Start Where You Are | Pastor Jentezen Franklin

give the Lord Almighty praise this morning is good thankful for that crowd we bless you Jesus we bless you Jesus praise the Lord are you glad to be a church today amen amen smile at somebody and tell them you are in the right place at the right time for the right blessing put them on warning we want to welcome all of you welcome to all of our campuses that are tuning in right now we're so thankful for each and every one of you at every campus God is doing beautiful and powerful things you know most of the songs that they sung here on send it's the same music set across our campuses but most of the songs with exception of one we're all written right here in this house including that song you just heard that's pretty powerful and CDs coming in it sometimes what is that before forward before you before our forward conference they're gonna release the CD so that's gonna be fun and see what God's gonna do how many of you are believing for the greatest forward conference we've ever had don't forget about that it by the way it's filling up quicker and faster than it ever has before it will be sold out so take advantage of that if you have your Bibles I'd love for you to open them with me to the book of Judges chapter 3 Judges chapter 3 and I've got to mention that tonight at 6 o'clock if you just don't have anything to do I hope all of you don't come because we won't be able to handle you and there's gonna be a great crowd there but I'm gonna team up tonight with my buddy Mack Powell he's gonna be leading in worship and I'm gonna preach another message a different message at our free Chapel Midtown Church down there it's powerful what God is doing hundreds of people are already calling it home and there's a there's just a beautiful thing that God is up to you sense it you can tell God is with it and with what we're doing their lives are being changed souls are being saved every service and I believe tonight is gonna be one of those nights so pray for us if you can't come but if you know what he then in Atlanta call them and invite them over tonight is he the night at center stage in Midtown and Jesus will be center stage in Atlanta tonight how about that that's the name of the building center stage it's pretty cool judges chapter three and I'll begin reading with verse 31 judges chapter 3 and verse 31 and after him was Shamgar the son of a nath who killed six hundred men of the Philistines with an ox goad and he also delivered Israel it's almost one of those verses that you'll just read over Shamgar is not like a household name but man there's a lot the said in that one verse particularly the latter part and he also saved or delivered his entire nation all against his one verse but he had massive massive impact and I want to talk to you for a few minutes today on the subject of the three success secrets of Shamgar the three success secrets of Shamgar he lived 3,000 years ago he was a farmer and he saved an entire nation with an ox goad an ox goad is a wood pole with a sharp steel point on the end of it that was used to motivate the ox to keep moving when they became stubborn and didn't want to plow anymore and he took this thing this weapon are really this farm tool this weed eater or whatever you want to call it a farmer with with a farm tool and he slew 600 Philistines it would be the equivalent of one man with a stick with a sharp point on the end killing 600 Isis terrorists and he did it and saw that his nation was under threat his family was being overtaken and something came on him against incredible odds six hundred to one odds and he won I don't know what kind of odds are against you today physically financially I don't know what kind of storm has come or trying to come into your life and you feel overwhelmed but can you imagine six hundred to one odds and yet the Bible declares in mark chapter nine that with God all things are possible I want to give you the three success secrets of Shamgar number one he started where he was he started where he was he was not in a powerful position he was not at some big university where he had prestige and influence he had no big doors open to him he was a farmer he was a blue-collar worker he was not someone who was famous and wealthy or powerful and influential and popular he was a farmer and he had to start where he was if you wait too long to decide what you're gonna do with your life you'll find out that you've already done it you have to learn to start where you are big doors swing on little hinges the Bible said in Zechariah four despise not the day of small beginnings and so many people say when I get a big break when a big door opens when somebody notices me when somebody sees my talent and really invest in me when somebody gives me that big break but that is not the key to success the key to success is to start where you are right where you are not when things get better not if things were different not if you had what somebody else has but start where you are Noah didn't wait to build his boat Noah didn't wait for his boat to come in he built it big doors swing on little hinges and the thing that you need to understand today is simply this that the man who's too big to do little things is too little to ever do big things so you start where you are I wish things were different I wish I'd a have Vince or that going for me I