Determine your purpose

By Charl Human

Ps.139:13-18

Acts13:36

Everything in life is designed and made with purpose. You are not an accident. We are reminded in Psalm 139 that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. When you define your power and discover your purpose, then your life takes on new meaning and direction. 

More people wrestle with this one question than perhaps any other: “Why am I here?” Put another way, “What am I made to do?” We believe that each one of us has been uniquely made with purposes that you are uniquely designed to fulfill.

When we talk about purpose, we’re talking about what you can do to make an impact on others around you. We’re talking about a sense of calling and investing in a cause. Calling is when you have a sense of “I’m made for this!” It’s when you find the thing to do that makes you feel most alive. Cause is found when you’re able to say, “I’m moved to do something about this!”

Living on purpose is about investing your life in the things that matter most so that you live a life of mission and meaning. “Determine your Purpose” is the second part of discovering your Life Word. Purpose gives you a sense of direction and meaning. We believe your purposes are revealed by God. These are the top five to help you Determine your Purpose:

What does the world need?

What am I made to do to help fill this need?

What can I do to make a difference and leave a positive mark?

What breaks my heart?

What’s at risk if I don’t do what I am called to do?

In Acts 13:36, we read that David served God’s purposes and died. David accomplished the purpose God designed him to do. God has made you for a reason; He has anointed you to do marvelous and wonderful things. Let Him reveal those things to you so that the legacy you leave will be about Him and not about you.

Your purpose is ultimately something that frees you, challenges you, inspires you, and gives you a sense of mission and meaning. When you determine your God-given purpose, your life starts to make more sense, and your legacy will be impactful.

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Define your power

Good morning everyone!!! May you all have a wonderfull and blessed week!!! Be filled with more of His love and Glory and continue to passionate and purposeful in what your assingnment is!!!

*Define Your Power*

By Charl Human

Rom,12:6-8

1 Cor.12:4-11

Most kids love superheroes like Superman, Spiderman, and Wonder Woman. We would occasionally ask our own kids, “If you were a superhero, what would be your superpower?” The number one answer was being able to fly, followed by being invisible. It’s fun to hear them use their imaginations and dream that they could be superheroes.

And although none of us have experienced those superpowers, we’ve all been blessed as Christians with spiritual gifts and strengths. “Defining your Power” is the process of identifying your spiritual gifts and strengths and is the first part of finding your Life Word. It’s up to us to discover and develop those gifts and use them for God’s glory.

There are some qualities we receive at salvation—we call these spiritual gifts. There are several passages that list the spiritual gifts like Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12. If you don’t know your spiritual gifts, then take a spiritual gifts assessment to discover your God-given gifts.

In addition to gifts, you’ve been blessed by God with strengths and skills which can be developed over time with effort and experience. It’s easy to see how God has wired each one of us in unique ways, and it’s a beautiful thing when we each utilize that for the Kingdom of God.

There are several questions we have found to help you to uncover your gifts and strengths. These are the top four questions to help you Define your Power:

What do you naturally excel at?

What unique characteristics describe how you are naturally wired?

What strengths have you developed over time?

What gives you joy when you do it?

To prime the pump a little, here is a quick list of words that may describe you. Review the list and take a few moments to circle some words that you think fit you.

leading, administration, hospitality, compassion, serving, communication, belief, analytical, learner, teambuilding, organizing, simplifying, listening, encouragement, strategic, insightful, focus, visualizing, discipline, patience, energy, positive, developing, building, creating, artistic, musical, writing, speaking, inventing, detail-oriented, vision, problem-solving, discernment, teaching, training, empathy, dreaming, dependable, honest, intuitive, motivator, perseverance, resilience, joyful, tenacity, kindness, intellectual, musical, confident, connecting, helping, humor, networking, sensing …

The gifts and strengths you identify will help discover your Life Word. When you combine your power with your purpose and passion, you gain more and more clarity on your way to leaving a positive mark for Christ on others.

The significance of legacy

By Charl Human

2Tim.4;7

James 4:14

Ps.90;12

Living deep within the heart of every person is a passion and desire to live a life that truly matters. We want to make a contribution for Christ and make a difference in the life of others. We want to live in such a way that the world is better, because we lived well and finished well. In 2 Timothy 4:7, Paul reminds us to fight the good fight and finish the race. Ultimately, we want to leave a legacy that lives on long after we’re gone.

Life Word is a simple, powerful tool to identify a single word that helps you leave a legacy that truly makes a difference in this world and in the lives of others. Your Life Word defines and drives you to live for Christ. It’s a one word vision for your life that inspires you to live your best life and make your greatest impact—all for the glory of God.

