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,
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you gonna hit that
moment when you're gonna say,
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"God, 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 for Berean
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Seventh-day Adventist
Church, 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
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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
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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,
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when you ask
people that question,
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what they're going to say,
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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,
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I want to have a great family
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but a lot of times people
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don't really
understand why they exist.
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And I think one
of the things that
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we find out is that 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,
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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
then 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 and, you know,
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some people have been
told about their parents,
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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 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
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tells us really
a little bit about
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what our meaning in life is,
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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.
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Okay.
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That's found in
Colossians Chapter 1.
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Colossians
Chapter 1 and verse...
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And that's a New Testament,
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Matthew, Mark, Luke, John,
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Acts, Romans
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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 along.
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Yes, Colossians Chapter
1 but before you read that.
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Okay.
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I want to share this quotation
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that comes from a
senior research fellow,
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whose 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 the biological sciences
supports the core proposition,
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that the cosmos is a specially
designed hole with life
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and mankind as its
fundamental goal and purpose,
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a hole 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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mankind, life,
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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...
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just kind of it
didn't randomly evolve
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or just kind of like a
chair, okay, or desk here,
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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,
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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
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and our aspirations,
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is there some part
that plays in it, as well...
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Is it okay to set goals?
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We are going to get into that.
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But before I
answer that question,
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I want to do that with...
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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
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someone said Mathew,
Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans,
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1 and 2 Corinthians.
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Go, eat popcorn.
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Well, we are not
saying go eat popcorn,
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well, you could actually
reading the word of God but...
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You could.
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Colossians, no.
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Galatians, Ephesians,
Philippians, Colossians,
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that's a little accretive.
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Okay, so here we are,
we can find all together,
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find Colossians.
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Right.
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Okay, and verse you said?
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16. 16.
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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,
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whether they be
thrones, or dominions,
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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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Okay.
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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 were made
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 to do
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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,
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our own aspirations,
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so a lot of times in life,
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the question is 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,
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or I want to become?
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But the better
question is asking
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since God made me
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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 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
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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
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we have to play in
discovering that purpose?
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Yeah, I think that
there is a discovery
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and I think that
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there are many different
ways 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 is number one,
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seeking God.
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So I need to talk to God,
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I need to be
praying to Him, asking Him
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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
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and some talents
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 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 then someone else,
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somewhere along in
life is going to come along
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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.
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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
supposed 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,
00:10:15.34\00:10:16.68
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
00:10:23.95\00:10:25.95
arching purpose of life.
00:10:25.99\00:10:27.32
And what I want to say is this
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'cause this is important.
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It does not mean
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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,
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you know, things are going well,
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I've got a very
successful job, you know,
00:10:45.37\00:10:49.14
lots of money is
flowing in 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,
00:10:54.45\00:10:55.78
because I don't see
all the results of it
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as of yet,
00:10:57.72\00:10:59.05
it does not mean that I
am not within my purpose.
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It's really more,
00:11:01.46\00:11:02.92
the first key is really
seeking God through prayer
00:11:02.96\00:11:06.33
and through having a
relationship with Him
00:11:06.36\00:11:09.20
to come to and
understand about the plan
00:11:09.23\00:11:11.83
that He has for my life.
00:11:11.87\00:11:13.67
And I want to look at
another scripture on that.
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Oh, okay.
00:11:15.30\00:11:16.64
We want to go to Jeremiah,
that's Old Testament, yeah.
00:11:16.67\00:11:20.88
Okay, look I just
turned right here to Jeremiah.
00:11:20.91\00:11:23.75
Yeah. Okay.
00:11:23.78\00:11:25.11
We want to go to Jeremiah.
00:11:25.15\00:11:26.88
These pages are
getting stuck here.
00:11:26.92\00:11:28.28
Jeremiah Chapter 29.
00:11:28.32\00:11:31.02
Jeremiah 29?
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Jeremiah 29:11 and 12.
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"For I know the thoughts..."
00:11:39.53\00:11:41.56
Oh, I like this scripture,
I always like that scripture.
