God may have a different purpose

Psalm 3:8 (ESV)

Salvation belongs to the Lord;

    your blessing be on your people!

Jesus told His disciples to go into the deep waters and let down their nets for fish. When they did, their nets were filled up with fish to the point of breaking. Being fishermen and businessmen, they may have been tempted to start doing business. I mean, think about how much they could make!

But God had a different purpose. The disciples' occupation as fishermen was just a vehicle for God to demonstrate His great power and love. He wasn't blessing them with fish so that they would get excited about fishing -- He was blessing them with fish so that they could get their eyes off their fishing and on to the greater call He had for them! Thankfully, they left the fishing business and went off with the Lord to do great and mighty things.

Too many of us are wrapped up in fish. We seek the Lord for His blessings, prosperity, and success. But true discipleship is focusing not on the blessings of the Lord, but on the Lord of the blessings!

We can rejoice in our blessings, but let's not dwell on them! Let's set our eyes on the Lord and the calling He has for us. When He sees that we have pure and willing hearts, He will be faithful to use us to accomplish His glorious plan!

Dear Lord, help us to rejoice in the blessings that we get but keep our focus on You.  In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

Are we to busy?

Matthew 15:8 (ESV)

This people honors me with their lips,

    but their heart is far from me;

Have you ever found yourself sitting in church, listening to the sermon, and suddenly your mind begins to drift? Or perhaps you are in the midst of singing praises to the Lord and you discover that your mind isn't focused on the words that your mouth is uttering? Or maybe it's during the service that your mind is suddenly bombarded by the myriads of things on your to-do list or the things you accomplished during the week. Meanwhile, you aren't hearing a word your pastor is saying!

This text hits home: "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me." (Matt 15:8) Aren't we often times filled with heartless lips? Our lips are singing to the glory of God, but our heart is far from what we are actually saying? Are we really giving God the glory or are we cherishing another illicit lover who prevents us from enjoying God's company?

Imagine a boyfriend (or a girlfriend) who tells you: "Whenever I am with you, I can't stop myself from thinking about this other cute guy (or attractive girl). For some reason I cannot concentrate on what you are telling me." Would you continue dating that person?

This kind of double-mindedness can get worse! Imagine it invading the core of our relationship with God. What would happen then? James is quite clear about this: "When he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does." (James 1:6-8 NIV )

Ouch! That sure hurts! Is it possible that our double-mindedness keeps us from experiencing God fully in our lives? Is it possible that our prayers are not answered because we are too busy thinking about something other than God's promises? Has doubt crept up in our souls because we let our hectic circumstances dictate our life? Has stress overrun our faith?

Dear Lord, Help our attention remain on You. Help our thoughts not wonder when You are talking to us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

What is your purpose?

Luke 4:43 (ESV)

But he said to them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.”

What is our purpose for living on planet earth? Is it for working, eating, sleeping, and from time to time, having some fun, whatever this means to us. Are we truly fulfilled?

Or were we created for more?

I wonder what it means to walk in Jesus' footsteps.

It's true that we tend to focus on ourselves, but what do we do about others, especially when they feel dejected, abandoned, with no hint of hope? Too often we act according to this parable that is circulating on the African continent:

One day Jesus asked each one of his disciples to pick up a stone to carry for Him. Naturally, John picked up the largest stone he could find. Peter, however, had a different perspective on this. He picked up the smallest pebble he could find.

Jesus led them to a mountaintop. Once there, the stones were transformed into bread. Jesus encouraged them to eat what they had been carrying. John had plenty, but Peter was left hungry. He eyed John with pitiful eyes. John didn't hesitate to share his good fortune with his friend.

Had the disciples learned anything that day? Let's find out.

Many weeks later. Jesus asked again his disciples to carry a stone for Him. This time, though, He led them to the River Jordan, and this time, He asked them to cast their stone into the river. Every one of His disciples looked befuddled. What was the meaning of this? These stones were quite heavy, and I am certain you can guess who picked up the biggest one this time. Now each one of them had no choice but to throw their stone into the river Jordan and see it sink out of sight.

The one who had carried the largest stone couldn't help but ask: "Why?"

Jesus turned to him and his fellow disciples and looked them each straight in the eye: "Who did you carry the stone for?"

Why are we followers of the Most High? Who are we serving?

Once we realize that, we will have a better idea what the Kingdom of Heaven truly means.

Now this question still remains: Who do you do this for?

Dear Lord, help us remember why we do things. Help our focus be on doing things for You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Are we truly alive or are we dead?

