Books: Purpose Driven Life

Everything got started in Him and finds it’s purpose in Him.

Purpose Driven Life

Rick Warren

Day 1… It all starts with God

• You were born by God’s purpose and for His purpose.
• You won’t discover your life’s purpose by looking within yourself.
• Life is about letting God use you for His purposes.
• You were made by God and for God. Until you understand that, life will never make much sense.
• The best way to discover the purpose of an invention is to ask the creator of it. The same is true for discoveringour life’s purpose. Ask our creator. Ask God.
• God has revealed his 5 purposes for our lives through the bible.
• The bible is our owner’s manual. It explains why we are alive, how life works, what to avoid and what to expect in the future.
• To discover your purpose you must turn to the bible.
  • You discover your identity and purpose through a relationship with Jesus.
  • You can choose all other aspects of your life, but you can’t choose your purpose. That ws preordained by God before you were born.
  • Your purpose fits into a much bigger cosmic purpose that God has designed for eternity. Without God life makes no sense.
  • “Everything got started in Him and finds it’s purpose in Him.” (Colossians 1:16b)

Day 2… You are not an accident

• God planned you and your life. He custom made you how He wanted you and determined your natural talents and personality.
• God decided when you were born, how long you’ll live, where you’d be born and where you’d live. Your race and nationality. He planned everything for His purpose.
• Parents may not plan their children, but God planned children for them
• God made you so He could love you. (sort of like human parents… love their childen and do for them).
• God is love. He makes humans to express His love.
• “I mad eyou and I will take care of you.”
• Quote by Russell Kelfer… “No, that trauma you faced was not easy. And God wept when it hurt you so. But it was allowed to shape your heart so that into His likeness you’d grow.”
• “I am your Creator. You were in my care even before you were born.”… Isaiah 44:2
• Being successful and knowing your purpose are not the same thing.
• Your purpose is discovered through revelation, not speculation.
• God cares about every detail of your life.
• Life is the preparation for eternity.

 Day 3… What drives your life

• A man without a purpose is like a ship without a rudder…. a waif, a nothing a no man.
• Everyone’s life is driven by something.
• Most people today are wandering through life without a purpose.
• 5 of the most common driving forces in a person’s life:
  • Guilt: Running from regrets and hiding their shame. Manipulated by memories and allow their past to control their future. We are products of our past but don’t have to be prisoners of it.
  • Resentment & Anger: People who hold onto hurts and never get over them. Instead of releasing their pain through forgiveness, they rehearse it over and over in their minds. Some of these people clam up, others blow up and explode it onto others. These people continue to stew in their pain, perpetuating their past.
  • Fear: Fear from a traumatic past or incident, unrealistic expectations, genetic predisposition or so many other things. Often miss out on opportunities because they’re afraid to venture out. Instead they play it safe, avoiding risk, trying to maintain status quo. Fear is a self-imposed prison.
  • Materialism: The desire to acquire becomes the whole goal of a person’s life. Possessions only provide temporary happiness and can be taken away from us.
  • Need for Approval: Allowing expectations of others to control our lives. Always worrying about what others might think.
• Without a purpose, life is trivial, petty and pointless.
• Without God life has no purpose and without purpose life has no meaning. Without meaning, life has no significance or hope.
• Hope is as essential to your life as air and water. You need hope to cope.
• Knowing your purpose simplifies your life.  It defines what you do and don’t do. It becomes the standard you use to evaluate which activities are essential and which aren’t.
• Without a clear purpose you have no foundation on which you base decisions, allocate your time and use your resources.
• Knowing your purpose focuses your life, concentrates your effort and energy on what’s important. You become effective by being selective.
• Many people are like gyroscopes spinning around at a frantic pace but never going anywhere.
• Without a clear purpose you will keep changing directions, jobs, relationships, churches, etc… hoping each change will settle the confusion and fill the emptiness in your heart.
• The Bible says, “Don’t live carelessly, unthinkingly. Make sure you understand what the Master wants.”
• There is nothing as potent as a focused life, one lived on purpose.
• If you want your life to have impact, focus it. Stop dabbling. Never confuse activity with productivity.
• You can be busy without purpose, but why bother.
• Knowing your purpose motivates your life. Purpose produces passionb.
• It’s usually meaningless work, not overwork, that wears us down, saps our strength and robs our joy.
• George Bernard Shaw said… “This is the true joy of life. The being used up for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clot of ailments and grievances, complaining that the world will not devote itself to making your happy.”
• Knowing your purpose prepares you for eternity! You weren’t put on earth to be remembered, you were put here to prepare for eternity.
• On Judgement Day you will be asked 2 questions by God:
  • What did you do with my son, Jesus Christ? Did you accept what He did for you, and did you learn to love and trust Him?
  • What did you do with what God gave you? All the gifts, talents, opportunities, energy, relationships and resources He gave you…Did you spend them on yourself or did you use them for the purposes God made you for?
• Preparing for these two questions determines where you spend eternity and what you do there
• Living on purpose is the path the peace. “You, Lord, give perfect peace to those who keep their purpose firm and put their trust in you.” (Isaiah 26:3)

