2 Peter 1:2–8 NIV
“Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
INSGHT
-Purpose is where and how individuals unite and embrace their perceptions and goals in concert with diverse values and objectives across their work, education, communities, ministries and area of influence. Redefining one’s life purpose is often a means to check your life trajectory in line with God’s promises, and gifts that you possess. This is possible through the grace of God and His divine power working in us. Daniel had an excellent spirit and he distinguished himself among the commissioners and satraps because he possessed an extraordinary spirit, and the king planned to appoint him over the entire kingdom (Daniel 6:3). Daniel believed in God and His power that worked in him, and made the king and the people of Babylon know God. God calls us to know Him more by adding goodness to our faith, knowledge to goodness, self-control to knowledge, perseverance to self control, godliness to perseverance, mutual affection to godliness and love to mutual affection. When we apply the love of God in our lives, work, families, churches, nation, calling and purpose, we are able to gain hearts of excellence and do everything with the mind of God, for the glory of His name.
PRAYER
Great are You Lord God Almighty, and greatly to be praised. Only You are to be feared above all gods. Yours O Lord, is the greatness, power, glory, victory and majesty. Everything that is in the heavens and the earth is Yours. Your is the dominion, O Lord, and You exalt Yourself as head over all. We worship You for You are great and greatly to be praised. We thank You for the gift of life and good health that You have given us. We thank You Abba Father, this far it is You. We humbly ask You to forgive us all our trespasses and heal our wounds. May You grant us discerning hearts that know You and fear You dear Lord. We ask You to grant us the spirit of excellence that we may be distinguished among men and women for the glory of Your name. May You bless the work of our hands and make us prosperous in every good work. We thank You for the rains that You continually shower us with. May You lift us from one glory to the next dear Jesus together with our families in all spheres of our lives. May You grant meaningful opportunities to theirs who are jobless. May You bless our land and make us productive in all sectors of our economy loving Father. May You fill our hearts with Your love, that we may always love You Lord and our neighbors as ourselves. We pray all this believing and trusting in Jesus mighty name. Amen
Further reading: Exodus 36:1, 1 Corinthians 13:1-8
Romans 8:28-30 NIV
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.”
INSGHT
-God having conformed us to the image of His Son is our effectual calling. Since God foreknew us, knowledge here is not abstract but is couched in love and mixed with purpose. God not only knew us before we had any knowledge of Him but that He also knew us, in the sense of choosing us by His grace, before the foundations of the earth. God foreknew us, predestined us and conformed us to His Son Jesus Christ who holds the position of the highest honor. We are therefore called to excel in our God given purposes delivered before the foundations of the earth to serve God and bring glory to Him.
PRAYER
Lord You have lavished great love upon us that we should be called Your children, we thank You. Lord You knew us and predestined us before we were formed in our mothers wombs. You ordained our paths and purpose before the foundations of the world. May Your presence always be with us in our going out and coming in. We love You Lord and bless Your holy name, thank You for loving us first. May You forgive us all our trespasses and wash us with Your precious blood. May You protect our nation and all people from every evil and grant us Your peace that surpasses all understanding. We adore You Lord and exult Your holy name. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us now and forever more. Amen
Further reading: Ephesians 1:4-5, 2 Timothy 1:9
Psalms 33:10-11 NIV
“The Lord foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.”
INSGHT
-The Lord may alter the plans of the nations and purposes of the people, but His purposes cannot be thwarted (Job 42:2). Something we encounter evil men and women who plan our downfall, but the Lord fights for us. The Bible says that, many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails (Proverbs 19:21). The plans of man may fail but God’s purpose will always come to pass. God has the final say in everything. As He promised Abraham to make him the father of many nations, and kept His promise, we are called to hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful (Hebrews 10:23).