00:11:41.60\00:11:44.43
"For I know the thoughts
that I think toward you,
00:11:44.47\00:11:47.44
saith the Lord,
thoughts of peace,
00:11:47.47\00:11:49.80
and not of evil to
give you an expected end.
00:11:49.84\00:11:53.48
Then shall ye call upon me,
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and ye shall go
and pray unto me,
00:11:55.58\00:11:57.78
and I will hearken unto you."
00:11:57.81\00:12:00.68
Now that's in the
traditional King James Version.
00:12:00.72\00:12:03.55
Yes, so we're
just going to extract
00:12:03.59\00:12:05.99
or pull out one
small portion there
00:12:06.02\00:12:08.86
and it is that God says,
00:12:08.89\00:12:10.69
"I have plans for you."
00:12:10.73\00:12:12.26
So when we talk
about well, you know,
00:12:12.29\00:12:13.83
I am sitting and I
might do, I twiddle my thumbs,
00:12:13.86\00:12:16.46
how do I really discover.
00:12:16.50\00:12:19.40
Well, if God says
that He has a plan for you,
00:12:19.43\00:12:22.54
then it becomes
His responsibility
00:12:22.57\00:12:25.24
to reveal that plan.
00:12:25.27\00:12:26.88
Sometimes you
might hear God's voice,
00:12:26.91\00:12:30.68
sometimes it might
be a strong impression,
00:12:30.71\00:12:33.85
sometimes it might be through
the hands of other people
00:12:33.88\00:12:37.29
and it goes along
00:12:37.32\00:12:39.12
with as you move
through this journey of life.
00:12:39.15\00:12:42.06
I think you kind of
see through situations,
00:12:42.09\00:12:44.39
circumstances,
00:12:44.43\00:12:46.36
doors that are opened in
life that you kind of see,
00:12:46.39\00:12:49.50
this is what I am
supposed to be doing,
00:12:49.53\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\00:12:56.94
When we talk about purpose,
00:12:56.97\00:12:59.54
God has
something for us all to do,
00:12:59.57\00:13:02.08
and one of those
things is to be a light,
00:13:02.11\00:13:04.98
it is to be a
representative for Him,
00:13:05.01\00:13:07.48
to be an ambassador for Him.
00:13:07.52\00:13:09.32
So let's take a look
at a great scripture text,
00:13:09.35\00:13:13.15
Matthew 5:16.
00:13:13.19\00:13:15.69
Okay.
00:13:15.72\00:13:17.06
This is why it's so nice
00:13:17.09\00:13:18.43
to have more than one
Bible in one's library,
00:13:18.46\00:13:22.10
that way like we just
read from the King James,
00:13:22.13\00:13:24.40
I think I am gonna try
00:13:24.43\00:13:25.77
the New
International, all right.
00:13:25.80\00:13:27.70
So Matthew?
00:13:27.74\00:13:29.10
Chapter 5 and verse 16.
00:13:29.14\00:13:30.51
And these are the
very words of Jesus Himself
00:13:30.54\00:13:32.57
that speaks to us about purpose.
00:13:32.61\00:13:35.08
Okay, Matthew 5:16.
00:13:35.11\00:13:38.68
"In the same way let
your light shine before men,
00:13:38.71\00:13:42.52
that they may
see your good deeds
00:13:42.55\00:13:44.62
and praise your
Father in heaven."
00:13:44.65\00:13:47.16
So this text
kind of speaks to us
00:13:47.19\00:13:49.56
on the fact that
we are to be a light.
00:13:49.59\00:13:51.86
Now early in the
passage Jesus says
00:13:51.89\00:13:54.00
that we ought to be
the salt of the earth.
00:13:54.03\00:13:55.63
We got to make people
thirsty for the gospel.
00:13:55.66\00:13:58.53
In this text He said,
00:13:58.57\00:14:00.24
we need to be the
light of the world,
00:14:00.27\00:14:01.74
and that light is
not supposed to be,
00:14:01.77\00:14:03.94
you know, people
looking at us and say,
00:14:03.97\00:14:05.77
"Oh, man, you're
such a wonderful person,
00:14:05.81\00:14:07.54
you got great talent,
00:14:07.58\00:14:08.91
purpose all of that, I
see all of that in you."
