How To Finish Strong - Part 5

Scott Keffer [: 00:00:02

Hi. If you're looking for greater hope, assurance, and confidence through the shifting sands of life, then join me on today's episode as we dig deep into the bible to discover rock solid truth for life and living from the God of the bible. I'm your host, Scott Keffer. Hi, and welcome to today's episode. As always, for a deeper experience, you can go to the show notes and download the blank insight sheet. Fill in the blanks along with the group. Depending on how you're listening to this, there will be a link to the episode website at beholdingbibletruth.com, and a sheet with the answers is included as well. Enjoy today's episode.

Scott Keffer [: 00:00:49

The business coaches that I work with said, if everything that exists is going to fade away and go to dust one day, He said, then you can just create your own purpose in life. And I was thinking about that, and, of course, he's he used to run a very successful, group of gyms across the country. So he's I mean, he's really he's really jacked. Yeah. And he's very successful. And I thought when you're successful and everything seems to be going your way, it's okay to live in a in a world without purpose and to create your own purpose. He said, just create your own purpose. But all that is is a great masquerade to the fact that if there is no God, then there is no purpose.

Scott Keffer [: 00:01:38

If there is no God, then life is random. And if there is no god, then you're worthless. Just do whatever you wanna do. You can just bang from thing to thing to thing. Right? But at the end of the day, that's an awful way to live, isn't it? Right? Because everybody struggles with the just the the vacuum of don't I mean something? Don't I have value? Don't I have purpose? And so one of the great things that you discover when God calls you out of darkness to himself is that he has a purpose for you because God does all things well, and he works all things after the counsel of his will, and he works all things with purpose and on purpose. And so as a result of that, the fact that you've been called out of darkness to him, you can live your life on purpose with purpose. And that's what we've been talking about. How do we finish well? How do we finish strong? How do we finish, right, liberally with our boots on? Right? How many gonna do that? Right? And as time goes along and as the world seemingly gets crazier, it's really important, Right? Not only when I say when you're uncertain in life, what's my philosophy? Run to the core.

Scott Keffer [: 00:02:55

Run to the core. Run to the core. It's the same way in your life. When your life gets uncertain, run to the core. Your life gets just when you you're unclear, run to the core. You have to be really clear about the core of what you've been designed for, what you've been created for. And then we find our plot in life, and he says, dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. Right? Cultivate faithfulness.

Scott Keffer [: 00:03:21

Understand the plot that you've been given. God has given you a plot with purpose. And so we're on our session here, and we're gonna be talking about purpose. Right? So very first couple of sessions, we looked at God's sovereignty because if you wanna finish well, you've gotta be firmly rooted, deeply entrenched in the sovereignty and providence of almighty God. If not, life don't make a whole lot of sense. And then we looked at the fact that you had to have daily routines, and at the core of that was your personal 1 on 1 intimate time, you and the lord of the universe. He has inaugurated a new and living way for us. The the holy of holies, right, has been opened up.

Scott Keffer [: 00:04:05

Isn't that awesome? We get to enter in in 1 on 1 fellowship. Besides all the other things that are helpful, that's at the core. That is at the center of what keeps us connected with him into me. He he passed, and he shed his blood to open up the holy of holies. Right? That you don't need a high priest any longer because the high priest has gone before you. Isn't that great news? Great news. We enter in the priest, each one of us. It's the awesome news.

Scott Keffer [: 00:04:39

Then we looked at the fact that as a result of that, you can live life fully. We did last time, and this time, we're gonna talk about one of my favorite things, which is big impact. In fact, I like big impact so much, I registered it. I own the trademark for Big Impact. Right? Because that's what we're about. Right? Whether no matter where you are, no matter what you're doing, I think it's important to understand no matter who you are, that you can have big impact because we have a big guy called us. We're gonna look at that today. So the very first thing is, if you look at this, we all know Psalm 139.

