July 24, 2022
“But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus, the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.” Acts 20:24
“We have freedom now because Christ made us free. So stand strong. Do not change and go back into the slavery of the law” Galatians 5:1
“Out of my distress, I called on the LORD; the LORD answered me and set me free.” Psalm 118:5
The Word of God is Exhaustive! Many have singled out one verse of Scripture as their life’s verse. One that speaks to their heart in various situations or a verse that seems to drive them toward their purpose!
Charles Spurgeon is one of my favorite historical writers and preachers had a life verse. During the early years of his ministry in London, the city was swept by a deadly Cholera epidemic and over 2000 people died in just the first week. Spurgeon became exhausted tending to the sick and dying as well as performing many funerals. Faced with the constant specter of death took its toll on the young Pastor sinking him into a state of depression. Returning home from a funeral he passed by an apothecary shop, and in the window was printed Psalms 91:9. At that moment he claimed the verse for himself as the dark cloud of depression was lifted off his soul.
What is your life’s verse? What gives your life purpose and direction? Have you asked yourself, why am I here? Does my life have purpose and meaning? Do the things I do really matter? God desires that His Children walk in Freedom and in Purpose! The freedom He purchased for us at Calvary. Trusting Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord put you in position to stand firm and Walk-in FREEDOM and PURPOSE! Being in that position does not mean you immediately have all the tools; it simply means that you have been freed from the bondage of sin and given the power to live for Christ and walk in your purpose.
Are You Walking in the freedom Christ has already provided for you? Unfortunately, very few people are Free to Walk in the Fullness of what God has planned for their lives One of the greatest travesties of life many people face today is desiring to walk in Freedom and Purpose while living broken lives, bearing the injuries and wounds of their past. God desires that you walk in Freedom and in Your Purpose! The freedom He purchased for you at Calvary.
We are living in a time like never before. There appear to be tragedies reported almost daily. We are faced with the unbelievable senseless loss of life and a tearing down of the foundation this country was built on. There also appears to be some degree of spiritual complicacy and desensitizing of sin that will cripple any society. I will give you the ‘cliff notes version,’ one day God is going to deliver us from it all.
In the midst of attempting to navigate life and remain balanced and productive, we must remember that God has a plan for each of us individually. We must be divinely focused to see beyond our present and glimpse the reality which may require sacrifice but always require belief in our divine potential.
Freedom Is Not Cheap. We are reminded every day that it is costly for nations! It is clear in
the Word of God, that our freedom from sin cost Jesus His life. It was for this very Freedom every person has been given the responsibility to make right choices in life. We must choose truth, reject lies, and forgive those who hurt us. God has not left us as orphans to fend for ourselves! He has given us the power of the Holy Spirit to walk in the freedom that is already ours in Christ. Galatians 5:1 “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free” The Law, while powerless to grant salvation or produce true freedom, nevertheless pointed the way to Jesus Christ!
Now that we are walking in the Freedom Christ has provided, we are divinely positioned to walk in our Purpose. When I think of purpose, I think of my life’s verse, in Acts 20:24 which says, “But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus, the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.” (NLT). My life is worth nothing unless I use it for doing the work assigned to me by the Lord Jesus-the work of telling others the good news about God’s wonderful kindness and love.
We don’t have to waste time trying to figure out our purpose, we can start by doing part of His purpose He has given to all of us as Believers in Christ and that is to bring His good news of salvation to all of God’s creation. Part of a Christian’s purpose in life includes taking part in fulfilling the great commission and building the Kingdom of God.
Another one of our purposes is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. We glorify God by fearing and obeying Him, keeping our eyes on our future home in heaven, and knowing Him intimately. We enjoy God by following His purpose for our lives, which enables us to experience true and lasting joy, the abundant life that He desires for us.
Another component of our purpose is to see life on this earth in perspective. I love reading about the life of Apostle Paul and how he was radically changed. Before putting his faith in Jesus, Paul was noted as a persecutor of Christians. All he had achieved religiously before meeting the risen Savior on the Damascus Road he eloquently described in the 3rd chapter of Philippians as garbage compared to the excellence of knowing Christ Jesus.
Part of our purpose in life is to become like Christ and to prepare for eternal glory. Our “calling” from God, as Christians, is to become like Christ as noted in Romans 8:29. This is a gradual, lifelong process that will be completed when we see Christ face to face. The Apostle John says in 1 John 3:2-3. “Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure.” (NLT) No, we aren’t perfect yet, but we’re moving in that direction as God works in us.
RX: A PURPOSE-DRIVEN 
HEART: The Apostle Paul said it best in his letter to the church at Philippi in Philippians chapter 3:6-10! I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault. I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake, I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake, I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake, I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead! (NLT)
FATHER GOD: Thank You for the opportunity to experience this great Salvation! Thank You for the illumination of Your Word that lets us know it is not only an event but a process of taking advantage of all that is afforded to us by our freedom in You! Thank you Father, in the Precious, Powerful and Preeminent Name of Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord, Amen