“Aligned By Design”
Pastor Jim Lowe III
Sunday Morning, 9:30am Stream 02/08/26 (2nd Sunday Message)
hashtags:
#guidinglight #pastorjim
#Faith #heart
#believer #surrender
#love #showinglove
#loveofGod #loveofChrist
#repentance #serving
#forgiveness #Godworks
#savedtoserve #overflow
#protector #Expectation
#worry #Favor
#deliverance #listeningears
#Godspeaks #blessings
#servingGod #heartafterGod
#treasure #complaining #God’speace
{All scriptures are NIV84 unless stated}
2026: The Year of the Comeback!
If we as God’s people will humble ourselves and pray, seek him and turn.
then will he heal our land.
Restoring and Replenishing
{Message start:}
Today we are talking about a new series called Aligned.
We want to understand what the Lord’s goals are for us. and we also want to make sure
We are discussing our purpose.
and making sure those who we’re aligned with are helping TOWARDS that goal.
Today we’re starting with part 1.
Before we can check who we are aligned with
we have to understand what the Lord expects.
Message Title:
Aligned By Design
I’ve talked to quite a few people recently who have been going through some things.
Some of the things have been by choices
others have been through circumstances.
This has brought quite a few people wondering about why they’re even here.
I’ve talked to some people in some extremely low places.
Part of todays message is for you. I hope it encourages you.
Another group of you may be doing well right now.
But there may be questions of wondering what we’re here for.
Seeing time go by and wondering what are the next steps.
What is our real thing? What were we created for?
In this new series…we’re talking about it today.
Let me say regardless of what we feel… regardless of what anyone has told us.
Aligned:
You Were Created With Intention!
We need to establish that each of us was created with intention. You are meant to be here.
Psalm 139:13-16
13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, 16 your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
We were created with intention. No one “slipped” through.
The Lord knit EACH of us.
The Lord wove each of us together in our mothers womb. I said at the baby dedication last week:
even before we see our children on the ultrasounds…
the Lord had already started putting them together.
the Lord was connecting us and establishing us from the beginning.
Therefore they, we, all of us have a reason we are here.
Aligned:
I Was Designed, Not Discovered!
You may had been a surprise to some… but NEVER a surprise to the Lord.
He knew the day you would be here.
and couldn’t wait to begin putting you together.
And the Lord wouldn’t spent all this time putting you together…
for you to be a mistake.
or for you to feel like you don’t belong.
Aligned:
You Are Not A Mistake You Are Not A Failure
You Are Not Born Without A Plan You Were Designed With A Purpose!
And that design was for a reason.
The Lord talks to us about his plans for us.
he had a famous convo with Jeremiah. many of us know this by heart.
Jeremiah 29:11
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
The Lord has plans for us.
and those plans are for our future.
He already has plans for our future!
While we can’t see what this year will bring.
we can’t even see what next week will bring!
There were blizzards and ice storms over the last 2 weeks. we didn’t know that was going to happen!
We can only predict the future…
and try to make the best GUESS that we can.
But the Lord knows what will happen.
and he has made PLANS that give us the BEST options possible.
PLANS to give a hope and future.
But are we making sure we’re following HIS plan or ours? How do we know if we’re doing it?
The bible tells us what our purpose is designed to do.
1 Peter 2:9
9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
You…each of you.
You are a chosen people. You were picked.
You were created to be here NOW. for THIS time.
You were called for this moment. You were chosen for this time.
Life might not be easy…
it might be very difficult
it might be overwhelming but you are not here by accident.
The Lord wanted you here now…
and his plan isn’t one of pain for you.
that design is to PROSPER you…not to harm.
What what does the design look like?
But let’s see what 1 Peter 2:9 says with some highlights:
1 Peter 2:9
9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
We are chosen…
by who? by the Lord!
He chose us for what reason?
“To declare the praises of him”
We are chosen to declare the praises.
Aligned:
Your Purpose Is Designed To Give The Glory To God
Many of us focus on so many different things. we want to be successful on our jobs.
we want to have a better job! we want to lose weight
we want to LOOK good
we want to have large bank accounts we want to give the best to our families. we want to be liked by others.
These are not bad things.
