You Need Purpose, And Persistence

"My life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus."           Acts 20:24 NLT
To live your best life you need two things--purpose and persistence.  And if you ask Him, God will help you develop them. (1) Let's look at purpose.  On the historic monument commemorating the life of author Jack London, who wrote the classic White Fang, are these words: "I would rather be ashes than dust!  I would rather my spark burn out in a brilliant blaze than that is should be stifled by dry rot.  I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.  The function of a man is to live, not to exist.  I shall not waste my days trying to prolong them.  I shall use my time."  To make a difference in this world you must discover your God-given assignment, and commit yourself to it 100 percent.  Paul did that.  "My life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus--the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God."  (2) Let's look at persistence.  It took Sir Winston Churchill three years to get through the eighth grade because he had trouble learning English.  Yet his speeches during World War II inspired and galvanized Britain to fight and win in the face of overwhelming odds.  When he was asked to give the commencement address at Oxford University, he delivered the shortest speech on record--just six words.  "Never give up!  Never give up!!  And those words are the essence of purpose and persistence.

This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word For You Today