On January 14, 2018, Jen Sandbulte started of the first IGNITE series of 2018 called Purpose: Setting Goals with Jesus.
Have you ever asked yourself "Why am I here? Have you ever made a new years resolution? Have you ever felt like you were wasting your life? Have you ever wondered what your purpose is?
Pur-pose (noun) - the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists.
(verb) - Have as one's intention or objective.
So, what does the Bible say about purpose? Why did God create us? What is our purpose?
In Genesis 1 - God existed in perfect love and unity before he even created time.
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters." - Genesis 1:1-2
Even King David asked in Psalm 8:3-4, finding out that He cares for us.
"When I consider your heavens, the work of you fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?"God didn't need us, though. Acts 17:24-25 says, "The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else."
God is love - love demonstrated by pouring out on others. That went against the norms .
Revelation 4:11 shoes that God created us for his pleasure.
"The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created."
We are created for his pleasure. How does this change what is most important in your life? Can someone give you pleasure if you never spend time with them or if you never talk to them? Our minds say that is God, but do our actions say that too?
FASTING
What is it?
The Bible presents fasting as something that is good, profitable, and beneficial. The book of Acts records believers fasting before they made important decisions.
"While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off." - Acts 13:2
"Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust." - Acts 14:23
Fasting and prayer are often linked together
Like, Anna in Luke 2:37-38, "She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and prayer. Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem."
In Luke 5:33-35, the disciples were questioned for not fasting - "They said to him, "John's disciples often fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours go on eating and drinking." Jesus answered, "Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; in those days they will fast."
Too often, the focus of fasting is on the lack of food. Instead, the purpose of fasting should be to take your eyes off the things of this world to focus completely on God. Fasting is a way to demonstrated to God, and to ourselves, that we are serious about our relationship with Him. Fasting helps us gain a new perspective and a renewed reliance upon God.
Although fasting in scripture is almost always a fasting from food, there are other ways to fast. Anything given up temporarily in order to focus all our attention on God can be considered a fast.
Fasting should be limited to a set time, especially when fasting from food. Extended periods of time without eating can be harmful to the body. Fasting is not intended to punish the flesh, but to redirect attention to God. fasting should not be considered a "dieting method" either. The purpose of a biblical fast is not to lose weight, but rather to gain deeper fellowship with God. Anyone can fast, but some may not be able to fast from food (diabetics, for example). Everyone can temporarily give up something in order to draw closer to God.
By taking our eyes off of the things of this world, we can more successfully turn our attention to Christ. Fasting is not a way to get God to do what we want. Fasting changes us, not God. Fasting is not a way to appear more spiritual than others. Fasting is to be done in a spirit of humility and a joyful attitude. Mathew 6:16-18 declares, "When you fast, do on look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret will reward you."
Jesus fasted! In Matthew 3, we read that he is baptized, then in Matthew 4, He fasted immediately. He fasted for 40 days and 40 nights. This was when he was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. But Jesus was able to resist the continuous temptations. Jesus used the word of God, not his own strength to defeat temptations. This demonstrates how fasting can strengthen spiritually when we use it to draw closer to God. In Matthew 4:17, it shows how Jesus was then ready to embrace the purpose to which he was called, "From the time on, Jesus began to preach, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.'"
If the Son of God did not rely on flesh to live in obedience to God, then we can't either.
We invite you to do a seven day fast with us. We will also be corporately fasting as a ministry on Wednesdays going forward.
If you would like to watch the full service, click here.
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