Month: February 2021

Finding God’s purpose for my life

Posted on by jakirkgasser10439

How can I find God’s purpose for My life?  

 

Thought for the day: He has a purpose for you, He will help you find it, and help you pursue it if you let Him.

His direction or for your life can be found at the intersection of the passions in your heart and the gifts/talents in your brain and body. Your passion shows you Where to focus your attention, your skills show you How; They give you a way to engage in the world and be useful. Head in the general direction of your passion, develop the skills He gave you, apply yourself to the opportunities that emerge, stay on the high road, and He will guide your steps as you go.

Key points and supporting scriptures: 

  • HE has a plan for you.
    • “all the days fashioned for me were written in your book before one of them came to be” (Psalm 139:16)
  • HE knew you before He sent you here.
    • “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you” (Jeremiah 1:5)
  • HE formed you in your mothers’ womb.
    • “For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb.” (Psalm 139:13)
  • HE continues to form us as we go through life – as a potter works a clay pot.
    • “But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand. (Isaiah 64:8)
  • We can start to figure out His intentions if we notice the unique gifts we have been given – talents / capabilities. These are the things that come easily to us; These are the things that stand out and others notice as special in us: Physical capabilities, Mechanical aptitudes, Mental capabilities, Social Skills, etc.
    • “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above…” (James 1:17)
  • He expects us to prudently use the gifts (talents/capabilities) He provided to serve others in his kingdom; this provides a return on His investment in us.
    • “As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Peter 4:10).
  • All gifts come in seed form and must be planted in good soil and nurtured before the develop, mature and bear fruit.
    • “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured it. Some fell on stony ground…; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away. And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”  (Mark 4:3-8)
  • We have been given affections – interests / passions. These are the things that excite us, inspire us, and give us fulfillment as we pursue them: Save the planet, Help people, Build things, Read a book, See the world, Lead a team, etc.
    • “..for it is God who works in you both to willand to do for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13)
  • His plan for each of us involves being useful to others.
    • “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works…” (Ephesians 2:10)
  • There are many ways to engage and be useful.
    • “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.” (1 Cor 12:4)
  • God will help you as soon as you start pursuing the purpose He intends for you.
    • “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.” (Romans 8:28)
  • Once you start moving in the right direction, he will guide your specific steps. Look for His hand in your life (People, Places, Opportunities, Unique timing)
    • “A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps.” (Proverbs 16:9)
    • “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, And He delights in his way.” (Psalm 37:23)
  • Even if you have not found your ultimate purpose, Always apply yourself to something useful; doing something useful is always better than doing nothing.
    • “The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.” (Proverbs 13:4)
  • Do the best job you can in every situation, even if just for Him. He will reward you in the long run.
    • “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. (Colossians 3:23-24)
    • “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.” (Ecclesiastes 9:10)
  • Stay on the high road at all times. He gave us two key rules, the great commandments: Love God with all your heart, Love your neighbor as yourself.
    • “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:36-40)
  • Avoid self-centered selfish agendas which lead to sin and dishonorable actions as they will get in your way. Your choices affect you, they can affect your ability to be useful to others, and they can affect God’s ability to use you.
    • Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15)
    • “But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. (2 Timothy 2:20-21)
  • When faced with challenges, ask for Help via prayer. Humble yourself, state your intention, state what you see as a need, and Ask for His help to see the path forward. Then watch and listen carefully for His answer and follow where He leads you.

My prayer:

Heavenly father, thank you for loving me. Thank you for this life and the plans you have for me.  Thank you for the gifts and talents that you have given me; Help me to nurture them and find good ways to apply them to bring goodness to your kingdom. Help me to see the opportunities you present in front of me and to engage with them. Help me to learn and grow through this journey. Help me to cast aside my selfish self-centered tendencies and focus on flowing your love out to others through my thoughts and actions. Help me to find ways to serve you and your kingdom as I grow in capability and experience.  May my life become a bright beacon for you and your kingdom. I ask this in Jesus Holy name. AMEN. 

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Conclusion:

Life is a journey, It is amazing how much better the journey goes when you know He put you here for a reason, He is with you and Helping you as you go. Find the direction He had in mind for you and start moving that way, things will start to come together for you.

Hope this helps. Leave a comment about what you have learned about God’s purpose for your life.

 

Is God’s love perfected in you?