00:14:08.94\00:14:10.95
But instead,
00:14:10.98\00:14:12.31
we're supposed to be the
reflectors of Jesus Christ,
00:14:12.35\00:14:15.42
so that when people
see the things that we do,
00:14:15.45\00:14:18.22
the way that we carry ourselves,
00:14:18.25\00:14:19.95
the professions that we
have, the words that we speak,
00:14:19.99\00:14:23.26
the things that we
do, they might say,
00:14:23.29\00:14:25.33
"Wow, God must be real,
God is inside of this person,"
00:14:25.36\00:14:28.66
that's how I come
to a knowledge of God
00:14:28.70\00:14:31.17
through him or her
00:14:31.20\00:14:32.53
and therefore
they will glorify God
00:14:32.57\00:14:34.64
which is in heaven.
00:14:34.67\00:14:36.00
So all of us have this
purpose of being a light,
00:14:36.04\00:14:41.08
being a representative,
00:14:41.11\00:14:43.45
being an ambassador
for God so to speak.
00:14:43.48\00:14:48.25
And what we do is the vehicle
00:14:48.28\00:14:50.99
of being that
representative for God.
00:14:51.02\00:14:52.65
So I put it this way,
00:14:52.69\00:14:56.09
I am a pastor but the pastor,
00:14:56.12\00:14:59.13
being a pastor is
not my purpose in life,
00:14:59.16\00:15:02.30
that's the vehicle
that God uses to help me
00:15:02.33\00:15:05.67
to accomplish the
overall purpose that He has.
00:15:05.70\00:15:08.27
So some people are teachers,
some people are doctors,
00:15:08.30\00:15:10.94
some people are
nurses and lawyers,
00:15:10.97\00:15:13.64
and all different type
of professions, and yes,
00:15:13.68\00:15:16.38
they have the
abilities and the gifts
00:15:16.41\00:15:18.15
to do those
things and God uses that
00:15:18.18\00:15:20.88
for them to be able to
00:15:20.92\00:15:22.25
accomplish
their overall purpose.
00:15:22.28\00:15:24.55
So let me give you a
little story behind that.
00:15:24.59\00:15:26.25
Okay.
00:15:26.29\00:15:27.62
I see my purpose in life
00:15:27.66\00:15:29.82
and my ministry being
larger than just being a pastor
00:15:29.86\00:15:33.80
because if it was
only by being a pastor
00:15:33.83\00:15:36.06
then when I go to church,
00:15:36.10\00:15:38.67
I preach my sermon,
do my Bible studies,
00:15:38.70\00:15:41.50
do my
counseling, do my visitation,
00:15:41.54\00:15:44.14
I punch in and I
punch out at a certain time.
00:15:44.17\00:15:47.21
But if I got a purpose for God,
00:15:47.24\00:15:48.74
then I am always supposed
to be a representative for Him,
00:15:48.78\00:15:51.28
then that means
no matter where I am,
00:15:51.31\00:15:54.78
I'm always working and
being a light for Jesus Christ.
00:15:54.82\00:15:59.49
So sometime back,
00:15:59.52\00:16:01.32
my dad was sick and
he was in the hospital
00:16:01.36\00:16:04.63
and so I went to the hospital.
00:16:04.66\00:16:07.30
And while I was
there, I'm asking God,
00:16:07.33\00:16:10.20
you know, there
is reason behind this
00:16:10.23\00:16:12.20
but there is there more reason
00:16:12.23\00:16:13.84
than just me
being here for my dad,
00:16:13.87\00:16:16.91
and to minister to
him, to comfort him
00:16:16.94\00:16:20.04
and so forth and that
was part of God's purpose.
00:16:20.08\00:16:22.34
And so my dad was
having a particular test done
00:16:22.38\00:16:25.85
and we went down to the area
00:16:25.88\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, you know,
00:16:29.68\00:16:33.09
given me care in life
to now minister to him.
00:16:33.12\00:16:36.39
I am not in pulpit,
I am not in the church,
00:16:36.42\00:16:38.89
you know, there is no
brownie points for this,
00:16:38.93\00:16:40.70
this is not something
that I put on a report.
