Greater, Part 4

This sermon is one I preached at MRWC on June 23. It is the 4th in our current series called Greater.

 

 

ILLUSTRATION- I remember visiting with my grandfather when I was a little boy.

        One day I asked him how we was doing, and he responded by telling me that he was worser. 

I had no idea what that meant then, but looking back now; I think he was telling me that life just wasn’t doing it for him that particular day.

Sometimes life can be like that. We can be well on our way to living the Greater life that God has called us to; we’ve burnt the plows- said good bye to the things that hold us back from following Jesus.

We’ve even rolled up our sleeves and begun to dig ditches.

But then something happens… something that we didn’t see coming hits us right between the eyes. 

Sometimes as we’re living the greater life, it will feel like the worser life. It will feel like we’re in this thing all alone.

Let’s look at another example in the life of Elisha for some context.

In 2 Kings 4, Elisha becomes friends with a “well do to woman” (2 Kings 4:8, NIV) who lived in a town called Shunem, which is a small town located in Israel.

Whenever Elisha was in town, he was invited into her home where she would bless him with a warm meal and a fresh lemon pie.

One day this woman was talking with her husband and she told him that she believed Elisha was a “holy man of God” (2 Kings 4:9, NLT2), and she would like for him to stay with them whenever he was in town.

So her husband heads down to Israel Depot and picks up a hammer and some nails, a scroll saw, a table saw and some lumber and he builds a prophet suite on the upper level of their house.

On one particular evening when Elisha is resting, he asked his servant, a man by the name of Gehazi, to have the woman come to his room as he wanted to thank her for showing them such wonderful hospitality.

She kindly thanks Elisha for thinking of her, but declines his offer telling him that her family is looking after her.

Shortly after this, Elisha is talking with his servant and they figure out exactly what this woman needs: she needs a baby!

 (Leave it to a man to figure out what a woman wants)

So they call her back and tell her the good news: “About this time next year...you will hold a son in your arms.” (2 Kings 4:16, NLT2)

Instead of rejoicing at this news, she strongly objects: “No, my lord!”… “Please, man of God, don’t mislead your servant.” (2 Kings 4:16, NLT2)

I.O.W. don’t lead me on Elisha…

But sure enough, about the same time the following year, she is holding Jr. in her arms.

Life at that moment for this woman was great.er. She had a husband, a great house, and now a healthy baby boy.

Quite some time passes by and Jr. is out working in a field with his father when he complains of a headache.

His father does what fathers do best: he took him to his mother who put him on her lap to rest. Instead of getting better, the boy actually dies.

The woman takes her dead son and places him in Elisha’s room and shuts the door and leaves.

She tells her husband that she’s going to find Elisha and summons a servant and a donkey and she sets out to find the man of God.

We’ll pick up our story in verse 25 of 2 Kings 4: “…she…came to the man of God at Mount Carmel.

When he saw her in the distance, the man of God said to his servant Gehazi, “Look! There’s the Shunammite!

26 Run to meet her and ask her, ‘Are you all right? Is your husband all right? Is your child all right?’”

“Everything is all right,” she said.

27 When she reached the man of God at the mountain, she took hold of his feet. Gehazi came over to push her away, but the man of God said, “Leave her alone! She is in bitter distress, but the Lord has hidden it from me and has not told me why.”

28 “Did I ask you for a son, my lord?” she said. “Didn’t I tell you, ‘Don’t raise my hopes’?”

29 Elisha said to Gehazi, “Tuck your cloak into your belt, take my staff in your hand and run.

Don’t greet anyone you meet, and if anyone greets you, do not answer. Lay my staff on the boy’s face.”

30 But the child’s mother said, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So he got up and followed her.

31 Gehazi went on ahead and laid the staff on the boy’s face, but there was no sound or response. So Gehazi went back to meet Elisha and told him, “The boy has not awakened.” (2 Kings 4:25-31, NLT2)

This woman reminded Elisha that she hadn’t asked for a son, she was fine as she was, but now that he was dead, she would not accept anything less than the person who got her into this mess, to get her out of this mess.

So as Elisha and this woman make their way to her home, Elisha’s servant comes out to meet them and told them that the boy was still dead.

Sometimes as we’re living the greater life God has for us, things will often get worser.

Sometimes as we’re living the greater life God has for us, we will have to endure some painful situations.

