Have you ever wondered why you were put on the Earth? If you have, then you are certainly not alone, because millions of people have asked that very same question. Sadly, the vast majority have never found the answer, and instead have sought purpose and fulfillment in all the wrong ways, finding only confusion and emptiness. Why is this so? They were never taught that they were created by God to fulfill a specific purpose in His great plan, much less how to find out what that purpose was. Concerning this very matter Jesus said, "Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." (Matthew 7:14) From this verse, we conclude that the Path of Life is exceedingly difficult to find, and that unless we are on the Path of Life, we cannot fulfill God's purpose for us.
In our nation, children are conditioned from an early age to think in terms of what they are going to be and do when they grow up, with little or no consideration of God's view of the matter. Parents and grandparents and friends often put pressure on young people to pursue higher education, to be something, to do something with their lives. Is that a bad thing? It is when it results in people not being what God meant them to be, and not doing what He meant them to do. No matter what our accomplishments or education may be, if we do not fulfill God's purpose in creating us, both we and the world are the poorer for it.
Now please do not misunderstand me concerning education. I am all in favor of a good education, such as acquiring the knowledge and skills needed for a vocation: wood working, engineering, and so forth. A good education should also encompass the knowledge necessary for being a good citizen, including an appreciation for our history and a working knowledge of our government. However, these should not be confused with the world's definition of education, which is openly antagonistic to the teachings of Christ, as witnessed by the trampling upon of the rights of the students and teachers to pray, to discuss our Nation's Judeo-Christian heritage, or even to bring a Bible to a public school. Consequently, it should be obvious that worldly education most certainly does not meet with the Lord's approval. Rather than being on the Path of Life, worldly education is part of the Broad Way that leads to Destruction: "for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat." (Matthew 7:13)
To summarize, an education is only of value when it serves to better equip a person for what God has called them to be and to do, and only He knows what that truly means. That is why it is imperative that before we begin pursuing a particular vocation or direction in life we must first go to God to find out just what His purpose is for us. Make no mistake about it, God intricately designed each one of us for His purpose. Moreover, there is an important role that you alone can fulfill. Do not belittle this: God never has and never will make a mistake! You are here on this Earth because He wants you here, and His plan for you includes entering the Strait Gate and walking on the Narrow Path that leads to Life. Conversely, when you do not walk on the Path of Life, then you must walk blindly along the Broad Way, at the very best doing seemingly good things but never the right things! Indeed, much sadness, frustration, confusion, depression, and all manner of discontentment has been wrought in the lives of those who have sought purpose and fulfillment on the Broad Way.
For truly, a person can never find fulfillment in their job or in any other activity, yet so often people make the mistake of taking their identity from what they do -- their careers, their accomplishments. Nevertheless, our identity does not come from anything we do. Our identity comes from what we are in Christ. No matter what others have taught or may believe concerning God's Plan for each of us, the Scripture is very specific on this subject. God's purpose is that we are to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ; everything else is secondary, at best. "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. " (Romans 8:28-30)
Consider what it means to be conformed to the image of Christ Jesus....
Have you ever had the privilege of meeting a person who is like that? Someone who exudes the nature of Jesus Christ, no matter where he is or what he is doing? Or better yet, have you ever had the benefit of walking through life with someone like that? A person who has forsaken everything to diligently seek God's perfect will and plan -- not only for himself but also for his family and for many others. Someone who has a prophetic understanding of the Holy Scriptures and strives daily to repair the breaches caused by religious spirits. Someone who holds high the standard of godly integrity by living it. Have you ever known such a person? Well I do! I know a guy just like that! And no, it is not the Apostle Paul. This person happens to be a dear friend of mine. Someone that I have known for many years and love dearly. A brother who has proven that yes -- walking out a victorious life in Christ Jesus is more than possible! Though he asked that I not reveal his name, I felt that his example as a rare and faithful man of God would serve well as an example for this teaching.
This man is truly of God, and walks with God. Righteousness and servant-hood are not a shroud with which he hides himself; rather, they are the nature of which he is made. This man is a great servant within his house and towards his family; and I have never seen him hold a grudge against anyone, regardless of provocation. He is strong, but meek; for he uses his strength in the service of others. He is faithful in the little, everyday things; and you can count on his word. This man is great in the eyes of the Lord, and God prospers him in everything he does. Wherever this man of God goes, he is an example of what God desires to do in the hearts of all people.
