The 3 Habits For Here // Here Is Holy (Part 3) – Pastor Michael Todd – Transformation Church (version 1)

Introduction

• Uncomfortable Truth: When you walk in your Christian journey, it doesn’t matter what you want, it matters what God wants for you.
  • What if where you are HERE right now is exactly the tension that God placed on your life for the destiny He’s trying to prepare you for?
  • HERE was a part of the place God ordained you to be (e.g., betrayal by Judas, people leaving you, etc.)
  • If God didn’t create the moment/place/HERE, He’ll use it.
    • Romans 8:28: And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
      • All things, not just some of the things, are working (see that “working” is in the present tense not past tense) for His good
• Pin Example: When you want others to know where you are, you place a pin on your phone’s map. The problem is that you can place your pin anywhere you’re at, not just where you’re honestly at. In this case, you are sending a false pin, a false locator, to your family, friends, God, and even your future self instead of your real situation/HERE moment.
• Important Question: If HERE is Holy, have you been identified as HERE? Have you brought definition to where HERE is for you?

Authenticity is Key

• God doesn’t bless who, or where, you pretend to be, He blesses who, and where, you really are.
• People rather put on the façade of faith and faithfulness than to say to God how you honestly feel about serving.
  • God cannot do the work He wants to do if you’re being inauthentic.
  • Example of Honesty: “I’ve been at church all my life, but I don’t feel anything anymore.”
  • God doesn’t want your coverup, He wants you, the real you.
  • Honesty is the most holy thing you can do; figure out where HERE is.
• Without that authentic, honest pin drop, God cannot direct you anywhere. It’s not about God coming to you, He’s trying to take you somewhere but you have not defined HERE.
• You have to be with people you can trust, as well as God, to honestly talk about where HERE is.

Confession

• Confession: I am HERE and because God is HERE, HERE is Holy.
• Question: Will you drop your pin?
  • Your pin identifies you, it tells you and everyone else where you are at.
    • EX.) When God called for Adam and Eve to come out, He was asking them to pin and ask themselves, “Do YOU know where you’re at?”
• When you drop your pin, every stop you make is known by God. God knows where you’re at.
• When you consecrate and dedicate your life to God, you cannot outrun God. God’s love and grace are actively pursuing you.
  • Psalm 37:23: The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.
• Question: Are you aware of where you are? Can you communicate your coordinates? Can you mark yourself on the map of destiny?
  • Do this — communicate and be honest with God — because you can go THERE instead of HERE if you’re honest about where HERE is.
• THERE and HERE
  • To get THERE, put the Cross before HERE. Seek God first above everything else. If you put the Cross HERE, it will take you tHERE.
  • HERE is the substance of THERE.
  • You’ll make other people miss their THERE because you won’t focus on your HERE.
  • God is saying, “THERE is already taken care of if you would focus on becoming right HERE! Change your speech HERE. Tame your tongue HERE. Learn humility HERE. All the platform (the HERE) is going to do is magnify what’s already HERE.
    • EX.) You may have the credentials but not the character, and credentials without character always kills something.
  • You do not have to worry about THERE if you know who holds you THERE and HERE. Most of your anxiety and fears about the future are rooted in your lack of trust in God.
• You cannot have Crazy Faith HERE if you don’t believe God will be good THERE, and most of us want to play a Savior instead of having a Savior.
  • We would rather organize and strategize our way in the dark, and the light, to make sure we got to THERE. We put God on the sidelines and got THERE by our own power. This action will result in a rerun of pride, anxiety, etc. getting the best of us.
• WHERE, THERE, and HERE
  • The substance of WHERE you will be is found in HERE. WHERE and THERE are found in HERE.
  • If God cannot trust you HERE, He won’t trust you with or get you THERE.
• We cannot be obsessed with THERE if God is on assignment and obsessed with you right HERE.

Three Habits for HERE:

Here I Am = Availability

• Exodus 3:4-5: When the Lord saw Moses coming to take a closer look, God called to him from the middle of the bush, “Moses! Moses!” “Here I am!” Moses replied. “Do not come any closer,” the Lord warned. “Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground.
  • When Moses said, “Here I Am!” Moses gave a sign and signature of availability.
  • Most of us are tolerating God’s suggestions to us instead of treating His Word like a command. This is why God will never allow you to do what He wants you to do if you don’t want to.
    • God looks for availability, not capability.
  • Being available is not a one and done, availability is daily.
  • You can’t be distracted while you’re HERE. You can’t look in the mirror while you’re on the run because mirrors don’t run, they stay HERE.
    • Psalm 26:2: Put me on trial, Lord, and cross-examine me. Test my motives and my heart.
  • God told all of creation to stay HERE and that placement made it holy (e.g. Sun, waves, etc.)

Taking Off Protection = Vulnerability

• Exodus 3:5-6: “Do not come any closer,” the Lord warned. “Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground. I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” When Moses heard this, he covered his face because he was afraid to look at God.
  • When Moses took off his shoes, he was choosing to be willingly vulnerable to the Lord.
  • The walls you built keeps others and God out.
  • Divorce yourself from the culture that separates you from the will of God.

Standing in His Presence = Sensitivity

• Exodus 3:5-6: “Do not come any closer,” the Lord warned. “Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground. I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” When Moses heard this, he covered his face because he was afraid to look at God.
  • When Moses stood in God’s presence, the soles of his feet touched the ground, and for the first time in his life felt sensitivity. Moses was able to feel where he actually stood.
  • Sensitivity is a strength; to be strong is to be vulnerable to rely on God’s strength and accept His rest.

Conclusion

• When you acknowledge HERE, your perspective can change in the same position.
  • EX.) God doesn’t have to give you another job to give you a miracle.