King <\/span>David prayed: <\/span>\u201cSearch me, O God, and know my heart; try me<\/span>,<\/span> and know <\/span>my <\/span>anxieties<\/span>; and see if there <\/span>is <\/span>any <\/span>wicked<\/span> <\/span>way in <\/span>me,<\/span> and lead me in the<\/span> way<\/span> everlastin<\/span>g<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/em> (Psalm 139:23\u2013<\/span>24).<\/span><\/p>\n When we think about everlasting life, our minds automatically fast forward to the day we die, enter heaven and live with the Lord forever.<\/span><\/p>\n David\u2019s request <\/span>to<\/span> <\/span>\u201clead me in the<\/span> way<\/span> everlasting\u201d<\/span><\/em> does not speak about his future life in heaven but the one here on earth. He understood he had to make a choice to walk on this earth in the world\u2019s way or in God\u2019s everlasting way.<\/span><\/p>\n There is a huge difference between <\/span>the world\u2019s way and God\u2019s everlasting way<\/span>. The world\u2019s way promotes ourselves and our own goals. Yet all the accomplishments and honors we achieve on this path will end when we die. Nothing will transfer into eternity. <\/span><\/p>\n God\u2019s everlasting way leads us to submit to our Creator as Lord and <\/span>pursue<\/span> His values and goals. It puts us on a path where our character becomes increasingly Christlike. And when we die, all the fruit we bear will transfer with us into eternity.<\/span><\/p>\n God\u2019s purpose in leading us <\/span>i<\/span>n<\/span> <\/span>the everlasting way<\/span> is to prepare us to be the Bride of Christ.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n Paul <\/span>Billheimer<\/span>, <\/span>author<\/span> of <\/span>Destined for the Throne<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>says our life on earth is a classroom<\/strong>. All that happens here<\/span>\u2014<\/span>good and bad, joys and disappointments, successes and setbacks<\/span>\u2014<\/span>God uses to get us ready <\/span>to be<\/span> the Bride of Christ<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n Like Paul<\/span>,<\/span> we should come to the conclusion that whatever <\/span>things <\/span>take place during <\/span>th<\/span>ese<\/span> few years on earth <\/span>are<\/span> <\/span>just <\/span>\u201cmomentary and light afflictions<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/em> <\/span>(see 2 Corinthians 4:17) <\/span>and <\/span>are <\/span>nothing compared to the glory that is going to be revealed in us. <\/span><\/p>\n So with eternity in mind<\/span>,<\/span> God continually works with each one of us that we may have the quality of <\/span>eternal <\/span>life <\/span>here <\/span>as though we were already in heaven.<\/span><\/p>\n Jesus<\/span>,<\/span> when He lived on <\/span>e<\/span>arth as a perfect man, lived with the reality that nothing He did was\u00a0<\/span>for time<\/span>\u2014it was all <\/span>for eternity. <\/span>T<\/span>ime<\/span> <\/span>for Him <\/span>was only a limited period that allowed Him to fulfill the Father\u2019s will for all that was to come beyond the cross.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n So if Jesus<\/span>,<\/span> our example<\/span>,<\/span> lived with such an eternal perspective<\/span>,<\/span> we too should be more deeply concerned about preparing our hearts for the invisible<\/span>,<\/span> eternal world.<\/span><\/p>\n When we ask the Lord<\/span>,<\/span> like David<\/span> did,<\/span> to lead us in <\/span>the everlasting way<\/span>,<\/span> He starts us out at the very beginning of this path. He tells us<\/span> in Micah 6:8<\/span> \u201c<\/span>t<\/span>o do <\/span>justly<\/span>, to love <\/span>mercy<\/span> <\/span>and to walk humbly with your God<\/span>.<\/span>\u201d <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n Our humility before God is absolute<\/span>ly<\/span> necessary for any work God wants to do in our hearts. Knowing this, God arranges for us a classroom where we can practice humility, such as in our workplace, <\/span>church<\/span> and family. We may encounter an impatient boss, an unfriendly <\/span>coworker<\/span> or a hard<\/span>\u2013<\/span>to<\/span>\u2013<\/span>love Christian brother or sister. Let us not reject this <\/span>training in <\/span>humility<\/span>,<\/span> for it\u2019s the foundation for every other eternal value God seeks to incorporate into our character.<\/span><\/p>\n In our earthly classroom, God not only teaches us spiritual lessons<\/span>,<\/span> but H<\/span>e also tests us so we will know how far we have come with our transformation. David actually volunteered for such a test when he prayed <\/span>\u201cSearch me, O God, and know my heart; try me<\/span>,<\/span> and know my <\/span>anxieties<\/span>; and see if there <\/span>is<\/span> <\/span>any <\/span>wicked<\/span> <\/span><\/em>way in me\u201d<\/em> <\/span>(Psalm<\/span> <\/span>139:23<\/span>-24<\/span>).<\/span> <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n God uses adverse circumstances to test the quality of our character and the motives <\/span>of<\/span><\/strong> our heart and work<\/strong>. We find an example <\/span>for<\/span> such a test in the story of the prodigal son. The older son appeared to be a perfect, godly, upright and hard-working young man until his younger brother came home after living in sin and squandering his inheritance.<\/span><\/p>\n All of a sudden<\/span>,<\/span> the holy, wonderful older brother became so angry that he did not even acknowledge his own brother. Though the older brother had the appearance of godliness, the test revealed a heart void of love, <\/span>compassion<\/span> and forgiveness. <\/span><\/p>\n King David\u2019s prayer for God to search his heart was from a deep desire to walk <\/span>in<\/span> <\/span>the everlasting way<\/span><\/strong>. <\/span><\/p>\n He wanted to be able to make corrections in his attitude and life until every minute he spen<\/span>t<\/span>, every decision he made and all the work he did would have the quality of eternity.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n May this eternal perspective become the desire of all of us who follow Christ.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Watch<\/span><\/a> Dr. KP Yohannan Metropolitan talk about \u201cthrowing off everything that hinders<\/span>.<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Read more articles<\/span><\/a> on Patheos by Dr. KP Yohannan Metropolitan.<\/span><\/p>\n Learn more about Dr. KP Yohannan:\u00a0<\/span>Facebook<\/span><\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<\/span>Amazon<\/span><\/a>The \u201cEverlasting Way\u201d Isn\u2019t <\/span>Only <\/span>in the Future\u2014It Is Now<\/span><\/h3>\n
![\"Look](\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/791\/2018\/05\/gospelforasia-RT09-03815-1024x682.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nLook at Your Daily<\/span> Life<\/span> with an Eternal Perspective<\/span><\/h3>\n
![\"God](\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/791\/2018\/05\/God-uses-adverse-circumstances-to-test-the-quality-of-our-character-and-the-motives-of-our-heart-and-work..png\")
<\/a><\/p>\nBe<\/span>ing<\/span> W<\/span>illing to See the Condition of Yo<\/span>ur Heart<\/span><\/h3>\n
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