This morning we continue our series entitled, “Refined Focus”, with an emphasis on “Focusing on God’s Finished Work”. I like to teach by both precept and example. I normally start with scriptures and explain them, and follow up with examples of people who personify what was taught. In this case I started with examples. We’ve already looked at the lives of Abraham, David, Joseph, Gideon, Peter and Paul. I could provide more examples and I may, if I am led of God to. But what I will do now is begin to provide and explain the abundance of scripture that supports the reality of God’s finished work in our lives. I will provide five scriptures today, and over the next couple of weeks we will study these scriptures. When we are done with these, I will provide more. Here are the scriptures we will start with:
(Jer 1:5 KJV) Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
(Ps 139:16 MSG) Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you, The days of my life all prepared before I’d even lived one day.
(Isa 49:1 NLT) Listen to me, all you in distant lands! Pay attention, you who are far away! The LORD called me before my birth; from within the womb He called me by name.
(Eph 1:15,16 NLT) But even before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace. Then it pleased him to reveal his Son to me so that I would proclaim the Good News about Jesus to the Gentiles.
(Gal 2:10 ERV) God has made us what we are. In Christ Jesus, God made us new people so that we would spend our lives doing the good things he had already planned for us to do.
Most of what you just read is self-explanatory, but I will attempt to provide you a few golden nuggets based on God’s Word.
So what does this mean to you today? Two things.
1. God is a purposeful God and He brought you to the planet on purpose.
a) You are not here to just suck-in and breathe-out air, have a little fun, and then die.
b) You have a divine assignment. Your God-given assignment is the purpose for why you are here on this planet.
c) God expects you to live your life with purpose (focused) and on purpose, being led of His spirit every step of the way.
2. Your Assignment is tailor-made just for you.
a) No other human on the planet has your fingerprint or voiceprint. You are unique and your uniqueness is not limited to your physical qualities. You are uniquely called and assigned of God to do what you were born to do.
b) God has set before you a specific race and He expects you to finish it. Along with the race, God has already given you the grace to run it.
c) God expects you to run your race, with your grace, at your pace. You don’t have to compare yourself to anyone else, because other people have their own race with their own grace.
Closing Confession: Father, this is a season of refined focus for me. I bring my life into focus in 2016. You brought me to this planet WHEN You did and WHERE You did because of WHY You did. I am here for a reason. That reason is Your divine purpose. I die to sin, self and selfishness, so I can live my life with purpose and on purpose. As I am led of Your Spirit I live every day with my divine assignment in mind. I am intentional, deliberate and purposeful in all I do. Living this way I declare that I will arrive at Your overall expected end for my life. And along the way, I will accomplish what I was brought to this planet to accomplish. Not by my power, but by Your amazing grace! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
