Spring is in the air and soon enough, the chill of winter will be behind us as we move into the next season of the year. As we well know, seasons come and go bringing with them new expectations and promises of change. But these aren't the only seasons we experience in life, in fact, since the time we were first conceived in the heart and mind of our creator, our seasons in life began. And they will continue to fill our lives for eternity. Seeing life from an eternal perspective can make those seasons full and meaningful as we learn to live on purpose.
What is my purpose?
So many people go through life wondering what their purpose in life is. They ask the questions, "Why was I born? Who am I? What is my purpose?" Today, we want to dispel any doubt concerning your purpose by casting light onto the One Who created you for His purpose. The Word of God gives clear evidence that God is an eternal God and His purpose for each of us has an eternal significance. The word eternity means: infinite time or the state of existence outside of time. This means that our purpose is not just for this time on earth, it's for eternity. That's why it's imperative to begin to see our lives from an eternal perspective and only the Word of God, through the leading of the Holy Spirit can do that because eternity cannot be grasped by our minds but by our hearts! Take God's Word for it... Take a look at what God's Word says concerning our purpose: Ephesians 1:4, "Even as [in His love] He chose us [actually picked us out for Himself as His own] in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy (consecrated and set apart for Him) and blameless in His sight, even above reproach, before Him in love." Ephesians 2:10, "For we are God's [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live]." From the above scriptures, it's quite clear that our lives were never a mistake or afterthought. On the contrary, we were carefully, tastefully and painstakingly created by a God Who loves us fully, even from before we took our first breath, before, in
fact, the earth we live on existed. Two significant truths concerning our purpose... My favourite scripture by far, that refers to our eternal purpose is Ecclesiastes 3:11, "He also has planted eternity in men's hearts and minds [a divinely implanted sense of a purpose working through the ages which nothing under the sun but God alone can satisfy]" Two significant truths can be gleamed by this particular scripture: The fact that our purpose is eternal and that that purpose is a divinely (by God) implanted sense or instinct that God alone can satisfy. Once again, it's confirmed that our purpose is an instinct that is grasped by our hearts and not our minds. Look what Romans 1:19 says, "For the truth about God is known to them instinctively. God has put His knowledge in their hearts." So the question we should be asking ourselves is, "What is that instinctive purpose placed inside of us that can only be satisfied by God Himself?" Surely, if we know the answer to that question, we will know the answer to our eternal purpose. Paul lived on purpose... Probably the best example, outside of Jesus Christ, of someone who truly lived life on purpose with an eternal perspective would be the Apostle Paul. In studying his life and all he accomplished for the kingdom of God, Paul made some remarkable statements that give a perfectly clear description of what our instinctive, eternal purpose is: Philippians 3:7-8, "But whatever former things I had that might have been gains to me, I have come to consider as [one combined] loss for Christ's sake... V10,11, "[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection" After all that he had accomplished for the kingdom of God on this earth, Paul still placed the purpose of knowing God instinctively of greatest importance - in fact, he said that nothing he ever did compared to the importance of it. Paul explained that to Know God instinctively, is a process whereby we are continually transformed to experience life from God's perspective. A victorious perspective as believers seated with Christ in Heavenly places. Believers not overwhelmed by the circumstances of this natural world. He also understood that in knowing God instinctively, we would experience the power of His resurrection flow in and through our lives into the lives of others. In order for us to fully grasp our eternal purpose of knowing God instinctively, we must develop a relationship with The Word of God. In order for us to fully grasp our eternal purpose of knowing God instinctively, we must develop a relationship with The Word of God. When we receive the Word with the honour and joy it deserves in our lives, it dwells in us richly (Colossians 3:16). This causes us to be continuously mindful of God's perspective and keeps us instinctively connected to His Spirit. Can you imagine living this way? Full of the Living Word and instinctively connected to and controlled by the Spirit of God? This is how we live with the resurrection power of God flowing in and through us. This is how we live our eternal purpose.
Psalm 139:16, "Your eyes saw my unformed substance, and in Your book all the days [of my life] were written before ever they took shape, when as yet there was none of them. How precious and weighty also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them!"
Yes, furthermore, I count everything as loss compared to the possession of the priceless privilege (the overwhelming preciousness, the surpassing worth, and supreme advantage) of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord and of progressively becoming more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him [of perceiving and recognizing and understanding Him more fully and clearly]..."
