Sunday, August 30, 2009

Does God have a Blueprint for my Life? Part 5


Passage

"For we are God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.." Ephesians 2:10

Pondering

In order to understand and move in God’s Game plan we need to:

1. Master the Basics - Know and keep the basic disciplines and rules of the game.

Just like a soccer player needs to go through basic disciplines and keep the basic rules of the game so Christians need to have their spiritual disciplines (personal prayer, worship, Bible reading, fellowship etc..) and basic obedience to God’s laws firmly in place. For example, a Christian who is staying and sleeping with his girlfriend may be asking if she is the right one to marry. The first thing he should do is repent of fornication and live separately from her and then follow God’s game plan for marriage, whilst building up an effective prayer and worship life and understanding of the Bible in fellowship with other Christians.

2. Move Biblically - Think and act according to the ethics and codes of the game.

A soccer player may know all the basic rules of the game but then get on pitch and start shooting at their own goal! They would not be breaking any basic rule as such but it is something that is not helpful for the team to win the match! In the same way, as Christians we may not be breaking any basic laws of God but we may not be doing things with a Biblical mind set. One example of this is a pastor who gets involved in a get rich quick pyramid scheme saying that the money can be used for God’s kingdom (this is ethically wrong according to the Biblical mind set - see Proverbs 28:20).

3. Modify our Bearings - Fine tune from experience and the Coaches guidance.

Even when we have mastered the basics and are moving with a Biblical mind set we are still sinners saved by grace and can make mistakes. Even seasoned soccer players occasionally need the coach to correct them. We have already seen that the Apostle Paul was moving within God’s game plan until he tried to go to Bithynia and then the coach (the Holy Spirit) had to intervened supernaturally to redirect him. This is the role of the prophetic, pointing out God’s specific game plan for the moment and giving further guidance and correction when needed.

Poem

To really enter into God's great game plan,
We must firstly know the rules of the game.
Then with daily discipline, run as Jesus ran
And, as Jesus, think and do the same.


Prayer

"Lord, help me to join in your great game plan by mastering the basics, moving Biblically and modifying my bearing as led by Your Holy Spirit. Amen!"

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