1 Sam. 14:8-17
The story turns at this point; over the last several weeks we have looked at the characteristics of different individuals, discovering in their lives how we can take Life to the next level. How we can live out our dreams and seize these
divine moments God lays before us.
We’ve discovered that the choices we make is most likely the most spiritual activity we engage in and that those who want to seize the extraordinary opportunities in life need to take initiative and advance forward. That we also need to take responsibility of what we breath in and who we are
influencing; that life is full of uncertainty and we are to live by faith and move forward.
In all of that there comes this time in life where you realize that there is a whole lot more going on around you that you could possibly take credit for... have you ever had one of those moments?
You know your talent and you know your giftedness and most likely you are under-estimated by people and still there are these moments in life when we think,
“WOW, what’s going on around me is much bigger than I am”
There’s this God-intervention in my life and that’s when it becomes fun! That’s when it become different.
So we see this with Jon - in this moment where he steps out into conflict, danger, of risk - it’s like you were to lay the odds in Vegas or something it’d be like a million to one chance that Jon and his A.B. would actually survive
Remember Jon is heading into this battle w/ one sword against a huge army. Outrageous odds against, forget
success, their survival.
Yet what we see is when Jon steps out into the valley and lets the Phill. see him and moves into the point of no return all of a sudden things begin to happen that were outside of their control.
I think all of us have these moments where we know there are things happening outside of our control.
But most of the time when we feel that things are out of control, that’s not a good thing. But there are moments when OoC and that becomes a wonderful thing
Bigger, better, more extraordinary things that are happening that we could ever trace back to our own, abilities, talent, intelligence, anything...
Jon and A.B. engage the Phill. and do an ExORD thing by defeating 20 Ph. warriors.
Then everything shifts and God sends an earthquake and there is this huge panic - vs. 15 makes sure it is very clear that GOD sent it! So that everyones focus would shift to this moment in life, and Saul and the others began looking around, “Who’s missing? Who’s left the camp?”
They found out it was Jon and AB and I’m telling you this is what happens in life...
As people journey together and do life together the one who begins to connect w/ God, get heart to heart with God begins this new journey that if you do not join them in a similar
journey, years later you find them in a very different place.
I want to talk to you this morning about making an impact - leaving a mark. Not all of us are going to be a ‘Columbus’
or ‘Magellan’ or something... but every1 of us in this room was created by God not only to make an impact, but to long to as well. You can try and hide it all you want, but inside us all there is this incredible fear that our lives wont amount up to what they could have. It’s in us all.
The further you are from living the life God wants and has for for you, the more it just burns away in your soul.
On the other side, the more you begin to live your life for God, the more your life becomes a reflection of the dreams God has for you, you begin to live in this sweet spot, that you know it doesnt matter what any1 else thinks , or says, you don’t have to compare yourself to any1 else b/c you’re living the life God created you to live - that’s good stuff!
Heros
Sometimes I think we’re looking for that big moment in life where we have a huge impact where our name is up in lights
but the reality is w/ most of us when we look back on our lives the most significant times of life are going to be those small moments that we can’t even tell it’s had an effect in that moment on another human being.
I don’t know what Jon was thinking, but I don’t think he thought that his action would create this pivotal moment in Israel’s history that would awaken all those troops that were afraid to go to war and that God would use it as an ExTOrd victory that would remain in the annals of time for all of us to learn from.
How can we Maximize our IMPACT in Life?
How can we make sure we leave a mark?
FOCUS
How do you optimalize your life?
How do you make an impact
It really begins w/ Focus, which is a hard 1 for me b/c I have such a tuff time doing it myself. And what happens is we become OK w/ our lives out of focus. Life is comfortable.
The problem is we may not really know it b/c we don’t have anything to compare it to.
(Jessi needing glasses)
Alot of times I think we don’t even realize our lives are out of focus. We need to have some sort of focus to make an impact
Jonathan had all these choices of where to enter the battle - he had to choose a point of entry
Eventually if you’re gonna make an impact, you have to choose a point of entry... only then can God take over
We have to do our part - God will do His
What do I focus on? On what matters.
