Nevertheless
Gtcotr/ss032804
If we don’t believe in it, we can’t believe for it.
If we don’t believe in it, we won’t work for it.
Key Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:12 For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day. (NKJV)
What a person believes will affect what they are willing to attempt.
I. Three Questions For Today
* What Are You Believing?
* What Are You Saying About What You Believe?
* What Are You Doing About It?
Our Text For Today: 1 Chronicles, Chapter 11
II. While You Are Turning, Allow Me To Briefly Share: My Story
I was born again in the summer of 1967 at age 12, between my 6th and 7th grade years. The first day of school that fall, in my first period home room class, a new girl, an 8th grader, stepped into the doorway to pick up the class attendance slip. I saw her and fell in love. I never had felt that way before and it has lasted for all of these 36+ years since. I am still madly in love with this same girl.
That fall day, at lunch time, I ran to the lunch room and got first in line for the Junior High lunch. I allowed each person to skip up in line ahead of me until that girl came by. I let her pass on by me and then stepped in line behind her. I introduced myself and ask her name and if she would like to go on a date with me. She told me no and that she had a boyfriend and she told me his name.
I quickly realized that her boyfriend was older than her and that he would graduate before her so I told her. This, I said, would make it necessary for her to get another date for our combined Junior-Senior Banquet, (some years ahead). I ask if I could take her to that Banquet. She just looked bothered and said that I would have to ask her boyfriend. That was my cue. I left the line, found the guy, told him about our conversation and ask if I could take her to that function. He was a bit intimidating and I don’t know why, but he just said he didn’t care. So, for over 5 years I reminded her that we had a date coming up. She continued saying no and would hardly give me the time of day. I endured and finally she said yes. I took her to that Junior Senior Banquet and eight months later, January 19, 1973, we were married. Today we are in our 32nd year of marriage.
* What a person believes will affect what they are willing to attempt and what they are able to endure.
After 7 years of marriage Brenda and I found ourselves with two young children, living back in the small community we grew up in, fully engaged in life and pursuing the things of God. I was credentialed with a mainline denomination and was finishing one degree hoping to be accepted to Seminary and continue my religious studies. Little did we realize that God had a different plan. A plan that would force us out of our comfort zone and into a wilderness of the unknown will of God.
From the hunger we both had to know the word and ways of God, came sincere prayers, “God, if there is anything more that you have for us, give it to us.” … “If there is any way we can be of better service to you, show us.” … “Lord, use us for your will, no matter the cost.” … “Our lives, our family, our future is in your hand.”
As a result of those simple, yet sincere prayers, God, in His own time and choosing, moved into the living room of our home late one night and baptized both Brenda and me in the Holy Spirit and we began to speak in tongues and glorify God in a way which we had never before done. This powerful experience shook the very foundations of our lives and beliefs. How could we explain it to others when we could not even begin to understand it ourselves. The only things we could say for sure were that we believed in it, we could not deny it, would not be ashamed of it and were not going to keep it to ourselves.
This brought about a separation between us and our family, our friends, our community and our church. Our names were removed from the church membership roles and we became the talk of the town, outcasts, shunned, ridiculed and even threatened for what we believed. However, the grace of God was abundant upon us and kept us strong, united in our beliefs, committed to our pursuits and able to endure the hardships.
We believed that we had received a vision of the future and a call from God to work toward that end. Whatever we had to endure for the cause of Christ and the souls that were in danger of hell’s flames was immaterial. We believed in what we were doing and that it was worth our life, our reputation, our credibility and our all.
Today, almost 25 years later, through the efforts of the churches and ministries we have raised up, though small in the big picture, we nevertheless affect our local communities, individual families and the whole world for the kingdom of God. Joined together with thousands around the globe we are feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, ministering to the sick and imprisoned, taking in orphans and strangers, bringing water to the thirsty and preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to the poor. Brenda and I can definitely say that despite the cost, it was worth it all to live what we believed.
II. Three Questions
* What Are You Believing?
> What a person believes is affected by who they believe.
* What Are You Saying About What You Believe?
> What a person believes is defined by what they say.
* What Are You Doing About It?
> What a person believes is confirmed by what they do.
III. Nevertheless (Israel, 1048 B.C. - David is about 37 years old)
1 Chronicles 11 (NIV)
4 David and all the Israelites marched to Jerusalem (that is, Jebus). The Jebusites who lived there
5 said to David, "You will not get in here." Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion, the City of David.
* David did not believe about himself what the Jebusites believed about him - later the Jebusites changed their minds
* Paul evidently did not believe what others believed about him, in fact, Acts 28:6 … they changed their minds and decided he was a god. (NLT)
* We are not limited by what others believe about us or by what the circumstances say should happen, We are limited only by what we believe and do about God’s plan for our life.
IV. Life Application Of This Truth
A. It Is A Time To Examine Yourself
1. Your Attitudes
2. Your Actions
* Marriage (or other covenants of life)
* Ministry (Service to God)
* Community Commitments
> Employment Expectations
> Financial Contracts
> Moral Obligations
3. Your Future Plans
B. Ask Yourself These Questions:
1. What Do I Believe About ____ ?
2. Who Are The People I Am Allowing To Shape My Beliefs?
3. What Am I Saying? (listen to yourself - you will define yourself)
4. What Am I Doing? (judge what you do, not just what you intend to do - but what you actually accomplish)
C. Make Quality (Firm) Decisions To:
1. Believe God’s Word & Will
2. Speak God’s Word & Will
3. Live God’s Word & Will
D. Do Not Allow Anyone or Anything To Affect You Otherwise
What you believe will affect what you are willing attempt, what you are able to endure and what you are empowered to overcome.