Posted on by jakirkgasser10439

Have you perfected the flow of God’s love through you?

 

Thought for the day: Have you perfected Gods’ love in you yet?

1 John 4 is a powerful chunk of scripture once you unravel it – Love is indeed the answer!
God is pure love. We know Him through His love. He “abides in us” when we acknowledge He loves us so much He gave His son to save us. We are “born of God” and we get to “know God” when we flow His love out to others. Our challenge is to get our own self-centered interest out of the way of the flow. For example: If we harbor any hate in us, we do not love God. We need to purposefully reflect on our thoughts and actions, figure out what is in the way, and make changes to maximize the flow of Gods love through us and out to others. As we improve the flow, His love becomes “perfected” in us. When we “are” God’s love in action, we can have confidence on judgement day.
“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” (1 John 4:7)
“…God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world.” (1 john 4:16-17)

Key scriptures:

  • At His very essence God is pure love:

“God is love” (1 John 4:16)

  • He loves us so much He gave his son for us

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

  • We bring God’s love alive inside us when we acknowledge His love and what you did for us.

“Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.” (1 John 4:15)

  • We begin to “know God” when we love others

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.” (1 John 4:7)

  • It is your love that enables us to love others

“We love because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:19)

  • His love becomes alive in us when we flow love to others, The chain of love is “perfected”; from Him to Us to Others

“No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. (1 John 4:12)

  • We are to do “Everything” in love, not just some things

“Do everything in love.” (1 Corinthians 16:14)

  • Our mission in this life is to recognize and receive God’s love, bring it to life in us by flowing it to others, and “become” God’s love in action in this world.

“…God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world.” (1 John 4:16-17)

  • The ultimate goal is to “become” pure love – like God

               “…God is love…. as he is so also are we in this world.” (1 John 4:16-17)

My prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank you for loving me and never giving up on me. I thank you for helping me understand that Love is the answer. Your love is in me as I acknowledge the sacrifice you made for me. I am committed to becoming Your love in action in this world. Help me see things from your perspective, Help me hear your word and know how to apply it to my life. Help me to identify and remove the self-centered things impeding the flow of your love through me. With your continued help, I will make my life a bright shining beacon bringing glory to you and your kingdom. Please help others gain an appreciation of your love, and recognize the opportunity they have to set their own self-interest aside and maximize their flow of your love to others. By perfecting your love in them, they can have confidence in the inevitable day of judgement. I ask this in Jesus’ holy name.

 

Act like you Believe

Posted on by jakirkgasser10439

Do you act like you believe?

 

Do you believe in God? Do you act as if you believe in God? Both matter.

Many people claim to “believe” only because they think it will get them into heaven. They don’t act any differently than those who don’t believe. They will be disappointed when they are not on the access list at the pearly gates.

Believing is necessary and it is a great starting point.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

Believing starts in your head when you acknowledge that you understand the sequence of events in the bible and you accept they are true. The next level is to comprehend the significance of those events and their ramifications. The next level is to understand your role in the story, what Jesus did for you, and what you need to do as a result. The next level is to embrace your role and become committed to the journey; That commitment to doing is what it means to “believe in your heart”. 

“…if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)

Many current church programs miss the mark: They market Christianity with an exclusive focus on getting into heaven. They get peoples heads believing then rush them into a confession of salvation and declare success. Not a good long term strategy for the kingdom.

Once you properly understand the Gospel, you discover it is not about speaking a promise so you are qualified to get into heaven someday, it is about doing the work of transforming yourself today so that you can bring heaven to earth hear and now.

“Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10)

Jesus never asked anyone to make a pledge of belief just so they could get into heaven someday. He asked them to stop focusing on themselves in this earthly life and then to be willing to suffer any consequences now for the promise of eternal life in the kingdom with Him.

“Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.’ ” (Matthew 16:24-26)

He made it clear that believing in your head is not enough, you must be committed to self reflection and adjustment to turn from sin and gain alignment with God’s principles.

“From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ ” (Matthew 4:17)

“Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” (Luke 13:3, 5)

Let’s see what true belief might look like:

If you genuinely believe there is a God, then you will live in fear (respect) of the lord, knowing He is watching your thoughts and actions, knowing you will be judged on the day of reckoning, and knowing you will suffer or be rewarded based on how you lived your life.

