Making a Difference: Focus on 'Your One'

Devotional

Day 1: Engage with the World’s Needs with Purpose

In a world filled with overwhelming challenges, from global crises to personal struggles, it is easy to feel paralyzed by the enormity of the needs around us. However, as followers of Christ, we are called to engage with these challenges rather than disengage. This engagement is not about solving every problem but about being present and active in doing good, trusting that our efforts will bear fruit in due time. Galatians 6:9 reminds us not to grow weary in doing good, for at the right time, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. This call to action encourages us to trust in God's timing and to remain steadfast in our efforts to make a difference, no matter how small it may seem. [52:42]

Isaiah 58:10-11 (ESV): "If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail."

Reflection: What is one specific need in your community that you feel called to engage with, and how can you take a small step towards addressing it today?

Day 2: Focus on "Your One" to Make a Tangible Impact

The enormity of the world's problems can often leave us feeling helpless, but the key is to focus on helping one person at a time. This approach allows us to make a tangible impact and fulfill our Christian duty to love and serve others. By identifying "your one," the person God places in your path, you can be a conduit for God's love and grace. This doesn't mean you have to fix all their problems, but rather, be present and supportive in their life. This mindset challenges the notion that if we can't help everyone, we shouldn't help anyone, and instead encourages us to do for one what we wish we could do for everyone. [54:24]

Proverbs 19:17 (ESV): "Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed."

Reflection: Who is "your one" that God has placed in your life, and what is one practical way you can show them love and support this week?

Day 3: Pray and Build Relationships with Intentionality

To effectively support "your one," it is essential to begin by praying for them and building a relationship with them. This involves earning their trust and being present in their lives, which opens the door for deeper spiritual conversations and support. By investing time and effort into these relationships, we create opportunities to share God's love and truth in meaningful ways. Prayer is a powerful tool that not only intercedes on behalf of others but also aligns our hearts with God's will, guiding us in how to best support those we are called to serve. [01:00:29]

Colossians 4:2-3 (ESV): "Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison."

Reflection: How can you intentionally build a deeper relationship with "your one" through prayer and presence this week?

Day 4: Go Deep and Long-Term in Your Commitment

Investing in your relationship with "your one" requires a commitment to go deep and long-term. This means being willing to share your personal story of faith, engage in Bible study together, and be sensitive to the Holy Spirit's guidance in your interactions. By doing so, you not only help others grow in their faith but also deepen your own understanding of God's love and grace. This long-term investment is about being there for the highs and lows, offering consistent support and encouragement as they navigate their spiritual journey. [01:04:38]

1 Thessalonians 2:8 (ESV): "So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us."

Reflection: What is one way you can deepen your commitment to "your one" by sharing your faith journey or engaging in spiritual practices together?

Day 5: Trust in God’s Timing and Harvest

As we invest in the lives of others, it is important to remember that our efforts are like sowing seeds, and at the right time, we will reap a harvest of blessing. Trusting in God's timing means having faith that He will use our investment in "your one" to bring about good in their life and ours. This trust allows us to remain patient and hopeful, even when we don't see immediate results. It is a reminder that God is at work in ways we may not always understand, and our role is to be faithful in our efforts, leaving the outcome in His hands. [01:10:14]

James 5:7-8 (ESV): "Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand."

Reflection: In what area of your life do you need to trust God's timing more fully, and how can you practice patience and faith in that area today?

Sermon Summary

In today's message, we explored the overwhelming needs and challenges present in our world, from homelessness and hunger to personal tragedies and societal issues. These realities can often leave us feeling helpless and paralyzed, unsure of how to make a meaningful impact. However, as followers of Christ, we are called to engage with these challenges, not by trying to solve every problem, but by focusing on what we can do for one person at a time. This approach is rooted in the teachings of Paul in Galatians 6:9, where he encourages us not to grow weary in doing good, for at the right time, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

The key is to identify "your one"—the person God places in your path whom you can help. This doesn't mean you have to fix all their problems, but rather, be a conduit for God's love and grace. By investing in one person, you can make a significant difference in their life, and in turn, fulfill your responsibility as a Christian to love and serve others. This approach challenges the notion that if we can't help everyone, we shouldn't help anyone. Instead, it encourages us to do for one what we wish we could do for everyone.

To effectively support "your one," we must pray for them, build a relationship with them, and be willing to go deep and long-term in our commitment. This involves being sensitive to the Holy Spirit's guidance and sharing our own stories of God's work in our lives. By doing so, we not only help others but also grow in our own faith and understanding of God's love.

