(Photo credit: The Rock Church of Squamish, BC)
Are you ready to be a Person of Destiny? I invite you to get ready for the ride of your life!
Rev. Billy Graham, who died at the age of 99 years old at his home in North Carolina on February 21, 2018, was among the most influential religious leader of the 20th Century. He said, “Someday you will read or hear that Billy Graham is dead. Don’t you believe a word of it. I shall be more alive than I am now. I will just have changed my address. I will have gone into the presence of God.”
C.S. Lewis observed, “There are two kinds of people: those who say to God, “Thy will be done,” and those to whom God says, “All right, then, have it your way.”
Sadly many people will have to suffer eternity without God because they choose to live without Him on Earth. We were made by God and for God, and until you figure that out, life is not going to make sense. Your life is not an accident. You have a destiny, one that only you can complete. You will live forever in the presence or absence of God, reaping the consequences of your choices and actions on earth (Matthew 25:46).
As Christian author Phil Ware declared, “Our destiny and future are not limited to the boundaries of existence tied to our little blue planet. Our future and our hope burst the boundaries of mortality and are tied to our faith in a resurrected and victorious Savior who is coming back to bring us to his eternal home.”
As a Christian, you have a destiny to enjoy for all eternity: to rule and reign with Jesus. But your destiny does not begin the moment you leave this earth. The Lord has a destiny and purpose for you to fulfill right here and now.
What is the Lord calling you to do? Who is He directing you to influence for Him? For Roger Huang, it started with a desire to make a difference in the troubled slum of the Tenderloin. He began by handing out bologna sandwiches and praying for people. That simple beginning has over the years turned into an incredible outreach that provides thousands and thousands of meals, mentoring, tutoring, providing a Christian education, and much much more! The ministry is impacting the lives of multitudes of people, changing their destiny for all eternity.
Albert Schweitzer (the great doctor, explorer and humanitarian) stated, “I don’t know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who will have sought and found how to serve.”
What does Jesus want to accomplish in and through your life? Your spiritual enemy wants to keep you from fulfilling the destiny that Jesus has for you. The devil wants you to miss it, ignore it, or limit it. But there are no limits with Jesus. He is able to do immeasurably more than we can ask or even imagine (Ephesians 3:20).
This Sunday, July 31, we will look at the marvelous truth that we have been “Chosen to be a Person of Destiny”! You are not to have an ordinary existence; Jesus calls you to live an extra-ordinary life. You are not here to simply endure and survive; you are destined to be a conqueror and world-changer. You may not change the entire world, but we are chosen and anointed and empowered to change someone’s world – someone who needs the love and grace and mercy of Jesus Christ. Please invite someone to join you at 10:35am in the building or online for the Live broadcast on either Facebook (Honolulu AG) or our YouTube channel (Honolulu Assembly of God). We Livestream every Sunday to both sites.
We had an awesome service last Sunday with Roger Huang from San Francisco City Impact (sfcityimpact.com) and his ministry colleague (and grandson) Cal. If you missed it, be sure to check it out at the above sites.
Coming Up: An All Oahu Leadership Training event will take place August 13 from 9:30am-1pm (including lunch) at First AG (Red Hill). If you would like to attend, please let me know by this Friday, July 29.
Aloha ke Akua!