s20070813m_Keys To Doing Things On Purpose 2
Ways To Align Yourself with God’s Purpose—The Second Four
The plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations. Ps 33:11
3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will. Ephesians 1:3-5
THE SECOND FOUR WAYS—ACTS CHAPTER ONE
Way #1— I Must Align Myself [WITH CHRIST’S MISSION] For His Family!
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8
18Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matt 28:18-20
Way #2 – I Must Align Myself [WITH PRAYERFUL PURPOSE] With God’s Family.
12Then they returned to Jerusalem…. 13…Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. Acts 1:12-14
4The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, went up before God from the angel’s hand. 5Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake. Revelation 8:4-5
Way #3 – I Must Align Myself [WITH A MINISTRY] To Serve God’s Family.
Then they prayed and said, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which one of these two you have chosen 25to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” Acts 1:24-25 (NRSV)
4Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. Romans 12:4-5
Way # 4 – I Must Align MYSELF [WITH SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP] So God’s Family Can Grow!
Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles. Ac 1:26
11It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up. Ephesians 4:11-12
17Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you. Hebrews 13:17