Welcome to Issues And Answers.
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Have you ever wonder
what your purpose is?
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Have you ever wondered
about why are you actually here?
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I don't care,
what age are you at.
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At some point of your
life, you gonna hit that moment
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when you're gonna say, "God,
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why am I here or
what is my purpose,
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how can I be my very best?"
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Well, we're gonna
talk about that today.
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Our guest is
Pastor Joseph Ikner.
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He is the senior pastor
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for Berean
Seventh-day Adventist Church,
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in St. Louis, Missouri.
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He has degrees
from Andrews University,
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both under
graduate and masters degrees
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and we are going to
talk about, why are we here.
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Pastor. Yeah.
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Why are we here?
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You know, I think that
that's great a question,
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and I think
that's an answer that
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many people really
want to know because they--
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when they ask the
question, why am I here,
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they are really
asking why do I exist
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and what is my purpose in life.
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And you know, when you
ask people that question,
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whether they say, well, maybe
I am here to have a nice job,
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to make a lot of money,
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I want my name
to be in the lights,
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I want to be famous, I
want to have a great family
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but a lot of times
people don't really understand
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why they exist.
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And I think one of the
things that we find out is that
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there has to be
some meaning in life.
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There's lot of
thoughts out there
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and when you
talk about evolution
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and you talk about
the big bang theory
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and those things.
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If I say, if I believe
in the big bang theory,
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for example, and I say
there was a cosmic explosion
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and all of this
just happened randomly
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with the
existence of planet earth,
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then that means
that I am here by chance.
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Random. Random.
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If I say that I
came from a tadpole
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or I developed from a monkey
than that was just by chance.
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If I developed over
many millions of years
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then I am just here by chance
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and, you know, some
people have been told
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about their parents, you
know "you were not planned."
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Yes, kind of cruel,
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when people say
that, don't you think?
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It is, yeah, yeah.
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Like they had
something to do with it.
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Yeah, you were not
planed you were an accident.
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I didn't plan on having you
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and so people are
walking around aimlessly
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trying to find out what
their purpose is in life.
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And I think the reason and
that that becomes so important
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is because without
really understanding
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the meaning of life
and the purpose of life,
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people are really
living a life on empty,
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they are not
living a life of fullness,
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they are not able to
give all and invest all,
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as to why they are really here.
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And I think that
the word of God tells us
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really a little bit about
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what our meaning in life
is, what our purpose in life is.
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It does? Yeah, it does.
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So I want to begin by
looking at a scripture. Okay.
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That's found in
Colossians, Chapter one.
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Colossians
chapter one. And verse...
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And that's a New Testament,
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John,
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Acts, Romans and then
we get into Colossians.
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Okay, for those of you who
want to follow with us at home,
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follow us on.
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Yes, Colossians Chapter
one but before you read that
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I want to share this
quotation that comes from
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a senior research fellow,
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who's focus was
human molecular genetics.
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His name is Dr. Michael Denton
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and Rick Warren
quoted him in his book
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"The Purpose
Driven Life" and he says,
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"All the
evidence that is available
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in biological sciences
supports the core proposition,
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that the cosmos is a
specially designed hole
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with life and man kind as a
fundamental goal and purpose,
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a whole in which all facets
of reality have their meaning
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and explanation in
this central facts."
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So this scientist says that
everything that is designed,
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man kind, life, all has a
fundamental goal and purpose,
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every facets of
life has some meaning.
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So it didn't-- it just
kind of didn't randomly evolve
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or just kind of-- like a
chair, okay, or desk here or--
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these don't have any--
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well, they have a
purpose for our sit
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but as far as living
and breathing entities,
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you are saying
that's no accident.
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There is not accident, it
was not just, you are here.
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Now you try to figure
it out all on your own.
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Is there any role
that we have as individuals
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as far as our hopes and
our dreams and our aspirations,
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is there some
part that place in it,
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as well as-- is
it okay to set goals?
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We are going to
get into that. Okay.
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But before I
answer that question,
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I want to do that--
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I want to start with
the text in Colossians 1
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'cause that's gonna lead us into
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what the question
that you just asked.
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So we are looking
in Colossians, right?
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Colossians 1:16. Okay.
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And so for those of
you at home someone said
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Mathew, Mark,
Luke, John, Acts, Romans,
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I and II Corinthians.
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Go, ye popcorn.
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Well, we are not
saying go ye popcorn,
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well, we could actually
reading the word of God but...
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But Colossians, no.
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Galatians,
Ephesians, Philippians,
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Colossians, that's
a little accretive.
