Introduction to a Good Life With God
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Psalm 1 contrasts two ways of life - the way of the wicked and the way of the righteous. The righteous person's life is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields fruit and has leaves that do not wither. Their life prospers. A good life with God includes fruitfulness, prosperity, rest, belonging to God's community, purpose and destiny, access to God's wisdom, a clean conscience, and shalom - total well-being and satisfaction in life. The source of a good life with God is God himself as our creator, shepherd, father and potter who shapes our lives.
Introduction to a Good Life With God
- 2. PSALM 1 What is your notion of “a good life with God”? • What would it include? What would some of the elements be?
- 3. PSALM 1: 3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers. Psalm One contrasts two ways of life: the way of the wicked and the way of the righteous One of them, the way of the wicked, leads to destruction. But the other – the way of the righteous – leads to a different kind of life… A GOOD LIFE WITH GOD!
- 4. OTHER BIBLICAL METAPHORS (AGRICULTURAL) FRUITFULNESS “Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table.” prosperity of body, soul, and spirit
- 5. RHYTHMS OF REST – ALSO INDICATED Isaiah 53 (msg): “If you watch your step on the Sabbath and don’t use my holy day for personal advantage, If you treat the Sabbath as a day of joy, God’s holy day as a celebration, If you honor it by refusing ‘business as usual, ’making money, running here and there— Then you’ll be free to enjoy God! Oh, I’ll make you ride high and soar above it all. I’ll make you feast on the inheritance of your ancestor Jacob. ”Yes! God says so!” REST is also a blessing of a good life lived with God!
- 6. WHAT IS THE SOURCE OF A GOOD LIFE W/GOD? God Himself! The Author and Perfector of our faith (Hebrews) The Master Potter who skillfully shapes the clay of our lives (Jeremiah) The Good Shepherd who leads us, protects us, and feeds us as His flock (Psalm 23 and John, Chapter 10) The wise, tender, and powerful Father who moves us into maturity as His Children (I John)
- 7. A GOOD LIFE WITH GOD ALSO INCLUDES: BELONGING in His community A sense of PURPOSE and DESTINY – being a part of God’s plan Access to the STORE HOUSE OF WISDOM and skillful living in Scripture CLEAN HANDS AND A PURE HEART – a clean conscience and peace with God and one’s self SHALOM = “more than the cessation of hostility - it is God’s word for wholeness and goodness and total satisfaction in life. This is the abundant life Jesus promised! Shalom...is the gift of precious well-being...it is the establishment of a lasting, righteous, good”
- 8. SUMMARY OF SAINT IRANEUS: The glory of God is man fully alive!