The Reason for Everything ~ Day 7

The Lord has made everything for His own purpose. (Ps 16:4)

The reason that the universe is here ultimately is to glorify God.  He made everything for His purpose.  We must see God's glory in everything...even the little things!  God's glory is His very essence and the demonstration of His power.

His glory is all around us.  Everything that was created by Him reflects His glory.  (Ps 19:1)  We see God's glory throughout the Bible; a consuming fire, a cloud, thunder, smoke, and a brilliant light, for example.  (Ex 24:17; 40:34; Ps 29:3; Is 6:3-4; 60:1; Luke 2:9)  Heaven will have God's glory to light the way. (Rev 21:23)

Jesus illuminates God's nature, and therefore, His glory. (Hebs 1:3)  He passes God's inherent glory.

Since God created all things, we should give Him the glory and respect that He deserves.  He is worthy.  (Rev 4:11a)  In the whole universe, two of His creations do not give Him the glory; 1) fallen angels and 2) us.  That is because of sin.  Sin, simply put, is loving anything more than God.  Sin caused Satan's fall...and it caused our's, too! (Rom 3:23)

We need to realize that we are here to bring glory to God.  Our achievements are not our own, but God's; therefore, we should thank Him and give Him the glory.

How Can I Bring Glory to God?

Jesus said to the Father, "I brought glory to You here on earth by doing everything that You told me to do".  (Jn 17:4)  In this way, Jesus honored God.  We can, and should, honor Him the same way.  When we fulfill our purpose, we bring glory to God.

We have five purposes for our lives:

1) To worship God

Worship is our number one responsibility to God.  To worship Him means to enjoy Him, through love and thanksgiving, not an obligation.  It is a privileged to be able to openly spend time with Him.  We need to give ourselves wholly to Him to be used for His purposes. (Rom 6:13)

2) To love other believers

When we were accepted into God's family, one of our responsibilities was to love the whole family of God. (1 Jn 3:14)  When we do this, we glorify God. (Rom 15:7)  We are to love each other with agape, which is the kind of love that Jesus has for us. (Jn 13:34-35)

3) To become like Christ

Once we are born into His family, He wants us to grow spiritually.  We need to change the way we think, feel and act to be Christlike.  When we do this, we bring glory to God. (2 Cor 3:18)

4) To serve others with our gifts

God gave each of us talents and gifts.  The purpose was to help others with them. Do not hoard them, but develop and use them to benefit others. (1 Pet 4:10-11; 2 Cor 8:19b)

5) To tell others about Him

I, personally, think that this is one of the most important ways to bring glory to God.  To share what God has done and is doing in our lives is one of the best ways to bring glory to Him. (2 Cor 4:15)

What Will You Live for?

We need to change everything in our lives to live for God's glory.  We will sometimes have to choose the difficult path, instead of the easy one, as Jesus did. (Jn 12:27-28)  We are faced with the choice of a life of bringing glory to God, or a life of carnal pleasure that ultimately will end badly.  (Jn 12:25)  Who are you living for: God or yourself? (Jn 12:25)

Point to Ponder

It's all for Him

Verse to Remember

Roms 11:36

Question to Consider

Where in my daily routine can I become more aware of God's glory?

Life is a Temporary Assignment ~ Day 6

Ps. 39.4

There are all sorts of metaphors in the Bible which describe life on earth as temporary; my favorite being, "life is as a mist".  We need to start looking at life as a brief encounter, a stepping stone to the real prize, which is an eternity with our Lord.  David prayed, "Lord, help me to realize how brief my time on earth will be.  Help me to know that I am here but for a moment." (Ps 39:4)

Christians should think of themselves as citizens of heaven, no matter where on earth they live.  (Phil 3:19-20)  There is far more to life than what we experience here on earth.  We need to think of heaven as being our home.  We need to stop coveting the things of this world, and begin to see our lives here as the "practice run" for the big show.