Ephesians 5:14 (ESV)

For anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,

“Awake, O sleeper,

    and arise from the dead,

and Christ will shine on you.”

The advancements of technology are amazing. What was once impossible is now possible. Like the invention of suspension bridges that can withstand more weight than conventional bridges.

But then again, not everything that is built lasts. Take, for example, one of the first suspension bridges ever built in America. It was built in 1856 over the Montmorency Falls near Quebec City. It was the pride of Canada. A beauty in conception!

5 days later it collapsed, taking its bridge keeper, his wife and a bridge visitor for the ride of their lives. The engineer didn't fare that well either, when he was indicted for criminal negligence.

A more recent bridge, Bridge 9340, that spans the Mississippi River in Minneapolis, used to carry 140,000 vehicles daily, making it the fifth busiest bridge in Minnesota. On August 1, 2007, during the worst possible time of the day, rush hour, it collapsed, killing thirteen people and injuring 145 others. The cause? A design flaw!

We could name numerous other disasters of technical wonders that never lasted long enough to fulfill their intended uses. One thing they had all in common: they were all flawed with flaws indiscernible to the eye!

One day we, too, may realize that we are left wanting. In fact the New Testament urges us to "wake up!" as more often than not we forget our true purpose in life.

As Christians, our reputation is that we are truly alive. Didn't Jesus say "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." (John 10:10 NIV)? We are the ones who are called "alive" and who are to bring that "full" life to others. However are we truly "alive"?

How many times don't we sing worship songs with frowns permanently etched into our faces, with our thoughts geared towards the mundane? How often don't we go to church wishing it was over before it even starts, or perhaps we don't attend at all? How many times are we eager to open God's Word to hear directly from the One who is called the Lover of our soul? How frequently do we communicate with the One we call Lord and Saviour? Do we share that jubilant life with those we call "our friends"?

Are we truly alive or are we dead? Who wants to dream their life away? Maybe it is time to wake up!

The apostle Paul urges us to: "Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." (Eph 5:14 NIV)

The only way we can truly experience real living is if we wake up from our stupor and let Jesus be the One who shines through us. He is the One who gives true purpose in our lives.

"Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil." (Eph 5:15-16 NIV)

We, too, are wonderfully made, but we, too, can become flawed if we don't let Jesus change us from zombies into creatures of light. We, too, can crumble under the weight of those who trust us, unless we let Jesus be our energy.

We were meant to be alive, not to crumble into everlasting sleep!

Dear Lord, help us instead of discouraging others to encourage them to shine! May we become fully alive according to Your purpose. May we soar above the clouds so that others will see that we are a follower of You. In Jesus' name. Amen.

How are you letting God use you today?

Proverbs 16:3 (ESV)

Commit your work to the Lord,

    and your plans will be established.

Here is a story of one person's search for a mission, the story of Johnny the bagger. Johnny works at a grocery store. One day he went to a training event led by a speaker named Barbara Glanz. She was talking to three thousand frontline workers for a supermarket chain-truck drivers, cashiers, and stockers.

Barbara was speaking on how people can make a difference. She described how every interaction with another person is a chance to create a memory, to bless someone's life. She talked about how important it is to look for those moments. She placed on the walls, as she always does when she speaks, posters with inspiring sayings. She told some stories and then went home, but she left her phone number behind. She invited the people at the conference to give her a call if they wanted to talk more about something she said.

About a month later, Barbara received a call from one of the people at that session, a nineteen-year-old bagger named Johnny. Johnny proudly informed her that he had Down syndrome, and then he told her his story.

"Barbara, I liked what you talked about. But I didn't think I could do anything special for our customers. After all, I'm just a bagger." Then he had an idea: he decided that every night when he came home from work, he would find a "thought for the day" for his next shift. It would be something positive, some reminder of how good it was to be alive, or how much people matter, or how many gifts we are surrounded by. If he couldn't find one, he would make one up.

Every night his dad would help him enter the saying six times on a page on the computer; then Johnny would print fifty pages. He would take out a pair of scissors and carefully cut three hundred copies and sign every one.

Johnny put the stack of pages next to him while he worked. Each time he finished bagging someone's groceries, he would put his saying on top of the last bag. Then he would stop what he was doing; look the person straight in the eye, and say, "I've put a great saying in your bag. I hope it helps you have a good day. Thanks for coming here."

A month later, the store manager called Barbara. "Barbara, you won't believe what's happened here. I was making my rounds, and when I got up to the cashiers, the line at Johnny's checkout was three times longer than anyone else's. It went all the way down the frozen food aisle."

