewn all along the road from Shaaraim, as far as Gath and Ekron. 53Then the Israelite army returned and plundered the deserted Philistine camp. 54(David took Goliath's head to Jerusalem, but he stored the Philistine's armor in his own tent.)
I think the Israelites and the Philistines both realized the same thing when David killed Goliath: only God could have caused that to happen!When the Philistines realized this they became scared and ran.And the Israelites realized this they were filled with faith and courage and they ran and attacked!
55As Saul watched David go out to fight Goliath, he asked Abner, the general of his army, "Abner, whose son is he?" "I really don't know," Abner said.
57After David had killed Goliath, Abner brought him to Saul with the Philistine's head still in his hand. 58"Tell me about your father, my boy," Saul said. And David replied, "His name is Jesse, and we live in Bethlehem."
I want you to remember this today, because this is the part that applies to us …
David had the faith to face Goliath, because he had already trusted God over and over when he faced the lions and the bears.Those moments prepared him for this one.
Two things I want you to get from this:
1.For those of you who have seen God move and help you through things in the past…Is there a giant of a problem in your life right now?You know what you can do?
Remember what God’s done to help you in the past.Dwell on it.Relive it in yourmind.Let it get you excited and let it remind you of God’s power.Remember what you did last time to trust God and move forward in action.Pray and ask God if you should do the same thing this time or something different.
I also want you to notice something else.It says that in the past, David clubbedthe lion and the bear,but hedoesn’t go in there this time with thesame weapon and technique as he used in the past.He goes in with the same God, with the same faith, but he decides – this time - to use a sling and stones.
He let God guide him in a new way!So don’t get stuck on what you did the last time God did amazing things.Pray and ask God whether to do what you did before or whether you should do something else, but no matter what, go forward in faith and trusting God to help you.
For those of you who have never seen God move and help you through things in the past…If there’s a problem you’re facing right now, thenthis could be your lion or bear.This is your chance to learn to trust God!
Read stories like this one from the Bible or biographies of Christ-followers who God has done amazing things in their lives, so that they can inspire you to trust God and take a step of faith.Pray and ask God what to do and when.Then do it!
You can only learn how to do something by doing it.You canonly learn howtodo something well bydoing it over and over.It takes practice and repetition!
What you’re going through now could be yourpracticeto get you ready for a future victory – the one that will matter the most in your life.
How you respond to this training will determineif you ever are ready for your greatest battle and your chance to be a hero!So use what you’re going through now to learn to trust him, rely on him, take a risk, and let him use you.
What area do you need to work on?Is it trust, reliance, courage/risk, letting God use you?Pray and ask God and ask him forhis grace to help you to learn and improve in this area!Let’s close in prayer.
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