GLORY AND HONOR BE TO GOD, WHO IS THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF

OUR FAITH. TO DR. CARTER THE GREAT AND DISTINGUISHED PASTOR OF

THIS FINE CHURCH, TO THE SINGLES MINISTRY STAFF AND TO EACH OF

YOU. I GREET YOU WITH DIVINE LOVE IN THE NAME OF OUR MOST

BENEFICENT SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST.

II TIMOTHY 2 : 19 - 21

2 Tim 2:19-21

19 Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, "The Lord knows

those who are His," and, "Let everyone who names the name of the Lord abstain from

wickedness."

20 Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of

wood and of earthenware, and some to honor and some to dishonor.

21 Therefore, if a man cleanses himself from these {things} he will be a vessel for

honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.

(NAS)

CHRISTIANS SINGLES: COMMISSIONED, COMMITTED AND CONTENT

I WANT TO BEGIN TONIGHT BY ESTABLISHING SOME FOCUS AS TO WHAT

WE'LL DEAL WITH HERE IN THESE FEW MINUTES THAT THE LORD SPEAKS

TO OUR HEARTS REGARDING THE STATE OF BEING SINGLE. FIRST OF ALL

I'M SURE THAT YOU'RE AWARE OF THE STATISTICS OF SINGLE ADULTS OF

TODAY. SOME 72 MILLION AMERICANS ARE SINGLE ADULTS THAT'S 40

PER CENT OF THE POPULATION. SINGLES COMPRISE THOSE WHO HAVE

NEVER BEEN MARRIED, THOSE WHO HAVE NO PLANS TO MARRY, THOSE

WHO LIKE MYSELF, LONG TO BE MARRIED, THOSE WHO WERE MARRIED

AND ARE NOW DIVORCED, SEPARATED OR WIDOWED. THERE ARE ALL

KINDS OF REASONS AS TO WHY PEOPLE ARE SINGLE. BUT WE DON'T

HAVE THE TIME TONIGHT, TO DEAL WITH HOW OR WHY YOU ARE SINGLE.

SO IN ORDER TO STAY WITHIN THE SCOPE OF WHAT I'VE BEEN ASKED TO

DO TONIGHT, I WANT TO SIMPLY DEAL WITH WHERE YOU ARE NOW. I

WANT TO CONFRONT WHERE YOU ARE TODAY. JOHN BATE SAID, "TODAY

IS GIVEN US BY HIM TO WHOM DAYS BELONG. WE HAVE THE POWER TO

USE IT AS WE PLEASE; WE COMPASS OUR SALVATION OR OUR

DAMNATION WITHIN IT; WE CAN TRAVEL TWENTY-FOUR HOURS OF TIME

NEARER TO HEAVEN OR NEARER TO HELL. WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR IT'S

PROPER USE. HOW IMPORTANT THAT WE DO THE PROPER WORK OF

TODAY IN THE SPHERE OF TODAY. THAT MAN IS BLESSED WHO, AT THE

CLOSE OF HIS DAY, CAN LOOK UPON HIS FINISHED WORK AND

ANTICIPATE TOMORROW AS BRINGING NOTHING BUT THE THINGS WHICH

LEGITIMATELY BELONG TO IT. TODAY GOD SPEAKS TO US IN HIS WORD

THAT WE HARDEN NOT OUR HEARTS. TODAY IS THE DAY OF SALVATION.

ALL DUTIES, ALL PRIVILEGES, ALL TRIALS, ALL JOYS, ALL SORROWS; IN

ONE WORD, EVERYTHING WE HAVE, WE HAVE TODAY. YESTERDAY IS

GONE, TOMORROW IS NOT, ONLY TODAY IS OURS, AND ONLY IN TODAY

DO WE HOLD ALL OUR POSSESSIONS." SO IF YOUR DESIRE IS TO BE

MARRIED ONE DAY, KEEP TRUSTING GOD AND HE WILL PROVIDE YOU

WITH A SUITABLE MATE. IF YOU ARE DIVORCED, SEPARATED OR

WIDOWED, YOU TOO, KEEP ON TRUSTING IN GOD. IT MAY OR MAY NOT

BE IN HIS WILL FOR YOU TO REMARRY. BUT LET'S NOT FOCUS ON THE

PAST AND LET'S NOT HURRY TOWARD THE FUTURE, LET'S DEAL WITH

THE TODAY. THE SPIRIT OF GOD WOULD HAVE YOU KNOW THAT AS A

CHRISTIAN SINGLE, YOU HAVE BEEN COMMISSIONED, YOU CAN AND

OUGHT TO BE COMMITTED AND IF YOU'RE GOING TO PLEASE GOD YOU

NEED TO BE CONTENT.

