Pt One: You Have A God-Given Destiny!

Fresh Manna 2009© by Pastor Tim Burt

I have memories of my mom feeding my younger siblings as infants. I remember her feeding them Pablum- an infant cereal like oatmeal for infants. In the beginning of one’s walk with Jesus as a new believer, Pablum is what is normal. 1 Peter 2:2 says, “Just like new born babies, desire and crave for the milk of God’s Word so that you can grow up in the knowledge of your salvation.” God lets us know that what He considers to be a normal part of the Christ life is to grow up-not remain like infants that need to be breastfed or fed Pablum. We are to grow up in spiritual knowledge and understanding. Too often and for far too many Christians, that doesn’t happen.

Children were designed to be fed every day. We help instruct and teach children daily in order that they may intellectually grow up. But, when it comes to Christians and their spiritual growth, we’ve got starving babies – people that don’t go to church, don’t read or study their Bibles, and don’t pursue an intimate relationship with God through prayer and the effort to live by His Word. That problem has existed throughout every generation. The Apostle Paul in addressing a church of Christians said in 1 Cor. 3:2 “I fed you with milk and not with solid food because, like babies, you still can’t handle anything stronger.” He was telling them that had not spiritually grown enough for Him to speak to them at a level he needed to speak to them at. They were still like babies on Pablum.

Each of us has a God-given destiny. By that, I don’t mean something that is necessarily going to make headlines or put you in history books. What I do mean is that God has great purpose for your life and He wants you to significantly impact the operation of His plan in the earth. But, infants don’t go from breast milk to steak and Christians don’t instantly mature and know and fulfill their destiny. In God’s plan for our destiny we spiritually grow and mature. Even Jesus was born and matured into the fulfillment of His destiny. Destiny is a step by step path of growing up in Christ while serving core values of God’s purpose for all mankind. It is God’s will that all men be saved from eternal damnation–from Hell. He has paved the way and opened the door of the entrance of Heaven for everyone through Jesus Christ. It’s a gift and since we know that, we hold knowledge of the greatest secret ever revealed to mankind. God does not want it to remain a secret. He wants us to be spillers of that truth.

God also wants every believer to spiritually grow up and become contributors to the God life in this earth – not get dragged down into the sinful activity and degradation that permeates this earth. Destiny is realized through our growth and maturity developed as we walk out these two core values. That means God wants us to grow up but then help others grow up in Him. By God’s design, these are the first core values of every Christian’s life.

People often fantasize about living out some great destiny that significantly impacts the world. They think money, fame, power-all these things and more lead to destiny and a significant life. None of these things mean anything when they are void of the two core values of the Christ life I just gave you. All fame, money, and power are given by God for the purpose of helping people come to know Christ and grow up in Him.

You have a destiny in the big picture of God. He wants to use you. Satan also has a destiny he’d like to drag you to. You can cherish your destiny in God or reject it and just do your own thing. More later…

Isaiah 65:11 Message Bible “But you who abandon me your God… who hold dinners for Lady Luck and throw cocktail parties for Sir Fate, Well, you asked for it. Fate it will be: your destiny, Death. For when I invited you, you ignored me; when I spoke to you, you brushed me off. You did the very things I exposed as evil; you chose what I hate.”

In His love,
Pastor Tim