 Day 3… What drives your life

• A man without a purpose is like a ship without a rudder…. a waif, a nothing a no man.
• Everyone’s life is driven by something.
• Most people today are wandering through life without a purpose.
• 5 of the most common driving forces in a person’s life:
  • Guilt: Running from regrets and hiding their shame. Manipulated by memories and allow their past to control their future. We are products of our past but don’t have to be prisoners of it.
  • Resentment & Anger: People who hold onto hurts and never get over them. Instead of releasing their pain through forgiveness, they rehearse it over and over in their minds. Some of these people clam up, others blow up and explode it onto others. These people continue to stew in their pain, perpetuating their past.
  • Fear: Fear from a traumatic past or incident, unrealistic expectations, genetic predisposition or so many other things. Often miss out on opportunities because they’re afraid to venture out. Instead they play it safe, avoiding risk, trying to maintain status quo. Fear is a self-imposed prison.
  • Materialism: The desire to acquire becomes the whole goal of a person’s life. Possessions only provide temporary happiness and can be taken away from us.
  • Need for Approval: Allowing expectations of others to control our lives. Always worrying about what others might think.
• Without a purpose, life is trivial, petty and pointless.
• Without God life has no purpose and without purpose life has no meaning. Without meaning, life has no significance or hope.
• Hope is as essential to your life as air and water. You need hope to cope.
• Knowing your purpose simplifies your life.  It defines what you do and don’t do. It becomes the standard you use to evaluate which activities are essential and which aren’t.
• Without a clear purpose you have no foundation on which you base decisions, allocate your time and use your resources.
• Knowing your purpose focuses your life, concentrates your effort and energy on what’s important. You become effective by being selective.
• Many people are like gyroscopes spinning around at a frantic pace but never going anywhere.
• Without a clear purpose you will keep changing directions, jobs, relationships, churches, etc… hoping each change will settle the confusion and fill the emptiness in your heart.
• The Bible says, “Don’t live carelessly, unthinkingly. Make sure you understand what the Master wants.”
• There is nothing as potent as a focused life, one lived on purpose.
• If you want your life to have impact, focus it. Stop dabbling. Never confuse activity with productivity.
• You can be busy without purpose, but why bother.
• Knowing your purpose motivates your life. Purpose produces passionb.
• It’s usually meaningless work, not overwork, that wears us down, saps our strength and robs our joy.
• George Bernard Shaw said… “This is the true joy of life. The being used up for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clot of ailments and grievances, complaining that the world will not devote itself to making your happy.”
• Knowing your purpose prepares you for eternity! You weren’t put on earth to be remembered, you were put here to prepare for eternity.
• On Judgement Day you will be asked 2 questions by God:
  • What did you do with my son, Jesus Christ? Did you accept what He did for you, and did you learn to love and trust Him?
  • What did you do with what God gave you? All the gifts, talents, opportunities, energy, relationships and resources He gave you…Did you spend them on yourself or did you use them for the purposes God made you for?
• Preparing for these two questions determines where you spend eternity and what you do there
• Living on purpose is the path the peace. “You, Lord, give perfect peace to those who keep their purpose firm and put their trust in you.” (Isaiah 26:3)

 Day 4… Made to last forever

• “God has planted eternity in the human heart.” (Ecclesiastes 3:11)
• Life on earth is the dress rehearsal before the real production.
• Earth is the staging area, the preschool, the tryout for your life in eternity.
• This life is preparation for the next.
• Your earthly body is just a temporary residence for your spirity.
• The bible calls our earthly body a tent, but refers to our future body as a house.
• Eternity offers only 2 options: heaven and hell.
• The closer you live to God, the smaller everything else appears.
• Death is not the end, it’s your transition into eternity.
• Today is just the tip of the iceberg. Eternity is everything else you don’t see under the water.
• God has a purpose for your life on earth, but it doesn’t end here. His plan involves far more than the few decades you spend on earth.
• Your human death is your birthday into eternal life.
• “This world is not our home; we are looking forward to our everlasting home in heaven.” (Hebrews 13:14)
• Every moment we spend in these earthly bodies is time spent away from our eternal home in heaven with Jesus.

