You are A Gift (The Gifts)
Phila afresh. As you've refreshed there. A holiday love with you for the refresher. She shares? Your work. Thank you. That no cheese. Stop talking to your word and preparation for this morning or Hearts open. All ready to hear, speak to us. Touch Us in part to us through her as she shares your word in Jesus name. I mean, Good morning. So today, it's the lost in all series on gifts this month. And the times of the lord gave me, is you a gift? You may have had this quote before, but the Lord wanted me to start with this. How cool is it that the same God who created the mountains? Oceans and galaxies for the world needed. One of you.
Stop. And think about that for a minute. We quite right now. You can look in all at mountains and think of how phenomenal all-knowing and all-powerful, it's all creation, why not? Just because of the size of them, the variety of sizes, the combination in different locations, but also the detail, the geology, the makeup of the rugs, the makeup of the soil and soil science, hydrogeology the groundwater and how it interacts with soil and Drug, the Flora and Fauna, the plant, and animal life, that will survive that and don't say, that's not covering everything. Exhaustively, I'm not only mentioned mountains. Same God who not only created mountains but also created oceans and galaxies decided the world needed you to.
You'll significance or individual significance is not based on our size. Thankfully, all the Myriad of details that make us who we are, but in the fight, but God decided the world needed you and also decided that you were worth saving. He sent his beloved Son, Jesus to pay the ultimate price with his agonizing death on the cross to take the punishment for your sins and mine. Then rise again. This is so sad that all who believe in him not just that he exists but I actually put that faith in and surrender the lines to should live forever with him. After our time on Earth is over, but also receive his Holy Spirit by faith, turn Abel has to live with, and for him now, So if you've ever questioned your self-worth, remind yourself of what Jesus did for you, what he chose to do for you as it's written in John. 3:16 on a McChicken to read from the complete. Jewish Bible. John 3:16 for God. So loved the world that he gave his only and unique some so that everyone who trusts in him. May have eternal life, instead of being a totally destroyed. The highest possible price was paid for you because God decided that you were worth it. And he doesn't make mistakes. If we're struggling to recognize and acknowledge of Ali, it's important to remember not to Value, all right? In a segment of ourselves above God's to set most solo by or an opinion of ourselves, then goats It's important to accept what God says about his house. Even if we don't feel it or struggle to believe it, he tells the truth. Ephesians 1:4 in the NIV Ephesians 1:4, says to he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. It's so important that we are chosen to understand that we chosen by God who knows his completely and still loves us. If it's Mike still on John,
The living Bible is a Moulton paraphrase of the Bible to help make it easier to understand. You may not have the exact version here, but it season 1 full in the living Bible says long ago. Even before he made the world, God chose us to be his very own free. What Christ would do for us. He decided then to make his holy in his eyes, without a single fault, we who stand before, him covered with his love. The following excerpts from something Joyce Meyer. The American Christian Author and speaker says in an optical in her a fide Bible is cooled you have been chosen. Three of the strongest desires. Human beings have a to be loved to be accepted until feel that we belong. We want to feel valuable. We cannot be guaranteed of always guessing that in our dealings with people. But we can guess it from God. Even though God knows everything about us and I do mean everything he still chooses us on purpose. God made provision in Jesus for us to be wholly blameless and consecrated set apart for him.
We can leave before him in Love Without reproach. This means we do not have to feel guilty about all our weaknesses and faults. You and I are nice surprise to God. He knew exactly what he was getting when he chose us. God has hope for us and he believes in us and is working in us to help us to be or he has planned for us.
