Reality #2 Part 2 Created not for Time, but ETERNITY
What is time? In the sense that I am talking about here it means: Our Lifetime on Earth.
You were not created specifically for this time! You were created by God, for Eternity. This time here on earth provides the opportunity to get acquainted with Him! It is an opportunity for Him to develop your character in His likeness. Only then, will eternity have its fullest dimensions for you.
If you just live for time, you will miss the ultimate purpose of creation. Worship of and a Love Relationship with Almighty God through Jesus Christ our Lord. If you live in time, you allow your past to mold and shape your life today and your future. Whereas your life as a child of God should be shaped by the future (Eternity in Heaven with Him). God uses your present time to mold and shape your future usefulness here on earth and in eternity.
You may have some things in your past that have a strong limiting influence on your life.
Paul had this also:
Philippians 3:4-14
"Though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness, under the law blameless. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith--that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
Straining Toward the Goal
Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."
Paul was a true and faithful Jew from the royal tribe of Benjamin. He was faultless in keeping the laws. He was zealous for God. But, he considered all these things rubbish and loss. More than anything else Paul wanted to know, Christ, be found in Him, and become like Him to attain a future blessing (resurrection from the dead).
In order to focus on the future, he forgot the past. He strained toward the future. He pressed toward the future goal of a heavenly prize. Paul's real desire was to know Christ and become like Him.
You too, can order your life under God's direction that you come to know Him, love Him only, and become like Christ. Let your present be molded and shaped by what you are to become in Christ. You were created for eternity. You need to begin orienting your life to the purposes of God. His purposes go far beyond time and into eternity. Make sure that you invest your life, time, and resources in things that are lasting and not things that will pass away. If you don't recognize that God created you for eternity, you will invest in the wrong direction. Store up your treasures in Heaven.
Matthew 6:19-21,33
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also...But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."
This is why a love relationship with God is so important. He Loves You. He knows what is best for you. Only He can guide you to invest your life in worthwhile ways. His guidance will come as you walk with Him and listen to Him.
How do you walk with God?
When your relationship is as it ought to be, you will always be in fellowship with the Father. You will be there in His presence expecting and anticipating the relationship of love.
Do you have a time in the day that you set aside to be with God, pray to Him, and read His word?
This should not be a time that you set aside to have a relationship with God, but because you have a relationship with God.
If you have a wife (husband) or girlfriend (boyfriend), why do you spend time with them? Is it not because you already have a relationship? It is the same thing with God!
Your quiet time should be because you know Him and, therefore, love Him, not only in order to learn about Him. Paul said it this way:
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."
The love of Christ compelled/constrained Paul.
If you spent time with God, like you spent time with your wife or girlfriend, you would learn much about God, His word, His purposes, and His ways. You will come to know Him during the day as you experience Him working in and through your life. Learning about Him is not why you should want to have a quiet time with Him. The more you know Him and experience His love, the more you will love Him. Then you will want that time alone with Him because you do love Him and enjoy His fellowship.
The relationship God wants to have with you is real and personal and practical. God is not far off and unconcerned about your day-to-day living. God as seen in the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation is One who relates to people in real, personal, intimate, and practical ways. Read these stories and see the relationship that God has with each of these people:
Adam and Eve: Genesis 3:20-21
Hagar: Genesis 16:1-13
Solomon: 1 Kings 3:5-13
The Twelve Disciples: Mark 6:7-13
Peter in Prison Awaiting Execution: Acts 12:1-17
John (while in exile on the island of Patmos): Revelation 1:9-20
Here are some others: Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Isaiah!
Do you see that God is real and personal? Do you see their relationship with God is practical? Has God changed? It was true in the Old Testiment, it was true of Jesus, it was true after the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, and it is still true today. Your life can also reflect that kind or real, personal, and practical relationship as you respond to God's working in your life.
Love must be real and personal, a person cannot love without another to love! A relationship with God takes place between two real beings, You and Him! This has always been His desire, all His efforts are expended to bring this desire to reality. God is a person pouring His life into yours.
The constant presence of God is the most practical part of your life and ministry. Unfortunately we often assign God to a limited place in our lives. Then we call on Him whenever we need help. That is the exact opposite of what we find in the Word of God. He is the One who is working in our world. He invites you to relate to Him so He can accomplish His work through you. His whole plan for the advancement of the kingdom depends on His working in real and practical ways through His relationship to His people.
Take some time, pour some energy into your relationship with your Creator. You will not be disappointed in the results. I cannot remember a time, where I came to meet with my Creator with a sincere heart, completely seeking Him, that I have been disappointed.
Set some time aside each day for a month to humbly come before God and ask Him to reveal Himself to you through His Word and watch God respond!
In Christ,
David
You were not created specifically for this time! You were created by God, for Eternity. This time here on earth provides the opportunity to get acquainted with Him! It is an opportunity for Him to develop your character in His likeness. Only then, will eternity have its fullest dimensions for you.
