a Shared Life

We’ve been working on a series of messages on Sunday night centering around the theme of “getting off the sidelines and into the game”—of serving God with everything He created you to be.

The main ideas of series: You are a Minister—not about a title (our human nature often makes us want one), but about living the calling God has on your life. Everyone has a ministry (place of service) where God calls them. Check out Ephesians 2:10 to see what I mean.

Growing up, I had a mechanical monkey that pretty much only did one thing: clap. (Except when it was broken!) That’s what it was wired for—and that’s what it did. God has wired us for a purpose–we’re meant to do something.

Recently, I read on a Chipotle cup: “if your life’s work can be accomplished in your lifetime, you’re not thinking big enough.”

We’re hardwired to love, serve & know God—if you are a believer, it is our second nature.

Psalm 139 reads, in part…
“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”
Psalm 139:14

If we want to get into the game, we need to know what position to play
To know what position to play, we need to know how we were built.

A guitar chord is a combination of notes all played at the same time. It sounds best when all the right notes are played together. (In other words, when I’m not the one playing!) Just as each note contributes to the chord, each unique thing about how God created us contributes to how He has created us to serve. If we’re looking to get into the game, we need to use all the notes in the chord. We’ve talked about passion (holy discontent), personality (during VBS) and we’re now looking at talents.

talent: “a skill or ability placed in the core of your being, designed to enable you to fulfill your God intended purpose.”

In order to maximize our God-given talents, we need to:

Embrace how God created you
—instead of coveting the talents of others
Two Wolves

One evening an man told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, “My son, the battle is between two “wolves” inside us all.

One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, adultery, lust, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.”

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: “Which wolf wins?”

The old man simply replied, “The one you feed.”

We need to feed the right wolf!
1. generally we need to choose what is right
2. learn to be satisfied and EMBRACE who God created us to be
–not who He created someone else to be
–not who we sometimes want to be
–not who we settle for being

Take time to develop talents so you’ll be ready

Use your talents, but rely on God

The talent you use at work may not be the one you use to serve/minister in church or to others.

How do I find my talents?

Discerning Questions:
What do you do well?
What interests you?
What do you enjoy doing? What brings you a lot of satisfaction?
What have you always wanted to do?

Sometimes our talents get labeled as weaknesses…
o Bossy—strong leader
o Over talkative—tells great stories
o Workaholic—exceptional producer
o Unrealistic person—dreamer that can inspire

I just can’t help, but wonder:
What if we used talents…what if we ALL used our God-given talents…

What do you do well?
I have the ability to consistently ______________ very well.
___________ has the ability to _______________ very well.

Challenge:
Find your talents and use them to serve God and others.
Good Books:
What Now by Marc Estes
Strengths Finder 2.0 by Tom Rath
In the Meantime by Rob Brendle
(who I once saw at Wahoo’s while eating tacos with my friend Nate in Colorado Springs)