Matthitjah Posted November 18, 2003 Group: Royal Member Followers: 4 Topic Count: 1,285 Topics Per Day: 0.16 Content Count: 17,917 Content Per Day: 2.27 Reputation: 355 Days Won: 19 Joined: 10/01/2002 Status: Offline Share Posted November 18, 2003 Bless you Saints in Jesus Christ, The whole point of this exercise and this book is to discover. What is the point of our Faith in G-d? We will read a chapter a day Then we will post our comments and fellowship thoughts to the corresponding questions at the end of each chapter. It is a 40 day Spiritual journey. It will hopefully develop in you the reasoning to fulfill the Purpose of your Faith, your very life. It will also enable us to Fellowship in Truth. Sharing and building up the Body. As we share our thoughts be open to someone elses opinion and meditate on it. You just may start to understand that this also is to G-ds greater Glory . That he can develop a people. In His name and under His Blessed Blood. Coming from many varied backgrounds and many varied cultures. To a unity of Faith! To a building of the Purpose for which we are Chosen, called, saved, and then put to use. The Lord has lead me to post the Messages and Scripture at the beggining of each chapter as well. Here we go: A life devoted to things is a dead life, a stump; a God-shaped life is a flourishing tree. Proverbs 11:28 (Msg) Blessed are those who trust in the Lord... They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. their leaves stay green, and they go right on producing delicious fruit. Jeremiah 17:7-8 (NLT) For everything absolutely everything above and below, visible and invisible,... everything got started in Him and finds its purpose in him. Colossians 1:16 (Msg) Unless you assume a God, the question of lifes purpose is meaningless. Bertrand Russel, atheist Read the chapter! P.S. If you disagree with the premise of this book or would like to have a theological discussion about it? Please do not post here. Rather start another thread in some other forum. This one is for sharing only. Please share and fellow! Day One Thinking about my purpose. Point to Ponder: It's not about me. Verse to remember: "Everything got started in Him and finds its purpose in Him." Colosssians 1:16b (Msg) Question to consider: In spite of all the advertising around me, how can i remind myself that life is really about living for God, not myself? Please feel free to post your thoughts on the chapter . Also response to any scripture posted. As well please any pondering over the point to ponder. Answer the question at the end. I don't know how this will go? I will respond later and hope to learn much from everyones responses as well as Fellow with you all in our Lords purpose. His very will for our lives. Amen! :il: Peace, Dave 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
traveller Posted November 18, 2003 Group: Royal Member Followers: 5 Topic Count: 827 Topics Per Day: 0.10 Content Count: 12,101 Content Per Day: 1.50 Reputation: 249 Days Won: 3 Joined: 04/01/2002 Status: Offline Share Posted November 18, 2003 Dr Luke, I actually see this part as having several directions, but I will think out loud about only one. That being my self worth. The world would have us think that our value is determined by what we own and what we wear and where we attend college and what we drive. However, as a Christian, I know that I am only of value because God loves me and because of what Jesus did for me. I get angry when I think of all the young girls that are fooled into thinking they need to be wearing the latest fashion trends and be slim and trim and highly made up to be accepted or to be considered beautiful. This is how the world raises its' children. Our self worth is based on who we are in Christ. Question to consider: In spite of all the advertising around me, how can i remind myself that life is really about living for God, not myself? By remembering that I was created for HIM, not this world, I can put things into perspective. When I try to please myself with things or looks or popularity then I have built my house on sinking sands, as it goes, instead of the solid foundation of Christ. My looks will leave me along with all the outward appearances of worth. It is my heart and what it holds that will remain. To remind myself of this daily, I must remain in His word. It is a hard thing, to live in the world and not be a part of it. Okay - is this how we're supposed to do this?? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthitjah Posted November 18, 2003 Group: Royal Member Followers: 4 Topic Count: 1,285 Topics Per Day: 0.16 Content Count: 17,917 Content Per Day: 2.27 Reputation: 355 Days Won: 19 Joined: 10/01/2002 Status: Offline Author Share Posted November 18, 2003 Amen Trav, Our self worth will be found in the value we place on our relationship with Christ! I say let us let the Lord lead! He is desiring a body of believers that will walk in the desire to be His Bride! I believe that we can all learn from eachothers particular persepective Of our relationships with Christ. He approachs us all differently. Yet His Truth is universally fitted to all. Here is what I reflected upon. Point to ponder, Amen! It's not about me! My thoughts , my plans, my actions born of my will. They will bring forth no purpose for G-d. No fruit. the things I desired were completely opposed to the very Will of G-d. My way concluded in death. Colossians quote, The very lord holds the key to my purpose and yours. We were not made for this fantasy of vanity man has built up. We are made for eternity. 