Scott Keffer [: 00:05:17

Let's read this. Right? For you, formed by inward part, you wove me in my mother's womb. I will give thanks to you for I'm fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works, and my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in secret and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth. We all know that. We've read it a hundred times. Mary Anne's about to have a young one.

Scott Keffer [: 00:05:47

That young one is fearfully and wonderfully made, and so were each of you. So he reminds us, you are a custom creation. You are a custom creation, formed wonderfully, woven in the depths of the womb. Isn't that unbelievable? Who formed you? Who created you? He did. He did. He created you. You are a custom creation. That's just stunning if you think about skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth.

Scott Keffer [: 00:06:24

They're built with blinds and draperies, right? Yeah, right. You you hung certain blinds and draperies, right? And at the end of the day, he's woven you to be the way that you are. Again, we that's marred by sin, but at the core of that, he has created you the way that you are. Right? Created you are custom creation, and you are chosen when? Before time. Chosen before time. Just as he chose you in him, chosen before time. Think about that. In his great purpose and plan, right, known and and crafted.

Scott Keffer [: 00:07:01

Right? And in in God's world, it says in Revelation, by his will, you existed and were created. By his will, all things, but he says all things existed and were created. I shared this a number of times. This is stunning to me because by my will, I create things, right? And they exist, right? I might scratch something out, I might, you know, build it, buy the stuff, but by my will, Right? Buy my will, I create it and then it exists. By God's will, it exists, and then it's created. Understand in the mind of God, by his will, the very fact that he wills it, it exists. And then it is created at a point in time. But creation has a finite beginning.

Scott Keffer [: 00:07:55

Right? God is finite not. We are finite, chosen in him before the foundation of the world. So we are you are custom creation chosen before time, and you are called for his glory, all for his glory. Read the Isaiah verse. Everyone who is called by my name and whom I have created for my glory, whom I have formed, even whom I have made. He is our maker. He is our maker. Because can the can the clay mess with the potter? Yes.

Scott Keffer [: 00:08:33

I do all the time. I'm talking clay. Right? Back to the potter. What are you doing? Right? But he reminds us, we are created for his glory. And he said to the end that we are the first to hope in Christ Jesus. We should be we should be, think about this, to the praise of his glory. Now god spoke all things into being, which is a stunning accomplishment, that out of nothing, out of nothing, he soaked everything into being, but that that is pretty awesome, ain't it? Mhmm. But if he would make me to the praise of his glory, How could that be? And all the things that we fuss with God about, nobody fusses with that.

Scott Keffer [: 00:09:10

Like, that's not right. That doesn't seem fair. That doesn't seem just that I would be to the praise of his glory because I know who I am and what I've done and what I've thought. Right? He knows more. But he is making us to the praise of his glory. That's pretty stunning to me. And he says, we are his workmanship, his crafting, his his creation. We are created in Christ Jesus for what? For good works.

Scott Keffer [: 00:09:38

We are created for good work. It says another thing that is quite stunning is we are his companion worker. We are God's fellow worker. The word literally means companion. We're God's companion worker. Think about that. We're God's companion worker. So growing up, I was super shy.

Scott Keffer [: 00:10:00

My brother was athletic, very outgoing. And so the only I didn't play any sports. The only sports I played was backyard when they didn't have enough kids. Right? So my brother called me. I knew that meant they were one short, you know? So if you play football, I didn't even have a helmet. They gave me all those leather ones, you know, and the old one. And so, you know, the deal. Right? The the the really good guys, my brother and somebody else, would become the cap kids.

Scott Keffer [: 00:10:24

Right? And then they pick. And I stand over there waiting, you know. And then it's always, who's gonna pick Scott? Right? Who's gonna pick Skye? My brother didn't wanna pick me on his team. You know? Didn't wanna pick me. Right? Didn't want me on his team. But God says, you are his companion worker. I'm not sure I'd choose me to be on his team, but we are his fellow worker. He's included us in his work.

