Purpose Driven Life! Study.

[Hvnly1Rose]

I wanted to be here on the first day posting, but to be brutaly honest, I was lazy and selfish with my time. I ask for prayer for commitment to this study and increased desire to spend time with the Lord.

Day 1

Question to Consider:

In spite of all the advertising around me, how can I remind myself that life is really about living for God, not myself?

My answer: Making sure that He is the first thought on my mind every morning and last thought every night. Always looking for Him in everything I do & see, even advertising. Making Him visible throughout my home and everywhere I go.

Years ago, when I was just a babe in Christ and my hubby younger yet, we both had a desire/a fire in our hearts to see Him and speak to Him as if He were standing right next to us. We woke in the morning with a song on our hearts and spent more time then not with Him, ending our day with prayer before our heads hit the pillow. We have both lost that first Love, if you will, and I believe that if I can get back to how we were then it would be very easy to remind myself that life is about living for God. It has become such a struggle, I feel as though I am being crushed by the enemy and I can barely breath. So with every thought of God I feel like I am hanging on by threads that are slowly breaking, one by one, with every victory by the enemy. I struggle with grabbing on to the next thread only to lose my grip time and again. I know that He will never leave me or forsake me, but the struggle is exhausting and I don't know how much longer I can hold on.

Day 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?

My background I cannot change it is what brought me to this point in my life, it brought me to God. I am thankful for that and even though I would love to change things I did I know it is what shaped who I am.

I believe that I have accepted my personality, I am happy with it.

My appearance is a problem that I have struggled with for all my life. I am considerably over weight and have not been able to overcome the enemy in this area. I don't know why the Lord would want me to accept my current weight as ok. I know that He created me for a purpose but I don't think he wants me to stay where I am. It has been a constant source of distress in my life.

Sorry that I am so down, these things are supposed to be uplifting. I need a lot of work. :down:

Blessings & Love to all,

Rose

[Matthitjah]

Rose,

I believe you may have answered your own question.

Years ago, when I was just a babe in Christ and my hubby younger yet, we both had a desire/a fire in our hearts to see Him and speak to Him as if He were standing right next to us. We woke in the morning with a song on our hearts and spent more time then not with Him, ending our day with prayer before our heads hit the pillow. We have both lost that first Love, if you will, and I believe that if I can get back to how we were then it would be very easy to remind myself that life is about living for God. It has become such a struggle, I feel as though I am being crushed by the enemy and I can barely breath. So with every thought of God I feel like I am hanging on by threads that are slowly breaking, one by one, with every victory by the enemy. I struggle with grabbing on to the next thread only to lose my grip time and again. I know that He will never leave me or forsake me, but the struggle is exhausting and I don't know how much longer I can hold on.

You state that when you had that first Love it was wonderful. Yet now you struggle to get it back.

How did you get it in the first place?

I only desire to ask because you see you have already answered your own question.

You are no less a child of God today than when you first believed. You are no less free to Love Him than when you first believed. :il:

After reading your post. I was struck with your dilemma. I then read chapter 3. I was struck at the answer.

Quote from chapter 3;

On the other hand passion dissipates when you lack a purpose. Just getting out of bed becomes a major chore. It is usually meaningless work, not overwork, that wears us down, saps our strength, and robs our joy.

There is no work to being an adopted daughter of God. Jesus has already done all the work. By the Spirit we cry Abba ,Father!

You can't get back on effort just like you couldn't get there to begin with on effort. You must simply cry Abba, Father! In that Love lay perfect freedom.

Thanks for sharing. You have taught me something today.

One of my favorite brothers in Christ constantly say's, "take the lessons God teachs you and apply them to your daily life." :il:

Keep sharing and we will grow together. :il: God knows I have a long way to go.

Peace,

Dave

[Matthitjah]

Grace to you,

Day 3.

What drives your life?

Ecclesiaistes 4:4

I observed the basic motive for success is the driving force of envy and jealousy!

The man without a purpose is like a ship without a rudder-- a waif, a nothing, a no man.

