What is our purpose? As humans, what were we created for? What is our calling? These are questions we normally pose to ourselves. As image bearers of God, it is not only crucial that we ask these questions but that we seek to answer to it. Why did God make me and to what end? The Westminster divines, based on the truth stated in Holy Writ, answer this most crucial question, what is the chief end of man by saying, “The chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever.” (WSC Q. 1). We were created to glorify the triune God and this is what we should seek to do. That is our mission statement as humans. It follows then that we ask ourselves, How? How do we glorify God?

We must seek to fulfill our purpose of being created each day of our lives and we must reflect on these truths even more so now that the times are dark. Our eternity depends on it. We are fifteen days into the New Year and it will be best for our souls, if we dwelt on how we can achieve our purpose. The question we must face is this, “How can we glorify God”. We can glorify God in so many ways. So how does one summarize it? How do you teach someone how they should glorify God? That is not something we teach! God does that! He does everything! He regenerates our heart so that we can! It would be easier to just give everyone a to-do list and tell them to just follow this, for with this you can glorify God. But is God really glorified by following a to-do list? We have people from different races and different backgrounds and all walks of life. How do you answer this for everyone? The question, “how can we glorify God” is broad. It could have been easier had it said, “how can we glorify God in our workplace, or our body, or even at school”. But we ask, that the most Gracious and Holy God, will show us grace as we seek to glorify Him.

What Does Glorifying God Mean?

Glorifying God means we recognize that He is far greater, valuable and beautiful than any other thing. It means that He is our treasure. So to glorify God, we are in essence treasure hunters seeking out our greatest treasure. We must first recognize who God is to glorify Him. Glorifying God means we must worship God as He is and must cherish Him above all things. With this, How then, can we glorify God?

Knowing God And Christ

The most important way we can glorify God is to know Him. I do not mean knowing about Him but knowing Him. We glorify God by having a Father-Son relationship with Him; that is by knowing Him. As image bearers of God, we were all made for a relationship with God; in fact we are all in a relationship with Him. We either relate with God as a Father, who sent His Son for sinners and who welcomes us to a loving relationship with Him, or we relate with God as the Judge and Creator of all things.

In the first type of relationship, we are Sons, in the second, we are enemies of God. In both categories, we know about God (creation speaks of God (Romans 1:19-20)). As a result of the Fall, we are all born dead in our sins and find ourselves in the latter category; our natural relationship with God is not as a Father-Son relationship, but as enemies of God. As enemies of God, we hate God and do not honor Him as God. Paul says in Romans 1:19, “ For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” We actually spit in the face of Him who gives us breath. We look in the face of God and disobey Him. How dare we! We don’t glorify God; in fact we can’t. However, because of Christ’s death on the cross, we are reconciled to God. We enter into a Father-Son relationship with the triune God by placing our faith in Christ. We down our weapons, stop warring against God in sinful rebellion and we cry out to Him. No longer are we children of wrath, but we are sons. We can now live our purpose: Glorifying God! It is important to understand how we can know God. It is only through Christ.

Knowledge of the Father comes only through the Son. Apart from the Son, we cannot know God. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature (Hebrews 1:3) and He makes God known (John 1:17). He is the way, the truth and the life and no one goes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6).

You can glorify God this year by knowing Him. In fact, that is what eternal life is! In his high priestly prayer, Jesus said this, “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent “This is how we can glorify God: By knowing Him and His Son. God is so vastly greater than us that we cannot know Him fully, even into eternity. Knowing God is far much precious than gold or silver! Like Paul, we must count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord. He is All! Knowing God doesn’t end with believing in Christ at just one point. It is a way of life. We will find ourselves exactly where we started when it comes to Knowing God. He inexhaustible! Incomprehensible!

Do you know God and do you know Christ? John Piper is famous for saying this, “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him”. We will only be satisfied in God when we know Him. Isaiah says in Isaiah 40:17, “All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.” Do you know this God? Do you cherish Him above all?

