Sunday, December 11, 2011

“WHAT IS YOUR PURPOSE?”


Good morning. I pray that all who read this has had a great spirit filled Sunday in church and that you can see God moving in every area of your lives. I am so thankful to have another opportunity to share what God has laid upon my heart and that you would take the time out of your day to read this. Thank you and thank You my Lord.


Today, I want to ask you, “What is your purpose?”. Before you shoot some quick answer from the hip, I want you to ponder the thought for a moment. Have you ever said, or heard someone say, “I was born to do this”? Or maybe you’ve heard someone say, “I just don’t know what I am here for”. God’s word, once again, has all the answers.


Jeremiah 1:4-5 says, “4 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying: 5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations." 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 says, “14 For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; 15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.” Psalms 37:22-23 says, “22 For those blessed by Him shall inherit the earth, But those cursed by Him shall be cut off. 23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, And He delights in his way.” 2 Corinthians 5:20 says, “20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God.” 1 Peter 1:14-19 says, “14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; 15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”  17 And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; 18 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”

We see from God’s word, that God creates us, know us and plans our future. It is His will that we choose to live for Him and not for ourselves. The Bible tells us that, “the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his ways”. We are to be ambassadors, trophies for Christ. We are to be “obedient children”, striving for holiness in all our conduct. Then we are told to conduct ourselves throughout the time of our stay here in fear. For Christians, this phrase should be understood as something between terror and reverential awe. We need to remember that God is both our merciful Savior, and our holy judge.
You may say, “if all this is true, then why is the world and so many people in it so messed up?”. The answer is easy. It is S E L F. We are so caught up in pleasing self, doing what we think we need to do for us, doing what pleases us and those around us so that others will be nice to us, that we cannot see what it is God would have for us to do.

Living for God is not this monster of a yoke so many make it out to be. All God wants from you and I is, a relationship, something you would work at like you found your one and only true love. He wants honesty. He wants you to do the right thing. He wants you to share with others the things He has done for you and in your life. Just tell your story. I promise, there are those that need to hear it.

What is your purpose? You may not like to hear this, but, you purpose is not to be is not to be the CEO of Opec, unless God has placed you there. Your purpose is not to be the finest chef in France, unless He has placed you there. The point I am trying to make, and maybe doing a poor job of it is, that just because you are doing something you like to do or something you think you are good at, does not mean that is what your purpose is, unless you know that God has placed you there.

Remember: If you would remember to conduct yourself in everything you think, say and do, as if a preacher were walking every step with you, and it was your sincerest desire to please him, you will find and fulfill your purpose. By-the-way, Jesus, the greatest preacher is right by you every second of everyday. How does that make you feel about some of the things you have thought, said or done lately?

Until next time, please continue to pray for each other and me, as I continue to pray for each of you. Love in CHRIST,

Brian Hanvey
Associate Pastor
Bethel Baptist Church

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