Chapter 25
HIS PURPOSE FOR YOUR AIMLESSNESS
“For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
JEREMIAH 29:11 NIV
240 Minding God’s Business (1)
“Mind your own business!” You’ve heard it. You’ve said it. You’ve done it. There’s nothing wrong with minding your own business, is there?
Wouldn’t things run more smoothly if you were tolerant of everyone’s beliefs? Aren’t they just as valid as your own? Wouldn’t peace on earth increase if you did your own thing and let others do the same?
Whatever else it may be, this philosophy isn’t Christian. Christians who mind their own business are living, breathing contradictions.
Fully devoted disciples of Jesus consistently vote for God’s will, not their own. Why? Because minding your own business is far from praiseworthy.
It’s the essence of sin Isaiah described: “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; …” (Isaiah 53:6 NIV).
Aren’t you glad Jesus didn’t mind His own business? You’d be great white shark bait. You’d be helplessly tied hand and foot, inches from the snapping, gruesome jaws of eternal death if He had.
He came to seek and save what was lost (Luke 19:10). He pitied and loved you enough to become shark bait in your place. Your eternal destiny depends on His obedience.
The eternal destiny of others depends on your minding God’s business. “’ My food, said Jesus, is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work’” (John 4:34 NIV).”
His work is now your work. Jesus said, “’ As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world’” (John 17:18 NIV). Jesus sends you into the world, not to live for yourself but for Him.
This series focuses on three specific ways to mind God’s business. The lives of three men represent them.
We’ll consider how to encourage others as Barnabas did, follow Jesus as Timothy did, and disciple others as Paul did.
Would life be better or worse if all people minded their own business? Why?
Read Revelation 2.
241 Minding God’s Business (2)
Part of minding God’s business is being an encourager. Barnabas was a Jew born in Cyprus. He had relatives and land in Jerusalem. He sold the land and gave the proceeds to the apostles to benefit the community of believers.
He was like a spark that started a wildfire. His sacrificial example influenced others who influenced others. That unbroken chain of influence reaches today.
Your encouragement can lubricate the church’s machinery. It can make it hum as all its parts work together smoothly. Your words can elevate others’ spirits.
The church in Jerusalem sent Barnabas to Antioch. Gentiles were becoming believers there (Acts 11:22–24). Barnabas dumped an oxcart of encouragement on both the missionaries and converts.
Its sweet fragrance has lingered for 2000 years. As a result of Barnabas’ encouragement, they shared the gospel even more vigorously. The number of converts multiplied.
You lift others by believing in them and what they can accomplish for God. That assures them that they can be effective.
My belief in the athletes I’ve coached eventually became their belief in themselves. The principle applies equally in the spiritual realm.
Emphasize others’ strengths instead of their weaknesses. Focus on what they have going for them rather than their deficiencies. Such encouragement transforms “I can’t” thinking into “I can.”
Praise improvement and effort as much as goal attainment. Track and field coaches focus more on personal bests than winning.
Only one person can win. But everyone can improve. Improving is achievable when winning often isn’t.
Encourage and pray for your spiritual leaders. They battle frustration. They often feel like their efforts are fruitless and useless.
Give them pedal to the metal esteem (1 Thessalonians 5:13). Send them a note. Tell them how their ministry has blessed you.
That can motivate them more than you can imagine. The good you can do through encouragement, like the apples in a seed, you can’t calculate!
Encourage one of your spiritual leaders by communicating how that leader has blessed you. Read Revelation 3.
242 Minding God’s Business (3)
Part of minding God’s business is following Jesus. Jesus’ followers obey Him. They love one another. “To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "’ If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples’” (John 8:31 NIV).
The Jews to whom Jesus spoke believed what He said was true. But they didn’t yield to Him.
Those superficially attached to Jesus don’t do what He says. That’s a dangerous position—Judas Iscariot’s position. The first mark of being Jesus’ follower is you obey His teachings.
Second, you love other believers. “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (John 13:35 NIV). Love is an unconditional, sacrificial commitment to imperfect people. That brand of love sets you apart from others. It blooms in your heart through a supernatural connection to Jesus, its source.
If you’re a devoted disciple, Jesus thinks through your mind and loves with your heart.
He speaks through your voice and helps with your hands. Jesus is the needle and you the thread. He goes first, and you follow.
According to Aubrey Malphurs, many churches in the United States are unclear about the characteristics of a disciple. Few have spiritual leaders who are growing as disciples. Few are committed to making disciples.
