Know God's Purpose TODAY! (Part 4)

I anticipate an objection, this objection:

“Olatunde, you assume time is linear.  What if it is cyclical?  What if our focus shouldn’t be on beginnings and endings, but on repeating patterns?”

I see no real issue or difference in the discovery of God’s purpose in connection to time.

In fact, in the first and second blogs, I assume a repeating pattern or cycle throughout our lives, repeated beginnings and endings.

Some assume that “Westerners” are time slaves, while “Easterners” just “go with the flow.”  Of course, some Easterners and Westerners may be like this.  But Easterners understand beginnings and endings, while westerners also understand going with the flow.

I personally view time as a gift from God, slices of eternity if you will.  Time can be a friend and servant.  I can get “lost in time,” so that time becomes timeless.  I’m sure you’ve experienced this.  Yet I also realize there must be limits in time usage. 

But here is the thing for me:  I experience time by the clock, AND by the FEELING of the moment.  Like if I’m in deep intimate conversation.  The connection in one sense stops time, and in another redefines time. 

Time comes to mean the beginning and ending of an intimate connection.  Sometimes this coincides with the clock.  Sometimes it doesn’t. 

Clocks are instruments, not time itself.

Both the clock and the feel, both linear and circular perspectives of time, reveal God’s purpose. 

In this way, time is God’s gift to us. 

Know God's purpose TODAY

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. 
Ecclesiastes 3:1 KJV

Use time to know God’s purpose today.  Beginnings and endings.  Starts and finishes.

If you are seeking God’s will as far as where to live, for example, use the normal boundaries of time to determine God’s will.  Use the end of your lease, and whether you can renew your lease.  Use the beginning or ending of a lease in a new area you are considering.  Consider the end of peace where you are and the beginning of peace in contemplating a new location.

Time determines the beginning and ending of purposes.

Begin to interpret the “signs of the times.”

What if you seek to know God’s bigger purpose, His ultimate purpose for your life? 

Do the same thing. 

Start from the beginning of your life, and observe the pattern of beginnings and endings you experienced throughout life.  What consistent themes do you find?  What persistent purposes are you fulfilling in the lives of others.

One thing can encourage you: 
The very fact that your life began at all shows that your very existence, in and of itself, serves a divine purpose! 

We all know this when we experience new born babies.  What goals are they accomplishing?  What goals CAN they accomplish? 

Exactly! 

Their cute little existences ALONE bring joy and peace to parents!

You began.

You will end.

You have a purpose.

Use time to sense God’s purposes, the clear beginnings and endings you find in life. 

Accuracy

All you need to say is simply 'Yes' or 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. 

Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 

For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. ----Jesus

He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony.  John the Baptist.

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 

John the Apostle

I want to be accurate.  To never be mistaken in what I say or convey. 

This morning I misheard someone, and thus misspoke.  I repent. 

Hear accurately.  Test accuracy through feedback.

Yes.

No.

I don’t know.

See.

Hear.

Directly experience.

Say only what I see, hear, and directly experience.

This greatly reduces words, written or spoken.

Is this possible?  Why or why not?

Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.

James, brother of Jesus.

Do you believe the DEVIL exists? (Part 2)

Maybe we DON'T really believe we have an enemy, a real spiritual and personal enemy!  If we did, it would change how we view our lives.

Apply these assumptions to a human war:

· "We don't need to look for our enemy behind every rock."

· "We don't need to focus on our enemy.  After all, through democracy, we already have the victory!"

· "We'll deal with our enemy IF WE ENCOUNTER HIM."

· "We should RULE OUT every other possibility for this landmine being here before we ASSUME it was put here BY OUR ENEMY."

Perhaps human warfare is too far removed from us as Americans.  Perhaps when Peter warns believers to be sober minded and alert because of our adversary “prowling like a roaring lion, seeking to devour,” this too is far removed.  We don’t encounter lions at all…except at the zoo!  So we don’t know the very real alertness necessary to avoid being their prey.  And we live in relative peace in America, as far as war goes.

But we are aware of terrorism!

We do know what a terrorist is!

Terrorism: 1. The use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, especially for political purposes. 2. The state of fear and submission produced by terrorism or terrorization.

Terrorist:  a person who terrorizes or frightens others.  Dictionary.com

Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.  Hebrews 2:14-15 NIV

The devil is the ultimate terrorist!

Now what do we do as Americans, indeed what are we doing RIGHT NOW, when there is a threat of terrorism?  We put ourselves on high alert!  Code red!  Because we believe there is a real enemy, perhaps behind A ROCK if one is big enough to hide him!! We believe he is on the prowl and seeks to attack when and where WE LEAST EXPECT!  So we, like Peter said, must be SOBER MINDED AND ALERT!

