Conquers
Romans 8:37
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
Believers have always had to face hardships in many forms: persecution, illness, imprisonment, and even death.
Christ has risen and gives us the victory over all things.
1. Be a Victor
1 Corinthians 15:57:
57 But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul says that because of the resurrection, nothing we do is useless.
Sometimes when we don’t see the results that we think we should as we serve the Lord we start to just begin to go through the motions.
Knowing that Christ has won the ultimate victory should affect the way we live right now
To live your best life now requires that you believe you are a victor and not a victim.
When it looks dark and dreary and you don’t see any way out, I want to encourage you today to keep believing.
Don’t make the mistake of sitting around feeling sorry for yourself.
Don’t let discouragements over an apparent lack of results keep you from doing the work of the Lord enthusiastically as you have opportunity.
Put on a fresh new attitude. Take what God has given you and make the most of it.
You know the truth: it’s time to allow that truth to set you free.
2. Possess the Land
Numbers 13:30:
30 But Caleb tried to quiet the people as they stood before Moses. “Let’s go at once to take the land,” he said. “We can certainly conquer it!”
I would like to remind you how the children of Israel had been miraculously delivered from the Egyptians and camped right next door to the Promise Land, but didn’t go in for fear of the giants.
Don’t allow a similar lack of faith or a wrong mind-set to rob you of your destiny.
Many are camped right next door to their Promise Land today.
God has great things He wants to do in your life.
He wants to increase you, heal your body, restore your marriage, and even bless you financially.
If you get your thinking lined up with Gods thinking, nothing will be able to stop you.
Isaiah 55:8-9 8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. 9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
The Glasses
Mother's father worked as a carpenter. On this particular day, he was building some crates for
the clothes his church was sending to some orphanage in China. On his way home, he
reached into his shirt pocket to find his glasses, but they were gone. When he mentally replayed
his earlier actions, he realized what happened; the glasses had slipped out of his pocket unnoticed
and fallen into one of the crates, which he had nailed shut. His brand new glasses were heading for China!
The Great Depression was at it's height and Grandpa had six children. He had spent $20 for those glasses that very morning. He was upset by the thought of having to buy another pair. "It's not fair," he told God as he drove home in frustration. "I've been very faithful in giving of my time and money to your work, and now this."
Several months later, the director of the orphanage was on furlough in the United States. He wanted to visit all the churches that supported him in China, so he came to speak one Sunday at my grandfather's small church in Chicago. The missionary began by thanking the people for their faithfulness in supporting the orphanage. "But most of all," he said, "I must thank you for the glasses you sent last year. You see, the Communists had just swept through the orphanage, destroying everything, including my glasses. I was desperate. Even if I had the money, there was simply no way of replacing those glasses. Along with not being able to see well, I experienced headaches every day, so my coworkers and I were much in prayer about this. Then your crates arrived. When my staff removed the covers, they found a pair of glasses lying on top.
The missionary paused long enough to let his words sink in. Then, still gripped with the wonder of it all, he continued: "Folks, when I tried on the glasses, it was as though they had been custom-made just for me! I want to thank you for being a part of that."
The people listened, happy for the miraculous glasses. But the missionary surely must have confused their church with another, they thought. There were no glasses on their list of items to be sent overseas.
But sitting quietly in the back, with tears streaming down his face, an ordinary carpenter realized the
Master Carpenter had used him in an extraordinary way.
We are foolish to try to fit God into our mold- to make His plans and purposes conform to ours.
Instead, we must strive to fit into His plans.
If you believe Gods Word, all things are possible.
3. Keep Pressing Forward
Deuteronomy 20:3-4:
3 He will say to them, ‘Listen to me, all you men of Israel! Do not be afraid as you go out to fight your enemies today! Do not lose heart or panic or tremble before them. 4 For the Lord your God is going with you! He will fight for you against your enemies, and he will give you victory!’
Just like the Israelites, we sometimes face overwhelming oppositions. Whether at school, at work or even at home, we can feel outnumbered and helpless.
