It is so hard to come to terms with the purposes that God has laid before my life and yet those plans He has for me are what makes me the follower of Jesus I am today. I was anointed for the journey I was about to undertake as a joint heir in the kingdom of God.
Then you shall take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle and all that is in it, and consecrate it and all its furniture, so that it shall become holy -Exodus 40:9
When will I learn that the power of purpose does not reside in my title, or position? When will I realize that the purposes of God are being carried out in my life regardless of what others may or may not be thinking? When will I rest in Jesus because the power all resides in God our heavenly Father?
Jesus answered him, “You would have no power over me unless it had been given you from above; therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.” – John 19:11
The Book of Wisdom sets it pretty straightforward, my purpose lies in committing my work, every day, to the Lord. He has made everything for its purpose – especially me.
The plans of the mind belong to mortals, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. All one’s way may be pure in one’s own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirit. Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established. The Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble. – Proverbs 16:1-4
Every once in a while when I am in a room and people are asked to share where they graduated from, I find myself in a bit of a pickle – I never graduated.
Imagine how I felt today reading Paul’s thoughts on his own education and then defining what real purpose was all about.
Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ,[e] the righteousness from God based on faith. I want to know Christ[f] and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death. – Philippians 3:7-10
Lord, in those moments when I feel so inadequate, without purpose and value, thank you for drawing me into You. You are my everything and whatever You have me to do, may my life be one of anointing, may my life be one marked with holiness. May I be the vessel You choose to use. Thank you so much.
evanlaar
Sixty-six books in a year
You are in good company with all 12 apostles! None of them were educated as Pharisees or Sadducees. Only Paul had this learning, and here he is laying it all down to suffer with Christ. Rise up and know that the Spirit of God dwells in you and it was God’s good pleasure to entrust you with His gospel. That’s awesome, don’t you think?!
It is – thank you – can’t believe I did not even put that together myself – shows just how much a lie can mess your judgement up