Thomas Carlyle

Thinking about my purpose

Point to Ponder:

Living on purpose is the path to peace.

Verse to Remember:

"You, Lord, give perfect peace to those who keep their purpose firm and put their trust in you."

Isaiah 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?

I want the driving force of my life to be to live the dream of God!

Peace,

Dave

[Guest jrgraves78]

I would say that hope drives my life. Hope in today, hope in tommorow, hope in hope. The hope of living a life acceptable to God. The hope that one day God will come back and indeed save me from the wrath to come and keep me as His child in His Kingdom, a hope that makes me unashamed. Hope drives me to go forward.

[Hvnly1Rose]

I think that my family would say the driving force in my life is my husband.

I would like the driving force to be the Holy Spirit instead of fear.

I am working on that, prayers would be a great help.

Dave, Thanks for your insight and listening to the Spirit, it was a help and lifted me and gave me understanding.

Blessings,

Rose

[yukon]

I am on day 10 of the 40 days of purpose. It's hard to just read one section a day!! I wanna just keep reading!! I'm not gonna say anything, but will share where you are at Dr. Luke.

Yukon

[yukon]

I found out that I have really missed witnessing to ppl.

There is this really tough and harsh guy that I work with. People that I work with ask this guy why I am happy and do not get upset much, well he tells them that I ate to much sugar as a child.

I confronted him in my office last friday and told him to tell them that because I am happy is because I have Jesus in my heart.

I looked at him and told him that when I get to heaven I would like him to be standing next to me and I handed him a gospel tract. I think he was in shock, because he was speechless as he stood there and listened what I had to says.

I prayed hard over the tract that God's Word never returns void.

I am in deep prayer that he excepts Jesus into his heart.

Yukon

[Guest asduke]

Question to Consider:

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

I apologize for getting sidetracked but work and family have gotten hectic. I'm going to try to catch up today. I think the biggest thing in my life I have problems with right now is my weight. It's my belief that being overweight adds to the chance of other diseases. I don't believe that God wants us to be obese. The Bible says that physical discipline profits little, but a soldier trains in both the physical and the mental. If we are sick because we're overweight, how do we do the Father's work?

My wife and I are both starting a 40 day fast today that we would hope that everyone would pray for us about. Our purpose in the fast is to have God change us both inside and out. We are seeking to have a closer walk with God and to hear Him with a clearer voice. We are looking to overcome the addictions (food, distractions) in our lives. God has made it clear that we are called to a ministry but we continue to get distracted by other things. We desire to overcome these things and grow closer to Him. Keep us in prayer during this time.

[Guest asduke]

Question to Consider:

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

My family would hopefully say that my driving force in life is the want to fufill my purpose for God. My mistake is that I try to help Him. Ever since becoming a Christian, I've known that God wanted me to be a pastor. The gifts he's given me all point towards shepherding the flock and teaching (discipleship) others. Unfortunately, I grow frustrated with myself for not being where I need to be in life and try to help Him grow me. God doesn't need help. They say some of us need to learn lessons the hard way. Well, I'm the king of that. If I would learn patience with myself, I wouldn't get into half the problems I have in life.

[Guest asduke]

Well, I said I'd help so I'm going to try to post the next couple of days and catch us up:

Day 4.

Made to Last Forever

Ecclesiaistes 3:11 (NLT)

God has...planted eternity in the human heart.

 

Surely God would not have created such a being as man to exist only for a day!  No, no, man was made for immortality.

Abraham Lincoln

Thinking about my purpose

Point to Ponder:

There is more to life than just here and now.

Verse to Remember:

"This world is fading away, along with everything it craves. But if you do the will of God, you will live forever."

1 John 2:17 (NLT)

Question to Consider:

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

The one thing I should stop doing is to stop listening to god on my timetable. I have a tendency to hear God and then obey when I get around to it. I need to listen when He speaks. When He speaks is when He wants our actions. The periods of silence in our lives is because we haven't listened. He won't give us any other assignements till we've completed the first one He gave. So, I should start listening and doing what He tells me to do.