Like it says in Philippians 2:13 in the classic Amplified version I know you got me on please I don't have I'm reading on the classic Humpty from the classic, Amplified Philippians 2:13. It is God, who is all the wall affectionate? What can you energize saying? And creating in you, the power and desire both to Will and to work for his good pleasure and satisfaction and Delight? It is God, who is all the wall affectionately, but what can you sing and creating and you the power and desire? But Stu will Hunter work for his good pleasure and satisfaction and denied. God loves us as we are and loves us too much to leave us as we are. So he works in US was willing to surrender to the Holy Spirit living in us and learn to surrender to the truth of his word. So we can put fill the potential that he pushing us. Forgiveness is a gift from the Lord to us made possible by Jesus death and Resurrection. When we repent of all sin, every time we break the Lord of love, love God, love others and love ourselves with the kiffin and we can move on from it. that may be consequences that we have to do with, but we don't need to get stuck by So you are a gift. A gift from God to the world around you. However, if you a false sense of self-worth is not based on the truth of the weather of God, because of experience says, because of wrong things, that may have been spoken over us at cetera. It can be placed in lies or half-truths without us, even realizing it sometimes. So I'm just going to briefly, explore one example. Is your sense of taste on your age? If you live in a culture where old age is, not funded your sense of your own was, maybe juice as you got older. I know someone who when they turned 80 said. That's it. I'm a second-class citizen now. I thought that was sad and shocking but swallows wrong and challenge them. Proverbs 20 verse 29, Proverbs 20 verse 29, and I'm reading from the ESV says, the glory of young men is that strength, but the Splendor of our fans is that gray hair. Hallelujah. The Amplified as representing wisdom and experience
I would ask the wisdom and experience is still there, even if the gray hair is dyed,
Hear the Bible, makes it clear. The older people are seen as having fallible life, experience, and wisdom to share with younger Generations. They can serve in different ways. The New Testament, mentions the role of older women in teaching younger women. So it's not just about men,
For example, when I went to the Central African Republic with Wickliffe, Bible translators for you and my mid-twenties because I didn't have a home church so behind me, praying for me. I have no home test Wickliffe. Connects with me with a lady in Kent. He was a faithful prayer partner in her nineties. She needed Home cast to support her with activities of daily living, but she supported me on the mission field in prayer and I look forward to meeting her and have fun to say thank you.
Some people value youth, but depending on the context that can mean a lack of experience, which can impact confidence. Cold sweat to Jeremiah. In the book of Jeremiah chapter 1, verses 5 to 8 address. It says I'm reading from the NIV. So Jeremiah 1:5 to 1/8 before. I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I set you apart. I appointed you say The sex a lot Sovereign. Lord, I said, I did not know how to speak. I am too young. But the Lord said to me, do not say I am too young. You must go to everyone. I send you two and say, whatever. I come on Jay. Do not be afraid of them. I Am with You declares the Lord. The seven, but the Lord said to me, do not say I am too young. Go wherever I send you. I am with you. I deliberately not created the parts. That was specific to Jeremiah because it's easier to personalize it for us. It's good to personalize God's word, reprove him. When we read that, because if it wasn't relevant to us, it would just be an interesting history folk but God's word is all relevant to us. Not just a Prophet Jeremiah who made the contribution that she did to go to Tunnel? Wood was not chosen because of his great skill as an orator or any other not true his looks or his charismatic personality. He was chosen before he was born. God chose him because Jeremiah Was His Divine choice.
It is God who gives us and calls us to J whatever he calls us today. Well, I ought to say or even sing. It's hard to say or even think that my gifts or Michael, or my Cooling and bye-bye imprecation, I am Superior or inferior to. Anyone else means that I am judging God's decisions. That's never a small thing today.
Jesus Paid the same price for each one of us.
Just to be clear of value is not in our gifts and calling, we have intrinsic value because God made us and deemed us worth saving. But because of the culture that we live in because of our human nature, I think it it can be easy to equate. The two. Appointed, you are a gift, your age, doesn't add or detract from this truth. My second point is, you are a gift. Why God has placed you Well, rule in unique positions of influence because of the unique relationship. So we have four different people in different places. Is b, a privilege and the responsibility. Looking briefly in the first chapter of the Book of John John the Baptist has been preached in the wilderness and those are baptizing in the Jordan River at Bissonnet. Infest, it's 32 to 33, he said, he'd seen the spirit descending us a tough out of heaven, and remain on Jesus and John recognize God's voice. Telling him that Jesus was baptized in the Holy Spirit. Search on one versus 35 to 37. The next day, John was standing with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by he said, look the number of God. The two disciples had him say this and follow Jesus. That's supposed to say Andre Simon Peter's, brother was one of the two who had John and followed him. He first found his own brother Simon, and told him we have found the Messiah, which is translated the Christ and he brought Simon to Jesus. So hey, we see the impacts of John, the Baptist influence, his disciples of his respected, him enough to follow him, to be his disciples. John said, something something that he clearly seen in the spirit and not with his naturalized. Essentially reiterating something, he said the previous by the disciples acted on it, and saw that Jesus. Then Andre because of his relationship with his brother Simon, then brought him to Jesus. He utilized his position of influence, with his brother to bring him to Jesus. This completely changed the direction of Simons life. Simon, who teases rename cephas or Peter was a fisherman who went on to become a great leader in the early church?