Scott Keffer [: 00:10:52

Is that stunning? Does he need me? No. It's called grace. Oh, grace that he would include me in his work. We are God's fellow worker. That just is unbelievable to me. Unbelievable to me. Now how many can think of lots of reason why God shouldn't use you? Raise your hand if you know lots of reasons that God shouldn't use you. Of course.

Scott Keffer [: 00:11:21

And you might say, because I'm not, because I am. Right? So when you think about all those reasons that you would think, here's why God isn't gonna use me. The things I've done or whatever. Right? Alas, Lord God, behold, I did not or I cannot be you because So we all have things to put in there. What would be the first thing that comes to your mind? Stuff I've done. I'm not able. I'm too afraid. I'm anxious.

Scott Keffer [: 00:11:49

I'm busy. I've got gold. Whoever. Right? I've got lots of things, right, that get in the way of God using me. Well, Jeremiah was the same way. So God says to him, before I formed you in the womb what? Listen to that. Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. And the word is deeply intimate.

Scott Keffer [: 00:12:11

Deeply intimate. And before you were born, I consecrated you. What that means? Set you apart over here, right, before you're even born. I knew you and I consecrated you. And I don't only consecrated you, set you apart here, I appointed you. I gave you a purpose. I appointed you. What was it? Profit to the nations.

Scott Keffer [: 00:12:36

That's what it was for Jeremiah. But it's the same thing for us. I appointed you. Fill in the blank. Then he says, oh, well, Jeremiah says, excuse me? Hello? I I can't do that. But what are you saying? Right? Laugh, oh god. Behold. No.

Scott Keffer [: 00:12:53

I can't speak. I don't know how to speak because I'm too young. That's it. I can't do it, Lord. Sorry. Can't speak, and I'm too young. Here we go. And the Lord says, do not say.

Scott Keffer [: 00:13:06

Do not say. Do not say. That's your do not saves. You think do not say. Oh, yeah. But, Lord, you know I've fallen. I have let you down so many times. I have sinned over and over again.

Scott Keffer [: 00:13:18

I have done this in the past. Don't you know? Lord says, no. Here's what you need to do. Everywhere I send you, just go. He's saying wherever I send you, just go and all that I command you speak. Why? Because I called you to speak. Then the Lord stretched out his hand and what did he do? He gave him what he needed. He touched.

Scott Keffer [: 00:13:46

He said, here's the provision. Lord said to me, behold, I put my words in your mouth. So the 2 things you said, you're too young. He said, don't worry. Wherever you wherever I send you, just go and I'll be with you, and I'll touch your mouth with the provision you need to speak. Do not say. Those are your do not say. Those of your do not say.

Scott Keffer [: 00:14:07

So the lord says, whatever that is for you, I cannot, I do not, I will not. That's a different one, which is really the answer. Right? Will you or won't you? The will issue. Because he says you can't. You're right. You can't get older, that's fine. Wherever I send you, you shall go. You can't speak.

Scott Keffer [: 00:14:28

He says, I will touch your mouth with the provision that you need. So he says your your custom creation chosen before time, called for his glory, created for good works of God's fellow workers. And he says, all the reasons that you can't, don't say. Because I will take care of them. Just go where I tell you to go. Do what I tell you to do. And by the way, I will be the provision for you to speak, whatever that is, because the calling was to speak. That's the same for everybody? No.

Scott Keffer [: 00:14:59

No. It happens to be what he was called for. Right? I will give you the provision for what I've called you to do, which is why I came up with the big impact map was really to get clarity about what is that for each of us. What is that for each of us? I pulled that out and thought we did that over a decade ago. Probably you remember maybe, Martha would remember, maybe Marlene who've been around that long. These are clues. These are clues at how the creator has designed you and educated you to be where you are today. The first clue is personality.

Scott Keffer [: 00:15:38

The first clue is personality. If he wove in you were woven, if he wove you in the womb, then he did that. And he says you were fearfully and wonderfully, literally with craft made. Wonderfully made means amazingly constructed, skillfully wrought means woven together like needle work. That means he created you with a particular personality. And so there are a lot of tools out there. These are 3 that we find very helpful. Use them with ourselves.

