IN SEARCH OF PURPOSE (PART 1)

Has it ever occurred to you that you never chose your sex, race,
nationality, family, complexion, height, etc? Are you aware that these
things define who you are? Yet, you were never part of the decision-
making process that let) to these definitive features of your life. Hope
you also know that regardless of who you are or where you are from,
you are only going to be in this life once. You are not coming back! The
next place after here is eternity — Heaven or Hell.

The choices a father makes for his child without consulting him
go a long way in revealing the plans that father has for his
child.

God is our Father and our Creator. He made some vital choices for us
without any consultation with us. He didn’t do this because He is bossy
or dictatorial. He did so because of His plans for us which are rooted in
His love. His love for us is incomprehensible. It is incredible! He loves
us so much He chose to die for us. Believe me, even if you were the
only human on earth, God would have still died for you. Yes! He loves
you more than you can ever know. Nevertheless, my concern today is
not His love but the expression of His love — HIS PLANS. God has
wonderful plans for you. They are too colorful for your imagination to
grasp.

“For I know the plans I have for you. “ declares the LORD,
“plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you
hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11: NIV)
God, because of His plans, made some vital choices for you. He chose
your sex, race, nationality, tribe, parents, siblings, talents,
temperament, etc. He even chose the time of your birth. These choices
are nothing but expressions of the plans He has for you. They are
secret codes that contain vital information about why you were created
in the first place. They go a long way in revealing what He had on His
mind when He created you. God has .a purpose for making you Black
and not White, Nigerian and not American, Male and not Female, etc.
All these are based on Divine Calculation!

Believe it or not, God has specific reasons for creating you and your
fulfillment lies in discovering and walking in God’s purpose for your life.
Why was I born into my family? Why am I the firstborn? Why am I the
only daughter of my parents? These and many more are the questions
you must begin to ask God in prayer. Remember, only the
manufacturer knows the intimate details of his product.

“Call to Me and I will answer you and show you great and
mighty things, fenced in an hidden, which you do not know (do
not distinguish and recognize, have knowledge of and
understand)” Jeremiah 33:3, AMP

I have a lot to share with you along this line but I will continue next
week because of time and space constraints. If you desire to know
God’s purpose for your life, this series is for you.
 IN SEARCH OF PURPOSE 2

In last edition I drew your attention to the divine choices made on your
behalf and how they go a long way in defining the real you. I also took
a step in awakening your awareness to the fact that God does nothing
without a purpose. This implies that the choices He made for you
without consulting you actually help a great deal in unraveling the very
purpose behind your existence. In other words, God deliberately chose
your parents, siblings, race, nationality, talents, birth date etc, because
of what was on His mind when He created you- His plans.

You are not a product of mass production so to speak. You are custom-
made. God didn’t create you with the mass. It took Him quality time to
craft and wire you. He paid detailed attention to even the minutest
details of your life. Your height, gender, complexion, etc are actually
the best for you.

Your parents might not be as good as they should be but they are the
best for your life and destiny. Why? God chose them for you because
He loves you with an unimaginable love and because they are the
most ideal for your life and destiny. “You don’t know my father; if you
did you won’t talk like this”. I don’t need to know your father. You are
the one that needs to know that The Father made that man your father
because he is the best for you. Oh! How I wish you understand this
mystery.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made, your
works are wonderful, I know that full well. (Psalm 139:14 NIV)

Irrespective of the circumstances that led to your birth- teenage

pregnancy, rape, illicit affair, etc- you came into this world at the right
time and in the right way. Ha! Are you endorsing all these social ills?
No! What I’m attempting to show you is that even if the circumstances
that led to your birth are wrong, you are right! That was why I referred
to this as a mystery. It is the mystery of creation! Contrary to societal
perceptions, there is no one who is an illegitimate child. All of us,
regardless of how we were born, are legitimate. We are all
masterpieces of God created to show forth His glory.

Abraham’s father was a pagan; yet he became the father of faith.

Jephthah was a product of prostitution (Judges 11:1); yet he became a
mighty warrior and Judge in Israel. David was an outcast; yet he
became the best king Israel ever had. Solomon was born out of
wedlock; yet he became the wisest and richest man of all time.

I prophesy into your life that irrespective of the circumstances of your

birth, your family or background, you will become everything God
wants you to be in Jesus name. I wish I could continue to show you
these things but I will continue next edition.

ADEDEJI FADEHAN
 IN SEARCH OF PURPOSE 3

Discovering purpose is not as difficult as most people think. In fact, it

is very simple. ff1 give you a gadget whose functions and purpose you
don’t know as a gift, what would you do? Are you going to throw it
away or simply abandon it? I don’t think so. The wisest and simplest
thing for you to do is to refer to the manual. The gadget’s manual
would clearly explain its purpose and functions. You may know
practically nothing about the gadget initially but by the time you are
through with the manual, you would have clearly understood its
purpose and how to use it.

Just like every gadget has a manual, every one of us a manual. This
manual was written by our manufacturer (God) so that we might find
purpose and understand how to live our lives. This manual is not in
Heaven or somewhere far away. It is always available and accessible.
I’m referring to the Bible. Yes! The Bible is more than a religious book.
It is God’s manual for your life.

