All things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28 ESV)
The Lord Jesus derived much strength from this knowledge of purpose with which His life was bound up.
There is no doubt that we too shall get strength from that sense of purpose, that consciousness of a divine vocation which is ours.
If he succeeds to rob us of that sense of purpose in our life, to make us doubt with regard to our testimony, our work, or the value of the suffering we have to go through, we shall lose our strength and the enemy will get the upper hand.
Jesus Christ was maintained in God strength all the way through, because He was dominated by the sense of His mission, because He kept firm His purpose.
If we hold fast the purpose of our life, if we keep in view our heavenly calling, we too shall be maintained in strength.
In order to be maintained in strength it is essential that we know that we are in the purpose of God.
Our service must always be the result of a divine purpose.
In God purpose there is no room for personal interests.
To them that love God,to them whose heart is taken up with God and the fulfillment of His purpose, all things work together for good, even to them that are called according to His purpose.That is a definite statement showing believers are called into a Divine purpose.
We have got to know as definitely as the Lord Jesus knew, that we are in God purpose.
Eternal Plan
If scripture contradicts itself in this point, then it cannot be trusted in any point. The overall message from Genesis to Revelation it that God takes His time.. which may seem an eternity to His creatures, but it is all part of His eternal plan. God takes His time for a purpose – not as a cruel trick or a mean manipulation. God is not tarrying in the way that He considers tarrying, for God has a purpose.
Long-Suffering
I believe, with all my heart that in the fullness of time we will understand why the Bridegroom ‘tarried’… for we know that all things work together for good to those that love God. All things – even things we don’t understand and the things that grieve us: all things; ALL things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.
United in Him
But while there is still breath in our mortal bodies we have a job to do. We must recognise that there is a purpose to be fulfilled each day of our lives.
Glorious Purpose
Unity of the saints is a foundational creed emanating from Christ’s priestly prayer:- that they may be one as We are One, I in them and You in Me— so that they may be brought to complete unity.
John 17:22 And this unity is for a glorious purpose:- then the world will know that You sent Me and have loved them even as You have loved Me John 17:23
And the godly goal and pure purpose is... that we all are to come to a perfect man.
but Adam didn’t thwart God’s plan, for God uses all things to forward His purpose. God uses all things, (both good or evil) – to move forward His ultimate goal – that Christ is all in all.
but Adam didn’t thwart God’s plan, for He uses all things to forward His purpose.
Dedicated to God
Consecration is being ‘set apart’ for the Lord. Consecration is being separated for His plans and purposes. Many saints have been distinguished in this way – set-aside for His purpose.
It means Him working out His will and purpose in our lives, with no opposition.
Spiritual Eye
When through the workings out of His purpose in the depth of your inner being, He takes you to an end of yourself, and gives you your own Job experience… then He will draw you with His cords of love to the very extremity of your hope and you will say – in the understanding of your own 'Job' experience….
acceptable) – is to fail to see yourself in Christ only. 6) To be disappointed with yourself – is to have believed in yourself. 7) To be discouraged is unbelief – as to God’s purpose and plan of blessing for you. 8) To be proud, is to be blind!
The enemy was seeking to devour the plan and purpose God had for his servant Job – just as today, the enemy seeks to overthrow God’s plans in the life committed to Him.
God’s Perfect Plan
Whenever God permits Satan to sift and to smite, God always has His eternal plans and purpose in view… so that the eternal plans and purpose of God should be fulfilled..
Biblical Declaration
In one magnificent consummate declaration, we are told the purpose of this “IN” – that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times, He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth, — IN HIM.” Eph.1:10.
Christocentric
The plan; the purpose; the resources; the times; the eternities are all in Him. All things are to be Christocentric.
Eternal Purpose
God’s eternal purposes center in the Mew creation, the promises, and the one body.
and His Body, the church, are one in Him – and we are all complete in Him: for in Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him, Who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.
PRAYING
Prayer must have a definite aim, which is in unity with the purpose of God.
As we pray into His perfect plan so our awareness of His purpose grows.
God has graciously enabled us to participate in His purpose through – “All-Prayer”.
Petitions which identifies itself with the SINS of God’s people - Prayers which also identify with the PLANS outlined in God’s Word – Supplications that reach right into the HEART of God’s will and purpose.
Deposited Gift
In his 'Green Letters', Miles Stanford explains “appropriating” like this: How often we simply admire and talk about the truths the Holy Spirit reveals to us in His Word, whereas His primary purpose in giving them to us is that we might stand upon them in faith, waiting confidently for Him to make them an integral part of our life.
It is one thing to have aconception or apprehension of the purpose of God, and to be givenup to it, but it is an extra thing to know how God would realizeHis purpose.
The work of God becomes a burden upon their shoulders,and the Lord cannot order it otherwise because there is not thefullest fellowship and sympathy between them and His ways, Hismethods, His means, His times and the details of His purpose.
With Him this represented a detailed obedience unto one comprehensive purpose.
They have lost the great ground, the vast ground of God full purpose for this dispensation and become stuck on some thing that is only partial at best.
At each phase of his experience, even when perhaps he was most bewildered, Joseph gave God the cooperation which He requires for the fulfillment of His purpose.
Greater Purpose
But lips that have pleaded in agony of heart for years do not go unnoticed. Eyes that wept tears of pleading, until numbness replaces hope do not go unheeded..
But God does not leave His children in bitterness of soul for lack of care or love. God has a deeper, wider, greater purpose than His hurting child can understand. Waiting may frustrate us and His silences may thunder in our pounding soul, but He desires to bestow over and above all that we can ask or think or imagine. If we could only comprehend His love, His mind and His reason for His delay!!
His further purpose is a glorious, heavenly one, directly related to the seeking soul.
Purpose of Suffering
The process of sorrow and pain and disappointments and grievings, effects the sanctifying, sweetening, ennobling grace upon grace upon grace.
The Spirit's purpose is to bring the well-meaning believer down into defeat, wretched and ready to realize, I thank God through Jesus Christ, our Lord (Rom. 7:25).
By persuasion and enlightenment God realizes His purpose to the point of infinite completeness; yet no human will has ever been coerced, nor will one ever be. -L.S.C.
Being predestined according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will (Eph. 1:11).
Notice Peter's words: But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people.' But for what purpose has all this been accomplished?
The whole purpose of salvation is that men and women may grow in the deeper stable characteristics of the Christian life - that they might be conformed to the image of the Lord Jesus Christ. -G.D.
These things only came in when the fullness of the Spirit had gone out, and, being an artificial substitute, they can never but be limiting things in the realm of Divine purpose.
There are times when, in recognition that a certain course is the Lord way, we have to wait for the Lord time and see to it that our strength of will coming into alliance with some purpose of God is not jeopardizing the fruitfulness of that thing, and doing other people harm and making other people suffer.
the one that can watch the dried brook and trust in God’s unfailing faithfulness; the one that holds an empty cruise of oil and yet believes in God’s provision; the one that stands by the Red Sea’s raging waters and expects his deliverance; the one whose barren womb can spring forth with life, by faith – the one who amidst the flooding tsunamis of life, can simply rest in His love. How blessed the one that is not living at crossed purposes with the purpose of God.
God’s Purpose
God’s plans and purposes for humanity are continuing to be played out. God is not mocked and His purpose for your life will reach its goal. And this is the will and the purpose of God:- even Your sanctification. 1 Thes.4:3 This is the will, of God concerning you that in everything give thanks 1Thes.5:18 This is the purpose of God..
To understand what is meant by those last three words is to have an explanation of an immense amount of history; spiritual and temporal.... The nature and features of the curse, as the Bible everywhere reveals, are frustration, thwarting, bafflement, discontent, abortion, confusion, travail, breakdown, and an ever-defeated struggle against despair and death.... Why is it that so many things which have greatly served the purpose of God have eventually fallen apart; broken up; and have little more than a great past to live upon?
Once we see that the Lord Jesus saves individuals with the purpose of making them His disciples, we will aim to be more thorough in our witnessing and subsequent soul-winning.
Everything which has to do with the realization of God's purpose in creating man, and this world, and its universe, is a matter of knowing God in Christ, which, of course, means knowing Christ.
All the powers of Deity which already wrought together in the accomplishment of the first part of the eternal purpose, the revealing of the Father's likeness in the man Christ Jesus, are equally engaged to accomplish the second part, and work that likeness in each of the Father's children. -A.M.
God’s purpose spans far greater horizons, which is the believer’s sanctification. It is being established in the faith – spiritual maturity – growing in Christ.
Divine Purpose
Paul had to come to realise that behind intense suffering, was as a divine purpose and Paul led the way for us all to understand that, My grace is sufficient.
Spirit, Soul, Body
God has designed the whole man to be thus redeemed, to fulfil His purpose in us, and Hebrews is a book from start to finish whose focus is on sanctification..
redeemed by His blood: and we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
Foreknown by God
'The called' are those predestined to be conformed into the image of the Lord Jesus. 'The called' are also predestined for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ. 'The called' are predestined according to the purpose of God’s will... but before we were predestined we were foreknown by God.
Fix in your heart His purpose for you is to conform you into His image, and that He uses every circumstance of life, good or ill, for our eternal benefit.
Once we understand His eternal plan and purpose for us… once we realise He is preparing us through a process of child-training, our confidence and trust in His love towards us is multiplied. These are foundational truths and eternal facts that must be fixed in our hearts.
And, too, the awful thing is this that Satan has taken hold of the Divine representation, or typical system, to appropriate it, when God has done away with it, and that what God brought in for a temporary purpose he has captured for himself in order to obscure the real nature of fellowship with God.
There would be no purpose in that, because He could have done that in Deity without incarnation, He could have possessed the fullness in that way, and that is what the letter to the Philippians says.
God says: I have saved you by My own Son, and now another factor must come in; you are to live by the One who has saved you; My purpose is that you are to be conformed to His blessed image.
God... Who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of His own purpose and grace. (2 Timothy 1:9 ESV)
We can never, never exaggerate, and I doubt whether we shall ever know what a great thing redemption is; and yet, great as redemption is in its scope, in its depth, in its cost, redemption is only incidental to the eternal purpose.
Our Prayers
He takes your most anguished cries and hears each groan of your heart and translates them into heavenly languages, which renders them acceptable to the Lord. He transcribes all your stutterings and converts each heart-plea into prayers that are aligned to His will and purpose.
We know that for those who love God, that is, for those who are called according to His purpose, all things are working together for good. (Romans 8:28 ISV)
Do not lose the present value of it by always living mentally or hopefully in a time when you will be out of it, but go back there and recognize that if you are the Lord's, if you love God and are called according to purpose (as you are if you are in Christ), God is seeking to do something with you and in you by means of the conditions of your present situation.
I can think of few things more regrettable and grievous than that we should look back upon any part of our life and have to say, I might have realized some great purpose of God in that period of my life if only I had taken another attitude toward it than the one I did take; I was chafing, impatient, all the time looking for a way of escape; I was rebellious, living in another mental world of my own creating, in which I would do and be this and that; and I missed all that God intended at that time.
