Many people spend their lives trying to find themselves. They are seeking a purpose for their existence. Others don't even know if they have a purpose. But as Christians, we know that we were created with design and purpose. And while the details of our lives may be hidden for a while, we can and do know what the big picture looks like.

It has been said that we were created for God's pleasure. Others have said it is our sole purpose to glorify God. Some may say that we are here to know God. Others may claim that we exist in order to serve God. Some say we exist for God to show His love toward us. Many say that God created us in order to save us. These are all true on various levels.

Strangely enough, there are a few who believe that God created some people to be saved and others to be damned. There are passages in the Bible that can be read to that belief. But Scripture as a whole does not support the idea that God would create people for the sole purpose of damning them. What we do see in the Bible is a constant offering of salvation to everyone. And beyond that, a plan to save everyone. And even beyond that, not just a plan to forgive people of their sins, but to regenerate and make new... even to make people holy.

Yes... God predestined people to be renewed and restored to a state of perfection in this life as part of His salvation plan. Here is how the apostle Paul relates this truth...

Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens. For He chose us in Him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined us to be adopted through Jesus Christ for Himself, according to His favor and will, to the praise of His glorious grace that He favored us with in the Beloved.
We have redemption in Him through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure that He planned in Him for the administration of the days of fulfillment—to bring everything together in the Messiah, both things in heaven and things on earth in Him.
We have also received an inheritance in Him, predestined according to the purpose of the One who works out everything in agreement with the decision of His will, so that we who had already put our hope in the Messiah might bring praise to His glory. (Ephesians 1:3-12)

We were made to know God. But we were born broken. And it didn't take us long to become actual rebels to God. But God had planned to redeem us from our relationship with sin. He planned to save us through the sacrificial offering of Jesus Christ. But beyond that, He had predestined for us to be made holy and blameless. God doesn't just see us as right. He actually makes us right.

Look at how many times we see in this passage the idea that God had planned for us to be made right? Our salvation was not an after-thought. He didn't just make a way for us to be made ok. He had a plan for us to be ultimately restored to that perfect place of relationship with Him, becoming His children in principle and in practice.

You will never find in the Bible the idea that anyone was predestined for judgment or damnation. God did not plan for us to spend eternity in Hell. In fact, Hell was created as a place for Satan and his demons after he rebelled against God. Never is predestination accompanied by damnation. It is always used in the positive as God's plan for reconciliation and restoration.

Today, you may not know every detail of your life. But I hope you know God's plan for you. God breathed life into you so that you could know Him, and that you would be rescued from the effects of sin and sin itself. Before you were born, He had a plan to make you holy and blameless... to give you a brand new life... not just in the future, but right now. Live in that purpose, and He will open your eyes to the details you seek.

[Bible quotes are from the Holman Christian Standard Bible, unless otherwise noted.]
 
Find more of David’s work at Heart Of Ministry.
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Last week I watched a travel show that highlighted the beautiful island of St. Helena. It can only be accessed by boat. It is rich in culture as well as soil. In fact, the coffee beans on St. Helena are harvested to brew the most expensive coffees in the world.

During the segment, the traveler asked the local if he could taste some of this fine coffee. The man laughed and said, "It is so valuable, it all gets exported. There is none here to taste." 

I remember thinking how sad it was that the fruit of the land was considered so valuable that the locals could not enjoy it. Rather it was monetized and sent out to people who would never visit the place where the coffee originated.

I began thinking about the Church. We are rich in resources. But I think in certain parts of the Church we end up exporting the best love and help and do not enjoy these things in our fellowship. We give time, money, love, mercy, grace, and many other things to the world without thinking. We know these elements are valuable and that they can only be found in pure form within the Church. So we give them away to people who will never even visit our place. 

But are the people in the Church experiencing what we are exporting?  It would be a shame if those in the Church do not experience the love, mercy, grace, and other resources we are sharing with the world in an attempt to help them see what they are missing. What if a sinner gets greater attention outside of the family than they get in the family? It could feel like a bait-and-switch.

The apostle Paul recognized our ability to export the greatness of the Church. So he was constantly reminding believers to love as well inside as we do outside. Here is one thing he said...

Therefore, as we have opportunity, we must work for the good of all, especially for those who belong to the household of faith. (Galatians 6:10)

We should not back off of exporting the goodness of God found in the family of God. We don't have to. There is plenty to go around out there... and in here. Today, share the resources of God with everyone.. especially your fellow-believers.

[Bible quotes are from the Holman Christian Standard Bible, unless otherwise noted.]
 
Find more of David’s work at Heart Of Ministry.
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Yesterday there was another public shooting. Three people were killed and nine injured by a gunman who apparently went into a Planned Parenthood to do harm. We don't know many of the details. It could be that it was just a personal issue. Maybe it was a form of justice against an organization that has murdered millions of babies before they were born. We may never know the truth of that day.

