Study Material: Jeremiah 1:5
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations"
Today’s Teaching:
O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps (Jer 10:23). May we recognize this in Jesus’ name. It is not our place to direct ourselves. It is not our place to decide what ‘we’ want to do with our lives. We did not create ourselves and do not belong to ourselves; for we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Eph 2:10 NIV). That is why the Bible records that God told Jeremiah, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations" (Jer 1:5 NIV).
For a man like Jeremiah, if he wanted to be a goldsmith, that was just too bad. No matter what he wanted to do, God had already planned that he was going to be a Prophet. God knew before you were born that you would be whom He decided for you to be. If you have not prayerfully sought the face of God to fully understand your purpose in life, NOW is the season for you. If you already know but maybe you are confused our doubting, NOW is the season for you. You will not pass this way again.
Ironically, it is only in this year 2014, during the global 100 days fast and prayer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God in all 178 countries, that the Lord mercifully showed me why He created me. I have rejoiced, cried, rejected, come back repenting, hidden in fear, embraced, run again, rejoiced again and cried again. It is great to know your purpose, but it is a very scary thing if you have never ever had an idea of where you are headed. But if God had not shown me, I would have continued going from year to year focusing on the wrong things. After my emotions settled down (long after the revelation), I am now preparing to prepare. But how can you prepare if you do not know whom you were made to be?
Homework: Ask God in His mercy to show you your divine purpose. Ask for the grace to accept your purpose and destiny and the grace to follow His leading in preparing.
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations"
Today’s Teaching:
O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps (Jer 10:23). May we recognize this in Jesus’ name. It is not our place to direct ourselves. It is not our place to decide what ‘we’ want to do with our lives. We did not create ourselves and do not belong to ourselves; for we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Eph 2:10 NIV). That is why the Bible records that God told Jeremiah, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations" (Jer 1:5 NIV).
For a man like Jeremiah, if he wanted to be a goldsmith, that was just too bad. No matter what he wanted to do, God had already planned that he was going to be a Prophet. God knew before you were born that you would be whom He decided for you to be. If you have not prayerfully sought the face of God to fully understand your purpose in life, NOW is the season for you. If you already know but maybe you are confused our doubting, NOW is the season for you. You will not pass this way again.
Ironically, it is only in this year 2014, during the global 100 days fast and prayer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God in all 178 countries, that the Lord mercifully showed me why He created me. I have rejoiced, cried, rejected, come back repenting, hidden in fear, embraced, run again, rejoiced again and cried again. It is great to know your purpose, but it is a very scary thing if you have never ever had an idea of where you are headed. But if God had not shown me, I would have continued going from year to year focusing on the wrong things. After my emotions settled down (long after the revelation), I am now preparing to prepare. But how can you prepare if you do not know whom you were made to be?
Homework: Ask God in His mercy to show you your divine purpose. Ask for the grace to accept your purpose and destiny and the grace to follow His leading in preparing.