CELL GROUP

Introduction to the new Cell Group Journal

 

Who are you? Why do you exist? And, what should you do?

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Do you find answering these questions to be an easy task? How did you come to your answer? Did you discover them by examining yourself? Did your parents teach these answer? How confidently did you answer?

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These three questions (Who am I? What do I exist? What should I do?) force us to wrestle with fundamental issues concerning our own selves, others, and the world in which we live. They compel us to do the hard work of defining how we see ourselves. They require us to articulate a purpose for our existence, and then they by consequence call us to action - to live out of our identity in fulfillment of our purpose. A clearly understood identity will to action, a striving after the fulfillment of who we think we are.

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In this study, I hope to answer those three questions, and I have selected the title because by the title all three questions can be answered. What should you do? You should “declare God’s excellencies.” Why do you exist? You exist to “declare God’s excellencies.” Who are you? You are the creation of God designed in every way for “declaring His excellencies.”

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It would be naive of me to think that a simple phrase alone could fully answer these massive questions. These questions require careful thought and precise language. I aim not to respond to the inquiry of our heart’s most important questions with a religious platitude. Instead, I hope that the title “declaring His Excellencies may serve as one of those white labels stuck on the tab of a file folder. On the label you will find, “Declaring His Excellencies” and within the folder you will find a treasure trove of truth that give meaning to the phrase as it serves as an abbreviation - a short answer - to the most crucial questions regarding yourself.

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Unlike the wisdom of the world, Scripture calls us to look outside ourselves for identity, purpose, and instruction. Rather than looking for answer by gazing into our own hearts and minds, we should behold the LORD. We should look out and gaze at God. He is truth, and radiating from Him comes enough light able to show us who we really are, why we exist, and what we should be doing.

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For this reason, the study begins by making God our subject of study with the Word of God operating as our looking glass. With the truth about God stationed in front of us , we will proceed to examine each of these three questions before we conclude by considering the consequences of failing to live out our true identity in fulfillment of the purpose for which God created us.

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I pray that God uses His Word as you engage in this study to provide you the blessing of knowing who you are. It is my prayerful expectation that you walk away from the study with a firm grasp on your purpose in life along with a clear understanding of what to do as you seek to achieve that for which God has made you. May God grant us knowledge and understanding and may He also gift us the faith and humility necessary to submit ourselves to His truth.