River Church NOLA
Wed July 22 From Your Plans to God's Purpose
  • This Is Amazing Grace
  • The Only Name (Yours Will Be)
  • We Are Hungry
  • Make Room
  • Intro

    Have you ever wondered, “Is this all there is?

    Have you ever felt there must be something more… that you were made for something greater but you just can’t see what it is?
    All of us, whether you will admit it or not has wrestled with questions life…
    Why am I here?
    Does my life really matter?
    What does God want me to do?
    How do I know if I’m in God’s will?
    Many people spend their lives chasing their own dreams—a better job, more money, a bigger house, popularity, comfort, or success. Yet even after achieving those dreams, they often discover something is still missing.
    Oral Heirschiser - dodgers world Series won 3 games and thought, Is this all it is?
    King Solomon experienced this. He had wealth, wisdom, pleasure, accomplishments, and influence beyond anyone else in his day. Yet he concluded
    Ecclesiastes 2:11 NLT
    11 But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless—like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere.
    The reason is simple.

    Success without God’s purposes still leaves an empty heart.

    Imagine someone buys the most advanced GPS ever made. It has every feature imaginable. But instead of entering the destination, they simply start driving.
    They may enjoy the scenery. They may travel thousands of miles. They may even think they're making progress.
    But unless they know the destination, they'll never know if they're headed in the right direction.
    Many people are living exactly that way.
    They're busy... They're successful... They're accomplishing goals...
    But they've never stopped to ask the One who designed them where they're supposed to go.
    God didn't create you merely to exist. He created you on purpose, for a purpose.
    Transition
    Today I want us to discover something that could completely change the direction of our lives:
    God has a dream for your life that is bigger than your own dreams.
    It's not just about what career you choose... It's not just about where you live... It's not just about making money or retiring comfortably.
    God's dream is about becoming the person He created you to be and fulfilling the purpose for which He placed you on this earth.
    The question isn't...

    "What do I want to do with my life?"

    The better question is...

    "God, what did You create me to do?"

    And when we discover His dream, we'll find the greatest adventure we've ever known. Let’s look at what God told Jeremiah.
    Jeremiah 29:11 NLT
    11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
    God’s plan or dream for you is personal. It’s not just a common dream he has for the entire world. He has a personal plan for you. He has tings he wants you to accomplish.

    How do we get God’s dream for our life?

    How can we line our lives up with God’s dream and purpose for us?

    D - Dedicate all my life to God.

    This is the starting point. You have to be willing to do whatever God wants you to do… in advance before He tells you.
    Paul said in Rom 12:1-2
    Romans 12:1–2 GNB
    1 So then, my brothers and sisters, because of God’s great mercy to us I appeal to you: offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to his service and pleasing to him. This is the true worship that you should offer. 2 Do not conform yourselves to the standards of this world, but let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind. Then you will be able to know the will of God—what is good and is pleasing to him and is perfect.
    If you commit yourself, dedicate yourself, offer yourself as a living sacrifice, then you will know God's will.  You can't miss it if you're seriously committed to God.
    What is God’s will like? It’s pleasing and good and perfect. Perfect in the Greek means it fits me… it fits you. It’s what we want to be… ought to be … could be and should be.
    How do we discover that will for us? Paul says to offer ourselves. He is saying that we are to dedicate every area of our lives to Him… time… talents… treasures… relationships… our past… present… our future. If we don’t do this, we will never discover God’s dream for our lives.
    Paul also said “don’t conform to the standards of this world.” Why does He put that in there when he is talking about God’s dream for your life? Most people miss God’s dream because they are looking at everyone else but God. If you are trying to imitate someone else, you will be a carbon copy of them; not the unique person God wants you to be.

    The #1 reason people miss God’s dream is because they are stuck trying to fit in.

