The Five Purposes of God for Your Life

there were 7 of us who went 6 from our church and another 1 from San Francisco, Norman Banayat, a member of our online church (as of last night we already have 189 members) (shot group photo)

During the conference our church was selected to receive the “healthy church award” (award photo)

It was our 2nd medallion, and I’d like to share the joy to you men and women, boys and girls of Agape

Our church could have not been as healthy without every single one of you (tell your seat mates, congrats)

We are not award oriented. Our ultimate reward awaits in heaven. These tokens are only symbols of motivation and perseverance

The next morning after we came back from the conference, I was eating dried fish from the Philippines

Until all of a sudden, I felt that there was something wrong, something was missing, as I chew the crispy dried fish it was cracking, I though it was still the dried fish that I am chewing!

I rolled my tongue around my gums and that was when I realized, I broke one of my front tooth! (photo)

I asked my wife, what shall we do? We don’t have insurance! She said, give me a minute and let me think

And then my wife said, me must go to Mexico! (photo)

After swiping my card for $2,200, I got a new set of good looking teeth… show my smile!

We came back to the US the same day and I noticed what was already obvious (photo)

What was obvious was the big difference between the US and Mexico. I don’t say this by looking at Mexico in a condescending manner.

This experience reminded me of the huge difference between my old, and now my “new life”

My old purposeless life and my new purposeful life through Christ

John 10:10 NLT

10 The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.

John 10:10 NIV

10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Today we will start a series entitled “Life Well Lived”

Who wants live a life well lived?

It was a kinda dumb question. Of course everyone wants to live a life well lived, the better question is HOW

We can only live life well when we know it’s purpose

Illustration: Using AirPods to demonstrate the need for a manufacturer’s manual to know its purpose and proper use

Similarly, we must know our purpose in life in order to live it well

God is our creator, and the Bible is our manual

The three foundations of a life well lived are

:10

John 10:10 NIV

10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

You have to know who God made you to be (Identity)

If you’re confused with your identity, you will waste your life

What others says about you doesn’t matter, what matters is what God says about you

You got to know what God wants you to do (purpose)

You gotta know who you are and you gotta know what God wants you to do

You gotta know when to do it (right timing)

When all these 3 aligned in your life, you have the ingredients of a successful life

Today I’d like to talk to you about the purpose of life

But to set that up, let us take a look at the life of the little known, yet the greatest king that have ever lived and that’s Hezekiah

Let me read to you some very important part of his life story

2 Kings 18:2–7 NLT

2 He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah. 3 He did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight, just as his ancestor David had done. 4 He removed the pagan shrines, smashed the sacred pillars, and cut down the Asherah poles. He broke up the bronze serpent that Moses had made, because the people of Israel had been offering sacrifices to it. The bronze serpent was called Nehushtan. 5 Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before or after his time. 6 He remained faithful to the Lord in everything, and he carefully obeyed all the commands the Lord had given Moses. 7 So the Lord was with him, and Hezekiah was successful in everything he did. He revolted against the king of Assyria and refused to pay him tribute.

He was successful in everything he did

Wow! can you imagine that? How would like to be as successful as Hezekiah?

I was not that successful, you were not that successful, but Hezekiah was, why?

Because he did what God wants him to do

He knew who he was, he know his purpose and he know the right timing

Now if you want to be successful in everything that you do, I want you to study this man’s life, Hezekiah

Of course Hezekiah grow old and in fact he had terminal illness and Isaiah told us about it and how Hezekiah made an argument with God to extend his life

Isaiah 38:1–5 MSG

1 At that time, Hezekiah got sick. He was about to die. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz visited him and said, “God says, ‘Prepare your affairs and your family. This is it: You’re going to die. You’re not going to get well.’ ” 2 Hezekiah turned away from Isaiah and, facing the wall, prayed to God: 3 “God, please, I beg you: Remember how I’ve lived my life. I’ve lived faithfully in your presence, lived out of a heart that was totally yours. You’ve seen how I’ve lived, the good that I have done.” And Hezekiah wept as he prayed—painful tears. 4 Then God told Isaiah, 5 “Go and speak with Hezekiah. Give him this Message from me, God, the God of your ancestor David: ‘I’ve heard your prayer. I have seen your tears. Here’s what I’ll do: I’ll add fifteen years to your life.

