Tag Archives: purpose

July 22, 2025 · 5:30 AM

Without Excuses

Years ago I taught a class where I posed a series of “what if” or “if only” questions. I would write their answers on the board. If only I had more time. If only I was paid more. If only management would do this or that. The answers were flowing until I stopped and read them their answers. I asked them what their answers looked like. When no one answered, I simply pointed out that their answers were excuses to not do things. They were things that were holding them back from their potential and keeping them from moving up. Some times those answers are right, but when we allow them to hold us back, they become excuses.

There were many people in the Bible who gave God excuses as to why they couldn’t do what He asked. Moses said he stuttered and wasn’t a good orator. Jonah said he didn’t like the people God called him to minister to. The people who wanted to follow Jesus, but first wanted to go back to bury the dead or get their inheritance. Even Jeremiah gave an excuse that he was too young to call his nation back to repentance. In Jeremiah 1 God told him that He had set him apart and called him to the nations. In verse 6, Jeremiah gave the excuse, “O Sovereign Lord, I can’t speak for you! I’m too young!” (NLT) These are some big names in the Bible who tried to use an excuse to hold them back from their purpose and calling. Thankfully God didn’t accept of their excuses.

In Jeremiah 1:7-8 God replied, “Don’t say, ‘I’m too young,’ for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you. And don’t be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you. I, the Lord, have spoken!” He went on to say that He would put His words in Jeremiah’s mouth and empower him. It’s got me thinking about the excuses I’ve used with God. Maybe you’ve given Him some too. If God has called you to it, He will empower you and help you do it. You haven’t messed it up nor have you done anything to remove His calling. It’s time we owned up to our excuses and allowed God to help us do what He created us to do. Start living your life without excuses.

Photo courtesy of Max Andrew on Pexels.

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June 10, 2024 · 5:44 AM

Created To Do

I used to travel a lot for work. I often ate at the same restaurants in the cities I visited where I got to know servers and owners. At a restaurant in New Orleans, I came across a server named Ike. He wasn’t like any server I ever had before. He loved waiting on tables and it showed. It wasn’t long before he served some Hollywood casting agents filming there. They cast him in several shows over time. We were laughing about it one day and I told him that one day they were going to take him away to Hollywood. Suddenly his face got serious and he said, “That’s not going to happen. God made me to wait tables! Acting is fun, but this is why I’m here.” It struck me that night how important it is to find what we were created to do.

In 2 Chronicles 2, Solomon began to build the Temple. He got about 160,000 people to work on it. He hired Hiram, king of Tyre, to send cedar because people there were excellent at cutting wood. He hired Hiram-Abi who was created to work with good, silver and other metals. He could make any design Solomon thought of. This man made it into the Bible because he found what he was created to do, and God used his skills to create all the holy objects that were in the Temple. Throughout the first few chapters of 2 Chronicles, you’ll find his name over and over in relation to his skill. God doesn’t just need ministers to build His Church, He needs all of us doing our part using the talents and skills He’s given us.

Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (NIV). You are God’s handiwork and you were created to do specific things for the Kingdom. Don’t look down on your skills and think they’re not as important as someone else’s. Nehemiah’s skill built a wall. David’s let him play the harp for the king. Paul made tents to earn money while being one of the most prolific missionaries. God can use whatever skill He’s given you to do good works and make a difference. He’s got work that you were created to do. Quit making excuses or demeaning your skill. Home it, find where you are to use it and get busy!

Photo by Razvan Chisu on Unsplash

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January 18, 2024 · 5:30 AM

Dreaming Too Small

In 2019, I had the opportunity to spend the weekend with some high capacity, driven men. We spent the weekend praying, dreaming, discussing and planning what God wanted to do through us as individuals in our families, churches, communities and businesses. After we would write down what we felt like we wanted to do in any of those areas, we would come together in small groups to discuss the direction and goal. It wasn’t uncommon for someone to mention a goal to their group and then be challenged about it. Someone might say, “Do you think that’s a big enough goal?” It wasn’t ever done out of spite. It was done to challenge us to see if we were limiting God in what He was dreaming for our lives.

I’m a firm believer that God has dreams, goals and plans for each of our lives. If only we had eyes to see what He sees in us. Too many times our vision or goals are minuscule in comparison to what He wants to do through us. We limit ourselves because we focus on our weaknesses and roadblocks. Those things in our lives are not meant to hold us back, but rather to get us to trust in God and His all sufficient grace. A life of faith is not about what we can accomplish on our own, but rather what can God accomplish through us as a willing vessel. If we could do it on our own, we wouldn’t need faith, and most of what God wants to do through each one of us requires faith.

