Our lives, our
beings, even our very breath – comes as gifts from God. Of ourselves we have
nothing. All our notions of ownership are an illusion; all our pride, a
deception. We are not sovereign but completely dependent. Everything we have –
our possessions, our money, our riches, every moment of our lives – everything has been given to us. They
are only gifts from God. Everything we “own” is only entrusted. It all belongs
to Him, even our days.
Every heartbeat
is borrowed. Everything in this world that draws us or repels us, entangles us
or compels us, everything we seek after, dwell on, or live for, is temporary,
fleeting, and passing away. Therefore the meaning of this life is not found in
anything of this life, but only in Him who lies behind it. And the purpose of this life is not found in seeking anything of this
life, but only in seeking Him who gave it.
Discovering
Your Purpose in Life
Many things can
get you down – trials and difficulties that get in the way of a vibrant life.
But that can all begin to fade away when you discover your ultimate purpose in
life.
There are
constant money worries—not to mention increasing violence, racism and the
bizarre fixation people have with gender identity.
This stress is
compounded by the speed of electronic information, advances in technology and
constant changes in social norms.
The result is
that many people, no matter their age or economic status, live in a “personal
bubble.” We try to stay in this bubble by concentrating on our own immediate
pursuit of happiness. We can then pretend that all the chaos and changes are
outside the bubble and “don’t really affect me.”
Then reality
strikes. Bad news, or some negative personal problem, breaks that bubble and we
are overwhelmed with anxiety, fear and a sense that there is no meaning
to life.
God doesn’t want
you to live that way! He has something better for you.
I want to share
with you a remarkable truth that few people know. It’s a truth that can change everything in your life. I’d like to help you discover
your ultimate purpose in life.
The purpose of
life is not just to be happy
Your life is
worth more than you ever imagined! You have a very specific purpose in
the universe.
The problem is
discovering that purpose. It goes against the social programming you and I have
experienced since childhood. We have been programmed to believe that the
ultimate purpose in life is the pursuit of happiness.
I’m not saying
that happiness is bad. We all want to be happy. Happiness is a gift
from God.
But
something happens to us when we believe that happiness is the only purpose in
life. One result is that when we face job issues, health problems, conflicts in
relationships, or when we watch the latest news story about terrorism, the
fleeting feelings of happiness dissolve and we mentally and emotionally
break down.
If there is a
purpose to this life, we must find the answer with the Creator of life.
We are to pursue
doing good, pleasing God, following His laws. The unsettling truth about doing
what is good verses being happy is not in fashion today. The quest to be happy
is more perceptible than the quest for goodness. People don’t want to be
weighed down by someone’s view of what is “good.” If there are not clear
standards of what is right and wrong, then confusion and frustration must
surely follow. The scripture says, “Where there is no revelation, the people
cast off restraint, but happy is he
who keeps the law” (Proverbs 29:18).
God reveals
our ultimate purpose in the Bible
The Bible is the story of everything. It’s about creation—and the Creator who made
it all. It’s about God’s desire for children of His own—and humanity’s desire
to be independent from our Creator. It’s the story of how Jesus Christ, the Son
of God, is working to bring us back to the Creator’s family.
The
Bible is about how you
personally have a very specific
purpose in the universe. This purpose involves an awesome, unbelievable
future. It also involves your life right now.
If you want to
find true happiness, the road that takes you there is one that is described in
the pages of your Bible. Jesus explained to His disciples that the right way is
not easy, “Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to
life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:14).
Living your
ultimate purpose starts today
The apostle John
wrote that we are now the children of God. What does
that mean?
Yes, God is
offering you a future, but He is also offering you a fulfilling, meaningful
life right
now. You can have a relationship with God as your Father every day of
your life.
God wants to
have a personal, one-on-one relationship with you. The ultimate meaning in this
life is about your relationship with God. It’s about being God’s child now while looking forward to the promised future.
Regrettably,
this good news gets muddied in much Christian preaching today. All too often
Christian pulpits preach a health-and-wealth gospel, a cheap grace, a message
of “Jesus loves you just the way you are” that leaves people remaining just the
way they are and not becoming more like Jesus.
Remember what
God inspired Jeremiah to write: “Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to
Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search
for Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:12-13).
You must stop
seeking your own purpose by attempting to stay in a bubble of pursuing your
self-determined purpose and seek God’s purpose with all of your heart.
Authentic
Christianity isn’t a luke-warm, half-hearted, law-ignoring, part-time, warm
religious feeling. Authentic Christianity is about being restored to your
original purpose. It’s about transformation. It’s about giving up everything to receive everything God will give you (see Luke 14:33; Revelation 21:7).
Authentic
Christianity is about being restored to your original and ultimate purpose.
It’s about transformation.
Authentic
Christianity is about breaking out of the natural human bubble of
self-centeredness. It’s not about YOU! It’s about the dynamic force of God in
your life, changing you, restoring you to your original purpose, facing life’s
difficulties with faith and hope. It’s about finding happiness through
loving others.
Your part
to play
If you want
God’s purpose for your life to become your purpose, then
there is something you must do.
A person today
must demonstrate more courage than a soldier in war or a fireman entering a
burning building. Dealing with confused and lost souls in a shifting social
environment is not for wimps, but warriors. Doing what is right, even while
under fire, takes courage. You can be a leader to show others the way. Stand
fast for goodness and truth, and you will find your purpose, you will find
lasting happiness. There have always been temptations and a demonic spirit
guiding this present evil world (Revelation 12:9; 2 Corinthians 4:4), it is the
courageous ones who will stand in the end.
Your ultimate
purpose has been given to you by your Creator
Nobody can make
you accept God’s purpose in your life. Many people, when they hear this
message, will simply walk away from it.
But if you want
God’s purpose for you, what should you do? The next step is receiving
power from God to have His purpose fulfilled in your life.
The apostle
Peter spoke to a large crowd and told them about the work God is doing through
Jesus Christ. When many people were moved to seek God with their hearts, Peter
told them to repent, be baptized in Jesus Name and receive the Holy Ghost,
that’s God’s Holy Spirit coming to dwell within you (Acts 2:38).
If you don’t
know what it means to repent, have never been baptized, or am not sure you have
the Holy Ghost (read Plan
of Salvation on this blog).
Your life is
worth more than you ever imagined! You have a very specific purpose in the
universe. But you have a choice in that. The truth is that you don’t have to
respond to God’s purpose. You can just keep going on the way you have been and
ignore God’s calling to be His child.
But be warned: Jesus told a parable about a man who invited
people to a big banquet. The man spared no expense in preparing something that
would be the absolute best for his guests. But when the man sent his servant to
invite the guests, one by one they gave excuses for not being able
to attend.
The excuses
seemed like good reasons to the people involved: “I need to take care of my
property.” “I have a lot of work to get done.” “I just got married and need to
spend more time with my wife.” (Sounds a lot like people today)
What the man was
offering his guests was much more wonderful than what they wanted for their
lives, but they lived in their little bubbles, selfishly pursuing happiness.
They missed out. The host eventually rejected those whom he invited and asked
others to attend his banquet instead.
God is offering
you His best. He wants you to realize His ultimate purpose for you—to live as
His child now and to be changed into His spiritual image forever in His
Kingdom.
He wants you to
make His purpose your purpose.
Begin to
realize your ultimate purpose now!
Will
you seize God’s gift? Will you accept the invitation? Or will you find an
excuse to pass it by?
I offer many Bible studies on my site www.womanofgodinlouisiana.blogspot.com and/or from your home or mine. If interested please contact me anytime :). Text or call (318)450-2148, or email kimlovesjesus@icloud.com.