PRAYER
Your promises Lord are yes and amen, there is no faithfulness other than in You. We are fully assured that whatever You have promised Lord, You are able to perform, may You fulfill Your promises in our lives, families, churches and nation. Lord You have said in Your word that, as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is Your word that goes out of Your mouth and it does not return to You empty, but accomplishes what You desire and achieve the purpose for which You sent it. You are Almighty God, You are Sovereign Father. Thank You for protecting us against the evil plans orchestrated by unlawful men and women who plan our disaster. Thank You for protecting us, our children, families and nation with Your precious blood and hedge of fire Holy Spirit. We love You and exult Your holy name. Amen
Further reading: Isaiah 55:10–11, 2 Peter 3:9
Hebrews 12:1-2 NIV
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
INSGHT
-The life of a pilgrim is guided by Christ Himself Who is pioneer and perfecter or rather beginner and completer of our faith. He went ahead of all believers and led to our definitive goal, hence the perfect embodiment and supreme model for faith, and celebrate His glorification at the right hand of the Father. In the previous chapter we find great examples of faithful men and women, who inspire our faith. As we learn the faithfulness of God through Jesus Christ, we are encouraged to stay away from every sin just as Christ endured and persevered the cross and shame. We should persevere in our Christian walk and God given purposes till the end looking up to Christ who is our encourager.
PRAYER
This is the day that You have made Lord, we rejoice and are glad in it. We rejoice in You Holy Spirit for the gift of life. Dear Almighty Father, we come before Your throne of mercy this day that we may obtain grace and mercy to help us in our time of need. We thank You for all You have done in our lives and for Your faithfulness. We surrender our lives to You asking that You may cleanse us from every sin and wash us with Your precious blood of Jesus Christ. We pray that You will remove every sin that easily entangles us and continue perfecting our faith all through. We ask for more grace to endure and persevere in the purposes that You have called us until the end just as You did Jesus Christ. We pray all this in Jesus Mighty name. Amen
Further reading: Hebrews 11:6, Matthew 21:22
1 Peter 4:10-11 NIV
“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.”
INSGHT
-Our Godly ordained purposes are backed by our gifts. These gifts are bestowed upon us according to the grace of God and reveal His divine pattern. It is possible that some people among us have lost their divine patterns and therefore experience a shift in their purposes. One could be employed but is frustrated, anointed but frustrated, studying but frustrated, married but frustrated, due to a deviation from one’s path. We are reminded that there is hope in God and we should cast all our cares and frustration unto Him, and following His divinely ordained pattern, and we will be victorious.
SUMMARY
Discovery of one’s purpose in life begins from an awareness that we are called to worship God. The place of deep, intimate devotion lays the right foundation and framework for the development of the right atmospheric relationship with Christ. From this point on, we will develop the spiritual narrative and the environment to hear His voice in relation to his interest and plans for us. The development of the right spiritual foundation in the spirit, in terms of worship, devotion and relationship with God, enables us to cultivate the ability to hear the voice of God by knowing his mind, and, of course, to know how to respond in terms of what he says to us therefore a redefinition of purpose. Apostle Paul noted in Philippians 3:12, that he has already arrived at his goal, but he presses on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of him. We have confidence knowing that all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28). We need to build our confidence and courage in the Lord and walk in that vision and He will release the provision. God will make a way even where there seems to be no way. Even though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death we should fear for His rod and staff they comfort us. Those people and nations which plan evil against us, God thwarts their evil intentions, but His purposes stand (Psalms 33:10-11). We are called to look to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, for endured the cross, scorn and it’s shame and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:1-2). We are called to focus on God and leave behind evil habit and desire so that God may effectively work in us and through us. Further, we are reminded to keep pushing on lacking no zeal and keep our spiritual fervor, serving God (Romans 12:11).
PRAYER
Lord Almighty Father our Maker and Friend we love and adore You. We bless Your holy name and magnify You. We worship You with song and praise from the bottom of our hearts. We humbly ask You to guide us in the purposes that You have called us from the foundations of the world. May Your purposes for our lives be established in us in the name of Jesus. May You break the yoke of the enemy that may be working in us and against us. May You protect us and preserve us from all those who come to kill, steal and destroy. May You Lord redirect our steps and our paths where and when we are distrust or deceived. May You teach us to talk like You, think like You, see like You, serve like You and love like You do Jesus. May You bless our leaders and guide them in Your wisdom. May You bless us and keep us. May You make Your face to shine towards us and be gracious unto us. May You turn Your countenance towards us and give us peace. Amen
Further reading: Romans 12:4-8, 1 Corinthians 12:7-11