The Right Fit
#findingyourplaceseries
(This Weekly Prayer Summary was written by Lisa Ang, assistant director of the CBC English Prayer Ministry, and edited by Brigitta Tedja)
Today, Memorial Day, is a day when we honor and mourn all U.S. military personnel who gave their lives in service to America so that we can continue to live in freedom in this great land. We thank and bless them all. “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” John 15:13
Pastor Dion continues with the final message of the “Finding Your Place” series for the month of May.
When talking about the “right fit”, most of the time, we assume that there is a hole somewhere, and we are looking for the right pieces to fit in that hole (example: jigsaw puzzle, lock and key). In the church context, we sometimes see people who have been moving around between churches because they have not been able to find the perfect church.
Exodus 13:3-5 NLT “3 So Moses said to the people, “This is a day to remember forever —the day you left Egypt, the place of your slavery. Today the Lord has brought you out by the power of his mighty hand. 4 On this day in early spring, in the month of Abib, you have been set free. 5 You must celebrate this event in this month each year after the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Hivites, and Jebusites. (He swore to your ancestors that he would give you this land—a land flowing with milk and honey.)”
The above verses contain the promises of God to the Israelites after they left Egypt, that is to bring them into a land filled with milk and honey. God’s favor was upon the Israelites when they left Egypt. They went from being slaves to great wealth overnight. But, over the course of the night, Pharaoh changed his mind and chased the Israelites all the way to the Red Sea. Despite God’s promises, the Israelites faced a tremendous challenge: Pharaoh’s army was behind them and the Red Sea was in front of them. But God performed His miracle by splitting the Red Sea so that they can walk through the Red Sea floor.
At this point, did the Israelites make it to the Promised Land? Not quite …
Exodus 15:22-23, 16:1 NLT “Then Moses led the people of Israel away from the Red Sea, and they moved out into the desert of Shur. They traveled in this desert for three days without finding any water. 23 When they came to the oasis of Marah, the water was too bitter to drink. So, they called the place Marah (which means “bitter”). Then the whole community of Israel set out from Elim and journeyed into the wilderness of Sin, between Elim and Mount Sinai.”
The Israelites had this perfect picture that when they left Egypt, they will enter the Promised Land. Yet, the above verses show that despite what God promised them when they left Egypt, the Israelites did not enter the Promised Land right away. They had to face many challenges: the Red Sea, the desert, the bitter water, the wilderness, etc.
We often think that we are not in the right place when we face adversities because in our mind, the right fit means there would be no challenges, no problems, but that it would just click, it would just work. It only took the Israelites 3 days after seeing God’s miracle of splitting the Red Sea before they began complaining. It only took them 3 days to forget what God has done.
The Israelites were already in the right place, since they left Egypt, however, they cannot enter the Promised Land with their old mindset (Egypt was still in their mindset). If we have the wrong mindset, it is only a matter of time before we start thinking that we are in the wrong place. If we have the wrong mindset, it is only a matter of time before we lose the tools and resources that we need to succeed where God is placing us.
The RIGHT PLACE is only the RIGHT PLACE when the RIGHT PEOPLE step into it.
If we are committed to remain as the people we are, then even though we have arrived in our “right” place, it will look like it is the wrong (old) place for us. What is important is not the place where you have arrived to, but it is you! Have you allowed God to change you to be the “right” person in the place where you are so that it will become the place of purpose for you?
The desert and wilderness are not actually a place of curse (a place without God). God performed His miracles in the desert by supplying Israelites manna and quail every day. Did God put you in the desert or wilderness at this point? If He did, then you are in the “right” place. It is a place called “process”.
Pastor Dion gave example of how the Colosseum was built from travertine stones where the builder has to cut the stones to fit the shape that they need for the Colosseum building. If the builder had to find the exact shape that they need for every part of the Colosseum, they will spend an eternity trying to find that perfect shape, that perfect fit. They will never build anything.