Scott Keffer [: 00:16:13

We use them with our kids, with Josh and Annie, which is very helpful because otherwise, they would kill them as teenagers. Because what you realize is that they are unchecked strengths, unchecked strengths. And so typically what you do when you raise kids, you go, no, no, no, no, no. They're like stallions who don't know how to harness their strength as opposed to squashing them. Right? You come so we would do we would do the strengths finders and the the Colby, and we put it on their doors. Right? We hung it on their doors to remind us that's how they're woven and to remind them that's how they're woven. So these are three tools that we've used. Myers Briggs.

Scott Keffer [: 00:16:52

Anybody taken Myers Briggs before? Okay. So Myers Briggs, helpful. Introvert, extrovert. Right? A lot there's a lot of components to that. The strength finder would tell you how you're wired to do what, right, where your core strengths are and then told me of how you do things, how you're energized to carry out projects. Again, very helpful. We use this in business, and we use this personally. So understanding God has woven you in a certain way.

Scott Keffer [: 00:17:23

I am an introvert. I will never be anything other than an introvert. That's that's how I'm wired. Right? What what does that mean? It means I need times of refreshment apart. That doesn't mean I don't like people. There's that lady that told me the one thing such this you know, she said I'm an I'm an introvert, and I go to that you know, we went to one of those showers where they do those dumb little things. Yeah. The icebreakers.

Scott Keffer [: 00:17:49

She said, you don't ask an introvert to do those things. So she said, you know, 2 truths and one lie. Right? Two truths and one lie. So she said, I hate you, I hate you, and I hate you. And I walked out the door. Well, that's really not true for an introvert. It just means that introverts take energy, right, from people. Right? So my friend Lee is an extrovert.

Scott Keffer [: 00:18:13

He was with the navigator. He helped us grow, Lee and, Lee and Dan when she passed Lee and Lee and Mary. So if Lee and I were driving home at midnight, and he saw and we're both dead tired, and he saw his neighbor, he would roll down the window, within 5 minutes he'd be wide awake and ready to roll because he would be energized by the neighbor. If I drove home and I'm I I and I wasn't bed tired and I saw my neighbor, I pulled in the driveway, turned on the table. A little upset. Not interact. That makes sense? Had I not known that, you think, oh, what's wrong with you? So understanding your personality, how you're wired, very important. Some people are people, some people are projects, just understanding all that.

Scott Keffer [: 00:19:09

That makes sense? So the very first thing is personality. 2nd, who that god gives you are the promises that he has he has given to you. Then his word, there are general promises for all people of ours, but the second area are promises. How many have had promises from scripture that that god has spoken right out of scripture for you? You know they're for you. Really? So if you haven't, just ask. From give me a live verse to I think I shared this before. If we're if we're buying a house or moving or changing a job, or any major any major changes, I'll ask God give us a verse for that. We were thinking about buying a new house, but Lord give me a verse.

Scott Keffer [: 00:19:59

The verse was very clear, don't. Don't. Are you sure I heard that? But I wanna stand on his promise if I may if we're making a major life change. That makes sense. So I'm prompted. Give me a light verse. Give me, right, clarity about whatever. It's not let's read this.

Scott Keffer [: 00:20:21

Not one word of all the good words which the lord your god spoke concerning you has failed. All have been fulfilled for you. Not one of them has failed. Isn't that cool? Joshua at the end of his days, want you to be able to say that. What are the promises that he has given you? So personality promises. Again, these are clues. These are flip it over. The next area would be, right, what what do you say to Jeremiah? He said, I will touch your mouth.

Scott Keffer [: 00:20:57

I will put my words in in your I will I will give you the provision that you need to carry it out. So the next area is provision. Provision. So the first area are spiritual gifts. Spiritual gifts. Well, we've given those to other people. Right? Different kind of gifts. Who has the spiritual gift? Every believer every believer for the common good.

