Tag: God created us with purpose

God Can Use Your Life

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How often have we gone through a mental checklist to compare ourselves with others or even the lives we see represented in the pages of Scripture? “If I were more like so-and-so, then I would be able to do _________ like they did.”

While our living can be inspired positively by others and we can learn mighty lessons through their stories, in the end their story and your story is written with God’s purpose for that particular life in mind. While Daniel is noted for his wisdom, his obedience, and altogether good character, when it came time to do what no one in history was able to do, tell another’s dream and give the interpretation, Daniel readily made it known that, “But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart,” Daniel 2:30, emphasis added.

While all these good character traits put Daniel in a better position to be used by God in this fashion, Daniel, himself, recognized that it was not because of anything he had done, nor did he count himself more special than anyone else. He saw himself as the present vessel of that time that God chose to use for His divine purposes.

I feel like a lot of modern-day Christians are designing their own purposes for their lives and expecting God to put His stamp of approval on it. But when we read the lives represented in the Bible, that just was not the case. Peoples lives were often “interrrupted” by the call of God on their lives. Gideon was threshing wheat. Peter and the boys were out fishing. Samson’s mother was minding her business when an angelic being appeared to her. David was tending sheep. And Mary and Joseph’s plan for a normal betrothal period definitely did not go as they had planned. Even regarding the priesthood we see that, “No man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron,” Hebrews 5:4, emphasis added.

Individual’s callings are just that, callings. Certain people have certain appointments on their lives that may not look or operate as others do. Lives are meant to inspire us but we may not be able to completely replicate their story and experience exactly in our own lives. That was their story. We appreciate that we witnessed it or that it was recorded in history for us to glean God-truths from to help us build our faith.

But when Jesus states, “Without me ye can do nothing,” John 15:5, that’s exactly what He means. True wisdom recognizes this truth and lives daily before Him, measuring their course in this world by His Word. From that, as a potter with his vessel, we are molded, shaped, and used as the Master sees fit according to His holy purposes.

Live right. Yes.

Follow the Word. Yes.

Obey His calling. Yes.

Keep your character in check. Yes.

Walk in faith. Yes, and more.

But don’t get discouraged if your story looks different than another’s. As long as your living is pleasing in the eyes of God, that’s all that matters. And you can celebrate who you are, as the apostle Paul did himself in recognizing this truth: “By the grace of God I am what I am…” 1 Corinthians 15:10.

Who knows how your “right now” story is inspiring others. Daniel or other Bible characters probably couldn’t fathom us still being inspired by their stories thousands of years later. But, here we are.

You may not be interpreting dreams, healing the sick, or some other phenomenal feat – but I just want to encourage you to keep living for God. His purpose for you may look different than others but that does not take away from the fact that you are still here with a divine assignment on your life.

I may never walk on water, bring down Goliath with a stone, sleep in comfort on a pillow of lions, or take a stroll through fiery flames without being touched, but that doesn’t mean my life and your life isn’t touching someone else. Our daily, mundane, routine, unexciting, and unpopular living is not in vain. For if I only inspire one of my grandbabies (although I desire all) to follow the Lord, is this not a great treasure reaped from an “ordinary” life?

God can use your life right where you are at! Just live for Him. That is all Daniel ever wanted to do. He wasn’t seeking glory for himself or popularity. He simply recognized he was a vessel and it had nothing to do with him being better than any other in any sense of the word. God used him where he was at and God can use you, too.

“The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.” – Psalm 138:8

“There are many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.” – Proverbs 19:21

“Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.” – Ecclesiastes 12:13

“And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.” – 1 Thessalonians 4:11, 12

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“Our True Image”

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In a world where selfies, mainstream personal videos, and profiles dominate it’s easy to surmise that image to most means a great deal.  One’s style and the exterior of self is put on display for the world to like, or not.

