You Were Made for More - Running from God, Part 2

Have you ever driven a car with a manual transmission is one of those things either. You know you don't and the hardest part for most people is using the clutch to shift from one year to another. Today we'll talk about that difficulty as it translates to our spiritual life in our relationships.

How do you make a big shift statement. Thanks for joining us for this addition of Living on the Edge with children Living on the Edges of international discipleship ministry start helping Christians live like Christian is really no chips or regular Bible teacher for the stupid program series. He and his son Ryan series based of the book of Jonah called it was society's further from God's word.

We believe it's vital to turn to biblically grounded voices like Brian to assure different viewpoint for what were experiencing through his insight and the wisdom of our teaching team can better encourage and support Christians to really look like Christians, but with all that said, let's join right now for the second half of this message running from God turn in your Bibles to Jonah chapter 1 say something so obvious, we have to say when we run from God we shift away from the more were made for. How do we run from God think it's in the areas where his will doesn't make sense things. Honestly, most the time don't don't don't we have a better plan than God's.

I know you. I created the universe and all that stuff seem like you had some pretty good Old Testament plans, but I got a pretty good plan for my life. I got it from here. We run from him when we resist what God has clearly shown us refilled to us in his word. We go okay. There's much that when he said this is how life is to operate highlights the work that he's been so clear on and we just cannot I just pick and choose the parts that I like and I don't like this part, but I like that part in us when we run from God run from God we shift away from the more were made for what and how do we shift into the more were made for. Let me give you two things that God has shown us clearly. These are two fundamental shifts. We need to make in our lives to live out those who God has made you to be and into the person he's created you to be the first is simply this shift. The shift to God's heart for the world God's heart for the world to embrace his heart for the world and the way he sees the entire world around you. John 316 is probably one of the most famous verses in the entire world.

And even if you don't go to church era, you know, this verse and it says this for God.

So help me out. Love the world for God so loved like the attitude the intention the disposition of the God of the universe is not that is against you out to get you down on you, but loves you and who does he love the world, every single person on the planet regardless of whether you agree with their politics or not. Regardless of where they live. Regardless of what they're doing regardless of how their living. He says I love them with the ever lasting, passionate, all-consuming loss, whether Ninevites or Israelites. I left them. I left him and God sees the great heartache and pain of the world and he sends his son right into the heart right into the heart for you and for me that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes puts the weight of their life shall not, and we say this word with me parish like God's heart is that you would not perish but have eternal life, or it's the eternal life now notices present tense path is the eternal, life of peace and joy and hope that begins now in the presence of Jesus the spirit deposit inside you and forever more in his heart's desires. I so love you.

I so love you. I'm so for you and there is a sickness of the gold that has separated you called sin from my prize since and there is a direction and intention that that pathway is destruction and this is my heart for you.

My heart is to keep you from harm and to bring you into my family. I love you said in the fascinating thing that God calls this prophet to Nineveh he runs the opposite way and I was wrestling this week of like why didn't Jonah want to go to Nineveh and you know I think my humankind first reaction is like. Will Nineveh you hurt who they are is like you gonna die. You know you got a word like that. It isn't anything good but at the end of chapter 4 Jonah tells us, he says, I knew your gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love. He's quoting Deuteronomy, the very character and nature of God because he knew that you he's going to Nineveh to proclaim this news. What is a given, is given a warning he's given them a heads up. Ever wonder why you give somebody a heads up a heads up play golf the other day for lookout.

Why do you give somebody a heads up what you give them a heads up and let them know that harm is coming destruction is coming a ball is flying through the air and if you don't look up. You might get hit in the head with it and somebody give you a warning on the yacht out because I want to keep you from harm heads up and Jonah says I don't want to give them a heads up because I'm afraid the listen and repent and they won't get what they deserve because they can like okay so who do I give a heads up that I say that lookouts and I let them know that don't go down that direction will certainly people I love is like was just people you love, and he certainly knows more than that is more than just people you love Steve.

I like nothing more than that. You see a ball coming up this total stranger would even say what you so who are the people that you would not say heads up that were lookout to the people you hate the people you want to get hurt and chances are you don't have any Ninevites at your workplace. These extremes sometimes cause us to miss out on the moments you know in Jesus's day in the cultural customs of their day. When he said love your enemy an enemy defined it was simply one whom you would not have into your home. All of a sudden it expands and heads up there's hearted, and I don't think we do a good job at this because we live in the world like you do you and you know what you're going to get what you deserve, like when we get God's heart for the world. He so loved that he gave. He sent his like I don't want any harm. I so love the Ninevites and I know what they're doing is so broken, but I'm going to send you there to give them a heads up because I love you God's heart and we take this first so personally in his wonderful and has absolutely true, but we have to expand to neighbors to coworkers to your classmates to the person who posts that just annoys you online to the person of the opposite political party and where we begin to get God's heart that he has this everlasting, all-consuming love, and he sees that there's a direction and a path that you're headed.

There's a process in the state of your heart that you perished. Destruction harm is coming and we can't help but say we love you heads up first fundamental shift is that we have to embrace God's heart for the world is clear on that. Secondly, is then respond to God's calling on your life. God's calling on your life.

