God’s Personal Attention to Detail

by Rick Warren

Your hands shaped me and made me. Job 10:8 (NIV)

God formed every creature on this planet with a special area of expertise. Some animals run, some hop, some swim, some burrow, and some fly. Each has a particular role to play based on the way they were shaped by God. The same is true with humans.

Before God created you, he planned exactly how he wanted you to serve him, and then he shaped you for those tasks. He carefully shaped and formed you to serve him in a way that makes your ministry unique.

God never wastes anything. He would not give you abilities, interests, talents, gifts, personality, and life experiences unless he intended to use them for his glory.

Talk about it 
What abilities, talents, and gifts has God given you? How do you think God wants you to use them? 
What interests do you have that can be used to serve God? 
Why do you think God gave you the personality you have? What kind of service do you think he had in mind?

Rick Warren is the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., one of America's largest and most influential churches. Rick is author of the New York Times bestseller "The Purpose Driven Life." His book, "The Purpose Driven Church," was named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the 20th century. He is also the founder of Pastors.com, a global Internet community for pastors.

Leftover Parts

Written by John Grant

 
How can we hear God’s voice speaking into our lives? Take this lesson.

“But who am I and who are my people that we should be able to offer as generously as this? For all things come from You, and from Your hand we have given You.” 1 Chronicles 29:24

When my bride looked at me and said, “The toilet is broken,” I turned to her and said, “Do I look like Joe the Plumber?” Then she reminded me how much plumbers charge on weekends so I thought I should at least take a look. After all, it might just be a broken flap and I have replaced those before.

No, it wasn’t that. The whole flush valve was broken. I have never fixed one of those before. But, I thought, why not give it a try. So, I went to the local “fix it depot” and after staring at the different choices picked the one that most looked like the one in my tank.

Joel Osteen's Night of Hope Draws Tens of Thousands in Ohio

By Anugrah Kumar , Christian Post Contributor

July 15, 2012

More than 14,000 people heard pastor and preacher Joel Osteen's inspiration-filled message at the Quicken Loans Arena facilities in downtown Cleveland, Ohio – the venue for the "Night of Hope" event.

Osteen, the pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas – the largest in America – told the crowd in this Ohio city on Friday night that each day comes as a gift from God, who should be thanked for what's right in their lives.

"God has you on this planet for good reasons, and not just to occupy space," Cleveland.com quoted the 49-year-old pastor as saying. "Somebody is in need of your talents, your skills, your gifts. Stop criticizing yourself, because when you do that, you criticize God's creation."

WHAT GOD HAS PROVIDED

Galatians 6:3 - If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself

 Satan promotes his lies in the world by encouraging us to self-deception. We deceive ourselves when we think of ourselves more highly than we ought to think. "But I know who I am," you say. "I'm a child of God, I'm seated with Christ in the heavenlies, I can do all things through Him. That makes me pretty special." Yes, you are very special in the eyes of God. But you are what you are by the grace of God (1 Corinthians 15:10). 


The life you live, the talents you possess, and the gifts you have received are not personal accomplishments; they are expressions of God's grace. Never take credit for what God has provided; rather, take delight in accomplishing worthwhile deeds which glorify the Lord.


Furthermore, we deceive ourselves when we think we are wise in this age (1 Corinthians 3:18, 19). It is the height of intellectual arrogance to assume wisdom without the revelation of God. "Professing to be wise, they became fools" (Romans 1:22).