Purpose

Have you ever listened to a speaker and found yourself wondering, “Where is he going with this? What is his point?” As people, we’re programmed to expect things to have a purpose or meaning. We have reasons for everything we do—we eat because we need nourishment; we go to the movies because we think it’s fun. If we can’t come up with a reason to do something, odds are we won’t do it.

On the large scale, our lives aren’t any different. We want our lives to have meaning. We desire our lives to have purpose. Too often it’s easy to fall into a routine and wake up one morning wondering, “Why am I doing this? What am I doing with my life?” Without a sense of direction and purpose, we lose hope and motivation to continue on.

Fortunately, God tells us in Scripture that He knows the purpose of each individual life. He knew eons before you were ever born who you would be and what you would accomplish. “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10)

Moreover, He has a glorious plan for your life. Psalm 40:5 says, “Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders You have done. The things You have planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare.”

But perhaps you think to yourself, “That sounds nice, but how can God use someone like me?” Psalms 33:11 says, “But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart through all generations.” God knows what He’s doing, and has used His followers to impact countless people even centuries after their time—think of the apostles, or even an “ordinary” person who wrote a hymn that still stirs peoples’ hearts to worship. In fact, God has called many people who felt poorly equipped or unworthy—Abraham, Moses, Paul, Esther, and Gideon, just to name a few! Wherever you are now, God can use you to make a difference for eternity.

Your life and your every action are extremely important to God, and each day you have is a gift from Him. “…All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be.” (Psalm 139:16b)

God is the one who gives us hope and something to live for. “For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

So if you ever wonder what the point of your life is…ask Jesus. He’ll assure you of His plan, and when you trust and follow Him, you will experience marvelous things. “…I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10b)

John 15: Disciple’s Charge

Disciple’s General Charge: Vine & Branches

Jesus said, “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, he prunes so that it may bear more fruit.”

We, as disciples, are designed to bear fruit–which is more disciples as seen in Matthew 28:18-20 and Matthew 10:24-39. If we are bearing fruit, God will “prune” us so that we may be more fruitful, but those of us who are not producing fruit will become stagnant and die. If we are obeying God’s commands, this will never happen.

“You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.”

This chunk is simply getting across the fact that we cannot do the work of discipleship apart from God–it simply doesn’t work. What tree branch can bear fruit if it is not connected to the trunk of the tree? God does the work–we are just the branches.

“If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned.”

The price of not being fruitful–not obeying the command given–is death. If we are not part of the tree, if we are a severed branch, we do not receive the nutrients we need and will dry up. What happens to dry branches? They’re burned–thrown away. Produce fruit. Love God by obeying His commands and remaining in His presence.

“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.”

What’s the fruit? Making disciples and spreading the Word of God to all nations. This glorifies God, and God’s glory is our sole purpose. It is why we were created, to glorify God.

“Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be made full.”

Disciple’s Charge to Eachother

“This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I command you.”

This is part of discipleship–that we love one another. Acts 2:42-47 talks about this in great detail. They shared everything. They sacrificially served each other. Jesus washed feet (the nastiest part of the body in that day), and died for us all. We are to love each other in the same way: serving each other, and even dying for each other.

“No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have eard from My father I have made known to you.”

We, as disciples, as friends of Jesus. Sweet deal!

“You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.”

Christians, we did not get here on our own. We did not come to Jesus on our own. The Bible in John 6:44a “No one can come to Me (Jesus) unless the Father who sent Me draws him.” We have been chosen–we have been called, and we have been called to and for a purpose: glorifying God and making disciples. Jesus “appointed you that you would go and bear fruit.”

“This is what I command you, that you love one another.”

Disciple’s Charge to the World

“If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; of they kept My word, they will keep yours also.”

Christians, this is not an easy life. Jesus never told us that life would be easy. People don’t want to believe that there is only one God. People don’t want to crawl out of the pit of their pleasure and sins. People don’t want to be told that they will go to hell if they do not follow Christ–some of you probably don’t want to hear that. Jesus says in Matthew, “I never knew you, depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.” (This does not mean that we are saved by works, which is addressed in another article).

“But all things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me.”

We will be persecuted for the sole purpose of our faith–we are persecuted for His name.

