God’s Purpose for You
By: Julie Clinton, M.A. http://www.ewomen.net
"The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands." Psalm 138:8 esv
Have you lost the focus in your life? Are you bogged down in the mundane and the routine? Are you bored and seeking excitement in the wrong places with the wrong people? Does your life seem to have no point or meaning?
Well, I’ve got some good news for you. Nothing is wasted with God. He uses every moment of every day and every day of every week, month and year in our lives to fulfill His purpose for us. Times that appear to us to be routine and boring could be times of rest or regrouping to ready us for things we cannot imagine. Times that are hurting and hectic may be training grounds for understanding what lies ahead. Times that are downright gleeful and filled with joy refresh and renew our lives and our love for the Lord. All that we do fits within God’s plan and purpose for our lives. No action is too small. No thought is too insignificant to be noticed and used by God for His good.
Delight in God’s love. Be reassured in His faithfulness to the thousands of generations that have come before us: His love endures forever and nothing can ever stop His almighty and wonderful plans for His people and for you!
Prayer
Dear Lord and Father. Thank You for being so loving and faithful to Your people for thousands of generations. Let me rest in the assurance that You will fulfill all that You have planned for my life. Amen
Bible Readings for the Week Ahead:
Monday: 2 Timothy 2:1
Tuesday: Ecclesiastes 3:1
Wednesday: 1 Kings 8:56
Thursday: 1 Corinthians 10:13
Friday: Ephesians 4:1-3
Saturday: 2 Peter 1:10-11
Sunday: 1 Peter 1:13
Encouragement for Purpose-Full Living!
Monday, August 31, 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
No Longer.....
A - "We can trust Jesus to take us to places He knows are right for us." ~ Mike Breen
S - Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying "This is the way, walk in it." ~ Isaiah 30:21
A - As we wrap up this study on God's Path to Purpose, I want to end with what I think is the most exciting and enjoyable benefit of finding God's path and following it faithfully. It is that I no longer have to second guess everything I do. Hopefully you have developed a deeper love relationship with God so that when you hear His voice, you don't question His requests.
No longer wandering... You know the path you are to be on and Who you are to be following. Proverbs 17:24 - "A discerning man keeps wisdom in view, but a fool's eyes wander to the ends of the earth." Keep wisdom in view today. Don't let the glitz and glamour of the world capture your attention.
No longer wasting time and energy... doing activities and ministries that are not part of God's plan for you. This make decision making so much easier. Whenever I am approached to take on a new ministry or activity, I first go to God to get His direction before I respond (no, that has not always been the case!). Then He will have me evaluate if this new opportunity will put my gifts, personality and abilities to best use. Does it line up with my God-given purpose? If not, it may not be something I need to be involved with right now. My purpose is to minister to women and coach them along God's pathway for their unique assignment. I can say from experience, be careful not to jump on every bandwagon that crosses your path. You'll end up exhausted, frustrated and having wasted alot of precious time and energy. You must learn to discern His voice and approval before you move on.
No longer living a life without purpose... As you've seen several times throughout this study, finding and fulfilling God's path will lead to a meaningful and satisfying life. A life you can be proud of having lived and be able to say, as Jesus did, " I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do." ~ John 17:4
No longer wanting to fight God.... Somewhere along the journey with God, there may actually be times (of insanity) when you think you know a better way; an easier way to get the job done or perhaps refusing to do it all together. You end up fighting with God over who is right (like you have a chance) and you miss the pleasure and joy obeying God brings. I challenge you today to read the entire book of Jonah. Jonah is an example of someone who fought against God's plans and in the end, did not enjoy being used by Him. "Make God's will the focus of your life day by day. If you seek to please Him and Him alone, you will find yourself satisfied with life." ~ Kay Arthur
Let me end with this quote...."Fulfilling your unique role is the key to achieving personal satisfaction. When you are truly and fully living the life you were meant to live, you will have an abiding sense of both purpose and delight." ~Tom Paterson
P - Spend time today thanking God that you no longer have to wonder, wander, waste time, live a life without purpose and need to fight His plans. He will be pleased you did!