That's a challenge for us to consider. How do we say our position of influence within our families? Adults are within our circle of friends and acquaintances.
How do you think God sees it?
And a separate question. How are we using a position of influence within the circles? Just a little reminder. You are a gift strategically-placed by the Lord. Even if for whatever reason, you believe that the Lord wants to make changes in your life that would involve. For example, moving away or different job that by changing your sphere of influence, that's fine. Continue to pray into those moves, but I strongly encourage you not to disregard your current position of influence as the Lord can still speak freely. A true love for you at cetera as long as you're there.
Chuck Colson is a name that some of you will recognize another's. Wayans He was an American attorney and political adviser to President Richard Nixon in 1969 to 17 before he was caught up in the Watergate scandal at the 1970s that, but you spend 7 months in prison as a result. His downfall led to his conversion, although he was might widely mocked when he announced his faith in Christ. The following true story is based on an interview with him. One beautiful evening in Florida, a group of wealthy guests, gathered at a party overlooking, a bay full of expensive yachts. The hostess had off Chuck Colson to tell his story but you can imagine he was well known to them. Colts and spoke to a skeptical and uncomfortable audience, who he said later in an interview didn't want to appear to be affected by his story. When Coulson took questions from the audience. Most people lost about Nixon. Watergate until finally one month spoke up and said Mr. Coulson as you can see, all of us had a very good life. None of us of course would have any experiences like yours came from the White House to prison. What would you say to people like us who have no problems in life? Coulson replied. Will you may not have happened yet? You will. Is there anybody here? Who has really has a life without problems? I'd still like to talk to him off to it's because everybody has their share of problems. And if you don't know, now you will, when you're lying on your deathbed, and all of these things, will have no meaning to you because, you know, your life is about to end.
Coulson said the impact on his heels and on his audience was like letting a Cabela's. There wasn't a sound. Nobody applauded. The hostess Rose, unannounced, you make yourself, comfortable, and mystical, some will stay and answer the questions. A steady stream of people came to Chuck and his wife telling them things, like my son is on drugs and I can't find him and my husband's got full Mistresses. I don't know how to do with it. They told a divorce family problems, civil suits. No one accepted my invitation to explain how life can become problem-free Folsom, right? No one lived. Such a life. The altitude with pill facade. Colton was speaking to an audience, a very successful people, many of whom would never admit that. I need of Christ, but he knew that I need cuz he'd been there himself. His position in this case and his Fame and previous occupation, plenty of very successful man, prize, his imprisonment, put him in a unique position to have the air. These people and the opportunity to influence them. I'm not suggesting that we need to have had the same experiences of someone in order to be able to speak into someone's life. Love in my opinion. It's the universal language that can transcend these kinds of areas and how we express. Love would love to see very depending on the situation, what's appropriate? What type of a sphere of influence? It's an opportunity that space a privilege and a responsibility.
One that we need to manage press any with wisdom that the Holy Spirit leads us. You may feel like you have nothing to offer. That's a broad statement. So I'm going to make it more specific. You may recognize you'll find you your gifts inside the situations, but you know, those feel overwhelmed and out of your depth like you've got nothing to bring nothing to give In Genesis 1, verse 1, Genesis 1 verse 1. It says in the beginning, God created the heavens and the Earth. The Amplified says, created by forming from nothing. The heavens and the Earth it goes on to say that the Earth was without form and empty It's quite hard for us to get our heads around the concept of what nothing looks like, you could say, but that's nothing in front of me right now. If I may use the microwave.
But God said, created the air that we breathe, so it's exactly the right composition for us to live. It's mostly nitrogen about 20% oxygen with small amounts of argon and carbon dioxide and various Trace gases. And potentially water vapor. But got started with literally nothing. Recognizes the importance of detail when it's needed. My point is starting with nothing is not an obstacle for God, but rather an opportunity. Bring him your Nothing by faith and watch what he will do.