We can feel secure today when we consider that God is able to overcome even the most difficult odds.
Remember the enemy always fights the hardest when he knows God has something great in store for you.
Keep believing, keep praying, and keep pressing forward.
Galatians 6:9:
9 So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.
It may be hard right now, but remind yourself that you have the power of God inside you.
It is discouraging to continue to do right when you see no tangible results.
I challenged you this morning to keep doing good and to trust God for the results.
In due time, we will reap a harvest of blessings.
The darkest battle, the darkest storm, will always give way to the brightest sunrise.
Matthew 19:26 26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Monday, November 21, 2011
A Thankful Heart
I Thess. 5:18 “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
Sometimes the circumstances of our lives are not always the best. In fact, they may be downright bad, but still, we are to look for something to be thankful for! And there is ALWAYS something positive for which we can be thankful!
A Thankful Heart
I have three simple thoughts about thanksgiving.
1- We have it so good
2- We enjoy it so much
3- We express it so little
1. Great Days
Matthew 6:34:
34 “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.
Don’t let your worries about tomorrow affect your relationship with God today.
I read a story about a man who started having a problem with his eye.
He went to the doctor and was dx as having cancer in the eye..
The man was devastated that he was going to lose his vision. In surgery, the doctors discovered that rather than cancer, the problem was an extremely unusual fungus that they were able to remove and save his vision.
When the man heard the good news, he said, ‘this is the greatest day of my life”.
Think about it. He had simply received the news that he could continue to see.
If you can see and hear, if you are healthy, if you have family and friends, if you’ve got a job, food, and a place to live, then learn to appreciate those things.
Thank God for all you have.
2. Praise Him
Psalm 100:4:
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving;
go into his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him and praise his name
God alone is worthy of being worshiped.
We need to learn to start off our day by thanking God for the basics: “Father, thank you for my health. Thank you for my children. Thank you for my family. Thank you for your home. Father thank you for all you’ve done.”
God already knows your needs. He knows what you’re going to say before you say it.
There is nothing wrong with asking God for things, but we need to learn to spend more time in prayer thanking Him and praising Him for His goodness than requesting His goodies.
We need to learn to spend more time giving God thanks for what Hes already done than we do asking Him to do new things.
3. Extol the Lord
Psalm 34
1 I will praise the Lord at all times.
I will constantly speak his praises.
God promises great blessings to His people, but many of these blessings require active participation.
Life is all about how you choose to see things.
You can complain about your boss, or you can thank God for your job.
You can complain about mowing the lawn, or you can thank God that you have a yard.
You could complain about the price of gas or you could thank God that you have a car.
Imagine if you got in a wreck and an 18 wheeler almost crashed into you. Know would you complain about your crashed up car or be thankful you’re even alive.
We need to make up our minds to let His praise continually be in our mouths.
Sometimes the circumstances of our lives are not always the best. In fact, they may be downright bad, but still, we are to look for something to be thankful for! And there is ALWAYS something positive for which we can be thankful!
A Thankful Heart
I have three simple thoughts about thanksgiving.
1- We have it so good
2- We enjoy it so much
3- We express it so little
1. Great Days
Matthew 6:34:
34 “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.
Don’t let your worries about tomorrow affect your relationship with God today.
I read a story about a man who started having a problem with his eye.
He went to the doctor and was dx as having cancer in the eye..
The man was devastated that he was going to lose his vision. In surgery, the doctors discovered that rather than cancer, the problem was an extremely unusual fungus that they were able to remove and save his vision.
When the man heard the good news, he said, ‘this is the greatest day of my life”.
Think about it. He had simply received the news that he could continue to see.
If you can see and hear, if you are healthy, if you have family and friends, if you’ve got a job, food, and a place to live, then learn to appreciate those things.
Thank God for all you have.
2. Praise Him
Psalm 100:4:
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving;
go into his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him and praise his name
God alone is worthy of being worshiped.
