Living a Purpose-Driven Life

Living a Purpose-Driven Life

By Mark Conner

This week, I will publish below excerpts from the above article. It has been very enlightening for me and… I believe it will be so for you too!!!

Life is a journey. We are all travelling inevitably towards the end of our lives. We will either coast through life with no sense of direction or we will live lives of purpose and fulfillment. The race is on. Where are you going and what are you doing about it?

What's Driving You?

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.

Before God even planned the world, He planned you. When He planned you, He planned your purpose even before you were born. When you fulfill your life purpose it brings honour to God and it brings satisfaction to yourself.

Jesus was a purpose driven person. He said in John 17:4 'I have brought You glory on earth by completing the work You gave me to do.' If you're a believer, you want to bring glory to God. How do you do that? You do that by completing the work God gave you to do. [Other verses on purpose: Ephesians 1:5-11; 3:11. Romans 8:28. 2 Timothy 1:9. Proverbs 29:18]

Levels of Living

You will live life at one of three basic levels:

·         Survival. The first level, the lowest level is the survival level. Most people live in the survival mode. They get by in life. They're not really living, they're just existing. They put in their time, punch the time clock and live for the weekends. They never really have any major goals or major drive in life.

·         Success. Most people are in the second level, a little higher level called the success level. Focus is on paying off the mortgage or establishing a comfortable lifestyle. Yet this level does not satisfy.

·         Significance. Significance is when you know why you're here on earth. You have a purpose for your life. You know that your life matters. You know that there is meaning behind what's going on in your life. People who enjoy significance know what on earth they're here for!

We need to move from success to significance.

How to Live a Purpose-Driven Life

Decide What's Important (Values)

Purpose flows out of values. Every time we make a decision in life, we are filtering that decision through our 'values grid', whether we're conscious of it or not. Values effect everything we do. We all have values, but often we haven't clarified them or examined them.

Where do you get your values from? We pick them up from our parents, peers, magazines, books, the music we listen to, from society in general. Today, one of the ways we pick up our values is through the media, especially television.

The Bible tells us that the values of the world are very well known and they have not changed. We are going to get our values in life from one of two places ' the World or the Word (the Bible). You will get your values in life from either culture or Christ.

1 John 2:15-16. 'Don't love the world's ways - the lust for physical pleasure, the ambition to buy everything that appeals to you and the pride that comes from wealth and importance ' these are not from God but from the world.' (LB)

·         Pleasure. Pleasure is one of the three primary values in this world. If you ask most people, 'What do you want out of life?' They'll say, 'I want to have fun'. I want to be happy - I want to feel good.' That's different ways of saying pleasure. One of the largest industries today is now entertainment. We're a pleasure-obsessed culture.

·         Possessions. The ambition to buy everything that appeals to you. Our society is consumed with consuming. Clothes, cars, homes, jewellery. We want everybody to see what we've got. We collect things and amass things and buy things we don't need but we keep buying. We base our self worth on our net worth.

·         Prestige. Or power or position or popularity. In our world, image is everything. We're very status conscious. We want people to look up to us. We want people to think we're important and successful and we have value.

Romans 12:2 says, 'Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will.' The Message Bible says, 'Don't become so well adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking.'

If you buy into the world's value system, that the ultimate value in life is pleasure, possession and prestige, you will miss God's purpose for your life.

Think about your values and where they are going to lead you. Think ahead! Don't wait for some major crisis or pain to come before you think about your life. Ask yourself, 'What's going to last?' Think 10 or 20 years from now and even to eternity.

Pleasure doesn't last. Hebrews 11:25 says, 'The pleasures of sin only last for a short time'.

·         Possessions don't last. 1 Timothy 6:7 says, 'We brought nothing into the world and we can take nothing out'. When the millionaire dies, how much does he leave? He leaves it all! Ever see a trailer of goods following a Hearst?

·         Prestige doesn't last either. Mark 10:31 says, 'Many people who seem to be important now will be the least important in eternity.' It goes on to say, 'Many who seem least important today will be the most important in heaven.'

Solomon had it all and yet he drifted from God's purpose in his life (see Ecclesiastes). His conclusion? 'I tried it all. But it's useless, worthless. It's all vanity.' If you have no purpose in life, none of this stuff matters. The bottom line is, 'The world and its desire (the values of this world) will pass away but those who do the will of God will live forever' (1 John 3:17).

