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God's Plan For Our Lives
August 11, 2013
God has set forth a simple and straightforward plan for our lives. He calls upon us to repent, or turn back to him in our hearts, thoughts and ways; to be born again in baptism in water and spirit; to begin life anew as newborns in His family; to grow up in Him, in righteousness, maturing into steadfast believers; and to go forth and do His work, which is to spread His message and love our neighbors.
Bernie Parsons
God’s Plan For Our Lives
by Bernie Parsons
Presented to Load church of Christ on 08-11-2013
Presented to Globe church of Christ on 08-18-2013
God has a simple plan for our lives. It is up to us to want to follow it.
From Moses and the Old Testament prophets through the apostles, God has
always called upon the members of the human race to repent of their sinful
nature. This is because we departed from following His instructions,
beginning with Eve, and then Adam, in the garden in Eden.
The first thing that God tells us is to repent, or turn our hearts back to
Him.
Matthew 3:1 “In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the
wilderness of Judaea,
2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Matthew 4:17 “From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for
the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Acts 2:37 “Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and
said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what
shall we do?
38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in
the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the
gift of the Holy Ghost.”
Mark 16:15 “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the
gospel to every creature.
16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth
not shall be damned.”
God tells us, through His Son, Jesus Christ, to be reborn spiritually.
John 3:3 “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee,
Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he
enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of
water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”
Romans 6:3 “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus
Christ were baptized into his death?
4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as
Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we
also should walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we
shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin
might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.”
2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature:
old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
The apostles inform believers that growth must take place in their lives.
1 Peter 2:1 “Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and
hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,
2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow
thereby:”
2 Peter 3:18 “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.”
Ephesians 4:11 “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some,
evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the
edifying of the body of Christ:
13 Till 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:
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried
about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning
craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which
is the head, even Christ:
16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that
which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the
measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of
itself in love.”
Colossians 2:6 “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk
ye in him:
7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been
taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.”
1 Peter 2:5 “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an
holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by
Jesus Christ.”
The result is a spiritually mature Christian, able to do the Lord’s work.
Hebrews 6:1 “Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let
us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from
dead works, and of faith toward God,”
(completion, maturity – that is, perfection)
2 Corinthians 13:9 “For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong:
and this also we wish, even your perfection.”
(thorough fit, preparation – that is, perfection)
Colossians 3:12 “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved,
bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a
quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of
perfectness.” (maturity,
perfection—perfectness)
James 1:4 “But let patience have her perfect
work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”
(complete work, with the person becoming mature and complete)
Once successfully prepared and spiritually maturity, the believer does the
work of God.
2 Corinthians 9:8 "And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that
ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good
work:
9 (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor:
his righteousness remaineth for ever."
Colossians 1:10 "That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing,
being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;"
Hebrews 6:10 "For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of
love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to
the saints, and do minister."
Ephesians 4:28 "Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour,
working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to
him that needeth."
1 John 3:17 "But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have
need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the
love of God in him?
18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in
deed and in truth.
19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts
before him."
There awaits the judgment for what that we do.
Hebrews 9:27 "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this
the judgment:"