Ain’t that amazing? Hezekiah is already bound for heaven but he asked God to give him some more time so he could do more ministry here in on earth

God agreed with Hezekiah and gave him 15 more years

Not only the donation of his life was increase, but even the duration of his life

Now let me ask you some questions:

If God is gonna ask you why He should give you an extra 15 years of life, what would you say?

If God will review the past 15 years of your life, would He be eager to give you 15 more?

Are you willing to use the rest of your life the way God planned for you to use it?

If you’re answer is no, then why would God give you another day to waste? But if you’re answer is yes, then better listen carefully to the remainder of this sermon so you could be certain to learn God’s 5 purposes for your life

God gave Hezekiah 15 more because he did well living God’s purpose for his life in the past 15

Now let me show a related verse in the New Testament

Ephesians 5:15–17 NLT

15 So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. 16 Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. 17 Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.

Ephesians 5:15–17 MSG

15 So watch your step. Use your head. 16 Make the most of every chance you get. These are desperate times! 17 Don’t live carelessly, unthinkingly. Make sure you understand what the Master wants.

Reading this verse makes me want to ask myself 5 questions and I also want you to ask you these questions:

Ephesians 5:

Are you being careful with your life?

Are you living wisely?

Are you making the most of your time?

Are you taking every opportunity to do good?

Are you making sure that you know what God wants you to do with your life?

Those important things, all 5 things are important

And then Paul said this to Timothy

2 Timothy 2:21 NLT

21 If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work.

2 Timothy 2:21 The Living Bible

21 If you stay away from sin you will be like one of these dishes made of purest gold—the very best in the house—so that Christ himself can use you for his highest purposes.

Now if you stay clean and away fro sin, God is gonna use you for His highest purpose

In different ways in different passages, God tells us about these purposes

The Five Purposes of Life

1. GOD WANTS ME TO CENTER MY LIFE AROUND HIM

Worship

God wants to be the center

God wants to be the hub of your heart

Matthew 22:37–38 The Living Bible

37 Jesus replied, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind.’

Matthew 22:

THIS FRST PURPOSE IS CALLED WORSHIP

2. GOD WANTS ME TO LEARN TO LOVE HIS FAMILY

God wants a family, and the family He is talking about is the church - the only thing that’s gonna last forever

Find a local church so I could learn

God uses the church as lab for learning to love

It’s easy to love lovely people .. like you!

But He wants you to learn to love those who are difficult to love

Hebrews 10:25 The Living Bible

25 Let us not neglect our church meetings, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of his coming back again is drawing near.

THIS SECOND PURPOSE IS CALLED FELLOWSHIP

Department of mental health of California made a study that when a person isolates himself, here are the possible consequences:

You are 3 times more likely to die an early death

4 times more likely to suffer emotional burnout

5 times more likely to be clinically depressed

10 tines to be more likely to be hospitalized for an emotional or mental disorder

So if you’re not still in a small group here in Agape Church… join one, or start one

You owe it to your emotional and mental health

Longing for belonging

It’s not enough to make God the center of your life

God gave us a model on elements of fellowship

Acts 2:41 The Living Bible

41 And those who believed Peter were baptized—about three thousand in all!

, 46

“Those who believed… were baptized and added to the church… they joined with other believers and committed themselves to the apostles teaching and fellowship… they worshipped together regularly at the temple… and met in small groups in homes..”

