Amen! Brad!

Phil, you have so many purposes in life! You are loving! We all love you!

I'm praying for you.

Lovingly,
Pat Ferguson

At 09:57 AM 6/19/04, you wrote:
>That is quite a question. Of course we have the ever popular "Purpose
>Driven Life" and "40 Days of Purpose" sweeping the planet to help enlighten
>us on that topic. But what you are really asking is "What is Phil's purpose
>in life". Wouldn't it be easy to wrap up the answer to your question in one
>tidy little sentence? However, it isn't quite that easy. Why? Because God
>has planted us here in many positions. A child of his, A husband of our
>wife, a father to our sons and daughters, a uncle to our nieces and
>nephews, grand son or daughter to our grand parents, a minister of his
>gospel, a friend to those who need one, a giver of water to those who are
>thirsty, a giver of food to those who are hungry, a disciple of Christ, a
>worker for provision of our own household, and on and on and on. Along with
>these varying relationships are relative responsibilities and obediences
>founded out of love. Which really is encapsulated in Jesus' two commands to
>love God with all our heart, mind and soul, and to love our neighbor as our
>selves. He didn't require us to be a Christian super-hero, or find any
>grandiose purpose which would satisfy our selfish needs to be used of him.
>His word says that what we did before we came to him, do same, only do it
>as unto Christ, of course with exception to illegal or immoral professions.
>Each enter into relationship with him and as we grow, we become more like
>Christ. He has gifted each one of us with varying gifts which we excel in,
>things we really like perhaps, usually I guess, and we find it enjoyable
>and pleasurable to use those gifts and talents to do those two commands
>Jesus gave us. It is apparent he has gifted you in several areas, writer,
>discernment, wisdom, intercessor, comforter, to name those which you
>display out of that obedience. Sometimes we become too comfortable with
>these and in our minds and tend to look past them for more, new and
>exciting things we might like to do or feel called to or purpose for our
>life. I think we overlook sometimes the things we are called to be, and the
>purposes for which those myriad of relationships and purposes are being
>completed even now on a daily bases in search for the big one, the big
>kahoona of purposes for God. His word says that we, as his children,  will
>know his voice, sometimes we put our ear to a silent room and think we
>heard a creak, a door open, someone say something or etc. out of our own
>expectations, when in fact nothing has occurred or been said. Does this
>mean we ought reply to that voice not spoken, respond to a door opening
>when it remained closed? Or ought we wait quietly upon the Lord and do what
>he has already called us to do, yet listening for his voice to interrupt
>what he has called us to, and let him call the shots? However, our desire
>to do more, be called of more, find that special and specific purpose in
>life for God, is a great display of our love and relationship with him
>which in itself ought not be discounted as no worth, but rather textured
>with the grit he has given us to complete those things which he has called
>us to now and still standing at the ready upon his call for a different or
>more specific purpose when he calls us and not whipping up our own recipe
>for life.
>
>As for specificity, from this side of the monitor you have arose to that
>calling, and although you are battling a physical illness and perhaps
>benched a bit for a couple plays in life, do not let that intermission
>distract you, or give foothold of the enemy  the king of second guesses,
>work his say in you and disrupt the good which God is using you already,
>but rather look to this time to use this situation to better understand
>those God uses you to assist and pray with. I wonder if Paul asked this
>while sitting in prison chained up and seemingly taken out of the picture
>all together? He took this time to praise God and free the prisoners around
>him despite what it looked like from the moment of imprisonment. Helen is
>also right, meds and just the fact of not feeling well can bring a case of
>the doldrums, but we know that does not equate to previous times although
>the enemy would like to try to impose that upon us, and we also know it is
>a temporary thing and enduring it through prayer and prayer by those around
>you, the question of purpose may well be answered then.
>
>Brad
>
>
>
>
>Phil Scovell wrote:
> >I think I brought this up once before but I have been thinking about it more
> >this week.  Have you ever stopped and asked the Lord what your purpose in
> >life is?  I know all the standard answers, of course, but I'm looking for
> >something much more specific.  So what do you think?
> >
> >Phil.
> >
> >
> >I Flew Kites With Jesus
> >www.SafePlaceFellowship.com
>
>Brad
>
>    Smash forehead on keyboard to continue