00:16:40.73\00:16:43.10
This is just ministry
now between me and my dad.
00:16:43.13\00:16:46.13
And so I get an opportunity
to share scripture with him,
00:16:46.17\00:16:49.24
to give him comfort as
he was getting ready to go
00:16:49.27\00:16:51.61
and to his test and
then to pray with him.
00:16:51.64\00:16:54.54
Now he goes in to the test,
00:16:54.58\00:16:55.91
he comes back out and
while he is in recovery,
00:16:55.94\00:16:57.95
I am walking by,
00:16:57.98\00:16:59.41
and I did not know...
00:16:59.45\00:17:01.68
And you got to be
really careful with what you do
00:17:01.72\00:17:03.52
because people are always
listening to you even sometimes
00:17:03.55\00:17:06.25
when you don't recognize it.
00:17:06.29\00:17:08.09
And so I am walking
by and this guy stops me,
00:17:08.12\00:17:11.19
he's getting ready to go in
for a particular test as well.
00:17:11.23\00:17:14.56
And he stops me and says,
00:17:14.60\00:17:15.93
"Hey, I probably
shouldn't have been doing this,
00:17:15.96\00:17:18.77
but I was listening
to your conversation
00:17:18.80\00:17:20.84
with your dad on the other side,
00:17:20.87\00:17:22.80
and I just thought
it was so powerful,
00:17:22.84\00:17:25.17
it was so
meaningful the scripture
00:17:25.21\00:17:26.61
that you shared was
just wonderful and awesome,
00:17:26.64\00:17:29.58
and I just want to say that,
00:17:29.61\00:17:30.95
you know, you're
doing a wonderful thing.
00:17:30.98\00:17:32.31
Well, for me, I am like
there is purpose in this,
00:17:32.35\00:17:35.38
where the God has
taken this moment in time
00:17:35.42\00:17:38.25
for me to be able
to reach this person.
00:17:38.29\00:17:39.85
Again, this is not on the clock,
00:17:39.89\00:17:41.79
this is not
within the four walls,
00:17:41.82\00:17:43.16
this not within the church,
00:17:43.19\00:17:44.53
this not something
I have planned to do,
00:17:44.56\00:17:45.99
but this is the purpose
that God has put in my heart
00:17:46.03\00:17:48.06
and so instead
of just saying well,
00:17:48.10\00:17:50.00
thank you and keep going
and going back to my dad,
00:17:50.03\00:17:53.94
I then took a time to
stop and talk with him
00:17:53.97\00:17:56.44
and his wife about God,
00:17:56.47\00:17:58.17
and I had the
opportunity to minister to them
00:17:58.21\00:18:01.61
and pray with them about
his exam that was coming up,
00:18:01.64\00:18:05.61
and to just give them
some peace and comfort.
00:18:05.65\00:18:09.35
Purpose is not just
something that we do,
00:18:09.38\00:18:12.05
it's in the heart,
00:18:12.09\00:18:13.42
it's a part of our being,
it's everything that we are,
00:18:13.46\00:18:16.73
and that's why God
has to put there in us.
00:18:16.76\00:18:20.56
So Pastor, I want
to ask you a question.
00:18:20.60\00:18:21.93
Sure.
00:18:21.96\00:18:23.30
Because,
00:18:23.33\00:18:25.10
let's say that person is
in a work situation, right.
00:18:25.13\00:18:28.37
And not everybody that
one works with is a Christian.
00:18:28.40\00:18:33.14
Does God work purposes
00:18:33.17\00:18:35.04
maybe through one's
employer to the boss,
00:18:35.08\00:18:38.38
maybe through
magistrates, through judges,
00:18:38.41\00:18:41.82
through different people?
00:18:41.85\00:18:45.09
Does God only use Christians
to fulfill His purpose?
00:18:45.12\00:18:48.62
No, it's
interesting that you said that
00:18:48.66\00:18:51.89
because just the other day
00:18:51.93\00:18:53.60
I was reading a
particular text in Romans 13
00:18:53.63\00:18:56.50
about how we
should relate to people
00:18:56.53\00:18:59.43
who are an authority over us,
00:18:59.47\00:19:01.30
like governors,
magistrates, judges,
00:19:01.34\00:19:03.71
whatever the case might be.
