God’s Purpose for Our Lives

By Gerald Cumby It is placed within man a desire to rise above the ordinary and to make themselves known as a positive force (a blessing) in the lives of others. Yes...I know "all are sinners" and have "gone astray; there is none righteous, no not one." That is biblical and the truth. However, for the ordinary person who knows he or she has to live in this world, he or she desires to reconcile to the world and be counted as an achiever, not a deceiver. We must also realize that the world and those who thumb their nose at God, along with the deceiver of all deceivers (Satan), want to thwart your desires to achieve success.

In other words, we want our lives to count for something bigger and greater than ourselves. However, at the same time there is a force working within the world, and our world, that tries to steer us away from performing with a "spirit of excellence" and seeking to live according God’s Word. With that in mind, we realize that there is a right way and a wrong way we can pursue this objective or goal in life. According to Ecclesiastes 3:11, God has essentially put a desire for eternity in our hearts. "He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end."

The Bible concludes and gives reason by His Word. For...God "will render to each one according to his deeds: eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath" (Romans 2:6–8).

The Truth: God created us for His own glory.

God did not create us to bring glory to the created, but to the Creator. "Everyone who is called by My name, whom I created for My glory, I have formed him, yes, I have made him" (Isaiah 43:7).

"In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory" (Ephesians 1:11–12).

The Word of God declares that there are those who think the opposite of worshipping the Creator (Almighty God), but yield to a narcissistic attitude and aggressively worships self and that which has been created.

Roman 1:18-25a, "The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator..."

Many Ask, "How do we live out God’s purpose for our lives?"

The Word of God is clear on this:

        "Since God has created us for His glory, we are to glorify God in all that we do with our lives. "Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31)."

        "Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s" (1 Corinthians 6:19 - 20).

Summary:

Every "Born Again" Believer should bow and take note of the majesty of our God. The Triune God (God, the Father; God, the Son; and God, the Holy Spirit) should be worshipped with freedom, dignity, and with the assurance that everything God has said and done is accomplished for the believer’s good. Mercy and grace do not mix with evil intentions or ungodly actions. We need to remember our place in God’s Creation. God is omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient. That means He is "All powerful" and His power is infinite and limitless. It means He is present in "all places at all times." He is all-knowing in the sense that He is aware of the past, present, and future. Nothing takes Him by surprise.

        Ecclesiastes 8:17, "Then I saw all that God has done. No one can comprehend what goes on under the sun. Despite all their efforts to search it out, no one can discover its meaning. Even if the wise claim they know, they cannot really comprehend it."

        Luke 24:45, "Then he opened their minds so they could understand the scriptures,..."

       1 Corinthians 2:9, But, as it is written, 'What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him"—