PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE (Based on book by Rick Warren)
We are created for greater purpose than personal fulfillment. Our life is in His hand (Job 12:10); Mind set of spirit is life (Rom 8:6). You can be successful but can miss the purpose God created you. 1 Cor 2:6-10; Eph 1:11. To know purpose of life, we need to turn to God and word of God not to the wisdom of the world. We are not an accident. Every detail of us is prescribed by God - Our formation, time and space, parents, race, culture, situations, etc.(Ps 138:8, Ps139: 13-16). We are created for a reason and to fulfill certain task.
Our life is normally driven by
1 Guilt: Past regrets and shame chase us. Bad memories. Running from regrets and hiding their shame. Manipulated by memories. Their past control them.
1 Guilt: Past regrets and shame chase us. Bad memories. Running from regrets and hiding their shame. Manipulated by memories. Their past control them.
2 Resentment and Anger: Hold on the hurts. Not releasing pain through forgiveness. Hurting yourself with the bitterness
3 Fear: Past traumatic experiences, Afraid to venture out. Due to traumatic experiences, over controlled home, etc. They miss great opportunities (Afraid to venture out).
3 Fear: Past traumatic experiences, Afraid to venture out. Due to traumatic experiences, over controlled home, etc. They miss great opportunities (Afraid to venture out).
4 Materialism: Acquire more is the goal. They feel having more will make them happy, important, more secure. Self worth is not net worth.
5 Need for approval: Allow expectations of others to control their lives. Peer pressure- always worried what others would think. Those follow the crowd usually get lost in it
5 Need for approval: Allow expectations of others to control their lives. Peer pressure- always worried what others would think. Those follow the crowd usually get lost in it
What for you are created?
To find the answer you have two options – Speculation and Revelation
Speculation: Trying to find our purpose by our selves. Self help books would help to clarify your dreams, set goals, figure what you are good at, Aim high, be disciplined, Believe and go for it, Involve others, Go for it….You can be successful by the standard of the world but can miss the purpose for which God created you.
Revelation: 1 Cor 2: 6-10; Eph 1: 11. To discover the purpose of our life, we have to turn to the word of God, not to World’s wisdom. We can discover our identity and purpose through a relationship with Jesus Christ. The purpose of your life fits into much larger, cosmic purpose that God has designed for eternity.
We are not an accident. He prescribed every single detail of your body. He deliberately chose your race, color, etc.
Ps 138:8. The Lord will fulfill His purposes for me.
Ps 139:13-16 He created our inmost parts and knows before we are born. He knows in advance every day of our life. Our parents had the DNA God wanted to make us. If there is no God, we all are accidents.
Ps 139:13-16 He created our inmost parts and knows before we are born. He knows in advance every day of our life. Our parents had the DNA God wanted to make us. If there is no God, we all are accidents.
If there is God who made us for a reason, our life has profound meaning. We discover the meaning and purpose only when we keep God as the reference point of our life.
Purpose driven life would help to
- Have meaning to our life. Without God life has no purpose and without purpose life has no meaning.
- Simplify your life. Purpose defines what you do and what you do not? It provides standard for making choices and decisions. It is impossible to do everything people want you to do. You have enough time only to do the will of God.
- Have meaning to our life. Without God life has no purpose and without purpose life has no meaning.
- Simplify your life. Purpose defines what you do and what you do not? It provides standard for making choices and decisions. It is impossible to do everything people want you to do. You have enough time only to do the will of God.
1. How can I remind myself that life is really about living for God, not I?
2. I know God uniquely created me. What areas of my personality, background, physical appearance am I struggling to accept?
3. What is the driving force of my life?
We are created for Worship, discipleship, fellowship and Service
Worship
- We are created for God - For His pleasure and glory.