00:19:03.74\00:19:05.37
And Paul says that,
00:19:05.41\00:19:08.14
these people who are
in these higher positions
00:19:08.18\00:19:12.91
have been appointed by God.
00:19:12.95\00:19:14.32
In fact, they are
God's representatives
00:19:14.35\00:19:17.12
to carry out
justice in the land.
00:19:17.15\00:19:19.89
And so in many cases, you know,
00:19:19.92\00:19:22.02
as Christians, you know,
00:19:22.06\00:19:23.39
we have a very specific focus
00:19:23.43\00:19:25.59
because we are
looking for what God is doing.
00:19:25.63\00:19:28.23
But there are even other times,
00:19:28.26\00:19:30.23
where people that we speak
of that are in high positions,
00:19:30.27\00:19:32.73
they may have
not even completely
00:19:32.77\00:19:34.10
surrendered their life to God,
00:19:34.14\00:19:35.80
that God even uses them
00:19:35.84\00:19:38.81
to accomplish His
overall purpose and goal.
00:19:38.84\00:19:42.74
It becomes the
part of God's will.
00:19:42.78\00:19:44.31
It's like what we
see with Artaxerxes
00:19:44.35\00:19:46.51
when he helps out
Nehemiah to help him
00:19:46.55\00:19:48.12
to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem
00:19:48.15\00:19:50.55
or we see Nebuchadnezzar's
role in Daniel's life.
00:19:50.59\00:19:54.76
The list can go
on and on of examples
00:19:54.79\00:19:57.56
that we have in scripture
of how God moves and so forth.
00:19:57.59\00:20:01.40
So God can use music?
00:20:01.43\00:20:03.03
God can use music.
00:20:03.06\00:20:04.40
Different
music, religious music,
00:20:04.43\00:20:06.13
even some secular music
00:20:06.17\00:20:07.67
to bring joy and hope to people?
00:20:07.70\00:20:09.04
Yes.
00:20:09.07\00:20:10.41
God can use different leaders,
different community people.
00:20:10.44\00:20:14.18
You are saying He
could just work His purposes
00:20:14.21\00:20:16.31
through any and everyone?
00:20:16.34\00:20:17.85
God can work His
purpose in any and everyone
00:20:17.88\00:20:20.28
but going back to
the fact of people
00:20:20.32\00:20:22.62
who are trying to
find their purpose,
00:20:22.65\00:20:24.75
there is always a reason behind
00:20:24.79\00:20:27.02
why everything happens and so.
00:20:27.06\00:20:28.92
Some people are
unfulfilled in life
00:20:28.96\00:20:32.03
and they are unsatisfied.
00:20:32.06\00:20:33.40
They go to their
workplace and they say,
00:20:33.43\00:20:35.50
"I just hate this job,
I don't want to be here,
00:20:35.53\00:20:38.90
I don't want to be
in this situation, "
00:20:38.93\00:20:41.10
or they find themselves
maybe as a stay at home mom
00:20:41.14\00:20:44.24
and really wish they
could pursue their career.
00:20:44.27\00:20:46.94
And so a lot of times
00:20:46.98\00:20:48.38
they just focus
only on their situation
00:20:48.41\00:20:51.05
and what is around them,
00:20:51.08\00:20:52.61
instead of asking the question,
00:20:52.65\00:20:55.32
"What's the purpose in this?
00:20:55.35\00:20:57.49
What's the meaning in this?
00:20:57.52\00:21:00.02
So God, why do you have
me here in this workplace?
00:21:00.06\00:21:03.32
Is it possible that I am here
for more than just doing a job,
00:21:03.36\00:21:07.46
more than just
punching a time clock?
00:21:07.50\00:21:10.00
Am I here because
You want to use me
00:21:10.03\00:21:12.43
to be able to have
influence on someone else?"
00:21:12.47\00:21:15.84
It reminds me,
my family and I...