God bless you and your path to His purposes!
~Tonia
A - "We can trust Jesus to take us to places He knows are right for us." ~ Mike Breen
S - Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying "This is the way, walk in it." ~ Isaiah 30:21
A - As we wrap up this study on God's Path to Purpose, I want to end with what I think is the most exciting and enjoyable benefit of finding God's path and following it faithfully. It is that I no longer have to second guess everything I do. Hopefully you have developed a deeper love relationship with God so that when you hear His voice, you don't question His requests.
No longer wandering... You know the path you are to be on and Who you are to be following. Proverbs 17:24 - "A discerning man keeps wisdom in view, but a fool's eyes wander to the ends of the earth." Keep wisdom in view today. Don't let the glitz and glamour of the world capture your attention.
No longer wasting time and energy... doing activities and ministries that are not part of God's plan for you. This make decision making so much easier. Whenever I am approached to take on a new ministry or activity, I first go to God to get His direction before I respond (no, that has not always been the case!). Then He will have me evaluate if this new opportunity will put my gifts, personality and abilities to best use. Does it line up with my God-given purpose? If not, it may not be something I need to be involved with right now. My purpose is to minister to women and coach them along God's pathway for their unique assignment. I can say from experience, be careful not to jump on every bandwagon that crosses your path. You'll end up exhausted, frustrated and having wasted alot of precious time and energy. You must learn to discern His voice and approval before you move on.
No longer living a life without purpose... As you've seen several times throughout this study, finding and fulfilling God's path will lead to a meaningful and satisfying life. A life you can be proud of having lived and be able to say, as Jesus did, " I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do." ~ John 17:4
No longer wanting to fight God.... Somewhere along the journey with God, there may actually be times (of insanity) when you think you know a better way; an easier way to get the job done or perhaps refusing to do it all together. You end up fighting with God over who is right (like you have a chance) and you miss the pleasure and joy obeying God brings. I challenge you today to read the entire book of Jonah. Jonah is an example of someone who fought against God's plans and in the end, did not enjoy being used by Him. "Make God's will the focus of your life day by day. If you seek to please Him and Him alone, you will find yourself satisfied with life." ~ Kay Arthur
Let me end with this quote...."Fulfilling your unique role is the key to achieving personal satisfaction. When you are truly and fully living the life you were meant to live, you will have an abiding sense of both purpose and delight." ~Tom Paterson
P - Spend time today thanking God that you no longer have to wonder, wander, waste time, live a life without purpose and need to fight His plans. He will be pleased you did!
God bless you and your path to His purposes!
~Tonia
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Evidence
A - What kind of "fruit" is your life evident of?
S - For the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control... ~ Galatians 5:22-23
A - If you are fulfilling your God-given purpose, your life will be evident of it. People will see a difference in you and want to know what it's from. Jesus spent alot of His time teaching the disciples about the importance of what their lives should look like to others. "Love one another...by this all men will know that you are my disciples...." ~ John 13:35
Bearing "fruit" in your life is evidence of your spiritual condition! When you think of a person who has the Holy Spirit dwelling in them, what do you picture them to be like? Based on our verses for today...I think that sounds like an enjoyable woman to be around, don't you think? I want you to notice that these are not fruits of the Spirit, but one single fruit with many parts. They build off one another, with love being the foundation and working toward self-control. They are not for you to pick and choose which ones you want to produce in your life and which ones seem too difficult to "grow". They should be evident in a life controlled by the Holy Spirit. Are they in yours?
How do you produce this fruit? Does it just come natural? For some perhaps, but not for all of us! Some of us are stronger in the faithfulness and goodness category, while others' fruit is more evident by their love, patience, kindness, etc. According to John 15:1-8, Jesus is explaining why we need to stay connected to the True Vine (Himself) and what we (the Branches) will/will not produce from this relationship. Verse 5 ..."...If a man remains/abides (stays close in the relationship) in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." I encourage you to read all the verses (also Matthew 7: 15-20) to see how a person who does not bear fruit is described.