But, the true degree of our image goes much deeper.  It’s so easy to look at the clothes, the hair, and the poses and think that’s the sum of a person.  When God crafted us individually and designed us like Him, He saw so much more.  He had a greater vision in mind.

I fear that we have watered down His intention for our purposeful design of a deeper and more spiritually revealing self that personifies His glory before the world and we have settled for the cheaper, mass-produced, mass approved public version.

I believe when God spoke in the beginning that we were made in His image (see Genesis 1:27), He spoke of more than just our facial features, our physique, our height, weight, and so on.  He spoke of our representation of something the boundaries of those outer measurements can’t comprehend.  He spoke of our likeness of Him.  At that point of creation, when it came time for humanity to be put on the earth, God looked to Himself to snap a portrait of who we are truly designed to be.

Now, do I mean that you are supposed to be God sitting on the throne in heaven?  No.  But, what I do mean is we are carriers of so much more.  The portrait of our lives is made to expose and reflect His glory of the greater.  The selfies we have grown accustomed to can’t compare to the true nature we were designed to resemble.

So my question is, why settle for less when your life and mine were made to shine beyond the flash of a lens?  Can we not view our importance and value through the eyes of God instead of view clicks, like buttons, and reactions?  Who or what do we really want our lives to model?

Selfies and having fun with cameras aren’t bad.  I take them myself from time to time.  They just don’t hold the sum of who we really are.  We can make pretty faces, pose, and dress – but, we will never find true happiness and satisfaction in life exchanging our true image for the cheaper version this world has to offer.

Therefore, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven,” Matthew 5:16.  Show the world your selfie that’s established in Him.

Verses to ponder:

Colossians 3:10 “And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.”

Ephesians 4:24 “And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.”

Ephesians 2:10 “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

Romans 13:14 “But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.”

Romans 12:2 “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

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Image

2 Comments

 

In a world where selfies, mainstream personal videos, and profiles dominate it’s easy to surmise that image to most means a great deal.  One’s style and the exterior of self are put on display for the world to like, or not.

But, the degree of the image goes deeper.  It’s so easy to look at the clothes, the hair, and the poses and think that’s the sum of a person.  When God crafted us individually and designed us like Him, He saw so much more.  He had a greater vision in mind.

I fear that we have watered down His intention for our purposeful design of a deeper and more spiritually revealing self that personifies His glory before the world and we have settled for the cheaper, mass-produced, mass approved public version.

I believe when God spoke in the beginning that we were made in His image (see Genesis 1:27), He spoke of more than just our facial features, our physique, our height, weight, and so on.  He spoke of our representation of something the boundaries of those outer measurements can’t comprehend.  He spoke of our likeness of Him.  At that point of creation, when it came time for humanity to be put on the earth, God looked to Himself to snap a portrait of who we are truly designed to be.

Now, do I mean that you are supposed to be God sitting on the throne in heaven?  No.  But, what I do mean is we are carriers of so much more.  The portrait of our lives is made to expose and reflect His glory of the greater.  The selfies we have grown accustomed to can’t compare to the true nature we were designed to resemble.

So my question is, why settle for less when your life and mine were made to shine beyond the flash of a lens?  Can we not view our importance and value through the eyes of God instead of view clicks, like buttons, and reactions?  Who or what do we really want our lives to model?

Selfies and having fun with cameras aren’t bad.  They just don’t hold the sum of who we really are.  We can make pretty faces, pose, and dress – but, we will never find true happiness and satisfaction in life exchanging Image for image.

Copyright © Word For Life Says.com (Sharing any posts or lessons can only be done through the share buttons provided on this site from the original posts, lessons, and articles only. You can reblog from the original posts only using the reblog button provided, or share using the share buttons provided from these social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest, etc., and they must be shared from the original posts only. All other repostings are prohibited. Posts and other items of interest found on this site MAY NOT BE COPIED AND PASTED, downloaded, uploaded, etc to another website or entity not listed (physical or electronic).  See COPYRIGHT PAGE for more details.