So What is God's Purpose for My Generation

Good Afternoon, I am sitting comfortably in the farm house in Cremeaux.  My host and hostess have taken Mariusz to see the sights in some nearby villages overlooking the Loire River.  Initially I thought I would go.  But then it became clear that my slow pace of walking about would delay the others.  Moreover, Mariusz suggested that I need to write this blog entry.

This morning I reposted three prior blog entries about the purposes of God.  But Mariusz reminded me that last night in conversation I had encapsulated God's purposes for my generation.  And in doing so of course identified some broad outlines that would encompass my own personal purposes.  He asked me to expand on that in an additional blog entry.  

There are some dangers in stating God's purposes for my generation.  One can become arrogant and believe that everyone must agree with me.  One can fall into the trap of thinking that if it is God's purpose for my generation then it must have been His purpose for all generations.  This would lead to judging prior generations on the basis of today's revelation.  One can slip into thinking that because I have a sense of God's purpose for the generation, therefore I can determine His purpose for every individual in the generation and evaluate each man accordingly.  These are all dangers to be avoided.  However, it is silly to avoid listening to Holy Spirit about His purposes in order to avoid the dangers.  I encourage all believers to seek revelation about God's purposes for him/herself; for her/his generation; and, for the following generations whom we are called to disciple and teach.  

One question that seems to trip up some people:  How long is a generation?  My answer, I do not know nor do I want to try to quantify an answer.  The Apostle John in his letter wrote to 3 different generations -- Fathers, Young Men, and Little Children. In some senses he defined these generations as the ones who had obtained wisdom; those who had strength to bring to the battles; and those who were rapidly growing in their youth.  My personal perspective is that each of us can hear Holy Spirit identify our own generation. And, He may show us that in some aspects of life we are in one generation but in other aspects we have not yet moved from one generation to the next.

I believe God's purpose for my generation is to move the focus of the Bride away from organizations and their leaders and onto the development of Love based relationships that impart to our disciples the Love of God the Father in ways that set them free from all fear and thus empower them to engage in tearing down the works of satan that so imprison men and women.  I believe that this purpose specifically includes a restoration of making disciples in a way that renounces exercising authority but functions on the basis of being servants, examples, and loving intimate friends to our disciples whose souls we watch over.  We are intended in the context of those relationships (as distinct from in the context of institutional programs) to teach and equip our disciples to be effective builders of relationships and makers of disciples.  We are to primarily demonstrate the clear distinction between intellectual prowess and spiritual ministry.

I believe God's purpose for the generation which follows mine is one that my generation must broadly comprehend and embrace in order to fulfill our own God given purpose.  I believe that purpose is to become fully engaged in being disciples walking in freedom and modeling that lifestyle for ensuing generations.  I believe that generation will humbly, quietly, and very effectively engage in spiritually tearing down the works of satan on levels never before seen in the history of the Bride.  I believe that generation will initiate levels of unity throughout the visible Body of Christ that have heretofore only been imagined.

I would enjoy hear your thoughts on these matters.

His, thus Yours,

  Stuart

Addendum:

As Angela points out so well in her comment below, we must not fall into the trap of thinking that our generational purpose is our only purpose.  Our purposes are multilevel.  A universal purpose according to Peter's letter is to show God's glory.  Our national purposes as Angela points out vary from ethnic group to ethnic group.  Some congregations know they have been corporately called to a particular purpose.  Individually each of us is called to specific purposes with specific people.  And as we walk into various meetings we will notice Father has a purpose for us to fulfill in each one.  Finding the purposes of God is a continuing adventure.