God's Plan for Your Life and Figuring Out Your "Calling"

Today, I want to talk about Pastor JD's "Ask Anything Friday" video from January 14, 2011 called "How do I know God's Will?" If you haven't seen it yet, go watch the video and then come back and keep reading.

It can be really overwhelming to try to figure out God's will. We all do that don't we? We try to figure out what God is thinking, where He might have us go, what He might have us do. We ask God what his plans for our lives are and then when we don't get a step-by-step itinerary: we start to get anxious; we start to ask questions; we start to take things in to our own hands... You can fill in the second half of that sentence however you want to, but isn't that the truth? When we don't hear an immediate word from God as to the next move we should make and when we don't get that "feeling", we start to worry. 

We all desire to live within God's will, but how do we know what God's will is for our lives? Pastor JD gives some really good advice. It's simple, yes, but simple is just the kind of advice we need in this situation because it is so easy to over-think this issue. Here are my notes from his video: 

When figuring out what God wants you to do...

Step 1: Look to the Scriptures. Is there a verse on this issue? 

Step 2: Look to your own reason (which should be saturated with Scripture) 

Step 3: Look to the church. Ask Christian friends if they see things about you, the situation, and Scripture that you are missing. 

Step 4: Look to the Holy Spirit for direction.  Which doors are open? Which doors are closed? 

I think this is great advice. I want to speak to Step 2 for a second because I want to emphasize the "saturated with Scripture" component. This is absolutely crucial! If you are not actively seeking God and handing over the reins to each and every area of your life, then there is a good chance that "your flesh" (aka - your desires, your wants, your selfish heart) is going to take over. That will most assuredly lead to decisions that are out of line with God's purposes. Without the presence of God, your heart craves sin and the things of this world (see my post here for more discussion about this). 

Here is my "to do list" that will keep you close to God as you actively pursue his will for your life:

- Saturate yourself with the Scripture. Read God's Word daily. 

- Bathe your heart in prayer. Paul says to "pray without ceasing".

- Remind yourself of the Gospel every single day. Drive it down deep in your heart and let it take root!

- Have a trusted Christian friend act as an accountability partner and meet often. 

- Live in community with others. Get in a small group! 

- Attend church regularly. Reflect on and apply the teachings. And don't just attend, be active in your church and its mission. 

- Serve in the community.  This not only brings glory to God and advances His Kingdom, but it also redirects our hearts dramatically away from selfishness and places the focus on others. 

Pastor JD speaks to the word "calling" as it is used today: a "reasonable analysis of your gifts and the opportunity and how best to use those gifts for the purposes of the Kingdom" (video). Here are the three things he says you need to consider when you figure out what God's "calling" for your life is:

1. What you are passionate about.  This is what you really just love to do.  

2. What you are good at.  This is not the same as what you are passionate about! Look to other people to affirm that you are in fact skilled at this passion. 

3. What there is market for.  Look to what the church affirms, what they see as valuable and start to practice your passions and skills in ministry opportunities. 

It boils down to this... Know what you are good at, what there is an opportunity for, and go after it! (Charles Spurgeon)

Rest in the fact that God has an amazing plan for your life. He knows each and every step you will take before you take it. He has made you special and unique. You have a purpose ordained by the Most High God, the creator of the universe, who loves you like a treasured child. Trust him with everything you have, with everything he has given you, with every part of your life. God's love for you is as vast as an ocean and his plan for your life is more wonderful than you could ever imagine or dream.

"I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. 

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." (Ephesians 3:16-21, NIV)

"Almost" Isn't Good Enough

Tonight at The Summit Church, Pastor Raudel gave an awesome sermon chock-full of fuego latino while Pastor JD was away with family mourning the loss of his Grandmother and celebrating her life. I want to have a little think-out-loud time with you all as I reflect on Pastor Raudel's thought-provoking message. However, I first want to tell you that if you haven't tried the Brier Creek PM campus, you should. It's amazing. I can't always attend the Saturday night service because of scheduling, but I never leave without truly encountering God, without feeling overwhelmed by His grace and his amazing love for me.  Also, it's kind of awesome that my stuff and I occupied three whole seats... you just can't do that on a Sunday morning! And as a side note, I think it is a good possibility that Pastor Raudel could give Pastor JD a run for his money in a "who spits more while preaching?" contest!

The title of the sermon was "Casi Cielo", yes like the Starbucks coffee.  Translated into English, Casi Cielo means "Almost Heaven", and this served as an appropriate theme for the message.  Pastor Raudel used 2 Peter 3 as his main text in which Peter is talking about living our days on earth with an eternal mindset.  He said we get so stuck on thinking about "the things of this world" that we forget about Heaven.  Pastor Raudel said "why would you get attached to something that is going to burn up anyway? It is not worth it to live for false saviors of this earth that will perish anyway" (2 Peter 3:7, Matthew 24:35).  We all reject God daily, but God is infinitely patient, lavishing grace upon us (2 Peter 3:9).  Live each day mindfully, remembering the sacrifice of Christ and God's unfailing love.

What consumes your thoughts? When our daily meditation centers on "me" we have lost our eternal perspective. We have to die daily to ourselves. We must ask the Holy Spirit to align our daily activities with God's purpose.  Who is the captain of your ship? You or God? We are to be living life on mission for Christ because that is what we were created for... that is the best life we can live!

I'm reminded of the Switchfoot song, "Meant to Live." The song says, "We were meant to live for so much more, have we lost ourselves?" Is this true? Have we lost ourselves in "the things of this world" when in fact we have a much bigger, much grander purpose? Does your life center around Jesus or around yourself? Are you dedicating your life to the advancement of His Kingdom or your own? I hope you find this question as challenging as I do.

We often think about judgment day and wonder "will I be ready?" (2 Peter 3:10). But Pastor Raudel reminded us that we must remember that those who have not heard the gospel will also be held accountable. This isn't all about us! Live each day mindful of that fact and live on mission for God! Is your mindset on "the things of this world"or on the salvation of the world?

Don't almost love God. Don't almost love the world. Because almost isn't good enough.

Somewhere during the sermon, my mind took a right turn and began to apply this idea of "almost" to lukewarm Christians.  Revelation 3:15-16 says "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you our of my mouth." You don't want to stand before Jesus and hear him say "I never knew you" (Matthew 7:23).

Don't almost get into Heaven.

Think about that. I want to challenge you: do you really know Jesus or just know about Jesus? Are you living a half-way Christian life in name only? Does your life reflect the things you say you believe? Can someone look at your life and know that you are a Christian?

I want to end with the following passage from Matthew 25, not as a scare tactic, but because I believe it really drives home this point. I urge you to consider Jesus' words and pray about how your life might be centered around His mission for the world.

Matthew 25:31-46

When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.


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