But we do know an overarching truth. Violence gives birth to violence. Jesus spoke of this... 

He told His disciples ,"All who take up a sword will perish by a sword." Matthew 26:52)

That is a powerful phrase. It is true for everyone. In the specific context, Jesus tells Peter to "Put your sword back in its place." Apparently for the Christian, the sword's place is not at the throat of his enemy, but put away.

We also find these words in the book of Proverbs (wise sayings)...

Don’t envy a violent man or choose any of his ways; for the devious are detestable to the Lord, but He is a friend to the upright.
The Lord’s curse is on the household of the wicked, but He blesses the home of the righteous; He mocks those who mock, but gives grace to the humble.
The wise will inherit honor, but He holds up fools to dishonor. (Proverbs 3:31-35)

That is the truth about violence. Sometimes violence is used to stop violence, and that is acceptable in certain cases according to Scripture (Government is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, because it does not carry the sword for no reason. For government is God’s servant, an avenger that brings wrath on the one who does wrong. - Romans 13:4). 

But violence is always the seed to more violence. Those who make their living killing others will usually end up themselves being a victim of violence, whether they are a hitman for the mob, or an abortion doctor for an abortion clinic. They live by violence, and so they set themselves up to experience violence. This is also often true for the one who engages violence to end violence, such as police officers, military personnel, or vigilantes.

This is not to say that a peaceful person cannot experience violence in a fallen world. But it is a general principle about violence and violent people. What's the best plan? To not be a violent person. Be upright. God defends the upright. It may not be in the way you would, but it is always right.

Today, turn away from violence, and turn to the One who is just and all powerful. Let Him be your shield and strength.

[Bible quotes are from the Holman Christian Standard Bible, unless otherwise noted.]
 
Find more of David’s work at Heart Of Ministry.

I always wanted to be disciplined enough to have a diary... ahem... a journal. I'm a guy... so... Anyway, I would write a page about what was going on in my life, and then I would not write anything for weeks or months... until Facebook. Now I can go minutes between writing about something that happened, or something I'm thinking.

I sometimes go back and see what I wrote years ago to see what life was like then, and how I may have changed. Here is something I wrote in the Fall of 2009.

I am thankful to God for...

my God. He is the only one... true... but He chose to bring me into His world, and He didn't have to. Once I was here, I grew away from Him. But He crossed the universe to bring me back to Himself. No one else has ever done that for me... no one else could. Every other blessing in my life... including the ones listed below, came from Him. So to God I say, "Thank you for...

my parents. After God, they were the next ones to know me. My dad has always been, and still is my hero. Even when I have been his zero, he loved me, and taught me that you can love someone and be in relationship with them even when you think they are wrong. A good part of any good in me, is from him... he'll never know. My mom was the loving, nurturing mother I needed, even... especially at times when I wasn't the child she wanted. They are the best.

my early family. They put up with me as the oldest brother. My brother, who was way cooler than me... My sisters, who were way prettier than me. It's a good thing I was oldest. That's all I had.

my wife. I have known Becky longer than my sisters... and often treated her like I did them. Eventually she came love to me. It isn't that I would be lost without her... I simply wouldn't be.

my children. The best God could give me. They have blessed me, even when I wasn't a blessing to them. David is in touch with God and loves people in greater measure than I could have hoped. Tabitha's desire to help in the spirit of Christ is inspiring. Anna shines joy as she finds her way in the wake of a family of five.

my local church (throughout the years). More than anyone I know, I have been surrounded by people whose belief in me was only surpassed by their faith in God. Whether through feats or failures, I learned love, trust, compassion, servanthood, leadership, humility, etc. from people who showed me God. Too many to list here. But I know who they are, and I hope they do as well.

other Christians. People who have been a part of my life for short, or extended periods of time. I have been impacted by so many... It's humbling. Many in person, and some through Facebook. Some older, some peers, some younger. 

other people who maybe aren't believers yet. I learn from everyone. I have often been a first-class jerk to people who weren't receiving what I was trying to give out. I'm sure this is hard for some of you to believe - heh... but it is true. I now truly enjoy the time I have with those who aren't in agreement with me in the areas of faith.

You... whoever you are, are somewhere in this Note. And I am thankful to God for you.

Just typing what is in my head has sharpened my thankfulness. I don't cry much while watching movies. But if you ever watch It's a wonderful life with me, you will see me tear up towards the end. George Bailey is feeling pretty low about himself when he is reminded in the end, "No man is a failure who has friends." God gave us a pretty cool world, but He wasn't done until He gave us the ability to create relationships. This is found in family and friends. There is relationship within the God-head. Amazingly, He has given us an opportunity to experience that with Him, and with others. It is a shame when we diminish that. We are born and grow with various imperfections. We will have some of these flaws till we die. We change. We become. If your relationship with me is based on perfection, then you are going to be disappointed rather often, as I will with you. But if our relationship is grounded in love... in spite of, and maybe because of our imperfections, we will be extremely thankful to God for those who are, ultimately by His choice, in our lives. 