God tells of the dangers of living for the here and now; living with the standards of the world.  He calls it 'spiritual adultery'.  (James 4:4)  God knows that in order to live this life, we have to adopt certain customs of this world for a time.  But He does not want us to adopt the wrong things; the wrong attitudes.  We are always to be striving for our place in heaven.  As such, we are to be loyal to God.  (2 Cor 5:20)

Just as we live on earth now, we are to remember that it is God's property ~ we are only stewards or renters, if you will, for a time. (1 Pet 2:11)  Remember, we are preparing for something even better than this life.  It is not the end of the story.  It continues in eternity.

This side of eternity often seems empty.  We are not completely happy because we are not supposed to hold on to the things of this world. Remember we were created with eternity in mind, so we should live for the eternal prizes, and not for earthly "things". (2 Cor 4:18)

Point to Ponder

This world is not my home.

Verse to Remember

2 Cor 4:18

Question to Consider

How should the fact that life on earth is just a temporary assignment change the way I am living right now?

Seeing Life from God's View ~ Day 5

What is your life? (James 4:14b)

The way we see our lives, shapes our lives.  We define our lives by the way we spent our time; what our goals are; what we devote our energy on; even how we treat others.

People have different ways of seeing life: as a circus; as a carousel; as a game.  These are called life metaphors.  What is your metaphor for life?  Not so easy, is it?  Yet we live it every minute of every day. 

Mr. Warren says that "[our] life metaphors [influence] our [lives] more that [we] realize,"  These metaphors shape our life expectations and our values.  For instance, to use one of Mr. Warren's examples, if we think of life as a party, we most likely value having fun.

So again, what is your life metaphor, or to state it simple, your view of life?  Take a moment to analyze what is important to you.

Mr. Warren is using this study to change our life metaphors to be biblical.  Then we can start to fulfill the purpose of our lives according to God.  We need to change ourselves to God's standards, and stop living the standards of the world.  (Rom 12:2)

Three life metaphors that are taught in the Bible are: 1) life is a test; 2) life is a trust; and 3) life is a temporary assignment.  These are foundations of purpose-driven living.

Life is a Test

This is seen throughout the Bible.  God tested His children's faith, obedience, character, loyalty, etc. through different trials.  He was refining faith and character of His people through tests.

Just as He did in the Bible, He does today.  God is constantly refining and molding us into better Christians.  We are being tested everyday of our lives.  When we start to understand and accept that life is a test; that nothing happens by accident; and there are no coincidences, we begin to see God at work in our lives around every corner and in every facet.  It is exciting and humbling at the same time.

Some of the tests may seem insurmountable; but fear not, God will always provide the grace to pass them. (1 Cor 10:13)  When we pass a test here on earth, we will receive a reward in eternity. (James 1:12)

Life is a Trust

This metaphor says that all the gifts that God has entrusted to us (i.e. our intelligence, talents, opportunities, relationships, energy and resources), everything that we have, are given to us temporarily to manage for God.  In other words, God is the owner of everything, and we are stewards for Him. (Ps 24:1)  The things that we are surrounded by are on loan, so to speak (1 Cor 4:2)

At the end of our life, we will all be evaluated on how we have taken care of God's property.  If we do well, we will be given three awards: 1) God's affirmation; 2) greater responsibility in eternity; 3) and last, we will be honored with a celebration.

There is a direct correlation between "worldly wealth" (money) and "true riches" (spiritual blessings).  Gods tests our ability as stewards.  Good stewards are endowed with spiritual blessings.  God gives to us as much as we show that we can be responsible for; no more, no less. 

Point to Ponder

Life is a test and a trust.

Verse to Remember

Luke 16:10a

Question to Consider

What has happened to me recently that I now realize was a test from God?  What are the greatest matters that God has entrusted to me?

Made to Last Forever ~ Day 4

God has planted eternity in the human heart. (Eccl 3:11)

This life is not all there is.  Eternity is awaiting us, and it will be a lot longer than this life.  As Mr. Warren says, "Earth is the staging area, the preschool, the tryout for [our lives] in eternity."  

