What is it going to take to get us to apprehend God's purpose for our life?
Christian Forums
This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
-
-
Guest, Join Papa Zoom today for some uplifting biblical encouragement! --> Daily Verses
Bible Study Getting Out Of The Boat
Get out of the comfort zone and let the world see that light of Christ that is to be shinging through you.
dianegcook
Member
Give our life to Him...
Not_Now.Soon
Member
Follow God, Love Him, and let Him guide our steps.
smaller
Member
Paul has told us exactly what the intentions of God in Christ are toward believers:
Philippians 3:
21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
The above is what Paul sought, every single day of his fleshly life, after salvation:
Philippians 3:11
If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
John notes identically:
1 John 3:2
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
Hebrews 12:
1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Keep our eyes on the Finish Line Lord.
Philippians 3:
21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
The above is what Paul sought, every single day of his fleshly life, after salvation:
Philippians 3:11
If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
John notes identically:
1 John 3:2
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
Hebrews 12:
1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Keep our eyes on the Finish Line Lord.
Chopper
Member
Unfortunately, I've seen tragedy open the eyes and mind to what Elohim has been wanting a person to do....Example: A truck driver I knew, years ago, knew that God was after him to be saved. He kept putting Salvation aside. One day, driving an eighteen wheeler, he swerved to miss a stopped truck in his path. The cab of his truck clipped the end of the other truck which sent my friend into the left guard rails and down an embankment. It destroyed his cab, and almost killed him.
My friend got out of what was left of the cab, got down on his knees, and said something like, "Ok God, I hear You loud and clear", right there he gave his life and future to Jesus Christ and I Baptized him.
My friend got out of what was left of the cab, got down on his knees, and said something like, "Ok God, I hear You loud and clear", right there he gave his life and future to Jesus Christ and I Baptized him.
Jim Parker
Member
It's really not complicated. The scriptures tell us repeatedly.
Our purpose in life is to be just like Jesus, to be God-like.
"You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Mat 5:48 RSV)
"... be conformed to the image of his Son" (RO 8:29b RSV)
"... be filled with all the fullness of God." (Eph 3:19b RSV)
"... attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" (Eph 4:13 RSV)
"Therefore be imitators of God,..." (Eph 5:1a RSV)
"...become partakers of the divine nature." (2 Peter 1:4c RSV)
iakov the fool
Jim,
That's an awesome challenge and responsibility. Only God himself can help us in our pursuit of these purposes.
Oz
Jim Parker
Member
It is an awesome challenge. And if we don't even try (" 'cause I believe and that's all I gotta do") we won't even come near to that goal of being conformed to the image of Christ per Rom 8:29.
jim
Jim,
How much assistance do you consider that we as Christians need from mentors/disciplers (even in our older age) to help us become conformed to the image of Christ?
I know that my godly Christian wife has been a wonderful help to me in growth areas where I have been deficient. I help younger Christians to grow in their faith and become conformed to Christ's image, but it's for us older folks that I see some deficiency in the church. In my area, it's expected we have resources to feed ourselves and don't need help. To an extent I agree with that, but growing in the faith is a challenge to me and I need a mentor.
Some thoughts from a fellow traveller.
Oz
Jim Parker
Member
ANything would help!
What I see is an absence of mentor/disciplers.
The standard seems to be to get them in to the church, entertain them so they'll stay and teach them to give 10% of their income as if they were still under the law of Moses and the pastor was a Levite.
When discipleship is talked about, it's usually in the context of a "discipleship class." Discipleship isn't about lectures and education; it's about training. When we train a soldier, we don't give him a class on how a rifle works and show him a diagram about how to load it, aim it, and pull the trigger and then send him into combat. They get hands on, practical training so that they becomes experts in the arts of soldiering.
We tend to make Christian gnostics by filling their heads with our denominational Bible-stuffing and then encourage them to come in, sit down, write a check, and, if possible, invite a neighbor every few years.
The dead faith gospel (faith without works) supports that kind of churchianity.
My experience is that many church leaders don't want their people to get too full of the Holy Spirit and on fire for God because they might go out and start a bible study or a church that didn't bring $$$ into the pastor's 'storehouse.'
You must be one of those human being things!
Jesus mentored 12 and it is very likely that each of the 12 mentored another 10. That's how a yeshiva was organized; rabbi - inner circle - outer circle - followers.
jim
Jim,
That is so well said. I'm currently discipling a new Christian in his mid-40s. The only reason I'm the discipler is not because the church has disciplers waiting to disciple new Christians, but because he came to me and asked, 'Would you be able to teach me John's Gospel?' It has been a marvellous experience of growing together. We have dealt with so much more than any 1-hour class could have covered. We meet every 2nd Saturday morning for approx an hour, starting at 9am (the time that suits him best).
The pastor had completed 'Christianity Explained' with him and he made a commitment to Christ. However, no follow up was organised - hence my involvement. He was raised in the RCC but has little biblical knowledge and understanding.
We don't have a situation like in your country where giving to the church is tax deductible. In fact, most churches here would not know what the individual gives to the church. Envelopes are available to include the cash but there is no identification on the envelope. The blessing of this is that the 10% pressure is not there.
The only way the church knows it needs to give more is when the annual general meeting comes around and the treasurer announces we are not meeting budget requirements. Occasionally this situation may be made known to the congregation during the year.
May the Lord help those of us who are growing in Christ to make ourselves available to be disciplers.
Oz
Jim Parker
Member
It has become very apparent to me that such efforts are generally ignored by the "clergy" and that we just need to do what we see needs to be done.
Here in Las Vegas, we have a small group of new members who drive 1.5 to 2 hours to get to church and would like to have some kind of a Bible study for them. The clergy aren't interested. So I volunteered to make the 3-hoour round trip once a week. The pastor was surprised but not very enthusiastic. ( sigh )
jim
Jim,
With respect, I find that attitude to be pathetic by church leaders. I commend you for your commitment.
We have a different problem here in northern Brisbane. It's not difficult to find a group to attend, associated with evangelical churches, but the problem is with content. Many of them are 'growth groups' or 'life groups' that compete with mental health therapeutic groups. Attending groups where there is solid biblical content with application of what is learned is difficult to find.
I attend one that is led by the pastor but it is nothing more than a skipping to cross referenced texts. He doesn't know how to teach from the text and exegete the meaning from the passage.
Oz
Hi Albert. Your post intrigued me. I am living and breathing the topic of meaning and purpose in life with my dissertation right now and just created a course on this topic. Be blessed.