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Okay so, here we are,
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we can find all together,
find Colossians. Right.
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Okay, and verse you
said? 16. 16. Colossians 1:16.
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"For by him were
all things created,
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that are in heaven
and that are in earth,
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visible and invisible,
whether they be thrones,
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or dominions, or
principalities, or powers:
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all things were
created by Him and for Him."
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And this text is powerful
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because it gives
us a little insight
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to the creativeness of the God.
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It says for by
him speaking of Jesus,
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by Jesus all things were created
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and then the last
part of that text says that
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"all things were
created through Him
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and then all things
were created for him."
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So that tells us
two things, number one,
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first we remain
by God and then two
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we were created by
God for His purpose.
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Now why that's so important
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to the meaning
of life and purpose
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is because we don't
exist for ourselves.
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So the point is
not that we exist
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to do what we want to do,
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we don't exist
for our own ambitions,
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we don't exist
for our own goals,
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we don't exist for our own
dreams, our own aspirations,
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so a lot of times in
life, the question is
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asked to us or we ask ourselves
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what is it that I want to do
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or what is it that I want
to be or I want to become?
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But the better
question is asking
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since God made me and I
am created for His purpose.
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What is it that God
would have for me to do?
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What is it that
I am supposed to do
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in my station of life?
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What is it that God
wants me to accomplish?
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What is His will
and desire for me?
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And that's a big shift because
that moves me away from what
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I want to do and what I am about
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to living a life that
is sold out completely
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for fulfilling
God's purpose through me.
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So do I then just kind of
sit in my easy chair of life
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and just say I am
going to sit right here
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until God shows me
what I am supposed to do,
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is that what we do?
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Do we just kind of sit and wait?
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Or is there a part
that we have to play
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in discovering that purpose?
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Yeah, I think that
there is a discovery
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and I think that there
are many different ways
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of being able to see that.
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I think number one,
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one of the most
important things about
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knowing what my
purpose is in life
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is number one, seeking God.
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So I need to talk to God;
I need to be praying to him,
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asking Him what
He wants me to do
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and I come back
to that in a minute.
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Secondly, there are
some gifts and some talents
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that we have in life,
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that we know we naturally
bend toward some things,
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some abilities and
things that we have to do,
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so we know that can
play into it as well.
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And then other
people contribute toward it
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because sometimes we
don't have the ability
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to see everything in ourselves
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but other
people can see as well,
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in fact, that
really goes a hand in hand
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with self
discovery as I am looking,
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I might say, you know what,
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I think that this is
what I am supposed to be doing
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and that someone else,
somewhere along in life
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is going to come along
and affirm that as well
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because if no
one else can see it.
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Like if so, like if I say,
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I think that I should
become a concert pianist.
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Yes. And I can't play.
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There you go. Right.
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Yeah, I have no
ability to be able to play
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but I say I am suppose
to be a concert pianist
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and everyone else
around me is telling me
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that's my gift
and I am pushing on
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that may not be your gift.
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Right, so you are saying that
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the gift should
make room for themselves,
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as a saying goes "that
people should see that."
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Other people should see that
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but those gifts
and those talents,
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all kind of fit into the
overall arching purpose of life
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and what I want to say is
this 'cause this is important.
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It does not mean because I
am successful right now in life
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that I am fulfilling my purpose.
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Really?
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Doesn't mean because, you
know, things are going well,
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I've got a very successful job,
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you know, lots of
money is flowing in
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and what I am doing
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because I put my hand
to it and it prosperous
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and that could be
the other side as well,
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because I don't see all
the results of it as of yet
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it does not mean that I
am not within my purpose.
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It's really more,
the first key is really
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seeking God through prayer
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and through having a
relationship with Him
00:11:06.33\00:11:09.20
to come to and
understand about the plan
00:11:09.23\00:11:11.67
that He has for my life.
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And I want to look at
another scripture on that.
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Oh, okay.
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We want to go to Jeremiah,
that's Old Testament, yeah.
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Okay, look I just
turned right here, Jeremiah.
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Yeah. Okay. We
want to go to Jeremiah.
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These pages are
getting stuck here.
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Jeremiah Chapter
29. Jeremiah Chapter 29.
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Jeremiah Chapter
29, verses 11 and 12.
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"For I know the thoughts,"
oh, I like this scripture,
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I always like that scripture.
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"For I know the thoughts
that I think toward you,
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saith the Lord,
thoughts of peace,
00:11:47.30\00:11:49.60
and not of evil to
give you an expected end.
