How much time do I spend jockeying for position with others?
Jesus challenges us to stop being competitive. We are always comparing ourselves with others. It is a serious problem. It …
Tag Archives: God’s Goal
All I need to do is love others as if my life depends on it.
Oh yes. There are times I felt my life depended on many things. Things don’t love. Things are immaterial to …
Am I caught up in the wrong priorities?
We get caught up in the wrong things. We don’t have the right priorities. What church do we go to …
Are my prayers just monologues?
I am hoping that God doesn’t feel this way when I pray. I have heard lots of prayers (including my …
Are there any “ifs” among the followers of Jesus? Can anything happen?
Jesus summons us to a new level of belief. There are no “ifs” in His world. The new plan he …
Am I a loafer and lazybone?
This is a stunning insight from Solomon. God’s goal for us is that we work. Work is Godly. Work is …
Will Jesus complete God’s mission and goals?
It was a dark day as Jesus hung from the cross. Figuratively and literally. The sun disappeared. Jesus was alone. …
Some things smell pretty bad
Some things smell pretty bad. And then, there is a rotten stench. Just a plain putrid smell. It is disgusting. …
What is God’s goal for us? Do I get it?
Jesus knew why He was here. He knew how it would end. He knew He would go through the worst …
Should I beg God?
Jesus said, “Everyone who asks (begs) receives …” Sometimes it takes a lot for us to ask. We think we …
“This is my life work: helping people understand and respond to this Message.” ~Apostle Paul
Paul made tents for a living. It wasn’t how he defined his work. His work was to help people understand …
“Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” ~Jesus
The mission of the church is to make disciples. Just before Jesus returned to heaven, He commissioned His disciples this …
“If the Master wills, we will live and also do this or that.” ~James
Jesus is clear. In his manifesto (Matthew 5-7), Jesus tells us to pray like this: “Your will be done, on …
“Through Jesus we received both the generous gift of his life and the urgent task of passing it on to others who receive it by entering into obedient trust in Jesus.” ~Apostle Paul
I have been given an assignment. God has things he wants me to do. Some of that got started with …
“So if you find life difficult because you’re doing what God said, take it in stride. Trust him. He knows what he’s doing, and he’ll keep on doing it.” ~Apostle Peter
Life does seem difficult some days. The key question is “Am I doing what God said”? If so, I should …
“For if we go on missing God’s goal willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins.” Author of Hebrews
I need to be very careful. God loves me but God has expectations. What can I expect if I know …
My job is to speak out. But not just about any old silly thing. I must speak out for solid doctrine.
Jesus has given me a job. There are things He wants me to do. I have to decide, will I …
“With the pure You show Yourself pure, and with the crooked You show Yourself astute.” ~King David
God is pure and holy. There is nothing about God that is false at all. There is no evil in …
“It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that the Messiah Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.” ~Apostle Paul
I am always looking for trustworthy statements. They get my attention. I have missed God’s goal for my life (aka …
“Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.” ~Apostle Peter
I am a person who believes in God and the work of His Son Jesus. We are a people of …
“Now go; I’m sending you out like lambs among wolves.” ~Jesus
Jesus gives me a mission. Jesus is sending me to proclaim the good news. I am very excited. This is …
Can I bargain with God?
My on my how we love to bargain. Even with God. “If you do X … then I will do …
“Carelessly call a brother ‘idiot!’ and you just might find yourself hauled into court.” ~Jesus
Jesus is clear what love looks like. My words need to reflect His love in me. This is a core …
“Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing to the Master.” ~Apostle Paul
I have a job. It is to be obedient to my parents. There was a point in time where that …
“Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in the Messiah also has forgiven you.” ~Apostle Paul
God’s goal for me is to be kind, thoughtful and caring. I am to love. That is the main thing …
“So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.” ~Luke
Do people speak highly of me as a disciple? Does it matter? My job is to please God. That should …
“Since the promise to enter God’s rest remains, let us beware that none of you be found to have fallen short.” ~Author of Hebrews
I don’t want to fall short. I have received the good news. I have received a promise from Jesus that …
There is a whole lot of wrongdoing going on out there. I miss God’s goal. You miss God’s goal. Everyone does. Multiply that by 7 billion people and it adds up. I can see the problem.