One final thought about the fruit that needs to be evident in your life. In John 15:16a, Jesus is reaffirming the importance of this truth: " You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit - fruit that will last..." What does "fruit that will last" look like to you? Is it evident in your life?
A - What kind of "fruit" is your life evident of?
S - For the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control... ~ Galatians 5:22-23
A - If you are fulfilling your God-given purpose, your life will be evident of it. People will see a difference in you and want to know what it's from. Jesus spent alot of His time teaching the disciples about the importance of what their lives should look like to others. "Love one another...by this all men will know that you are my disciples...." ~ John 13:35
Bearing "fruit" in your life is evidence of your spiritual condition! When you think of a person who has the Holy Spirit dwelling in them, what do you picture them to be like? Based on our verses for today...I think that sounds like an enjoyable woman to be around, don't you think? I want you to notice that these are not fruits of the Spirit, but one single fruit with many parts. They build off one another, with love being the foundation and working toward self-control. They are not for you to pick and choose which ones you want to produce in your life and which ones seem too difficult to "grow". They should be evident in a life controlled by the Holy Spirit. Are they in yours?
How do you produce this fruit? Does it just come natural? For some perhaps, but not for all of us! Some of us are stronger in the faithfulness and goodness category, while others' fruit is more evident by their love, patience, kindness, etc. According to John 15:1-8, Jesus is explaining why we need to stay connected to the True Vine (Himself) and what we (the Branches) will/will not produce from this relationship. Verse 5 ..."...If a man remains/abides (stays close in the relationship) in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." I encourage you to read all the verses (also Matthew 7: 15-20) to see how a person who does not bear fruit is described.
One final thought about the fruit that needs to be evident in your life. In John 15:16a, Jesus is reaffirming the importance of this truth: " You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit - fruit that will last..." What does "fruit that will last" look like to you? Is it evident in your life?
P - Thank God today for the ability you have to bear fruit for Him. Ask Him to show you areas where you may not be abiding in Him like you should and therefore your fruit is not as plentiful. Be ready - the Master Gardener may need to do some pruning - but in the end, the harvest will be bountiful and beautiful!
Next Time - No Longer....
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Enjoying Your Purpose
As we near the end of our journey together, I do hope you've considered this time well spent. I pray you have been able to see God and His plan more clearly. You know what it takes to Pursue, Understand, Respond, Prepare, manuever Obstacles and Share your unique purpose, so that your life here on earth will be a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable/pleasing to God (Romans 12:1). That your life will be spent allowing God to work in and through you to lead others to the saving knowledge of His Son. That your life, with all its ups and downs; pains and sorrows; good times and bad; victories and defeats; challenges and craziness - will utimately be lived for one purpose - to bring glory to God. So that one day you'll stand before Him and hear - "Well done, good and faithful servant. Come share in your master's happiness." ~Matthew 25:21
I realize some of you may still be waiting for God to reveal His vision and plan to you. You may feel He overlooked you when He was giving out assignments. Not the case! Remember, He uses all of us at different times, with different people, and in different ways. Don't give up on God - He hasn't given up on you! As you've learned, use this time to develop your love relationship with Him, your character and your patience :) Listen to your heart. God will use your passions to lead you where He wants you to go, when He wants you to go and what He wants you to do once you get there! Trust that He loves you and wants the very best for you.
So whether you are currently waiting for God to show you the next step along His path or you are actively fulfilling His plan and vision, this final section will look at how you are to be enjoying your purpose. That's the thrill of doing and being in God's will - you enjoy your life and the activities/ministries you're involved in. You see His hand at work around you and marvel at how He chose you to come along side Him to complete His purposes throughout the world.