Baptism of Repentance
John indeed did need to be washed by the Lord – not only a baptism of repentance but a washing in the fountain of precious blood that flowed from Emmanuel’s severed veins – which alone can cleanse a filthy sinner from his sins and his old sin nature. But this prophet of God was of the house and linage of Levi and it was God’s purpose that His Beloved Son should be anointed High Priest, after the order of Melchizedek.
The one, can incubate pride while the other can foster independence from God. And both result in a believer being removed from God’s best purpose in their life. But God can correct many decades of dormant growth in a stunted Christian life, and God can reverse the worldly ways of a saint’s fleshly independence from Him… if the believer changes his mind, and looks to Jesus and away from all else… if the repentant believer approaches His majesty in genuine humility of heart.. if the man or woman of God sincerely recognises his own lack and need of God.
Rom.8:28. There may be ramifications for seeking fast-track spiritual development, and there may be consequences for a paucity or lack in a spiritual life, but there will also be reward… if that one earnestly seeks God in his lack, indifference, disinterests or rebellion, for God has a purpose for all that are blood-bought saints in Christ Jesus – but He chooses to do it His way, and will often wait many years for our compliance.
God’s Precious Promise
This wonderful open secret permeates through the pages of scripture like perfume. It is found in Paul’s letter to the Romans, as well as other confirmatory chapters, and we know that all things work together for good to them that love God – to those who are the called according to His purpose.
God’s Best Purpose
Let this precious promise of God be the bedrock of your trust in Him. Let the truth of these words to His erring child, sink to the very core of your being. We may not understand the life-storms that upset the fragile craft to which we cling. We may be confused and ‘wrest’ in life at ‘some things hard to be understood.’ 2Pet.3:16. But as with the Word of God..
the promises of God are all ‘yes’ and ‘amen’ in Christ 2Cor.1:20. Let us accept that God’s best purpose in our life is being carried out despite life’s twists. We are being changed into the likeness of Christ so that we too will be a sweet aroma unto the Lord..
God's Word
Now, this is the score –God has set out His unalterable plan and eternal purpose – in His Word,God has given a progressive revelation of Himself – through His Word.
The inexpressible, eternal, unfathomable God communicates to us – by His WordAnd He chose to record His great purpose and plan in one way – in His Word
He has promised that: all things work together for good, to them that love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose – even the bad things
Thrice Holy
God’s plan for our Salvation and is eternally secure in His thrice holy hand, and His purpose and plan in the lives of all who trust His Son as Saviour can never ever fail.
This was God’s purpose, before time began: the Lamb of God was slain:- from the foundation of the world.
Purpose of God
God had you in His heart and thoughts before the earth and time were created – you specifically.
And every jot and tittle of scripture has been written for a purpose: that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you might have life through His name.
And we know that all things work together for good to those that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.Romans 8:28Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:Ephesians 4:13
to those that are called according to His good purpose.
Jesus Christ alone is the God of our Salvation – and He it is, that causes all things to work together for good to them that love God – to them that are the called according to His purpose.
The length and breadth and depth and height of God’s eternal plans and purpose are so much greater than the individual circumstances of your life or mine..
Greater Purpose
The plans and purposes of God do not revolve around us and our lives..
although in His grace He has included us in His greater purpose.
and God has purposed that all who trust in Him are to be participants in His eternal purpose – that Christ is all in all.
We who trust in Him are the called according to this greater purpose of God, and throughout our Christian lives, we are being trained through testings, trials and temptations – until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God – until we all become mature, and attain to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
to those that are called according to His good purpose.
He has ordered every day of our lives and no matter what happens, it will be to our advantage and to His glory. And God is omnipotent and His will and purpose will be accomplished at the right time and nothing and no-one can stand in His way or prevent its ultimate fulfilment.
Eternal Calling
Everyone that is born from above is called according to the purpose of God. Every believer has a calling; an eternal calling – a great purpose in time and eternity, and God’s purpose is entwined and interlinked with Christ – Who is to be all in all.
Eternal Purpose
Being born into God’s family is our first step along the road of our new life in Christ.
Our sanctification process is our ongoing preparation for God’s eternal purpose in Him..
for each of us have been called according to His purpose:– that Christ is all in all.
The infinite fullness of the Lord Jesus Christ is the wonderful purpose of God.
Perfect Purpose
We do not know what our role in that purpose is now – but we all have a part to play, and if we humbly submit to His guiding hand, He will fulfil His purpose in us. God is dealing with each of us in relation to His divine plans and His perfect purpose – and God ways are mysterious ways; veiled ways – ways beyond our comprehension.
Christ in You
Paul gave us a peep into the purpose to which we have been called in Colossians 3.
And yet we know that He will use our lives according to His purpose and for His glory.
Examples of Faith
The Bible gives many examples of God’s purpose being worked out in the lives of others – men and women who lived by faith; believed His word; trusted His promises.
Infinite Fullness
God is continuing to work out His eternal purpose in each of our lives. We may not know what our role is now – but we all have a part to play. His dealings may be beyond our understanding but let us trust Him and live by faith, for the infinite fullness of the Lord Jesus Christ is the wonderful purpose of God. Christ in you the hope of glory – until Christ is all in all.
Eternal Purpose
All Christ did was done to fulfil God’s plan laid out before the world began.
He did all according to God’s eternal purpose, from the foundation of the earth – the plan, which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: Eph.3:11
Life Purpose
God has a plan and purpose for the life of every believer: man, woman, or child.
How vital it is to search the scriptures daily to discover God’s purpose for us.
The purpose of God is to develop a realisation that I can do nothing.
The will of God is to transform those that believe into the likeness of His Son – and God will take a lifetime, if necessary, to achieve His purpose in each life.
God’s Mighty Strength
God’s mighty strength is just as powerful and potent today as in past generations. No matter when or how the enemy attacks – God works secretly in our time too. God has a sovereign plan and a purpose – which is laid out in the Scripture. It is a perfect plan – written in eternity past,
It is a plan and purpose that will soon be brought to final fruition.
For it is God Who is working in you, enabling you both to desire and to work out His good purpose. Philippians 2:13
God has promised to live in the one-new-man in Christ (not the old sinful man) and that one-new-man is to live in a state of perfect dependence upon the Lord his God. God is working in you, enabling you both to desire and work out His good purpose. God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him.
Divine Purpose
God knows the end from the beginning and He knows all who will trust in Christ. God predestined all who would believe in Jesus to be conformed into His image. God was well-pleased with the Lord Jesus, Who is His only begotten and beloved Son, and it's God’s divine purpose is that His children are made in the likeness of Jesus Christ. We are to all to be conformed into the image and likeness of God’s dearly beloved Son, and it is the Holy Spirit Himself that is to do this amazing work in the life of a believer.
It is obvious that, apart from the knowledge of dispensational truth, the believer will not be intelligently adjusted to the present purpose and will of God in the world.
The purpose of Paul, in Romans Six, is to show how completely the believer is identified with the Lord Jesus when He died unto sin.' To enter fully into the meaning of that death is to see that He has emancipated us from any further dealings with our old master, sin.
No matter what we may encounter in this life, we who belong to the Lord Jesus have this definite knowledge - our Father will use it all in love as an instrument in the carrying out of the glorious purpose to which He has destined us.
If that purpose is to be wrought by delivering us from a trial, He will do so.
Consider God’s Way
Have you considered 'These Three Men’'– Noah; Daniel and Job, who lived by faith – who were all beloved of the Lord and were all men after God’s own heart – who stood at ALL cost for God’s end; God’s purpose; God’s motive; God’s way?
It develops in us moral and spiritual qualities. It may not be the easy way; it may not be the happiest route; it may be marred by difficulties' it may be tinged with disappointments, but all things work together for good to those that trust Him – to those that are the called according to His perfect purpose.
God’s Wider Purpose
God takes and God works them all together for your good – as may be most beneficial for you in the eternal realm, and for His eternal glory.
and not one prayer you’ve uttered will return to you unanswered – but will be answered in His way, and His time – and to fulfil His best purpose for your best purpose.
He cares and will answer at the best time for your eternal profit – and He knows and fulfils His best purpose for your very best.
I know He can deliver me, but if He does not see fit to do so, if it does not fall in with His unsearchable counsels, and harmonize with His wise and faithful purpose concerning me so to do, I know it is only to lead me into a deeper and richer realization of His most precious sympathy.' -C.H.M.
That which represents the testimony in its fullest and closest approximation to the ultimate purpose of God, then has to be shorn of much that has been good, necessary, and of God in a preparatory way, and must be shut up to what is ultimate.
Heavenly Blessings
It was His purpose, His plan, and His desire to bestow on us His heavenly blessings. He predestined us to be adopted as His sons according to His good pleasure, and this blessing in the heavenlies was purposed in Christ – and we are in Him, for all blessings we have in Christ are simply blessings in heavenly places – and because we are in Christ we are blessed in the heavenlies – in HIM.
Hope in Christ
It was God’s purpose to redeem us through the blood of Jesus and to forgive our sins, and He purposed this heavenly blessing in accordance with the riches of His grace.
The inward exercise of Romans Seven and the testing of the wilderness serve the purpose of teaching us what sin in the flesh is, and what is in our hearts; while such special discipline of the Father as Paul's thorn in the flesh is rather to protect us from the unalterable tendencies of the flesh.
Waiting Heart
Don’t rush out and try to rectify what you perceive as a mistake or you could stay the hand of God and prevent His better purpose in your life.
He has placed eternity in our hearts; His timing is perfect; His purpose will not delay.
Ahh, but know this, beloved... you are sure of His love and He knows you by name; His loving purpose He is refining in you; step by step He is working His skill, though an agonising process in you and little by little He is taking you deeper, deeper – deeper into Himself.
A Study:- Man’s Nature and Destiny
Threefold Name
Our triune God created triune man: spirit, soul, and body for a threefold purpose:-salvation, sanctification and service, for time and through eternity.
Person and Purpose
Lord Jesus Christ: given to identify His person and to define His purpose.
The Lord Jesus Christ was manifest in the flesh for a threefold purpose.
When once we see and accept our Father's purpose for our lives to the extent that it becomes our will also, the time and details of His process cease to matter.
But godly living and righteous acts are similarly gifts of God – through Christ Jesus – for it is God Who works in us both to WILL and to DO – to His good purpose.
We are apt to think that if and when the circumstances and conditions of our lives are changed and we are in another position than the one we now occupy, then something will happen, the purpose of God will begin to be fulfilled.
Call To Repent
John the Baptist’s call for repentance was a particular call to a particular group of people at a particular time and for a particular purpose – he was calling for national Israel to turn away from their proud, hypocritical, fleshly, religious ways, back to the God of Israel – because the time of God’s promised Messiah had arrived. John had been chosen as the appointed herald of the Jewish Messiah..
Purpose of Intercession
So what is the purpose for such deep and heart-rending intercession? 'That they may come to have all the abounding wealth and blessings of assured conviction of understanding, and that they may become progressively and more intimately acquainted with..