In James 4:14, James says that life is short—it’s like a vapor that appears and is gone. And because it’s short, we are compelled to make the most of it. Life Word helps you navigate true north and live a life that leaves an impact for Christ. It will help you discover your God-ordained purpose, maximize God-appointed opportunities, and leave a God-honoring legacy.

Ordinary men and women over the years who have lived with conviction left enduring legacies and changed the world. It’s fun to consider what their possible Life Words would be:

For Martin Luther, was it Reform?

Apostle Paul’s might have been Grace.

Mother Theresa’s was undoubtedly Compassion.

King Solomon’s would be Wisdom.

And perhaps the greatest Life Word was Jesus’s legacy of Love.

As we take you on this journey to find your Life Word, ask the Lord about possible words that might define your legacy. This word will ultimately help shape your destiny and maybe even history! Your Life Word is discovered by defining your power, determining your purpose, and discovering your passion. 

Moses prayed in Psalm 90:12 for the Lord to teach him to count every day carefully. God has given you only one life, so make every day count. Remember, the power of legacy is all about what you give, not what you get; it’s not about you, but others. Everyone leaves a legacy, so make your legacy matter!

A personal testmony

Isiaha 43:16-19

Luke 3:4-5

Today im forwarding a personal testimony of some one who  foynd himself in the wilderness!!!!

 My name is Kevin and I am the Lead Pastor of Collective.

I consider myself a positive person. I am a dreamer and I get excited about the future - exploring new territories and diving head first into uncharted waters. However, some years back there was a long period of time where these were taken away from me by a series of uncertainties in my life. I came to fully understand what “Hope deferred makes the heart sick” meant in Proverbs 13:12.

I faced a series of uncertainties, which caused my confidence to slowly ebb away. It did not happen overnight, but little by little, these uncertainties ate at my soul. I fell into severe anxiety and began to lose sleep. I could only manage to get about an hour of sleep a night. Not knowing what to do, I started taking sleeping pills and from then on everything spiraled downwards.

It became very difficult for me as I had to put up a strong front to lead the church and act as though everything was alright. One of my scariest moments was when my memory became fragmented. I could not connect the sequences of many events correctly. I prayed and asked God for a breakthrough, but nothing happened.

Then one day, God spoke to me through one of the entries in an online forum. I was encouraged to focus on God and not my problems, I and invited the Holy Spirit to come and fill me once again. From that moment onwards, I prayed for the Holy Spirit to fill me every night. At first, it was tough to fall asleep without the pills, but thankfully, I experienced gradual healing from God.

Being the senior pastor, it was inevitable that my personal wilderness would eventually spill over and affect the church. We lost a lot of momentum and became inward looking due to the instability, lack of discipleship and changes in leadership. 

I desperately needed a solution, a new game plan, but I was looking for answers in the wrong places.

The answer was written plainly in Isaiah 43 - that my focus should not be on “the new thing” or “the way in the wilderness”, but on the “I AM” - the God who is gracious, compassionate, forgiving and abounding in love!

I hope the journey over the past 14 days has reaffirmed your identity in Christ and helped you discover not just a way out of your wilderness, but the Way-Maker Himself.

Jeremiah 29:13 (NIV) - You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

A focus on eternity

By Charl Human

Mathew 4:8-11

Jesus was led into the wilderness right after a peak spiritual experience - His water baptism. In The Message of Matthew: The Kingdom of Heaven, author Michael Green explains that temptation frequently comes, and properly comes, to sort out an emotional “high” from the reality of spiritual conquest and growth. We are not meant to live on spiritual highs. We are designed to grow by the seemingly mundane regular feeding of the Word of God. 

For Jesus, the temptations were messianic. It was a test to prove how He was going to lead the people back to God. Would He choose the path of the conquering king or would He become the suffering Servant? Was Jesus going to be the slave of popular expectations or was He going to the cross to win the crown?

The devil tempted Jesus by offering Him the position of a conquering king. But there was a catch. Jesus had to first bow down and worship him. Jesus was offered a shortcut to the kingdom, but shortcuts often come with costly tradeoffs. For Jesus, His choice was of eternal consequence. 

We cannot live on spiritual highs alone, but we must learn to grow through the ordinary, day-to-day feeding of the Word of God. Jesus shows us how to attain this by focusing on the eternal and not the immediate.

There may come a time when you are offered all the riches, fame, power and splendor of this world, but by gaining the world, will you end up losing your soul? As enticing and irresistible as it is, the ends do not always justify the means.

