What is Your Vision of God?

Okay, let's get into the word here. As you've heard about the needs here in the local church. Our local church here today. What's your response in your heart? To your heart, saying to you right now? What's going on in your mind? Well, if you're like me, you might be in a place like this. Maybe you see the need and you say, yeah, I want to help but I don't have any of the abilities that are required on his way. Maybe maybe that's the response of your heart today you may have a different response you may say while I could do that but I just don't want to. I hope that's not you. I hope that's not weird. if you feel like you don't have certain gifts and abilities, To volunteer for any of these roles. Well, You not alone in my thinking. That's not new thinking in today's world, that has been around for a long, long time. Many people, many people in this world who have done great things for God, stepped out in faith, believing that God was going to enable them to do, what he was asking them to do.

They didn't feel like they had any ability, they didn't feel like they were anybody special, they didn't feel like they were specially gifted. They just trusted.

Believe God, the God was asking him to do something and deceptive to do it. I work with a lot of Christian people in my life when we worked over season in Papua New, Guinea for 20 years, we met a lot of people. A lot of people that God had called into Ministry. Testimony after testimony. I heard things like, well, I was nobody special. I just an ordinary person. I wasn't necessarily gifted. I wasn't zapped with some Supernatural ability.

I just knew that I had to be available because God was speaking to my phone.

And God allowed him to do great things. God, allow build those people do great things in their life, not because they were special but because They believed they had a vision for God.

Many of those had no great view of themselves, but they had her on great view of, they're not and Isabella. we can go into the Bible and we can talk about about people from the Bible who had that same Thinking Moses, Moses was a great leader and we know the story of Moses right now, he brought the children of Israel out of Egypt and yet listen to what Moses dead when God asked him to go. He said, Who Am I, who am I? That I should go. I'm nobody special as matter fact, I'm a wanted man in it and Egypt. Who am I? That I should go back to You remember this man Gideon? He was. He was a farmer. He was a farmer who was out in his field when God called him and said Gideon, mighty warrior. He called them You're going to win. Great battles for me and Gideon's responds with

I'm nobody special. We're not our family is nobody fixed as matter. Fact, I am the least in my family. I'm the least in my father's house. Why would you pick me? I was getting some response. What about Jeremiah Jeremiah? The guy we're going to be looking at today a little bit. Jeremiah is called to be a prophet of God. A mighty prophet of God, he can speak for God and Jeremiah is the old. I cannot speak. I can't speak. I'm a used. I'm a kid. Maybe that's what you're thinking. I'm too young. Call. Jeremiah thought that got to know. I got other plans for you. Jeremiah, I got a Ministry for you, like you will not believe.

Get into the into the New Testament. You think about Paul the Apostle What which is why we know what Paul was before he got saved. He was A persecuted persecutor of the church. He was a murderer of Christian. He was one that threw Christians in jail. He was he fought against the church until he got they got miraculous to change them. And even at that point, he said, I am the chief of Sinners. If there's if there is a tribe of Sinners which were all part of Ethan, I'm the chief. I'm ahead of you off. And yet, what did God do for this month? What do God do to look like all of these ordinary men? You got called for a special purpose. Ordinary men who saw themselves as ordinary, and yet they saw their God as extraordinary.

God has continued to use Ordinary People to accomplish his plan. What is it? Say, in the scripture that says, he uses the foolish things to confound, the wise right would be foolish to use some of these people because they have no training, they have no background, they have no ability and yet got to stop for gas. That's what I'll take it.

You took a Dairy Farmer from Pennsylvania and use them to reach the most tribe, Papa New Guinea. If you know that story. It's a, it's a miracle. I knew that, man, he was nobody special. It was a dairy farm.

And yet, God used to Teresa and Trevor and entire tribe of people, with the gospel who never heard it all before.

Can God not do miraculous things.

Yes, you can a little closer to home. Took a Rodeo Cowboy from Montana and he brought him up to Northern Canada. The alarm to pastor church for over 30 years and lead people to Christ for over 30 years. You guys know what I'm talking about.

All of these people, all of these examples. I've given you today. Have several things in common. First of all, they were ordinary people just like you. Story, if you don't want to be called work. They were Ordinary People, they weren't something. Special in themself.

Secondly. They saw themselves as that all of these people are just ordinary people that they didn't have an inflated view of themselves. Like one someone special by someone that God could really use.

If we have that kind of an idea, God's probably going to send us back to school and teach us a few things about the annuity business.

Lastly, the most importantly, these people had something else in, they had a vision of God. They had a vision of God that caused him to step out and trusting to do things are beyond their own abilities. Far beyond the things that they could even imagine themselves doing

What's your vision?