Next time....Evidence
I realize some of you may still be waiting for God to reveal His vision and plan to you. You may feel He overlooked you when He was giving out assignments. Not the case! Remember, He uses all of us at different times, with different people, and in different ways. Don't give up on God - He hasn't given up on you! As you've learned, use this time to develop your love relationship with Him, your character and your patience :) Listen to your heart. God will use your passions to lead you where He wants you to go, when He wants you to go and what He wants you to do once you get there! Trust that He loves you and wants the very best for you.
So whether you are currently waiting for God to show you the next step along His path or you are actively fulfilling His plan and vision, this final section will look at how you are to be enjoying your purpose. That's the thrill of doing and being in God's will - you enjoy your life and the activities/ministries you're involved in. You see His hand at work around you and marvel at how He chose you to come along side Him to complete His purposes throughout the world.
Next time....Evidence
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Your Life Message
Last time I told you I would help give you 4 components of your Life Message that will make witnessing and sharing your faith easier. Let's get started:
1) Your Testimony: the story of how you began a relationship with Jesus. This is the essence of witnessing - simply sharing your unique, personal experiences regarding the Lord. We all love to hear stories we can relate to. Sharing your testimony will often allow a relationship to develop that God will use to bring someone to Himself. Of course this means you must have your testimony/life story prepared and ready to share when the time comes. I want to challenge you to write this out by answering the following questions: a) What was my life like before Jesus b) How did I realize I needed Jesus and c) The difference that a personal relationship with Jesus has made in my life. Everyone's story is different ~ and that's ok. If someone were to ask you these questions, would you be ready to respond?
2) Your Life Lessons: the important lessons God has taught you from experiences with Him. These are lessons and insights you have learned about God, relationships, problems, temptations and other aspects of life. How much do we learn from what we've gone through? Wouldn't you rather learn from the experiences of others? Thank goodness Solomon took the time and obeyed God when he wrote the books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. If we would just learn from his wisdom, alot of frustration in life could be avoided. As you continue putting together your Life Message, write down important lessons you have learned about life that others can benefit from.
3) Your Godly Passions: the issues God shaped you to care about most. God is a passionate God and the closer you get to Him, the more passionate you will become as well. He will give you a passion for something He cares about deeply so He can work through you. Whatever it is, you will feel compelled to speak up about it and do what you can to make a difference. Others are watching and can see the things you are truly passionate about. They may even start asking questions!
4) The Good News: the mesage of God's salvation for all mankind. In order to make this a real urgency in your life, you must learn to love others as God loves them. This is a great way to wrap up this section of Sharing Your Purpose. As you are building relationships by loving, influencing, serving and joining others, God will provide the situations where you can share the ulimate purpose in life ~ telling others about His love; His death, burial and resurrection and how eternal life is meant and available to ALL who believe. (John 3:16)
People are looking for someone who is real - not just religious. They are watching to see if you live out what you believe, not just live with your beliefs. They don't want to hear about how much you care, they want to see how much you care.
Your life has an important message to share with others. God will bring people into your life and along your path who He wants you to share your life story, your life lessons, your passions and the hope you have because of what He has done for you!
"...Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give a reason for the hope that you have...." ~ I Peter 3:15
* Are you prepared?
* Do you know the answers?
* Do you know the reason for the hope you have?
Next Time....Enjoying Your Purpose
Last time I told you I would help give you 4 components of your Life Message that will make witnessing and sharing your faith easier. Let's get started:
1) Your Testimony: the story of how you began a relationship with Jesus. This is the essence of witnessing - simply sharing your unique, personal experiences regarding the Lord. We all love to hear stories we can relate to. Sharing your testimony will often allow a relationship to develop that God will use to bring someone to Himself. Of course this means you must have your testimony/life story prepared and ready to share when the time comes. I want to challenge you to write this out by answering the following questions: a) What was my life like before Jesus b) How did I realize I needed Jesus and c) The difference that a personal relationship with Jesus has made in my life. Everyone's story is different ~ and that's ok. If someone were to ask you these questions, would you be ready to respond?