Meet John Doe
At this point I want to introduce you to someone I'll refer to as John Doe, because although he is also a real person, his name is not of consequence for our purposes. John Doe is quite different from the man of God I have already described to you. Indeed, John Doe is not a Christian, does not pretend to be one, and actually wishes he had never even heard of Jesus Christ! A Christian man, upon seeing John Doe's picture, said that if he were walking on a sidewalk with his wife and children and saw John Doe coming toward them, he would quickly take his family across the street!
In truth, John Doe is a hedonist. He loves pleasure and spends much of his time being intoxicated, and he looks it, too. So consider the contrast between these two descriptions: On the one hand, there is the man of God, and on the other, there is John Doe, a lost sinner. What can you say about a man who wishes he had never even heard of Jesus Christ? How can you witness to such a person? What hope is there for him? Amazingly, as dissimilar as these two men are, both of these thumbnail sketches are from the life of the same man! Now this is no Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde story: the man who was once John Doe has become a true man of God.
So how did this change come about? Was it because of something special about John Doe? Definitely not! This is no exclusive story, and that is the main reason he wanted his name withheld. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9) The transformation of John Doe into a man of God is a testimony of the grace, love, and power of the Almighty God. It is also a powerful example of the ways in which God moves to fulfill His Word in the lives of His people.
To become a man of God, John Doe first entered the Strait Gate and began walking on the Narrow Way. In short, he began by being born again. However, it is crucial to note that prior to being saved, he had received a precious gift from God: the love of the Truth (see 2 Thessalonians 2:10). Not that John Doe even recognized it as a gift from God. John Doe simply loved the Truth and pursued the Truth. Ironically, while he wished he had never heard of Jesus Christ, John Doe was unknowingly pursuing Jesus, because He is the Way, and the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6).
When John Doe first came to know Jesus Christ as his Savior, this scripture was fulfilled in his spirit: "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:32) John Doe's spirit was made free! This liberty was witnessed by a very significant change that was wrought in John Doe at the moment he was born again: the hedonism was gone from his life. The desire for intoxication that had controlled him was completely eradicated the moment his spirit was perfected. "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17) However, John Doe's soul was not made new, for God's plan is that the soul is to be renewed through the Great Partnership as the believer walks the Narrow Way. It is in this way that the following promise is fulfilled:
"I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." (John 10:10) In this verse, Jesus declared that He came to Earth so that the Abundant Life of God could be ours. Note that the Abundant Life is not guaranteed to us in this life, even though we believe. As noted at the beginning of this letter, we must be on the Narrow Way that leads to Life to enjoy its benefits!
Now the Path of Life is the Narrow Way of Truth. Consequently, we cannot enjoy the Abundant Life of Christ apart from the love of the Truth. Furthermore, it is imperative that we turn away from all that will hinder us from pursuing the Truth. For this reason, John Doe immediately dropped out of College, because he now recognized worldly education for what it truly is: the counterfeit of Truth. He also began following the Holy Spirit of Truth, and being ravenously hungry for Truth, John Doe began reading his Bible for hours every day, not knowing at the time that the Scripture says "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby." 1 Peter 2:2
John Doe read the Bible from cover to cover, over and over again with no regard for the meaning of the words. He knew that his soul was filthy and needed to be washed. Ephesians 5:26 speaks of "the washing of water by the word." As Jesus said: "Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you." (John 15:3) This is the process of Sanctification, also called the working out of salvation (Philippians 2:12). Sanctification requires the entirety of the Word of God, as testified by the following prayer of Jesus: "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth." (John 17:17)
Ignorance of the fact that the cleansing of the soul is separate and distinct from the renewing of the spirit causes many Christians to stumble in bondage to sin and causes much confusion within the Body of Christ. The Truth of the matter is this. The spirit of the believer is clean and new. The soul is not! So consider how a believer must feel who is struggling with alcoholism and then hears the testimony of someone who was instantly delivered at the moment of Salvation. Why didn't God deliver me? Why doesn't God hear my prayers? The answer is that when the alcoholism arises from the spirit the bondage is removed forever at the very moment that person accepts Christ as their Savior. The alcoholism of the soul must be dealt with through the process of Sanctification.
In John Doe's case, the hedonism arose from his spirit and vanished completely when he was born again. Thus, John Doe rejoiced in the deliverance he knew God had wrought within him by ridding him of the chains of hedonism. Yet, he also acknowledged the filthiness that remained in his soul and he simply believed that by giving the Word of God -- indeed, all of it! -- access to the corridors of his mind, cleansing and healing would occur. In the working out of his salvation, John Doe's faith and obedience were abundantly rewarded. Consider the following passages of Scripture to see how it was not John Doe, but the Holy Spirit who planted those thoughts in his mind.
"Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow." (Psalm 51:5-7)
"Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee." (Psalm 119:9-11)
The need for cleansing in our souls is why God desires truth in the inward parts of our being. For we are made free when we know the Truth. However, God does not force this upon us. Rather, He desires that we pursue Him with our whole hearts, and we cannot pursue God without pursuing His Word. This is the law of sowing and reaping. "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting." (Galatians 6:7-8)
When we sow in abundance the Truth of the Word of God into our hearts, we reap life everlasting. This is what John Doe did, and he became a man of God. He read the Word even when most of it made no sense to him. To the natural mind, this sounds stupid. Why read for hours and hours when you understand very little of what you are reading? In fact, this is exactly what the Word of God predicts will happen! "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." (1 Corinthians 2:14)
In this matter then, the words of the prophet Samuel loom large: "To obey is better than sacrifice." (1 Samuel 15:22) If we want the benefits of life everlasting in our souls in this life, then we must sow to the spirit in this life. This includes investing our time and efforts. If we sow sparingly, then we shall reap but little. If we want God's best, then we must sow for God's best! The results will speak for themselves.
"Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire." (Matthew 7:17-19)
"Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit." (Matthew 12:33)
"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper." (Psalm 1:1-3)
The good tree bears good fruit. Note that point carefully: the tree reproduces after its kind. What this means in human terms is that our identity does not come from what we do; rather, what we do comes from our being. When we become what we're supposed to be, we will do what we're supposed to do. When we become righteous, then righteous works are inevitable. A corrupt tree cannot be made good by simply hanging good fruit from its limbs. Likewise, no one becomes righteous by mimicking good deeds!
The only way to become a good tree is by being planted beside the river of life, abiding in the Lord and in His Word. We cannot do this on our own: It is simply humanly impossible! That is why the Holy Spirit was sent to lead us into all Truth. Our natural minds cannot grasp the Truth without Him. "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10)
Everyone has a gift from God
Having established that what we are determines what we do, we now face the question of good works. How do we find out which good works God has assigned for us to accomplish? How do we find our part in God's plan? Although that secret can only be found in God, it is one that He longs to reveal to those who will diligently seek after Him. The problem is that most people who refer to themselves as Christians today are not diligent in taking the time and making the effort needed to hear God's voice of direction for their lives. As the Psalmist wrote: "With my whole heart have I sought thee." (Psalm 119:10)
Most people would simply rather have someone else tell them what to do, take a written spiritual gifting's test, et cetera. Nevertheless, seeking out the path of least resistance will never lead you to God's will for your life! The path of least resistance is the Broad Way that leads to destruction. The Apostle Paul warns of this. "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." (2 Timothy 4:3-4) If you want to find the purpose for a thing, you never ask the thing: the purpose for a thing can only be found in the mind of the one who made it! To find your purpose you must "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you." (James 4:8)
My own testimony may help explain this. When I finally got serious about discovering God's purpose for my life, I began to pray and fast like I had never done before. I had read in Hebrews 11:6, "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." So I knew that a lukewarm attempt at hearing God's direction for my life would never get the job done. After a few weeks, I received a phone call from a pastor friend with whom I had not spoken for quite a while. At the time I had not thought that his phone call would have anything to do with my present situation -- but it would soon prove to have everything to do with it. Here is how it all unfolded.
In 1988 Pastor Phil Dowdy and his wife Cathy invited me to attend a four day conference in Virginia Beach, Virginia where Dr. Myles Munroe from Nassau, Bahamas was the key note speaker. On the first night of the meetings, Dr. Munroe stepped up to the podium and shared with the congregation something that had happened to him earlier that morning. Little did I know how much of a huge impact that his little story would have on my life. I pray that it will do the same for you!
He said that upon the plane's final approach into the airport at Norfolk, Virginia that he felt prompted by the Holy Spirit to look out of the window at the ground below. Suddenly, his eyes were drawn to a particular piece of real estate off in the distance. As he was looking at it the Holy Spirit spoke to him and said, "The piece of land that I have brought to your attention is by far the most valuable piece of real estate in the entire world. It is even more valuable than all of the great diamond mines in Africa, uranium mines in Russia, and all of the other precious mineral mines in the earth combined." What the Holy Spirit had focused Pastor Myles attention on was a large cemetery. The Holy Spirit continued speaking to him: "Why is that particular piece of land so valuable? Because in those graves lie books that were never written, songs that were never sung, businesses that were never pursued, and ministries that never got off the ground." After sharing the story, Dr. Munroe looked over the congregation and, with the sternness of a Dad reprimanding his children for laying around the house doing nothing, he said, "Don't you dare take our books, our songs, businesses, and ministries to the grave with you! We need, and the next generation of believers needs, what God has so richly deposited in your life."
