Last week we brought a message to your attention and the focus was on the word everything. It was from Romans 8:28, "For we know that God is going to cause all things to work together for good," and we spent a considerable amount of time in the use of the word "everything."  Here we are with the same word again.  All things were created by Him, the things that you can see and the things that you cannot see, the things that are in the heavens above and the things that are in the earth below, all things.  That even means the principalities and the powers and heads of state we are having difficulty with right now.

We must always ask ourselves the following question, "Why am I here?"  I might add that it has nothing to do with your Dad or your Mom.  It has nothing to do with your ethnicity.  It has nothing to do with whether you are a country girl or a city girl or whether you are from this culture or some other culture.  This Word from God to you today says the physical connections and the physical identification has nothing to do with what He is trying to tell you today.

The Bible teaches us that God has five purposes in making you. These five purposes are explained in the teachings and instructions of the first century church found in the book of Acts chapter two.  They are reiterated and expounded upon by the Apostle Paul in the book of Ephesians chapter four.  Jesus Himself prayed about all these things and that is recorded for us in John's Gospel chapter seventeen.  This is not taking some isolated thought from a particular verse of scripture and trying to make a sermon out of it.  I don't do that.

(1) YOU WERE PLANNED FOR GOD'S PLEASURE.  This is important for you to understand.  More than being planned for His use, you are planned for His pleasure.  Many times we in the church fail to focus on that fact.  The first reason you were made and the foremost purpose of your life is this – you were planned for God's pleasure.  God made you to enjoy you being you.  It says in Revelation 4:11, "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power, for Thou hast created all things and for Thy pleasure they are and were created."  I personally enjoy watching my grandchildren.  Guess what?  God gets the same kind of pleasure out of watching you.  God is looking down from His magnificent place up there watching you being you and it tickles the daylights out of Him.  He looks down from Heaven and says, "That's my girl!" or "That's my boy!"  God the Father planned and created and brought you into being primarily for His pleasure, not your own, but His.  Always remember that.  Whatever you are doing, do it as unto the Lord and do it heartily and throw yourself into it, don't be mediocre.  Jump in with both feet.  Go all the way, don't just go part way.  Don't put on a show, but put all you have into it and delight the heart of God as He watches you day in and day out.

If you don't get anything else out of this, get this – you were created as an object of God's love.  The Bible says God is love, it does not say God has love.  If you only have love then you can be drained of love and you can be lesser, but that is not the case.  God IS love and His love has not diminished in all these years when everyone has been enjoying it.  I think two words best describe the Christian life – "love affair."   Your walk with God is a love affair.  Your walk with Jesus is a love affair.   Love sometimes will make you do strange things, go out of your way to express your love to your loved one, like leaving little notes on their car where they work or driving miles and miles just to get a glimpse of them.  Love is a real motivator.  God wants you to love Him; to know Him first and then to love Him.  Everything else is secondary to that. "I love You, Lord.  I can't figure You out, but I sure do love You.  I can't explain You to people the way I would like to, but I sure love You.  I'm not always capable of putting A, B, C, D, E, F and G together where they belong, but I sure love You and I know that the pieces will all fall into place and the truths will all be there and line up as I continue to love You and continue to walk with You."

First He wants you to know Him and He wants you to love Him.  That means the most important thing in your life is first knowing God and secondly loving God, and the third most important thing in your life is learning to do the thing that show Him how much you love Him.  In Matthew 22:37 is the great commandment, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul and with all thy mind; this is the first and great commandment."   In Timothy the Bible says that some people miss the most important thing in all of life because they don't know God.

There is another word for expressing love to God and that is the word "worship", which is often misunderstood.  Worship is expressing your love to God and worship is living a life pleasing to God.  There is a big problem in most of Christianity today and that is, that the word worship, in most people's minds, is a synonym for music.  "Let's get involved in some worship music."  They think that worship is part of a service.  Listen to what we often hear people say, "Well, I liked the message all right, but I really liked the worship part." – as if the message had nothing to do with worship.  Worship is a whole lot more than music.  Worship is everything you do that brings pleasure to the heart of God.  Your whole life is to be a life of worship.