Every relationship is about choices. First, God chose to guide us into relationships. Second, we choose how to live in them. I haven't always given other people reason to be thankful for God bringing us together, but I want to be thankful for God's choices. Paul writes, "In every thing give thanks, or express gratitude: for this is the will of God for you, or God's desire towards you,in Christ Jesus." (1 Thessalonians 5:18). The very next verse says, "Don't extinguish the Spirit." So, when I was prompted to write this, I wrote it. My last thought is...

It's easy to be thankful and grateful when you know that you got the best end of every relationship in your life. Yep... in our relationship, the pecking order is God, you, then me. I pray that I always show that. That's where I am, and that's where I want to stay.

Well... that was my Thanksgiving entry for 2009. I have more to be thankful for in 2015 because there are more in those categories. I am blessed because of you...

"I always thank my God for you..." (1 Corinthians 1:4)

[Bible quotes are from the Holman Christian Standard Bible, unless otherwise noted.]
 
Find more of David’s work at Heart Of Ministry.
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Happy Thanksgiving! It is a safe enough greeting, right? In a world where everyone is offended by something, it is difficult to share a holiday. So you would think we could all agree that Thanksgiving Day is drama-free holiday, right?!? I mean... who could find a reason to squelch the giving of thanks? Well... not so fast.

We have progressed so far in our culture that we now have to temper our Thanksgiving with mourning. I actually read this on my Facebook feed yesterday... "It is good to give thanks. But let take caution in what we are thankful for. To be thankful for anything that has (directly or indirectly) caused displacement, death, dehumanization, suffering or isolation to anyone else is a form of narcissism that denies the validity of my neighbor’s life." 

I have to admit, reading that felt like eating a Krispy Kreme doughnut followed by a persimmon. I don't think that is the filter through which we should offer thanksgiving, and in fact, that barely resembles or gives chance for thanksgiving.

So if you aren't careful to only give thanks for things that have no connection to sin, you may be invalidating your neighbor's life? Yes, there is a movement in our culture that is trying to steal the joy of thankfulness by sterilizing it. Let me see how this works. I can only be thankful for things that have not "directly or indirectly caused displacement, death, dehumanization, suffering, or isolation to anyone else." (First, I probably need to know what 'indirectly' means. But I won't drown in the details.) Let's play this out.

I would be thankful for my house, but it is probably built on land once roamed by the Indians, or Native Americans, or whatever I should call them. (displacement)
I would be thankful for my clothing, but I'm sure some of it was made by people making a few cents a day in some other part of the world. (suffering)
I would be thankful for the food I will eat this afternoon, but I'm sure that by my buying it, someone else is not eating it. (suffering)
I would be thankful for my wife, but I'm sure she moved from her family when she agreed to marry me. (displacement)
I would give thanks for my children, but I have undoubtedly done and said hurtful things along the way that made them feel less than who they are. (dehumanization)
I would give thanks for this great country, but people died (and continue to die) in the process of securing our freedom. (death)
I would give thanks for the safety I enjoyed this year, but I realize that in order for me to be safe, some people had to be in prison. (isolation)
I would give thanks for my salvation, but Jesus went through great injustice in order to give it to me. And many believers have lost their life in order to make sure the message went forth. (death, suffering, displacement, dehumanization, isolation)

All of a sudden, Thanksgiving is a morbid holiday. In fact, I wouldn't even call it a holiday at this point. Let's all join at the funeral home and cry about our horrible existence.

Is this really what God had in mind when He placed a high value on the giving of thanks and the command/encouragement to give thanks? Can we only give thanks for things that are in no way associated with negative things? Because in my life, some of the things I am most thankful for would fall into the 'beauty from ashes' category. What does God say about the giving of thanks?

The word 'mourn' (or variations of it) is found approximately 130 times in the Bible. The word 'thanks' (or variations of it) is found approximately 150 times in Scripture. Interestingly enough, mourning only shows up about 15 times in the New Testament. But the idea of thanksgiving is there about 45 times. But out of all of those times, the two concepts are only found together less than 5 times in the whole Bible.

Here is a taste of what God thinks of thanksgiving...

