The Sermon Positional Living by David McGee
Oct 16, 2011
Positional Living (37:37)
Referenced Scriptures: Matthew 6:27-34; Ephesians 1; John 3:16-17; 1 Corinthians 13
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What position do we occupy in our lives?
The scriptures below are from the WEB Bible.
Matthew 6:27-34
27) Which of you, by being anxious, can add one cubit to the measure of his life?
28) Why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They don‘t toil, neither do they spin,
29) yet I tell you that even Solomon in all his glory was not dressed like one of these.
30) But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today exists, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, won‘t he much more clothe you, you of little faith?
31) Therefore don‘t be anxious, saying, ‘What will we eat?‘, ‘What will we drink?‘ or, ‘With what will we be clothed?‘
32) For the Gentiles seek after all these things, for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
33) But seek first God‘s Kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things will be added to you.
34) Therefore don‘t be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Each day‘s own evil is sufficient.
Ephesians 1
1) Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, to the saints who are at Ephesus, and the faithful in Christ Jesus:
2) Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord, Jesus Christ.
3) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ;
4) even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and without blemish before him in love;
5) having predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his desire,
6) to the praise of the glory of his grace, which he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved,
7) in whom we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,
8) which he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence,
9) making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in him
10) to an administration of the fullness of the times, to sum up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens, and the things on the earth, in him;
11) in whom also we were made a heritage, having been foreordained according to the purpose of him who works all things after the counsel of his will;
12) to the end that we should be to the praise of his glory, we who had before hoped in Christ:
13) in whom you also, having heard the word of the truth, the gospel of your salvation, -- in whom, having also believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,
14) who is a pledge of our inheritance, to the redemption of God‘s own possession, to the praise of his glory.
15) For this cause I also, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which is among you, and the love which you have toward all the saints,
16) don‘t cease to give thanks for you, making mention in my prayers,
17) that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him;
18) having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
19) and what is the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to that working of the strength of his might
20) which he worked in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly places,
21) far above all rule, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come.
22) He put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the assembly,
23) which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
John 3:16-17
16) For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
17) For God didn‘t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him.
1 Corinthians 13
1) If I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but don‘t have love, I have become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal.
2) If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but don‘t have love, I am nothing.
3) If I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but don‘t have love, it profits me nothing.
4) Love is patient and is kind; love doesn‘t envy. Love doesn‘t brag, is not proud,
5) doesn‘t behave itself inappropriately, doesn‘t seek its own way, is not provoked, takes no account of evil;
6) doesn‘t rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;
7) bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8) Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will be done away with. Where there are various languages, they will cease. Where there is knowledge, it will be done away with.
9) For we know in part, and we prophesy in part;
10) but when that which is complete has come, then that which is partial will be done away with.
11) When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child. Now that I have become a man, I have put away childish things.
12) For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, even as I was also fully known.
13) But now remain faith, hope, and love: these three. The greatest of these is love.
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So your Bibles to Matthew chapter six verses twenty seven to thirty four and spoke about this a little bit on Wednesday night from the book of Ephesians, chapter one that I recommend doing that I would do as I started I thought we go to Matthew chapter six in the title is positional living and what position do we occupy in our life and guilt. Sometimes we call station was stationed. We have in life. How how we respond to situations. How we respond in our life often determines how we coming how we see ourselves often determines how we respond okay, how we see ourselves mentally, physically, spiritually always say that we will respond. Now we know that there are different personality types that there is that the very aggressive. The Dean IDs the domineering, they are. I forget you are the way, remember that lions and tigers and bears them different animals for different personalities and different villa. People are very aggressive. They're very submissive. There's five four five different personality types, and how our combinations of them work in our life and and sometimes we look at this and we look at who we are with it was just to I am. It's just so I am. That's why respond the way I do is just do. I am. That's why I do what I do while they chose that is presented to us in the Scriptures is that we are to look at who we are, but yet determined how were supposed to respond and yes we do have a kind of a predisposition. Our personality type to be able to respond a certain way, but we also know all that there are good and bad parts of who we are on my personality young so it's a matter being able to look at the strengths that we have been how, then, that God can work in our life to continue to develop who we are and continue to develop added a strong, strong Christian, a strong relational experience with Christ's way. So if we look at Matthew chapter six verses twenty seven to thirty four is very again. It's a very familiar portion of Scripture, and since has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever gotten any taller. This is that this is the message Bible has anyone my fussing of London ever got any follow some of us have never got any more hair by me, and probably ready out. So any got any colored by so much as a bench. All this time and money wasted on fashion do you think it makes that much difference. Instead of looking at the fashion walked out of the field and look at the flowers, the wildflowers. They never print or shop on our weaknesses. I could use a sermon against shopping all the time. Something was but a habit. I would lose out on that one. Okay now than ever, print workshop bought. Have you ever seen colors and designs quite like it. The ten best men and women in the