ILLUSTRATION- Dealing with my father’s illness and subsequent death was one of the hardest periods of my life.

            There wasn’t a day that went by that I didn’t pray to God asking him to heal my father. Instead of my dad getting better, he actually got worse.

            Four months after the doctor told us of Dad’s brain tumor, he was dead.

            I remember sitting in the car with my family as we’re going through the funeral and all that goes along with it, when my daughter, Erica asked: “Why did Grampie have to die when I’m only 6?”

            What do you do with that?

            How could a good God allow this to happen to my family? Didn’t we love Him enough? Didn’t we serve Him?

            I don’t know if I have an adequate answer or not, but I do know this: Sometimes on the path to God’s greater life bad things happen.

            Jesus told us as much. “In this world you will have trouble.” (John 16:33, NIV)

            How’s that for a promise from God!?

In this world you will get kicked in the teeth by well-meaning people.

            In this world parents will have to bury their children

            In this word your spouse will get cancer and die.

            In this world bad things will happen to you.

            “In this world you will have trouble.” (John 16:33, NIV) but Jesus doesn’t stop there.

The very next sentence says: “But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33, NIV)

            Yes, the bottom will fall out of your life;

            Yes stuff will happen to you as you seek to live for Jesus.

            But Jesus has overcome the world.

            In what is our key verse for this series, we are told that: “the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4, NIV)

            When we’re going through the hard times of life, we must remember that God has the final say.

ILLUSTRATION- Darren MacPhee and I love to talk about sports. I’ll tell him why baseball is the superior sport and he’ll try to tell me that football is much better.

            One way that football differs from baseball is, in football, a flag is thrown on the field to challenge a play.

            When a flag is thrown, someone is telling the referee that something just happened that they didn’t like and they wish to challenge the play.

      This is when the referees go watch the video replay to see what just happened.

            Sometimes the video replay confirms the call the referees made and nothing happens.

            But other times the video replay will tell the referees that they got the call wrong.

            When this happens, the referee will turn on his microphone and say: “Upon further review…”

            At that moment things begin to change, the original ruling is overturned in favor of awarding the correct outcome of the play.

            We would do well to remember that God sees and knows all things and He is able to take our weakest, most heart-breaking moments and turn them into something greater.

            Paul said it best in his letter to the Romans. In chapter 8 verse 28 he said: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28, NIV)

            In all things God works for the good:

            When you’re sick and tired of being sick and tired--- IN all things

            When you feel like you can’t go on… in all things

            When you feel like the whole world is against you...In all things.

            Whatever you might be going through today, I want to remind you that God wants to do something greater in your life.

            Even if your life is worser; even if you get bad news; even if you don’t like how things are going, God will review the play and make the right call. Always.

            Let’s go back and see how our story ends.

            “When Elisha reached the house, there was the boy lying dead on his couch.

33 He went in, shut the door on the two of them and prayed to the Lord.

            34 Then he got on the bed and lay on the boy, mouth to mouth, eyes to eyes, hands to hands. As he stretched himself out on him, the boy’s body grew warm.

35 Elisha turned away and walked back and forth in the room and then got on the bed and stretched out on him once more. The boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes.” (2 Kings 4:32-35, NLT2)

When all hope seemed lost for this woman, God showed up and did something greater in her life: He brought her son back to life.

I want you to know dear friend, that God sees your situation and even in your pain and trouble, God wants do something greater in your life.

Ø He wants to restore your broken relationship

Ø He wants to supply all your needs

Ø He wants to forgive you and make you whole.

Isaiah wrote in chapter 40:

“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.

29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.

30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” (Isaiah 40:28-31, NLT2)

Who among us is just about to give in?

Who among us is just about to give up?

Who among us needs to allow the Lord to speak into their life and use their current situation for His honour and glory?

I want to encourage you, friend, that no matter how dark your world might appear, God is reviewing the play and He wants to do something greater in your life.

Don’t give up! Put your trust in God: “because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4, NIV)

 

 

             

Greater, Part 3

This post is part 3 in our current sermon series called Greater. Enjoy

 

            We are continuing on today in our current sermon series called: “Greater”.

            If you are visiting with us, I want you to know that I’m super thankful that you are here; and I also want you to know that over the last two weeks, we’ve been looking at the life of a Dude by the name of Elisha, and his story can be found in the books of 1&2 Kings, which is about ¼ way though the Bible.

