"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:10 NKJV
Today will be the final blog in this weeks series.....well for now. So far we've talked about how we can move forward and live with purpose because God values us. We are His masterpieces. We've also talked about how we can move forward from the bondage of sin. We no longer have to stay stagnant and live mundane lives because of the sin of the past. Jesus has taken care of our sin through His sacrifice on the cross for mankind. He has made us new in Him. Now we can move forward into the destiny that He has planned for us since the beginning of time. Today my encouragement to you is simple.Get to work! God has made you for good works. Ephesians 2:10 says, "we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." God has given each of us gifts and talents to make an impact in the world. These gifts aren't to be used for our sole benefit, but they are also to benefit the world. 1 Corinthians 12: 7 says, "A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other." (NLT) God intends for us to have impact on our circle of influence. He wants us to use the gifts that He's given us to bless others. Many people gain a lot of "success" in life and they are the sole beneficiary of it. God wants others blessed because of your success. Lets back up for a second, in order to go to work in your destiny, you first must know what your purpose is. How do you find it? In my experience, purpose is usually connected to passion. What is it that breaks your heart? Whatever breaks your heart you should seek God about it. Ask is these anything that He wants you to do about it? The following may also help has you are on your journey of discovery. 1. Membership to a local church- It's necessary that every believer be connected to a local assembly where they are consistently being fed the Word of God from a Pastor. The church is necessary for your spiritual growth. Every Christian needs a Pastor who will equip them for the work of the ministry (Ephesians 4:11&12). 2. Consistency in prayer- Through prayer we have access into the knowledge of God. It's through prayer where we receive instruction and direction in purpose (Jeremiah 33:3). It's impossible to find and function in your purpose correctly without talking to God about it consistently. 3. Consistency in study of the word- Not only do we have access into the knowledge of God through prayer but also through His word, the Holy Scriptures. As we consistently study and obey the word we grow, and as we grow we grow into our purpose (2 Timothy 2:15, 1 Peter 2:2). Purpose is not something you just choose to do or go into, but grow into. As we discover through prayer and study of the word we will be able to live lives of purpose. As we operate in our purpose not only will we be blessed but others will be as blessed. We will accomplish what God has created us for, our lives will no longer be mundane, but extraordinary. I want to encourage you today, find your purpose and get to work. The world is depending on you. God Bless and Choose Life! Sheldon
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"For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago." Ephesians 2:10 NLT
As we continue the series on living with purpose, let's review. Many of us are not living with purpose and as a result some of us our miserable. Many have jobs they don't like and pursue careers that they aren't necessarily passionate about. Others sit home and dream about the life that could be but it is not. Earlier this week I told you about how you are God's masterpiece, and I encouraged you to remember your value and how much God cares about you and how He sees you. Today I want to encourage you with the second part of Ephesians 2:10. "He has created us anew in Christ Jesus," If you are in Christ, you are a new creature. Once we made Jesus the Lord of our lives we were born again (Romans 10:9, John 3:3-6 NKJV). Why is that so significant? Many of us live mundane lives without purpose because we allow how we've lived in the past to keep us from moving forward. We allow the sin that we've done to hold us in bondage. When we make Jesus Lord and repent of our sin, we receive new life. 2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, behold, all things have become new." Through the sacrifice of Christ we have access to a new life in Him. We don't have to worry about the sinful life of our past.It doesn't matter what you may done in the past, He paid for our sin on the cross. Because He has paid for our sin (1 John 2:2) we now can walk in the newness of life. Romans 8:1 says, "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit." I want to encourage you today to walk in the freedom that Christ has given us through His sacrifice on the cross. You know longer have to be bound by your sin. Jesus has paid the price. You can now walk out the destiny that God has planned for you since time began. You have been created anew in Christ, walk in the newness of life. God Bless & Choose Life. Sheldon "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:10 NKJV
Have you ever wondered why you are here? Have you asked God, why He created you and placed you on the earth? I believe that the world is in the shape that is in because millions of people have not asked this question. There are millions of people on the planet earth that are living mundane lives. They are miserable and bored. They wake up every morning and go to a job that they don't particularly care for and work for and with people they don't particularly like, they work eight to twelve hours and go home, many pursue careers through education that they don't necessarily desire. At home they dream about a better life, about a job or career they would love to have. They dream about a life that could be, but is not. If this is you I want to encourage you that it doesn't have to be this way. This week I'll be covering a series about why we don't have to go through life living this way. God has a plan for each of us. God didn't create you to live a mundane life. He didn't create you to go through life going to a job you hate and to be miserable. No, God created you uniquely to have an impact on the world. God thinks the world of us, and expects us to live in such a way that we impact the world for His Kingdom. He expects us all to live with purpose. Many of us are miserable because we're not living in our purpose. We are God's masterpieces- God looks at you with awe! Ephesians 2:10 says that "we are His workmanship" through study of the original language you will find that workmanship works out to be masterpiece. God looks at you and me as His works of art. God has created each of us specifically and uniquely, we're beautiful in His sight. Just like thousands of people travel the globe to search out masterpieces like the ceiling of the Sistine chapel and are awed, God looks at us with that same pleasure. When we don't live with purpose we sometimes forget our value. We get in the rut of mundane living and we feel like there's nothing that we can contribute. We get down on ourselves and we get comfortable and complacent in our ineffectiveness. If we're going to live with purpose we must first recognize our value. God loves each and everyone of us and has created each of us for greatness. You are created in the image and likeness of God! He expects greatness from you. I want to encourage you today, remember your value. remember that you don't have to stay where you are, you have the power to change and walk into your destiny through obedience to God being led by His Holy Spirit. You are God's masterpiece! God Bless and Choose Life! Sheldon "For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's." I Corinthians 6:20 NKJV
I was spending time with God this morning, and I came across this familiar scripture. As I began to reflect on these words I began to think about the value that we place on ourselves. Many of us Christians fail to live in such a way that shows how valuable we actually are. We were bought with a price. All of us were in need of a Savior and God sent His Son Jesus to die and shed His blood on a cross for the sin of mankind. We were purchased with something valuable. The Apostle Peter says it this way in 1 Peter 1:18 & 19, "For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God." (NLT) Because we were purchased with something so valuable, we owe God our lives. The verse says, glorify God in your body and in your spirit. In other words because we have been bought with a price we should glorify God by the way we live and the way we think. Our lives are to be a representation of Christ and what He has done for us and what He can do for others (Acts 1:8) When people see us they should see and feel the love of Christ. How do we live in such a way? By simply loving people. There was a pharisee in the scriptures who asked Jesus what was the greatest command, Jesus's reply was amazing. Matthew 22: 37-40 says, "Jesus replied, 'You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments." (NLT) This world needs Jesus. With the latest events and racial tensions here in the United States it has become even more abundantly clear. As Christ followers each of us has a role to play. Now more than ever the body of Christ needs to stand up and let the love of Christ exude from our lives and remedy this hatred that is running rampant. Each of us is valuable, each of us has something to contribute. We all need to live lives that represent how much God values us. Sheldon |
AuthorHusband, Father, Red-Letter Christian, Preacher of the Gospel. Archives
June 2021
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