The manager got on the loudspeaker to get more checkout lines open, but he couldn't get any of the customers to move. They said, "That's okay. We'll wait. We want to be in Johnny's line." One woman came up to him and grabbed his hand, saying, "I used to shop in your store once a week. Now I come in every time I go by-I want to get Johnny's thought for the day." Johnny is doing more than filling bags with groceries; he is filling lives with hope.

There is a reason Johnny's lines are three times longer than anyone else's. Our souls need to be fed, just as our bodies do. Bodies are fed by protein and carbs; souls are fed by words.

What people need from us the most is not more information. They just need words that will feed their souls. Sometimes words as simple as "thank you" or "I hope you have a really good day" can feed a soul.

Of course, what makes the words on the paper mean so much is who they come from. Words alone can come from a fortune cookie.

When people get them from Johnny, they are reminded of the beauty of one person forgetting his own limitations and seeking to make his life a blessing to someone else. Whatever burdens Johnny carries make his gift that much brighter.

Know who the most important person in the store is? Johnny the bagger.

A few months later, the manager called Barbara once again to tell her Johnny was transforming the whole store. He told her that when the floral department had a broken flower or unused corsage, they used to throw it away. Now they go out in the aisles, find an elderly woman or a little girl, and pin it on her. The butchers started putting ribbons on the cuts of meat they wrap up for customers. The people who make their shopping carts are trying to make carts with wheels that actually work.

Just as the people of that grocery store will be blessed through Johnny. If it can happen in a grocery store, it can happen anywhere.

You can be a Johnny the bagger. What Johnny does isn't slick, complicated, or calculated. He is just a bagger expressing his heart. You can help make that happen wherever you are.

Dear Lord, Help us be the one to make a difference for someone today. No matter what we think are our limitations helps us to use what You gave us to bless someone today. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Running on empty

Job 42:2 (ESV)

 “I know that you can do all things,

    and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.

"I've been running on empty," the man said.

"Not possible," his daughter corrected him.

"Sure it is," he replied. "I am simply going through the motions."

"Something's keeping you going. You can't go through the motions without the energy to do so," she responded.

"I just don't care. I just have no interest in life."

They sat quietly for a few moments just looking out at the world around them.

"Apparently life has interest in you," the young woman said softly.

He looked at her without saying a word, his eyes blinking periodically as they filled with tears.

"You're just like her," he said.

She turns her head toward him and says, "That's a good thing. She's just what you need."

A small bird flutters in from the nearby tree landing in front of them.

"Can you imagine if birds felt the same way?" She asked.

"What?"

"Birds. Imagine if birds woke up and said, "I don't feel like flying today. I just don't feel like being a bird."

"That's silly," he said.

"It's silly that you don't feel like living, too. What right do you have to decide that?"

Shaking his head and flailing his hands about, he struggled for a response.

"Look, Mom's gone. The same God who called her home is responsible for you remaining here. You're not "running on empty," you're running on His will, His time, His reason for ever having created you. There's still life left in you and you're wasting it," she said.

"You are just like her," he said. Then as he stood up he added,

"Thank God."

"And you're just like Him. Live up to it."

No one runs on empty who has God in their life. If you are feeling uninspired, without a purpose or direction, take time to reconnect to the Source. God is ever present even when you feel alone. God is never ending even when you think you have come to a dead end. Simply call on Him and listen. He will always respond.

It may not be what you want to hear but it will always be what you need. He is the source of your joy and the resource for your emptiness.

Dear Lord, thank You that we can all upon You and You will hear us. Help us when we fill like we are on empty remember that You are there to fill us and that You have a purpose for us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Still has a purpose even though damaged.

Psalm 147:3 (ESV)

He heals the brokenhearted

    and binds up their wounds.

"What do you do with all the junk?" He asked as he walked down the hill.

"What you see as junk, I see as possible treasure," his friend replied.

"You call all that treasure?" He asked.

"Only when I see it as something else, something new."

I've been working in my back yard the last few weeks.

It's part of a "keep myself busy" plan. Since the economy is flat and speaking engagements few, I try to keep myself busy doing things that need doing around the house.

He continued, I am self-employed. Well, unemployed. No, self reliant, independent, and sometimes bored.

So, the yard and the shed need attention. Next week is clean up week in my community, so we get to haul all the things we no longer need to the dumpsters outside the township building.

There was, indeed, a hidden treasure in this pile of throw aways. It was during my digging phase that I found it.