            Using Elisha’s life as an example, we’re learning that God wants to do something greater in your life.

            What a great thought for Father’s day! Actually, this is a great thought for any day of the week.

            Whether we’re successful or not, whether our marriages have fallen apart or not, God wants to do something greater in your life.

            I want you to think about that for another second… who among us doesn’t want something greater done in our lives?

ILLUSTRATION- I do!

            While I’m relatively happy with how my life has played out this far—I’ve got a great wife who I drive up the wall;

        I’ve got two awesome kids—thank God they take after their mother—I’ve got a great job, and I love all of you—most of the time—but I don’t want this to be it.

            I want God to do something greater in my life; something that I can’t comprehend or fathom.

            This was certainly true in the life of Elisha.

            In 1 Kings 19 we are told that Elisha was an ordinary man doing an ordinary job, when God, through the prophet Elijah, called him to something greater.

            Before Elisha could begin this greater life that God had called him to, there was one thing he had to do.

Elisha had to burn the plows.

            “…Elisha returned to his oxen and slaughtered them. He used the wood from the plow to build a fire to roast their flesh. He passed around the meat to the townspeople, and they all ate. Then he went with Elijah as his assistant.” (1 Kings 19:21, NLT2)

            Elisha caught a glimpse of the greater life God had planned for him and he did what he needed to do in order to follow God: he put to death his old way of life.

            If we want to live into the greater life that God has for us, we must be willing to burn our plows; we must be willing to get rid of the things that are holding us back from being a fully devoted follower of Jesus.

            Unless you’re satisfied with living a normal life. If you are, then by all means, keep doing what you’re doing, keep living as you’re living, but to have God do something greater in your life, you will come a point in time when God will ask you to burn your plows; to give up that thing that is holding you back from following God completely.  

            I trust that some of you asked God about what He might want you to give up, and you were faithful in burning your plows.

        Doing so will allow God to do something greater in your life.

            Sometimes living that greater life involves us doing the big things—such as burning the plows; but sometimes it involves doing the little things.

            Allow me to set the stage for today’s lesson, which comes from 2 Kings Chapter 3.

             A man by the name Joram became the king of Israel after the death of his brother and their father, King Ahab.

            While Ahab was alive, he forced the king of Moab to pay him an annual tribute of 100,000 lambs and the wool of 100,000 rams; but now that Ahab was dead, the king of Moab decided that he didn't want to keep this tribute going, so he rebeled against King Joram.

            This news doesn’t sit well with Joram, so he gathererd up some of his best troops and set out to do battle with the king of Moab.

            As King Joram was on the way, he sent a text message to King Jehoshaphat of Judah asking him to join forces with Israel and beat up king of Moab.

            King Jehoshaphat sent a reply back telling Joram that he would join the battle, and then he punches the info into his GPS and figures out that the best way to attack King Moab would be through the wilderness of Edom.

            Along the way, the King of Edom joins forces with Joram and Jehoshaphat and they travel in the wilderness for 7 days.

All of a sudden the 3 armies are confronted with a huge problem.

            Here’s how the problem is explained for us in 2 Kings 3:9: “…there was no water for the men or their animals.” (NLT2)

ILLUSTRATION- More than once, we’ve been in the car without any water; and it’s not a pretty sight.

One of us, usually Erica, will ask for a drink, and we will tell her than there is nothing to drink; only to have her ask for a drink again 2 minutes later, and we tell her there is no water….

            Now, imagine being in the wilderness with several thousand of your closest friends, you’re dressed for battle, and you’re hot, and stinky and smelly, and Silver, your horse, is just about ready to collapse due lack of water.

Can you imagine the chaos this would have created?

            Almost immediately Joram thinks the worst. He believes that the Lord brought the three armies into the wilderness to be killed by the king of Moab.

            Fortunately, Jehoshaphat still has some of his factuality’s, and he asked if there was a prophet in town that could help them figure this thing out, and he was told that:

“Elisha son of Shaphat is here. He used to be Elijah’s personal assistant.” (2 Kings 3:11, nLT2)

            Almost immediately the three kings set out to find Elisha, but when they find him, Elisha is less than thrilled to see them, particularly King Joram:

            “Why are you coming to me?” Elisha asked the king of Israel.”(2 Kings 3:13, NLT2)

            Elisha recalled how Joram’s parents had oppressed his mentor Elijah so he basically tells Joram off: “Go to the pagan prophets of your father and mother!” (2 Kings 3:13, NLT2)

            Because of Elisha’s respect for King Jehoshaphat he agrees to help the kings out of their dilemma, and then he asks for: “…someone who can play the harp.” (2 Kings 3:15, NLT2) 

            Hang on just a moment... let me see if I understand this right.

