Okay guys...I've been meaning to do this for a while, but have just now gotten around to actually writing it up and posting it. Tell me what you all think.
Basically, since going to the student conference in CA with all the CP! crew...wow. It's been quite crazy to see all God has been doing and working in my life and the lives of those around me. But attending that conference, and hearing what Mr. Cover, the speaker, had to say about life and how to live it...was worth every bit. That man really made me think about some important things, and how I intend to live my life.
Before I go on about it though, I wrote this. It was largely inspired by his wisdom, and my decisions and conclusions from his teachings...and very wise they were. It was good for me to write it out anyhow, since I intend to live this way.
At any rate...please, feel free to tell me your thoughts on it. It's going to be heavily edited, but...you get the main idea. Take a look:
Life Resolution
Realizing that all things that have no eternal value are worthless and unimportant, and also realizing that “only what is done for Christ will last,” I feel it is necessary, and required, in fact, to put forth in no uncertain terms the purpose of my life, and how I intend to guide my every action, decision, and hope based on these few words.
The common belief in our world today is that your life is your own, to make whatever you please out of it. This is a lie. Especially as a saved believer in Jesus Christ who is Lord, my life belongs to Him, and is His property. Therefore, as Paul, who lived a slave to Christ, to do Christ's bidding, I too must live in that same manner, living and doing and being only what He would have me do, and live, and speak. Putting aside even that, life is merely wasted, except for what is done for an eternal, godly impact on the souls around us.
Based on this, I realize these truths:
1) My life must be dedicated as fully to serving the Lord, my family, and the world around me, respectively, as much as humanly possible.
2) The only things that will matter in the end being the work done in God's Kingdom, this should be my chief striving and end.
Based on these principles for living life, I will strive to live for Christ, my family, the Church, and human world around me. This will mean removing or minimizing things with no real eternal or important value, focusing primarily on things of spiritual, relational, and biblical importance, and above all, determining the difference between the two, the more important and less so. Everything that is not dedicated to the ultimate end of serving Christ must go, and everything else should revolve around it. It will also mean constant and continual evaluation and careful discernment.
I intend to accomplish these goals by doing these things for the rest of my life, in respective order of importance:
1) To live for and serve Christ, God Almighty, and His Kingdom
By preaching and teaching His Word, His truth, and the Gospel to all who will listen.
By living out faith in my life, being an example, and striving for Christ-likeness.
By serving, supporting, exhorting, and encouraging my fellow believers in Christ.
By personally dedicating myself to learning His Word and learning about Him.
I will dedicate my entire life, to these tasks.
2) In keeping with Scripture and service to God, to live for, serve, and edify my family.
By living in my current state as a brother and son who exemplifies Christ to my family
By serving my parents, sibling(s), and offering support, godly exhortation, and aid.
By eventually having my own family (not realistically believing that I have the gift of singleness), and growing, raising, and serving my future family in all godliness and love.
By loving my future wife, with my entire being, and protecting, providing for, teaching, supporting, encouraging, and serving her, putting her life and well being before my own, and edifying her in Christ, teaching her the Scriptures, being an example of godliness, etc.
By loving my future children, and raising men and women of God, by lovingly protecting them from evil and temptation, by serving their needs and wants, their lives being more important than mine, teaching them in godliness, Scripture, and conduct, supporting and encouraging them, exhorting and disciplining them, and dedicating them to the Lord and His work, continuing the cycle ordained since Adam and Eve for each generation.
By dedicating my life to overseeing their spiritual, physical, and emotional well-being, through teaching, discipline, example, support, exhortation, encouragement, love, and prayer.
By making my family the single most earthly priority I have, in my time, effort, strength, wisdom, and ability.
I will dedicate my life to striving to keep these above principles.
3) In keeping with Scripture, and serving Christ, I will serve, edify, and support the Body of Christ, the Church.
By teaching to, preaching to, and exhorting the Body of Christ by proclaiming His Word.
By offering encouragement, support, knowledge of His Word, exhortation, accountability, and attention to my brothers and sisters in Christ, for their edification.
By esteeming the their lives as more important than my own, and dedicating time, strength, and effort in serving them.
By taking care of my brothers and sisters in need in spiritual, emotional (as much as wise and possible), and physical needs when those needs need fulfilling.
By being an example of Christ-likeness to the Church to the best of my ability
By placing myself in the service of my church, and the whole Church, furthering His Kingdom, meeting the needs of those within, and giving the glory to Christ.
4) By serving humanity and the world around me by the betterment of lives, the improving of the culture and society, individual welfare, and primarily, by being a light to the word of Christ and the proclamation of the Gospel.
By the proclaiming of the Gospel, Christ, and God Almighty to the world.
By serving others as Christ did, in spiritual, physical, and emotional needs when edifying and godly.
By seeking to improve the world around me politically, socially, and culturally, in physical welfare, spiritual salvation, and leading by example.
By using my abilities to use as many venues as possible to promote biblical values, godly principles, and good, pure, just things to the eyes and ears of those I can reach.
I will spend the rest of my life striving to abide by this standard, live by these principles, and otherwise glorify God, further His Kingdom, and serve my one and only Master, the Lord Jesus Christ. And I will put all of my skills, strength, mind, heart and abilities to this service, to their fullest ability, stretched to the limit, until my work on this earth and in this life, be accomplished. Solo deo Gloria.
~Alexander Perry Reese
Phil. 4:13
3/24/2012
Saturday, March 24, 2012
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