Scott Keffer [: 00:21:23

But to each one is given the manifestation of the spirit for the common good. But to each one, that means every believer has a gift or gift from God, which are a provision for what he has designed you to do. For he says, just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have what? The same. The same function. Since we have gifts that differ according to the Grace. Grace that was given to us. Grace is provision. It's God's favor and mercy.

Scott Keffer [: 00:21:59

Each of us is to exercise them accordingly. Not one gift or gifts are better than others. They're all equal. The fact is, he's given it to you to know that it's yours. You can look. This this is from Romans 12 3 through 8. 1st Corinthians 12 1 through 11 has other gifts. It's important to understand how has he equipped you.

Scott Keffer [: 00:22:22

And we are too let's read this in, from first Peter, as each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards in the manifold grace of God, whoever speaks, to do so is one who is speaking the utterances of God, whoever serves as to do the one who is serving by the strength which god supplies so that in all things, god may be glorified through Jesus Christ. So he's saying, what are we to do with our gifts? Employ. Employ. It's a great word, isn't it? Employ. Put them to work. Employ. Now notice he says, so whoever speaks, if you have if you have the gift of speaking, here's how you should do it. Right? As one speaking the utterances of God.

Scott Keffer [: 00:23:14

If you have the gift of help and helping for the purposes of God. If you have the gift of leadership as leading, right, through through the gifts of God. And then he says, whoever serves, same way. Do so as one who is serving by the strength. So he's saying, understand your gift has god's purpose to it, but it's also provide he's provided, right, the the the strength and the power to carry it out. It is his provision. Employ your gifts, he says, for the glory of God. So that underline that.

Scott Keffer [: 00:23:48

So that in all things. So that is the ultimate reason, if you will. Right? So that all in all things, god may be glorified through Jesus Christ, because the gifts are all his. And, presumably, he has distributed them throughout the body of Christ, so together, all together, we would be employing all of his gifts. If it worked like it should, but rarely does. Why? Because we're sinful. We're sinful, and we're broken. Then the other areas, spiritual gifts, the other area are natural gifts.

Scott Keffer [: 00:24:27

Natural gifts. So his provision, spiritual gifts, natural gifts, that combination. Spiritual gifts are supernaturally powered for the purpose of God. Natural gifts, is the fact that we have natural gifting. Natural gifting. So it's provision. The next clue are your principles. Your principles.

Scott Keffer [: 00:24:48

Principles. Or commonly referred to as your core values. Your core value. You you can write down these are your guide rails. These are how I go about doing it, and the guide rails keep me, on on the path, if you will. Keep me on the path. Some would be shared by all, right? We probably say as believers, integrity would be certainly one of our core values. But there are other core values that would be particularly unique to you.

Scott Keffer [: 00:25:15

It's good to understand what are your core values. This in other words, this is the way I do things. This is the way I do things. Always with integrity would make sense.

Scott Keffer [: 00:25:28

So you have principles

Scott Keffer [: 00:25:29

that are particularly yours. Fortunately, with scripture, it gives us a lot of clear sense of what biblical core values would be for sure for sure. How many have said this sometimes? If only the church would do more how many have done that? Gone. Everybody. Whatever that fills in, how many how many if only the church would do more of this, that is a major frustration. Oftentimes, will be a clue to a passion that you have. Why? Because we're wired in a particular area. Of course, major frustrations are a clue to passions.

Scott Keffer [: 00:26:14

Because for us, there isn't anything else. Why don't they pray more? Why don't they pray for for for missionaries more? Yeah. Passion, indicative of calling. Does that make sense? And then sometimes you will say, why don't people get how many has done that? Well, duh. Don't gender shame? That's a passion. That's clear. God has given you a clue about that. Right? And you wonder why didn't everybody share this? Everybody's not been given the same passion, not the same calling.

