Purpose, Meaning, Holiness & Focus – Part 1

Michael writes this week that one of the reasons for being excited about Jesus Christ is that He has given us “Purpose” and “Meaning” for life. Many people think that their purpose is to accomplish something significant. “Meaning” means “that which is significant.”  What is meaningful?  How do you know whether or not you’ve done enough, meditated enough, studied enough, and prayed enough? “Meaning” also means “that which is important.” How do you define that which is “significant” and “important?” Are significance and importance defined by the popular culture?  What is worthy of significance? “Holiness” is a biblical term that encompasses God’s meaningful purpose for our lives. “Holiness” means “to be set aside for the purpose intended by the Designer.” God did not create us “at random.” Rather He created us intentionally for His holy purpose, “for we are His workmanship, His great work, His poem, His masterpiece… created in Christ Jesus unto good works which He has foreordained that we should walk in them.”  Ephesians 2:10

The children of God need “focus”. Otherwise they don’t know what’s important, significant, and meaningful. “Focus” is the main point of concentration. Men and women need a focal point for their lives in the midst of the chaos of this world. The silver lining in the midst of confusion is that the world’s chaos causes people to look for order by turning their hearts toward God. “Focus” also means intent … that which we set our hearts on doing.  We need something on which we can focus our attention, intention, and our resolve. “Resolve” is to make a commitment to accomplish what we have determined and decided to do. Resolve focuses our decision to do that which is significant in light of eternity. A “legacy” is to hand down from generation to generation that which is meaningful in the context of this life. We cannot be distracted from our “purpose” by a crumbling culture. The most important thing is that we leave a “legacy” so that those who come after us will inherit eternal life by knowing, believing and trust in Jesus Christ.

Matthew 28:19-20 is Christ’s “great commission” for his followers. “Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you, and Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” This is God’s mission for our lives as men and women of God, and as believers within the household of faith. All of us are either missionaries, or a “mission field.” Jesus said of those who would follow after Him, “the works that I do shall they do, and greater works shall they do also, because I go unto my Father.”  When God calls us to “move out”, our mission is to “move”, not to understand the destination. Our “focus” is to be in the center of God’s will and to walk one step at a time according to the path that He has prepared for us. The Lord may not reveal the destination, but He will reveal the next step. A true disciple of Jesus Christ is one who is excited and committed to “eat His Master’s dust” by following in His Master’s footsteps. The “purpose” for our life will be revealed one step at a time, for thy Word of God is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. According to John 15, Jesus Christ has called us for a purpose unto Himself… that we should abide in Him and He in us ,and that we would bear much fruit. Our purpose according to Ephesians 1:6 is “That we should be to the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he has made us acceptable in the beloved.”

Let's continue Michael's great message "Purpose, Meaning, Holiness & Focus" tomorrow.

In Christ, Brian