We need to learn to start off our day by thanking God for the basics: “Father, thank you for my health. Thank you for my children. Thank you for my family. Thank you for your home. Father thank you for all you’ve done.”
God already knows your needs. He knows what you’re going to say before you say it.
There is nothing wrong with asking God for things, but we need to learn to spend more time in prayer thanking Him and praising Him for His goodness than requesting His goodies.
We need to learn to spend more time giving God thanks for what Hes already done than we do asking Him to do new things.
3. Extol the Lord
Psalm 34
1 I will praise the Lord at all times.
I will constantly speak his praises.
God promises great blessings to His people, but many of these blessings require active participation.
Life is all about how you choose to see things.
You can complain about your boss, or you can thank God for your job.
You can complain about mowing the lawn, or you can thank God that you have a yard.
You could complain about the price of gas or you could thank God that you have a car.
Imagine if you got in a wreck and an 18 wheeler almost crashed into you. Know would you complain about your crashed up car or be thankful you’re even alive.
We need to make up our minds to let His praise continually be in our mouths.
Monday, November 14, 2011
Ignite
Pastor,
Hello my name is Danny Parsons and I am pastor of Church of the New Harvest in Elyria OH.
I am excited to be sharing with you about “Ignite”. Ignite is a movement that starts with you. I would like to ask you a question, how are your sheep doing? Are they just as on fire for God as they were when they first got saved? Or has the trials and tribulations of this world been weighing on them? If your answer is the same as mine and many other pastors then I would like to share with you what the Spirit laid on my heart.
Plan: To ignite (To arouse the passions of; excite) believers once again for Christ.
Purpose: To awaken the church ( the body of Christ) to once again take control of the battle of life, to get out of despair and stop believing the lies of Satan , to realize their position in Christ and get believers excited about the work of the Holy Spirit once again, to cause Christians to spark a change in their overcoming views of Christ and to ignite such a change in the believers walk that they truly feel nothing is impossible with God and therefore they will go out and testify of His great love and win souls for the Kingdom.
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, Hebrews 10:24
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one
another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with
thankfulness in your hearts to God.” (Colossians 3: 16, ESV)
A church will never be as strong and vibrant in the service of God as it ought to be until it shares in this ministry of watching over and stirring up one another.
Unlike Cain, we must understand that we are our brother’s keeper, or many would be subject to stumble and live unfruitful spiritual lives.
Unless we watch over one another, spiritual growth could cease, sin would overtake us, and godly living could take a downward turn.
Weak links within the body of Christ affects the strength and often the demeanor of the whole.
If the Holy Spirit prompts you to discover more about this please contact me for your way to get involved with this movement.
Blessings,
Danny Parsons (440) 714-0820
Dannyparsons51@gmail.com
But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. (Hebrews 3: 13, ESV)
Hello my name is Danny Parsons and I am pastor of Church of the New Harvest in Elyria OH.
I am excited to be sharing with you about “Ignite”. Ignite is a movement that starts with you. I would like to ask you a question, how are your sheep doing? Are they just as on fire for God as they were when they first got saved? Or has the trials and tribulations of this world been weighing on them? If your answer is the same as mine and many other pastors then I would like to share with you what the Spirit laid on my heart.
Plan: To ignite (To arouse the passions of; excite) believers once again for Christ.
Purpose: To awaken the church ( the body of Christ) to once again take control of the battle of life, to get out of despair and stop believing the lies of Satan , to realize their position in Christ and get believers excited about the work of the Holy Spirit once again, to cause Christians to spark a change in their overcoming views of Christ and to ignite such a change in the believers walk that they truly feel nothing is impossible with God and therefore they will go out and testify of His great love and win souls for the Kingdom.
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, Hebrews 10:24
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one
another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with
thankfulness in your hearts to God.” (Colossians 3: 16, ESV)
A church will never be as strong and vibrant in the service of God as it ought to be until it shares in this ministry of watching over and stirring up one another.
Unlike Cain, we must understand that we are our brother’s keeper, or many would be subject to stumble and live unfruitful spiritual lives.