country looked shabby alongside of them. In verses thirty if God gives so much attention to the appearance of wildflowers, most of which are never even seen, don't you think he intends to you takes pride in you. Do his best for you. What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax and not be so preoccupied with getting so you can respond to God 's giving people who don't know God and how he works steep your life in McCain 's stoppable but don't know how he works. Stage your life in God we allocate gone initiative God provisions don't worry about missing out your find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with what ever hard things come up when the time comes. So one of the Scriptures, and that had Matthew six thirty three then indicating to King James as seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you. So looking at the provisions that God has given us that most people don't know God and the way he works, so we ran hard to stay our life in God realities God initiatives and God provisions so as we know it began to look at who we are taking our personalities taken our failures, they can our successes, confessing our sins, getting rid of all the things that tie us down to what we were. We want to be free in Christ to accomplish something, to accomplish the will of God, and to look at how God wants to work in our lives, but most of the time no matter what God wants to do in our life. We already have a preconceived idea as to how things are going to turn out not preconceived idea is what you think about yourself, how you think about yourself, what were trying to do is change what we think about ourselves to what God thinks about so oppositional living is coming to a place in life where we are one with God. One was ourselves one with others. Step your ilk to life in the God reality. So, what type of reality are we looking at here. I would like you and no caffeine, which has issued another senior hereafter have a in Townline down into upfront allowed to stand over here that thereby the offense than earlier and I thank you very much on what you do is when these crowns I got Burger King this morning and hear your queen and your king or two lucky you. I buried out now tell me if you are the real king and queen, and you occupy that position as king and queen of your empire are you going to look at life differently than you do from sitting in the pew. You can help about you think why why they are look at life differently different perspective, but different position back there, you're just too ordinary people. Now, your king and queen. What has happened. Your position is changed. The crown has fallen out. So what else changes, while in the public size of people over the people look at you all may think differently about you somewhere to be very critical because your king, queen, that we were not even elected why Kaiser King, their highest high snob people CIA became a small I is him. He was not with all that well, but you didn't change or digit. So what else is going on. Help them out. Now what's going on like that. Then ask him forget about being there that don't go away. But now, but what else is going on your position changes your perspective changes your attitude about yourself will change. Why, because you have to make a decision based upon being a king and playing armadas being ordinary. Mary and Joe in everyday life, going to school right. The change yet. Thank you very much. It raised the diagnosis on the world. I know you have your full sermon. This is looking this is a total storm illustration. So just getting off craving out to our negativity. This is the ideal position. Now he went from serving interview to being in front of everyone. That's a positional change the things look different up here than from the pickup, acted as the only people there all up in the last wealth changes responsibility changes, attitude changes on the grid. They are very bad things are going to change that they're not the inkling there falls up the White House is the bad position that only happens the preachers and bass players to head the head head head for drummers on October the twelfth moral saving else change the big grumpy while so much responsibility with others more responsibility you got a responsibility to your kingdom, not just to yourself with your kingdom. So there's a lot of pressure. You got to walk right dress right think my talk right talk right-click right any ounce friendship and her best friend nine eight, meaning you need a method that is what I false friendships. People want to be close to why Nike write me a check. I need some money. We give me a jeweler to I can live in a palace but not eliminated. I'll see where you live in the palace, including lifestyle changes, everything changes. Why, because a your position. Imagine that your position changes everything enough that you can keep the grounds of the Reverend Churchill also have made it very much. The value sorry thing is that you live there is a our possession. Know what you think about yourself, does it change when circumstances change. When everything 's going good. I don't envy you would have a different opinion of ourselves. When everything is going bad. We have an opinion about ourselves. But what is God 's opinion on last and what position does God place us in as his children. Is it we can only put king and queen up here is what one Nvidia out to individuals, but Jesus Christ is born each one of us in the same position in each one of us live in the same in relation to experience with Jesus Christ and that relational experience with Jesus Christ changes everything in our life changes everything in our lives. So that's why we are supposed to Steve ourselves in God reality. What is the reality of my relationship with Jesus Christ. What does that reality bring with it using the title opting in playing that title brings a lot of things with it a great in others. A lot of entitlements now you got to go to balls and parties and young traveling carriages and having a meeting of the ailing travel roll devices and have people serve you all the time and private schools. Private education, young tracks anywhere you want to go in the world. Everything changes because your position has changed somewhat. However, God realities that we are to live with John three sixteen and seventeen are very familiar with this one. This is how much God loves the world he gave his son is one and only son. And this is why so that no one need be destroyed so that no one need be destroyed. Okay, my physician what position does God want you to occupy it want you to occupy the position that nothing can destroy Paul says nothing can separate us from the love of God, neither height nor depth or principalities or powers or things present nor things as things become no greater than nothing. The javelins, and nothing can separate you from God, life or death scene. This is a positional relationship that you have with Jesus Christ. This is a position that goes along what territory of being a child of God. Nothing can destroy you only really nothing that don't don't don't be concerned about things that destroy the body be concerned about things would destroy the soul of someone we looking at here, so don't get all worked up over changes to go on in life to understand that while you are walking with God in the positional relationship with God because of your confession of faith, your confession that your sins be forgiven your change person. Why could give a new position. No one need be destroy by believing in him. Anyone can have a whole and lasting life goes with the position you have a whole and lasting life. It is eternal