Chasing Purpose Micaiah Irmler 2 Samuel 23:8-12 NIV 8 These are the names of David’s mighty warriors: Josheb-Basshebeth, a Tahkemonite, was chief of the Three; he raised his spear against eight hundred men, whom he killed in one encounter. 9 Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite. As one of the three mighty warriors, he was with David when they taunted the Philistines gathered at Pas Dammim for battle. Then the Israelites retreated, 10 but Eleazar stood his ground and struck down the Philistines till his hand grew tired and froze to the sword. The Lord brought about a great victory that day. The troops returned to Eleazar, but only to strip the dead. 11 Next to him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines banded together at a place where there was a field full of lentils, Israel’s troops fled from them. 12 But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field. He defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the Lord brought about a great victory. Note: Most people when they think about their purpose they don’t think produce. Note: This farmers field was going to become a battlefield. Note: Shammah is about to become a legend because of these lentils. The Field Was Their Before He Found It vs. 11-12 11 Next to him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines banded together at a place where there was a field full of lentils, Israel’s troops fled from them. 12 But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field. He defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the Lord brought about a great victory. Remember: There is a field for you. Note: God has a purpose for every person. Note: God has a purpose and you have a part. Your purpose was already there. Do you wait for culture to validate what you are supposed to think is important? Door #1 or Door #2 The problem is not the its that our idea of purpose didn’t factor problems. Every purpose has the for problems. The Future You Want Doesn’t Come Without a Fight vs. 12 11 Next to him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines banded together at a place where there was a field full of lentils, Israel’s troops fled from them. 12 But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field. He defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the Lord brought about a great victory. Illustration: Pixar already made a movie about this story. In case you missed it and want to watch it, the movie is called, A Bugs Life. A tiny ant colony harvests food for half of the year for the grasshoppers that come and steal it then what little is left over for the ant colony they live off of. Then Flick a lone ant gets tired of it. He makes a mess before he finds out his meaning. He gives the Queen Bees daughter dot a rock. Tells her it’s a seed. Remember: Don’t be passive about your purpose. Remember: No one ever coasted to their calling. Note: Faith without works is dead meaning your faith is dead if you don’t work it. Note: When two teams face on in a competition they don’t give the trophy to the person who wants it more but to the person who. Note: Shammah is not passionate about . Remember: This is part of the path to Shammah’s purpose. Running Doesn’t Keep You From Risk vs 11 11 Next to him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines banded together at a place where there was a field full of lentils, Israel’s troops fled from them. Note: The enemy banded together and the army of God disbanded. Note: Maybe they said this isn’t a hill worth dying on. Note: The Israels troops did nothing wrong and they also did nothing right as well. If you surrender the small where does it ever stop? Eve its just a bite Esau its just a bowl of beans Joseph its sleeping with your bosses wife Achan its just some clothes and some silver Jesus its just some rocks turned to bread Judas its just 30 pieces of silver Ananias and Sapphira its just giving part of the money you made not all of it Remember: If you won’t fight for the small the enemy will take things for free. Question: How many victories has the devil won without firing a shot? Remember: It’s natural to run it’s supernatural to fight. You Can’t and Get Ready at the Same Time. Note: If you are not yet fulfilling your purpose it might be that you are not yet ready for your purpose. Note: God is always using problems to prepare you for what He’s prepared for you. Remember: Preparation comes disguise as problems. Question: Do You Disappear When the Enemy Appears? Question: Could that be why people stay on the treadmill? It’s safe, predictable. Illustration: Hey look I am busy. I have motion no movement. I have activity no accomplishment. Question: What will you do when others don’t see the point of protecting this patch of lentils. Trust God Because Only He Knows the Forecast to Your Future vs. 12 12 But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field. He defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the Lord brought about a great victory. Question: What is eroding your focus on the faithfulness of God? Note: God honors those who say I won’t surrender the small areas. Note: This field is worth fighting for. Remember: The answer is not WHAT was I meant for but WHO was I meant for. Jeremiah 1:5 Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations. Note: There is a version of you that God already knew about. You have a design made by God You have a destiny given by God Note: This field was food for others. You have to make the decision not God You fulfill your destiny one opportunity at a time. Stop opting out of divine opportunities. God wants to make a name for Himself with your life. Remember: If God is real then we need to live like it. Take Away: Question: Have you found your ground? Note: Shammah became one of Davids mighty men because of this moment. Remember: His promotion came because of what he protected Illustration: You know church family I wear people out. Some times people leave don’t want to be around me and can I tell you the biggest reason why? Because I am always chasing something! I’m 40 years old and I’m still chasing things. I’m wired to pursue things. Life is meant to be not endured or to just take it easy. Note: I don’t think Shammah was passionate about Lentils but one thing is for sure he was tired of being pushed around. Sometimes our purpose is based on what we are willing to protect. This is just what is on the path to fulfilling my purpose. Remember: Life is a game of inches. Remember: Guard against the shift towards shallowness. Question: How many victories has satan gotten by not even firing a shot? Fight vs. 12 But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field. He defended it and struck the Philistines down Note: It all matters. Remember: It was a hill worth dying on. Remember: What you are willing to fight for reveals your priorities. Note: When you are in the middle of something it takes the same energy to go forward as it does backwards so you might as well go forward. Note: When you are in the middle it’s easier to defend every part of the patch. God won’t fight what you are unwilling to face. The enemy won’t go down until you’ve found your ground. Jeremiah 20:9 Fire in my bones Success is not the outcome success is