WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.120 --> 00:00:03.879 Truth. You're listening to it right now. He uses trouble, 2 00:00:04.200 --> 00:00:08.000 he uses trials. God uses temptations to make you like Jesus. 3 00:00:08.000 --> 00:00:12.800 Why Jesus was tempted? Temptation is just a choice, he said, Well, 4 00:00:12.839 --> 00:00:14.400 it's a choice to do bad. Well, it's also a 5 00:00:14.480 --> 00:00:17.879 choice to do good. It's just a choice. And every 6 00:00:17.879 --> 00:00:21.359 time you have a tempted temptation, when you choose to 7 00:00:21.399 --> 00:00:25.079 do bad, you know you're defeated. When you choose to 8 00:00:25.079 --> 00:00:28.359 do good, you grow so temptation. Every time you have 9 00:00:28.399 --> 00:00:32.359 a temptation and you respond correctly, you actually grow. You 10 00:00:32.439 --> 00:00:35.200 grow more like Jesus. And he uses people. What am 11 00:00:35.240 --> 00:00:38.200 I saying? You know, those problems you don't like in 12 00:00:38.200 --> 00:00:43.399 your life, every problem has a purpose, and that purpose 13 00:00:43.799 --> 00:00:47.039 is to make you like Jesus. There is no situation 14 00:00:47.200 --> 00:00:50.880 in your life you cannot grow from if you'll just 15 00:00:51.039 --> 00:00:54.200 trust Jesus and if you'll just learn to respond in 16 00:00:54.280 --> 00:00:56.880 the right way. So I want you to write this down. 17 00:00:57.159 --> 00:01:01.880 The third purpose of my life is to grow up spiritually. 18 00:01:02.960 --> 00:01:06.920 First I'm born again, then I grow up. And God 19 00:01:06.959 --> 00:01:08.280 wants you to grow up, and he wants you to 20 00:01:08.280 --> 00:01:13.239 develop spiritual depth. One of the biggest problems in America 21 00:01:13.280 --> 00:01:17.439 today is shallow living. One of the most biggest problems 22 00:01:17.480 --> 00:01:22.120 in America today is immature people who refuse to grow up. 23 00:01:23.040 --> 00:01:27.439 We are a nation of spiritual babies. What is the 24 00:01:27.519 --> 00:01:33.079 hallmark of a spiritual baby? Babies are one percent self centered. 25 00:01:34.200 --> 00:01:36.480 A baby can't think of anybody else. All can think 26 00:01:36.519 --> 00:01:38.480 about is me, me, me, me, me, me, I, I 27 00:01:38.480 --> 00:01:41.840 I I my my my needs. I want it, I 28 00:01:41.879 --> 00:01:44.120 want it now. Babies don't know the difference we know 29 00:01:44.239 --> 00:01:47.599 and not yet. Babies don't know how to delay gratification. 30 00:01:48.000 --> 00:01:51.319 Babies have to have instant fulfillment. Babies have to have 31 00:01:51.920 --> 00:01:56.359 focused on their feelings, short term thinking, manipulated by their moods. 32 00:01:56.400 --> 00:02:00.640 I've got to have it now, God says, I want 33 00:02:00.640 --> 00:02:04.879 you to grow up. Mark Chapter four, verse seventeen talks 34 00:02:04.920 --> 00:02:09.680 about shallow people. It says some people have such a 35 00:02:09.719 --> 00:02:14.400 shallow soil of character that when their emotions wear off, 36 00:02:14.560 --> 00:02:19.000 oh he praise the Lord, Praise the Lord, and difficulty arrives. 37 00:02:20.280 --> 00:02:24.199 There's nothing to show for it. They're fair weather believers. 38 00:02:25.439 --> 00:02:28.800 And here's the fourth thing. God shaped me to serve him. 39 00:02:29.879 --> 00:02:36.759 God shaped me to serve him, and He uniquely shaped 40 00:02:36.759 --> 00:02:39.960 you in a way like no one else. There are 41 00:02:39.960 --> 00:02:42.039 no two people on the planet the same. You are 42 00:02:42.120 --> 00:02:45.319 unique in every single way. You have a unique voice print, 43 00:02:45.360 --> 00:02:47.599 you have a unique EyePrint, you have a unique thumb 44 00:02:47.599 --> 00:02:50.800 print fingerprints, you have a unique footprint, You have a 45 00:02:50.919 --> 00:02:55.199 unique chemistry. You have a unique heartbeat. No heart beats 46 00:02:55.199 --> 00:02:58.919 the exactly the same as any others. God creates every 47 00:02:58.960 --> 00:03:04.439 snowflake different. God overdoes it in diversity and variety. God 48 00:03:04.479 --> 00:03:07.719 does not clone anything humans do. But God never copies 49 00:03:07.759 --> 00:03:11.960 and never clones. So nobody in history before you will 50 00:03:12.000 --> 00:03:16.000 ever be like you, and nobody after you in eternity 51 00:03:16.000 --> 00:03:18.800 in the future will ever be like you. And God 52 00:03:18.919 --> 00:03:22.680 uniquely shaped you to fulfill a unique purpose here on 53 00:03:22.719 --> 00:03:25.879 the planet Earth. And this is the contribution He wants 54 00:03:25.919 --> 00:03:29.599 you to make. Now, remember that in heaven, one of 55 00:03:29.639 --> 00:03:32.879 the things you're gonna do is you're going to serve God, 56 00:03:33.919 --> 00:03:36.479 and so God wants you to learn to practice here. 57 00:03:36.960 --> 00:03:39.639 Now here's what the Bible says, Psalm one thirty nine, 58 00:03:39.719 --> 00:03:46.039 verse thirteen. You shaped me God, first inside and then out, 59 00:03:46.159 --> 00:03:50.479 and you formed me in my mother's womb. Now Here 60 00:03:50.520 --> 00:03:53.719 at saddleback, we use a little crosty to say the 61 00:03:53.800 --> 00:03:58.400 unique shape that God has given you shape, spiritual gifts, 62 00:03:58.479 --> 00:04:02.800 heart ability, personnel, and experiences. These are five categories where 63 00:04:02.800 --> 00:04:06.599 you're different in every area there from everybody else. For instance, 64 00:04:06.639 --> 00:04:10.000 God has given you unique spiritual gifts. You're gifted in 65 00:04:10.039 --> 00:04:12.199 some areas and you don't even realize it. And one 66 00:04:12.199 --> 00:04:14.000 of the things about giftedness is you're good at some 67 00:04:14.039 --> 00:04:16.040 stuff and you think everybody is good at it, but 68 00:04:16.079 --> 00:04:19.800 they're not. You're good at it. And then God gives 69 00:04:19.839 --> 00:04:22.319 you a unique heart. What is your heart? That's your passion. 70 00:04:22.600 --> 00:04:24.639 Your passion is what you love to do. Gifts is 71 00:04:24.680 --> 00:04:26.879 what you're good at. Passion is what you love to do. 72 00:04:27.680 --> 00:04:30.240 Have you ever realized that the reason you like some 73 00:04:30.360 --> 00:04:32.399 things and don't like some things is God gave you 74 00:04:32.439 --> 00:04:36.360 that shape. Why are some things really interesting to you? 75 00:04:36.519 --> 00:04:39.680 And other things bore you to tears? Because of your heart, 76 00:04:40.399 --> 00:04:44.720 your emotional your passion. Why are somethings some hobbies you're 77 00:04:44.759 --> 00:04:47.160 interested in others you couldn't care less about. Some things 78 00:04:47.199 --> 00:04:49.920 wind your crank and turn you on. Some things bore 79 00:04:49.959 --> 00:04:53.959 you to tears. God made us all with different hearts, 80 00:04:54.000 --> 00:04:56.399 emotional hearts. We all like to do different things. Why 81 00:04:56.600 --> 00:05:00.399 that way? Everything gets done. If everybody like to do 82 00:05:00.439 --> 00:05:03.000 the same thing in life, there'll be a lot left undone. 83 00:05:03.120 --> 00:05:06.240 So God gives us all different interests in different hearts. 84 00:05:06.240 --> 00:05:10.160 That comes from God. We're given different abilities. Some of 85 00:05:10.199 --> 00:05:12.480 you are really good at maths. Some of you stink 86 00:05:12.519 --> 00:05:16.600 at math. You should never look at a number. You're 87 00:05:16.680 --> 00:05:18.839 just not good at. Some of you are good with words, 88 00:05:18.839 --> 00:05:21.600 and others you're not good with words. You may be 89 00:05:21.680 --> 00:05:24.319 good with plants. You may be good with animals. You 90 00:05:24.360 --> 00:05:26.439 may be good with people. Some of you are good 91 00:05:26.480 --> 00:05:29.639 at drawing, and some of us are just stick figure 92 00:05:29.720 --> 00:05:32.240 kind of people. You may be good at music, you 93 00:05:32.240 --> 00:05:35.399 may be good at mechanics. There are literally thousands of 94 00:05:35.439 --> 00:05:38.839 different kinds of abilities, and that's what makes shapes you. 95 00:05:40.160 --> 00:05:43.560 And then there's your personality. We all have different personalities. 96 00:05:43.759 --> 00:05:46.560 Some people like routine. Some people like they want to 97 00:05:46.560 --> 00:05:48.800 do the same thing every day. Some people like variety. 