"Who knows but that you have come to a royal position for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14, NIV).
"And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life" (1 John 5:11-12, ESV).
"In him was life, and the life was the light of men" (John 1:4, ESV).
"Thou madest us for Thyself, and our heart is restless until it rests in Thee."--Saint Augustine, Bishop of Hippo (Confessions)
NB: Aristotle, the philosopher, in his book Nicomachean Ethics, laid down the precepts of living the "good life" by the pursuance of virtuous living, describing a life of flourishing and happiness.
There was once a front-page article in Time magazine all about Sen. Wendell Anderson, former governor, and now appointing himself the senator from Minnesota, demonstrating on the cover with a picture of the so-called "good life in Minnesota" (with him fishing on one of its lakes in a boat!). People often confuse the so-called good life with someplace to inherit or migrate to and not as a frame of mind or mindset.
"And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life" (1 John 5:11-12, ESV).
"In him was life, and the life was the light of men" (John 1:4, ESV).
"Thou madest us for Thyself, and our heart is restless until it rests in Thee."--Saint Augustine, Bishop of Hippo (Confessions)
NB: Aristotle, the philosopher, in his book Nicomachean Ethics, laid down the precepts of living the "good life" by the pursuance of virtuous living, describing a life of flourishing and happiness.
There was once a front-page article in Time magazine all about Sen. Wendell Anderson, former governor, and now appointing himself the senator from Minnesota, demonstrating on the cover with a picture of the so-called "good life in Minnesota" (with him fishing on one of its lakes in a boat!). People often confuse the so-called good life with someplace to inherit or migrate to and not as a frame of mind or mindset.
People try to find the good life, life to the max as if it's geographical. People over-spiritualize Scripture and claim we should conquer our personal promised land and take what's ours by virtue of being saved and righteous. Prosperity theology is fallacious and leads many astray who focus on this life and store up treasures in the here and now, which they tend to keep their eyes on, instead of looking to Jesus (cf. Heb. 12:2).
God does indeed promise to prosper us, but not always in a financial sense, it is erroneous to translate spirituality into riches or to think that godliness is a means of financial gain or advantage. We will indeed prosper, but according to God's plan and will and whatever we do in His name to His glory (all our godly endeavors). Jesus promised a more abundant or fulfilling and meaningful life in Christ and this is the eternal life that begins in quality upon salvation. None can claim that serving God is futile and God doesn't reward us and make it worth our time to invest in spiritual matters.
Part of living a fulfilling and rewarding life is having an impact and making a difference--we do this by finding out our talents and spiritual gifting and being faithful--God is more interested in this than in success, which is up to Him, not us. This can make us feel good about ourselves and we become contagious believers. One of the greatest achievements and most rewarding applause we can get is that we have had an influence on someone for the better according to God's will and glory.
God does indeed promise to prosper us, but not always in a financial sense, it is erroneous to translate spirituality into riches or to think that godliness is a means of financial gain or advantage. We will indeed prosper, but according to God's plan and will and whatever we do in His name to His glory (all our godly endeavors). Jesus promised a more abundant or fulfilling and meaningful life in Christ and this is the eternal life that begins in quality upon salvation. None can claim that serving God is futile and God doesn't reward us and make it worth our time to invest in spiritual matters.
Part of living a fulfilling and rewarding life is having an impact and making a difference--we do this by finding out our talents and spiritual gifting and being faithful--God is more interested in this than in success, which is up to Him, not us. This can make us feel good about ourselves and we become contagious believers. One of the greatest achievements and most rewarding applause we can get is that we have had an influence on someone for the better according to God's will and glory.
Be sure that you seek the approbation of God, not man, though! We are indeed the hands, feet, heart, and voice of God to a spiritually depraved and deprived world. We must realize our potential to be actualized or commissioned, and that means knowing like Esther that we were "born for such a time as this" (cf. Es. 4:14).
Opportunity is always knocking and we only need to heed the call. We become more human by realizing our potential, and everyone has unrealized potential as well as realized potential. Most of us are not what we have the capability and capacity of becoming in Christ. Remember, we are here for a reason, to glorify God (cf. Is. 43:7). Yes, we have the destiny to fulfill and God has a plan already for us to realize if we cooperate, we don't want to settle for second best or have regrets for what could've been and mourn over lost opportunities. When we have the right mindset and worldview we see meaning and learn to see a purpose in life, which is more than the mere setting of goals, for purposes sound a note that reverberates into eternity and will even outlast our vocation or hobbies.
