The Serendipitous Life

Introduction

The story of the three princes of Serindip

They start off on a journey to find a great treasure

Though they did not find the treasure for which they searched, they were constantly surprised by more magnificent treasure they had not anticipated.

While looking for one thing, they found unexpected delights along the way

They grew in the realization that the true secret of an adventuresome life is in our awareness of unexpected happenings in usual circumstances

His most significant and valued experiences had happened to him while he was least expecting them, and the serendipity was always more precious than the thing sought for

Acts 16:6–10 NIV84

Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

A Serendipitous life is distinguished by surprisability

When we lose our capacity to be surprisable, we settle into life’s ruts of responsibilities and demands with the terrible conviction that we must do everything ourselves.

One church we were at, the preachers wife was plaaning a surprise party for my wife. The preacher told her about it and said she better act surprised because he wife was working really hard on it.

God delights to surprise us with serendipities we never expect

A Serendipitous life is xspressed in spontaneity

it is the capacity of grasping the unexpected, the freedom to respond to the unplanned.

A tragic thing happens when we outplan God and resist his interventions because they were not on our carefully calculated agendas

A life is marked by serendipitous wisdom when we suddenly see an answer and a direction we had not anticipated

Sensitivity to people and life is the result

We come alive to unlimited possibilities

The crowning joy of a serendipitous life is security

When we get to the place where our lives are completely under his control and our decisions are guided by expectant prayer, then we become profoundly secure in the reliability of his providence

A truly Serendipitous Life is Discovered in the Stream of the Holy Spirit

Guidance is not something we go to God to get; It is the inner assurance which comes from being carried along the riverbed, through the rocks and rapids of dangerous alternatives.

Psalm 46:4 NIV84

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.

Paul and his friends were being carried by the river of the Holy Spirit

They were not so much seeking guidance as in a flow of guidance

How do we know God’s direction for our life

WE were invited to Jamaica for a Memorial service and mission trip

I felt led to go but had no money

I asked God to help me get rid of some of my debt so I could go

I sold a bunch a water softeners at that time and went of the trip

The Lord’s “No” becomes an ultimate “Yes”, in the flow of the spirit

God’s “No” opened the door for where God wanted them to go

I wanted to go into farming and planted 15 acres of corn

I got about 15 bushels of corn off that plot because of a localized draught

Many times God prevents us from doing what we want to do

Sometimes when we do ignore spiritual guidance, we result in depleted energies, and ineffectiveness of our efforts

Most of us do not enjoy ambiguity

Proverbs 3:5 NIV84

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;