The measure of the health of a church is what its members do with their faith in the world. Church health improves as personal spiritual growth continues.
The twelve learned to follow Jesus by living with Him for several years. Timothy learned to follow Jesus through one-on-one contact with Paul. Small groups build disciples best when devoted followers of Jesus lead them.
That’s what made the difference for me and countless others. A small group of graduate students lit our spiritual candles at Penn State University in 1974 at Blair Cook’s flame. The secret of discipleship is finding a flame and getting close to it.
Who is a spiritual leader you can get close to so you can become more like Jesus? Read Revelation 4.
243 Minding God’s Business (4)
Minding God’s business includes discipling others. The essence of Matthew 28:18–20 and 2 Timothy 2:2 is that the church is to make disciples.
The Apostle Paul poured his life into faithful, trustworthy people. They passed the faith on unchanged to us and generations still to come.
To Timothy, he wrote, “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others” (2 Timothy 2:2 NIV).
Since 2007, the Timothy Initiative has planted more than 229,000 small churches. Many of these churches are within the most unreached people groups on earth.
TTI teaches that disciples of Christ make disciples who make disciples. Churches should plant churches. Leaders should develop more leaders.
Their training materials equip people to make disciples without formal theological training (https://www.ttionline.org).
Disciple-making is not just for seminary graduates. Ordinary Christians all around the world are doing it.
Disciple-making can multiply your life incredibly. You can make more of a difference than you can imagine.
In 1956 a student at San Diego State shared the difference Jesus has made in his life as part of a speech class assignment. Over the four months of class, Buck saw the power of true discipleship.
Through daily campus contacts with fellow students, he eventually won fourteen speech classmates to Christ, including the professor. He began as scared to give the speech.
But he was aware the Lord was working through his weaknesses. He wasn’t a great speaker. Those who received Christ indicated that it was the combination of his class talks and the kind of life he lived each day.
By 1986, thirty years later, he’d tracked students he’d won and discipled. They’d in won and multiplied over one thousand others to follow Christ.
Many were on the mission field, pastors, and spiritual leaders. From fourteen to one thousand! It all started with a speech fearfully delivered.
Whom can you disciple by using “His Power for Your Weakness”?
Read Revelation 5.
244 The Christmas Light That Shines Forever
I was standing on a wooded shoreline on a cloudy summer evening. I was fishing in Glendale Lake.
I foolishly didn’t return to my vehicle until well after sunset. I had no flashlight or light source. That experience is my mental image of pitch blackness.
I couldn’t see the trees as I inched back to my vehicle. I waved my fishing rod slowly back and forth ahead of me. I felt my way little by little. Once beyond the grove of trees, I could see well enough to find the car.
In the moral realm, you’ve lived in deep darkness. We all have. You couldn’t understand spiritual truth or the world as it is.
Disobediently, foolishly, you replaced Jesus, the light of the world, with your dark agenda. Living in darkness is a futile, meaningless existence.
You were addicted to self-control while ironically in the grasp of the powers of this shadowy world. The spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms controlled you (Ephesians 6:12).
But the Christmas Light that shines forever has given you a living hope (1 Peter 1:3). Isaiah wrote, “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned” (Isaiah 9:2 NIV).
Jesus was born in Bethlehem to set you free from darkness’ merciless rule. He shines on you living in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide you into the path of peace (Luke 1:79).
Believing in Him sets you free--“I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness” (John 12:46 NIV).
He came to open your eyes and turn you from darkness to light, and from Satan’s power to God, to forgive your sins and give you a place among those sanctified by faith in Him (Acts 26:18). That’s His gift to you.
It’s wrapped with love and stained with His blood. After you receive it, your gift to Him is to leave the fruitless deeds of darkness behind you (Ephesians 5:11 NIV) to declare His praises who called you out of darkness into his wonderful, eternal light (1 Peter 2:9).
Specifically, how has Jesus brought light to your life? What will you do today to show your gratitude to Him? Read Revelation 6.
245 All-Out
I told her to go all out before the high school district competition started. I didn’t care if the discus landed outside the boundary lines. I urged her to go all out.
Throwing outside the boundary lines was a problem throughout the season. Fear of fouling often hindered her from throwing it all out.
She was ranked eleventh out of fourteen discus throwers who qualified for the district championship. She went all out on all six of her throws. She achieved her best-ever throw and finished fourth.
