I have various "seasons" throughout the year... September at our home is the beginning of a new and busy "season". First, our children begin a new school year. This means starting over with new schedules and routines. Homework, studying, waking up early.
Secondly, my husband and I are very involved in our church - and in September - ministries start up again so the church begins to buzz with new blessings sprouting all over the place. This year will be especially interesting as we have "graduated" from Youth Ministry to Young Adult Ministries. This will be a new challenge, new adventures, new goals. I am also part of the Women's Ministries and this year I will be speaking several times. And plus whatever else the Lord throws our way - but its the beginning of a new season.
So when I was typing up the notes for our Sunday bulletin I was excited to hear the message and to begin this new season in our lives and in ministry and to see what God is going to have for us.
So you ask, what stood out from this message? What is so special about it? Well first I have to begin with three"levels" that Pastor began with:
1 - The Surival Level - I'm just trying to get through life - alot of us live this way... just get through the day, the week... or survive what we are dealing with.
2 - The Success Level—I'm going to do everything I can people / circumstances to benefit to make it. Alot of people are like this - they don't care who they have to hurt or bump out of the way - because its all about them.
2 - The Success Level—I'm going to do everything I can people / circumstances to benefit to make it. Alot of people are like this - they don't care who they have to hurt or bump out of the way - because its all about them.
I tend to relate more with the first one - but the level that was close to home and touched my heart was
3 - The Significance Level - to live life in a way that will bring honor to those who put you in the race and to make a difference in the lives of others around you as you run the race. The only way we can do this is if we stay on the course God has given us and to choose to run faithfully. This bought everything into reality... back to the basics... it reminded me to those that invested so much into my life and taught me how to run in this race.
You see when I think about it my life, this race isn't about "surviving"... Its doing what I have been called to do and being faithful while doing it. But in order to do this one has to surrender. Ughhhh and that can be an ugly word because when we surrender it basically means to give up our own will... giving up control... yielding to God... and many people (me included) have a problem with that - but in doing so, the ultimate purpose is to be used by God. When we surrender to God , our life has a meaning - an impact. God has a purpose for us and for our life.
Okay, that is all great, but what is our life all about? What is at the center of my life? Who or what am I living for? We can center our lives around a number of different things... family, money, job, church, etc... But our lives are to be centered in Him, we are to live a life committed to Him, in a personal, intimate relationship with with God.
For us to have an intimate relationship with God - first we must know Him. Yeah that sounds easy enough right?? But to "know" someone means that we need to spend time, quality time getting to know that person. A passing hello and goodbye means nothing really - we'll never get to know someone unless we stop and take time to say more than just hello or goodbye. Its the same with our relationship with God. You see, its stopping to read, pray, listen... that we get to know Him. After we get to know someone, we begin to love them... in the same way, the more we know Him, the more we love Him... and then we are able to discover what love really is. (John 3:16)
When your fellowship with God is at the center of your life it will result in you keeping the right perspective of what life is all about - its all about Him.
3 - The Significance Level - to live life in a way that will bring honor to those who put you in the race and to make a difference in the lives of others around you as you run the race. The only way we can do this is if we stay on the course God has given us and to choose to run faithfully. This bought everything into reality... back to the basics... it reminded me to those that invested so much into my life and taught me how to run in this race.
You see when I think about it my life, this race isn't about "surviving"... Its doing what I have been called to do and being faithful while doing it. But in order to do this one has to surrender. Ughhhh and that can be an ugly word because when we surrender it basically means to give up our own will... giving up control... yielding to God... and many people (me included) have a problem with that - but in doing so, the ultimate purpose is to be used by God. When we surrender to God , our life has a meaning - an impact. God has a purpose for us and for our life.
Okay, that is all great, but what is our life all about? What is at the center of my life? Who or what am I living for? We can center our lives around a number of different things... family, money, job, church, etc... But our lives are to be centered in Him, we are to live a life committed to Him, in a personal, intimate relationship with with God.
For us to have an intimate relationship with God - first we must know Him. Yeah that sounds easy enough right?? But to "know" someone means that we need to spend time, quality time getting to know that person. A passing hello and goodbye means nothing really - we'll never get to know someone unless we stop and take time to say more than just hello or goodbye. Its the same with our relationship with God. You see, its stopping to read, pray, listen... that we get to know Him. After we get to know someone, we begin to love them... in the same way, the more we know Him, the more we love Him... and then we are able to discover what love really is. (John 3:16)
When your fellowship with God is at the center of your life it will result in you keeping the right perspective of what life is all about - its all about Him.
As I am sharing - I begin to think about my own life / race... sometimes we tend to get comfortable... and complacent... sometimes we don't want to be in the race - because life can be exhausting, especially when we are living life on the survival level. Being a woman, a wife, a mother, a daughter, a sister, and the list can go on and on, with the everyday ins and outs of life - I ask, we can ask, what am I becoming? What am I becoming when I am faced with life, with things that are pushing me against a wall, when tough times come... am I becoming self-centered, bitter, angry, critical, mean spirited? But the Christian life (race) is not just about what we do, but its about who I become while in the race.
And this is where it gets a little crazy - in the midst of this life, race - when things get tough - Pastor reminded us that God not only wants us to know Him and to love Him, He wants us to be like Him. You say what??? He - the creator of heaven and earth wants us - me - to be like Him... and the answer is YEP!!! But what is it to be Christ-like? "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law."—Galatians 5:22-23
Yes, I know what you are thinking - its the same thing I was thinking... it looks good - hey maybe even GREAT reading it... but how can we live it out when things are tough and not going our way? The answer lies that its not how "we" can live it out or how "we" can be more like Christ... the answer is that God will do this in us - when we surrender our lives to Him. He will do this through our everyday life experiences as we run the race and we will discover that He IS enough, He is sufficient.
When our lives are off course and not God-centered, our tendency is to use these abilities, resources, and talents to serve our selfish interests and fleshly desires. God has designed our course so we can use our abilities, talents, and gifts in service to Him and others.
Here is the challenge: Do you want to live a life of significance?
If so, get in the race, the course He has for your life (to bring Him glory and to impact the lives of those around you).
It starts with Knowing Him.
To know Him is to LOVE HIM.
To love Him is to want to BE LIKE HIM.
To be like Him is TO SERVE.
Now is the time to get to the starting line. You are never more like Jesus than when you are giving of yourself. So its time to switch gears... its a new season, a new day, a new opportunity to get back to the starting line!!! And you want to know the awesome part!!??!! We don't get to run / live this race alone... He will be there right besides us - so let's get going!!! Wooo Hoooo
And I must share this song with you - we sang it at our Sunday service and I have not been able to stop singing it all day... be blessed...
Freddy Rodriguez - I will Run