When we reach the pinnacle of what this world has to offer, we would need to look back at what it cost us. Is it going to be at the expense of all that we value and hold dear, an expense that could prove too costly to bear? *How you reach your goal is more important than the goal itself, because the process shapes and refines your character.*   

How is the health of your soul today?   

In your pursuit of progress and success, have you also grown to be more Christ-like in character?

A test of will

By Charl Human

Mathew 4:1-4

Deutr.8;1-5

Different people go through the wilderness for different reasons. Some because of their own rebellion and some by taking matters into their own hands. As for Jesus, He was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. It was a test. A test that Jesus could potentially fail. Otherwise, it would be phoney. After all, He was fully God, yet fully man. It was necessary for Him to endure such testing so that we can relate with Him.

After fasting for forty days and forty nights, Jesus was hungry. The devil lured Him to turn stones into bread. It was not something Jesus could not do, but He was not going to succumb to the devil’s tempting. Temptations build spiritual muscles. God permits temptations to reveal if we value the eternal over the temporal.

As human beings, we are most vulnerable when our physical needs are not met. Will we be afraid? Yes, especially when our survival is threatened. The children of Israel failed this test comprehensively in the wilderness when their provision was at stake, when there was no water to be found. Was Jesus afraid? Perhaps. Jesus fought the temptation fully as a man who was hungry, tired and weak from the wilderness. Where Israel failed, Jesus succeeded. Jesus overcame temptation by using Scripture to battle the devil and that very weapon Jesus used is available to you today. 

In times of testing, we trust in God’s unchanging character. And His character is revealed to us in His word. Therefore, to overcome temptation, we must use Scripture as God’s light and truth and submit to God’s leading. When we know Him intimately, we can trust Him fully, even when it comes to our very survival! 

Are you anxious about your daily provisions and sustenance today? Surrender your needs to God in prayer.

Jesus overcame by the Word.

A refuge for rest

By Charl Human

1Kings 18;36-40

1Kings19:1-9

1Kjngs19,12-13

Elijah had accomplished a feat of epic proportions worthy of a Hollywood blockbuster. First, he called on fire from heaven and then he killed four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal. On top of that, he managed to turn the hearts of the people back to God. It was a resounding victory!

But when Jezebel sent a messenger to tell Elijah that she would have him killed, Elijah became so fearful that he ran for his life, first to Beersheba in Judah, then into the wilderness. At the wilderness, God ministered to Elijah with what he needed most - rest and recovery. Recharged, he traveled forty days and forty nights, covering a distance of 538 km, until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. 

After spending a night in the cave at Horeb, the word of the LORD came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?” He responds by lamenting to the LORD (for the second time!), telling God that he is the only faithful one left. But God did not rebuke him. Instead, He met Elijah where he was at, fears and doubts and all. Undramatic and unassuming - with a still, small voice. A gentle whisper. 

To hear a whisper, we need to lean in closely to the source. Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is to intentionally slow down and replenish yourself. Rest and recovery are part of life’s rhythm. Only you know how much your body needs to recharge after an intense exertion. Neglecting to do so will inflict long-term damage to your wellbeing.

Also, very often the lows in life take place right after the highs. As we live our lives for God, we have to be watchful of this. For instance, as a pastor I could preach a great sermon and see God move amazingly during a weekend service, but the real battle is not what happens on Sunday, but rather how I respond to whatever comes my way the Monday after. We need to realize that although we are doing the work of God, we are not immune from challenges.

Elijah rested and recovered and went on to his new assignment.

The same applies to your spiritual life. To overcome challenges and be able to finish your faith journey well, you need to know when to stop, rest and recover.  

Are there healthy rhythms of rest and recovery in your life today?   

If not, what can you do today to intentionally include space to rest and lean into God in your daily schedule?  

Do you often overlook God’s gentle whispers in favor of His dramatic displays in your life?

Work from our rest and not just rest from our work.

A place of preparation

By Charl Human

1sam.17;34-35,41-50

2Cor.10:4

The stage was set. The atmosphere was thick. On the one end, the air was filled with confidence, and the other, saturated with fear. For forty days, Goliath, the Philistine, taunted the armies of Israel. He paralyzed their will to fight by his sheer size. After all, how many of us have seen a man who is nearly 10 feet tall? That is quite an unbeatable height! Moreover, Goliath was a champion warrior and David, inexperienced. Or was he?

David was the youngest son of Jesse of Bethlehem and he was tasked to tend his father’s sheep. Over the years, David faced his share of challenges while carrying out his duty. If there was any man that knew the wilderness, it was David. In that lonely place of obscurity, his character was shaped. He learnt what it meant to solely depend on God and to be consistently faithful in his duties.  