(2) YOU ARE FORMED FOR GOD'S FAMILY.  Just as worship brings pleasure to the heart of God, because He wants you to love Him, fellowship with other believers brings pleasure to the heart of God because we are formed for family.  There is a mystery that takes place, an unheard thing, but somehow your spirit can connect to another spirit and without even knowing who that person is you sense that person is a believer.  There is a kindred spirit and tie-in and you don't even know them.  You can have brothers and sisters in the flesh, but there is no connection.  The only thing in common is blood.  You don't talk the same things, don't value the same things, and aren't involved in the same things, so the only connection is physical.  The family of God is totally different.  Why?  Because the same Spirit that raised up Christ from the dead dwells in you and dwells in them and forms a connection inside that cannot be articulated.  You don't have to go around with a patch on your shirt or writing on the back of your T-shirt that says something about being a believer.  It ought to be something understood by your lifestyle, and the connection you make with others of like precious faith.

You are planned for God's pleasure and formed for God's family.  Ephesians 1:5 says, "God's unchanging plan has always been to adopt you into His own family."  God's unchanging plan has always been to snatch you out of the enemy's grasp and put you into the family.  That has been His plan all along, to deliver you from darkness and translate you into the Kingdom of His dear Son.  He made you (1) for His pleasure and (2) because He wants a family.  How many of you know that God the Father has a right to have a family?  God wants to have fellowship with His children, so He formed them for family.  God made you because He wanted a family and that family is going to outlast your physical family because it will go into eternity.

One of the most misunderstood ideas about the Christian life is that it is just a matter of believing.  The Christian life is not a matter of believing.  God said, "You are not just a believer you are a belonger.  You belong in the family of God.  I planned that you be part of the family of God."  Fifty-eight times in the New Testament we read the words "one another."  Love one another, care for one another, pray for one another, encourage one another, exhort one another, greet one another, on and on it goes fifty-eight times.  Enjoying the fellowship and the family of God is the second reason or purpose for which God has brought you onto the scene.

(3) THAT YOU MIGHT BE TRANSFORMED INTO THE LIKENESS OF JESUS CHRIST.  The Bible says in Romans 8:29, "From the very beginning that those who came to Him, and all along He knew who they would be, would become like His Son so that His Son would be the first fruits of many brothers."   Let me make this crystal clear.  God was not forced to go to plan B because of everything that happened.  It has been God's plan from the very beginning of time.  God is far more interested in what you are than what you do.  He is far more interested in your being than in your doing.

Many people are concerned and ask, "I wonder what the will of God is for my life?"  "I wonder what the will of God is for my career?"  "I wonder what the will of God is for my future life and marriage and family?"  I want to address that here.  What about the will of God for my life?  What does God want me to do?  Where does He want me to be?   Guess what?  You could have two dozen different careers in your life and God will say that's fine.  You can live here, there, anywhere, and God will say that's fine.  You can have a job in a big building with fancy surroundings or you can have a job digging holes in a cemetery, but God will say that's okay.  You can have an artsy craftsy career and God will say that's fine.  You see, it doesn't really matter to God what your career is because He isn't so much interested in what you are doing as what you are becoming.  God is working on your character, your internal man, and He has already said to you in the Word, whatever your hand finds to do, do it heartily as unto the Lord, not as men pleasers, but to please Him.  It doesn't really make any difference – here, there, anywhere, this career, that career or the other career.  God knows full well that with your character building and your use of the gifts and abilities that He has given you, you are going to do whatever it is for His honor and for His glory anyway, so it doesn't matter where.

There are so many people who are in such tight bondage over this that they think there is one and only one person for everyone in this world and somehow we have got to come across the path of that other person.  They say there is only one thing I should be doing in my life and if I'm not doing it, I'm going to be miserable, empty, purposeless, shallow and I won't have any satisfaction in my life.  That is totally untrue.  God will say, "Do you like cold weather? Fine, Minnesota or Wisconsin or Michigan is good. You like warm weather? Fine, go south.  You enjoy being a waitress; that's great.  We need good waitresses who will let their light shine for Me and I'll build their character and without them saying anything to anyone people will be able to pick them out of a crowd and say I know she is a Christian or believer.  You want to be involved in the school system, teaching children? Fine, it doesn't matter, because your character and faith and life lived for Me is all that really matters.  You are going to blossom where you're planted and where you are planted doesn't matter to Me, because the mission is the same no matter where you are.  Affect the lives of people around you with everything that I have given you."  Often in career building, if you are not careful, it is compromise here and compromise there in order to go up the ladder.  You need to be aware of the fact that God didn't put you there to put you in some kind of a compromising position for your benefit and for His loss.  The minute you do that and your witness is now tarnished, somehow God's will and plan have been abated.

