Establishing the Purpose.

2 Timothy 1:9
9 who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time,

Typically when you initiate a task or a project it's because you have a fundamental purpose in mind. You may start a non-profit organization to make dental supplies a reality. I know a classmate in high school who began an organization called S.M.I.L.E. (Smiling Makes It a Little Easier). The aim of this organization was to gather dental supplies such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, and floss from dentist offices and through fundraising; then, the supplies would be sent to children in third world countries. It even was a school-wide fundraiser for a few weeks in which the National Honor Society helped coordinate. We worked together to make a difference. Once the items were collected, they were shipped overseas. The only way this was possible was if there were goals and a firm purpose in place. That sure was the case.

The lesson to keep in mind is that staying true to God's calling is vital. If you don't act with a graceful and honest attitude what good will that do? You're just going to lose focus in the long run at the very least. In the same way, you have to be enthusiastic and engaged in whatever it is you're seeking. If you just do something because it's righteous, that's not being truthful based on your interests.

Moreover, we're saved from grace and not works. God tells us over and over again he's not impressed with our good deeds. He does care about whether or not we live our life with faith though. All in all, we're not saved by what we do. We're saved by what God has done - you know, sacrificing his Son and loving us. It is an honor to God when we express our faith, such as trusting him at all times. That's good too because if it was all about works, it would be one chaotic contest. Still, do good deeds, but perhaps look at in a different way; instead of asking "what can I do next?" acknowledge the desire you have for working in the kingdom and let God guide you.

Here's a video that has a fantastic message: "Grace Changes Everything" by Jamie Slocum. I must admit I'm not too fond of the music.



P.S. If you have trouble with the video stopping and starting, keep the video paused, and let it "buffer" (load) as it's called for a while. You will see the red bar along the bottom advance (speed depends on your Internet connection). Wait until that bar gets pretty far along (I'd say more than halfway) before you play the video and it shouldn't pause. P.S. If you have trouble with the video stopping and starting, keep the video paused, and let it "buffer" (load) as it's called for a while. You will see the red bar along the bottom advance (speed depends on your Internet connection). Wait until that bar gets pretty far along (I'd say more than halfway) before you play the video and it shouldn't pause.