Make Intentional Connections to Others

Thank you to our leaders of Dnow and Host Homes would you stand up.

Thank you for pouring into the lives of our students.

Thank you for believing in the next generation enough to give your life and plant seeds.

We just want to honor you and say thank you.

I have a quick question for all of you in the audience…

How many people (adults) gave their life when they were in their teens or young twenties?

Would you stand up. This is such a pivotal age, youth and young adults.

The stats are overwhelming, check out ones from 2019…

https://ministry-to-children.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/what-age-accept-christ-statistic.jpg

36% of people who gave their life to Christ, gave their life in their teen years,

And in their younger years as well and one of the things that will keep this decision 100 for the rest of your life in connection to others.

If you want to live 100% of your life for God, and 100 of your life LIT with His power, you will have to give God 100% of your connection with others.

He chooses, not you!!

A pastor friend of mine always said I can tell you if someone will walk steadfast in the Lord by the relationships they have. Both friendships and romantically.

My intentional connection in my freshman year of college. (mom, cousin, friends, bsu)

If you are not intentional in your connections the enemy will be.

You ever notice that, the two bad kids automatically pair up in the back of the bus, the two ladies that are known for gossip find the same place at the same table, the two guys known to disrespect their marriage relationship eat together at lunch…

All because you weren’t intentional though you might have had good intentions.

Good intentions are only good if you are intentional in doing them.

Intention: A thing intended, an aim or a plan

Intentional: Done on purpose, deliberate

We must be intentional in our connections are the enemy wins.

2 Corinthians 6

Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 2 For he says,

“In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.”

Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 3 We put no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, 4 but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, 5 beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; 6 by purity (hello superbowl halftime show), knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; 7 by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; 8 through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; 9 as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; 10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything. 11 We have spoken freely to you,[a] Corinthians; our heart is wide open. 12 You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections. 13 In return (I speak as to children) widen your hearts also.

The Temple of the Living God

14 Do not be (this is not an intention, it is intentional) unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15 What accord has Christ with Belial?[b] Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said,

What is a yoke? I loved this simple explanation from Got Questions.org: A yoke is a wooden bar that joins two oxen to each other and to the burden they pull. An “unequally yoked” team has one stronger ox and one weaker, or one taller and one shorter. The weaker or shorter ox would walk more slowly than the taller, stronger one, causing the load to go around in circles.

When oxen are unequally yoked, they cannot perform the task set before them. Instead of working together, they are at odds with one another.

And what is the task,

living 100% for God,

to finish the race,

to hear well done good and faithful servant.

So, the understanding is that we have to can’t be unequally yoked…

This makes sense, watch your connections in all of your relationships…

Ask older wiser Godly people to hold you accountable in this

But it also implies that we must be equally yoked…(make intentional connections with others)

So, you want to be a good Christian mother because you didn’t have one, find one and be intentional in asking that person how they do it, the struggles, the successes, to take you in and mentor you.

So, you struggle with being faithful, acting out what you have purposed or vowed, find someone who is faithful and tell them your struggle and if they could hold you accountable.

Your life will be determined not only by intentional disconnections,

But also, by intentional connections.

And I have two (out of the many intentional connections I have made)…

Aubrey Spears and his family…

Ted Detiveaux my husband…

And here is the promise of God when you are equally yoked…

“I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, 18 and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.”

That promise in scripture is worth me making intentional connections with others.

Disconnecting from poor friendships and relationships

And Connecting to those that will push me to 100% with God.

Don’t run away from those connections.

Embrace them.

Be intentional about creating them.

And watch who you will be in a couple of years.