"Don't Settle"

Preached 3/17/13 in the AM service @ MWC

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Intro.  It is so easy to get weighted down with the daily problems and circumstances that surround us.  To become encumbered with the daily grind of life; paying bills, raising kids to be productive Godly citizens, overcoming the consistent problem of making ends meet.  The danger for all of us is that we “settle” for where we are or what we are going through, never reaching the potential that God had destined us for.  We accept it as the ‘end of the story.’  But it’s not!!  

Today I want to minister on the subject “Don’t Settle!”.  Don’t settle with the pain....don’t settle with the poverty....don’t settle with the frustrations of life....don’t settle with the fear.  Make up you mind today to pursue what God has made available for you.   Note Paul’s words in I Tim. 6:11-12, But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. ¹²Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” 

No matter what the circumstances, good or bad, things will change.  For the Christian, ethe change should be for the better.  This, in truth, is part of our blessed hope......" the greater things to come ".

We must determine to not allow anything or anyone control or destroy what we are or what we are destined to become.  We must not settle!

Note with me others before us that refused to settle.

I. God Refused To Settle: 

   a. Man had disobeyed.

b. Did what God said he should not do.

c. God kept His Word.  Man suffered spiritual death... separation from Life.

d. The curse was placed upon man.

e. The serpent had won!

1. But God looked beyond the darkness and despair of the hour....looked beyond Calvary and  said in Gen.    3:15, " And I will put enmity (opposed/hostile) between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall  bruise thy head..."

II. Moses Refused To Settle:  

      a. Miraculously raised in the home of the enemy of God’s people.  Never lacked for   

          anything.

b. It is easy to become comfortable surrounded by prosperity though they that are around you are living in bondage of sin and moral poverty in a deprave society. 

1. BUT there came a time that Moses chose to look beyond the prosperity and the privilege ( sometimes a problem ) of being called the son of Pharoah’s daughter. Note Heb. 11:25-27  “ By faith Moses, when he was come to years, (grew up) refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God , than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.  Esteeming ( hold in  high expectation ) the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasure in Egypt; for he had respect unto the recompence ( give compensation to ) of the reward.  By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king:  for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible “.  

Faith that a better thing was in store for God's chosen!  He would not settle for what others thought was a perfect life!

III. Isaiah Refused To Settle:   

a. During Isaiah’s time Israel was in bondage and control of heathen nations.

b. Time and time again God had sent His Word through the mouths of His prophets 

     calling for the repentance of Israel.  For a season they would return and be 

     blessed but the pull of the world around them would pull them back to the sins of    

     their surroundings.

       c. Isaiah looked beyond and said in Isa. 9:6 , “ For unto us a child is born, unto us   

           a son is  given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name 

           shall be called Wonderful, Counselor,  The mighty  God, The everlasting Father,  

           The Prince of Peace. “ 

    “ And the redeemer shall come to Zion...” Isa. 59:20

    " IN the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high 

      and lifted up, and his train ( glory ) filled the temple.  " Is.6:1

 IV. Jesus Refused To Settle:

       a. In Matt. 16:18 He said, "I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not 

           prevail ( overpower it or be strong to its detriment, or hold out against it ) against 

           it.      

       b. In John 14:3 He said, “ I go to prepare a place for you " also said,  " I will come 

            again receive  you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.“  

V. We Can And Must Refuse To Settle:

     a. Ps.91:2  I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge ( the state of being covered or protected: something to which one turns for assistance in difficulty or need in the absence of a usual means or source of supply ) and my fortress ( a place offering resistance to a hostile force ): my God; in him will I trust  ( lean and rely ).

       

Conc. I close today with this admonishment....”Don’t Settle” the best is just around the bend.