We have inborn instinct, a survival instinct, if you will, for immortality because God has designed us with eternity in mind.  When our earthly bodies, or tents, stop, our spirits go on.  God has made a home in eternity for us (2 Cor 5:1).  We have only two choices ~ heaven or hell.  If we trust and accept His Son, we will be with God for eternity.  If we reject Him, hell is waiting and we will have to spend eternity away from our loving God.  That's a scary thought if we are doubtful about our salvation.  Remember, all  we need to do is accept Jesus into our hearts as our Savior.  Accept that He died for our sins and rose again on the third day.  That's it!  When we truly accept that, we have secured our place in heaven.

When of this all sinks in, we start to live differently; to handle our lives differently. Things that seemed so important will suddenly seem trivial.  All we will think about is how to serve our God.  Our values and priorities will change. (Phil 3:7)

There are consequences to how we live our lives.  Think about it.  With the promise of eternity, our lives take on a whole new meaning.  No longer should we just be concerned about "paying for our actions" here on earth; but we need to start thinking about how our actions affect our place in eternity.

We ask ourselves, "What is it going to be like with God for eternity."  Well, there is no way that we can fathom it. (1 Cor 2:9)  However, God has given us small pictures of heaven in the Bible.  We won't feel pain and suffering like we do in this life.  We will be with our loved ones who are believers.  More importantly, we will be with our loving Father and His Son forever.

We all have a purpose here on earth, but it doesn't end here. (Ps 33:11)  We need to face eternity, and think about where we want to spend it.  If we have a true and trusting relationship with the Lord, we should not be afraid of death; for death leads us to eternity with our Creator. (Heb 13:14)

Point to Ponder:

There is more to life than just here and now.

Verse to Remember:

1 Jn 2:14

Question to Consider:

Since I was made to last forever, what is the one thing I should stop doing and the one thing that I should start doing today?

What Drives Your Life ~ Part 2

These are the five benefits of living a purpose-driven life:

1. Knowing your purpose gives your life meaning

We were made to have meaning; with it we can tolerate anything; without meaning, we find it hard to bear life's struggles.  God gives new meaning to our lives. (Is 49:4)

If we have meaning or purpose in our lives, we have hope.  Hope is essential.  God tells us about our hopeful future in Jer 29:11.  God can do it all, even when we feel hopeless.  (Eph 3:20)

2. Knowing your purpose simplifies your life

Purpose in our lives defines what we do, and what we don't do.  It becomes our moral standard.  The question to ask ourselves becomes, "Does this activity help to fulfill one of God's purposes for my life?"  A purpose gives us a foundation on which to base our decisions for our life.  Without it, we make the wrong choices based on peer pressure, our circumstances or our mood at the time.

Purpose-driven living slows down our lives, as we are just doing what God intends for us to do, and God gives us enough time to complete our intended tasks.  If our schedules are too packed, we possibly are trying to complete tasks that others expect and not the tasks that God has set for us.  Peace of mind comes from just completing God's tasks. (Is 26:3)

3. Knowing your purpose focuses your life

Purpose focuses our energy on the important things and lets the unimportant pass us by.  Without purpose, we will allow distractions in our lives.  We may allow one of these distractions to change our focus, looking for more happiness.  As we stated in earlier lessons, true happiness comes from God;  God gives purpose; and purpose gives peace.  Do not get distracted with all of the shiny things that come into our lives. (Eph 5:17)  We need to keep focused on what God wants, and we will ultimately be happy.  Think about what the apostle Paul did, almost single-handedly, all because he stayed focused.  (Phil 3:13)

4. Knowing your purpose motivates your life

Purpose produces passion.  When our work has purpose, we have energy; we have a passion that drives us forward.

5. Knowing your purpose prepares you for eternity

Instead of worrying about leaving a legacy here on earth, we need to focus on what God thinks of us. Things in this life are here one day, gone the next.  Whereas,things of God are eternal. (Rom 14:10 b, 12)

 God is concerned with only two things. 1) That we accept His Son as our Savior.  2) What we do with the things that He gives to us.  Do we hoard them for ourselves or use them how God intends them to be used?

Point to Ponder

Living on purpose is the path to peace.

Verse to Remember

Is 26:3

Question to Consider

What would my family and friends say is the driving force of my life?  What do I want it to be?