Let’s look at God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. They are completely holy and set apart from the nonsense of …
“This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome” ~Apostle John
Jesus the Messiah accepted the authority of the OT law and saw himself as coming to fulfil its purpose. God’s …
“The wind blows where it pleases, and you hear its sound, but you don’t know where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” ~Jesus
I get how difficult it is to predict where the wind is going to blow. I live in Texas and …
“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of his nature, sustaining all things by his powerful word.” ~Author of Hebrews
There is a big thing I need to start with. It is always the central point. Jesus is the Son …
Is marriage a part of God’s plan for the human race from creation?
I am married. That is good news. It is a part of God’s plan for me. I have been able …
“Looking away from all that will distract us and focusing our eyes on Jesus, the One who brings our faith to maturity, who for the joy of accomplishing the goal set before Him endured the cross.” ~Author of Hebrews
I want joy in my life. I can have it by focusing on Jesus. Jesus brings my faith to completion …
“Do not sharply rebuke an older man, but rather appeal to him as a father.” ~Apostle Paul
Old age is generally held in honor and the aged in society are to be respected. Because of the wisdom …
“I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.” ~Jesus
Jesus has a real focus. Jesus is going to do what God wants Him to. I need to get the …
Do fools lack knowledge of God? Am I too absorbed in an evil culture?
God has a plan for my life. I need to focus on what that plan is and doing it. Anything …
“If you then, being evil …” ~Jesus
I need to know about evil. I need to know how to recognize it. Jesus challenges me to recognize …
“He takes in sinners and eats meals with them, treating them like old friends.” ~Religious elites about Jesus
Who does Jesus want to hang out with? It is definitely not the religious elites (although He does). Jesus has …
Should my goal be to please God?
I have a goal. It is given to me by God. I must focus on pleasing God. Jesus leads the …
“They took Jesus, therefore, and He went out, bearing His own cross.” ~Apostle John
Jesus paid it all for me. Jesus died a horrible death on the cross. Jesus calls on me to join …
“Walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and meekness.” ~Apostle Paul
God has a goal for me. Jesus calls on me to be gentle and meek. I am to be humble. …
Jesus won’t let us down. No way. He will change us. He will clean us up. He will be true to His word. Now that is some good news.
I can’t claim I haven’t missed God’s goal for my life. None of us can. We are sinners. That is …
“You’re not yet taking God seriously!” ~Jesus
How am I doing with my faith and belief in God and Jesus? Am I taking God seriously? Confidence in …
“If any of you wants to serve me, then accompany me.” ~Jesus
Jesus wants me to accompany him. Jesus wants me to go where He has gone and is going. Jesus wants …
“This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” ~God
What does God want from me? Listen to His Son Jesus. It is a simple and straightforward challenge. God didn’t …
“I have not come to call the righteous but those who miss God’s goal to radically change their thinking.” ~Jesus
Jesus challenges me to radically change my way of thinking. Repentance (the original Greek means radically changing my thinking) is of central …
Did some religious elite appoint me as a spokesperson for Jesus?