Obeying God’s Word

In His high priestly prayer, Christ says, “I glorified you on earth,…” How did Christ glorify His Father on earth? He tells us, by saying, “having accomplished the work that you gave me to do” (John 17:4). As the perfect man, Christ is the embodiment of a life that glorifies God. He lived in perfect obedience to the Father. It comes as no surprise that the Father is well pleased in Him (Matt. 3:17). To glorify God, like Christ, we must obey His Word. Dr. Steven Lawson notes this when he says, “The primary purpose of the Word of God is to glorify the God of the Word”. Unlike our first parents who disobeyed God in the garden, Christ lived in perfect obedience to His Father. Now, because of the person of Christ, his death and resurrection, we have the person of the Holy Spirit, who helps us to live in accordance with God and His Word. It is incredible to think that we need God to help us glorify God! O What wretched men we are! We can glorify God by obeying His Word, and trusting in His promises. To obey God’s Word, we must believe that He is who He says He is and that we can trust His Word. Because God is good, we must obey Him. God is glorified and honored, when we like Christ, do what He tells us to do. What does God tell us? He tells us to believe in Christ. He tells us to be in the world but not of it. He tells us to be a light in a dark world. He tells us to be holy, as He is holy. God is glorified if we are obeying God’s word in these and other places. Are you obeying God’s Word? Are we holy as He is holy?

Praying to God

You might be asking yourself, “How is God glorified when I pray to Him?” I will show you. God is glorified when we believe in the gospel. By believing in the gospel, we honor Him as Lord and Savior, and humbly accept that He is infinitely greater than all. Prayer is essentially living out the gospel. In his book, A Praying Life, Paul E Miller, makes this point when he says,

Prayer mirrors the gospel. In the gospel, the Father takes us as we are because of Jesus and gives us his gift of salvation. In prayer, the Father receives us as we are because of Jesus and gives us his gift of help.

Like the gospel, when we pray, we realize that we are nothing apart from Christ. In the gospel, we realize that we are wretched and sinful, and that we need the righteousness of the perfect Lamb of God to be right with God. When we pray, we acknowledge also, that we are nothing apart from Christ, and that we need Him to perfect our words. Does it not strike us that Christ tells us to pray to the Father in His name? Apart from Christ, we can do nothing ! Prayer is a recognition of this: God is most glorified, when we acknowledge our helplessness and His all-sufficiency!

When we realize we can do nothing on our own, we are helpless and God is everything to us. He is glorified when we pray. We must be a people of prayer. We must cast ourselves at the foot of the throne via the cross of Calvary and cry out, “We are nothing! We need you”. In Prayer, we come as broken and helpless, and all we can do is cling unto the promises of God. In what other way can God be more glorified than when we His people trust Him? In Prayer, we are confronted with who God is and we can only bow to Him. Prayer glorifies God and so we must pray.

When we know God and His Son, obey His Word and also trust in His promises, and when we pray to God, He is glorified in us. This is the root. And this applies to all from different races or walks of life or work force. We must be a people who know their God, obey Him and cry out to Him. And in doing so, we glorify God. We must always remember, this is our chief end. Grace and Peace to all who seek to glorify their God, who died to save them from their sins.

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I wish you a happy new year and  welcome you into 2018. As we have entered a new year, perhaps one of the most important question on the minds of many believers especially would be “what is the will or purpose of God for my life in 2018?” It is the right question to be asking because the Bible teaches us to be careful how we live not as unwise but wise understanding what the will of God is.

As good as the question is we often don’t seek the answers in the right places. Over the next several days, many will be embarking on fasting programs and attending numerous prophetic meetings in order to hear God’s will for their lives in 2018 through their pastors. I do not mean to denigrate fasting and a pastor’s role in guiding the flock under their care. But I believe God has spoken loud and clear in his word.

We worship a communicating God. He has not left us to grope in the dark with tingling ears to hear what he will whisper to us through somebody else. His word is ancient yet ever true, and it is relevant for us today as it was for the first recipient of the word. God is more concerned about you finding his will than we are, that’s why he has spoken so clear and universally. Therefore if you want to know the will of God for your life in 2018, you don’t have to look any further than what he has revealed about himself in his timeless word. He has spoken about every area of your life and all you need to do is to understand what the will of the Lord is.

The will of God for your life in 2018 goes back to the garden, where God said “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness” (Genesis 1:26). We were created by God for God, to be his image bearers in the world. Therefore God’s will for your life regardless of the year is to live in such a way that non-Christian will know who God is through you. You are to be an imitator of God as a beloved child (Ephesians 5:1).

