Have you ever known true joy? Do you have this joy in your life
right now? If you are longing for fulfillment, for true joy, please
read on--this tract may assist you in your quest. 1. God Created Us
For His Glory "Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the
end of the earth... whom I created for my glory" (Isaiah 43:6-7).
God made us to magnify his greatness--the way telescopes magnify
stars. He created us to put his goodness and truth and beauty and
wisdom and justice on display. The greatest display of God's glory
comes from deep delight in all that he is. This means that God gets
the praise and we get the pleasure. God created us so that he is
most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him. 2. Every
Human Should Live For God's Glory "So, whether you eat or drink, or
whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31).
If God made us for his glory, clearly we should live for his glory.
Our duty comes from his design. So our first obligation is to show
God's value by being satisfied with all that he is for us. This is
the essence of loving God (Matthew 22:37) and trusting him (1 John
5:3-4) and being thankful to him (Psalm 100:2-4). It is the root of
all true obedience, especially loving others (Colossians 1:4-5). 3.
All of Us Have Failed To Glorify God As We Should "All have sinned
and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). What does it
mean to "fall short of the glory of God?" It means that none of us
has trusted and treasured God the way we should. We have not been
satisfied with his greatness and walked in his ways. We have sought
our satisfaction in other things and have treated them as more
valuable than God, which is the essence of idolatry (Romans
1:21-23). Since sin came into the world, we have all been deeply
resistant to having God as our all-satisfying treasure (Ephesians
2:3). This is an appalling offense to the greatness of God
(Jeremiah 2:12-13). 4. All Of Us Are Subject To God's Just
Condemnation "For the wages of sin is death..." (Romans 6:23). We
have all belittled the glory of God. How? By preferring other
things above him. By our ingratitude, distrust, and disobedience.
So God is just in shutting us out from the enjoyment of his glory
forever. "They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction,
away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might"
(2 Thessalonians 1:9). The word "hell" is used in the New Testament
twelve times--eleven times by Jesus himself. It is not a myth
created by dismal and angry preachers. It is a solemn warning from
the Son of God who died to deliver sinners from its curse. We
ignore it at great risk. If the Bible stopped here in its analysis
of the human condition, we would be doomed to a hopeless future.
However, this is not where it stops... 5. God Sent His Only Son
Jesus To Provide Eternal Life And Joy "The saying is trustworthy
and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the
world to save sinners..." (1 Timothy 1:15). The good news is that
Christ died for sinners like us. And he rose physically from the
dead to validate the saving power of his death and to open the
gates of eternal life and joy (1 Corinthians 15:20). This means God
can acquit guilty sinners and still be just (Romans 3:25-26). "For
Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the
unrighteous, that he might bring us to God" (1 Peter 3:18). Coming
home to God is where all deep and lasting satisfaction is found. 6.
The Benefits Purchased By The Death Of Christ Belong To Those Who
Repent And Trust Him "Repent therefore, and turn again, that your
sins may be blotted out" (Acts 3:19). "Believe in the Lord Jesus,
and you will be saved" (Acts 16:31). "Repent" means to turn from
all the deceitful promises of sin. "Faith" means being satisfied
with all that God promised to be for us in Jesus. "Whoever believes
in me," Jesus says, "shall never thirst" (John 6:35). We do not
earn our salvation. We cannot merit it (Romans 4:4-5). It is by
grace through faith that we are saved (Ephesians 2:8-9). It is a
free gift (Romans 3:24). We will have it if we cherish it enough to
receive it and treasure it above all things (Matthew 13:44). When
we do that, God's aim in creation is accomplished: He is glorified
in us and we are satisfied in him--forever. Does This Make Sense To
You? Do you desire the kind of gladness that comes from being
satisfied with all that God is for you in Jesus? If so, then God is
at work in your life. What Should You Do? Turn from the deceitful
promises of sin. Call upon Jesus to save you from the guilt and
punishment and bondage. "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord
will be saved" (Romans 10:13). Start banking your hope on all that
God is for you in Jesus. You can break the power of sin's promises
by putting your faith in the superior satisfaction of God's
promises. Begin reading the Bible to find his precious and very
great promises, which can set you free (2 Peter 1:3-4). Find a
Bible-believing church, and begin to worship and grow together with
other people who treasure Christ above all things (Philippians
3:7).
General
Imprint: |
Crossway Books
|
Country of origin: |
United States |
Release date: |
April 2011 |
Authors: |
John Piper
|
Dimensions: |
137 x 90 x 9mm (L x W x T) |
Format: |
Pamphlet - Unsewn / adhesive bound
|
Pages: |
6 |
ISBN-13: |
978-1-68216-195-1 |
Categories: |
Books >
Sport & Leisure >
Miscellaneous items >
General
|
LSN: |
1-68216-195-1 |
Barcode: |
9781682161951 |
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