life now and then and I just do not position you have eternal life. You have eternal life. You are in that position. How should you then roll over your life knowing that you have eternal life. Know that you you are a child of God know that Jesus Christ died for your sins and you ask him to save you from your sins forgive you your sins, you now have this position. How then should you look at life. How then should you look at the difficulties of life. The very good things. The very worst things. How do you look at it because maybe different perspective. You are now in this position. God put you there. Every Christian. Every believer occupies this position. Nothing will destroy you. You have a whole and lasting life will live forever. By then, you know, we think about, what about accident, what about that on the matter what happens to me. I'm St. Louis live in the wife to come so I don't need to fear the accidents I need to take care of my life but I don't need to fear the arrow that flies by day, by the pestilence, it comes by night. Now get to watch all the movies where they may have what was a Robbins. Robbins, Robin Hood, Robin Hood. They go up on the upland cliffs and every the archers pulled back and when they do they shoot all these arrows of these out how the marrows fly through the sky in the sky. The poor people down on the beach. It is in hammered by these arrows that the arrow that flies by day, it's the lock of the summary sheets are now in substance, no, you get used unit in so and in wartime, the psalmist is saying we don't need to fear the arrow that flies by day, or the pestilence that comes by night. But because of our position. We don't need to be afraid of God didn't do. God didn't vow to all the trouble of sending his son merely to point an accusing finger. This is where we would have updating a hard time below a hard time with this relational position. They think that the only reason God came out was the point fingers and say you know what you did wrong, you know, you're saying you know your problems. You know your values. You know your background and all your knowledge at all, pointing an accusing finger that is not nowhere in the Scripture is that ever the highlight of why God came the only race it is ever brought up is all that we recognize it is taken from us. It am trying to tell the world how bad it was past the position we limit what I'm here to tell the world how bad they are, were here to serve the world serve Jesus Christ and going out in teaching and telling the world about Jesus but anyhow so we need was there to tell the world how bad it was. He came to help became to put the world why then God Jesus Christ came to put us in the position that we were intended to happen the very beginning from from creation and creation, Adam and he walked with God, and colder than they were friends with God. God was friends with them so that is the position that we with. We are in a position of friendship, oppositional relationship, we are in a position where God speaks to us by his Spirit in his word and the vitality while crazy things. Tells about without being paid. Be that the peace of God in your hearts, and might be still and know that I am God, that in the time while he brings peace and indecisiveness. God has well that when things go wrong. God has a confidence in place they can to keep us safe. That's the position that we live in. That's a position that we have in our relationship with Jesus. Anyone who trust in him is acquitted, but no one acquainted is that the legal time means all the charges against him were dropped. Your credit. Every sin that has ever been committed is acquitted. Why, because Jesus Christ is forgiven, you doesn't mean that they never happen. That means that the guilt of that is totally gone and forgiven and you are quit. It's all that's a position I'm in. I'm acquitted of all my sins. That's the position went as when the devil reminds you of your past remind him of his future. I always liked that one. When the devil reminds you of your past remind him of his future this future is hell. Our features have let the past go back to position anyone who refuses to long since been under the pen of the death sentence and with that, without knowing it, and why. Because that person 's failure to believe in the one of a kind God son of God when introduced to the failure to believe. So a positional living is having a whole and lasting life. The dog got in time to point out and accusing figure anything to help to put the worldwide again to trust in Christ to allow his forgiveness to be acquitted of our sins. The position I have is I am one with Christ, I am forgiven and I have a life that now has purpose. My past is that they are the wrongs of my past I've been forgotten forgiven acquitted and I have a new life in Christ. And this is my position. This is my position. Steve your life that God 's reality starts, initiatives and initiative is this the initiative is this with what we believe and what I expect to accomplish in this message again. The initiative that I have an enemy in the expectation of what I have this message and the teaching of Scripture is that something better exists something better exist. There is a closer walk with God that we've ever had before available to us and everyone of us are in this category. Everyone of us to be closer to God. Every one of us can be enough in a relationship with Jesus Christ that continues to grow. This is our position. We continue to brawl, and oppositional relationship with Jesus. It doesn't change. I'm still a friend. This is still a friend of mine and I'm a friend of hands, and that is with me always, any asset has a will a purpose for my life and I'm continuing to try and him on and see him, I read and so this is my position, and as I grow in my knowledge of Christ. I should become closer and that intimacy) that relationship with him. But God has something better in mind. God is something better in mind. This is my position. My position is an expectation of better better doesn't mean yet that while I get better things better cars better better in this joint beers. I better get off. I get all the better things, but that's not the better the better is the relational experience to the understanding of my heart, never the relational perspective that I have in my mind that when I'm acquitted. My past is forgiven. I have a new relationship Avenue expectation Avenue destiny Avenue future, and now I'm I'm applying I'm having this heavenly perspective brought into my life and I'm applying the word of God to my position and my position is one that I'm not. I'm in this world, but this world doesn't only Iola 's Iola things of this world. I'm a steward of it. I don't know that it's God and God 's given me his stewardship of everything I possess. So I want to be a wise steward. That's my position people who don't have God have the misconception they own everything. What I got to die and is decanting a weapon whatsoever do it. We have a responsibility to take know the story of the talents of five thousand three in one big iOS 5 without news. The wisely came back within and needs why got each other these to good start, but Stewart traced frame with rake and back was six Stewart guys that I have one I buried it, you wicked person you some business of that individual driving. Being over. I'm giving you back with you gave me. I have a I got back, we would. He gave me an idea as a wise steward, once the police into his master. Some of us have some people have great talent. Some of you know, music and making well, you know, so there were no great abilities of leadership there and things are there, you know, I