I want to share a very important message I believe will help you in your calling.
Because I believe that every Christian that has been born again and has been saved by the blood of Jesus has a task to be accomplished in God’s Kingdom.
Today’s word : Living a Significant Life
The Bible makes it very clear that one day we will all come before God and we will have to give an account of how we lived and invested the time, gifts and talents that He gave us.
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” II Corinthians 5:10 NKJV
Also Jesus gave us this teaching
““Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.” Matthew 18:23 NIV
You are saved by the Grace of God, not by works! But still, one day we will all have to give an account of how we served the Lord and we will all be rewarded for the works done for God.
I know that every one here in this church, and also all of you that are watching me wish to have a successful life, filled with significance. You don’t want to fail in life.
The word significance comes from the word : sign ! A significant life is a life that is a sign that point others to God. It’s a life that is lived for the Glory of God. One day many Christians will regret the selfish way of life they lived on this earth.
How can we have this kind of life ?
First point : Be faithful in the small things.
““His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’”
Matthew 25:21 NIV
When you are faithful over few things, God will put you in charge of many things.
“He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much.” Luke 16:10 NKJV
If you are faithful in the least, you will be faithful in much.
“And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?” Luke 16:12 NIV
If you are faithful with what is not yours, you will be given your own.
“And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.’” Luke 19:17 NKJV
So being faithful in the few, being faithful in the least, being faithful in the very little and being faithful with which is someone else’s are requirements before God to bring promotion and release into that which is ours.
There are a lot of people who want to do great things that will rock society and change the world. They have big dreams. And I’m all for that, but some of these people that want to rock the world and do great things, they don’t get as excited about being faithful in the small things.
They don’t want to work in the small and in the unnoticed and the un-applauded areas of life. But it is in that hidden place, my beloved ones, where GOD’s eyes are.
God is observing our hearts as we perform in the quiet areas of the little, and the least, and that which is not our own.
Do you remember Joseph who was sold by his brothers? He had a vision from God to fulfil.
He had to remain faithful in prison and he had to be faithful in Potiphar’s house before he was promoted to the palace.
He had to help Pharaoh with his dreams before his own dreams could come true.
And God is looking at you, to see if you will be faithful in another person’s vision, in another person’s dream and if you will help them in the small assignments.
It’s not like “okay, I’m going to do this because I have to do” or because someone asked me to. No !
We need to learn to enjoy the journey, enjoy it when we’re doing the small things and the unnoticed things because GOD is watching. And those small things and the least of things and those un-applauded moments are so important. It’s in those places, doing these small things that our character is built.
God wants to use you, God has a calling for you, but there is a process through which God wants to lead you in order to change your character and you need to learn to enjoy this journey. And learn how to be happy doing small things, how to be happy when receiving directions and doing everything with joy and contentment, being faithful in the small things.
This humble attitude will make us into men and women of God.
I’ve been serving God for 36 years, and I’ve been a pastor for 21 years. Do you know how I started my ministerial life? How I stated my calling?
I started washing dishes at church, washing big pots in our church kitchen, cleaning and washing bathrooms in the church. I did all the work I was asked me to do and I did exactly as they asked me to, even when I’d normally do it in a different way. I started my calling serving my church, obeying my leaders and that’s when my character was being formed.
For many years of my life I was working and doing everything my leaders asked me to do and it wasn’t anything too important, they were small things but God was watching me.
God is watching you, to see if you will be faithful in someone else’s vision, in someone else’s dream that you will help with the little tasks.
What I’m teaching you works in any area of your life! Whatever it may be/ raising your kids, or working at your job, or leading a small Bible study group, or giving lifts to people (bringing people to church), giving on a limited income, preaching or making disciples.
Be Faithful! God is watching you !
God is watching you in the areas of the least, the little, the few, and that which is not yours.
Second point: Life and Ministry comes in stages.
It’s important to realise that life and ministry comes in stages.
“Directed by God, the whole company of Israel moved on by stages from the Wilderness of Sin” Exodus 17:1-2 MSG
Also the Living Bible says: God led Israel by easy stages” Exodus 17:1 LBV
There are valuable lessons to be learned in each stage we live through. And will God never permit us to move from one stage to the next until those lessons are learned.
God does not allow us to skip over any stages either. And sometimes the lesson for the stage you’re in right now might just be humility.
Or maybe it’s a lesson of trust, when all your supports are taken out and everything you could lean upon is gone and the only thing that you have left is the integrity of Gods promise.
And in this season, you have to learn that His promise is enough. And until you learn this lesson, you cannot go on to the next one.
When you are in the school or college you don’t pass on to the next semester if you fail all your tests. Some people quit school because they don’t like math, they don’t like history, they don’t like their teacher, but if they ever want to graduate they must to go back and start again where they quit.
