I’m Made For God’s Purpose Too

Last week, we encouraged teenagers to ponder and meditate upon the reason for their being. In so doing, you will begin to identify the signs that point you to your purpose in life. Rick Warren, author of the bestseller, ‘The Purpose-Driven Life’, explains that today’s teenagers are not looking for the meaning of life but for meaning in life. This includes a purpose for living, something that makes their lives worth living. To Rick, the teenagers are seeking the very thing for which God made them. A lot of the material for this topic shall be taken from Rick Warren’s writings.

We are made for His Purpose

“For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, rank after rank after rank of angels—everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him”. (Col. 1:16 MSG)

God made everyone – infact, everything – with a purpose. Therefore, knowing this should make a difference in the life of the teenage who feels truly and wholly accepted by God; who understands deeply that they belong to the family of God; and that the hand of God will guide them deliberately throughout life. That God created them for a specific mission in life, and they can start on that mission right now, regardless of their age.

According to Rick Warren, teenagers were created by God to fulfill these five purposes:

1. You were planned for God’s pleasure:

God made man for His own joy. And that is the first purpose for living: for God’s pleasure. So, how come we find that most teenagers struggle with love and acceptance? Teenagers need to build into their lives the precious knowledge that they were created as an object of God’s love. And there is nothing – absolutely nothing – that can stop God from loving you. He loves and accepts teenagers, regardless of all the smart mouth, brashness, piercings and tattoos, sagging and what-nots.

2. You were formed for God’s family:

Teenagers are always searching for a group to belong, a place where they can feel accepted. And that is because God created us with a longing for belonging so we can become a member of His family. Ephesians 1:5 teaches us that “His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into His own family.” (NLT)

While friendships keep teenagers wondering if some will survive a few months, our relationship with other believers in God’s family is going to extend for eternity. The Christian life is not just a matter of believing; it is also about belonging. God didn’t create us just to be believers; we’re also made to belong to the family of God.

3. You were created to be like Christ:

God created us to be like Christ, and we call that discipleship. God made us to transform us into the likeness of His son, Jesus Christ. You are therefore, not an accident. Your birth and the family you were born into are all part of God’s original plan. No matter the mistakes we’ve made in the past, God works all things out for those who call upon Him and are called according to His purpose.

God is still working the same plan he’s always had from the very beginning of time. Let God take you through everything Jesus went through -- including the loneliness, temptation, unpopularity, criticism, etc. For only then can you truly become like Him. So, every time you experience these circumstances, don’t try to fix the problem; just take out some time to determine if this is something meant to make you more Christ-like.

4. You are shaped for saintly service:

Ephesians 2:10 teaches us that, “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.” (NLT)

God created each of us to serve Him, and in the church, we call that ministry. Every Christian is created to serve, and that means teens are called to ministry, created for ministry, saved for ministry, and uniquely gifted for ministry. The Bible makes it very clear that every Christian is a minister, regardless of age.

So, you don’t have to wait until you get older before you get involved in the ministry. The God of the universe has already wired you to serve, and you can start right now.

5. You were made for mission:

Do you know that God created you for a specific mission here on Earth? Jesus said in John 17:18, “[Father], in the same way you gave me a mission in the world, I give them a mission in the world.” (MSG)

Teenagers can serve believers and evangelize unbelievers. You can join other families on mission trips together or to reach the neighborhood for Christ. Studies have shown that most people who come to Christ do so before they turn 18. Studies also show that people are far more receptive to hearing the Gospel from a friend than a stranger. This combination gives Christian teenagers an incredible opportunity for ministry and mission.

Conclusion

Everyone's life is driven by something - guilt, worry or fear, insecurity, anger, resentment, their past, possessions, parents, money, etc. God wants us to be purpose driven people, driven by His plan, His purpose for our lives. That's where meaning and significance come.

Teenagers Ask, Why Am I Here?

