Michael Koelling: Chaos in my future

Chaos-complete disorder:state of utter confusion.

1. People create their own chaos. So they live in it.

• Chaos is not where God intended you to operate, live, or function.

• Sin led Adam and Eve down, sin led David down, sin led Saul down, sin led Samson down, sin led Jonah down, sin led Judas down, where do u possibly think sin will led you?

• Chaos.

• Sin will always take you farther than you wanted to go and keep you longer than you intended to stay.

•People think this is a way of life, chaos, not knowing that Christ offers freedom from sin, freedom from the world, the flesh, and the devil.

Romans 6:16 (NLT)

"Don't you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living."

• Surrendering my life to Christ is that freedom.

• I watch people ruin their relationships, ruin their families, ruin their careers, ruin their relationships with God, and ruin their future with chaos.

• God did not call us to manage our chaos or manage our sin, He has called us out of darkness into His light.

• In darkness there is fear, chaos but in the light there is peace and eternal life.

2. People are directly affected by someone else who has placed them in chaos. So they run it or it runs them.

• Have you ever seen someone placed into so much chaos that it destroys them?

• They can't function. They can't operate.

• They get depressed, frustrated, angry, resentful and refuse to be mobilized so they shut you out and shut you down.

• Have you ever seen someone placed into so much chaos that it defines them?

Illustrate here: I am Second/Josh Hamilton

The reason you won't have chaos in your future is because you have the peace of God in your present.

3. People even in the midst of chaos can place their complete, absolute, confidence and faith in God.

For centuries the garments of European rulers and judges have been lined with ermine fur.
The story behind that custom highlights one of the most unusual behaviors in the animal kingdom.
An ermine is a cute little animal with shiny black eyes and beautiful fur.
It has short legs and a narrow body that's some 20 inches long from the top of his nose to the end of its tail.
In summer, its coat is a rich chocolate brown except for the undersides of the body and legs.
In winter, the color changes to a clear white, broken only by a black tip on the tail.
If you looked up a picture of the ermine at the library, you be shocked by the purity of its white fur.

The ermine seems to realize the beauty of its coat and takes great pride in maintaining it.
Indeed, the animal's most unusual characteristic is its hatred of anything that might soil its fur.
Hunters who know this will fill an ermines burrow with filth and wait with their dogs for the furry animal to return.
Once the ermine spots the dogs, the snow-white creature will dart for the safety of its burrow.
But the ermine will not enter the soiled safety of its home.
Rather than flee into the borrow, the ermine will fight the dogs to the death.
It would rather die with a bloodstained coat than live with a dirty one.
That's why the ermine's fur is used on the robes of rulers and judges.
It serves as a symbol of the purity of justice and law.

Don't you find it amazing that God programmed an ermine to prefer a fight to the death over a soiled coat?
It's instinct for purity outweighs it's survival instinct.
We need a similar instinct.
We need to realize personal holiness is a value worth fighting for.

Henry Peacham's Emblem 75, which depicts an ermine being pursued by a hunter and two hounds, is entitled "Purity bought with his own death."

Peacham goes on to preach that men and women should follow the example of the ermine and keep their minds and consciences as pure as the legendary ermine keeps its fur.

This ermine has a vision for his future and it has nothing to do with ruining his reputation, ruining his outward or inward being, or laying his life down for nothing.

There is a cause worth fighting for it's called purity.

Unethical behavior creates chaos.
Relationships without borders equals chaos.
Shopping with credit equals chaos.
Laziness equals chaos.
Immoralities equals chaos.
Driving with no speed limits or laws equals chaos.

And living the Christian life haphazardly and without restraint equals chaos.

Hebrews 12:14 (NLT)

"Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord."

Holy-dedicated, consecrated to God. Morally, spiritually excellent.

Our future has everything to do with placing our trust, confidence, and faith in God.

Moses trusted God and saw the Red Sea parted.
Joshua trusted God and saw the walls of Jericho collapse.
Mary trusted God to give her a child that would change the course of history, Jesus Christ.
Samson, filled with God's Spirit, ripped apart a lion with his bare hands.
Elijah trusted God and saw a widow's son raised from the dead.
Sarah in her barrenness trusted God when He said He would give her a child in her old age.
Paul trusted God and saw countless people brought to faith in Christ as a result of his preaching, even though he didn't consider himself a good speaker.

These men and women weren't great because they possessed superior intelligence, physical strength, overwhelming talent, gifting, or ability.

They were great because they relied on God's power.

The Spirit of God led Jesus to the cross, my sin nailed Christ to the cross, love held Him to the cross, but God paved the way to heaven through the cross.

Testimonial of the purity of a right relationship before God.

You don't have to have to have a robbed em', shot em', slept with em', drugged it up, drank it up, smoked it up, hurt everyone in my path testimony, as a matter of fact God does not want that for you.

He has a vision for your life and it is paved in purity.
He has a blueprint for your future but it requires surrender.
He has peace for your everyday but it requires faith in Him.

Jeremiah 29:11-14 (NLT)
"For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. [12] In those days when you pray, I will listen. [13] If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. [14] I will be found by you," says the Lord. "I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land."

Psalm 34:19 (NLT)"The righteous person faces many troubles, but the Lord comes to the rescue each time."