Daily Beats From Your Pastor’s Heart:
Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
So many people today exist, without really living, because they don’t understand their purpose in life.
In the original language, the phrase “called according to purpose” is rendered “called according to His purpose,” with “His” in italics.
The translators supply the word “His” because purpose here obviously refers to God’s purpose.
But His is not in the original language.
Neither is there a definite article before the word purpose.
It is not “according to the purpose.”
It is simply “according to purpose.”
Then we might ask, what purpose?
In God’s thought there is ONLY one purpose–CHRIST.
This means that if you and I are NOT attuned to Christ in our lives, in our experience–with every detail from morning to night–then we are not living according to purpose.
We are in vanity.
Ecclesiastes 1:2, “Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.”
In this universe everything apart from Christ is VANITY.
ONLY Christ gives purpose to ALL things.
Christ ALONE is the REALITY and MEANING of life.
This is why, when we turn to Him in the middle of all things in our life and begin to IDENTIFY with Him, we have such a sense of significance in our being.
But if we are indifferent to Christ, if we try to figure things out on our own, then notice what it does to our insides.
There is a sense of emptiness, the sense that we have nothing of Christ to share with others.
But if we allow all kinds of situations to press us into the Lord, then we are filled with so much MEANING, there is so much SIGNIFICANCE, and there is so much to share.
This spiritual phenomenon happens because the one sure purpose of our human life is to be CONFORMED to the image of God’s Son.
By letting ALL THINGS shape us into the form of God’s Son, we have a deep sense that we are LIVING ACCORDING TO PURPOSE.
Until Tomorrow,
With a Shepherd’s Love
Pastor
…….
TODAY’S PRAYER LIST
Don Slate – Angela Bryan’s Dad – Hospice
Debra Roberts – Home in need of prayer
Hanna Hall – Pray For Grace
James Parsons – Off breathing machine & breathing on his own. Hallelujah! Still very, very sick & in need of much prayer. Thank you!
Amy Garner’s Mother
Ashley Burn’s Sisters
Barbara Shed’s Family
Bill Lawhead – Prayer Needed
Bill Moody
Carla Martin – Pneumonia
Charlie Sessom –Waiting
Colby/Connor – Allison’s G’sons
Denise Stubbs – Kim Allison’s Mom
Doug Fritzel
Greg & Keith Payne – Lisa’s Brother
James Garner – Home
James Garner’s G’Son
John Burnette
Joyceann – James Garner’s Daughter
Kimberly – Dustin’s Sister
Larry Barker – Hip Replacement
Lavona Davis
Linda Breedlove’s Sister – Sarah
Lynn – Nancy Brown’s Daughter
Mary Sims
Michael Stanley
Nancy Brown’s G’Daughter
Nora Allison – Dustin’s Mom
Pastor Stucke– Nikki’s Dad
Paula Ferus’ Missionary Friend
Ricky Stubbs
Roseleigh Osborn
Scott Lanier – Lisa’s Cousin
Sharon Blalock
Sherry Yoachum – Recovering
Shaelyn – Jill’s Friend
Sheila Simmons Cousin
Todd Bailey
Todd Roberts
Tom Witcher
Wanda Galanti