We may think our motives to be perfectly pure; but not until we pass into daily death, death to any or all of the above, and find ourselves despised and rejected of men,' our names cast out as evil, and a real hold-up (seemingly) of our work, do we really come to face the true purpose and motive of our having any place in the service of God.
Light in the sense of clearness is an essential for the building of the city of God, because the ultimate purpose for that city is to shine forth with that glory of God in character.
Mystery Of God
Just as God’s directed light followed darkness and dawn at the world’s creation... just as dazzling light filled the newly formed clay vessel (Adam) with spirit and life – so is the new creation called from darkness to light, and from death to life. And here, in these wonderful words, God’s purpose was seen. The first sight of God’s amazing purpose was proclaimed:- a mystery and a plan... formed in the heart of God from before the world was created. The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world…..” Rom.13:8. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery – even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world, unto our glory.” 1Cor.2:7
Most do not care to go beyond the thought of forgiveness and a godly walk in the world; but it is our Father's pleasure and purpose to bring us as priests into His presence.
God takes all things and God uses all things, for all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.” Rom.8:28 And He takes time – He often takes a life-time to gently lead one into this truth.
Paul had one great consuming purpose to be brought to birth by his sufferings for the Galatians, and that was the living expression of the Lord Jesus Christ in them.
Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began (2 Tim. 1:9).
Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. (Philippians 2:1,2 NLT)
It is knowing God is using your life to help achieve His eternal purpose.
Christ's purpose was the redemption of mankind – it was God’s will.
God’s Purpose
The power behind loving; obedient; thanksgiving, watchful; thankful; trusting prayer, is a heart that has learned in measure, and is continuing to learn to the full, that no matter what circumstances or trial we face, all things work together for good… and that means God’s good.
All things in the life of all believers are working together for God’s good and for God’s end.All things are working God’s way to them that love their Lord – to those who are the called according to His purpose.
There’s so much more when seen in the context of God’s whole will and purpose.
Eternal Plan
For in the eternal plan of God’s purpose – it is His end to which we are all moving.
It is for His eternal plan and purpose, to bring all things together in one – in Christ – and this is ultimately for our eternal joy and benefit.
There is a great deal more in the purpose of God for our lives than we have ever imagined, and if we are to enter into that, violence has to characterize us.
I am set upon that, and I am not going to allow other people's prejudices or suspicions or criticisms to get in the way; I am not going to allow any man-made system to hinder me; I am going right on with Thee for all Thy purpose.
They are caught in things which limit things which may be good, that may have something of God in them, but which none the less are limiting things, and do not represent a wide open way to all God's purpose.
The freedom is so entirely in Christ Jesus, and the maintenance of our living union with Him is so distinctly and entirely the work of divine power, that it is only as we see that the Spirit dwells within us for this very purpose, and know how to accept and yield to His working it, that we can really stand in the liberty with which Christ has made us free. -A.M.
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.Romans 8:28
Eternal Purpose
Various believers have tried to explain this principle like:- 'Only those who have sought to grow by effort and failed are in the position to appreciate the fact that God is the aggressor in the realm of Christian development'.
Another wrote: 'all the powers of Deity which have already wrought together in the accomplishment of the first part of the eternal purpose, (that is, the revealing of the Father’s perfect likeness in the Man Christ Jesus) are equally engaged to accomplish the second part – and work that likeness into each of God’s children.'
He has a plan and a purpose for each of our lives, however insignificant we may be... speak Lord, for your servant hears 1Sam.3:10. Lord here am I, send me.
If He chastens us, it is always for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness.' And all things work together for good to them that are called according to his purpose.' What good?
What purpose?
Let suffering come from any cause in the universe, if we give it over entirely into the hand of our Father, and sink ourselves into His blessed will, with the desire for Him to work His purpose in us, He will make every pain, every tear, every particle of our suffering work in us a death to sin and to the old man, and to all things on earth which will be for our highest development and for His glory. -G.W.
A Full Study Of JOB
Plan of God
The book of Job, like every jot and title of the Word, has its own unique purpose, and like all historical and prophetic Scriptures it is Christo-centric... it points to Christ.
The book of Job has comforted Christian souls down through the centuries, but like all inspired Scriptures, Job fits into God’s unique purpose and plan - a plan formed in the heart of God, before the foundation of the world, that Christ should be all in all.
Ultimate Plan
God knew that Job’s sufferings would achieve His ultimate plans and His purpose..
Purpose of Job
But like the Law and the Prophets, Job’s unique purpose is to point us to Christ, so that the eternal plans and purpose of God should be fulfilled – that Christ should be All and in all.
The eternal plan and purpose of God was completed, through the Cross..
and the eternal plans and purpose of God will be completed at His return.
If we are seeking to go on with God to any degree beyond that which is commonly accepted as a true Christian life; if we are called to pioneer the way for any further advance in spiritual life or Divine service; if we are given a vision of God's will and purpose not seen by the general mass of God's people or even the larger number of the servants of God ours will be a lonely way.
Adam’s sin caused God to set in motion His eternal plan and purpose for humanity.
God’s Purpose
God purposed His own Son would shed His innocent blood to pay the tremendous price for the sin of the entire human race – as God’s perfect Law required. God’s plan was not simply to restore man to his original position – where sins could be forgiven and a right standing between God and man could be restored.
Struggle and effort in themselves will never secure blessing, but by leading to despair and complete self-disgust they serve a divine purpose in the experience of the soul.
We have to look at ourselves and see how far we are devotedly following the Lord Jesus, with full purpose of heart - how we can say, This one thing I do'; but we must take care at the same time not to get into legal bondage by this standard.
At that point a revelation will be given us which will make us say, Well, that has served its purpose, but it has come to an end now, unto the greater fullness.
That is, what is needed above all else is men who have had a Divine revelation by the Holy Spirit in their own hearts as to God's purpose in this dispensation, and the particular Divine emphasis for the present hour.
The truth is, there is something here that, in its very nature, must create trouble, must be a source of trouble, so long as God's known will, His revealed mind, is being violated; while the full expression of God's purpose is being withstood.
It is a costly thing to have seen God's full purpose and thought concerning His people.
Propitiation Price
It was in the heart of the Father from before the world began to redeem mankind. The propitiation price for sin was agreed – in the eternal council chambers of God. This was according to the eternal purpose that God has realised in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Not so much a distinctive character of the calling, the mystery, which is His body – but a special feature and fact of the overwhelming nature and purpose of grace - That we should be holy..
Purpose of Law
The purpose of the Law was not to tell man how to be righteous. The reason for the Law was to show man that righteousness was unattainable. There were many that “touching the righteousness of the Law’ achieved blamelessness... and Saul of Tarsus was one that could describe himself as blameless: blameless before the Law Phil.3:6 – but never blameless before God.
Well – the calling of the 'saints' was for a purpose: that we should be holy and without blame before him in love. Eph.1:4
The prophets and the apostles learned to know the Lord in wonderful ways by their very mistakes, for they were the mistakes, not of their own stubborn self-will, but of a real passion for God and for what He had shown them as to His purpose.
These are prayers offered for one's own end, rather than God's purpose – or His Way.
Praying with all manner of prayer and entreaty. Praying to that end that we keep alert and watchful. Praying with strong purpose; patience endurance – perseverance. Praying and interceding on behalf of all the saints. Praying - Always – With – All Prayer – and Supplication – in the Spirit.
God predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His willEphesians 1:5
In Him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of Him Who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His willEphesians 1:11
There are three vital factors that will keep us on the path, and in the power, of spiritual growth: (1) study to know that God's purpose in saving us is to conform us to the image of His Son (Rom. 8:28, 29); (2) learn to reckon upon the finished work of the Cross as His provision for that purpose (Rom. 6:11); (3) yield to the Holy Spirit as He carries out the daily process of that purpose (2 Cor. 4:11).
And whosoever does not seek conformity to the Image as the great purpose of Redemption, cannot fully enter its power.
God our Joy
He stirs a confidence in you, that by His power, wisdom, and might, He implanted His good purpose in your soul, so that His good choice becomes the deepest yearning of your heart.
The turning point in our Christian life comes when we begin to let God be God, the day we throw all caution (fear) to the winds and look to Him to carry out His purpose for us in His own time and way.
and He has a plan for those in the tribulation and one for those in the millennium – and His overall plan and purpose is to bring everything into Christ.
The Purpose of Law
The standard of the Law was perfect but impossible for Israel to achieve.
and He has a plan for those in the tribulation and one for those in the millennium – and His overall plan and purpose is to bring everything into Christ.
But the purpose of the Law is to point us to Christ, Who fulfilled the righteous requirements of the law on our behalf.
He begins to see that behind all failure is a divine purpose; behind all problems is a heavenly objective; behind all sufferings; irritations; and trials there is a godly reason, which is to show us that: My grace is sufficient.
Indeed, God wants to teach us through our Romans 7 experience that behind every life experience is a divine purpose to demonstrate that: God’s grace is sufficient and that without Him we can do nothing – but I can do all things through Christ, Who gives me the strength.
It brings us into the right position, in which the Father in His divine power can work out His will and purpose in us - conforming us to the image of His Son. -A.M.
“In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will!” (Eph. 1:11).
We must bear in mind that, while it is the Father's purpose, in His dealings with Job, to vindicate His own estimate of His servant; it is, at the same time, shown us how He educates or disciplines that servant so as to render him worthy of that estimate.
God begins by giving our hearts a sense of the blessedness of the grace in which He has called us, that we may be awakened and enhungered to pursue the knowledge of all this with purpose of heart and prayerful study. -C.A.C.
In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will (Eph. 1:11).
A Study:- Man’s Nature and Destiny
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin, but we can resist Him. The Holy Spirit guides us into all truth, but we can grieve Him. The Holy Spirit achieves His purpose through us, but we can quench Him. The Holy Spirit feeds us with His healing words of life, but we can neglect it – but in all our life and in all our pain, He is never far from us.
The Holy Spirit achieves His purpose through us, but we can quench Him.
If we really had His vision, that which looks like trimming and reduction is His way of enlargement, but spiritual and heavenly enlargement.... God in sovereignty will run the risk of shattering, or allow the shattering, of so much that He has used of scaffolding or framework in order to realize the fuller purpose.
The Holy Spirit is the custodian of the full purpose of God, and under His government the Church and the individual believer will move ever on and up.
From eternity past and into eternity future – forever loved, forever: in whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will, that we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
Even in a matter that is right and in the purpose of God, there has to be the lessons which Abraham had to learn through Isaac.
If we had a thing from the Lord Himself we can rest assured that what He gives He will not take again without some larger purpose in view; and on the other hand, none can take from us what He has determined for us.
But there are many dangers which arise from our own will in relation to a Divine gift or purpose.
We must have confidence in the heavenly position to which we have been elevated. We must understand the eternal plan and purpose that God has for each of His own. We must rejoice in our spiritual blessings and glorious identity in Christ Jesus. We must renounce all the lies that the enemy uses to undermine our faith in God.
The Father placed us there, permitted the trials for a purpose, and He stands ready to bring us out into a life of liberty, if we will stand with Him in trust and endurance while He works it out.