Day 5… Seeing life from God’s view

• The Bible offers 3 metaphors that teach us God’s view of life:
  • Life is a test
  • Life is a trust
  • Life is a temporary assignment
• These are the foundation of purpose driven living
• How your picture life is your life metaphor; the view of life that you hold, consciously or unconsciously, in your mind.
  • Your life metaphor influences your life more than you realize. It determines your expectations, your values, relationships, goals and priorities.
• God continually tests people’s character, faith and obedience, love, integrity and loyalty.
• Character is both developed adn revealed by tests and all of life is a test. You are ALWAYS being tested.
• God constantly watches your response to people, problems, success, conflict, illness, disappointment and even something simple like the weather.
• He even watches the simplest actions like opening the door for others, picking up trash, politeness to a clerk….
• You will be tested by major changes, delayed promises, impossible problems, unanswered prayers, undeserved criticism, and even senseless tragedies.
• When you understand that life is a test, you realize that nothing is insignificant in your life. Even the smallest incident has significance for your character development.
• Some tests seem overwhelming, while others you don’t even notice. But all have eternal implications.
• “God keeps His promise and He will not allow you to be tested beyond your power to remain firm. At the time you are put to the test He will give you the strength to endure it, and so provide you with a way out.” (Phillipians ?:?)

Day 6… Life is a temporary assignment

• Life is preparation for eternity.
• Ask God to help you to see life on earth as He sees it.
• Repeatedly the Bible compares life on earth to temporarily living in a foreign country.
• Your homeland is heaven.
• Your time on earth is not the complete story of your life. You must wait until heaven for the rest of the chapters.
• It takes faith to live on earth as a foreigner. 
• At death you won’t leave home. You’ll go home.

Day 7…The reason for everything

• Everything comes from God alone.
• Everything lives by His power and everything is for His glory. (Romans 11:36)
• The Lord has made everything for His own purposes. (Proverbs 16:4)
• God says, “They are my own people and I created them to bring me glory.”

Day 8…Planned for God’s pleasure

• The Lord takes pleasure in His people.
• Purpose #1… Bringing enjoyment to God, living for His pleasure.
• You’re a child of God.
• One of God’s greatest gifts to us is the ability to enjoy pleasure. That’s why we have 5 senses and emotions, so we can experience it.
• He wants us to enjoy life, not just endure it.
• God has emotions too and feels things deeply. The Bible states that God grieves, gets jealous and angry, feels compassion, pity, sorrow, happiness… He rejoices, enjoys, loves, gets pleasure, laughs…
• Bringing God pleasure is “worship”.
• Anything you do that brings pleasure to God is an act of worship.
• Worship is innate in our being. If we fail to worship God, we will always find a substitute… even if it ends up being ourselves.
• Worship is a lifestyle.
• Worship is far more than music
• Worship is not for our benefit. We worship to bring pleasure to God, not to ourselves.
• God doesn’t like or want halfhearted or insincere worship.
• Worship isn’t part of your life, it is you life.
• Worship isn’t just for church services. We must worship all day beginning when we areise and ending when we go to bed.
• Every activity you do can be transformed into an act of worship when you do it for the praise, glory and pleasure of God.
• Do everything you do as if you’re doing it for Jesus, and by having a continual conversation with Him while you do it.
• Work becomes worship when you dedicate it to God and perform it with an awareness of His presence.
• Real worship is about falling in love with Jesus.

Day 9…

• God’s smile is the goal of your life.
• 5 acts of worship that make God smile…
  • When we love Him supremely. God wants a relationship with us. He made us to love us and want us to love Him back. Like a parent-child relationship. Learning to love God and be loved by Him should be the greatest objective of someone’s life.
  • When we trust Him completely. Having faith that He knows what’s best for your life. Trusting God is an act of worship. Similar to parents being happy wnen their kids trust their love and wisdom.
  • When we obey Him wholeheartedly. Doing what God asks without reservation or hesitation or procrastination. Every parent know that delayed obedience is disobedience. God doesn’t ow us and explanation or reason for everything you’re asked to do. Partial obedience, picking and choosing what we want, is really disobedience. Acts of obedience are acts of worship.
  • When we priase Him continually and are grateful. When we praise God for who He is and thank God for what He’s done. When we give God enjoyment, our own hearts are filled with joy.
  • When we use our abilities. Every human activity, except sin, can be done for God’s pleasure if you do it with an attitude of praise. God especially enjoys watching you use your God given talents and abilities. That’s why He gave them to you. You don’t bring pleasure to God by hiding your abilities or trying to be someone else. You bring Him enjoyment by being you.
• Eric Liddell (Chariots of Fire), “I believe God made me for a purpose, but He also made me fast and when I run I feel God’s pleasure.”
• When you live in light of eternity your focus changes from “How much pleasure am I getting out of life? to How much pleasure is God getting out of my life?
• Pleasing God should be the goal of your life.

