Your Purpose

[formula1]

Are you perform your purpose through Him? just a thought I'm having today! Lord, help me to find your purpose for me and not my own!


2 Corinthians 5
14 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

 

[StriperAddict]

Christ living out and laughing thru us while we rest is purpose indeed.

Heb 4:10
"For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His."

I don't think the above applies to just eternity, and I don't think such 'rest' is action-less.
Heb 4:11 "Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest"
In fact, this is the abundant life our Lord talks about which we behold in faith; It's acted out while we draw near, as your prayer suggests. To the world we may look very "busy", but if our Lord has the reigns to our heart and we humbly co-operate with His Spirit... we can touch the "Lion and the Lamb" at the same time and enjoy the course ahead.
It is sinking in bit by bit that His purpose is to live His life as me, moment by moment,
as I rest.

"Not I but Christ in me...."

 

[formula1]

Re:

Walt,

Appreciate your comments!

I still have to ask, so we go deeper:
1) Are we really seeking and living out His purpose in us if never ask the question and never act according to His Spirit working His will in us?
2) Same question differently, What if Paul rested in His own salvation? Would the revelation of Christ be the same today?
3) Same question differently again, What if we here the Spirit's voice, yet rest in complacency? My though as I write this, what about the guy who had 1 Talent? (Matthew 25 - To suggest it by parable is to consider its possibility)

And for the record, I cannot in good conscience before Him, fail to ask myself regularly, Is Christ working in me and am I allowing Him reign to do so? It's not that I do 'works', but that I do not become a hindrance to the Spirits 'works' through me.

Now, you answer these well with one simple response, the words 'humbly co-operate' with the Holy Spirit. Just wanted to add these questions for others to consider.

 

[StriperAddict]

Soul rest

Thanks Eddie. I should have embellished a bit more on the word 'rest'!

I believe that as diciples go, Paul was more "at rest" than any other in the church age. That rest he spoke of, and the writer of Hebrews knew, was one that looks like none other to the world.

We read about Paul's missionary journeys, and his trials of faith. Add to his life the beatings, scourgings, getting shipwrecked, inprisoned, abandoned by other brethren; yet what a history he had at planting churches, preaching the word, seeing people get healed and salvation coming to many of his hearers, even to this day.

Now to come around to your question... Paul knew well what his purpose was in the Lord, and while he sought hard after the will of God everyday in prayer, his entire spirit man, the inner man created clean in Christ Jesus, always moved in the
"easy yoke ... light burden of the Lord".
This is a place of "rest" the world does not know of.
It is living the life of Another, as Jesus did. Jesus lived His words, works and ministry as from the Father.

For us it is, "Not I, but Christ".

I'll go one step further and suggest that, even while being what looked to be the busiest man in the entire Kingdom of God, the apostle Paul never "worked" a day in his life after his conversion!

It sounds impossible, but it's clear in the word:

1 Corinthians 15:10b:
"I labored even more than all of them,
yet not I,
but the grace of God with me.

Paul knew the secret of having his life lived out buy the life of Another... God was "at work" within him...

Philippians 2:13
for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

Learning the mind of Christ within, understanding our gifts, and being watchful takes us to our knees daily in prayer and study... no other way!


To those who are weak, young or immature in the faith, the following admonision is necessary...
2 Thessalonians 3:11
For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies.

Sloth certainly doesn't cut it in the kingdom!

But to a great extent, and to keep our own pride from raising up, Gods way for us to fullfill our own purpose is to walk so close to our Lord that we literally see Him in everything.
Our professional jobs are no longer secular, they are 'holy'. Our chance meetings with a hurting friend at the market, a divine order. Our family time, wether in front of a monoply game, TV, family alter, etc., all a providencial meeting of grace. They all may not look "super spiritual", but that is where the "rest" comes in again... to know our Lord delights in us, and within us to "do" His good pleasure at all times and in every circumstance.

Getting our faith around that will certainly lighten the load. Even while we look "busy", we are at rest.

I just found this hymn of praise...

How sweet is the comfort and rest of my soul,
Where peace doth so tranquilly flow;
Though storm-cloud and tempest and dark billows roll,
All my heart with His sunlight doth glow.

No fears shall alarm me though Satan be nigh,
He’s subject to Jesus’ control;
Though tempted and tried, Christ regardeth my cry,
Truly He is the joy of my soul.

Refrain:
How sweet is my rest! And how richly I’m blest!
Oh, how sweet is the rest of my soul!
​

 

[gordon 2]

When I was a young man I asked the Lord, more than once," What do you what from me?" The only answer I did hear or understand was "Later". I said, I don't what to be a gray haired church pillar Lord. I am serious and have energy now while I am young.

And then one day when I was in my late 30s, the Lord sent a man who told me, and then another, and then yet still another, and then many others what I was called to.

And I said, "Lord if only I did see what you see." And He said, "Look." And I saw that I was not only me, I was married and a father and I was part of a community and many were like me.

And I thought that if ever I was to do it according to God's will, the way things were happening, I shall be a gray haired church pillar after all and perhaps my ministry, my calling, for I was called to some kind of ministry, shall be one hour or one day compared to my lifetime. Or I shall do a bit here, and a bit there, learn this, unlearn that in increments? A bird.