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” (2 Cor 5:10)

“If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth” (1 Peter 1:17)

If you genuinely believe, you know that Jesus paid a huge price for your eternal life, and the least you can do is live this life worthy of that price.

“…let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ” (Philippians 1:27)

“For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” (1 Corinthians 6:20)

Jesus made it clear that merely believing is not enough, nor is going through extensive religious motions; To get into heaven, you must change and come into alignment with God’s will.

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ ” (Matthew 7:21-23).

What does it mean to do the will of the Father? Or for Jesus to ”Know You”? Or to not practice lawlessness? The answer is pretty simple: You must keep His commandments!

“Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.” (1 John 2:3)

The two great commandments are to love God first and foremost, and to love your neighbor as yourself. You must bring yourself and your life into alignment with these two big rules to get into heaven.

“Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:36-40)

Many folks view the commandment as restrictions, what they don’t realize is they are wonderful tools. They help us discover and overcome the flaws in our inner nature. We live in a fallen world; We are each born with self-centered, self-serving agendas in our heart. Generally, they sound a bit like “It is all about me here and now”. Those self-serving agendas tend to cause problems for us and others as we go through life; They are the roots of all sin and can rear up and get ugly if we allow them to continue to live in us. They also limit us; We cannot reach our full potential until we discover them, root them out, and move them the out of our way.

In order to accomplish God’s will and comply with the commandments, we must change or focus from earthly or worldly things, start to see things from His heavenly eternal perspective,  and then modify our behavior to align. 

“…do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2)

I find it most helpful to look at this is as a flow; A flow of Love. Love is the answer. The entire spiritual world is driven by love.  The Lords love must flow through us to get to others and to attract them to His kingdom. When there are kinks in our pipes, we impede the flow of His love, and limit His reach. God is Love (1 John 4:8). He loves us (John3:16). His love flows into us (1 John 4:16). We love others because He loved us first (1 John 4:19). His love is perfected when it flows through us (1 John 4:12). Everything we do is to be done in Love (1 Corinthians 16:14). 

The Lord has given us a life, talents and gifts, a network of family, friends and associates, a bunch of worldly resources, and many opportunities. How we use what we are given is up to us. When our ego gets in the way, or we hoard the resources or squander the opportunities He provides us, or we get wrapped around the axil on petty selfish concerns, we impede the flow of His love into us or through us to others. So the challenge is to find the kinks in our pipes and straighten them out.

I offer A couple of exercises to help you:

  1. Look at your activities: Go through your typical day or week, Ask yourself Why you do each of the things you do. Is it for God? Is it for someone else? Or is it for you? If it is for you, is it just for you, are you really the only person benefiting? Those are opportunities. Many times it is a mental connect the dots activity. ex: I am exercising 3x per week. Why: so I can stay healthy. OK Why? Because I want to live a long life. OK why? So I can be of service to others? Now we are getting somewhere! What is your root motivation for doing the things you do… start connecting each activity either to serving God directly or enabling you to serve others and it will shift your focus. If you are spending energy on things and you can’t connect to a higher purpose, you have a kink to work out.
  2. How do you view God? Is He the creator, the source of all that is good in the world, your provider, your shepherd, your savior, your redeemer, your healer? How much do you know about Him? Can you see His hand in your life? Do you know him personally? Do you talk with him often? Do you hear His voice? Do you feel His presence? Are you letting Him lead you? If not, you have a kink on the incoming side and are not getting the full load of His love into your life.
  3. How do you view other people? Are they obstacles to deal with as you go through your day? Are they resources to help you get things done? Are they each God’s children struggling to live in a fallen world? How you think of them shapes how you interact with them. Do you have any kinks in the outflowing side of your love? Become His Love in action.
  4. How do your view your material possessions? Are they fancy things to acquire and show off? Are they God’s resources you are prudently managing to be of service to yourself and others? Are there any kinks or plugs in your internal pluming. How is His love flowing through your resources?

Your life is an interview for heaven. How is it going so far?

Remember: Believing is only a start; Love is the answer. Reaffirm your commitment to keep the commandments. Recognize the opportunities to get “yourself” out of the way, ask the lord for help to root out your selfish interests.

Find ways to flow some of His love today: Smile, Be pleasant, Be supportive, Be encouraging, Be helpful, Be generous, Become God’s love in action.

God bless you, and may God bless the USA