So what is it you’re asking God to do for you or through you? Is that too small? Think of Ephesians 3:20 which says, “Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think” (NLT). God is able to do infinitely more through you than you can even ask or think! Any of the dreams or goals we set are small by those standards. One of the prayers I’ve started praying is, “God plant your goals and dreams in me, then help me to reach the potential you see in my life. Help me to accomplish the goals and dreams you have for my life.” If what He wants to do through me is infinitely greater, then I’ll willingly give up my dreams for His so I can live a life of purpose that completes His objectives for my life. Have you been limiting what God could do through you by dreaming too small?

Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash

Throwback Thursday is a feature I’m using to help build some margin into my schedule to pursue other ventures. Each Thursday I’ll be bringing you a previously written devotional that still speaks encouragement to us from God’s Word.

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November 16, 2023 · 5:30 AM

Living Stones

There’s a scripture I’ve read over many times and haven’t given much thought to until today. It’s 1 Peter 2:5 that says, “And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple” (NLT). If you think about what stones are and how they are used, a lot jumps out at you. Stones are movable, shapable, polishable and usable. These are all things God wants to do in our lives so that He can use us for His purposes. We all have a role to play in building His church of living stones. I don’t think it was by accident Peter used the term stone here. In fact, it was divinely inspired.

Think about what David picked up and used to slay the giant. It was a stone, five smooth ones to be exact. What did the Israelites take out of the Jordan river to build an altar to God so people would remember what He did? Stones. What was the Temple in the Old Testament built out of? You guessed it, stones. The Bible uses stones for many things. If you think about them as people, we’ll that’s the same things God wants to do with us as living stones. We are to be giant slayers, reminding people of all God has done and we are the Temple of the Holy Spirit.

The thing that all these stones had in common is that they were able to be used and given a purpose. Sometimes God has to shape us before He can place us exactly where we’ll be the most effective. Sometimes that means parts of our lives will be knocked off so we’ll fit. Sometimes we will have our rough edges sanded off so we’re smooth. No matter what, we must submit to God and His purposes so we can reach our potential. Otherwise we will be stuck in the ground going nowhere. Today, ask God how He wants to use you as a living stone and see what He does.

Photo by Karsten Winegeart on Unsplash

Throwback Thursday is a feature I’m using to help build some margin into my schedule to pursue other ventures. Each Thursday I’ll be bringing you a previously written devotional that still speaks encouragement to us from God’s Word.

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August 21, 2023 · 5:46 AM

Kingdom Work

Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a German pastor during the time of World War II. He opposed the Nazi regime and started a movement to protect the Jews from Hitler. There were some Christians who felt Hitler was the Antichrist and therefore Bonhoeffer’s opposition pointless. Some asked him, “Why do you expose yourself to all this danger? Jesus will return any day, and all your work and suffering will be for nothing.” Bonhoeffer replied, “If Jesus returns tomorrow, then tomorrow I’ll rest from my labor. But today I have work to do. I must continue the struggle until it’s finished.” He was later captured by the Nazi’s and executed in 1945 for doing the work of the Kingdom instead of doing what was convenient.

In Haggai 1, King Darius of Persia had allowed some Jews to return to Israel to rebuild their country including the Temple. After rebuilding their homes and planting their crops, they settled into a comfortable rhythm of life for about 16 years. The had faced opposition from the Samaritans when it came to rebuilding the Temple so they decided it wasn’t a convenient time to do it. That’s when the word of the Lord came to Haggai. God told them to consider their ways, to bring lumber and start working. In verse 9 He said, “You look for much [harvest], but it comes to little; and even when you bring that home, I blow it away. Why? Because of My house, which lies in ruins while each of you runs to his own house [eager to enjoy it]” (AMP). They were working hard on their own causes, but nit yielding much fruit because they were focused on the wrong things.

In Matthew 6:10 after honoring God’s name, Jesus started the Lord’s Prayer with, “Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Each one of us has a mission from God to be accomplished with our lives to bring about His Kingdom and will. If you feel like you’re spinning your wheels and going nowhere or if the fruit of your labor never seems to be enough, see if you’ve been trying to accomplish your will before His. We like to establish ourselves first so we can afford to do His will comfortably, but that’s backwards in God’s Kingdom. We must put His will and plans above our own. I can tell you it’s rarely convenient or will feel like you’re ready to do God’s will, but that is what He requires of us. When we do that, the next part of Jesus’ prayer takes place where He gives us our daily bread. Where has your focus been? We can’t make excuses anymore. We must focus on Kingdom work until it is finished.