00:11:49.64\00:11:53.07
Then shall ye call upon me,
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and ye shall go
and pray unto me,
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and I will hearken unto you."
00:11:57.65\00:12:00.22
Now that's
traditional King James Version.
00:12:00.25\00:12:03.52
Yeah, so we just want
to extract or pull out
00:12:03.59\00:12:06.59
one small portion there
and it is that God says,
00:12:06.62\00:12:10.73
"I have plans for you."
00:12:10.76\00:12:12.16
So when we talk about
well, you know, I am sitting
00:12:12.19\00:12:14.73
and do I twiddle my thumbs,
how do I really discover.
00:12:14.76\00:12:19.37
Well, if God says
that He has a plan for you,
00:12:19.40\00:12:22.47
then it becomes
His responsibility
00:12:22.50\00:12:25.17
to reveal that plan.
00:12:25.21\00:12:26.74
Sometimes you
might hear God's voice,
00:12:26.78\00:12:30.61
sometimes it might
be a strong impression,
00:12:30.65\00:12:33.72
sometimes it might be through
the hands of other people
00:12:33.78\00:12:37.25
and it goes along with
00:12:37.29\00:12:39.19
as you move through
this journey of life.
00:12:39.22\00:12:41.86
I think you kind of
see through situations,
00:12:41.89\00:12:44.73
circumstances, doors
that are opened in life
00:12:44.76\00:12:48.50
that you kind of see,
00:12:48.53\00:12:49.86
this is what I am
supposed to be doing,
00:12:49.90\00:12:52.93
this is God's plan.
00:12:52.97\00:12:54.30
And so let me kind of
talk about it this way,
00:12:54.34\00:12:57.04
when we talk about purpose,
00:12:57.07\00:12:59.41
God has
something for us all to do
00:12:59.44\00:13:01.84
and one of those
things is to be a light,
00:13:01.88\00:13:04.85
it is to be a
representative for Him,
00:13:04.88\00:13:07.55
to be an ambassador for Him.
00:13:07.62\00:13:09.22
So let's take a look
at a great scripture text,
00:13:09.25\00:13:13.22
Matthew 5:16. Okay.
00:13:13.25\00:13:16.62
This is why it's so
nice to have more than
00:13:16.66\00:13:19.29
one Bible in one's library
00:13:19.33\00:13:21.80
that way like we just
read from the King James,
00:13:21.83\00:13:24.63
I think I am gonna try the
New International, all right.
00:13:24.67\00:13:27.77
So Matthew?
Chapter 5 and verse 16.
00:13:27.80\00:13:30.47
And these are the
very words of Jesus Himself
00:13:30.51\00:13:32.51
that speaks to us about purpose.
00:13:32.54\00:13:34.94
Okay, Matthew 5:16.
00:13:34.98\00:13:38.61
"In the same way let
your light shine before men,
00:13:38.65\00:13:42.35
that they may
see your good deeds
00:13:42.38\00:13:44.52
and praise your
Father in heaven."
00:13:44.55\00:13:46.76
So this text
kind of speaks to us
00:13:46.82\00:13:49.42
on the fact that
we are to be a light.
00:13:49.46\00:13:51.79
Now early in the
passage Jesus says that
00:13:51.83\00:13:54.10
we ought to be
the salt of the earth.
00:13:54.13\00:13:55.60
We got to make people
thirsty for the gospel.
00:13:55.63\00:13:58.47
In this text He said,
00:13:58.50\00:13:59.87
we need to be the
light of the world
00:13:59.90\00:14:01.70
and that light is
not supposed to be,
00:14:01.74\00:14:03.84
you know, people
looking at us and say,
00:14:03.91\00:14:05.87
"Oh, man, you're
such a wonderful person,
00:14:05.91\00:14:07.58
you got great
talent, purpose all of that,
00:14:07.61\00:14:09.91
I see all of that in you."
00:14:09.94\00:14:11.28
But instead,
we're supposed to be
00:14:11.31\00:14:13.11
the reflectors of Jesus Christ,
00:14:13.15\00:14:15.42
so that when people
see the things that we do,
00:14:15.45\00:14:18.15
the way that we carry ourselves,
00:14:18.19\00:14:19.89
the professions that we
have, the words that we speak,
00:14:19.92\00:14:23.29
the things that we
do, they might say,
00:14:23.32\00:14:25.23
"Wow, God must be real,
God is inside of this person,"
00:14:25.26\00:14:28.63
that's how I come
to acknowledge of God
00:14:28.66\00:14:31.10
through him or her
00:14:31.13\00:14:32.47
and therefore
they will glorify God
00:14:32.50\00:14:35.60
which is in heaven.
