Do you have purpose? Do you have gifts? Does "everyone" have purpose or gifts? Are some better than others? What if you don't know what they are or how to use them?
I like to read through Paul's letters to the churches. We are still the same as they were, just in a different time. History repeats itself and I love to learn from the ones that walked so closely to Christ. Paul was a Christian killer before he saw the light of Christ. We would have considered him "evil" similar to "Hitler". We like to think that we are "so evil" that God would never be able to use us. In reality, it isn't God that won't love us, it is all those people around us that we might have to admit we were "wrong". Pride... interesting thing. Don't worry though, most people will walk away from you while you are going through the process of letting God work on you. I didn't like it when people walked away from me, but God knows what he's doing when you are a new born Christian. God will pull distractions away from you so he can begin to reshape you, first, without distractions. Then, little by little, He will allow those distractions to return and will slowly and sometimes painfully retrain you how to deal with them in a God- like manner. Once Jesus begins cleaning you, be prepared, as he will also partner with you to help him reach others. God is not willing that anyone should perish.
You have gifts, ones that were placed in you from the time of your conception. Gifts perhaps you buried, rejected, turned away from, or misused. God loves to come along side you and teach you how to live life in the clear, without worry or distraction, side by side with him. He loves restoring your friendship and connection with him and delights in walking beside you in the garden he made to woo you. How cool is that! All it takes is for your heart to be open and your mouth to ask Christ to be in your life. You have to be willing to at least see that your life needs repentance, and that you want to turn from those ways, and that Jesus died for your sins, and that if you are set apart from Christ there is no hope in forgiveness, but that once you allow Christ into your life, he already paid the price to give you free access to him, if you wish. That includes every human that has breath, if you have breath you have life, and regardless of what you've done in your past, you can restore your life in Christ and be made whole. God never leaves you...not even while you are over your head drowning in sin.
1 Corinthians 1-9 The Message (MSG)
I, Paul, have been called and sent by Jesus, the Messiah, according to God’s plan, along with my friend Sosthenes. I send this letter to you in God’s church at Corinth, believers cleaned up by Jesus and set apart for a God-filled life. I include in my greeting all who call out to Jesus, wherever they live. He’s their Master as well as ours!
May all the gifts and benefits that come from God our Father, and the Master, Jesus Christ, be yours.
Every time I think of you—and I think of you often!—I thank God for your lives of free and open access to God, given by Jesus. There’s no end to what has happened in you—it’s beyond speech, beyond knowledge. The evidence of Christ has been clearly verified in your lives.
Just think—you don’t need a thing, you’ve got it all! All God’s gifts are right in front of you as you wait expectantly for our Master Jesus to arrive on the scene for the Finale. And not only that, but God himself is right alongside to keep you steady and on track until things are all wrapped up by Jesus. God, who got you started in this spiritual adventure, shares with us the life of his Son and our Master Jesus. He will never give up on you. Never forget that.
I like to read through Paul's letters to the churches. We are still the same as they were, just in a different time. History repeats itself and I love to learn from the ones that walked so closely to Christ. Paul was a Christian killer before he saw the light of Christ. We would have considered him "evil" similar to "Hitler". We like to think that we are "so evil" that God would never be able to use us. In reality, it isn't God that won't love us, it is all those people around us that we might have to admit we were "wrong". Pride... interesting thing. Don't worry though, most people will walk away from you while you are going through the process of letting God work on you. I didn't like it when people walked away from me, but God knows what he's doing when you are a new born Christian. God will pull distractions away from you so he can begin to reshape you, first, without distractions. Then, little by little, He will allow those distractions to return and will slowly and sometimes painfully retrain you how to deal with them in a God- like manner. Once Jesus begins cleaning you, be prepared, as he will also partner with you to help him reach others. God is not willing that anyone should perish.
You have gifts, ones that were placed in you from the time of your conception. Gifts perhaps you buried, rejected, turned away from, or misused. God loves to come along side you and teach you how to live life in the clear, without worry or distraction, side by side with him. He loves restoring your friendship and connection with him and delights in walking beside you in the garden he made to woo you. How cool is that! All it takes is for your heart to be open and your mouth to ask Christ to be in your life. You have to be willing to at least see that your life needs repentance, and that you want to turn from those ways, and that Jesus died for your sins, and that if you are set apart from Christ there is no hope in forgiveness, but that once you allow Christ into your life, he already paid the price to give you free access to him, if you wish. That includes every human that has breath, if you have breath you have life, and regardless of what you've done in your past, you can restore your life in Christ and be made whole. God never leaves you...not even while you are over your head drowning in sin.
1 Corinthians 1-9 The Message (MSG)
I, Paul, have been called and sent by Jesus, the Messiah, according to God’s plan, along with my friend Sosthenes. I send this letter to you in God’s church at Corinth, believers cleaned up by Jesus and set apart for a God-filled life. I include in my greeting all who call out to Jesus, wherever they live. He’s their Master as well as ours!
May all the gifts and benefits that come from God our Father, and the Master, Jesus Christ, be yours.
Every time I think of you—and I think of you often!—I thank God for your lives of free and open access to God, given by Jesus. There’s no end to what has happened in you—it’s beyond speech, beyond knowledge. The evidence of Christ has been clearly verified in your lives.
Just think—you don’t need a thing, you’ve got it all! All God’s gifts are right in front of you as you wait expectantly for our Master Jesus to arrive on the scene for the Finale. And not only that, but God himself is right alongside to keep you steady and on track until things are all wrapped up by Jesus. God, who got you started in this spiritual adventure, shares with us the life of his Son and our Master Jesus. He will never give up on you. Never forget that.
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