2) Your Life Lessons: the important lessons God has taught you from experiences with Him. These are lessons and insights you have learned about God, relationships, problems, temptations and other aspects of life. How much do we learn from what we've gone through? Wouldn't you rather learn from the experiences of others? Thank goodness Solomon took the time and obeyed God when he wrote the books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. If we would just learn from his wisdom, alot of frustration in life could be avoided. As you continue putting together your Life Message, write down important lessons you have learned about life that others can benefit from.
3) Your Godly Passions: the issues God shaped you to care about most. God is a passionate God and the closer you get to Him, the more passionate you will become as well. He will give you a passion for something He cares about deeply so He can work through you. Whatever it is, you will feel compelled to speak up about it and do what you can to make a difference. Others are watching and can see the things you are truly passionate about. They may even start asking questions!
4) The Good News: the mesage of God's salvation for all mankind. In order to make this a real urgency in your life, you must learn to love others as God loves them. This is a great way to wrap up this section of Sharing Your Purpose. As you are building relationships by loving, influencing, serving and joining others, God will provide the situations where you can share the ulimate purpose in life ~ telling others about His love; His death, burial and resurrection and how eternal life is meant and available to ALL who believe. (John 3:16)
People are looking for someone who is real - not just religious. They are watching to see if you live out what you believe, not just live with your beliefs. They don't want to hear about how much you care, they want to see how much you care.
Your life has an important message to share with others. God will bring people into your life and along your path who He wants you to share your life story, your life lessons, your passions and the hope you have because of what He has done for you!
"...Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give a reason for the hope that you have...." ~ I Peter 3:15
* Are you prepared?
* Do you know the answers?
* Do you know the reason for the hope you have?
Next Time....Enjoying Your Purpose
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Sharing Your Purpose by Witnessing to Others
A - "It is easy to get distracted; because Satan would rather have you do anything besides share your faith." ~ Rick Warren
S - He (God) is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." ~ 2 Peter 3:9
A - Please don't be scared off by today's devotion! Ask God to give you a burning desire to be a witness, both verbally and physically, to those who are lost and don't know Him. You don't need to give me all your excuses as to why you can't witness to others - mainly because I've thought of all of them myself! My hope is that after these devotions, you'll be more confident and secure and you will be looking for opportunities to share the good news of the Gospel.
As we come to the end of this section - do you remember what God's #1 purpose is for ALL people? Salvation... and the verse for today verifies that truth! Matthew 28: 19-20 commands, not suggests, that we are to Go, Teach, Baptize all nations; all people.
Do you ever think of all the things you do that really don't have any lasting effect in the long run? You may think, while you're in the middle of them, that your good works will influence generations to come. Yes, it is important to supply your children and grandchildren with a firm, spiritual foundation, but what about all the rest that you spend your time and energy doing? Do you ever think God looks down and wishes you wouldn't waste the life He's given you? What are you investing your life in today?
God wants you to invest in people - those you know and those you don't. There are people in this world that ONLY you will be able to witness to. You've heard it said - You may be the only Jesus some people will ever see. William James said - "The best use of life is to spend it for something that outlasts it." If just one person is in heaven because of you, you will have had an important part in eternity!
If you are serious about being a witness to others, I ask that you join me next time when I'll be giving you a 4 part concept that has been used by millions to build confidence and make sharing your faith something you do without hesitation!
P - Think about the things you invest your time and energy into. Make a list and label them as having a temporary effect or a lasting effect on yourself and/or others. For example - time spent online (chats, Facebook, surfing, etc), time spent in Bible study, time spent watching tv, time spent on the phone, time spent in prayer, time spent shopping, time spent trying to make more money, time spent with family/friends, time spent serving others......
