Purpose Driven Life #1

Don’t waste your life

 

1.    Introduction.

 

Ephesians 5:15-17: “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise”.

 

·         You have only one life to live – one day your time on earth ends and eternity begins.

·         Bible warning – don’t waste your life, don’t waste the oppertunities you have.

·         Make the best use of your time š you must prioritise your life – What is important?

·         3 Question Keys:  1.  What does God want?

                                     2.  What will it take?

                                     3.  Why?

 

2.    What does God want? – Your whole life!

 

a)    Deuteronomy 10:12 What does the Lord require of you?

i.e. What does he Lord want in return for what He has done for me?

          

i)        Fear the Lord š reverence, respect, honour His authority.

      (Proverbs 8:8 – hate evil) (Proverbs 16:6 – depart from evil)

ii)       Walk in His ways š follow His pattern and purpose for you.

iii)     Love the Lord with all your heart and soul.

iv)    Serve the Lord with all your heart and soul š Place your self

      available to Him to advance the interests of His Kingdom,  serve with all your heart.

·         God wants all your heart - your loyalty – 1st place in your life.

·         God will never take second place.

 

 

b)    Matthew 6:24  “No man can serve two Masters”

 

·         Master = 2962 = supreme in authority, having the final say.

·         Hate     = 3404 = to hate, pursue with hatred, detest, loveless.

      Love     =     25 = agape – love that sacrifice.

·         Hold      =   472 = to stick to, care for.

Despise = 2706 = to contemn, despise, disdain, think little or  

                                          nothing of, to think against.

·         Cannot š 2 words = 3576 = absolute.

                                       = 1410 = to be possible.

 

 

 


·         God wants all your life – not 10%, 50% - God wants all your heart = completely.

·         Many want to serve God in “spare time”

·         Many devide life into parts like a pie – give God his part and the rest is mine.

·         God wants to direct the whole pie – You cannot have two people as #1.

·         Mammon = spirit being that empowers and controls money.

·         What other masters do you serve?

-          Money?  Work?  Family?  Sports?  School?  Marriage?

-          1st place š 1st in time, order, place, priority, importance. (Matthew 6:33)

 

 

c)    Luke 14:18-20  “They all began to make excusses”

 

·         Let ‘me first go and do this’ – then afterwards I’ll follow you!

·         Make excuse = 3688 = decline, put off to another day, avoid   the issue.

·         Cannot have “Me first” and also Jesus 1st.

·         What excuse?  Wealth – work – wife.

 

 

d)    Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord – acknowledge – he will 

                                          direct   your path”.

 

·         Acknowledge      = 3045 = To know, be intimate.

·         Direct your paths = 3474 = to make straight and come to

                                         prosper.

 

 

3.    What does it take? – Discipline.

 

a)    1 Timothy 4:7  “Excersise self into godliness”

 

·         Exercises = 1128 = To train, to disciplnine = prepare yourself for an Olympic performance.

·         Keep yourself spiritualy fit – bodily exercises is ok, but spiritual 

                                          excersise is more important.

·         Discipline š Formation of habits – What you do habitualy reveals your character.

·         To change your life you must change your habits – develop new habits.

·         Your life is shaped and follows the habits you have developed.


b)  Hebrews 12:1  “let us lay aside every weight and the sin 

                                   that does so easily beset us”.

  

·         Weight = 3591 = burden, hinderence, anything that hinders your  best performance.

·         Sin         =  266  =  to miss the mark and not share in the price.

·         Beset    =  2139 = skillfully surrounding i.e. besetting, to stand around and have advantage over you.

 

·         You need to develop habits in your life.

 

                           I.      Habit of letting go.

 

·         Sin = Limits your potencail, holds you back.

Breaking the commandments of God.

·         Weight = Slows you down, but not necesserily bad.

                       e.g. expectations, money, fear, offence, relationships, activity.

·         You must learn to say NO  -  let go!

·         It is hard to let go if your identity is tied to it.

 

                         II.      Habit of building Godliness.

 

·         There’s 3 habits to be formed over the next 40 days:

1)      Read Daily Devotion.

2)      Attend the weekly Small Group.

3)      Learn the memory verse.

·         These habits make way for your whole life to change!

·         What will you let go? – T.V. , Late Nights, Internet?

·         There is always a cost to putting God first – but the benefits are enormous.

 

c)  Luke 10 – Martha – cumbered about much serving.

 

·         Cumbered = 4049 = to be driven about mentally, to be

                                          distracted, to be over-occupied,              

                                          too busy, about a thing, be anxious,

                                           burdened by pressures of tasks.

·         One thing is needful!” š required, necessary.

·         Make the right choice – put God first – develop new habits.

 

 

4.    Why should I do it? – What Jesus did for me!

 

2 Corinthians 5:15 “He died for all – that henceforth no longer live unto self”.

 

·         No longer š Life before Christ was self-centred – lived for me for now!

·         Cost Jesus to die for you and for others – cost His life!

·         Now we have a New centre = Christ.

       - New purpose = please Him.

·         Now you are called to be an ambassador (v20)

·         Gratitude!

·         Sense of Responsibility!

·         Purpose!