A Life With Purpose. On Fire!!
Another Warren, Rick Warren, (no relation)wrote a best-selling book entitled The Purpose Driven Life and when I read it I had lights coming on for me in my life. What Rick brought out in that book totally hit me in my wheelhouse and challenged me at my core. You see, God puts a God-given purpose in each of us who are born again. We are no longer just wandering around and bumping from experience to experience, or calendar event from calendar event, but we live a life that lines up with the purposes of God. In 1 Peter 2:9 the scripture says 9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; With no purpose we generally have no fuel for living the abundant life, no fire. In fact, a church with no understanding of its purpose will never be the vibrant on fire church God intends. This isn't just getting "pumped up" and charging with our own intentions. No, this is a Godly purpose that directs us at our core and this purpose drives our every move. I have seen God take people who are fearful, lazy, excuse ridden, and indifferent become people of purpose and it changes their lives. Talk about upsetting their apple cart. This change burns a fire that is inescapable and unyielding to any human excuse. It is a fire of PURPOSE!
It's easy to locate people who have been able to lessen the heat of that fire though because they gather excuses along the way that causes them to not only put our their fire, but the fire of everyone around them. They will find a reason for not serving God and use the Bible to do it. When God spoke to the prophet Jeremiah in 29:11 He said 11 For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for prosperity and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. That prophecy if full of good ole purpose and Godly direction and that is undeniable!! Prior to that verse God speaks to Jeremiah and the elders warning them to not put out the fire because God is speaking of His faithfulness to take care of His people and not just help them, but empower them, even in the difficult times they are going through. The hope of God moving and showing himself and His purposes was the shot in the arm the people needed. We live our life of purpose off of the "good" Word of the Lord and the full belief that He is empowering us to live that life of purpose that He burns in each heart of His believers.
In Proverbs 29:18 scripture says, Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained, But happy is one who keeps the Law. Vision comes from purpose and Godly Vision comes from Godly Purpose. If someone believes that God does not empower His people to serve Him with purpose, then that person has succeeded in shutting out God in a very vital area of their life, their heart. Our God stirs the hearts of His people and calls them to service and the hope of Him using us will stir up revival and awakening and that is what we need today. Get on fire and don't let anyone talk you out of serving our Great God with all of your heart and you will discover a purpose that never runs out. Keep the fire burning by living A Life With Purpose. On fire!!!
The Pilgrimage continues.....
David Warren