3.14 2017
Purpose Statement II
2 Peter 1:5-8
In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone. The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Yesterday, I thought about how my purpose in life is to be like Jesus. Maybe a lot of Believers don’t realize that is their purpose too because they have an important occupation or title. I used to be an elementary school teacher. But being a teacher wasn’t my purpose, being like Jesus is my purpose; I just happened to be a teacher while living my purpose. That means I use the opportunities and experiences of a school teacher to be like Jesus. I can demonstrate moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, patient endurance, godliness, brotherly affection, and love while I’m teaching.
Remember, God gives all those who believe in his Son, the same purpose:
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.
(Romans 8:28-30)
The Believer who is a doctor doesn’t have a different purpose than any other Believer. The doctor can grow to be like Jesus while doing doctor stuff. Same is true for the lawyer, mayor, trash collector, and mailman. These days I’m a homemaker. My purpose is to be like Jesus while I work at home not the other way around. I don’t plan my day and do my stuff & try & fit Jesus in if I get a chance. No. My plan should be to be like Jesus all day while I’m doing homemaking stuff.
Are you a school principal? Be like Jesus while you are principal-ing. Don’t do your job and then only pursue being like Jesus in your spare time. Are you a nurse? Don’t save being like Jesus for after your shift. Are you a hairdresser? Be the hairdresser who demonstrates moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, patient endurance, godliness, brotherly affection, and love while dressing hair.
The Believer who is accidentally mixing up their career with their purpose is an unhappy one. Our life will not feel fulfilled by what we accomplish because we chose to follow Jesus, and he changed our purpose for life. So those who believe in him but do not believe that living like him is their purpose will be sad and frustrated. Remember, the Rich Young Ruler went away from Jesus sad (Matthew 19) – and he had EVERYTHING – everything but his purpose.
Dear God,
Thank you for giving my life real purpose and meaning no matter what I’m doing. Help me to do everything pursuing that purpose. Thank you for your help enabling me to be patient with my kids, to share in ministry at church, to not be lazy, and to give you credit for all the good things you do. I love you and thank you and pray in Jesus’ name, amen.
Purpose Statement II
2 Peter 1:5-8
In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone. The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Yesterday, I thought about how my purpose in life is to be like Jesus. Maybe a lot of Believers don’t realize that is their purpose too because they have an important occupation or title. I used to be an elementary school teacher. But being a teacher wasn’t my purpose, being like Jesus is my purpose; I just happened to be a teacher while living my purpose. That means I use the opportunities and experiences of a school teacher to be like Jesus. I can demonstrate moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, patient endurance, godliness, brotherly affection, and love while I’m teaching.
Remember, God gives all those who believe in his Son, the same purpose:
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.
(Romans 8:28-30)
The Believer who is a doctor doesn’t have a different purpose than any other Believer. The doctor can grow to be like Jesus while doing doctor stuff. Same is true for the lawyer, mayor, trash collector, and mailman. These days I’m a homemaker. My purpose is to be like Jesus while I work at home not the other way around. I don’t plan my day and do my stuff & try & fit Jesus in if I get a chance. No. My plan should be to be like Jesus all day while I’m doing homemaking stuff.
Are you a school principal? Be like Jesus while you are principal-ing. Don’t do your job and then only pursue being like Jesus in your spare time. Are you a nurse? Don’t save being like Jesus for after your shift. Are you a hairdresser? Be the hairdresser who demonstrates moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, patient endurance, godliness, brotherly affection, and love while dressing hair.
The Believer who is accidentally mixing up their career with their purpose is an unhappy one. Our life will not feel fulfilled by what we accomplish because we chose to follow Jesus, and he changed our purpose for life. So those who believe in him but do not believe that living like him is their purpose will be sad and frustrated. Remember, the Rich Young Ruler went away from Jesus sad (Matthew 19) – and he had EVERYTHING – everything but his purpose.
Dear God,
Thank you for giving my life real purpose and meaning no matter what I’m doing. Help me to do everything pursuing that purpose. Thank you for your help enabling me to be patient with my kids, to share in ministry at church, to not be lazy, and to give you credit for all the good things you do. I love you and thank you and pray in Jesus’ name, amen.
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