Often in my Christian life, I've wasted much time peering into the big picture of God's plan for my life. I wanted to know what the future held for me and what God intended to use me for. For those of you who serve God and especially called to preach, perhaps you can relate to this. Others, who are living their lives day to day, but often wonder and worry over the future and what it entails, this message will be for you as well. God has a unique method. His plan is seen from Him from the beginning to the end, but He doesn't overwhelm us with the big picture and bog us down with the details. He doesn't give us a fatalistic point of view, where we live by fate and believe that our choices won't matter. Instead, He gives us His purposes "by little and little."
God doesn't care if you're a president or a CEO, a housewife or a nurse, a preacher or a Sunday school teacher, etc. etc. God cares about the little things you do every single day. Because He can only truly us in those areas if we are surrendered to the little things. He's concerned about the small choices we make. God cares about the tiny words we use and the significant effect they have on others. He cares about the little attitudes we carry throughout the day. He's deeply engaged in whether or not we are going to make the little choice to depend on Him or rely on ourselves. He cares about the short recreation time we get at the end of the day and how we spend it. He cares about the types of songs we choose or the kinds of movies we watch. He cares about the little things.
10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
God doesn't want me peering into the big picture of my life. He wants me filled with His Spirit. To be filled with His Spirit means that I am making the conscience little choices from the start of the day to the end of the day to yield to His guidance and base every small decision upon what He wants me to do. That might seem crazy to some people, but that is precisely what "being filled" is referring too. The word filled means 'to occupy the whole of.' That means there is no room left for anything else. Now, does that mean God doesn't lead me to have fun? Absolutely not! Who do you think invented fun? God's fun is clean. Evil is good inverted. Notice what Sarah said when God had opened her womb and fulfilled His promise to her and Abraham,
6 And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.
God caused laughter in Sarah's life. God will allow us to enjoy life by His fullness, not by the lack of His fullness. Regardless of what our lives are filled with during times of turmoil, we still can find joy in His presence.
11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: In thy presence is fulness of joy; At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
The text we chose for today was about Moses giving instruction to Israel as they waited on the borders of Canaan land. They had been waiting and waiting to inherit their promised land and were anxious to enter. Moses taught them about the land and that it was holy to God. He taught them that it was possessed by their enemies and that their enemies would have to be deposed if they were to enjoy the land of promise. He explained this that God would "by little and little," "put out those nations before thee." The reason for this is because, if they "consumed them at once," then "the beasts of the field" would "increase upon" them. Israel didn't possess the numbers to inhabit all of the cities at once. If they would have cast out every single enemy and left the towns uninhabited, then the animal kingdom would take over. Then they would have that problem on their hands.
There is a spiritual application here. This is a picture of the Christian life. When we are entering into the victory of Jesus Christ, that promised land represents our souls. It's already holy to God. But there are enemies in God's land; the enemies of the flesh. If we were able to eradicate all of them at once but lacked the spiritual maturity to maintain the spiritual life, we would be overcome by the beasts of the field, i.e., Satan. Little by little, we grow in grace, and God teaches us to rely and depend on Him.
Start with little things in your Christian walk. Start by starting your day with God. Make time for prayer and Bible study. Start reading a good Christian book. Commit to reading just one chapter a day. Make little choices throughout the day that honor God. Before you know it, God will have thrust out the enemy before you and also given you spiritual maturity to possess the land because you understand the vital importance of God-dependence.
Praising God By Little and Little
Often in my Christian life, I've wasted much time peering into the big picture of God's plan for my life. I wanted to know what the future held for me and what God intended to use me for. For those of you who serve God and especially called to preach, perhaps you can relate to this. Others, who are living their lives day to day, but often wonder and worry over the future and what it entails, this message will be for you as well. God has a unique method. His plan is seen from Him from the beginning to the end, but He doesn't overwhelm us with the big picture and bog us down with the details. He doesn't give us a fatalistic point of view, where we live by fate and believe that our choices won't matter. Instead, He gives us His purposes "by little and little."
God doesn't care if you're a president or a CEO, a housewife or a nurse, a preacher or a Sunday school teacher, etc. etc. God cares about the little things you do every single day. Because He can only truly us in those areas if we are surrendered to the little things. He's concerned about the small choices we make. God cares about the tiny words we use and the significant effect they have on others. He cares about the little attitudes we carry throughout the day. He's deeply engaged in whether or not we are going to make the little choice to depend on Him or rely on ourselves. He cares about the short recreation time we get at the end of the day and how we spend it. He cares about the types of songs we choose or the kinds of movies we watch. He cares about the little things.
Matthew 10:30
30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
God cares about the little things.
Luke 16:10
10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
God doesn't want me peering into the big picture of my life. He wants me filled with His Spirit. To be filled with His Spirit means that I am making the conscience little choices from the start of the day to the end of the day to yield to His guidance and base every small decision upon what He wants me to do. That might seem crazy to some people, but that is precisely what "being filled" is referring too. The word filled means 'to occupy the whole of.' That means there is no room left for anything else. Now, does that mean God doesn't lead me to have fun? Absolutely not! Who do you think invented fun? God's fun is clean. Evil is good inverted. Notice what Sarah said when God had opened her womb and fulfilled His promise to her and Abraham,
Genesis 21:6
6 And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.
God caused laughter in Sarah's life. God will allow us to enjoy life by His fullness, not by the lack of His fullness. Regardless of what our lives are filled with during times of turmoil, we still can find joy in His presence.
Psalm 16:11
11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: In thy presence is fulness of joy; At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
The text we chose for today was about Moses giving instruction to Israel as they waited on the borders of Canaan land. They had been waiting and waiting to inherit their promised land and were anxious to enter. Moses taught them about the land and that it was holy to God. He taught them that it was possessed by their enemies and that their enemies would have to be deposed if they were to enjoy the land of promise. He explained this that God would "by little and little," "put out those nations before thee." The reason for this is because, if they "consumed them at once," then "the beasts of the field" would "increase upon" them. Israel didn't possess the numbers to inhabit all of the cities at once. If they would have cast out every single enemy and left the towns uninhabited, then the animal kingdom would take over. Then they would have that problem on their hands.
There is a spiritual application here. This is a picture of the Christian life. When we are entering into the victory of Jesus Christ, that promised land represents our souls. It's already holy to God. But there are enemies in God's land; the enemies of the flesh. If we were able to eradicate all of them at once but lacked the spiritual maturity to maintain the spiritual life, we would be overcome by the beasts of the field, i.e., Satan. Little by little, we grow in grace, and God teaches us to rely and depend on Him.
Start with little things in your Christian walk. Start by starting your day with God. Make time for prayer and Bible study. Start reading a good Christian book. Commit to reading just one chapter a day. Make little choices throughout the day that honor God. Before you know it, God will have thrust out the enemy before you and also given you spiritual maturity to possess the land because you understand the vital importance of God-dependence.