Learning Our Limits – Part 4: Seek God’s Will
It’s probably a good reminder to all of us that when we’re so busy we’re constantly shortchanging our time in prayer and God’s Word, whoever we are we need to make some adjustments. We need to get rid of some of the clutter of our hyperactive lives. Sometimes we have to say words like, “I’m honored that you’ve asked me to serve and I understand the need you’re talking about, but if I help I’ll shortchange higher spiritual priorities. So if I disappoint you, please understand that I must say no in order not to disappoint the Lord.”
Here’s something interesting I’ve discovered. Because someone feels God has led him or her to ask me to do something, that doesn’t necessarily mean I’m supposed to say yes. The reverse is also true. When I sense God directing me to ask someone to do a job, that doesn’t automatically mean it’s God’s will for that man or woman to say OK.
God can direct a congregation to call a pastor and then whisper in that minister’s heart to say no to the invitation. The need or the request for help doesn’t always indicate God’s will.
The medieval Crusades I referred to earlier were a tremendous expenditure of time and money and energy. Some accomplished more than others, but most of the benefits were side effects, such as learning how to make better maps and ships that would eventually aid in the exploration of the new world The main goal of the Crusaders, to regain the Holy Land from the Muslims, went unrealized.
Some of the Crusades were fiascoes. When King Louis IX of France led the Seventh Crusade, the Turks surrounded his army, and he and his noblemen were freed only after the Christians paid a huge ransom.
The Children’s Crusade of 1212 was an utter tragedy. It involved two armies made up of boys and girls, most of whom were age twelve and under. They never reached the Holy Land. Many died of hunger, exposure, or as the result of other hardships. Some were sold as slaves or died at sea.
These events remind us of the dangers of getting too quickly involved in spiritual causes without first spending time talking to the Lord about them. And if possible, it’s always wise to consult with other mature believers as well.
Learning our limits. That’s an important survival skill. So when you do something well in an area of ministry, be aware that sooner or later other Christians may place expectations on you that go beyond what God has in mind. It’s important to stay close to the Lord. Your daily marching orders need to come from him.
A little over a hundred years after the last of the Crusades, there emerged in France the unique personage, Joan of Arc. Like most young women of that time, she could neither read nor write. But apparently she was learned in spiritual matters.
It was a dangerous day to be alive. The Hundred Years’ War was in process, and at this time much of France was under English rule. Young Joan, a peasant girl, felt commissioned by heaven to liberate her people. (To grasp the absurdity of such an idea, picture an uneducated American teenage girl asking to be made Commander in Chief of our Armed Forces!) But somehow this young woman began to capture the imagination of the French with her claims that God was directing her.
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Sunday’s coming. Do you have your sermon ready? Is it relevant? Will it effectively motivate your congregation to walk more in step with the Master? What about that Sermon Series you’ve been thinking about?
Or, if you’re someone who plans well ahead, have you asked yourself what you will preach for your Easter Sermon, your Advent Sermon, your Christmas Sermon?
David Mains and Mainstay Ministries can help. We offer a wide variety of Sermon Starters and Full Sermons that will give you Sermon Ideas to help you prepare for regular Saturday or Sunday sermons, Mid-week Bible Sermons, and Sermons for special occasions.
We also offer assistance as you create Topical Sermons, Sermons Series, and sermons for special times of the year. We have resources available to help you with Advent Celebrations, Advent Sermons, Christmas Sermons, Easter Sunday Sermons, Patriotic Sermons, and more.
For more information on how to create better Bible Sermons and how to turn Sermon Ideas into Sermon Outlines, and then into effective, meaningful Sunday Sermons, please click here to visit David Mains’ website.
You will also find a variety of resources for pastors and congregations at the Mainstay Ministries website. Just click here.