I am astounded at how many companions in faith I have. Due to the power of the world wide web, …
Contempt — God has chosen those of us who are treated with contempt
God has a purpose. God knows what He is doing. God knows who He is choosing to bring the good …
Atonement — The Purpose of Jesus the Messiah’s death on Behalf of Others
The dictionary definition of atonement is satisfaction or reparation for a wrong or injury or making amends. Jesus has paid the …
God’s Goal — To Live with His People
God has goals in mind. He will accomplish them. When I miss God’s goal, that is known as sin. I …
“I glorified you on earth by completing down to the last detail what you assigned me to do.” ~Jesus
“Then, raising his eyes in prayer, Jesus said: … I glorified you on earth by completing down to the last …
“Why be exploited by those who care nothing for you?” ~King Solomon
It is helpful to know that some people really don’t care for me. In fact, they care nothing at all. …
“Follow me and I’ll show you how.” ~Jesus
Calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me …
“Don’t run from suffering; embrace it.” ~Jesus
Calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me …
“Don’t you know anything? Can’t you see that it’s to our advantage that one man dies for the people rather than the whole nation be destroyed?” ~Caiaphas, the Chief Priest
God is God. God can do anything he wants. The religious leaders were trying to figure out how to do …
“But don’t resent God’s discipline; don’t sulk under his loving correction. It’s the child he loves that God corrects; a father’s delight is behind all this.” ~King Solomon
God has a goal for me. Primarily God wants me to grow up and not be a child my whole …
“You’re not in the driver’s seat; I am.” ~Jesus
There is a realization I need to come to daily and it is a tough one. I am not in …
“God, who gets invited to dinner at your place? How do we get on your guest list?” ~King David
King David asks God a great question. David talks with God all the time and he asks God a lot …
“My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” ~Jesus
Jesus experienced the ultimate. Jesus took on the penalty for our missing God’s goal (i.e. sin). Jesus died for our …
“If anyone asks, ‘What are you doing?’ say … ” ~Jesus
Jesus gives me a job to do. It may not make sense. My job is to do it. When asked, …
“Your authority is connected to the mission.” ~Bill Johnson
Bill Johnson teaches how our mission is to carry a spirit of breakthrough into the world. Watch full sermon on …
“I have missed God’s plan badly in what I have just done, substituting statistics for trust; forgive my missing your goal—I’ve been really stupid.” ~King David
I know I do it all the time. I look at the facts. Hard to ignore them in my world. …
“The goal is to bring out the best in others in a conversation, not put them down, not cut them out.” ~Apostle Paul
The Apostle Paul, full of the wisdom of Jesus the Messiah, has given us insight into God’s goal for us. …
“Father, it’s time.” ~Jesus
Jesus is done with his mission. Jesus has presided over the last supper. At this time, what does Jesus have …
“Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich; restrain yourself!” ~King Solomon
I have a goal. I have a plan. I have dreams. They involve money. What does wisdom say about that? …
“So let’s keep at it and eventually arrive at the place of rest, not drop out through some sort of disobedience.” ~Author of Hebrews
Are we ready for some rest? I know I am to rest. So here is a promise that is considered …
“Do you think you’re about to be promoted to heaven? Think again. You’re on a mudslide to hell.” ~~Jesus
Jesus spent a lot of time in the town of Capernaum. In speaking of them, He is direct in letting …
“So here I am today, eighty-five years old! I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out.” ~Caleb
As I get older, I want to be like Caleb. He was one of the 12 Moses selected to go …
“Smart people know how to hold their tongue; their grandeur is to forgive and forget.” ~King Solomon
Man, this is tough. Now Solomon was an amazingly wise man. So this is good advice. Here are three steps. …
“You put us in charge of your handcrafted world.” ~King David
King David has some great insight into God’s goal for us. God is God and God made this world. This …
“We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God.” ~Apostle Paul
The Apostle Paul challenges to know a few things. God is at work in my life Jesus, the Messiah, is …
“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” ~Jesus
Why? The words of Jesus haunt me. Why do I pretend that he is my Master and then not obey …
“So stay awake, alert.” ~Jesus
I have work to do. Jesus has given me a mission. My assignment is clear. I can’t slack off. Jesus …
"When you’re kind to others, you help yourself; when you’re cruel to others, you hurt yourself." ~~King Solomon
Who do I think I am hurting? Cruelty is intended to hurt someone else. It actually backfires and hurts me. Jesus …
“I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?” ~Nehemiah
How easy is it to get distracted? Well, some days pretty easy. My enemy sends me a great message. Let’s …
God is right along side of me. He is keeping me on track until everything is wrapped up by Jesus.
