Tag Archives: Purpose

What is Your Purpose in Life?

01 Tuesday Dec 2020

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Have you ever wondered why you were born? Is there in a time in your life when you wanted to know why you exist? Each of us, we all have a specific purpose and a destiny that we are meant to fulfill. The fact that you and I are living in the timeline of history suggests that there is a purpose to our being.

If we look at the world around us, we can see the results of every day people, who yearn and even search for their specific purpose in life. The fact that there is a sense of restlessness that we feel when we are not being productive, it speaks to the desire that we all have to fulfill a purpose. It is not by happenstance, rather, it is a gift that God has given to each of us.

Psalm 57:2 (ESV) “I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me.”

Jeremiah 1:5 (ESV) “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

The two scriptures above points to at least two areas concerning the topic of purpose:

  • God has a purpose for your existence – The Psalmist David wrote in Psalm 57:2 that it is God who fulfilled His purpose for him. The Lord has designed you to take part in not merely existing but to use the gifts and talents that He has given to you for His glory and His purposes. One can think of this in the same way that an automaker designs and produces vehicles.

    Each manufacturer has a specific design and purpose for each vehicle that is produced. The manufacturer already knows the plans and actual functionality of each model vehicle. It is already built in by the manufacturer, which means that the vehicle already has the purpose and capability to operate as intended.

    It is the same with with you and I. God has already given us a purpose to fulfill, but we must tap into who God is, through having a relationship with Jesus Christ.

    When we know who God is, our reason for being is activated because we are then connected to the one who made us and who already knew us even before we were born. Without that connection, we are left trying to figure out why we exist, and we end up never coming to the realization of why we were made, and we are then unable to give God the glory through our functions.

  • God already knew you before you were born – In the scripture of Jeremiah 1:5, the Bible is clear when it points to the fact that even before we were born, God already knew us. This goes back to the example of a vehicle manufacturer. The plans are already in the mind of the manufacturer, even before the vehicle is made. It is the same with all of us. God knows who we are because He created us. Therefore, He has already endowed you with certain gifts, skills, and abilities even before you discover them. This also includes your purpose. 

So, how do you discover your purpose? The only way is to have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. If we as God’s creation do not take the opportunity to come to the knowledge of Christ and thereby becoming reconciled back to God, then we run the risk of forfeiting our actual destiny and purpose. Or, we end up claiming an identity that was never intended, which means we begin to operate outside of the scope of our original design. 

The way to have a relationship with God, is to first repent of one’s sins and acknowledge that Jesus Christ died on the Cross, was buried and resurrected again. John 14:6 says (NIV) “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Jesus is the only way to have a connection with God the Father. Do you know Jesus in the pardon of your sins? If not, this is a perfect opportunity to accept the sacrifice of Jesus. Once you do, you will begin the journey to discovering what your purpose in life is. 

Prayer – Understanding Its Purpose and Its Power

16 Friday Oct 2015

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People Praying WallpaperCommunication is the essential piece of life that provides stability within every civilization. As human beings, we are all social creatures which means that we communicate in order to be recognized and to gain an attachment to others. Sociology involves creating relationships with others, in addition to operating within a cultural norm with the intent to abide by a set of societal values. Part of such values is the incorporation of communicating and doing so effectively.

When one communicates well, they are able to express their thoughts and feelings which then means that those on the receiving end understand what is said. However, when there is a lack of communication or even poor communication between one or more individuals there is a loss in the relational aspect. For example, if you were to cease communicating with a family member or a friend then there is a loss in the relationship.

In the book of 1 Thessalonians chapter 5, verses 16-18 state the following:

(ESV) “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

The Apostle Paul was speaking to Christians in the church of Thessalonica in this particular chapter. Throughout the chapter, he admonishes Christians to be strong in the faith and to edify one another. In the verses above, however, Paul says that we as Christians are to ‘Rejoice always’ and ‘pray without ceasing’. Why does Paul tell us to pray without ceasing?