What is God like? He has revealed that clearly in the Bible. He is good and all he does is worthy of approval (Luke 18:19). He is love – eternally giving himself to others (1 John 4:8). God is merciful, gracious and patient, he is good to those in distress and in misery, he is good to those who deserve only punishment, withholding that punishment over a period of time that they might find repentance (Exodus 34:6). The Bible also tells us God is holy. He is separated from sin and devoted to seeking his own honour (Isaiah 6:3). He is a God of peace not of confusion, his actions are characterized by peace not disorder (1 Corinthians 14:33). He is righteous and just, always acting in accordance with what is right and is himself the final standard of what is right (Duet. 32:4). God is jealous for his divine glory and honour and seeks to protect it (Ex. 20:5). God is wrathful, he intensely hates all sin (Ex. 32:9-10). There are many more of God’s attributes we must understand and display as we devote ourselves to the study of His word.

However, imitating God is not a call to work out our own righteousness. It will take the power of God to live like God, He knows this that is why he has given us the Holy Spirit. In Romans 8:11, Paul says “And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.” The primary role of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer is not for signs and wonders. He came to empower a life of daily faithfulness and obedience.

In John 14:26, Jesus promised his disciples “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” Again in John 16:13, he told them, “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come”. Jesus in these verses wasn’t talking about a subjective knowledge which comes through dreams and visions. No, the Holy Spirit after his coming inspired the word of God to be written, which is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16 & 17).

God’s will for you in 2018 is living a life of faithful obedience empowered by the Holy Spirit. This will require a daily intake of his word and a life characterized by ceaseless prayers and seeking to reflect his character through your actions and proclaiming his goodness to those who do not know him. Paul’s instruction to the saints in Ephesus holds true for us: “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is” (Eph. 5:15-17).

And as you live this life of faithful obedience,  “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thess. 5:18).

Happy New Year

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One can almost touch the air of conviviality and brotherliness that pervades the atmosphere whenever we approach the dawn of a new year.

As the year inches to a close, I am reminded that everything in this life has an end. We can liken the end of the year to the climax of all times to which this world is inevitably heading – the end of time as we know it! The Spirit of God speaking through Peter describes the events that will take place at the end of days; what the Bible calls the day of the Lord:

But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.” (2Peter 3:7-13)

The similarity between the end of the year and the end of time is that, both are inevitable. In a sense, we look forward to both. However, a major difference, and one of immense proportion is that no one knows when the day of the Lord will come. The Bible says it will come like a thief. This should cause us to shudder. The great question is, are you ready for this day?  Seeing “The Lord is not slow to fulfil His promise as some count slowness”, we must all pause and weigh our lives. Are we living worthy of the Lord?

Some scoffers in the days of Peter mocked, as some do today, asking, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.”(2Peter 3:4). But, the coming of the Lord’s Day will come and will not fail.  God is patiently waiting for all who have not done so already, to come to repentance

Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your heart, the Bible warns. You still have an opportunity to repent and turn to God. The text quoted teaches explicity that the day of the Lord will be a day of judgement; all who are ungodly will not stand a chance in the judgement, but will be destroyed. Only those who have lived holy and godly lives by putting their faith in Jesus will be admitted into the new heaven and new earth.

Peter asked his audience then, as I do solemnly now; in view of all these, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness? Surely, like a thief, unannounced, the King of kings will appear to usher in His Kingdom. He will reign and rule in the new heaven and new earth with all the saved.

In conclusion, a mere superficial, outward change of character and attitude may be enough to get you started in the New Year; but it sure won’t stand the test in the day of The Lord. What is needed is a change of nature –  from inside out – a true change of heart and life which begins by placing your trust in Jesus Christ.

If the end of the year were the end of time, would you be ready?

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I am convinced you are going to — if you have not started already–write down resolutions for 2016. I will too. I especially desire spiritual growth and maturity; and one of my resolutions will be to read through the Bible–old and new testament–in 2016. Is it something you would want to consider? I think you should.

For the believer, new year resolution is an opportunity to evaluate our lives and see how God glorifying we have been with our lives–time, gifts, opportunities, work, etc.