To accomplish God’s purpose, go all out for Jesus, like a runner willing to dive across the finish line. You can’t afford to worry that you’re living outside the lines of the world’s expectations.
You can’t let your goals distract you from God’s goals. Paul was all out to present every person fully mature in Christ (Colossians 1:28).
He wrote, “To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me” (Colossians 1:29 NIV). He dove for the finish line!
Your Coach gives you all-out instructions. “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,” (Colossians 3:23 NIV) and “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord” (Romans 12:11 NIV).
Be all out for Jesus. If necessary, dive for the finish line!
What will you do today to elevate your spiritual passion and enhance a pedal-to-the-metal attitude? Read Revelation 7.
246 Ultimate Investing
We invest in and photograph what we value. In the United States, we spend about $233,610 on each of our children by the age of 18.1 We take hundreds of pictures of them (more of the first than the rest).
We develop their academic, athletic, artistic, and musical abilities. We teach them how to relate to others.
We spend our time, money, and energy shaping their lives. That’s part of ultimate investing—investing in what will outlast you.
One of my brothers was a college professor. Two are dentists. Another was a guidance counselor and high school coach. I’m a retired pastor, high school coach, and writer.
Among us, we’ve touched the lives of millions of people. We’re my parents’ gifts to the world. You and your children are gifts to the world too.
Parents sacrifice for their children and that’s good because that’s what God does. Yet, ultimate investing is bigger than sacrificing for your family.
God loved you before you were part of His family. He invested in your temporal and eternal well-being. He sacrificed the life of His one and only Son (John 3:16) to make your life better now and forever. Belief in Jesus opens the door to that blessing.
You, in turn, are His gift to a love-starved world. He invites you to join His grand sacrificial mission of loving those who are, at best, semi-lovable people (just like you are!).
He gave His one and only Son to bless you. He also channels His love through His sons and daughters. Be an ultimate investor. Be His gift to the world!
How can you be an ultimate investor and God’s gift to the world today?
Read Revelation 8
247 Rear View Purpose
In college, I sought to win awards to make a name for myself. Here’s what I learned. Personal recognition was temporarily exciting. But it wasn’t very fulfilling a month later.
I also dreamed of making the USA Olympic track and field team. That wasn’t realistic, like the dreams of thousands of high school football players who want to play in the NFL.
The NFL Players Association calculates only one in five hundred will make it. Fewer than 1 out of 8,500 high school track athletes make the USA Olympic team.
Chasing my dreams didn’t deliver the satisfying benefits I imagined. Becoming a follower of Jesus did.
I changed my orientation from making a name for myself to serving others. Serving others is every believer’s purpose. There are countless ways to do it. How can you serve others best?
Identifying my specific purpose has been challenging. I’m guessing you could say the same. Have you discovered it yet?
God won’t define it as clearly as He did Paul’s purpose. “But the LORD said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel” (Acts 9:15 NIV). So, how do you find your purpose?
You discover it by looking back at past service and asking yourself These questions.
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What service has given you the most joy?
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In what service have others most often affirmed your contribution?
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What service has produced the best results?
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What service has been most fulfilling?
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In what service have you been most comfortable?
The answers to those questions point toward your purpose.
Read Revelation 9
248 Discover Your Purpose
Most human beings live and die without discovering their purpose. That’s because they don’t have a personal relationship with the God who assigns purpose. Discovering your purpose requires a devoted commitment to fulfilling God’s purposes.
Jesus came to earth to serve (Mark 10:45). He did good things for others. He said, "I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?" (John 10:32 NIV). Likewise, your purpose is to do good things for others.
“In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use. Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work” (2 Timothy 2:20–21 NIV).
John Wesley said, “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.”1
That’s your general purpose! That’s a practical way to love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:39).
Like Jesus, your purpose is to love and serve God and others. God prepares the way for you to do that. “For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose” (Philippians 2:13 NIV).
So, how do you discover the fine-tuned version of that good purpose for you? God has equipped you to serve Him and others uniquely.
Discovering it is a process. Let me suggest eleven practical questions to ask yourself to help you find your unique purpose.
· Passion – What do I want to do for God? What are my spiritual urges?
· Umbrella–How does my purpose fulfill God’s purposes?
· Resources–How can I best use my time, talents, finances, and energy to serve God and others?
· Personality–Why did God give me the personality I have? How can I use the characteristics and qualities He gave me most effectively?
