This week was 
the last week of our 2018-2019 Teaching & Worship Experience so we celebrated all that God has done with a Celebration Luncheon. At the luncheon, we announced that next year we will be studying Romans and I & II Samuel (Following the Call) – please stay tuned to our website for more information about dates and registration for next year!
But back to this year – we have gone through the book of Isaiah, then we tore down the “fences of offenses” and finally we explored together how we can live in God’s presence. This week’s lesson was called His Presence Brings Purpose. Because aren’t we all searching for our purpose and identity in this world?
4 Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
So here are some principles concerning our identity and purpose: 
- As Christians, our identity is in Christ.
- As Christians, we all have a common purpose but we each have a unique way in which we fulfill that purpose.
- Our love for the King of the Kingdom will cause us to want to serve Him and it is our love for Him that drives us to find our destiny
- Jesus does not hide your unique call, however, He does want you to discover it by seeking Him
- Living in His Presence daily is the process whereby you discover who you are in Christ and what He has called you to do.
And here are some other things we know about destiny and our purpose, some of which can be hard to hear:
- Finding our destiny requires surrender
- If we do not respond to His knocking sometimes he allows us wilderness time
- Believe that God is who He says He is and that you are who God says you are
All semester we’ve been journeying through the story of Moses. Moses’ story is our story. We also see other Biblical examples in Ezekial and Isaiah. Here are some principles we see in them and how they were following God’s call–
- God often calls us to do things that are outside of our comfort zone
- Don’t worry about the outcome. Don’t try and please man; only please God.
- It is in the Presence of God we see and hear our call
- His Presence refines, prepares us for our call
- Moses, Ezekial, and Isaiah all said yes to the call
Joanna and all,
This is so true when God speaks to you about something he wants you to do listen carefully, be content He is at one with you. My strongest message from God I wanted to ignore for three days and nights I slept very little. I didn’t want to speak to her about God we had not talked in several years I felt she would get angry at me.
He wanted me to speak to one of my best friends who’s mother had been diagnosed with uterine cancer. My friend was living out of town so I made arrangements to visit when she came into to town. I said “Bonnie you especially need God now you are going to need his strength his love for you and your family is always with you. ” She agreed and was planning to move back home. Two weeks later she was killed in an accident. She went to her heavenly home. This is my story of being in Gods presence!