98 00:05:48.800 --> 00:05:52.600 They want to do something different every day. Some people 99 00:05:53.240 --> 00:05:54.879 like to work in a group, and some people like 100 00:05:54.879 --> 00:05:58.160 to work on their own. That's personality. Some of you 101 00:05:58.199 --> 00:06:01.519 are are you know, morning songbirds, and some of you 102 00:06:01.560 --> 00:06:06.399 are are night owls. Okay, how many of you are 103 00:06:06.480 --> 00:06:08.800 mourning people? You liked. It's like up up into the pool. 104 00:06:08.839 --> 00:06:11.480 Let's get going. Man. You're mourning people, right, how many 105 00:06:11.519 --> 00:06:13.639 of you are night owls? He said, I don't believe 106 00:06:13.639 --> 00:06:17.879 in God at four eleven am. Yeah. Yeah, Now, let 107 00:06:17.920 --> 00:06:20.879 me let you in a little secret. Mourning people always 108 00:06:20.920 --> 00:06:25.639 marry night people. It's God's sense of humor. Opposites a tract. 109 00:06:25.680 --> 00:06:29.920 Then opposites attack, and God puts you together and he goes, 110 00:06:29.920 --> 00:06:31.439 this will be fun. Watch the sparks of fly. This 111 00:06:31.439 --> 00:06:34.839 will be really cool. And the reason why is we 112 00:06:34.879 --> 00:06:38.560 need each other's differences. If you married somebody identically like you, 113 00:06:38.560 --> 00:06:40.360 you're going to be bored with them and you can't grow. 114 00:06:40.560 --> 00:06:43.160 The greater your difference is, the greater the potential for growth, 115 00:06:43.639 --> 00:06:47.560 the greater you can become, like Jesus Christ. Now God 116 00:06:47.600 --> 00:06:51.120 says I've shaped you to serve me. And then the 117 00:06:51.199 --> 00:06:55.920 last thing he says, I give you experiences shape. Every 118 00:06:55.959 --> 00:06:59.560 experience in your life shapes you, the good ones and 119 00:06:59.600 --> 00:07:03.720 the bad. And God uses family experiences you had growing up, 120 00:07:03.879 --> 00:07:07.759 even bad ones and painful ones, He uses them for good. 121 00:07:08.879 --> 00:07:12.199 He uses family experiences. He uses vocational experiences, the job 122 00:07:12.240 --> 00:07:14.800 you had, educational experiences, the stuff you learned in school 123 00:07:14.839 --> 00:07:20.040 and outside of school. He spiritual experiences, personal experiences, emotional experiences. 124 00:07:20.160 --> 00:07:22.560 But the number one thing God uses in your life 125 00:07:22.639 --> 00:07:28.120 to shape you for serving him is painful experiences. God 126 00:07:28.399 --> 00:07:31.160 whispers to us in our pleasure, but he shouts to 127 00:07:31.240 --> 00:07:36.480 us on our pain. Pain is God's megaphone. Pain is 128 00:07:36.519 --> 00:07:40.720 how God gets your attention. We don't change when we 129 00:07:40.759 --> 00:07:42.920 see the light. We change when we feel the heat. 130 00:07:44.360 --> 00:07:47.160 And God says, yes, I even use the painful experiences. 131 00:07:47.240 --> 00:07:50.000 I don't plan them, I don't need. We're living a 132 00:07:50.000 --> 00:07:52.439 broken planet. You're gonna have plenty of painful experiences caused 133 00:07:52.439 --> 00:07:55.279 by other people and by yourself. But God says, I 134 00:07:55.319 --> 00:07:58.079 can even use that to shape you to serve me. 135 00:07:58.519 --> 00:08:03.240 Ephesians chapter two, verse two says this God made us 136 00:08:03.439 --> 00:08:08.199 what we are. He shaped us and in Christ Jesus, 137 00:08:08.439 --> 00:08:13.800 God made us to watch TV all day. Well, that's 138 00:08:13.839 --> 00:08:15.920 not what it says, play video games. No, it doesn't 139 00:08:15.959 --> 00:08:21.639 say that God made us to what what. I can't 140 00:08:21.680 --> 00:08:26.199 hear you would you circle that phrase? God made us 141 00:08:26.399 --> 00:08:29.079 to do good works. This is the fourth purpose of 142 00:08:29.120 --> 00:08:33.600 your life. God made you to do good works. Now 143 00:08:33.600 --> 00:08:35.799 the word for do good works in the Bible is 144 00:08:35.840 --> 00:08:41.080 called ministry. You have a ministry on earth. Not everybody's 145 00:08:41.080 --> 00:08:45.159 a pastor, but everybody has a ministry. Your ministry is 146 00:08:45.240 --> 00:08:48.840 anytime you use your shape, that's your talent, your abilities, 147 00:08:49.120 --> 00:08:51.720 all your personality to help other people in God's name. 148 00:08:52.080 --> 00:08:55.679 That's called ministry. God wants you to practice on earth 149 00:08:55.799 --> 00:08:59.639 what you're gonna do in heaven. In heaven, you're gonna 150 00:08:59.679 --> 00:09:03.399 serve God what he wants you to do here. Practice 151 00:09:03.559 --> 00:09:06.080 so again when you get there, you already know how 152 00:09:06.120 --> 00:09:09.720 to serve God. See a lot of people have this 153 00:09:09.840 --> 00:09:13.480 false idea about heaven. They think that you're gonna sit 154 00:09:13.519 --> 00:09:16.720 around and do nothing in heaven. You're just gonna sit 155 00:09:16.759 --> 00:09:20.799 around and do nothing boring. No, you're gonna do steff 156 00:09:20.840 --> 00:09:22.440 in heaven. You're gonna serve God in heaven, but you're 157 00:09:22.440 --> 00:09:24.840 gonna love to do it. In fact, let me just 158 00:09:24.840 --> 00:09:28.759 say this, everything you've learned about heaven in movies is 159 00:09:28.840 --> 00:09:32.480 one hundred percent wrong. There has never been a movie 160 00:09:32.720 --> 00:09:37.279 ever made that God heaven right. None, zero, not a zip. 161 00:09:37.559 --> 00:09:40.919 Every movie that has ever been made about heaven is wrong. 162 00:09:42.240 --> 00:09:45.720 Not one is right. How do I know that? Because 163 00:09:45.720 --> 00:09:49.360 the Bible says nobody understands how cool heaven is. The 164 00:09:49.399 --> 00:09:51.919 Bible says it's so cool you can't even imagine it. 165 00:09:52.440 --> 00:09:55.000 The Bible says it like this eye has not seen, 166 00:09:55.639 --> 00:09:58.279 no eye has seen, no ear has heard, neither has 167 00:09:58.399 --> 00:10:00.840 entered into the heart of man, the wonderful things that 168 00:10:00.919 --> 00:10:03.440 God has prepared for those who love him. You can't 169 00:10:03.480 --> 00:10:06.799 even imagine how cool heaven's going to be, because it's 170 00:10:06.799 --> 00:10:09.600 like an ant trying to understand the Internet. You don't 171 00:10:09.600 --> 00:10:13.879 have the brain capacity here on Earth. We're limited to 172 00:10:13.960 --> 00:10:18.639 three dimensions, and we understand three dimensional thinking. What if 173 00:10:18.679 --> 00:10:21.960 there's four dimensions five, six, seven, eight nine. What if 174 00:10:22.000 --> 00:10:24.960 there're dimensions you don't even know about because your brain 175 00:10:25.039 --> 00:10:28.000 isn't big enough in a human body to understand that, 176 00:10:29.360 --> 00:10:31.919 How do you explain that. That's why in the Bible 177 00:10:32.039 --> 00:10:33.720 when they try to explain in heaven they use this 178 00:10:34.039 --> 00:10:36.879 metaphors like streets paved with gold. They're not going to 179 00:10:36.960 --> 00:10:41.200 be paved with gold. They were just thinking of the biggest, 180 00:10:41.519 --> 00:10:44.080 most expensive way, the coolest thing they could think of. 181 00:10:45.879 --> 00:10:48.440 When you go when you see a movie about heaven, first, 182 00:10:48.600 --> 00:10:52.480 heaven is always white. Everything in heaven is white. Are 183 00:10:52.559 --> 00:10:58.840 you kidding me? The God has created rainbows, sunrises, sunsets, 184 00:10:59.399 --> 00:11:01.440 the colors of all the clothes we're wearing, and the 185 00:11:01.480 --> 00:11:04.799 ability to see color. He's gonna make heaven total white. 186 00:11:05.159 --> 00:11:10.200 Not a chance, not a chance. And then it's on clouds. 187 00:11:10.720 --> 00:11:13.000 Where did that one come from? That's not in the Bible. 188 00:11:13.519 --> 00:11:16.399 And you walk around like in fog up to your feet, 189 00:11:16.919 --> 00:11:18.960 so you know what I'm talking about. So you can't 190 00:11:19.000 --> 00:11:22.200 even see your feet. How do you tie your shoes 191 00:11:22.240 --> 00:11:25.639 in heaven? You know, if the FOG's up to your knees, 192 00:11:25.679 --> 00:11:29.480 that's stupid. And then then you wear a white robe, 193 00:11:30.720 --> 00:11:34.799 you have white wings, and you play a harp. That 194 00:11:34.919 --> 00:11:39.840 would be hell. I can't if that's heaven. No thanks, 195 00:11:39.879 --> 00:11:43.600 I don't want to go really, no thanks, I'm not interested. 