There are no billboards or flashing neon lights that direct the way toward finding our calling or purpose. In fact, very few people instinctively know what they want to do with their life. "What's my purpose in life?" is probably the most important and empowering question that a teenager will ever ask in this lifetime. The answer will help them uncover their talents, their strengths, their values, and their passion. It will also help them experience new things and develop a plan - any plan, even if it is just a first step. They will find ways to live life with intent. This New Year is a great time to begin a quest for purpose!

Teens ask, "Why am I here?" or "What's my purpose on this Earth?"  Without a purpose, life becomes motion without meaning; trivial, petty, pointless, and founded upon whatever the culture offers up as the latest "must have" material thing or "must do" activity. Thomas Carlyle said, "The man without a purpose is like a ship without a rudder—a waif, a nothing, a no man."

Pastor Rick Warren calls this pursuit for meaning, ‘the drive for purpose’. In his blockbuster book "The Purpose-Driven Life", Warren offers the answer; "You were made for a mission. You aren't here just to wander around lost. And you aren't here simply to live for yourself."

Imagine if more teens knew their purpose today – they would have fewer struggles and feel a sense of meaning. They would know where they are headed and concentrate on getting there.

How to Find Your Life Purpose

1.    Pay attention to your talents and experiences

"Between this day and the next you will give your life to something. The decision on what that will be will shape your destiny." -Rick Warren

A good place to begin the search for purpose is to understand that purpose is woven into every strand of the fabric of our lives. It has to do with our God-given talents, the experiences in our life, and those things which give a person "goose bumps" or brings tears to their eye when they think about them. Moreover, purpose has to do with using those talents to serve God and others, not one's self.

So, have you ever taken stock of your talents and gifts? Are you a great talker, or a great listener? Are you skilled at building things, or good with people? Is your talent more cerebral or more physical? Make a list of the things and activities that interest you and those in which you excel. There are a number of places on the Web that you can take online Spiritual Gifts Tests. You can also ask yourself, "What's the one thing that I do better than others?" This can guide you to your God-given purpose.

The gifts from God need to be tested on fertile soil, so it is important for you, as a teenager, to get a wide variety of experiences.  As you do so, certain talents will sprout and blossom, others will wilt and die. Through these new experiences, God will reveal more about who you are and how God has called you to serve Him and others. One experience can literally change your life.

So parents, schools, books, the church and the community can help to provide plenty of "field experiences" for teenagers.

2.    Take a Life Purpose Test

Tests, for teenagers, would seem like some sort of academic exercise but this isn’t one of those. It is really simple. Take out a blank sheet of paper and write at the top, "What is My Life Purpose?" Then, write any answer that pops into your head. It could be a word or two, or a sentence. Write the answer that makes you cry - obviously not a sad cry, but a joyful one. If it brings tears from your eyes, then it's a sure bet that this is your purpose, or at least associated with your purpose. Please do this exercise in private and without any accompanying music or other distractions. It may take 100-200 lines of potential "purposes" to hit the one that hits the ‘bull’s eye’, but just keep at it until you get there.

Helen Keller said it best, "Many people have a wrong idea of what constitutes true happiness. It is not attained through self-gratification, but through fidelity to a worthy purpose."

When God begins to reveal your purpose, it may not be reached tomorrow, next month or even in logical steps. Instead, you may need to take some initial steps to get there and there may be detours along the way. But knowing the destination will help you build strength and courage to get there - often much more than you might expect you'll have.

3.    It's a Lifelong Journey

Finding your purpose is a lifelong journey. God doesn't give all the details at once, nor does He promise it will be a smooth ride. Instead, He often provides just enough information to help us move another mile down the road. It helps us to trust Him as our Navigator. As you progress along the road of your life's purpose, pay attention to the road signs He provides along the way and listen to Him speak to you. Robert Byrne puts it this way, "The purpose of life is a life of purpose."

Knowing your purpose gives meaning to your life and each step along the way. It motivates you to prepare for your purpose, to save yourself for that purpose, and to avoid anything that might get in the way. Knowing your purpose simplifies your life and removes confusion.

On the other hand, without a clear purpose, you have no foundation on which to base decisions, allocate your time, and use your resources. Without a clear purpose, you'll keep changing directions, jobs, relationships, churches, or other externals—hoping each change will settle the confusion or fill the emptiness in your heart.

