Lesson 7
Tell Me About My New Life In Jesus Christ Lessons
for New Believers A Discipleship Resource by
Lesson 7
What is God’s Purpose for Me?
In His Image
Rom. 8:29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many . . .
God’s purpose for you is clear in the Bible. You have been “predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son [Jesus]” (Romans 8:29). God promises, that if you are willing, He will make you to be like Jesus. We see a picture of what this can mean when Paul says in 1 Corinthians 11:1, “Be imitators of me [Paul], as I am of Christ.” Scripture also says in Ephesians 5:1, “Be imitators of God, as dearly beloved children.” God’s goal is to make you into the image of His Son, just as Jesus is exact image of God the Father (Jn 14:9; 2 Cor. 4:4).
Lessons for New Believers
© Time to Revive
How
is it Possible to be Like Jesus?
God’s intention and promise may be the single most impossible thing in the Bible from a human perspective. There is absolutely no way we could change my behavior such that it would consistently be like Jesus. The way He related to people with selfless love, compassion and understanding is beyond anything we could imagine being true by our own will power. We often want too much “our” way and care most about ourselves. Fortunately, it is God who is changing us. We are not left to self-effort and failure.
We were given a picture of how this is possible when God directed the prophet Jeremiah to go to the potter’s house. There, he found the potter working at his wheel, “and the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do.” God then asked, “Can I not do with you as this potter has done? Behold, like the clay in the potters hand, so you are in My hand” In order for God to make you to be like Jesus, you must place yourself in His hands even as the clay was placed in the hands of the potter. God will change you as He pleases to make you what He wants, so you will become more like Jesus. Perhaps this picture helps you understand why as part of being saved, the Bible teaches that we are required to, “confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord” (Romans 10:9). The dictionary tells us that the word “lord” means: “one having power and authority over others”. It is the potter who can make the clay exactly as he wants it to be. We must become the clay in God’s hands.
Lessons for New Believers
© Time to Revive
How can you allow God to mold you?
Jesus declared that anyone who follows Him must deny
“self” daily (Luke 9:23).
Our
greatest battle is putting self will and desires out of the way so that we can seek what God wants. Jesus declared, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46) Clearly, we must “do” and not simply “say.” To do, we must hear, and to hear, we must seek to listen. As believers we have several ways to do this.
The first is to continue to read and studying God’s word, the Bible, for that is where He speaks and is revealed to us. God will never ask us to do anything that is contrary to His word. Attending a good Bible believing local church and joining a Bible study group is very helpful here as you begin to learn to walk with the Lord. In both forums you can hear and ask questions.
A second way is to ask God in prayer and simply wait for an answer. Prayer, as we will see, is conversation with a listening God who wants to answer if you are prepared to obey. Jesus said it simply, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (John 10:27). We must seek to hear what He is saying so we can follow Him. For me one of the most useful prayers is to ask for Jesus’ eyes and His heart that I may see and know and understand things as He sees and knows and understands. Then with His heart, my response will be His response and people will not see me, they will see Jesus.
A simple way to remember that we are to follow Jesus is to ask this question, “What would Jesus have me do”? That question makes you clay in the potter’s hands. When you are given the answer to that question, you will have found His will and can now obey.
Lessons for New Believers
© Time to Revive
for New Believers A Discipleship Resource by
Lesson 7
What is God’s Purpose for Me?
In His Image
Rom. 8:29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many . . .
God’s purpose for you is clear in the Bible. You have been “predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son [Jesus]” (Romans 8:29). God promises, that if you are willing, He will make you to be like Jesus. We see a picture of what this can mean when Paul says in 1 Corinthians 11:1, “Be imitators of me [Paul], as I am of Christ.” Scripture also says in Ephesians 5:1, “Be imitators of God, as dearly beloved children.” God’s goal is to make you into the image of His Son, just as Jesus is exact image of God the Father (Jn 14:9; 2 Cor. 4:4).
Lessons for New Believers
© Time to Revive
How
is it Possible to be Like Jesus?
God’s intention and promise may be the single most impossible thing in the Bible from a human perspective. There is absolutely no way we could change my behavior such that it would consistently be like Jesus. The way He related to people with selfless love, compassion and understanding is beyond anything we could imagine being true by our own will power. We often want too much “our” way and care most about ourselves. Fortunately, it is God who is changing us. We are not left to self-effort and failure.
We were given a picture of how this is possible when God directed the prophet Jeremiah to go to the potter’s house. There, he found the potter working at his wheel, “and the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do.” God then asked, “Can I not do with you as this potter has done? Behold, like the clay in the potters hand, so you are in My hand” In order for God to make you to be like Jesus, you must place yourself in His hands even as the clay was placed in the hands of the potter. God will change you as He pleases to make you what He wants, so you will become more like Jesus. Perhaps this picture helps you understand why as part of being saved, the Bible teaches that we are required to, “confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord” (Romans 10:9). The dictionary tells us that the word “lord” means: “one having power and authority over others”. It is the potter who can make the clay exactly as he wants it to be. We must become the clay in God’s hands.
Lessons for New Believers
© Time to Revive
How can you allow God to mold you?
Jesus declared that anyone who follows Him must deny
“self” daily (Luke 9:23).
Our
greatest battle is putting self will and desires out of the way so that we can seek what God wants. Jesus declared, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46) Clearly, we must “do” and not simply “say.” To do, we must hear, and to hear, we must seek to listen. As believers we have several ways to do this.
The first is to continue to read and studying God’s word, the Bible, for that is where He speaks and is revealed to us. God will never ask us to do anything that is contrary to His word. Attending a good Bible believing local church and joining a Bible study group is very helpful here as you begin to learn to walk with the Lord. In both forums you can hear and ask questions.
A second way is to ask God in prayer and simply wait for an answer. Prayer, as we will see, is conversation with a listening God who wants to answer if you are prepared to obey. Jesus said it simply, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (John 10:27). We must seek to hear what He is saying so we can follow Him. For me one of the most useful prayers is to ask for Jesus’ eyes and His heart that I may see and know and understand things as He sees and knows and understands. Then with His heart, my response will be His response and people will not see me, they will see Jesus.
A simple way to remember that we are to follow Jesus is to ask this question, “What would Jesus have me do”? That question makes you clay in the potter’s hands. When you are given the answer to that question, you will have found His will and can now obey.
Lessons for New Believers
© Time to Revive
