Living 2021 On Purpose
Sunday Morning
Pastor Jim Lowe III
Sunday Morning, 9:30am Stream
1/3/21
{All scriptures are NIV unless stated}
It is 2021!
2020 has come and gone!
It seemed to go so fast!
For many months, we were at home.
We couldn’t go anywhere…
Everything looked the same.
Some of us are still at home now!
It was the same over and over…so it seemed to go fast.
Now it’s over and we’re talking about 2021.
But we have to look back to last year to see some things.
What Was 2020?
Each year is a measurement of time.
Each day is measured by the time it takes to make a rotation on its axis.
Each year is measured by the time it takes to circle around the sun.
We record something that God set up in the beginning.
We’ve now recorded another time around the sun.
The earth did it’s job.
It wasn’t “good” or “bad.”
It did what it was supposed to do.
It did what God told it to.
It was a passage of time.
We tend to label passages of time as good or bad.
But it’s not the “time” itself.
It’s the things we experienced during that time.
In 2020 MANY things happened.
Things that affected us together, and things that affected us separately.
The Pandemic affected us together.
Many people died.
People lost jobs last year…
…lost income.
…you may still be looking for a job now.
…may had lost many other things.
…many unexpected things…
You can ask people who will tell you that 2020 was a terrible year.
But you can also find people who will tell you that 2020 was a great year.
There are people who were successful last year.
There were people who bought homes.
There were people who received promotions last year.
started businesses.
got married.
had children or grandchildren.
If you ask them, they’ll say in spite of, 2020 was a blessed year!
So was it a good or bad year?
2020 wasn’t a good or a bad year
2020 was a passage of time
2020 was a page on the calendar
But the circumstances that happen DURING that time can be good or bad.
2020 Was Different For Each Person
Your year didn’t look like anyone else’s.
But however it looked…something we can all agree on:
In Life, There Are Things We Can Control And Things We Cannot Control
Life happens in different ways for different people.
Charles Swindoll quote:
Life Is 10% Of What Happens To You And 90% Of How You React To It. - Charles Swindoll
This means while we can’t control everything…
We can control something…that’s us.
We Can’t Control Everything, But We Can Control Us
This means we can take charge of our actions.
We can control how we react to what has happened to us.
We are now in 2021.
What should we be doing this year?
What’s the take away from last year?
What does the bible say?
Philippians 3:13-14
13 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Paul is saying that he is forgetting what is behind him and walking forward.
Last year was hard!
We went through all types of stuff!
But “forget” means to not let it stop you from growing THIS YEAR
Don’t Let Anything From 2020 Stop You From Growing In 2021
This was why God was leading to remind us who he said we were the past few weeks.
Because when 2021 got here, it was time to get back to it.
What did God say about us?
- God Said We Were Loved (Ephesians 3:18)
- God loved us with an amazing love.
- God Said We Were Blessed (Genesis 12:2)
- Blessed even in hard times.
- Blessed during all of 2020.
- God Said We Were Chosen With A Purpose (1 Peter 2:9)
- That God hand picked us.
- He has something designed for us specifically
God has designed us with a special calling.
Let’s Start This Year Walking In Purpose!
Repeat:
{I Have A Purpose}
Your Purpose Is A Calling Designed To Give God Glory
There are many of us who know what God has called us to do.
What are we waiting on!?
Let’s get started NOW!
While we’re trying to read more…
…trying to lose weight…
…trying to save more money…
How many of us are deciding to walk in purpose this year?
Saying you want to pray more doesn’t mean “walking in purpose.”
Saying you want to get closer to God doesn’t mean “walking in purpose.”
Your Purpose Is A Calling Designed To Give God Glory
Many of us have been afraid to step into what God has called us to do.
There will always be reasons not to do it.
We were afraid to do it in 2020 because of things that happened in 2019.
We were afraid to do it in 2019 because of things that happened in 2018.
We have to start trusting God!