4.    The Comfort of Knowing God's Purpose

Isn't it comforting to know that God has a bigger purpose for each of us? If you believe it, then step in front of a mirror and look for areas in your own life that need to grow. Perhaps you're not following your own heart in finding God's purpose in your life.  Aim this year to make some changes - with God's help.

"A life devoted to things is a dead life, a stump; a God-shaped life is a flourishing tree." -Proverbs 11:28 (The Message)

 (With excerpts from www.markgregston.com)

Dear Teen, You’ve Got to Set Your Goals!

At the beginning of the year, there is usually, an avalanche of discussions on goals setting. It is a regular ritual at the start of the year. Lately, it seems clear that the several attempts at new year resolutions have produced very little positive results, so much so that the contributors have moved from just teaching ‘Goal Setting’ to providing ideas  on achieving the goals.

A lot of the time, teenagers have the impression that only adults set goals at the beginning of the year or even set goals at all. That’s not true. You see, teenagers work towards developing their talents, skills, learning abilities, and dreams in order to achieve success in their future ambition but one vital tool is missing – goal setting. With goal setting, a teenager will focus on the skills necessary to help their dreams become reality.

First, every serious-minded teenager needs to have a periodic goal-defining session. You need to sit down with a piece of paper, be as honest and open as possible and take as much time as you need to answer questions like the following;

• What do I want out of life?
• What do I most enjoy doing?
• What gives me joy?
• What do I value?
• Who is someone I admire and what characteristics do they have?
• If I could solve a world problem, what would it be?
• What am I good at?
• What makes me motivated?
• Where do I see myself in 5 years, 10, 15, 20?
• Where would I like to go?

These and similar questions can help a teenager produce a goal-setting profile and encourage them to begin to set goals in their life.

Second, teenagers need to engage in some goal-setting strategies. There are some specific steps to setting goals.

1. Define your goals (wishes are not necessarily goals because some are not probable or even possible to achieve, i.e. “I wish to go to the moon right now.”)
2. Discuss and brainstorm, with a small and trusted group of family and friends, the steps needed to achieve your goals. Do this step for each individual goal. If needed, research the goal online or at the library or talk to your parents/school counselors for guidance on how to reach the goal.
3. Go over the possible roadblocks to accomplishing the goals and how to deal with them. For example, are their financial problems or time constraints or potential parental resistance to accomplishing the goal?
4. Make deadlines. Don’t be overwhelmed by large goals, set small goals to help meet the large goals.
5. And finally, have an accountability partner to whom you can report on your progress every now and again. Your relationship with God is a way to make Him your accountability partner. There, you will receive great guidance and direction and the objectives of your goals will be Kingdom-focused. For instance, you may set a goal to develop great and positive self-esteem this year by answering the questions around the "Why"? and "How"?

In connection with the final step, a good idea is to set goals and evaluations to work around your Christian life and the other important milestones of your growth, for instance, the church and school programs. For example, active participation in the church and the community can reveal the spirit of volunteerism, teamwork and leadership; grades can show academic success; or sports programs can show physical prowess. Also, set the kind of rewards you desire for accomplishing goals. Talk about how good it would feel to meet your goals and the rewards that will come.

Goals are critical. They keep you focused on what is important and allow you to make the best use of your 24 hours each day. When goals are tackled correctly, they force you out of your comfort zone and help you grow more than you would without them.

And, perhaps most importantly, they give us control of our destiny. Just by setting a goal, you are taking an active role in driving new and better results in your life. What could be more important than that?

(With excerpts from www.teenhelp.com and www.7mindsets.com )

Starting All Over Again

Happy New Year, everyone, and welcome to 2018! Today’s topic brings the song, “Goin’ Back to Alabama” by Kenny Rogers, to my mind, especially that part that says;

“You know a man who walks by the side of the road

Can turn himself around.

He can pick himself up;

And dust himself off;

And start all over again”.

