Where You Are 8.21.22

Where You Are August 28, 2022 Welcome to Lake Erie Church. We closing in on the end of a great summer-COVID has not limited our activities and many families have been able to take vacation for the first time in a couple of years-unless you are Billy Walter who has taken 4 vacations since January? I want to announce to you that next Sunday, we are in for a treat-we will be having a COMMUNICATORS Sunday and I've chosen 5 of our people who will be sharing a brief testimony- Casi Llamas Michelle Rzeszutek Shane Jones Isadora Ennis Paul Carlos Paul Passerell PRAYER I would like to begin this morning with a question... Would you say that your life is turning out about the way you expected that it would? For those who would say yes, I'm happy for you but there are others who aren't sure how to answer that... By now you probably thought you would be married but Mr. Right hasn't shown up and you're wondering if maybe your standards are just too high. Or You expected to be in much better shape financially at this point in your life but you're now working 2-3 jobs just to pay the bills and you wonder why you aren't blessed like somebody else? Or You may feel your life is just about as you expected it was going to be... Let me ask you this question... "Where will you be in 5 years?" (for 20 years I've been asking this question) I'm a forward thinker and I like to challenge people to think about the future. God made you to be a dreamer? In fact, He dreams about your future and He wants you to as well... (Jeremiah 29:11) For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. The problem is most of us are so busy living we don't dream anymore. We are busy paying bills, raising kids and we've forgotten the dreams we once had, the things God once placed in our hearts. A few years ago I even preached a message (the day the power went out) called Your Life in 5 Years. We tend to underestimate what we can accomplish in the long term and overestimate what we can get done in short term. But when you think about the next 5 years, what dreams are keeping you awake at night, what ambitions and ideas are you mulling about a future that is yet to be realized? So let's read in Genesis 13 about Abraham... (Genesis 13:1-4) So Abram left Egypt and traveled north into the Negev, along with his wife and Lot and all that they owned. (Abram was very rich in livestock, silver, and gold.) From the Negev, they continued traveling by stages toward Bethel, and they pitched their tents between Bethel and Ai, where they had camped before. This was the same place where Abram had built the altar, and there he worshiped the LORD again. The passage requires some context... One day God spoke to Abraham and told him to leave his country, where he was comfortable and familiar and to go to a place where God would show him...This is the place where God made him an amazing promise that He would be blessed and God would bless those who blessed him So we pick it up in verse 4... (Genesis 12:4-7) So Abram departed as the LORD had instructed, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. He took his wife, Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all his wealth-his livestock and all the people he had taken into his household at Haran-and headed for the land of Canaan. When they arrived in Canaan, Abram traveled through the land as far as Shechem. There he set up camp beside the oak of Moreh. At that time, the area was inhabited by Canaanites. Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, "I will give this land to your descendants." And Abram built an altar there and dedicated it to the LORD, who had appeared to him. So back to my question...what is your plan for the next 5 years? * Maybe you want to pay off some debt * Maybe you want to start a family * Maybe you want to get another job * Maybe you want to find a husband/wife * Take a dream vacation * Make an outrageous amount of money See, I don't think it matters what's on the list if it truly reflects what you want, what you are dreaming, and anticipating and if you are submitting it to the Lord! Watch for dream killers in your life! You've heard them... * You can't do that * That's no way to make a living * You need to go to college first * That doesn't make sense Hold on to your dreams. They can be the key to your future. (Proverbs 3:5-6) Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not to your own understanding and in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path. Did you catch that? He directs your path. Yet, for some of you sitting here today, you live in the pressure and tension of trying to trust God with all of it and also trying to make your own path for your life. * You wanted to be married by now but Mr. Right hasn't shown up yet, so you rush ahead to get involved with the wrong guy and you short circuit your dreams. * You want to be making more money by now and you've been passed up for promotion in the job you believed God had given you so you decide to quit and go find one on your own and that's not working out. I've noticed something quite obscure in the Genesis 13 passage we just read and you will miss it unless you are looking...let's look again... (Genesis 13:1-4) So Abram left Egypt and traveled north into the Negev, along with his wife and Lot and all that they owned. (Abram was very rich in livestock, silver, and gold.) From the Negev, they continued traveling by stages toward Bethel, and they pitched their tents between Bethel and Ai, where they had camped before. This was the same place where Abram had built the altar, and there he worshiped the Lord again. So after God made Abraham that big promise there was a famine and Abraham took Sarah and went to Egypt but it did not go well...here's what is says (Genesis 12:20) Pharaoh ordered some of his men to escort them, and he sent Abram out of the country, along with his wife and all his possessions. So far, Abraham has taken his wife and family away from all that they knew and he's been kicked out of Egypt. So what did he do...? They circled back where they had camped before. Another way to say it... * They ended the bad relationship with the guy/girl and started over again * They went back to the old job and applied again * They asked forgiveness for being a jerk and got a second chance * They broke up and got back together again. One of our problems, is we are too quick to give up, to think that our experiences must always be about moving up, taking new territory and my personal favorite-going to the next level Sometimes it is... But sometimes you don't move ahead-you circle back and start over... (John 21:1)... Later, Jesus appeared AGAIN to the disciples beside the Sea of Galilee. I messed it up last time, God can you forgive me and let me start over again? If you need to start over, build an altar and worship God in the place where you are. * You wanted to have your own business by now but you're stocking shelves after hours or working a third job to make your bills Build an altar where you are and worship God in that place. * You long for a meaningful relationship but it's another weekend and no one is coming to get you and no one is hitting your profile on the dating app... Build an altar where you are and worship God in that place *same slide for each of these * You've been doing everything they tell you to do for the cancer and the last report shows more spread and you are losing hope Build an altar where you are and worship God in that place *same slide for each of these * You are trying to raise children that fear God but you're dealing with a rebellious child who will not respond to God's call Build an altar where you are and worship God in that place *same slide for each of these God kept every promise He made to Abraham and He will keep every promise He has made you. Here's the key-most of that promise to Abraham came on the back side of Abraham's commitment to obey and trust God with every part of his life-good and bad. While you are waiting on the promise to be fulfilled remember who you are becoming is as important as where you are going. If you don't embrace this reality you might be tempted to wait on the important things God wants from you until you get to your PROMISED LAND. * I'll start paying my tithes when I have more money. I can't do that HERE, but when I get THERE. * I'll do better with praying and develop reading my Bible when I have more time. Right HERE it's crazy, but it will be better THERE. * I'll get help with my addictions when I get THERE, but I don't need to right now, because they aren't hurting anyone HERE. Here's the nasty secret you learn... You'll never get THERE. I don't care what you tell yourself, how you try to make it true because the truth is when you get THERE--you'll be HERE. I know this is painful and I've labored to get ready to say it-For someone listening to me you never thought you would still be here.. Bad marriage Financial ruin Addiction to something you can't stop Repeating the same mistakes Build an altar where you are and worship God in that place Conclusion: So how do we pull all of this together? You may not be where you want to be right now. You may feel like you're still stuck in the same place. Or maybe you thought you were further along, but you've circled back again. You are HERE and it is okay to be HERE-even if HERE is not where you want to be. Build an altar and Worship the Lord HERE. (Same slide as the others)