It's your vision of God limited to. Well, I've done this before so maybe I could do it. Or are you willing to see? He got is one who could enable you even though you have no experience. You have no gift in my area or you think you don't have any. Do you know what? There was a time when I would have said I cannot speak in front of the crown. I can't speak in front of people. It was a time in my life when I when I bought that way, I don't think that way anymore. You know why? Because God has given me the opportunity to find out what the gifting is.

Today I can talk in front of you guys. We do you know following wilberger getting all in a sweat. And it's all because of him. It's because of him. It's not because I need someone special. Let's take a little closer look at this Prophet, Jeremiah and the difficult Ministry. God had for him, Jeremiah was the one who said

You got to know you're going to be a major prophet of money. You were going to speak to the people of Israel to the people of Judah. You were going to have a message for them and the message is not going to be heard.

you know, if I stood up here this morning and I told you about all the needs of his church and and I spelled it all out and and I knew that you were not going to. Listen, how would I feel? Would be very discouraging, but if I knew that not one person was going to respond, how would I feel? I be buried. I'd be like why am I doing this? Why am I even opening my mouth?

God told me to do your message to Israel and Judah is there. If you do not repent, and if you do not turn back to your God, I am going to bring Devastation and destruction to this country.

And they didn't, listen.

But Jeremiah, guess what? Guess how he felt. He was discouraged. He was down. Hardest God. Why are you sending me out with this message? Nobody ever listen.

What God wants in Crazy Heart. Turn on Jeremiah 18. And verse 124. These are the words that are recorded for us, the word of the Lord, which came to Jeremiah from the Lord saying arise and go down to The Potter's House. And there, I will cause you to hear my words. Then he went to The Potter's House in Derry was making something at the wheel and the best of what you made of clay was marred in the hands of the Potter so he made it again into another vessel as it seemed good. The Departed. So might have seemed a little bit strange to Jeremiah, God's message. Damn, let's go go. Visit this Potter guy. This guy that works with clay and he makes about to go see him and as he went goes over there and he sees Potter is having a little struggle. He starts making a vessel and then it gets Marge, is what scripture says it gets, it wasn't perfect. He was flawed in some way until he started over. He took the same place and he started over. Arden become frustrated, in become. Discouragement my grandkids kids took a pottery class here a few years ago, it was fun to watch, and we're just pushing the wrong place at the wrong time and suddenly your pot goes all walking right, very yeah, takes practice. Anyway, that's what Jeremiah soft and God explained to him. What that means in the next few verses in verses 5 to 10, then the word of the Lord came to me saying, O House of Israel. Can I not do with you as this Potter? If the Lord look at the clay look as the clay is in The Potter's hands. So you are in my hand. Oh, House of Israel. The instant, I speak concerning a nation, considering concerning a kingdom to pluck it up, to pull it down and to destroy it. If that Nation against whom I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I thought to bring upon. And the instant, I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom to build it to build, and to plant it, if it does evil in my sight. So that it does not obey my voice. Then I will Revenge concerning the good. That I said, I would benefit it. Here's the practical application of what Jeremiah with mean. God is talking about the nation of Israel here talkin about the nations of the world and the lesson is about who's really in control. That's really what it is, but it also speaks about four billion and repentance Judo was on a collision course for disaster. Because of their Disobedience to God.

God was there? True God. He was the only one. They said they should be worshiping and yet they were chasing after the idols of the Nations around them. They were worshipping other gods. They were worshipping statues and golden statue in silver statue in wooden statue, So, we're not worshipping.

Chased after the Heathen Nations around them to set up these idols and they turn from their lord. God omnipotent.

Me ask you this. Is anyone here in this room? I think that Canada and the United States and almost every nation probably every nation on this Earth is headed on a collision course for disaster. if we just look at our country Canada and United States, our country United States, were founded on Christian principles, were they not I think everybody would tell us that our countries were founded on Christian principles and morals and ideals that came from God's work. And we've turned away from it as a country. We've turned away when you're rejected, God, many people. Most people almost everyone probably even doubt that there's a God, that exists. It certainly don't give him credit for creation.

We have turned away. Are we not headed on a collision course for disaster?

Will there not be consequences. Read verse 11. Now, therefore speak to the men of Judah. This is God speaking to Jeremiah now is just go back. Talk to these guys and behold, I am fashioning a disaster. And devising a plan against you. This is our wonderful love and merciful god speaking to the people that he loves and cares for.

You hold on fashioning a disaster, in devising, a plan against you return. Now, everyone from this evil, wait, and make your ways and your doings. Give them the recipe for avoiding that disaster. By the way, this it's with the fifth message of 14 messages that God had given Jeremiah to give to the people of Israel and Judah. Go home. Read it. Chapter 2 to chapter 29. I think 14 times God in different ways. Give this message to do to an Israel. They had lots of opportunity to turn lots of conviction in their heart because they had a preacher that was preaching to them and telling them what was going to happen.

God was telling Jeremiah to tell them to repent. Turn back to God. Avoid this destruction. That was coming.