Unless we watch over one another, spiritual growth could cease, sin would overtake us, and godly living could take a downward turn.
Weak links within the body of Christ affects the strength and often the demeanor of the whole.
If the Holy Spirit prompts you to discover more about this please contact me for your way to get involved with this movement.
Blessings,
Danny Parsons (440) 714-0820
Dannyparsons51@gmail.com
But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. (Hebrews 3: 13, ESV)
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Keep Walking on the Water
How do YOU deal with doubt? Here is how one jury did:
A defendant was on trial for murder in Oklahoma. There was strong evidence indicating guilt, but there was no corpse.
In the defense’s closing statement the lawyer, knowing that his client would probably be convicted, resorted to a trick.
"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I have a surprise for you all," the lawyer said as he looked at his watch. "Within one minute, the person presumed dead in this case will walk into this courtroom."
He looked toward the courtroom door. The jurors, somewhat stunned, all looked on eagerly. A minute passed. Nothing happened.
Finally the lawyer said, "Actually, I made up the previous statement. But you all looked on with anticipation. I, therefore, put it to you that there is reasonable doubt in this case as to whether anyone was killed and insist that you return a verdict of not guilty."
The jury, clearly confused, retired to deliberate. A few minutes later, the jury returned and pronounced a verdict of guilty.
"But how?" inquired the lawyer. "You must have had some doubt; I saw all of you stare at the door."
Answered the jury foreman: "Oh, we did look. But your client didn’t."
Doubt: to be uncertain about; consider questionable or unlikely; hesitate to believe.
Many times along our walk with Christ we have moments of doubts.
Am I good enough, can He really use me, is it even worth the hassle, I let Him down one too many times. He will never forgive me for this. I have made too many mistakes.
This morning I want to encourage you to…..
Keep Walking on the Water!
Matthew 14:25-28:
25 about three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!”
27 But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!”
28 Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.”
1. Its takes some form of Faith
Matt 17:20
He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."
There is great potential in even a little faith when we trust in Gods power to act.
If you are facing a problem today that seems as big and immovable as a mountain, turn your eyes from the mountain and look to Christ for more faith.
Only then will you be able to overcome the obstacles that stand in your way.
Peter was the only one who responded in true faith.
28 Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.”
That was a tremendous act of faith; ask yourself if you would have been like people or the others who just sat there in fear?
2. The choice is Yours
How many of you would get out of the boat?
Do you have the kind of faith that would enable you to step onto the water?
Most of us know the rest of the story. He got out of the boat, started walking, got scared, and began to sink.
He even received a rebuke from Jesus.
31“You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?”
But think about it- Jesus didn’t say those words to the other disciples. The implication is the others had no faith at that moment.
When you think of those words like that they go from being words of rebuke to words of encouragement.
What if you looked at this event as Jesus saying to you, “you started so well. You believed me, and got out of the boat. You did it!
You walked on water just as I did. But then we allowed doubt to enter, and when that happened, you began to sink.
When this happens we must call out to Jesus to forgive us for our lack of faith. Ask Him to increase your faith and to help you to trust Him enough to follow His leading.
When circumstances around you threaten to pull you into the deep waters of doubt, ask the Holy Spirit to help you focus on Him.
A defendant was on trial for murder in Oklahoma. There was strong evidence indicating guilt, but there was no corpse.
In the defense’s closing statement the lawyer, knowing that his client would probably be convicted, resorted to a trick.
"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I have a surprise for you all," the lawyer said as he looked at his watch. "Within one minute, the person presumed dead in this case will walk into this courtroom."
He looked toward the courtroom door. The jurors, somewhat stunned, all looked on eagerly. A minute passed. Nothing happened.
Finally the lawyer said, "Actually, I made up the previous statement. But you all looked on with anticipation. I, therefore, put it to you that there is reasonable doubt in this case as to whether anyone was killed and insist that you return a verdict of not guilty."
