Purpose.... Why were you created? Why are you here?
“In every age, God has always had a people … a faithful and loyal people, the called and the chosen – and He still has a special people today.” Ken McFarland
God has chosen to reveal himself to those who rebel against him … who rebel against his word … his will … his plan … his purpose. How? He decided that he would demonstrate to them his character of love and rely on the magnitude of its’ power … the immenseness of its strength … the endurance … the vastness … the depth, height, width and breadth of that love to draw them back to himself … to reconcile them back to himself. God has a great purpose for you! He chose you to fulfill that purpose! God has entrusted to you blessings and promises greater than you can comprehend. However the blessings and promises of God are conditional. What does that mean? It means that if you obey God and fully rely on him “walking by faith and not by sight” … God will make you an astonishing marvel to all other nations of the earth. But you must live in and through his word, in order to receive these benefits
The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee. Jeremiah 31:3
If we choose not to live in and through his word, then we will suffer defeat and even captivity at the hands of our enemies (any negative thought or anything that keeps us from fulfilling our purpose). The soul is the place of the will and the seat where decisions are made. So what decisions must be made? We must decide …
God has a purpose … a plan for you life! Do you know what it is? How can you follow the plan and fulfill the purpose without knowing it? You are not here to fulfill your own will! You were created to bear his image … his likeness and to fulfill the purpose for which you were created by Him from the foundation of the world.
You are here to fulfill purpose! What is that purpose you ask … the purpose is to …
So, what is your purpose?
Your purpose is to:
St. John 17:3
The people of the world are worshiping false gods … the gods of selfishness … self-will and independence. They are to be turned from their false worship not by hearing denunciations of their idols, but by beholding something greater … something better. We must fulfill purpose by revealing God’s goodness to them. They must come to fully comprehend these passages …
I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. St. John 15:5
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Philippians 4:13
What happens when you don’t fulfill your purpose?
The world suffers … the world dies! How can we let that happen? Why do we let that happen? How do we let that happen?
We let it happen when we …
We must take …
As God is meek and lowly (humbled) in heart … so we must be also to manifest his image and likeness to the world.
As a result we receive …
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. Matthew 16:24-27
And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. Mark 8:34-38
And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away? For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels. Luke 9:23-26
The benefits we receive for fulfilling purpose is based solely on our
Scripture examples of Self-Denial:
Faith
The word "believeth" denotes the act and process of faith. It comes from the Greek verb pisteuo (GSN-4100) which occurs 248 times in the New Testament. This use of the present tense indicates that faith must be continued in to receive its benefits (Acts 14:22; Ephesians 6:16; Colossians 1:23; 2:5-7; 1st Thessalonians 5:8; 1st Timothy 2:15; 3:9; 6:12; 2nd Timothy 3:8; 4:7; Titus 1:13; Hebrews 10:23-38; 2nd Peter 1:5-10). It can be lost (St. Luke 8:13; 1st Timothy 1:19; 4:1; 5:8, 12; 6:10, 21; 2nd Timothy 2:18; 3:8; Jude 1:3; Revelations 2:13).
Faith means:
Note: If you would like more detailed information on the lessons presented, please feel free to contact us on our contact page.
God has chosen to reveal himself to those who rebel against him … who rebel against his word … his will … his plan … his purpose. How? He decided that he would demonstrate to them his character of love and rely on the magnitude of its’ power … the immenseness of its strength … the endurance … the vastness … the depth, height, width and breadth of that love to draw them back to himself … to reconcile them back to himself. God has a great purpose for you! He chose you to fulfill that purpose! God has entrusted to you blessings and promises greater than you can comprehend. However the blessings and promises of God are conditional. What does that mean? It means that if you obey God and fully rely on him “walking by faith and not by sight” … God will make you an astonishing marvel to all other nations of the earth. But you must live in and through his word, in order to receive these benefits
The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee. Jeremiah 31:3
If we choose not to live in and through his word, then we will suffer defeat and even captivity at the hands of our enemies (any negative thought or anything that keeps us from fulfilling our purpose). The soul is the place of the will and the seat where decisions are made. So what decisions must be made? We must decide …
- How loyal we are to God? How devoted are we to Him?