Most of us barely read the manuals that accompany our gadgets

because we usually consider it unnecessary to do so and we learn to
use our gadgets by trial and error. The only time we refer to a
gadget’s manual is when we find it difficult to understand a particular
function. This does not only amount to us shortchanging ourselves, it
sometimes lead to the destruction of these gadgets. People spend
money and time trying to fix things that could have been avoided if
the gadgets’ manuals have been read in the first place.
Most of us barely read the Bible too. We usually don’t see a need for it
or like we sometimes say “we are too busy”. Consequently, we live our
lives by trial and error. We run our lives the way we like and we say
“it’s my life”. No! It’s not your life. It’s a trust you will account for at
the end of the day. It’s a soft loan. Just like a trustee does not use a
property in his care the way he likes, you are not permitted to use
your life the way you like. You must use it the way the owner (God)
wants.

The reason many people spend money, time, tears and pains trying to
fix their health, businesses, marriages and homes is that they ignore
God’s manual. Many sicknesses, marital problems, business failures
and sudden death would have been avoided if adequate attention had
been paid to God’s manual - the Bible.

The Bible is more than you think it is. It is more than a book of
religious creeds. It is a book that contains the answers to all questions
and the solutions to all problems. The Bible contains everything you
need to have a blissful time both here on earth and in heaven.
Through it, I’ve learnt to live above sicknesses and diseases.
Challenges come but they don’t overcome! The Bible is beyond
description. I never knew until I began devoting attention to it. Oh!
How I wish everybody knows this truth. It would make the world a
much better place. We will continue our search for purpose next week
but till then keep reading the manual. BY ADEDEJI FADEHAN
 IN SEARCH OF PURPOSE 4

How are you? Hope you are fine. The other time we considered the manual and
its importance in the discovery of purpose. I believe you were blessed. Let’s
continue our journey today by considering this portion of the Scriptures.

I know my plans towards you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to
give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11; NIV)

STEPS TO DISCOVERING GOD’S PURPOSE FOR YOUR LIFE.

1. Realize you were created for a purpose.

‘Thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”
(Revelation 4:llb; KJV) .

2. Recognize also that God has incredible plans for you.

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into
the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for theth that love him. (1

Corinthians 2:9; KJV)

3. Pray and keep praying for God to reveal the purpose and plans He has
for you.

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be
opened unto you: For every one that ask received; and he that seek find; and to
him that knock ethit shall be opened: (Matthew 7:7-8; KJV)

4. Be obsessed and extremely passionate about His purpose and plans.

“You will find me if you seek me with all your heart (when you get serious about
finding me and want it more than anything else),”
5. Get busy loving God, knowing Him and serving Him.

But, on the contrary, as the Scripture says, What eye has not seen and ear has
not heard and has not entered into the heart of man, [ that] God has prepared
(made and keeps ready) for those who lbve Him [ hold Him in affectionate
reverence, promptly obeying Him arid, gratefully recognizing the benefits He has
bestowed]. (1 Corinthians 2:9; Amplified)

I hope you’ve been blessed and inspired. By the grace of God, we will consider
vital keys that are necessary for the fulfillment of purpose next week. I pray that
the Lord will perfect that which concerns you’in Jesus name.

Till then, remain blessed..

ADEDEJI FADEHAN

Youth Secretary
 IN SEARCH OF PURPOSE 5
HOW TO FULFILL YOUR GOD-GIVEN PURPOSE

There are 3 major keys you need to fulfill your purpose. They are:

1. Dependence on God

This is the state of needing the help and support of God in order to survive or be
successful. It refers to trusting the Lord with all your heart and leaning not on
your own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5)

God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom
of Heaven is theirs. (Matthew 5:3; NLT)

Stop leading yourself; let God lead you. Stop being the alpha and omega of your
decisions; let God guide you. If you want to fulfill your God-given purpose, you
must take the back seat and let God drive you. (Mark 1:12)

O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself it is not in man that walked
to direct his steps. (Jeremiah 10:23; KJV)

2. Obedience God.

To obey is to do ‘hat you are told or expected to do. It is simple, common sense
to know that you cannot disobey God and expect His plans for your life to be
fulfilled. You have to cooperate with Him. Obey His Word. Obey whatever He
tells you.

Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the
mouth of God. (Matt 4:4; KJV)

Obedience always attracts blessings but disobedience brings curses.

(Deuteronomy 11:26-28

3. Patience for God

It is not enough to depend on God and obey Him; without patience you will
truncate Gods will for your life. Many have married the wrong people, landed in
trouble and even lost their lives because of impatience. They just couldn’t wait
any longer and, they paid dearly for it.

For ye have need of patience, that, after e have done the will of God, ye might
receive the promise. (Hebrews 10:36; KJV)

Abraham, the father of faith, nearly failed in God’s purpose for his life because he
became impatient. Although God’s will eventually came to pass, the product of
his impatience is still a thorn in the flesh of his miracle- child even after
thousands of years. God may not do it when you expect Him to but please
though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. (Habakkuk
2:3b)

Next week, by the grace of God, we will continue in our search for purpose

Considering Destiny Relationships that are vital for the fulfillment of Purpose. Till
then, stay blessed.

FADEHAN ADEDEM