196 00:11:43.840 --> 00:11:47.919 I like to beach a whole lot better. Now. This 197 00:11:48.039 --> 00:11:51.440 world is broken, it's full of sin, and it's still cool. 198 00:11:53.000 --> 00:11:55.919 There are some waterfalls, and I mean unbelievable sights. I've 199 00:11:55.919 --> 00:11:59.039 seen him around the world and the God who made 200 00:11:59.039 --> 00:12:02.639 this and this is broken and imagine the perfection. We 201 00:12:02.679 --> 00:12:05.480 can't imagine what heaven is going to be like. But 202 00:12:05.559 --> 00:12:07.720 you're not going to sit around and do nothing in heaven. 203 00:12:08.039 --> 00:12:10.240 You're going to serve. So, as I said, God wants 204 00:12:10.240 --> 00:12:14.480 you to practice serving God, so you're not a dufus. 205 00:12:14.519 --> 00:12:16.399 When you get there, you know how to do it. 206 00:12:26.799 --> 00:12:30.600 Pastor Rick has put together a special resource called Daily 207 00:12:30.720 --> 00:12:34.360 Inspiration for the Purpose Driven Life to help you reflect 208 00:12:34.440 --> 00:12:37.480 on the key Bible verses found in his best selling book, 209 00:12:37.639 --> 00:12:39.879 The Purpose Driven Life. 210 00:12:40.039 --> 00:12:41.039 As you dive. 211 00:12:40.840 --> 00:12:45.320 Deeper into these verses, you'll experience the transforming power of 212 00:12:45.399 --> 00:12:49.799 God's word. This beautiful hardcover gift book features gold detailing 213 00:12:49.879 --> 00:12:53.440 on the cover and has three hundred eleven pages filled 214 00:12:53.480 --> 00:12:57.879 with scripture and also includes reflection pages so you can 215 00:12:57.960 --> 00:13:00.799 record the life changing truth God. 216 00:13:00.639 --> 00:13:01.519 Reveals to you. 217 00:13:01.759 --> 00:13:05.759 This book is a wonderful spiritual growth tool and it 218 00:13:05.799 --> 00:13:10.120 makes a perfect gift for your friends and family. When 219 00:13:10.159 --> 00:13:12.399 you give a gift to help Daily Hope share the 220 00:13:12.440 --> 00:13:15.360 Gospel with people around the world, will send you a 221 00:13:15.399 --> 00:13:19.200 copy of Daily Inspiration for the Purpose Driven Life to 222 00:13:19.320 --> 00:13:20.039 say thanks. 223 00:13:27.000 --> 00:13:29.480 So, how in the world do I serve an invisible God? 224 00:13:30.279 --> 00:13:33.519 How do I do that? Well? The Bible says we 225 00:13:33.679 --> 00:13:38.360 serve God by serving others here on earth. The way 226 00:13:38.399 --> 00:13:41.799 you practice serving God is by serving other people and 227 00:13:41.879 --> 00:13:44.039 Jesus that if you've done it to the least of these, 228 00:13:44.279 --> 00:13:47.600 You've done it to me. Now notice this next verse 229 00:13:48.039 --> 00:13:51.240 one Peter four to ten. It is talking about using 230 00:13:51.279 --> 00:13:53.320 your talents to make a difference in the world, to 231 00:13:53.320 --> 00:13:56.159 make a contribution, to make an impact. This is your 232 00:13:56.279 --> 00:13:59.919 ministry or your service in life. God has given each 233 00:14:00.159 --> 00:14:04.600 of you, the Bible says, some special abilities. Be sure 234 00:14:04.799 --> 00:14:09.559 to use them to make a lot of money. No, 235 00:14:09.879 --> 00:14:15.360 to help each other, passing on to others. God's many 236 00:14:15.639 --> 00:14:19.559 kinds of blessing. God has given you your shape best 237 00:14:19.759 --> 00:14:23.840 hape to use to benefit the world, to make it 238 00:14:23.840 --> 00:14:26.679 a better place, and to practice serving God by serving others. 239 00:14:26.799 --> 00:14:30.399 So write this down. The fourth purpose of my life 240 00:14:30.679 --> 00:14:34.759 is to serve God by serving others. And when you 241 00:14:34.919 --> 00:14:41.360 do what you're good at, mechanically, musically, preparing a meal, 242 00:14:41.720 --> 00:14:44.960 whatever you're good at, whatever you love to do, and 243 00:14:45.000 --> 00:14:47.799 you do it in Jesus name, to help others. God says, 244 00:14:47.799 --> 00:14:52.360 you're practicing serving me. There's one other thing God wants 245 00:14:52.399 --> 00:14:56.039 you to do on earth. God made me for a mission. 