MYTHS: A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK THAT IF YOU ARE SINGLE SOMETHING

HAS TO BE WRONG WITH YOU. YOU EITHER GOT TO BE SLEEPING

AROUND, GOT TO BE FUNNY AS A THREE DOLLAR BILL SOMETHING HAS

TO WRONG WITH YOU. ALL KINDS OF MYTHS SURROUNDING BEING

SINGLE. BUT WHEN YOU START THINKING LIKE THAT, JUST REMEMBER

THAT JESUS WAS SINGLE. AND IN SPITE OF WHAT THOSE DEVILS UP IN

NEW YORK ON BROADWAY HAVE TO SAY ABOUT IT, JESUS DIDN'T HAVE

NO SUGAR IN HIS BLOOD. ANOTHER MYTH IS THAT SINGLES ARE MORE

UNFULFILLED THAN MARRIED PEOPLE. IN SPITE OF WHAT SOME MAY

SAY OR THINK, MARRIAGE IS NOT THE BASIS FOR A FULFILLED LIFE.

FULFILLMENT CAN ONLY COME FROM A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH

JESUS CHRIST. THERE ARE MARRIED PEOPLE WHO WILL AGREE WITH US

THAT MARRIAGE DOES NOT CARRY WITH IT A GUARANTEE OF HAPPINESS

AND FULFILLMENT. THE DIVORCE RATE TELLS US THAT. SOME PEOPLE

THINK THAT MARRIAGE WILL SOLVE ALL OF THE PROBLEMS OF

SINGLENESS. THAT'S A MYTH, BECAUSE AS MANY WILL AGREE,

MARRIAGE BRINGS WITH IT SOME PROBLEMS OF IT'S OWN. SOMEBODY

SAID THAT AN OMELET IS ONLY AS GOOD AS THE EGGS. IN OTHER

WORDS IF YOU HAVE PROBLEMS AS A SINGLE PERSON, CHANCES ARE

YOU WILL ONLY COMPLICATE MATTERS BY JUMPING INTO MARRIAGE

BLINDLY THINKING THAT GETTING MARRIED WILL SOLVE YOUR

PROBLEMS. I MEAN IF YOU HAVE TROUBLE MANAGING YOUR MONEY

WHILE YOU'RE BY YOURSELF WHAT MAKES YOU THINK YOU WILL

BECOME A FINANCIAL WIZARD ONCE YOU'VE TIED THE KNOT. ANOTHER

MYTH IS THAT MARRIAGE IS GOD'S HIGHEST CALLING FOR MEN AND

WOMEN. THE BIBLE HOWEVER, DOES NOT TEACH THAT MARRIAGE IS

MAN'S HIGHEST CALLING. GOD'S HIGHEST CALLING FOR HUMANITY IS

CHRIST-LIKENESS. GOD ULTIMATELY WANTS US TO BE LIKE HIS SON.

THAT'S WHY PAUL SAID THAT HE IS CONFORMING US INTO THE IMAGE OF

HIS DEAR SON. EVERY TRIAL THAT I GO THROUGH IS JUST GOD TRYING

TO GET ME TO BE LIKE JESUS. EVERY BLESSING THAT I RECEIVE IS JUST

GOD TRYING TO GET ME TO BE LIKE JESUS. AND THAT'S WHY PAUL SAID,

ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD TO THEM WHO LOVE GOD TO

THOSE WHO ARE THE CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE. AND THEN

FINALLY SOME FOLK THINK THAT IF YOU ARE SINGLE, YOU ARE

PROMISCUOUS. NOW IT IS TRUE, THAT SOME SINGLES ARE

PROMISCUOUS, BUT GUESS WHAT, SO ARE SOME MARRIED FOLK. SO

WITH THOSE MYTHS BEHIND US, LET US FOCUS ON THIS THEME TONIGHT,

CHRISTIAN SINGLES: COMMISSIONED, COMMITTED AND CONTENT.

