God Made us on Purpose

In our mid-week service we are talking about doing with our life what God created us for. The Purpose we were created for. Catching God’s vision for your life must be the number one purpose of the Christ-like life. We are not our own we have been bought with a price. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) Catching a vision is finding and developing the blueprint that God has for your life and then maintaining that personal vision. We do this by doing three things.

Discovering what God made you for. (Understanding our created purpose)

Developing your life for the purpose you were created. (Education and training, reading and study)

Maintaining and growing your purpose in God. (Adding to your talents and abilities)

In looking and trying to find what God has in mind for us and what He made us good at, I like Max Lucado’s diagram. He uses it in the book, Cure for the Common Life.

We would never consider going to a Medical Doctor who felt it was his calling to be a MD but refused to ever attend medical school and prepare and train himself. Yet we often act this way with what God has called us to be and do. We feel a direction but we spend little or no time preparing to be a success in God. Yes we need the anointing on our life but we are taught in scriptures that we need to work on our purpose. Too many sit around and declare their calling and just hope something works out. The Lord has not called us to sit and hope it all works out personally. Hope is not a strategy.

Andy Stanley said, “Everybody ends up somewhere in life. A few people end up somewhere on purpose. Those are the ones with vision.” Too many, when it comes to the purpose of God, just go along and if something works right and pops up along the way they might do something for the Lord.  For this reason children of God become frustrated and even backslide because they have a pulling in their life to do something for God but they are unwilling to commit to the purpose God has set for them. They feel it cost too much or they don’t feel qualified. Some simply have spiritual laziness and refuse to move in any direction. They become comfortable just sitting.

A clear vision and purpose along with courage to follow through dramatically increases your chances of coming to the end of your life, looking back with deep abiding satisfaction, and thinking, I did it. I succeeded. I finished well. My life counted.

This is what Paul felt when he writes in 2 Timothy 4:6-8

Look at what the Apostle Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10 KJV

Don’t let this slip by. You are His workmanship. Say it out loud, “I am God’s workmanship.”

It means you are the product of God’s vision. God has decided what you could be and what you should be. He created you on purpose and with purpose. But His vision for you is not complete. You have a part to play. Look at the next phrase of the verse. …created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

That purpose is to do the good works which God has envisioned or created you to accomplish. Your purpose was before ordained, God planned on your mattering. The Almighty set a plan for you and you are to walk in and do these good works. It is our part to walk in those God ordained works. God has a vision for your life! God made you as his workman ship! We must go do what He ordained us to do.

As children of God we do not have the right to take our talents, abilities, experiences, opportunities and education and run off in any direction we please. We lost that right at Calvary. But then, why would we dream of such a thing?  The all-knowing God of the universe, the Creator of all things that knows that which was, is, and shall be, He has a plan for my life and your life! What could possibly be more fulfilling than that?

Without God’s purpose you may find yourself in the all too common position of looking back on a life that was given to accumulating green pieces of paper with pictures of dead presidents on them.  Let’s face it, at each milestone in your life of pursuit of your own dreams you feel like a kid at Christmas after all the presents have been opened. After all the hype, after all the excitement, you ask, “Is this all there is?” You cannot squeeze enough life or meaning out of a secular accomplishment to ever satisfy your soul. The hole you are trying to fill has an eternal and spiritual dimension that only matters of eternity and spirituality can satisfy. God has a divine created Vision and Purpose for your life. That purpose when fulfilled will leave you with a smile on your face and contentment in your heart because your life mattered. Man made visions all begin to look alike after a while. Unless you discover what God wants for your life you may very well just become a rerun.

Look at your life and its passions today. Are you being driven by things that have no value to the kingdom of God and no eternal blessing? Did you get so wrapped up in your life today that you didn’t even stop to consider talking to the Almighty in prayer? You would feel so much better if you simply started chasing what God created you for, you were made for that purpose.

Some of the quotes here are from the book, Visioneering by Andy Stanley. I highly recommend reading it

It was so enjoyable watching God sweep through our services this weekend. Nothing ever trumps the moving of the Holy Ghost! Then to finish the evening with Brice getting baptized in Jesus Name! Yes! That’s what it is all about.