wish I knew that person I wish I had what they have but you can sit around and wish in miss your whole life start where you are I'm gonna say it again and you're gonna say man to that start where you are not if I get a big break not if somebody will help me you you don't understand that's not how it goes the Bible said a man's gift makes room for him when you start where you are your gift will put you before important people your gift will open doors for you that no man can shut but you've got to start where you are not if things were different not if you had this or had that start where you are secondly use what you've got Shem Garza resources were very limited but he said I'm not somewhere powerful I'm not some were influential I'm gonna start where I am I'm on my farm in my field and then and the enemy's invading so I'm fighting right here and then he said I'm gonna use what I've got I may have limited resources all that he had was something called an ox goad oxg OAD an ox goad a long stick with a sharp steel point on the end that's all he had no m1 tanks no blackhawk helicopters that's what I'd need for if God told me to go fight 600 Isis soldiers where's that where's the Blackhawks no m16 no Davie SEALs Shamgar sir resources were limited if I if I had more resources pastor if I had somebody who'd really believed in me if I had what somebody else has I'd really do something for God but God has given you an ox code God has given you a talent God has given you an ability God has put something in your hand he asked Moses what is in your hand nothing but a stick God said throw it down and when he did the super we'll hit it and it swallowed up the snakes of Pharaoh and when he held it up it parted the Red Sea the miracle is not in what you don't have but what do you have in your hand use what you've got an ox goad something that anybody else would have overlooked and said he doesn't have anything that can win against those kind of odds but he took what he had he used what he had and it became a lethal weapon of mass destruction God has given you an ox goad what are your asset stop focusing on what you don't have what do you have well I'm not good in math and I'm not smart and I'm not this and I'm not that but God has given you something that can win the battle what's in your hand I'm gonna tell you what God has given every person under the sound of my voice he's given you a dream dreams motivate us dreams energize us in all of your getting get a dream in your life get it from God and you become unstoppable a dream is the inward picture of the future you desire and don't underestimate it and don't act like it's not important an don't act like it's not spiritual God is the giver of Dreams and when God is going to do something in your life he'll give you a picture first on the inside of where you're going before you ever get there and he says live into that dream sometimes a promise isn't enough sometimes we think all we need from God is a promise but just because God gives you a promise doesn't mean you're gonna reach God gave them a picture of the promised land when he brought them out of the wilderness ten spies came back and said their grapes look at these grapes they're the size of melons and look at look at that but a picture wasn't enough some sometimes a promise isn't enough you need a picture you need a picture you need to see it that's why that's why Gideon was told to go down to the enemy's camp even though God said you're going to defeat the Midianites he didn't see himself as a winner he himself trembling in a cave and the angel came and said you're a mighty man of Valor but he didn't see that and God sent him down to the enemy's camp to eavesdrop and and someone in the tent had a dream and woke up and said I had a nightmare and he said I saw a piece of bread rolling down and it wiped our whole army out and the enemy's the enemy started talking and saying what do you think that piece of bread was and one of them said I'll tell you what it was it was the sword of Gideon and Gideon was listening and now he's got a picture of victory and he turns around and goes back and does what he couldn't do on a promise he had the promise God said go fight him I'm with you but he wouldn't do it but then he got a picture you have to get a pinch a picture on the inside of where God's taking you the Bible said that Jesus for the joy that was set before him he had a picture of what was ahead for the joy that was set before him he endured the cross some of you are in a season right now where you know where you're going but you don't understand where you are follow the dream that God has put in your heart to see somebody saved or somebody I don't care what it looks like you know where you're going don't get discouraged by where you are I like the fact that that that we can live into that like what Arnold Schwarzenegger said when he was a skinny kid with no muscles you know the Terminator Arnold Schwarzenegger he said I got a picture he had a picture of a bodybuilder and he said I got a picture of what I wanted to become and I lived into that picture that's pretty powerful I remember when we were building our second building that's down the road that's now our youth building an administrative offices and and I remembered that I went to Charlotte North Carolina there's a church there called Calvary Church that that is similar in