“If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates Me hates My Father also. If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have sin; but now they have both seen and hated Me and My Father as well. But they have done this to fulfill the word that is written in their Law, ‘They hated Me without cause.’

To be perfectly honest, I do not fully understand what Jesus was saying here. I think what He is saying is that through Him–through what Jesus did–the entire world has the opportunity to turn away from their sin and to be washed, but the world does not wish to turn away, so they hate God.

“When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about me, and you will testify also, because you have been with Me from the beginning.”

The Helper is the Holy Spirit–He gives us power to witness, or “testify.” This is the culmination of all of discipleship. We bear fruit through Him–the Holy Spirit. We love one another and will be persecuted, but we will be given the power to testify and to hold firm by Him–the Holy Spirit.

The Cost of Discipleship

Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

I will not deny that the sacrifice of Jesus is a free gift–nothing we do can get us to God. Nothing can make us worthy. But neither is Jesus’ sacrifice something to be accepted and tossed aside. It is a life commitment.

Matthew 16:24-28 talks about the cost of discipleship. In verse 24, Jesus’ words are: “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.” That means total life commitment! Jesus isn’t just a part of your life. He will never share His glory with another. That means He comes first always! This is something we Christians often over look. We want to accept Jesus and place Him on the mantle.

It was put to me like this: the Hindu’s have many gods, so it is easy for them to accept Jesus and simply place Him in the line with many other gods. This is what most Christians do. Maybe we have a really big Jesus on our mantle piece–but as Isaiah 42:8 says:

“I am the Lord, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, nor My praise to graven images.”

God will not share that mantle piece. It is our purpose as Christians to glorify God alone. The first four commandments are geared toward this very purpose.

You shall have no other gods before Me.

You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in haven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth.

You shall not worship them or serve them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.

Did you catch all that? God comes first; He alone will be worshipped; and you shall not even say His name in vain. He comes first–He will not share His glory with another.

Does it still seem like we should accept Jesus’ sacrifice, believe God, and place Him on the mantle with all of our other Gods: food, music, education, video games, career, books, hobbies, and ourselves? Those things are not inherently evil–but God will not share the metaphorical mantle. He is all of your life–He must remain your first priority forever. That doesn’t mean that you have to give up all those things–but if they are keeping you from God, you might want to consider it.

My initial point was that Christ isn’t a part of your life–we Christians are to be holy priests–set apart for God. He won’t share His glory with another–don’t worship anything apart from God. Christianity isn’t a willy-nilly acceptance and casting by the wayside. It is a daily dedication of the rest of your life. Count the cost, like is says in Luke 14:25-35. Count the cost, people. Count the cost, Christians. Are you really willing to be wholly devoted to something greater than yourselves? Are you willing to give God control?

Keep in mind the God you will serve. He is good, just, merciful, graceful, forgiving, and loving. Giving Him your entire life may not necessarily mean abandoning all you have–but you must be willing to surrender all to Him if He asks it of you.

Jesus says in Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls, for My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” God cannot lie–He has bound himself that way. This is the truth.

“Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple…So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions.” ~ Jesus Christ, Luke 14:27,33

The Great Commission

Matthew 28: 18-20 says this, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

This is the Great Commission, the final words of Jesus Christ, Go and make disciples of all the nations. This is not a request, not a recommendation, this is a command. If we love Jesus, we obey His commands, if we obey His commands, we are out making disciples of all nations, both the one we reside in and those abroad. The entire world is our oyster, folks. The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.

We are responsible for the fulfillment of the Great Commission, we are responsible for making SURE that the ENTIRE world knows who Christ is, and has had the opportunity to choose Him.

This is the question: Are you obeying Jesus? Are you out on the mission, making disciples? This is Jesus’ final command, and it carries a heavy weight. This is our mission as Christians: to make disciples of the world, baptizing them in the name of the FATHER, the SON, and the HOLY SPIRIT, and teaching them to observe all that Jesus commanded.

Are you making disciples? Are you obeying the commands of Jesus? Or are you living in disobedience and in action. Lying their on your couch, just going to Bible studies and church and not DOING what Christ commanded? Do you have faith but no works? If you do, I would strongly urge you to fix your ways. Do not sow disobedience and laziness, get out there and do what we were commanded to do. Go and make disciples, teach them to obey God and do just as you are.

