Way : Spend Your Life On Nothing
I met Chris in 6th grade, and we were friends through high school and even through college. In high school and his early college years, Chris was bright, fun, creative, artistic, and well connected. But later in college, Chris became aimless, isolated, and joyless one of the last times I talked with him he was stuck in a dead-end job that was not related to any of his talents, education, or his passions.
Over the course of our friendship, we had a few spiritual conversations. Chris was involved in youth band at church, he went on Christian retreats, and once when we were camping he told me that he believed in some higher force or the possibility of a god, but it was clear that Chris had no faith in Jesus Christ.
Chriss problem was that he hadnt come to terms with 1 Corinthians 8:5-6. He didnt know what he existed for, or rather who he existed for. He had no passion for something greater than himself. No vision past the present.
Maybe this describes you, too. A missing purpose, fading passion, a lack of commitment to Christ. Reader, find that passion by spending your lifeand spend it for the sake of Christ! Spending it for something else leads up to the second way to miss your purpose:
Lesson #: You Were Created To Live Life With Purpose
God created you for a purpose. When he considered the world, his sovereignty saw a place for you to not only thrive but make an impact. He knew the generation you would be born into would need your thoughts, words, and creativity. These scriptures on purpose remind us that we were made with a purpose in mind.
- The Lord of hosts has sworn: As I have planned, so shall it be, and as I have purposed, so shall it stand, Isaiah 14:24
- For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11
The Lord Of Hosts Has Sworn Saying Surely As I Have Thought So It Shall Come To Pass And As I Have Purposed So It Shall Stand ~ Isaiah 1: 24
You can count on God to be faithful and true to His word no matter what situation youre facing now. If He gave you a promise, He will fulfil it. The only challenge is that you might not know when that it will be it could be weeks, months or years. Whatever the case may be, rest assured that it will happen.
God is sovereign, and will not allow anything whether its a person or situation to frustrate His work in your life. On your part, you have to believe in Him and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit.
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And We Know That All Things Work Together For Good To Those Who Love God To Those Who Are The Called According To His Purpose ~ Romans : 28
At times life will throw you curveballs that may set you back in your pursuits. You might be treated unfairly by an employer and feel that you deserve better than that.
You might lose your job even, but it doesnt mean its the end of the world for you. So many unexpected things happen in life but take heart and know that they serve a purpose in your life.
Losing your job might mean being pushed out of your comfort zone to pursue business ideas youve always contemplated. The devil does things for your harm, but God turns it around and uses it for your ultimate good.
Life Without The Knowledge Of God Leads To Emptiness
Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.
Eccl. 1:1
Ecclesiastes is a book of the Bible, one of the Wisdom books, that explains how life in this world can be meaningless. Solomon, one of the great kings of Israel, got to pursue everything and anything he wanted to in life.
His conclusions after everything is: Life is vain, empty, and worthless without God. In this world, we will experience life under the sun as one marked by brokenness.
All the riches, learning, and experiences in life end up being empty. Whether people try to live a good life or not, the conclusion is the same: Life goes on. Everything starts from dust and returns to dust .
This is why Jesus says in Luke 12:22-23 :
And he said to his disciples, Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing.
Jesus says that life is more than food and the body more than clothing. Life is not an endless pursuit to get more.
Meaning in life comes from a deeper place than just the physical world and the things that we are usually so busy living to get more of. People who are in countries going through the devastation of war or famine have very little food and clothing. Yet, people still find meaning in life and the will to survive.
Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.
Luke 12:31
Looking for Meaning in the World
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Lesson #: Living Life With Purpose Will Glorify God
Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.
In the end, everything that we do should point others to Jesus. When you have a dream that seems God sized, knowing that you will only be able to do it in Gods strength should be an encouraging reminder that the truth purpose of your dreams will be actualized. Studying these scriptures on purpose encourage us to dream big and step out on faith. If your dream brings God glory, then your purpose is fulfilled.
- The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps. Proverbs 16:9
- Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established. Proverbs 16:3
- So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31
Dont Minimize Your Role
All Christians collectively form the body of Christ. The body is formed of many different parts . All are important. It does not matter what part of the body you are: You have a purpose. As these Bible verses say:
On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it.
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What Does The Bible Teach About Our Purpose In Life
Transcribed from the video above, Philip Nation discusses the Biblical teachings of our purpose in life:
Finding our purpose in life is perhaps one of the most common questions that we think about on a regular basis. And church leaders hear it constantly, whether it’s from teenagers or from senior adults, they want to know why am I here? What’s the purpose?
Many times we look for purpose in life, especially when crisis has arisen or where there’s a grief involved, and the scripture does speak pretty clearly about how do we find our purpose in life. I think the passage that I would highlight is the idea that Roman says that we’re not to be conformed to the world, but we’re to be transformed by the renewing of our minds, or even perhaps even further back and scripture into the book of Exodus where Moses was daring enough to ask God to show him his glory.
The purpose that we find in life is being transformed into something else. Who we are now with the sin nature we were born with, with the sin that we choose is not the purposes for which God created us. What we see is that God created us to be in relationship with him. In the book of John Chapter 17:3 as Jesus is praying he defines eternal life and in the idea as he’s praying to the Father right before he’s going to be arrested, he says, this is eternal life, that they may know you and the one that you’ve sent.
