You Are God's Masterpiece

By the apostle Paul's own admission he was an enemy of God and of the church, but all that changed when he was walking on the road to Damascus (Acts 9). From that day on, Paul was a new person. He wasn't perfect; he still made mistakes and committed sins, but his life took on a new direction, and the world hasn't been the same since.

Paul was consumed with a mission. His purpose was to save souls, change lives, and bring about worldwide impact through the ministry of the church.

What about you? What is your mission? God has given you a purpose. That purpose isn't created to serve you—you are created to serve that purpose. We need to get past the idea that we deserve or need an easy life. Instead, our attitude must be, "I may not be an important person, but I have an important job to do, and I will serve my purpose" (Ephesians 3:7-13).

Paul repeatedly used the word grace to describe God's work in his life (Ephesians 3:7). He didn't fool himself into thinking that he was doing God a favor by serving him. He had a sense of wonder about the calling God placed on his life.

We need to ask ourselves, "Why did God place me in this time, this place, this situation? What can I learn from it, and what does he expect me to do about it?"

But keep in mind that love is God's greatest resource. He takes love so seriously that he defines himself by it (1 John 4:16). To experience the fullness of God in your life—which includes experiencing his power at work within you—you need to develop at least an inkling of the awesomeness of his love, although in this lifetime we will only, at most, scratch the surface of understanding God's love.

Living in God's love is the key to power. To the extent that we understand his love, we experience his power. What kind of power are we talking about here? Power over sin. Power over weakness. Power over fear. Power over shame. Power over despair. Power over rage. Power over lust. Power over greed. Power over pride. Power over doubt. Power over guilt.

Do you want to experience the power of God so that you can move past your sin and gain his mission for your life? Then get immersed in the love of God. Pray about it. Think about it. Meditate on it. Contemplate it. Believe it. Receive it. When you know his love, you will experience his power and find your mission.

- Taken from "Ephesians: You Are God's Masterpiece." To learn more on this subject, go to ChristianBibleStudies.com and download this Bible study.

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