Part of being content in life is knowing our value to others or that we are important and fulfill a need that others can't do--that we have a unique purpose and calling from God. We also long to have an impact and know we are accomplishing something and our labor is not in vain in the Lord (cf. 1 Cor. 15:58), but God is not unjust so as not to reward it and bless our efforts done in His name. Part of our fulfillment also comes in knowing who we are in the Lord--are we just everyone's servant or did God grant us some domain to serve Him in and be responsible for?
We must be willing to be a servant, and in God's economy, the way up is down! But God gives us prerogatives, rights, and duties to fulfill also and we must seize the day and redeem the time for the Lord and make the most of every opportunity He grants. We all have talents, skills, energy, relationships, gifts, resources, opportunities, assets, dignity, authority, and general makeup and attributes to use for God's glory and we must do it faithfully in His name, i.e., according to His will, not our personal agenda.
The fulfilled believer knows his orthopraxy or ethics and knows how to be a good Samaritan and good neighbor to those in need in his orbit or circle of friends. This is where Micah 6:8, ESV, comes into play: "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" We must not only know the Word and the Author but learn to apply it and be doers of the Word, translating creeds into deeds! Christianity isn't just pie in the sky! Nor is it just walking around on Cloud Nine, nor is it a secluded or monastic-styled virtue, separated from the real world--for we are to be in it, but just not of it, being the salt and light.
The good life consists of having the peace of knowing we are secure in our destiny and salvation in Christ and no one can take this away--not even ourselves! Don't divorce salvation from security in it! Our walk with the Lord is not just a list of dos and don'ts, nor a catalog of rules, collection of spiritual platitudes, nor a manual of mystical ideas, nor does God exist to grant us religious experiences or highs, au contraire, we are to be real, not necessarily will we be ideal though!
The peace Jesus gives as His legacy cannot be forfeited, and it can only be known because of the finished work of Christ on the cross! "And the peace of God, that surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:6, ESV). With this peace, we can be content in every circumstance, and even give thanks and rejoice always in the Lord!
Opportunity is always knocking and we only need to heed the call. We become more human by realizing our potential, and everyone has unrealized potential as well as realized potential. Most of us are not what we have the capability and capacity of becoming in Christ. Remember, we are here for a reason, to glorify God (cf. Is. 43:7). Yes, we have the destiny to fulfill and God has a plan already for us to realize if we cooperate, we don't want to settle for second best or have regrets for what could've been and mourn over lost opportunities. When we have the right mindset and worldview we see meaning and learn to see a purpose in life, which is more than the mere setting of goals, for purposes sound a note that reverberates into eternity and will even outlast our vocation or hobbies.
Part of being content in life is knowing our value to others or that we are important and fulfill a need that others can't do--that we have a unique purpose and calling from God. We also long to have an impact and know we are accomplishing something and our labor is not in vain in the Lord (cf. 1 Cor. 15:58), but God is not unjust so as not to reward it and bless our efforts done in His name. Part of our fulfillment also comes in knowing who we are in the Lord--are we just everyone's servant or did God grant us some domain to serve Him in and be responsible for?
We must be willing to be a servant, and in God's economy, the way up is down! But God gives us prerogatives, rights, and duties to fulfill also and we must seize the day and redeem the time for the Lord and make the most of every opportunity He grants. We all have talents, skills, energy, relationships, gifts, resources, opportunities, assets, dignity, authority, and general makeup and attributes to use for God's glory and we must do it faithfully in His name, i.e., according to His will, not our personal agenda.
The fulfilled believer knows his orthopraxy or ethics and knows how to be a good Samaritan and good neighbor to those in need in his orbit or circle of friends. This is where Micah 6:8, ESV, comes into play: "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" We must not only know the Word and the Author but learn to apply it and be doers of the Word, translating creeds into deeds! Christianity isn't just pie in the sky! Nor is it just walking around on Cloud Nine, nor is it a secluded or monastic-styled virtue, separated from the real world--for we are to be in it, but just not of it, being the salt and light.
The good life consists of having the peace of knowing we are secure in our destiny and salvation in Christ and no one can take this away--not even ourselves! Don't divorce salvation from security in it! Our walk with the Lord is not just a list of dos and don'ts, nor a catalog of rules, collection of spiritual platitudes, nor a manual of mystical ideas, nor does God exist to grant us religious experiences or highs, au contraire, we are to be real, not necessarily will we be ideal though!
The peace Jesus gives as His legacy cannot be forfeited, and it can only be known because of the finished work of Christ on the cross! "And the peace of God, that surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:6, ESV). With this peace, we can be content in every circumstance, and even give thanks and rejoice always in the Lord!
In sum, we can only get the most out of life with Christ in it--things go better with the Lord in the equation! SHALOM! Soli Deo Gloria!
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