the look much bigger and look much fancier than that building and had a lot of glass but I got a picture I took a picture of that building and I brought it back and I put it in my desk and every day for several years as that building program you know we were trying to figure out where we're going I saw that picture every day when I open drawer of that church and it was like a picture to me of the dream that I was dreaming that we would one day have a building we couldn't afford it back then but we were getting there but I kept looking at that picture and praying over it saying one day there's gonna be a free chapel like that you can make fun of that kind of stuff but I'm gonna tell you you got to learn to use what you've got and if you've got a dream you've got something powerful because God is the giver of Dreams that will change your life come on and give him a praise if you believe it I wanna tell you something else you've got that you're probably not using you gotta use what you've got when I get a million dollars when I get this now if I could win the lottery you're full of it you're never gonna do anything you know what else you've got you've got something called enthusiasm if you want to passion Shamgar had it Shamgar had passion and if you don't fight six hundred warriors if you don't have some passion if you don't have some enthusiasm use what you've got your passion determines God's timing the woman with the issue of blood Jesus didn't have her on his agenda he was going to hit razor we raise a man's daughter from the dead and she interrupted the schedule because your passion determines God's timing the Bible said she couldn't get to Jesus for the press meaning the crowd was so so so large that she couldn't break through and and talk to him all she could do is touch the hem of His garment she she couldn't get to him for the press she was like Donald Trump she had press problems that she she couldn't get to him for the for the press but she somehow touched the hem of His garment and her passion to do that in her sick condition it stopped Jesus and he turned around and he said you are going to be healed today and it wasn't on my schedule but your passion Your Enthusiasm is what triggered the miracle blind Bartimaeus didn't Jesus didn't decide the timing of his miracle he did his passion did his enthusiasm did Jesus was just gonna walk through that community and go somewhere and when he heard Jesus was passing by blind bartimaeus cried out son of David have mercy on me and when the religious people said you need to calm down you're too passionate you're too enthusiastic be quiet you're not important he cried the louder and it wasn't Jesus timing that decided the miracle it was the man's enthusiasm and passion and Jesus stopped and said be healed and eyes be open and he was healed Mary the mother of Jesus at the wedding of Cana we act like when Jesus went to that wedding he planned to start his ministry read the story he had no intentions of performing a miracle at the wedding of Cana which was the first miracle he ever performed it was his mother and her passion in her enthusiasm that decided the timing of the miracle the Bible said that they had run out of wine and his mother went to her son and she said you know we've been praying son I'm just gonna paraphrase it we've been praying that God would really use you and we've run out of wine and and I think you need to do something do do something it's time for a miracle and he even began to fuss with his mother a little bit and said mother my time has not yet come and then I just think she just looked at him I can't descend in the Bible I think she a boy do you know what I would do to you it's time for a miracle I said and don't make me say it again and he said bring the water bring the water and the water blushed in the presence of his creator and he turned the water into wine but it wasn't his agenda it was his mother's passion that triggered the miracle power of God in his life where is your passion use what you've got if you get up and leave you know your that you're the supervisor and and you get out and you look like a cover girl from the Book of Lamentations hey everybody we gonna try to who in the world wants to follow you the word enthusiasm comes from the word feos from which we get theology or the study of God Theo's means in God if God is in you your life should be turbocharged you should be brimming with enthusiasm and there's just something about an enthusiastic passionate person who says whatever my hand finds to do I'm gonna do it with passion and smile and energy you will not stay down use what you've got use what you've got Brahms wrote a famous symphony and the conductor famous conductor Eugene Ormandy was conducting it and it's written in one section of that music as he's conducting the orchestra it says as loud as possible by the composer he put that there he was saying I want the musicians that you lead as loud as possible so he really started emphasizing as with enthusiasm as loud as come he's pulling it out of him and a few bars later not drinking bars bars and music a few bars later Braun's wrote on his score piece louder steel loud or steel so now he's really throwing his arms trying to bring out and when he did he literally threw this conductor through his shoulder out of joint and the press was laughing at him in the press interview