ADAM WAS THE FIRST ADULT SINGLE. GOD PLACED HIM IN A LOVELY

GARDEN, PROVIDED HIM WITH MEANINGFUL ACTIVITY, AND GAVE HIM

THE PRIVILEGE OF DIVINE COMPANIONSHIP. BUT SOMETHING WAS

MISSING--HUMAN RELATIONSHIP. "IT IS NOT GOOD THAT MAN SHOULD

BE ALONE," THAT'S WHAT GOD SAID. BUT PLEASE NOTE, THAT GOD DID

NOT SAY IT IS NOT GOOD FOR MAN TO BE SINGLE. THERE IS A

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BEING SINGLE AND BEING ALONE. THE WORD

ALONE HERE HAS THREE MAJOR FOUNDATIONAL DEFINITIONS AND

BASED UPON THOSE DEFINITIONS WHAT GOD WAS TELLING ADAM IS

THAT IT IS NOT GOOD FOR MAN TO BE EXCLUSIVE, IT IS NOT GOOD FOR

MAN TO BE ISOLATED AND IT IS NOT GOOD FOR MAN TO BE IN A

SOLITARY STATE. GENESIS 2:18 HAS BEEN MISAPPLIED BY SOME TO

TEACH THAT IT IS GOD'S WILL FOR EVERYONE TO HAVE A MATE. THE

VERSE HAS BEEN USED AGAINST SINGLENESS AS A LIFESTYLE AND TO

PRESSURE MEN AND WOMEN TO MARRY. "AFTER ALL," FOLKS SAY "THE

BIBLE SAYS IT'S NOT GOOD FOR MAN OR WOMAN TO BE ALONE." THEY

IMPLY THAT A MAN OR WOMAN WHO CHOOSES NOT TO MARRY IS

SOMEHOW OUT OF THE WILL OF GOD. BUT BEFORE EVE WAS CREATED,

ADAM WAS ALONE IN A WAY THAT NO OTHER HUMAN BEING IS ALONE

TODAY. HE WAS ALONE IN THE SENSE THAT HE WAS THE ONLY HUMAN

BEING ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH. NOW THAT'S ALONE. BUT I WANT

YOU TO KNOW MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS THAT GOD HAS

COMMISSIONED YOU EVEN IN YOUR SINGLE STATE, HE HAS

COMMISSIONED YOU TO DO A WORK. DON'T EVER THINK THAT JUST

BECAUSE YOU'RE SINGLE, THE LORD CAN'T USE YOU. WHEN HE SAID

Matt 28:19-20

19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father,

and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I

am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

(KJV)

WHEN HE GAVE THE GREAT COMMISSION, HE DIDN'T JUST GIVE IT TO

MARRIED FOLK. HE GAVE IT TO WHOSOEVER WILL. OUR TEXT

REINFORCES THIS BECAUSE PAUL TELLS TIMOTHY THAT A MAJOR PART

OF PREPARATION FOR SERVICE HAS TO DO WITH LIVING A GODLY LIFE.

2 Tim 2:19

"Let everyone who names the name of the Lord abstain from wickedness."

IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU'RE MARRIED OR SINGLE, THE ONE THING

THAT GOD REQUIRES IS RIGHT LIVING. IF YOU'RE SINGLE, GOD IS

LOOKING FOR YOU TO BE TRULY SINGLE. YOU CAN'T BE SHACKING UP

AND THINK YOU'RE IN GOD'S WILL. I MAY AS WELL PUT MY HEAD ON THE

LINE, LIKE JOHN THE BAPTIST AND TELL YOU IT AIN'T RIGHT. WHETHER

MARRIED OR SINGLE, THE SERVANT OF CHRIST MUST FLEE SEXUAL

IMMORALITY, WHATEVER THAT SEXUAL IMMORALITY MAY BE. PAUL

SAID EVERY SIN THAT A MAN DOETH IS WITHOUT THE BODY, BUT HE

THAT COMMITETH FORNICATION SINNETH AGAINST HIS OWN BODY,

WHAT, KNOW YE NOT THAT YOUR BODY IS THE TEMPLE OF THE HOLY

GHOST WHICH LIVES IN YOU AND YE ARE NOT YOUR OWN BUT WERE

BOUGHT WITH A PRICE. SO TO BORROW A LINE FROM A POPULAR SONG

OUT TODAY, GIRLS YOU BETTER WATCH OUT, SOME GUYS ARE ONLY

ABOUT, AND IF YOU KNOW THE SONG, YOU CAN FILL IN THE REST. IF

YOU DON'T, LET IT GO. SO YES AS A SINGLE ADULT, YOU HAVE BEEN

COMMISSIONED. PAUL GOES ON TO SAY, 21 Therefore, if a man cleanses

himself from these {things} he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master,

prepared for every good work.