The Kings of Israel, Judah and Edom, and their armies and animals are out in the wilderness and they are dying of thirst and Elisha wants a musical selection?  

            To some of us, this might seem weird, but it’s not totally off base.

ILLUSTRATION- When I talk to God, I sometimes play a song to put me in the right mindset to hear from God; and this is what Elisha was doing, he was getting everyone on the same page to hear a word from God.

            Here’s the message that came from God, by way of Elisha the prophet:

“Make this valley full of ditches.

17 For this is what the LORD says: You will see neither wind nor rain, yet this valley will be filled with water, and you, your cattle and your other animals will drink.

18 This is an easy thing in the eyes of the LORD; he will also hand Moab over to you.

19 You will overthrow every fortified city and every major town. You will cut down every good tree, stop up all the springs, and ruin every good field with stones." (2 Kings 3:16-19, NIV)

Did you catch that? Elisha said that victory would come to the three kings if they dug ditches.

Sounds kind of different doesn’t it? After all, you’re headed into battle against an enemy and you’re told that in order to gain the upper hand, you first have to pick up a shovel and dig a ditch.

Actually, it wasn’t just one ditch they were to dig. The valley was to be filled with ditches.

So the armies set out to obey this command, and they spend all night digging ditches and when the time for the morning sacrifice arrived, the valley was filled with ditches which were then filled with water.

By this time, the Moabites had heard of the three armies coming against them, so they bulked up and headed into battle, but when they arrived in the valley, the sun was reflecting off the water — which was there because of the ditches—leading the Moabites to believe that the three armies had turned on each other and the battle would be simple.

But it wasn’t, because Israel, Judah and Edom ran into battle and defeated the Moabites just as God, through the prophet Elisha, had told them.

So, I would like to answer a question that some of you may be thinking: how does this story apply to my life?

Let’s see if this clip will help. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Irkr8YOjclg)

Sometimes to enjoy the greater life that God has for us, we will actually have to show up for practice. (in case you’re wondering, AI said practice 26 times in that rant.)

Sometimes we have to do the little things well before we can enjoy the bigger things.

Sometimes we have to spend time with our kids instead of watching the ball game.

Sometimes we’ll actually have to do the hard work at forgiving the person who wronged us, and in doing so, we’ll find that we set ourselves free in the process.

Guess what Jesus had to say about this?

In Luke 16:10, we read: “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities.” (NLT2)

In order to experience the greater life God has for us, we’ll have to dig ditches.

We’ll have to do the little things that fathers are supposed to do—tell our kids that we love ‘em, no matter what.

We’ll have to tell our families that we’re proud of ‘em no matter what.

ILLUSTRATION- There were times that my father and I fought like cats and dogs.

       But when we weren’t fighting, he always made sure to tell me that he loved me and that he was proud of me, not because of what I had done, but simply because I was his son.

            The battle is won after we dig our ditches; after a night of prayer, after a phone call asking for forgiveness, after burning our plows.

            So I wonder how many of the Christ followers in this room today, need to dig some ditches this week.

If you don’t profess to follow Jesus, you’re off the hook; you dont have to do a single thing that you've heard today, but those of us to follow Christ; I wonder how many of us need to grab a shovel and dig some ditches?

            How many of us need to take the time and do those things we should do with our families to show them that we love them?

            How many of us need to make a phone call to the person we’ve been avoiding and begin to make things right?

            Who among us needs to take a step of faith and begin to consider the difference Jesus wants to make in your life?

            “It really comes down to this: “what small steps and practical preparations is God asking you to make for the greater life He wants you to live? What ditches is He asking you to dig?” (Furtick, 2012, 68)

            By now, I hope that some of you have an idea of one ditch that you need to dig; one area of your life that requires a little elbow grease.

            If you are willing to partner with God and dig that ditch, you’ll be amazed at how God shows up and brings the water you need to win your battle.

            So as we wind down today, I’m wondering how many of us need to dig a ditch or two this week?

Ø How many of us need to say yes to God and dig a ditch with our families?