All-Prayer
Such Spirit-influenced prayer will be flung to earth to fulfil God’s purpose for man.
All such “All-Prayer” – is destined to bring about God’s eternal plans and purposes – a purpose outlined from Genesis to Revelation – that Christ is all and in all.
Prayer is the outflow of the new life; as one grows, as the Cross frees the new from the old, there is the growth of effective prayer.Without the Cross, prayer becomes a mere religious formality - without prayer, the Cross is arrested in its purpose.
All God purpose, all that God means for us on that other side of the Cross in union with Christ risen and exalted absolutely demands brokenness, complete brokenness, in all those concerned.
God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of His own purpose and grace, which He gave us in Christ Jesus.... (2 Timothy 1:9 ESV)
That question is Does this thing before me stand in direct line with the full purpose of God, as revealed not in a fragment but in the fullness of His Word?
God has left us in no doubt that He has a clearly defined purpose in view as the ultimate object of all His dealings.
He has also made it abundantly clear what that purpose is.
Further, it is distinctly shown that believers are called according to His purpose, and that they are to make their calling and election sure.
It is the business and duty of every true Christian to study so as to be quite clear as to what that Eternal Purpose is.
Having done so, everything that arises to engage us must be brought to the judgment bar of that purpose, and interrogated in its light.
One question, and one alone, will decide tragedy or glory: does this that is before me stand directly in line with the full purpose of God?
Nothing will remain in this universe eventually but what is Christ, and we must recognize that everything for God's ultimate purpose is bound up with and in Christ, and it IS Christ.
It seems that when the Lord Jesus chose His twelve disciples there was, at the back of the choice and back of the purpose of having a company of men always with Him the intention of showing and expressing what the character of the Firstborn is so far as relationship to other members of the Family is concerned.
It was grace in its fullness that caused the Godhead to look down the corridors of time and purpose an eternal plan that would redeem a sinful race of humanity from sin.
Confident Rest
Waiting and watching in quietude of spirit, is to confidently rest in Him. It is to assuredly be persuaded in His purpose, His promise, and His initiative.
God has a very great purpose for His people by their eternal calling and by their wonderful redemption.
A very great purpose... so much greater than the majority of Christians have realized.
Comparatively few are really in the good of God great, great purpose from eternity, i>Called according to His purpose(Rom. 8:28).
It is not for us now to say what that purpose is, to explain it.
We are called with a very great purpose, not just even to get out of Egypt and the clutches of the devil, but with an object, a tremendous object, nothing less than the infinite fullness of God Son, Jesus Christ, and an eternal vocation.
But there lies before you and reaches out through eternal ages such a purpose of God concerning us all that i>Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him(1 Cor. 2:9).
We are apt to think that if and when the circumstances and conditions of our lives are changed and we are in another position than the one we now occupy, then something will happen, the purpose of God will begin to be fulfilled.
Some think that it is a matter of graduation and ordination and office, and that when they get into an official position, and have recognition there, then they will begin to fulfill the purpose of their lives.
We individually may be the key to everything in the purpose of God.
a Father Who binds up those aching wounds; a Father Who heals the brokenness of life; a Father Who creates afresh a life of meaning; a life of purpose.
A life, where empty hearts are filled to overflowing with His love; a life where aching souls are restored to fullness of purpose.
Do not be discouraged because you may not carry out your purpose at once; God will carry it out, but you must keep in the place where you will be preserved, in the circle of His interests.
Moses had to wait forty years to carry out his purpose, which was a right one, though in the first flush the flesh sought to carry it out; but in the Lord's time, how fully every purpose of his heart was met - all the way to the Mount of Transfiguration!
We have to put back all our schemes, and all our plans, and all our arrangements, and all our programs for the Lord, and in the secret place with the Lord get into the value of true, living, spiritual union with Him, that the purpose may not commence with us in our thought, in our desire, in our will but may begin with God and find a registration in us from God.
He would have us see with spiritual perception what He is doing, and do it, and in like manner; for God is as particular about His method as He is about His purpose.
That message must come from God to men chosen for the purpose.
If God has given a revelation concerning His purpose in Christ which is of such vital importance as to have called for all this special history and preparation, we must realize that it is of very great moment to Satan's interests, and he will leave nothing unused to make its course impossible.... If the greatest need of the hour is that of men of vision, along with it will go the need for willingness to pay the price.
Evaluation of Christianity
Some years ago I spent weeks evaluating one such highly popular religious book, as Christians throughout the world rushed headlong to discover their life’s ‘Purpose.’ I concluded, along with other biblically sound witnesses, its unscriptural inconsistencies. I discovered false teaching – overflowing with atheistic authors and new age teachings.
Meat of the Word
Indeed, there is today a famine for the ‘hearing’ of the meat of the Word of God.. as hungry sheep rush to and fro feasting on much that is harmful to their souls – desiring to know God’s purpose for their lives, while imbibing the doctrines of man. What is God’s will and purpose for the lives of all His disciples? God’s will is clearly stated in Scripture: This is the will (the purpose) of God, even your sanctification 1Thes.4.3 This is the will, of God concerning you that in everything give thanks 1Thes.5:18. This is the purpose of God …that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, Whom He sent.
God’s Purpose For Man
God’s Purpose for us does not have to be extracted from a 12-step programme. God’s Word is the true source of knowledge in understanding His purpose and will. Trace the truth of God’s purpose from before the foundation of the world. Explore the meaning of life from the pages of Scripture – starting with Genesis. God said..
God’s Purpose Thwarted
As head of a pure race, Adam was endowed with personality, emotion, intellect, and will.
God’s purpose, plan and will remain intact. The God-centred man became a Self-centred man, and his progeny from then on were born ungodly and selfish – born in the image of Adam..
God’s Unchanging Purpose
But God… had a plan and a purpose and a will for this fallen race. A plan and a purpose set out in the oracles of God. A plan and a purpose delivered through the prophets of God. A plan and a purpose exulting the Son of God. A purpose that continues to work toward its culminating climatic conclusion.
God uses everything to work toward fulfilling His plan and purpose.
And despite the mess, we make of our lives, as did the first Adam, God’s original purpose will be completed in Christ Jesus, Who is the second Adam. It is finished
God’s Purpose For Us
Telestai: Christ shouted in victory form the cross, and yet it is to be finished – for He must reign, ‘till he hath put all enemies under his feet. 1Cor.15:25 Praise God for the paradoxes of Scripture, for we see through a glass darkly.
Praise the Lord of Heaven and earth, that His ways and purposes are not ours. His purpose in life will be carried out in the life of a believer – by faith. His plan for each life will take time..
for you are accepted. His plan, purpose and will for your life is that Christ is formed in you – that we are conformed into the image and likeness of Jesus, Rom.8:29
God’s Purpose In Christ
There is no 12-step program that can effect this transformation – only a life of humility, submitted to the leading of the Holy Spirit..
Whenever and wherever, by a new revealing of Himself, His purpose and method, the Lord has secured those who have moved out on to the ground of Christonly and in fullness, they have always had to meet a great and painful cost.
If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. (Philippians 2:1,2 NIV)
So long as we are in line with God purpose His work can go on in us.
No doubt he wondered sometimes to what purpose he was there, whether his life had any value.
If we are really here for God, we can be assured that He will reach His end, that He may work out His purpose in us.
Are you sure you are in the great purpose of God?
Each and every one has to be in God purpose.
We have to remember that God has called us for a purpose which will be realized as we abandon ourselves to Him.
A Holy Spirit possessed life is always marked by purpose.
Let us abandon all personal desires, and be filled with the Spirit of urgency traight away.Those who know that they are called of God, and who definitely recognize the purpose of their life, will be wholly given up to it.
My determined purpose is that I may know Him. (Philippians 3:10 AMP) There are few words in his writings which reveal how committed to the Lord Jesus this man was.
Just remember –
A man’s conduct is always determined by his view of God… and behind it all, is the Divine Purpose to show us that “My Grace Is Sufficient..”
Immediately you begin to contemplate or purpose a fuller prayer-life, the enemy launches a new scheme for keeping you more busy and occupied, heaping up the work and crowding in demands so that you will have no time or opportunity for prayer.... But we must recognize this: that the enemy will construct his best arguments about responsibility, duty and conscience to stop us praying, and there is a place where, if we see prayer is utterly ruled out, or brought down to such a limited place that it is completely inadequate for a life of spiritual ascendancy and victory, we have to say: Lord, I am going to trust the responsibility with You while I pray, that You will not allow my breaking away for this time to have detrimental results, and that You will protect this prayer-time which I seek for Your glory from the inroads of the enemy.
You see, God is using your life’s circumstances on the life-path you are treading, to fulfil IN you, His perfect plans and purpose FOR you – as is best for you.
God has decreed that all circumstances, both the positives and the negatives are used: all things work together for good, to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.” Rom.8:28
Perfect Purpose
Oh!
they are in the middle of God’s pure and perfect purpose in their lives.
Many foolishly see this as failure instead of God’s great purpose being executed.
But in order to carry out His purpose in our lives, our Father brings in needs that call for more than milk - we become hungry for the meat of the word, and are thereby strengthened and matured.
An experience that in time or in eternity will prove itself to be one of those things for which we say – ALL things work together for good to those that love God – to those that are the called, according to HIS purpose….
to inhibit their life’s purpose, without recognising their position in Christ – a position in Christ that has gained them complete acceptance with God.
He was a man with a definite purpose.
One purpose has a man’s full attention, One motivation has a greater potential of being achieved.
Unique Purpose
So what is this one purpose that the believer should strain after?
Prelude to Eternity
This human life is but a prelude to eternity. The decisions made on this mortal coil are fixed in the books of eternity. May each of us make today count – for today you have been ordained for the service of the Lord. The believer’s time of probation and training needs to be enacted out for the serious purpose.
Christ’s Mind
It means in everything we do – living the Life of our Lord. It means in all that we say – that we say everything as from Him. It means the Lord working out His will and purpose in our lives with no opposition. Let this mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus… Have Thine Own way Lord – Thou are the Potter, I am the clay. Thy will not mine be done – to the glory of God the Father.
Full Purpose
God wants to achieve His full purpose in the life of every believer – but some refuse. God wants to bring out His supreme purpose in His own – but few hear His voice. God wants His life wrought in us – executed through Christ’s cross and resurrection..
But it must be done His way in order to achieve His purpose.
God takes His time for a purpose, not as a cruel trick or a mean manipulation.
God’s Purpose
But this is no tarrying in the way that God considers tarrying.
God has a purpose, and the Lord is not slack or slow as we read in 2Peter 9. For yet a little while, he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.” Heb 10:37
All things - ALL things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.
He believed, therefore, that God had His time for fulfilling His purpose... and that, although it might not come in his own lifetime, it nevertheless would come.
But during his lifetime within the compass of the whole range of Divine purpose there were instances of testing on the time factor; and, having been tested on that factor, the promise was fulfilled.
The ministry of intercession probes into God’s desires; God’s will; God’s purpose.