Scott Keffer [: 00:26:49

Get it? Get it? So frustration, major frustration. And the flip side of that, there are major motivations. We have energy around doing this And particularly doing it over a long period of time. It requires particularly in ministry, it requires major motivation, does it? And a reminder or rebooting of our motivation. I think the false understanding as a Christian is that I don't need motivation fill up every day. Around my calling, I have to fill my motivational tank every day. Anybody a Zig Ziglar fan here? Oh, come on. The Zig.

Scott Keffer [: 00:27:29

I mean, the Zig is so so Zig would say, you know, people say, oh, motivation wears off. He said, so does the shower. That's why I shower every day. It's true. But if you think, oh, I should just wake up motivated. No. You need to fill your motivation tank daily or you can just bop along on e, see how long you can go. Right? So you need our shingles.

Scott Keffer [: 00:27:56

These these are my passions. My passions need fuel because they wear out, don't they? Don't they? They get right? You run on empty for too long, and you wonder why isn't everybody the same. Well, did did the apostle Paul wonder the same thing? Yeah. The Lord Jesus wonder the same thing? Same frustration. So motivation. So you understand what are what are your major motivations and also how am I filling my motivational tank on a daily basis. You'd be doing that, otherwise you get frustrated. Right? Why aren't more people cycling? The heck? Why don't they do it? Right? You think that's why it's up.

Scott Keffer [: 00:28:36

Right? What is up? How come more people don't equip? Right? Be equipped to answer. Right? Because that's how you're wired. Right? That's a passion for Jack. Right? Be equipped to give an answer. That's the clue to how we're wired. That makes sense? Passions. The next is providence. He's the god of the hills and the valleys.

Scott Keffer [: 00:29:04

The god of the hills and the valleys. Great songs. We've got the hills and valleys. Right? So we have major valleys and some that are life changing, the top 3? What are the top 3? You can list them all, but it's really to say, what are the insights that I've got? Because God experientially has walked you through experiences in life to equip you for today, where you are right today, and more importantly, for equip you for what's tomorrow. What is tomorrow? He brought you through the school of life. Yeah. And Jesus, that's how he discipled. Life on life.

Scott Keffer [: 00:29:49

Right? He's like he'd life on life. And we've all had major hills and valleys. Right? So providence. So the idea with, a map, if you take out your other sheet, the idea with the map is to use it is a kind of dashboard. Right? So on the map, it would say up here in the corner, okay, is if you write down what do I understand about my personality? Put some of the clues down there about how you're wired. And then in center, I just write down what are some of the key promises that God has given me or some of the key promises that I have. So now I have there is my personality, there are my promises. Over here is what are his provisions? Right? What are my spiritual gifts? My natural gifts.

Scott Keffer [: 00:30:42

I look at those 3. Okay? Over here, I'm gonna say what are my core principles? In the center, I write down what is my what are the providential moments. And then I list out my passion, which is, you know, my frustrations and my motivations. And then over here is my my mountains and my valleys. So here's my spiritual gifts and my natural gifts. Make sense? Is that helpful? Because this is provision. So I look at my personality, promises. Right? And I look at These are all his clues.

Scott Keffer [: 00:31:23

Right? Those are all his clues. What has he brought you through? Mountains and valleys. How's he wired you in the womb? What promises have he given you over time? What provisions? Here are my spiritual gifting. Here's my natural gifting. What are my pre core principles? These are the things that matter to me. Mastering is one of the things that matter to me. Right? Mastering, right, in in in your life. Passions, frustrations, motivation.

Scott Keffer [: 00:31:54

You see that? Now I've got some clues in there. And from that, we're looking at your big impact and and really to come up with with a at the center here is a purpose statement. So at the bottom, put in your name and date. And if you've done this before, put the version. If you've never done this before, put version 1. Put version 1. The nice thing about version 1, it means means there can be a version 2, 3, and 4. You don't have to get it right.

