I Don’t Believe in Serving the Purposes of God

I do not work at serving the purposes of God. Very honestly, I’m
not sure I understand the purposes of God; and I’m quite sure that if I
came, one day, to understand His purpose, surely the next day He would
have a different purpose.

There has been much written about having a purpose filled life;
even a “Purpose Driven Life.” No, thank you; I want to serve God,
Himself, not based on my grasp of His purpose, but in simple obedience
to His voice speaking to me each and every day. He is “making known
unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which
he hath purposed in himself.” (Ephesians 1:9)

Sometime ago I was talking with a man who seemed to have most of
his life planned a long way into the future. I asked how he found it
possible to do this. His response troubled me: He said he simply
understood God’s ultimate purpose for his life and made plans
accordingly. In my view, he seems to walk in his own plan, no longer
desiring or needing a true dependence on daily hearing the voice of
God. As for me, I don’t want to miss out on that adventure!

Bruce

I Don’t Believe In Being Careful

So many places I go, when parting, people say to me, “Take care.”  Often, I reply, “No thanks, I cast care; because I cast all my care on Jesus, knowing He will care for me.”

            So much of our society is focused on carefulness.  Yet, the Bible says: “Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” (Philippians 4:6)

            Being careful is a work of our flesh, causes our focus to be on ourselves and not on Jesus.  I do not want to focus on my own concerns, but on my Lord and on the concerns of others.

            An illustration:  Not long ago a wonderful Christian leader, a dear friend of mine, as we were saying goodbye, he used that common expression, “Take care.”  When I replied, that I don’t take care, rather that I cast care on the Lord; his response was most refreshing.  He said, “Thank you, I’ve said those words so many times without ever thinking.  I’m going to change my vocabulary.”  I was so refreshed by his open heart and his candidness with me.