The Eternal Purpose of God - Part 3

Even among Christians, we are need oriented. Wherever you go, you are looking forward to hear something that will support your need. Wherever meeting you go, your desire is that your need may be met.

We are need oriented. And if we are need oriented, brothers and sisters, one need is met and another need comes forth. There is never ending.

It is like the children of Israel going through the wilderness, just going round and round and round and reach the end. We are not purpose oriented. We need to be purpose oriented.

And if we are purpose oriented, we will be lifted out of ourselves. You know, we are just centered upon our petty little self. How can we be delivered from self-centeredness? We are delivered from self-centeredness, we are lifted into the eternal purpose of God.

It enlarges us. It broadens our heart. Instead of looking at ourselves and our need all the time and cry out, who can supply my need? We are brought to God's side and to see his purpose.

And how can his purpose be fulfilled? That will be our aspiration. Knowing the eternal purpose of God will give us the discipline that we need. You know, we are a very undisciplined people.

Where can we get the right discipline? We are disciplined by the eternal purpose of God. And knowing the eternal purpose of God, then we are able to work with God. Instead of working against God, you know the Apostle Paul, before he knew God's eternal purpose, saw apostasis.

He thought he was serving God by persecuting the beliefs of Jesus Christ with sincerity. And how mistaken he was. Brothers and sisters, if we do not know God's eternal purpose, maybe unconsciously, even while you are in God's work, you are seemingly serving God.

But actually, you're opposing God. So how important it is that we know God's eternal purpose. And then we will be able to work with God.

So dear brothers and sisters, there are many more reasons I believe why we must know God's eternal purpose. Why is it so essential to us? It is not something that we can live without. The reason why you'll find Christian life today is so shallow.

It is because we lack the true knowledge of God's eternal purpose. The Apostle Paul, he wrote in the letter to the Ephesians. He said, having made known to us the mystery of his work, according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in himself.

Now as an introduction, there are three things we would like to consider this morning. One is God's will, or God's purpose. Second is God's counsel, or God's ways.

And the third is God's work. God is the supreme will in the universe. Our God is not impersonal.

He is a person. Why? Because he has a will. We serve a personal living God.

He is the supreme will in the universe. He wills whatever he wants to will. The Bible tells us that he wills according to his pleasure.

Whatever pleases him, he wills it. He does not need to consult anybody. He does not need to get approval from anyone.

Because he is sovereign. He can will whatever he wants to, but he wills always according to his good pleasure. That which pleases him, that which satisfies him.

And we know God is love. That is his very nature. And because he is love, therefore whatever he wills, he wills out of his love.

And what he has willed satisfies his loving character. Our God is good. Therefore whatever he wills must be good.

Our God is perfect. So whatever he wills must be perfect. And that's the reason why in Romans chapter 12, you find if we present our bodies a living sacrifice, then our mind will be renewed, and then we will be able to prove