The Apostle Paul understood that prayer was and is essential to the life of every believer. To pray without ceasing in this context means to pray without a time-gap. It suggests that we who are in Christ must pray without an interval. This means that we are to pray regularly. When we pray consistently, we are making a connection to God in thanksgiving and also rejoicing in praise and in worship.

Prayer becomes a necessary part of the development of every Christian because prayer establishes the line of communication unto God. One of the main purposes of prayer is to create communication and ultimately a relationship between God and humanity. Paul concludes in verse 18 by saying that it is God’s will in Christ Jesus that we always rejoice, pray without ceasing and that we give thanks in all circumstances.

It is God’s will that you and I have a connection to God through prayer. Our world today is predicated upon seeing something to believe it. Many don’t believe in prayer because they don’t believe in God or His existence. So prayer to those in and of the world does not make sense. However, to the believer, it is prayer that builds our foundation in Christ. To understand why we should pray, we must understand the purpose at a deeper level. Here are a few considerations:

1. Prayer provides power – Aside from the relational aspect of prayer, it is power that is produced when we pray. In the passage of Luke chapter 18, Jesus teaches by giving a parable in verses 1-8. In this short passage, Jesus gives the parable of the persistent widow. The story involves a judge who is characterized as someone who did not fear God and did not have respect for humanity.

The judge was essentially a callous and cold-hearted individual who did not see the value of humanity or the importance of submitting to the authority of God. In this parable, there is also a woman who is seeking justice against someone who is her adversary.

Verse 3:

(ESV) “And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’”

In verse 3, this woman seeks justice from the judge but notice that the verse points to her persistence. Here is what happens in verses 5-6:

(ESV) “For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’””

The judge eventually concedes to this woman because she was so persistent. Here is the principle that Jesus wanted his listeners to grasp:

(ESV) “And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them?”

The point of this parable was to suggest that when you and I pray, it produces the power for our circumstances and even our surroundings to change. If we are consistently praying, God not only hears us but he will eventually see to it that what we have prayed for (as long as it is in His will) will occur in our lives. The power of prayer is based on our earnest desire to see God’s will accomplished in addition to reliance upon Him for a change.

2. Prayer ignites faith – When you and I choose to pray, we are essentially saying to God with our actions that we are trusting or relying upon Him for what we need or desire. Think of it in the sense of a Father and a Child. A child asks what they desire from their Father because they believe that their request will be answered. Even if the answer is not satisfactory, there is a belief that what is asked can be addressed. The reason is because there is hope and a factor of trust in the parent/child relationship.

God wants us to approach Him in the same manner. Prayer ignites our faith in God because it pushes us beyond what we see with our natural eyesight. The spiritual is made more evident when we enter into the realm of prayer and reliance upon God. Through faith, we then receive revelation and manifestation of what God has to offer to us. By approaching God in prayer, we are surrendering our position and acknowledging that God is supreme.

3. Prayer produces a weapon against the enemy – 2 Corinthians 10:4 says:

(ESV) “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.”

Since the weapons that we use to fight satan are not fleshly or in the natural sense, it then means that our weapons must be spiritual. One of the ways that we as Christians can battle against satan is through prayer. By praying to God, we are invoking our relationship with God to battle against our foes. There are many battles that we cannot fight in our flesh because these battles are spiritual.

Satan desires to confuse those in Christ by promoting the idea that we can fight a spiritual battle in our flesh. Prayer is one of the many weapons that we as Christians have to not only defend ourselves but to expose the enemy for who he is. God will reveal to you who the enemy is and how to combat his forces when you seek God for direction. It is through prayer that our battle can be won because we are seeking God who then fights for us.

The point of prayer isn’t merely to talk to God but to talk to God in an effort to build a relationship with Him. The other part of prayer is understanding that God then desires to talk back to you. Prayer involves a constant dialogue between God and humanity. It is through this exchange of words or information that our Spirit is fortified for life’s journey.

However, for prayer to be effective there must be an acknowledgment and acceptance of Jesus Christ. Do you know Jesus as your personal Lord & Savior? You can have a relationship with Jesus by praying and confessing your sins to Him. There must then be a belief in your heart that Jesus Christ died on the cross and rose again. To take advantage of prayer in its purpose and its power, there must be a relationship with Christ. Find out what God desires to provide through a relationship with Him. Seek God and allow prayer to be the means to change your life and the life of others.

