The Power of Purpose Text: Romans 8:28NKJ
Before you ask for prosperity, ask for purpose. Before you ask for relationships, ask for direction. “A ship is safe in harbor, but that's not what ships are for.” Everything has purpose, and you were created for purpose.
Romans 8:28NKJ And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
Simple Definition for Purpose: The object toward which one strives or for which something exists; an aim or a goal:
One day a man came across 3 stonecutters working in a quarry. Each one was cutting out a block of stone. Curious as to what they were doing he asked the first stone cutter what he was doing. “What? Are you blind?” the stone cutter shouted, “Can’t you see, I’m cutting this stupid piece of stone.” Shocked but still no wiser the man turned to the second stonecutter and asked him what he was doing. “I am cutting this block of stone to make sure that it’s sides are straight and smooth so that the builder can build a straight wall.” Feeling a lot better but still not really any wiser the man turned to the third stonecutter, who seemed to be the happiest of the three, and asked him what he was doing. “I am building a cathedral,” the 3rd stonecutter replied.
The best manuscript evidence records Romans 8:28 as “We know that God causes all things...” God orchestrates every event in life- even suffering, temptations, and sin- Why? To accomplish both our temporal and eternal benefits.
Deuteronomy 8:15-16NLT Do not forget that he led you through the great and terrifying wilderness with its poisonous snakes and scorpions, where it was so hot and dry. He gave you water from the rock! 16 He fed you with manna in the wilderness, a food unknown to your ancestors. He did this to humble you and test you for your own good.
Romans 8:28TM That's why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.
When it comes to people, the right ones add to you, and the wrong ones subject from you. If God doesn’t send them you don’t need them!
Listen John 1:6NKJ There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
Ask the widow of Zarephath, God can send the right people into your life.
Listen to, 1 Kings 17:9-16NLT “Go and live in the village of Zarephath, near the city of Sidon. I have instructed a widow there to feed you.”
10 So he went to Zarephath. As he arrived at the gates of the village, he saw a widow gathering sticks, and he asked her, “Would you please bring me a little water in a cup?” 11 As she was going to get it, he called to her, “Bring me a bite of bread, too.”
12 But she said, “I swear by the LORD your God that I don’t have a single piece of bread in the house. And I have only a handful of flour left in the jar and a little cooking oil in the bottom of the jug. I was just gathering a few sticks to cook this last meal, and then my son and I will die.”
13 But Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid! Go ahead and do just what you’ve said, but make a little bread for me first. Then use what’s left to prepare a meal for yourself and your son. 14 For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: There will always be flour and olive oil left in your containers until the time when the LORD sends rain and the crops grow again!”
15 So she did as Elijah said, and she and Elijah and her family continued to eat for many days. 16 There was always enough flour and olive oil left in the containers, just as the LORD had promised through Elijah.
Because this widow willingly places God first, she prospered right in the middle of a famine.
She could have held onto what little she had, but she realized that as long as it was in her hand, one meal was all it would ever be. (One meal, then death)
In God’s hand, however, it could start a harvest that would last a lifetime! (God first, then life)
Remember this, “When what you have is not enough, make it a seed for the harvest you need.”
Brian Houston say’s, “Money speaks; it says land ‘I can own you.’ It says to vision, ‘I can fulfill you.’ It says to a missionary, ‘I can support you.’ It says to poverty ‘I can feed you.’ It says to opportunity ‘I can accept you.’
Because this widow was obedient, God supernaturally healed her son. Remember, “As you react by faith God reacts supernaturally!”
Hear Romans 8:28KJ again, And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
What’s your purpose? There’s a story that’s going around about the janitor at Carnegie Hall who had been there for 20 years. He’s 45 years old. He was cleaning up the restroom, and a guy in a business suit went up to him and said, ‘You seem to be an intelligent fellow. For 20 years you’ve been cleaning the toilets. Why don’t you do something with your life and get another job?’ And the janitor said, ‘What? And leave show business?’
* Success isn’t found at the top of the corporate ladder, or pastoring the largest church in town. It’s not being married to a perfect ’10,’ or driving a Rolls Royce. No! Success is being right dab in the middle- right in the center- of God’s will for your life.
Benediction.