My wife decided she wanted to expand a section of the rock garden in the corner of the yard.

While cleaning up I found this tiny bottle. It's about two inches high and a half inch thick. It looks like it had a cork in the top, but I am thinking perhaps a glass stopper. Like one in a perfume bottle.

Of course, my mind begins to play with all kinds of possibilities. I wondered who it belonged to, where it came from, was it a gift from a young man to his sweetheart?

I showed it to my neighbor and challenged him with the idea.

"It's junk! Look, there's a piece broken on the top. I'd toss it out," he concluded.

Not me. It's still useful. I know every time I see it my mind will dance. I like seeing it as a gift. Not only the imagined one from a guy to his girl, but the gift I was given just because I found it.

It can still hold something. I'll find a small cork and add a little colored water to it.

When I hold it I will imagine the hand that tossed it aside.

Junk? Just because it's slightly damaged doesn't mean it has lost its purpose.

Like each of us. We’ve been damaged, broken, chipped and after all that we still have a purpose. God picked us up out of the trash pile, dusted us off and found something new we could do many times.

So, next time you pass by a lost soul, beaten down and damaged, tossed aside and seen as junk by others, remember, that is God's vessel.

In the right hands, even a broken bottle is a treasure.

Dear Lord, thank You that each of us is a treasure. Help us not look down on those we come into contact with each day. Help us to see their value. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Are you fulfilling your purpose?

Matthew 25:11-12 (ESV)

11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’

Stopping at a gas station, the new compact Tourer Vision B Mercedes Benz noticed one of his colleagues: "Hey SL65AM6. Long time no see!" he exclaimed to his new found company member.

"Who are you?" asked the sleek car with disgust.

"I am the new model that just came out." replied Vision B.

"New model? Ha. They must have been desperate! You don't look like any Mercedes Benz I know." Shouted SL65.

"I may not look much to you, but I am as fast as any other Mercedes Benz!" defended the Vision B.

"Fast! How could it be? Do you have an AMG-built twin-turbocharged 6.0L 36 valve V-12 engine? Do you boast 604 hp at 5100rpm? Is your cost 179 720 US dollars?" boasted SL65.

"You are talking Chinese to me," answered Vision B. "I don't know any of that stuff, except that my base cost is 13 000$!"

"13 000$!" insulted the SL65. "What a joke. You must be junk, a worthless garbage scrap!"

"I am no such a thing and I can prove it!" replied the small car.

"Oh yeah! How?" sneered the luxurious sedan.

"Our Mercedes car convention in Atlanta is tomorrow at noon. You know how they insisted to be on time. I bet you I can reach it on time!" the little sputnik dared to reply.

"At noon! You believe you little nothing can drive 900 miles in 14 hours! Ha!" mocked the SL65. "I want to see that. In fact I am accepting your bet and will show you that I can reach that convention before you!"

"The deal is on!" agreed the little nothing.

Off went the SL65, sneering at the little car: "Don't forget to fill your car with gas!"

"Oh I forgot!"

Soon, both cars were on their way to their destination. Vision B was oblivious to his surroundings and was concentrating solely on his destination. SL165 kept on laughing at the thought of that little "garbage truck" even reaching Atlanta. "How ridiculous and impossible!" He kept on looking at and enjoying his surroundings, the attractions of life grabbing his attention.

"Wow! A car wash resort! I must keep on shining to look beautiful and attract other cars to look at me"

And off the road he went. As he reached the car wash, he noticed that one of his wheels was not turning as smoothly as before. A nail had embedded itself in his right front wheel and the attendant had to fix it before he could be back on his way.

"It's all the fault of those negligent people!" exclaimed the proud SL65. "Can't construction workers clean their own mess? I lost time because of this. But why should I worry? Don't I have the most powerful engine in the world?"

Meanwhile, little sputnik was happily trotting along, unaware of his competitor's foes.

As the luxurious sedan approached one of the mega cities of America, he didn't notice that the car in front of him had to brake due to some construction work on the road.

BANGGG! CLANNGGG! The SL65 slammed right into that hapless car. From the looks of it, it was totaled. However the speedy Sedan had just a crumbled front fender and his front right side was a bit bend.

"How dare you stop like this in front of me!" shouted the SL65. "Don't you know who I am?"

"But look what you have done. I can't even move any longer!" replied the devastated vehicle.

"Deserves you right. It's your fault entirely. You should be more attentive on the road. Off I must go!"

"But what about the police and the insurance?" exclaimed the hapless car.

