Fulfilling Your Destiny

Over the next couple of months our youth group will be preparing for their third mission trip together. This year we are going into inner city Memphis, Tennessee. We will be ministering to children, youth, and adults who are in a much worse place than many of our students have ever seen. We are going to strive not only to meet these individuals’ physical needs, but their spiritual ones as well. With each sack lunch we hand out we want to tell someone about Jesus. With each hug, we want to show someone His love. With each service project we do we want to let people know that Jesus can meet their daily needs. In order to prepare for this emotionally and physically tasking environment, we require our youth and adults to participate in mission trip training sessions. Our first mission training session was yesterday.

During this time, we talked briefly about fulfilling the purpose for which God created us – our destiny. Did you know that man was created to glorify God? Well he was. This is our ultimate purpose and destiny. We are to bring glory to God. One way we do this is by telling other people about God and the greatness of God. It is not without reason that the Bible says, “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’” (Isa. 52:7). When we fulfill our destiny by bringing people the Good News we are beautiful! We bring joy and fulfillment and blessing. Not only do we bring these things to others but we receive these things as well!

Telling people about Christ isn’t easy. Sometimes it’s downright scary. Did God set us up to fail? No way! Thankfully, where God guides He also provides. Jeremiah, the youngest prophet in the Old Testament, felt this fear and uncertainty when God called him to go and tell the people of Israel what His will for them was. Jeremiah didn’t know what to do and he felt afraid that when he got there he would freeze and not know what to say. In Jeremiah 1:6 he says, “‘Ah, Sovereign LORD,’ I said, ‘I do not know how to speak; I am only a child.’” What I want to focus on is God’s response to Jeremiah. Listen and take this to heart because it is as true for us today as the day He spoke these words to Jeremiah.

“But the LORD said to me, ‘Do not say, 'I am only a child.' You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,’ declares the LORD. Then the LORD reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, ‘Now, I have put my words in your mouth.’” Jeremiah 1:7-9

God promised Jeremiah that He would be with him every step of the way and He gave Jeremiah the words to speak. So if you want to fulfill your destiny, all you have to do is take a step of faith and go tell someone about Jesus trusting that God will keep His promise to be with you and that He will give you the words to speak.

Go fulfill your destiny!

Designed with a Plan

Today we are throwing a baby shower for a girl at work. We are going to lunch at TGI Friday's and then she will open gifts while we all "ooh and aah" over the many things that she got. I actually really love baby showers and I know that we are going to have a lot of fun! The best part of all this is that I know the baby we are celebrating is extra special to this family because she is their miracle baby. This woman and her husband have given up on getting pregnant. They had been trying and trying for years and finally they just quit. Now a few years later, one day they just find out they are pregnant. They were so excited to have been blessed with this miracle. It was so much fun to watch this gal walk out of work holding baby clothes when she was only six weeks pregnant. It is amazing how a new life can change so much in so little time. It's also amazing just how much God cares about that little life. Jeremiah says, " The word of the LORD came to me, saying, 'Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.'" (1:4-5) I can't even fathom how amazing it is that before God even created us in our mother's womb He had a plan for our lives. Isn't it great to know that you DO have a purpose? You were designed with a plan in mind! Your life has a mission. It isn't just meaningless. God put you on this earth for a reason!

"This is what the LORD says— he who made you, who formed you in the womb, and who will help you: Do not be afraid, O Jacob, my servant, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen." Isaiah 44:2