    I love America and the American Dream, but I want you to find God’s dream for your life. The American Dream and God’s Dream are two different issues.
    The American dream used to be a very easy thing to get 30 years ago.  It meant you buy a home in the suburbs, Dad goes to work, Mom stays home and raises the kids.  Ward and June Cleaver from Leave it to Beaver.   The American dream was pretty affordable for most people.  It didn't involve a whole lot.
    Today, the American dream is an all consuming concern.  It usually takes both the husband and the wife to even try to keep up.  This rat race becomes your total focus. 
    If you want to get serious about what God's dream is for your life, you have to decide if you're going to settle for the American dream or for God's dream.  The good life or God's life.  Materialism or ministry.  Rat race or God's race.  Dedicate yourself and don't worry about being like everybody else.
    Hebrews 12:1 LBP
    1 Since we have such a huge crowd of men of faith watching us from the grandstands, let us strip off anything that slows us down or holds us back, and especially those sins that wrap themselves so tightly around our feet and trip us up; and let us run with patience the particular race that God has set before us.
    God has a particular life course he wants you and I to run. If you are always looking at other people you’re going to end running their race… not yours.
    He tells us to focus on that race and to get rid of anything that will slow us down. There may be relationships or friendships that are pulling you down because their goals are different than yours. You can’’t always please God and the crowd at the same time. Dump the excess baggage. A lot of things aren’t necessarily wrong, but they are not necessary for God is calling you to do. BG Don’t do anything that will keep you from God’s best for your life.

    R - Reserve time alone with God.

    You have to be still and quiet to hear God. If you are going to hear God’s vision for your life, you need to put your phone down. You can’t scroll and listen at the same time. The reason it may seem like God doesn’t speak to you is that you are never quiet. Something’s going on in your mind all the time. It’s almost like god is calling but he’s getting a busy signal. Reserve time with God every day.
    Job 37:14 GNB
    14 Pause a moment, Job, and listen; consider the wonderful things God does.
    God wants to spend time with you. I don’t know why the creator of everything wants to spend time with us, but he does. Pause… be quiet… get alone… learn solitude so He can speak to us.
    Pascal said,
    Most of man’s problems come from his inability to set still.
    Sometimes adults get the spiritual wiggles… we just can’t sit still and be quiet.

    God speaks to people who take the time to listen. 

    This is not a one time shot.  This needs to be some kind of regular occurrence.  We call it a quiet time.

    E - Evaluate my abilities.

    If you want to know God’s dream for you… what he wants you to do, look at what you are good at. Why would God give you certain gifts, abilities, talents and desires and not use them? That would be a waste. He gives you these abilities and your personality and then gives you your unique direction for your life.
    Ask youself, what am I good at? What do I love to do? How can God use your whole package for His kingdom?
    Ephesians 2:10 NLT
    10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
    Masterpiece is the word Poema which means poem. You are God’s masterpiece… His poem… a unique work of art. There is no-one else like you. We are not made on an assembly line, we are each created unique.
    But there is more than just being unique. God wants us to be effective. Paul said that God designed you the way he did so that you could to the good things He planned for YOU to do. He did that before you were born. He creatded you with gifts, abilities, desires and then let you go through experiences so that you can do what he planed all along for you to do.
    If you don’t use those experiences for what God intended, you missed the point. One day, we will each stand before God and He will ask us, what did you do with what I gave you? Retired … too busy… raising kids… will not be the right answer. He expects us to use what He gives us for the work He prepared for us before we were born.

    We are saved to serve… to use our talents, and gifts to help other people.

    Fulfillment means being what God meant for you to be.
    Peter said,
    1 Peter 4:10 LBP
    10 God has given each of you some special abilities; be sure to use them to help each other, passing on to others God’s many kinds of blessings.
    God gave you these abilities… which means you didn’t earn them, he gave them to you so we can’t be prideful and they are not something we thought up. This is why we don’t need to compare ourselves to others.
    This is another reason millions of people miss God’s dream for them, they are comparing themselves to other people. We also blame other people. God says if you're faithful in small things you'll be faithful in greater things.  God is testing you where you are.  God doesn't give you two blessings until you use the first one He's already given you.  The way you build a talent is by using what you've got.  It strengthens and gets strong and better.  The Bible says, "To those who have, more will be given."  That sounds unfair.  But it's because they use what they've got.  If you don't use it, you loose it.  It's like a muscle -- it atrophies.
    Romans 12:6 GNB
    6 So we are to use our different gifts in accordance with the grace that God has given us. If our gift is to speak God’s message, we should do it according to the faith that we have;
    The purpose of this church is first to help you come to know Christ and second to help you discover God's dream for your life.  It's called your ministry.
    You are never too young to get God’s dream for your life. And you are never too old to get God’s dream.
    Acts 2:17 NLT
    17 ‘In the last days,’ God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams.
    Lady in my seminary class that entered seminary in her 80’s and went on to do missions all oover the place until about 90

