1 Cor 1:7
Now you have every grace and blessing; every spiritual gift and power for doing his will are yours during this time of waiting for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. LB
1 Pet 2:9
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: KJV
You are called not just to make a living but you are called to make a
Dan 12:3
Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.
God didn’t call you to make a living but make a difference. Driven by grace you can shine like stars even in dark times. Speak what God says and not what you see and feel. You are not called to do everything but what God calls you to do, the important and not just the urgent that people can throw at you. The effect will boomerang back to you
1. God has given you the
grace to make a difference
1 Cor 15:9-10
10But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. NKJV
Grace χαρισ charis: Favor, acceptance, blessings, reward, recompense, benefits, taken beyond.
Grace will take you
your limitations
Gen 15:1-2
After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.” 2But Abram said, “Lord God, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer (his servant)?” NKJV
Exo 4:10
Moses said to the LORD, “O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.”
Don’t limit our vision by what we have and what we can see. His enabling grace can take you beyond. One act of release of His kindness can propel you beyond what you can imagine.
Q. How have you limit your vision with your thinking – what you have and what you see?
Q. Scenario:
You have a 10-inch pan. Your fish is 15 inches. How are you going to cook this fish whole without cutting it into smaller pieces?
How doe this activity make you think of the ways God can propel you beyond a limited mindset (like the 10-inch pan)?
2. God
you can make a difference despite limitations
1 Cor 1:7
Now you have every grace and blessing; every spiritual gift and power for doing his will are yours during this time of waiting for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. LB
Exo 4:11-12
The LORD said to him, “Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the LORD? 12Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”
He completes your incompletion.
Speak what God
and not what you feel or see
Luke 1:18-19
18Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”
Quit listening to voices that say you can’t
Prov 26:4
Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you will be like him yourself.
Being consumed by what people think of you is the fastest way to forget what God thinks of you. Craig Groeschel
Q. Why is it important to quit listening to negative voices inside and outside?
*Q. Share any challenges you’re facing. Speak what God says over that situation. E.g., Facing an illness. Say, “God is my healer. By His stripes I am healed.”
3. God has a
calling for you to make a difference
1 Pet 2:9
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: KJV
Neh 1:3-11
11O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.” I was cupbearer to the king.
You are not called to do
but what God called you to do
I have two kinds of problems, the urgent and the important. The urgent are not important, and the important are never urgent. Dwight D. Eisenhower
You can’t reach your highest potential by merely responding to other people’s urgency.
God will
what He calls you to do
Judg 5:6-7
“In the days of Judges, the highways were deserted, And the travelers walked along the byways. 7the towns of Israel stood abandoned, its life ceased, Until I, Deborah, arose, a mother in Israel.
God can cause the little you do in all its limitations to be a
If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one. Mother Theresa
Make a difference and the effects will
back to you
Ruth 2:3
Then she left, and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers. And she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz … NKJV
2 Kings 2:9-10
10“You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours-otherwise not.”
Eccle 11:1
Give generously, for your gifts will return to you later. TLB
I have one life and one chance to make it count for something… My faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can with whatever I have to try to make a difference. Jimmy Carter
One of the greatest difference you can make is to influence them to
Matt 17:27
“But so that we may not offend them, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.”
Q. How can we deal with the feeling that the burden is too overwhelming, beyond what you can do?
Q. Why is it important to stay focus on the important and not the urgent?
Q. What happened when you do what He calls you to do despite your limitations?
Q. Why is it important to sow seeds of kindness in the people God links to you?
Q. While we can’t do everything, what is one thing we can start today in terms of making a difference in someone else’s life?
Challenge of the Week
1. Memorize
1 Cor 1:7
Now you have every grace and blessing; every spiritual gift and power for doing his will are yours during this time of waiting for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. LB
2. Quit listening to negative voices that say you can’t make a difference.
3. See what unique area that God is calling you to make a difference.
4. What are some of the ‘urgent things’ people press on you and keep you from doing the important – that make a difference.
5. Look at your list. Where does each item fall in these 3 tiers?
Tier One: Absolutely mission critical
Tier Two: Meaningful but not vital
Tier Three: Externally initiated and lower priority
What lower-tier activities are robbing you from higher-tier priorities? What are you going to do about it?
6. What seeds God is stirring you to sow towards the greatest task we have – reaching the World with His grace.
Unless otherwise stated, the Bible verses are in the NIV
©️ 2023 J. Yee. Reproduction permitted for non-commercial purposes but please write in request to joshua@oasisofcare.org. Quotes are taken from various sources such as ESV Study Bible, Kenneth Baker (NIV Study Bible), John Walvoord (Bible Knowledge Commentary), John Kolenberger (Expositor’s), Vernon Falls, Rick Warren, Joseph Prince, Joel Osteen, and others.
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