1.    Define Your Purpose

There are 3 primary aspects to God's purpose for your life:

a)   To be God's Friend

God says that He made me to know and love Him. The Bible says, 'God is love' and He made you simply to love you. God wants to be our 'friend'. See Luke 7:34. John 15:13-15. James 2:23.

Matthew 22 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.' He says this is top priority. He says if you don't do anything else in life, you need to learn to know God and love God.

God the Father has called you to Himself. He desires an intimate relationship with you. You are called to be a part of His family. You are His son or daughter. He wants to love, care, provide for and protect you. He wants to spend time with you. This is our highest purpose or calling and it is to be the foundation for any other "ministry".

b)   To Help Others

First, you are to be God's friend. He wants a personal relationship with you. Then, God wants you to begin 'doing' His will by helping others. What will be the contribution of my life? In other words, what am I going to do with my God given talents?

Ephesians 2:10 says, 'We are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works (not watch TV), which God prepared in advance for us to do.' 'Good works' are things done in love for the benefit of other people. Our motive is not to earn salvation or to promote ourselves but to benefit others because of God's love in our hearts.

You were put on this earth to make a contribution, not just to take up space. You were put on this earth to leave it a better place, to make some kind of contribution with your life. God planned you before you were born. You were made for a purpose.

1 Peter 4:10 'God has given each of you some special abilities. Be sure to use them to help each other, passing on to others God's many kinds of blessings.' We're here to help each other.

The Christian life is to be one of 'servanthood'. This is the key to true greatness. A servant sees themselves as 'under' others and seeks to promote and make other people successful (Mark 9:33-37). Jesus was a servant. He came as a servant to serve and to give to his life for us. Jesus told the disciples that they were also called to serve. 'Do as I have done unto you' (John 13:15). His mission was that of a servant and so is ours (Mark 10:42-45).

God's family ' our priority. Galatians 6:10. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers ('household of faith'). (NIV)

Together, we are His 'body'. Each person is a member, has a gift and a job to do. The health and growth of the church is dependent on your contribution. We will be rewarded for the contribution we make.

c)   To Influence Your World

Mark 16:15. He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.

Go into all the world and proclaim the 'good news' about Jesus Christ. The 'world' includes all aspects and places where people live and interact.

Jesus lived 'in the world'. He moved around different parts of society - religious leaders, tax collectors, children, needy people, sinners, all kinds of people from all walks of life and different sections of society. He was a 'friend of sinners' (Matthew 11:19). He spent time with them. They saw his life, heard his words, felt his heart. He was comfortable around them, yet he did not compromise his lifestyle or his character. See also Luke 5:27-32.

2.    Making it Happen

'Incongruent values' are a major source of stress - believing one thing and living another.  Three areas reflect our values:

·         Our schedule - where do you spend your time? Daily quiet time, church meetings? We all have the same amount of time each week - 168 hours. Everybody in this room has the same amount of hours - 168 hours a week. In that week, the difference between those who really make their lives count and those who don't is management. We all have the same amount of time, it's just the way you use it.

·         Our budget - where do you spend your money? Tithes, giving?

·         Our relationships - who do you run with? Family, church, unchurched?

Eliminate worthless things that don't matter. Stop doing what isn't important so you've got time, money and energy to do the things that count.

The Benefits of a Purpose-Driven Life

·         It Reduces Frustration. A sense of purpose makes daily decisions easier.

·         It Increases Motivation. A sense of purpose gives you a reason to get up in the morning.

·         It Creates Concentration. A sense of purpose enables you to focus and avoid distractions.

·         It Attracts Co-operation. A sense of purpose attracts other people to your life to help and get involved.

·         It Prepares me for Evaluation. A sense of purpose prepares you for the eternal 'audit' when God will ask each person two important questions:
'What did you do with My Son, Jesus Christ?'
'What did you do with all the talents that I gave you? Your life, your opportunity, your time, your energy? Did you just spend it on yourself or did you use it for the purpose on earth I created you? What did you do with what I gave you?'

Conclusion

Run Your Race - Balance your life, Pace your life and Renew yourself daily (deal with discouragement).

(Culled from www.citylife.church)

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)