The intercessor has a servant heart that looks away from self to the purpose of God.
It pinnacles when praying into the Spirit-revealed, divine plan and purpose of God.
Servant Heart
The ministry of intercession probes into God’s desires; God’s will; God’s purpose. The man or woman of prayer has God’s interest as their sole and sublime concern. The intercessor has a servant-heart that looks away from self to the purpose of God, The intercessor is cleansed daily from all unrighteousness.
Unparalleled Purpose
The work in Paul’s life is the work that the Lord seeks to do in each of us, but we have to willingly submit to His challenging examination of self.
God has an eternal purpose in all of life’s trials and troubles – an unbroken, uninterrupted, unparalleled purpose from eternity to eternity - that in the ages to come God might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
But Paul knew that no matter what life threw in his direction: All things work together for good for those that love the Lord Jesus and are called according to His good purpose.
It was eternal God Who commanded and caused this wonderful revelation of Himself to be gifted to man, through the Holy Scriptures, and He did it for a purpose: To advance the obedience of faith among all nations.
Paul's purpose and philosophy in life was to live for Christ, even when buffeted by storms, maligned by his enemies, confined to a prison cell, or facing death.
He had one fixed purpose in life, and one unalterable plan - to live for the glory of Christ and to preach the Word of truth.
For me to live is Christ and to die is gain was Paul's firm purpose and his fixed delight.
He had proven himself to be zealous for the gospel and Paul’s worthy co-worker, and so Paul wrote: I am sending Tychicus to you for the express purpose that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts.Although he is only mentioned five times in the New Testament, Tychicus earned the trust and recommendation of the apostle Paul.
The Law was not given to annul, supplement, or alter this unconditional Abrahamic promise and so the question arose among many Jewish believers in the early Church: Why was the Law given, what was the purpose of the Law, and did it alter the terms of the Abrahamic promise?
It was necessary for Paul to explain the purpose and character of the Law and to show how it did not alter, in any way, the covenant made with Abraham, but rather complemented it in a most unusual way.
The purpose of the Law is to lead us to Christ by showing how deeply we are embroiled in sin and how desperately we need a Saviour.
It was the Son of God Himself, the very Word of the Almighty, Who spoke the plan and purpose of God the Father into being, as the Spirit of God Himself moved over the face of the waters to form and fashion and fill the empty void which the Trinity in Unity called into being.
God's purpose in each of our lives is to educate, discipline, and train us in righteousness and the fiery trials that come upon us are used by Him to try us, as the furnace tries silver, to cut deep into our fleshly nature and polish off all the fleshly dross that contaminates our new-life in Christ so that by grace through faith we will not murmur, but humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, knowing that He has promised to exalt us in due time.
Only as we turn our eyes away from our own disappointments and look to His wider purpose and plan, do we discover that His mercies never come to an end, for they are new every morning.
God in His eternal and infinite wisdom has chosen to share with the fallen race of finite humanity certain truths of His Person, His character, His purpose - and His plans for the redemption of mankind.
His delay is not inactivity or disinterest, but a preparation to make all things work together for good, to those that love God and are called according to His purpose.
One beloved passage is written by Isaiah: For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there without watering the earth and making it produce and sprout, and providing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; So will My Word be which goes out of My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the purpose for which I sent it.
Now you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, perseverance, persecutions, and sufferings....continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them.
A metaphor is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable, while an allegory draws a comparison between one thing and another for the purpose of greater explanation or clarification.
The Godhead; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, is seen in the Bible as being unified in nature and purpose; co-equal, co-perfect, co-eternal, and consubstantial.
No wonder, he asks the question: Do you suppose that the Scripture is speaking to no purpose when it says that the Spirit Whom He has caused to dwell in us yearns over us?
And although our hopes may be disappointed, our plans may fail, and our expectation may be frustrated, God has a higher purpose to which He is working, and as His children, we are a part of His eternal plan.
Let us never forget that His thoughts and plans and ways and works are all working together for good to those that are the called according to His purpose.
He realised the purpose of their visit and sent someone with orders for Rahab: Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, for they came to investigate the entire land.
Israel were supposed to be a light to the Gentiles and God's eternal purpose was to save all people, not only Israel.
Although the story of Jonah is a peep into one prophet's commission which demonstrates God's grace and mercy towards all people, and that His sovereign purpose will always come to completion, it also contains many lessons for Christians today.
The incredible Christ for whom Paul suffered, the glorious gospel of grace that he proclaimed, and the maturing of the saints in Christ, was the purpose and passion for which Paul strove.
A passion and purpose that he could not carry out in his own 'wretched' strength, but a passion and a purpose that was fulfilled by means of the indwelling power of Christ which lived in him and worked mightily through him; a power that works mightily in all who will cease from their own fleshly strivings, rest in His love, and abide in Christ's sufficient strength.
Paul's singular purpose in his God-appointed ministry was to preach Christ crucified, and his great desire was to establish mature believers, in order to present them holy and blameless before God at Christ's appearing.
God is working His purpose out and He will come back at the right time, not too early, not too late and Peter gives us insight into His timing: The Lord does not delay his promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.
Trials may not be easy, but God is ultimately in control and He has promised that they will last but for a short season and are designed for a distinct and wonderful purpose, which will only become fully evident when the Lord Jesus returns for His Church.
Paul knew that one of the keys that contributes to Christian joy and walking in fellowship with the Lord, is that brothers in Christ are kind and considerate to one another, having the love of Christ in their hearts, and being one in spirit and like-minded in purpose.
Unlike Israel, we all have the indwelling holy Spirit of God Who is working in us to will and to do His good purpose in our lives as through life's trials and tribulations, He is conforming us into the image and likeness of Christ.
The new Persian policy of intermingling and intermarriage was being adopted, but despite their apparent disregard for their Jewish homeland and roots, God had chosen Israel for a particular purpose; to be the nation through whom the Messiah would come.
The believer is called upon to delight in the things of God, for those are the qualities of life that have everlasting joy, eternal purpose, and heavenly rewards.
He asked Philip, before explaining: The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. Jesus was so in tune with His Father that they were united in thought and unified in purpose - Christ in the Father and the Father in Him.
He participated in every pleasure and attempted many beneficial assignments in order to discover the purpose of life.
During his various exploits to discover the meaning of life and the purpose for living, his overriding conclusion was that without God, life is meaningless - however, he certainly discovered some important lessons from which we too can profit.
May we examine our Christian purpose in life, but be careful that we do not become so embroiled in setting to right the political and social scene in this fallen age, that we miss the true purpose of our calling and election.
Christ had come to earth for the singular purpose of going to the Cross as Saviour of mankind, and the Father's voice was heard to say: I have both glorified My name and will glorify it again.
We are to be deeply in love with our Lord Jesus in principle and in purpose, in thought, word, and deed, just as He was with His own Father when He walked the dusty roads of Israel, for He did only those things that He heard from His Father and His prayer was always, Your will be done so that You may be glorified.
But not only does He desire a vertical oneness of each of His children with Himself, but He also yearns that we have a horizontal oneness with our brothers and sisters in the Body of Christ; that we become one in principle and purpose, one in thought and word and deed, one in faith and doctrine, one in love and hope.
We are also to abide in His love and trust His wise purpose for our lives.
This passage also helps us to understand that God's will and purpose for all of His blood-bought children is that we bring forth much fruit to His praise and glory, and that we experience His joy in our lives.
Christ spoke many things to His disciples so that His love and peace could reign in their hearts and that their joy might be full to overflowing, but the joy of the Lord is often couched in the fellowship of His suffering and pain so that the good purpose of the Lord is fulfilled to their eternal benefit and to the glory of God.
His children may let the Lord down or grumble at the circumstances of their lives or try to achieve God's plan and purpose for their lives in their own strength, but all God's promises are true and He is faithful to carry out all His pledges to every one of His children, and no-one will be able to stand against us as long as we live.
There are also those that follow secular philosophies and promote an unbiblical worldview - where Bible prophecy is ignored or twisted... and extra biblical teachings are promoted, while others are encouraged to live a purpose-driven life through a socialite gospel.
Let us seek to emulate our Lord Jesus in all things, by keeping our old sin nature nailed to the Cross and appropriating all that we have in our new life in Christ, for we have been called for this purpose: to suffer for Christ's sake Who left us an example that we should follow in His steps.
The life of every Christian should be a consecrated life of singular devotion to our Heavenly Father; a life whose purpose is to glorify God alone, until He is everything in our life and we are nothing.
Christ is born in Bethlehem, is the line of a much-loved carol, but those words are pregnant with meaning, for the birth of this baby was for a divine purpose and to fulfil prophecy.
He testified to the truth of His Word both by signs and wonders and by various miracles, which He used to provoke His chosen people to jealousy, but also by the many gifts of the Holy Spirit which God in His grace bestows on all His blood-bought children, according to the purpose of His own will.
And when God desired to demonstrate the unchangeable character of His purpose, He established it with an oath, by which it is impossible for God to lie.
The very purpose of the incarnation was salvation for a rebellious race that was dead in trespasses and sin, at enmity with God, and condemned to eternal separation from their Creator.
It was by willingly giving up His own perfect life as an offering to the Father at Calvary that the purpose for which Christ was born was accomplished.
All that we do and all that we are, should reflect the glory of the Lord Jesus for a special purpose so that our Heavenly Father may be glorified through our lives.
What was the purpose of setting standards that could never be reached?The Law was given to Israel not as a means to salvation, but to identify their sin and to establish their need for salvation, by faith.
Those that seek to place believers back under the Law do not understand the purpose of the Law, which is to get man to see that he is a sinner who is under its curse but is incapable of doing anything about it.
May we thank God that He works all things together for His good purpose and may we worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness and live a life that honours Him, for His greater praise and glory.
Jesus could have healed Lazarus from a distance, just as he had healed the nobleman's servant, but He delayed His visit for a purpose - and that purpose was for the glory of God.
The joy of the Lord was John's hope and strength, and he was writing his epistle for a particular purpose: These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete.
Just as the farmer has to prepare, plant, till, and wait patiently for his precious crop to grow, so we are reminded to wait patiently and quietly for the coming of the Lord, as we carry out His purpose for our life.
We have been selected, called, chosen, consecrated, and set apart for a very particular purpose: That we may proclaim the excellences of Him, Who called us out of darkness into His marvellous light.
Good governance in the home results where the man is responsible for loving and caring for his wife with the same self-sacrificial, godly love that Christ loves the Church – and gave Himself for her.Similarly, when the wife responds to her husband's leadership as the Bible teaches, and becomes his most responsive and devoted helper, then the relationship between husband and wife reflects God’s initial plan and purpose for the whole of humanity.Sadly, the blurring of the sexes and the demands of the supposedly 'liberated' women of the 21 century, is diametrically opposite from God's plan and purpose for the human race.
Like it or not... the greatest freedom in marriage, as well as in other relationships, is in carrying out God's will and purpose for our lives, in His way, and for His glory.God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son for the redemption of all mankind, and Christian women who are married to unbelieving men, are supplied with the greatest opportunity to draw them to faith in Christ.