Starting over again is part of our lives. As a believer who trusts in the Lord Jesus Christ, you will have reasons to start over, from time to time. Why? Because you are a human being! As human beings, we fall over and fail; we crush and maim; we blow it and sin and we rebel against God.

It’s a well known fact that at the beginning of the year, many people attempt to start life all over again. Unfortunately, for most of them, at the end of the whole year, they find themselves right where they were. If you have been trying to start over but have not been successful, chances are high that you’ve been repeating the mistakes you’ve been making all along.

The Book of Nehemiah tells us the story of Nehemiah as a personal private journal. It tells us about devastation and then paints us a picture of hope, not despair; and renewal and of starting and rebuilding. The entire city of Jerusalem was torn down because God punished the sin of His people through exile and destruction. Those who returned were living in rubble, unsafe and unhappy.

Do you ever feel that way, sometimes? Do you ever look around you and get the sense that other people; that their lives, families, hopes and future, maybe their jobs, schooling, business, spiritual and emotional lives, are in tatters? That was how Nehemiah felt. But rather that surrender to despondency and/or denial (which is the mistake we make) over the desolate city of Jerusalem, he grieved, fasted and wept and cried to God. And then, Nehemiah starts to believe and hear from God about starting over. By the end of Chapter 2, Nehemiah affirms thus: “The God of heaven will help us succeed. We, his servants, will start rebuilding this wall”.

Another character who embraced the opportunity to start his life all over is Jacob (Genesis 25-33). A lot of things had gone wrong in the life of Jacob;

1.   The quest for wealth and power.

In Genesis 25:26-34, Jacob, in return for a plate of food, asked for his brother’s birthright. The rights and privileges of the firstborn have been historically and culturally revered. Firstborns are groomed as heir to the family’s wealth and fortune, and exude a lot of power and authority. Let us agree that Esau was unwise and careless but Jacob took advantage of his older brother’s weakness and went for the ‘kill’ as a result of his covetousness.

2.   A deceiver and a fugitive.

As if acquiring his brother's 'elder' position wasn’t bad enough, Jacob went further to steal Esau’s blessing from their father, Isaac, on his death bed. This was probably the last straw for Esau, who developed pure hatred for his brother, Jacob, causing Jacob to flee from Esau’s threat to kill him (Genesis 27:41-42).

The meaning of the name, Jacob means deceiver; very fitting for a man who had deprived his brother of his numero uno status and usurped his blessing in a deceptive manner. By Genesis 32, Jacob had had enough of the ‘hide and seek’ game with his brother. He was now a very wealthy and powerful man but emotionally, he was a ‘basket-case’. He reached out to reconcile with his brother, Esau, but he was still apprehensive (Genesis 32:3-21).

3. Divine intervention.

Jacob knew he couldn’t repair his past alone; neither could he start his life all over until he confronted his past and was done with it. He had tried to connect with his brother through emissaries, and through gifts but his fear remained. In Genesis 32:22-32, Jacob sought divine intervention. He got loads of solutions. First, he got a name change. His name was amended from ‘Deceiver’ to Israel, meaning ‘triumphant with God’. For Jacob, a changed name meant a changed man. It was the same way with ex-Saul becoming Paul. Secondly, Jacob received divine blessing.

Starting over

The New Year provides another opportunity to start over again. We need to prayerfully get rid/let go of those things that have not augured well for us - bad habits, addictions, poor relationship management, indiscipline, unseriousness, etc, and embrace a character change through the work of the Holy Spirit. It is not a pleasant experience and it takes time but we must be ready to obey and hold fast to God during the process.

Starting over may require a confrontation with your past. This could be very painful and fearful and your current status in life or other things may not be enough to cover it up. When you seek biblical counseling to deal with your past, you just may find the key to killing the problem forever.

One thing is certain; our God is a God of second chances and fresh starts. Things do not need to get worse before you retrace your steps and start all over again. No matter how horrible the situation seems, it cannot be beyond the intervention of and redemption by our Lord. Remember, “With God, nothing shall be impossible” (Luke 1:37).

Philippians 1:6, “There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears” (MSG).

References

www.crcna.org

www.virtualpreacher.org