Purpose in Christ.
You were created to live with a purpose. A purpose that brings deep satisfaction and fulfillment. If we reject living out our God given purposes, we become dissatisfied, unfulfilled, and begin searching for things to fill that emptiness. This is all avoided when we submit to God and begin to walk in His purposes for our lives.
"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." - Ephesians 2:10
Purpose Simplified.
Although there are many ways in which the Bible describes what it means and looks like to live out your purpose in Christ, there are two actions that summarize this purpose. We are to plant and water.
Plant
To "plant" means to communicate the truth of Christ to others. A planter offers spiritual truth and encouragement in the name of Christ. As we go throughout our day, we plant seeds of hope and truth through the way we talk and act. If others ask for advice, you bring Biblical truth to the equation. Planting is simple, offer the truth of Christ through actions and words wherever you go.
Water
To "water" means to tend to the seeds of truth that have already been planted in others. Help others understand and grow in the truth of Christ. Provide for them the spiritual nutrients that encourage growth, maturity, and abundant life. Expand upon their knowledge of the truth and create a relationship with them that allows you to lovingly pour out spiritual wisdom.
If we go about our lives planting and watering, we will be walking in God's purposes. We plant and we water no matter where we are, no matter what job we have, whether we are retired or a student, within our friends and families. Will you be a planter today? Will you water those around you today?
"I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase." - 1 Corinthians 3:6
Strength to Plant & Water.
To successfully plant and water, we must first ensure that we are spiritually healthy. Does this mean you must have your life completely together and walk in perfection to live out your purpose in Christ? Of course not. It only means that in order to live out that purpose, you need strength and power from God. Through reading Scripture, prayer, and engaging in a Christlike community, you will be encouraged and motivated to go out and plant and water.
"I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." - John 15:5
God brings the increase.
Our purpose is to simply plant and water. Whether or not there is growth is not up to us. That is something that is between the individual and God. As we plant seeds of truth, and we water those seeds in others, we pray that God would bring growth. If we are not seeing growth and become discouraged, we continue planting and watering knowing that God is still working. If we do see some growth, we take no credit, for God is the one that brings the increase.
"So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor." - 1 Corinthians 3:7-8
You were created to live with a purpose. A purpose that brings deep satisfaction and fulfillment. If we reject living out our God given purposes, we become dissatisfied, unfulfilled, and begin searching for things to fill that emptiness. This is all avoided when we submit to God and begin to walk in His purposes for our lives.
"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." - Ephesians 2:10
Purpose Simplified.
Although there are many ways in which the Bible describes what it means and looks like to live out your purpose in Christ, there are two actions that summarize this purpose. We are to plant and water.
Plant
To "plant" means to communicate the truth of Christ to others. A planter offers spiritual truth and encouragement in the name of Christ. As we go throughout our day, we plant seeds of hope and truth through the way we talk and act. If others ask for advice, you bring Biblical truth to the equation. Planting is simple, offer the truth of Christ through actions and words wherever you go.
Water
To "water" means to tend to the seeds of truth that have already been planted in others. Help others understand and grow in the truth of Christ. Provide for them the spiritual nutrients that encourage growth, maturity, and abundant life. Expand upon their knowledge of the truth and create a relationship with them that allows you to lovingly pour out spiritual wisdom.
If we go about our lives planting and watering, we will be walking in God's purposes. We plant and we water no matter where we are, no matter what job we have, whether we are retired or a student, within our friends and families. Will you be a planter today? Will you water those around you today?
"I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase." - 1 Corinthians 3:6
Strength to Plant & Water.
To successfully plant and water, we must first ensure that we are spiritually healthy. Does this mean you must have your life completely together and walk in perfection to live out your purpose in Christ? Of course not. It only means that in order to live out that purpose, you need strength and power from God. Through reading Scripture, prayer, and engaging in a Christlike community, you will be encouraged and motivated to go out and plant and water.
"I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." - John 15:5
God brings the increase.
Our purpose is to simply plant and water. Whether or not there is growth is not up to us. That is something that is between the individual and God. As we plant seeds of truth, and we water those seeds in others, we pray that God would bring growth. If we are not seeing growth and become discouraged, we continue planting and watering knowing that God is still working. If we do see some growth, we take no credit, for God is the one that brings the increase.
"So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor." - 1 Corinthians 3:7-8