Yeah, I Could Use Some Purpose (Part 2)

“Yeah, I Could Use Some Purpose.” (Part 2)

“God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of His Son. The Son stands first in the line of humanity He restored. We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in Him.” Romans 8:29 (The Message)

How many of you remember a book written by Pastor Rick Warren called “The Purpose Driven Life”? I still have the copy I read while I was in the Colony. I have all kinds of statements highlighted and underlined. But in the part of the book known as “Purpose # 3” and titled “You were created to become like Christ” there wasn’t any colors or underlines. So I have gone back to re-read that part and see if there is anything I can highlight or underline for you as well as me.

Right from the start, Rick Warren makes the statement the “From the very beginning, God’s plan has been to make you like His Son, Jesus.” He also uses Genesis 1:26 as his Scripture reference to support this statement. “Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness.” Matthew Henry in his commentary on this verse states; “God said, "Let us make man." Man, when he was made, was to glorify the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Into that great name we are baptized, for to that great name we owe our being. It is the soul of man that especially bears God's image.”I would have to say that both of these views are okay by me. I do like that Old Testament seriousness but I like the New Testament simplicity. I also keep in mind that Adams fails in the serenity of the Garden but Jesus prevails in the brutality of the desert.

And as this “Purpose” reading goes on I’ll underline the need to develop the character of Christ. There is quite a list of character traits as well. The one trait that is the toughest comes in Matthew 5:5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” And to keep in theme with Matthew Henry, here is his take on this verse. “The meek are happy. The meek are those who quietly submit to God; who can bear insult; are silent, or return a soft answer; who, in their patience, keep possession of their own souls, when they can scarcely keep possession of anything else. These meek ones are happy, even in this world. Meekness promotes wealth, comfort, and safety, even in this world.” This is quite a goal to reach, don’t you think? I am not there…yet!

You see we are told to make every effort to grow in the character of Christ. The ESV version of 2 Peter 1:5-7 says, “For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.”Now if we replace the word “virtue” with “excellence” it makes this verse all the more. Once again goals that seem hard to obtain but within its own command it encourages. One thing we are encouraged to do is not to sit around and wait for Jesus to happen, right?

I know there are many out there who do not like this “Purpose Driven” train of thought. And to be honest with you I, myself, have times where it feels uncomfortable when I bounce these ideas off what I have been taught but a glass of milk once in a while isn’t a bad thing. Over the next few days I am going to see if I can Grade A milk out of this “Purpose 3”. I ask you to consider pouring yourself a glass as well, after all as we grow in our relationship with Christ it is necessary to keep the foundation or the root work tended to. -- Chris Hughes is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and a frequent contributor to Freedom Fighter

God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 26; Isaiah 1-2; Galatians 5

Great Quote: “Jesus Christ does not want to be our helper; He wants to be our life. He does not want us to work for Him. He wants us to let Him do His work through us, using us as we use a pencil to write with- better still, using us as one of His fingers on His hand.” “The Life That Wins” Charles G. Trumbull

It is not to late to enjoy a day of golfing fun and fellowship at Hanover Golf Club on September 29, 2009 to benefit the Colony of Mercy Addiction Recovery Ministry of America’s Keswick. We will have a 7:30 AM and a 12:30 PM shotgun start. There are still some openings for either start time. Call Stan Marsh @ 1-800-453 7942 x 32 for info or to make your reservation.