Listen, listen to The People's response, you'll be a staunch V. And they said that is open.

That is so. So we will walk according to our own plans. And we will everyone obey the dictates. Aviva Park. You believe that response? They were so far down the track of walking and send that they knew they couldn't turn around. They knew they would never get that Nation to turn around.

So that was a response. They actually saw their own condition very clearly they were so entrenched so entrenched that they would not repent. They would follow their own evil heart.

And we know from history, what happened.

The Babylonian Empire costume. He marched his army into Israel and Judah and he took them captive, he conquered their country, he drugged them back to Babylon where they stayed there for many years.

World events today. Show us that we're on a collision course for disaster.

It seems like no one almost. No one cares about God. Seems like no one almost, no one even believe that he exists. It seems like everyone or at least almost everyone has their own God. If they're sure whether it's money or power or some other selfish interest with her pleasure,

That's the world we live in this moment. That's where we live in today.

But you know what? If we let frustration come in we see if if you hear this message and you get frustrated about it and you're just angry about it and you just are just angry with the way things are in the world. I tell you a week, if that gets us down, it's because we have a very dim view of God. Is very dim view of. God is still on the impotent. Still in control. We may fret and fume about how governments take more and more of our control. Make more take more of them, more control away from us speak more and more freedoms from us. We can get all upset about that. You know what. He's not fretting about it. He knows what it's going to do about it.

Is it called that has divided?

After 4. At what he did for Israel to his chosen people.

We need to remember how these governments these ones that we don't like so much how they came into power.

Not because you were from nothing now. Romans 13:1 and says this, let every soul be subject to the governing authorities for there is no Authority. There is no Authority except from God. And the authorities that exist are appointed by God.

you're upset because Trudeau's in government, you're upset because 511, the election, you're upset because have a lot of And the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Read that verse, think about it, let it sink into your heart.

Trump got into Power because God appointed him. find garden because God appointed in June, Cuesta Park Gotti on Youtube. Appointed mean.

Think about it.

How much energy are we wasting? Because we Brett, few more things that God has control over. Ghana petroleum.

Does it matter who wins the election? Got it. The one who's ultimately in control. Do I hear an amen? Are you guys with me?

Even that Mighty ruler Nebuchadnezzar you know he was in charge of the Babylonian Empire, he was on top of the Heat and he knew it. He's control the world. Until one day, God decided he needed to be brought down. Listen to what it says in. Daniel 5 verse 21, this is Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven from the sons of men, his heart was made like a Diesel and his dwelling with with the wild donkey, they fed him with grass, like oxen body was wet with the Dew of Heaven. Easton pretty far from being on top of the Heat.

Tell he knew that the most high God rules in the Kingdom of men and two points over if whoever he chooses. That was the lesson for Nebuchadnezzar. You're not king of the king of the world, never getting with you. I am still came. I will show you. I will show you got that work.

I hope we don't need that message. I hope we don't need that lesson. Where God has to put us in that place where he Have to show us with such drastic measures who's really in control.

If a so far, we've been looking at the accepted at the level of Nations to level of country, Israel Duda Canada, United States. But there's also a personal application for me. I want to finish with this. Because really for a country like Israel or Judah, or United States or Canada for a country like that to repent and turn, how does that work? It has to happen on the individual level seven. The country as a whole isn't going to retain individuals in the country individuals and tell him nothing to visually repent and turn. So there's a personal application engine.

We could see ourselves is that lump of Clay on The Potter's Wheel. I'm not allowed to play on The Potter's Wheel. You know what? When you got it originally made men and women in the in the Garden of Eden. They were perfect. He were that perfect vessel that he could use They became our, let's send. He became unusable. And I had to rework that claim. Got to rework it. unless, Then makes us on usable for God's Kingdom. Send make the unacceptable for God King, we will never get into God's Kingdom.

With. Unforgiven sin in my life. I'd have to rework. You have to put it back on the Wheel from reshape Us and how does what is that? How does he do that?

Let the Potter rework this remote, that's it to something. He can feel, we will remain Martin without hope. How does he do that? While we have to go back a chapter in Jeremiah, because Jeremiah talked about it to in chapter 17. First five, you said dust is the Lord. Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength and his heart and parts from the Lord.

He will be like a shrub in the desert. I shall not see when good come, but y'all inhabit, the parts places in the wilderness in the salt land which is not inhabited with pink, a good picture. Boils down to who or what are we trusting? According to this verse Series has, where your truck did? That's what you're counting on to get you through your cursed. You're smart, you're going to remain Mars.

When when that's the state of our Hardware heart is not looking to God, then we have departed from him.

That person's life is just like a shrub in the desert. Dry decimal place.

Heart salty land is good for nothing. Ever, tried to grow. Cropping parched salty land. We have someone like that up here in this country, doesn't grow any.

