As I reflect on my expedition here on this earthly realm and what I have learned about the agenda of God, I am filled with a deep sense of awe and gratitude. There was a time when the concept of God’s grand plan seemed so big and hard to understand, but through the years, through prayer, study, and life experiences, the pieces have started to come together.
I used to wonder why we are here and what our lives are for. Now, I see more clearly that God's plan is like a beautiful picture made from creation, redemption, and restoration.
It’s a divine guide that shows us how to live a life filled with love, purpose, and grace. This took a while to piece together so keep an open mind here and work with me as I share what I gathered thus far.
Imagine discovering a hidden treasure that holds the key to a joyful, purposeful, and fulfilling life. I want to share this treasure with you—understanding God's agenda. Knowing and aligning with the plan of God can truly alter how we live our lives.
God's agenda, as revealed through scripture teachings, guides us towards a life dedicated to Him, full of love, purpose, and grace.
God’s agenda provides us with a roadmap for living a meaningful life.
What is an Agenda?
An agenda is a plan or a list of things that need to be done. It's a guide that outlines the steps needed to achieve specific goals. Just like a to-do list helps us stay organized and focused, an agenda helps us understand what needs to be prioritized and how to navigate our tasks effectively.
Why It Matters:
Direction and Focus: An agenda provides us with clear direction and keeps us focused on what needs to be done.
Efficiency: It helps us use our time and resources wisely, avoiding distractions.
Achievement: By following an agenda, we can achieve our goals systematically and effectively.
Accountability: It keeps us accountable, ensuring we stay on track and complete our tasks.
Understanding God's Agenda
1. Be Fruitful and Multiply
One of the first commands God gave humanity was to "be fruitful and multiply." This directive involves more than just physical reproduction; it involves flourishing, thriving, and contributing positively to creation.
Genesis 1:28: "God blessed them and said to them, 'Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.'"
What It Means: Being fruitful and multiplying means growing in various aspects of life—spiritually, relationally, and productively. It involves nurturing your family, your community, and the world in ways that reflect God's glory.
Invest in your relationships, mentor others, contribute to your community in positive ways, help the needy, and live in a way that promotes growth and positivity.
Think of a gardener tending to a garden. By planting seeds, watering them, and making sure they have the right conditions, the gardener helps the plants grow and multiply. In the same way, we are called to nurture and grow the areas of life we are responsible for.
Humanity was created in God's image and placed in a perfect relationship with Him and the rest of creation.
2. Redemption and Salvation
Think about the feeling of relief and joy when a friend forgives you for a mistake you did. Now imagine this on a cosmic scale, where God forgives all our sins through Christ Jesus. God's primary agenda is the redemption and salvation of humanity.
Redemption is the act of being saved from sin and its consequences through Jesus Christ's sacrificial death and resurrection. This is central to the Christian faith and is beautifully expressed in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. God's desire is for all of us to come to know Him and receive eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ.
Now you may ask and wonder why we need to be redeemed? well let's get back to the beginning, shall we?
The story of our humanity took a tragic turn with the Fall, when Adam and Eve disobeyed God's command by eating the forbidden fruit (Genesis 3). This act of disobedience introduced sin, suffering, and separation from God into the world.
Humanity disobeyed God by eating the forbidden fruit (Theologians and scholars view the fruit as a symbol of the knowledge of good and evil. Eating it represented a desire to attain wisdom and moral autonomy, which was meant to be under God's authority), resulting in sin entering the world (Genesis 3). This act of disobedience, known as the Fall, brought corruption, suffering, and separation from God into creation.
The presence of the forbidden fruit also emphasizes the concept of free will. God gave Adam and Eve the freedom to choose obedience or disobedience, illustrating that love and obedience to God must come willingly rather than through compulsion.
The story of the forbidden fruit highlights the nature of temptation and sin. The serpent's deception and Eve’s subsequent decision to eat the fruit demonstrate how sin can appear attractive and desirable, leading to actions that go against God's will. Sin disrupted the perfect relationship between God and humanity, creating a need for redemption.
