Category: Level: Intermediate

new earth, callings

Looking Forward To The Fulfillment Of The Purposes Of Our Lives

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This post is about our future hope, the anchor for our lives. First, think back to the Garden of Eden. Consider the callings (we could also refer to them as missions or commissions) that God gave to Adam and Eve. They lived in a paradise, but God did not want them to just sit and enjoy the scenery. Rather, he made them in his image and likeness giving them tremendous abilities and individual gifts so that they could expand the Garden of Eden and create beautiful societies in a beautiful world. Below are the eleven callings God gave to them; these are the purposes for our existence: The Eleven Callings for Humans in the Garden of Eden Bear the image of God (Gen. 1:26-27) Be fruitful (Gen. 1:28) Multiply (Gen. 1:28) Fill the earth (Gen. 1:28) Subdue the earth (Gen. 1:28) Exercise dominion over animals (Gen. 1:28) Work the garden Continue Reading →

wedding marriage

Our Future Blissful Marriage

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The most astonishing feature of the next age is that we will be “married” to the Lamb (Rev. 19:6-9; 21:2, 9-27; 22:17).[1] “In the story of redemption and the history of heaven the supreme event for which the ages are waiting is the marriage of the Lamb. The Bible is one long love story and redemption a divine romance of the love of God.”[2] The bride of the Lamb comes down out of heaven as the New Jerusalem (the city of the saints of God) “having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel” (21:11). Our wedding day will finally arrive and having been clothed in staggering beauty our loving Bridegroom will take us into his heart and ravish us in loving embrace forever. Being Christformed, deep will call to deep and form a complete, eternal spiritual bond with God. As in a human marriage, this union Continue Reading →

fulfillment satisfaction

Are You Lacking Fulfillment?

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God gave humans healthy desires that he intends to fulfill, although he does not promise to fulfill all of them in this age. If our overall level of fulfillment is low then it is safe to say that we are in a time of suffering. The following fulfillment assessment helps us to see our overall level of fulfillment and to know which areas are most lacking. This will help us to focus on the areas of need and to embrace the recovery process for those areas. One of the important principles of fulfillment is that if we are severely lacking in fulfillment, then it will be very difficult to pursue new transformation. Instead, we have to apply our energy to enduring the deprivation and wait until we find some healing and fulfillment before we can embark on additional transformation. This assessment is also helpful when helping others through times of Continue Reading →

new earth

Dwelling On The New Earth

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One day God will create “a new heaven and a new earth” (Rev. 21:1, ESV). This New Earth is the consummation of the kingdom of God that Jesus brought to earth. This is what we now desire more than anything and the goal toward which God has been guiding his people for the entire history of humanity. It is very important to dwell on this new creation because this is the destiny that we live for every day; it is the end that makes sense out of everything we do and experience, and it gives us strength for Christformation. It is the context for our entire lives. In this life we are fighting the good fight, dying to self, practicing sacrificial love for others and living as outsiders in the world. God has been purifying us, filling us, Christforming us and making us one with him. In our next life Continue Reading →

approval blameless

Are You Aiming For A Blameless Life?

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Scripture declares that “we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13, NIV); we “eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed” (1 Cor. 1:7, NIV). Are we eagerly awaiting the return of Christ? Do we love his future appearance? Master teacher Walter Hilton (d. 1396) eloquently expresses how much he values desire for Jesus (though he was not specifically referring to his coming): Certainly, I would rather feel and have a true desire and a pure longing in my heart for my Lord Jesus, even though I should see nothing of him at all with my spiritual eye, than have without this desire all the bodily penance of all men alive, all visions or revelations of angels appearing, songs and sounds, savors or smells, burnings and delights felt by the body—in short, all the joys of Continue Reading →