He Is Able

“For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.” – Romans 11:36

We’ve seen God do great things in our church, and we know that He’s just getting started. However, with all that’s been going on, it’s easy to feel like it’s a bit chaotic. Which is why I used this Sunday’s teaching to provide you with some information on what is happening in our church.

In the last few years, I have been constantly reminded of God’s ability to do the impossible. Webster’s Dictionary defines able as “having sufficient power, strength, force, skill, means, or resources of any kind to accomplish the object.” When I look back over the 17 year history of Northstar, it becomes all too apparent that God is able to do bigger things than we can imagine.

We see in Ephesians 3:20-21 that our Father is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we could ask or think. “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

Think about the future. I believe His plans for Northstar are beyond what we could even imagine. As are His plans for each of us individually. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” – Jeremiah 29:11.  It is for this reason we need to enlarge our vision. To think bigger than we’ve ever thought before and to dare to imagine all that He can, and will, do in us and through us in the remainder of 2015. Our God is truly able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we could ask or think.

Our success at Northstar is because of what God is able to do. I’m not talking about what we’re able to do. I’m talking about what God is able to do. What could He do through us together as a local church? Does God want to get the gospel out like never before? Does He want us to reach more people than we’ve ever reached before? See more salvations? More people filled with the Spirit? More disciples?  The answer is yes, yes, yes and yes.

Our goal is not to limit God with small thinking. Our prayer is that we will not limit what God is desiring to do.

Here is my prayer for every member and regular attender of Northstar, that you will receive a fresh vision of His plans for you and for our church. That your heart will be stirred.. Job 8:7 says, “And though your beginning was small, your latter days will be very great.” God’s saying to you that no matter where you’re at right now, no matter what you may be facing at the moment, there is hope for your future. He has a plan for you.

Dare to believe that He is able to do things that you’ve never seen before.

Discussion Questions:

1. John Wesley said, “Our responsibility is to give the world the right impression of God.” How well do we do?
2. Do we do enough to glorify God?
3. What traits of a church glorify God above all else?
4. How is God  at work within you on a day-to-day basis?
5. Pray and ask God to show you your role in the vision of the church.