Michael Ryan, I don't have a calling your pastor, you have a calling factor paid to be good I'm good for nothing, no way to second is not wind right that's for profits. Notice what Jesus said final words to the disciples we know it is the great commission Jesus came to them and said, therefore all authority, or all authority has been given to me by the way, real quick, all authority that word authority means Jesus has final say Jesus gets to say and be able to be the one who was like hey this is what is going to happen. He's in charge. He has all power, all authority in heaven on earth is been given to me when he says this. Therefore, in light of that reality go, not just pastors us go and make disciples go and tell people heads up, go and let them know that he loves them with an ever lasting love and has done what we could not do, and you no longer have to work your way to God but God has worked his way to you, and he's done and covered the cross and the pain and the punishment invites you into the family of God. Therefore go and then we hear the girl were like what is it Nineveh 550 miles away from home. It's interesting that sense of that word in the Greek goes actually while you go while you go therefore as you go about your day. Make disciples. Therefore, as you're going to work make disciples. Therefore as you go to your school. Therefore as you go to your CrossFit. Therefore as you go, you know, to your spin class as you go to the coffee shop is you wherever you go. As you go that you and race you are a called one by God's separated out immensely love to share and express his love to her hurting a broken world, one in which he died for you died for you. You experience his grace and how could you not share that present is the more that is the more. In fact, the apostle Paul when he was riding to Philemon.

He said this is a short little book is a letter to this church leader and he says I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith so that you have a full understanding of every good thing you have in Christ, like there's something about this that that when were active in sharing. When we begin to just share what God is done in our life we experience the more were made for is set your heart of firing you begin to experience him in unique and profound ways.

I think we run from that I think were running from our calling. Think were running from our calling in our day the same reason may be that Jonah ran CE prophesied that Israel would be you know successful in this campaign expand their borders.

What you know what happened to him. He's a hero. The wealthy delete the noble loved him.

I'm sure he got paid handsomely. He had a very comfortable life. Can you imagine what they would think of him if he went to their arch enemy and gave them a heads up behind it with me to. I think we get so concerned about what other people think so concerned I what they might say that we say nothing and we don't give anyone heads up and you like Ryan, don't you know there's so many crazy Christians out there don't you turn on the TV before going to think I'm one of them crazy Christian well yeah if you don't start speaking up and showing Jesus in the life and what it really looks like to be a follower of Jesus friends in this area.

Let's just be real you at your workplace at your campus or wherever your signing on to zoom is probably the only follower of Jesus.

The only light that they know and they don't even know your lighter oftentimes or would begin sitting on a heart for the world which you begin to knit my heart with your heart, would you begin to allow my heart to be with your heart may begin to see others around me the way you see the may I begin to have that heart desire that you love them every single person that came across my path and then you called me that somebody else called you told you your his game plan.

Go make disciples want to give us just a very simple application.

Prayer care share or you'd write down three people that's in your life in your world who do not know Jesus and then pray for them every single day for five weeks so we complicated would you write down three names, at least in pray for them like isn't the least you could do the least caring thing you could do is always pray for somebody like you really long for them to know she's like like can we do that). I don't know three people I live in the like will holy huddle of church I've been here. I don't know any non-Christian self, get a new hobby.

Seriously new hobby joined the CrossFit crew spin cycle start going to a coffee shop, get to know your barista but then you're like okay well maybe there's one one person who cuts your hair. Just imagine what God wants to do in and through you and use your life to be a light to those around you. Prayer care share would you on the backside after you write this then on would you write John 316, and then the prayer that I have underneath their heavenly father. Would you give me an opportunity to share with someone in some way about you today. I found if you asked somebody if you can pray for them.

They don't say no. Everybody's pretty open to that incredible way to share in some way about Jesus today and it's amazing that when you pray for somebody got changes and shifts your heart.

We pray for an opportunity got changes and shifts your linens and how you see those around when I was a senior in high school, this became a reality. It was the summer before my senior year that God got a hold of my heart in high school I wasn't really walking with Jesus and was trying to not just for that.

I mean if you like. I just want to fit in so intimidating right elbow wasn't popular.

I just was trying to like hang out with anybody that would hang out with me and then over the summer like like she's got a hold of my heart and in their something that happens like when you encounter Jesus and he gets older you are, like, it's like you're so excited and you want everyone to experience what you just experience like this is me seen and so I was sitting in my US golf class at the beginning of school football coach was teaching it dreadfully boring and is like worsen roundtables.

There's like five of us at a table and so like I have this newfound passion and excitement and faith in Jesus and I turned to Preston now Preston the most popular kid in our school. I mean like he knew everybody.

Everybody knew him. Everybody wanted to be him. He was like, I mean so cool and I was so not and I just turned him I said this is how sophisticated I was at 17.

Has anybody told you about Jesus numb. Mind you, the football coaches lecturing on about something. Who knows, as anybody told you about Jesus in person, looks at me and goes no ask can I sure and I gotta believe it was just simply because we were stock in class and was boring as all get out. As I am on I don't know this crazy kids and next messing around and sure. I just began to share how Jesus changed my life as a simple as that. At the end of class. You know what he said to me, is like. Could we talk more about this like yeah like can I come over to your house and talk about this.