The jury, clearly confused, retired to deliberate. A few minutes later, the jury returned and pronounced a verdict of guilty.
"But how?" inquired the lawyer. "You must have had some doubt; I saw all of you stare at the door."
Answered the jury foreman: "Oh, we did look. But your client didn’t."
Doubt: to be uncertain about; consider questionable or unlikely; hesitate to believe.
Many times along our walk with Christ we have moments of doubts.
Am I good enough, can He really use me, is it even worth the hassle, I let Him down one too many times. He will never forgive me for this. I have made too many mistakes.
This morning I want to encourage you to…..
Keep Walking on the Water!
Matthew 14:25-28:
25 about three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!”
27 But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!”
28 Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.”
1. Its takes some form of Faith
Matt 17:20
He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."
There is great potential in even a little faith when we trust in Gods power to act.
If you are facing a problem today that seems as big and immovable as a mountain, turn your eyes from the mountain and look to Christ for more faith.
Only then will you be able to overcome the obstacles that stand in your way.
Peter was the only one who responded in true faith.
28 Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.”
That was a tremendous act of faith; ask yourself if you would have been like people or the others who just sat there in fear?
2. The choice is Yours
How many of you would get out of the boat?
Do you have the kind of faith that would enable you to step onto the water?
Most of us know the rest of the story. He got out of the boat, started walking, got scared, and began to sink.
He even received a rebuke from Jesus.
31“You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?”
But think about it- Jesus didn’t say those words to the other disciples. The implication is the others had no faith at that moment.
When you think of those words like that they go from being words of rebuke to words of encouragement.
What if you looked at this event as Jesus saying to you, “you started so well. You believed me, and got out of the boat. You did it!
You walked on water just as I did. But then we allowed doubt to enter, and when that happened, you began to sink.
When this happens we must call out to Jesus to forgive us for our lack of faith. Ask Him to increase your faith and to help you to trust Him enough to follow His leading.
When circumstances around you threaten to pull you into the deep waters of doubt, ask the Holy Spirit to help you focus on Him.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
It all starts with God
The Big Question: What on Earth Am I Here For?
It all starts with God
Colossians 1:16:
Christ Holds It All Together
15 -18We look at this Son and see the God who cannot be seen. We look at this Son and see God's original purpose in everything created. For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, rank after rank after rank of angels—everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him.
1. It’s not about You
If you want to know why you were placed on this planet, you must begin with God. You were born by His purpose and for his purpose.
The search for the purpose of life has puzzled people for thousands of years. That’s because we typically begin at the wrong starting point- ourselves.
We ask self-centered questions like: What do I want to be? What should I do with my life? What are my goals, my ambitions, and my dreams for my future?
But focusing on ourselves will never reveal our life’s purpose.
The Bible says in Job 12:10 “ It is God who directs the lives of His creatures: everyones life is in His power.”
You didn’t create yourself, so there is no way you can tell yourself what you were created for!
If I handed you an invention you had never seen before, you wouldn’t know its purpose, and the invention itself wouldn’t be able to tell you either.
Only the creator or the owner’s manual could reveal its purpose.
2. Discover the purpose of your life
You exist only because God wills that you exist. You were made by God and For God – and until you understand that, life will never make sense.
You were made for God, not vice versa, and life is about letting God use you for His purposes, not you using Him for your purpose.
Romans 8:6 says “Obsession with self in these matters is a dead end; attention to God leads us out into the open, into a spacious, free life. Focusing on the self is the opposite of focusing on God.”
But being successful and fulfilling your life’s purpose are not at all the same issues.
You could reach all your personal goals, becoming a raving success by the world’s standard, and still miss the purposes for which God created you.
It’s not about how to cram more activities into an overloaded schedule. Actually, it will teach you how to do les in life- by focusing on what matters most. It’s about becoming what God created you to be.
3. Without God life makes no sense.
You were made by God and for God- and until you understand that, life will never make sense.
The easiest way to discover the purpose of an invention is to ask the creator of it.
The same is true for discovering your life’s purpose: Ask God.