When David heard Goliath’s challenge against the armies of the living God, he arose indignant. He knew something had to be done. It would turn out that his wilderness experience, which was fraught with battles of killing lions and bears, had prepared him for this moment. After David’s triumph over Goliath, the Philistines ran away scared and the army of Israel pursued and decimated them.

Perhaps you feel stuck in a place that seemingly appears mundane and purposeless. Remember that you are not alone. Stay faithful. Do not lose heart. Nothing that God sets us up for is ever wasted. During such times, we need to learn to keep our heads down, our hearts right and just do the work. 

Do you see your present situation as preparation for your future? Why? 

What steps can you take that would help shift your perspective of the season you are in now? Commit them to prayer.

A lesson in humility

By Charl Human

Deut.8:1-9

Isaiah 2:17

James 1:3

God miraculously brought the children of Israel out of Egypt. Yet for some reason the parting of the Red Sea was not enough to convince them of God’s protection and provision. Just three days into the journey to the Promised Land, the children of Israel started complaining to Moses because the water at Marah was bitter and undrinkable. From then on, the people of Israel continued to complain and disobey Moses. Because of that, the forty-day journey to the Promised Land took them forty years!

God had called Israel in complete obedience and humility. It was only through the testing in the wilderness that they came to a place of total surrender. There was nothing else or no one else they could depend on. Sometimes God tests us, not because He needs to know the condition of our hearts, but because we do. 

Your heart is the very seat of your being. The content and condition of your heart affects all the decisions you make and the life that you ultimately live. God wants you to depend on Him for all things - from your daily provision to your future endeavors.

Obedience and humility will lead you to the will of God. So learn to take small steps each day to let go of control and surrender your life in total dependence on Him today. 

Reflect on a situation that God used to teach you humility? What did you learn from it? 

During trials, do you find yourself quick to complain or more trusting of God?

A place of encounter

Goood morn everyone!!! Very powerfull piece this morning!!!! Be blessed and allow Gods word to touch you!!!🙌🏽☦️

*A Place Of Encounter* by Charl Human

Exodus 2:11-22

Heb.11:24-26

Exodus Chapter 2 tells us that Moses went to live in Midian because he was fleeing from Pharaoh after killing an Egyptian. His misplaced sense of justice caused him to kill someone. As a result, he fled into the wilderness.

Moses spent the next forty years of his life living as a shepherd in the desert of Midian. That was the life he had settled for until the LORD caught his attention through a burning bush and gave him a second chance. That encounter would become a defining moment in his life.

Perhaps you may find yourself in a similar situation where past mistakes and wrongdoings have left you isolated in the wilderness. If you are in such a place, let the process take its course. Look beyond what has happened and be open to how God is trying to get your attention. 

God has not given up on you. Allow this time in the wilderness to become a place of encounter and repositioning towards your God-given purpose. 

Do you believe in second chances? Why? 

What is God doing now in your life to get your attention? Make a list and pray over them.

The wilderness does not have to be a place of isolation. It can be a place of encounter.

The cost of a dream

By Charl Human

Gen.37:5-11

Gen.39:6-20

Gen,41:14-16

Gen ,41:39-40

From a young age, Joseph believed God had destined him for greatness. He was a dreamer. But there was a problem - he was boastful about his dreams. Joseph was blessed with the gift to interpret dreams, but he lacked wisdom in knowing how to use it appropriately.

In his dreams, God showed Joseph he would rise to a position of leadership over his parents and brothers. From Joseph’s point of view, the dreams were evidence of divine blessing rather than his own ambition. But to his brothers, the dreams were a further indication of the unfair privilege Joseph enjoyed as the favorite son of their father, Jacob. Jealousy drove Joseph’s brothers to sell him to merchants who then took him to Egypt.

Joseph’s life spiraled downwards from then on. After being falsely accused of attempted rape by Potiphar’s wife, he was thrown into jail. Accused, abandoned and alone, it seemed like Joseph had been put out into the wilderness. What a far cry from the lofty dreams he initially had!

However, some dreams take longer than expected to be fulfilled. It was only in prison that his breakthrough came when he was called to interpret Pharaoh’s dream. This time, instead of telling others his dreams, he interpreted the dreams of others.

The gift that got Joseph into trouble was the very same gift that would eventually promote him to a place of influence where he was used by God for a greater purpose. 

List the gifts that God has blessed you with. Have those gifts pushed you to excel or have they set you back? 