What a stirring and motivational message this is! However, before we write those books or songs, et cetera, we must be on the path of Life, maturing in the ways of God: for what we are determines what we can do. We do not become ministers of the Gospel by ministering to people. We become ministers by being transformed into the image of Jesus Christ. We also must not fall for the lie that only a select few are intended to become ministers. "But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal." (1 Corinthians 12:7) "How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying." (1 Corinthians 14:26)
Not a one of us is unnecessary! Every one of us has been given something by the Living God.
Redeeming the desires of the heart
From the moment that I heard Pastor Myles' story I was consumed with examining my own life and diligently asking God to show me what it was that He predestined from the foundation of the Earth for me to pass along to His Church. I was finally beginning to realize that I have a pre-ordered job to do, and I was determined to find out just what that was. As can be seen from the following passage of Scripture, what God wants me to do begins with having the right relationship with Him. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved." (Ephesians 1:3-6)
As effective as the music part of my ministry had been in peoples' lives, there was something that I wanted even more than I wanted to share my music. I wanted to be more effective as a minister of the Gospel that Jesus preached -- no matter what that meant doing or giving up. Just before Jesus was to be crucified He shared this key for our being fruitful in Him. After all, being fruitful for the glory of God is a good thing, and being abundantly fruitful is even better! He said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour." (John 12:24-26) Jesus said, "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it." (Matthew 13:44-46)
What this means is that for our gifts -- indeed, all of the desires of our hearts! -- to be used by God, we must first die to them. When we do, we enable God to redeem them. So, on my ride home from the conference, I decided that I was going to lay down the thing that was most dear to me, the thing that I wholeheartedly believed that I was created and put on this earth by God to do -- reach the lost through my music. I settled it in my heart that day in the car that I was going to lay it at His feet and not pick it up again until He told me that it was in fact His plan for my life -- not mine. I wanted clarity of vision and I was ready to do whatever it took to get it! "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children." (Hosea 4:6)
So when I returned home, I packed up my musical instruments and all related equipment, put everything in storage, and laid myself, along with those things, at God's feet. It was done: I was no longer going to pursue anything that I was not supposed be doing. If what I had been doing was God's plan for my life, then I believed that He would, in His time, make that evident to me. Until He did, I was not going to touch another guitar or drum stick. This would be the second time that I had done this with my music. The first time was in 1979, and it resulted in a ten year season of miraculous moves of God in the lives of countless people.
About one year had passed since I had laid down my music when I began to notice that whenever I would think about the songs that God had given me, my heart would begin to fill with joy. That was something I had not experienced that strongly for many years. God had honored my sacrifice by giving back to me the music I had placed upon the altar of faith; but now the music was alive, as only God can make something alive. He had redeemed the desire of my heart and had anointed it for His use. At the same time it was growing increasingly apparent that the music would be used in ways much different than it had in times past. Whereas before the platform for ministering my music had been live concerts, this time it would all begin in a recording studio.
At the time, I had just moved to Yorktown, Virginia and had taken a job selling boats. Shortly thereafter I purchased a house, and consequently money was tight. In fact, if I was to begin recording my songs, as I believed God wanted me to do, then I would need a financial miracle. As you might imagine, new life being breathed into the music portion of my ministry, coupled with a shortage of start up capital, made for a rather frustrating situation. On top of all of that, it was winter, and people very rarely buy boats in the dead of winter -- especially when the temperature outside is well below freezing. A few days after asking the Lord for the financial miracle, I was walking around the showroom at work when a middle-aged couple entered. I smiled, greeted them with a hand shake, and asked if there was something that I could show them. We looked at only a few new boats when the gentleman said, with a huge smile on his face, "This is it, this is the one I want!" We agreed on a price, I walked them through the paper work, a delivery time was scheduled, and off they went. However, that is not the reason I am relating this story. Earlier, while I was showing them around, the couple spoke of their passion for sport fishing and asked me what I liked to do for fun. I simply said that I enjoyed writing and playing my songs for people. They asked if I had a CD of my music they could buy. I replied no and told them that I hoped to do something about that soon. That was it! That is all I said to them about recording my music.
