rick joyner

Day 59 - The Power of Purpose

A recent study made by Richard Leider and David Shapiro found that the
number one fear that people have is to live a meaningless life. Finding
one's purpose and fulfilling it is the deepest yearning of the human
heart, even more compelling than fame or fortune.

Those who have had the most clearly defined purposes have been the
leaders of the world. As Laurie Beth Jones stated in her book, The Path:
"People with a clearly defined mission have always led those who do
nothave one. You are either living your mission, or you are living
someone else's."

One of our primary purposes at MorningStar is to help people find their
purposes in God. Every Christian has a high calling, to be like the
Lord, to do the works that He did, and to represent Him to this world.
Because of this high calling, everything that a Christian does can have
eternal significance for those around them. What could be more important
than that?

*"For many are called, but few are chosen" (Matthew 22:14).* This means
that many come to know their callings, but few go on to fulfill them.
Many are called to do great things, but they do not fulfill those
callings because they do not give themselves to the little things. If we
are not faithful in the little things we will not fulfill our purposes
in life. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said: "If you are a street
sweeper, determine that you are going to be the best street sweeper who
ever lived. Sweep streets like Michelangelo painted. If you become the
best street sweeper who ever lived, the world will beat a path to your
door to see the best street sweeper who ever lived."

The first step toward fulfilling our purposes is to understand that
there are no insignificant tasks. The people who become the greatest at
great things are also usually great at everything they do. Those who do
great things have greatness in them, not just in their tasks. If you
will do whatever you are doing now with all of your heart as unto the
Lord, and if you will face every task with that passion and a devotion
to excellence that His work deserves, you will do great things because
greatness will be in you. Remember, you were made in the image of God
who does all things well.

I have been privileged to know some of the most successful people in the
fields of business, sports, entertainment, government, the military, and
ministry. I have observed success from many vantage points. The reasons
for success are the same in every case, and they are strikingly simple.
Leo Tolstoy, possibly the greatest writer who ever lived, started one of
his classics with an insight that applies here: "Every happy family is
alike. Every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way." The secret to
success in almost any field is the same, and it is easy to understand.
Failure is much more complicated.

The principles for success are basic and simple. If you try to make them
more complicated than they are you will fall into the traps that keep
people from their purpose. As Paul wrote to the Corinthians,

* But I am afraid, lest as the serpent deceived Eve by his
craftiness, your minds should be led astray from the simplicity *
* and purity of devotion to Christ (II Corinthians 11:3).*

The shortest route to knowing your purpose and fulfilling it is to do
all that you are given to do with all of your heart, as unto the Lord.
Whatever you have now been given to do, do it like Michelangelo
painted. The world may or may not ever take note of it, but the Lord
will. He will trust you with even more talents if you treasure and use
well the ones He has already given you.