7.18.11 "Be All that You Can Be"

"Be All that You Can Be"

I Chronicles 26:12-27:34
Romans 4:14 - 5:2
Psalms 14:1-7
Proverbs 19:17

One of the most frustrating things for me is not living up to full potential. I can't stand it when things hold me back that don't need to. I hate seeing it in others, too. So much potential never fully realized.

Time for a bit of self-evaluation today. We know God has a plan for our lives. We are all at various stages of understanding the plan or walking in it. I want you look at yourself in terms of living up to your full potential. If 100% is living up to your full potential, where are you at today? What's your percentage?

If it's not 100%, do you know what's holding you back ?

In the Living Bible, Romans 5:2 says "we confidently and joyfully look forward to actually becoming all that God has had in mind for us to be."

Our Mission Statement at Oak Creek A/G is "Reaching Our World for Christ as We Lead Individuals to Discover and Become who God created them to Be."

As with any "slogan", it can become cliche if it loses it's meaning and becomes only a slogan. So, where are you at in the "Discover and Become" process? Paul says we can be confident and joyful in the fact that we can actually become all that God has in mind for us.

Of course, the maturing process never ends, so you can beat yourself up over the fact that you haven't "arrived" yet, but that's not the point.

You could actually live up to your potential today! "What? How can that be? I need to change jobs to live up to my potential! I need to lose 20 pounds to live up to my potential!"

Some of our perceptions as to what is holding us back from our potential are way off! There is not a "cookie cutter" goal that God has laid out for us. It's not that we all should be trying to end up like Paul, or Peter, or another hero of the faith. It's not about what God wants us to "do" as much as it is who he wants us to "BE".

Here's a checklist of 5 questions today:
1. Am I walking in obedience to what the Lord is directing me to do today?
2. Am I caring for those around me by meeting their needs through the principle of submission?
3. Am I disciplining myself to get into the Word and to be faithful to study with fellow believers?
4. Am I using the gifts and talents I have to serve others?
5. Am I living in awareness of those around me who need Christ and doing what I can to connect them to God?

Another way of asking the same questions is "am I living the DREAM?"
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship (walking in Obedience)
Relationships Devoted to Unity (Submitting to the needs of one another)
Empowered through Biblical training (Disciplined to study God's Word)
Active Ministry Involvement (Responsibly using gifts)
Mission to Reach Our World for Christ (Purpose for everything we do)

OK, you're thinking, "why the DREAM 101 class today?" It's because sometimes we become numbed by the familiar. We think that because we've heard it before we can file it away and not really think about it. That's not the case. We need to seriously look at "actually becoming all that God has had in mind for us to be."

Pastor Jon Brooks said, "Peace is not just an end of conflict, it's a state of everything being in order." In Romans 5:1 Paul says "we can have real peace with him because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us."

Because of this gift of salvation, we can have things in order. We can apply these scriptural principles to our life. By putting the principles of DREAM in place today, we position ourselves for God to use us for his glory. Remember the excuse of changing jobs, losing weight, etc? Well, that may all happen, but it will be a result of having yourself in order, not the other way around.

Don't let this be mere cliche today:

Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!

P Greg


Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