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The Purpose Driven Life Day 7: The Reason for Everything

• We bring God glory by worshiping him;
• We bring God glory by loving other believers;
• We bring God glory by becoming like Christ;
• We bring God glory by serving others with our gifts; and
• We bring God glory by telling others about him.

These are what he calls the five purposes of a purpose driven life. Though I still think that life is messy, these does provide a useful grid to frame the activities of our lives. It’ll help me to re-think what I’m doing and whether it brings glory to the Father. The principles are concise and simple; but the proof of the life is in the living. I pray for grace to live it.

The Purpose Driven Life: Day 6 — Life Is A Temporary Assignment

Life on earth is a temporary assignment.

Earth is only a “temporary residence” for us. We belong to God — so our home is with God. Our home is in heaven. The things of the earth will pass away — heaven will last forever.

Here is a way Warren explains his point that we will never find happiness unless we have our perspective on things of heaven instead of the world:

A fish would never be happy living on land, because it was made for water. An eagle could never be satisfied if it wasn’t allowed to fly. You will never be satisfied on earth, because you were made for more.

I like the illustration Warren gives that we are ambassadors for God. If we were ambassadors for our country to another country, we would do all we could to represent our country in the best way we could. We are ambassadors for God here on earth, and need to represent Him in the best way we can.

Our perspective on life determines what we do with our life — what we do with your time, our talents, our money, everything we have. Warren gives us 3 perspectives for a purpose driven life:

1. Life is a test.
2. Life is a trust.
3. Life is a temporary assignment.

Purpose Driven Life - Day 5:Seeing Life from God’s View
Notes:

* How do you define life? How do you see your life? What is your life metaphor?
* Life is a test.
* Life is a Trust
* Life is a temporary assignment. (next day)
* Money is both a test and a trust in our life.
* Life is both a test and a trust, the more gives you, the more responsible he expects you to be.

Key Bible verses:

* The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones; and the person who is dishonest in very small matters is also dishonest in great ones. [Luke 16:10]
* Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect. [Roman 12:2]
* God forsook him to test him, that he might know all that was in his heart.[2 Chronicles 32:31b)
* God is faithful and will not let you be tried beyond your strength; but with the trial he will also provide a way out, so that you may be able to bear it. [1 Corinthian 10:13b]
* Blessed is the man who perseveres in temptation, for when he has been proved he will receive the crown of life that he promised to those who love him. [James 1:12]

Purpose Driven Life, Day 4, Made to Last Forever

In the Purpose Driven Life”  by Rick Warren he uses I John 2:17 as the scripture to ponder. (KJV) And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.

Because the individual who does the will of God abides forever it is important to me that I know God’s purpose for my life.  Will our purposes change as we grow in faith - I believe so.   As we grow in faith our perception of situations will be seen more clearly “in the light of His Word.”

I think of Titus 1:2, “In hope of eternal life, in which God cannot lie, promised before the world began.”
“When we live in light of eternity, your values change.”  (Rick Warren)

It is true for my life, when I stop and ask myself am I sending up to heaven wood, hay or stubble or am I sending up precious jewels.  What we do for Christ lasts.

I am beginning to know Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior knowing that my life continues from this world into the next.  Each of us, as believers, need to live our lives to the fullest, for His glory and by His grace.

Day 3 - What Drives Your Life?

Ecclesiastes 4:4 - “I observes that the basic motive for success is the driving force of envy and jealously.” (LB)

Thomas Carlyle - “The man without a purpose is like a chip without a rudder -  a waif. a nothing, a no man.”

Everyone’s life is driven by something.

Driving factors:

Guilt : Manipulated by memories.  The Bible says, “What happiness for those whose guilt has been forgiven!…What relief for those who have confessed their sins and God has cleared their record.”

Resentment / Anger : Hold on to hurts and never get over them. Clam - up and internalize their anger, blow - up and explode at others. I am the later. The Bible says:  “To worry to dealth about resentment would be a foolish, senseless thing to do.”

Fear : Often miss great opporunities because they are afraid to venture out. The Bible says, “Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life -  fear of death, fear of judgement -  is not yet fully formed in love.”

Materialism: Desire to acquire becomes the whole goal of their lives.

Approval : Let the expectations of others control their lives. The Bible says, “No man can serve two masters.”

Benefits of Purpose Driven Living

Gives meaning to your life : A young man once said: “I feel like a failure because I’m struggling to become something, and I don’t even know what it is. All I know how to do is to get by. Someday, if I discover my purpose, I’ll feel I’m beginning to live.” God says, “I know what I am planning for you… I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you. I will give you hope and a good future.”

Simplifies your life : The Bible says, “A pretentious, showy life is an empty life; a plain and simple life is a full life.”

Focuses your life: Don’t live a life of “aimless distraction”. The Bible says, “Don’t live carelessly, unthinkingly. Make sure you understnd what the Master wants.”

Motivates your life: G.B. Shaw ” This is the joy of life: the being used up for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; being a force of nature instead of a feverish little clot of ailments and grievances, complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy.”

Purpose prepares you for eternity: The Bible says, “Remeber, each of us will stand personally before the judgement seat of God… Yes, each of us will have to give a personal account to God.”

God will ask… “What did you do with my Son, Jesus Christ?”

Pt. 2 Ponder : Living on purpose is the path to peace.

Verse 2 Remember : Is. 26:3 (TEV) “You, Lord, give perfect peace to those who keep their purpose firm and put their trust in You.”

Question 2 Consider : What would my family say is my driving force?

My driving force would probably be the acquiring of bigger and better things. And of the list, anger. I often find that I explode at others. I would like to be God centered. A great Dad - Boysie the  homemaker and an employee -  a worker instead of being so lazy.

Day 2 - You are not an accident

My Purpose Driven Life Campaign

Day 1 - It All Starts with God

Colossians 1:16 (Msg.) “For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, … everything got started in Him and finds its purpose in Him.”

Bertrand Russell, atheist : “Unless you assume [there is] a God, the question of life’s purpose is meaningless.”

It’s not about me.

Three Insights:

1. Relationship with Jesus leads to discovery of my identity and purpose.

2. God planned me without my input. I may many things about my life, but not its purpose!

3. My purpose interacts in God’s larger, cosmic purpose.

Pt. 2 Ponder: “It’s not about me!”

Verse 2 Remember: Col. 3:16b (Msg.) “Everything got started in Him and finds it’s purpose in Him.”

Question 2 Consider : How can I remind myself that life is really about Christ?

Answer : By thinking about God first thing in the morning, when I first wake up; ask God to open my eyes and ears and soften my heart toward my fellow mankind. Think how is what I am about to do, don’t do, say or don’t say going to impact this person. Is it for the greater good of them or does it merely scratch my itch?

What drives most people? Success, Wealth, Health, Relationships

What drives me? Financial needs, Physical / emotional gratification

Purpose Driven Life : Getting Started

The Beginning:

Eph. 1:11 (Msg.) “It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ, … He had His eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose He is working out in everything and everyone.”

40 Days : Number of Transformation

Rom: 12:2 “Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do.”

Points to Ponder

II Timothy 2:7 “Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.”

What on Earth am I here for?

Proverbs 11:28 (Msg.) “A life devoted to things is a dead life, a stump; a God-shaped life is a flourishing tree.”

Jeremiah 17:7-8 (NLT) “Blessed are those who trust in the Lord … They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they go right on producing delicious fruit.”

Author’s Note: I truly thank the TRUE inspiration for this campaign… SYLVIA