Last 3 weeks What are you thankful for? What has made your life rich/ interesting? What has made you strong? Coming to grips with a call. Today: Are you living by design or default?

Are you living by design or default? Josh 3:9 Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God. 10 This is how you will know that the living God is among you ... 11 See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you. 12 Now then, choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe. 13 And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the Lord—the Lord of all the earth—set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.”

3:14 So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them. 15 Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, 16 the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho. 17 The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.

Prayer and Action go hand in hand People often want to hear God's will for their life “God, I'm not moving another inch until I hear which direction you want me to go.” We pray “thy will be done.” We have in mind that if we don't go the direction God wants, we get further and further away from His will.

We don't want to get farther out of God's will so... We wait We listen We go nowhere! God's will NOT God's will NOT God's will God's will

It's OK to plan Paul had a strategy He went to places where there were international trade routes and set up churches.

It's OK to plan, but let your plans be adjusted by God's Spirit Acts 16:6 Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. 7 When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. 8 So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. 9 During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

It's OK to plan, but let your plans be adjusted by God's Spirit James 4:13 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” Do not be arrogant in your planning Be open to God's guidance But make a plan to accomplish; and do it

Prayer requires action When you don't see how God will answer... Take a step Get moving in a direction It is easier to turn a moving object than a stationary one Prov 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. God directs: You take a step When God called, I got up the next morning Went to local community college Registered for all public speaking classes Ended up taking sociology instead (you are wishing I took public speaking) It was not the

It is OK to plan Counting the cost of being a disciple Lk 14:28 “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? 31 “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? NIV

Are you living by design or default? Making your life count What would you like to be known for? What impact would you like to make? What is God calling you to change? Consider the way God has shaped you in the past. Consider a “call.” ( a burning, nagging notion) Consider how you are going to be used by God. Include “bucket list” items. Incorporate them. Studied art in Italy. Trip to Venice, Florence, Rome. Brought it back to church

Are you living by design or default? Make a strategy. Starting the church Building a house. Create a “time line” plan. Post it DO NOT COMPARTMENTALIZE YOUR LIFE! Spiritual Personal All one life! Surrendered.

Living by Default Let “whatever” happen to you. No drive for the Kingdom of God No sense of making your life count No sense of making a difference in the world No conscience of justice. Most often self- absorbed

So What? Most adults settle into a “predictable” life. House Job Relationship Vacations Entertainment But “what if...?” What do you want on your tombstone? If someone wrote a biography about you...