Designed to Flourish

Designed to Flourish

Everybody wants life to go well.

Genesis 1:31 “And God saw everything He had made, and behold it was very good…”

His intent for His creation was for us to have communion with Him and flourish. You and I are a part of His creation, We are His masterpiece!

• Your life was designed by God to flourish.
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Marriage/Parenting/connection with God/ work/ Mental stability/ financial well being.

Ps 92: 12 The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; 13 planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. 14 They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, 15 proclaiming, “The Lord is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.

• If the soil of our life is not good nothing will grow well.
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We are responsible of the soil.  Jesus teaches:

Matt 13: 3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.”

Explained

18 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path.

20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.

John 16:33 33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Matt 13: 22 The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful.

You will not flourish if God is not first in all things.

Mat 6:33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

23 But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

Open heart to believe and receive.  God says it that settle it.  I trust him, not me.

 The soil of our life is our heart and our humility to receive what God gives.

His word is to be heard and trusted.

Gen 2: 8 Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed

Tree of life. We flourish when we are in communion with God.(Relationship)

Tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Moves us to living by a creed to try to do good. We languish when we live in by strict obedience to the Law (religion).

Gen 3:1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”

His tool is deception. 

He wants you to operate in religion not relationship.

 

The process to live a flourishing life. 

1. Be planted in the Garden of God.
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2. Don’t stop God from Pruning your life.
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Hebrews 12:10–11 “God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness… it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace.”

James 5:16 “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.”

Pruning happens in circles of life.  Get connected.

3. Apply What you Learn out of Love.
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John 14:15 If you love me keep my commands.

Matt 6: Where your treasure is there will your heart also be.

4. Live with an Eternal perspective.

Mat 6:20 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,

God has designed us to flourish in every season of life!

We cannot choose any path and expect to flourish the way God has designed us to flourish.