Several days passed and it was time for the couple to take delivery of their beautiful new sport fishing boat. We closed out the final paper work, jumped in the car, and drove to the marina where the boat was tied up to the dock. We climbed aboard, I fired up the engines, and we headed into the bay. Once we had gotten about two miles off shore, I shut down the engines and proceeded to explain to them how to operate their new boat's onboard systems. We had been there for only a few minutes when the couple stopped me in mid sentence and said, "Keith, after we left you the other day we were both stirred to help you record a CD. We don't know why but we felt to give you this check for $500.00 to help you get started." Wow! There it was, the answer to my prayer and the "green light" that I had been looking for. By the way, the couple were not Christians!
With that, God then, through a series of phone calls to other friends in the music business, introduced me to Rob Ulsh -- the owner of a very successful state-of-the-art Virginia Beach area recording studio. About two years later we finished a project entitled "Toward The Mark." Since then we have recorded a brand new CD entitled "Between The Lines," and we have written four new books. We have ministered through music at many different events and are writing teaching letters that are getting wonderful responses. Our newsletters and web site are encouraging people in their walks with God, and the truth is we have only just begun!
Stir up the gift
Having said all of that, we would like to ask you this question. What is that "something" deep in your heart that you have always wanted to do but haven't done yet? Perhaps you have actually started working on it, but for whatever reason, it's fallen to the bottom of your priority list. You know what I'm talking about. That God-given vision that burns in your heart so hot that it's what you think about when you go to bed at night and it's what is on your mind when you wake up in the morning. You know, that thing that is more real to you than the life you're living. So much so, that when you are at school or on your job it's all you seem to think about and work towards, often making your studies or work-related assignments a bit of a mental tug of war. That my friend is how God lets us know what He has put us on this earth to do. What is your passion? Perhaps your "something" is a book that you have been wanting to write or any one of a number of different things that would glorify Jesus Christ.
How do I get started doing what I believe is God's call for my life? The way I did it was this: I prayed and asked God to lead me to someone that was truly anointed at doing what I felt God was calling me to do. I then went to that person and asked them if they would show me the ropes, so to speak. In my case, I wanted to start my own outreach ministry. So, I committed to serve a pastor who was truly called by God to pastor His people. I then sat under his teaching and did whatever he needed me to do for a number of years. For example, let's say God has called you start a Christian book store. The same principle applies. The best way to learn the business would be to work in an established bookstore until you have gathered enough information from your employer or managers to start your own store. For example, I know several guys who believed that God had called them to open an automotive repair shop. That was their ministry. They worked for several years at an established garage until such time as they felt ready to start their own. That's how it's done. We encourage you, whatever that "something" is that has been burning in your heart, ignore it no longer! Get with God and do whatever it takes to get it "out there" so that it can be doing what God intended for it to do -- Glorify His name and fulfill your deepest longings!
The paradox of giving
There is a paradox in the title of this message, one that is also found in the following verse from Proverbs: "There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty." (Proverbs 11:24) This is the reality of sowing to the spirit. What seems in the natural to be scattered or squandered is actually being supernaturally increased by the power of God. So many people bury their God-given talents rather than taking the risks needed to see them fulfilled. The biggest risk is dying to self in order that the life of Christ may be brought forth. The choice is ours. The Lord Himself has declared it so: "I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." (Revelation 22:16-17)
Those who give freely, like Tabitha in the Book of Acts (see Acts 9:36), being "full of good works" shall receive abundance in return. Far from being diminished or impoverished through giving, their lives are greatly enriched. Their testimony is that of David: "Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever." (Psalm 23:5-6)
That is the testimony of the Abundant Life, while the following verses describe the end of the race for those who have faithfully, diligently sought God with their whole heart: "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing." (2 Timothy 4:7-8)
To die empty is simply to be able to say at the end of our lives what our Savior said before He was crucified: "I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do." (John 17:4) To those of us who finish our courses, having died to ourselves, being full of the Holy Ghost and good works, God's response will be overwhelming: "His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord." (Matthew 25:21)
I once had a very sobering revelation of what it would be like to stand before an all mighty, loving God without having completed the things that He had put me here on earth to do. All I can say is, it crushed my heart! There I was, standing before an all-loving God, Love Himself, with nothing to lay at His feet. I can remember being overwhelmed with grief, not a fear of being yelled at by Him, but a deep sorrow the likes of which I had never known -- just wishing that I could have one more chance to go back and give birth to the things that He had placed in me. I can tell you right now, that's not going to happen to me, and I encourage you with all of my strength to not let it happen to you either! It's time you stop procrastinating and get it done! Get the things that God has placed in your heart out of you and into the hands and hearts of others who need what He has so richly deposited in your life. "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." (James 2:26)
"But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises." (Hebrews 6:9-12)
"Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." (2 Peter 1:10-11)
From this time forth we encourage you to make it your life's passion to Die Empty!