1 Corinthians 3:6, 9-11 NLT “6 I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. 9 For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building. 10 Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ.”
We are God’s building. God wants to build us.
1 Peter 2:4-5a NLT “4 You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God’s temple. He was rejected by people, but he was chosen by God for great honor. 5 And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple.”
Christ is the Chief Cornerstone, the living stone who people rejected, but He was chosen by God for His purpose. God is building us individually and collectively and God is using us to build His temple.
No one is the RIGHT fit.
Just like those travertine slabs, none of us are a perfect fit. None of us fit right in. We have to be cut, chiseled, and shaped to become the “right” fit!
1 Kings 6:1, 7 NIV NLT “1 In the four hundred and eightieth year after the Israelites came out of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, the second month, he began to build the temple of the Lord. 7 The stones used in the construction of the Temple were finished at the quarry, so there was no sound of hammer, ax, or any other iron tool at the building site.”
No one is the RIGHT fit.
To fit, you need to be willing to be chiseled.
It is a PROCESS!
During the process (of cutting, chiseling, hammering, etc.), the rock (travertine slab) had to stay put. It did not complain, it did not move around! When God is processing us, we must learn to stay put. Many of us think that we do not need the process, but without the process we cannot be made the “right” fit. God works through people, so the process often time involves other people. You do not become the “right” fit if you decide to go solo.
“God is preparing you for the things He has prepared for you.” - Pastor Paul Tan
When God calls us to a purpose, many times, we are not ready right away. When God gave us His promise, like how He promised the Israelites, it means that we are ready to be processed. We need to be cleansed, chiseled, and processed so that we can work with other people. This is why church community is important. The community helps us to cut things that do not fit into our destiny; things like excuses, laziness, undisciplined, insubordination, slave mentality, insecurity, greed, manipulation, etc.
What Are the Things We Need to Chisel Out?
Galatians 5:19-21, 24 NIV “9 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”
No one is the RIGHT fit.
To fit, you ALL need to be willing to be chiseled.
No one is the RIGHT fit.
To fit, you need to be willing to grow and mature.
Chiseling involves everyone, including the leaders. Chiseling is also about growing. Development (growing) usually happens in the hidden and secret places (e.g. plants grow root underground, unseen). Therefore, when you do ministry, do not always think that others will see you—that should not be the goal of your ministry. God wants to see what you do for Him in the secret places.
Destiny, purpose and fruitfulness are always connected to maturity.
Ephesians 4:11-13 NLT “11 Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. 13 This will continue until ... we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.”
In order to grow, you need to get connected to God (read the Word, meditate the Word). The five-fold ministries are talking about the church. If you are separate from the church, you cannot grow spiritually.
If your purpose and destiny are likened to a suit, it is always a couple of sizes up from your size now. To fit in it, you need to be committed to growth.
Where Do I Need to GROW?
Galatians 5:16, 22-23 NIV “16 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. 22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!”
The key to growth is the HOLY SPIRIT!
2 Peter 1:5-8 NIV “5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Once you are FITTED together, stay committed to growth.
Ephesians 4:15-16 NLT “15 Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. 16 He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.”
The RIGHT PLACE is only the RIGHT PLACE
when the RIGHT PEOPLE step into it.
Prayer Points:
Pray for God to bring us into our “right” place, our place of purpose.
Pray for the renewal of our mind when He brings us into our “right” place. We do not want to enter the new place with the old mindset.
Pray for an obedient heart to allow God to chisel out things that do not fit in our “right” place.
Pray for a willing heart to grow and mature in the Lord.
Pray to allow God to use other people to help chisel and shape us.
Pray so that we can have a more intimate relationship with the Lord.
Ask God to fill you up with the Holy Spirit.
Pray for the next week that the people will know what ministry to commit to.
Pray for the advancement and building progress of the Ministry Center; no delays, obstacles, or interruptions.