When you sacrifice a thank offering to the Lord, sacrifice it so that you may be accepted. - Leviticus 22:29

Give thanks to Yahweh; call on His name; proclaim His deeds among the peoples. - 1 Chronicles 16:8

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His faithful love endures forever. And say: “Save us, God of our salvation; gather us and rescue us from the nations so that we may give thanks to Your holy name and rejoice in Your praise. - 1 Chronicles 16:34-35 (There was usually death involved when God saved His people, by the way)

They are also to stand every morning to give thanks and praise to the Lord, and likewise in the evening. - 1 Chronicles 23:30

The trumpeters and singers joined together to praise and thank the Lord with one voice. They raised their voices, accompanied by trumpets, cymbals, and musical instruments, in praise to the Lord: For He is good; His faithful love endures forever. The temple, the Lord’s temple, was filled with a cloud. - 2 Chronicles 5:13

Then he consulted with the people and appointed some to sing for the Lord and some to praise the splendor of His holiness. When they went out in front of the armed forces, they kept singing: Give thanks to the Lord, for His faithful love endures forever. - 2 Chronicles 20:21

Hezekiah encouraged all the Levites who performed skillfully before the Lord. They ate at the appointed festival for seven days, sacrificing fellowship offerings and giving thanks to Yahweh, the God of their ancestors. - 2 Chronicles 30:22

Then I brought the leaders of Judah up on top of the wall, and I appointed two large processions that gave thanks. One went to the right on the wall, toward the Dung Gate. - Nehemiah 12:31 (That one is probably significant when we talk about giving thanks in a world that is a mess.)

Whoever sacrifices a thank offering honors Me, and whoever orders his conduct, I will show him the salvation of God.” - Psalm 50:23

Shout triumphantly to the Lord, all the earth.
Serve the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs.
Acknowledge that Yahweh is God. He made us, and we are His — His people, the sheep of His pasture.
Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise.
Give thanks to Him and praise His name.
For Yahweh is good, and His love is eternal; His faithfulness endures through all generations. - Psalm 100

I will fervently thank the Lord with my mouth; I will praise Him in the presence of many. - Psalm 109:30

I love the Lord because He has heard my appeal for mercy. - Psalm 116:1 (Thankfulness for mercy means someone has suffered because of me in some way, but I am thankful because God redeems.)

I rise at midnight to thank You for Your righteous judgments. - Psalm 119:62

Jesus took the seven loaves and the fish, and He gave thanks, broke them, and kept on giving them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. - Matthew 15:36

Then Jesus took a cup, and after giving thanks, He said,“Take this and share it among yourselves. For I tell you, from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” And He took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to them, and said, “This is My body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.” - Luke 22:17-19

He fell facedown at Jesus' feet, thanking Him. And he was a Samaritan. - Luke 17:16

So they removed the stone. Then Jesus raised His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You heard Me. - John 11:41

I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you because the news of your faith is being reported in all the world. - Romans 1:8

Thank God that, although you used to be slaves of sin, you obeyed from the heart that pattern of teaching you were transferred to, and having been liberated from sin, you became enslaved to righteousness. - Romans 6:17-18

[Speaking of holidays] Whoever observes the day, observes it for the honor of the Lord. Whoever eats, eats for the Lord, since he gives thanks to God; and whoever does not eat, it is for the Lord that he does not eat it, yet he thanks God. - Romans 14:6

If I partake with thanks, why am I slandered because of something I give thanks for? - 1 Corinthians 10:30

Everything is for your benefit, so that grace, extended through more and more people, may cause thanksgiving to increase to God’s glory. - 2 Corinthians 4:15

I never stop giving thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. - Ephesians 1:16

Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. - Philippians 4:6

Devote yourselves to prayer; stay alert in it with thanksgiving. - Colossians 4:2

We must always thank God for you, brothers. This is right, since your faith is flourishing and the love each one of you has for one another is increasing. - 2 Thessalonians 1:3

But we must always thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God has chosen you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and through belief in the truth. - 2 Thessalonians 2:13

I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone. - 1 Timothy 2:1

For everything created by God is good, and nothing should be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, - 1 Timothy 4:4

I guess my point is, life is hard. Life is not fair. Life is filled with problems and injustices. We can't iron it all out where we are. We can't fix everything. We can't make up for how we have hurt others. There is no reset button. We can't tally up who owes who what. We are horrible scorekeepers. But we can give thanks. We can give great thanks even in a broken world. In fact... we must give thanks. God is not done with us. And let's remember... we don't give thanks because everything is perfect or fair, but because God is good, and has shown His goodness to us in things that are imperfect.

In fact, some of the purest praise and thanksgiving I have ever seen was from people who were "directly or indirectly caused displacement, death, dehumanization, suffering, or isolation." Hmmm... I wonder what that tells us.

We should certainly avoid causing injury to others, or being happy about injustice. But we should never withhold thanksgiving to a God who is in the business of redemption, reconciliation, and restoration. Be thankful today... and every day.

Give thanks in everything, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. - 1 Thessalonians 5:18

[Bible quotes are from the Holman Christian Standard Bible, unless otherwise noted.]
 
Find more of David’s work at Heart Of Ministry.