Next Time....Preparing Your Life-Message
A - "It is easy to get distracted; because Satan would rather have you do anything besides share your faith." ~ Rick Warren
S - He (God) is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." ~ 2 Peter 3:9
A - Please don't be scared off by today's devotion! Ask God to give you a burning desire to be a witness, both verbally and physically, to those who are lost and don't know Him. You don't need to give me all your excuses as to why you can't witness to others - mainly because I've thought of all of them myself! My hope is that after these devotions, you'll be more confident and secure and you will be looking for opportunities to share the good news of the Gospel.
As we come to the end of this section - do you remember what God's #1 purpose is for ALL people? Salvation... and the verse for today verifies that truth! Matthew 28: 19-20 commands, not suggests, that we are to Go, Teach, Baptize all nations; all people.
Do you ever think of all the things you do that really don't have any lasting effect in the long run? You may think, while you're in the middle of them, that your good works will influence generations to come. Yes, it is important to supply your children and grandchildren with a firm, spiritual foundation, but what about all the rest that you spend your time and energy doing? Do you ever think God looks down and wishes you wouldn't waste the life He's given you? What are you investing your life in today?
God wants you to invest in people - those you know and those you don't. There are people in this world that ONLY you will be able to witness to. You've heard it said - You may be the only Jesus some people will ever see. William James said - "The best use of life is to spend it for something that outlasts it." If just one person is in heaven because of you, you will have had an important part in eternity!
If you are serious about being a witness to others, I ask that you join me next time when I'll be giving you a 4 part concept that has been used by millions to build confidence and make sharing your faith something you do without hesitation!
P - Think about the things you invest your time and energy into. Make a list and label them as having a temporary effect or a lasting effect on yourself and/or others. For example - time spent online (chats, Facebook, surfing, etc), time spent in Bible study, time spent watching tv, time spent on the phone, time spent in prayer, time spent shopping, time spent trying to make more money, time spent with family/friends, time spent serving others......
Next Time....Preparing Your Life-Message
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Sharing Your Purpose by Joining Others
A - "You can do what I cannot do. I can do what you cannot do. Together we can do great things." ~ Mother Teresa
S - But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ~ Romans 5:8
A - As you continue to share yourself and your purpose with others, I pray that you are asking God to bring people into your life that you can join right where they are.
What are you trying to build by loving, influencing and serving others? Relationships; rapport and trust. Why are these relationships important? One, is because God created you for fellowship with others. You were not intended to live just for yourself. Secondly, in developing rapport and trust by loving, being a godly example to and serving others, you can ultimately be a witness to them, especially if they are not already believers. In order to do that, you must be willing to meet and join people right where they are in life - just like Jesus did!
One of the many amazing things about Jesus is that He didn't wait around for people to get their lives right, to get themselves "cleaned up", be problem-free, be someone He'd be proud to associate with, before He began to minister to them. Jesus established intimacy with people quickly. He was approachable and He wanted people to know it.
Let's look at just a few examples. Take time to read the passages to get the full story......The Disciples (Matt. 4: 18-22 and Matt. 9:9) If you know much about this group of men, you know they were a colorful combination of personalities, backgrounds and ideas. Jesus was not looking for the most educated, cultured, classy, handsome, or sophisticated people to carry out His ministry. He found them right where they were in life and asked them to join Him. Little did they know who their lives would be changed forever! Feeding the 5000 (Matt. 14: 13-31) In this familiar story, Jesus has just learned that His cousin, John the Baptist, has been beheaded. He attempts to go off to a private place to grieve, but nonetheless, the people find him and He ministers to them in a BIG way. What would your response to the crowd have been? Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10) Jesus went out of his way to find one man who needed Him the most. How would you have treated a man of Zaccaeus' reputation? The Samaritan Woman (John 4: 4-26) Jesus could not have chosen a more controversial woman to strike up a conversation with than this one! She was one who was shunned by others in her town, talked about behind her back and looked down upon by the "religious" people of her day. Are there women in your life who can relate to her story?