God is working His purpose out as year succeeds to year, but we are not always party to the plans that God has purposed in the counsel of His own will.
The first man failed to fulfil Deity's plans and purpose for humanity, but the triune Godhead decreed that a second Man would redeem Adam's fallen race from their sins.
God was to crush the head of the serpent through the promised Seed of the woman Who was to be passed down from the generations of Adam, Seth, Enoch, Noah, and on down though the great patriarchs of old until Jesus (the incarnate Son of God and perfect Son of Man) would finally fulfil God's plans and purpose for mankind.
Though some see the woman's question on the place and purpose of worship as evading the sin-issue at hand, others see her response as a genuine, heart-enquiry of how she might be forgiven of her sins and brought back into sweet fellowship with the God of Israel.
The first type of prayer Paul lists are entreaties or supplications which talk of earnestly, yet reverently pleading with the Lord for some very specific purpose.
Whether we are faced with fleshly temptations that rise up from our old sin nature or testing trials that come from above, we know that God takes all things and weaves them beautifully together for good, to those that love God and are called by grace through faith in Christ, according to His good purpose.
The perfecting of Christ was the glorious end and final consummation of the wonderful plan and faultless purpose of God in bringing many condemned sinners back into a right relationship with Himself and adopting all who believe in Jesus Christ into His family, as His sons.
In order to achieve God's purpose - to redeem mankind and bring many sons to glory, Jesus had to become a Man and live as God created man to live - in obedience to the Father, in submission to God through the power of the Spirit, as He walked in spirit and truth.But to get to the crown of glory, the Lord Jesus had to stretch out His arms of love on the Cross.
Paul was a man of prayer who believed that, although everything in life was subject to God's divine will, eternal purpose, and sovereign permission, God also hears the intercessions of the saints and answers the prayers of His servants.
He is unique and there is no other God beside Him, but the unmistakable doctrine of the Trinity has its stamp of authority throughout the entire Word of God and the 'Shema' which the Lord Jesus referenced to the young Jewish ruler, only serves to endorse the monotheistic doctrine of the Triune Godhead - for the Lord our God is ONE Lord - unique from all the false gods of the pagan nations for He is the One Creator and the only wise Saviour Who is One in unity, One in purpose, One in thought, and word and deed.
Yet in His wisdom, God has revealed that He is three distinct Persons - God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit... and because God is united in purpose and character, God is ONE.
This verse is a simple, yet timely reminder, that we are to live by faith in the Word of Truth, and to trust God's judgement in all things, for He sends blessings on the just and unjust alike, and He takes the foolish schemes and rebellious actions of men and turns them to His greater glory, in order to fulfil His ultimate plan and purpose, which is that Christ is all in all.
Paul knows God is able to work all things together, for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose and so he was able to write: I have confidence in you in the Lord, that you will adopt no other view.
But being saved by grace through faith and clothed in Christ is not the end goal but the beginning of our new life in Him, and every day we should strive to know Him more, to love Him better, to listen to His voice, to obey His Word, and to develop an ever-closer relationship with Him. This demands a singleness of purpose, a sole objective – one determined aim.
For we know that by His grace He has set us all apart for His good purpose so that in His strength, we may complete the good work that He foreordained that we should walk in.
They laid legalistic burdens on the people of Israel, by erecting man-made traditions around the Law which served their prideful purpose, but which altered the truth of God's Word.
As the apostle Peter also taught: Do not return evil for evil or insult for insult, but give a blessing instead - for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.
All power and authority in both earth and heaven belongs to Him and there followed a most astonishing revelation: I have been born a king, and for this purpose I have come into the world - to testify to the truth.
In this passage, Paul wants to demonstrate that the purpose of the normal Christian life is to refuse to engage in ungodly pursuits, participate in fleshly desires, or be tempted by the alluring trinket and tricks of this world-system.
For if they had understood God's purpose and plan, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory - but in so doing, they unleashed the grace of God upon humankind and across the farthest corners of the universe.
Every aspect of God's amazing plan of redemption that is received by faith in Christ's sacrificial death and His glorious Resurrection, was in accordance with the eternal purpose and plan of God, which was hidden for ages and generations... but which God finally carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Nor can he achieve His purpose in our life if we are proud or seeking our own glory, for anxiety, disobedience, fear, pride, and vainglory all emanate from our old sin nature.
The book of Revelation references and expands prophecies that are yet to be fulfilled, but its main purpose is to reveal Jesus (Who was, and Who is, and Who is to come).
The God of Hope - Oh what a glorious title and beautiful theme for the triune God Who, in singleness of purpose, is pledged to fill us with all joy, peace, love, and hope, when we simply trust in the pure gospel of the Son of His love.
He was a man who walked according to God's will and God's purpose - for as we read in Amos, Can two walk together, except they be agreed? Walking together in the unity of the spirit implies deep friendship and love - a special and intimate relationship, where ongoing communion is maintained.
God's plans and purpose for the redemption of mankind are unchangeable, for He is the same yesterday, today, and forever, but God chooses the work that He gives to each of His servants individually.
God chose His people, Israel, for a specific purpose, and although they broke their promises following their miraculous escape from Egypt, the Lord will not go back on any of the promises He made to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, or David.
Paul had been visited by an angel of God who told him not to be afraid, reminding him that the Lord had ordained that he must testify before Caesar, so nothing could happen to God's servant before he had fulfilled God's purpose for his life.
He trusted the word of the angel who came from God in answer to Paul's prayer, and this child of God knew that even the raging ocean and the loss of the vessel on which he was travelling would be used to fulfil the plans and purposes of God: All things work together for good for those that love God, for those that are called, according to His purpose.
Like Elijah, the Baptist lived during a time of spiritual poverty and both drew the wrath of a wicked king and his evil queen, but both will be remembered as men who were chosen by the Lord for a special purpose and who were filled with the Spirit of God.
The love and grace He showed to us when we were lost sinners, is to be reflected in our own lives as we arm ourselves with the same Christ-like attitude and a corresponding godly purpose - as we travel through life.
For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification. The Lord expects every one of His blood-bought children to live a consecrated life - body, soul, and spirit.
He also reminds us that as members of Christ's Body, we all have our own spiritual gifting and own specific calling and no matter what is required of us and irrespective of where we are directed to go, everything we do is to be done to the glory of God as we seek to carry out His special plan and purpose for our lives.
Indeed, the whole purpose of Christ's death and Resurrection was so that He could fulfil His role as Lord (both Lord of the dead and Lord of the living) in the lives of all who trust in His holy name.
Give us this day our daily bread, is a simple supplication to our Heavenly Father from His petitioning child, but it follows a section that recognises the sovereignty of God, the eternal purpose of God, and the perfect will of God - both in the wider world and in our personal lives.
Man was the pinnacle of God's creative work, and while chapter 1 outlines the process of God's creation, chapter 2 details the purpose of God's creative work.
We are to offer ourselves as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable and set apart for the single purpose of glorifying our Father, Who is in heaven.
The believer that does not maintain close communion with the Father becomes an unfruitful, barren branch; a wasted life that did not fulfil the purpose for which he was saved: to glorify God.
The Lord Jesus was to be the ultimate and final King of kings Who would sit on David's throne, but this would only happen in God's timing and would be carried out to fulfil God's perfect plan and purpose for the redemption of the whole world.
And to David's humble amazement, God had selected his own tribe of Judah and his own kingly line to finally fulfil His eternal plans and almighty purpose.
Christians and the Church are a special group of people who are holy unto the Lord. We are set apart for a specific purpose in this dispensation of grace.
He knew that when a man or nation turns away from the Lord, they will fail in their endeavour, but when a man or nation places God in His rightful position - their plans and purposes succeed, for they align their own heart with God's own perfect plan and purpose.
When it is used to show an unsaved man or woman that they are sinners in need of God’s forgiveness, it fulfils its purpose, but when it is manipulated by false teachers to cause believers who have already been justified by grace through faith in Christ, to turn aside to vain discourses, useless discussions, frivolous arguments, and ungodly philosophies – it is very dangerous and very wrong.
As with all God's wonderful works, His purpose is to show that He is the Lord and there is no power in heaven or earth that is able to withstand His awesome presence.
His weight of suffering was a refining ministry that the Lord had permitted to overtake His faithful servant, with a purpose in view.
Like Job, we may not understand the divine purpose behind the cruel trials that we are obligated to bear, but His Word reminds us that God knows the plans He has for each of our lives – plans for good and not for evil.
He longed that the desire of Israel's heart would be to place God in His rightful position, at the centre of their life's purpose.
When our will and purpose reflects the will and purpose of God, and His desires become the dear desires of our heart, the life that we live translates into His best will for us, and we will live to His praise and glory and fulfil the whole purpose for which we were created.
God's purpose for man may have been set aside for a season due to sin, but He had already determined, before the foundation of the world, to save his fallen race.
The Sabbath was to be the special sign that set Israel apart from the nations; a sign that they were a sanctified people – a sign that was endorsed by God Himself Who thundered: I AM Jehovah Maccaddeshem – the Lord Who Sanctifies you. A sanctified vessel is set apart from all other vessels for a special purpose and the sanctified nation of Israel was also different and distinct from all other peoples of the world.Israel’s Sabbaths and Israel’s Feasts, Israel’s Oracles, and Israel’s Scriptures all point to Israel’s coming Messiah, and all find their full and final fulfilment in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ.
What is the reason for this eternal honour, and for what purpose have we been elevated into this state of heavenly friendship with the Son of the most High God?
How hard it is to know that you are in God's will and fulfilling His purpose in your life, and yet have powerful people opposing you, and jealous enemies trying to take your life.
The Gospel of John was written for one express purpose: That you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.
No doubt these early childhood days with his mother, enabled Moses to be taught about his Jewish ancestry and to learn about the purpose and promises of God, before being educated in every aspect of Egyptian culture in preparation for his life's work.
An important thing to note is that this fresh new filling was a sovereign act of God, which took place under His authority in response to prayer, and for a particular purpose.
The type of filling in this chapter was under HIS sovereign authority and for HIS specific purpose.
His punishment of sin is just and righteous altogether, and there is a wonderful purpose in His retribution; the restoration of His nation Israel, the resurrection of myriad of His saints, and the 1000-year reign of His appointed Messiah when: Righteousness and peace will kiss one another, and the earth will be filled with the glory of God.
God was working His purpose out, for the Jewish Messiah must be born in His ancestral city; the city of David, as prophesied by Micah.
Every unfortunate happening was used by God to fulfil His greater plan and purpose for the redemption of mankind and to fulfil the prophetic Scriptures.
We all want to live our lives with purpose and to the fullest, but oftentimes we forget the importance of surrendering our plans to God and forge ahead with boastful, arrogant planning, which too often excludes an awareness that our times are in His hands.
The truth is, we don’t know what tomorrow will bring, and instead of making plans solely based on our own desires and ambitions, we should be saying, 'If this is in line with God's plans and purpose for our lives, then we will go to so and so and do such and such.'
