[SPEAKER_00]: As we near the end of our week on grace, today we're going to explore how God's grace brings us purpose.
[SPEAKER_00]: As we begin, where do you need more purpose today?
[SPEAKER_00]: Where are you feeling aimless or lacking passion in life?
[SPEAKER_00]: May God fill us all with the deeper sense of purpose today and may our days be more fulfilling and more impactful as we experience God's grace right now.
[SPEAKER_00]: Welcome to the first 15 podcast.
[SPEAKER_00]: Our Scripture for today comes from 2 Timothy 1, verse 9, Scripture says, God saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works, but because of His own purpose and grace, which He gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began.
[SPEAKER_00]: One of the greatest gifts we've been given by God is purpose.
[SPEAKER_00]: From the time of Adam, God has always made clear the purposes we were created for.
[SPEAKER_00]: In Genesis 1-28, God says, Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.
[SPEAKER_00]: Throughout time, our purposes have changed, but God has made it clear that we all are to have lives that are valuable and effective.
[SPEAKER_00]: Have you lived days where you're simply going through the motions?
[SPEAKER_00]: Have you had days where you feel as if what you do doesn't matter?
[SPEAKER_00]: those days in my life are my absolute worst.
[SPEAKER_00]: I would rather go through trial and persecution with purpose than live a meaningless day.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's in purpose we find satisfaction.
[SPEAKER_00]: In purpose we find out our lives matter.
[SPEAKER_00]: And in purpose we discover the reason we were created.
[SPEAKER_00]: 2 Timothy 1 9 says, God saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works, but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began.
[SPEAKER_00]: My hope is that in looking at two purposes God has for your life, you will choose to live your life completely with and for your heavenly Father.
[SPEAKER_00]: And in doing so, you will discover the incredible joy and passion the Spirit longs to birth in you.
[SPEAKER_00]: The first purpose for which you are created is relationship with God.
[SPEAKER_00]: Jesus says in Mark 12 verse 30, and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.
[SPEAKER_00]: The Westminster Shorter Catechism says it this way.
[SPEAKER_00]: The chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever.
[SPEAKER_00]: Loving God is your highest calling.
[SPEAKER_00]: And in loving God, you will experience the fullest joy and satisfaction available.
[SPEAKER_00]: When you stand before God in judgment, he will not look for possessions, promotions, or social status, but rather at the fervor with which you love him.
[SPEAKER_00]: You'll be rewarded for acts of love, not self-seeking glorification.
[SPEAKER_00]: And this chief purpose of loving God is the only path to the abundant life he has in store for you here.
[SPEAKER_00]: The second purpose for which you were created is loving others in response to your love for God.
[SPEAKER_00]: Ephesians 5 verses 1 through 2 says, therefore be imitators of God as beloved children and walk in love as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us a fragrant offering in sacrifice to God.
[SPEAKER_00]: We are called to love others out of the amazing love we've been shown.
[SPEAKER_00]: As our hearts are filled with love for God through encountering Him in the secret place, we will be filled with the longing to see His desires for others around us come to fruition.
[SPEAKER_00]: God's greatest longing is for relationship with His crown of creation, and He wants to use us to guide others to Himself.
[SPEAKER_00]: In loving others, we will discover the incredible satisfaction of seeing the lost and hurting, be found and healed.
[SPEAKER_00]: Incredible passion and joy comes from seeing a life transformed through the spirit working in us.
[SPEAKER_00]: How incredible is the grace of our God that His purposes would be entirely rooted in love.
[SPEAKER_00]: We are called to simply love him and others with a very love we've been shown.
[SPEAKER_00]: He's like a father who gives his children money to buy him a present.
[SPEAKER_00]: He fills us with the love and enjoyment he feels for us and then in response we can love him and others.
[SPEAKER_00]: He fills you with the breath of life and then patiently waits for you to live your life as a beautiful song of worship to him.
[SPEAKER_00]: May you experience today, all that God's grace has afforded you.
[SPEAKER_00]: May you choose to live your life with purpose and passion that only comes from loving him and others.
[SPEAKER_00]: As we begin, meditate on God's desire to lead you to a life of abundant purpose.
[SPEAKER_00]: Second Timothy one nine says, God saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works, but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began.
[SPEAKER_00]: And next, reflect on your own life.
[SPEAKER_00]: Where have you been living with the purposes of the world rather than God?
[SPEAKER_00]: In what areas are you living for yourself rather than him and others?
[SPEAKER_00]: And in what areas of your life do you feel meaningless and passionless?
[SPEAKER_00]: In last, receive the rejuvenation that comes from living with his purposes as your chief goals.
[SPEAKER_00]: Allow God to revive relationships that seem tired and passionless.
[SPEAKER_00]: Allow God to fill you with desire for your work, friendships, or marriage.
[SPEAKER_00]: Ask for the spirit to reveal specific ways he desires to use you today.
[SPEAKER_00]: The passion and purpose God has for you never ceases.
[SPEAKER_00]: There will be days or seasons he leads you to rest for the purpose of renewing, loving and filling you.
[SPEAKER_00]: There will be times of work and striving in which he purposes to mold, shape, and use you.
[SPEAKER_00]: Wherever God is leading you today, trust that He absolutely has the best plan for you.
[SPEAKER_00]: Choose to live your life with His purposes in your heart, and experience the passion that can only be found in living for God.
[SPEAKER_00]: Thanks for listening to today's devotional.
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm Josh with 1st of team.
[SPEAKER_00]: As you go about your day today, try and recognize whenever you begin to feel purposeless and invite God into that space to remind you what really matters in life.
[SPEAKER_00]: My favorite practice in maintaining purpose throughout the day is simply to be present.
[SPEAKER_00]: I find that if I can soak up all that there is in this moment, it's far easier to sense my purpose than when I allow my mind to wander from distraction to distraction.
[SPEAKER_00]: May God grant us all a deeper level of purpose today.
[SPEAKER_00]: Have a wonderful rest of your day and may God bless you as you seek Him.