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" And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which can build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified".-Acts 20:32 (KJV)
There is an urgent challenge facing God's people today—a need for God's agenda on Earth.
Every day we experience a new set of surprises and a fresh new challenge.
In our lives and the lives of others, we have an opportunity to become the kind of people God created us to be.
But because we're under constant pressure and have difficulty maintaining our focus on God's glory, we end up failing to live up to God's expectations for us.
We experience a daily struggle to make sure our lives are aligned with God's agenda.
We must decide whether our main mission is to serve people and build a godly character, Paul in writing to the Romans says,
"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." - Rom. 12:1–2.
or to live in the world but remain separate
" I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world."-John 17:14
You have to be careful about becoming the kind of people who live their lives in the world and let the world rule over them.
Or you're going to miss out on the best and most fulfilling life you can experience.
How are you supposed to follow God's agenda for your life when you are so distracted and tempted by the world around you?
Our fallen nature makes it tempting to conform to the status quo, and it leads us to want to do things our way.
In the pursuit of your pleasure and personal interests, you end up doing things God never intended for you to do. It's a struggle to maintain focus on God.
The devil is relentless in tempting us, but you need to get clear on what God wants you to be and what your priorities are.
God wants you to be set apart for him, but it's so much easier to live like everyone else and get caught up in worldly things that pull you off course.
You must always have an awareness of where you are and what God's agenda is for you and others. You must always be in a position of humility, acknowledging your limits as you serve God and others.
One great way to be like God and reflect his character in the world is to live with a clear understanding of what God's agenda for you is.
That means recognizing where your priorities need to be changed and where your lives are going off track.
God's agenda for us is to reflect his character and to be a blessing to others. But when it comes to our lives, we must realize that the world's way is not the right way.
You can make a life of godliness the way God intended for you, or you can let the world run your life and let it ruin your character.
You need to be vigilant and determined to see that your life conforms to God's agenda.
You must understand that the real measure of your success will be how effectively you walk in a way that fits God's will for you and the world.
You can live like Christ's disciples, following the way of faith and doing the will of God.
This doesn't mean you can sit around doing nothing—you still have to be part of the world and walk in it.
But you need to look to God for your guidance and not let the world define what is acceptable or even what you believe.
The scripture has this to say,
" I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye."-Psalms 32:8 (KJV)
You need to know what God wants for you and let him shape your character, your heart, and your activities.
According to our scripture text, you will find that only God's word can build you up and also make provision for all you would ever desire to have in this world.
Your purpose as a Christian is to live the God kind of life in the world.
Let us see how to live God's Agenda and Character in the world:
1. A Godly Character Should Manifest Itself In A Godly Life.
There's so much talk in today's world of spiritual growth. We're always hearing about being more like Christ, growing in the Christian life, or being more like the Bible.
All that sounds like great motivation. But it can also be a distraction from what's important.
God wants us to have godly character, which is reflected in godly behavior.
Sometimes when you say you want to grow in God or want to mature in the Christian life, you don't mean the same thing.
God can use your spiritual growth to help you change your behavior—to develop godly character—but your goal must always be to grow in love, devotion, prayer, and sacrifice.
It's all right to live a good Christian life and be like God in all you do—but God wants you to be holy, not just good.
The point of spiritual growth isn't to make us better people. God cares about the way you conduct yourself.
You have a choice. You can spend your time trying to be a better person, or you can live out the Bible.
God wants you to walk in the Bible and reflect on his character. He doesn't want you to just be a better version of yourself or try to be more like him.
He wants us to reflect the image of God.
2. God's Agenda Is To Build A People Who Are Filled With His Spirit.
God is very pleased when you choose to follow him and live out his agenda in your life.
Your character is what affects the other people in your life.
If you're following God's agenda, you'll have godly character and you'll live in a way that affects the people in your life.
If you go the other way, your life will be self-serving and will affect the lives of others in your life.
God wants to shape people's lives, and he creates them with a desire for a relationship with him.
He wants to be in our relationship, and as we allow his Spirit to work in our lives, we will be filled with his character.
God's agenda is that he will lead and guide us into all truth
"Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come." -John 16:13 KJV.
He wants us to know the truth, but it's up to us to choose to receive it. We have to be open and willing to respond to what God is doing.
3. God's Agenda Is For You To Glorify Him.
When you are fully surrendered to God, you are living out the ultimate purpose for your life.
You have to know that the way you live will impact the lives of others.
You need to be ready to share the gospel with every person you meet.
Your goal is to be an instrument for God's glory and to glorify him, even if that means that you sacrifice something in the process.
God's agenda for us is to be people who can reach out to people in every situation. We need to be aware of the needs of the people around us.
A great way to get a taste of how to live the kind of life God wants for us is to get involved with a mission organization.
God's agenda is for you to go to the world, not so much to be in the world, but to share the gospel.
The people in the world are there because God loves them.
He is the God of the lost. There's a lot of talk about God's people not living up to the gospel.
The message of the gospel is the good news that you have the opportunity to receive God's blessings by repenting and trusting him.
If people don't hear the message of the gospel and accept it, that's God's problem. The fact is, he loves them.
4. God's Agenda Is For You To Bear Fruit.
One of the greatest ways to be like Christ and reflect God's character in the world is to be productive.
God wants to use you to help others find hope and joy in Christ.
You need to make an impact on the lives of others, not just sit in a pew and listen to a message that could benefit you more than others.
The greatest fruit of the kingdom of heaven is a changed life, where we are like Christ in all that we do.
You're to bear good fruit. God will grow it in you, but you have to be more like him.
5. God's Agenda Is To Be A Blessing To Others.
God's agenda for our lives is for us to reach out to others because that's how we can share God's love and his character.
You will be more successful and have a greater influence in the world if you share his love and character in the world.
God has a great plan for people. You are meant to be fruitful and you're supposed to be part of that plan.
God wants to use you to be productive and bless the lives of others.
People have a right to know what God expects of them. We need to be a blessing to people, not just ourselves.
But we need to be aware that this is not going to be a pleasant process.
This is a painful process, and it doesn't always come naturally.
You may have to sacrifice your desires, but the people we help will be blessed.
6. God's Agenda Is To Be Holy.
God wants you to be pure and undefiled before him. You need to be concerned about your character
" I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service."-Romans 12:1 (KJV)
You must strive to be more like Christ and live your life in such a way that reflects his image.
When you have God's agenda in your life, you are in a position to help others.
You can show people how to have a balanced, godly life.
It's not about making yourself look good. But you should be willing to put on the character of Christ in every area of your life.
You should be committed to living the way of the cross and helping people in the world see the value of his salvation.
God wants to use your life to be a means to an end, to draw people to himself, to help them understand the good news and his plan for their lives.
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