is a medicinal rate on online and what we are responsible for the talus and you have not the talents of other people were not to be jealous of other people 's abilities. Other people will I explain the pretty intelligent guy but he's right. He is responsible for his intelligence. You're responsible for your gift, just as he is for his and that's why God doesn't want us to become jealous doesn't want to become envious doesn't want to get because they would become focused on what so many else has rather upon us, what we have in our possession. I don't have to be jealous of somebody else. I have to take care what I'll I was steward of my life so I don't have time to worry about whether somebody else as a steward of their life. I don't have time to be a pretty ill of somebody else's life on responsibility. DeMaio and find responsible, not before God to take care of my position in life. God can bless my position. It can take me places that I never dreamed up. I have not seen nor ear heard, nor hesitated in the hearts of man the things you guys prepared for those that love him. That's your position that your expectation something God wants to do for you. This is a need to your better than it might know yet that same expectation for everyone. How much will we put that into our talents and our stewardship and what we possess I live hinges on how the word of God is received in our lives. You see something better exist, and the word of God is there to make that real to our lives. It isn't that I am in this to get more so that I can build bigger barns to keep my life. I am in those that something better exist that I'm hard of a job. Client and the purpose is bigger than myself. I'm part of the will of God and purpose of God for this world and I have a responsibility of responsibility to God responsibility July. The few. I did this week I mentioned how that we're here to celebrate the gift things of a person 's life and how that this individual matter worse, she went. She was an advocate for breast cancer that she would constantly tell anybody everywhere they needed to have their mammograms. They need to get ill be aware of breast cancer. They take care of themselves, they'd be aware of this because at the age of thirty, thirty one, she was diagnosed seventeen years. She fought with the still, but she was constantly an advocate for the American Cancer Society research and for all these other things that with her. That was her advocacy of his or her what she felt was her dream. But one of things that that one of the characteristics of people said about her was that she was gauche, she never became down about what happened to her was never why me and made me think of Victor Frankel in the concentration camp. Whenever now he's in a reason off with and always we were coming in and telling them about their their life. You know everything that they was important to them is gone, their families and their possessions are not the only being that possesses their life and they don't know how long they'll have it. So what's the use of living. What's the use of trying. Why not give up, and his response was we have a responsibility to life. Life doesn't have a responsibility towards and as we look at how that the Scriptures work with us and talk to us about our life, we have a responsibility July to be is a wise steward of what God has placed in our hands in our minds and our abilities or talents. We are to be a wise steward of all that God has given to lots as we are wise steward God will bless God will bless what we have. He will bless who we are immobilized because we have a responsibility and is not the opposite, that we are here collecting out there. The foolish man in the Bible was the guy who took money out. He said while humbling old Bob build bigger barns so I can keep everything in the fact that the Air Force man tonight, your soul will be required of you. I die because you have nothing greater than yourself, but here in the kingdom of God in our position on life. We have a responsibility to God and that we are we are allowing the life offers you know why this is what offers thoughts we have a responsibility to live in what we have to walk for life and are failed position. I don't have that much, but in a godly position we are kings and queens. We are in a position where we are one with God, and we are one with him, and he promises to bless us. He promises to answer our prayers and to hear our prayers to work with us and cause things work together for good. He has a will for us to follow that will take us from where we are to where he wants us we position someone by the mine is working in my life, and he is taking leading me somewhere. That's a whole different position than studying and thinking that I'm nobody doing nothing, going nowhere. The position of life) thirteen I chosen very familiar scriptures that speak to us of some basic positional relationships that I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy adult love. I'm nothing but a creaking of a rusty gate to see if I see my position as anything less than loving people on system noisemaker. If I speak of God 's word with power revealing the mysteries and making everything plain as day. And if I have faith that says the mountains jump when it jams, but I don't love are nothing if I get everything out to the poor and a result of the state to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love. I've gotten nowhere, organization, you see the position that we have is not a position we were where we lord over people. We are in a position of loving and caring and extending God 's love and mercy and grace to others. I don't live I got nowhere. So no matter what I say what I believe what I do. I'm bankrupt without love, so love what love never gives up. Now we can reverse this relationship God God loves us. He never gives up on us. That's why we are reflective of these very same issues. It's got to watch us to God and to others. Love never gives up. Love cares more for others and herself. Jesus died on the cross so that we would have our sins forgiven. He loved us, we then care for others extended love does a lot what it doesn't have love does instruct doesn't have a swelled head doesn't force itself on others isn't always the first doesn't fly off the handle I like this one doesn't keep score of the sins of others. You got to I got one. I owe you doesn't really revel with others who grovel takes pleasure in the flowering of truth puts up with anything. Trust God, always, always looks for the best. Never looks back. She's going to the end. Love never dies inspired speech will be over, someday praying in tongues will then understanding will reach its limits. We know only a portion of the truth of what we say about God is always, we don't know it all, regardless and God has placed us in a position where we are able to speak of him. The law in to see ourselves with the place of relational experience with God and with others, and we are not above them to rule over them. We are in a position to serve them use our talents wisely and he can continue to multiply back to us. It's a such as such a seemingly opposite thing that if we give God promises that you get back to us. Press down right all were okay for now running over the gobbled install black back into our lives, but here we are being blessed out of my socks with with what we've been, what, what with what we so and then we find ourselves not lording it over, but serving others, and continually serving here is God. Jesus Christ, and didn't think it will operate to be able to God. Yet he became like us and die for us, so we would have so we can be like him. That's our position, and