The people I have shaped for myself will broadcast my praises. Isaiah 43:21 (NJB)
You were shaped to serve God. God formed every creature on this planet with a special area of expertise. Each of us was uniquely designed, or "shaped, 'to do certain things.
You are God's handcrafted work of art. You are not an assembly-line product, mass produced without thought. You are a custom-designed, one-of-a-kind, original masterpiece "God doesn't make junk."
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.
HOW GOD SHAPES YOU FOR YOUR MINISTRY
SHAPE: UNWRAPPING YOUR SPIRITUAL GIFTS
Your spiritual gifts were not given for your own benefit but for the benefit of others, just as other people were given gifts for your benefit.
When we use our gifts together, we all benefit. If others don't use their gifts, you get cheated, and if you don't use your gifts, they get cheated.
SHAPE: LISTENING TO YOUR HEART
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It's amazing that out of all the billions of people who have ever lived, no one has had a heartbeat exactly like yours.
Another word for heart is passion. There are certain subjects you feel passionate about and others you couldn't care less about. Some experiences turn you on and capture your attention while others turn you off or bore you to tears. These reveal the nature of your heart.
God wants you to serve him passionately, not dutifully.
Don't settle for just achieving "the good life," because the good life is not good enough. Ultimately it doesn't satisfy. You can have a lot to live on and still have nothing to live for. Aim instead for "the better life"-serving God in a way that expresses your heart. Figure out what you love to do-what God gave you a heart to do-and then do it for his glory.
When you are doing whatyou love to do, no onehas to motivate you.
-- I was shaped for serving God.
Verse to Remember: "God works through different men in different ways, but it is the same God who achieves his purposes through them all."
1 Corinthians 12:6 (Ph)