Ø How many of us need to say yes to God and dig a ditch with our spiritual lives? (You will commit to going deeper with God)

Ø How many of us need to say yes to God and dig a ditch and surrender our lives over to the Lordship of Jesus Christ?

            The first step is acknowledging that you need to dig a ditch, the second step is actually digging it, so while it’s all well and good to say you need to dig, the question morphs into Will you dig a ditch?

            Will you actually commit to spending time with your family? Will you actually commit to knowing more about Jesus? Will you commit to digging a ditch?

            If you’ve answered yes to digging ditches, I'm going to ask you to come up front and pick up a card off the alter and take it back to your seat, fill it out, and put it in a location that will remind you to dig a ditch.

        As you're coming I will be praying for you I will pray that you will roll up your sleeves and make your valley full of ditches. 

 

Greater, Part 1

on Sunday, we kicked off a new sermon series called "Greater". It's a 5 week series on the life of Elisha. Enjoy!

Audio of this sermon can be found at: http://mcguiganmedia.com/McGuigan_Media/MRWC_Audio/Entries/2013/6/2_Sunday_June_2_2013.html

 

Well, I am super excited to begin a brand new series today. I love it when we begin a new series, because we’re all on the same playing field.

We’re all filled with expectation, and anticipation of what God wants to do; of what God will do in our lives.

This new series is called Greater, and it will focus on the life of a Prophet by the name of Elisha. 

Elisha is not to be confused with the prophet of a similar name, Elijah. While Elijah did some really cool things, Elisha preformed even Greater things than Elijah did.

So over the next 5 weeks, we are going to look at some key events in Elisha’s life.

So let me give you the key thought of this series right up front. This is the glue that will hold each sermon in this series together.

“God wants to do something greater in your life.”

This one sentence sermon summary is short, simple and 100% accurate.

It doesn’t matter who you are; it doesn’t matter what you may, or may not, have done with your life, God wants to do something greater in your life.

It doesn’t matter if you started a business and it failed miserably; God wants to do something greater in your life. 

It doesn’t matter if you’ve flunked out of school; God wants to do something greater in your life. 

It doesn’t matter if you have a lot of money, or if you have no money: God wants to do something greater in your life. 

The Psalmist declared in Psalm 138 that “The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me…” (138:8a, NIV)

God has a plan for your life and God wants to do something greater in your life. 

This gives me hope; knowing that God is not finished with me yet.

Knowing that God can take our messed up and broken lives and do something greater with them, something greater in them…

So I’m excited to see what God does in my life and in your life because of this series.

Our key verse, the verse that we will come back to time and again, the verse that we want you to memorize comes from 1 John chapter 4.

The immediate context of this verse has John describing for us the way to tell if someone has the Spirit of God.

If the person acknowledges that Jesus has come in the flesh, they have the Spirit of God.

If someone denies that Jesus has come in the flesh, that person has the spirit of an anti-Christ.

John goes on to say in verse 4: “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4, NIV)

Followers of Jesus are able to know the things of God: “because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4b, NIV)

This is the verse that I want us to memorize. This is the verse that I want us to recall when we are on the verge of blowing it.

The One who is in us; the Holy Spirit of God; is far greater than the one who is at work in the world.

God, who lives inside of us, is greater than the god who is in the world, and He wants to do something greater in our lives.   

As I mentioned, this series will focus on a man by the name Elisha, and his story begins in 1 Kings 19.

Please note, that we only have time to highlight some of the things that happened in Elisha’s life.

There are many other things that happened that we simply cannot cover; so I want to encourage you to take some time this month and get in your Bible and read about Elisha.

I truly think you’ll be amazed at the greater things God did in and through Elisha.

We’re going to begin our glimpse by looking into Elisha’s ordinary life, but before we do so, we need a little background information.

And to find this information, we’ve got to take a look into the life of Elijah.

If you grew up in church, you may remember hearing about how Elijah defeated the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel; if you don’t remember, or you didn't grow up in church you can check this story out in 1 Kings 18.

In the very next chapter, 1 Kings 19, we find Elijah at a very low point in his life.

He had just received a text message, telling him that there was a bounty on his head, and when Elijah heard this, he jumped into his Cadillac and drove to the desert of Beersheba, where he found solace under a tree. 

While Elijah was hanging out under this tree, he was visited, and fed by an angel of the Lord, who told him to make the 40 day journey to Mount Horeb.  

