Category Archives: Purpose

Love on Purpose

08 Thursday Sep 2016

Posted by in Love, Purpose

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God is love. God so loved the world. God so loved you. God gave Himself. God loves on purpose.  John 3:16, 1 John 4

God’s love for you:

  • Is patient and long suffering.
  • Is kind and abounds with acts of goodness that are useful.
  • Does what is best for you.
  • Isn’t conceited and boastful.
  • Doesn’t keep score, especially of your offenses.
  • Rejoices with the truth.
  • Bears all things.
  • Believes all things.
  • Hopes all things.
  • Endures all things.
  • Never fails.

There is one way and only one way to love as God loves.  And that is to allow God to love you as only He can.  As you genuinely experience His love, you will find yourself responding in love.  You will come to believe you are worthy of His love – not because you have earned it but because He has chosen you. His love will fill the gaping holes in your heart.

As you become rooted and grounded in His love for you, you will start to see others as worthy of His love, too – not because they have earned it but because He has loved them, too.  And this changes everything.  Loving for the sake of loving.  Loving on purpose.

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I want you to love on purpose.  The first thing you must do if you want to love on purpose is to be honest with yourself about your current love life.

A few years ago, I got brutally honest with myself.  I said I loved God, yet I wasn’t even spending time with Him in His Word every day.  I wasn’t passionate about doing life with Him.  Yes, I was going to church and doing what Christians do. My goodness, I was the pastor’s wife. Yet my heart was not hot for God.

I prayed, “Father, I know you love me. Your love for me has never changed. I love you, too. But I want to love you more. I want to need you like a plant needs water.”

All I can say is be careful what you pray.  LOL  The Lord brought a series of circumstances my way that caused me to rely on Him for love more than I ever had before. Although the pain was deep, I wouldn’t go back and unpray my prayer.  Today, I spend time with Him in His Word just about every day – not because I should but because I need to.  I like the me doing life with Him much more than the me doing life on my own.

I choose to be loved on purpose so that I can love on purpose.  I dare you to pray the same prayer.

 

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Live on Purpose

06 Tuesday Sep 2016

Posted by in Plans, Purpose, Reflection

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I thank God for you and I pray for you.  I want you to live life on purpose.  I want you to live life in such a way that it pleases God and pleases you.

Yet when I look around, I seldom see this type of living.

I see women jumping from one seemingly urgent task to the next.  I see women exhausted and spent.  I see women barely keeping it all together.  I see women trying to do and be everything.  I see women who feel like they have to justify why it is okay to sit down for a few minutes and do nothing.  I see women doing life but not living life on purpose.

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I want to encourage you to do life on purpose.  Why are you here?  What are you suppose to be doing?  What is your purpose?  If you can’t do it all, what should you do?  What should you let go?   How do you make your choices?  What guides you?  Do you feel like you are enough?  Who do you go to when you have a tough decision to make?  Do you feel like you are living your life in a way that pleases God?  How do you know?  What are you basing your opinions on?

The first step to living life on purpose is to acknowledge that you were made by God for God.

All things  have been created through Him (God) and for Him (God).  Colossians 1:16

That includes you.  Have you ever thought about God’s purpose for you?  He has one specifically designed for you – it even includes the number of days you will live.  If you find this hard to  believe, read Psalm 139:1-18.  It will delight your heart.

 

It’s Not about You!

10 Friday Jun 2016

Posted by in Faith, Meaning of Life, Plans, Purpose

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My life is not turning out the way I thought it was going to.  Is yours?

Yes, I make choices that impact my life.  But as an almost ’60something’, I realize so much of this crazy thing called ‘life’ is beyond my control.  Sometimes things turn out the way I expect and other times, I’m completely baffled.

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Psalm 139 clearly states that God has a specific plan for my life. He knows my beginning, my ending and everything in between.  He knows my thoughts and my words even before I say them.  He knows where I am going and what I am doing.  He knows what I am planning to do today and He knows what He has planned for me today.  And somehow in His Godness, He takes my choices and writes the story of my life – the very life He designed for me even before I was born.

We see this same principle in the life of so many Bible characters.  They made choices. Others made choices that impacted them.  And God used it all to write His story!

  • Joseph and his brothers
  • Moses and his parents
  • Rahab and the spies
  • Esther and her people

And the list could go on and on.

God is writing His own story!  He is the main character in each and every story!

It’s not about me.  It’s not about you. It’s about Him!

Some might say this diminishes our life story.  I would argue that it elevates it. We are all part of something bigger and grander than ourselves. We are part of His amazing story. The more we embrace this truth, the more we experience rich meaning and lasting purpose in life.

So when my life doesn’t turn out the way I thought it was going to, I remember I am part of His story.  He is the Author.  He is writing His story and I’m honored to be part of it.

 

What is that smell??

14 Thursday Jan 2016

Posted by in Gospel, Grace, Purpose, Witness

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Did you know a bad smell can wake you up out of a sound sleep?  I can tell you from personal experience that it can.  One night our entire family had gone to bed and everyone was sound asleep.  Suddenly, all of us – but one-  found ourselves in the hallway asking each other, “Ugh!  What is that disgusting smell?”  Our family still laughs about that night to this day. But we weren’t laughing that night!  LOL

Just as a bad smell can send you running, a good smell can draw you in.  The smell of freshly baked cookies, the smell of lilacs, the smell of homemade bread, the smell of a roast in the oven, the smell of a freshly cut tree…

How about the ‘smell of Christ’?  Are you spreading the fragrant aroma of Christ everywhere you go?  Does your smell draw people to Christ or send them running in the opposite direction?  Is your smell sweet? Is your smell inviting?