00:21:15.87\00:21:17.97
I was going to
speak in a part of country
00:21:18.01\00:21:20.38
and my family was going with me.
00:21:20.41\00:21:22.41
And so we were
in St. Louis airport
00:21:22.44\00:21:25.31
and we were rushing
to get to the airport,
00:21:25.35\00:21:27.38
I thought we
were going to be late,
00:21:27.42\00:21:28.75
got there,
checked in the baggage,
00:21:28.78\00:21:31.39
I ran through security.
00:21:31.42\00:21:34.06
I thought we got there
just in a nick of time.
00:21:34.09\00:21:37.29
Get there only to find
out the flight is delayed.
00:21:37.33\00:21:41.76
The flight is delayed.
00:21:41.80\00:21:43.13
The flight is delayed.
00:21:43.16\00:21:44.87
And, Karen, can you believe
why the flight was delayed?
00:21:44.90\00:21:47.87
Because the light
bulb in the lavatory
00:21:47.90\00:21:50.11
on the airplane was not working.
00:21:50.14\00:21:52.04
So the plane could not
leave just for that fact.
00:21:52.07\00:21:54.54
Wow.
00:21:54.58\00:21:55.91
So here we are, we are there.
00:21:55.94\00:21:57.28
According to regulations,
00:21:57.31\00:21:59.41
they can't leave
without their light working.
00:21:59.45\00:22:01.68
It was almost a possibility
of the flight not going out.
00:22:01.72\00:22:05.09
Now we are traveling,
00:22:05.12\00:22:06.99
this is business but it's
also some pleasure as well.
00:22:07.02\00:22:09.32
We are looking forward to
having this time to relax.
00:22:09.36\00:22:11.66
We really don't
want to lose this day.
00:22:11.69\00:22:13.76
Yeah, you're ready, set, go.
00:22:13.80\00:22:15.13
Ready, set, go.
00:22:15.16\00:22:17.57
But I said to my
family, I said, you know,
00:22:17.60\00:22:19.33
maybe we really need
to seek God and just pray
00:22:19.37\00:22:22.84
about what God
would have us to do
00:22:22.87\00:22:25.04
while we're here.
00:22:25.07\00:22:26.41
Maybe there is a reason
00:22:26.44\00:22:28.61
or purpose behind why
we're here in the airport.
00:22:28.64\00:22:32.38
And so we pray this
prayer in the middle of the...
00:22:32.41\00:22:34.55
Really, you stopped right there?
00:22:34.58\00:22:35.92
Stopped right there,
00:22:35.95\00:22:37.29
family, son, myself,
my wife, my son, myself
00:22:37.32\00:22:40.32
and we prayed right there
and we asked God's purpose.
00:22:40.36\00:22:43.76
While we're sitting there,
00:22:43.79\00:22:45.13
I noticed that there was a
mom who's got two children.
00:22:45.16\00:22:47.40
She's traveling to see
some other family by herself,
00:22:47.43\00:22:50.03
husband can't go with her.
00:22:50.07\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 throughout the,
00:22:55.90\00:22:58.57
you know, the airport.
00:22:58.61\00:22:59.94
And he's just
very, very, very busy.
00:22:59.97\00:23:02.01
So I said to myself,
00:23:02.04\00:23:04.48
man, maybe I just need
to start a conversation
00:23:04.51\00:23:08.45
with this particular lady.
00:23:08.48\00:23:11.92
So I do, we begin to talk.
00:23:11.95\00:23:13.86
As we're having
this conversation,
00:23:13.89\00:23:15.22
she explained to
me what's going on,
00:23:15.26\00:23:16.69
we're building relationship.
00:23:16.73\00:23:18.39
After a while,
00:23:18.43\00:23:19.76
she takes her children
with my wife and his son
00:23:19.79\00:23:22.53
and they go to a
playground area in the airport.
00:23:22.56\00:23:25.27
So you know,
00:23:25.30\00:23:26.63
we are helping with her son
to keep him calm and so forth.
00:23:26.67\00:23:31.01
So eventually
the flight takes off,
00:23:31.04\00:23:34.14
we are able to go.