in this is just the beginning of it. This is just the beginning of this positional relationship that exists between God and I did get all of this digital. We only complain about things we can we can do something about. We only complain about things we can do something about our position in life is a place where we find our relationship with God, and we look at it, we say what you know, I'm not this. I'm not that we complain about it, but the only thing we complain about are the things we can really change the reason we don't change is because we're afraid of the risk we risk were afraid of the risk of failure. But God is saying when my physician to say to us. You have a position in me that it solvent be okay if I'm if you pay attention, we need to pay attention to what God is speaking to us in our hearts and in our minds and our spirit 's work pay attention to it. Luckily crazy off-the-wall stop it out of the things that will be there for us to do that will help us in our serving of others in the growing of ourselves and our xylitol to jump out of the boat and CV to walk on water is not an exhaustive jump out the third story fifth story window. If you won't be healthy, but hurts like a dish to put stuff like that you are you wanting to normal raising to do how you like to do that kind of stuff in the spiritual things are spiritual language God is going to bless you, bless your spirit bless your soul, bless your mind and heart and help your new understanding and growing in their position of life. The love what we do is motivated by loving God and loving others will find that the risks are not as great as what we thought the risk of other people 's disapproval is nothing compared to the position that we have in Christ and and having God 's approval upon Allah, that's what were here for. That's our position at all changes changes for every Christian changes for every believer to see ourselves as God sees us and he sees each one of us as his child. That's a position that is good for an eternity. Amen. I jump up in the air. Click McGill 's land on my feet gently but I probably would. That's a risk I'm not willing to take effect at the end of that got slide fifth, but you see I'm the we understand we see and what we all included neither recognize that workings in Queens that just that illustration that the positional change them. Hopefully changed forever, but we are changed forever because of our position with Jesus Christ. Everything changedSo your Bibles to Matthew chapter six verses twenty seven to thirty four and spoke about this a little bit on Wednesday night from the book of Ephesians, chapter one that I recommend doing that I would do as I started I thought we go to Matthew chapter six in the title is positional living and what position do we occupy in our life and guilt. Sometimes we call station was stationed. We have in life. How how we respond to situations. How we respond in our life often determines how we coming how we see ourselves often determines how we respond okay, how we see ourselves mentally, physically, spiritually always say that we will respond. Now we know that there are different personality types that there is that the very aggressive. The Dean IDs the domineering, they are. I forget you are the way, remember that lions and tigers and bears them different animals for different personalities and different villa. People are very aggressive. They're very submissive. There's five four five different personality types, and how our combinations of them work in our life and and sometimes we look at this and we look at who we are with it was just to I am. It's just so I am. That's why respond the way I do is just do. I am. That's why I do what I do while they chose that is presented to us in the Scriptures is that we are to look at who we are, but yet determined how were supposed to respond and yes we do have a kind of a predisposition. Our personality type to be able to respond a certain way, but we also know all that there are good and bad parts of who we are on my personality young so it's a matter being able to look at the strengths that we have been how, then, that God can work in our life to continue to develop who we are and continue to develop added a strong, strong Christian, a strong relational experience with Christ's way. So if we look at Matthew chapter six verses twenty seven to thirty four is very again. It's a very familiar portion of Scripture, and since has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever gotten any taller. This is that this is the message Bible has anyone my fussing of London ever got any follow some of us have never got any more hair by me, and probably ready out. So any got any colored by so much as a bench. All this time and money wasted on fashion do you think it makes that much difference. Instead of looking at the fashion walked out of the field and look at the flowers, the wildflowers. They never print or shop on our weaknesses. I could use a sermon against shopping all the time. Something was but a habit. I would lose out on that one. Okay now than ever, print workshop bought. Have you ever seen colors and designs quite like it. The ten best men and women in the country looked shabby alongside of them. In verses thirty if God gives so much attention to the appearance of wildflowers, most of which are never even seen, don't you think he intends to you takes pride in you. Do his best for you. What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax and not be so preoccupied with getting so you can respond to God 's giving people who don't know God and how he works steep your life in McCain 's stoppable but don't know how he works. Stage your life in God we allocate gone initiative God provisions don't worry about missing out your find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with what ever hard things come up when the time comes. So one of the Scriptures, and that had Matthew six thirty three then indicating to King James as seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you. So looking at the provisions that God has given us that most people don't know God and the way he works, so we ran hard to stay our life in God realities God initiatives and God provisions so as we know it began to look at who we are taking our personalities taken our failures, they can our successes, confessing our sins, getting rid of all the things that tie us down to what we were. We want to be free in Christ to accomplish something, to accomplish the will of God, and to look at how God wants to work in our lives, but most of the time no matter what God wants to do in our life. We already have a preconceived idea as to how things are going to turn out not preconceived idea is what you think about yourself, how you think about yourself, what were trying to do is change what we think about ourselves to what God thinks about so oppositional living is coming to a place in life where we are one with God. One was ourselves one with others. Step your ilk to life in the God reality. So, what type of reality are we looking at here. I would like you and no caffeine, which has issued another senior hereafter have a in Townline down into upfront allowed to stand over here that thereby the offense than earlier and I thank you very much on what you do is when these crowns I got Burger King this morning and hear your queen and your king or two lucky you. I buried out now tell me if you are the real king and queen, and you occupy that position as king and queen of your empire are you going to look at life differently than you do from sitting in the pew. You can help about you think why why they are look at life differently