UNCOMMON Series: Uncommon Flourishing

Uncommon Flourishing

Part – 1

Deut 28:2-3 2 And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God. ESV

Introduction:  Next Sunday we are beginning our Thrive Series in the Foyer…these series of classes are designed to show you how to Flourish in Your relationship with God…thus why we use the word Thrive:

Through this Pathway Your Discover Three over-riding themes:  Us – You – Together

US

• MercyGate
• What We Believer
• The vision of the Church

You

• You learn God has given you Gifts and What they are
• You’ll learn your leadership style
• You’re Personality and How you can grow beyond it

Together

• Power of Partnership
• How to Grow with Others in Community
• Unleashing the Gifts God has given you so you live a fulfilled life in Christ and the Church

Transition:  God’s heart is one of a giver.  The foundational verse of most all Evangelical Believers is:  John 3:16 which at its core…is God expressing the Heart and Action of a Giver…

God promises from Genesis to Revelation to Bless His people with:

• Ministries, Callings, Mantels and Anointing to accomplish these things.

There are over 500 blessings and promises offered to us as believers in Scripture.

Joyce Meyers said:  “We have no right to the blessings, if we do not want the responsibility.”

I think as God’s people we should be blessed and we should live like we are blessed.

But we have to make decisions that Position us to inherit the Blessings of God.

Ps 92:12-15 12 The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. 13 They are planted in the house of the Lord; they flourish in the courts of our God. 14 They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green, 15 to declare that the Lord is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him. ESV

1. Imagery
   1. Psalms is full of Imagery that paints life’s pictures for us…they say a Picture is worth a 1,000 Words
      1. Psalms are a collection of Poems, Songs and Prayers written by several authors…
      2. David is credited with writing the Psalms, but he actually only wrote 73 of the 150.
   2. In this psalm the writer uses so many descriptors to define the Righteous, the Believer…
   3. Flourishing – meaning to grow vigorously, thrive, to be at peak development…anything done in a showy way.
      1. God desires to show himself off through His people…if we would position ourselves properly to received from the Lord.
      2. I’M GETTING IN POSITION TO BE BLESSED

• The Lord desires to see you Flourish and Prosper as we can be a person on Display before a world that so needs Him…

Transition:  Get in Position – Get in Position – Get in Position…

The Thrive Pathway Helps Accomplish this Position Setting

Jer 17:7-8 7 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, And whose hope is the Lord. 8 For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit. NKJV

Here are six questions you must ask yourself to determine whether you will flourish in the Future.

1. Are you planted?

“For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters”

1. Not those who attended the house of the Lord, but those who are planted
2. Means to be established in God’s house
3. If you’re not established you will not grow
4. These people know they are saved & have purpose in God’s kingdom.When they’re not there you can tell something is missing.
5. How easily can you be uprooted?

“Which spreads out its roots by the river”  Jer. 17:8

1. When the roots of a tree spread out & run deep it is difficult to uproot them.
2. There are those who are participating in ministry & other church activities, as well being financially committed to church projects.It would be difficult to move them, unlike those who only stay on the fringe of church life & never allow themselves to become completely involved.
3. There are some people who say I want to be rooted.I want to help!  But it’s usually on their own terms.  That’s not rooted.  First time they don’t get their way or confronted, they leave!

III. Can you take the heat?

“And will not fear when heat comes”  Jer. 17:8

1. If you are planted in the house of the Lord, you will have times of testing, but you will not fear the outcome.
2. Testing comes so we can have a testimony.

1. Is your spiritual health a priority?

“But its leaf will be green”  Jer. 17:8

1. Never take your spiritual life for granted.
2. Stay refreshed in the word, prayer, & fellowship with other believers.
3. The older you get the harder it is to maintain your physical health.It’s the same spiritually.
4. Example Joyce Meyers said, “she used to just open the Bible & God give a word, as you grow that ceases to work.”
5. Are you ruled by the seasons?

“And will not be anxious in the year of drought”  Jer.  17:8

1. People who are planted are not afraid of dry seasons
2. They continue putting God first

• when finances are tight – they continue to give
• when their marriage is rocky – they remain faithful
• when their lives are hectic – they Rock Steady
• when kids are not living right – They seek God and are Patient in the Waiting

1. They understand that seasons are specific periods of time, so they stand firm.

      “Never make a big decision in a dry season.  No matter how good the opportunity looks.  Wait till God speaks to you!!!

1. Is giving a lifestyle?

“Nor will cease from yielding fruit” Jer. 17:8

1. There is no reason for fruit to stay on a tree because sooner or later it will rot if not picked.
2. Sadly, there are fruitful lives here today & they have never surrendered their fruit to bless other.

• The most frustrating thing to a Pastor is to see

   “Squandered potential”

             “To know it’s there, but they don’t realize it”

1. We are blessed to be a blessing.

You will never be blessed if you don’t put yourself in the position to be a blessing.

• Kill negative attitudes!
• Crucify greed!
• Sacrifice selfishness
• Allow God’s Word to Define you not everyone or everything else

VII.    Closing

You have every opportunity to flourish in the house of God if you choose to be planted & allow your roots to go down deep.  My prayer is that you will prosper & flourish in every area of your life.

Illustration Of our yucca plant- this Yucca plant stood in the corner of our house looking beautiful and nice.  Jonna had been watering this thing faithfully for quite a while and one day she was moving it across the room.  She reached down to grab the plant that was  in the pot…went to lift it and discovered it was ”Hollow & dead on the inside.”

We cannot be attending the Planters Box called the Church and then when lifted find we are hollow and dead on the inside…

God’s desire is for you to be blessed, planted & flourishing.  Don’t go another day below Gods’ best”

Open altars for salvation & rededication open altars for positioning

• I need to give my life to Christ.
• I want to get in the right position to flourish.
• I need to make some adjustments.
• Call to Action: Attend Next Week’s Thrive Class…US!