That's a pretty good description of a person who is without God in your life. Dry meaningless without purpose in without open.

You know, in contrasting that that man who does not know, God is the one who trust God in the next few verses. He talks about that. He said, blessed is the man who trusts in the world just to take her first. That's the difference between the curse of your black Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and whose proof is in the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted By the Waters which spreads out its roots by the river and will not fear when he comes and it's Leaf will be green and it will not be anxious in the year of drought Norwood seats.

You've seen those pictures you seen the pictures of the desert where everything is brown and everything is dry. And suddenly there's a river that cuts through the through the desert and along the Riverbanks. What do you see? Do you see green trees? you don't see them out in the dryer parts when you see them along the river where they can, Find that source of life that they need, that water that they need to wear.

That's the description. You give of the person who trusting God person with God in their life. Personally, find a source of strength and trusting him completed.

His life is like a. Wellner street, the Same by the river. Leaves are green and it yields root continuous. That's what your life would be. Like, when you put your hope and trust in Christ. Which of these, which of these descriptions describes you. are you in a dry parcel and living with no, hope for no destination, no purpose, other than just surviving

Or are you strengthen day after day? By the one who is the source of life.

One who has given you everything you need to live to live Godly in Christ Jesus.

Your life is perfect and you have a destination. For those of you that are Christian, you can relate to that, you have purpose. When you get up in the morning you have a destination for when this life is over, you know where you're going.

If you don't have that, you can change that today. You can change it today. It's imagine that change in just a moment.

It doesn't require. 12 month course. Doesn't require a 4-year. Degree in University to change. Don't get more.

But getting two trucks and price but beginning putting your faith in your truck and bright, you might not even understand completely. What that, what that mean to do that?

God wants us to be willing to trust me and learn with that. I believe in what the Bible says about Christ in about God and it bumped you.

That's how.

What is your vision of God?

You see him at the one who can give you what is needed for a part of a Ministry in the church. You think God is able to do that or know he could never do that. I don't have that ability and I never will have in. So therefore, I'll just sit here and be quiet.

Are you willing to step out and trust him to do that? You know, whether whether you're trusting him to serve, the God, puts his finger on your heart, like you did with Kim with wire. And that I want you to go to Haiti and start a mission over there. Whether God is doing something like that or whether he's putting his finger on your heart that you could be an usher in the church.

It's the same thing. Are you at the same thing? Are you willing to step out and trust him and say, yeah, I could do that God because I believe you can enable me, you will give me what it takes to do this job. If you want me to do it. Then you're going to have to enable. That's what I said when when God put his finger on my life and said, God, I love, I want you to go to Papua New Guinea and I want you to learn another language and I want you to preach to people who have never heard the gospel before. What could I say to God on that? Well, I've never done that before. I have no idea how to do that.

But I'm going to go because I believe that you can give me that ability, if that's what you're asking me to go, then you're going to give me the tools to do the job. and you get, He did all credit goes to God for. Anything that happened to. That means

So, it doesn't matter the size of the ministry's size of the journey, doesn't matter. It's the same step, step out and trust and believe in me take courage. Take courage to trust God be available available. That's all he really wanted you to be available. And he will bless you like nobody's business.

Our God is a great song. The wonderful day. There's no limit to what he can do in any life. Any one of you hear any one of us? No limits to what he can do.

You know, who sang that song? He knows your name. I was thinking about that again. He knows your name now. He knew your name before you were born, he knew your name when Christ hung on the cross. He knew exactly who he was hanging your for. You did not flash through his mind and I'm hanging here for Bob now. I think it did. Cuz I know we all have a God that can do that. He can think of every one of us and you can be involved in the lives of everyone of us. At the same time, he's not limited by time. Space or anything. What's your vision got? Arcanine able me to be a trip secretary. No. Anyway, asked him for renewed vision of him. Cuz that's where I'm strengthen us was. Life comes from the springs.

Father, thank you for the message and Jeremiah. God, you made it clear to Jeremiah that Because the vessel is, Mara doesn't mean that. He's finished with it, it's destroyed completely. God wants to rework. Rework. The nation's he wants to rework you and me.

God, I pray that you just give us a renewed vision of Who You Are. Show us your power, show us your money. in our own lives in our, in our, in the way that we would understand and we would say, yes, I'm going to complete trust and

Hope in Christ in Christ alone. That means, I will do whatever he asked me to do. I will go wherever wherever he asked me to go. I will serve in whatever capacity you have to do.

Can you put black actress? You will pass that? Like, he will be like a tree planted by the water. Gathering strength, Day by Day, from the water that flows past. You are the source you recognize that. I love that picture though. SLC tree beside the river.

I pray that for everyone in this room. Is everyone in, here's this message today. Can you put the trust between me and you? Can you see that crazy things in Christ? Precious?