Day 10…The heart of worship. Surrendering to God.

• Surrendering to God is the heart of worship. We surrender out of love, not fear or duty.
• To offer ourseves as a living sacrifice, dedicated to God’s service and pleasing to Him.
• True worship happens when you give yourself completely to God.
• “Offer yourself as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to His service and pleasing to Him.”
• God wants your life. All of it. 95% is not enough.
• 3 barriers that block our total surrender to God:
  • Fear – we don’t realize how much God loves us.
  • Pride – we want to control our own lives.
  • Confusion – we misunderstand the meaning of surrender.
• Fear. Can I trust God?
  • Fear keeps us from surrendering, but love casts out all fear.
  • The more you realize God loves you, the easier surrender becomes.
  • Surrendering to God brings freedom, not bondage.
  • When we completely surrender ourselves to Jesus we discover that He is not a tyrant but a savior, not a boss but a brother, not a dictator but a friend.
• Pride. Admitting our limitations.
  • a 2nd barrier to total surrender is our pride. We don’t want to admit that we’re just creatures and not in charge of anything.
• God often calls on surrendered people to do battle on His behalf. Surrendering is not for cowards or doormats.
• Surrendering is not repressing your personality, God want to use your unique personality.
• C.S. Lewis ” The more we let God take over, the more truly ourselves we become.”
• Surrendered people obey God’s word even if it doesn’t make sense.
• You know you’ve surrendered to God when you rely on God to work things out instead of trying to manipulate others, force your agenda and control the situation. Let go and let God.
• The Bible says “Surrender yourself to the Lord and wait patiently for Him.” Instead of trying harder, trust more. You don’t always have to be in charge.
• You know you’ve surrendered when you don’t react to criticism and rush to defend yourself. You don’t edge others out, you don’t demand your rights and you aren’t self-serving.
• Surrender is hard work. It is intense warfare against our self-centered nature.
• How you benefit when you fully surrender your life to God:
  • 1st you’ll experience peace
  • 2nd you’ll experience freedom
  • 3rd you’ll experience God’s power in your life
• Surrender doesn’t weaken you. It STENGTHENS you. Nothing is more powerful than a surrendered life in the hands of God. “So give yourselves completely to God.”
• You were designed to worship God. If you fail to worship Him, you will create other things (idols) to give your life to:
  • the opinions of others
  • the expectations of others
  • money, resentment, fear, your pride, lusts, ego……
• Surrendering is the best and only way to live. All other approaches lead to frustration, disappointment and self-destruction.
• Surrendering your life to God is a rational, intelligent act; the most responsible and sensible thing you can do with your life.
• The greatest hindrance to God’s blessing in your life is yourself. Your self-will, stubborn pride and personal ambition.
• You cannot fulfill God’s purposes for your life while focusing on your own plans.
• Give it all to God… your past regrets, your present problems, your future ambitions, your fears, dreams, weaknesses, habits, hurts and hang ups.
• Put Jesus in the driver’s seat of your life and take your hands off the wheel.
• You must surrender every day, moment by moment, all of your life. It must be a daily habit.
• Surrendering will often mean doing the opposite of what you feel like doing.

Day 11…Becoming best friends with God

• We were made to live in God’s continual presence.
• The Bible says, “Now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God. All because of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done for us in making us friends of God.
• Knowing and loving God is our greatest privilege, and being known and loved is God’s greatest pleasure.
• Become a best friend of God through constant conversation. He wants to be included in every activity, every conversation, every problem and even every thought.
• You can carry on a continuous open-ended conversation with Him throughout the day, talking with HIm about whatever you are doing or thinking at that moment.
• “Praying without ceasing” means conversing with God while shopping, driving, working or performing any other everyday activity.
• Everything you do can be “spending time with God” if He’s invited to be a part of it and you stay aware of His presence.
• Book to check out… “Practicing the presence of God” by Brother Lawrence.
• The key to friendship with with isn’t changing what you do, but changing your attitude toward what you do.
• Begin doing everything you do, for God.
• Prayer lets you speak to God. Meditation lets God speak to you.
• Both prayer and meditation are essential for a relationship with God.
• “Friendship with God is reserved for those who reverance Him.” (Psalm 25:14)
• Fellowship is loving other people.

Day 12…

Day 13

Day 14

Day 15

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