Do you view setbacks as punishment or an opportunity to refine and reshape your character?

No matter where we are in life, God is constantly molding us for His divine assignment.

The loss of control

By Charl Human

Gen. 25:19-24

Gen.26:19-29

Gen.32:22-30

Gen.33:1-4

When Isaac’s wife Rebekah was pregnant with Jacob and Esau, the LORD told her that two nations were in her womb. Even before they were born, they were already struggling for supremacy. Esau, the hunter, lived for immediate pleasures while Jacob, the quieter one, was more self-seeking.

At birth, Jacob grasped Esau’s heel and ever since then, it seemed like he never stopped trying to get ahead of his older brother. From tricking Esau into selling him his birthright to snatching his father’s patriarchal blessings, in all these Jacob was defiant. While the LORD did say, “the older will eventually serve the younger”, the LORD never said to do it Jacob’s own way.  

On the eve of meeting Esau after many years of tension, Jacob met with God and wrestled with Him. In that match, even though Jacob was hurt and defeated, he was not willing to let Him go until he received His blessing. Why was he so persistent? Perhaps he was desperate, knowing he would have to face his ultimate fear the next day when he was to meet Esau.

Jacob never found out the name of the man who dislocated his hip, but because he survived the struggle, it comforted him to know that he would have been able to withstand an attack from Esau. 

When Jacob finally met his brother, he was surprised. Esau, his most fearsome adversary, received him with open arms. It was at that moment that Jacob realized it was his own fear that made him a coward to himself.

Jacob feared losing control. He feared not getting ahead. No one was holding him back but himself. When Jacob finally surrendered to God, everything changed. Thereafter, Israel was born!

Sometimes, the fear of losing control can be the reason why we end up in the wilderness.  

It is not wrong to want to get ahead in life, but are you doing it in a way that is pleasing to God?  

What areas of your life can you let go of control and surrender to God?

A choice to obey

By Charl Human

Gen.26:1-6

Some years later, Abram, now known as Abraham, had a son named Isaac.

There was now another bad famine in the land. This time, Isaac went to Abimelek, the king of the Philistines in Gerar. After that he must have thought of going down to Egypt just as his father did. 

But the LORD appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land where I tell you to live. Stay in this land for a while, and I will be with you and will bless you.” 

The instructions were clear. The answer to Isaac’s situation was not in Egypt, but in God Himself. Had the LORD not stopped him, Isaac would have strayed into the wilderness. Because Isaac listened and obeyed, the hand and the blessings of God were upon him.

Sometimes God gives us clear instructions and stops us from doing things that are not according to His will. But do we really listen attentively and obey Him?

Today, learn to shift your focus towards Him and incline your ears to what He is telling you to do.   

Reflect on the moments where you disobeyed God. What happened as a result of that disobedience?  

How would you want to live differently from now on?

Obedience is a choice. You will never go wrong obeying God.

A test of trust

By Charl Human

Gen.12:31

Gen.13:1-20

Abram was supposed to set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to Canaan together with his father Terah. For some reason they settled half-way at Harran. Maybe he was ill. Maybe it was the climate. Or maybe he was fearful. We do not know.

But at the beginning of Genesis 12, the LORD called Abram to leave his father’s household to a place that God would later reveal to him. He obeyed and promptly left. This is where it gets interesting. Abram reached Canaan where the great tree of Moreh at Shechem was, but he did not settle there even though the LORD appeared to him and said to him, “To your offspring I will give this land” (Genesis 12:7). Abram continued his journey till he reached the hills east of Bethel, in between Bethel and Ai.

Abram continued his journey yet again toward the Negev. When famine struck, to save his family and livestock, Abram went to Egypt. It seemed logical and also the responsible thing to do given the severity of the famine, but going to Egypt was not what God had intended for him. 

Abram took matters into his own hands when he thought that God could not provide for him in the famine. God called Abram to Canaan, not Egypt. In Egypt, Abram failed the test of integrity when he told Pharaoh that his wife Sarai was his sister, thinking that the only way to survive was to lie.

Egypt became Abram’s wilderness when he decided to live there for a while. It cost him his integrity. Had it not been for the LORD’s intervention by inflicting serious disease on Pharaoh and his household, Abram could have been stuck in this wilderness for a long time.

In life we may experience our own “Egypt” if we take matters into our own hands. Instead, we should choose to be obedient to God’s guidance and instructions because He will make a way!     

Describe a situation in your life you consider your “Egypt”. What did you learn?  

Why do you think it is difficult to trust God rather than our own instincts?

Never allow your present adverse situation to undermine your future destination.