00:14:35.64\00:14:36.97
So all of us have this
purpose of being a light,
00:14:37.01\00:14:40.88
being a representative,
being an ambassador for God
00:14:40.94\00:14:46.18
so to speak.
00:14:46.21\00:14:48.02
And what we do is the vehicle
00:14:48.05\00:14:50.85
of being that
representative for God.
00:14:50.89\00:14:52.45
So I put it this way, I
am a pastor but the pastor--
00:14:52.49\00:14:59.19
being a pastor is
not my purpose in life,
00:14:59.23\00:15:02.33
that's the vehicle
that God uses to help me
00:15:02.36\00:15:05.60
to accomplish the
overall purpose that He has.
00:15:05.63\00:15:08.20
So some people are teachers,
some people are doctors,
00:15:08.24\00:15:10.94
some people are
nurses and lawyers
00:15:10.97\00:15:13.58
and all different type
of professions and yes,
00:15:13.61\00:15:16.38
they have the abilities and
the gifts to do those things
00:15:16.41\00:15:19.15
and God uses that for them
00:15:19.18\00:15:21.15
to be able to accomplish
their overall purpose.
00:15:21.18\00:15:24.19
So let me give you a
little story behind that.
00:15:24.22\00:15:26.42
Okay.
00:15:26.45\00:15:27.79
I see my purpose in life
and my ministry being larger
00:15:27.82\00:15:31.66
than just being a pastor because
00:15:31.69\00:15:34.30
if it was only by
being a pastor then
00:15:34.36\00:15:36.67
when I go to
church, I preach my sermon,
00:15:36.73\00:15:40.00
do my Bible
studies, do my counseling,
00:15:40.04\00:15:42.64
do my visitation,
00:15:42.67\00:15:44.01
I punch in and I
punch out at a certain time.
00:15:44.07\00:15:47.18
But if I got a purpose for God
00:15:47.24\00:15:48.58
that I am always supposed
to be a representative for Him,
00:15:48.61\00:15:51.18
then that means
no matter where I am,
00:15:51.21\00:15:54.72
I'm always working and
being a light for Jesus Christ.
00:15:54.75\00:15:59.12
So sometime
back, my dad was sick
00:15:59.15\00:16:02.36
and he was in the hospital
and so I went to the hospital
00:16:02.39\00:16:07.30
and while I was
there I'm asking God,
00:16:07.36\00:16:10.17
you know, there
is reason behind this
00:16:10.20\00:16:12.20
but there is there more
reason than just me being here
00:16:12.23\00:16:15.50
for my dad, and
to minister to him,
00:16:15.54\00:16:19.04
to comfort him and so forth
00:16:19.07\00:16:20.48
and that was
part of God's purpose.
00:16:20.51\00:16:22.11
And so my dad was
having a particular test done
00:16:22.14\00:16:25.95
and we went down to the area
00:16:25.98\00:16:27.98
where they were
having the testing
00:16:28.02\00:16:29.65
and I had the
opportunity with my dad who's,
00:16:29.68\00:16:32.75
you know, given me care in
life to now minister to him.
00:16:32.79\00:16:36.22
I am not in pulpit,
I am not in the church,
00:16:36.26\00:16:38.83
you know, there is no
brownie points for this,
00:16:38.86\00:16:40.80
this is not something
that I put on a report.
00:16:40.83\00:16:43.00
This is just ministry
now between me and my dad.
00:16:43.03\00:16:46.20
And so I get an opportunity
to share scripture with him,
00:16:46.23\00:16:49.14
to give him comfort as
he was getting ready to go
00:16:49.17\00:16:51.41
and to his test and
then to pray with him.
00:16:51.44\00:16:54.48
Now he goes in to the
test, he come back out
00:16:54.51\00:16:56.44
and while he is in
recovery I am walking by
00:16:56.48\00:16:59.28
and I did not know--
00:16:59.31\00:17:01.65
And you got to be
really careful with what you do
00:17:01.68\00:17:03.55
because people are
always listening to you
00:17:03.62\00:17:05.69
even sometimes when
you don't recognize it.
00:17:05.72\00:17:08.09
And so I am walking
by and this guy stops me,
00:17:08.12\00:17:11.13
he's getting ready to go in
for a particular test as well.