When God asked what Elijah was doing there Elijah reminded God that His people had turned their backs on Him, that all the prophets had been killed, and Elijah was the only prophet left, but he was going to die as well.

The Lord told Elijah to travel to the desert of Damascus to anoint 2 kings and one prophet.

So Elijah jumped back into his Cadillac and the first person he found was Elisha, who was an ordinary man, doing ordinary work.

Here’s how it’s recorded in 1 Kings 19:

“So Elijah went and found Elisha son of Shaphat plowing a field. There were twelve teams of oxen in the field, and Elisha was plowing with the twelfth team.

Elijah went over to him and threw his cloak across his shoulders and then walked away.

20 Elisha left the oxen standing there, ran after Elijah, and said to him, “First let me go and kiss my father and mother good-bye, and then I will go with you!”

Elijah replied, “Go on back, but think about what I have done to you.” ” (1 Kings 19:19-20, NLT2)

This was Elisha’s call. There weren’t any fireworks, nor was it a mountain top-experience.

The successor to one of Israel’s greatest prophets was a man who had a doctorate in oxen-rears.

Because he was driving the 12^th team of oxen, Elisha had a great view: if he looked to his right: oxen-rears. If he looked to his left: oxen-rears.

If he looked backwards oxen… well, you get the idea.

The moment God showed up in Elisha’s life was the moment he was doing something ordinary. He was doing what he had been doing for a long time.

Elisha was established in his ordinary life. While it probably wasn’t the best smelling job in the world, at least it paid the bills.

So on the day the prophet showed up and called Elisha to something greater, he didn’t hesitate.

Not once did he say: “I’m good dude. I like how my life is going. I like aux-de-oxen.”

When confronted with change, Elisha responded in a positive way: “Elijah went over to him and threw his cloak across his shoulders and then walked away.

20 Elisha left the oxen standing there, ran after Elijah, and said to him, “First let me go and kiss my father and mother good-bye, and then I will go with you!” (1Kings 19:19b-20, NLT2)

When Elijah threw his cloak on Elisha--which represented Elijah’s ministry-- Elisha steps into the batter’s box and swings for the fences, thus beginning his greater life.

Pastor Steven Furtick, commenting on this verse, wrote: “The cloak, a simple item fashioned out of wool or animal skin, communicates this message:

‘You weren’t meant for this Elisha. You weren’t meant to spend the rest of your life starting at oxen rears.’

‘God has something else for you. He wants to break you out of the tyranny of the familiar and take you into a life full of unpredictably and wonder. Your life can be greater.’” (Furtick, 2012, 35)

Some of you might be waiting for a sign from God before you surrender your life over to Him.

This is your sign.

While God may show up and call you to the greater life that He has for you in an awesome way, He’s more likely to show up while you’re plowing a field, while you’re going about your daily routine.

How the call comes is not as important as responding when the call comes.

And that call has come, today.  

Isaiah told us to: “Seek the Lord while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near.

7 Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously.” (Is. 55:6-7, NLT2)

God is calling us to the greater life and that involves us turning from our ordinary life and searching for and finding Him.

Jesus said: “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.

29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30, NLT2)

If you want God to do something greater in your life, it starts by responding to His invitation for you to leave your ordinary life, and grab hold of the greater life that He has planned for you.

Next week, we are going to look at Elisha’s response to this call of God, and we’ll look at the specific thing Elisha did to prove he was ready for the greater life that God had called Him too.

So here’s what I want you to do in preparation for next week, and really for the remainder of this series:

I want you to talk to God about what He wants to do in your life.

Tell Him that you’ll give Him complete access to your ordinary life; you’ll do what He asks you to do, and you’ll go where He asks you to go.

But hear this warning: Only do this if you’re serious about leaving your ordinary life.

Don’t tell God you’ll do what He wants you to do if you’re satisfied with looking at oxen rears. 

Only talk to God if you’re serious about wanting Him to do something greater in your life.

The second thing you can do (to prepare yourself for next week, and this series), is Allow God to do what He wants to do in your life.

Max Lucado once said: “God loves you just the way you are, but he refuses to leave you that way. He wants you to be just like Jesus.” (Lucado, 1998, 3)

God wants to do something greater in your life and this will only happen if you allow God to do something greater in your life.

So as the band comes back, I would like for those of us who are serious about taping into the greater life that God has for us, to stand up and tell God that we want to leave our ordinary life and follow Him.