Make God’s Dreams For Us Our Dreams As Well—Part 7
READINGS – Part 1
After two years of college and the study of business theory nearly bored me to death, I returned to the family business prepared to follow in my father’s footsteps. I loved the adrenaline of the marketplace. I was charged by the, challenge—to do things a little more efficiently, to organize better, to maximize resources. And to make a ton of money. I knew where I was headed and what I wanted.
And then came a leading from the Holy Spirit. The director of a Christian camp I worked at during the summers pulled me off to the side and asked me a question that shook me to my foundations. “Bill, what are you doing with your life that will last forever?” The question haunted me. I began to realize that my whole existence was wrapped around the here and now. Everything I was doing was self-centered and temporary. That question stripped me naked, and ‘I discovered that without the planes and boats and fast cars I had little to give my life meaning. As I continued to work at the produce company, I felt more and more restless. Finally, I decided I needed to serve the Lord more directly. I wanted to be on the front lines of the spiritual battle.
When I told my dad of my decision, he said, “Fine, Bill. Now turn in your credit cards and your keys to the plane, the boat, and the cars. And don’t entertain any ideas of coming back.”
I got a job in a shipping department of a Christian organization in the Chicago land area. I made minimum wage. I was nineteen. I’ll never forget the time my father flew in to visit me. I was standing between two middle-aged women, stuffing little plastic awards into cellophane wrappers. My dad looked at his son, for whom he had held such high hopes. Not one usually given to changing his mind, he took me to lunch and said, “You can get on that plane with me and come home.” I told him no; I didn’t want to miss the adventure. And I meant it!
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Descending into Greatness, Bill Hybels and Rob Wilkins, Zondervan, pages 206-207.
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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.