Our God is faithful!
Many Things Changed Last Year, But God’s Faithfulness To You Hasn’t!
Let 2021 be the year you put fear to the side!
These are the things the church was trained for!
These are the things we were built for!
We each have a role.
We each have a purpose.
NOW is the time to step in it!
Repeat:
{I Have A Purpose}
Question:
What Is Stopping You From Walking In Your Purpose?
What are some reasons we don’t go after our goals?
- Dwelling On Our Mistakes
We spend too much time thinking about how we’ve messed up before and are afraid to make mistakes again.
We don’t trust ourselves.
That may be some of us.
But the bible says you don’t have to trust yourself…trust Him.
Proverbs 3:5
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
God is not looking for you to figure anything out.
He’s already done that.
God said to Job (Job 38)
“Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?”
God has already figured it out.
He just needs you to trust him.
We Don’t Have To Rely On Our Own Strength. God Carries Us!
Philippians 2:13
13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
All we have to do is allow God to work.
Repeat:
{God Will Carry Me. I Just Need To Walk}
Another reason preventing us from walking in our purpose…
- Believing We Can Actually Do It
Many times it can be easier to believe in other people before we believe in ourselves.
We can see gifts others have but don’t fully trust our own.
We may know what our purpose is…but are too afraid to go after it.
But it’s not “us” who does it.
Zechariah 4:6
6 So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.
God spoke to Jeremiah and told him he would be a prophet.
Jeremiah responded saying he was only a child.
Jeremiah 1:7-8
7 But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a child.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. 8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.
God told Jeremiah he was with him and would rescue him.
God’s conversation with Moses was similar.
God’s Conversation With Moses (Exodus Chap 3-4)
God said you can walk in your purpose because he is with you.
Repeat:
{God Will Carry Me. I Just Need To Walk}
- Being Comfortable Staying Safe
We feel we’re in a safe place and aren’t ready to change.
To do more or work harder will put pressure on us and we don’t want that.
What is “safe?”
Psalm 46:1
1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
God is our refuge…
God is our safety…
Proverbs 18:10
10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.
There is no safety outside of the Lord.
"The Safest Place In All The World Is In The Will Of God." - Warren Wiersbe
We could feel safe because we’re afraid of failing.
We’re afraid of stepping out because of what happens when we’re wrong.
It’s an unsafe place to be in.
Matthew 14:23-32
23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 but the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. 25 During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. 27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” 29 “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” 32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down.
Jesus told the disciples to cross the Sea of Galilee.
They were out there from evening till the 4th watch the next morning…
Fighting the waves and wind.
They strained all night.
They were exhausted…tired…weak.
Then Jesus comes walking to them on the lake.
He tells Peter to come to him.
Peter…hearing DIRECTLY from Jesus, has a purpose and a goal.
Peter is walking in purpose doing what everyone else considered impossible.
But Peter saw the wind and waves…realized he was standing on open water and begin to fail.
What does Jesus do?
He catches him.
Even If You Mess Up, If You Are Walking In Purpose, God Won’t Let You Fail
Something else about the passage.
Matthew 14:31-32
31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” 32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down.
When did the wind die down?
When they climbed in the boat.
Who was in the boat?
The other disciples.
“Who" climbed in and the wind died down?
Jesus and Peter
If the wind didn’t die down until they got in the boat,
the disciples were still straining hard…
while Peter was out walking with Jesus.
Here’ something about being safe in God.
God’s Safety Moves With Him!
We have to learn to SEE where he’s going!
Some of us may have found a safe place in God…but that was 10 years ago.
You aren’t safe…you’re on grace.
Don’t Get Comfortable In A Place When God’s Purpose For You Is Greater
We have set goals time and time again each year.
Things we want to go after.
Things we want to do.
It’s time to step out on faith in our purpose.
Your church needs you…the Body of Christ needs you…the World needs you.
You don’t need anymore prep time…you’re ready.