God is not just the starting point of your life: He is the source of it.
Ephesians 1:11:
11 -12It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.
You discover your identity and purpose through a relationship with Jesus Christ.
God was thinking of you long before you ever thought about Him.
His purpose for your life predates your conception. He planned it before you existed, without your input!
The purpose of your life fits into a much larger, cosmic purpose that God has designed for eternity.
Point to ponder: It’s not about me.
Question to consider: How can you remind yourself that life is really about living for God, not yourself?
Life on earth is really preparation for eternity.
It all starts with God
Colossians 1:16:
Christ Holds It All Together
15 -18We look at this Son and see the God who cannot be seen. We look at this Son and see God's original purpose in everything created. For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, rank after rank after rank of angels—everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him.
1. It’s not about You
If you want to know why you were placed on this planet, you must begin with God. You were born by His purpose and for his purpose.
The search for the purpose of life has puzzled people for thousands of years. That’s because we typically begin at the wrong starting point- ourselves.
We ask self-centered questions like: What do I want to be? What should I do with my life? What are my goals, my ambitions, and my dreams for my future?
But focusing on ourselves will never reveal our life’s purpose.
The Bible says in Job 12:10 “ It is God who directs the lives of His creatures: everyones life is in His power.”
You didn’t create yourself, so there is no way you can tell yourself what you were created for!
If I handed you an invention you had never seen before, you wouldn’t know its purpose, and the invention itself wouldn’t be able to tell you either.
Only the creator or the owner’s manual could reveal its purpose.
2. Discover the purpose of your life
You exist only because God wills that you exist. You were made by God and For God – and until you understand that, life will never make sense.
You were made for God, not vice versa, and life is about letting God use you for His purposes, not you using Him for your purpose.
Romans 8:6 says “Obsession with self in these matters is a dead end; attention to God leads us out into the open, into a spacious, free life. Focusing on the self is the opposite of focusing on God.”
But being successful and fulfilling your life’s purpose are not at all the same issues.
You could reach all your personal goals, becoming a raving success by the world’s standard, and still miss the purposes for which God created you.
It’s not about how to cram more activities into an overloaded schedule. Actually, it will teach you how to do les in life- by focusing on what matters most. It’s about becoming what God created you to be.
3. Without God life makes no sense.
You were made by God and for God- and until you understand that, life will never make sense.
The easiest way to discover the purpose of an invention is to ask the creator of it.
The same is true for discovering your life’s purpose: Ask God.
God is not just the starting point of your life: He is the source of it.
Ephesians 1:11:
11 -12It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.
You discover your identity and purpose through a relationship with Jesus Christ.
God was thinking of you long before you ever thought about Him.
His purpose for your life predates your conception. He planned it before you existed, without your input!
The purpose of your life fits into a much larger, cosmic purpose that God has designed for eternity.
Point to ponder: It’s not about me.
Question to consider: How can you remind yourself that life is really about living for God, not yourself?
Life on earth is really preparation for eternity.
It all starts with God
The Big Question: What on Earth Am I Here For?
It all starts with God
Colossians 1:16:
Christ Holds It All Together
15 -18We look at this Son and see the God who cannot be seen. We look at this Son and see God's original purpose in everything created. For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, rank after rank after rank of angels—everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him.
1. It’s not about You
If you want to know why you were placed on this planet, you must begin with God. You were born by His purpose and for his purpose.
The search for the purpose of life has puzzled people for thousands of years. That’s because we typically begin at the wrong starting point- ourselves.
We ask self-centered questions like: What do I want to be? What should I do with my life? What are my goals, my ambitions, and my dreams for my future?
But focusing on ourselves will never reveal our life’s purpose.
The Bible says in Job 12:10 “ It is God who directs the lives of His creatures: everyones life is in His power.”
You didn’t create yourself, so there is no way you can tell yourself what you were created for!
If I handed you an invention you had never seen before, you wouldn’t know its purpose, and the invention itself wouldn’t be able to tell you either.