80 years is a short time for self gratification. You will spend eternity ashamed. Question, I can remember that hollow dead feeling I used to have. I can remember how all people have a big hole in their heart. They try to fill it with posessions, or self worship, or people, or even religiousity. I can remember how living dead and walking around a zombie (self gratifying one) and not even knowing it, left me feeling like what's the point? I have all this stuff and I'm still miserable. The more stuff I get that they say I need the more miserable I become. Maybe Prozac? No then I'll be numb to the death in my heart. I now know that while I yet felt that way, He Loved me. He always has. Then I remember the debt of Love I owe and must repay in kind. This makes me purpose driven. My purpose has never been to accumulate wealth or stuff. It has never been how much people will like me by how I look. Oh' I may have acted like it. My purpose has been to Love the Lord with my life. Christianity has acted like the world instead of like Christ! Time to find our purpose and stop buying the lie! I look forward to others sharing as well. Let it take the shape the Lord would have you post in. Let Him lead. Peace in Christ Jesus, Dave 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Teri Posted November 18, 2003 Share Posted November 18, 2003 As I read this a weight was removed from me. My children have asked me, "how did you know what you wanted to be?" My answer always is "I still don't know". I have worked in different fields, am a college graduate, raised my kids, and now have grandkids and really I can not say that I have found that thing in this world that truly fills all the spots. I have found this in Christ, because when I really feel like I'm walking with Him I feel glorious. But it's not just that it's something more profound here, like I can stop looking and trying to figure out the reason I'm here by myself. God created me, He designed me exactly the way I am with a purpose in mind, so all I now have to do is ask. Isn't that just the simplest and easiest thing you ever heard, of course he had a plan, and of course He would be the only one who knows what that plan is because it's His plan and I'm a creature of that huge huge plan. Not only does this simple thing get the focus off me, but it also makes me feel so very special because I'm here to do something for God and I was created especially for that something. WOW!!!!! In Yeshua's love Teri Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthitjah Posted November 18, 2003 Group: Royal Member Followers: 4 Topic Count: 1,285 Topics Per Day: 0.16 Content Count: 17,917 Content Per Day: 2.27 Reputation: 355 Days Won: 19 Joined: 10/01/2002 Status: Offline Author Share Posted November 18, 2003 Bless you Saints, Tomorrow Chapter 2. Never too late to join in. Still time tomorrow to reflect on chapter 1. As we delve into 2. Just add your reflections for both on one post. Amen! Peace, Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted November 19, 2003 Group: Royal Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 193 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 1,459 Content Per Day: 0.18 Reputation: 5 Days Won: 0 Joined: 02/28/2002 Status: Offline Birthday: 09/20/1965 Share Posted November 19, 2003 Excellent! I believe you can sample the introduction and first two chapters here. http://www.purposedrivenlife.com/chapters/chapters.asp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IslandRose Posted November 19, 2003 Group: Royal Member Followers: 3 Topic Count: 476 Topics Per Day: 0.06 Content Count: 5,266 Content Per Day: 0.68 Reputation: 63 Days Won: 0 Joined: 02/22/2003 Status: Offline Birthday: 03/21/1954 Share Posted November 19, 2003 Question to consider: In spite of all the advertising around me, how can i remind myself that life is really about living for God, not myself? When I realize that all the "things" in my life have brought no satisfation to my soul, like simple acts of service to my Lord have done, then I realize that life is not about the accumulation of "things", but rather about serving our Mighty God. Point to Ponder: It's not about me. When I take my focus off of myself, I quit worrying about why I am the way I am or why people treat me the way they do, and start focusing on how to serve the Lord with what I have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthitjah Posted November 19, 2003 Group: Royal Member Followers: 4 Topic Count: 1,285 Topics Per Day: 0.16 Content Count: 17,917 Content Per Day: 2.27 Reputation: 355 Days Won: 19 Joined: 10/01/2002 Status: Offline Author Share Posted November 19, 2003 Blessed Saints, Chapter 2 Day 2, Amen To all the sharing! Opening verses and commentary, I am your Creator. You were in my care even before you were born. Isaiah 44:2a (CEV) God doesn't play dice. Albert Einstein Closing thinking. Thinking about my purpose. Point to ponder: I am not an accident. Verse to remember: "I am your Creator. You were in my care even before you were born." Isaiah 44:2 (CEV) Question to consider: I know that God uniquely created me. What areas of my personality, background, and physical appearance am I struggling to accept? Bless you , let the Lord lead! Peace, Dave 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Teri Posted November 19, 2003 Share Posted November 19, 2003 This is an interesting chapter because I am always on the look out for my defects that I guess I overlooked seeing my positive qualities that God gave me to work his purposes. I had never considered myself a mistake because I have a wonderful loving mom that always emphasized how much she wanted all of us. I am having a hard time thinking about this one because those things I have struggled to overcome could actually be things I am suppose to accept, I never put it that way. My step son is reading this also and it made his face shine this morning. His real mom has never taken care of him since he was three but for some reason she always speaks to him like he is a burden. I have never been able to understand this since she provides no care for him physical or financial and only see's him at her convience which isn't often. He read the chapter after I did and came in my office to announce I'm not a mistake with a beaming bright smile on his face. Something was healed in that boy today through this reading and it was a wonderful thing to witness. In Yeshua's love Teri Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
traveller Posted November 19, 2003 Group: Royal Member Followers: 5 Topic Count: 827 Topics Per Day: 0.10 Content Count: 12,101 Content Per Day: 1.50 Reputation: 249 Days Won: 3 Joined: 04/01/2002 Status: Offline Share Posted November 19, 2003 Oh Teri! That is so awesome!! Praise God for His mercies!! I am so humbled by this chapter that I am having a hard time coming up with the right words. Imagining that GOD the Creator had me in mind before he laid the foundations for the earth ~ even down to my hair color ~ wow. That He in His wisdom, put me here at this time in history, placed me in the family of His choosing, in the part of the world where He wanted me, and even gave me my personality. I am as He made me. Now isn't that something? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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