different perspective, but different position back there, you're just too ordinary people. Now, your king and queen. What has happened. Your position is changed. The crown has fallen out. So what else changes, while in the public size of people over the people look at you all may think differently about you somewhere to be very critical because your king, queen, that we were not even elected why Kaiser King, their highest high snob people CIA became a small I is him. He was not with all that well, but you didn't change or digit. So what else is going on. Help them out. Now what's going on like that. Then ask him forget about being there that don't go away. But now, but what else is going on your position changes your perspective changes your attitude about yourself will change. Why, because you have to make a decision based upon being a king and playing armadas being ordinary. Mary and Joe in everyday life, going to school right. The change yet. Thank you very much. It raised the diagnosis on the world. I know you have your full sermon. This is looking this is a total storm illustration. So just getting off craving out to our negativity. This is the ideal position. Now he went from serving interview to being in front of everyone. That's a positional change the things look different up here than from the pickup, acted as the only people there all up in the last wealth changes responsibility changes, attitude changes on the grid. They are very bad things are going to change that they're not the inkling there falls up the White House is the bad position that only happens the preachers and bass players to head the head head head for drummers on October the twelfth moral saving else change the big grumpy while so much responsibility with others more responsibility you got a responsibility to your kingdom, not just to yourself with your kingdom. So there's a lot of pressure. You got to walk right dress right think my talk right talk right-click right any ounce friendship and her best friend nine eight, meaning you need a method that is what I false friendships. People want to be close to why Nike write me a check. I need some money. We give me a jeweler to I can live in a palace but not eliminated. I'll see where you live in the palace, including lifestyle changes, everything changes. Why, because a your position. Imagine that your position changes everything enough that you can keep the grounds of the Reverend Churchill also have made it very much. The value sorry thing is that you live there is a our possession. Know what you think about yourself, does it change when circumstances change. When everything 's going good. I don't envy you would have a different opinion of ourselves. When everything is going bad. We have an opinion about ourselves. But what is God 's opinion on last and what position does God place us in as his children. Is it we can only put king and queen up here is what one Nvidia out to individuals, but Jesus Christ is born each one of us in the same position in each one of us live in the same in relation to experience with Jesus Christ and that relational experience with Jesus Christ changes everything in our life changes everything in our lives. So that's why we are supposed to Steve ourselves in God reality. What is the reality of my relationship with Jesus Christ. What does that reality bring with it using the title opting in playing that title brings a lot of things with it a great in others. A lot of entitlements now you got to go to balls and parties and young traveling carriages and having a meeting of the ailing travel roll devices and have people serve you all the time and private schools. Private education, young tracks anywhere you want to go in the world. Everything changes because your position has changed somewhat. However, God realities that we are to live with John three sixteen and seventeen are very familiar with this one. This is how much God loves the world he gave his son is one and only son. And this is why so that no one need be destroyed so that no one need be destroyed. Okay, my physician what position does God want you to occupy it want you to occupy the position that nothing can destroy Paul says nothing can separate us from the love of God, neither height nor depth or principalities or powers or things present nor things as things become no greater than nothing. The javelins, and nothing can separate you from God, life or death scene. This is a positional relationship that you have with Jesus Christ. This is a position that goes along what territory of being a child of God. Nothing can destroy you only really nothing that don't don't don't be concerned about things that destroy the body be concerned about things would destroy the soul of someone we looking at here, so don't get all worked up over changes to go on in life to understand that while you are walking with God in the positional relationship with God because of your confession of faith, your confession that your sins be forgiven your change person. Why could give a new position. No one need be destroy by believing in him. Anyone can have a whole and lasting life goes with the position you have a whole and lasting life. It is eternal life now and then and I just do not position you have eternal life. You have eternal life. You are in that position. How should you then roll over your life knowing that you have eternal life. Know that you you are a child of God know that Jesus Christ died for your sins and you ask him to save you from your sins forgive you your sins, you now have this position. How then should you look at life. How then should you look at the difficulties of life. The very good things. The very worst things. How do you look at it because maybe different perspective. You are now in this position. God put you there. Every Christian. Every believer occupies this position. Nothing will destroy you. You have a whole and lasting life will live forever. By then, you know, we think about, what about accident, what about that on the matter what happens to me. I'm St. Louis live in the wife to come so I don't need to fear the accidents I need to take care of my life but I don't need to fear the arrow that flies by day, by the pestilence, it comes by night. Now get to watch all the movies where they may have what was a Robbins. Robbins, Robin Hood, Robin Hood. They go up on the upland cliffs and every the archers pulled back and when they do they shoot all these arrows of these out how the marrows fly through the sky in the sky. The poor people down on the beach. It is in hammered by these arrows that the arrow that flies by day, it's the lock of the summary sheets are now in substance, no, you get used unit in so and in wartime, the psalmist is saying we don't need to fear the arrow that flies by day, or the pestilence that comes by night. But because of our position. We don't need to be afraid of God didn't do. God didn't vow to all the trouble of sending his son merely to point an accusing finger. This is where we would have updating a hard time below a hard time with this relational position. They think that the only reason God came out was the point fingers and say you know what you did wrong, you know, you're saying you know your problems. You know your values. You know your background and all your knowledge at all, pointing an accusing finger that is not nowhere in the Scripture is that ever the highlight of why God came the only race it is ever brought up is all that we recognize it is taken from us. It am trying to tell the world how bad it was past the position we limit what I'm here to tell the world how bad they are, were here to serve the world serve Jesus