after the concert and one of the reporters asked how does it feel to throw your arm out of joint leading the orchestra and his response was I know some people who have reached middle-aged who have never been become enthused enough to dislodge a necktie not to mention a shoulder so I feel pretty good about it come on where's your passion where's your enthusiasm use what you've got David said I've got five stones it doesn't look like anything but rocks but when I use it God's gonna anoint it and I'm gonna use what I've got I wish I had something else but I'm gonna use what I've got David said I've got a stick Shamgar said I've got an ox goat and God said you start where you are and use what you've got and I'll bless what you've got and I'll take down your Giants and I'll bring victory to your life the miracle is not in what you don't have the miracle is in what you have use what you have got clap your hands and praise God lastly lastly everybody say start where you are not if things were different start where you are and then use what you've got and lastly do what you can Shamgar did what he could god it's not wanting you to do what you can't do he wants you to do what you can do what can I do number one you can pray bill bright said it is impossible to over exaggerate the importance of prayer jesus said in John 14 whatever you ask the Father in my name I will do it have you prayed about it Oswald Chamber said men may shun our appeal reject our message oppose our arguments but they are helpless against our prayers IAM bound said prayers outlive the lives of those who utter them and then he challenges us out Lee of your generation outlive an age out liova world prayers are deathless are you praying do what you can what can I do I can pray and don't act like it's the it's the weakest and most pitiful thing that you can do it's the most powerful thing you can do secondly focus what can I do focus focus is the secret to energy unclutter your life and keep focused the enemy is great at trying to discourage us but the Apostle Paul said this one thing I do not these 50 things I dabble in get focused all the devil's got to do to destroy your vision is give you another vision and then you have died vision and your vision dies stay focused the Bible said that he constantly told them don't look to the left don't look to the right why he wanted them focused the Bible said that Jesus said remember Lot's wife what was it about Lot's wife she looked back God doesn't want you looking back in the good old days he said stay focused Joshua chapter one is so powerful if you want to have good success if you want to see God bless you in amazing ways he said this book of the law shall not depart from your mouth everybody say conversation your conversation matters this book of the law of a Bible shall not depart from your mouths what are you saying what are you what are you talking but you shall meditate in this book day and night that notice the word meditate everybody say meditate say meditation and conversation are the keys that you may observe to do all that is courting that's written in this and verse the next verse says for you will make your way prosperous and then you will have good success two things meditation in what in the Word of God you have 24 golden boxcars every day of your life I don't care how rich you are I don't care how broke you are you all have the same amount of time every day you get 24 golden boxcars and what you feel those golden box cars with determines where your life and the direction of your life goes and if you feel those boxcars boxcars with the Word of God with the promises of God if you put them in your spirit the more you put in them the more your life will begin to go in a prosperous good success direction everybody's gonna have it the same day today and tomorrow everybody's got the same chance and your input determines your output and he said you are to meditate on the word day and night put it in put it in put it in and then you are that's meditation and then you are to control your conversation don't let this law depart from your it's interesting wording from your mouth say what God says talk what God talks don't listen to the inner critic that lives inside that tells you you're a failure and you're nothing and God's not for you and you can't do it that's the lie of the enemy and you need to say what God says with your mouth your mouth can overcome your mind hallelujah confess God's word Bible talk helps you focus train start where you are use what you've got dream do what you can make your future so big your present seems small I believe today that God is speaking to people you you you you have to fight a battle more than once to win don't give up in trying times don't stop trying regret looks back worried looks around but victory looks up victory says I know God is going to help me I didn't wait for a ship to come in he build it what are you building a man is not finished when he's defeated he's finished when he quits shout I will not quit the successful trade of all successful people in the Bible and in life is they conquered the temptation to give up especially when it gets tough especially when all hell is coming against you stand up on your hind feet stand right there and say you know something it isn't the final say-so until I say so and God hasn't told me to say so so I'm gonna lift my hands and