What is the Purpose of the Body of Christ?

13 Thursday Aug 2015

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The human body is one of the many creations that God has given to us as a gift. If you look at the human body it is comprised of various organs that have specific purposes. Whether internally or externally, the human body is a creation that no one else can claim as its creator other than God Almighty. With the creation of the human body, there are body parts.

Each body part is designed to function in a specific role in the body as a whole. For example, the legs allow the body to move from one place to another. The arms of the body create the capability to reach objects in conjunction with each hand being used to grasp. Body parts such our ears and our eyes allow us to hear and to see what is within our surroundings.  Each body part is unique but when they are working in unison they accomplish the purpose of the body which is to function fully.

The very example of the human body is the imagery that the Apostle Paul uses in 1 Corinthians chapter 12 in verses 12-21. However, before Paul uses the analogy of the human body in reference to those in Christ, he talks about the spiritual gifts that reside within the body of Christ and the diversity of the various gifts.  In verses 4-7 Paul mentions the diversity or differences between the spiritual gifts that God has made available.

(NKJV) “There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:”  

In verses 8-11 Paul gives examples of the various spiritual gifts such as teaching, prophecy, the interpretation of tongues, discerning of spirits, and the gift of healing. Paul’s point is that within the body there are different spiritual gifts that exist. As the Apostle Paul continues in this chapter he then uses the analogy of the human body, however, before he begins he says the following in verses 12-14:

(NKJV) “For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.  For in fact the body is not one member but many.”

Paul’s point in these verses is that we who are in Christ are to be ‘one’ or unified regardless of what background we may come from. The key is that we are all baptized into one body which means that we are partakers of the Holy Spirit in oneness or unity.  The point of this chapter in 1 Corinthians is to encourage unity within the body of Christ despite the various differences. Paul then uses the example of the human body in verses 15-17:

(NKJV) “If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling?”

Verses 20-21:

(NKJV) “But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”

In a summary, Paul is basically making the point that the body of Christ should function in unity.  He uses the analogy of human body parts to state that there are different parts, but there is one purpose or goal which is to function together. Even if there are different functions or different members within the body of Christ they cannot say that they do not need each other. Rather, each part must function in harmony in order to achieve the purposes of God.

This then leads to the question, ‘What is the purpose of the body of Christ?’ There are at least three purposes that the body of Christ serves:

1. To enhance and nourish the lives of those in the body of Christ –

Ephesians 4: 11-12 says the following:

(NLT) “Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.”

Here the Apostle Paul makes reference to what is called the ‘Five-Fold Ministry.’ The Five -Fold Ministry is a collection of offices held within the body of Christ. These are offices that God has called some within the body of Christ to serve in their particular capacity. However, notice that Paul uses the word ‘gifts.’ Even with these five offices they are also considered to be gifts that God has given to some. Also, as it relates to the earlier passage in 1 Corinthians chapter 12, Paul names other gifts which God has made available to those who He has given them to.

The point is that one of the purposes of the body of Christ is to edify one another or to build up the church or the body of Christ. Edification is to institute a process of building a structure. In this case, the structure is that of the church or the body of Christ.  Our goal as Christians is to serve one another in love and with our deeds. This creates a process of spiritual edification and unity among brothers and sisters in Christ.

2. The body of Christ must reach out to those who are lost and living in sin – In Mark chapter 16 verse 15 Jesus tells His Disciples to spread the Gospel unto all nations. The Gospel is ‘The Good News’ which is the news of redemption through Jesus Christ.  The same command that Jesus gave to the Disciples is the same that applies to each person in Christ. We are not saved by grace to live within our own Christian sphere. We are saved so that we can be witnesses unto those who are in their sin.

The purpose of the body of Christ is to evangelize by spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The love of Christ spreads through you and I which means that if we are open and obedient to what God is calling us to do, we will be representatives of Christ in every area of our lives. Reaching out to those who are in darkness in addition to discipling others is what the Great Commission involves.