What Drives Your Life ~ Day 3

This is the third day of our study.  It is a long lesson, so I have decided to break it up into two days.  I will give you verses throughout this lesson, and leave it to you to look them up.

Ecclesiastes 4:4

Everyone's life is controlled by something.  What is driving or controlling your life ~ a problem; a pressure: or a fear?

We will go through five of the most common driving forces in our lives today and tomorrow, we will go through the benefits of a purpose-driven life.

1. Guilt

People that are driven by guilt are living in the past, ashamed of their memories.  Their past controls their future and they wander through life with no purpose.  True, we are all products of our pasts, but we do not have to be prisoners of them.  God will give us a fresh start if we are willing to "let go, and let God".

Ps 32:1

2. Resentment and Anger

People that let these two qualities drive their lives hold grudges over past hurts.  We need to forgive and then release our pain, not old on to it.  We cannot have a God-filled life if we stew in our pain; stew in our past.

Job 5:2

3. Feat

Fear driven people often miss great opportunities because they are afraid to try new things.  Therefore, if we do not stretch ourselves, as God would have us do, we will not move forward.  We need to push on to the future with faith and love.

1Jn 4:18

4. Materialism

Some people are driven by greed.  We feel the need to acquire more things, with the misconception that having more will make us happy.  Not true ~ true happiness can only come from God.

5. Need for Approval

These people allow their lives to be controlled by other's expectations of them.  Being controlled by other's opinions is a sure-fired way to miss God's purposes for our life.

Matt 6:24

We will find our purpose through this study.  Without a purpose life has no meaning.

You Are Not an Accident ~ Day 2

                                               I am your Creator.
                                                  You were in my
                                               care even before
                                                          Is 44:2A (CEV)


We were in God's plan long before we were born.  He planned us and we are alive because He wanted to create us.
                                      
                                              The Lord will fulfill His 
                                                       purpose for me
                                                                Ps 138:8A (NIV)

God deliberately prescribed our every detail ~ from our gender to our eye color ~ He knew what we were to look like before we were conceived.  He custom-made our bodies.  He not only designed our physical qualities, but He created our unique personalities and then He gave us our natural talents.

                                              My frame was not hidden from
                                              you
                                              when I was made in the secret
                                              place,
                                              when I was woven together in the
                                              depths of the earth.
                                                                                       Ps 139:15 (NIV)

God made us for a specific reason.  I cannot stress that enough.  He decided when we were to be born and how long a lifespan we should have.  He decided what we should do with that life that He gave to us.  Nothing in our life is arbitrary.  God picked our parents; good or bad; to give us the right DNA ~ the DNA that God wanted us to have.  God's purpose took into account human error and sin.  Humans make mistake; but not God!  His design is perfect!  He has a reason for everything He creates and His motive for creating us was love.  He created the world for us.  He designed the environment with everything that we would need.

                                              He chose to give us birth
                                              through the word of truth,
                                              that we might be a kind of firstfruits
                                              of all He created.
                                                                                                          James 1:18 (NIV)

In other words, out of all of God's creations, we are the most valuable!  Isn't that exciting!

God's creation is made with exactness and precision, as it is scientist are learning.  This universe is suited for our existence.  It was designed "with life and mankind as its fundamental goal and purpose" (Dr. Michael Denton; "Nature's Destiny: How the Laws of Biology Reveal Purpose in the Universe").  God's word says the same thing in Isaiah 45:18.

Why did God do this; to create this glorious universe?  Because He is a God of love.  He made us so that He could love us.  The Bible says in 1Jn 4:8 that God is love; not God has love.  He is love!  His very essence is love!

I there were no God, we would be "accidents" ~ results of random chance in the universe.  Life would have no purpose without God.  There would be no right or wrong; good or evil.  Life would just be.  That's it.  But there is a God ~ a truly loving God who wants the best for us.  He designed us the way that He wanted us to be ~ for Him.

Point to Ponder:                I am not an accident.

Verse to Remember:        Isaiah 44:2

Question to Consider:     I know that God uniquely created me.  What areas of my personality, background, and physical appearance am I struggling to accept?