Since this is the case for a human enemy, one who is visible and tangible, one with a nature and mind like ours, how much more is it the case for an invisible spiritual enemy, thousands of years older than us, much more powerful than us?

Do you believe the DEVIL exists? (Part 1)

"Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.  Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings."  1 Peter 5:8-9 NIV

Some movies glorify the devil and the presence of evil. 
These seem very real.
But God is nonexistent. 

Some movies go in the opposite direction with the enemy.  They rarely, if ever, show his schemes in the lives of the characters; they don't want to "see a demon behind every rock."  Naturally explained problems are considered the norm, while spiritual problems are barely acknowledged. 

In an exorcism book I read, for example, psychologists, law enforcement, and medical professionals were consulted to make sure they could rule out the scientifically explainable.

Here is my issue.

I believe the Lord Jesus was, is, and will forever be the ultimate psychologist, law enforcer, and healer.  Yet I don't see him teaching His disciples to "rule all of this out" before casting out demons.  He very much assumed the presence of the evil one attacking people on earth.  The Bible says "The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work."

Now am I saying "other factors" shouldn't be "considered?" 
It depends.

I don't assume that the role of skeptic is an automatically trustworthy position.
I don't assume scientific authority is inherently trustworthy.
I believe these assumptions glorify human reasoning.  
They negate spiritual origins and solutions. 
They subtly assume that spiritual reality is an abnormality. 
Rarely experienced. 
Considered only as a last resort.
They assume a certain level of rationality.
But how rational is it to ignore the spiritual when our lives are built on the spiritual? 

As it is written in the scriptures:
By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible

"The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together."

We should START from the spiritual origin of problems!  We should BEGIN by ruling demons out!  If the problem really is demonic, why give an enemy more time to torment?  Wouldn't it be better to briefly delay solving a natural problem if a personal spiritual evil is involved?  We know the natural problems aren't personally out to get the ones afflicted!

THE EMAIL I SHOULDN'T HAVE SENT

I wrote it.  I said exactly what I felt.  I can’t think of a “subject” because no phrase captures the email.  Spell checked.  Ready to “send.”  The moment.

Send or not send.

Sent message or draft.

Leave things as they are.  My words will be a draft.

Or change the course of our relationship with my email, one way or another.

The cursor is on “send.”  But I haven’t put the address in. 

(Maybe this is a sign.)

No. 

I enter the email address.

I send it.

Here is where the father of lies comes to me.

If you send it, he will not respond!  Never!! Ever!!!  Forever you will not know what he thought of your email!!!!

She’ll read it and laugh!  She’ll think you’re too sensitive.  Weak.  You write too much!  You ALWAYS write too much!

Or she’ll respond to your 800 word email in two letters:  “O.K?”  You’ll hear the tone in which people say, “OK,” like they are wondering “Where did all THAT come from?”  They used the “You sound ridiculous” tone in those two letters.

Or, he’ll write words so painfully disconnected to your heart that you will regret you ever met him.

She’ll be so callous to your emotions that you’d wish you were never born.

These are the words of Satan, the master of condemnation and accusation.

But these are the words of the Spirit of Truth who is Truth, who guides you into all truth:

Your words were good and true and real.  It took real strength to be that vulnerable.  Now that you’ve sent it, wait and understand the truth:  You simply haven’t received a response.  You don’t know what the response will be.  Distance breeds deception.  Don’t be deceived.  If she hasn’t responded, it may be because she simply hasn’t checked her email yet.  And if he did, he may be so moved by what you wrote that he is waiting for the perfect time to honor your email.  (True, he could let you know he received it, but you know how he is.)

It is possible he may not respond, or respond insensitively.  If he does, you won't die.  You may cry, but you won't die.  But consider this possibility:  she could completely understand  you and affirm you.  He may give you what you gave him.  Either way, whatever happens, I love you.

Listening Sincerely

“The great enemy of clear language is insincerity.”  George Orwell

When I first read it, I thought this quote focused on speakers (and writers.)  But speaking assumes listening.  No matter how clearly I speak, if the listener is insincere, the language will be unclear.  Yet it will be based on a decision of the listener, and not the fault of the speaker.

People hear what they want to hear.  The speaker cannot go beyond the barrier of will.  To listen sincerely, I must want to hear what is said, and to understand from the speaker’s perspective.  This is harder than speaking with clarity for this reason:  If I want to express myself, all I have to do is “let it all out.”  Just say exactly what’s on my mind.  Yet it is all coming from my head and my heart.  But the listener has to decide if he wants to get out his own head.  She must choose to hear with the speaker’s ears.

Communication then rests on the sincerity of the listener. 

If the speaker chooses a willing listener, a sincere hearer, then he can guarantee true communication:  The exact message she sends is the exact message he receives.