00:23:34.18\00:23:35.61
So we get on the
plane and lo and behold,
00:23:35.64\00:23:38.55
the same lady that
we are ministering to
00:23:38.58\00:23:40.98
is sitting right
behind us on the airplane.
00:23:41.02\00:23:43.92
Wow.
00:23:43.95\00:23:45.29
She has a small child...
00:23:45.32\00:23:46.65
So three in three.
00:23:46.69\00:23:48.02
Yeah, three in three,
00:23:48.06\00:23:49.39
and she has a little infant
00:23:49.42\00:23:51.36
and he is on the
plane and as infants can be,
00:23:51.39\00:23:53.86
you know, they
feel really, you know,
00:23:53.90\00:23:56.00
uncomfortable
being on this plane.
00:23:56.03\00:23:57.93
So he starts to cry. Right.
00:23:57.97\00:24:00.54
And you know how it is
when you are on a plane,
00:24:00.57\00:24:02.20
and people start
looking around and say,
00:24:02.24\00:24:04.81
Oh, is this going to be
00:24:04.84\00:24:06.17
what is going to be
like in the entire flight
00:24:06.21\00:24:07.54
That crying baby on the plane.
00:24:07.58\00:24:08.91
Right, crying baby on...
00:24:08.94\00:24:11.01
So my wife asked
can she take the child,
00:24:11.05\00:24:17.05
so now we build relationship
and this may have not happened,
00:24:17.09\00:24:20.79
if we hadn't had all of
this interaction before.
00:24:20.82\00:24:24.43
She takes the child,
00:24:24.46\00:24:25.79
she is holding the child
00:24:25.83\00:24:27.43
and he just
instantly calms down, you know.
00:24:27.46\00:24:31.17
So we had this
conversation, you know,
00:24:31.20\00:24:34.34
we plant the seed and
when we get off the plane,
00:24:34.37\00:24:37.34
this woman has
told her whole family,
00:24:37.37\00:24:39.67
where were we going
about how we've helped them.
00:24:39.71\00:24:42.04
And so we meet up in
airport and they say,
00:24:42.08\00:24:44.08
"Are you the ones that
helped our daughter, you know,
00:24:44.11\00:24:47.92
with her child
during this time."
00:24:47.95\00:24:49.58
And we had a little
opportunity to talk about Jesus.
00:24:49.62\00:24:51.79
We just planted seed, you know,
00:24:51.82\00:24:53.42
we didn't had no Bible study,
00:24:53.46\00:24:55.22
didn't do, you know,
all this Bible studies.
00:24:55.26\00:24:58.16
Yeah, and then baptized.
00:24:58.19\00:24:59.53
The whole nine
yards. Yeah, didn't do that.
00:24:59.56\00:25:01.50
Making friends.
00:25:01.53\00:25:02.86
Yeah, making friends,
touched this lady's life,
00:25:02.90\00:25:06.03
has not seen her again
but there was purpose in that.
00:25:06.07\00:25:09.07
And many times we
miss out on other things
00:25:09.10\00:25:12.54
that God would have for us to do
00:25:12.57\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\00:25:17.81
how this thing impacts me.
00:25:17.85\00:25:19.85
How many times have
we missed opportunities
00:25:19.88\00:25:22.58
because we are
aggravated or we are agitated
00:25:22.62\00:25:27.19
because things are not
working out the way that I am.
00:25:27.22\00:25:30.53
Self absorbed.
00:25:30.56\00:25:31.89
Sitting in traffic,
sitting in an airport,
00:25:31.93\00:25:34.73
something got canceled.
00:25:34.76\00:25:36.56
Is there something
more that God has for me?
00:25:36.60\00:25:40.97
So you are saying that
God really is that detailed
00:25:41.00\00:25:44.11
where every single
situation is under His view,
00:25:44.14\00:25:48.94
His divine view?
00:25:48.98\00:25:50.31
And everything has a purpose?
00:25:50.35\00:25:52.75
Everything has purpose. Really?
00:25:52.78\00:25:54.12
Yeah. Everything.
00:25:54.15\00:25:55.58
So we are free then to
walk within that purposes?
