Bible Study Series: What Drives Your Life?

 WHAT DRIVES YOUR LIFE?

REVIEW OF CHAPTER 3

There are two questions to consider in this chapter

1. What Drives Your Life?

2. What are the benefits of a purpose-driven life?

WHAT DRIVES YOUR LIFE

Everyone has something that drives them. It may be your desire to be successful.

It may be your desire to be left alone. It may be a desire to have an easy life. What

ever it is, it is unique to you.

Rick Warren gives us five things that drive people.

PEOPLE ARE DRIVEN BY GUILT

Sometimes it is Monday morning quarterbacking. I should have, I could have, or I wish I

did this or that. Sometimes we look at past decisions as if another decision would GIVE

better results. The truth is the past and all thinking in the world want to change

anything. Putting yourself on the guilt trip changes nothing. Guilt brings you down, but

will never lift you. Guilt is emotional self-punishment.

Psalms 38:4

4 My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear.

Guilt squeezes the joy out of life. You never know what people are carrying

in their hearts. They may be smiling on the outside, but grieving on the inside.

Job 31:33

33 if I have concealed my sin as men do, by hiding my guilt in my heart.

We have to release ourselves from the past so we can move toward the future.

The Apostle Paul made up his mind to move toward the future.

Philippians 3:13-14

13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

If you are on a guilt trip, you must let it go. There is no future in guilt.

PEOPLE ARE DRIVEN BY RESENTMENT AND

 ANGER

Resentment is an ill feeling toward someone for some reason. It could be because

they have what you want or have been given what you believe you deserve.

Resentment is toxic because it destroys you on the inside and blocks meaningful

relationships. Resentment is failure to realize that what God has for you is

for you.

Job 5:2

2 Resentment kills a fool, and envy slays the simple.

When you resent someone, you don’t hurt them, you hurt yourself.

Resentment allows you to be controlled by what you don’t have.

Resentment takes your mind off what God is doing in your life.

Job 36:13-14

The godless in heart harbor resentment;

even when he fetters them, they do not cry for help.

Resentment blocks any thought of the help we have in God.

MANY PEOPLE ARE CONTROLLED BY FEAR.

Fear is a lack of faith in God. Fear cause you to focus on what you cannot

control rather than focus on the one who is in control.

Many times we fear what could be or what could happen. That kind of fear can

stop you from being creative or taking risks that could lead to success.

There is nothing wrong with fear, as long as it is the fear of the Lord

The devil operates on your fear. Fear can paralyze you into doing nothing.

2 Timothy 1:7

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and a sound mind.

God has given us the power to reason, think and make proper decisions. Under His

guidance success is at hand.

God has given us the spirit to love. Love requires commitment and sacrifice.

Many times we don't love others as we should because we fear the commitment

that goes with it.

God has given us a sound mind. When you know the Word of God, you know the

promises of God which allow you to make decisions that will change the world.

Fear can be an excuse we use to keep from doing anything.

PEOPLE ARE DRIVEN BY MATERIALISM

Some think that if I had more money, I would be happier. Some think that

If I had more stuff, I would be happier. The truth is the joy of having more money

or more stuff is short-lived. There will always be something newer, bigger

and more expensive than your mind will drift toward. There is no lasting

satisfaction in having more.

If your mind is set on getting a new car. It's only new the moment you drive it

off the dealership. Whatever you buy can get old and obsolete by the world's standards.

If your focus is on the new and the more, where is your joy when it becomes old and

less in your mind?

We must learn to be content with what we have and content with God that

provides what we need. Discontentment is a complaint against the God we serve.

John 16:23

Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.

Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

We must put God first in our lives. If we are grateful for what we have and serve God, He will

gives us what we need and want.

Luke 12:31

But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

DRIVEN BY THE APPROVAL OF OTHERS.

If your desire is to be approved by man, you will often be disappointed. Man will

love you today and hate you tomorrow. Man will praise you today and curse you

tomorrow.

The people in Jerusalem praise Jesus when He came riding into town on a donkey.

But yelled to crucify him during His trial. One moment they wanted Him as king and

the next moment they treat our Savior as the worst criminal.

The only approval that counts is the approval of God,

Romans 12:2

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is — his good, pleasing, and perfect will.

If you are driven by anything other than pleasing God, your life will be a disappointment.

All of the above can be seen as negatives. They all lead to your unhappiness.

In my opinion, the number thing that ought to drive us is

 God's Love

We were made in love. 1 John 4:16

We were made for love 1 John 4: 16

We were made by love 1 John 4:8

We were made to extend our love

It is Love that is the foundation of the family. We should be anchored in Love

THE BENEFITS OF KNOWING YOUR PURPOSE

According to Rick Warren, knowing your purpose gives meaning to your life

God has a purpose for every believer. Every believer has work prepared for them

Psalms 138:8

8 The Lord will fulfill [his purpose] for me;

your love, O Lord, endures forever —

do not abandon the works of your hands.

We may be driven by goals and aspirations and make plans to achieve them, but God's

plan for us will be accomplished.

Proverbs 19:21-22

21 Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails.

KNOWING YOUR PURPOSE GIVES LIFE MEANING

Colossians 2:2-4

My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, so that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, 3 in whom have hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Five elements of God’s purpose for us are given;

1. To be encouraged in the heart

2. To be united in love in the body of Christ

3. To have a complete understanding

4. You can only know your purpose through Jesus Christ

5. To be enlightened to the hidden treasures of wisdom and knowledge

KNOWING YOUR PURPOSE SIMPLIFIED YOUR

 LIFE

When you know your purpose you are not driven by the changing doctrine of man.

Everyone has an opinion of what you ought to be doing. You can get confused

and misled by the thoughts of men.

All we need are the commands of God to guide our lives.

Proverbs 13:14-15

The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death.

Our job is to ensure that our ways are pleasing to God

Psalms 37:23

The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.

The Word of the Lord provides wisdom for our lives

Psalms 19:7-8

The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy,

making wise the simple.

KNOWING YOUR PURPOSE FOCUSES YOUR LIFE

In this world, many temptations lead us away from God.

1 Corinthians 7:36

And this I speak for your profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction.

Psalms 119:130

The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.

KNOWING YOUR PURPOSE MOTIVATES YOUR

 LIFE

That which we are passionate about we will act upon and talk about

Jesus was passionate about the Father. He spoke not His own words but the words of

the Father

John 7:16-17

Jesus answered, "My teaching is not my own. It comes from him who sent me.

Purpose in life requires commitment and obedience.

Matthew 26:38

39 And he went a little further and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

People will know your passion by what you do and say. Jesus was passionate about His mission

to save us from our sins

Acts 1:3

To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:

Jesus wanted the world to know that the cross was not death, but eternal life.

KNOWING YOUR PURPOSE PREPARES YOU FOR

 ETERNITY

Ecclesiastes 3:11-12

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men, yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

God has much more in store for us than we can think or conceive.

We were not put on Earth to stay on Earth. We were created to serve God and proclaim

His name.

Since we are new creations in Christ. We were created to be with Christ

John 12:25-26

who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

Our Purpose is to serve the Lord in spirit and truth.

KNOWING YOUR PURPOSE HEIGHTENS YOUR

 LOVE

FOR GOD

FOR FAMILY

FOR MANKIND

CLASS QUESTION

WHEN PEOPLE LOOK AT YOU, WHAT WOULD

THEY SAY DRIVES YOU?

WHAT DO YOU SAY YOUR PURPOSE IS?

Rev. M. Mitchell