Trusting God With Our Work
When you hold a secular view on work, youâre setting yourself up for disappointment. Our jobs wonât always bring us the contentment weâre looking for. Weâll always have those days where we wonder why weâre doing what weâre doing. Perfect contentment is something you can only find in Christ. The bible verses about work below remind us to trust God with our work, even in times of hardship.
Proverbs 16:3
Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.
Psalm 90:17
Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us yes, establish the work of our hands!
Matthew 6:34
Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Joshua 1:8
This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
Psalm 128:2
You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you.
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Gods Purpose Is The One That Lasts
Many are the plans in a persons heart, but it is the Lords purpose that prevails .
The lives of men and women are but a vapor however, Gods purposes can be fulfilled throughout multiple generations. We can make our plans and set out to see them accomplished, but if we dont pray and seek Gods directionwe could find ourselves drifting in an ocean of problems without a sail. Every plan should begin and end with God in mind first.
How To Biblically Deal With Work Issues
We have the huge responsibility of caring for and stewarding Godâs creation through our jobs. As you know, living in a fallen world isnât always easy. Weâre bound to deal with work issues in almost every job we have. The verses below give us guidance on dealing with issues, calling us to be humble and ask God for wisdom when problems arise.
Ephesians 5:11
Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.
Romans 12:18
If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.
1 Thessalonians 4:11-12
And to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.
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The Meaning Of Life Is To Know God As The Author Of Life
The Bible says that God created the world .In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. .
God, as the author of life, brings meaning to life. Everything God created was meant to show what God is like. God created a world with a purpose, by His design. The world we live in and the life of every person has a purpose and is not just the product of chance, random events, and biological selection.
God originally made a perfect world and said it was very good. God made a world without brokenness without war, sickness, or death.
And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
Genesis 1:31
As we look at the world around us, we see that we live in a world of brokenness. Depression, anxiety, fear, sickness, war, and more These are real and everyone experiences those things at some point in their lives. And when we come face-to-face with our own personal brokenness, we look for a way out.
We try to get out of the brokenness by looking for other relationships, careers, religion , or looks for ways to numb our pain through things like drugs or alcohol.
The Bible says that it was mankind that choose to not follow Gods ways, but to go our own way. This is what the Bible calls sin. And sin is what leads us into brokenness .
This video illustrates what the Bible says about life right now in the world.
Reflect On Scripture That Is Important To You
List the Bible verses God uses to give your life focus, purpose, and direction. These are the verses that tell you who you are, what is important, and what you are called to do. They are probably the verses you turn to when you are confused, lost, or losing hope. They anchor your life.
- Note the reference or write out the verse or verses completely, whichever is most helpful for you.
- Paraphrase or summarize what each verse says to you.
- Explain why each verse or passage is important to you.
- Look for common themes.
- Reflect on how these verses generally function in your life .
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Lesson #: You Were Created By God
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you I appointed you a prophet to the nations.
When God created the world, he thought of you. He knew your heart and your dreams. He created you after all. This simple truth is enough to remind us that there has to be purpose if when creating the world God saw need for you in it. Living life with purpose meaning believing wholeheartedly that you are created by God! The following scriptures on purpose are an encouragement that you are a creation of the creator of the universe!
- For you formed my inward parts you knitted me together in my mothers womb. Psalm 139:13
- In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will Ephesians 1:11
- For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10
God Fulfills His Purpose For Believers
Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyednot only in my presence, but now much more in my absencecontinue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose .
Gods greater purpose has to always be on the forefront of our minds. We may be offered employment, school, and marriage opportunities that may not fit in Gods purpose. This takes wisdom on our part to wait on Gods peace before making presumptuous decisions that may have lifetime ramifications. Theres great joy in the discovery of His purpose when we trust in Him rather than on our feelings or pressures from other people.
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Signs That You May Not Be Living In Gods Purpose
Before we dive into this point, we need to make at least one caveat. In one sense, you are always living in Gods purpose. God is God and He works all things, including your life, according to his purposes. Nothing can happen without God ordaining it.
Psalm 57:2 says, I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me. This is key in understanding Gods purpose for your life. God has numbered your days and will fulfill every purpose He has for you.
However, our choices and actions also really matter. In some ways, this is a mystery we cant fully understand, but that doesnt mean its not true. We can choose to do things that will bring us more joy and give us more of a sense of purpose. Thats where were headed in this post. We want to help you identify those choices you can make to bring more excitement and God-given purpose into your life.
But first, here are 6 signs that you dont have much purpose in your life.
YOURE BLATANTLY LIVING IN SIN.
Lets start with the obvious here. If youre blatantly disobeying the Bible, youre not living in Gods purpose and you will certainly experience a sense of aimlessness in your life. This one is pretty straightforward so we dont need to spend too much time here.
YOU LACK JOY AND EXCITEMENT.
In his book Desiring God, John Piper says:
The pursuit of joy in God is not optional. It is not an extra that a person might grow into after he comes to faith.
YOU DONT FEEL MUCH FULFILLMENT IN LIFE.
YOU FEEL STUCK.
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