Our Purpose, His Plan, His Direction, Our Life
by David Brenneman
Christ's building of His church will
not be complete until every person who will believe in Him has done so (2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.)
Ephesians 2:10-No one understands you better than God - He knows you far more profoundly than you can even know yourself. In fact, the Lord knows what you were created to be and all the great things He could accomplish through you if you were to surrender yourself to Him. He has designed you for a specific, fulfilling purpose, but you cannot find it or achieve it on your own. Rather, it is only by abiding in Him that it will come to fruition in your life. - Dr. Charles Stanley Life Principles Bible Notes.
"For we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we might walk in them."
Different Study Bible notes but indeed they work together. All the workers in His fields are there for the same reason. Some plant seeds, some deal with weeds, some prune, some harvest. The watering, the growth, all comes from the Spirit of God.
We are yet still in this world precisely as the one study note says. The Church is approaching completeness. Think of that. When the Church is complete, Jesus returns for His Bride, the Church. We are to pray for the hastening of the Lord to return...and He will...when the Church is complete.
We are to be workers in His fields, wherever we are, wherever we go.
Those constrained by physical limitations are not without the ability to be a worker in His fields. Why? Because the battle isn't in the physical world, it's in the spiritual world. We battle not against flesh and blood we read. Therefore there's no excuse to not be about the work of the Lord.
We are vastly overwhelmed with temptations to keep us from working in His fields.
Everything from social media acceptance to any of the desires of our hearts that can be had with a credit card. Everything that's crossed your mind at anytime that's rooted in selfishness can be found to be designed to distract you from your purpose in Christ. A mere cursory look at the litany of videos available will show all the effects of a moments distraction while driving gains a person.
Satan's schemes will literally never cause him to be out of breath and will never wear him out in trying. Reason being he is a spiritual entity.
We are in a physical world but also the spiritual fields of God. The human race.
We are selling ourselves short when we are allowing selfish desires to rule the day. We are not going to really find the righteous life that God desires for us while we are allowing so many things to distract us. Being intentional, in Christ, is what Peter, Paul, and all the other who wrote the Bible are saying to all.
The Bible tells us that we will give an account of our lives before Jesus at the Bema Seat of Christ.
That account only has to do with what was of value in our lives done for Him, not for ourselves.
Do you not pray for the return of Jesus Christ to be soon? That prayer encompasses praying for whomever is to be saved is saved. Jesus will return when His Bride is made ready. When His Church is complete.
Are you at all trying to learn how to be a better worker in His fields?
Are you removing things or anything else that's causing you to not grow in Christ? Are your hobbies, your interests, your love of anything getting in the way of your potential in Christ?
Nobody will be standing with you when you stand before Jesus.
Nobody will be an acceptable excuse for not obeying Jesus when you had the chance.
Nothing will be a ticket to excuse your lack of obedience to God's Word.
You who have come to Christ for salvation ought to be faithful workers in His fields for His glory...for all He did to save you.
The events unfolding in the world are only a small part of the fulfillment of Bible prophecy. The completion of the Church of Jesus Christ is paramount. Jesus said that He came to seek and save the lost. Of which we who are now saved once were.
King David, while yet a shepherd, couldn't do battle with the trappings of King Saul's armor.
We cannot do battle with the trappings of this world holding us back from the righteous life that God desires for us.
Pray for the completeness of the Church to happen. Pray for those in authority over us. Pray for those in Israel as well. The chosen people of God which is Israel is not the Church. But prayers ought to be made for them. There will be a remnant of Israel who will be saved.
At the completion of the Church, the saved in Christ shall rise to forever be with Him. The nation of Israel, those yet unsaved, will still be here. Will still go through the 7 year Great Tribulation as the Scriptures say that they will. A multitude will be saved throughout the Great Tribulation, martyrs for the sake of the Gospel. We read that in the book of Revelation.
We all can be praying with all prayer and petition for all the saints who are in the world. Praying for growth. Praying for the next Charles Stanley or the next John MacArthur or the next John Whitcomb or Herman Hoyt. to come to the forefront of the battle. Praying for those pillars of the faith we still yet have in this world.
Praying for our leaders and those im authority over us be it political or employment wise. Praying for them and not raging against them.
Praying for everyone who crosses our path. You, my Dear Reader, might just be the one who may lead the final person to Christ who completes the Church.
Praying without ceasing is a command not a mere suggestion.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and spirit. Love your neighbor as yourself.
Seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness.
All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission.
New American Standard Bible
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