This morning we continue our series entitled, “Refined Focus”, with an emphasis on “Focusing on God’s Finished Work”. We have been looking at Ephesians 2:10 for days. Let’s go back to it this morning.
The Bible says, “God has made us what we are. In Christ Jesus, God made us new people so that we would spend our lives doing the good things he had already planned for us to do” (Eph 2:10 ERV). Allow me to highlight a few quick things to set the stage for today’s message:
— God made us new people in Christ Jesus the day we accepted Jesus as Lord.
— God made us new people so that we would spend our lives doing what He had ALREADY planned for us to do.
— All our lives, prior to being Born-Again, God was pursuing us. He sent people to talk to us about His Son. He went out of His way to speak to us by His Spirit. He did all He could to get us to the point where we would WILLINGLY acknowledge and accept eternal life through Christ Jesus.
— God did not force you to be Born-Again. God did not force Jesus on you. He offered you eternal life through His Son and He allowed you to make the decision for yourself.
— God made you a free moral agent. This means He gives you the right to make your own decisions. This also means God allows you to deal with the implications or repercussions of your decisions.
— There is an interesting dynamic between a human who has a right to choose and a sovereign God who has all power. I am sure God could force us to do things, because He is God and He can do anything. But He chooses to give us free will, and He then pursues us, because He loves us, until we finally accept His offer, accept His Son, and receive His Spirit. But being Born-Again is not the end, it is only the beginning.
Now that the stage is set, I want to share with you that you are God’s dream.
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
1. God is already God. He is already reigning and ruling. Nothing is going to change that. I am sure God finds some level of pleasure in just being God, but the story of the Bible paints an interesting picture for us. When you look at the overall message of the Bible you discover a God who finds pleasure in living IN and living THROUGH willing humans on this planet.
2. God is already in heaven, but His dream is to live in, with and through YOU!
3. God could force you to do whatever He wants, because He is God. But doesn’t. He comes after you. He pursues you. He woos you to the point where you willingly choose Him, accept Him, and welcome Him into your heart. This is amazing.
4. God made plans for you and He wants to fulfill those plans IN you and THROUGH you. He wants to do it. He is more than capable of doing everything He planned. But He requires you to welcome Him in. We He honors you enough to give you free will. He wants His activity in your life to be YOUR CHOICE.
5. God is not just looking for obedience. God actually wants your willingness. You are His dream and He wants to be yours.
6. God wants you and He wants you to want Him. When you do, when you welcome Him in, when you open your heart to His dream for your life, then all bets are off! All limits are gone! There is nothing impossible for the human who is willingly submitted to the divine. Because at that point God is able to freely live out His dreams in, with and through you!
Closing Confession: Father, this is a season of refined focus for me. I bring my life into focus in 2016. This year You have helped me change my perspective of me, of You, and of my future. I see tomorrow differently now. I now know You have a dream for my life. Not only that, but I now know that You enjoy living IN, WITH and THROUGH me. You have been my dream, but now I know I am Yours. I am Your dream. You love me so much that You developed a dream for my life before I was born. Your dream is my dream. Your desire is my desire. Your will is my will. I willingly give myself to Your dream, because it amazes me that You actually enjoy me. You find pleasure in living in and living through me. Thank You Father for loving me enough to make me YOUR DREAM! I enter this day and the rest of my life knowing that I am Your dream, You live in me, and there is nothing You can’t do through me! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
