Living with Purpose

Day Forty
Thinking about My Purpose

Points to Ponder: Living with purpose is the only way to really live.

Verse to Remember: "For David ... served the purpose of God in his own generation." Acts 13:36 (NASB)

Question to Consider: When will I take the time to write down my answers to life's five great questions? When will I put my purpose on paper?
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What Is a Life Purpose Statement?

• It's a statement that summarizes God's purposes for your life.


• It's a statement that points the direction of your life.


• It's a statement that defines "success" for you.


• It's a statement that clarifies your roles.


• It's a statement that expresses your shape.

Life's Five Greatest Questions

• What will be the center of my life?
  
  
  • This is the question of worship.
  
  
  • Who are you going to live for?
  
  
  • What are you going to build your life around?


• What will be the character of my life?
  
  
  • This is the question of discipleship.
  
  
  • What kind of person will you be?


• What will be the contribution of my life?
  
  
  • This is the question of service.
  
  
  • What will be your ministry in the Body of Christ?
  
  
  • What would be your best role in the family of God?
  
  
  • How can you make a difference?
  
  
  • Is there a specific group in the Body that I am shaped to serve?


• What will be the communication of my life?
  
  
  • This is the question of your mission to unbelievers.


• What will be the community of my life?
  
  
  • This is the question of fellowship.
  
  
  • How will you demonstrate your committment to other believers and connection to the family of God?
  
  
  • Where will you practice the "one another" commands with other Christians?
  
  
  • To which church family will you be joined as a functioning member?

Balancing Your Life

Day Thirty-nine
Thinking about My Purpose

Points to Ponder: Blessed are the balanced.

Verse to Remember: "Live life with a due sense of responsibility, not as those who do not know the meaning of life but as those who do." Ephesians 5:15b (Ph)

Question to Consider: Which of the four activities will I begin in order to stay on track and balance God's five purposes for my life?
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God's five purposes for your life:

1. "Love God with all your heart": You were planned for God's pleasure, so your purpose is to love God through worship.


2. "Love your neighbor as yourself": You were shaped for serving, so your purpose is to show love for others through ministry.


3. "Go and make disciples": You were made for a mission, so your purpose is to share God's message through evangelism.


4. "baptize them into ...": You were formed for God's family, so your purpose is to identify with his church through fellowship.


5. "teach them to do all things ...": You were created to become like Christ, so your purpose is to grow to maturity through discipleship.

Four important activities for purpose-driven living.

• Talk it through with a spiritual partner or small group.


• Give yourself a regular spiritual check-up.


• Write down your progress in a journal.


• Pass on what you know to others.

Becoming a World-Class Christian

Day Thirty-eight
Thinking about My Purpose

Points to Ponder: The Great Commission is my commission.

Verse to Remember: "Send us around the world with the news of your saving power and your eternal plan for all mankind." Psalm 67:2 (LB)

Question to Consider: What steps can I take to prepare to go on a short-term missions experience in the next year?
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How to Think Like a World-Class Christian

• Shift from self-centered thinking to other-centered thinking.


• Shift from local thinking to global thinking.


• Shift from "here and now" thinking to eternal thinking.


• Shift from thinking of excuses to thinking of creative ways to fulfill your commission.

Sharing Your Life Message

Day Thirty-seven
Thinking about My Purpose

Points to Ponder: God wants to say something to the world through me.

Verse to Remember: "Be ready at all times to answer anyone who asks you to explain the hope you have in you, but do it with gentleness and respect." 1 Peter 3:15b-16 (TEV)

Question to Consider: As I reflect on my personal story, who does God want me to share it with?
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Your Life Message has four parts to it:

• Your testimony: the story of how you began a relationship with Jesus


• Your life lessons: the most important lessons God has taught you


• Your godly passions: the issues God shaped you to care about most


• The Good News: the message of salvation

Made for a Mission

Day Thirty-six
Thinking about My Purpose

Points to Ponder: I was made for a mission.

Verse to Remember: "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:19-20 (NIV)

Question to Consider: What fears have kept me from fulfilling the mission God made me to accomplish? What keeps me from telling others the Good News?
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The Importance of Your Mission

• Your mission is a continuation of Jesus' mission on earth.


• Your mission is a wonderful privilege.


• Your mission has eternal significance.


• God's timetable for history's conclusion is connected to the completion of our commission.

God's Power in Your Weakness

Day Thirty-five
Thinking about My Purpose

Points to Ponder: God works best when I admit my weakness.

Verse to Remember: "My grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in weakness." 2 Corinthians 12:9a (NIV)

Question to Consider: Am I limiting God's power in my life by trying to hide my weaknesses? What do I need to be honest about in order to help others?
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Thinking Like a Servant

Day Thirty-four
Thinking about My Purpose

Points to Ponder: To be a servant I must think like a servant.

Verse to Remember: "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus." Philippians 2:5 (NIV)

Question to Consider: Am I usually more concerned about being served or finding ways to serve others?
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How Real Servants Act

Day Thirty-three
Thinking about My Purpose

Points to Ponder: I serve God by serving others.