Maybe you need to be baptized and join Agape

Apostles teachings is the New Testament

You need to be a part of a fellowship

You need to join a small group or start one

3. GOD WANTS ME TO CULTIVATE SPIRITUAL MATURITY

God wants me to become like Jesus Christ

God doesn’t want me to remain as a spiritual baby

God wants me to grow up

He wants you to grow in God’s famly

Developing character

Thinking like Jesus, feeling like Jesus

Hebrews 6:1 The Living Bible

1 Let us stop going over the same old ground again and again, always teaching those first lessons about Christ. Let us go on instead to other things and become mature in our understanding, as strong Christians ought to be. Surely we don’t need to speak further about the foolishness of trying to be saved by being good, or about the necessity of faith in God;

THIS THIRD PURPOSE IS CALLED DISCIPLESHIP

Disciple is just an old word for student, it means a learner

God wants you to be a life long learner just like a disciple

Some grow old but did not grow up

They are saved but they are shallow

They got stuck in perpetual immaturity

If your kids that didn’t grew up, that’s a tragedy

Hebrews 5:12 The Living Bible

12 You have been Christians a long time now, and you ought to be teaching others, but instead you have dropped back to the place where you need someone to teach you all over again the very first principles in God’s Word. You are like babies who can drink only milk, not old enough for solid food. And when a person is still living on milk it shows he isn’t very far along in the Christian life, and doesn’t know much about the difference between right and wrong. He is still a baby Christian!

One of the marks of maturity is that you were able to pass on to others what you have learned about life

God doesn’t give the gift of teaching to everybody

But God expects all of us to teach at some point in our life.. to teach one on one, teach in a small group…

One of the goal of Agape is to help you grow so you can teach others

We have several ways to do this.. we have class 101-401, we have Sunday School, Trainings and Seminars

As much as we are concerned with our physical fitness, we must also come up with a plan for our spiritual fitness

Set your goals.. which area you hope to mature

4. GOD WANTS ME TO CONTRIBUTE SOMETHING BACK

God wants you to learn to be unselfish

If you’re just gonna live for yourself, why would God give you another second to live

God wants you to learn to be generous, to serve others

1 Peter 4:10 The Living Bible

10 God has given each of you some special abilities; be sure to use them to help each other, passing on to others God’s many kinds of blessings.

It didn’t say be sure to use them to make a lot of money

THIS FOURTH PURPOSE IS CALLED MINISTRY

Anytime you help anybody in anyway you just ministered to them

Anytime you give back your talent or treasure that is called your ministry

Did you know that in the Bible the word of for service and ministry are the same word

We serve God by serving others

This again are in preparation for heaven

Turn to somebody and say, “you are a minister”

We weren’t made to do nothing

Jesus said, if you want to be great then you must serve

We should ask ourselves the same question that David asked himself

Psalm 116:12 MSG

12 What can I give back to God for the blessings he’s poured out on me?

Psalm 116:12 The Living Bible

12 But now what can I offer Jehovah for all he has done for me?

Everybody wants significance

Significance doesn’t come from status, it doesn’t come from salary, it doesn’t come from success.. .

Significance comes from service

Jesus said, it is only when you give your life away that you’ll ever know what it means to live

Where am serving as a volunteer

What is your ministry in your spiritual family here in Agape Church?

5. GOD WANTS ME TO TELL OTHERS ABOUT HIS LOVE

Somebody told you about, He wants you to tell others

There are only two things that you cannot do in heaven

Sin

Share the good news - to witness

Which of these two you think God has leave you here on earth to do?

We have been sent to tell others

PURPOSE IS CALLED MINISTRY

THIS FIFTH PURPOSE IS CALLED WITNESSING (EVANGELISM)

TV show Judge Judy, Hot Bench

The attorney is to present all the facts, that’s not your job, your job is to witness

A witness is just to share their experience that is called your testimony

Your testimony is your witness.. you witness everywhere

You don’t even have to know the whole Bible to be a witness

Your testimony is your witness

TV show Judge Judy, Hot Bench

We witness through our lives and through our words

You do it audio and video

You must be an audio visual christian

Think of one person that doesn’t know Jesus

Start for praying for him, invite him to church, to small group

Ask God to give you an opportunity to share your testimony

If you will not do that, then why would give you another second here on earth if you’re not going to live your God given purpose?

Now here is a good news, you don’t have to do all these 5 purpose by yourself, we will all help you

Agape will help you...

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