Maximizing your Calling

“Maximizing your Calling”

Exodus 3 & 4

“For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.”

Romans 11:29

I. Excuses to Answering God’s Call

Excuse #1 - I don’t have the time.

Exodus 3:1 – “Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian...”

Exodus 3:2b-3 – “Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, ‘I will go over and see this strange sight – why the bush does not burn up.’”

Point: God’s timing is not predictable, but it is perfect.

Excuse #2- “I don’t have the answers.”

Exodus 3:13 - But Moses said to God, "If I come to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' what shall I say to them?"

Point: We have enough of the right answers to point people to God. 

Excuse #3 - “I don’t have enough faith.”

Exodus 4:1 - Then Moses answered, “But suppose they do not believe me or listen to me, but say, ‘The LORD did not appear to you.’”

Note: We get so paralyzed by the “what ifs” of our insecurities instead of the “what ares” of God’s promises.

Excuse #4 - “I don’t have the right abilities.”

Exodus 4:10 - But Moses said to the LORD, "O my Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor even now that you have spoken to your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue."

Point: The question is NOT, “Why would God use me?” It is, “Why not?”

II. Strides toward Maximizing your Calling

Stride #1 - Quit Resisting...you are called.

Acts 7:51 - "You stubborn people! Must you forever resist the Holy Spirit? But your ancestors did, and so do you!” (NLT)

Elton Trueblood - “If you are a Christian, then you are a minister. A non-ministering Christian is a contradiction in terms.”

1 Peter 4:16 - “But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his wonderful name!” (NLT)

Point: To Maximize your Calling, say the 3 Words God Waits to Hear from Us - Here I Am.

Exodus 3:4 - “When the LORD saw that he had caught Moses’ attention, God called to him from the bush, ‘Moses! Moses!’ ‘Here I am!’ Moses replied.” (NLT)

Isaiah 6:8 - “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’”

Stride #2 - Quicken your Response.

Quote: “The higher a man's call and vision, the more choices are given him. This is our work in creation: to decide.” (Unknown)

Ephesians 6:7 - “Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men.” (NIV)

Point: There is a certain unique joy that comes in responsiveness.

Stride #3 – Draw strength and comfort in God’s plan.

Chronicles 20:12 - “O God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you.” (NIV)

2 Corinthians 12:9 – “God said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’” (NIV)

Point: Excuses are only testimonies of our self-acknowledged impotence.

Faith Fellowship Boca · Maximizing your Calling

Maximizing your Abilities

“Maximizing your Abilities”

1 Corinthians 12:1-7

“A spiritual gift is any ability that is empowered by the Holy Spirit 

and used in any ministry of the church.”

Dr. Wayne Grudem

I. God’s Purpose for your Abilities

Purpose 1 – You are gifted so others can experience God’s grace.

1 Corinthians 12:4 - “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit.” 

“Gifts” = “Things of Grace”

Point: Abilities are proof of God’s favor in our lives.

Purpose 2 – You are gifted so the church can be relevant.

1 Corinthians 12:5 - “There are varieties of services, but the same Lord.” 

“Services” originally from someone who waits on tables

Point: Abilities enable us to accomplish practical needs in life.

Purpose 3 – You are gifted for God’s Intervention.

1 Corinthians 12:6 - “There are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone.”

“Activities” = Supernatural Operations.

Point: An infusion of God’s power transforms human activity into divine intervention.

Purpose 4 – You are gifted so no Christian is unprotected.

1 Corinthians 12:7 - “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” 

“Common Good” originally meant one who accompanies.

Point: God uses our abilities to benefit everyone.

II. My Pledges to Maximize My Abilities 

Pledge #1 – I will discover the abilities God has given me. 

1 Corinthians 12:1 – “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed.”

Suggestion: Take a spiritual gifts inventory.

Pledge #2 - I will share God’s favor with others.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 - “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” (NIV)

Personal Question: Do I care enough about others to share God’s favor?

Pledge #3 - I will utilize my total self to serve God.

S = Spiritual Gifts.

H = Heart (i.e.: Passion) 

A = Abilities.

P = Personalities.

E = Experiences.

1 Timothy 1:12 - “How thankful I am to Christ Jesus our Lord for considering me trustworthy and appointing me to serve him.” (NLT)

Personal Question: Will I do my part?

