What Forces drive you?
CHURCH NOTES:
EVERYONE IS DRIVEN BY SOMETHING. OUR GOAL IS A PURPOSE-DRIVEN LIFE.
FIVE COMMON "DRIVES"
1) GUILT: RUNNING FROM REGRETS OR HIDING SHAME.
GUILT-DRIVEN PEOPLE ARE MANIPULATED BY MEMORIES; ALLOW THEIR PAST TO CONTROL THEIR FUTURE; OFTEN UNCONSCIOUSLY SELF-SABOTAGE THEIR OWN SUCCESS.
WHEN CAIN SINNED, HIS GUILT DISCONNECTED HIM FROM GOD'S PRESENCE; GOD SAID, "YOU WILL BE A RESTLESS WANDERER ON THE EARTH." (GEN. 4:12)
MANY PEOPLE IN TODAY’S WORLD - WANDERING THROUGH LIFE WITHOUT A PURPOSE.
2) RESENTMENT: HOLDING ON TO HURTS AND NEVER GET OVER THEM.
SOME RESENTMENT-DRIVEN PEOPLE "CLAM UP" (INTERNALIZE ANGER); SOME RESENTMENT-DRIVEN PEOPLE "BLOW UP" (EXPLODE IN ANGER)
INSTEAD OF RELEASING PAIN (FORGIVENESS) THEY RELIVE IT OVER AND OVER IN THEIR MINDS (CONSTANTLY TALKING OR THINKING ABOUT WHAT CAUSED THE PAIN).
RESENTMENT ALWAYS HURTS YOU MORE THAN IT DOES THE PERSON YOU RESENT. WHILE YOUR OFFENDER HAS PROBABLY FORGOTTEN THE OFFENSE AND GONE ON WITH LIFE, YOU CONTINUE TO STEW IN YOUR PAIN, PERPETUATING THE PAST.
3) FEAR: LETTING THE UNKNOWN CONTROL LIFE AND OUTCOMES
FEARS MAY BE RESULT OF A TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE, UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS, GROWING UP IN A HIGH-CONTROL HOME, ETC.
FEAR-DRIVEN PEOPLE OFTEN MISS GREAT OPPORTUNITIES BECAUSE THEY'RE AFRAID TO VENTURE OUT; PLAY IT SAFE, AVOIDING RISKS AND TRYING TO MAINTAIN THE STATUS QUO.
4) MATERIALISM: DESIRE TO ACQUIRE BECOMES THE GOAL OF LIFE.
THE IDEA THAT HAVING MORE MAKES ME "MORE HAPPY," MORE IMPORTANT, AND MORE SECURE - UNTRUE.
POSSESSIONS ONLY PROVIDE TEMPORARY HAPPINESS. WHEN THINGS DO NOT CHANGE, WE EVENTUALLY BECOME BORED AND FIND A NEWER, BIGGER, BETTER VERSION.
5) NEED FOR APPROVAL: ALLOWING THE EXPECTATIONS OF OTHERS TO CONTROL LIFE.
MANY ADULTS ARE STILL TRYING TO EARN THE APPROVAL OF “UNPLEASABLE PARENTS”. OTHERS ARE DRIVEN BY PEER PRESSURE, ALWAYS WORRIED ABOUT WHAT OTHERS THINK. UNFORTUNATELY, THOSE WHO FOLLOW THE CROWD USUALLY GET LOST IN IT.
BEING CONTROLLED BY THE OPINIONS OF OTHERS IS A GUARANTEED WAY TO MISS GOD'S PURPOSES FOR YOUR LIFE. JESUS SAID, "NO ONE CAN SERVE TWO MASTERS." (MATT. 6:24)
THERE ARE OTHER FORCES THAT CAN DRIVE PEOPLE'S LIVES, BUT ALL LEAD TO THE SAME DEAD END: UNUSED POTENTIAL, UNNECESSARY STRESS, AND AN UNFULFILLED LIFE.
THE HOPELESSNESS OF LIFE WITHOUT PURPOSE
ISAIAH COMPLAINED, “I HAVE LABORED TO NO PURPOSE; I HAVE SPENT MY STRENGTH IN VAIN AND FOR NOTHING." (ISA. 49:4)
JOB SAID, “MY LIFE DRAGS BY - DAY AFTER HOPELESS DAY" (JOB 7:6) AND “I GIVE UP; I AM TIRED OF LIVING. LEAVE ME ALONE. MY LIFE MAKES NO SENSE." (JOB 7:16)
THE GREATEST TRAGEDY IS NOT DEATH, BUT LIFE WITHOUT PURPOSE.
I) EVERYONE ENDS UP SOMEWHERE. BUT FEW END UP SOMEWHERE ON PURPOSE!
WE ARE “FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE”. (PSALM 139:14)
ANYONE CAN DISCOVER A MEANINGFUL LIFE DIRECTION
WE ARE MADE IN THE IMAGE OF A FORWARD LOOKING, PURPOSEFUL GOD
GOD INCLUDES US IN HIS PLANS
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” - PSALM 139:13-16
LIVE ON PURPOSE KEEPING THE END IN SIGHT
SEEK HIM IN ORDER TO LEARN WHAT HIS PLAN IS FOR OUR LIVES
LIFE WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN, DON’T FALL BEHIND LISTENING TO THE WRONG VOICES
II) WITHOUT VISION YOU CAN’T DRIVE (NO WINDSHIELD WIPERS)
“WHERE THERE IS NO VISION THE PEOPLE PERISH” (PROVERBS 29:18 )
NO DREAM > NO REVELATION > NO VISION > NO SENCE OF CREATED PURPOSE > PEOPLE PERISH
NO VISION OF A LIFELONG, GROWING AND PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD > SPIRIT WITHERS AND DIES
NO VISION TO DEEPLY MATTER TO PEOPLE > LIVE IN LONELINESS; RELATIONSHIPS PERISH
NO VISION FOR MEANINGFUL WORK > LIVE FOR 5 O’CLOCK; JUST EXIST INSTEAD OF TRULY LIVE
BUT WE WERE MADE FOR SO MUCH MORE!
JESUS AND PURPOSE: LIVING OUT HIS FATHERS VISION;
“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” — LUKE 19:10
“No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord… This command I received from my Father.” — JOHN. 10:18
“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” — JOHN 10:10
SALVATION UNDESERVED, UNASKED FOR, UNPAID FOR, FREELY GIVEN, SIMPLY BY LIVING OUT HIS FATHER’S VISION FOR HIS LIFE!
C) PAUL AND PURPOSE: LIVING OUT THE SON’S VISION
“However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.” — ACTS 20:24
D) US AND PURPOSE; LIVING OUT THE SON’S VISION
IMAGINE ONE DISCIPLE—YOU.
WHAT IS YOUR MISSION ON EARTH?
WHAT HAS GOD DESIGNED YOU UNIQUELY TOO DO?
WHEN YOU GET A VISION FOR WHAT GOD HAS FOR YOU THINGS CHANGE!
WITHOUT PURPOSE WE ONLY EXIST, WITH NO PASSION FOR LIVING, WE HAVE NO REASON TO WAKE UP.
PURPOSE GIVES BIRTH TO HOPE AND INSTILLS THE PASSION TO ACT.
“TIME AND SEASON FOR EVERYTHING” (ECC.1: 2)
HISTORY SHOWS THAT THE VALUE OF LIFE DECREASES AND THE QUALITY OF EXISTENCE DIMINISHES WHEN A GENERATION LOSES ITS SENSE OF DESTINY AND PURPOSE.