September 26, 2004

Reading through the Bible in one Year: Psalms 114-116

Weekly Memory Verse: Ephesians 2:10

Good Evening Brothers and Sisters,

Colossians 1:16 (NASB95)
¹⁶ For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. ^[1]

Welcome to Day one of “the Purpose Driven Life” by Rick Warren!  The main gist of Rick’s book in this chapter is that it is all about God, not about us.  I found this chapter to be interesting and thought provoking to read. 

One thing that I had not considered is the way that our society considers everything to be all about us.  What will  make me profitable, comfortable, or able to function in society better.  As a result of that, we carry that attitude into our churches and are a community of people who are focused intently upon getting our own needs satisfied.

On page 17, Rick goes through all of the my’s that are included in our society, emphasizing that our focus is upon our futures and everything that affects them.  I could not help but think about one other person who had the same attitude in the Bible when he sought to fulfill his desires and his dreams.

 Isaiah 14:12-14 (NASB95)
¹² “How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, You who have weakened the nations! ¹³ “But you said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, And I will sit on the mount of assembly In the recesses of the north. ¹⁴ ‘I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ ^[2]

We have been duped as a society, Satan has tricked our society into becoming just like him.  The total essence of our society is to fulfill the hedonistic and materialistic goals that we are faced with.  Our society is not focused upon God, it is focused upon each individual as the most important cog in the machine.  Think about that for a moment and consider these verses, doesn’t our society fit the description in these verses?  Our humanistic and materialistic world has tried to fire God from the universe by claiming that He really doesn’t matter, He is merely a figment of the imagination of the weak.  Look at the lie that Satan believed, hasn’t he passed it along cleverly?  Many of the cults, particularly the Mormons believe that they will become gods.  In our colleges and universities, our young people are taught that God is OK to believe in, but there is more to life.

Job 12:7-10 (NASB95)
⁷ “But now ask the beasts, and let them teach you; And the birds of the heavens, and let them tell you. ⁸ “Or speak to the earth, and let it teach you; And let the fish of the sea declare to you. ⁹ “Who among all these does not know That the hand of the Lord has done this, ¹⁰ In whose hand is the life of every living thing, And the breath of all mankind? ^[3]

In our society we have it backwards, it is not about us, it is all about God.  All of nature has already figured out this truth, as a matter of fact, if you read the dissertation by God in Job it is clear that it is not all about man, rather, it is all about God.  This is in the later part of Job, Chapters 38 through 41.  For the purpose of argument, check out these verses:

Job 26:5-14 (NASB95)
⁵ “The departed spirits tremble Under the waters and their inhabitants. ⁶ “Naked is Sheol before Him, And Abaddon has no covering. ⁷ “He stretches out the north over empty space And hangs the earth on nothing. ⁸ “He wraps up the waters in His clouds, And the cloud does not burst under them. ⁹ “He obscures the face of the full moon And spreads His cloud over it. ¹⁰ “He has inscribed a circle on the surface of the waters At the boundary of light and darkness. ¹¹ “The pillars of heaven tremble And are amazed at His rebuke. ¹² “He quieted the sea with His power, And by His understanding He shattered Rahab. ¹³ “By His breath the heavens are cleared; His hand has pierced the fleeing serpent. ¹⁴ “Behold, these are the fringes of His ways; And how faint a word we hear of Him! But His mighty thunder, who can understand?”

Job 38:1-11 (NASB95)
¹ Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said, ² “Who is this that darkens counsel By words without knowledge? ³ “Now gird up your loins like a man, And I will ask you, and you instruct Me! ⁴ “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding, ⁵ Who set its measurements? Since you know. Or who stretched the line on it? ⁶ “On what were its bases sunk? Or who laid its cornerstone, ⁷ When the morning stars sang together And all the sons of God shouted for joy? ⁸ “Or who enclosed the sea with doors When, bursting forth, it went out from the womb; ⁹ When I made a cloud its garment And thick darkness its swaddling band, ¹⁰ And I placed boundaries on it And set a bolt and doors, ¹¹ And I said, ‘Thus far you shall come, but no farther; And here shall your proud waves stop’?

Job 40:1-5 (NASB95)
¹ Then the Lord said to Job, ² “Will the faultfinder contend with the Almighty? Let him who reproves God answer it.” ³ Then Job answered the Lord and said, ⁴ “Behold, I am insignificant; what can I reply to You? I lay my hand on my mouth. ⁵ “Once I have spoken, and I will not answer; Even twice, and I will add nothing more.”

^[4]

I found the verses interesting and that Rick went along with Job’s findings that it is not all about man, it is all about God.  I promised not to re-invent the wheel as I comment on the daily studies, and I won’t do that.  I’m going to hit the high spots and things that stand out to me.  It is time that we change our perspective, and focus upon the fact that it is all about God.

Romans 8:6 (NASB95)
⁶ For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,

Matthew 16:25 (NASB95)
²⁵ “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

^[5]

Rick pointed out the idea behind self help books, building upon the idea that they are based upon the positive values in life.  If you follow them, you will probably succeed, but God does not require this type of effort.  God does not ask us to go through a formula in order to follow Him, remember, it is all about God, He empowers us.  He went on to discuss the idea that most people speculate in their own minds and compare themselves with worldly standards in order to determine their life purpose.  I would remind you of how Satan speculated at the beginning of my discussion.  God speaks to us through the revelation of His word, not on the empty philosophies that were handed down through the ages.  I am going to close here, for a better understanding of where I am coming from, pick up the book and read the chapter.  Here are the final two verses that Rick quotes in the book:

1 Corinthians 2:7 (NASB95)
⁷ but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory;

Ephesians 1:11 (NASB95)
¹¹ also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will,

Colossians 1:16 (NASB95)
¹⁶ For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. ^[6]

Father, as we consider Your word today, open our eyes and enable us to understand that it is certainly not about us.  Refocus our thoughts and our wills to match Your thoughts and Your will.  Build the idea in our hearts that it is not about us.

In Him,

Joe Turner.