When You Have Done All

When You Have Done All

When I began to put my thoughts together for the message today I really didn’t know how to start. I want to say how awesome and powerful this year has been, and it has.

The presence of God has filled this house week after week. It has strengthened our faith and brought us comfort and peace. As a church we have found support and recognition in our community. To that we give God all the glory. My prayer is that we honor Him in all things.

Yet there has been pain and loss. Some have dealt with illness and discouragement.

Still we stand. Stronger, more united than ever. Caring for others, and deliberate in our relationship with Christ.

Next Sunday we will begin our 15^th year of service to this community, and establishing fresh and new the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I will set the bar for that next week.

I come to you today, in His name. To share some thoughts titled, “When You Have Done All”

Exodus 3 tells us the story of Moses and the burning bush. His calling if you will, to deliver God’s people from the bondage in Egypt.

Exodus 3:10-12

10 Therefore, come now, and I will send you to Pharaoh, so that you may bring My people, the sons of Israel, out of Egypt.”

11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?”

12 And He said, “Certainly I will be with you, and this shall be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God at this mountain.”

God continues to tell of the victories to come.

Exodus 4:1-5

1 Then Moses said, “What if they will not believe me or listen to what I say? For they may say, ‘The Lord has not appeared to you.’”

2 The Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” And he said, “A staff.”

3 Then He said, “Throw it on the ground.” So he threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from it.

4 But the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand and grasp it by its tail”—so he stretched out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand.

5 “that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.”

Verse 2 is my focus for a few minutes.

Exodus 4:2

The Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” And he said, “A staff.”

(God will use what you have)

Ephesians 6:10-17

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.

11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.

12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.

14 Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

I love this passage. God has presented us with every thing necessary to protect us and move us forward in the Kingdom. (Truth, Righteousness, the Gospel of Peace, the Shield of Faith, the Helmet of Salvation, the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God.)

Listen to verse 13 a couple of different ways.

Ephesians 6:13 Amplified

Therefore, put on the complete armor of God, so that you will be able to [successfully] resist and stand your ground in the evil day [of danger], and having done everything [that the crisis demands], to stand firm [in your place, fully prepared, immovable, victorious].

Good News

So put on God’s armor now! Then when the evil day comes, you will be able to resist the enemy’s attacks; and after fighting to the end, you will still hold your ground.

The word stand from the Greek is interesting. “It means to uphold or sustain the authority or force of anything.”

Kingdom authority!!!

Christ followers have their name written in the book of life.

“Luke 10:20, Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven.”

Revelation 3:5, He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.

When you came to Him he took you as you were, and used you with what you had.

As the journey continues He will give you what you need. Always building it around what He has already given you. (Moses success was built around his staff)

Moses had to show up, you have to show up. Everything God ever needed to make you succeed begins with what you have.

(Bring What You Have To Him) In His name!!