PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE PART 2

 PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE PART 2

HOW TO LIVE A PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE

We have come to a conclusion that life is a journey or an adventure. Purpose is the driver, while destiny is the end of the journey of life. In this life, the most important thing is to understand the reason you were given Life. Myles Munroe of blessed memory said the greatest tragedy is not death but life without Purpose. A life without purpose is an aimless life, a merely existing life and life was given to us so we can live it. Today we will be looking on how to live a purpose driven life. 

Firstly, if we want to know how to live a purpose driven life, we must understand that God is the source of every Purpose. In other words, if any man wants to live a Purposeful life, he must fear and serve the originator of all Purpose. The scripture makes us to understand that the fear of God is Wisdom, what is Wisdom? Simply put, Wisdom is the application of the word of God (Job 28:28). So for us to live a Purposeful life, we must always acquire knowledge from the manual God gives to us which is the Bible. The manual will be a guideline for us to live our lives right and not abuse it or misuse it.  Another way to know how to live a purpose driven life is to serve God and the interest of His kingdom. Real purpose focuses on the advancement of God's kingdom on Earth or the betterment of humanity.

Secondly, if we want to know how to live a purpose driven life, we must envision that life and be passionate towards our discovered Purpose. I will paint it in this analogy: Purpose is the driver of life; Vision is the wheel steering of life (it determines the direction of our Purpose); while Passion is the fuel that powers the desire to get to the end of the journey.

Vision emanates from a discovered Purpose that was given by God. Man plans on how to carry out the step and man also develops a passion ( burning desire) to see it fulfilled.

One very important thing we must also understand is that Purpose is a product of value. Every time we make a decision in life, we are filtering that decision through our value grid, whether we are conscious of it or not. Our values influence everything we do. So, we all have values but often times we haven't clarified them.

Where do we get our values from?

We pick them from our friends, books, parents, the music we listen to, from the society in general. Today, one of the ways we pick up our values is through the media especially the social media.The scriptures tell us that the values of the world are very well known and have not changed. So we are going to get our values from one of two places- the world or the word (the Bible), from culture or from Christ. 1John 2:15-16[15]Do not love or cherish the world or the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him.[16]For all that is in the world–the lust of the flesh [craving for sensual gratification] and the lust of the eyes [greedy longings of the mind] and the pride of life [assurance in one's own resources or in the stability of earthly things]–these do not come from the Father but are from the world [itself].

The Bible mentions three things here

✓ Pleasure

✓ Possession

✓ Prestige

Romans 12:2[2]Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].

Thus, if you buy into the world's value system, that the ultimate value of life is pleasure, possession and prestige, you will miss God's purpose for your life!

Pleasure doesn't last Heb11:25

Possession doesn't last 1Tim 6:7

Prestige doesn't last Mk10:31.

Solomon had everything yet he drifted from God's purpose. His conclusion? Vanity upon vanity, all is vanity. If you have no purpose in life, none of these things matters.

So what needs to be done

DEFINE YOUR PURPOSE

There are three primary aspects to God's purpose for your life.

1. To be God's friend

God made you to love him. Matthew 22:37-38[37]And He replied to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind (intellect). [Deut. 6:5.][38]This is the great (most important, principal) and first commandment.This is his priority. He says if you don't do anything else in life, you need to learn to know God and love God.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".

✓ 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[10]For we are God's [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live].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). 

✓ 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. God put you here to bring a positive change to the world. 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.

TO BE CONTINUED...

The Men That Lead

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