AND YOU NEED TO NOTE HERE, THAT WHATEVER ELSE A VESSEL IS, IT IS

A CONTAINER, IT IS SOMETHING IN WHICH SOMETHING ELSE IS

CONTAINED. AND THE FOCUS OF A VESSEL IS NEVER ON THE VESSEL,

BUT THE FOCUS IS ALWAYS ON WHAT'S IN THE VESSEL. IF YOU LOVE

COCA COLA, YOU DON'T CARE IF IT COMES IN A GLASS BOTTLE, A

PLASTIC BOTTLE OR EVEN A PAPER CUP. BECAUSE THE FOCUS IS NOT ON

THE VESSEL, BUT IT'S ON WHAT'S IN THE VESSEL. GOD COMMISSIONS

VESSELS, SINGLE AND MARRIED ALIKE. AND PAUL TELLS TIMOTHY THAT

IF THE VESSEL WILL SANCTIFY ITSELF, GOD CAN USE IT. WELL LET ME

CALL ON SOME WITNESSES. YOU REMEMBER JOSEPH DON'T YOU. DOWN

IN EGYPT, IN POTIPHARS HOUSE. SOLD INTO SLAVERY BY HIS BROTHERS,

HE ENDED UP AS A SINGLE MAN BEING SECOND IN COMMAND IN EGYPT.

GOD USED HIM TO SAVE HIS FAMILY. YOU REMEMBER ELIJAH DON'T

YOU, A SINGLE MAN, HE WAS A BOLD AND DEDICATED PROPHET OF GOD

WHO WAS BOLD ENOUGH TO STARE DOWN AHAB AND HIS PROPHETS. I

KNOW YOU REMEMBER DANIEL, A GOVERNMENTAL LEADER DURING

ISRAELS EXILE IN BABYLON. SINGLE MEN, SANCTIFIED AND

COMMISSIONED TO DO THE WORK OF GOD. LOOK AT HAGAR, A SINGLE

MOTHER, SHE AND HER CHILD WERE TAKEN CARE OF BY THE LORD.

LOOK AT NAOMI, A RESOURCEFUL WIDOW WHO FOLLOWED THE LORD

AND CARED FOR HER DAUGHTER-IN-LAW. LOOK AT RUTH, WHO SHOWED

GREAT FAITH, COURAGE, AND LOYALTY AS AN ADULT SINGLE. SO GOD

DOES COMMISSION SINGLES.

BUT NOT ONLY THAT, GOD CALLS ON ALL BELIEVERS TO BE COMMITTED.

THE SINGLE CHRISTIAN REALLY DOESN'T HAVE AN EXCUSE TO NOT BE

COMMITTED TO THE LORD. PAUL MAKES IT CLEAR THAT SINGLENESS

CAN BE A GIFT FROM GOD. PAUL SAYS THAT A MARRIED PERSON IS

CONCERNED ABOUT SERVING GOD AND PLEASING A SPOUSE. WHEREAS,

AN UNMARRIED PERSON CAN DEVELOP A DEEP RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD

