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Be
Courageous
God
has not created you to just survive but to conquer. To not just live
out your lives but to live them as warriors and heroes. You're to be
more than conquerors. You're to be the very image of the living God
and to carry through you and through your children the proud calling
of nobility. Not just servants of the Lord but even more. You are His
children. His very own. Those whom He purchased with His life.
Will
you spend this precious life that our Lord has purchased for you simply
to exist and pay your bills and raise your families, fighting to preserve
so meaningless an existence as chasing after the comforts of this life?
A better house? A better car? A better job? Those things are not evil
in themselves. Only when you set them above God's purpose for you. In
this country we put such emphasis on such meaningless things. We must
rise above our materialism.
Instead
of this, will you take so great a gift that Jesus purchased for you
and turn it into what you were created to be? Will you assault the very
gates of hell and strip Satan of the power over us that he has won by
lies, even after our Lord and Savior made a public mockery of him? Who
will you give yourself to today? Before you lies a choice. You can choose
to serve the Prince of this world and spend your very life on the worthless
things of this earth or you can stand up for our king and prince and
be the men and women that God created you to be.
And
men, don't point to your wives and children and hide behind them. They
would rather see you excel to the heights that God has ordained for
you as a man than enjoy the momentary comfort of a better lifestyle
that you might wrestle for them. But you cannot serve this world and
God too. You must choose. As for me, I have said it in the past and
say it to you again. I would rather die young defending noble purposes
on the battle field of life than live long seeking mere comfort.
Brothers
and sisters of the Lord, before us lies a task. It is a kingdom task
and it is made up of many small but very significant choices.
I
have watched men choose the baser but more pleasant choices once… and
then again. And again. Soon they have lived so much life pursuing comfort
and status and made so many compromises that the call that God gave
them to be a prophet, to be a pastor, a teacher an evangelist or simply
but wonderfully a devoted servant advancing the kingdom - all of that
faded into the temporal pursuit of the day to day life of this world.
They even excused their compromise and tried to define it in kingdom
terms - but somehow I believe that deep in their hearts they realize
they have sold themselves for mere money. And after they had squandered
the life their Savior had bought for them on the things of this kingdom
they look back and ask themselves the question. "Did I matter?" Did
I make a difference? Did I count?
You
can you know. Count I mean. But you must choose it on a daily basis.
Life is not made up of one glorious moment but a series of minute decisions.
They are subtle and deceptive in their seeming insignificance. But if
you do not use the courage that God can give you - use it moment by
moment to pursue God and Christ, you will some day awake to find yourself
beyond your destiny. As Esau you will cry - "But father - don't you
have a blessing for me too?" And He will answer, "I'm afraid not. I
gave it to your brother."
The "church" has a mission. It is clearly defined and kingdom
purposed. It will not always bring you joy and happiness. There are
pitfalls - there are losses that we will sustain. You can declare the
cost too great and abandon the rewards or you can join in and stand
fast in the evil day, raising high the banner of our Lord and be people
of courage.
Look
around you. In any battle there are casualties. In our midst there are
those that will be numbered among the missing in action, as there have
already been. The difference between the battle we fight and the battles
fought amongst the kingdoms of this world is that you can CHOOSE life
or death. You don't have to be a casualty. But that decision must be
made by you every day. You must deal with the fear that grips your heart
and stand on the word of God. The fresh word of God that said when He
spoke it in your heart, "I want you to do such and such in my kingdom.
I want you to be part of my greatness and share my glory." And so you
shall but only if you share His suffering. He said that - I didn't.
Cost
too great? Then you are not kingdom minded. Amongst us are the heroes
of the days ahead. Amongst us also are the casualties. I wish that it
was not so, but such is the nature of man. My urgent desire for each
of you is that you would choose life and the destiny God has for you
in His kingdom. That you would decide to let your life matter. That
you would build and not tear down. That you would not love your life
but that you would spend it advancing the kingdom. Choose your destiny
today… and tomorrow… and the day after that. Do not give in to fear
and anxiety. Do not yield to the temptation to give up the high calling
that God gave to you in Christ. Be men and women of great courage and
trust God each moment until all the moments have added up to a life
of great purpose. To a life fulfilling the nobility you were created
for. Amen
Pastor
John
This
paper is the conclusion of a sermon preached February
9th, 2003.
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