Cell Notes
Cell Notes 2008SHAPED FOR SIGNIFICANCE
When God created animals, he gave each of them a specific area of expertise. Some animals run, some hop, some swim, some burrow, and some fly. Each animal has a particular role to play based on the way they were shaped by God. The same is true for humans. Each of us was uniquely designed or shaped by God to do certain things.
Wise stewardship of your life begins by understanding your shape. You are unique, wonderfully complex, a composite of many different factors. What God made you to be determines what he intends for you to do. Your ministry is determined by your makeup.
If you don't understand your shape, you may end up doing things that God never intended or designed you to do. When your gifts don't match the role you play in life, you feel like a square peg in a round hole. This is frustrating, both to you and to others. Not only does it produce limited results, it is also an enormous waste of your talents, time and energy.
God is consistent in the plan for our lives. God would not give each of us inborn abilities, temperaments, talents, spiritual gifts, and life experiences and then not expect us to use them! By identifying and understanding the five SHAPE factors, we can discover God's will for our lives - the unique way God intends for each of us to serve. When it comes to ministry, your function flows out of the way God formed you.
God has been shaping and moldings you for ministry since you were born. In fact God began shaping you before you were born:
You made all the delicate inner parts of my body and knit them together in my mother's womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! It is amazing to think about. Your workmanship is marvelous - how well I know it. You were there while I was being formed in utter seclusion!
(Psalm 139:13-16 Living Bible)
GOD DOES WHAT???
This series follows the lectionary readings for Lent (the lectionary is readings set out for the year published by the church covering the whole Church calendar, it works on a 4 year cycle). These readings up to the holidays help us follow the journey of Christ to the cross. Hopefully you will also get a better picture of the reasons for the cross and in so doing increase your thankfulness and faith in God.
"Ephesians"
- January 18 to 24
- January 25 to 31
- February 1 to 7
- February 8 to 14
- February 15 to 21
- February 22 to 28