00:17:11.16\00:17:14.76
And he stops me and says, "Hey,
00:17:14.83\00:17:16.40
I probably
shouldn't have been doing this
00:17:16.43\00:17:18.70
but I was listening
to your conversation
00:17:18.73\00:17:20.74
with your dad on the other side
00:17:20.77\00:17:22.80
and I just thought
it was so powerful,
00:17:22.84\00:17:25.11
it was so meaningful the
scripture that you shared
00:17:25.14\00:17:27.51
was just wonderful and awesome
and I just want to say that,
00:17:27.58\00:17:30.65
you know, you're
doing a wonderful thing.
00:17:30.68\00:17:32.01
Well, for me, I am like
there is purpose in this,
00:17:32.05\00:17:35.08
where the God has
taken this moment in time
00:17:35.12\00:17:38.22
for me to be able to
reach this person, again,
00:17:38.25\00:17:40.36
this is not on the clock,
00:17:40.39\00:17:41.72
this is not
within the four walls,
00:17:41.76\00:17:43.22
this not within the church,
00:17:43.26\00:17:44.59
this not something
I have planned to do
00:17:44.63\00:17:45.96
but this is the purpose
that God has put in my heart
00:17:45.99\00:17:48.06
and so instead of
just saying well, thank you
00:17:48.10\00:17:50.97
and keeping going
and going back to my dad,
00:17:51.00\00:17:53.84
I then took a time to stop
00:17:53.90\00:17:55.44
and talk with him
and his wife about God
00:17:55.47\00:17:58.24
and I had the
opportunity to minister to them
00:17:58.27\00:18:01.41
and pray with
them about his exam
00:18:01.44\00:18:04.58
that was coming up
00:18:04.61\00:18:05.95
and to just give them
some peace and comfort.
00:18:05.98\00:18:09.38
Purpose is not just
something that we do,
00:18:09.42\00:18:12.12
it's in the heart,
it's a part of our being,
00:18:12.15\00:18:14.32
it's everything that we are
00:18:14.36\00:18:16.69
and that's why God
has to put there in us.
00:18:16.76\00:18:20.43
So Pastor, I want to
ask you a question. Sure.
00:18:20.46\00:18:22.90
Because, let's say that person
is in a work situation, right
00:18:22.93\00:18:28.37
and not everybody that
one works with is a Christian.
00:18:28.40\00:18:33.11
Does God work purposes
00:18:33.14\00:18:35.01
maybe through one's
employer to the boss,
00:18:35.04\00:18:37.95
may be through
magistrates, through a judges,
00:18:37.98\00:18:41.88
through different people?
00:18:41.92\00:18:45.02
Does God only use Christians
to fulfill His purpose?
00:18:45.05\00:18:48.52
No, it's
interesting that you said that
00:18:48.56\00:18:52.09
because just the other day
00:18:52.13\00:18:53.50
I was reading a
particular text in Romans 13
00:18:53.53\00:18:56.46
about how we
should relate to people
00:18:56.50\00:18:59.27
who are an authority over us,
00:18:59.30\00:19:01.37
like governors,
magistrates, judges,
00:19:01.40\00:19:03.74
whatever the case might be.
00:19:03.77\00:19:05.57
And Paul says that,
00:19:05.61\00:19:07.98
these people who are
in these higher positions
00:19:08.01\00:19:12.98
have been appointed by God,
00:19:13.01\00:19:14.35
in fact, they are
God's representatives
00:19:14.38\00:19:17.12
to carry out
justice in the land.
00:19:17.15\00:19:19.75
And so in many cases,
you know, as Christians,
00:19:19.79\00:19:22.79
you know, we have
a very specific focus
00:19:22.82\00:19:25.59
because we are
looking for what God is doing.
00:19:25.63\00:19:28.03
But there are even other times,
00:19:28.06\00:19:30.07
where people that we speak
of that are in high positions
00:19:30.10\00:19:32.70
may not even completely
surrender their life to God,
00:19:32.73\00:19:35.80
that God even
uses them to accomplish
00:19:35.84\00:19:39.97
His overall purpose and goal.
00:19:40.01\00:19:42.78
It becomes the
part of God's will.
00:19:42.81\00:19:44.45
It's like what we
see with Artaxerxes
00:19:44.48\00:19:46.51
when he helps out
Nehemiah to help him to rebuild
00:19:46.55\00:19:48.82
the wall of Jerusalem
00:19:48.85\00:19:50.52
or we see Nebuchadnezzar's
role in Daniel's life.
00:19:50.59\00:19:54.82
The list can go
on and on of examples
00:19:54.86\00:19:57.53
that we have in scripture
of how God moves and so forth.
00:19:57.56\00:20:01.40
So God can use
music? God can use music.
