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Created For A Purpose
My children, God created YOU for a purpose.
God gave each of us a responsibility to teach our children. This responsibility only ends with death. We have only finished this race when we are caught up to be with the Lord. How well we do this job is reflected in the lives of our children and their children.
Solomon’s wisdom says,
Train up a child in the way he should go,
And when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6 NKJV
You only have to open your eyes to see what happens when parents fail to teach their children. Evil prevails when children are not taught the principles of God. Broken homes and broken lives are all around us.
Even as we see our days coming to an end, we must not grow weary in this God-given duty. Commit yourself daily to this sacred task. Do your part by praying, studying, and sharing God’s Word.
Use this treasure
God gave us a treasure that we do not use enough. It gives us all the secrets to living a life of joy and peace. This treasure is the Bible. Don’t let it gather dust. Read it daily. Study the laws and precepts laid out by God and apply them to your daily life. Teach them to your children!
In Deuteronomy 6:6-7 NKJV God instructs Moses to tell His chosen people, 6 “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.
There is nothing you do in life that has a greater value than walking with God and teaching your children to do the same. The commands given to Moses are just as important today as at any time in history. Like Moses you were created with a purpose.
God’s Word changes lives
The only thing we can give our children worth keeping is faith in God. Strong faith will carry them through all hardships. No one can take away their knowledge of God’s Word. Everything else can be lost or destroyed.
For over 80 years I have watched the battle between good and evil. Although I do not remember any time that I did not see God’s hand in my life, I still did wrong. I confess that I had to fight evil in my own life and still do. Temptation never ends, nor does God’s grace.
I witnessed lives in ruins because of sin turned into productive God-fearing saints. When a person opens their heart to God He turns them toward what He created them to be.
Our first responsibility as followers of Jesus is to teach our children. I take this responsibility seriously and I want each of you to do likewise. Each month I ask you to join me in studying one major truth from God’s Word.
As long as Carol and I live we will pray that you will study each lesson, talk about it with your children, and share it with someone outside the family. Our prayer is that you will continue doing so long after we are gone and you will pray for your children as we do for you and them.
Topic One
The Miracle of God creating YOU!
This first study will center on who you are and that God created YOU for a special purpose.
You are more than the result of a sperm uniting with an egg in your mother’s womb. God has a plan for you as He does for everyone. You are truly a miracle of God’s creation!
To help you understand how special you are we need to look at a basic truth of the Gospel. God is no respecter of persons. He considers all of us valuable.
He sends rain on the good and the bad. Paul says in Romans, For there is no partiality with God. Rom 2:11. This truth is supported by Peter who says, “Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:” Acts 10:34b KJV
Perhaps the greatest evidence of this is in Jesus coming to die for the sins of the entire world.
In 1 John 2:2 John says, “And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.” In John 3:16 we are told that God will save whosoever believes in His Son. None of the earthly separations make any difference to God.
The unseen miracle
Most people will agree that the birth of a baby is a miracle in and of itself. I want us to go beyond the miracle we see. Let’s go to Scripture and see what God reveals through His Word.
Scripture tells us in many places that God is no respecter of persons. He is not partial.
So pay close attention to what God says to Jeremiah.
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you;
Before you were born I sanctified you;
I ordained you a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5 NKJV
God is telling Jeremiah that He knew him before sperm ever met egg. Before he was born God sanctified him. He had a plan for his life before he had life. God created Jeremiah for a purpose.
I assure you God also had a plan for you before you were ever formed in your mother’s womb. Many other Scriptures point in this direction.
Formed my inward parts
For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother’s womb.
14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
Pay special attention to the 16th verse. It tells you how well God knows you and how He has planned out your life.
16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them. Psalms 139:13-16 NKJV
The Bible is full of examples of how God raises leaders in times of need. The truth is that those leaders were already in God’s plan. They were only special for God’s purpose the same as we are when we walk with Him.
Truths to know
- God knows every baby ever conceived.
- He knows them before they are in the womb.
- God has a perfect plan for each of us.
- He knows both when we will and will not follow His plan.
- His plan is our only way to true happiness.
We will only see the evidence of these truths if we study God’s Word and pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit. A right relationship with God requires every bit as much effort as any other relationship. It will not just happen! We need to diligently seek His will.
Free Will
God still gives us free will to do what we choose to do.
He knows us and has a beautiful plan for us. His plan for you is better than any you may devise. However, God requires you to put Him first and to trust Him with the outcome.
I have found that following His plan is a great adventure. Sometimes you face the impossible and see no solution. It is so exciting in times like that to watch how God works it out. You almost want to see problems so you can see how God works them out.
On the other hand, sometimes we create problems when we decide it has to be the way we want it. When we ignore God’s solution and try our way we fail. Doing things our way takes us places we should not go and it always costs more than it is worth.
When I decide my way is better, I am always wrong. God often makes us wait for His answer so He can lead us to a better way.
But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31 NKJV
It is always your choice to follow God or not. However, when you don’t follow His teaching, you always end up in a mess. The only way out of the mess is to get back on your knees and seek God’s forgiveness and guidance.
God wants your full commitment, but will not force you. He loves you enough to allow you to make mistakes so you can learn that His way is best.
What have we learned Today?
First, we are to “Train up a child in the way he should go.” We can not expect our children to follow God’s laws if we have not taught them. Even when they are older we still need to encourage them to follow the truth of the Scripture.
Second, God knows you and your children personally. As He says to Jeremiah, “ Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.”
Third, God has your days planned and written down in His book before you are even born.
As the psalmist says,
16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them. Psalms 139:13-16 NKJV
Finally, I regret that I did not spend more time teaching my children that God created them for a purpose. I pray that these lessons will help you to have fewer regrets as you look back.
We can all make a difference in this world if we focus on reaching those who are closest to us. Our contact with our families, neighbors, and friends can reach the world.
NEXT: What is your Source