Retreat Night 1

Joel Montgomery

Sermon • Submitted 3 years ago

0 ratings

· 5 views

Notes

Transcript

Take the Next Step

Intro:

Close Highlands.

psalm 121:1-2 “I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”

Psalm23:4-5 “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.”

Welcome and introduce yourself.

Funny story that ties into the message. Limo PEE story.

Transition: Okay, there could have been much worse environments. I mean imagine living in Australia.

Tension:

Speaking of bad environments.

Death Valley Illustration.

Death Valley is a part of America that is known to be well.. Not a great place. It’s known as one of, if not the hottest, driest place in the country. Nothing grows. At all. In fact, nothing grows because it doesn’t rain. Hence, why they call it death valley. Here is a picture of death valley.

But something in 2004, and honestly, nobody even really knows how it happened. But seven inches of rain fell in a short amount of time. Nothing happened immediately but by the Spring of 2005 this is what that same place looked like.

Those who are planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. Psalm 92:13 NKJV

When you are planted in the right environment good things happen.

What they realized is that

Death Valley was not dead it was just dormant.

Beneath the ground were seeds of potential, and it just needed to be in the right environment to do great things.

Guys each one of you no matter where you come from, where you are, who you are , what you have done. We all have seeds of potential, and we just need to the right environment to do great things.

The biggest thing I want you to catch is that you are somewhere on a journey. Somewhere in life. You are somewhere between death valley and the great things God wants to do through you.

The question really is. Where are you? That is what I hope to help you see tonight. Because your life isn’t supposed to be dead or dormant. You were made to move on from that and into life.

I stand here today saying God has so much for you, but what does that really mean? What does that really entail? How can we move towards that? All of those are valid questions. I believe we can find the answer tonight together found in this scripture.

I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people … Ephesians 1:17-18 NIV

Break down scripture ^^^

Explain that these are supposed to happen one after the other.

If you really look at this scripture you can break it down to four things that help your life move in the right direction. That help you really to ultimately flourish.

The four steps are this.

Know God - Know Him

Find Freedom - Eyes of your heart my be enlightened

Discover Purpose - Know the hope to which he called us.

Make a difference. His glorious inheritance.

Every single person has a desire for these 4 things. In fact, I guarantee you each of you listening right now in this room desire these things. These are four steps in your spiritual journey.

If you want to move tonight you have to figure out where you are and take the next step. So where are you?

Truth:

I want to take these four steps and break them down because I believe they can be your next steps tonight.

4 Next steps to move.

Know God:

Know God intimately personally.

Personal story about knowing of God, but not knowing God.

Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven ... Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you.’ ...”Matthew 7:21, 23 NIV

Ope that’s kind of scary because that was some peoples plan. Just do all the religious stuff and we are good.

Knowing God isn’t about following a bunch of rules and religious stuff. It is about relationship. Guys God wants you to KNOW HIM intimately. Meaning he wants to know you for who you are, not some perfected fake version of us.

He loves us for who we are, and he just wants to know us and be in relationship. Somebody here needs to understand the first step for you is you need to change your view of God from an angry guy in the sky to a loving father who wants you.

Your first step is to actually get to know god intimately.

Give examples.

Transition: Now many people have take that first step in this room, so maybe the next step is to.

Find freedom:

What I am talking about is the area of your life that is holding you back. The sin, the past, the regret, the anger, the unforgiveness, the addiction, the habit. Those are just to name a few. You know the area of you life I am referring to. We can all think of it right now.

It might even be the secret you haven’t told anyone, you have only told God. If this is a step you’re looking to take. I have good news and bad news.

The good news is you can find a solution tonight, the bad news is it’s not only God. He is the biggest part of it, but it is not just Him. God did set in motion a plan for you to find freedom. But it involves something.

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.… James 5:16 NIV

You go to God for forgiveness, but you gotta go to God’s people for healing.

Some of you have been struggling for year and year, months and months, days and days with the same thing and it keeps beating you down more and more.

You want freedom so badly, well God gave you the solution. You need to confess that thing, you need to talk about it. Not just to God, but to other people and then God will bring the healing.

Personal story confession.

When you do this, you find accountability. You find people who are struggling with similar things, you find stories of victory, you find tips and tricks. But you will not find those things if you keep holding it into yourself. Do not make the mistake of keeping these things in the dark, because that where the enemy wants you.

You might be afraid of the light because it is seen. But when it is seen is when you can be healed and find freedom. Some of you need to find healing and freedom tonight through confession.

Small groups are a great way.

Trusted adults and friends.

So if you know God, and you’ve found that freedom. It is time to take the next step.

Discover purpose:

You have a function. You have a gift. You have an area God wants to you use.

God created you on purpose for a purpose.

Most people try to find that in money, career, grades, sports, accolades. I am not saying there is anything wrong with those things, But I can tell you they are not the best part of you. You have so much more to offer.

Paul said in the Bible “I consider my life worth nothing to me unless I finish the race, the call that God has for my life.” This is a pretty powerful statement.

In Romans 12 it talks about how we all have these different gifts.

We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. … Romans 12:6 NIV

God designed before time things you were specifically going to be good at, that for such a times as this would come and make a difference in someones life. You have a purpose. Do not let anyone, or anything rip that away from you.

Because if you don’t discover this purpose you will spend your life chasing things that don’t really matter.

I heard a pastor talk about a story in a book written by an incredible Pastor of life church named Craig Groeschel. This church is the literal creators of the Bible app. So a big deal. Well Pastor Craig tells this story in the book of a dog race.

Dog race story.

Kinda like a horse race except a mechanical rabbit is needed to direct the dogs, because they need something to chase.

One time the rabbit broke and the dogs responded in three ways.

Some of them just sat down and took a nap.

Some of them turned around the crowd and started barking at them.

Some of them actually got so confused that they slammed into the railing and actually hurt themselves. Poor doggos.

Hearing this story reminds me of humans! If we aren't chasing the right thing in our lives and not discovering our purpose than we will take a nap, turn around and bark at others, or we will hurt ourselves.

If we want our lives to be successful we have to be on pursuit of what God has for us, he will even use our passions to do this.

Then once you do this you can start to see something incredible happen guys.

Imagine:

Tribes. Every student here. You can…

Make a difference:

This is why we are doing this retreat. This is why we care. This is why we want you to discover Gods purpose. Because we know you can make a difference.

You can do something amazing when you take these steps.

“This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” John 15:8 NIV

“I have told you this so that my joy may be in you...”John 15:11 NIV

We want you to get to the point where you can be known as a disciple of Jesus just because the way you live your life.

It is so my desire to see each and every person in this room take a step tonight.

Why wouldn’t you?

Maybe it’s the fear of what people would think of you if you actually knew God.

Maybe it’s the fear to find freedom because you are think people will condemn you

Maybe it’s the stagnancy of not trying to find your purpose.

Or maybe it’s that you don’;t wan to make a difference. Other people can do that.

I don’t know what is holding you back, but whatever it is this is why you need faith. Taking these steps takes faith.

Earlier I took steps on the crate challenge and fell. Because I was wobbly, my foundation was not good. But i wonder what would happen if I took these steps again, but this time..

I know God and God is my foundation so my steps are secured now.

This time I am free from the chains that were on me because I confessed my sins and he is faithful to forgive.

This time I am discovering my purpose so when I get to the top here I can fully see.

This time I am making a difference because I am taking steps.

Moving takes faith. But your steps are secure.

It might look scary, it might even look impossible. But I promise you God will secure your steps. He will be with you every step.