MY HIGHEST GOALJerry D. Porter

Intermountain DistrictMinistry Team Retreat

Trinity Pines Conference CenterSeptember 24, 2013

Getting to know you• What do you prefer to be

called?• What is your passion? • What is your greatest strength?• What is your retreat

expectation?• What is your greatest need

today?

My highest goal …

to be like Jesus

My highest goal …to be

like JesusThe fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,

goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

(Gal. 5:22-23 NASB)

To make Christlike disciples in the

nations

THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH OF THE

NAZARENE…

My highest goal …•How to transform pain into spiritual gain

•Irritations, pain, and sorrow are the common denominators of the human race

My highest goal …

The Lord is more interested in how I

REACT to what happens to me than in what

happens to me!

We all, who … contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever increasing glory,

which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (2 Cor.

3:18)

To be like Jesus

To be like Jesus

Three wrong reactions:1. Eye for and eye2. Cast blame3. Bitterness

To be like JesusThree growth reactions:1.Thank you, LordRejoice always, pray

continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is Gods will for you in Christ Jesus.

(1 Thes. 5:16-18)

To be like JesusThree growth reactions:1.Thank you, Lord2.Teach me, Lord We know that in all things God

works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Rom. 8:28)

To be like JesusThree growth reactions:1.Thank you, Lord2.Teach me, Lord3.Suffer with the LordBlessed are those who are

persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

To be like JesusBlessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Mat 5:10-12)

IRRITATION*Bitter circumstance*Hard to love*Confusion*Irritations*Pressing needs*Strong temptations

CHARACTERISTIC*Joy in spite of circumstances*Genuine love*Flexibility*Internal peace*Wise generosity*Strength of convictions

GRIEF GROWTH

Summing up: Be agreeable, be sympathetic, be loving, be compassionate, be humble. That goes for all of you, no exceptions. No retaliation. No sharp-tongued sarcasm. Instead, bless— that's your job, to bless. You'll be a blessing and also get a blessing…

If with heart and soul you're doing good, do you think you can be stopped? Even if you suffer for it, you're still better off. . . Be ready to speak up and tell anyone who asks why you're living the way you are, and always with the utmost courtesy…

It's better to suffer for doing good, if that's what God wants, than to be punished for doing bad. That's what Christ did definitively: suffered because of others' sins, the Righteous One for the unrighteous ones. He went through it all — was put to death and then made alive— to bring us to God.

(1 Peter 3:8-9, 13-15, 17-18 MSG)

My highest goal …

to be like Jesus

To be like Jesus1.Spiritual healing2.Physical healing3.Emotional healing4.Social healing5.Financial healing6.Church healing