Photo by Xavier Senente on Unsplash

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July 6, 2023 · 5:30 AM

Equipped And Ready

Gideon is one of those stories in the Bible that I go back to over and over again. He was scared of his enemies, so he was hiding when the angel appeared to him. The angel then greets him with, “Mighty Hero! The Lord is with you” (NLT). I’m sure Gideon had a confused look on his face and then looked around for the hero. He then asked a great question any of us would have asked. If the Lord is with me, why are things so bad? He didn’t get an answer though. Instead, the angel calls on him to save Israel from the very enemy he’s hiding from.

In Judges 6:14 the angel of the Lord said, “Go with the strength you have, and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!” I love this response because it is a great picture of who God is. He calls us to do things in our own strength and giftings. When we see ourselves in the mirror, we think who we are and what we have is not enough. God sees beyond our fears and insecurities though. He sees who we can become if we would trust that He’s with us and will pick up the slack for the things we lack if we will simply step out with what we have already been given.

I believe every one of us are called to do something. There is a purpose and a plan that God has for each of our lives. It’s up to us to trust Him to be with us, and to walk in that calling. It’s time for us to quit looking at ourselves with these human eyes so we can trust what God sees in us with His eyes. It’s in our weaknesses and inabilities that His strength is made perfect. He only asks that we trust Him enough to do the things He called us to. If God has confidence in you, I think it’s time you had it too. Through Jesus, you are more than a conqueror. You are a mighty, valiant hero ready and equipped to do what He called you to.

Photo by Nathan Trampe on Unsplash

Throwback Thursday is a feature I’m using to help build some margin into my schedule to pursue other ventures. Each Thursday I’ll be bringing you a previously written devotional that still speaks encouragement to us from God’s Word.

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March 27, 2023 · 7:19 AM

Doing Your Assignment

In an attempt to make the automobile affordable for as many people as possible, Henry Ford developed the assembly line. Instead of a small team hand building the automobile from the ground up, a team of people would work together in separate parts to create it. Each person on the line had one assignment that they focused on. The overall goal for all people on the line was to make an affordable vehicle that ran well. Each person doing their assignment well is what made that happen. Each job was important because without it, the vehicle would be incomplete. It would be easy for any worker to think their work was insignificant, but nothing could be further from the truth.

The book of Nehemiah chronicles the rebuilding of the wall around Jerusalem. After living in captivity for a long time, many Jews had been permitted to return to their homeland. Some had returned to Babylon and Nehemiah asked them about Jerusalem. They explained that the people were defenseless because of the lack of walls. It was then that Nehemiah received his holy assignment from God to rebuild the walls. He went back and rallied the people to work together to rebuild the walls. Nehemiah 3 lists all the people who were working on the wall and their assignments. Side by side each person did their part while understanding their work was a benefit to the whole. No one spot on the wall was more important than another. Even though they were opposed by people, they kept at their work because the people had a heart for the work (Nehemiah 4:6).

1 Corinthians 12:22 says, “For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ” (ESV). You and I have our own part and place in the Body of Christ. You may think your role is less significant than someone else’s, but it’s not. You are called by the same Lord to play a role in the whole of the Kingdom. Every part of the body has purpose and a place because the whole needs it. Wherever you are and whatever you’re called to do, do it with the best of your ability. The rest of the body is counting on you. God is counting on you. The work of the Kingdom is incomplete without you doing your part. Don’t let opposition or your feelings keep you from your assignment.

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February 13, 2023 · 5:49 AM

Quit Making Excuses

One of the things we’re pretty good at is arguing and making excuses. From the time we were young, we have learned to defend our shortcomings with excuses or to try and argue our way out of it. Another motivator for excuses is fear. When we’re afraid of not knowing the outcome, fear will often remind us of why we can’t do something and then excuses come out. We tend to do this as adults when God calls us to do something that’s outside of our comfort zone. Fear and feelings of inadequacy can cause us to give Him excuses why we can’t or shouldn’t do it. If you’ve done that, you’re not alone, but I want to encourage you to find a way to push through to saying “yes” to God.

