Finding Your Niche in the Kingdom  

       August 23, 2009                 

       By Doug Davis

HEBREWS 4:12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Have you ever wondered what a passage like this really means?

The Bible is a large book, and covers such a huge array of topics, that it is impossible for a person to understand all of it.

If somebody tells me that they understand the whole Bible, I know they are either a serious liar, or have lost their grasp on reality.

I don't even want to know the percent of my understanding of God's word.

I'm sure it would embarrass me.

However, The Spirit of God will enlighten us as we read, study, and ponder His word.

We will get what we need for that day, or time in our lives.

Plus, the word, being living, means it isn't static.

It isn't set in stone.

In other words, you may read a passage one day, and it means something to you, and later on, maybe weeks, months, or even years, you read it again, and it says something different to you.

It is because our lives change, every second.

Our perspectives change, and our needs, and views are fluid.

Paul wrote this, 1CO 13:11 When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.

(tell the story of the little boy hearing the turn signal)

You see, as our understanding grows, our understanding of life, God, and the word, our view, and grasp of it changes as well, or at least, it should!

I may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but hit me enough, and I will, eventually, learn to avoid whatever causes the pain.

I hope I do anyway.

You may not believe this, but I am actually working my way around to a point this morning.

If you have a need, a financial need, or maybe a physical need, or perhaps an emotional problem, or anything this morning, I want to encourage you to look into your Bible, and find the answer.

I honestly believe that God's word, the perfect word of God, holds the answer for everything we may face in this life.

But you see, it is written in such a way, that we can't always just flip it open, and find what we need.

It does work that way, some times, but be very careful.

I can think of a whole lot of verses, if taken out of context, that could make a person look pretty dumb, and could even hurt.

MICAH 1:16 Make yourself bald and cut off your hair, Because of the children of your delight; Extend your baldness like the eagle, For they will go from you into exile.

My goal this morning is to help all of us to search out the Bible, and find answers to our most pressing problems.

This is a habit we all need to create in ourselves.

For example, I know this one will grab all of you, and give you instant enlightenment, and help you with some major decisions you are facing right now.

Let's just say that you are trying to decide whether you should become a drunk, and or, a criminal.

You are on the edge this morning, trying to make up your mined.

Here's a passage that will help you make the right decision.

1CORINTHIANS 6:9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals,

10 nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

There you go, your answer, plain, and simple.

Now, aren't you feeling better?

What a relief!

Have you ever wondered who you are in God's eyes?

Well, your answer is in the Bible as well.

This may surprise you, but there is a verse, or a passage in the Bible, that is yours.

Yours to stand on, yours to define yourself with.

Yours, that maybe only means something to God, and you, but it is yours.

Most people are shocked when I tell them this, but I have a passage that is mine.

The Lord showed me this many years ago, and I have held onto it, even in the middle of some awful storms in life.

I will reveal it to you, not for the purpose of puffing myself up, but to encourage you to ask for your own passage.

I will read this out of the NIV.

1 Corinthians 2:1-6

2:1 When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.

2 For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.

3 I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling.

4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power,

5 so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power. 

Now, I can't stand before you, and act like I have accomplished this already.

I haven't, but I know that the Lord quickened this passage, out of the whole Bible, to me, and told me that it is mine.

It is my goal, my purpose for living.

It is the shirt I want to wear in Heaven.

You see, God doesn't tear us down, for the sake of beating us up, and showing us what miserable losers we are.

He's God, He's perfect.

We are human, and very far from perfect, and He knows that, of course He does.

We have a friend who is into quilting.

When she makes a quilt, she knows every stitch, every thread, and every piece of cloth used in that quilt.

She even knows that stuff they put inside them, I think it is called batting, or something like that.

I thought batting was something you did while standing at home plate, but what do I know?

God made us, and He knows everything there is to know about us, physically, mentally, emotionally, and anything else you can think of.

Believe me, when I tell you, that the Lord will lead you to a passage in the word, that will click in your head, and in your heart, and become your very own.

It is there, just waiting for you to discover it.

If you are an avid reader of your Bible, which I know we all are, you have probably read it many times in the past, but it wasn't the time for that particular passage to jump out, grab you by the heart, and hang on.

It wants too.

God is just waiting for you to ask Him.

When you study your word, just ask the Holy Spirit to show you, your own passage.

He will, I promise you He will.

Maybe you will want to share it, but maybe you won't, at least not with everybody.

That doesn't matter.

What matters is, that you understand, that God loves you enough, to create a passage in His own word, one just for you!

Who cares if somebody else claims it too.

That isn't your problem.

If we know our place in God's word, it helps us to understand our place in the world, and in the Kingdom of God.

I loved it, when Pastor Marc said a couple weeks ago, that we need to learn to look at everything in a Kingdom way.

We need to drive a kingdom car, so we will notice other things that are kingdom.

That really grabbed me, and I hope that it grabbed you as well.

Our perspective will slant our very existence.

A negative outlook, will make everything be shaded with negativism.

A happy outlook, will color everything happy, and positive.

A Kingdom of God perspective, will lighten everything we see, think, and do, with a Godly hue.

Have you ever heard the phrase, looking at life through rose colored glasses?

Well, that's what that means.

Finding your portion of the word of God, will help you get the proper perspective on life.

It will serve as an anchor a home base, for you to return too, and to be recharged in.

Please, begin to ask the Lord to show you, your own part of His word.

It may surprise you, it may confuse you at first, but I know, it will encourage you, and give you a kingdom outlook on everything.

Let's pray.