    A - Associate with Godly Dreamers

    We need to hang out with people who are of like mind… who are trying to discover God’s dream for their life. Both dreams and discouragement are contagious. The people who are your closets friends will either help you towards God’s dream for your life or they will hinder it. There is no such thing as a neutral friend. So you need to choose your close friends wisely.
    I have seen people miss out because they kept their friends that had no interest in either God or serving him. I have seen people go to seminary and get divorced because their spouse didn’t want to be in ministry.
    If you want to find God’s dream, hang out with Godly dreamers. It’s caught not taught and it’s contagious.
    This is just one of the reasons that it’s important to be in a church family. Once you come to know Jesus, then you get into a church family. Yes, we are a family. If you want to know God’s dream for your life, hang around these normal people who are looking to do the same.
    Proverbs 27:17 NLT
    17 As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.
    Bad friends will ruin the best of people. We have to …

    Choose the right friends

    Proverbs 13:20 NLT
    20 Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble.
    It was early Sunday morning on October 30th, 1983, when a Mercedes truck filled with 2000 pounds of dynamite rolled past security barricades and crashed into the lobby of the headquarters of the 8th Marine Battalion in Beruit Lebanon.  Seconds later the terrorist driver ignited the explosives and the building collapsed killing dozens of our Marines.
    During a press conference, one of the reporters asked the General in charge of the operation how one man could get by such tight security and cause so much damage.
    The General replied, “In spite of our defensive weapons, it is still virtually impossible to stop those who are willing to die for what they believe!”

    That’s the power of a commitment to a dream.

    It’s important who you associate with. If you want to soar with the eagles, you cannot run with the turkeys. If you want / need to break out of a rut, change friends. Maybe some of you need to make some friends right here in church.

    M - Make my Dreams Public

    When you let other people know what God is doing, it demonstrates faith. Also, it’s contagious and people will come along side of you to help.
    CR began with one man’s dream… and it’s become the largest Christian 12 step program.
    There are 3 effects of making your dream public.

    1. Making your dream public will get you started.

    You can no longer procrastinate. Now that you have announced it, you’re accountable to try and youhave to get moving.

    2. Making your dream public will attract other people’s support.

    I began YFC with a credit card, but people began coming along side of us with financial and prayer support.
    When we began this church, people stated they wanted to be part of it.

    3. It releases God’s power.

    Because of your faith, you have stepped out of the boat and are walking on water.
    What is faith? Heb 11:1
    Hebrews 11:1 LBP
    1 What is faith? It is the confident assurance that something we want is going to happen. It is the certainty that what we hope for is waiting for us, even though we cannot see it up ahead.
    The first phase of faith is a dream. Nothing happens without some sort of dream. 21 Days of prayer will be a great time to press into God’s dream for you. (Aug 2) Maybe you are dreaming of sobriety… of leading a small group… of some sort of ministry. Ask God. It doesn’t cost a penny to dream.
    David in Acts 13:36
    Acts 13:36 LBP
    36 This was not a reference to David, for after David had served his generation according to the will of God, he died and was buried, and his body decayed.
    Acts 20:24 GNB
    24 But I reckon my own life to be worth nothing to me; I only want to complete my mission and finish the work that the Lord Jesus gave me to do, which is to declare the Good News about the grace of God.
    Bro Radke -

    “Only one life will soon be past, but only what’s done for Christ will last.”

    What’s your dream? God’s dream for you?
    You have to be willing to say, “I’m not going to conform to the standards of this world.

    Your roles determine your goals.

    If you are married, part of your dream involves your spouse and children. If God gives you a dream, He will confirm it with them. guy in seminary whose wife said over my dead body. If Kathy hadn’t been 100% behind starting River Church with me, it wouldn’t have happened until she was.
    Do you know what we need today?

    We need heroes for Christ

    We need real men and women of character, commitment and vision… committed to cause bigger than themselves that God has given them.
    DL Moody siad,
    I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And that which I can do, by the Grace of God, I will do.
    Altar time
    Salvation prayer
    Prayer of turning loose of this world

      • Ecclesiastes 2:11NLT

      • Jeremiah 29:11NLT

      • Romans 12:1–2NLT

      • Hebrews 12:1NLT

      • Job 37:14NLT

      • Ephesians 2:10NLT

      • 1 Peter 4:10NLT

      • Romans 12:6NLT

      • Joel 2:28–32KJV1900

      • Acts 2:17NLT

      • Proverbs 27:17NLT

      • Proverbs 13:20NLT

      • Hebrews 11:1NLT

      • Acts 13:36NLT

      • Acts 20:24NLT

River Church NOLA
robert@riverchurchnola.com
504-578-8317
https://riverchurchnola.com
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