Pastor Kirk McCormick: Maximizing your Future

“Maximizing Your Future”

Colossians 4:1-6 (NLT)

“My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.”

- prayer by Thomas Merton (Thoughts in Solitude)

“Hope is hearing the melody of the future. Faith is to dance to it.”

- Rubem Alves (Brazilian Theologian)

I. Traits of a “Future Maximizer”

Trait #1 – Treat others Masterfully.

Corrie Ten Boom - “The most important question is not how much work is being done but how much Jesus is doing through you. Look up; God’s ceiling is unlimited.”
Second Great Commandment - “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Mark 12:31)
2 Corinthians 1:12 - “Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, in the holiness and sincerity that are from God
Colossians 4:1 – “Masters, be just and fair to your slaves. Remember that you also have a Master - in heaven.”
Idea: We live in such a way as to attract others to Jesus.
Quote: Dr. Edwin Louis Cole - “Wouldn’t it be something if that donkey thought all that applause was for him.”
Point: Maximizers draw others to God by the way they live.

Trait #2 - Practice powerful prayer.

** Examples of Less-Potent Prayers

Convenience Prayers
Panic Prayers
Ritual Prayers
Forgetful Prayers

Psalm 27:4 - “The one thing I ask of the LORD -- the thing I seek most -- is to live in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, delighting in the LORD’s perfections and meditating in his Temple.” (NLT)
Colossians 4:2 – “Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.” Notes: “Devote” = perseverance or vigilance...
“Alert Mind” = stay awake ...refers to an attitude of being spiritually alert.
“Thankful Heart” = no doubt when prayer is offered in faith

Application: Prayer empowers the Maximizer to have the spiritual strength to complete the task.

Trait #3 – Expectantly engage.

Colossians 4:5 – “Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity.”
How? see: v. 6 - 6 Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone. (NLT)

...better translation from ESV – “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.”
...or see 1 Peter 3:15 - “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”

Francois Fenelon – “Don’t worry about the future. Worry quenches the work of grace within you. The future belongs to God. He is in charge of all things. Never second-guess him."
NOTE: Questions about Preparation:

Question #1 – Does God make witnessing easy?
Question #2 – Does God open the door for us to speak for him? Question #3 – Does God expect us to be ready for the open door?