NOTE: We are sorry that there is no audio recording of this message. 

Maximizing your Time

“Maximizing your Time”

Ephesians 5:15-20

“Time does not last forever, and therefore I do not want to waste a single moment of it. 

If I make good use of it, I will actually have more of it.”

- Ingrid Trobisch (The Confident Woman)

I. The Truth about “Time”

Truth #1 - You can’t rush or stop time.

Geoffrey Chaucer - “Time and tide wait for no man.”

Seneca - “We are always complaining that our days are few and acting as though there would be no end of them.”

Ecclesiastes 3:11 – “God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God's work from beginning to end.” (NLT)

Point: Be WISE in how you use your time.

Truth #2 - You can’t recoup time.

Will Rogers - “Don’t let yesterday use up too much of today.” 

Point: Time is NOT a renewable asset.

Exodus 21:19 - “The assailant must pay for time lost because of the injury and must pay for the medical expenses. (NLT)

Truth #3 - Time does not heal all wounds.

Ephesians 5:15,16 – “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.”

Note: “Evil” = oppressive... where we get our English word “onerous” 

George Whitefield - “Suffering times are a Christian's best-improving times.”

II. Steps for Maximizing your Time 

Step #1 - Take time for God.

Martin Luther once said, “I have so much to do today that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.”

Ephesians 5:18-20 - “Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Key Life Habit: Worship.

Eugene Peterson – “Busyness is the enemy of spirituality. It is essentially laziness. It is doing the easy thing instead of the hard thing. It is filling our time with our own actions instead of paying attention to God’s actions.”

Step #2 - Take time for Reflection.

Ephesians 5:17 – “Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” 

Key Life Habit: Meditation and Study.

Step #3 - Take time for yourself.

1 Timothy 4:7 - “Spend your time and energy in training yourself for spiritual fitness.” (NLT)  

Key Life Habit: Daily discipline.

Jim Elliot - “One does not surrender a life in an instant. That which is lifelong can only be surrendered in a lifetime.”

Questions for Consideration...

1. The bulk of my time each day is spent to...

2. How does this draw me closer to God? How CAN it draw me closer to God? If it does NOT draw me closer to God, what are the options?

3. I find it most difficult to take time for God...for reflection...for myself. (pick one) How would it be to my advantage to take the time to get better in this area? How can I start taking the time?

4. Which “Key Life Habit” can I work on to better maximize my time? I will begin practicing this daily habit (when) and (where).

Faith Fellowship Boca · Maximizing your Time

Maximizing your Health

Maximizing your Health

1 Corinthians 6:12-20

I. “Body” Approaches

NOTE: Freedom is solely a gift of Grace. 

Negative Approach 1 - Body Abusers.

1 Corinthians 6:12 - "’All things are lawful for me, but not all things are beneficial.”

NOTE: The Body Abuser attitude... Selfishness.

Negative Approach 2 - Body Indulgers.

1 Corinthians 6:12b - "’All things are lawful for me,’ but I will not be dominated by anything.”

NOTE: Body Indulgers are driven by instincts.

Negative Approach 3 - Body Haters.

1 Corinthians 6:14 - “God raised the Lord and will also raise us by his power.” 

NOTE: The Body Haters belief...the body is a nuisance.

Positive Approach 1 - Body Stewards.

1 Corinthians 6:19 - “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own?

Application: Your body is sacred ground, and you are the property manager.

 

II. The Maximizer’s Keys to Health

Key #1 - Avoid toxicities.

1 Corinthians 6:18 - “Shun fornication! Every sin that a person commits is outside the body; but the fornicator sins against the body itself.”

Bumper Sticker: When all else fails... run away.

POINT: When we give in to temptation, we not only defile our bodies...we sacrifice our souls. 

Application: True freedom allows us to master our instincts rather than our instincts mastering us.

Key #2 - Develop a strategic partnership with God.

1 Corinthians 6:17 - “Anyone united to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.” 

Question: What alliances are you forming?

Application: God invites you to be his partner for life.

Key #3 - Honor God in everything.

1 Corinthians 6:20 - For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body. 

Thomas Carlyle – “Show me the man you honor and I will know what kind of man you are.”  

POINT: Jesus invested everything for your freedom.

Faith Fellowship Boca · Maximizing your Health