God’s Purpose is Your Purpose

Welcome back to Ignite. I want to talk about how life begins when God's purpose becomes your purpose. It's amazing to me how often the question is asked, what's God's purpose for my life? I've been in so many settings for seeing that to be true. I was in a Bible study a while back and one of the businessmen, a very high-powered businessman, had just retired and he said, so now I'm searching for God's purpose for my life and everybody warmed to that. At the end of the meeting, they all gathered around him and say, God, we pray that you will reveal Bob to Bob your purpose for his life. They can, how far will you get off the mark? Oh my goodness. It's not about God's purpose for your life. In fact, do you know God doesn't have a purpose for your life? Did you know that? It's true. You can't, you can search the scriptures inside out. You'd never find God's purpose for your life because there's only one purpose and it's God's purpose. Romans 8, 28, the scripture I use probably 10 out of 11 podcasts and everywhere I go because it is the quintessential scripture that shouts the message of how we're supposed to live our lives for God's purpose. As well, in the course where he says, I will make everything in your life work together for good from now until you get to have it. Imagine this promise. There's no other promise in the Bible like this after John 316. I promise you from now until you get to have it, now that you're saved and talking to Christians, I promise you for now until you get to have it, I'll make everything in your life work together for good. If you love me, all your heart, all your mind, so love me and you live your life for my purpose. And there's no question about what his purpose is to seek a say the last to move everybody every day closer to Jesus so that how does that relate to us? Well, then in Jeremiah 29, he talks about that famous verse for I know the plans I have for you. Wow. He has a unique plan for each one of us for Howard to fulfill his purpose. That's what life's all about, okay? I've told this story many times, but it's appropriate right now to repeat that I was sharing my faith so often, Karen, I both, my wife and I were both sharing our faith so often that we had concluded that God was leading us into full time ministry. Now, I entered the retail market in 1973, so I had alligators up to my ears and I could catch it. I could see that it was coming. I was so excited about my business, but at the same time, I felt this tug of going into full time ministry and I, so I closed the door of my office this one day and prayed the most for a prayer of my life. I said, God, I want to do what you want me to do, whatever it is. And you know as much as I know that if I leave my business, I'm the third generation leader of my business, if I leave it, it will fail. And I have two little girls to feed, by the way. But if you want me to go to full time ministry, I would do it, but I said to him, specifically these words, but you almost have to tell me in an audible voice, and he did about 20 minutes later. I walked in my office by the name of David Dutt. You've probably already know the story. He followed me very long on this, but this is a profound story. How I had never spoken to this guy. He was in my church. He'd spoken from the platform. I knew he's a missionary kid group in Africa, but I'd never exchange a glance with him and how he's in my office. And he walked in and saying, I was just in the air. I thought I'd stop by and find out how's it going? And I made a snap decision that as a missionary kid, he probably wasn't into cool cars and shiny paint finishes. So I started sharing with him faith, sharing opportunities. I'd had right up to the day before. And he looked at me, he said, God's giving you a wonderful ministry here. Hadni. I said, whoa, wait a minute. What are you saying? Why would you say that? He said, well, a pastor can't reach the people you're reaching, but as a businessman you can. It's obvious that your business is your pulpit. It's also a lesson and obedience. What if he had not been obedient? I wouldn't have been a horrible pastor. I'm not a pastor. Thank God I'm not a pastor. I know what the weight of a pastor. I just saw admire pastors of what they have to go through. I'm a businessman. I'd love to sell. I'm a marketer. But we're also called a full-time ministry. You, all of us, we're all in full-time ministry, whether we like it or not. And God's plan for me was that I stayed planted in my business and I used my business as my pulpit. Do you get it? My business is not my purpose. Well, I get to heaven. It's not going to matter how many miles of car packs I saw. The only thing that's going to matter a hundred years from now is how many people are in heaven because of my influence? Or should I say, the only thing that will matter a hundred years for now is how many people are in heaven because of your influence. And when you do that, you're living in the promise of Romans 828 that he'll make everything your life work together for good. Now that is living in the Father. That is living in the favor of God. See you next time.