I Am Who You Say I Am. Part 1 | Phoebe

Have you ever heard the saying “that’s life”? Or “when life gives you lemons, make lemonade”? These sayings are often just throwaway comments said after something maybe a bit unfortunate or unpleasant has happened and people have no other way of responding to it or explaining it. Most people don’t understand why things happen. Honestly, I don’t always know either, but as a Christian, I believe that everything happens through God’s will and has a purpose, which flips the saying “that’s life” on its head because really, everything happens for a reason and that reason is God. I’m not by any means saying that God is the cause of the unpleasant and unfortunate events that happen in our lives and all across the world; he loves us and never causes bad things to happen to us - it’s our own sin in the world that causes bad things. But many people don’t know we have a purpose for our lives that is far greater than anything we could come up with and is so much better than spending your life building up earthly possessions. We look to all kinds of things to find our purpose for being on this earth, but I can guarantee you that no humanly thing will ever satisfy you or make you feel complete because they are temporary.

I want to tell you that there is a way to feel an eternal wholeness and completion, which doesn’t involve seeking earthly things: it involves seeking God, the maker and saviour of our world. Our purpose

What is the purpose of life? It’s probably a question that all of you may have asked before, heard before, or had someone ask you.

Some would say the purpose of life is to make a load of money and have a really successful job. Others might say starting a family and providing for them. But I reckon if you were to ask a Christian, they are most likely to say something along the lines of “To live in a relationship with Jesus and share the Good news about him with others”. “What is this Good news?” you might ask. The Good news is that God sent his one and only son to die for us, so that we can have a close and intimate relationship with him and live in eternity with God.

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only son so that who ever believes in me, will not perish, but have eternal life”.

As Christians, our purpose is so wonderful! We get to share the gospel to the people on this earth who do not know the God we love so much and who loves us. It is not always an easy task, but it is such a privilege to be Jesus’ hands and feet in this world.

I’m not saying that having a successful job is a bad thing or starting a family is not something you should do. Family is an amazing gift and it’s absolutely fine to want to enjoy your job and be financially stable. The only problems that can occur from these things are if they consume your life and become your only purpose for living. No one, not even the people with the most amazing jobs, will be able to take their job to heaven with them and say “Look God, I made loads of money and was really successful” or take their family and say “Look at my lovely family”. God will just say to them “I never knew you. I never had a relationship with you”. Building up a bank of earthly things during your life is not going to be worthwhile because you can’t take them with you to heaven and ultimately, they won’t mean anything unless you have Jesus in your life. I believe our purpose for living on this earth is to have a relationship with Jesus and to share God’s love and his truth with others, so that as many people as possible across the world have the choice to follow Jesus and live a life with and for him full of hope, joy, love, freedom... (the list goes on). This purpose of life may look quite a bit different to your friends’ or your colleagues’ or even your family’s idea of purpose. That is absolutely fine. Christians and Atheists will have different priorities in life and beliefs, which help to guide our life choices. As Christians, we have been called to stand apart from the world and not conform to its ways. It may feel difficult at times because every humanly part of us wants to just fit in, be like everyone else, and live the way we want to and others who do not know Jesus may try to discourage you and make you lose sight of God (that’s just life). But the God who created you and knew you before you were even born knows what you need and is always with you. Why would he ask you to live a different way to the world if it wasn’t worthwhile or relevant to fulfilling our purpose? Romans 12:2 (NIV) “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” In God, we find completion and purpose. You don’t have to look anywhere else to find it because no earthly thing will ever satisfy you or make you feel whole the way that God does. God didn’t create the world so that we can find things on it that will make us feel purposeful: he made it so that we can find him and the purpose he gives us.

Who you Say I am ~ Hillsong

I want to encourage you today, whether you believe in God or not, he will never stop loving you and he always has a purpose and a plan for you – all you have to do is ask him.

Bless you all!

Phoebe