What is the Why for your life? It matters.

You are called to live a life that brings glory to God

“Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31

“Everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made….” Isaiah 43:7

“For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” 1 Corinthians 6:20

The way to bring Him glory is to stop living for ourselves and live for HIM.

“For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.” 2 Corinthians 5:14-15

Let’s look at why this is a big deal, and see where we are in the process of making it happen.

What you love deep in your heart determines who you really are. It determines how you will experience life; It determines how you perceive and experience this temporary life and it determines where and how you will experience the eternal one that follows.

“Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.” Proverbs 4:23

“But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.’” 1 Samuel 16:7

You can tell what is in your heart by where your treasures lie, what comes out of your mouth, and what kind of fruit you produce with your actions.

“The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” Luke 6:45

If your treasure is here on earth, your focus is on you and your earthly life: your body (how you look, physical capabilities),  your reputation (how others see you, how they treat you, getting recognition for your effort),  your position in life (education, job title, social status, salary), what you have (money, house, cars, things), and how to pursue pleasure (Alcohol, Drugs, Sex, Thrills, Luxury, Entertainment, Manipulation of others).

If your treasure is in heaven, you focus is on God, His kingdom and your eternity with Him: Getting to know Him, Understanding Him, Seeing from His perspective, Listening to Him, Doing His will. You are to be focused on flowing His love to others through your thoughts, words and actions. Denying your self, making you and your earthly life of less importance than serving God and His children.  Being of service to others rather than serving yourself. Generously reaching out to help those in need. Picking up your cross: sacrificing aspects of your earthly life as necessary to serve God, and forgiving those who sin against you. God promises that every person gets what they deserve in due time. He promises rewards in heaven for those who suffer in this life for His sake. When you are focused on God and His kingdom, you shine as a beacon for Him.

You know in your heart what is right and good. You just need to be honest with yourself.

“For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” Hebrews 8:10

Do a self-test:

What is your why?  What drives you and your day-to-day actions

            Think through your day, your week,  What do you do and why do you do it?

Does each activity just serve you, or does it somehow serve others?

Can you connect each activity to serving God and His kingdom somehow?

Ex: I go to the gym 5x per week.

Why? To Look Good?  if so why?…keep asking why until you get to “to serve God and his children?” or “to serve ME” 

If the anwer is “To Be Healthy”…if so why?  “So I will live longer and not be sick”..that answer so far is all about ME.

Why is it important to you to live longer and not be sick? “So I don’t die young”…That is all about Me.

How about, “So I am not a burden to others as I age”…That is a little better.

How about, “So I am healthy and capable of serving God and others for many years to come.” Now you are on the right track

Or, How about, “So I can be healthy and serve God and others for many years to come, and be a positive influence on the folks at the gym and shine a beacon for the kingdom for anyone I may encounter along the way.  Now that is a worthy why.

Embracing a why like for yur activity will change the very nature of your gym visits…expecially your attitude towards others as you execute.        

Why do you say the things you do? Why do you say them the way you say them?

Are you building yourself up? Are you tearing yourself down?

Are you building someone else up? Are you tearing someone else down?

Are your communications positive and encouraging? Are they critical and condemning?

What fruit are you producing with your life?

Earthly fruit that perishes when you die?

or Fruit that lives on for eternity in someone else’s soul?  

If your treasures are still on earth and not in heaven, and your activities are not focused on serving others, and you are not producing fruit that is eternal, I encourage you to dig a bit into why God did what He did by sending His son in the Gospel message below. 

The Gospel

God is love. His love flows into you in several forms: He provides the raw energy of life, He formed you in your mothers’ womb, and He provides every breath you take. He provides people in your life to show you love and affection. He provides gifts and talents so you can be useful if you choose to nurture them. He provides every opportunity you have ever had to do something wonderful. He gives you free will to choose whether to acknowledge Him and align to His will, or ignore Him and suffer the consequences.

You love only because God loved you first. Every ounce of love in your heart came from God.  The love in your heart is God resident in you. When you pursue selfish agendas, that love reaches a dead end, the flow stops with you. When you get your own agendas out of the way and find a way to flow God’s love through you to someone else, the flow of His love has been perfected.

You are called to love God with all your heart. ALL is ALL, 100%.

“‘And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment.” Mark 12:30-31

If you love Him with all your heart, there is no room for loving you and your earthly life. You are to be a vessel for His use. He is the potter, you are the clay. You are to deny your “self”,  crucify the old you, and let Jesus form in you, and let His love flow through you.

“But now, O Lord, You are our Father; We are the clay, and You our potter; And all we are the work of Your hand.” Isaiah 64:8

“Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.” 2 Timothy 2:21

“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

We are at war with God when we are focused on ourselves. God set rules to guide our behavior so that we would not cause harm to each other. God is saddened when we choose to violate His guidance and cause harm to others.  

God knows what is in your heart, and He wants to help us fix it.

“For whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.” 1 John 3:20

“The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” Genesis 6:5

He sent His son to restore that which was lost,  the image of God. He wants to come into you and help you transform into that image.

“For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.” Matthew 18:11

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.” Colossians 1:15

“Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,” Colossians 3:9-10

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:1-2

Our sins have consequences. He paid the price with His body, He shed innocent blood to forgive us, He bought us with a price. The least we can do is give Him our lives in return.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23

“He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By His stripes you have been healed.” 1 Peter 2:24

“For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” 1 Corinthians 6:20

“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,” Ephesians 1:7

“Knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.” 1 Peter 1:18-19

When you embrace Jesus, He will work in your heart.

“And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:26

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10

God sent His son to restore us to the original image of God. He paid for our souls with His life.  His intention is to take up residence in each of us and help us transform from self-centered people to folks submitted to Him and focused on flowing love to others. When we do that we bring glory to the Father and His kingdom. That should be your purpose, your why.

We are created to bring God Glory

“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.” Revelation 4:11

“Everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.” Isaiah 43:7

“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31

“For you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” 1 Corinthians 6:20

Focus on receiving God’s love into you through embracing Jesus’ and His work on the cross. God loves you so much He sent His son to suffer and die for you. He did that even while you were working against Him via your own sins; you were acting as an enemy against Him and He still forgives you and even blesses you. He paid the price for you sins. You are righteous, and reconnected with the Father; no longer separated by sin but restored to perfect unity. Your past is erased; The Father sees you as innocent and beyond reproach when He sees you through Jesus blood. Once you repent of your sins and accept Jesus work for you, you are wiped clean, there is no room for guilt, shame, or condemnation. You focus forward.  As you deny your own self, and cast aside self centered agendas, Jesus can work inside you to help you see things differently, to think about things differently, to soften your heart, to shift your priorities from serving yourself, to serving others. This changes the why for your life. You begin to focus on flowing God’s love through you to others.  The changes accumulate and you start to become more and more like Jesus, seeking and doing the Fathers will.  

Take a snapshot of your heart: What portion of your heart is rooted in love of God and His kingdom with intentions to bring Him glory, either upwards to serve God or outwards to serve others/neighbors? What portion Is rooted in love for your own self or for your earthly life?   How close to loving God with ALL your heart are you?  Ask Jesus for help to move closer to 100%.

Prayer:

Lord, help me identify the remaining self-centered loves I still hold in my heart. Help me hate them the way you hate them. Help me to repent of any self-centered agendas and turn to follow you. Help me renew my mind and see things from your perspective. I wish to serve you and perfect your love as it flows through me. Lord, help me shine as a beacon for your kingdom and bring you glory.  I ask this in  Jesus’ name, to bring glory to the Father.