246 00:14:57.159 --> 00:15:00.720 God made me for a mission. God puts you on 247 00:15:00.720 --> 00:15:03.039 earth first to know Him, then to learn some things, 248 00:15:03.039 --> 00:15:05.399 then to become some things, then to do some things, 249 00:15:05.600 --> 00:15:09.559 and the doing part is called your mission. Jesus says 250 00:15:09.639 --> 00:15:13.120 in John seventeen, verse eighteen. In the same way that 251 00:15:13.159 --> 00:15:15.960 the Father gave me a mission in the world, I 252 00:15:16.120 --> 00:15:19.440 give them a mission in the world. God puts you 253 00:15:19.519 --> 00:15:23.000 on this planet to make a unique contribution. It is 254 00:15:23.159 --> 00:15:27.240 my job as your pastor to help you get prepared 255 00:15:27.600 --> 00:15:30.600 for your ministry and your mission in the world, because 256 00:15:30.639 --> 00:15:32.960 one day you're going to stand before God and he's 257 00:15:33.000 --> 00:15:35.440 going to say, what did you do with what I 258 00:15:35.519 --> 00:15:38.759 gave you? Acts twenty verse twenty four. Paul says this, 259 00:15:39.000 --> 00:15:43.000 I consider my life to be wasted unless I use 260 00:15:43.039 --> 00:15:45.919 it to complete my mission and finish the assignment that 261 00:15:45.960 --> 00:15:49.440 the Lord Jesus has given to me to tell me 262 00:15:49.960 --> 00:15:52.559 the good news about God's grace. Now I don't have 263 00:15:52.600 --> 00:15:55.639 time to get into this, but the bottom line is 264 00:15:55.679 --> 00:15:58.159 that God has a mission and a message that he 265 00:15:58.200 --> 00:16:00.799 wants to explain through you to the world. You have 266 00:16:00.840 --> 00:16:05.039 a unique life message and a unique life mission. Proverbs 267 00:16:05.120 --> 00:16:08.519 nineteen twenty one says this, we can make all kinds 268 00:16:08.559 --> 00:16:13.039 of plans, but only God's purposes will last forever. Question 269 00:16:13.600 --> 00:16:15.720 what are you following right now? Your plan for your 270 00:16:15.720 --> 00:16:19.039 life or God's plan for your life. Huh, you follow 271 00:16:19.039 --> 00:16:21.320 on God's plan or you following your plan? You fall 272 00:16:21.399 --> 00:16:25.039 on your plan. How's that working for you? You feel 273 00:16:25.039 --> 00:16:28.720 pretty fulfilled, pretty satisfied, feel like, man, I'm really My 274 00:16:28.799 --> 00:16:33.799 life is exactly what was supposed to be. The Bible 275 00:16:33.799 --> 00:16:36.600 says only God's purposes will last forever. You know what 276 00:16:36.600 --> 00:16:40.080 the problem with most people is today. Their dreams are 277 00:16:40.120 --> 00:16:44.399 too small. Their dreams are too small. The biggest dream 278 00:16:44.399 --> 00:16:46.720 that most people have is I just want to be happy. 279 00:16:46.879 --> 00:16:51.320 I just want to live the good life. Really, and 280 00:16:51.360 --> 00:16:55.639 we define the good life in Southern California as looking good, 281 00:16:56.039 --> 00:16:59.879 feeling good, and having the goods. There's only one problem 282 00:16:59.879 --> 00:17:04.000 with the good life. It isn't good enough. It doesn't satisfy. 283 00:17:04.720 --> 00:17:07.680 There are thousands of people in Southern California who look good, 284 00:17:07.720 --> 00:17:10.880 feel good, and have the goods and are miserable. I 285 00:17:10.920 --> 00:17:13.559 talk to them all the time, because you were made 286 00:17:13.640 --> 00:17:15.880 for more. And at some point you put your head 287 00:17:15.960 --> 00:17:17.640 down on a pillow at night and you go, there's 288 00:17:17.640 --> 00:17:19.920 got to be more than this. There's got to be 289 00:17:20.000 --> 00:17:22.319 more than the good life. And the reason you think 290 00:17:22.319 --> 00:17:26.880 that is because there is there is. You were made 291 00:17:26.920 --> 00:17:29.759 for so much more. Than you're living right now, so 292 00:17:30.079 --> 00:17:34.359 much more than you're living right now. You were made 293 00:17:34.359 --> 00:17:37.000 for more than the good life. You were made for 294 00:17:37.079 --> 00:17:42.680 the better life. The Bible says this, Second Corinthians five. 295 00:17:42.759 --> 00:17:47.119 Jesus included everyone in his death so everyone could be 296 00:17:47.160 --> 00:17:51.359 included in this life, a far better life. There's that word, 297 00:17:51.440 --> 00:17:54.599 better life, not the good life, the better life, a 298 00:17:54.680 --> 00:17:58.759 far better life than people ever lived on their own. 299 00:18:00.039 --> 00:18:01.880 Good life isn't good enough. You were made for more. 300 00:18:01.920 --> 00:18:05.799 You're made for the better life, the step up of 301 00:18:06.000 --> 00:18:08.519 fulfilling God's purposes for your life. You say, how do 302 00:18:08.559 --> 00:18:12.279 I get that? How do I get to the better life? 303 00:18:12.559 --> 00:18:15.039 The Bible says this in Psal I'm thirty four to eight. 