The Story of You!

2 Tim 1:8 - Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God,

I want you to pause and close your eyes for a second, imagine if your life story was put into a book, what would be title, how many chapters would it be, what would the colors of the front of the book be?

Why would I ask this? Our theme for the month is all about you! The things you have done, impacted, the ups and downs.

Our verse talks about the testimony of the Lord, we all have our own. See when we think of the book a life, that Lord willing everyone of us will be in, I see it as a chapter with a tab that has my name on it, what would the testimony of my life represent? Would those around me agree that my testimony reflected my beliefs?

Now this is not a self - reflect and get depressed type of subject, this is a life is real and story is being written day by day. Imagine everyday is a different day for us, no one here is perfect in their faith, that’s why we must die daily and not give into our natural flesh. Because everyday we have breath, we also have a choice to pick what we are going to do.

If there was a survey of our life, saying a simply < or > sign of days we walked in faith, I mean our real faith. What percentage would you like? What percentage do you think it really says?

There is a U in Church

If anyone has ever played a sport, we have heard the saying there is no I in Team

Why do you think this saying is soooo crucial in sports?

So when I say there is a U church, I want us to not think of it like a sports team. Our church is good doesn’t mean we win the championship, and we all make it to heaven. Church is a community of the saints where we come together and do God’s work, and bring His Kingdom to earth, but the key unlike a sport, its all about the individual. Our walk, our faith, our belief, our relationship with God. No person gets credit from the church, or gets an extra boost for attending church. Though the books of Corinthians will talk about the functions of the church, it doesn’t function if we don’t function.

Our walk is as actually more important that our church work, functions, and even attending.

It is about the individual aspect that helps the church succeed. This is why its so important that the church is not just a work, its to be done with faith, stewardship, and humbleness.

Are you Ready?

1 Peter 3:15-16 - 15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.

The amazing thing about our lives is that regardless of what comes our way, we are given a charge to be ready. Us, not the church, not our Pastor, not our spouse, nor our children....why is that?

If I am living my life according to what is supposed to be with my personal relationship with God, I will be ready to be a team member of the church, a faithful servant under my Pastor, a leader for my spouse and child....again it starts with me.

But the fruit of our lives is dependent on what we put into it. Think about it this way, would you always put in the cheapest gas and oils into your car? it will save you now but cost more later. For some of your favorite recipes, would you shop at the dollar store to make all of your menu? would you settle for a payment from someone in monopoly money instead of real money?

Some things we are willing to sacrifice, but in others it just can’t be.

Why would we do this to ourselves? Would we really be willing to sacrifice our eternity for bargain faith, a bargain relationship with God.

If I tell you to get ready to speak, or play a sport, or perform in a play, or play a song....wouldn’t you practice it? wouldn’t you want to make sure that those who were watching wouldn’t laugh or you wouldn’t be a disappointment.

Well in our faith God is always watching....

How does my story affect the world

John 19:35 - The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe.

We know our faith, we know what pushes us, we know what God has done, where He has taken us from, what He has brought us through...

Our story builds day by day, its not just in our words, its in our actions, its in our decision making, its in our everything.

Our testimony is that your are worth it, not because you deserve it, but because God’s grace, God’s love....you believe and you know why. See we can lie about many things, but when God shows a miracle, or unexplainable radical life changing events that turn a person around completely, its true....man, material, or nothing else could do so....so that testimony is true. Our past isnt so we can be ashamed, its so it proves God is real, He is still on the throne, and regardless of where we came from, His love conquers and endures all things.

So today let your story be one that when God opens His book, I pray it brings a smile to His face. It shakes the heavens because of your faith in a world that is as dark as our current.

God writes the chapters, but you have absolute power to dictate what happens. Its your story after all, does our story show the me, myself, and I, or does it show what God did, what God overcame in you, all because in your story…just like in God’s eye…your the most important.