A Passionate Purpose:  "I'm investing my time!"

LIFE (Living In Fellowship Everyday):  We are on a relational Journey--Greater connection with God and people.

• Last week we explored how busyness is no substitute for fruitfulness.
• God created us to passionately bear fruit--Gal 5:22 
• Our work, according to God's Word, is to believe in God's love.
• We must spiritually "rest" in God's love for us despite the circumstances.
• God's Word is a Light to our Path...

Study Goal:  We must learn to "invest" our time wisely:  the kingdom awaits.

Question:  As the clock ticks each day, do you invest your time in things that last?  Could you be playing into the hand of the enemy by wasting your time and energy on things that take you away from your purpose?

Prayer:  Lord, tonight, help us to properly place our passion and love for You.  Help us to understand and learn more this evening; how to invest our time wisely while pursing our passionate purpose.

READ:  1 Cor. 11:58  When we are doing our best to serve God, our time is never wasted.

• If you are going to be successful in possessing all that Jesus died to give you, you must continue to make progress.  Let's take a look at some things that CAN waste our time:

Worry:  READ:  Matt 6:25-27, 33-34  Refusing to invest in worry calls for a lot of faith. 
• Some things seem impossible to fix; what good will it do to worry?
• READ:  Luke 18:27; "position yourself to put God on Your side!"
• Storms will come
   Mark 4:35-41; disciples are in a storm and Jesus is asleep in the boat.
   Keep in mind the disciples are very familiar with this huge lake; yet they became distressed when they perceived that God was unconcerned about their dilemma.
   The storms are positioned to try and stop you.  
   Make a decision to trust God; confess your need for the Savior.  Do not allow the enemy to get you to waste your time by being tormented with worry.

Fear:  Fear hinders forward progress. Fear chips away at your faith and passion.
• READ:  1John 4:18  love and fear cannot coexist
• F. E.A.R:  False Evidence Appearing Real
• God, who is love, has not given us a spirit of fear; but of faith!
• When fear comes against us; our thinking gets chaotic...no reason.  Fearful people just start reacting all over the place and making small things really BIG--mountains out of molehills.  Did you ever meet people who are so filled with fear that they make stuff up--they lie--as they go to hide and cover up their fears?  Big fig leaves--coverups--applied; but God sees the truth and nakedness of fear.
• David ran to take out Goliath because the other leaders and warriors were afraid.  David knew God was with him and he had to confront the fears.
• Fear and torment are from Satan; the enemy sends mental torment as a strategy to get you from embracing God's best for your purpose.

Anger:  READ:  Ephesians 4: 26-27   Notice that God knows we are going to get angry, but we are not to sin...give the enemy a foothold.
• Anger is 1 letter short of Danger--Joyce Meyer
• Sometimes we must realize we are angry with God.
   Picture/story of the family
• Anger chokes the life out of us; it puts out our FIRE that summons the grace of a loving God.

WHEN YOUR HUT'S ON FIRE
 
The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him. Every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming. Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the elements, and to store his few possessions.
 
One day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, with smoke rolling up to the sky. He felt the worst had happened, and everything was lost. He was stunned with disbelief, grief, and anger. He cried out, "God! How could you do this to me?"
 
Early the next day, he was awakened by the sound of a ship approaching the island! It had come to rescue him! "How did you know I was here?" asked the weary man of his rescuers. "We saw your smoke signal," they replied.
 
The Moral of This Story:
It's easy to get discouraged when things are going bad, but we shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in our lives...even in the midst of our pain and suffering. Remember that the next time your little hut seems to be burning to the ground. It just may be a smoke signal that summons the grace of God.