Live Free with Josh Howerton - God’s Power Is Greater Than Your Work | Ep. 103 | Wednesday June 28, 2023

Episode Date: June 28, 2023

We need to redefine how we think of success in terms of God's great power, not our work. In this episode, Pastor Mike reminds us that it is all on Him, not on us. Success is not based on our performance. For more information, visit lakepointe.church/dailydrive

Thanks for tuning in to today's Daily Drive with Lake Point Church, a daily dose of God's word for your morning drive. When the word, not the world, becomes the majority of your week, your life will start to change. For that reason, our prayer is that God will speak to you through today's devotional. For more digital content to feed your faith, visit lakepoint.comit. And now let's dive in to today's devotional. Hey, what's up, everybody? Hope your summer is going great. And even though summertime can mean a diversion in your routine,

thanks for making these few minutes a regular part of your day. And we're just trying to get to know God better and to get to know ourselves as well. And we've been talking about reclaiming our true identity. Because let's face it, there are all kinds of lies that hack into our soul and really mess with us. Lies like, I am what I feel. I am what people say about me. I am what a piece of reflective glass or a bathroom scale tells me. I am lacking.

I'm unlovable. I'm too far gone. I'm hopelessly stuck. I am what I've done. We're trying to expose those lies for what they are and find our true identity and what God says about us. One of the lies that we've been focusing on for the last few episodes is the one that says this,

I am what I do and how well I do it. Performance and success define who I'm. am and so many struggle people struggle big time with performance anxiety me athletes musicians students actors I mean you come home and the questions get asked how did you do today did you win why not what was your stat line how many notes did you miss how did the audience react did you get much applause what kind of reviews did you receive how many people showed up to watch you and we begin to equate what we do with who we are.

And we begin to define ourselves by how well we did what we do. I'm telling you, a pastor struggle with this too. I always wonder, how did I do? Did people listen? Did anybody respond? Why did that one guy get up and leave right in the middle of my talk? Do people even like me?

Man, I have to do better. Years ago, I embraced the response that Dallas Willard would give his wife. When she would ask him after a message or after a lesson or a sermon that he taught, she would say, how to go? And he would say, I don't know yet. And I thought, man, I love that.

So I totally stole it for the past three decades because it took me and my performance totally out of it. Now, I want to do the best I can. And I work hard with the gifts that God has given me. But it was a great relief to know that God is the one that changes. Lives not me. So I don't know how it went. God grows churches, not me. God comforts and challenges and encourages in supernatural ways that I just can't.

And I may never know how it went on this side of eternity. And I cannot tell you the number of times when I thought to myself, man, that was a home run. That was awesome. Man, great job, bro. No response. Crickets. And the ones I thought were a total disaster, someone will come up to me years later and say, hey, you remember that one talk you gave?

And I'm thinking, yeah, I sure do. I mean, it stunk. They'll say, it really got me thinking. As a result, they started making some life changes and just always, reminds me only God. And I'm learning that God is not as interested in my ability as he is my availability. So just get my ego out of it and show up whatever I do with humility and an openness to be used. And I challenge you to do the same. You see, God defines success differently than most. He defines you and me as a much loved man, a much loved woman, and that love is not

based upon our performance. So here's a great verse for you sticking your heart today. in the little book called Titus in the New Testament, chapter 3, verse 5 and 7, it says this, He saved us, not because of the righteous things that we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and a new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ, our Savior, because of His grace, He made us right in his sight and gave us confidence. that we will inherit eternal life. It's all about what he has done, about his performance,

and nothing we do will ever make him love us any more than he does right now. Listen, you may never get promoted. You may never make the Dean's List. You may never be listed in the top 40 leaders under 40. You may never get a four-chair turn on the voice, but know that the only chair that really matters is already turned for you. He chose you. So maybe today, jump off the treadmill.

build of performance. Oh, work hard with a great attitude. Do what you do with excellence. But do not let it define you. Let his love do that today. See you back to more. Thanks for tuning in today. For more biblical teaching and worship, join us for our church online live weekend services on Saturdays at 6 p.m. and Sundays at 9.30 and 11 a.m. Central Standard Time. Also, if this podcast was helpful to you, would you be sure to rate, review, and share this podcast to help get the word out? For more information about all digital ministries of Lake Point, visit lakepoint.compt. Church slash Daily Drive.