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I just received a new book "The Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren!
You might see me quote often from it.... it is a great book! It says...
"Knowing your purpose gives meaning to your lfie. We are made to have meaning. This is why people try dubious methods, like astrology or psychics, to discover it. When life has meaning, you can bear almsot anything: without it, nothing is bearable.
A young man in his twenties wrote, "I feel like a failure beause I'm struggling to become something,and I don't even know what it is. All I know how to do is to get by. Someday, if I discover my purpose, I'll feel I'm beginning to live."
"Without God, life has no purpose, and without purpose, life has no meaning. Without meaning, life has no significance or hope. In the Bible, many different people expressed this hoplessness. Isaiah complained, "I have labored to no purpose; I have spent my strength in vain and for nothing." Job said, "My life drags by - day after hopeless day and I give up, I am tired of living. Leave me alone. My life makes no sense."
"The greatest tragedy is not death, but life without purpose."
"If you have felt hopeless, hold on! Wonderful changes are going to happen in your life as you begin to live it on purpose. God says, "I know what I am planning for you.... 'I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you. I will give you hope and a good future.'" You may feel you are facing an impossible situation, but the Bible says "God... is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of - infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, or hopes."
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"The greatest tragedy is not death, but life without purpose."
Very true words those Pronks!
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It continues...
"It's human nature to get distracted by minor issues. We play Trivial Pursuit with our lives. Henry David Thoreau observed that people live lives of "quiet desperation, but today a better description is aimless distraction. Many people are like gyroscopes, spinning around at a frantic pace but never going anywhere."
"With out a clear purpose, you will keep changing directions, jobs, relationships, churches, or other externals - hoping each change will settle the confusion or fill the emptiness in your heart. You think, Maybe this time it will be different, but it doesn't solve your real problem - a lack of focus and purpose."
"The Bible says, "Don't live carelessly, unthinkingly. Make sure you understand what the Master wants."
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Quote:Originally posted by Pronkertjie
"With out a clear purpose, you will keep changing directions, jobs, relationships, churches, or other externals - hoping each change will settle the confusion or fill the emptiness in your heart. You think, Maybe this time it will be different, but it doesn't solve your real problem - a lack of focus and purpose."
Fragrant flower, this has always been something that troubles me, people try to find "themselves", the "true meaning of life", the "meaning of their being" etc by going from one church to another, this whilst the word of God remains the same from the beginning.
I am not against change at all, but should we not search within ourselves before we change jobs, churches, etc.
Should this change not come from within ourselves, as the Bible clearly states that one has to be born again, become a "new"person when accepting the true meaning of the crusification and resurrection of our Christ?
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Joan... we are all different, we come from different backgrounds, some like to worship quietly, others like to make a little more noise.  I think it is wrong to keep on looking for a perfect church, because there is no such thing, but sometimes one need to look for a place where you can feel at home, where you feel you get the spiritual "food" you need.
Very often people that continue to do church hopping might have a critical spirit and nothing will satisfy them. Fortunately there are far less of these kind of people, than those that can stay put and worship Him.
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Another chapter talks about how we grow...
"God wants u to grow up... like Christ in everything." Eph. 4:15a
"We are not meant to remain as children." Eph. 4:14a
God wants you to grow up.
"Your heavenly Father's goal is for you to mature and develop the characteristics of Jesus Christ. Sadly, millions of Christians grow older but never grow up . They are stuck in perpetual spiritual infancy, remaining in diapers and booties. The reason is that they never intended to grow.
Spiritual growth is not automatic. It takes an intentional commitment. You must want to grow, decide to grow, man an effort to grow, and persist in growing. Discipleship - the process of becoming like Christ - always begins with a decision. Jesus calls us, and we respond: "Come, be my disciple,' Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followed him.
Nothing shapes your life more than the commitments you choose to make. Your commitments can develop you or they can destroy you, but either way, they will define you. Tell me what you are committed to, and I'll tell you what you will be in twenty years. We become whatever we are committed to."
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Hi Rita
From a VERY COLD Durban....there is snow on the berg!
Your posting makes for interesting reading.....our pastor said one Sunday, we are where we are in life today as a result of the yes's and no's we have made.
To pick up your cross daily is the hardest thing, because just like Christ on the way to the hill, the cross get's heavy and we sink to our knee's and say we cannot go on, but at this point God very often brings along side other's to help you lift up your cross once more.