the . Illustration: We rented two movie theaters on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2014. One theater sat 96 the other 178. I was so nervous excited that first Sunday. As we were setting up a man and his wife that said they wanted to come help us start the church came and told me don’t expect too much today most church plants don’t have a very good first Sunday. Talk about motivation. I’m 29 quit my job 6 months before no guarantees of medical insurance, paycheck, no real mentorship, or training, and was trying my best to plant a church is the least churched area in the country. I traveled to 74 churches, six states, covered 20K miles in my highlander, watched watched as Austin barely two get double Pnuemonia no medical insurance leaving Coos Bay OR in the middle of the night needing to drive home then to San Diego where Janes aunt was a pediatrician and she said she would see him for free. No money for equipment so I am borrowing equipment from a friend, no money for direct mailers, so I am canvassing every neighborhood in my spare time and between Jane and I and a few volunteers we managed to invite 25,000 people to our church. Only problem was we were planning to meet at the Wyndham Garden In Ballroom but a few weeks before we were to launch the church we check in with the hotel to sign a contract and do a practice run then they tell me that they have two other churches that they gave the space too and they said all you guys can meet at the same time just work out among yourselves. Then I asked how much and they said the same. So less than a month before our first Sunday we found the Oakridge Mall Movie theater. The denomination I was a part of preached against movie theaters so once they found out our church was going to meet in a movie theater a pastor started writing a newsletter against our church and told people that he would be pulling his support and said they should as well. But Jane and I knew this was where God had called us and so got in the middle of this Lentil patch and said we’ll defend it. Then little by little you all started showing up. Note: For ten years we’ve said we’ll give our lives for these lentils. 2 Corinthians 12:15 And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved. Find Out vs. 12 and the Lord brought about a great victory. 2 Chronicles 16:9 NIV For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. Remember: We live for the of nail scarred hands. X is the Roman numeral for 10 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 I’ve started but Perseverance Determination Faith Fortitude From Fragile to Fortified Endure Perseverance holds on and holds out hope. You may have finished but its not over. You are are going to persevere you will need to know how to see through the suffering. You are going to need X-ray vision. Faith to Leave the Fight to Him Bold faith that takes prayerful risks. The load is not your its just your current level. Your load is not your limit. Celebrate our rather than await our perfection. Celebrating progress is better than waiting for perfection. There is a gap between what I want to what God wills. God hasn’t done His best work at Southrdige yet. Will this be a moment or a movement? Key Text: 2 Samuel 23:8-12 NIV 8 These are the names of David’s mighty warriors: Josheb-Basshebeth, a Tahkemonite, was chief of the Three; he raised his spear against eight hundred men, whom he killed in one encounter. 9 Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite. As one of the three mighty warriors, he was with David when they taunted the Philistines gathered at Pas Dammim for battle. Then the Israelites retreated, 10 but Eleazar stood his ground and struck down the Philistines till his hand grew tired and froze to the sword. The Lord brought about a great victory that day. The troops returned to Eleazar, but only to strip the dead. 11 Next to him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines banded together at a place where there was a field full of lentils, Israel’s troops fled from them. 12 But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field. He defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the Lord brought about a great victory. Question: Why is it when evil and the enemy appear we disappear? Quote: We must indeed all hang together or most assuredly we shall all hang separately. ~Benjamin Franklin Note: I can’t teach you how to be successful but I can teach you how to fail. Question: How do you make it to a decade? It was often making the difficult decisions. Daring decisions. Counter-intuitive decisions. I don’t think saving this patch of lentils is as big of a deal as an accomplishment. This speaks more to who Shammah was as an individual. I won’t surrender my purity, integrity, I won’t surrender up our future. It’s a small compromise. If you are willing to surrender the small then when does it stop? God says whether you eat or drink do all to the glory of God. The enemy is banding together while others are disbanding We are called to take new ground other times are called to defend ground that is about to be taken. Many are giving up on the Bay Area moving out leaving the lentils. The lone warrior stood firm and resolved to defend this patch. Shammah finally came to a point where he said I’m not giving up ground. He stood in the middle of the field. When the troops fled that’s when he said this is still worth fighting for. Note: Not everyone has believed in the vision. Not everyone has decided to stick and stay. We fight for the field that will feed everyone. Planting a church is a God-sized dream that is destined to fail without divine intervention. Fight for a Field Note: This is one scary audacious and uncertain undertakings. But if the call of God doesn’t scare you it’s probably not from God. Note: The Israelites forfeited their dreams because of fear. Note: Once you start running you never really stop. Note: You can trivialize everything into something not worth fighting over. Fled Fight Find Out Banded They only think they have more Middle This is not something for God to fix but for us to . For the last decade we have dared to believe God for bigger. For the last decade we have dared to go the distance to tell people about Jesus. For the last decade we have dared to give generously to build God’s kingdom. For the last decade we have dared to serve. So this week as I was praying over what to preach I was thinking about 10 years and I was like the 10 lepers, the 10 virgins, the 10 commandments, Top Ten Ten is not the Top Taking on Your Ten Give me Ten Timeline One Man Band / An Army of One So much was being fought for while so much was being fought on. Distraction Do you run at the first sign of risk? They banded while others disbanded Unity God’s will is more of an attitude than an . Grit and Grace His purpose was to become a great warrior but his purpose is something he pursued. This stuff is going to make a great story one day. Your values are not what I value. Don’t Get Played By Your Purpose Your purpose will show up looking like a not a destination Question: Has the life you’ve chosen required little of your God. Question: Has your life already been lived by countless unknowns? My purpose: To leave the world better than I found it.