God Has Work for You to Do

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CURRENT TEACHING SERIES What On Earth Am I Here For?

God Has Work for You to Do By Rick Warren — Oct 3, 2015 “It is God himself who has made us what we are and given us new lives from Christ Jesus; and long ages ago he planned that we should spend these lives in helping others.” (Ephesians 2:10 TLB) God calls you to a service far beyond anything you could ever imagine. You were put on Earth to make a contribution. You weren’t created just to consume resources — to eat, breathe, and take up space. God designed you to make a difference with your life. You were created to add to life on Earth, not just take from it. God wants you to give something back. The Bible says, “God … has created us for a life of good deeds, which he has already prepared for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10 TEV). These “good deeds” are your service to the world. Whenever you serve others in any way, you are actually serving God (Colossians 3:23-24; Matthew 25:34-45; Ephesians 6:7). What God told Jeremiah is also true for you: “Before I made you in your mother’s womb, I chose you. Before you were born, I set you apart for a special work” (Jeremiah 1:5a NCV). When most people think of this “special work,” they think of pastors, priests, and professional clergy, but God says every member of his family is to minister. In the Bible, the words “servant” and “minister” are synonyms, as are “service” and “ministry.” If you are a Christian, you are a minister, and when you’re serving, you’re ministering. Have you ever wondered why God doesn’t just immediately take us to Heaven the moment we accept his grace? Why does he leave us in a fallen world? He leaves us here to fulfill his purposes. Once you are saved, God intends to use you for his goals. God has a ministry for you in his Church and a mission for you in the world. PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick>> Talk It Over What is holding you back from accepting God’s call to serve him? If every member is a minister, what is the responsibility of church leaders? How can you pray for your church leaders? God has a ministry for you in his Church and a mission for you in the world. What is he calling you to do today right where you live — in your home or neighborhood or community — no matter how small it seems? How will you respond? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXeCQgOlx4Q Today’s Scripture “Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.” (Psalm 32:1, NIV) SHARE WITH YOUR FRIENDS The Blessing of Forgiveness The Scripture is filled with keys to obtaining God’s promise of blessing. It says in Psalm 32 that you are blessed when your transgressions are forgiven. God extends forgiveness to everyone, but we have to do our part to receive the forgiveness. We have to repent, or change our ways, with open hearts. The Bible also tells us that if we don’t forgive others, we cannot be forgiven. Is there anyone in your life today that you need to forgive? Is there someone who has hurt or wronged you? Make the decision to forgive so that you can walk in the blessing of God’s forgiveness for you. Remember, forgiveness doesn’t excuse wrong behavior. It simply releases the person from the debt they owe you so that God can release you from the debt you owe for your transgressions. When you make the choice to forgive and allow God to heal your heart, you will be able to receive His forgiveness, and you will walk in His abundant blessing all the days of your life. A Prayer for Today “Heavenly Father, thank You for the promise of blessing in my life. I open my heart to You and ask that You cleanse me of anything that isn’t pleasing to You. Search me and show me if there is any unforgiveness in my heart so that I can release it and walk in Your blessing for me today in Jesus’ name. Amen.”