How do you know?

One of the struggles that I have faced this past week has been the title of today's sermon - How do you know?  This past two weeks has been the first time that Get out of the Boat has been announced to more than just immediate family members.  You see, I started to feel uncomfortable, as if I had done something wrong.  This was not a feeling from God.  I have no doubt that what I am doing here has been directed by His hand.  But how do I know?  I think that this ends up being the debilitating thought that keeps Christians from doing what God ordained plan that He has for them.

That fear is what grounds us to forget that God desires us to soar.  God desires for us to do great things.  God desires that we are stretched and that because of that stretching we are able to provide glory to our Maker.

Being a person that did not grow up in a church environment, I have been astounded at the subculture that exists in the "Christian" realm.  The concept that life is more about the reward than the race.  Yet it is the race, with Jesus at your side that gets you to the reward at the end.  What is that reward?  Often that appears to depend on who is doing the sermon.  Is the reward your own personal mansion?  Is it a room in a mansion with many rooms?  Is it silver? Is it gold?  Is it a combination of all these things?  Or is heaven about sitting in constant communion with our Lord and Savior, with God, with the Holy Spirit.  Sitting together, praying together, learning from Jesus? Strikingly again, I believe it relies on who is conducting the translating.

It is much the same with hell.  Is hell divided into seven different layers?  Each more torturous than the one before it?  Is it filled with sulfur and fire?  Or is the total emptiness that is present when God is not?  A total blackness, devoid of all emotion, feeling.  Devoid of love and grace.  Again does it rely on the translator and translation?

How do you know?

The answer may be simplistic in form, but drastic in the depths of its requirements.

FAITH

Hebrews 11:1 - Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. (NIV)

Two words describe faith: sure and certain.  These two qualities need a secure beginning and ending point.  The beginning point is believing in God's character - he is who he says.  The end point is believing in God's promises - he will do what he says.  When we believe that God will fulfill his promises even though we do not see those promises materializing yet, we demonstrate true faith. (Student application Bible)

When God calls you to do something how often do you turn away?  How often do you diminish what He is doing in your life?  How often do you not give Him the glory of what he has and continues to do for you?

One of the most difficult things I have struggled with recently is why would God choose me?  Then today it dawned on me about faith.  It does not matter.  God has directed me to do it.  So therefore, I am compelled to do it.  My faith says that I must follow what God has directed me to do.  And in doing so, let me act as foolishly as I can for God. 

Ephesians 5:18 - "Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery.  Instead, be filled with the Spirit".  (NIV)

2 Samuel 6: 21 - 22: 21 David said to Michal, "It was before the Lord, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appinted me ruler over the Lord's people Israel - I will celebrate before the Lord. 22 I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes.  But by these slave girls you spoke of, I will be held in honor." (NIV)

When you start to doubt God, I have some passages for you to read about faith.  Read Hebrews Chapter 11.  Use this as a jumping point to go back through the Bible and learn more.  For those that do not remember, Hebrews 11 recaps some of the greatest cases of faith from the Old Testament.  True men and women that embodied the principle of faith.

When you think that those around you are jeering at you, doubting you, making fun of you, and that you look foolish, ask yourself - "Am I doing what God wants me to do?"  If so, be willing to celebrate even more foolishly.  If not, ask Him and be willing to follow his directions.  Then celebrate his glory.  Be willing to make a fool of yourself for Him.

God loves you.  God desires a relationship with you.  That is why he sent Jesus to save us.

Give thanks that God has given you a purpose, a plan, a mission in His name.

Ask God to guide you.

Praise Him through song and dance. 

Honor Him with your words and deeds.

And again Give Thanks.

Blessings to each of you.  I love you.

Pastor Jim