YOUTHS CIRCLE MESSAGES

It Takes an Excellent Life to Live a Glorious Plan      "God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life." Those eleven familiar words comprise the first of the "Four Spiritual Laws"—a gospel tract that has been used to present the plan of salvation to people around the world. They are words that carry a glorious and important truth. God really does have a specific plan for your life that is consistent with your giftings, talents and God-given desires. Many believers live out their entire life and never really seek God about their personal destiny. Others may have a pretty good idea of what that plan is—at least in sketchy outlines. But what most Christians don't realize, is that it takes more than just knowing the plan. It's not enough to know what God wants you to do with your life. Simply knowing God's plan for your life will not cause you to fulfill your destiny. It requires the proper perspective and a deliberate ordering of your day-to-day acitivities. This truth came jumping out at me the other day as I was reading a familiar passage in II Timothy. It's a passage in which Paul is giving his protoge, Timothy, detailed instructions and advice on how to carry on the work of the ministry. But he's also telling us what to expect and how to experience God's highest and best in these "last days." (II Timothy 3:1) Notice what he says in chapter three, verse 10: But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, long-suffering, charity, patience,… Here, Paul reminds Timothy that he has "fully known" some things about his mentor. Among these are two I want to bring to your attention. They are purpose and manner of life . Putting Them Together Some people understand their "purpose" in life, but they're a mess in the "manner of life" area. They live sloppy, carnal lives, never allowing themselves to be transformed by renewing their minds through the Word. Others are living exemplary Christian lives—they're doing everything the Word says they should do—but they have no God-given vision in their hearts. The truth is, it takes both—purpose AND the proper manner of life—to realize God's highest and best for your life. Your vision provides the impetus and motivation to live the kind of life that will cause you to finish you course in God. That's why, if you've lost your vision, you've lost everything. God wants to put a burning vision in your heart if you don't already have one. He wants to stir it up again if you've allowed it to grow cold and dim. He wants that vision to wake you up every morning and propel you into a manner of life that brings that vision into fulfillment. What manner of life will cause you to realize God's high purpose? Paul told Timothy (and us) to observe his life to find the answer to that question. Let's look to the life of Paul to discover four important truths on living a life that wins. 1. A Right Response Some people think their dark and sinful past disqualifies them for a high calling in God's kingdom. Nothing could be further from the truth. Paul is a living example of that. In several places in scripture, Paul describes how he had formerly persecuted believers and had even endorsed their imprisonment and execution. For example, in Acts, chapter 26, Paul says: "I too was convinced that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth. And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the saints in prison, and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished, and I tried to force them to blaspheme. In my obsession against them, I even went to foreign cities to persecute them." (Acts 26:9-11 NIV) You may have done some bad things in your past, but you probably never had Christians killed simply because of their love for Jesus. You, like Paul, can find forgiveness and restoration through the blood of Jesus. Once you've taken on the very righteousness of God (II Corinthians 5:21), there is no limit to what you can do and be in God's Kingdom. Don't judge God's plan for your life based on past failures. It simply doesn't matter what you've done in the past. What turned Paul around? A head-on confrontation with Jesus Himself: And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? (Acts 9:3-6) When confronted with the reality of Jesus and His call, Paul asked the right question. He simply said, "Lord, what do you want me to do?" This represents the first key to understanding Paul's manner of life. He always responded correctly to the call of God. His first and foremost thought was, "What does God want me to do?" In other words, he stayed focused on the will of God, rather than the preference of Paul. That's where so many believers miss it. We're more concerned about what we want and need rather than God's plans and purposes . If you want to fulfill your God-given purpose, abandon yourself to the will of God. 2. Seek Approval in the Right Place In the first chapter of Galatians, Paul makes an interesting statement. He's talking about how God saved him and called him to be an apostle. Specifically, he's referring to that day God knocked him off his horse on the road to Damascus: But when it pleased God, who…called me by his grace, To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood… (Galatians 1:15,16) After his extraordinary encounter with Jesus—an encounter in which he received his direction and purpose in life—Paul says, "I conferred not with flesh and blood." In other words, Paul is saying, "I didn't go asking for anyone's opinion about what God had told me." If we would follow Paul's example in this area, we would experience a lot more success. Dear saint, if you want to get in trouble where God's plan for your life is concerned, start conferring with flesh and blood about it. Ask your family what they think. Ask your spouse what he or she thinks. Ask your coworkers what they think. I promise, you'll be confused, disheartened and defeated in no time. When it comes to the deeply personal issue of God's individual plan for your life, don't immediately confer with flesh and blood about it. Give God the time to clarify and solidify that plan. When the time is right, you can share it with others as the Spirit leads. 3. Right Priorities Another characteristic of Paul's manner of life that stands out sharply as you read his writings, is the beautiful way he ordered his priorities. He bluntly describes those priorities in the third chapter of Philippians: But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. (Philippians 3:7,8) Paul took a hard look at everything life in this world could offer—fame, wealth, prestige, comfort—and recognized that it all was less than worthless when compared to the joys of knowing Jesus. Oh, if only more believers would recognize that truth. Instead, far too many Christians are wasting their lives away on entertainment and meaningless pursuits. squandering precious time when there is a plan of God to fulfill in these last of the last days. We need to imitate Paul's manner of life in this area. We need to recognize the surpassing greatness of the riches that come from knowing Jesus. 4. Straining Forward As we read the New Testament, there is something else that becomes apparent about Paul's manner of life. He knew how to press and what to press toward. We see this clearly in that same third chapter of Philippians: Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13,14) The "one thing" Paul talks about in these verses actually has two parts to it. The first part is "forgetting what lies behind." You'll never fulfill your purpose if you're clinging to things of the past. But that's not all Paul did. He also was "reaching forth" for things which lay ahead. Another translation says "straining forward to what lies ahead." One dictionary defines straining as "to make violent and steady efforts." One element of straining is merely staying consistent. Comfort and relaxation are the opposite of straining. And I don't have to tell you, your flesh likes to be comfortable. It makes me ask myself, "Am I straining forward? Am I keeping a vigilant attitude towards the enemy and living a consistent life before God? Or have I become comfortable?" That's a good question to ask yourself. Paul's manner of life involved a constant straining forward toward the things of God. Why? Because he had a vision. He had a clearly defined purpose that propelled him forward. I've observed there are basically two reasons why believers don't press forward. Either they've gotten comfortable and satisfied with the status quo (in other words they've lost sight of their purpose), or they've never known what to press toward in the first place. If you've had a clear vision of your purpose but have lost it for some reason, it's time to stir it back up. If you've never really identified God's purpose and plan for your life, it's time to get into His Word and press into His presence until it burns within you once again. . Without a purpose you'll never strain forward and win the prize of God's high calling for your life. Do you want to experience God's highest and best? Do you want to know and fulfill all of God's grand plan for your life? Do you want, like Paul, to be able to say at the end of your life, "I have fought the good fight; I have finished the course; I have kept the faith?" (II Timothy 4:7) If so, begin to emulate Paul's attitude and manner of life. Because it's not enough to have the vision. To truly run the race of life to victory, you must live victoriously. Never forget. It takes an excellent life to live a glorious plan.