Purpose: September 4, 2013

TODAY’S WORD FOR WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 4, 2013.

PURPOSE

DEFINITION: 

The reason for which something exists, is done or made; an intended or desired result, objective.

SCRIPTURE:

We were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life. II Corinthians 1:8.

What shall I say, Father save Me from this hour? But for this purpose I came to this hour. John 12:27    

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE: 

Most people today live a life with no purpose really in mind. We are creatures of habit. We get up in the morning and go about a routine getting ourselves ready to go to school, to work or to do whatever we have to do.  Our days are routine and then we return home at night facing the same evening routine that we face daily.

Some people, though, have a purpose in life. The problem with most people that have a purpose, that purpose has no hope or any kind of a future.  In most cases those that do have a purpose in life have such based on a goal. They want to be rich, popular, famous or whatever.

The only people we know that really have a beneficial purpose in life are those that know Jesus as their Savior. Purpose comes from the priorities that one has. Those who believe in Jesus know that they have a purpose. Believers have the God given purpose to be Christ's witnesses to all those they meet. The message is that He died and rose again from the dead to save us and give us eternal life. The reason we have a purpose in life is because Jesus fulfilled His purpose for us.

In John 6:38 Jesus said, “For I have come down from heaven not to do My will but to do the will of Him who sent Me.” Jesus’ purpose in coming to earth was to do the will of the Father. Jesus also knew that it was the will of the father for Him to be crucified on the cross carrying all of our sins for us. It was a moment He did not want to face because He was human and it would be a horrible death, but what He dreaded most was the separation from His Father that would come as a result of taking our sins upon Himself. But Jesus put aside His desires for the will of the Father and thus would fulfill the purpose He was sent to earth. 

Paul too, was willing to suffer to fulfill God’s purpose. He told the church at Corinth (above verse) that his persecution was so intense that he "despaired even of life." But he knew that this was God's purpose for his life at that time. Because he kept his focus on God, he was able to endure joyfully instead of becoming overwhelmed.

Paul learned through what God took him through not to trust in himself but in God (verse 9). "Indeed in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we night not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.” Paul had such great faith that even in the direst of circumstances He knew that God was at work to accomplish His purpose.

God has a purpose for each of us and He wants us to fulfill that purpose. But so many believers sit back and stay in the comfort zone of their daily routine and never step out in faith to fulfill God's purpose in their life. Trials in life may be part of God's plan to accomplish His purpose in our life. Trials make us think and thinking makes us wiser and wisdom helps us see our weaknesses and our need to rely on the Lord.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in I Thessalonians 5:17.
Pray without ceasing.

PRAYER:

Give my family the grace we need today to trust You when our burdens seem too much to bear. Make our lives purposeful so that we can honor Your name in all we do. Help us to daily rise above the evils of this world and to be a testimony to people that have no purpose for living.