- Giving pleasure to God is Worship....Worship is more than music, songs and praises
- Worship is life not just part of life (Is 29:13)
- Do everything for the glory of God (1 Cor10:31)
- Do what is pleasing to God (Eph 5:10)
- Do what is pleasing to God (Eph 5:10)
- God is pleased when we understand His love (Ps 147: 11)
Surrendering yourself to God for the execution of His will in you is worship. Rom 12: 1, 2.
Surrendering to God would mean
- Dying to self and selfish ambitions
- Trusting and follow God step by step
- Obeying moment by moment
- Trusting and follow God step by step
- Obeying moment by moment
- Life long surrender
God is delighted by our interest to know God....Can develop friendship with God through prayer and regular Bible mediation.....Obey God.....Be honest with God....Value what He value
Discipleship.
Discipleship is process of becoming like Christ
- We are created to become like Christ (Rom 8:29)
- Christlikeness refers to being transformed in character (2 Cor 3:18)
- Christlikeness is possible through inhabitation of HS not through imitation of others
- Christlikeness refers to being transformed in character (2 Cor 3:18)
- Christlikeness is possible through inhabitation of HS not through imitation of others
3 Steps for Christlikeness (Eph 4:22-24)
1. Choose to let go old ways
2. Change the way we think
2. Change the way we think
3. Put on the characters of Christ by developing new godly habits
To grow in Christ, we must want to grow, decide to grow, make efforts to grow, Persist in growing We are human beings not human doings. God is interested in what we are than what we do. God allows trial and temptations to develop character. Trial forces us to look to God and every time we win temptation, we grow in Christlikeness
We are created by God for greater purpose than for personal fulfillment
Most of our Qs are
- What do I want to do with the life what I have?
- What are my goals? My ambitions? My dreams?
- What are my goals? My ambitions? My dreams?
- Life of every living thing is in His hand as well as the breath of all mankind Job 12: 10
- Mind set of the flesh is death but the mind set of the spirit is life and peace Rom 8:6
- You are made by God for God. Until you understand this, your life would not make sense. Life is about letting God use you for His purposes not you using Him for your own purposes.
- Mind set of the flesh is death but the mind set of the spirit is life and peace Rom 8:6
- You are made by God for God. Until you understand this, your life would not make sense. Life is about letting God use you for His purposes not you using Him for your own purposes.
Fellowship
- We are formed for the family of God
- We cannot do anything for God without abiding in Christ (Jn 15:5)
- We who are many are one body in Christ individually members of one another (Rom 15: 5)
- More than 50 times mentioned in NT - Put together, joined together, built together, held together, etc.
1st birth - Part of physical family
2nd birth - Part of spiritual family
2nd birth - Part of spiritual family
We are children of God through Jesus Christ. God is our father & believers - brothers and sisters
Mt 12: 49, 50 Doing will of God brings us into the family of Lord Jesus Christ
Mt 12: 49, 50 Doing will of God brings us into the family of Lord Jesus Christ
- Loving others is very essential Mt 22: 37-40
- Relationship matters most
- Good relationship demands honesty and time
- Loving people means yielding to their needs
Fellowship levels : Sharing - Studying - Serving - Suffering
Service
Shaped to Serve God (Ep 2:10, Jer 1:5, 1Tim 1:9 )
Analyze your shape - Accept your shape - Develop your shape
S - Spiritual gifts - God given abilities
H - Heart - Desires, Ambitions, Dreams
A - Abilities - Natural talents
P - Personality - Introvert/Extrovert, Routine/Variety, Thinkers / Feelers
H - Heart - Desires, Ambitions, Dreams
A - Abilities - Natural talents
P - Personality - Introvert/Extrovert, Routine/Variety, Thinkers / Feelers
E - Experience - Family, Education, Vocational, Abuses. Bitterness and unforgiving past hurts.
- Assess your gifts and abilities
- Consider your heart and personality
- Playing your role faithfully
- Being Salt and light to the world, glorifying God
- Consider your heart and personality
- Playing your role faithfully
- Being Salt and light to the world, glorifying God
- Playing your part well in the body of Christ, using the talents/resources given by God with true love
