Subject: purpose driven? |
Bible Note: Greetings EdB, I am not saying the books are no good. On the contrary, I admitted that I learned quite a bit going thru the books. But then again, if we look at John 6:44-47 44“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. 45It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God. Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. 46No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. 47I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life. So if God does not want me, no matter how hard I try, I will not go to Him but because he wants all of us, we will be taught and raised by Him ( perhaps in ways that I do not even comprehend). I believe that I am growing at His leisure. I do not feel the need to this and that to seek His favor. Except for a few things like tithes and services to the church which are either biblically stated or when I sensed that God wants me to MOVE! I move. If I am going to do everything the books tells me and every book that I read, would it no longer be a chore instead. For e.g. Purpose Driven. Were we not set 40 days to do what Pastor Rick wants us to do? There is a timetable. Now if I am a very gungho person, reading Purpose and Experiencing God together. I must do this and that. Where is the enjoyment of being loved. We lose the whole essence of God's Love. Seek 1st the Kingdom of God and things shall be added to you. He did not say when and how but He will. He did not say you must do this and that and then things shall be added you. He will guide me at His own pace. No need to cramp all the things during the tenure of reading a book. All we need is to believe, to understand that we are already loved. After having gone through about 2 thirds of bible ( have yet to complete cover to cover) I already sensed His love. Faith comes by hearing and not works. Roman 10:17 17Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. Another e.g is prayer. I don't know about US but here, we tend to start the prayer with thanks and then pow! - all our petitions. Its commonly shared that when we ask, ask and ask, He will answer. What if He does not? Then we will say oh, because you did not do enough that's why, your prayers are not answered. Wrong? but that's what is happening here. Yes, I do sacrifice and seek the Kingdom of God but to sacrifice all? How far will you go? Will you like Abraham sacrifice your kids? If we do, we have totally negate what Christ had done i.e. to put himself up as a sacrificial lamb FOR us. Mark 12:28-34 28One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” 29“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.[e] 30Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’[f] 31The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[g]There is no commandment greater than these.” 32“Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. 33To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions. I do not feel the need to memorize the scriptures. All I need is to know is what it is about . Where it is, I can always find with today's technology. Search engine. All provided by God! God Bless. |