Scott Keffer [: 00:32:30

Right? You just even even a bad one. Even a bad one. So if you go back to the to the teaching sheet under the last area of purpose Well, first of all, do this. Fill this out. Anything you can put down. So we'll send you another copy. Right? In other words, put anything you might know about your personality. Any major promises? So give me a couple minutes to do this.

Scott Keffer [: 00:32:59

Alright? Spiritual gifts, natural gifts, any core principles, some some key providence, providential events, and frustrations and motivation. Here's the key to this. Take your pen right here. Everybody put their pen up. Stick it on the piece of paper and start to write. Take your pen, everybody get their pen. Stick it on the piece of paper and start to write. They asked Jerry Finegold, am I a Jerry Finegold fan? They said, what do you do every day for your profession? He said the same thing I've done since 1977.

Scott Keffer [: 00:33:31

Every day for 8 hours, I have a piece of paper and a pen. And he said, I cannot write or but I can't do anything else. So he said, I put the pen to the paper and I start to write. Right? So put the pen to the paper, right? It's best you can, don't worry about it. You can edit. You can I've only got the ladies' erasable ink pens in the office because they said, oh, if I write, it's the wrong thing. You can erase it. Doesn't have to be the right thing.

Scott Keffer [: 00:34:00

There is no right thing. Just just as best you can. And you don't have to do it sequentially. How many wanna how many fill out sheets like this sequentially? Start at the left, go sequentially. How many just put answers all over the place? Okay. That's different kind of wiring. Get it? It's okay. There's not one way to fill up the sheet.

Scott Keffer [: 00:34:19

There are lots of clues, right? Okay. You have now done more than 99.9% of the people have done in terms of thinking about your purpose in life, the way you're you're wired and and called. It's all again, all of these are are clues. Right? So these are clues. Right? All of these are clues. They point to this area, which is your compass. So if you go back to the teaching sheet, final area is purpose. Be clear about purpose in the statement.

Scott Keffer [: 00:34:58

And here's what we can kind of devise from this. If you look at, Paul, Paul says, to me, the very least of all saints, he was called to what? Preach To the Gentile. To the Gentile The unfathomable riches of Christ. And to bring to light was the administration which is suitable for the fullness of the times. To preach to the Gentile the unfathomable riches of Christ, and what? To teach and to admonish. Right? What's he say? That we may present or or that we proclaim him Christ, admonishing Every man. Every man and teaching every man with all wisdom that we may present every man complete in Christ. That's the result for him.

Scott Keffer [: 00:35:41

So preach to the Gentiles. So Paul's gifting and purpose were around what? Preaching, he was an apostle called, teacher, preaching, teaching, right? And he had a he had he understood who it was to. Now that doesn't mean that he that he, you know, interact with non Gentiles, of course, but he had a core purpose in the midst of it, to preach to the Gentiles. Right? That's why when he prayed, he prays that I would I I would speak with boldness in Ephesians 6, where he talks about pray for me, that I would speak with boldness. That's not what you should have people pray for you. He's saying pray for me that I would carry out my calling with boldness. Everybody get that? Right? Carry out my calling with boldness. So he sent to to me at the very least of all saints.

Scott Keffer [: 00:36:31

And then and John, he reminds them, you didn't choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, fruit that remain. Right? Not that he's not talking about spiritual fruit, inner fruit, he's talking about fruit from our life, right? External outward fruit that would remain that you may ask anything of the Father. So I love this, here's the phrase, to me the very least of all saints, this grace was given. How many can identify with that phrase? To me the very least of all saints, grace was given. And that grace was given to verb to verb. In other words, verb is is around the the purpose. Right? The verbs around the gifting that he has, to help, to lead, to teach, to right? So all of all of the spiritual gifts have verbs surrounding them, and then understanding who is it, who is it, because this makes life really easy. Hey, Scott, we have an opening in the children's ministry.

Scott Keffer [: 00:37:31

No. I don't have to pray about it. I don't have to think about it. Right? Because usually what happens when when the pastor says, we you have to do more of this, more of this, more of this. Those who are wired as leaders always feel guilty, don't they? Oh, I should be doing that. No. No. Because I this is your big yes.