00:20:01.43\00:20:04.03
Different
music, religious music,
00:20:04.07\00:20:06.00
even some secular music to
bring joy and hope to people?
00:20:06.03\00:20:09.74
God can use different leaders,
different community people.
00:20:09.77\00:20:14.04
You are saying He could just
00:20:14.08\00:20:15.41
work His purposes
through any and everyone?
00:20:15.44\00:20:17.85
God can work His
purpose in any and everyone
00:20:17.88\00:20:20.32
but going back to
the fact of people
00:20:20.38\00:20:22.62
who are trying to
find their purpose,
00:20:22.65\00:20:24.62
there is always a reason
behind why everything happens
00:20:24.65\00:20:28.29
and so some people
are unfulfilled in life
00:20:28.32\00:20:31.83
and they are unsatisfied.
00:20:31.86\00:20:33.19
They go to their work place
00:20:33.23\00:20:34.60
and they say I
just hate this job,
00:20:34.63\00:20:37.20
I don't want to be here,
00:20:37.23\00:20:38.90
I don't want to
be in this situation
00:20:38.93\00:20:41.00
or they find themselves
maybe as a stay at home mom
00:20:41.04\00:20:44.17
and really wish they
could pursue their career.
00:20:44.24\00:20:46.91
And so a lot of
times they just focus
00:20:46.94\00:20:49.38
only on that situation
and what is around them,
00:20:49.41\00:20:52.51
instead of asking the question,
00:20:52.55\00:20:55.15
"What's the purpose in this?
What's the meaning in this?
00:20:55.18\00:20:59.85
So God, why do you have
me here in this work place?
00:20:59.89\00:21:03.22
Is it possible that I am here
for more than just doing a job,
00:21:03.26\00:21:07.60
more than just
punching a time clock?
00:21:07.66\00:21:10.03
Am I here because
You want to use me
00:21:10.07\00:21:12.30
to be able to have
influence on someone else?"
00:21:12.33\00:21:15.50
It reminds me, my family and I,
00:21:15.54\00:21:17.74
I was going to
speak in a part of country
00:21:17.77\00:21:20.34
and my family was going with me
00:21:20.38\00:21:22.38
and so we were
in St. Louis airport
00:21:22.41\00:21:25.21
and we were rushing
to get to the airport,
00:21:25.25\00:21:27.28
I thought we
were going to be late,
00:21:27.32\00:21:28.82
got there,
checked in the baggage,
00:21:28.85\00:21:31.12
I ran through security.
00:21:31.15\00:21:33.46
I thought we got there
just in a nick of time,
00:21:33.52\00:21:37.03
get there only to find
out the flight is delayed.
00:21:37.09\00:21:41.66
The flight is
delayed. The flight is delayed.
00:21:41.70\00:21:45.00
And, Karen, can you believe
why the flight was delayed?
00:21:45.03\00:21:47.90
Because the light
bulb in the lavatory
00:21:47.94\00:21:50.14
on the airplane was not working.
00:21:50.17\00:21:52.11
So the plane could not
leave just for that fact.
00:21:52.14\00:21:54.78
Wow. So here we
are, we are there.
00:21:54.81\00:21:57.18
According to regulations,
00:21:57.21\00:21:59.11
they can't leave
without their light working.
00:21:59.15\00:22:01.82
It was almost a possibility
of the flight not going out.
00:22:01.85\00:22:05.02
Now we are
traveling, this is business
00:22:05.05\00:22:07.66
but it's also
some pleasure as well.
00:22:07.69\00:22:09.19
We are looking forward to
having this time to relax,
00:22:09.22\00:22:11.59
we really don't
want to lose this day.
00:22:11.63\00:22:13.73
Yeah, you're ready,
set, go. Ready, set, go.
00:22:13.80\00:22:17.37
But I said to my
family, I said, you know,
00:22:17.43\00:22:19.33
maybe we really need
to seek God and just pray
00:22:19.37\00:22:22.60
about what God would have
us to do while we're here.
00:22:22.64\00:22:25.91
Maybe there is a
reason or purpose
00:22:25.94\00:22:29.48
behind why we're
here in the airport.
00:22:29.51\00:22:32.11
And so we pray this
prayer in the middle of the...
00:22:32.15\00:22:34.42
Really, you stopped right there?
00:22:34.45\00:22:35.78
Stopped right
there, family, son, myself,
00:22:35.82\00:22:38.59
my wife, my son, myself
and we prayed right there
00:22:38.62\00:22:42.16
and we asked God's purpose.