304 00:18:15.680 --> 00:18:21.920 Open your eyes, Open your eyes and see how good 305 00:18:22.359 --> 00:18:25.960 God is, how much he loves you. Blessed are you 306 00:18:26.200 --> 00:18:28.799 who run to him. I like that word run, because 307 00:18:28.799 --> 00:18:31.440 here's the point. If all of a sudden somebody told 308 00:18:31.480 --> 00:18:33.880 me that there's a better life than I'm living right now, 309 00:18:34.720 --> 00:18:38.319 I'm in. I'm in. I'm not gonna wait. I don't 310 00:18:38.359 --> 00:18:40.960 think about it. I don't procrastinate, I don't delay. I 311 00:18:41.000 --> 00:18:43.720 don't say one day I'll check it out, that there 312 00:18:43.799 --> 00:18:45.720 might possibly a better be, a better life than I'm 313 00:18:45.720 --> 00:18:50.079 a right now. No, I'm gonna run. If somebody tells 314 00:18:50.119 --> 00:18:51.599 me there's a better way to live than I'm living 315 00:18:51.680 --> 00:18:54.200 right now, I'm gonna run to it because I decided 316 00:18:54.200 --> 00:18:56.400 a long time ago I'm not gonna waste my life. 317 00:18:57.640 --> 00:18:59.640 You may waste your life, but I'm not gonna waste mine. 318 00:19:00.160 --> 00:19:02.119 And if there's a better way to live, then I'm 319 00:19:02.160 --> 00:19:04.480 going to run to it. And how do you run 320 00:19:04.519 --> 00:19:09.119 to it? Open your eyes and see how good God is. 321 00:19:10.720 --> 00:19:14.160 If I could only teach you one thing, if I 322 00:19:14.200 --> 00:19:18.440 only had one message to preach in my entire life, 323 00:19:18.599 --> 00:19:23.160 it would be this. Open your eyes. Open your eyes, 324 00:19:23.279 --> 00:19:27.079 Open your eyes to the goodness of God. Receive the 325 00:19:27.200 --> 00:19:34.079 love of God. No man will ever love you, no 326 00:19:34.240 --> 00:19:39.319 woman will ever love you like your creator does, well 327 00:19:39.440 --> 00:19:44.960 Jesus Christ does. And to go entirely through your entire 328 00:19:45.039 --> 00:19:50.599 life disconnected from your Creator, who loves you that much, 329 00:19:53.519 --> 00:19:59.119 makes no sense at all. If somebody was willing to 330 00:19:59.240 --> 00:20:01.839 die for you, wouldn't you want to know about it? 331 00:20:03.039 --> 00:20:07.759 If somebody loved you so much they died for you, 332 00:20:08.559 --> 00:20:13.279 wouldn't you want to know them? Somebody did die for you. 333 00:20:14.319 --> 00:20:17.680 His name is Jesus Christ, and he died for you 334 00:20:17.799 --> 00:20:20.279 to pay for all the things you've done wrong, so 335 00:20:20.359 --> 00:20:24.839 you could live a life a purpose formed for God's family, plan, 336 00:20:24.960 --> 00:20:27.480 for God's pleasure, created to become like Christ's shape, to 337 00:20:27.480 --> 00:20:32.039 serve God made for a mission, and might plead to 338 00:20:32.079 --> 00:20:36.400 you as your pastors, do not waste your life. Decide 339 00:20:36.480 --> 00:20:38.759 right now that for the rest of your life you're 340 00:20:38.759 --> 00:20:41.200 going to give the best of your life, not to 341 00:20:41.359 --> 00:20:43.799 your girlfriend, not to your boyfriend, not to your job, 342 00:20:43.920 --> 00:20:46.480 not to something else, but to God and his kingdom. 343 00:20:48.480 --> 00:20:51.079 Because you weren't put here for all those other things. 