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What I really need is ...Purpose
Ephesians 1:9-12
Introduction-
We have looked for several weeks at a series.. God, what I really need is...
We have looked at:
God and Spiritual Growth.
Understanding the mind of God.
Security we have in Jesus Christ.
This morning, our Purpose
Again, I do not claim to be an expert, but the Word of God tells us of not only knowing our purpose, but also how we can fulfill our purpose.
Ephesians 1:9-12 Read.
These three verses tell us a lot.
The mystery’s of God will be found in Jesus Christ.
That He predestined from the beginning of time that all would find Jesus Christ as savior.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave His only begotten son, that whosoever will believe in Him shall nor perish, but have everlasting life.”
That as savior of our lives- he wants to work out the will and purpose for our lives.
Do you...Got Purpose?
I talked on Wednesday night at Bible study, I asked the question:
What legacy are you going to leave behind?
What are you doing now, that will be remembered when you are gone?
What is your purpose? What prize are you chasing?
So many people exist, they are not living They have no direction for tomorrow because they cannot handle today.
I can understand it easier with a person who does not know Christ. They have not grasped the concept that the God of the universe has a purpose for every single person.
Ephesians 2:10
For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
what we do after we are saved.
This comes after a salvation verse: to do good, accomplish the things that would build the Kingdom.
Listen:
living life with purpose is done on purpose. (Repeat)
you cannot find purpose until you know who you are in Jesus Christ.
You will never find God’s purpose outside of God’s will.
What is your purpose?
1. Glorify God- praise and lift up the name of Jesus. Be a testimony of what he has done in your life.
2. Love God- “Thou shall love the Lord God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind”.
“Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds.”
3. Serve God- “Whatever we do, we are to do it as unto the Lord.”
Ecclesiastes 3 tells us:
To everything there is a season, a time to plant, a time to harvest, a time for peace], a time for war, a time to be born, and a time to die.
It is our journey. Point A to point B.
It’s that time we find purpose by;
Glorifying God
Loving God
Serving God... that is our purpose.‘
Here we go
I. Every person has purpose
Inside of each one of us is a desire to be significant. We want to make a difference.
Howard Hendricks:
“I’ve never met a Christian who planned to have a mediocre life. But I have met plenty of mediocre Christians.”
The founder of Apple computer once asked John Scully, the president of Pepsi, while trying to get him away from Pepsi, “Do you want to spend the rest of your life selling sugared water or do you want to change the world”?
God is asking the same question. Do you want to live a mediocre, non eventful life or do you want to make a difference for the kingdom of God?
God has saved you That is a miracle in itself
God says each of us has a purpose- that tells us how important we are to God Almighty
Apostle Paul calls this journey running a race, the goal being to finish the race strong.
Many of us are running a race, but it is a survival race. We cannot see the finish line, let alone trying to finish strong. Running to win only makes sense if we are chasing the right prize. (Repeat)
living life with purpose - comes to us on purpose, not relying on dumb luck.
Winning the prize at the end of the race only matters if we are running for the right prize.
Josh and I were having some fun with my fish in my office. We set a red laser dot moving in the tank, and that fish went chasing after it. Because that fish was moving, doesn’t mean he had purpose. Motion is no substitute for direction.
Remember last week, you have a point of view, God has the whole view.
Your are one piece in the puzzle, wait till you see more of the picture.
Illustration-
Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of electricity, gas, oil, as well as current market conditions, the ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ has been turned off. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Don’t live your life like that
The light at the end of the tunnel is Jesus Christ. You have purpose.
Each one of us has purpose. The light at the end of the tunnel can either be Jesus Christ guiding us, or a train moving toward us that will run us over.
II. Each one of us needs to find our purpose
Quote from George’s facebook account.
Sparkling gems from the Greek- Rick Rener.
No matter how large or small the task, no matter how big or tiny the assignment, joy and satisfaction will be yours when you start accomplishing what God brought you into this world to do”
what drives you? What gets your heart pumping?
Mind thinking? And your hands and feet moving?
That is what motivates you.
And if that is not God, change your motivation
And if your purpose is self-centered, change it to be God centered
If it is to do your will, change it to do God’s will.
Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness
The calling of every believer is to do the will of the Father. The purpose is to please God.
Thou art worthy, O, lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure, they are and were created. Rev. 4:11
Christians today are missing their purpose.
The great commission is still the great commission. Go and make disciples of all nations.
Christians are not reaching the lost like we should, the Christian population is just moving around.
Jesus said about purpose;
My purpose is to do the will of Him who sent me and to finish His work.”
Having God’s purpose - motivates us
We work on purpose.
Purpose works on us.
Illustration-
Give me a store clerk with a goal, and I’ll give you someone who will make history. Give me someone without a goal and I’ll show you a store clerk” J.C. Penny
Purpose will help you keep your priorities.
It will help you develop your potential.
I cry out to God the most high, to God who fulfills His purpose for me. Ps. 57:2
God’s purpose helps us live in the present
Illustration
WWII prisoners in concentration camps. They were stripped of everything. The ones that survived had purpose. They centered in not on the circumstances but on their internal purpose. Something that noone can strip away.
Illustration
pastor Jack Hinton, a missionary from Tobago, serving people from a leper colony. One time a lady came up to him, the women’s nose and ears were entirely gone. The decease had destroyed her lips as well, she lifted up a fingerless hand and asked, “Can we sing, count your many blessing”. He said he would never sing that song the same again in his life.
How do you do that? Live with God’s purpose, and praise on your lips?
1. Put God first
“Offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is, his good, pleasing, and perfect will.” Romans 12:1-2
2. Have faith that God has a purpose for you.
He knows your name.
He knows the plan that he has for you.
He has called you.
He has gifted you.
He has prepared you.
Don’t be content with mediocre.
If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up the cross and follow me.
Only one life to live.
Only what is done for Christ will last.
Closing:
It takes faith.
It takes knowing who you are in Christ.
It takes knowing your purpose.
He is working in you to will and to act according to his good purpose”
Apostle Paul said that we should not want to waste our lives like a boxer who was always beating the air, but never landing a blow, they are shadow boxing. He is training his muscles to hit an opponent. But he is never in the fight. It is like my fish chasing the laser light, it’s activity, but there is no prize.
Alter call:
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