Most of us eat every day, some of us too much because yesterday's food
is not enough to supply energy for today's needs. Why then, do some
of us expect yesterday's portion of heavenly manna, the word of God to keep
us through today's challenges. On this program, we are going to change all
that. Let's experience God's words today and receive the power we need to live
healthy, vibrant lives. Welcome to your Daily Portion with your host, author
speaker L. David Harris. Good morning, good morning, good morning.
It is Sabbath, September thirty two, twenty three. Hello, my name
is L. David Harris. I am your host, and this is your
Daily Portion where we give you God's Word every single day, and today is
no exception. We are beginning our new lesson study series. God's Mission,
My Mission, God's Mission, My mission. Now, let me just say
that I walked you up to today by accidentally saying that we're going to start
in the Gospel of John. That's actually a year from now. I won't
get into that, but yeah, that was my bad, My bad,
my bad. God's Mission, My Mission. Our caption for today is God's
Mission to us. Part one I hope you are doing well this Sabbath morning.
If there's anybody coming in for the very first time, please please type
in the chat first time or type of one in the chat, and let
us welcome you and give thanks for your presence, and more than that,
give thanks for the blessing that you will be to the world. Okay,
it is an opportunity for us to continue to grow in faith and fellowship,
and I do not take that privilege lightly. Let's go ahead and pray.
Pardon me, and then we will get underway. Father in Heaven, thank
you for giving us the privilege of being called by your name, for the
love that you have given to us thus far in our lives. I pray
that you will give us of the fullness of your wisdom and understanding and a
commitment to your service in Jesus name, I pray amen and Amen again.
So we're talking about God's mission to us. I said to us, I
did not say through us as yet. Right. So, sometimes God's people
and that would be like all of us. Right, Sometimes God's people rush
out into his quote mission to quote save others. Before we are settled in
our relationship with God. Let me just say that one more time. Sometimes
God's people. That means all of us who are God's people, not just
Sometimes we rush out into God's quote mission to quote save other people before we
settle into our relationship with God. Some are still hiding in the bushes.
We're gonna put some context on that in a moment. But some people are
still hiding in the bushes while attempting the mission of God in our lives.
Come out of the bushes first, Come out of the bushes first. Now,
the Bible reads here in the Book of Genesis, chapter three, Genesis
chapter three and verse nine. Then the Lord God called unto Adam and said,
unto him, where art thou? Where are you? Adam? What
was the mission? What was the mission? And why was Adam hiding in
the bushes? Can we just tell the story very quickly? God created everything
on planet Earth. It was good, good, and very good. And
the evening in the morning went straight through to the sixth day, and then
God rested on the seventh day. Wherefore the Lord bless the Sabbath day and
he hollowed it. I am so thankful. Now everything is good, good,
very good. God has created everything and every and including the helper who
was meet for Adam, and now they are living blissfully in their garden Eden
or Eden Garden home. And God had been giving them clear instructions about life
and liberty in the pursuit of spiritual happiness, Yes, in the pursuit of
happiness on planet Earth. And one of the things that would preserve such a
reality was there was a tree in the midst of the garden. You will
not eat of that tree, but if in the day you do eat of
it, you will surely die. And to make an incredibly long story short,
the Bible says that Eve was at the tree, that same tree that
God forbade eating from, and the devil, disguised as a serpent, came
to her and said, yea hath God said that thou shouldst not eat of
every tree of the garden. And she said, no, we can't eat
from the trees of the garden. But of this tree in the midst of
the garden. God had said that we should not eat of it, neither
shall we touch it lest we die. And then the devil said, you
shall not surely die, for God doth know that if you eat from this
tree, you will be like him. You will be as gods knowing good
and evil. And then the Bible says, when Eve saw, can I
just say right here that when we are on a mission for God, we
must only see what God sees. We must only envision what He envisions for
us. Can I just say that if we are in disalignment with God's vision,
then our mission is going in the wrong direction. And so when she
Eve saw that the tree was good for food, it was pleasing to the
eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one. Why she did
eat, and she gave unto her husband with her, and he did eat,
and of course both of their eyes were open, and everything after that
just seemed to be spiraling under control. And then God came into the garden
as he often did, but this time he's calling unto Adam, Adam,
where are you? Where are you? Adam? You are on a mission,
Adam. I created you for my glory. Adam. You are my
representative in this part of the universe. Adam, where are you? And
Adam not understanding fully because he chose to go against God, that he was
off track, off of his mission. He's hiding in the bushes. He
said, I was naked. I was fearful. I was hiding. I'm
hiding. I'm in the bushes. God, who told you that I was
naked? Adam, did you eat from the tree that I commanded that you
should not eat of it? And then being off mission? Off point,
off standard, Adam, he said, the woman that thou gavest done to
me, she did give to me, and I did eat. And God
identified in this moment, Adam, you're out of sync with me. You
are off the mission, and you're blaming others. Adam, you're blaming others
or being off mission. Can I just say again, what is the mission?
The mission begins with God himself. God gives us our marching orders when
he brought the universe into existence, and then he later created humanity in his
image and after his likeness, God began the mission. And in the scriptures
we see God who intentionally reaches out and desires to be with his children.
Adam was in the bushes when he was supposed to be about his father's business.
He was hiding when he was supposed to be free in the spirit,
free in God, to explore and to do what God had said. There
were many people today on this Sabbath in twenty twenty three who were still attempting
to do God's mission while we are hiding in the bushes. Can I just
say a few things right before we come to a swift close. We need
to acknowledge God's pursuit of us. Yes, God, I see that you
are after me. I'm willing to come out of the bushes. God,
I am going to repent if you will give me the strength. I confess.
You are right. God, you are in pursuit of me, and
I'm not going to run any longer. How is God reaching out to you
amidst your flaws, in your mistakes, brothers and sisters. That's a real
question. And then, of course another thing that we need to do is
delve deeply into our origins. God said, let us make us humans,
let us make God. God said, let us make man in our image
and after our likeness. And so since we are after God's likeness and in
God's image, then the mission must not be aborted. The mission must not
be relegated to the bushes. The mission must always run forward and then experience
the promise of God's presence. God came looking for Adam because God wanted him
back on track. God came looking for Adam because he wanted all humans to
know I love you despite what you do. You have to get back on
track God's mission to us. Part one. Let's see what God has to
say tomorrow. Peace. Thanks for joining us listening to friends. Always remember
we cannot live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the
mouth of God. This has been your daily portion with L. David Harris.
Make it a great day.