Yeah like some friends. Sure and all of a sudden a guy who doesn't know Jesus started a Bible study of my know Jesus and I began on a 3 x 5 card and I wrote down the names of everyone of those guys I just begin to pray for them every day just sat by my bedside table and I know this isn't the way it always ends up because we sometimes are pray for people for years and years and years and eventually got shows up. I got to see every single person on my 3 x 5 card comes in a Jesus Preston was April 24, 1999 tattooed on his arm. Years later, you get married on that day because it is so significant in his life. Thursday one of my dear friends, my wife, my 40th last year had people share send in videos to share who are significant in my life impresses on their thanking me for a moment that a 17-year-old kid just got out of sight of himself because Jesus would change his life and couldn't help but share it and probably the worst way and got on her stats like that changed my life. Thank you. The entire course of his life got heart for the world laughs where we would embrace the God's calling on our life is the people in your world to just simply begin to do more tomorrow. Make your listing to Living on the Edge with planning group has been our guest teacher for this program running from God, which is from our series were made for more facing the Jonah and all of us. He and Chip will be back in studio shortly to share their application for this message. So what you know about the story of Jonah.

Maybe remember something about a big fish.

A violent storm and an evil city named Nineveh will in this new 10 part series. Chip and his son Roy ensure that there's actually a lot more to this familiar Bible adventure Dylan Packwood, Jonah's life teaches us about handling adversity.

God's love for all people and how we can shift our lives to the more we were created for. If you've missed any part of this series or one assured with a friend, let me encourage you to check out the Chip Ingram up her Bible teacher Chip Ingram is with me now. Would Chip today your son Ryan really emphasize the idea that we were all made for more, but I'm sure there's gonna be some people listening to think they're not that special or that God doesn't really have a plan for their life, would you give him some encouragement, I'd be glad to day you were created by God to fulfill a purpose that no one else can make needs to be a safe sounding board when people wrestling with their faith.

Or maybe it's funding big ideas into big realities. I don't know what your purpose is, but God has a strategic vision to use your skills to use you in ways that you never dreamed.

But what has God designed for you. Not sure well here, Living on the Edge we've created a brand-new resource called the real you. It's an online questionnaire designed to provide insight into how God wired you.

This is more than spiritual gift test, you identify the patterns and what you think. What motivates you and white teams need someone just like you to take about 20 minutes to complete and it won't cost you a thing.

Then, based on your responses. The real you will offer suggestions about how you can practically live out God's purpose for your life. Whether that's at home in the office at church or in your community as a Living on the Edge partner. We want you to be the first to access this resource. Head over to the real you.org to learn more. That's the real you.org most Christians don't how to leverage their God-given wiring and experiences for the kingdom. We want to change that fixture well.

As you can tell, we are really excited about this new resource. We hope the real you will help you not only discover who God made you to be. But now we may just think back and live as Chip said, you can sign up for this reassessment by going to the real you.org or if it's easier text the word real to 741 41. That's the word real REAL27 4141 hapless nurse Special offers. Well here's Chip and Ryan to share some application for this message. Thanks Dave well Ryan, thanks for joining me again here in studio to talk about today's teaching that focuses on how we can shift into the more that were made for. You reminded us that part of God's calling for all of us is to go and make disciples, but you pointed out that the verb goes not necessarily to a place it's more of like like an active process.

Could you unpack that more for us and help us to understand what's that really look like in our lives. Absolutely.

What a great question. You know I think one of the things that keeps us from falling God's call in our life is we believe we have to do something big go to Africa serve on a missions trip and so the command to make disciples doesn't really apply to me in my everyday life. Here's what's interesting like I said in the sermon the tense of the verb go means while you are going certainly can mean to go to a specific place or called to the specific people, but let me give you a good translation of the great compassion while you are going about your every day life disciple say that again while you're going about your everyday life disciple is not an event. A one and done, but a way of living a part of who we are and so for many, the primary place of discipling is your workplace, for it is there. You spend more time than any other space while you go about your workday disciple invite Jesus into the middle of your work that you would respond the way he would respond do what he would do while you go about your mothering and fathering disciple while you go about your CrossFit your Pilates or your spin class disciple every moment of every day is clenched with redemptive potential. When we understand Jesus is calling us into a new way of living a new way of being a new way of seeing the people around us not merely as an offense while you go about your day, your everyday life disciple Greek word right and things just before we close.

I want to thank each of you making this program possible through your generous giving 100% of your gifts are going directly to the ministry to help Christians really live like Christians know if you found this teaching helpful, but you're not yet on the team that you consider doing that today to send a gift go to LivingontheEdge.org or text the word donate to 741 41. It's that easy text donate to 741 41 or visit LivingontheEdge.org hapless nurse just up donate and let me thank you in advance for doing whatever the Lord leads you to do well for everyone here. This is Dave Drury saying thanks for listening to this Edition of Living on the Edge