00:25:55.62\00:25:58.05
We are free to
walk within that purpose
00:25:58.09\00:25:59.75
and I think that
God is so detailed
00:25:59.79\00:26:01.19
that the Bible
says in Luke 12:7,
00:26:01.22\00:26:03.16
that He has the very
hairs on our head counted.
00:26:03.19\00:26:05.39
That's how detailed our God is.
00:26:05.43\00:26:06.96
That's detail.
00:26:07.00\00:26:08.90
If He knows the number of
hairs that we have on our head,
00:26:08.93\00:26:12.63
even after we get a haircut,
00:26:12.67\00:26:14.80
if He knows that...
00:26:14.84\00:26:16.27
That's a good one.
00:26:16.30\00:26:17.64
If He knows that,
00:26:17.67\00:26:19.31
then He's also concerned
about every small thing
00:26:19.34\00:26:23.45
that's going on in our lives
00:26:23.48\00:26:24.91
and that means through
every event of every day
00:26:24.95\00:26:28.48
God has a plan,
00:26:28.52\00:26:30.15
and He wants to know
if we would move ourselves
00:26:30.19\00:26:33.15
in harmony to find out
what He wants to do for us.
00:26:33.19\00:26:36.32
And the wonderful thing is that
00:26:36.36\00:26:37.73
God puts us on this
road of self discovery.
00:26:37.76\00:26:40.60
He won't always come and
say, "This is my plan for you."
00:26:40.63\00:26:44.17
All right.
00:26:44.20\00:26:45.53
But He allows
us to figure it out
00:26:45.57\00:26:47.17
as He asked Adam,
00:26:47.20\00:26:48.60
"Where are you?"
00:26:48.64\00:26:50.81
He allows us to
ask those questions
00:26:50.84\00:26:52.87
and us to ask questions of Him
00:26:52.91\00:26:55.11
and that's how we
discover our purpose in life.
00:26:55.14\00:26:58.11
Pastor would you
offer prayer for those of us
00:26:58.15\00:27:00.52
and who are
watching and participating,
00:27:00.55\00:27:02.82
who are willing to know
00:27:02.85\00:27:04.39
more about really getting
honing in on that purpose
00:27:04.42\00:27:06.76
wherever we are.
00:27:06.79\00:27:08.12
Could you offer
the prayer please?
00:27:08.16\00:27:09.49
I can.
00:27:09.52\00:27:11.06
Lord, we are just so thankful
00:27:11.09\00:27:13.33
that you are God who loves us
00:27:13.36\00:27:16.53
and created us,
00:27:16.56\00:27:18.27
and made us
00:27:18.30\00:27:19.63
fearfully and
wonderfully in Your image.
00:27:19.67\00:27:22.84
We are thankful, Lord,
00:27:22.87\00:27:24.21
that we are
created by You and for You,
00:27:24.24\00:27:27.71
and You have things
Lord that You want us to do.
00:27:27.74\00:27:30.91
And so Lord as I pray,
00:27:30.95\00:27:33.18
I pray for our viewers
00:27:33.21\00:27:35.42
that we would be
able to come and discover
00:27:35.45\00:27:38.45
what our purpose is for life.
00:27:38.49\00:27:39.82
What it is that You
would really have for us to do,
00:27:39.85\00:27:42.62
and what vehicles you
want us to use in life
00:27:42.66\00:27:45.36
God to be able to do it.
00:27:45.39\00:27:46.93
Lord, I just believe that
it's never too late in life
00:27:46.96\00:27:50.47
to be able to fulfill
one's purpose and so Lord,
00:27:50.50\00:27:53.94
if that means for
us going back to school
00:27:53.97\00:27:56.60
or changing professions
or doing something different,
00:27:56.64\00:28:00.08
oh, God, we just make
ourselves available to you,
00:28:00.11\00:28:03.55
and we say not our will be done
00:28:03.58\00:28:06.55
but thy will be done.
00:28:06.58\00:28:07.92
Yes.
00:28:07.95\00:28:09.28
Help us to take advantage, Lord,
00:28:09.32\00:28:10.65
also of the
common places in life.
00:28:10.69\00:28:13.19