Purpose Driven Life #2

Planned for God’s Pleasure

 

1. Introduction:

 

     Jeremaih 29:11 “I know the thoughts I think concerning you –   thoughts of peace not evil to give you a future and a hope”.

 

·         Life without purpose is empty! – it becomes a treadmill – no end, no    reason.

·         True purpose can only be found by consulting the true creator – the one who made you.

·         God’s thoughts and plans give us an eternal future and purpose for living.

·         Without knowing God’s purpose - people find substitutes.

 

2.  You were Created for God’s Pleasure:

 

     Revelations 4:11 “You have created all thingsand for your pleasure  they are and were created”.

 

·         Pleasure = 2309 = purpose, desire, will, enjoyment.

·         God wanted you to be alive so that He could enjoy you.

·         E.g. Parents/Grandparents love to watch and be with their children – enjoy them.

·         Psalm 149:4  “The Lord take pleasure in His people.

      Pleasure = 7521 = to be pleased with, set affection, desire, delight self in.

·         Psalm 35:27 “the Lord be magnified which has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant”.

·         You were created to be loved and enjoyed by God.

 

3. Your First Purpose in life is to Worship God:

 

     Matthew 22:36-38  “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind”.

 

·         One of the greatest gifts God has given you is the ability to enjoy pleasure.

·         God wants you to love Him back – to bring enjoyment and pleasure to Him.

·         First = 4413 = formost in place, time, order of importance.

·         Greatest = most important = 1st and greatest command is to love God.

·         Loving God brings pleasure to Him – it is called Worship.

·         What is Worship?  - it is much more than music, singing  ---

 

a)    

Worship is My Response to God’s love:

 

1 John 4:10,19  “Here in is Love – God loved us and send His Son to be out Mercy Seat”.

 

·         We love Him because He first loved us.

·         God loved us first – He took the initiative to remove all barriers to relationship.

·         God always makes the first move! – We respond.

·         “Because” – loving God is your response to experiencing His love for you.

·         Romans 12:1 “…present your bodies, a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God.

·         Present your body ð offer, yield up your life in every area of expression.

·         Acceptable = 210 = fully agreeable, well pleasing – brings great pleasure to God.

 

b)     Worship is Giving Back to God:

 

Mark 12:30  “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind and all your strength”.

 

·         God wants you to love Him with every part of your being.

·         Your mind = Thoughtfully – think it through, not mindless.

·         Your heart and soul = Passionately - with feeling, expression.

·         Your strength = Practically – abilities, gifts, strengths.

·         Whenever you take what God has given you, give it back it is an act of worship.

 

4.  Worship is Focussing on your Attitude on God:

 

     Psalm 139:1-3  “your are intemately acquanted with all my ways”.

 

·         God notices every detail of your life – He is paying attention to you.

·         God distiguishes all that you do – good and bad.

·         “Nothing is hidden from Him” (Hebrews 4:13) – never stops thinking about you.

·         It takes energy and commitment to focus your mind, thoughts upon God.

·         Giving God your attention is one way of expressing your love towards Him.

·         How?  (1) Daily time alone with God.(Mark 1:35)

(2) Develop constant conversation.(1 Thessalonians 5:17)

(3) Meditate the Word of God. (Psalm 119:9)

·         Learn to talk to Him through the day about what you are doing.

·         Take effort to give God attention – tend to focus on self.

·        

Isaiah 26:3 “You will keep Him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you”.

Mind     = 336 = purpose, imagination, to mould into shape.

Stayed = 5564 = to lean upon.

5.  Worship is expressing your affection to God:

     Exodus 34:14 “The Lord’s name is yealous”.

 

·         Jealous = 7067 = to be passionate, zealous, full of fire.

·         God is passionate about you – He longs for a relationship with you.

·         Narure reflects that God is passionate – full of expression.

·         Must learn to express appreciation, love.

·         Must learn to be honest with God about your fellings, fears, struggles.

·         Ways of expressing love:

(i) Gratitude (Psalm 100:4) 

(ii) Celebration (- requires expression)    (Psalm, 47:1,Psalm 103:1)

(iii) Surrender (1 John 4:19 - We love Him because He first loved us.)

·         Surrender =  to let go control of your life, to sacrifice your own   prioritiesfor His.

                        =  it is not passive, fantalistic, repression.

·         God uses surrendered people to fight His battles, they trust Him completely.

·         Biggest blocks to surrender are: fear and pride.

6.  Worship is using your attitudes for God:

     Colossians 3:23 “Whatsoever you do, do it heartily as to the Lord, and not unto men.

·         Every activity can become an act of worship whan done for pleasure of God.

·         “Whatever you do” =Don’t compartementilise life – work, home, money.

·         Work becomes worship when you dedicate it to the Lord and do it with an awereness of His presence observing all you do.

·         God has gifted you with abilities – He wants you to use them and develop them not to reject or to despise them – There are no unspiritual abilities. (Matthew 25:21)