I have been asked several times in my life, what do you want to be when you grow up? When I was a little kid I wanted to be construction worker, when I was a little older I wanted to be a lawyer. This year I have said that I want to be a physical therapist but now that has changed. Lately I have thought about becoming a pastor. I just recently said that I wanted to be a pastor. In fact I only told somebody that I was thinking about that 3 days ago.
I think that God is calling me to this and many things have happened to make me think this. I have had this blog for about 6 months but only about one month ago did I really start writing consistently. I also didn’t start writing about my faith until that time. I believe that God has a plan for me. I started thinking that I wanted to become a pastor once I started blogging about a month ago. I started blogging again because of what the events that took place in my post, Guilty By Association. If you read that post you will learn that we got sent home from a golf match because of one person. When I got home I was randomly flipping through my bible, which I never did before. Then I came upon a passage that explained perfectly why I was being punished for the actions of one person. I had to tell someone about that so I decided to blog about it. This lead to me continuing to blog which lead to me thinking about becoming a pastor.
This Sunday at church our pastor (Paul Peterson) spoke about how much he loved his job. He described why he loved it and that is another reason why I am thinking about becoming a pastor. A few months ago my mom said that she could see me being a pastor and I didn’t think anything of it. Now I think that I want to become a pastor. I don’t think that any of these things are coincidence. I think that God has planned it all along. On my refrigerator my mom put up a magnet that says, “Coincidence is when God chooses to remain anonymous.” Nothing happens without God planning it which really means there is no coincidences because God plans it all out.
God has a plan for everyone. We will not know that plan until he wants us to know it. We can’t do anything to change that plan because God had it figured out before you were even born. I think that his plan for me may involve me becoming a pastor which is great. If it does not involve me becoming a pastor then that is okay as well because I will try my best to do anything that brings him glory.
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tagged: Christianity, Faith
Great post and attutude Matt! You seem to be open to whatever and wherever God leads you. Keep up the great post! By the way, are you still willing to write for me (IYM)? I’m looking forward to reading and publishing a great article from you.
It’s cool that you think God has a plan for everyone…but does He? What about the people who commit the unforgivable sin? What is God’s plan for them? Do they even have a purpose in life?
There is no such thing as an unforgivable sin. If we confess our sins and ask for forgiveness, he will forgive us for whatever we have done. I’m not quite sure if you are referring to suicide as the unforgivable sin, but there are incidences in the Bible of suicide that you might want to check out. Here is an article you might want to read on this subject http://ctlibrary.com/15739
God has a plan for everyone yet he allows us free will. We are always free to choose to follow him or not. Everyone has a purpose in life, no matter how small it may seem. God can use them to help others in ways that may not be obvious.
Alright, this again. Suicide is not the unforgivable sin, it’s not really clear from the Bible how to be forgiven for suicide. The unforgivable sin is to attribute the actions of God to satan. In Mark 3:29 (and the surrounding verses) the Pharisees were saying that Jesus had a demon in him, and that he was using the demon to heal people, cast out demons, etc. So basically they were saying that He was using satan’s power to do His miracles, and thus attributing God’s actions unto satan. Jesus says in this passage: “Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme: But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation:” Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit. (Mark 3:28-30, KJV) What I’m asking is if someone who has committed this sin has any purpose in life.
as a professional counselor i have seen many people devestated by the selfish act of suicide. i have in some instances seen individuals and families drawn to Christ (or pulled closer to Christ) in the aftermath of tragedy. in fact just forty minutes ago i shared scriptures with a man whose wife was just found dead in her bathtub on monday. it may or may not have been a suicide. the cause is presently unknown. but we talked about how as believers we are lucky to know that God has a plan and a purpose to everything. we talked about the hymn “Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus”. i am not much of a biblical scholar but what if the purpose of a person ending their own life is to bring their family and friends to Christ or even just to bring them closer to Christ or bring a wanderer back to the flock? i don’t believe that God would have someone end their life to win their family and friends but maybe, just maybe..suicide is satan’s tool and the aftermath is God’s tool for the survivors? maybe God turns something awful into something beautiful. i know even unbelievers who at least start thinking about, questioning and talking to God after a suicide. at our church we believe that a newborn baby fulfilled her purpose in just 19 days that she was on this earth. one little baby unified our nearly 1000 members and brought us together as one family. we know have a pavilion/picnic area at our church called “the emily grace place” dedicated to her purpose of bringing families together in the name of our Lord. Like I said, I dont claim to be as much of an expert on God or even know as much about scripture as I do about suicides and counseling etc.. but think about what i said. maybe, just maybe..God takes over after satan’s deceit causes someone to kill themself. perhaps a good purpose comes out of something bad. we dont know but as believers we only know in part but can look forward to the day we stand before our maker and will “know fully as we are fully known”.
masterjedidan: are you asking this as you are contemplating suicide? if so please email me or reach out to a pastor or professional in your area or call a suicide hotline, whatever. god loves you and will never leave you. i am praying for you.
mattw23: love you brother and couldnt be prouder of you!
No, I am not considering suicide. I am a very content person, I have my life drawn out for me the way I want
. I have no reason to kill myself – I’m going to enjoy life while it lasts, because I only have one life to live. What I am asking is this: if someone has committed the unforgivable sin as described in Mark 3:29 (and in my above comment), what is his/her purpose on this earth? Does God have a plan for them?
Just to throw some light-hearted levity into your blog – don’t become a lawyer. Trust me. Dental school is a much better option
Everyone has a purpose in life. Even if you reject God and all of his works you still have a purpose in life. I have been affected by people that have committed this sin and that may be part of their purpose in life. God’s plan for them included them affecting me. Like I said before God has a plan for everyone. In some cases God’s plan doesn’t seem obvious and it may seem that he doesn’t have a plan at all, but he does and that gives them purpose in life.