The challenge is always what is the right decision....and that is where The Holy Spirit gives the dicernment, prompting and that 'peace' that comes from making the right decision...then growth follows.
We are a work in progress, and it takes time to sculpture a work of art... 
Quote:Originally posted by Pronkertjie
Another chapter talks about how we grow...
"God wants u to grow up... like Christ in everything." Eph. 4:15a
"We are not meant to remain as children." Eph. 4:14a
God wants you to grow up.
"Your heavenly Father's goal is for you to mature and develop the characteristics of Jesus Christ. Sadly, millions of Christians grow older but never grow up . They are stuck in perpetual spiritual infancy, remaining in diapers and booties. The reason is that they never intended to grow.
Spiritual growth is not automatic. It takes an intentional commitment. You must want to grow, decide to grow, man an effort to grow, and persist in growing. Discipleship - the process of becoming like Christ - always begins with a decision. Jesus calls us, and we respond: "Come, be my disciple,' Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followed him.
Nothing shapes your life more than the commitments you choose to make. Your commitments can develop you or they can destroy you, but either way, they will define you. Tell me what you are committed to, and I'll tell you what you will be in twenty years. We become whatever we are committed to."
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Hi Joan
I think you know my feelings on many churches today.....
God said He is not in buildings made of stone, He takes up residence in our bodies, through The Holy Spirit upon our invitation. Through the believer, He reaches out to those lost and hurting.
I often hear folk say things that make me wonder why they go to church in the first place and why they church hop? God is interested in our pure worship of Him, irrespective of where we are. He wants relationship and He wants to live with us and work through us.
I enjoy the corporate worship of attending church and when The Holy Spirit moves it's powerful, but I also like to talk to Him in the quietness of my garden, in my car and wherever I feel prompted, so for me it is not about the church, it's ALL about HIM!
Quote:Originally posted by Joan
Fragrant flower, this has always been something that troubles me, people try to find "themselves", the "true meaning of life", the "meaning of their being" etc by going from one church to another, this whilst the word of God remains the same from the beginning.
I am not against change at all, but should we not search within ourselves before we change jobs, churches, etc.
Should this change not come from within ourselves, as the Bible clearly states that one has to be born again, become a "new"person when accepting the true meaning of the crusification and resurrection of our Christ?
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Joined: Jan 2004
I agree Sue, it is all about Him!
We are also created to have fellowship with people - and to worship together. If it is in a church, cell group, small group or with friends, there is great value in meeting together. I think we need both... the time alone having fellowship with the Father, and the time meeting together worshiping Him and learning from each other and speaking into each others lives. Church hopping is not a good thing as people can never get to know you.
Quote:Originally posted by Sue Johnson
Hi Joan
I think you know my feelings on many churches today.....
God said He is not in buildings made of stone, He takes up residence in our bodies, through The Holy Spirit upon our invitation. Through the believer, He reaches out to those lost and hurting.
I often hear folk say things that make me wonder why they go to church in the first place and why they church hop? God is interested in our pure worship of Him, irrespective of where we are. He wants relationship and He wants to live with us and work through us.
I enjoy the corporate worship of attending church and when The Holy Spirit moves it's powerful, but I also like to talk to Him in the quietness of my garden, in my car and wherever I feel prompted, so for me it is not about the church, it's ALL about HIM!
Posts: 1,343
Threads: 35
Joined: Jan 2004
Quote:Originally posted by Pronkertjie
"With out a clear purpose, you will keep changing directions, jobs, relationships, churches, or other externals - hoping each change will settle the confusion or fill the emptiness in your heart. You think, Maybe this time it will be different, but it doesn't solve your real problem - a lack of focus and purpose."
"The Bible says, "Don't live carelessly, unthinkingly. Make sure you understand what the Master wants."
Oh yes, we are all different, Thank God for that, we may have been a rather dreary and boring lot of people!!! The Bible does stress that we should fulfil the Will of the Lord and not our own will...sometimes not the easiest thing to do, is it not?
We do need a clear purpose, without that , changing jobs, friends, churches and other externals will really just confuse one. I am so thankful that we are blessed to be in a church where the full and true world of our Lord is the one and only word we believe in...
I do however think that the church should "spruce up its act" in order to attract younger visitors and to stimulate them suffienciently to want to return Sunday upon Sunday
:lovef: :cloud9:
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