- How firmly we are on His side? How completely we agree (align) with Him?
- Will we stay true to Him even when others turn and walk away?
- Will we abide/dwell with him regardless of the cost?
God has a purpose … a plan for you life! Do you know what it is? How can you follow the plan and fulfill the purpose without knowing it? You are not here to fulfill your own will! You were created to bear his image … his likeness and to fulfill the purpose for which you were created by Him from the foundation of the world.
You are here to fulfill purpose! What is that purpose you ask … the purpose is to …
- Reveal the principles of the kingdom
- Produce fruit (the fruit of the spirit)
- Manifest His name (his nature to the world)
So, what is your purpose?
Your purpose is to:
- lift up God’s character of love in your own life, so that through your being a living example of His love, you will love the world back into right fellowship with Him
- impart God’s rich blessings to all people
- prepare the way of the Lord and make his paths straight
- bring light (understanding) to the world
- bring life eternal (knowledge of God)
- give you and others an opportunity to become acquainted... intimate with God and commune with Him
St. John 17:3
The people of the world are worshiping false gods … the gods of selfishness … self-will and independence. They are to be turned from their false worship not by hearing denunciations of their idols, but by beholding something greater … something better. We must fulfill purpose by revealing God’s goodness to them. They must come to fully comprehend these passages …
I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. St. John 15:5
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Philippians 4:13
- God’s goodness is something better.
- God’s character is something better
- God’s love is something better
What happens when you don’t fulfill your purpose?
The world suffers … the world dies! How can we let that happen? Why do we let that happen? How do we let that happen?
We let it happen when we …
- forget God and lose sight of the importance of the “high privilege” of being his representative on this earth
- forget that the blessings that we have received from Him are so that we can be a blessing to the world
- use our God given advantages for our own glorification
- rob God of the service he requires of us
- rob our fellow man of religious guidance and a holy example
- God has commanded for us to come to him … be one with him and fulfill purpose
- He has promised to provide rest our weariness
- He has promised strength to carry heavy loads … burdens
- He promised rest to all laboring, heavy-laden, soul-distressed and sick people
- God has commanded that we learn of him
We must take …
- The yoke of Christ (St. Matthew 11:29
- Up the cross daily (St. Luke 9:23)
- No thought for life (St. Matthew 6:25)
- No thought for rainment (St. Matthew 6:31)
- Communion (1st Corinthians 11:24)
- The whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:13)
- Heed to yourselves & How you give alms (St. Matthew 6:1-4)
- What you hear (St. Mark 4:24)
- How you hear (St. Luke 8:18)
- What you covet (St. Luke 12:15)
- How you forgive (St. Luke 17:1-4)
- How you overload yourselves in eating, drinking, and the cares of this life (St. Luke 21:34-36)
- How you feed and care for the church (Acts 20:28; Colossians 4:17)
- How you build on Christ (1st Corinthians 3:10-15; 2nd Corinthians 5:10; Romans 14:10)
- How you use your liberty (2nd Corinthians 8:9-13; Romans 14:1-15:3)
- Lest you fall (1st Corinthians 10:12-13
- Lest you destroy each other (Galatians 5:15; Ephesians 4:31-32)
- Lest you backslide (Hebrews 3:12)
- How you take suffering for your own faults (1st Peter 2:20-21)
- How you walk in light (2nd Peter 1:19; 1st John 1:7)
As God is meek and lowly (humbled) in heart … so we must be also to manifest his image and likeness to the world.