"That's your problem, not mine!" sneered the luxury sedan. "Being the most powerful and best built car in the world, I don't have to worry about trivialities like these!" Not knowing where his competitor was, the SL65 started to laugh. He figured it was broken down somewhere, maybe even in a pit! "Ha-ha. I bet you it is at least 200 miles behind me!" he though happily. "But what do I smell? What is that yellow stuff I am leaving behind? I am leaking gas! Oh no! That snot of a car caused me to have a gas leak. I have no time for this! But wait... I do have some chewing gum. If I find the leak I can patch it with chewing gum. Yeah. Good idea! Chewing gum will fix my problem in no time!"

The beautiful sedan with a crumbled front fender, his bend front right side, his repaired right front wheel and his leaky gas tank stopped on the side of the road and started his inspection. It took him longer than foreseen, but he eventually found the leak, It was a bit larger than he thought, but at least his chewing gums (he needed more than one) covered most of the leak. As he went back on the highway, proud of his achievements, he still noticed some yellow residue falling from his car, but it was quite less than before, so why worry about it?

"I bet the slummy competitor is far worse off than myself. Ha-ha. I can imagine it to be already completely totaled! How can a little snot like him even get through the mega city I just went through? Ha-ha, its burial will be his destiny!"

He happily continued on his way. Nothing special happened until eight o'clock in the morning (most business are closed after 9 p.m. and SL65 are not attracted by trees and bees!). Although he had stopped several times for gas, he had neglected to check his gas gauge lately and the leak had become stronger than before. While bypassing a commoner, he all of a sudden ran out of gas and although he was puttering somewhat ahead, the truck behind him hadn't noticed his slowing down and hit him head on in the back.

CLAMMMM!!! BANGGGG!

"Ouch! How dare you collide with me? Who gave you permission?" complained the luxury sedan. The truck had hardly a scratch. However the SL65 had received the brunt of the collision, and his car seemed to have shortened by at least a third. It seemed he could only limp slowly ahead. He refused to wait for the police.

"I am a SL65. Laws don't concern me! I have a bet to fulfill. You just go away and deal with your own problems."

He couldn't bypass the 20 miles an hour and decided to stop at the next available garage. He settled for a quick fix. He didn't mind to be a bit shorter. He only wanted to make the Mercedes convention on time. The mechanic was able to bend some of his sides on the back and replace one of his back tires. He wanted to replace his gas tank as well, but as it required several hours of service, the SL65 refused.

"I need to be on my way!" he shouted and off he went.

Noon was fast approaching and he still had 100 miles to go. He would be late by at least 45 minutes. However road construction took a toll on his time and he eventually arrived at the convention at 1:28 p.m. As he was approaching the gate, he noticed that he had lost his front emblem made especially for him by Mercedes Benz.

"It must have happened at the garage, but who cares. I am only 1 hour and 28 minutes late!" he exclaimed.

However to his dismay the gatekeeper would not let him through.

"Who are you? I don't recognize you!" said the gatekeeper.

"Out of the way you idiot. I am an SL65. I am a Mercedes Benz!" replied the arrogant sedan.

"A SL65? No way! They are much longer than this!"

"I had a car accident with a truck. I am much longer than this usually."

"No way! exclaimed the gatekeeper. "SL65 are much better designed than this. Look at yourself. You are quite a bit shorter than an SL65. You have no proof of being a Mercedes Benz, as you don't even have our insignia. You have a crumbled front fender, a bend front right side, a repaired right front wheel and a leaky gas tank with a crumbled back!"

"But, but, but..." insisted the SL65.

"Moreover you are one hour and twenty-nine minutes late! A SL65 would never be late to this event! You are no Mercedes Benz! Out of the way! I don't know you. You cannot go in."

The SL65 lost all hope, but still wondered about the Vision B he had made a bet with. No way this little nothing could have reached his destination on time.

"Fist of all I am only one hour and twenty-eight minutes late. But did any white Vision B enter your gates?"

"The white Vision B? Oh yeah! I remember him all right. He was the first one here! He arrived at eight o'clock this morning!"

"At eight? Impossible!"

As the SL65 continued to complain and argue with the gatekeeper, all of a sudden he was towed away and brought to the scrap yard. His days were over. He hadn't fulfilled his destiny. Instead he had used his time on earth for selfish and arrogant purposes. The Vision B however enjoyed his eternal conference. He was rewarded as He knew his maker and had followed His direction. He had accepted the Maker's son as his personal Savior.

