Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)
10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Ephesians 1:11-12 (NIV)
11 In him we were also chosen,[a] having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.
Exodus 9:16 (NIV)
16 But I have raised you up[a] for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.
Exodus 31:3-5 (NLT)
I have filled him with the Spirit of God, giving him great wisdom, ability, and expertise in all kinds of crafts. He is a master craftsman, expert in working with gold, silver, and bronze. He is skilled in engraving and mounting gemstones and in carving wood. He is a master at every craft!
1 Peter 4:10-11 (NLT)
10 God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. 11 Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.
God has a plan and a purpose for your life and the talents and gifts that you have been given are uniquely designed just for you in order that you may have all that you need to fulfill God’s will for your life and that you may bring Him glory and honor in doing so.

This past month I have been studying the book of Esther,  in preparation for a speech that I had to give at a retreat that is held at my Church each year.

The focus scripture or theme for the event was taken from Esther 4:14.
“ Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for such a time as this? These were the words that were sent to Esther from her cousin Mordecai. This question implies that the sole purpose for Esther’s promotion to a position of royalty,  quite possibly could have been to save her people from complete annihilation.

Esther’s people were facing the painful reality that death for every Jewish person was inevitable. By God’s divine plan and purpose, circumstances and events were orchestrated that would lead to Esther being crowned queen, just at the the perfect time to rescue her people from the evil and destructive plots of Haman.  Haman was the prime minister of Persia at this time.

Although Esther was  just a young teenage girl when King Xerxes took her as his queen,  God had a purpose and a plan for her life that superseded any plan that man could possibly have had.
Because of Esther’s love and loyalty to her people and her willingness to be obedient, her people were saved. Esther also played a part in protecting the lineage that would lead to the birth of Christ the Savior of the world.  How amazing!

I am sure that Esther would have never dreamed in a million years that her life, which may have seemed so simple at the time, would be used to such great magnitude and for such divine purpose.

Esther’s parents had died making her an orphan at a very early age, therefore she was being raised by her much older cousin Mordecai.  Mordecai looked after her diligently and therefore she considered him to be more of a father figure than a cousin.

A decree was sent out for all of the young virgins to be brought before the king, which was more or less the making of a beauty contest. Through this process King Xerxes  would select the most beautiful woman in the region as his new queen.  When Mordecai heard that Esther would have to go before the king  because of this decree,  he encouraged Esther to keep the fact that she was a Jew a secret and she did as he requested.

Meeting the king was of such importance that Esther as well as the other young women were required to go through a year of special beauty treatments, in preparation for their meeting with King Xerxes. Of all the women that went before the king he thought Esther was the most beautiful, and therefore he selected her his queen. Needless to say,  Esther’s life was changed forever.  The placement of this royal crown, took her from orphan to queen.  God had positioned her to have access and influence that would save her people.  Her promotion was for purpose.  God created her knowing that His people would someday need to be saved from total destruction.

Have you ever slowed down long enough to ask God what His purpose is for your life?  Every life is created by God with a divine purpose in mind.
You may already know your purpose or you may be one of the many that is still trying to figure it out.  Know that your purpose is almost always connected to your passions.  You may want to assess what your passions are. What are you passionate about?  You have been given gifts and talents by God that create passion in you. Again, this passion  is usually directly connected to your purpose.

Please know that our first and most important purpose for being created is to glorify and honor God.  When we use our God given gifts and talents to fulfill His purpose in our lives, we bring honor to His name. It is important that you recognize the gifts and talents that God has blessed you with and thank Him daily for them. If you are not sure of God’s purpose for your life, I recommend that you pray and ask God for complete clarity and revelation in regards to this. You may also want to ask yourself the following questions:

What do I enjoy doing so much, that hours can go by and I really don’t want to take a break away from it?
What do I enjoy so much that if money were no object I would do it for  free?

I am including a questionnaire with additional questions designed to help you find your gifts, talents, passions and purpose. While answering these questions you may want to keep in mind that you can actually have more than one thing that you are passionate about. Another thing to keep in mind is that God will never place a passion in your heart or give you a purpose that contradicts His word.  Once you feel certain that you have an answer, ask God for direction on how you can best use your gifts and talents in serving Him and others.  It is key that you use them towards the purpose that He has intended them to be used.

Remember that when God gives you an assignment to utilize the greatness that he has placed within you and you are obedient to that call, you are participating in creating a legacy that could extend to future generations for years to come.

“ Who knows if perhaps you were not created for such a time as this”.
Be blessed as you passionately serve our Lord and Savior by giving back to Him what He has already so graciously given to you!
Jeremiah 29:11(NIV)
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Proverbs 19:21 (NIV)
21 Many are the plans in a person’s heart,  but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.

GOD’S PLAN
The Lord holds you in
The very palm of His hand,
So though His will is sometimes
Hard to understand,
Your job is not to ask “Why?”
Or to try to take control,
But to trust the Author of life
But to trust the Author of life
With all your being and soul.
 For He created you
With a special plan in mind,
Arranging each experience, you’d have
With a purpose that’s one-of-a-kind.
So don’t let doubts and fears
Block the path He chose just for you;
Instead draw on His infinite power
To passionately pursue
 Every dream and opportunity
That He leads you to,
Diligently developing and using the talents
He purposefully placed in you.
 Made for His glory and your good,
God’s design has no flaw,
So don’t fret when He allows pain
Or things to go wrong—
 God has a perfect reason
In your life for everything:
To mold you into the Christ-like person
He has planned you to be.

  “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son.”
Romans 8:28-29a

What Is My Purpose   Questionnaire
  1. What are your passions?
  2. What do you do well?
  3.  What do you love doing?
  4. What do you do with ease?
  5. What is the one thing that you do better than others?
  6.  What are your strengths?
  7.  What is your dream for your life?
  8.  What was your dream for your life as a child?
  9. If money were no object and you could do anything your heart desired what would you do?
  10. Do you know your purpose?
  11. Do you feel like you are walking in your purpose?  If not, why not?
  12. How will you use your gifts and passion to honor God?
  13. How does Esther’s story relate or apply to you today?
 Are you ready to say yes Lord, to His purpose for your life? 
                                        ” Do The Math! ” — Live Purposefully
As you think about living within your purpose, what do you think you need to add, remove, and do more of or less of?

+ __________________________________________________________________
 (What do I need to add?)

–_  ________________________________________________________________
  (What do I need to remove from my life, e.g. a habit, activity, people?  name/ initials)

>__________________________________________________________________
  (What do I need to do more of,  ” turn up” a notch)

< ___________________________________________________________
   (What do I need to do less of,  ” turn down ” a notch)

 

 

 

 

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