But do they directly give the glory to the Lord?
as in do they do something to tell others about the Lord?
The same scripture in the NCV:
1 Peter 2:9 (NCV)
9 But you are a chosen people, royal priests, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession. You were chosen to tell about the wonderful acts of God, who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
You were chosen to do something.
you were chosen to tell others about the Lord.
To share the good news!
Aligned:
Your Purpose Is Designed To Share The Gospel!
It is to tell others of the goodness of the Lord. It is to SHOW others the love of the Lord.
You do that through you words.
you do that through your actions.
Aligned:
How Often Are We Being A Light For Others? We’re Walking In Purpose When We Do!
You were chosen to tell about the wonderful acts of God.
Your gifts…
your abilities…
your testimony… It’s ALL to share with others!
Isaiah 43:6(b)-7
Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth— 7 everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”
Everyone who is called by his name. We saw already we were CHOSEN.
we are his people.
we were called by his name… for his glory!
Part of “dying to self” is realizing that OUR plans won’t line up with HIS plans.
In Jeremiah 29:11 we read earlier…
in the NIV it says “I know the plans I have for you.” but in the NKJV:
Jeremiah 29:11 (NKJV)
11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
This is saying that the Lord has someone on his mind. that someone is you.
You have a God who THINKS about you!
He loves you that much!
But when it comes to HIS plan and HIS design… we can’t go off what WE think.
we have to go off what he tells us.
We don’t think like he does.
Isaiah 55:8-9
8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. 9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
His thoughts are not ours…
they aren’t remotely close to what WE think.
Whatever you think about yourself… the Lord thinks better.
Whatever you are trying to plan for yourself… the Lord’s plan is better.
While our plan may revolve around us and family.
HIS plan revolves around others.
Ephesians 2:10
10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
To do good works…
good things…
good things as in actions as well as words.
Aligned:
“Well I do a great job at being kind and doing good for others.”
You might THINK you do a good job… but the Lord thinks differently.
The Lord tells us the purpose of our design.
Matthew 5:16
16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
His thoughts say “GOOD” is defined by where it points.
Aligned:
The Good We Do Should Always Point Back To Him!
Our design is to give him glory.
One of the ways we GIVE him glory is by doing good…
and pointing others to him. He has designed us to make an impact.
he has called us to do great things.
We are called to share the gospel with others. We are called to teach others about Christ.
We are called to love one another.
Aligned:
Are You Walking According To The Lord’s Design Or Our Own?
There are many directions the Lord can take us. There are many callings and designs for us.
All throughout scripture he chose different people for different things.
Aligned:
Moses - Leader chosen to deliver God’s people. Joshua - Leader appointed to possess the promise
The Lord has gifted people as leaders.
those people are supposed to lead with the love of the Lord
and to always point back to him as the true leader.
Aligned:
Jeremiah - Prophet called before birth to speak God’s word
Daniel - Servant of God who was positioned in government
The Lord has gifted people as speakers for him.
these are people who speak on behalf of the Lord.
Aligned:
David - Shepherd who loved the Lord anointed to be king
Joseph - Dreamer who fought through adversity to save others
We never know why we go through the things we go through. but we have to encourage ourselves…
his plans are to give us hope and a future. to prosper us and not to harm us.
Aligned:
Peter - Fisherman called to lead the early church Paul - Persecutor transformed into powerful missionary.
You never know where the Lord will take you.
But NONE of these callings were just for themselves. They were for his purposes.
We Are Different People On Different Paths. But It’s Always Been The Same God. He Is Intentional In EVERY Calling!
You are called to be a light for him. We are here by design.
It’s not random…
it’s purpose.
What does it look like?
We are here for his glory.
That is to tell others about him. Each one of us is special and unique.
Your story is unlike anyone else’s.
And the Lord called you to be here now.
We need you.
The world needs you.
The world needs your gift.
The world needs to hear you sharing as well.
Look at the world!
Look at the news!
Look at the things we fight over!
{Just this week we’re fighting our friends and family over a disgusting video posted by our own government.}
and we’ll fight over the video… when they admitted they posted it.
The disconnect alive today is terrible! This world is wild…
And WE can’t fix it walking outside our design.