As a result we receive …
- Acquaintance with Christ and eternal life (St. Matthew 11:28; St. John 17:2-3)
- Relief from fatigue (St. Matthew 11:28)
- Relief from heavy burdens (St. Matthew 11:28)
- Soul rest forever (St. Matthew 11:28-29; Hebrews 4)
- Truth, wisdom, knowledge – learn of Me (St. Matthew 11:29; St. John 14:6; 1st Corinthians 1:30)
- An easy yoke or obligation (St. Matthew 11:29-30; Acts 15:10; Galatians 5:1)
- A light burden (St. Matthew 11:30; Psalm 55:22)
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. Matthew 16:24-27
And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. Mark 8:34-38
And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away? For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels. Luke 9:23-26
The benefits we receive for fulfilling purpose is based solely on our
- personally choosing to love the Lord with all our heart, all our soul and all our strength: And our neighbor as ourselves, and
- meeting the conditions for salvation as set forth in the scriptures.
- (Deuteronomy 6:5; 11:1, 13, 22;13:3; 19:9; 30:6,16,20; Joshua 22:5; 23:11; Psalm 31:23; 97:10; 116:1; St. Matthew 22:37; St. Mark 12:30; St. Luke 10:27; St. John 3:16; 1st Timothy 2:4; 2nd Peter 3:9; Revelation 22:17)
- Willingly and consistently following Him regardless of the price – even to death (St. Mark 8:35); not just when it is easy, convenient, and popular (St. Mark 8:34; St. Luke 9:62; St. John 7:17; 12:26; Hebrews 10:38-39; Revelation 22:17)
- Deny ourselves daily – renouncing all self-dependence, self-interests, self-pursuits; self-righteousness; selfishness … all of which are contrary to God and the fulfillment of purpose … being love; Self-denial is commanded (St. Matthew 5:29-30; 10:37-39; 16:24-25; 18:8-9; St. Mark 8:34; St. Luke 9:23; 14:26-33; Romans 6:16-23 [entire chapter]; Romans 8:1-13; 13:14; 14:19-22; 15:1-5; 1st Corinthians 9:27; 10:23-24; Galatians 5:16-26; Philippians 2:1-11; Colossians 3:1-10; Titus 2:12; Hebrews 13:13; 1st Peter 2:11-16; 4:1-2)
- Taking up the cross daily, not periodically, or when it is convenient and profitable – be willing to present yourself as a living sacrifice – willingly yielding your will to God’s will (St. Mark 8:34; St. Luke 9:23; Romans 6:11-13; 8:12-13; Colossians 1:23; 2:6-7; 3:5-10)
- Following Christ daily, not just for awhile; but follow daily to the end (St. Luke 8:13; St. John 10:26-28; Hebrews 3:6-14); Following Christ, not only at the beginning of your Christian experience, but daily and throughout your life (St. John 10:6, 27; St. Luke 9:23)
- Losing our lives for the cause of Christ, instead of trying to gain it without him or by denying him (St. Luke 9:24; St. Mark 8:35)
- Living free from the love of the world [the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life] (St. Luke 9:25; 1st John 2:15-17; James 4:4; St. John 15:18-19; 17:14-16; Romans 12:1-2)
- Living unashamed of Christ and His words (St. Luke 9:26; St. Mark 8:38)
- Believing God’s word; walking by faith and not by sight, which implies complete and continued obedience and dependence on God and his word (St. John 10:26; 6:47); Faith that saves is an ever-present active one; it cannot cease and still produce results (St. Luke 8:13; St. John 3:15; Romans 1:17; Galatians 2:20; 1st Timothy 1:19; 4:1; 5:8, 12; 6:12, 21; 2nd Timothy 2:11-13; Hebrews 3:6, 12-14; 4:11; 10:23-38; Jude 1:5; Revelation 2:13
Scripture examples of Self-Denial:
- 1. Abraham (Genesis 13:9; 22:1-12)
- 2. Moses (Hebrews 11:25; Numbers 16:15)
- 3. Samuel (1st Samuel 12:3-4)
- 4. Widow of Zarephath (1st Kings 17:8-16)
- 5. Esther (Esther 4:16)
- 6. Rechabites (Jeremiah 35:6-7)
- 7. Apostles (St. Matthew 4:20, 22; 9:9; 19:27; Acts 20:24; Philippians 3:7-8)
Faith
The word "believeth" denotes the act and process of faith. It comes from the Greek verb pisteuo (GSN-4100) which occurs 248 times in the New Testament. This use of the present tense indicates that faith must be continued in to receive its benefits (Acts 14:22; Ephesians 6:16; Colossians 1:23; 2:5-7; 1st Thessalonians 5:8; 1st Timothy 2:15; 3:9; 6:12; 2nd Timothy 3:8; 4:7; Titus 1:13; Hebrews 10:23-38; 2nd Peter 1:5-10). It can be lost (St. Luke 8:13; 1st Timothy 1:19; 4:1; 5:8, 12; 6:10, 21; 2nd Timothy 2:18; 3:8; Jude 1:3; Revelations 2:13).