BECAUSE THEY HAVE FEWER DISTRACTIONS. LET'S FACE IT, THE SINGLE

INDIVIDUAL UNLESS THEY HAVE CHILDREN IS FAR LESS ENCUMBERED

THAN THE MAN OR WOMAN WITH A FAMILY TO LOOK AFTER. AGAIN

DON'T GET ME WRONG, MARRIAGE IS HONORABLE, GOD-ORDAINED AND

A BLESSING FOR MANY. BUT IT'S NOT GOD'S WILL FOR EVERYBODY. SO

IF YOU'RE SINGLE, DON'T RUN AROUND HAVING A PITY PARTY BECAUSE

YOU DON'T FEEL THAT YOU HAVE A SENSE OF PURPOSE. I DARE YOU TO

PURPOSE IN YOUR HEART TO DO THE LORD'S WILL. I DARE YOU TO

COMMIT TO SERVICE IN THE CHURCH. I DARE YOU TO COMMIT TO

VISITING THE SICK AND REACHING OUT TO THE HURTING. JESUS WAS

OUR PERFECT EXAMPLE OF THIS. HE WAS A SINGLE MAN BUT WHEN

EVER SOMEONE TRIED TO GET HIM ENTANGLED WITH THE WORLD'S

AFFAIRS. HE WOULD QUICKLY TELL THEM I DIDN'T COME FOR THAT, I'VE

COME TO DO THE WILL OF MY FATHER. SO CHRISTIAN SINGLES SHOULD

COMMIT THEMSELVES TO BIBLE STUDY COMMIT TO PRAYER AND GOD

WILL BLESS YOU. SOMETIMES BEING SINGLE CAN MEAN HAVING A

LITTLE EXTRA INCOME. IF THAT'S THE CASE FOR YOU, COMMIT TO

GIVING MORE TO THE CHURCH. THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT GOD

COMMANDS US TO COMMIT OUR WAY UNTO HIM AND NO IF'S, ANDS OR

BUTS ABOUT IT HE WILL BLESS YOU. AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST.

YOU'VE GOT TO DO LIKE PAUL, PAUL SAID, I'VE LEARNED TO BE CONTENT

IN WHATEVER STATE I'M IN. THE FIRST THING YOU NEED TO NOTE IS

THAT HE SAID I'VE LEARNED. I DIDN'T JUST BECOME CONTENT

AUTOMATICALLY. I DIDN'T JUST HAPPEN UPON THIS CONTENTMENT.

PAUL SAID I HAD TO LEARN HOW TO BE CONTENT. AND THERE ARE A

WHOLE LOT OF FOLK WHO MISS THE MARRIAGE BOAT BECAUSE THEY

LACK THIS ONE CHARACHTERISTIC. LET ME TELL YOU LADIES THAT ONE

THING A MAN DOESN'T WANT IS A WOMAN WITH ATTITUDE, BAD

ATTITUDE AT THAT. MEN I BELIEVE I CAN SAY THE SAME THING FOR THE

LADIES, THEY DON'T WANT NO NEGROE WITH AN ATTITUDE. AND I'M

GOING TO SUGGEST TO YOU THAT 90 PERCENT OF BAD ATTITUDES STEM

FROM LACK OF CONTENTMENT. BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE NOT CONTENT

WHAT DO YOU DO. YOU CONTINUALLY FOCUS IN ON WHAT YOU

PERCIEVE TO BE A PROBLEM. IF BEING SINGLE FOR YOU IS A PROBLEM,

WHAT DO YOU DO. YOU START SAYING LORD I'LL NEVER GET MARRIED,

LORD MY BIOLOGICAL CLOCK IS RUNNING OUT ON ME, WHAT'S WRONG

WITH ME, THAT'S WHERE IT STARTS. IT ALWAYS STARTS INTERNALLY.

WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME. I'M TOO FAT, I'M TOO SKINNY, MY HAIR MUST

BE NAPPY, I MUST BE UGLY. BUT HUMAN NATURE IS AIN'T GONE LET

YOU BE DOWN ON YOU TOO LONG. SO THEN YOU TURN THE TABLE, ALL

MEN ARE DOGS, ALL WOMEN ARE JUST LOOKING TO GET A MAN'S

MONEY, HE MUST BE GAY, SHE MUST LIKE WOMEN, HE DON'T LOOK

GOOD ANYWAY, CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT ALL OF THAT STEMS FROM

YOUR LACK OF CONTENTMENT. BECAUSE IF YOU'RE SINGLE AND IF YOU

REALLY TRUST GOD, IT DON'T MATTER WHO LOOKS AT YOU OR WHO

ASKS YOU FOR YOUR PHONE NUMBER WHEN YOU'RE CONTENT YOU'RE

ABLE TO SAY MY FATHER IS RICH IN HOUSES AND LANDS HE HOLDETH

THE WEALTH OF THE WORLDS IN HIS HANDS, OF RUBIES AND DIAMONDS

OF SILVER AND GOLD HIS COFFERS ARE FILLED WITH RICHES UNTOLD, I'M

A CHILD OF THE KING.