USE YOUR GOD GIVEN ABILITIES FOR HIS PURPOSE!

EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 7, 2019.

SUBJECT: USE YOUR GOD GIVEN ABILITIES FOR HIS PURPOSE

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Memory verse: ""He fashions their hearts individually; He considers all their works." (Psalm 33 vs 15.)

READ: Psalm 33 vs 11, 13 - 15; Ephesians 1 vs 11:

Psalm 33:11: The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations.

33:13: The Lord looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men.

33:14: From The Place of His dwelling He looks on all inhabitants of the earth; 

33:15: He fashions their hearts individually; He considers all their works.

Ephesians 1:11: In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will.

INTIMATION:

God is sovereign; He is in charge. He created all things including you and I for His purpose and plan. To serve His purpose, He gave us the talents and abilities to assist us serve. It is not for us, but for Him. After creating us, God was pleased, because He saw all He created as very good. He fashioned your intellect, gave you talents and abilities, and is very mindful how you utilize them. God especially enjoys watching us use the talents and abilities He has given us. He intentionally gave us different gifts for His purpose and enjoyment. He has made some athletic, some analytical, some extremely strong, some weak, and so on. You may be gifted at mechanics or mathematics or music, or a million other skills. All these abilities can bring a smile to God's face, and glory to Him when properly employed for His purpose.

God has designed and wired us in accordance with His will ordained from inception. God said to Jeremiah, “Before I formed you in your mother’s womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nation” (Jeremiah 1 vs 5). God has a purpose for each all His creations, especially for Christians, but some people are appointed by God foe specific kinds of work. We are called to do particular jobs for God, and He has given us talents and abilities accordingly. If God gives you a specific task, accept it cheerfully and do it with diligence. If God has not given you a specific call or assignment, then seek to fulfill the mission common to all believers—to love, obey, and serve God—until His guidance becomes more clear.

You don't bring glory or pleasure to Him by hiding your abilities or by trying to be someone else. You only bring Him enjoyment by being you. Anytime you reject any part of yourself, you are rejecting God's wisdom and sovereignty in creating you. The Scripture in Isaiah 45 vs 9 says, "Woe to him who strives with His Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth! Shall the clay say to him who forms it, ‘What are you making?’ Or, shall your handiwork say, ‘He has no hands.’?” 

The Creator has control over the created object. The created object, therefore, has no right to demand anything from its Creator—its very existence depends on Him. God has given you some abilities, and to others some abilities different from yours. Utilizing the abilities to please God is an act of worship. You can sing, write poems, repair machine, sell a product, write a computer program, do farming, teach, raise a family, preach the gospel, and so on, for the glory of God. Keeping this perspective removes any temptation to have pride in personal achievement. Any act of priding yourself in those abilities or talents dishonors God, and therefore sinful.

God looks at the attitude of your heart. Is pleasing Him your deepest desire? The Scripture in Psalm 14 vs 2 says, "The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any who understand, who seek God." The apostle Paul says to please God should be our utmost goal (Second Corinthians 5 vs 9). When you live in light of eternity, your focus changes from "How much pleasure am I getting out of life?" to "How much pleasure is God getting out of my life?

Will you make pleasing God your life's goal? There is nothing that God won't do for the person totally absorbed with this goal. God, by His grace, has freely given to us the gift of salvation and eternal life, but the free gift not withstanding, each of us will be judged by Christ. The judgement will reward us for how we have lived—how we have used God’s endowment for His purposes and plans. 

Prayer: Abba Father, engrace me to serve You diligently with the endowment You haven given me to Your glory, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!