· Opportunities–What divine opportunities is God giving me to serve others today? How can I maximize them?
· Skills–What can I do well? How can I use my skills to serve God and others?
· Education–How can God use my education to serve Him and others?
What is your unique purpose? Read Revelation 10.
249 Share Your Story
Torture, for a golfer, would be scoring a hole-in-one without being able to tell anyone! You naturally share the good news with others.
That’s not necessarily true in your spiritual life. You soon learn not everyone shares your excitement.
When you share the birth of a child, people might become envious. Or jealous. But rarely will they feel threatened or become angry.
That’s not true when you share the good news of what Jesus did for you. Some will rejoice with you. But most won’t.
Most people recognize that the message challenges their self-centered way of living. Yet, tell it you must if you love those who need to hear how they can be set free too.
Part of your purpose is to share your own spiritual story. I suggest trying to do that in about three minutes. My story illustrates.
“I didn’t value spiritual things much during my first 19 years. My body often sat on a church pew, but my mind thought about sports.
I rarely thought about God or prayed voluntarily. I never read the Bible on my own.
My purpose was to win the love and acceptance of others by excelling in sports and my studies. Achieving my goals brought only fleeting happiness.
The thought of dying scared me. A cloud of guilt hung over me. I believed in heaven. But I had no assurance I’d go there when I died.
In my church, I often heard that Jesus had died on the cross to pay the penalty for my moral and spiritual failures. I didn’t understand how that solved the problem.
I pictured it as a down payment on my passage to heaven. I thought I had to make regular payments through the good things I did. That didn’t fill me with confidence.
After hearing 1 John 5:11–12 quoted while in college, I understood I didn’t have to make any payments. Jesus had paid the penalty for my spiritual imperfections in full.
That evening in my dorm room, I trusted in Jesus’ sacrifice alone to give me the right standing with God. I invited Him into my life. That evening was a turning point.
Because God loved and accepted me as I was, I wanted to do what pleased Him. Love and gratitude gradually displaced fear as dominant motivators in my spiritual life.
When Jesus came into my life, He didn’t allow me to relate to God or others in the same old ways. For the first time, I felt a twinge of conscience after talking negatively about people who weren’t present.
He convinced me that my language needed attention. My words (& % @ #!) were a symptom of the anger and desire for control that swirled within me.
God’s love for and acceptance of me freed me to love and accept others. I developed a desire to serve others that I didn’t previously have.
I wanted to know Jesus better and help others know Him too. Working toward that goal has brought far more fulfillment than I’d known when I pursued and achieved my goals.”
Boldly and humbly sharing your story can be a turning point in others’ lives!
Think about and draft your own story by thinking about your life before you came to know Jesus, how you came to know Him, and the difference He has made in your life. Read Revelation 11.
250 The Validity of Testimony
You can’t prove Christianity’s truth using the scientific method. That’s like trying to eat tomato soup with a fork.
The scientific method can’t prove John Wilkes Booth assassinated Abraham Lincoln on April 14, 1865, while Lincoln attended a play at Ford’s Theatre. That’s because historical events aren’t repeatable. That doesn’t mean it didn’t occur.
You establish historical facts by weighing the testimonies of dependable witnesses. You use the methods of legal procedure.
Let’s assume ten people testify that they saw Sam Citizen shoot and kill Wesley Wallpaper. That puts Sam’s murderous behavior beyond a reasonable doubt.
Similarly, the changed lives of hundreds of millions of dependable witnesses confirm how God has transformed people through history.
A critic against all religious practices responded negatively to one of my blog posts. I sent my written testimony to him of how God has changed my life and given me a purpose. It takes about three minutes to read it.
The critic’s response: “Thanks for the typical looooooong winded and meaningless anecdotal story that proves absolutely nothing. A shame you couldn’t just provide actual evidence for your claims.”
That’s precisely what I did! I shared how God (whom that individual denies even exists) changed my life.
Consider the weight of the evidence of hundreds of millions of believers in Jesus whose lives He’s reconstructed. They point to the same objective reality as the reason—the resurrected Jesus Christ. He’s the basis of their subjective life changes.
It’s wise to pay attention when so many witnesses agree. One’s testimony isn’t a “meaningless anecdotal story that proves absolutely nothing.” Acts 22 records the Apostle Paul’s testimony.
To help you write your testimony, click:
https://www.christiangrowthresources.com/31-steps-toward-spiritual-maturity and go to p.190. Read Revelation 12.