These are just a few of the people who Jesus chose to join right where they were and to share His unique purpose with them. He chose to ask the common, non-influential men to be a part of His ministry. He chose to join and give of Himself to thousands of people even when He was tired and grieving. He looked up in a tree and found a "sinner" who needed forgiveness and He restored the life of a lonely woman by offering her living water. There were many who were healed, raised from the dead, had their sins forgiven and their lives made new because Jesus took the time to look past their imperfections.
P - Are you willing and able to share love and minister with others who may not meet all your expectations and criteria? As today's verse states - God did not wait for us to have our act together before He sent His Son to die for us! Ask God to search your heart about how you can be doing a better job at meeting, accepting and joining others where they are. Look past their outward issues and know God can do a work in them, through you!
Next Time.....Witnessing to Others
A - "You can do what I cannot do. I can do what you cannot do. Together we can do great things." ~ Mother Teresa
S - But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ~ Romans 5:8
A - As you continue to share yourself and your purpose with others, I pray that you are asking God to bring people into your life that you can join right where they are.
What are you trying to build by loving, influencing and serving others? Relationships; rapport and trust. Why are these relationships important? One, is because God created you for fellowship with others. You were not intended to live just for yourself. Secondly, in developing rapport and trust by loving, being a godly example to and serving others, you can ultimately be a witness to them, especially if they are not already believers. In order to do that, you must be willing to meet and join people right where they are in life - just like Jesus did!
One of the many amazing things about Jesus is that He didn't wait around for people to get their lives right, to get themselves "cleaned up", be problem-free, be someone He'd be proud to associate with, before He began to minister to them. Jesus established intimacy with people quickly. He was approachable and He wanted people to know it.
Let's look at just a few examples. Take time to read the passages to get the full story......The Disciples (Matt. 4: 18-22 and Matt. 9:9) If you know much about this group of men, you know they were a colorful combination of personalities, backgrounds and ideas. Jesus was not looking for the most educated, cultured, classy, handsome, or sophisticated people to carry out His ministry. He found them right where they were in life and asked them to join Him. Little did they know who their lives would be changed forever! Feeding the 5000 (Matt. 14: 13-31) In this familiar story, Jesus has just learned that His cousin, John the Baptist, has been beheaded. He attempts to go off to a private place to grieve, but nonetheless, the people find him and He ministers to them in a BIG way. What would your response to the crowd have been? Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10) Jesus went out of his way to find one man who needed Him the most. How would you have treated a man of Zaccaeus' reputation? The Samaritan Woman (John 4: 4-26) Jesus could not have chosen a more controversial woman to strike up a conversation with than this one! She was one who was shunned by others in her town, talked about behind her back and looked down upon by the "religious" people of her day. Are there women in your life who can relate to her story?
These are just a few of the people who Jesus chose to join right where they were and to share His unique purpose with them. He chose to ask the common, non-influential men to be a part of His ministry. He chose to join and give of Himself to thousands of people even when He was tired and grieving. He looked up in a tree and found a "sinner" who needed forgiveness and He restored the life of a lonely woman by offering her living water. There were many who were healed, raised from the dead, had their sins forgiven and their lives made new because Jesus took the time to look past their imperfections.
P - Are you willing and able to share love and minister with others who may not meet all your expectations and criteria? As today's verse states - God did not wait for us to have our act together before He sent His Son to die for us! Ask God to search your heart about how you can be doing a better job at meeting, accepting and joining others where they are. Look past their outward issues and know God can do a work in them, through you!
Next Time.....Witnessing to Others
Monday, August 3, 2009
Sharing Your Purpose by Serving Others
A - "If you aren't serving, you're just existing - because life is meant for ministry." ~Rick Warren
S - Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does.... ~Ephesians 6:7-8
A - Ok, I think we can agree that serving others is important and is a big part of God's plan. Remember, real significance comes from serving others! " ...let us not love with words or tongue but with action.... " (I John 3: 18)
Who are you serving or not serving today? What is your attitude and motive for serving or not serving? Have you used the excuse(s) - "It's not my gift." "There are plenty of people who already serve in that ministry." "I don' t have anything to offer." "Those people make me uncomfortable." How do you know what God wants you to be doing to share your purposes by serving others? By being willing to share - your time, your money, your talents, your gifts, your abilities, your listening ear, your able body, your keen mind, your compassionate heart...
