Purpose/Vision

Ps. 119:147-148

Ps. 78:9

Ps. 144:1

Jer. 17:7-8

2 Tim. 3:17

1 Tim. 4:7

2 Tim. 2:2

1) What is it?

2) Why is it important?

3) How do I determine mine?

                -graphic seasons of life – narrowing dream to purpose

What is it?

A.      Stewardship of gifts/resources God has given you

a.        General resources – Luke 16:10-12

b.       Spiritual gifts – Rom. 12:6-8

c.        Salvation – 1 Cor. 6:19-20

B.       Our unique function within body of Christ to extend kingdom of God and fulfill Great Commission

a.        2 Tim. 4:7 “fought the fight, finished…”

b.       1 Cor. 9:26 “run in such a way…”

c.        Rom. 12:4-5

d.       Eph. 4:11-12

e.        John 17:3 I accomplished work…

C.       Two kinds of purpose

a.        Universal – applies to everyone

b.       Unique – applies only to me

                                                                           i.      Universal

1.        know God

2.        become Christlike

3.        help poor

4.        make disciples

5.        love wife

6.        train children

7.        work heartily to God

                                                                          ii.      Unigque

1.        Timothy – 2 Tim. 1:9 “called with us holy calling.”

2.        Paul – Eph. 3:8-9; Acts 6:1-6à NT example

3.        Daniel à OT example

4.        Nehemiah

5.        David

6.        Moses – Aaron

7.        “The specific way God desires to use you to serve Him.”

8.        “How do I fit in God’s program on earth?” – based upon gifts à spiritual/natural, education, background, interests, physical ability, wife – narrows over time

Why is it important?

1)       We will give account to God – Rom. 14:12

2)       As energy decr. And resp. increases focus for impact

3)       Only way to evaluate activities

4)       Forces around us don’t reinforce our focus

a.        Our adversary – 1 Pet. 5:7-8

b.       Our culture – busyness, worldliness Eph. 5:15-16

c.        “No matter how well prepared the soil, how well kept the fences, how carefully painted the buildings let the owner neglect for while his prized and valued acres and they will revert again to the wilds and be swallowed up by the jungle or wasteland.  The bias of nature is toward the wilderness, never toward the fruited field.”        A.W. Tozen

5)       Time is short – Ps. 90:10-12

6)       Ministry is our responsibility – Eph. 4:12

How to determine purpose

                Four ways to determine

                *at judgment – post mortem

                                little thought to what doing or why pushed to and from

                *association – adopt others

                                Ole Miss – First Pres. – Prep

                                NE Jackson

                                Republican Party

                                Your pastor’s

                                Work

                                YBL

                *Emulation – person want to be like

                *Personalization

                                not adopting someone else’s = fulfillment – alignment

                doing first three result burnout, blame others

                                Individual vs. Community

                                Pursuit of God pg. 97

                                “Someone my fear that we are magnifying private religion all out of proportion.  One hundred pianos all tuned to the same fork are automatically tuned to each other.  So one hundred worshippers met together, each one looking away to Christ are in heart nearer to each other than they could possibly be were they unity conscious and torn their eyes away from God to strive for closer fellowship.  The body becomes stronger as its members become healthier.  The whole church of God gains when they members that compose it begin to seek a better and higher life.”

Questions to ask yourself (assume actually looking)

1)       Specific direction from Scripture

                                                            i.      Ez. 3

                                                           ii.      Rev. 3

2)       What are your spiritual gifts?

3)       What are you equipped and trained to do?

                                                            i.      Temperament

                                                           ii.      Education

                                                         iii.      Work experience

4)       What are current roles limitations/opportunities?

                                                            i.      Where has God put you?

                                                           ii.      What is around you?

                                                         iii.      Are their limitations with wife?

5)       Are you content where you are?  What doing?

                                                            i.      May be issue contentment or God may be moving

6)       What would closest friends/wife say your purpose should be?

7)       What has God called me to do?

 Suggestions (assume no current sin/disobedience and cultivating relationship with God)

1)       Don’t immediately increase activities

a.        Purpose à objective à activities

2)       Ability to discover depend upon willingness to do

a.        John 7:17

b.       Abraham went out…

c.        Heb. 11:1,6

3)       It will take time

4)       Write it down – accountability

5)       Book on spiritual gifts/inventory

6)       Reduce or elim. Activities don’t fit

a.        Helps you determine whether unconsc. Entangled

 Burn out – focus on activities/needs/circumstances/other people rather than defining purpose through knowing God.

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