Christ and going out in teaching and telling the world about Jesus but anyhow so we need was there to tell the world how bad it was. He came to help became to put the world why then God Jesus Christ came to put us in the position that we were intended to happen the very beginning from from creation and creation, Adam and he walked with God, and colder than they were friends with God. God was friends with them so that is the position that we with. We are in a position of friendship, oppositional relationship, we are in a position where God speaks to us by his Spirit in his word and the vitality while crazy things. Tells about without being paid. Be that the peace of God in your hearts, and might be still and know that I am God, that in the time while he brings peace and indecisiveness. God has well that when things go wrong. God has a confidence in place they can to keep us safe. That's the position that we live in. That's a position that we have in our relationship with Jesus. Anyone who trust in him is acquitted, but no one acquainted is that the legal time means all the charges against him were dropped. Your credit. Every sin that has ever been committed is acquitted. Why, because Jesus Christ is forgiven, you doesn't mean that they never happen. That means that the guilt of that is totally gone and forgiven and you are quit. It's all that's a position I'm in. I'm acquitted of all my sins. That's the position went as when the devil reminds you of your past remind him of his future. I always liked that one. When the devil reminds you of your past remind him of his future this future is hell. Our features have let the past go back to position anyone who refuses to long since been under the pen of the death sentence and with that, without knowing it, and why. Because that person 's failure to believe in the one of a kind God son of God when introduced to the failure to believe. So a positional living is having a whole and lasting life. The dog got in time to point out and accusing figure anything to help to put the worldwide again to trust in Christ to allow his forgiveness to be acquitted of our sins. The position I have is I am one with Christ, I am forgiven and I have a life that now has purpose. My past is that they are the wrongs of my past I've been forgotten forgiven acquitted and I have a new life in Christ. And this is my position. This is my position. Steve your life that God 's reality starts, initiatives and initiative is this the initiative is this with what we believe and what I expect to accomplish in this message again. The initiative that I have an enemy in the expectation of what I have this message and the teaching of Scripture is that something better exists something better exist. There is a closer walk with God that we've ever had before available to us and everyone of us are in this category. Everyone of us to be closer to God. Every one of us can be enough in a relationship with Jesus Christ that continues to grow. This is our position. We continue to brawl, and oppositional relationship with Jesus. It doesn't change. I'm still a friend. This is still a friend of mine and I'm a friend of hands, and that is with me always, any asset has a will a purpose for my life and I'm continuing to try and him on and see him, I read and so this is my position, and as I grow in my knowledge of Christ. I should become closer and that intimacy) that relationship with him. But God has something better in mind. God is something better in mind. This is my position. My position is an expectation of better better doesn't mean yet that while I get better things better cars better better in this joint beers. I better get off. I get all the better things, but that's not the better the better is the relational experience to the understanding of my heart, never the relational perspective that I have in my mind that when I'm acquitted. My past is forgiven. I have a new relationship Avenue expectation Avenue destiny Avenue future, and now I'm I'm applying I'm having this heavenly perspective brought into my life and I'm applying the word of God to my position and my position is one that I'm not. I'm in this world, but this world doesn't only Iola 's Iola things of this world. I'm a steward of it. I don't know that it's God and God 's given me his stewardship of everything I possess. So I want to be a wise steward. That's my position people who don't have God have the misconception they own everything. What I got to die and is decanting a weapon whatsoever do it. We have a responsibility to take know the story of the talents of five thousand three in one big iOS 5 without news. The wisely came back within and needs why got each other these to good start, but Stewart traced frame with rake and back was six Stewart guys that I have one I buried it, you wicked person you some business of that individual driving. Being over. I'm giving you back with you gave me. I have a I got back, we would. He gave me an idea as a wise steward, once the police into his master. Some of us have some people have great talent. Some of you know, music and making well, you know, so there were no great abilities of leadership there and things are there, you know, I is a medicinal rate on online and what we are responsible for the talus and you have not the talents of other people were not to be jealous of other people 's abilities. Other people will I explain the pretty intelligent guy but he's right. He is responsible for his intelligence. You're responsible for your gift, just as he is for his and that's why God doesn't want us to become jealous doesn't want to become envious doesn't want to get because they would become focused on what so many else has rather upon us, what we have in our possession. I don't have to be jealous of somebody else. I have to take care what I'll I was steward of my life so I don't have time to worry about whether somebody else as a steward of their life. I don't have time to be a pretty ill of somebody else's life on responsibility. DeMaio and find responsible, not before God to take care of my position in life. God can bless my position. It can take me places that I never dreamed up. I have not seen nor ear heard, nor hesitated in the hearts of man the things you guys prepared for those that love him. That's your position that your expectation something God wants to do for you. This is a need to your better than it might know yet that same expectation for everyone. How much will we put that into our talents and our stewardship and what we possess I live hinges on how the word of God is received in our lives. You see something better exist, and the word of God is there to make that real to our lives. It isn't that I am in this to get more so that I can build bigger barns to keep my life. I am in those that something better exist that I'm hard of a job. Client and the purpose is bigger than myself. I'm part of the will of God and purpose of God for this world and I have a responsibility of responsibility to God responsibility July. The few. I did this week I mentioned how that we're here to celebrate the gift things of a person 's life and how that this individual matter worse, she went. She was an advocate for breast cancer that she would constantly tell anybody everywhere they needed to have their mammograms. They need to get ill be aware of breast cancer. They take care of themselves, they'd be aware of this because at the age of thirty, thirty one, she was diagnosed seventeen years. She fought with the still, but she was constantly an advocate for the American Cancer Society research and for all these other things that with her. That was her advocacy of his or her what