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.”

But we do know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to purpose.

In most translations of the Bible, 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 calibrated 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.

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 environments 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 Jackson

THURSDAY’S PRAYER REQUESTS

David Ford – Setback Yesterday – Keep praying

Junior Stephens

Amy Garner

Amy Garner’s Mom & Dad 

Andrew Halevi & Daughter

Ashely Burn’s Sisters 

Coly/Connor – Allison’s G’sons 

Dan Haines

Darlene Wiggins

David Burnette  

David Harrison – Riverside

Deanna Fowler

Denise Hulsey – Jordan’s G’mother 

Donnie Butler’s Dad

Doris Loyd

Dr. and Mrs. Davis

Drew

Easton Fielder 

Ed Mays

Eric Magnusson’s Mother

Eric Ward

Faith Burnette

Freddie May’s Mom 

George & Linda Alexander 

James Burnette 

James Garner’s Friend 

Joanie/Jeanie Mom

Jodi Bateman 

John Austin 

June Cronan’s Sister 

Kailey Bateman

Kim McClain’s Mother 

Krista Hilscher 

Larry Barker 

Lee Cronan

Lillanna Magnusson’s Mom

Linda Breedlove’s Sister – Sarah 

Linda Hodges’ Sister 

Lonzo Christin 

Lori Blount’s Mother

Mary Sims 

Marynell Ford 

Maureen Brown 

Michael Stanley 

Miles Bradshaw

Nora Allison

Pastor & Mrs. Driskell 

Ricky Gipson   

Rose Fuller – Pruitt-Monroe Nursing Home, Forsyth GA

Roseleigh Osborn 

Sandra Graham    

Scott Lanier 

Soso Nzolo – 17 Yr. Old South African Pastor’s Daughter                                                         

Susan & Alexis Tesone

Susan Mosley

Tom Witcher