If you just live for time, you will miss the ultimate purpose of creation. Worship of and a Love Relationship with Almighty God through Jesus Christ our Lord. If you live in time, you allow your past to mold and shape your life today and your future. Whereas your life as a child of God should be shaped by the future (Eternity in Heaven with Him). God uses your present time to mold and shape your future usefulness here on earth and in eternity.
You may have some things in your past that have a strong limiting influence on your life.
Paul had this also:
Philippians 3:4-14
"Though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness, under the law blameless. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith--that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
Straining Toward the Goal
Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."
Paul was a true and faithful Jew from the royal tribe of Benjamin. He was faultless in keeping the laws. He was zealous for God. But, he considered all these things rubbish and loss. More than anything else Paul wanted to know, Christ, be found in Him, and become like Him to attain a future blessing (resurrection from the dead).
In order to focus on the future, he forgot the past. He strained toward the future. He pressed toward the future goal of a heavenly prize. Paul's real desire was to know Christ and become like Him.
You too, can order your life under God's direction that you come to know Him, love Him only, and become like Christ. Let your present be molded and shaped by what you are to become in Christ. You were created for eternity. You need to begin orienting your life to the purposes of God. His purposes go far beyond time and into eternity. Make sure that you invest your life, time, and resources in things that are lasting and not things that will pass away. If you don't recognize that God created you for eternity, you will invest in the wrong direction. Store up your treasures in Heaven.
Matthew 6:19-21,33
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also...But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."
This is why a love relationship with God is so important. He Loves You. He knows what is best for you. Only He can guide you to invest your life in worthwhile ways. His guidance will come as you walk with Him and listen to Him.
How do you walk with God?
When your relationship is as it ought to be, you will always be in fellowship with the Father. You will be there in His presence expecting and anticipating the relationship of love.
Do you have a time in the day that you set aside to be with God, pray to Him, and read His word?
This should not be a time that you set aside to have a relationship with God, but because you have a relationship with God.
If you have a wife (husband) or girlfriend (boyfriend), why do you spend time with them? Is it not because you already have a relationship? It is the same thing with God!
Your quiet time should be because you know Him and, therefore, love Him, not only in order to learn about Him. Paul said it this way:
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."
The love of Christ compelled/constrained Paul.
If you spent time with God, like you spent time with your wife or girlfriend, you would learn much about God, His word, His purposes, and His ways. You will come to know Him during the day as you experience Him working in and through your life. Learning about Him is not why you should want to have a quiet time with Him. The more you know Him and experience His love, the more you will love Him. Then you will want that time alone with Him because you do love Him and enjoy His fellowship.
The relationship God wants to have with you is real and personal and practical. God is not far off and unconcerned about your day-to-day living. God as seen in the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation is One who relates to people in real, personal, intimate, and practical ways. Read these stories and see the relationship that God has with each of these people:
Adam and Eve: Genesis 3:20-21
Hagar: Genesis 16:1-13
Solomon: 1 Kings 3:5-13
The Twelve Disciples: Mark 6:7-13
Peter in Prison Awaiting Execution: Acts 12:1-17
John (while in exile on the island of Patmos): Revelation 1:9-20
Here are some others: Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Isaiah!
Do you see that God is real and personal? Do you see their relationship with God is practical? Has God changed? It was true in the Old Testiment, it was true of Jesus, it was true after the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, and it is still true today. Your life can also reflect that kind or real, personal, and practical relationship as you respond to God's working in your life.
Love must be real and personal, a person cannot love without another to love! A relationship with God takes place between two real beings, You and Him! This has always been His desire, all His efforts are expended to bring this desire to reality. God is a person pouring His life into yours.
The constant presence of God is the most practical part of your life and ministry. Unfortunately we often assign God to a limited place in our lives. Then we call on Him whenever we need help. That is the exact opposite of what we find in the Word of God. He is the One who is working in our world. He invites you to relate to Him so He can accomplish His work through you. His whole plan for the advancement of the kingdom depends on His working in real and practical ways through His relationship to His people.
Take some time, pour some energy into your relationship with your Creator. You will not be disappointed in the results. I cannot remember a time, where I came to meet with my Creator with a sincere heart, completely seeking Him, that I have been disappointed.
Set some time aside each day for a month to humbly come before God and ask Him to reveal Himself to you through His Word and watch God respond!
In Christ,
David
posted by Mark 1:17 at 10:28 PM
2 Comments:
Hi David,
This is a wonderful post, and very well written. Have you ever considered publishng tracts?
Hello Loren,
Thank you for you kind words.
I have not considered tracts, but I am looking into going to Moody in the Spring.
Also, I wouldn't want to take any credit for this whole site. For it is the Power of God and not me...I pretty much am one of the worst writers I know and was no more than a C student in English classes.
All the Glory goes to God!
David
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