Succeeding in God-given Roles

Recap

Part 1

Man’s search for meaning

Postmodernism’s pull

The fulfillment we search for is in filling our God-given roles

God handed out roles (Adam and Eve)

The Fall - a failure in roles

Part 2

Suicide pods (the need for purpose is real!)

We need to talk to God to find out who we are supposed to be.

Adam walked with God, therefore he understood his roles. SEEK GOD TO FIND OUT WHAT HE WANTS FROM YOU.

No matter what all we are unsure of, we are all to be DISCIPLE-MAKERS!

Obstacles to Being Who God Wants You to Be:

Distractions

Comparisons

Our Perception of Ourselves (We are our worst enemy!)

A. D. Urshan Faith

Cain and Abel

So after all that we watched play out with Adam and Eve, let’s move toward the next part of that story...

Genesis 4:1–2 NKJV

1 Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, “I have acquired a man from the Lord.” 2 Then she bore again, this time his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.

Ah! Look… immediately as two young people are born, we find that they have been given ROLES!

WE ALL HAVE PURPOSE.

Genesis 4:3–5 NKJV

3 And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. 4 Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, 5 but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.

So, here… not too long after the first roles were distributed to Adam and Eve, we find their children learning in their own roles.

And it was Cain who turned the focus away from his work role and displeased the Lord.

Now, immediately, our mind wonders “Why? Why was it that Cain’s sacrifice displeased God?” And the answer to that is that Scripture doesn’t completely spell out the absolute reason.

We know that in instances afterward and beyond, God required blood sacrifice. Aren’t you thankful we don’t have to deal with that?!

And one day long afterward, it would not be required… Hebrews 10 says that “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.” And in the same chapter it says, “...we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all!”

One drop of Jesus’s blood was enough for EVERYONE OF ALL OF TIME!

…but for Cain’s situation, the fruits that he displayed spoke to his spiritual state.

God asked the question, “Why are you angry and your countenance fallen?” And the fascinating thing about roles in this story is the very next line...

Genesis 4:7 NKJV

7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.”

LISTEN: If we focus on our roles we have been given, and we live them out in the way God desires, we will be accepted!!!

But when we do not… when we turn away from doing God’s design for our life in His way… “sin lies at the door.” But we “should rule over it.”

God Wants You to Grow!

Jude 20–21 NKJV

20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

We have got to decide whether we are going to be Apostolic or apathetic!!!

The Big Stuff

Big Rocks First

ILLUSTRATION: Bro. Gaddy attending “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” Conference. Used the fish tank challenge. The big rocks had to go in first, then all of the little ones fell into place around them.

If you want to do well... get "THE BIG STUFF" right:

DISCIPLINE

Things I must do:

Pray

Study the Word

Keep a journal or notebook

THINK.

Things I must not do:

live in regret or distraction

learn from (not live in) the past

Discipline is defined when I discipline my mind. Leave behind constant carnal, fleshy thinking. (Social media, covetousness)

DIRECTION

Have close friends who are passionate about the things of God.

Direction also comes from following God's Word.

Let's not argue with God's Word.

We must invest in Kingdom activities.

What we invest in is the way we will walk.

DISCERNMENT

Grab your left earlobe and wiggle it a little.

We need an ear to hear the voice of God.

We need to hear His voice regarding our church, our family, our school, our friends.

7 times in Rev. 3, Jesus finished with this: “He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

It’s possible to have an ear and not hear.

“Let us hear YOUR voice over all other voices!”

“What is God saying to me today?”

Most of the time, when He speaks, it’s far less dramatic than you might think.

“How do I know if I’m really hearing God or not?” The more we listen to His voice, and then act on His voice, we see: it WAS God. And that helps us act correctly more often.

“What is God growing in me?”

DECISIVE ACTION

If we feel a holy nudge to go pray for someone, we’ll often start asking God to “give confirmation” or “Lord, let them be staring a hole in me when I open my eyes!”

If we needed all of that, it would require no faith whatsoever.

He’s wanting a vessel to flow through.

You don’t have to walk over and reach your hand back wide and slap it on their head. Walk over there and make it normal. God doesn’t need our help! He responds when we DECISIVELY ACT.

You need to walk in godly AUTHORITY!

Ephesians 4:1 NKJV

1 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called,

Conclusion