Pastor John D Jakes

Have you ever really considered this question – “What would God have me do?”  Our church wants to reach people.  We want to grow both inside and out.  Our first priority, though, is to be obedient to God.  We want to know what He wants.  So, we need to be asking the specific question, “What does God want us to do?”

“Whatever you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” – 1 Corinthians 10:31

However, shouldn’t we also be asking the broader question – “What’s our purpose?” Let’s consider that there are three clear Biblical purposes for all that a Christian does for God.  There are also a couple of practical purposes that we do that lead up to those purposes.  The first purpose is: to worship God from full hearts.  When we think of this purpose we put things like Sunday morning and Bible studies in this category.  The second purpose is: to minister to the needs of others.  We put practical ministry, prayer, and certain fellowships in this category.  The third purpose is: to reach out to the lost.  We put things like outreach activities and evangelism in this category.

When I mention practical purposes I am talking about the extra stuff we do that involves things like fun (we do it just cause we enjoy it) and planning (preparing to do one of the previous 4 purposes).  We have a final category of our purposes – something I will call “buckshot”.  We don’t know why we are doing it.  We don’t really enjoy it all that much, we aren’t really focusing on God, others, or reaching people for Christ.  We just do it.  We don’t really have a point.  It is just activity.

I want to talk about how I can live my life always putting my life’s activities into one of the three purposes outlined above.  However, I think I have to start by thinking about how much the things I do can be called “buckshot” things.  These are things that I do without thinking, without planning, with no real purpose in mind, and I find that getting the most out of them is not really on my mind at all.

As I think about the stuff that I place into the “buckshot” category, it almost frightens me how many of those things include the things of God.  Prayer, worship, personal time with God, helping out around church, and even communion can so easily become “buckshot” items.  They become part of my list of things to do.  They aren’t done intentionally.  Take prayer, for example.  I’ve got a list.  I go through the list.  Once I am done with the list I go on to the next task in my day.  Was I trying to worship as I prayed?  Was I trying to minister to others through my intercessory prayer?  Was I trying to beseech the Lord of the harvest to reach the lost through my prayer?  Maybe.  But, maybe I was just checking off a list.  Prayer. Check.  Laundry. Check.  Lunch made. Check.

Perhaps, if I planned for my purpose and sought to fulfill my purpose then the things I do for God would be the worship, ministry, and evangelism they are supposed to be.  Perhaps, if I practiced intentionally living with the things of God, then the ordinary things might take on a greater significance too. I would have less “buckshot” and more purpose. I would be living for my purpose rather than searching for my purpose like I do my lost keys. Paul had it right. Whatever I do, I must do for the glory of God.

It’s something to think about,

Pastor John