Your purpose and gifting will always complement His assignment for your life. It is His reputation and name that is on the line.
Keep this in mind, before the Lord Jesus gave Saul his assignment, He first had to get his attention. As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?”
“Who are you, lord?” Saul asked.
And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” The greatest tragedy in this life isn't death, but life without knowing your purpose for being here in this three-dimensional world. It is very dangerous to be alive and not discovering your gifting or purpose for being here. After the Lord Jesus got Saul's attention, only then did He share His purpose to him: Now there was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, calling, “Ananias!”
“Yes, Lord!” he replied.
The Lord said, “Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas. When you get there, ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying to me right now. I have shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying hands on him so he can see again.”
“But Lord,” exclaimed Ananias, “I’ve heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem! And he is authorized by the leading priests to arrest everyone who calls upon your name.”
But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel. And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name’s sake.”
Let's face it, the Lord God created everyone with a gift and a purpose, but we have to get close enough to Him in order to discover it. Ever since the fall of mankind, he has been grappling with this age old question, "Why am I here?". What is the reason for my existence? In many cases, mankind has sought to create his own purpose for living. In most cases, it is all about making money and becoming powerful, famous and/or wealthy. It has become the deepest craving of mankind...to become financially independent. But if you are financially independent, you no longer need to be dependent on God! That is a slippery slope, a way that God doesn't want us to go! The only way that mankind can discover his gifting and purpose is to pray and become very familiar with the Lord God's constitution. Remember, your purpose will show you how to live your life. It will reflect His will in your life.
When you are first delivered from your disobedience of the Lord God's constitution (His Word), He had to first get your attention. Sometimes it is through physical pain or through a loved one. Then the process of your assignment and purpose begins, if you are listening. It's not the same with everyone. The Holy Spirit knows how to deal with every person. He knows all about us. Nothing is hidden. We should take the time to read His Constitution, more commonly known as the Bible, and discover His purpose for our lives.
Here is my question to you: Do you wish to be successful? This relentless pursuit of "success" has produced some ugly results, such as divorce, emotional and mental conditions, and suicide, at continually rising rates. If you take some time and really focus, you will see that society's ills and crime and often even depression, comes back to not knowing and operating in their purpose. It seems to be particularly common in men and women between the ages of twenty-three (after college) and forty-five. This falls in direct line with what the Lord Jesus said here: That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?
“And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?
“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today."
Fulfillment comes from fulfilling God's assignment for your life. Anything else will leave you feeling void and empty. We are so good at getting things out of order. Seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness first. Period.
We will continue this in my next article.
Acts 9:3-6, 10-16 Matthew 6:25-34 All NLT unless noted.
~~W.R. Luchie
www.kingdomcitizens.org
This article may only be reproduced, in print or on the internet, if the author's name and website address are included at the end of the article as originally placed. Thank you
Keep this in mind, before the Lord Jesus gave Saul his assignment, He first had to get his attention. As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?”
“Who are you, lord?” Saul asked.
And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” The greatest tragedy in this life isn't death, but life without knowing your purpose for being here in this three-dimensional world. It is very dangerous to be alive and not discovering your gifting or purpose for being here. After the Lord Jesus got Saul's attention, only then did He share His purpose to him: Now there was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, calling, “Ananias!”
“Yes, Lord!” he replied.
The Lord said, “Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas. When you get there, ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying to me right now. I have shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying hands on him so he can see again.”
“But Lord,” exclaimed Ananias, “I’ve heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem! And he is authorized by the leading priests to arrest everyone who calls upon your name.”
But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel. And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name’s sake.”
Let's face it, the Lord God created everyone with a gift and a purpose, but we have to get close enough to Him in order to discover it. Ever since the fall of mankind, he has been grappling with this age old question, "Why am I here?". What is the reason for my existence? In many cases, mankind has sought to create his own purpose for living. In most cases, it is all about making money and becoming powerful, famous and/or wealthy. It has become the deepest craving of mankind...to become financially independent. But if you are financially independent, you no longer need to be dependent on God! That is a slippery slope, a way that God doesn't want us to go! The only way that mankind can discover his gifting and purpose is to pray and become very familiar with the Lord God's constitution. Remember, your purpose will show you how to live your life. It will reflect His will in your life.
When you are first delivered from your disobedience of the Lord God's constitution (His Word), He had to first get your attention. Sometimes it is through physical pain or through a loved one. Then the process of your assignment and purpose begins, if you are listening. It's not the same with everyone. The Holy Spirit knows how to deal with every person. He knows all about us. Nothing is hidden. We should take the time to read His Constitution, more commonly known as the Bible, and discover His purpose for our lives.
Here is my question to you: Do you wish to be successful? This relentless pursuit of "success" has produced some ugly results, such as divorce, emotional and mental conditions, and suicide, at continually rising rates. If you take some time and really focus, you will see that society's ills and crime and often even depression, comes back to not knowing and operating in their purpose. It seems to be particularly common in men and women between the ages of twenty-three (after college) and forty-five. This falls in direct line with what the Lord Jesus said here: That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?
“And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?
“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today."
Fulfillment comes from fulfilling God's assignment for your life. Anything else will leave you feeling void and empty. We are so good at getting things out of order. Seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness first. Period.
We will continue this in my next article.
Acts 9:3-6, 10-16 Matthew 6:25-34 All NLT unless noted.
~~W.R. Luchie
www.kingdomcitizens.org
This article may only be reproduced, in print or on the internet, if the author's name and website address are included at the end of the article as originally placed. Thank you