Key Takeaways

1. Engage with the World’s Needs: Despite the overwhelming nature of global and personal challenges, we are called to engage rather than disengage. As followers of Christ, we must not grow weary in doing good, trusting that our efforts will bear fruit in due time. [52:42]
2. Focus on "Your One": Instead of being paralyzed by the enormity of the world's problems, focus on helping one person at a time. This approach allows us to make a tangible impact and fulfill our Christian duty to love and serve others. [54:24]
3. Pray and Build Relationships: Begin by praying for "your one" and building a relationship with them. This involves earning their trust and being present in their lives, which opens the door for deeper spiritual conversations and support. [60:29]
4. Go Deep and Long-Term: Invest in your relationship with "your one" by going deep and long-term. Share your personal story of faith, engage in Bible study together, and be sensitive to the Holy Spirit's guidance in your interactions. [64:38]
5. Trust in God’s Timing and Harvest: Remember that our efforts are like sowing seeds, and at the right time, we will reap a harvest of blessing. Trust that God will use your investment in "your one" to bring about good in their life and yours. [70:14]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[40:52] - Importance of Voting
[42:25] - Sobering Statistics
[44:12] - Overwhelming Needs
[46:00] - Personal Tragedies
[48:02] - Our Responsibility
[49:30] - Galatians 6:9
[52:42] - Don't Disengage
[54:24] - Do for One
[55:23] - The Ridiculous Statement
[57:16] - Who's Your One?
[59:38] - Pray and Build Relationships
[63:44] - Go Deep
[64:38] - Share Your Story
[70:14] - Trust in God's Timing
[71:00] - Closing Prayer

Sermon Clips

1. "As of January of 2023, in the United States, about one million people were homeless. Over 143,000 of the million were homeless for more than a year. Approximately 186,000 families, they were families out of that million, and they had children. So, they were families with children were homeless for more than a year. As of 2021, more than 53 million individuals were homeless." [00:41:53] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "In the U.S., 41% of the first marriages end in divorce. So about half. And you know, the real sad thing about that is that in Christendom, if you're a Christian, it's no different. It's about half and half. Half divorce, half stay together. And if you're here and you've had a divorce, I mean no judgment at all on you. It's just a statistic." [00:42:50] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "So, pretty sobering statistics, would you say? Absolutely. Yeah, I would. All you have to do is listen to the news, you know, or all you have to do is look at the internet. And I mean, if you're out in your driveway, all you have to do is talk to one of your neighbors, and you see and you hear about all the needs in the world. There's a lot of needs in the world, and there's so many that it's pretty overwhelming. Would you agree?" [00:44:12] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "But shouldn't we have a certain amount of compassion? For our fellow man? Yeah, we should, especially if you're a Christ follower. So when you see the people in our country and in the world in turmoil, you know, homes getting blown up, children being trafficked. Boy, there's another bad one. Kids being murdered in school. When you see people at work or at church, even next door, that are struggling, what are we supposed to do?" [00:47:36] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "In spite of the fact that you and I are responsible to do what we can for someone, it means as God gives us opportunities, we need to make the time to help somebody. We can't just shut our eyes to all the needs that are in the world, that are in, you know, certainly the world is hard to reach out to, but man, in our community or even in our household or in our workplace, we can't just shut our eyes." [00:54:06] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6. "Do for the one what you wish you could do for everyone. Do for one what you wish you could do for everyone. Would you say that with me? Do for one what you wish you could do for everyone. You know, one reason I like that phrase so much is that it kind of flies in the face of something that I heard all when I was growing up." [00:54:40] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7. "Who's your one? You know, it kind of doesn't seem fair, does it? You do for one what you wish you could do for everyone. Well, what about everybody else? Well, it does kind of not seem fair, doesn't it? But forget about fair. God's not fair. Do you know that? He's just, but he's not fair. Jesus didn't heal everybody, did he?" [00:57:47] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

8. "So, Carl, after God gives me my one, what do I do? Do I tell? Hey, you're my one. You know, do I do I go to it and say, hey, man, you know, pastor said that I need to find someone that's my one and I'm picking you. You're my one. No, don't say that because they'll run away from you. They will. They'll run away." [01:00:40] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

9. "When you find your one, if they don't know the Lord, then that's your first task, to go deep. Go deep. Do what you can to help them find the Lord. That's your first goal, so they will be a Christ follower. But you don't necessarily have to push it, right? You don't have to lead them through the four spiritual laws or five spiritual laws the first time you meet, do you?" [01:03:38] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

10. "So be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and depend on Him for help. When you get together, don't just talk about the weather. Yeah, that rhymes. When you get together, just don't talk about the weather. And... And maybe more importantly, tell Him your story. Tell Him what God's doing and what God has done and what God is doing right now in your life." [01:04:32] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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