Ask yourself some basic questions:
Who do I want to be? What is it I long to accomplish?
What on that path am I able to control? (What can happen is we can have a good idea of who we want to be... want to acc... but we become paralyzed b/c there are some things along the way we cannot control - we then relinquish, we let go of what we do have control over... ahh forget it)
Sometimes we are focusing on all the wrong stuff...
This is what Solomon said in Ecc. 2, If you’re over working, if you’re trying to feed your pleasures it’s all meaningless...
like chasing after the wind - it’s like trying to punch the wind
(handprint in air)
Some of us are living our lives trying to affect the wind - b/c we’re living our lives for things that don’t matter
(millionaire?)
Sometimes we’re not focusing on what matters, but we’re focusing on making an impact on those things that are worthless.
Sometimes instead of affecting the wind we try to affect
water - ever try to make an impact on water?
I’m really important look at how much space I fill.
So we have this sense that we’re making an impact b/c we’re filling a space - the true test comes whenever we move, not necessarily away, just somewhere else even w/in the same area, will there be any evidence you were ever there at all?
If you want to make an impact in life, if you want to leave a mark - then you’re going to have to focus on what matters and even beyond that you need to focus on what’s going to matter - so here’s the tuff ?
What are you doing right now in your life that’s going to matter a year from now? 5...10
We have to re-direct our lives to the stuff that’s at the core of our soul - to the things that really matter.
Focused on eternal matters.
Are you standing at what is ‘the epicenter’ of your effectiveness?
LEVERAGE
If want to make a maximum impact you have to learn how to leverage your life.
You think Jon didn’t know he was son of a King, that he was a prince? He knew if went out to war
it would cause his father to act.
Alot of times in life you can’t force some1 to do something but you sure can be a magnetic pull in a certain direction,
can’t you?
You hated soccer until your little girl started playing soccer
You never had any interest in CheerLeading ever - until your little girl got involved. Or maybe your son playing baseball or the flute or whatever... we end up loving what those we love love?
Jon couldn’t command dad, waste of energy beg him to get him to engage, but if he jumped into the battle, he knew his father loved him enough to go into that battle, and I’m thinking if it was some1 else Saul would be like, ‘Uh let’em die.’
B/c it was his son, there was this magnetic pull into the heat, into the conflict.
If you’re gonna M I - L M - your gonna have to be able to leverage your life -
How can we do that? Simply leverage your Time, Energy, & Resources.
So many people waste their time - I think we have a problem w/ laziness - we have to ask How do I leverage T E & R
How do I leverage my time? Do I waste too much time?
“Who you are tomorrow is your responsibility today”
We need to invest in ourselves today so we have something to give tomorrow.
We have to leverage our E - we sit around not doing much
I think b/c we’re bored - just watching life happen - if we would live life the way God intended we’d be sooo energized
and exhilarated
A part of the way you stay energized is by doing the things you love - remembering that it doesn’t get you out of focus on what matters - healthy balance but have fun!
INVEST
If your going to make a lasting impact on life then you have to invest, but listen you have to invest in people.
How? Invest in people who invest in people
Invest in others who care about others; invest in people who are giving their lives away - that’s what I do - that’s where my time goes in those who want to move forward.
(Pareto Principle)
I love how Jon took his A B - he could have said, ‘this guys is just gonna hold me back. Ever felt that way? Ever thought, ‘I could do so much better if I could get rid of all these people - or atleast my spouse’
(walk too fast for Alli)
Look at what Jon says here, yet so subtle v.11-12
For Israel, what do you mean Is., you mean for Jon. NO Jon is not trying to make a name for himself, or trying to get a promotion for AB, he’s doing it for all the people of God - I love this about him.
He was investing in people who would invest in people - his long term dream was that his life would leave a mark in the lives of others who would leave a mark.
What is the one thing I need to do this week to begin to leave a mark?
(relat. job to pursue, job quit, forgiveness i need to ask, a risk i need to take)
I want you to think about what is the mark that you need to make this week - then move forward with F L I
Something so small, so simple can make a huge impact in the lives of others.
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