So it doesn't matter where you do what you do.  It doesn't matter who you do it with.  It doesn't matter the location.  Many men have been called into the ministry, but they have chosen where they want to minister.  It doesn't matter, California, Florida, Michigan, Minnesota, wherever, they are called to work.  They are called to do the thing He has asked them to do and in the process, if anything needs to be aligned, remember there are trials of your faith that I have designed to make sure that I draw you closer to Me.  Remember that in all of this there are temptations that you will look square in the face that are designed by the enemy to draw you away from Me.  Be aware of that.  No matter where you are exercising your abilities in your career there are people who will trespass against you.  Getting even is not in My Book.  Just release them to Me and move on.  There will be all kinds of trouble that will come into your life as a result of your own choices and decisions.  That's all right, don't throw in the towel, I'm still here.  We can pick up the pieces and go on and try it again and this time we can be more successful, but don't struggle over the will of God.  Just be what God wants you to be.  Understand you were planned for His pleasure, formed for His family and created to be like Jesus Christ.

Humanly speaking, we often ask ourselves the question, "Why in the world is this happening to me?"   Let's reverse it.  Why in the world should that NOT happen to you?  Why should it happen to someone less qualified to handle it than you?  Why should it happen to someone who does not have faith, confidence in God, trust, awareness, knowledge of His abiding presence?  Why should it not happen in your life, if God is still working in you the will and the to do of His good pleasure?  Why is it happening to me?  Why do I have so many problems in my life?  The answer is always the same.  If you are a believer it's to make you more and more like Jesus.  If you are a believer, it has happened to bring you into a closer walk with Him and a clearer reflection of His image.  If you are going to be made like Jesus, then God is going to put you through everything that Jesus went through.  Was Jesus ever lonely?  Absolutely.  Was there ever a time when Jesus faced temptation?  Absolutely.  Was there any time when Jesus was unpopular?  Absolutely.  Was there ever a time in Jesus' life when He was criticized and rejected?  Absolutely.  Was there ever a time in Jesus' life when things did not make His life comfortable or easy?  Absolutely.

If He spared not His own Son all of these, why in the world do we think He would spare us?  If God wants to teach you what real love is, does He put you right in the middle of people just like you?  No.  If He wants to teach you what real love is, He is going to put you in the middle of people who may not like you, who might be unlovely, who might be unlovable, who might be unapproachable, who may be impossible to work with.  Let's expand on this.  If God is going to teach you what real peace is, when you are at home and everything is perfect and the money is rolling in and everyone is on the same side of the issue, everything is fine and dandy, is not where you learn about peace.  If He is going to teach you about patience, do you think He is going to thrust you into the middle of something as tranquil and easy and wonderful as can be?  Absolutely not!  Remember, tribulation worketh patience!  If He is going to teach you patience He will put you in a traffic jam, broke down with a flat tire, no spare, no money in your pocket and no cell phone to call for help.

There is no problem you can face that you cannot grow from if you learn the right response to it.  You all remember the lady who used to come to the Fellowship who desperately needed work, so we prayed that God would open the doors and find her a place to work.  She was so excited when she called me on the phone two or three days later and said she had gotten a wonderful job, but less then ten days later she called me on the phone and said, "I quit my job."  I said, "You what?"  She said, "I quit. I can't stand all that swearing and stuff going on around me.  I don't think God wants to put a believer in the middle of all that stuff and all those unbelievers."  Wait a minute, let's have a reality check here.  Why do you suppose He has you there?  And who said every place you are going to work has to be antiseptically clean and everyone nicey, nicey to you?  You are not going to be a powerful witness for Him if you demand the conditions under which you will labor.

(4) YOU HAVE BEEN SHAPED FOR SERVICE.  God made you to serve Him.  In Ephesians it says, "God has given you people in your life who will help to perfect what you have and equip you for your ministry."  Planned for His pleasure – that is worship.  Formed for His family – that is fellowship.  Created to be like Jesus – that is discipleship.  And shaped for service – that is called ministry.  Everyone has a call of God to ministry!  I spelled it out for you a minute ago, care one for another, pray one for another, encourage one another, bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ.  Let he who thinks he is spiritual take care of the widows and the children in their distress.  Created or shaped for service.  You can't even take a little glimpse of the life of Jesus without seeing Him totally immersed in ministry.  Every place He went, they hounded Him, flocked to Him.  The deaf, the lame, the blind, the possessed, those who were without, those who were in real need, like the lepers.  Every day, day in and day out, it was ministry, ministry, ministry to people.