Socrates, the Greek philosopher said “an unexamined life is not worth living”. Paul said “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you? — unless indeed you fail to meet the test! (2Corinthians 13:5). Examining our lives doesn’t only involve evaluation of past events in our lives. It also involves planning and making decisions for the future (Proverbs 6:6-11, Luke 14:28).

You see, one of the many areas believers falter in our walk with the Lord is diligent Bible reading and study. But as believers, Scripture is the only credible source of truth in our walk and we must as a matter of duty, read and study it.

As one theologian puts it,

I could plead with you to study the Bible for personal edification; I could try the art of persuasion to stimulate your quest for happiness. I could say that the study of the Bible would probably be the most fulfilling and rewarding educational experience of your life. I could cite numerous reasons why you would benefit from a serious study of Scripture. But ultimately the main reason why we should study the Bible is because it is our duty. ~ R.C. Sproul  ¹

In a recent blog post, I wrote a two part series–Regaining Lost Passion for The Bible One & Two — and I wish to adapt from that post as a guide to help you if you making a  resolution to study and read through the Bible in 2016.

1: Desire to Study.

A lack of desire is one major reason most of us don’t study or read the Bible. Many of us know the significance of the Bible in the believer’s life, but somehow, the desire to study or read it is absent. We live in a busy and competitive world. Nothing around us suggests “read your Bible”. The cares of the world clutter our minds and the Bible seem not a priority. But, it should be, if we are going to make any progress in our walk of faith and please God. In 2016, desire to read and study the Bible. There is no source of intimate fellowship with God apart from time spent in His word and prayer. So, as the deer pants after the water brooks, our souls must thirst and pant after God through His word (Psalms 42:1-2). You however can’t by your own will power create this desire. You should pray to God that through the Holy Spirit, a desire will be stirred up in your heart to study and read the Bible this coming year.

2: Make The Time To Study

A desire only is not enough. You can have the desire, but if you don’t make the time to study and read, you will make no progress. You must seize time, set it aside for use in studying the Bible. The best time, in my opinion to study the Bible is in the morning. This might not work for everybody because of time schedules, but I believe it is the most reasonable time. In the morning, our mind is fresh and alert. In Mark 1:35, Bible tells us about Jesus’ devotional life: “And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.” Rising up early to pray and read is a good practice, yet a difficult one. But once the habit is formed, a successful Bible study plan will follow. You must labour to study. Make the time.

3: Have A Plan To Study: Study Systematically

You have to open the Bible and read it in a systematic way. Not cheery picking verses from different places in the Bible every day. What I mean by systematic is simply in an orderly manner. With this organised reading, you will grasp the whole storyline of the Bible. You should follow a systematic pattern through the Bible. Here are a number of bible reading plans you can adopt.

4: Keep Notes

For the study of the Bible to be fulfilling, keep a note book and a pen any time you are reading. Make notes, write things you believe God is communicating through His word. A study Bible will be helpful. Also, make some investments in Bible commentaries, Bible reference materials, bible dictionaries, etc. If God is that important to you, you must spend to know more about him through Bible reading. Also use more than one Bible translation if possible.

5: Meditate on The Word

Desire and studying Scriptures alone will not produce the full benefit of the word in your life. We have to take desire and study to another level—meditation. Meditation is contemplation and reflection on the word we have read. Meditation allows the word to settle in our hearts and become part of us. It is said, if you know how to worry, you can meditate on the word. Just worry about the word. Ask questions in your mind. Turn the word around. My most favourite explanation of meditation is the analogy with a ruminant chewing its cud. (Deuteronomy 6:6-9, Joshua 1:8 and Psalms 1:1-2).

6: Obey The Word

Studying and reading the Bible must not be an end in itself. Bible study must lead to living the word, obedience to the word and fruitfulness in our Christian living. In the Bible, we encounter God and our lives are changed.

Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law (Psalm 119:18).

There are indeed many benefits to reading through the Bible. Here are a few articles you can refer to: Daily Bread, 5 Reasons to Read the Entire Bible in 2016. If you have questions as to why you must read through the Bible, this FAQ will be helpful.

We at The Gospel Network wish you a Happy and fruitful New Year as you take steps to master the Bible for it to master you.

Notes:

1: Knowing Scripture, Intervarsity Press, Second Edition © 2009 by R. C. Sproul(Kindle page 35).

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