00:22:42.19\00:22:43.89
While we're sitting there I
noticed that there was a mom,
00:22:43.93\00:22:46.26
who's got two children.
00:22:46.29\00:22:47.60
She's traveling to see
some other family by herself,
00:22:47.66\00:22:50.03
husband can't go with her.
00:22:50.10\00:22:51.67
And she's got a child
who is just very energetic
00:22:51.70\00:22:55.87
and he is running
all through out the,
00:22:55.90\00:22:58.34
you know, the airport.
00:22:58.37\00:22:59.71
And he's just
very, very, very busy.
00:22:59.74\00:23:02.11
So I said to myself,
00:23:02.14\00:23:04.28
man, maybe I just need
to start a conversation
00:23:04.31\00:23:08.38
with this particular lady.
00:23:08.42\00:23:11.85
So I do, we begin to talk,
00:23:11.89\00:23:13.79
as we having this conversation
00:23:13.86\00:23:15.19
she explained to
me what's going on,
00:23:15.22\00:23:16.83
we're building relationship.
00:23:16.86\00:23:18.53
After a while,
she takes her children
00:23:18.56\00:23:20.80
with my wife and his son
00:23:20.83\00:23:22.50
and they go to a play
ground area in the airport.
00:23:22.53\00:23:25.27
So you know, we are
helping with her son
00:23:25.30\00:23:28.74
to keep him calm and so forth.
00:23:28.77\00:23:31.11
So eventually
the flight takes off,
00:23:31.14\00:23:34.08
we are able to go.
00:23:34.14\00:23:35.48
So we get on the
plane and low and behold,
00:23:35.51\00:23:38.35
the same lady that
we are ministering to
00:23:38.38\00:23:41.02
is sitting right
behind us on the airplane.
00:23:41.05\00:23:43.95
Wow. She has a small
child... So three in three.
00:23:43.99\00:23:47.42
Yeah, three in three
and she has a little infant
00:23:47.46\00:23:51.26
and he is on the
plane and as infants can be,
00:23:51.29\00:23:53.80
you know, they feel really,
00:23:53.86\00:23:55.56
you know, uncomfortable
being on this plane.
00:23:55.60\00:23:57.87
So he starts to cry
00:23:57.90\00:24:00.54
and you know how it is
when you are on a plane,
00:24:00.57\00:24:02.27
and people start
looking around and say,
00:24:02.30\00:24:04.84
Oh, is this going to be what is
going to be like this in flight
00:24:04.87\00:24:06.98
That crying baby on the plane.
Right, crying baby on the --
00:24:07.01\00:24:10.95
So my wife asked
can she take the child,
00:24:10.98\00:24:17.02
so now we build relationship
and this may have not happened,
00:24:17.09\00:24:20.56
if we hadn't had all of
this interaction before.
00:24:20.59\00:24:24.33
She takes the child,
she is holding the child
00:24:24.36\00:24:27.40
and he just
instantly calms down, you know.
00:24:27.50\00:24:30.93
So we had this conversation,
00:24:30.97\00:24:33.13
you know, we plant the
seed when we get off the plane,
00:24:33.17\00:24:37.21
this woman has
told her whole family,
00:24:37.27\00:24:39.51
where were we going
about how we helped them
00:24:39.54\00:24:41.88
and so we meet up in airport
and they say are you the ones,
00:24:41.91\00:24:45.61
that helped our daughter?
00:24:45.65\00:24:47.58
You know, we have her
child during this time
00:24:47.62\00:24:49.62
and we had a little
opportunity to talk about Jesus.
00:24:49.65\00:24:51.75
We just planted seed, you know,
00:24:51.79\00:24:53.52
we didn't had no Bible studiy,
00:24:53.56\00:24:55.19
didn't do, you know,
all this Bible studies.
00:24:55.22\00:24:58.26
And then baptized --
The whole nine yards.
00:24:58.29\00:25:00.53
Yeah, didn't do
that. Making friends.
00:25:00.56\00:25:02.43
Yeah, making friends,
touched this lady's life,
00:25:02.46\00:25:05.90
has not seen her again
but there was purpose in that.
00:25:05.93\00:25:08.97
And many times we
miss out on other things
00:25:09.00\00:25:12.51
that God would have for us to do
00:25:12.54\00:25:14.38
because we are just looking
00:25:14.41\00:25:15.74
at the normal
set of circumstances,
00:25:15.78\00:25:17.88
how this thing impacts me,
00:25:17.91\00:25:19.91
how many times have we
missed opportunities because
00:25:19.95\00:25:23.89
we are aggravated
or we are agitated
00:25:23.92\00:25:27.16
because things are not
working out the way that I am.