I don’t need a thing. Now think about that. I have it all. All of God’s amazing gifts and benefits …
“When the job’s done, you’ll see it’s been well done.” ~Jeremiah
God doesn’t do things half way or half hearted. God is all in. God is all in all the time. …
Am I sulking spiritually? Am I having a spiritual temper tantrum?
Am I sulking spiritually and feeling sorry for myself, just because I can’t see one inch in front of myself? …
"Make sure you are doing what God wants you to do-then do it with all your strength." ~George Washington
What does God want me to do today? God has a goal in mind for me. Jesus challenges me to …
“Careful planning puts you ahead in the long run; hurry and scurry puts you further behind.” ~King Solomon
God has a goal in mind for me. Am I ready? Have I prepared? Will I be up to the …
What God wants more than anything
God has a goal in mind for us. God wants things here on earth to be like they are in …
“But what happens when we live God’s way?” ~Apostle Paul
My challenge is to live God’s way. Many times I don’t want to but it isn’t about what I want. …
“When the Messiah died he took that entire rule-dominated way of life down with him and left it in the tomb, leaving you free.” ~Apostle Paul
I have died with the Messiah Jesus. I am free from living a “rule-dominated” life. That way of life is …
“If we claim that we’re free of missing God’s goal for our life, we’re only fooling ourselves.” ~Apostle John
Am I fooling myself? Sometimes, OK, a lot of the time, I say things that are nonsense. When I do, …
“Give the government what is theirs, and give God what is his.” ~Jesus
It is important for me not to confuse my obligations to my country and my obligations to God. God expects …
“I don’t condemn you. Go on your way. From now on, don’t sin.” ~Jesus
I get caught in the act of missing God’s goal for my life (sinning). It happens way too often. The …
“Love means following his commandments, and his unifying commandment is that you conduct your lives in love.” ~Apostle John
I must be diligent in living out the truth of God’s commandment. I must be consistent and not waiver. I …
” God the Father has his eye on each of you.” ~Apostle Peter
God has given me an assignment. Jesus personally has a mission for me. I must focus on knowing what it is …
“So what do we do? Keep on missing God’s goal (sin) so God can keep on forgiving?” ~Apostle Paul
I live in a new country now. I live in the country governed by God. Jesus is in charge of God’s …
“Are you the One we’ve been expecting, or are we still waiting?” ~John the Baptizer
When Jesus finished placing this charge before his twelve disciples, he went on to teach and preach in their villages. John, …
“Once we accept our limits, we go beyond them.” ~Albert Einstein
I have limits. I like to pretend I don’t. I like for my friends and family to think I don’t. …
“I came down from heaven not to follow my own whim but to accomplish the will of the One who sent me.” ~Jesus
Many days, I am just following my own whims. Whatever feels good to do right then is fine. No plan. …
Are we doing our best or are we doing what is required?
We are all focused on are we doing our best. The culture of self improvement requires we worship “the best”. …
“It wasn’t long before they were living in a pigpen, smeared with filth, filthy inside and out.” ~Apostle Paul
Something happens when we choose not to follow God’s goal for our life (sin). There is a downward spiral. It …
“How can a young person live a clean life?” ~King David
We are on a great journey. We need a map. We need direction on how to reach our destination. How …
“In marriage a man becomes one flesh with a woman—no longer two individuals.” ~Jesus
Jesus is clear. Jesus doesn’t equivocate or hedge. Jesus is all about love but he is also clear about marriage. …
"I am going to put it all together, pull it all together in a vast panorama." ~~Jesus
Jesus has it all together. All the complexity we see. All we don’t understand. Jesus sees it simply. He understands it …
“Aim above morality. Be not simply good, be good for something.” ~Henry David Thoreau
God has a goal for us, every day. It is not to be moral. It is not to be good. …
Am I open to God?
I am open to God and what He wants to do. God has a goal for me today. God has …
“It is not who is right, but what is right, that is of importance.” ~Thomas Huxley
There are things that matter and there are things that don’t. Our focus should be on “what is right”. Concentrate …