No company will ever hire an engineer that quit college or skipped a few lessons.
Please listen: Our Heavenly Father is loving and wise enough to not promote us until we learn the lessons in each and every stage of life and ministry.
“I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.”
John 17:4 NKJV
But, how had He finished the work the Father assigned him?
Jesus had not even gone to the cross yet. Jesus is not talking about the resurrection, if you read it in context you’ll see He’s talking about the stage of life and His ministry of training disciples.
He had finished that work.
Also later on at the cross He said : It’s finished! John 19:30
Here he is talking about redemption because He was dying and doing all He could do to save mankind, but it came in stages.
When we read the Bible we see these stages in regards to the ministry of the apostle Paul too. “I finished the work the Lord gave me to do”
He accomplished his mission. He finished, having done all. But when you read it in context, you notice they are in all stages, because he had not finished it all.
There are still more missionary journeys to go on. He still has to write many books in the New Testament.
But then later on he says,
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” II Timothy 4:7 NKJV
He finished one stage and so God promoted him on to the next stage. Once he finished that stage, God promoted him on to the next stage.
What is the stage you’re in right now ? What season are you in? What’s the lesson that you’re supposed to be learning right now?
Friends, you have got more laps to run. You’re not nearly done with your assignment. And it’s just so important to understand that both life and ministry, they come in stages.
Number 3- Cultivate a thankful heart
“in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
I Thessalonians 5:18 NKJV
Have you ever given something to someone but that person didn’t thank you and even rejected your gift? This has already happened to me! I gave something to a person once and she criticised it. So I said: from now on, I’ll know to give it to someone else! I won’t give her anything anymore.
But on the other hand , I remember I once visited a person from church and I brought her some food and some second hand clothes and she started thanking me and almost cried saying thank you, and I could see her heart of gratitude.
My beloved ones , be grateful for what you have. Be grateful to God, be thankful for the people around you and for the things they do.
And don’t just think it, express it, show it, tell them.
Sometimes I know we think to ourselves, “you know I’m really thankful” but it doesn’t do anyone any good except you if you actually say it out loud.
I’m so thankful to my pastors and leaders that helped me in every stage of my life. They invested in my life, and that’s why I’m always honouring them and saying thank you!
The last point: Know who you are and know who you are not.
You need to know who you are, but must also find out who you aren’t!
“Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” Then they said to him, “Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?” He said: “I am ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Make straight the way of the Lord,” ’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”” John 1:19-23 NKJV
John did not just know who he was, he knew he who wasn’t.
“Are you the Christ?” “No”. Are you the prophet? No. Are you Elijah? No!
Who are you? What do you say about yourself?
It’s just as important to know who you are and who you are not.
John found out what who he was, “I’m the voice of the one crying in the wilderness”. I’m not the Chris , I’m not the prophet, I’m here to be a voice for Him ! I’m under His authority.
He only knew so by spending time with God and spending time with the Word of God.
Friends there will not be any shortcuts for us either.
We are going to have to spend time with God. Also, anywhere you go, you need to submit to someone’s authority.
Do you want to find out who you are ?
1st – Ask God.
“You do not have because you do not ask”. James 4:2 NKJV
I dare you, ask God !
2nd – Ask yourself
“I meditate within my heart, And my spirit makes diligent search.” Psalms 77:6 NKJ
3rd – Ask others
People that you trust, people that know God. Ask your leaders: What are my gifts, where do you think I can use my talents and gifts, here I’m am to serve !
Everyone has gifts and the people around you know you! A tree is known by its fruits. Where are you fruitful?
Where do you produce fruits in your life ?
It’s good to ask ourselves that question. Where am I fruitful? Where do I fit in and produce fruit for the Kingdom?
Would you like to be used by God? Would you like to have a significant life?
1- Be faithful in small things
2- Realise that life and ministry come in stages. You have to complete a stage and learn the lessons before you move on to the next one. Don’t try to skip the stages.
3- Cultivate a thankful heart. You will be very surprised how far that will take you in life.
4- Know who you are and know who you are not.
You need to know who you are in Christ but if you want to be used by God you also need to know who you are not ! That’s so important!
Because you can get into a lot of trouble trying to be what you are not , trying to do something that you are not called for!
“so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.”
Romans 12:5 NKJV
Remember that God works through His body that is the Church and you need to be connected to the body of Christ in order to produce fruits.
Live a significant life ! Invest your life, your talents, your time in the Kingdom of God!
One day it will be worth it!
When you look at Him and He says to you : Well done , good and faithful servant , you were faithful in a little , enter the kingdom that is prepared for you !
May the Lord bless and keep you!