MAKING YOUR LIFE COUNT Developing Vision and Attitude

MAKING YOUR LIFE COUNT Developing Vision and Attitude to Accomplish All the Great Things That God Has for You to Do Tim Thomas April 22, 2012 A Message for Harvest Church, Hampstead, Maryland And followers of Jesus everywhere Wow. God. org

Ephesians 2: 10 “For we are. . . God's own handiwork” (Amplified) His workmanship” (ESV) God's masterpiece” (NLT) Psalms 139: 14 “I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works” (ESV) If you only knew how much you are worth. . . Wow. God. org

You need to value yourself as highly as God does Genesis 9: 6 “God made humans in his image reflecting God's very nature” (Message) Ephesians 5: 1 -2 “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us” (NIV) Colossians 3: 12 [You are] “God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved” (NIV) Wow. God. org

God has GREAT plans for you. . . Shouldn’t you find out what they are? Ephesians 2: 10 “For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. ” (NIV) Wow. God. org

Seven mountains Religion Family Education Government Media Arts / Sports Business / Technology Wow. God. org

Ephesians 5: 15 -17 “Be very careful, then, how you live -- not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. ” (NIV) Be wise: opportunities are knocking Wow. God. org

What is my mission? Wow. God. org

God’s ways are different than the business world’s John 15: 4 -5 (ESV) “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. ” Wow. God. org

“Choosing with Intention” (Graham Cooke) “We can choose to be a victim rather than a warrior. We may prefer to be an employee rather than an heir (Luke 15: 19). We can cut down our dreams to manageable proportions. [But] God will have none of this. To live the life that only he can create for us we must first, of necessity, accept His vision for us. We must step into the place of intention when we agree with the identity that He prefers. When we take the road we must journey with the same intention as the Father. . . [through] abiding. ” Wow. God. org

A God-sized vision 1 Corinthians 2: 9 -10 (NIV) “‘No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him’ -- but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. ” Wow. God. org

What do you want to be when you grow up? Dearly loved child Heir of the Kingdom Friend of God Brother to Jesus Bride of Christ Called Chosen But what does God want to do with your life? Wow. God. org

Secular schmecular. . . It’s all God’s Eph 4: 11 -12 (ESV) “He gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ. ” Acts 17: 26 -27 (NIV) “[God] determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. ” Wow. God. org

GROW and don’t SETTLE for the easy path 1 Corinthians 12: 31 (ESV) “Earnestly desire the higher gifts. ” (apostle, prophet, teacher, worker of miracles). 1 Corinthians 14: 1 (ESV) Earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy John 15: 7 -8 (ESV) If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit. Wow. God. org

More BOLDNESS, please! Joshua 14: 10 -12 (NLT) “Today I am eighty-five years old. I am as strong now as I was when Moses sent me on that journey, and I can still travel and fight as well as I could then. So I'm asking you to give me the hill country that the LORD promised me. You will remember that as scouts we found the Anakites living there in great, walled cities. But if the LORD is with me, I will drive them out of the land, just as the LORD said. ” Wow. God. org

God loves “bold” prayers Acts 4: 29 -31 (NIV) "Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus. " After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. " Wow. God. org

The value of a team 1 Corinthians 12: 14, 18 -19, 21 -23 (NIV) "Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. . . God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? The eye cannot say to the hand, 'I don't need you!' And the head cannot say to the feet, 'I don't need you!' On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable. " Wow. God. org

Never give up! Galatians 6: 9 (NIV) "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. " Luke 8: 15 (NIV) "The seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop. " Wow. God. org

My vision statement Because I have found such a priceless treasure in my Beloved and His incredible love for me, I will endeavor to dwell each moment in His Presence; share with all who will listen how to find and cultivate such a love; and respond to my Beloved's heart by helping those whose lives are hindered by poverty. I will especially care for and nurture the precious wife and children God has given me. Wow. God. org

Action step example Continue to develop and fine-tune how to get people intimately connected to God. This will include finishing writing a book on this topic, promoting its sales and distribution, and speaking at conferences and perhaps on radio and TV, and seeking new ways to expand influence, perhaps through advertising, podcasts, the Internet and cellphones. [I have other action steps for each part of the vision statement] Wow. God. org