Recognizing the brokenness caused by sin helps us understand the significance of Jesus Christ's sacrificial death and resurrection.
John 3:16-17: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."
What It Means: This means that God loves us deeply and wants to save us from the consequences of our mistakes (sins). Christ Jesus's sacrifice allows us to be forgiven and have a relationship with God.
It's up to you to accept Jesus Christ as your Savior, believe in His love for you, and follow His teachings. Share this message of hope with others.
Think of it like being given a second chance after failing a test. Instead of being punished, you're offered a tutor (Jesus) to help you succeed.
3. Reconciliation and Restoration
Imagine a broken friendship being healed and restored to its former closeness. This is what God seeks with us. God seeks to reconcile and restore His relationship with humanity, which has been broken by sin.
This involves individual redemption as well as the restoration of all creation to its intended state of harmony and peace.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19: "All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people's sins against them."
What It Means: God wants to fix our broken relationship with Him and bring peace and harmony to the world. It involves the renewal of all things, including the environment, relationships, and society, aligning them with God's perfect will Forgive others as God forgives you.
Work towards peace in your relationships and your community.
Imagine a broken bridge being rebuilt so people can cross it safely again. God rebuilds the bridge between us and Him, and we can help rebuild bridges in our lives too.
Let me stimulate your mind with this analogy of The Broken Vase
Imagine a beautifully crafted vase, creatively designed and flawlessly made. This vase symbolizes the perfect creation that God made, including humanity and the world.
The Fall: One day, the vase is accidentally knocked over and shattered into many pieces. This represents the Fall, where sin entered the world and broke the perfect relationship between God, humanity, and creation.
Need for Redemption: Simply gluing the pieces back together won't restore the vase to its original beauty. It needs a master craftsman to carefully and skillfully repair it. This craftsman is like Jesus Christ, who through His sacrifice and resurrection, redeems us from our brokenness, forgiving our sins and making us whole again.
Need for Restoration: Once the craftsman has redeemed the vase, he doesn't stop there. He meticulously restores it, piece by piece, to its original design. He polishes it, removes any imperfections, and makes it as beautiful as it once was, if not more. This restoration process symbolizes God's plan to renew and restore all of creation, bringing it back to the state of harmony and goodness that He originally intended.
Practical Application:
Redemption: Like the craftsman redeeming the vase, Jesus redeems us by forgiving our sins and restoring our relationship with God. This means accepting His sacrifice, repenting, and living a transformed life.
Restoration: Just as the craftsman restores the vase, God is at work restoring all of creation. This involves healing relationships, working for justice, caring for the environment, and living out God's love in our daily lives.
4. Love and Compassion
Think of the warmth and kindness you feel when someone goes out of their way to help you. This is the love and compassion God wants us to show to others. God's agenda includes demonstrating His love and compassion to the world.
We believers are called to love others as God loves them, showing kindness, mercy, and compassion to all people.
Matthew 22:37-39: "Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"
What It Means: We are to love God fully and love others as we love ourselves. Show kindness, help those in need, and treat everyone with respect and care.
Think of love as the fuel for a car. Without it, the car (our actions) won't run smoothly. Love keeps everything working as it should.
5. Justice and Righteousness
Imagine standing up for a friend who is being bullied. This act of justice mirrors what God wants us to do in the world. God values justice and righteousness, and His agenda includes addressing and rectifying injustice, oppression, and inequality.
Christians are called to act justly and promote righteousness in our communities and beyond.
Micah 6:8: "He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."
What It Means: God wants us to do what is right and fair and to treat others with kindness and humility. Stand up against injustice, help those who are treated unfairly, and always act with integrity.
Imagine being a referee in a game. Your job is to make sure that everyone plays fairly and respects the rules. God wants us to be fair and just in our daily lives.
6. Spreading the Gospel
Think of how you share exciting news with your friends. God wants us to share the good news of our Lord Jesus Christ in the same way. The Great Commission is a central point of God's agenda, which involves spreading the message of Jesus Christ and making disciples of all nations.