3. Model God’s love and His truth to a broken world – Those of us who are in Christ must be the example of God’s love and what His truth stands for. Not only must we love our neighbor as our self but we must take a stand against sinfulness by rejecting the lies of the world.  Standing for God’s truth means loving everything He loves and hating everything He hates. We must be the ‘Salt of the Earth’ as Matthew 5:13 declares. We can only do that by showing forth the power of the Holy Spirit in how we live. If God is love and if God represents a righteous truth which is His truth, then we should declare His words and walk in the same manner.

Overall the body of Christ must come together in order to show forth the true power of God within this Earth. Walking in a relationship with Christ is indeed a personal endeavor. However, the body must function together if we are going to serve these three purposes. So many within the body of Christ have become divided based on race, culture, denomination, and doctrine. For too long the body of Christ has been split for various reasons but God is calling us to come together to accomplish His will.

If you don’t know Jesus as your personal Lord & Savior then you won’t be able to fulfill the purposes of the body of Christ.  Join the body in reaching the lost by giving your heart to Jesus Christ. Accepting His sacrifice will change your life and you will become a part of The Great Commission and the body of Christ’s overall mission which is to glorify God in everything that we do.

“A Time Such as This” – You Were Born to Impact the World

31 Friday Jul 2015

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Human history has shown us various examples of what tragedy, change, and revolutions look like.  Throughout each generation that has passed there were instances of those who fought for a specific cause in order to produce change. World history records uprisings such as ‘The American Revolution’, ‘The Arab Spring’, and ‘Tiananmen Square’ as conflicts and protests that were sparked out of a dissatisfaction with the status quo. Basically, these revolutions among many others throughout history served as a reminder that where there is a cause there will be those who are willing to take a stand.

War and protests have occurred over many centuries because those who were courageous enough to fight understood the ramifications that their involvement would have on the world.  Each of the three uprisings named in addition to countless others changed the shape of our world the way that we see it today.  Even in our current view of the world, there are examples of revolts and those who are willing to actively pursue a stance against what they believe to be oppression and tyranny.

There is such an example of someone in the Bible who understood her role in standing up for what was right and her name was Esther. Esther was a woman who had a Jewish background who according to scripture would later save her people (the Jews) from annihilation. The book of Esther contains 10 chapters which account for the story of a woman who rose to prominence as the Queen who ruled with King Xerxes over Persia.

Before getting into the principles that can be extracted from the book of Esther, it is important to understand the historical background of who Esther was and how God used her to save an entire nation of people.

Starting with chapter 1 in the book of Esther, King Xerxes was married to Queen Vashti.  However, in verses 10-21 of this chapter, Vashti is deposed as Queen for the reasoning of her open obstinance in the face of King Xerxes. (Verse 12). As a result, she was removed as Queen and a replacement was sought. Moving forward to chapter 2, we are introduced to Esther.  She was adopted by a man named Mordecai who was also Jewish.  In this chapter, Esther along with many other beautiful women were brought before the King to be chosen as his next Queen.

It is important to note that Esther was told by Mordecai not to divulge her nationality, otherwise she would not be seen favorably by the King. Eventually, Esther was chosen by the King to be his Queen. In chapter 3 there is a pivotal point which will bring us to the principles for this particular blog post.

There was a man by the name of Haman who was promoted to one of the highest offices in the Kingdom.  However, in verses 1-3, we can see that Mordecai who is now employed by the King as a gatekeeper comes into contact with Haman. When Haman arrives, Mordecai does not bow down to Haman which was a sign of disrespect.  In verse 5 of this chapter, we see that one reason had to do with the fact that Mordecai had told others that he is a Jew.

As a result of this information, Haman becomes enraged and devises a plan to exterminate all of the Jews in addition to killing Mordecai.  In chapter 4 of Esther, Mordecai finds out that there is a decree to destroy all of the Jews who were under the reign of King Xerxes.  Mordecai then requests the help of Queen Esther, and they exchange responses through messengers that they send.

