Last week we looked at an outline used by John MacArthur for chapter 5 in Revelation: 1) The search for the worthy One and 2) the selection of the worthy One; (see 1-7). And this week we will look at 3) the song for the worthy One. (8-14): “Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!" The four living creatures said, "Amen," and the elders fell down and worshiped.” (Rev. 5:13-14)
Rick Warren’s great book, The Purpose Driven Life, starts with “It is not about you” and reminds us that life is all about God and His glory. “The humility that belongs to a creature (mankind) cannot apply to God Who is of infinite worth.” (John Piper) God created us to worship Him not because He needs it but because worshiping Him in spirit and truth gives us LIFE (real life, spiritual life –zoe.) “Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth- everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made….the people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise.” (Isa. 43:7, 21) “Praise is becoming to the upright” (Psalm 33:1)
“Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth." (John 4:23-24) Our body may be in a sickbed or a prison but by faith we can worship God in spirit. But people can and do worship false gods (idols – Rom 1:21-23) and worship the One true God falsely with hypocrisy in their hearts. (Isa. 29:13)
When we lose God’s purpose for our life, we lose our passion for Him and for what life is all about. Thus many people live passionless lives, “lives of quiet desperation” (Henry Thoreau). “The tragedy of modern man is not that he knows less and less about the meaning of his own life, but that it bothers him less and less.” (Vaclav Havel) “Is it possible for people to miss their lives in the same way one misses a plane?" (Walker Percy) So Paul and God’s Spirit says, “Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you. Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.”(Eph. 5:14-18)
What are God’s ultimate, universal and unique purposes for our lives?
1) God’s ultimate and eternal purposes are far beyond our understanding but we do know that it includes the whole created order bringing glory and honor to Him for all eternity. "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being." (Revelation 4:11; Also see Revelation 5:13-14 above and Ephesians 3:1-11)
2) God’s universal purpose. God has a passion for intimacy with His people and desires that “all men be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth” through Jesus Christ. (1 Timothy 2:4-6) He calls us to respond to His passionate love by knowing Him intimately, loving Him with all of our being (passionately) and loving others as ourselves (compassionately). Thus the Great Commandment and the Great Commission (evangelism and disciple-making) are God’s universal purpose for all. This involves growing in conformity to Christ (Romans 8:29) Who, as a Man, is the supreme example of glorifying God by accomplishing every purpose God gave Him. (John 17:4)
3) Our unique purpose must flow out of our commitment to God’s ultimate and universal purposes or we will never know true fulfillment and contentment. We were “formed to proclaim His praise” and nothing else will satisfy us (Isaiah 43:21). Paul said every accomplishment in his life was “dung” compared to knowing Jesus and making Him known. (Philippians 3:7-14) Thus our unique purpose must be to bring God glory and be expressed and lived out in the temporal arenas and roles (spouse, parent, employee, friend, etc.) God calls us to (Matthew 5:16). Augustine says we need to grow in our knowledge of God in order to grow in the knowledge of ourselves (i.e., know how the Lord uniquely made us) “For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus (uniquely) to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Eph. 2:10) Godly purpose links the temporal to the eternal as we commit to God’s ultimate and eternal purposes in every role and arena of our lives even our otherwise menial duties. “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” (1 Cor. 10:31)
As believers God has made us “response-able” as we now have both the desire (Rom. 7:22) and the power (Rom. 8:1-4) to respond to His great love and purpose and do all we do for His glory and honor. Therefore, we are accountable to steward everything He gives us, time, talents, treasures and truth to influence others He places in our lives to know Him (salvation) and to grow in Him (sanctification) and share Him with others. “Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men.” (2 Corinthians 5:9-11)
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Short-term goals
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Long-term objectives
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My unique purpose
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↑ God’s universal purposes ↑
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↑God’s ultimate and eternal purposes↑
If we disconnect any of our purposes from God’s glory
we lose the supernatural power of God. Isaiah 48:11
Core Values Which I Live Life By
Overarching Life Purpose—How I want to daily respect and honor God
Life Mission That I Want To Accomplish for God During My Lifetime
Passion(s)
Life Vision
Innate Talents and Strengths/Acquired Skills/Spiritual Gifts/Personality Characteristics
Experiences From Which I Have Gained Insightful Wisdom—This wisdom could be used to benefit others
Area(s) Of Weakness- (What, if not managed well, will be detrimental to my well-being?)
What Legacy Do I Want To Leave?
What does God’s Word and this teaching say to you?
“True worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.” (John 4:23-24) What does it mean to you to be a worshiper of God?
How do you grow in the knowledge of God and His vision for your life?
How well do you know your “spiritual” self? (See above -Who I am in Christ.) How do you grow in the knowledge of yourself (i.e., know how the Lord uniquely made you) and know His purposes for your life?
Do you think the following statements describe a lot of people you know? If so what can you do about it? “The tragedy of modern man is not that he knows less and less about the meaning of his own life, but that it bothers him less and less.” (Vaclav Havel) “Is it possible for people to miss their lives in the same way one misses a plane?" (Walker Percy) “Many people live lives of quiet desperation” (Henry Thoreau)
Why is this statement true? If we disconnect any of our purposes from God’s glory we lose the supernatural power of God. (See Isaiah 48:11)
Scripture memory verse: “And let us rejoice and exult in our hope of experiencing and enjoying the glory of God.” (Romans 5:3 Amp.)
• Taken from Life Map by Center for Advancement of Christian Coaching.