Only the creator or the owner’s manual could reveal its purpose.
2. Discover the purpose of your life
You exist only because God wills that you exist. You were made by God and For God – and until you understand that, life will never make sense.
You were made for God, not vice versa, and life is about letting God use you for His purposes, not you using Him for your purpose.
Romans 8:6 says “Obsession with self in these matters is a dead end; attention to God leads us out into the open, into a spacious, free life. Focusing on the self is the opposite of focusing on God.”
But being successful and fulfilling your life’s purpose are not at all the same issues.
You could reach all your personal goals, becoming a raving success by the world’s standard, and still miss the purposes for which God created you.
It’s not about how to cram more activities into an overloaded schedule. Actually, it will teach you how to do les in life- by focusing on what matters most. It’s about becoming what God created you to be.
3. Without God life makes no sense.
You were made by God and for God- and until you understand that, life will never make sense.
The easiest way to discover the purpose of an invention is to ask the creator of it.
The same is true for discovering your life’s purpose: Ask God.
God is not just the starting point of your life: He is the source of it.
Ephesians 1:11:
11 -12It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.
You discover your identity and purpose through a relationship with Jesus Christ.
God was thinking of you long before you ever thought about Him.
His purpose for your life predates your conception. He planned it before you existed, without your input!
The purpose of your life fits into a much larger, cosmic purpose that God has designed for eternity.
Point to ponder: It’s not about me.
Question to consider: How can you remind yourself that life is really about living for God, not yourself?
Life on earth is really preparation for eternity.
It all starts with God
Colossians 1:16:
Christ Holds It All Together
15 -18We look at this Son and see the God who cannot be seen. We look at this Son and see God's original purpose in everything created. For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, rank after rank after rank of angels—everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him.
1. It’s not about You
If you want to know why you were placed on this planet, you must begin with God. You were born by His purpose and for his purpose.
The search for the purpose of life has puzzled people for thousands of years. That’s because we typically begin at the wrong starting point- ourselves.
We ask self-centered questions like: What do I want to be? What should I do with my life? What are my goals, my ambitions, and my dreams for my future?
But focusing on ourselves will never reveal our life’s purpose.
The Bible says in Job 12:10 “ It is God who directs the lives of His creatures: everyones life is in His power.”
You didn’t create yourself, so there is no way you can tell yourself what you were created for!
If I handed you an invention you had never seen before, you wouldn’t know its purpose, and the invention itself wouldn’t be able to tell you either.
Only the creator or the owner’s manual could reveal its purpose.
2. Discover the purpose of your life
You exist only because God wills that you exist. You were made by God and For God – and until you understand that, life will never make sense.
You were made for God, not vice versa, and life is about letting God use you for His purposes, not you using Him for your purpose.
Romans 8:6 says “Obsession with self in these matters is a dead end; attention to God leads us out into the open, into a spacious, free life. Focusing on the self is the opposite of focusing on God.”
But being successful and fulfilling your life’s purpose are not at all the same issues.
You could reach all your personal goals, becoming a raving success by the world’s standard, and still miss the purposes for which God created you.
It’s not about how to cram more activities into an overloaded schedule. Actually, it will teach you how to do les in life- by focusing on what matters most. It’s about becoming what God created you to be.
3. Without God life makes no sense.
You were made by God and for God- and until you understand that, life will never make sense.
The easiest way to discover the purpose of an invention is to ask the creator of it.
The same is true for discovering your life’s purpose: Ask God.
God is not just the starting point of your life: He is the source of it.
Ephesians 1:11:
11 -12It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.
You discover your identity and purpose through a relationship with Jesus Christ.
God was thinking of you long before you ever thought about Him.
His purpose for your life predates your conception. He planned it before you existed, without your input!
The purpose of your life fits into a much larger, cosmic purpose that God has designed for eternity.
Point to ponder: It’s not about me.
Question to consider: How can you remind yourself that life is really about living for God, not yourself?
Life on earth is really preparation for eternity.
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