God's Plan

"For whom he foreknew, he also foreordained to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren:" Romans 8:29, ASV.

Christ didn’t come to die in order to just buy us a ticket out of hell and into Heaven, although that is thankfully true. But He came to do much, much more.

But Christ came to fulfill a purpose that God had from the “foundations of the earth”, where He decreed that all that come to Christ by faith would therefore be conformed to his image.

The beginning of this of course is the cross of Jesus Christ. That’s where he “took away the sins of the world” (John 1:29). It is the beginning point of our salvation, but it’s not the ending point.

"For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, shall we be saved by his life;" Romans 5:10, ASV.

God had both a redemptive and regenerative purpose in sending his Son. You can’t have without the other but don’t confused one for the other. The first is a moment, sealed in time. The second is also a moment, but also at the same time a process. One occurred at the cross where the sinless Son of God became sin for us so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2Cor. 5:21).

But while the cross makes us fit for Heaven – the being reconciled to God – “becoming the righteousness of God in Him – is an ongoing process whereby He conforms us into the image of His Son.

The Greek word from which we translate “conform” is “summorphos”, which is where we derive the word “Morph”. The idea that the word conveys however is a “designed morph” more than just a haphazard one, like a Butterfly morphing from a caterpillar. It’ a natural morphing.

This isn’t a superficial morphing – external only. No, this is from the inside out. As Jesus told us in Mark 7:23, that man has a "heart" problem..."For from within, out of the heart of men, evil thoughts proceed, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, covetings, wickednesses, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, railing, pride, foolishness:" Mark 7:21, 22, ASV.

Jesus didn't come to get bad men into Heaven. But to make man functional on God's terms of reference on earth on the way to Heaven.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ isn’t just about a change of destination, but a change of character. God isn’t interested in making us showroom mantel pieces that he can show off to the kosmos. He is committed, and to this end Christ died, that Christ may be the first born of many brethren, so that we may be "Like Him" (1John 3:2)

By His death we are reconciled - our sins completely washed away. Then by His resurrection from the dead He imparts his very Life to us to begin teaching our minds (Rom. 12:2), thus controlling our emotions, which in turn direct our will.

The result is a life which has no possible explaination except God Himself.
christian life Christianity Theology Religion Jesus Christ Church

Storms

"And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side. And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships. And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the _hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?"(Mark 4:35-41, KJV).

Has the Lord told you that you’re going to the other side? Has he given you a vision? If he has, you can be sure that on the way there will be storms. Count on it.

Storms do have a purpose to them. In this example in the gospel of Mark the storm was used to teach the disciples a lesson about faith. The Lord had told them Let us go to the other side yet on the way a terrible storm arose and water began to fill the boat.

Isn’t this exactly what happens with us? We just get the vision from God of what he wants us to do, and immediately a storm arises. Our reaction may be , “Maybe I had no vision at all” Perhaps He doesn’t want me to go in that direction.
But we forget that just because God gives you a vision, does not mean that you are immediately prepared for the call. There are many examples of this in the Scripture.

Paul the Apostle was called on the road to Damascus, but it was years _before he was ready for the call. He had not experienced the storms that would prepare him. Moses was another example, he knew the call, but it was 40 years before he could begin to fulfill it. He had not enough storms.

I live in Florida, and during the last hurricane season I heard a very interesting thing about them. Hurricanes for all the damage they do, actually do a lot for the environment. That’s right, they clean it up like a giant washing machine. They blow away dead top soil and clean away dead vegetation, so that from the removal of decay, new life may spring.

It is through the storms of life that God is a lot of the time cleaning away the dead soil and vegetation of our lives, so that the New Life of Christ within us may shine! So in light of this we can look at storms in one of two ways. As either as a hindrance or a help.

To the disciples on this night, the storm was no doubt a hindrance. The _Lord had said lets go to the other side, but here was this storm hindering the _way. So much were they focused on the storm that they though the end had come, “Master, carest not that we perish?”. But just as soon as they spoke, He _spoke to the storm, “Peace be still”.

We usually view a storm as a hindrance when our own plans and designs _are in effect. Sure we had a vision, but then we take the ball and run ahead of the Lord. Then when a storm comes, we scream, “Master! Carest not that we perish? How could this happen to ME, just when I was starting to make headway?

I have found that this is usually a good time to reevaluate the call. Not for its authenticity, but for my availability to God in it. In other words search my heart. Waiting on the Lord is one of the hardest virtues of a Child of God to learn. But it is a virtue worthy of cultivation.

But if after searching our hearts we know that he has said, Let us go to the other side, then lets view the storm as something that God is using to cleanse us for effective use. Then we the storms come, and they will, though they may not be pleasant, we will endure for the sake of the call.

christian life Christianity Theology Religion Jesus Christ Church