John 15 talks about being fruitful, James 2:14-26 talks about having faith & works, Matthew 13:1-23 talks about the parable of the sower–all the sower did was spread the word. That is our responsibility. Mark 5 talks about Jesus casting a Legion of demons from a man, and what did Jesus tell that man to do? “Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you.”

Why would we be any different from the demoniac? So go, obey your King, hold fast to his commands and make disciples of the nations, just as the demoniac did, just as the sower did, and just as Jesus did.

Are You a 412er?

You are a young adult.

That sentence could win the “Most Obvious Statement of the Year” Award.  It’s obviously not so profound. Bear with me–I do have a point.

What does it mean?  As a young adult, modern society looks at you and lowers its expectations drastically.  After all, with the common perception of college students being what one finds on www.collegecandy.com (for ladies) or www.collegehumor.com (for men), why would anyone expect more?  Popular culture says you’ve got to engage in sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll to fit the stereotype.  Alex and Brett Harris, founders of www.therebelution.com, said in their book, Do Hard Things, that, “In today’s world, the ceiling for our youth is much closer to where the floor ought to be.”  We have become so numb, apathetic, and passive that we’re willing to allow popular culture to tell us how to live.  We allow ourselves to live through college as a four-year extension of high school, accepting little to no responsibility, only this time out from under our parents’ thumb.  Well, I’m proposing something new.

1 Timothy 4:12 says, “Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.” This doesn’t exactly fit the images we’re flooded with every day, like “live life while you’re young” and “obey your thirst.”  Let’s take up this challenge. Let’s become examples of Christianity on our campuses. Let’s make people look at us twice.  Let’s change the stereotype. Let’s be the radicals. Let’s do the truly hard things.

I propose we become 412ers, young people taking up the reigns of leadership and igniting the world, changing the way people perceive us.  Start a Bible Study, begin tutoring other students, organize a mission trip, invite people to serve the community with you, start playing in your churches worship team, volunteer at the local homeless group, write a letter to the editor of your local paper, start a book club, listen to someone’s problems, the possibilities are endless! All you have to do is get up and do it. If youth around the nation can do this, we can change the definition of young adult.  Suddenly, it won’t be a bad thing.

Are you a 412er?

“For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:7

The Meaning of Life

An Ageless Search
What is the meaning of life? This is one of the most frequently asked questions by all of humanity since the beginning of time. It is a question naturally asked by people because they have the ability to make choices about life. The question would appear to be difficult to answer and different for every individual depending on their circumstances. It is the ultimate search for truth and purpose in life; the reason we were born, wake up everyday and exist.

The Truth
Although people have struggled for the purpose of their existence throughout history, the answer for the meaning of life is relatively simple and the same for everyone; it is to love God by choosing to have a relationship with Him through His Son, Jesus Christ.

How to Move Forward
Once you understand the meaning of life, the next step is choosing to follow God’s plan for your life.  God made you for a specific purpose; however, before you can fulfill that purpose, you need to establish a relationship with God.

How to Fulfill Your Mission
The challenge to the meaning of life is being faithful to the calling of God and being dedicated to fulfilling the purpose that He created you for by accomplishing your life mission. The Holy Bible addresses these issues clearly to give people answers about how to lead their life in every circumstance, from poor to rich, from health to illness, from strong to weak, and from spiritual to sinful. Everybody has limiting circumstances, but God gives people this ultimate life instruction book called the Bible to help them understand how to make the right choices throughout their changing life. Learn about what God wants for you and submit to His plan for a life of fulfilling significance.

My Purpose in Life

My Purpose in Life
These turbulent times may be the ideal time to clarify your life purpose because many of the things you may have misidentified as your purpose may have been stripped away — that job or career, or those life roles — being a good parent, or a loyal employee, or an outstanding member of the community.

While these are important, they’re not your life purpose, and thinking that they are can be a major roadblock to identifying your true life purpose.

You see, your life purpose is much more than any of these. It’s about knowing who you are as a spiritual being and what you came to this life to be and to experience. Your purpose gives you a new context of meaning that begins to shape every moment of your life, especially when the currents of circumstances try to throw you off course.

Your thoughts, decisions, choices, and daily actions are shaped by a greater meaning for your life; your life purpose.