I'm gonna declare victory I'm gonna start where I am I'm gonna use what I've got and I'm gonna do what I can and God will do what I can come on and give God a praise somebody hallelujah Winston Churchill Winston Churchill said the nose of a bulldog is slanted backwards so he can continue to breathe without letting go God give us a bulldog spirit that will grab hold of the promise and the vision and the dream that God has given us and won't let go and that's why he's giving us a slanted nose so so we can grieve why we won't let go hallelujah successful people begin their success where others let go and give up say well I guess I miss God if God told you to do it start where you are use what you've got do what you can and God will do what you can you believe it stand to your feet all over this room at every campus no one moving no one moving please bow your heads all over this room right there at every campus bow your heads you know what bless me is in the nine o'clock service this morning there's something about a sermon like this that's so simple but it speaks to the calls and the purpose the destiny that God made every human being and put inside of them to have don't waste another day of your life don't try to substitute what God has put you on this earth for with other things there's young people there's men and women father's and dads and moms right now you know that you're not in right standing with God start where you are maybe you've got things in your life that at first it was fun but now it's a such a strong addiction that it just feels like you can't control it it's out of control start where you are you're here you're in one of our campuses you're watching this by television or online and it's not by chance start where you are use what you've got what if I got I've got a wheel I've got a decision I've got a yes for the Lord I can I can choose to use what I've still got I still got life ahead of me if I'll give it to Jesus do what you can not what you can't do what you can well what can I do I can surrender everything to Jesus I can put my faith I can take up my cross I can let him birth in me a brand new purpose and plan for my life don't waste another day every head bowed every eye closed pastor Franklin you're talking to me today I know I'm not right with God but why are you preaching while you've been preaching I felt I call my purpose my much the dream that God has put in my heart I know he's called me to do this but it may be in business it may be something but but but you but you know you've gotten off track you know you're far from the Lord and you need to get right with God today God brought you to one of our campuses that you would hear this message and start where you are and do what you can and use what you've got this is your day this is your day but it all begins when you say yes to Jesus that's you pray for me I'm not right with God and I want to get right with the Lord today I want Jesus Christ to be my Savior I want him today to be the center of my life please pray for me I need to get right with God if that's you as bold as you can boldly lift your hand high I want to see it all over this room raise it high in unashamed raise it high there's a hand there's a hand is there another raise it high and there and there and there and there and there and there yes raise that hand up in the balcony all over at every campus raise it high and unashamed they're going up they're going up they're going up raise them high raise them high I know I know this is outdated I know that that other churches have kind of done away with altar services and I respect that everybody needs to do what they need to do but every a lot around here I feel the need to say to people take up your cross and acknowledge Jesus publicly and so at every campus if you raise your hand right here in this room or wherever you're watching and you made a decision to follow Jesus do what you can take one step get out of the seat where you are and walk down and come stand right down here at the the building where you are come on I'm waiting on you they're waiting on you clap your hands because miracles are gonna happen right now come on don't hesitate don't wait don't talk yourself out of it don't negotiate some other way just move just move just move do what you can use what you've got start where you are not if things were different start where you are they're coming they're coming Church I need you to get come on come on come on come on here they come here they come and every campus Buford spark [Applause] come on come on come on they're coming here they come come on teenager come on dad come on businesswoman this is the place come on come on Church lift your hands and pray just a minute do what you can pray come on there's about 20 more there's about 20 more you didn't even intend to walk down an aisle but the Holy Spirit has a hook in you and he's saying come on I'll change your destiny I'll set you free I'll give you hope and give you a future come on come on come on come on let's just lift our hands just a moment I sense a sense that there's a few more at every campus just obey God just obey God it doesn't matter what people think do what God tells you to do do what you can start where you are right now step out there's a miracle in the making this is a destiny decision for you come on come on come on come on praise God praise God