But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.  For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.  2 Corinthians 2:14-16, 3:5-12

When I think about being a fragrant aroma for Christ, I feel inadequate.  Paul felt that way, too.  He actually asked, “And who is adequate for these things?”  Thankfully, our adequacy is from God.  He has made us new.  He has placed us in Christ.  He has given us His Spirit.

Be a fragrance of Christ today – everywhere you go!

 

 

Another Church Day!

10 Sunday Jan 2016

Posted by in Church, Love, Purpose

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Another Sunday! Another chance to go to church!

The Corinthians had a big problem at their church.  It was ripe with division and strife.  It was so bad that when they had the Lord’s Supper, they didn’t even view it as a group activity but as a chance to individually get their own belly full.

They forgot the purpose of the Lord’s Supper was to proclaim Christ.   Christ should have been the focus – not them!

They forgot to be givers.   Others should have been the focus – not them!

They forgot God places each individual in His church just as He desires to accomplish His purposes. God’s work should have been the focus – not  them!

Today as you head out to church, remember why you are going!

Go to proclaim Christ!

Go to give!

Go to further the work of God!

1 Corinthians 11-13

 

 

 

 

Calling All Moms and Grandmas!

17 Saturday Jan 2015

Posted by in Faith, Parenting, Purpose

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Moms and Grandmas, do you know how important you are? You play a vital role in the work of God and the spreading of the gospel.  When you’re wiping runny little noses, cleaning up dried on food, and hauling your kids here and there, you may not feel like you are making a difference – but you are. You may feel insignificant – but nothing could be farther from the truth.

Grandma Lois and mother Eunice had sincere faith.  They had the kind of faith that was real.  They not only talked about their faith but they demonstrated it in their every day life. 2 Timothy 1:5

And they taught their little Timothy the Scripture. They knew Scripture was able to give little Timothy the wisdom that would lead him to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. They knew Scripture would make him adequate (complete) and equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:15-17

At some point in time, Timothy, like his Grandma Lois and mother Eunice, also came to have sincere faith.  He became convinced of the things he had been taught as a child. His faith became his own. And he went on to become an evangelist, spreading the gospel of Christ. 2 Timothy 3:14

file0001431778413Mom, you are important. Grandma, you are important.  God has positioned both of you right where you are – a position of utmost importance. He has given you the very children and grandchildren that He wants you to influence.  He wants you to pass your faith on to those He has entrusted into your care.

So how do we pass on faith?  Let’s talk more about this tomorrow.

I Want My Life to Mean Something

07 Wednesday Jan 2015

Posted by in God's Word; Bible, Purpose

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What I do with God’s Word will determine how meaningful my life will be.

Jesus compares the Word of God to seed. What happens to seed? Luke 8:4-21

1. It is eaten by the birds before it ever grows into a plant- I hear the Word of God but do not act on it. It never impacts my life.

2.  It grows into a plant but then withers away -I hear and act on the Word of God until difficuOLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAlties come. When difficulties come, I let my relationship with God dry up and wither away. Because I fail to continue in the Word, I never become firmly rooted and grounded in His love for me.

3.  It grows into a plant but is choked to death by thorns – I hear and act on the Word of God but then other things become more important.  I am consumed with worries, riches and pleasures.  I am no longer consumed with the Word of God.

4. It grows and produces a crop that is 100 times as great as the original seed – I hear and act on the Word of God.  With an honest and open heart, I accept the truth of God’s Word.  I hold it fast even when difficulties come.  I am not drawn away by the worries, riches and pleasures of this world.  I abide in the Word of God.

What is abiding?  I like to define abiding this way: Realizing my dependence on God, I choose to stay connected to Him by spending time in His Word, letting Him work in me and through me to accomplish His purpose.

Bearing fruit is not a result of my efforts.  It is a result of abiding in the living Word of God.

Let the Word of Christ richly dwell within you.  Colossians 3:16

Watch and See

05 Monday Jan 2015

Posted by in Plans, Prayer, Purpose

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I’m excited because the 2015 calendar I ordered on amazon is suppose to arrive today.  My calendar helps me plan my day. But a calendar is not enough.

King David realized there was something far more important than a calendar.

In the morning, O Lord, You will hear my voice; In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch.  Psalm 5:3

I love this verse! I see a man eager to talk to God.  I see a humble man praying out of a heart felt need, not out of obligation. I see a man who truly believes God hears him. I see a man who believes God is working on his behalf.  I see a man watching to see what God is going to do each and every day.

Planning is important. Praying is even more important.

Praying reminds us that our plans are part of God’s bigger plan. And His plan is for every man, woman, boy and girl to have a vibrant relationship with Him. Praying enables us to spot God-given opportunities that He brings our way, opportunities to share Him with those around us.

How exciting and how wonderful it is to be part of His plan!

A Wasted Day

04 Sunday Jan 2015

Posted by in Grumbling, Hope, Purpose

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I started the day with high hopes and my typical list of things to do.  But then life happened.  Things did not go according to plan.  By the end of the day, I felt like I had wasted a whole day. As a matter of fact, I felt like I had even gone backwards. UGH! Feeling disappointed and discouraged, I went to bed, glad for the day to be over.

When I woke up this morning, I knew I better start my day in the Word of God, letting Him renew my mind.  Since Philippians is one of my favorite books, I went there.  And God said to me:

He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6

for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.  Do all things without grumbling or disputing.  Philippians 2:13-14

And there you have it!

Every day may not be a great day, but I can be confident that God is at work in me. He is helping me want what He wants.  He is helping me achieve His purpose for my life.  And His purpose can be (and probably is) totally different than my neat little list.

So I will choose not to grumble when things go awry.  Instead, I choose to believe that my loving Creator is working out His plan in me.

…. Ahhh, I feel so much better now.  The sweetness of God’s Word has restored my soul once again.  Thank you, Jesus.