THE WATERING HOLE
My DETERMINED PURPOSE
10 [For my DETERMINED PURPOSE is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [which it exerts over believers] ..... Ampl. Phil. 3:10
It seems the Lord has been speaking to me about “purposing”. Purposing, as in the sense of determination. We must have a “DETERMINED PURPOSE” to know Him and we must have a “DETERMINED PURPOSE”in order to fulfill the plan of God in our lives.
Webster’s dictionary describes the word “purpose” as: intention, resolution, determination.
Probably one of the most known scriptures that refers or uses “purpose” is in 2 cor. 9: 7. It says to purpose in your heart before you give. Actually, this verse is referring to sowing, but God is also showing us an attitude or attribute of how to sow, how to give, and how to live.
He tells us to “purpose” in our heart. “Make up your mind.” James 1:8 says that a double-minded man is unstable in ALL of his ways. A double-minded man is a person drawn in two opposite directions. His allegiance is divided and because of his lack of sincerity he vacillates between belief and disbelief, sometimes thinking that God will help him and at other times giving up all hope in Him. Such a person is unstable in All his ways, not only in his prayer life. The lack of consistency in his experience of faith betrays his general character.
8[For being as he is] a man of two minds (hesitating, dubious, irresolute), [he is] unstable and unreliable and uncertain about everything [he thinks, feels, decides]. James 1:8 Ampl.
8“If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father, He loves to help. You’ll get His help, and won’t be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believing without a second thought. People who “worry their prayers” are like wind-whipped waves. Don’t think you’re going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open.” Message
What does it mean to “worry your prayers”? To worry means to have a mental distress or agitation resulting from concern or anxiety. It means to touch or disturb something repeatedly; to change the position of or adjust by repeated pushing or hauling.
The double-minded man has so much anxiety that he is constantly pushing his prayers away from the throne. His prayers are drifting at sea while he is tossed to and fro. He just can’t keep his hands off what he has given to God. His prayers are agitated by anxiety.
In Phillipians, the Word of God tells us not to be anxious about anything.
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God.
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Phil. 4:6-7
When we are anxious about something, either for something or from something, we have no peace and doubt and unbelief begin to rule our lives. We become unstable in our faith. We become ungrateful and unthankful.
In verse 6, it tells us to pray with thanksgiving. Why did He say that? Thanksgiving is all a part of receiving or partaking. We give thanks at mealtime just before we partake of that meal. We give thanks to someone who has promised us something good. We give thanks for gifts that are given to us, seen or not seen. In all of these things we give thanks for. How much more should we give thanks to the Father for what He has promised us and for the things we pray about. After all, He said in Mark 11:23, 24 that whatsoever you ask for in prayer, believe (trust and be confident) that you receive and you shall have it.
All of these things: worry, anxiety, unbelief, unthankfulness, keep us from moving on with God. We are in race! If we are going to finish this race and win the prize of the high calling in Christ Jesus then we need to have a “DETERMINED PURPOSE” to run the race that He has set before us.
We have been given a new life. We have been placed in a new Kingdom. We have been given a new purpose. Everything about us has now changed. We no longer live by a democracy. We are now ruled by a King an His Kingdom rules. We no longer live for ourselves, we live for Him. We no longer answer to ourselves, we answer to Him. We are a new creation in Him and everything about us has changed. Nothing is the same! We may be living in the same house, work the same job, wear the same clothes, but now it all has a new purpose. Our desires must change! For His Purpose!
In order to fulfil His purpose, we must have a “DETERMINED PURPOSE” to do so. Part of that purpose should be to know Him. How does our new King and Kingdom function? What must I do to please my King? What do I need to change to be able to operate in this Kingdom? All of these questions are found in His Manual, the Bible. The will of the King is written in the Bible, His Word.
As we begin to learn about our new King, it will take a “DETERMINED PURPOSE” on our part to change those things in our lives that need to be changed. There will be some things that we need divine intervention but for the most part, it is our “DETERMINED PURPOSE” to exercise His Word that will cause us to change those things. We are going to have to change the old way of doing things. We are going to have to change the way we use to think and feel. We are going to have to transform our thinking!
2And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Rom. 12:2
The word “conformed” refers to a conforming of oneself to the outer fashion or outward appearance or pattern.
“Renewal of the Mind” is to renovate, implying a restoration to freshness or to an original state. Being transformed “by the renewal of the mind” indicates a literal “change in the form or formulas of thought or being”. Our 1 Thoughts lead to our 2 Actions, which 3 Become character-determining habits, shaping our life and setting our course for the future.
Let us be honest with ourselves and exam the things we think about, the actions we display, and the habits we have created. Are we willing to change? The only way we are going to change is to become a doer of the Word and letting that Word transform our lives.
James 1:22-25 .....But be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
When we are not a doer of the Word, we are really in a state of denial. We are refusing to acknowledge the power of the Word of God. We are refusing to acknowledge God, [for the Word is God] and we are refusing to do His bidding, His telling us what to do through His written Word. Denial of the truth, denial to be doer of the Word will keep you stuck in the same hard place for a longer period of time. You are actually in a rut. A rut is just an open-ended grave. Not only are we in a grave but we allow ourselves to become deceived. What happens when we become deceived? We are led astray, we wander, we stagger. We are led off coarse or we are affected by someone’s outside influence and led in the wrong direction. If we are a doer of the Word, James, verse 25, says we will be blessed in what we do!
Are you that person that says, “I like to keep all of my options open”? There are no options with God! You do or you don’t do. You are or you aren’t. You obey or you disobey.
Let us be that person who is blessed in what he does. Let us make a “DETERMINED PURPOSE” to follow hard after God. Make a “DETERMINED PURPOSE” to seek Him and His way of doing things. Let us get out of the “rut” and live this new life the way God has designed it to be.
Praise & Worship Leader
