Gaining Perspective on God’s Purpose for Your Life

Genesis 37-50

A Personal Study of the Life of Joseph

Studying the Lives of Others

Paul J. Bucknell
_________________________

Spiritual Growth | Insights | Life Purpose | Special Training | Perspective | Breakthrough

Purpose

The series 'Gaining Perspective on God’s Purpose for Your Life' starts by considering how God wants to understand and deepen a believer's spiritual growth and further prepare them for His special work. An advanced discipleship guide.

Learning about growth

Do you know how a flower grows? You might say you do or don’t, depending on how in depth your answer is. Much development that supports the growth that we do see takes place on the microscopic level that is hidden from our sight. The same is true regarding spiritual growth. We can state different things that happen to a believer as he or she grows in Christ, but few really understand what happens behind the scenes that produces spiritual development.

Study guides like Gaining Perspective are designed to enhance the believer’s development at the advanced discipleship level which is by nature more in depth. Growth at this third level (this is the last level that has no end to growth here on earth) has two foci.

• First, it identifies and targets areas in which a believer has not fully grown (think of white blood cells surrounding and eliminating bad cells).

• Second it establishes a deeper awareness of God’s purpose and protection for the believer. The first eliminates areas in which we have difficulty growing and the second like a fertilizer causes abounding growth.

A journey of life

These study guides take us on a journey through the lives of others that God has strategically put before our hearts by recording them in the holy scriptures. The Lord greatly wants to help those all of us grow into strong and mature believers, thriving in His presence.

God wants us to grow and make each believer a strong and flourishing Christian.

Let me put it in Biblical terms. Psalm 91 emphasizes the beauty of dwelling in the Lord. Psalm 91:9 says, “For you have made the LORD, my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place.” What does it mean that God is our home? The more we think about this mystery, the more our hearts are challenged and delighted.

Advancing in spiritual growth

This advanced level of discipleship is not one in which we can fully master. (If this is your first time learning about levels of discipleship, please examine The Flow.) This is because it has everything with knowing God at a deeper level. This rich and deep life experience with God surprisingly touches every aspect of our earthly lives.

In the first and second levels of spiritual growth, the skills and knowledge gained is more specific and time oriented. Here in the third level one plunges deeper in a quest to know the all–wise God of which there is no end on earth.

Christian growth is like learning to swim. At first everything seems tame and controlled like in a swimming pool. As one grows, however, one finds it is more like swimming and diving deep in the ocean. There is no end in sight. Christian believers must meditate in the Word to continue to develop the depth of their relationship with the Lord.

Discipleship #3 Library

God wants us to grow

Throughout this series the believer is challenged to further know the Lord through His Word, life events, and reflection on one’s life and purpose. This series will help the believer be a faithful disciple of Jesus by stepping deeper in his relationship with God by contemplating on the great characters of the past. God will shape our lives as He shapes our perspectives.

Gaining Perspective on God’s Purpose for your Life is a daily study guide creating an interface through readings and study questions in which the believer acquires special insights from those characters that God emphasizes in the Book of Genesis, the place to build one’s spiritual foundation.

Study Assignment

• As you begin this study on spiritual growth, write a paragraph that describes where you now are at spiritually.

• Write down two reflections you have from Psalm 91:9. You might need to write it down or think about the verse. Questions about what it might mean are also acceptable just so it is about some specific part of the verse.

Continue on reading >>> We can learn so much from the lives of key figures!

Biblical Foundations for Freedom ( BFF )

Rev. Paul J. Bucknell