You Can Impact the World

If God only used perfect people, nothing would get done. God will use anybody if you're available. Rick Warren

Our church is doing a series of sermons on Impacting God’s World.  It is based on showing each person how they as an individual can impact the world and our communities. If you are like me you probably think “what can I possibly do to impact my community for God.” 

On Sunday we had a special guest speaker named Sean Sears.  He told his story and I must say it touched me in a profound way.  I think the main reason was because of the way he told it. I am going to give you the short version and if I make a mistake about something in the telling you can always go online to Lake Pointe Church and watch the video.  He tells it much better than I do.  If you think about it each of us tells our story better than anyone else.

He was a youth pastor and he decided to go to school to get a degree in education. His goal was to write instructional or teaching manuals for churches.  His goal wasn’t to go out and plant a church.  But that is exactly what he did in Massachusetts.  I think what impressed me most was how he talked about how unqualified he was to do it.  He reminded me so much of Gideon who was on the threshing floor sifting wheat and an angel spoke to him. 

“The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!” (Judges 6:12) Gideon's response was very modern. “If the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us?” (6:13) When the angel tells Gideon that he is going to save Israel from the Midianites, Gideon said to the angel, “O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.” (6:15) Yet the angel assured him that the Lord was with him and that he would overcome the Midianites.

He talked about going to Massachusetts to attend a conference.  He didn’t go there to plant a church.  When he got to the part about how he lived in a neighborhood where none of his neighbors were Christians, I could understand him questioning God.  He talked about how God spoke to him over and over again through the people in the neighborhood. 

I had never heard this Pastor speak.  He was funny and down to earth but what struck me the most was when he talked about how unqualified he was to plant a church and he choked up and cried when he started naming off the people in that very neighborhood who were baptized in the church he didn’t want to plant.  I sat and cried with him.  He would name off a couple and then get choked up and then name another couple and cry some more. 

I will say that I am no more qualified than this speaker who came to our church.  I have no theological training or formal education in the Bible.  I do believe that God will and does equip each of us to impact our community.  The thing is, we have to first place our faith in an amazing God who can do anything through us.  Too many times we don’t even dip our toe in the water because we don’t think we have the ability or knowledge.  The truth is we don’t but God does.  Can you imagine an angel appearing to you and saying, “The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor.” 

The Lord is waiting for you to step out in faith.  He will equip you to be a mighty man or woman of valor.  You will be amazed at what God can do.  The people who impact the world for Christ are not always the most flamboyant or outspoken.  The ones He uses for the most impact are those who think they can’t and are willing to let go and let God lead.

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, I praise You for letting me see this speaker who touched my life in a profound way.  He told his story from a perspective that anyone could relate to.  I want to make an impact on this world for You.  I know I don’t have the worldly qualifications but I have You and that is all I need to make a difference in this world for You.

Scripture: Gideon Destroys the Altar of Baal

And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, there was the altar of Baal, torn down; and the wooden image that was beside it was cut down, and the second bull was being offered on the altar which had been built. So they said to one another, “Who has done this thing?” And when they had inquired and asked, they said, “Gideon the son of Joash has done this thing.” Then the men of the city said to Joash, “Bring out your son, that he may die, because he has torn down the altar of Baal, and because he has cut down the wooden image that was beside it.”

But Joash said to all who stood against him, “Would you plead for Baal? Would you save him? Let the one who would plead for him be put to death by morning! If he is a god, let him plead for himself, because his altar has been torn down!” Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, “Let Baal plead against him, because he has torn down his altar.”

Then all the Midianites and Amalekites, the people of the East, gathered together; and they crossed over and encamped in the Valley of Jezreel. But the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon; then he blew the trumpet, and the Abiezrites gathered behind him. And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh, who also gathered behind him. He also sent messengers to Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.  Judges 6:28-35