God's plan from the very beginning is for us to live a life of doing for others.  Not every Christian is called to be a Pastor, but every Christian is called to minister.  To be like Jesus is to be involved in ministry to others.  Ministry to others can take on any kind of involvement.  You may have to make a meal for someone, you may need to help clean someone's home or do his or her laundry or ironing.  You may be called upon to mow someone's yard.  They cannot do it for themselves.  Called to minister.  Someone else may need help with transportation to work and it may take you a little out of your way to swing by and pick them up, but we are called to minister.  What is ministry?  Anytime you use the ability God has given you to help someone else.  You are uniquely wired with purpose in mind.  You are equipped.  You may not think so, but you did not have the design and you are not the Potter, only the clay.  He has you prepared and ready and now He is trying to bring you in connection to the need.  You need to minister and they need the ministry.  You need to be giving and loving and caring and compassionate because that is exactly what Jesus would be doing if He were here in the flesh.  Jesus said you don't do it with your hand out, expecting a return; you do it as unto the Lord.  Never mind the rest; He will take care of it.  He keeps the record book of everything you have done.  Every act of ministry God is taking care of, so you don't have to worry about it.

When we all get to Heaven, God is going to ask two questions only.  You heard me right.  When we ALL get to Heaven.  Every one is going to get there, but every one is not going to stay there.  The Book will be opened and He will check the registry to see if your name is written in the Book and He will say, "I'm sorry. I don't find your name in here. Depart from me."  All of us are going to have to stand before God and God is not coming down here, so we are going to have to get up there.  When we get up there God will ask two questions:

1. "What did you do about Jesus Christ, my Son?"  People will say, "I went to church on Sunday."  He will say, "Don't avoid the question.  What did you do about my Son?  He suffered, bled and died, was buried and rose again for your justification.  What did you do about my Son?"
2. "What did you do with everything I gave you?  What did you do with everything I blessed you with?  What did you do with the abundance of the blessings that I showered upon your life?"

(5) MADE FOR A MISSION.  There is purpose to my life.  I'm here not cumbering the ground; I'm here because there is purpose in my life.  Purpose #1 is to bring pleasure to the heart of God.  Purpose #2 is to be involved in fellowship with those of like precious faith. Purpose #3 is, I'm created to be like Jesus, conformed to the image of His Son. He wants me equipped.  Discipleship is what we call it.  Purpose #4 is, I have been given abilities and blessed of God that I might minister God to others, a good healthy serving of spiritual content to someone who is starving.  An opportunity to make Heaven their home to those who do not know.

Finally, I am made for a mission.  John 17:18 says, "Father, in the same way You have sent Me, I send them into the world to accomplish Your task."  You need to minister to other believers and you need a mission to unbelievers.  Go ye into all the world and share Jesus with everyone.  I am on a mission.  Tell the Good News of God and His mercy and His grace.  I am beginning to find it more and more enjoyable all the time, because now I say to people, "God has an answer for that."  It doesn't matter if they know Him or not, my response to them is, "God has an answer to that.  If you really want an answer, God has it.   God will take care of that in your life if you give Him a chance.  There isn't anything God can't handle if you give Him a chance."  We are not here just for the fun of it.  I'm not even here for me.  I'm here on a mission.  I'm not here to get someplace in life.  It isn't my name or my life or my accomplishments that I want people to recognize.

This is what God had in mind from the very beginning for you:

1. Your entire life is an act of worship to bring pleasure to heart of God.
2. Planned to be part of the fellowship.  It knocks in the head the idea of some people that they can stay away from the house of God and still be in fellowship with God and those of like precious faith.
3. Discipleship.  Learning how to become more and more like Jesus every day.
4. Ministry to others.  You are at your best when you are giving.  You are not at your best when you are just getting.
5. Evangelism.  Tell others of His love and His grace and mercy.

Shaped for service or wired now for what you know and have by the power and grace of God to minister to others.  You will never intimidate other people as long as you come on with love and grace.  If you come on wielding big sticks and a roaring volume, people are going to be intimidated and back away from you.  I never saw Jesus take that approach in the scripture.   Yours is a mission, so whenever you are knocked down, get back up and whenever something happens and you find yourself lying face down in the dust, roll over and look into His face.  God doesn't care how many times you fall, but He does care how many times you get up.  It matters to Him because you are on a mission.