Verse to Remember: "If you give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of my followers, you will surely be rewarded." Matthew 10:42 (NLT)

Question to Consider: Which of the six characteristics of real servants offers the greatest challenge to me?
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Using What God Gave You

Day Thirty-two
Thinking about My Purpose

Points to Ponder: God deserves my best.

Verse to Remember: "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth." 2 Timothy 2:15 (NIV)

Question to Consider: How can I make the best use of what God has given me?
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Understanding Your Shape

Day Thirty-one
Thinking about My Purpose

Points to Ponder: Nobody else can be me.

Verse to Remember: "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." 1 Peter 4:10 (LB)

Question to Consider: What God-given ability or personal experience can I offer to my church?
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Shaped for Serving God

Day Thirty
Thinking about My Purpose

Points to Ponder: I was shaped for serving God.

Verse to Remember: "God works through different men in different ways, but it is the same God who achieves his purposes through them all." 1 Corinthians 12:6 (Ph)

Question to Consider: In what way can I see myself passionately serving others and loving it?
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Accepting Your Assignment

Day Twenty-nine
Thinking about My Purpose

Points to Ponder: Service is not optional.

Verse to Remember: "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)

Question to Consider: What is holding me back from accepting God's call to serve him?
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It Takes Time

Day Twenty-eight
Thinking about My Purpose

Points to Ponder: There are no shortcuts to maturity.

Verse to Remember: "God began doing a good work in you, and I am sure he will continue it until it is finished when Jesus Christ comes again." Philippians 1:6 (NCV)

Question to Consider: In what area of my spiritual growth do I need to be more patient and persistent?
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Defeating Temptation

Day Twenty-seven
Thinking about My Purpose

Points to Ponder: There is always a way out.

Verse to Remember: "God is faithful. He will keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can't stand up against it. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you will not give in to it." 1 Corinthians 10:13b (NLT)

Question to Consider: Who could I ask to be a spiritual partner to help me defeat a persistent temptation by praying for me?
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Growing through Temptation

Day Twenty-six
Thinking about My Purpose

Points to Ponder: Every temptation is an opportunity to do good.

Verse to Remember: "God blesses the people who patiently endure testing. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him." James 1:12 (NLT)

Question to Consider: What Christlike character quality can I develop by defeating the most common temptation I face?
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Transformed by Trouble

Day Twenty-five
Thinking about My Purpose

Points to Ponder: There is a purpose behind every problem.

Verse to Remember: "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28 (NIV)

Question to Consider: What problem in my life has caused the greatest growth in me?
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Transformed by Truth

Day Twenty-four
Thinking about My Purpose

Points to Ponder: The truth transforms me.

Verse to Remember: "If you continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." John 8:31-32 (KJV)

Question to Consider: What has God already told me in his Word that I haven't started doing yet?
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How We Grow

Day Twenty-three
Thinking about My Purpose

Points to Ponder: It is never too late to start growing.

Verse to Remember: "Let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind. Then you will be able to know the will of God - what is good and is pleasing to him and is perfect." Romans 12:2b (TEV)

Question to Consider: What is one area where I need to stop thinking my way and start thinking God's way?
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• Spiritual growth is not automatic.
  • You must want to grow.
  • You must decide to grow.
  • You must make an effort to grow.
  • You must persist in growing.
• God's part and your part.
• Changing your autopilot.
  • Stop thinking immature thoughts, which are self-centred and self-seeking.
  • Start thinking maturely, which focuses on others, not yourself.

Created to Become Like Christ

Day Twenty-two
Thinking about My Purpose

Points to Ponder: I was created to become like Christ.

Verse to Remember: "As the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him and reflect his glory even more." 2 Corinthians 3:18b (NLT)

Question to Consider: In what area of my life do I need to ask for the Spirit's power to be like Christ today?
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God's Spirit Working in You

• We must cooperate with the Holy Spirit's work.
  • Choose to let go of old ways of acting.
  • Change the way we think
  • "Put on" the character of Christ by developing new, godly habits.
• God uses his Word, people, and circumstances to mold us.
  • God's Word provides the truth we need to grow.
  • God's people provide the support we need to grow.
  • Circumstances provide the environment we need to practice Christlikeness.
• Becoming like Christ is a long, slow process of growth.

Protecting Your Church

Day Twenty-one
Thinking about My Purpose

Points to Ponder: It is my responsibility to protect the unity of my church.

Verse to Remember: "Let us concentrate on the things which make for harmony and the growth of our fellowship together" Romans 14:19 (Ph)

Question to Consider: What am I personally doing to protect unity in my church family right now?
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How to keep the unity in your Church family and among all believers?

• Focus on what we have in common, not our differences.
• Be realistic in your expectations.
• Choose to encourage rather than criticize.
• Refuse to listen to gossip.
• Practice God's method for conflict resolution.
  • Private confrontation as soon as possible.
  • Take one or two witnesses to help confirm the problem and reconcile the relationship.
  • Take it to the church.
• Support your pastor and leaders.