BIBLICAL ELEMENTS FOR DAILY LIVING-08
TEXT: "For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." (1 Corinthians 13:12
I. PRESENT PREPARATION FOR FUTURE PURPOSE
A. The key to future purpose is hidden in the present preparation through relationship. Relationship between the Lord first and family and our Christian Brothers and Sisters, second. We may never know the treasures of wisdom God has hidden in our brothers and sisters because of our desires not to know someone. They will stay a mystery to us.
"But
we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God
ordained before the world unto our glory:" (1 Corinthians 2:7)
B. The tendency of many believers is to seek ministry and/or activity rather than relationship. But ministry comes out of relationship. Jesus' ministry came out of His relationship with His Father and the disciples.
C. We can easily mistake the present preparation (our ministry and/ or activity) or whatever the Lord is having us to do, as the fulfillment of the purpose. Ministry itself is not the purpose, but a means to bring us into the fulfillment of His future purpose, whatever that may be.
D. What is God purpose in our lives? Paul eludes to this in our test,
"For now we see through a
glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know
even as also I am known." (1 Corinthians 13:12)
God's purpose in our lives is
to give us vision to Him and His ways, and to bring us to fulfillment. Everything God made; plants, trees, animals
even man has purpose, but only man can have fulfillment and vision.
E. How clear is your vision at present, has it become more clear than what you had seen in the past? What knowledge do you now know that you never knew before? Do you now know about yourself what the Lord knows about you?
"And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no." (Deuteronomy 8:2)
F. When the LORD led the children of Israel through the wilderness, He led them in a particular way. It was a way that would humble them and prove them. He led them in such a way that as they came through each circumstance they would be acquainted with their own heart.
G. They would come into a knowledge of themselves that they never had know before, though the Lord already knew what was in their hearts. He wanted to bring them to a place that they know even as they are know. It is a great place in God for Him to show you your heart.
H. Whatever we are presently doing or going through is a preparation for BECOMING. The people ask Jesus,
"Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?" (John 6:28) Jesus answered and said, "Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent." (John 6:29) Do you see the difference? So, our present circumstance, we can be sure that its design is to allow the work of God to be effected in us.
I. It is in the LORD's leading and dealing in our lives, that we come face to face with ourselves and the areas that needed matured so that we might become more like Jesus. We have to come face-to-face with our fears and inability and conquer them in His strength, and be know as we are know.
II. PARTING THOUGHTS
A. It is not what we do, but what we become that matters. The LORD is doing an eternal work in us. He is preparing us for eternity. It is in this life we qualify for our eternal position. Our focus is not to be our position but our focus is to become what He desires us to become.
B. God will take care of our position. So whether you have a ministry or not is not the question. The question is in the present circumstances are we aware that He is preparing us for an eternal purpose? The eternal purpose is to know ourselves as he knows us so that we might have the things changed that need changed and come into the fulfillment of all that the Lord desires for us.
"I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:" (2 Timothy 4:7)
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