During Andrews University’s Fall week of prayer, we were presented with the big idea: “Living God’s Purpose For Your Life.” Taurus Montgomery, lead pastor of Harbor of Hope SDA Church in Benton Harbor, presented this topic in depth based on Proverbs 19:21, “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”
Throughout the week, Pastor Taurus revealed pieces of his testimony. While focusing on specific events of his life, he intertwined the message in a very inspiring and unique way. In 1997, Taurus says he was blessed to have his house burnt down. It is reiterated that having his house, the only place he has ever called home, slowly burn to the ground, was the best thing to have ever happened to him. From this tragedy he was able to demonstrate how if we as Christians turn away from God, we are ultimately backing into the hands of Satan, little by little. It isn’t that God is making horrible things happen, but the decisions we make that separate us from God, ultimately allowing the devil and the consequences of sin to enter our lives and pass beyond that barrier of God’s protection and enter our lives. It was not until his house was in flames and Pastor Taurus lost everything that he repented and gave his life to Jesus.
“Believing the promises,” he says, is an important aspect of knowing God’s plan for your life. Allowing God to work in your life, fully submitting to His will, gives you more than a purpose; it gives you a fulfilled heart that nothing else can replicate. God promises to take care of all your needs (Philippians 4:19), He promises to answer your prayers (John 16:23-24), and He promises to protect you (Psalm 91:3-4). God cannot–in fact, He is unable to- lie, because whatever He says becomes truth. Whatever he speaks comes into existence. He spoke our world into existence (Psalm 33:9). If whatever He says becomes a part of our reality, then why should we not believe His promises, that they will also be true for us? He can’t not love, protect, guide, or care for us, because He said He would. Knowing this can help grow our faith and believe in His promises for our lives.
Another major point the speaker reaffirmed was to process the pain. He admits in his own life there was abuse, break-ins, and easy gateways to sin that confined him and disturbed his peace, encircling him until Jesus set him free. Taurus explains that he knew how it was to be lost, separated from our Creator. However, when he came to Andrews, he was elated to find that the university offered free counseling to their students! He made use of this resource and was able to process his trauma. Taurus was able to seek the help he so desperately needed. Little did he know, while he was seeking, God was already working in his life, drawing him closer. “...God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). Taurus continued his journey at Andrews as a three-week-old Christian, expressing to the audience that some boys invited him to play cards, but instead he began preaching the Word, and the whole boys' dorm gathered around and listened to the message Tarus was extending to them. A brand new Christian! Three weeks old! How old are we in our faith? How long have we walked with God and done nothing to serve Him or His will for our lives?
Taurus was granted a gift. The gift to speak, open his mouth and allow the Holy Spirit to guide his words into the hearts of his attentive listeners. He ends with the story of how he was giving a speech to a crowd, how very unprepared and tired he was. He knew this was probably the poorest speech he had given in a long time. Yet, in the end, a woman came up to him and expressed how his speech had impacted her life and motivated her to be better, to give her life to God. This goes to show that no matter if you are at your worst, God can still speak through you. God sees beyond what we see. If He has willing disciples, He works beyond what we believe we are capable of.
Taurus soon learned that while he was speaking God’s word, he would also be reminded and renewed inside. God doesn’t just use our gift to transform those around us, but transforms us in the process. When we submit to the Lord, He creates a life for us we didn’t even know we could ever dream for ourselves! He gives us a purpose that is greater than one we could ever come up for ourselves. His purpose, His love, is so much more than we could ever imagine. Why shouldn’t we accept it, and live it today?
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.