Mordecai believes that since Esther is the Queen, she can persuade the King to revoke the order of destroying the Jews. At the onset, Queen Esther is skeptical and does not think that she has a chance to even go before the king. Notice what Esther’s response is in verse 11:

(NLT) “All the king’s officials and even the people in the provinces know that anyone who appears before the king in his inner court without being invited is doomed to die unless the king holds out his gold scepter. And the king has not called for me to come to him for thirty days.”

However, look at Mordecai’s response:

Verses 13-14:

(NLT) “Don’t think for a moment that because you’re in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed.  If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?”

There are three things that we can take away from this particular passage:

1. God had a reason for establishing Esther as the Queen – In Mordecai’s plea to Esther, he poses the question of the possibility that God perhaps allowed her to become Queen in order to save the Jews from extermination. Mordecai even challenges Esther not to be silent about this problem because if she does, she and her family would lose their lives if they are found. The principle for you and I is that we were made to be impactful within our world.

The fact is that our world is growing worse and worse due to the increase of wickedness. However, God is searching and calling those who are willing to stand up against the enemy who is satan. All of us were made to do great things for God’s Kingdom, but we must be willing to forsake the ways of sin, and accept this tremendous call that God has placed on our lives. Even if you are not in Christ, God has a plan for your life and He wants to use you to accomplish His will. By accepting Jesus Christ, God’s purpose will be fulfilled in your life. Just like there was a looming tragedy in the time of Esther, today we are living in times that are quite troubling. However, God is calling those who will, to stand for His truth.

2. Esther was willing to face her initial fear – In verse 11 Esther tells Mordecai about the harsh reality of being killed if she or anyone were to appear before the King without being summoned first.  However, she accepts Mordecai’s request and appears before the King in chapter 5 in verses 1-2. Despite the risk of being killed for appearing before the King without permission, Esther realized that the cause was greater than her own life.

That is what we who are called by God must understand and that is, sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ and standing against what the world has deemed ‘acceptable’ is a greater cause than we could ever know.  If it means risking alienation, persecution, and even death then the cause of Jesus Christ must be what we stand for. Facing the challenges in a sinful society is what Christians are called to do, and we must do so without restraint.

3. The lives within the Jewish nation were saved – It was in part because of Esther’s willingness to face what seemed like a hopeless situation that in the end the Jews were saved.  However, if you look back at chapter 2 in verses 21-23, Mordecai hears about an assassination attempt against King Xerxes. As a result of this, Mordecai sends the information to Queen Esther and the assassination is thwarted.  Haman who was the individual who wanted to destroy all of the Jews and kill Mordecai is later found guilty by the King for wanting to eliminate ithe Jews and Haman is put to death for it.

Mordecai is later discovered by the King to be Jewish in addition to Queen Esther’s heritage being disclosed.  However, because of Mordecai’s loyalty to the King in thwarting an assassination attempt that a new decree was put into place to save every Jew from destruction. So, in essence, God used Esther through her willingness to stand up for the Jews, and God honored Mordecai for his dedication to the King.

The fact is, that when we are obedient unto God and when we allow Him to use us, lives can and will be saved through Christ.  We who are Christians have a tremendous opportunity to share the Gospel with the lost.  By standing firm and facing opposition, we are in a position to experience what it looks like for the lost to be saved.

Do you know Jesus as your Lord & Savior?  If you do not, you can be apart of the harvest which involves reaching those who are not in Christ.  Like Esther, God can use you to change a generation and the world around you.  God wants to use every person who is willing to bring the Good News to all nations.  Our world will only grow worse as sin abounds, but the hope that we have is in Jesus Christ.  You and I, we can impact the world for God.

Will You Answer God’s Call?

12 Friday Jun 2015

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ID-10047580Try to imagine yourself in this scenario:

Your telephone rings, and you see who it is that is calling – but you decide not to answer it. As you continue your daily routine, the same phone rings with the same caller.  Once again, you decide to ignore it because you are too preoccupied with other tasks in life. Just as you are drifting off to sleep for the night, your phone rings again and at this point you decide to turn your smartphone off because you can’t be disturbed as you fall asleep.  You feel annoyed, and  yet there is a tug in your heart because you recognize the caller, but your priorities are aligned around your own life instead of answering the call.