We also need to remember on hold on to God's promise, that's repeated many times in different ways throughout the Bible. For example, in Matthew 28:20, I am with you. Always, here it. Goes on to say, even to the end of the age. In other words, this promise will hold true for all believers until Jesus comes back to us, which he will. Many things may seem uncertain in this life, but Jesus will come again. He's promised. So you are a gift. It's important to Anchor our sense of worth and what God says about us and certainly knows her age, whether we stay that positively or not. You are a gift. What God has placed you. That solves the Lord to help us to use our influence. Well, but before we do that, I believe that the Lord is saying that at least two people who are either listening right now in the room online or will listen to the podcast. Later, has started to give up on life in different ways. The Lord wants you to receive the truth that you are a gift. You are his gift uniquely placed to influence people who are harder to reach than money. Your influence may be personal and do it, maybe professional. So I'll send you feeling and I declare it even like to have imposter syndrome. What am I doing here? I believe. The Lord is saying, I have placed you strategically and I have plans and purposes for your life. What's the night, may not be that clear to you at the moment? Don't allow that lack of clarity to lead you to think that your life is without meaning. You are a guest my precious and chosen gift to the people around you. in 2 Corinthians 3:18, 2 Corinthians 3:18 in the Amplified it says and we all with unveiled face continually seeing as in a mirror, the glory of the Lord, a progressively been transformed into his image from one degree of Glory to even more Glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the spirit The Lord is saying, I am changing you from glory to glory. It's a process and doesn't always feel like a pleasant one, but I'm in charge of it. So it's going to be okay.
Before placing, I believe the Lord wants us to briefly consider the gift of others in our lives. I appreciate no type of ruining our lives. Isis already feels like a gift. But anyway, Proverbs 27, + 17, Proverbs 27 verse 17, in the Amplified Bible says as iron sharpens iron. So one man, sharpens and influences, another tree discussion. As iron sharpens, iron. So one man, sharpens and influences. Another 3 discussion. How to say people on two ways, a positive influence on each other but let's talk positively. This is a guy that we used to know, and that's a phrase that I still associate with him. Facts about fly. He would say that's often but I still associate with him. What a positive thing to associate with someone? Send this Someone I used to work Chris. He was affectionately known as moaning Minnie. Guess why she complained so much, but will lovely lady in particular. I used to say to her something along the lines of come on during the day, but hamana was unmistakably warm as well as bound to us. So she's got to where I was trying to help her to reset. What do people associate with? Yay? and with me, it's worth considering, but my habits not turning up in Haverhill habits, but it was on habits, in speech from part of our influence. Not just what we say when we speak directly into a situation or about the situation. there's someone in my life who has a particular Behavior at the I find challenging I'm learning not to mine and just let it go by reminding myself but in the scheme of things is not that important. I also find it helpful to remind myself at this person's. Good qualities. Just because I find a particular Behavior irritating, isn't an excuse to be blind by positive characteristics, and what these can teach me Does the time to address behaviors and a time to let them go. And it's also worth understanding from the Lord. What day? You're the one who is best place to address them or whether it's someone else or must have her prayer to leave in the Lord's hands. I want to close with an excerpt from the well-known book by Corrie Ten. Boom The Hiding Place. B. Christian lady and her family, were heavily involved in helping Jews during the Nazi, occupation of Poland, in World War II until someone betrayed them. I'm starting at the point where Corey and his sister Betsy have been taken to a concentration camp and assigned to a Barracks designed to hold 400. But with a population of 1400, female prisoners She says here, there was not even a Common Language and among exhausted it will fight people Quarles erupted constantly. There was one raging now as the women sleeping, there's the windows slam them shots against the cold. But once schools are forces demanded that they be raised again. Rules with starting up, starting with up and down that side of the rain. In the dark, I fell back to sleep and lost mine. Lord Jesus. She said, aloud send you a piece into this room. That's been to little pray, the very walls of snow it but where you come? Lord, the spirit of strife cannot exist. The change was gradual, but distinct One By One, The Angry sounds last time. In fact, a couple of people make different comments and ended with a ripple of Loft are going round. The rain. Curry says, I knew there was one more second stones for which I could give thanks that. She had come to Barracks 28. Such was the gift and influence effects, a on Corey and the tires them in prayer inviting Jesus into the situation. Sometimes the best way to influence people or a situation is to invite Jesus into it by faith in Pro. The important thing is to understand from him, what our role is in a given situation and then do the best we can by faith and trust him with all that we not. And to make good any mistakes we make Let's pray. Could have had a captain of a ship. Lord, thank you that in your eyes. We are all a gift Chosen and precious to you. I have influence where you've placed us. Help us father God, to use our influence well by teaches more and more to lean on and learn from the Holy Spirit, and from your word, cuz we asked it For Your Glory in Jesus name. Amen.
