Keith Battle - Adam's Family - Part 3

I’m going to ask you if you’re physically able to stand without harm to yourself. If you can, please stand for the reading of the Word of God. For this message, I promise you won’t be standing long because I’m only going to read one verse to you to set the stage for today’s conversation: Verse 18 of Genesis Chapter 2. As we’re now in Adam’s Family Part Three, verse 18 says, from the New Living Translation, «Then the Lord God said, 'It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.'» Just right for him! Before you sit back down, please repeat this after me: «Lord, what’s just right for me?» You may be seated. Yes, what’s just right for me? You gave Adam what was just right for him, and since Adam is our case study for this series, then what’s just right for me? You’re the same God yesterday, today, and forever. You’re the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. You’re the God of Adam; you’re my God. So since you gave Adam what was just right for him, would you please give me what’s just right for me? I want what’s just right for me financially. I want what’s just right for me academically. I want what’s just right for me professionally. I want what’s just right for me relationally. Does anybody feel that way? God, I want what’s just right for me. Before I get into that content, I’m going to be talking about two general things. If I were to summarize this message, I’m going to talk about Adam’s resources and his relationships. Before I get into his relationships, I want to talk about his resources because that was just right for him. God didn’t just give him a wife that was just right for him; God also gave him a profession and a career that were just right for him. Adam’s work: he was created for that work; that was the work he was designed to do. One of the things we discussed last week when we talked about handling your business is that Adam had a job he was built for. His job was to tend and take care of the garden. He watched over it, took care of it, and was responsible for it. There was a river running through that garden that branched off into four rivers or streams. So not only did he have a river in Eden, not only did he have a job, but he also had access to these other streams—opportunities—that could provide resources in his life. I said to you last week we need to ensure that we’re watering the garden of our lives with multiple ways in which we can be resourced. So we should be saying, just like in Adam’s situation, «God, give me the job and the profession and the career that’s just right for me.» When you do the work you were designed to do, it just fits. I’m tired of just doing what pays the most or what makes me popular. I’m tired of just doing what I have to do. God, let me do what I was born to do. Let me do not what will just make everybody proud of me but what will please you because it’s what I was built to do. I would also encourage you to go back and listen to that teaching around those streams because each one of those streams is important. «Lord, show me which stream works for me. Show me what my path should be—what it should be for steady increase. What kind of stream or opportunity can I tap into that resources me in more than one way? What is my idea, Lord? What is the concept that is bursting with opportunity in my life? Show me what the stream is for me that is right for me. Show me where I’m supposed to go with that. Show me what my rivers are. What does the Tigris River mean that gives me rapid increase or rapid return on investment? Let me put this out there: everything Adam had at his disposal was legal. I want to say this: I’m not trying to put anybody down. If anyone is doing something illegal to make money, if you would use the same mental acuity that you’re using to do something wrong and apply it to something right, you may not get it as fast, but you’ll live longer, and your family won’t be worried about you all the time. Your life won’t always be at risk, and your freedom won’t constantly be threatened. Is the reward worth the risk? I’m saying God has a way to make you wealthy and give you success without you having to look over your back constantly. So what is my Tigris? What is my Euphrates stream of sweet waters? What is something that I enjoy doing that can become an income stream in my life? Just ask God, „What is right for me?“ I’m going to say one more thing about resources before I go into his relationships, and that is, in this world, there are basically four income-producing categories. Four income categories. Now, I’ve got this board. This board is actually the Extreme Children’s Church board.