How careful we should be that our reluctance to carry out God's purpose for our lives, does not result in a missed opportunity - and a loss of blessing.
And so here in his letter to the Romans, Paul makes it very clear that although Israel has a zeal for God, they were ignorant of the purpose of the Law, and sought to attain their own righteousness by the works of the Law.
Paul explains the wonder of our identification with Christ and His precious identification with us.For if we are become identified with Him in the likeness of His death, so also we shall be identified with His glorious resurrection. Paul then expounds God's wisdom in setting aside the nation of Israel for a season and His ultimate will and purpose as it relates to both Israel and the Church, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fulness of the Gentiles is brought in.
HOWEVER, there is one verse that identifies the meaning and purpose of life: When all has been heard, the conclusion of the matter under consideration is: fear God and keep His commands, for this is the whole duty of all mankind.
In these last days, may we be united together in the truth of God's Word and united together in the will and purpose of God's plan, so that by our word and witness, lost sinners might be saved by grace through faith in Christ, and Jesus Himself would be glorified.
When a woman accepts that she has a different role, both within church life and home life, it demonstrates her compliance and submissiveness to God's fundamental design and purpose.
Israel was given the Sabbath day for their physical benefit and spiritual refreshment, but the legalists of the day had twisted it to become diametrically opposite of God's original purpose for mankind.
Paul describes God's gracious purpose towards all who trust Him for salvation, whether they be Jew or Gentile, and reminds us that we are a holy priesthood, a royal nation, and children of the most-high God.
And having just spread before us the most astonishing array of privileges that are ours through faith in Jesus Christ and which describes God's unfailing plan and purpose for us through the gospel of Christ, Paul finally asks the rhetorical question... If GOD is for us, WHO can be against us? And the resounding answer can only be - no-one! - no - one!!
Cheerful giving that proceeds from a heart that loves to do the will of the Lord in spirit and in truth is applauded while a gift that is given grudgingly, comes from a heart that has misunderstood the true purpose of giving and which sadly misses the blessings that stream into the life of a faithful and true disciple of the Lord.
Perhaps we should all examine the hidden motives of our heart as we give of our time, our money, our skill, and our talents, to see if our hearts are filled with joy and grateful thanks for all that Christ has done for us - or if we are still using our Christian giving in response to legalist bondage, selfish motives, or for any other unbiblical purpose.
As individuals, we have the freedom to purpose in our hearts the moves we make and the things we do.
Let us not be shy to purpose plans in our hearts, for God has ordained that we have a freewill to make our choices, but let us seek to give the dear desires of our hearts to the Lord, knowing that: The plans of the heart belong to a person, But the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.
The earth was created to be beautiful, with great structure and design, and it was spoken into being for a specific and wonderful purpose; for the glory of God.
The heights and depths of His creative abilities and the mysterious purpose behind His creation can never be fathomed by the mere mind of man, nor his intellectual scrutiny.
For 4000 years, God prepared the way for His only begotten Son to be born into the world as the Propitiation for our sin and it was at the end of the dispensation of the Law (which Scripture refers to as 'the last days') that Jesus was sent from heaven to earth to fulfil His Father's plans and purpose for the race of man whom He had formed out of the dust of the earth in His own image and likeness.
Joseph's life is a wonderful example of Romans 8:28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
It is interesting to note that the 7 trumpets were not disclosed until the 6th seal had been broken, but as with all God's plans and purposes, they will only occur in God's timing, in His way, for His greater purpose, and for His eternal glory.
When believers live by faith, according to His purpose, and fit into His plan, then they will receive their promised reward - while those who do not live as outlined in the Word, will receive the consequences of the wrong which they have done.
Despite the polices of politicians, the regulations of religious leaders, and the dictates of both national and international dignitaries under whom we are currently placed, we have an assurance from the authoritative Word of God, that He is in control and has authorised every authority to carry out His eternal plan and purpose.
Let us never forget that it is the Lord Most High Who remains ruler over the realm of mankind, and He uses each one to forward His perfect purpose and plan.
The entire sequence of events painted by Daniel, presents God's ongoing purpose and plan for the redemption of man, for those with eyes to see and a heart that trusts in the Lord.
The old order fulfilled its purpose, which was to point sinners to Christ and the new, perfect order in Christ is able to accomplish what the Law could never do.
The purpose of the Law was to make Israel aware of their sinfulness, show them their need for salvation, and point them to Christ.
It is a time of Great Tribulation when God's wrath will be poured out on a God-hating, Christ-rejecting, sinful world, with the purpose of bringing repentant Israel back to faith in God and to trust in Jesus Christ, their Messiah and King.
God ordained His redemptive plan and purpose in the eternal council chambers of heaven before the foundation of the world.
A plan where God is working all things together for His own glory and for the eternal good of all who trust Him as Saviour (those that are called according to His purpose, for we are all part of His perfect plan).
But God ordained His redemptive plan in the eternal council chambers of heaven before the foundation of the world: a good plan, a perfect plan where Christ will be all in all, a plan which will certainly come to fruition because God is working His purpose out in every situation of our lives, whether those circumstances are good or evil.
He points out that godly wisdom should be the true treasure we pursue, and reminds us that irrespective of one's station in life, whether desperately poor or fabulously wealthy, our purpose in life should be to honour the Lord.
Jesus was not seeking to extricate Himself from His God-appointed responsibility, for He knew that for this purpose He had come into the world to save lost sinners by means of His substitutionary death.
Remember, He is not only with you in the parched and weary land, but He will guide you through all those scorched and burning places for a purpose - to draw you closer into His outstretched arms of love and to take you deeper into an undertaking of Who He truly is... until you can say with Job, I have learned all about You Lord, but now I have come to a deeper understanding of Who You truly are - I have come to know You in a more intimate and precious way, than ever before.
The commands that God gave to Israel were for Israel, and although they are instructive for all people and cover many of the principles and instructions of Christian living which are laid out in the New Testament in this Church age, we must always recognise that these commands were first and foremost given to Israel in a specific, historical context and for a specific purpose.
In the same way, our Lord and Saviour covers us with His own robe of righteousness, which is a demonstration of His gracious purpose towards us - and we are to sit at His feet.
He was identified as the perfect example of a Man Who suffered unjustly at the hands of wicked men, in order to fulfil the plans and purpose of a holy God: To bring us to God.
He was the substitute Man Who died once for all on the Cross of Calvary: In order to bring you to God. He was the righteous God-Man who laid down His precious life for a race of sinful, rebellious, prideful men, with the supreme purpose that He might bring us to God.
In his sermon, Peter presented the gospel by explaining that Christ was delivered up according to God's purpose, plan, and foreknowledge, but that Israel permitted lawless people to nail Him to a Cross and kill Him.
He had not shrunk back from declaring the entire purpose of God, even the difficult things about suffering for Christ's sake, and the satanic attack on Church members that would inevitably come from the enemy of their soul.
For those that walk in spirit and truth, it reveals God's hidden purpose for mankind, which is that Christ is all in all.
As John opens the book of Revelation with a stunning description of the role, function, purpose, and plan of the triune Godhead, we discover that God's only begotten Son is: The Alpha and Omega, the first and the last.
He is the beginning and the end of God's plan and purpose for mankind.
During the Church age we are precluded by divine decree from knowing the significance and message of these awe-inspiring seven thunders, which will only be revealed in God's time, in God's way, and for God's ultimate plans and purpose.
Whether the bread and wine were for refreshment following his successful rescue mission, or whether it was for some sort of ceremonial purpose, we do not know.
He has saved us and called us with a holy calling, he wrote to Timothy, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.
But like all the signs and miracles recorded in his Gospel, John's purpose in writing was to prove that Jesus was the Christ, and that by believing on HIM we might have life everlasting.
Paul's fourth instruction to Timothy was specific: Fulfil you ministry. He was never to give-up when difficulties arose but was to keep on to the very end and accomplish the purpose for which he had been called.
While John's Gospel was written so that lost sinners might believe in the saving blood of Christ, be forgiven of their trespasses, be redeemed from the slave-market of sin, and have life in His name, the purpose of his first epistle is to enable born-again saints to enter into the fullness of the eternal life we received at salvation.
But the religious leaders had become proud and rebellious, and instead of it being used for its hallowed purpose of worship and prayer, the holy Temple of God had become a profane place of ungodly merchandise, dishonest trading, and gross malpractice of unprecedented proportion.
He knew that His purpose for Abraham was to become a great man and a mighty nation and that through his Seed, (the Messiah of Israel), all the families of the earth would be blessed.
The purpose of the Law was to reveal unrighteousness and to bring a sinner to repentance before a holy God, but the Word of God identifies two types of righteousness: one that stems from a works-based morality, which is achieved by rigorously keeping the Law, and one which is a faith-based righteousness, which comes from humbly trusting Jesus as Saviour and depending on Him at all times and for all things.
The purpose and will of God is that everyone should be saved, and God has done everything possible to bring all mankind into salvation.
The breadth of God's love is universal in its reach, and the purpose of God's salvation is as broad as His love which is to save mankind from condemnation, for it is not God's will that any should perish.
As a consequence, they sin against God's will and purpose for their life, and remain eternally lost and dead in their sins.
The one that perishes is in rebellion against the direct will and purpose of God, and the man who perish can never blame God Who has done everything that is possible to save them.
He is in rebellion against the Will of God, the Intent of God, the Purpose of God, and the very Life of God.
It was when God moved the heart of the king to enquire about his cup-bearer's sorrow, that we see God's hand moving speedily, in a wonderful way, as plans were made for Nehemiah to be God's instrument to fulfil his heart's desire and carry forward God's purpose and plan for His people and His Holy City.
But this man of God demonstrated great wisdom, for he did not blaze abroad the purpose of his visit.
Paul did not pray a vague prayer of 'blessing' over the saints of God, but beseeched the Lord for their abounding love and spiritual maturity (for a specific purpose), so that in Christ, they would be afforded the wisdom to make the right choices in their lives and approve those things that are good and excellent in the sight of the Lord.
All believers are given gifts and graces, roles and responsibilities, but not all vessels are used for the same purpose, and not all Christians are required to participate in ministries that meet with our approval!
The wonderful truth is that we are forgiven of our sins, according to the riches of His grace which has been lavished on us in all wisdom and understanding. He told us that we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to God's eternal purpose and will.
How often we too do not understand the greater purpose of God and focus our worries on the immediate, rather than resting our confidence in the ultimate plan of God.
It all comes back to trusting our lives and our futures into God's hands, knowing that ALL things work together for good, to those that love God, and are called according to his purpose.
Since Christ suffered in the flesh, we should also be ready to arm ourselves with the same determined purpose as our Lord - and for His glory.
Because Jesus suffered in the flesh on our account, we are to arm ourselves with the same resolve and purpose as Him, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin.
Their opposition to God's purpose, plan, and people, is an indication that they remain under the condemnation of the Lord, and a sign that perdition is their just reward.
However, when interpreted literally and understood in its correct historical context, many concerns disappear and we recognise that its primary purpose is to teach about God's providential care for His people, His sovereign oversight in the forward progression of history, His unfolding plan of salvation, and His continuing relationship with His chosen people, even when they are disobedient or far away from the Promised Land of Israel.
