January 12, 2003

 

 

 

 

Discovering Divine Purpose

Part I:   God Has a Purpose and A Plan

 

 

 

Isaiah 46:9c-10      For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me,         

Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, ‘My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’;

 

·        God is not boasting; He simply knows who He is.

 

·        God declares “the end from the beginning”.  He is going declares His Divine purpose and then sets about to accomplish it.

 

·        God does have a purpose and a plan for us, both individually and corporately.

 

·        (Insight)  It is our job to discover the purpose and plans if God……….and then co-operate with them.

 

Several weeks ago, many of you raised your hands at the close of a service to indicate that you were “searching to know God’s plan for your life”.

 

·        I have been praying a great deal about that for the past several weeks.

 

·        All of us need to desire and then discover God’s will for our lives.

 

·        Listen to what God says in Jeremiah 29:11.  “For I know the plans that I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.”

 

·        (Insight)  God does have a plan for our lives and a purpose for everything that comes into our lives.

 

·        (Insight)  God’s plan for our lives is always in keeping with His Divine purposes. 

 

·        (Principle)  Because He loves and cares for us (I Peter 5:7) we can trust Him to do what is best for us…….….whatever the circumstances……....even when we don’t understand what is happening around us.

 

 

Purpose #1   The Purpose of God was always been to have a people.  God’s heart, His desire is for RELATIONSHIP.

 

·        (Principle)  God is always more concerned about the depth of our relationship with Him than in what we are doing for Him.

 

·        The problem with Laodicea (Revelation 3:15) was that they had substituted activity for relationship.

 

·        (Insight)  We were created to “worship” and to have “fellowship” with God.  (See John 4:23-24)

 

·        We tend to focus on “Lord what do You want me to do ------------------ and where do You want me to live” (etc.)

 

·        (Principle)  God’s focus is always on our character and what He wants us to become in Christ Jesus.

 

·        (Insight)  Our vocation (what we do for a living) is not nearly as important to God as is the development of a Christ-like character within our lives.

 

·        We want to know:

1.     What should I do with my life?  (vocation)

2.     Who should I marry?  (Life-partner)

3.     Where should we live?

 

·        These are all important questions.  But, God is looking at our hearts. (See I Samuel 16:7)

 

 

·                                (Principle)  When we are in fellowship and right relationship with God:

 

1.     We come to intimately know Him.

2.     We come to know His ways.

3.     We receive healing in every area of our lives.

4.     And the desire of our heart is to worship Him and spend time in His presence.

 

 

Purpose #2   God’s Desire Is For Us To Be Fruitful For the Kingdom

 

·        Our purpose on earth is to “Glorify the Lord”.

 

·        Paul said it clearly in Philippians 1:20b-21.     “…….. but that will all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.

For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” 

 

·        (Insight)  Until we are healed (in our spirit-man) we will never know true happiness…………and we will never bear fruit for the Kingdom.

 

·        God expects “a harvest” from our lives.  (See Matthew 13:36-43)

o       “as for the good seed” == “these are the sons of the kingdom”  (v.38)

 

·        When our relationship is right, God will use us wherever we are to touch the lives of those around us with the redeeming love of Jesus.

 

·        God’s primary concern is not in keeping score to see who wins the most people to Jesus……..this is not a contest.  God’s is looking at our heart and our purpose for living.  When those issues are right; we will naturally touch the world around us for Jesus.

 

Next Time:

 

·        “God, what do You want me to do?” …………. “Where do You want me to serve? 

 

·        These are important questions.

 

·        Next time we will look at:  The Steps To Knowing God’s Will For Your Life.