344 00:20:52.119 --> 00:20:55.240 You were put here for these purposes, and to ignore 345 00:20:55.279 --> 00:21:01.680 them is an enormous waste of your life. There's no 346 00:21:01.799 --> 00:21:05.920 accident that you were here this weekend, and for those 347 00:21:06.000 --> 00:21:08.680 who are watching online, it's no accident that you're watching 348 00:21:08.680 --> 00:21:13.200 this online. God knows that you've been frustrated with your life. 349 00:21:14.440 --> 00:21:17.480 He knows your hurts, he knows your sadnesses, he knows 350 00:21:17.519 --> 00:21:20.799 your fears, He knows the turmoil that goes inside of you. 351 00:21:21.000 --> 00:21:23.119 He knows the loneliness you feel when you put your 352 00:21:23.119 --> 00:21:25.839 head down on the pillow at night. He knows the 353 00:21:27.119 --> 00:21:29.240 insecurities that you feel that you don't want to admit 354 00:21:29.279 --> 00:21:33.680 to anybody else. He knows all of that. And you 355 00:21:33.759 --> 00:21:35.759 may have thought that there's got to be a better 356 00:21:35.799 --> 00:21:38.359 way to live. There is. I just taught it to you. 357 00:21:38.480 --> 00:21:41.559 There is. I call it a purpose driven life. I 358 00:21:41.559 --> 00:21:44.640 don't care what you call it. Just do it. Become 359 00:21:44.799 --> 00:21:47.559 what God made you to be, the man God bade 360 00:21:47.599 --> 00:21:49.720 you to be, the woman God made you to be. 361 00:21:53.000 --> 00:21:56.079 Jesus Christ invites you to experience this this way there 362 00:21:56.079 --> 00:22:01.000 on your outline. The last couple verses, Matthew, Jesus says, 363 00:22:01.079 --> 00:22:05.200 are you tired? Are you worn out? Are you burned 364 00:22:05.240 --> 00:22:09.559 out on religion? Then come to me for a real rest. 365 00:22:09.680 --> 00:22:12.559 He's not talk about religion. He says a relationship. Come 366 00:22:12.559 --> 00:22:15.240 to me for a real rest, and you'll recover your 367 00:22:15.279 --> 00:22:20.559 life and you'll learn to live freely and lightly. And 368 00:22:20.640 --> 00:22:24.720 who is this invitation available to? Next verse Acts ten 369 00:22:24.799 --> 00:22:29.640 thirty five. It makes no difference who you are or 370 00:22:29.680 --> 00:22:33.559 where you're from. If you want God and you're ready 371 00:22:33.599 --> 00:22:38.319 to do as he says, the door is open. Doesn't 372 00:22:38.359 --> 00:22:41.160 matter who you are, where you are from, what's your background, 373 00:22:41.200 --> 00:22:42.799 doesn't matter what you've done, who you've done it with, 374 00:22:42.920 --> 00:22:46.480 or how long you've done it, and says this offering 375 00:22:46.559 --> 00:22:48.559 is available to you. And it says do not even 376 00:22:48.559 --> 00:22:51.119 matter if you have doubts, bring your doubts with you. 377 00:22:51.200 --> 00:22:54.599 Doubt your doubts and believe your beliefs. At the bottom 378 00:22:54.920 --> 00:22:58.480 of your message notes, I have written a prayer to 379 00:22:58.559 --> 00:23:02.839 start living the life that God created you to live 380 00:23:03.160 --> 00:23:05.480 the life of purpose. And here's what I want us 381 00:23:05.480 --> 00:23:07.759 to do. I want us to read this aloud together. 382 00:23:08.359 --> 00:23:10.079 So here's what I'd like to ask you to do. 383 00:23:10.400 --> 00:23:12.839 Bow your head right now, but keep your eyes open, 384 00:23:13.839 --> 00:23:15.880 and I want you to look at your notes and 385 00:23:15.960 --> 00:23:17.359 read it now. If you don't have the notes in 386 00:23:17.359 --> 00:23:19.599 front of you, look up here on the screen and 387 00:23:19.880 --> 00:23:23.839 read it. We're going to pray this prayer allowed together, 388 00:23:24.640 --> 00:23:26.079 so you can bow your head and read it on 389 00:23:26.119 --> 00:23:27.640 the notes so you can look up here on the screen. 390 00:23:27.680 --> 00:23:33.480 Let's say it together. Dear God, everything you created has 391 00:23:33.519 --> 00:23:37.440 a purpose, including me. I don't want to miss my 392 00:23:37.519 --> 00:23:42.039 purpose or waste my life or live it disconnected from 393 00:23:42.039 --> 00:23:46.839 you anymore. Instead, I want to become what you design 394 00:23:46.960 --> 00:23:51.279 me to be. Starting today. I want to follow your 395 00:23:51.400 --> 00:23:55.839 plan for my life, not my plan you made me 396 00:23:56.160 --> 00:23:59.160 for a relationship with you. So I want to get 397 00:23:59.200 --> 00:24:03.440 to know you and love you and trust you. Thank 398 00:24:03.480 --> 00:24:07.640 you for sending Jesus to pay for my sin. Help 399 00:24:07.720 --> 00:24:12.319 me to understand that I humbly ask that you accept 400 00:24:12.400 --> 00:24:17.640 me into your family forever. I want to grow more 401 00:24:17.759 --> 00:24:20.880