God has a unique purpose for every believer and is willing to use each one of us to bring His plan of redemption to its completion.
Maybe, like Esther and Mordecai, we have been put in a particular place to be used by Him for a particular purpose.
Scripture must remain the benchmark for the practical outflow of godly living and spiritual maturity, and its purpose is to produce Christlikeness in all God's children, as we present our bodies as a living sacrifice unto the Lord and yield our lives over to His leading and guidance.
He knows the end from the beginning and the formation of the Body of Christ was in accordance with God's eternal plan and purpose for the redemption of mankind - which was carried out through the Lord Jesus Christ, at Calvary.
But the wonderful thing is that once we have been convicted of sin and trusted God's offer of salvation by grace through faith in Christ, the Law has achieved its purpose in us, for the Law was a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ.
And Solomon's prayer indicates the importance of being specific, as we make our requests to the Lord, and of praying into His perfect will and purpose - in spirit and in truth.
Let us in lowliness of heart and thankfulness of spirit, praise our great God and Father for His great plan of salvation and marvellous purpose for mankind.
God's purpose for us is encapsulated in this precious verse, for the Son of God came in the likeness of sinful flesh and suffered the most shocking ignominy, insults, and death so that sin and sickness, want and weariness, destruction and death, and all that is encompassed in the works of lawlessness and evil, might be forever destroyed in my life and in yours, in order that Christ is all in all.
The main purpose of the tribulation is to bring Israel to repentance and return His chosen nation into a right relationship with their covenant-keeping God.
As members of the Body of Christ and citizens of heaven, we should confidently walk the earth in unity of the spirit, and consistently stand firm in the faith that was once offered to the saints - with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith of the gospel and in so doing glorifying our Father Who is in heaven.
During the dispensation of the grace of God, He would carry out His redemptive plan and purpose for the world through the Church; those who by grace through faith trusted Christ for salvation..
But the picture of the potter demonstrates that the vessel that stays patiently in the hands of our heavenly Potter, as He carries out His best purpose in our lives, is the one that will be formed and fashioned as is best for us.
Let us purpose in our heart to glory in nothing but Jesus Christ and Him crucified, for He is the one and only Person that is able to save the lost sinners by the grace of God through the message of the Cross.
At the time that He had appointed, and according to His own purpose, God sent His Son into a spiritually hungry, religiously bankrupt, and morally corrupt world.
The prime purpose of calling the heavenly host and angelic beings to unite their voices in praise to God and join together in this harmonious declaration of His eternal glory, is because He is Creator.
Instead of trusting God to keep His Word, they suffered the consequences of unbelief. They were redeemed from Egypt, but fell short of their promised rest. They were saved - but lived a barren life and did not fulfil God's purpose for their lives.
The person and work of Christ is the central focus of all prophecy, and the book of Revelation is the full and final unveiling of Jesus Christ, and is the climax of God's purpose and plan for His creation.
Paul continues this theme of unity: Be of the same mind toward one with another, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, and intent on one purpose, and one Person.
If they are good works that He has prepared for us to do and are carried out in spirit and truth with the sole purpose of honouring God, they will receive a reward.
Both the family rivalry and parental favouritism we see in Genesis 27 is something that each one of us should strongly reject - but the worst aspect of this story is the unbelief and rebellion against God's stated purpose that each one displays.
The determined purpose of Paul's heart was to exalt his Saviour for the greatest glory of God and to continue to his life's end, declaring the goodness of his gracious Master.
Paul presented an excellent defence of justification by faith in his epistle and also gave a detailed exposition of the purpose of the Law... before presenting three important contrasts between Israel in the pre-Cross dispensation of LAW, and the Church in this post-Cross dispensation of GRACE.
Rome's motive may have been to tighten their iron-grip over the subjugated people of God and Caesar's greedy motivation may have been to extract additional, crippling taxes from the downtrodden masses under his control, but the outcome was the forwarding of God's perfect plans and glorious purpose for our eternal benefit and for His ultimate glory.
But God is not mocked and will use every evil intent to forward His perfect plans so as to finally achieve His eternal purpose; that Christ is all in all.
But God is not mocked, and just as the decree from Caesar Augustus was used of God to fulfil His prophetically inspired Word of Truth, we may be assured that everything that is happening in the world today is moving towards the fulfilment of God's perfect plan and ultimate purpose.
But rather than trusting God to carry out His stated will and purpose in His own time and in His own way, Rebekah and Jacob demonstrated a lack of faith in God's ability to fulfil His Word, which exposed some of their own serious character flaws.
Nothing in the life of a Christian happens without a purpose and every event that takes place, whether good or ill, is used by God for our spiritual growth and eternal benefit.
Paul's stated purpose in this verse should be the motivation for all of God's children in these increasingly evil days in which we are living, so that in Christ we may encourage one another in the faith and be united together in a godly love of the truth.
Then as now, Judaisers insisted that holiness depended on participation in external ceremonies and customs relating to clean and unclean food, together with the keeping of a multitude of other man-made traditions which were entrenched in a myopic misunderstanding of God's purpose for the Law.
The king had described his ambitious plan to Nathan, a prophet of God who initially encouraged David to pursue his objective, until the Lord instructed him to go to David with an unexpected message and reveal God's greater plan and higher purpose for His servant: Now therefore, Nathan was instructed, thus you shall say to My servant David...
Shall I say 'Father, save Me from this hour?' Nevertheless, Jesus reasoned with Himself... knowing that it was for this purpose... the salvation of mankind, that He had come to this hour - the hour when He would take upon Himself the sin of the world.
He explains that the purpose of the Law was to point us to Christ and is fulfilled when a sinner believes in Christ for the forgiveness of sin.
The purpose and plan of the Mosaic Law is fulfilled when it has achieved its work in the life of an individual.
When the Law has turned a sinner to repentance, so that they turn from their sin to faith to Jesus Christ - it has achieved the purpose for which it was given.
The prime purpose of the Law is to expose our sinfulness and point us to faith in Christ's righteousness and when a sinner is saved by grace, the Law has been established in that life.
Rather, we are encouraged to be generous with our resources, and Paul reminds these dear people that God loves a cheerful giver, encouraging them, and us, to do exactly what we purpose to do in our own heart to help others.
Each of the disciples were bewildered, puzzled, perplexed, and not a little frightened, as the whole purpose on which their lives had been focused for over three years, was suddenly falling apart.
However, the main purpose of the Tribulation period is to bring Israel back to God and for them to finish the work He prepared for them to do - and that time is fast approaching.
It is during the 70th week of Daniel - often called the Great Tribulation or the Time of Jacob's Trouble, that Israel turns back to God from their sin, and fulfils the purpose for which they were called.
May we be faithful to fulfil any call He makes on us, knowing that God may have placed us in a particular place at a particular time for a particular purpose.
We do not have a vague, impotent God, but one who is our Good Shepherd Who works on our behalf, Who guides our feet into the way of peace, and Who Himself equips us for all that we need to carry out His plan and purpose in our lives.
God's plans and purposes for man were not to be thwarted by the sinful rebellion and foolish action of the first man Adam, for God had a greater plan and an eternal purpose for the Son of Man, the last Adam: That through Him all who are made a new creation in Christ will bear God's likeness and receive God's nature, as day by day, by grace through faith in Him, we are being conformed into the image and likeness of Christ our Saviour, the Man from heaven.
As we trace their history from the time of Moses to the present day, over and again we see God's people rejecting His Word, breaking their covenant, and blindly following the presumptuous but befuddled 'politicians' of their day, by trusting in man rather than God, bringing in its wake a deluge of destruction and judgement, according to His divine purpose and plan.
Paul had obviously experienced many difficulties and much oppression, but his main purpose was not to highlight his own problems but to exalt the name of the Lord and proclaim the goodness of God.
Paul's main purpose was to give God his sincere thanks and praise for His comfort, His help, and His many precious promises.
God's purpose was to use Israel to defeat the wiles of the devil, and so He rescued them from Egypt and made a covenant with them that if they would obey His law, then He would be their God, and they would be His people.
He was one with the Father and did only those things that He heard from His Father... setting aside His own wishes to carry out the will and purpose of His Father in heaven.
The purpose of Israel's Law was to point them to Christ and it was fulfilled in Him, for faith in the promises of God and His as Messiah was to be the criteria for righteousness.
And yet there is a deeper meaning, a wider purpose, and a greater reason that our Father of mercies, and God of all comfort condescends to stoop down and comfort us in our affliction and to console us in our miseries.
Although Paul vehemently opposed, challenged, and corrected the many false gospels that were infiltrating the Christian Church, he had learned the lesson: All things work together for good to those that are the called, according to God's good purpose.
In this glorious passage, our eternal security is reiterated, we are assured that there is no condemnation for those that are in Christ Jesus, and we are told that all things work together for good to those that love God and are the called according to His good purpose.
God's ultimate purpose in every born-again child of God is that we are to be conformed into the likeness of His dear Son.
Let us, who are the called according to God's purpose, give diligence to present ourselves approved unto God; workmen that do not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth.
God's purpose, for all who believe, is to conform us into the image and likeness of Christ, and the stark reality of Scripture is the contrast of God's amazing grace towards us... with our own rebellion.
God is in control and even ungodly leaders who do not know the Lord, can be used by Him to fulfil His eternal plans and to forward His redemptive purpose for mankind.
Spiritual gifts are given for the specific purpose of conforming us into the image and likeness of Christ, as is the Word of God which is given for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness so that every believer may be perfected in all truth and thoroughly furnished for every good work.
The purpose and plan of God from the beginning is that Christ is all in all.
The Christian life is not about 'me, myself and I', but is all about the Lord Jesus Christ and God's purpose and plan in bringing many sons to glory through Him, by means of His sacrificial work at Calvary. In respect to the dispensation of the fullness of times in which we currently live (the Church age), God's purpose and plan is to bring all things into one in Christ: the things which are in heaven and the things which are on earth; all things in Him; to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory in this day and age, and also in the ages to come.
Though we all have unique gifts, graces, and ministries, we are all members of the same Body with one single purpose: For by ONE Spirit we were all baptised into ONE body, the Church.
But filled with the Holy Spirit from above, the human spirit of Christ gave the only answer that He could give: But for this purpose, I came to this hour.
The pattern of prayer that Jesus taught His disciples, was to demonstrate that we should reverence Him as our Father in heaven, glorify His holy name, and pray into His perfect plan, His heavenly purpose, and His eternal will.
While we are a diverse group of individual believers, who are made up of Jew and Gentile, male and female, black and white, young and old, we have a common goal and a singular purpose.
The preferential treatment Joseph received, caused his brothers to despise and hate him, and eventually incited them to conspire to kill him, but God used all these circumstances in Joseph's life to bring about His purpose and plan for the redemption of his brothers.
Though we all have unique gifts, graces, and ministries, we are members of the same Body with one single purpose: For by ONE Spirit we were all baptised into ONE body, the Church.