This morning we continue our series, “Grace that is Simply Amazing” by continuing with our mini-series entitled, “Grace Based Success (Prosperity)”. If you have been following this series you should know by now that I believe the Bible teaches that our earthly prosperity and success is connected to our divine purpose. My Pastor, Tony Brazelton, has been teaching a series entitled, “Truth vs. a Lie.” In the series Pastor Tony has taught us how many of us have been lied to about certain things. The world has taught us many things that do not line up with the Word. Along those lines, this past Sunday, while I was preaching, I said, “Here’s a lie the world told you, you believed it, and you probably told it to your kids: You can be anything YOU want to be.” I said this to my children, but I now know I was wrong. I don’t believe that lines up with God’s Word and today I will give you several scriptures that will help you see it for yourself.
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
1. Solomon said, “People can plan what they want to do, but it is the Lord who guides their steps” (Prov 16:9), and “People might make many plans, but what the Lord says is what will happen” (Prov 19:21). Solomon was the wisest man (outside of Jesus) to ever live and he clearly believed that our plans should line up with God’s plans for us.
2. The Lord told Jeremiah, “Before I made you in your mother’s womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I chose you for a special work. I chose you to be a prophet to the nations.” (Jer 1:5). It doesn’t sound to me like God said, “Jeremiah, what do you want to be in life? You can be anything YOU want to be.” No, God made it clear to Jeremiah what he was called to do, and Jeremiah’s success was connected to his divine purpose.
3. Paul said, “God had special plans for me even before I was born. So he chose me through his grace.” (Gla 1:15). Paul went on to explain that God specifically chose him to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles. God did this before Paul was born. Paul could have sought success doing something else, but he would have never found true success outside of his calling. Paul went on to say this about all of us, “God has made us what we are. He has created us in Christ Jesus to live lives filled with good works that he has prepared for us to do” (Eph 2:10). God already prepared something for you to do. Your job is to find out what it is and to DO IT by His grace.
4. David said, “Your eyes saw me when I was only a fetus. Every day of my life was recorded in your book before one of them had taken place.” (Psalm 139:15). David knew he was not a mistake. Guess what? Neither are you!
5. Job said, “You have decided the length of our lives. You know how many months we will live, and we are not given a minute longer.” (Job 14:5). God is a completely purposeful God. God has numbered the hairs on your head and the length of your days. He knows when you are going to die. You don’t. So make the most of the time you have! Pursue your purpose by God’s grace.
6. Isaiah said, “Before I was born, the Lord chose me. While I was in my mother’s womb, he recorded my name.” (Isa 49:1). Isaiah was chosen to be a prophet. You are probably chosen to do something else. What you are called to do is not as important as understanding the fact that you are called. Embrace it. Submit to it. Own it. Die to self, surrender to God, and walk in His calling by His grace.
7. Thinking that YOU can be whatever YOU want to be is not consistent with scripture. When you make Jesus the Lord of your life:
— Jesus is either Lord OF all or He is not Lord AT all.
— You are no longer the captain of your own ship.
— You don’t get to selfishly do whatever you want to do.
— Your life is not your own.
*** But if you surrender to the life God wants you to have — the life He planned for you before the world began — you will experience an amazing life, full of grace and power.
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for teaching me about Your amazing grace. By Your grace (Your unearned and unmerited favor), You made plans for me before the world began. You called me from my mother’s womb and You called me by name. All the days of my life were written in Your book for my life before I ever lived one day. You know my thoughts before I think them, my words before I speak them, and my actions before I take them. You know Your plans for my life. You patiently stood by as I pursued my own plans, by my own strength, and going down my own path. By Your grace You saved me and called me with a holy calling. You now incrementally reveal Your Kingdom plans and purposes to me. While You don’t reveal it all to me at once, You do reveal enough, you give me enough LIGHT, for me to maximize the season I am in. So Father, by faith I declare that I die to self, I surrender to Your will and way, I pursue Your Kingdom plans and purposes for my life, and I maximize the season I am in with the LIGHT You have given me. The more LIGHT you show me, the more purpose I pursue. Not by my power, but by Your grace. Not for my selfish desires, but for Your glory. As I live this way I get to experience the life You birthed me to have, a life that is rewarding, fulfilling, productive and amazing. I die to ME so You can live through me. I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