Faith means:
- To be persuaded of (Romans 4:17-22; 8:38-39; 2nd Timothy 1:12)
- Place confidence in (Ephesians 3:12; Philippians 1:6; Hebrews 3:6,12-14;10:35; 1st John 3:21; 5:14)
- The substance or conviction of things hoped for, the assurance of things not seen (Hebrews 10:19-38; 11:1, 6; Romans 4:17; 8:24)
- Absolute dependence upon and reliance in the Word of God and of Christ (St. Matthew 8:8-10; 15:28; Romans 10:17; Hebrews 11:1-12:3)
- Full surrender, yieldedness, and obedience to all known truth (Romans 1:5; 16:26; 6:11-23; James 2:14-26; 2nd Corinthians 10:4-7; Hebrews 11:6)
- Trust wholly and unreservedly in the faithfulness of God (St. Matthew 6:25-34; 12:21; St. Luke 12:28-31; Ephesians 1:13; 1st Timothy 4:11; 6:17; 1st Corinthians 10:13)
- Give one's self over to a new way of life (Romans 1:17; 6:11-23; 8:1-16; 2nd Corinthians 10:4-7; Galatians 5:16-26; Colossians 3:5-10; Hebrews 12:1-15; Titus 2:11-14; 1st John 1:7; 2:6; 3:8-10; 4:17; 5:1-5,18)
- The attribute of God and restored faculty of man whereby both can bring into existence things that are unseen (Romans 4:17; Galatians 5:22; St. Matthew 17:20; 21:22; St. Mark 9:23; 11:22-24; St. Luke 17:6; Hebrews 11)
- The whole body of revealed truth (St. Luke 18:8; Jude 1:3; Romans 10:17; 1st Tim. 4:1, 6;.6:10; 2nd Timothy 3:16-17)
- Joyful faith in, and acceptance of Christ as the substitute for sin and our Savior whereby one receives salvation (St. Mark 16:16; Acts 4:12; 10:43; Romans 1:16; 3:24-31; Ephesians 2:8-9); access into grace (Romans 5:2); fulfillment of the promises (Hebrews 6:12); the Holy Spirit (Galatians 3:14); righteousness (Romans 4; 9:30, 32; 10:6; Philippians 3:9); sonship (Galatians 3:26); healing (James 5:14-16; 1st Peter 2:24); eternal life (St. John 3:15-18, 36; 5:24; 6:47); and answers to every prayer (St. Matthew 7:7-11; 21:21; St. Mark 11:22-24; St. Luke 18:1-8; St. John 14:12-15; 15:7,16).
- Hearing His voice, and being hearers and doers of His word (St. John 10:6, 27; James 1:22-27; 2:9-26)
- Claiming eternal life by word and deed, not just by association [as many of the Jews claimed in the bible because they were Abraham’s descendants] … in truth and reality with manifesting of the same (St. John 5:37-47; 8:54-55)
Note: If you would like more detailed information on the lessons presented, please feel free to contact us on our contact page.