But CompSci is the best.
So what might an example of that purpose be if they are damned to hell and there is nothing period they can do about it?
There is something that they can do about it. If they repent and ask God for forgivness then they aren’t damned to hell.
Jesus said “But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation.” It says right there that those who commit this sin have no forgiveness. None. It doesn’t say “well, if they do this or that then they might be forgiven.” It says “hath never forgiveness”. The Bible says it, and according to Christianity the Bible cannot in any way be wrong. So, I still await an answer from someone, what is the purpose of the life of someone who has committed this sin?
Their purpose may not be to glorify God and live for him but they have a purpose because they will most likely do something that a ffects someone or something at least once in their life.
First of all… MAJOR PROPS to you, Matt. I’m so freakin’ impressed by your spirit and attitude… God’s got BIG PLANS (that’s right, Masterjedidan) for you, my friend. Your mom asked me to visit your site, and I’m glad she did. STAY HUMBLE AND TEACHABLE… and God will use you like you never dreamed. I look forward to hearing all that He has PLANNED for your life!
As for my friend the Jedi Master, sounds like you did some homework on “the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit”… you just didn’t dig far enough. Always remember to never build a doctrine on one single verse… but always compare Scripture with Scripture. Matthew’s account (Mt. 12:30) gives the scenario a much broader context… and the verses immediately following the “unpardonable sin” verses clearly indicate that whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit does so FROM THE WICKEDNESS OF THEIR HEART. In other words, the sin itself doesn’t damn them… it’s their unrepentant heart. Forgiveness isn’t extended because they are too proud to repent, of which their blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is just one indication. If the blood of Jesus isn’t powerful enough to cover ALL sin, then it isn’t powerful enough to cover ANY sin… including yours and mine.
Now, as for their purpose: it’s clear from the Bible that God has a purpose for even “hardened, unrepentant sinners” (see Ex. 10:1-2, about Pharaoh). However, the bottom line really is that we – as finite humans – don’t know ultimately what purpose God has for their lives… simply because, uh, we’re not GOD.
Okay, enough preaching on Matt’s blog! Keep up the good work, Matt!!!!!!!!!
Matt,
Man you are incredible! I’m proud to know you.
As I watch and listen to you, I know you are a man that God must be pleased with and one that He is already working through… but you ain’t seen nothin’ yet!
Peace!
Paul
Matt,
I have been praying you have not been discouraged, but as I read through the comments I can see God has been speaking to and through your heart. Continue to “press on.” Also remember that “the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” Keep preaching the “clear” message of the gospel anytime, anywhere, to anyone. People need to know the truth! People need Christ!
Brian
I am someone who has actually committed the unpardonable sin (this is not a joke). For me, life is meaningless. I spend part of my time writing against Christianity and the church. I have an anti-church website. I hate the churches, any Christians in them and the whole world really. If everyone in the world was killed except me, I wouldn’t mind. I have proved myself stronger than God, because God couldn’t and wouldn’t save me. That’s what makes Christianity so pathetic. It’s a religion of weakness. Who wants to bow down to the evil, genocidal God of the Bible? Not me thanks!! People that do are pussies, period. They can’t think for themselves, they are dependent on their useless religion.
Is there a God? Who can tell? If there is, he’s the devil.
Dear Jonathan,
I realise you have written this post quite awhile ago… So I have no way assurance that you will read my response.
I would like to firstly point out that, despite whatever you believe you have done, whatever you believe you have accomplished in your fight against God, is not there. You have not commited the unpardonable sin, because you are still alive. I believe, and the Bible backs me on this, that the only unpardonable sin is dying unrepentant. Dying without God’s love, and without giving Him your love, because both are necessary.
For everything you have done, and are doing against God, you are not getting anywhere. God is omnipotent. God is not genocidal. He is just, and man is suicidal in his sin. My teacher in high school once told me that men get exactly what they want in the afterlife. Those who chose not to repent on earth are those who would rather go to Hell than humble themselves before God. I beg you not to think this way. We do not bow before God out of fear of Hell. We bow before God in amazement of His glory, and realization of our sin. We bow before Him because He made this world, and this world spat in His face. And then, while we were yet dead in tresspasses and sin, God loved the world enough to send His Son to die. This is why we bow. You think it is weak to be humble? Often it takes much more courage to humble oneself and admit error than it does to think as you do, suicidal as it is. As it is, you seem to only know hate. God is love, and to know love, you must know Him and He must know you.
Hello! I’m new to the website. Matt, Your story touched my heart.
I’m a believer myself. Keep up the great news of posting!
May God be with u every step of the way.
personally, i believe God has a plan for every single one of us. I also believe that if we pay enough attention, we will see his plan unfold and that some of us simply choose not to allow God’s plan for them and to to everything they can to have their own plan in place.
Let’s just open our hearts and let God guide us. He only wnts whatis best for us.
This is what religion does, it is used by people who want to have power over other people. Such as a pastor/priest over a follower. They want to be able to control kids and make them do things that they want done, taking away the free will of the child. You only want to be a pastor because someone told you that they want to you to be one, or that they could see you being one. It is time that everyone takes a step to the side, takes a deep breath, and takes a good look at their life to decide what THEY want, not what everyone else wants.
I was never told that I should be a pastor but I did feel God calling me to do it. That is what I want to do and that it what I plan to do.
Dreams are just things that our mind creates from things people have told us, or things that we’ve seen, or things that we’ve thought about. Just because you have a “dream from God” about becoming a pastor doesn’t mean you should. If I had a dream about starting the next World War, does that mean I should?