she felt was her dream. But one of things that that one of the characteristics of people said about her was that she was gauche, she never became down about what happened to her was never why me and made me think of Victor Frankel in the concentration camp. Whenever now he's in a reason off with and always we were coming in and telling them about their their life. You know everything that they was important to them is gone, their families and their possessions are not the only being that possesses their life and they don't know how long they'll have it. So what's the use of living. What's the use of trying. Why not give up, and his response was we have a responsibility to life. Life doesn't have a responsibility towards and as we look at how that the Scriptures work with us and talk to us about our life, we have a responsibility July to be is a wise steward of what God has placed in our hands in our minds and our abilities or talents. We are to be a wise steward of all that God has given to lots as we are wise steward God will bless God will bless what we have. He will bless who we are immobilized because we have a responsibility and is not the opposite, that we are here collecting out there. The foolish man in the Bible was the guy who took money out. He said while humbling old Bob build bigger barns so I can keep everything in the fact that the Air Force man tonight, your soul will be required of you. I die because you have nothing greater than yourself, but here in the kingdom of God in our position on life. We have a responsibility to God and that we are we are allowing the life offers you know why this is what offers thoughts we have a responsibility to live in what we have to walk for life and are failed position. I don't have that much, but in a godly position we are kings and queens. We are in a position where we are one with God, and we are one with him, and he promises to bless us. He promises to answer our prayers and to hear our prayers to work with us and cause things work together for good. He has a will for us to follow that will take us from where we are to where he wants us we position someone by the mine is working in my life, and he is taking leading me somewhere. That's a whole different position than studying and thinking that I'm nobody doing nothing, going nowhere. The position of life) thirteen I chosen very familiar scriptures that speak to us of some basic positional relationships that I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy adult love. I'm nothing but a creaking of a rusty gate to see if I see my position as anything less than loving people on system noisemaker. If I speak of God 's word with power revealing the mysteries and making everything plain as day. And if I have faith that says the mountains jump when it jams, but I don't love are nothing if I get everything out to the poor and a result of the state to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love. I've gotten nowhere, organization, you see the position that we have is not a position we were where we lord over people. We are in a position of loving and caring and extending God 's love and mercy and grace to others. I don't live I got nowhere. So no matter what I say what I believe what I do. I'm bankrupt without love, so love what love never gives up. Now we can reverse this relationship God God loves us. He never gives up on us. That's why we are reflective of these very same issues. It's got to watch us to God and to others. Love never gives up. Love cares more for others and herself. Jesus died on the cross so that we would have our sins forgiven. He loved us, we then care for others extended love does a lot what it doesn't have love does instruct doesn't have a swelled head doesn't force itself on others isn't always the first doesn't fly off the handle I like this one doesn't keep score of the sins of others. You got to I got one. I owe you doesn't really revel with others who grovel takes pleasure in the flowering of truth puts up with anything. Trust God, always, always looks for the best. Never looks back. She's going to the end. Love never dies inspired speech will be over, someday praying in tongues will then understanding will reach its limits. We know only a portion of the truth of what we say about God is always, we don't know it all, regardless and God has placed us in a position where we are able to speak of him. The law in to see ourselves with the place of relational experience with God and with others, and we are not above them to rule over them. We are in a position to serve them use our talents wisely and he can continue to multiply back to us. It's a such as such a seemingly opposite thing that if we give God promises that you get back to us. Press down right all were okay for now running over the gobbled install black back into our lives, but here we are being blessed out of my socks with with what we've been, what, what with what we so and then we find ourselves not lording it over, but serving others, and continually serving here is God. Jesus Christ, and didn't think it will operate to be able to God. Yet he became like us and die for us, so we would have so we can be like him. That's our position, and in this is just the beginning of it. This is just the beginning of this positional relationship that exists between God and I did get all of this digital. We only complain about things we can we can do something about. We only complain about things we can do something about our position in life is a place where we find our relationship with God, and we look at it, we say what you know, I'm not this. I'm not that we complain about it, but the only thing we complain about are the things we can really change the reason we don't change is because we're afraid of the risk we risk were afraid of the risk of failure. But God is saying when my physician to say to us. You have a position in me that it solvent be okay if I'm if you pay attention, we need to pay attention to what God is speaking to us in our hearts and in our minds and our spirit 's work pay attention to it. Luckily crazy off-the-wall stop it out of the things that will be there for us to do that will help us in our serving of others in the growing of ourselves and our xylitol to jump out of the boat and CV to walk on water is not an exhaustive jump out the third story fifth story window. If you won't be healthy, but hurts like a dish to put stuff like that you are you wanting to normal raising to do how you like to do that kind of stuff in the spiritual things are spiritual language God is going to bless you, bless your spirit bless your soul, bless your mind and heart and help your new understanding and growing in their position of life. The love what we do is motivated by loving God and loving others will find that the risks are not as great as what we thought the risk of other people 's disapproval is nothing compared to the position that we have in Christ and and having God 's approval upon Allah, that's what were here for. That's our position at all changes changes for every Christian changes for every believer to see ourselves as God sees us and he sees each one of us as his child. That's a position that is good for an eternity. Amen. I jump up in the air. Click McGill 's land on my feet gently but I probably would. That's a risk I'm not willing to take effect at the end of that got slide fifth, but you see I'm the we understand we see and what we all included neither recognize that workings in Queens that just that illustration that the positional change them. Hopefully changed forever, but we are changed forever because of our position with Jesus Christ. Everything changed