The truth is, there are millions every day who are called by God to accomplish His purposes, and yet His calling is ignored.  Whether it be due to a blatant rejection, deciding not to make the time to answer or being so engrossed in one’s own activities, there are many who do not answer the call of God. In Matthew 22, Jesus teaches by using the “Parable of the Wedding Feast.” In this parable, Jesus shows us an example of those who are invited to a wedding feast but they do not accept the invitation.

Verses 1-3 says:

(NIV) “Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.” 

As you can see, in the beginning of what Jesus was teaching, there was a refusal to come on behalf of those who were invited.  Notice what Jesus says as he continues:

Verses 4-5:

(NIV) “Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’ “But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business.”

So, in this parable, there are those who did not heed the call or the invitation because they were too busy.  However, in verses 4-5, there is the element of preparation that is offered to those invited.  Basically, the King’s servant was given the task to tell those invited that they would  be recipients of the various types of food to be consumed. Yet, those who were called to the wedding refused because they were too busy or nonchalant about the invitation.

This is how humanity has and continues to treat God.  Many are offered the opportunity to answer the call of salvation and even the call into His purposes, and yet they do not answer the call.  Jesus says in verse 14 of that passage, “For many are invited, but few are chosen.” This means that the invitation is to the masses, but yet there will be few that are selected based on their choice to heed the call.

One of the things that satan does not want you and I to come to the knowledge of is the plan and even the blessings that God has made available to us.  Just as the parable mentions, those who were invited had access to all of the food already prepared for them.  God has a plan for your life, and His plan is one that is good and not one of destruction.  He has already prepared your purpose and even the impact that you can have on others.

However, if we as humans decide to reject God’s calling, then we are unable to participate in the wonderful things that God has in store for us.  Another example of God’s calling is that of Samuel. In 1 Samuel chapter 3, there is an account of the calling of Samuel by God Himself.

In verse 1 it says, (NIV) “The boy Samuel ministered before the Lord under Eli. In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions.”  Verses 2-5 says,

“One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house of the Lord, where the ark of God was. Then the Lord called Samuel. Samuel answered, “Here I am.” And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down.”

In verses 6-9, the Lord calls Samuel 2 more times, in which in verse 10, Samuel finally responds to the calling.  It is important to note that Samuel was very young, and he had not yet known the Lord enough to recognize or accept God’s calling.  So, it suggests that sometimes a lack of spiritual maturity and the willingness to listen intently is also a reason why many do not accept the calling of God. However, with Samuel, he was under the guidance of Eli who showed him the essence of hearing the Lord’s voice. The story of Samuel is an important example of God’s calling because throughout Samuel’s life he was used as a prophet, a judge, and a priest.  He was used mightily to speak to the nation’s and to various leaders about God’s warnings and even sinfulness throughout the lands.

Just as Samuel accepted the call, you and I have an opportunity to accept the call of God upon our lives.  Truthfully, every human being is called by God to do something extraordinary in His Kingdom.  The first calling, however, is to be called out of the darkness as 1 Peter 2:9 says. There must be a separation between who we are in our sinful nature, and who we will be once we receive salvation through Jesus Christ.  Once we are called into the light, then we are called into the “Great Commission” as Matthew 28: 16-20 outlines.  The Great Commission involves reaching all of humanity for the sake of spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

It is also important to note that God also calls each individual for specialized purposes. This means that you and I have been given gifts that God can use to build His Kingdom and to reach those who are lost in their sin. Certain passions and gifting’s that you possess have been given on loan by God, for you to give glory unto God, and to enhance the lives of others. We aren’t just called out of our sin to exist, but we are called to make an impact in history and in this dark world.

If you haven’t accepted God’s calling either into salvation or your purpose, then you have an opportunity.  Everyday, God is calling, but it is up to each individual to answer.  He has so many things to show you and to do through your life.  However, you must answer the beckoning of God.  There won’t be any peace until you surrender and accept the call upon your life.  Will you answer God’s call?