praise God thank you Jesus are you ready are you ready to pray this prayer you know why this is so important because Jesus said I come to give you life and more abundantly but it also matters after this life but we will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ are you using your gifts and your talent your ability to do something to influence for the good the kingdom of God you need to give him what you've got again every one of you in this alter have made the greatest decision you will ever make you wouldn't have walked down that aisle if the Holy Spirit netting drawn you this is your day we're gonna point hell back to this day now look at me I preached a conference in New Zealand and Australia this week three days and one two days and one and three and the other and I was with my friend Chris Hodges who passed her is an amazing Church in Birmingham and he said something in one of his messages that really was profound to me I wrote it down he said and the books were opened on Judgment Day and the books it's plural were open and in those books are records of everything evil and wrong we've ever done it's pretty bleak but then he pointed out in the same verse it said and then the book the Lamb's Book of Life was open and all of heaven started celebrating because if your name is in the book whatever is in the books no longer matters it's cancelled out because of what Jesus did how many of you know your name is written in the book of life then whatever has been recorded in these foot books it will be forever wiped away after you receive Jesus today are you ready pray this prayer everybody at every campus say these words out loud pray it from your heart Lord Jesus I believe in you I believe you died on the cross you shed precious blood that paid for my sin I don't deserve it but you forgave me say these words your words matter say these words Jesus I confess you as my Lord and Savior my faith is completely in you I believe in you and I receive you as my savior and according to the word of God my name is right now being written in the book of life so the other books of mistakes and sins are cancelled out hallelujah I'm saying let's give God the biggest praise of the day let's give him a mighty shout of praise today aren't you glad your name is in the book now listen welcome to the family of God you've been born again get happy about it get some passion about it get some enthusiasm about say I'm born again say I'm a child of God say the past is over all I have is a future I believe this does I believe this stuff to you to God be the glory are you ready for the blessing if you are not actively involved in the ministry there's so many great great great ministries that you could get involved in why don't you pray about finding your fit there's a special booths and things if you're interested in small groups if you're interested in ministries of the church if you feel like you're just not doing all that you would like to do like the music or whatever it is that you have a particular gift or talent why don't you right now just decide I'm gonna start where I am and use what I've got and do what I can to help this church reach the world for Jesus Christ we need you God needs you and God will bless people who give the Lord their gift do you believe that may the Lord bless you and keep you may the Lord make his face shine on you may the Lord lift up his countenance upon you may he give you peace and I'm gonna extend this prayer because I got to get the back of the room so I can shake some hands and may the Lord bless you and your family and all that you are for his glory and for his name in every campus we are blessed hey if you get a chance I hope to see you tonight at Midtown have a great week everybody be blessed today I want to encourage you if you've made that decision to follow Jesus Christ as your Savior one of the next steps that you can take is to sign up for school discipleship online this is a four phase disciple program that I promised you the latter you transform your life you can go to free chapel o RG /s o Z on unregistered today you can do this in the convenience of your own home and at your own time and so make sure you register for that right now but not only that I do want to remind you that we are currently accepting applications for free chapel college for the fall 2018 semester so if you are looking for a great way to receive hands-on ministry training and receive an accredited degree from Southeastern University I encourage you to check out free Chapel college dot o-r-g this is a program I promise you will change your life as well if you want to take that next step of ministry training but we love you so much we're thrilled that you join us here today at free chapel we hope to see you tonight at our Midtown service at 6 p.m. in downtown Atlanta and we'll see you next Sunday morning [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] you

Channel: Free Chapel

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Keywords: free chapel, worship, jesus, christ, sermon, church, gospil, god, jentezen, franklin, christian, Start Where you are, jentezen franklin sermons, jentezen franklin 2018 sermons, latest sermon jentezen franklin, latest service free chapel, success, secrets, Success, dreams, trials, influence, shamgar

Id: saRV6ZQjbaA

Length: 41min 33sec (2493 seconds)

Published: Wed May 02 2018