Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. Romans 12:9-17 NIV
I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:1-2 NLT
BOTH GIFTINGS AND GODLY CHARACTER MUST BE PRESENT FOR TRUE EFFECTIVENESS.
'You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart. 1 Peter 1:22 NLT
So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples. John 13:34-35 NLT
Love must be sincere. Romans 12:9 NIV
Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Romans 12:9 NLT
“ Be tolerate with others and strict with yourself.” Marcus Aurelius
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.Romans 12:9 NIV
You who love the Lord, hate evil! Psalms 97:10 NLT
Hate evil and love what is good; turn your courts into true halls of justice. Amos 5:15 NLT
hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil. 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 NIV
'If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. John 15:19 ESV
'Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world.”John 18:36 ESV
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 1 John 2:15 ESV
1. It is not enough to simply choose Good over Evil.
2. You will eventually drift toward your desires and feelings.
O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands. Psalm 63:1-4 ESV
So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Colossians 3:5NLT
Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming. Colossians 3:5-6 NLT
You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. Colossians 3:7-9 NLT
Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves… Colossians 3:12 NLT
you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. Colossians 3:12-15 NLT
Mercy/Compassion
Kindness
Humility
Gentleness
Patience
Forgiveness
Love
We need to learn how to walk in freedom so we make ourselves fully available to walk in His purpose for our lives
“In a well-furnished kitchen there are not only crystal goblets and silver platters, but waste cans and compost buckets—some containers used to serve fine meals, others to take out the garbage. Become the kind of container God can use to present any and every kind of gift to his guests for their blessing.” 2 Timothy 2:20-21 MSG
Will we be the conduit that God uses or not?
What in your life is keeping you from being the container or conduit that God wants to use?
Purpose
Life will never make sense until you live a life that is bigger than yourself
Purpose
“We have become his poetry, a recreated people that will fulfill the destiny {PURPOSE} he has given each of us, for we are joined to Jesus, the anointed one. Even before we were born, God planned in advance our destiny {PURPOSE} and the good works we would do to fulfill it!” Ephesians 2:10 TPT
“It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for... part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.” Ephesians 1:11 MSG
A life of purpose brings focus
“Where there is no vision, the people perish…” Proverbs 29:18 KJV
God didn’t call us to a “just enough” life…he called us to a thriving life
“A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.” John 10:10 MSG
“No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” Philippians 3:13-14
A life of purpose brings endurance
“So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should” 1 Corinthians 9:26-27
A life of purpose brings fulfillment
“And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches.” Philippians 4:19
When you align yourself with God, you will have an irrational amount of fulfillment
Your purpose will be found in living a life that is bigger than yourself
Fulfillment doesn’t chase success; fulfillment chases significance
“Once you’ve tasted significance, success will never satisfy” – John Maxwell
How Do I Find My Purpose?
“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord.” Ephesians 5:8-10 NIV
Live as children of the light (goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord.”
1. Ask ourselves: “What do I need to stop doing?”
“Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them... Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise...” Ephesians 5:11;15 NIV
Behind the darkness is God’s purpose for your life
“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then... you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Romans 12:2
“Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you. Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path. Don’t get sidetracked; your feet from following evil.” Proverbs 4:25-27
2. Ask yourself: “What do I need to start doing?”
“Making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is” Ephesians 5:16-17 NIV
Dreams don’t just happen; They come to fruition by perseverance, character, and a fight for purpose
“remember, it is a sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.” James 4:17
“God, I invite your searching gaze into my heart. Examine me through and through; find out everything that may be hidden within me. Put me to the test and sift through all my anxious cares. See if there is any path of pain I’m walking on, and lead me back to your glorious, everlasting ways – the path that brings me back to you.” Psalms 139:23-24 TPT
3. Ask yourself: “What am I waiting for?”
“I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians
People that procrastinate talk about a life of purpose; people who take initiative live a life of purpose
TAKE HOME
1. START DOING WHAT YOU SHOULD DO
You can start changing the world, by impacting your world
How you start impacts your future
2. GO ABOVE AND BEYOND
The things in life that mean the most are forged through sacrifice
“If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles.” Matthew 5:41
3. STAY COMMITTED TO THE PROCESS
“for everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven…a time to plant and a time to harvest.” Ecclesiastes 3:1-2
Life is a series of seasons and God blesses those who are faithful during the process