God doesn't expect you to do it ALL! He wants you to go with Him and join Him where the work needs to be done. When we're trying to do "great things for God," what we're really doing is pursuing our own agenda and our own vision of what should be done, all the while forgetting that God has an eternal agenda. In short, we leave God behind rather than going with Him.
How do we identify the work of God around us? People are in need everywhere we look. Certainly, He must expect us to help everyone. Think about Jesus...did He heal every invalid? Did He raise all the dead back to life? Did He spend 24/7 ministering to the poor and needy, the demon oppressed and the pride posessed? No. He took time out to pray and seek His Father's will. He was watching to see where God wanted Him to serve next. (John 5: 17-19)
Don't be discouraged if you haven't found your niche yet. God is working around you and He invites you to join Him. You just need to be able to recognize His specific activity. In doing so, you are allowing Him to work through you to minister to others. From the Bible study, Experiencing God, two factors are needed for you to see God at work: 1) You must be living in an intimate love relationship with Him (so that you recognize Him when He speaks, leads, etc) and 2) God must take the initiative to open your spiritual eyes so you can see what He is doing.
P - Ask God to search your heart's attitude about serving and show you where He's at work and how He wants you to follow His path for serving others. Ask Him to open your spiritual eyes so you can see people who need your time, your money, your talents, your gifts, your abilities, your listening ear, your able body, your keen mind, your compassionate heart....
Next Time.....Joining Others
A - "If you aren't serving, you're just existing - because life is meant for ministry." ~Rick Warren
S - Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does.... ~Ephesians 6:7-8
A - Ok, I think we can agree that serving others is important and is a big part of God's plan. Remember, real significance comes from serving others! " ...let us not love with words or tongue but with action.... " (I John 3: 18)
Who are you serving or not serving today? What is your attitude and motive for serving or not serving? Have you used the excuse(s) - "It's not my gift." "There are plenty of people who already serve in that ministry." "I don' t have anything to offer." "Those people make me uncomfortable." How do you know what God wants you to be doing to share your purposes by serving others? By being willing to share - your time, your money, your talents, your gifts, your abilities, your listening ear, your able body, your keen mind, your compassionate heart...
God doesn't expect you to do it ALL! He wants you to go with Him and join Him where the work needs to be done. When we're trying to do "great things for God," what we're really doing is pursuing our own agenda and our own vision of what should be done, all the while forgetting that God has an eternal agenda. In short, we leave God behind rather than going with Him.
How do we identify the work of God around us? People are in need everywhere we look. Certainly, He must expect us to help everyone. Think about Jesus...did He heal every invalid? Did He raise all the dead back to life? Did He spend 24/7 ministering to the poor and needy, the demon oppressed and the pride posessed? No. He took time out to pray and seek His Father's will. He was watching to see where God wanted Him to serve next. (John 5: 17-19)
Don't be discouraged if you haven't found your niche yet. God is working around you and He invites you to join Him. You just need to be able to recognize His specific activity. In doing so, you are allowing Him to work through you to minister to others. From the Bible study, Experiencing God, two factors are needed for you to see God at work: 1) You must be living in an intimate love relationship with Him (so that you recognize Him when He speaks, leads, etc) and 2) God must take the initiative to open your spiritual eyes so you can see what He is doing.
P - Ask God to search your heart's attitude about serving and show you where He's at work and how He wants you to follow His path for serving others. Ask Him to open your spiritual eyes so you can see people who need your time, your money, your talents, your gifts, your abilities, your listening ear, your able body, your keen mind, your compassionate heart....
Next Time.....Joining Others
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