In Exodus 3 and 4, were introduced to Moses. He was the son of a Hebrew slave in Egypt, but grew up in Pharaoh’s house. After he killed an Egyptian he fled for forty years. While he was tending some sheep, God appeared to him in a burning bush that wasn’t being consumed by the flame. He was told to go back to Egypt to set the Hebrews free. All of a sudden fear and inadequacy flooded his mind and he started giving God excuses. “They will kill me. I’m not a public speaker. No one will listen.” On and on the excuses poured out until,God had enough. Reluctantly he went after God got upset with him and shot down every excuse.

In Psalm 32:8 we find encouragement when we want to make excuses. “The Lord says, ‘I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.’” God will be with you and advise you just as He did Moses. If God has called you to it, He will guide you through it. Like Moses, you might get hit with set backs and resistance, but keep doing what God asks. He has chosen you and anointed you for the work He has called you to. Your inadequacies and fear will be met with His all sufficient grace. Remember the disciples gave Jesus five loaves and two fish and He fed 5,000. Imagine what He could do through you with what you give Him. He’s the one who does incredible things when we say yes to Him and offer ourselves instead of excuses.

Photo by Yosi Prihantoro on Unsplash

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November 23, 2022 · 5:43 AM

God’s Not Done

The other day I looked over at my son and it hit me that we’ve passed the halfway mark of how long a kid traditionally stays at home. I started thinking of how much more we wanted to pour into him with the time left. Then I started thinking of my own life and how I’m passed the halfway point of an average lifespan. I thought of the things I still. Want to do and accomplish. Then I began to think about purpose and calling. There’s a lot more left unaccomplished than accomplished when it comes to fulfilling God’s plan for my life. I wondered if God would still do what He promised, if there was still enough time to make an impact and if I’m able to do it.

I started thinking about David who was a teenager when his father was visited by the prophet to anoint the next king. It wasn’t long after that when he killed Goliath and everyone knew him. He had been invited into the king’s palace to play music. He must have thought things were happening quickly for him to become king. Then year after year passed by and he found himself hiding in caves and eventually having to live in a foreign country in order to stay alive. He must have wondered if the prophet got it right. Was he going to be king? Would God fulfill His promise? Was it too late? He was human so he probably had times when he doubted or wondered if he interpreted it right.

In Psalm 138:8, David prayed, “You will do everything you have promised; Lord, your love is eternal. Complete the work that you have begun” (GNT). When David doubted or felt down, he would reassure himself to trust in God. He would go back through the Scriptures and recite the times God fulfilled His promises. He built his faith up when his circumstances caused doubt. His prayer here reminds us that God isn’t finished with our story, no matter how late in life you feel you are. His promises still hold true. He will do everything He’s promised to do with your life and complete what He started. His timing is not our timing, and His ways are not our ways. Be faithful in the waiting, build up your faith and stay ready. God’s not done with your story yet.

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

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February 10, 2022 · 5:30 AM

Waiting On God

Have you ever felt ill equipped to do something? Maybe you did your part to get ready for it, but you didn’t have the right tools to be successful. I’ve had that happen before. I had to lead a meeting, but when I arrived to the location, there wasn’t a projector. If they couldn’t see my PowerPoint slides, they wouldn’t be able to understand what I was discussing. It was one of those moments where you have to get really creative or pray that someone had a spare projector somewhere. Thankfully that was the case and I was able to give them the info they needed.

When it comes to fulfilling your purpose, the same thing can happen. There’s only so much you can do before you need God to do what only He can do. The problems come when we stop being patient and start trying to get creative in doing God’s part. We try to equip ourselves for what He wants to accomplish through us, but like Saul’s armor on David, it doesn’t fit. I’ve found that moving forward before God has done His part often complicates things and can have long lasting consequences.

In Hebrews 13:21, the writer prays and reminds us, “May the God of peace provide you with every good thing you need in order to do his will” (GNT). You have a part and God has a part. Learn to do your part and then have patience while God does His. He will give you what you need when you need it. I know it feels like you need it sooner or that you need to step in and help Him, but wait on Him. The Bible is full of people who didn’t wait and tried to do God’s part. Today, purpose in your heart that you will trust God to provide the thing you’re missing to accomplish His will and that you will wait until He gives it to you.

Photo by Ante Hamersmit on Unsplash

Throwback Thursday is a feature I’m using to help build some margin into my schedule to pursue other ventures. Each Thursday I’ll be bringing you a previously written devotional that still speaks encouragement to us from God’s Word.

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