SHAPED for Good

Question for you: what is your SHAPE? ie the unique way that God made you that brings glory to Him? What Pastor Rick Warren highlights is your Spiritual Gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality and Experiences.

What Pastor Rick Warren highlights is your Spiritual Gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality and Experiences.

God took care in making you and making me. When I consider the words of David I begin to understand how intentionally God made me and how unique I am:

Psalm 139:13–16 NKJV

13 For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. 14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well. 15 My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.

Psalms 139:13-16 (NKJV) 13 For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. 14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully [and] wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And [that] my soul knows very well. 15 My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, [And] skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When [as yet there were] none of them.

Meaning:

God formed me in my mother's womb.

My development was not hidden from God.

While others may come to discover who I am, God made me and knows exactly who I am and can be.

Likewise, God formed you in your mother's womb. God was with you and shaped you.

Question: Who are you? What is your SHAPE? In God's eyes, who are you to be? What are you to do?

Why God made you?

Apostle Paul, writing to believers, answers why God uniquely made you and me.

Ephesians 2:8–10 NKJV

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

ephesians 2:8-10

Ephesians 2:8-10 (NKJV) 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; [it is] the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Three things we get from Paul that highlight God's sovereignty and intentionality/purpose in creating you:

1. Masterpiece--in creating you God made a masterpiece "His workmanship" for the purpose of bringing forward "good works". (God intends to show off with you!)

2. Your purpose (or "good works") in life is a purpose God established "beforehand"--way before today.

3. God has "prepared" for your life and by His grace and your salvation through faith, God will usher you into His destiny for your life.

Today, we will highlight "destiny moments"--moments of purpose that point towards one's destiny in Christ--and we create space for you to discovery elements of your own SHAPE, purpose and destiny.

Esther

The book of Esther shows us that God is present even when He seems distant. In the course of the story, Esther—a Jew living during the time of the exile—becomes the queen of Persia. However, an official named Haman plots to kill the Jews throughout the empire. Esther and Mordecai, her cousin, expose the attempted genocide. Mordecai’s cunning, Esther’s bravery, and God’s unseen hand unite to save the Jewish exiles from destruction.

Esther had influence with the king. Esther had to decide whether to risk her relationship and life in order to intervene on behalf of her Jewish people and avoiding genocide.

We see in scripture Mordecai framing for Esther the situation and opportunity. We see Esther taking a bold embrace to do in her moment what possibly only she can do.

Esther 4:14-16 (NKJV) 14 "For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for [such] a time as this?" 15 Then Esther told [them] to reply to Mordecai: 16 "Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which [is] against the law; and if I perish, I perish!"

Esther 4:14–16 NKJV

For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai: “Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!”

My SHAPE for Good

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Personal testimony:

“One of my spiritual gifts is.......”

“In the Body of Christ I see God using me....”

“At work or in the world I see God using me...”

“At home or among my family and friends I see God using me...”

Where today do you utilize your spiritual gift or unique SHAPE in Christ? Specifically, where in your home, in church or in another setting?

Spiritual Gifts. Heart. Abilities. Personality. Experience. SHAPE—the unique way that God made you that brings glory to Him — so you can live out God’s purpose for your life.

SHAPE—the unique way that God made you that brings glory to Him — so you can live out God’s purpose for your life.

Spiritual Gifts—identifying my spiritual gifts enable me to better serve the Lord and to discover the specific work God has for me to do on this earth. (test at bcay.org)

Heart—when we intentionally place our passions, desires, and dreams under God’s control then God can use them to make a difference in the world. (Nehemiah)

Abilities —knowing what I am good at will help me to learn what God has wired me to be and do.

Romans 12:6 (NKJV) Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, [let us use them:] if prophecy, [let us] [prophesy] in proportion to our faith;

Hebrews 13:20-21 (CSB) 20 Now may the God of peace, who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus -- the great Shepherd of the sheep -- through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21 equip you with everything good to do his will, working in us what is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Personality—primarily a talker, feeler, thinker, or doer?

Mark 12:30 (NKJV) ‘And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This [is] the first commandment.

Experience—God will not waste my relational, educational, spiritual, vocational and painful experiences.

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.