Now somewhat older and that I trust in the Lord in earnest, Him who calls men and women to his purpose and in His own time, (who called old barren women to give birth) --even one hour, even one day given to my calling is enough--- I have come to know! The design was never mine. And if I am an old church pillar one day I shall smile on my Lord's design and that young man who was so full of himself.

I guess for me it is not so much what I ask for, as what I am asked. For me the more physically deaf I get the more I hear. The more blind or dimmed sited I get the more I see. The future in the Lord is stretched out not unlike the past. Past and future in the Spirit are not unlike having two fish on one line or just as tangible as this.

What I ask comes from me; What I am asked comes for another. What the Lord asks takes a bit of attention. A bit more than asking, " What do you what from me."LOL Because there was never much to what from me, as is the case today...!!!! :0

 

[Artfuldodger]

Christ living out and laughing thru us while we rest is purpose indeed.

Heb 4:10
"For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His."

I don't think the above applies to just eternity, and I don't think such 'rest' is action-less.
Heb 4:11 "Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest"
In fact, this is the abundant life our Lord talks about which we behold in faith; It's acted out while we draw near, as your prayer suggests. To the world we may look very "busy", but if our Lord has the reigns to our heart and we humbly co-operate with His Spirit... we can touch the "Lion and the Lamb" at the same time and enjoy the course ahead.
It is sinking in bit by bit that His purpose is to live His life as me, moment by moment,
as I rest.

"Not I but Christ in me...."

I read about the "rest" phase when reading about the different phases of Christianity. I'm not sure what that really means and how it relates to the question of our purpose.

 

[formula1]

Re:

Gordon2:

Without quoting your post, let me say God's wisdom is all over it. God Bless!

 

[mtnwoman]

This is a great prayer to pray for each other or ourselves. I love to pray scripture, God's word will not return void.


Ephesians 1:17-23
King James Version (KJV)

17That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:

18The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

19And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

20Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,

21Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

22And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,

23Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

 

[StriperAddict]

Gordon2:

Without quoting your post, let me say God's wisdom is all over it. God Bless!

Amen!

I read about the "rest" phase when reading about the different phases of Christianity. I'm not sure what that really means and how it relates to the question of our purpose.

That the real "soul rest" of faith is like nothing else to get us up off our blessed assurance!

 

[Ronnie T]

Am I still holding on to too much of me?
Do I have my arms as far around God as possible? Is there more?

 

[Ronnie T]

C.S. Lewis:

It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird: it would be a jolly sight harder for it to learn to fly while remaining an egg. We are like eggs at present. And you cannot go on indefinitely being just an ordinary, decent egg. We must be hatched or go bad.

 

[mtnwoman]

Am I still holding on to too much of me?
Do I have my arms as far around God as possible? Is there more?

My heart has surrendered to Him.
But my flesh is really hard to deal with sometimes. I can preach, but sometimes I just can't practice what I preach. I know what to do, I just don't/can't do it sometimes, Lord knows I try and He has mercy on me when I miss the mark.

We won't ever have our arms far enough around God until we see Him, He knows that. We will worship forever then. At least by that time, I can act like i've got a bit of sense, I'll be happy for that.

 

[StriperAddict]

1. Am I still holding on to too much of me?
2. Do I have my arms as far around God as possible? Is there more?

1. Speaking of myself, yes. It gets in the way of His will and work in me nearly on a daily basis. I even come to face to face with the delusion that I think it's part of what Christ wants, until He gently points it out. I may have to take a Peter type surrender to it, with bitter tears as in loosing an 'ol friend> But if I mourn the loss of that which hurts me, better that than to turn a blind eye.
Christ, our best friend, will have no rival(s), and even if the boot is applied to my stubbornness, it is well worth it to see what HE has instead of the false, and THAT is so much better.

2. What Annie said. But I keep the condemnation at bay by knowing I am totally His by His Cross-Resurrection work alone. He certainly has bigger arms around me than I - Him! I may not know Him to "my" satisfaction (until glory), but I delight in His total knowing of myself, as shown in Psalm 139:1-6, 14, 17, 18

<sup class="versenum" id="en-NASB-16241">1</sup> O LORD, You have searched me and known me.
<sup class="versenum" id="en-NASB-16242">2</sup> You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
You understand my thought from afar.
<sup class="versenum" id="en-NASB-16243">3</sup> You scrutinize my path and my lying down,
And are intimately acquainted with all my ways.
<sup class="versenum" id="en-NASB-16244">4</sup> Even before there is a word on my tongue,
Behold, O LORD, You know it all.
<sup class="versenum" id="en-NASB-16245">5</sup> You have enclosed me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
<sup class="versenum" id="en-NASB-16246">6</sup> Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is too high, I cannot attain to it.

<sup class="versenum" id="en-NASB-16254">14</sup> I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Wonderful are Your works,
And my soul knows it very well.

<sup class="versenum" id="en-NASB-16257">17</sup> How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
<sup class="versenum" id="en-NASB-16258">18</sup> If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand.
When I awake, I am still with You.