Matthew 28:19-20: "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
What It Means: God wants us to share the good news of our Lord Jesus Christ with others and help them follow Him, live out His teachings in everyday life. Talk about your faith with friends and family, invite them to church, and live in a way that reflects Christ Jesus's teachings.
Think of it like being a tour guide. You show people the way to a wonderful destination (faith in Christ Jesus) and help them get there.
7. Building the Church
Picture a team working together towards a common goal. This is how God sees the Church—everyone playing a part. God's agenda includes the establishment and growth of the Church, which serves as the body of Christ on earth. The Church is to be a community of believers who support, encourage, and build each other up in faith.
Ephesians 4:11-13: "So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ."
What It Means: God wants us to be part of a community where we can grow in our faith and support one another. Join a church, participate in church activities, and encourage your fellow believers.
Think of the church as a spiritual health/wellness care center. Just as a health care center cares for physical ailments, the church cares for spiritual, emotional, and moral needs.
Jesus as the Chief Physician: Jesus is like the chief doctor, providing healing and guidance for our souls.
Pastors and Leaders as Medical Staff: Pastors and church leaders act like doctors and nurses, offering spiritual care, guidance, and support.
Congregation as Patients and Caregivers: Church members come to receive healing and also support one another, much like patients and caregivers in a hospital.
The Bible as Medicine: The teachings in the Bible provide the necessary spiritual nutrients, guidance for healing and growth in our lives (Psalm 107:20). Regular study and meditation on the Bible act as a daily dose of medicine, strengthening faith and promoting spiritual health.
Prayer as Therapy: Prayer is like therapy, allowing us to communicate with God and seek His presence for healing, wisdom, strength and guidance.
Worship as Rehabilitation: Worship services renew our spirits and help us grow stronger in faith, similar to rehabilitation sessions.
Church Activities as Preventive Care: Activities such as Bible studies and fellowship groups help maintain and enhance our spiritual health.
8. Living Out God's Kingdom on Earth
Imagine creating a small piece of heaven wherever you go by living according to God's values. God's agenda is for His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven.
This means living according to God's principles and values, bringing the reality of God's kingdom into everyday life.
Matthew 6:10: "Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."
What It Means: We should live in a way that reflects God's values and principles, making earth more like heaven. Follow God's teachings in your daily life, make decisions that honor Him, and spread His love and justice.
Think of it like being an ambassador. You represent God's kingdom on earth, showing others what it looks like to live under His rule.
9. Spiritual Growth and Transformation
Picture a seed growing into a strong tree with deep roots and abundant fruits. This is how God wants us to grow spiritually. God desires the spiritual growth and transformation of individuals. This involves becoming more like Christ, growing in faith, and developing the fruits of the Spirit.
Romans 12:2: "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."
What It Means: God wants us to grow spiritually and become more like Jesus. Read the Bible, pray, and seek to grow in your faith every day. Allow God to transform your thoughts and actions.
Think of it like planting a seed. With water, sunlight, and care, it grows into a strong, fruitful tree. Our faith grows when we nurture it with God's word and prayer.
God's agenda is having many sides to it, focusing on the redemption and restoration of humanity, spreading love and justice, sharing the Gospel, building the Church, and living out His kingdom on earth. As believers, we are called to align our lives with these purposes, participating in God's work and reflecting His love and grace to the world. please provide the references and sources in Apa. not the verses please
As always, remain faithful. I love you.
Sources:
Holy Bible, New International Version (NIV)
Here are some reputable sites that provide biblical references and theological insights:
Bible Gateway: (https://www.biblegateway.com) - A comprehensive online Bible resource where you can find various translations and commentaries.
Blue Letter Bible: (https://www.blueletterbible.org) - Offers tools for in-depth Bible study, including concordances and commentaries.
Got Questions: (https://www.gotquestions.org) - Provides answers to many theological questions based on biblical teachings.
Crosswalk: (https://www.crosswalk.com) - Features articles, devotionals, and resources for understanding Christian living and theology.
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