And you my friend are you fulfilling your purpose? 

Do you know personally your Maker? 

Have you accepted His Son into your life?

Dear Lord, thank You that You give each one of us a purpose. Help our eyes be open to the opportunities that You give to each of us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

There’s a reason for your existence.

Isaiah 44:2 (ESV)

Thus says the Lord who made you,

    who formed you from the womb and will help you:

Fear not, O Jacob my servant,

    Jeshurun whom I have chosen.

She had never met him before, but she cared for him as if he was the most important person in the world.

Ann* knew she was going to be a single mother in eight months. While she regretted the unfortunate decision that produced the baby inside her, she didn’t begrudge the fact that new life was being produced by her. She ate healthy, got sufficient rest, avoided substances that could harm her and her child, visited the doctor regularly, watched her weight, and took vitamins. All things an expectant mother should do to ensure a healthy baby. Nine months later, Sam* entered the world. A healthy boy with shining skin and smile to match. Ann’s not sure what his purpose is yet, but she’s confident God has one.

Like Sam, my birth wasn’t a product of fate or evolution either. God was in control of when I entered this world and had a plan for what I’d do when I did. Fate doesn’t control my existence. While my parents had a role in my birth, they were only instruments in the hands of a mightier Power. Many children are accidents from a parent’s perspective but never from God’s. He can take a human accident and make a masterpiece from it. In fact, there aren’t any accidents in God’s plan.

The first humans were placed on earth for a reason, and everyone since then has followed suit. I’m in the mix. I have purpose. There’s a reason for my existence. God has work for me to do, people for me to influence, and blessings for me to enjoy. 

Have you discovered the purpose for which you were born?

Dear Lord, may we be the clay in Your hands, allowing You to mold our minds, wills, and emotions that they might fit into Your purpose. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

What Brings Bliss to Your Life?

Acts 26:16 (New King James Version)

But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you.

Author Joseph Campbell often talked about "following your bliss." I heard of a bus driver in Chicago who does just that.

He sings while he drives. That's right . . . SINGS! And I don't mean he sings softly to himself, either. He sings so that the whole bus can hear! All day long he drives and sings.

He was once interviewed on Chicago television. He said that he is not actually a bus driver. "I'm a professional singer," he asserted. "I only drive the bus to get a captive audience every single day."

His "bliss" is not driving a bus, though that may be a source of enjoyment for some people. His bliss is singing. And the supervisors at the Chicago Transit Authority are perfectly happy about the whole arrangement. You see, people line up to ride his bus. They even let other buses pass by so they can ride with the "singing bus driver." They love it!

Here is a man who believes he knows why he was put here on earth. For him, it is to make people happy. And the more he sings, the more people he makes happy! He has found a way to align his purpose in living with his occupation. By following his bliss, he is actually living the kind of life he believes he was meant to live.

Not everybody can identify a purpose in life. But when you do, and when you pursue it, you will be living the kind of life you feel you were meant to live. And chances are . . . you will be happy.

Dear Lord we pray today that we would be able to find the purpose in our life. Help us to be able to use that purpose to bring happiness to those around us and to ourselves. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

God Has a Purpose For You

God has a purpose for you,
You may not know what it is right now
But He has something He wants you to do
And God is the Master, and how,

When things look dreary and life's full of worries,
Remember God created you,
He has a purpose for you to be on earth,
He loves you dearly too,

God would never ask of you
To do things that would make you sad,
To make you worry needlessly
God wants you to be glad,

So when the darkness of worry and despair
Comes into your life for a while,
Remember God's radiant Light
Will Light up your life with a smile

Trust God, Keep your Faith in God,
He certainly won't let you down,
God knows your needs and your wants,
And He will wipe away your frown.

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father
and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.
And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
Matthew 28:19, 20

Dear Lord, We pray that our eyes would always be open to the purpose you have for us. We pray thatwhen we see those around us that need your love that we would share it with them. In Jesus name, Amen

No greater love

Let's live as if we've been redeemed! Let's show our love and character in our daily lives. Let's especially work together, with one voice and spirit, making a vigorous effort to share the Gospel with those who have never heard of the grace of God in the ministry of Jesus. In the face of opposition, let's not be deterred or divided. Instead, let's work hand-in-hand for the cause of the Gospel.

Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved--and that by God.

— Philippians 1:27-28

Dear LORD, give us greater unity of purpose, greater love for each other, and greater courage in the face of opposition so that we can show the world that we are your children and Jesus' disciples. In Jesus name, Amen.