No Limits, No Boundaries

NO LIMITS, NO BOUNDARIES

As the year 1999 drew to a close, the topic of everyone’s conversation was the new millennium.  People thought that computer systems would crash, and every machine that had an internal computer would fail.  We thought cars, elevators, televisions would stop working.  We thought planes would crash.  December 1999 had the lowest flight bookings ever recorded.   Some even thought that banks would lose records of customers’ accounts.  But no-one (PAUSE) no-one thought that in eight short years, America, the most powerful country in the world would elect its first black President.  No one imagined that a country stained with racial prejudice, a country that was built on the backs of slaves would elect an African American male to lead them.  But they did and on January 20th, 2009, Barack Hussein Obama was sworn in as the 44th President of the United States of America.   I am sure that when Mr. Obama began his presidential campaign, he was met with great opposition and discouragement.  I am sure that many people including me, thought he wouldn’t be elected.  Yes we were all rooting for him and we wanted him to win, but we doubted that the American people had the courage to do it.  But amid the doubt and misgivings, Barack Obama soldiered on, carrying a message of hope, a message of change.  He stands as an excellent example of my topic tonight, NO LIMITS, NO BOUNDARIES.

Senior Pastor, Dr. Jay Simms and his lovely wife, Dr. Euphemia Simms, leaders and members of Christian Life Church, good evening.  It is indeed an honour to speak to you tonight on a topic that touches me in a very personal way, NO LIMITS NO BOUNDARIES.  Before I begin, I wish to offer my congratulations to all of the 2011 graduates who are members of this great church.  One phase of your life is completed but the journey is just beginning.  I want you to listen carefully to the words I will share with you tonight, and I pray that they will encourage and motivate you to take on this new phase of your life with vigor and determination.

NO LIMITS, NO BOUNDARIES.  Did you know that Albert Einstein, the world’s smartest man was born with dyslexia and that throughout his life, he struggled to read and couldn’t spell?  Or that Joni Eareckson Tada International Christian vocalist and bestselling author of 14 books dived into a lake at the age of 16, broke her neck and is completely paralyzed?  Or that Sir Sidney Poitier, the first black person to win an Academy award was born and raised on Cat Island, travelled to America as a young teenager and started his career sweeping kitchens?  What do all of these people have in common?  They all beat the odds and either lived or are living extraordinary lives.  They lived or are living lives with no limits and no boundaries.  But how did they do this?  You see, you can talk about living life with no limits, from sun up to sun down, but unless you DO something, you’re just wasting your precious God-given breath!   To live a life with no limits and no boundaries, you must put into practice  three important principals.  You’ve got to have a vision for your life which should be aligned with God’s purpose for your life, you’ve got to persevere and you got to surround yourself with positive Christian people who too want to live a life with no limits and no boundaries.

Let’s talk about the first principal, a personal vision that complements God’s purpose.  Young people, if you have not yet done so, you must create a personal vision for your life.  What is a personal vision?  It is a description of the life you wish to live in the future.  If you want to have a successful life, you’ve got to envision it in order to achieve it.  How do you see yourself living in 10 years, 20 years 25 years?  What do you see as your career?  Do you want a family?  What about your ministry at this church?  What are your dreams?  What’s your purpose?  We all know that the purpose of our existence is to bring glory to God, but when we were born, God placed in each of us a special purpose, He gave us all individual gifts to be used for His glory.   Do you know your gifts?  Are you choosing careers based on your God given gifts and talents? Do you have a vision, a plan for your life?

Someone once said that if you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there.  Look at the amount of crime and hopelessness among our youth.  Each year thousands of young people leave high school with no skills for employment and grades that are too low for admittance to college.  Do you think these young people have a plan for their lives?  I say NO. And the evidence is telling.  Increased crime, teenage pregnancies, more children being born into hopeless situations.  Young people, if you want to live a life with no limits and no boundaries, you must have a personal vision that is aligned with God’s purpose for your life.   Tonight when you go home find a quiet place and write down your desires for your life.  Then have a conversation with your heavenly Father.  Tell him your heart’s desires.  Ask him to show you His purpose for your life.  Commit your plans to Him.  Yes, a personal vision is an important component of a limitless boundless life.  But it’s not enough.  It’s great to have a vision but along with that comes HARD WORK.  (Draw out and stress these words)

Now I know that the two most hated words in The Bahamas today are HARD WORK.  No one wants to work hard anymore.  We all want instant success.  It is said that we are living a microwave society.  No one wants to wait for anything.  We want it all and we want it now.  Why spend hours straining the brain coming up with original thoughts and ideas when we can steal it from the internet?  Why work hard when we can dream dreams and buy numbers and maybe win a couple of bucks?  Sure we may lose more than we win, but at least we’re winning a little something right?  We even see this lazy attitude popping up in Christian music artists.  Instead of writing inspiring worshipful music, the trend today is to take a popular secular song, change a couple words, throw in a few hallelujahs and KAPOW….A “new” gospel song.  Young people listen to me.  If you don’t remember anything else I tell you tonight, remember this.  You have a greater chance of being struck by lightning than you have of winning a lottery.  Young ladies, your plan for a successful life cannot be to marry a rich man.  Success comes with hard work.  How do you think our great nation was built?  It was built through the hard work of your grandparents and great grandparents.  It was their dedicated labour of love that built our country.  Did you know that the Bible speaks very plainly about hard work?  Proverbs chapter 6 says “You lazy fool, look at an ant.  Watch it closely; let it teach you a thing or two.  Nobody has to tell it what to do.  All summer it stores up food; at harvest it stockpiles provisions.  So how long are you going to laze around doing nothing?  How long before you get out of bed?  A nap here, a nap there, a day off here, a day off there;  sit back, take it easy – do you know what comes next?  Just this (PAUSE)  You can look forward to a dirt-poor life, poverty, your permanent house guest”  My Lord!   Now if you didn’t like what I said about hard work.  You’re gonna HATE what I’m about to say next.  Sometimes……….hard work is not enough.  Sometimes you have to call upon hard work’s first cousin…PERSEVERENCE.  Perseverance means NEVER GIVING UP.  No matter how difficult or even impossible your dreams may seem, NEVER GIVE UP.  It doesn’t matter what people say.  Sometimes the people you love the most say the most disheartening things.  Young people listen to me.  It’s YOUR DREAM.  No one else understands it like you.  Guard your dreams, hold them close to you, protect them from naysayers and doubting Thomases.  Keep them constantly before God and NEVER, EVER give up.   If you ever read or heard of the book “Chicken Soup for The Soul” raise your hands.  For those who raised their hands, I’m sure you know that is a New York best seller, but what you don’t know is that Jack Canfield’s book Chickens Soup for the Soul was turned down 150 times  before it was ever published.  150 times!  No one believed that the book would sell.  Publishers thought that people wouldn’t buy a book of short inspirational stories.  I am sure that most of us would have thrown in the towel.  But in the face of great discouragement, Jack Canfield did not give up.  He persevered and on the 151st attempt, one publishing company said yes and today Jack Canfield is a multimillion dollar bestselling author and motivational speaker.    NO LIMITS NO BOUNDARIES.