00:25:27.19\00:25:30.73
Self absorbed.
00:25:30.76\00:25:32.09
Sitting in traffic,
sitting in an airport,
00:25:32.13\00:25:34.66
something got canceled.
00:25:34.73\00:25:36.36
Is there something
more that God has for me?
00:25:36.40\00:25:40.84
So you are saying that
God really is that detailed
00:25:40.90\00:25:44.07
where every single
situation is under His view,
00:25:44.11\00:25:48.98
His divine view?
00:25:49.01\00:25:50.41
And everything has a purpose?
00:25:50.45\00:25:52.38
Everything has
purpose. Really? Yeah.
00:25:52.41\00:25:54.35
Everything.
00:25:54.38\00:25:55.72
So we are free then to
walk within that purposes?
00:25:55.75\00:25:58.09
We are free to
walk within that purpose
00:25:58.12\00:25:59.69
and I think that
God is so detailed
00:25:59.72\00:26:01.19
that the Bible
says in Luke 12:7,
00:26:01.22\00:26:03.12
that He has the very
hairs on our head counted.
00:26:03.16\00:26:05.43
That's how detailed
our God is. That's detail.
00:26:05.46\00:26:08.03
If He knows the number of
hairs that we have on our head,
00:26:08.06\00:26:12.63
even after we get a
haircut, if He knows that...
00:26:12.67\00:26:16.07
That's a good one.
00:26:16.10\00:26:17.44
If He knows that,
then He's also concerned
00:26:17.51\00:26:21.31
about every small thing
that's going on in our lives
00:26:21.34\00:26:24.91
and that means through
every event of every day,
00:26:24.95\00:26:28.32
God has a plan
and He wants to know
00:26:28.35\00:26:31.32
if we would move
ourselves in harmony
00:26:31.35\00:26:34.16
to find out what
He wants to do for us.
00:26:34.19\00:26:36.36
And the wonderful thing is that
00:26:36.39\00:26:37.89
God puts us on the
road of self discovery.
00:26:37.93\00:26:40.63
He won't always come and
say, "This is my plan for you."
00:26:40.70\00:26:44.30
All right.
00:26:44.33\00:26:45.67
But He allows us
to figure it out,
00:26:45.70\00:26:47.20
as He asked
Adam, "Where are you?"
00:26:47.24\00:26:50.47
He allows us to
ask those questions
00:26:50.51\00:26:52.71
and us to ask questions of Him
00:26:52.74\00:26:55.04
and that's how we
discover our purpose in life.
00:26:55.08\00:26:58.05
Pastor would you
offer prayer for those of us
00:26:58.08\00:27:00.65
and who are
watching and participating,
00:27:00.68\00:27:02.88
who are willing
to know more about
00:27:02.92\00:27:05.25
really getting holding in on
that purpose wherever we are.
00:27:05.29\00:27:08.02
Could you offer
the prayer please?
00:27:08.06\00:27:09.49
I can.
00:27:09.52\00:27:11.06
Lord, we are just so thankful
that you are God who loves us
00:27:11.09\00:27:16.33
and created us and made us
00:27:16.36\00:27:19.37
fearfully and
wonderfully in your image.
00:27:19.40\00:27:23.10
We are thankful, Lord,
that we are created by you
00:27:23.14\00:27:26.24
and for You and You have things
Lord, that you want us to do
00:27:26.27\00:27:30.88
and so Lord as I
pray, I pray for our viewers
00:27:30.95\00:27:35.45
that we would be
able to come and discover
00:27:35.48\00:27:38.55
what our purpose is for life.
00:27:38.59\00:27:39.92
What it is that You
would really have for us to do
00:27:39.95\00:27:42.56
and what vehicles you
want us to use in life,
00:27:42.59\00:27:45.16
God, to be able to do it.
00:27:45.19\00:27:46.90
Lord, I just believe that
it's never too late in life
00:27:46.93\00:27:50.37
to be able to
fulfill one's purpose
00:27:50.43\00:27:53.23
and so Lord, if that means
for us to going back to school
00:27:53.30\00:27:56.57
or changing professions
or doing something different,
00:27:56.60\00:28:00.11
oh, God, we just make
ourselves available to you
00:28:00.14\00:28:03.68
and we say not our will
be done but thy will be done.
00:28:03.71\00:28:08.52
Help us to take advantage, Lord,
00:28:08.55\00:28:10.42
also of the
common places in life.
00:28:10.45\00:28:13.99