Scott Keffer [: 00:37:52

That's your big yes in life. The big yes makes no really easy. Ever get that? Jesus said no all the time because he had a big yes. But you understand your big yes. Noes are really easy. Oh, you know, hey, I wonder if you can get involved in. No. No, thank you.

Scott Keffer [: 00:38:11

No, appreciate you being. No, nigh, nyet. 9? No? Usually people who are asking the question are at least open to get the answer. That would be 1. Number 2 is to once you've completed it, it's to run it by 2 or 3 people who are close to you and say, am I am I in my own world here? Or right? You know me. Right? So have have your pet you 1231. Have your 31. Right? Which is the one person who knows you the best, say, is this in line? Does this make sense? Right? And the 3.

Scott Keffer [: 00:38:44

Right? And b, ask the people, if you're if you wanna seriously do this either as an update for your life or for the first time, have people pray for you. People say, what about my spiritual gifts? Well, 2 ways to know. 1, ask the Lord. 2, look at the gifts in scriptures, see what God shows you. And 3, ask the people closest to you. You'll see There's a truth comes out through spiritual gifts. That make sense? So in the center of this, this is your big yes. And so it has to do with verbs.

Scott Keffer [: 00:39:16

The verbs are around the spiritual gifts that you have. And it happens to do with who? Who is it? Fundamentally, you know, mine is for believers. It's not unbelievers. That's not what I'm called fundamentally to. Some people are called more unbelievers than they are believers. Right? Our ministry is mainly through believers, to equip them. Right? To deepen them in their in their faith so that they can stand firm, finish strong. That's what we do.

Scott Keffer [: 00:39:41

Doing that for 30 some years. Right? Same thing. Everybody get it? That doesn't mean we don't interact or share your faith or whatnot. But fundamentally, our ministry is to believers. Right? Those those who are evangelizing are primarily with unbelievers. Right? Everybody get so it's primarily, not not exclusively, but primarily. And this is really about primarily. They have a big yes in life to be able to say no to most things Because the, you know, the what's the old old Russian proverb? The man who chases 2 rabbits doesn't give either of them.

Scott Keffer [: 00:40:17

Doesn't give either of them. Right? So to me, the very least of all saints. So a purpose statement. So back on, now I'll give you a final 2 minutes, back on your map sheet, do a poor purpose statement. I think Lord, to me the very least of all things, I think that I'm called to what? With whom? In order so that they would so you can do a for purpose statement or an updated one. So again, as verbs, which are related to your spiritual gifts, clarity about who is it to, and then an outcome. I'm gonna say this is really hard. I feel this is really hard.

Scott Keffer [: 00:41:00

Usually, the things that are most important in your life are really difficult. Challenging. Scary. Right? Scary to to to write it down. Right? Scary to have it blank. It's scary to have words there. Right? That's why you have version 1. Right? You gotta have some of it.

Scott Keffer [: 00:41:15

Well, good work. Give yourself a round of applause. Really, good work. No. I mean, it's it's not easy because I have a folder of various versions of these to contain this is something that you should revisit on a regular basis only if you wanna live on purpose with purpose, right, for his purpose. Right. Which is what we're really called to do. So amen and may the god who has fearfully and wonderfully made you, may he bless you, may he keep you, may he cause his faith to shine upon you, may he lift up his countenance and grant you his shalom deep in your soul.

Scott Keffer [: 00:41:51

May the grace of the lord Jesus Christ, the love of god the father, the fellowship of the holy spirit be with you now and always. May he bless you and keep you. Amen.

Scott Keffer [: 00:42:02

Thanks for listening. I hope you have greater hope, assurance, and confidence in your life and a deeper trust in the God of the bible and his son, Jesus Christ. Until next time, may the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. And may the Lord lift up his countenance on you and give you his peace, his shalom in your soul and in your life. Until next time, may God bless you and keep you.