Aligning Our Lives with God's Purpose and Identity
Summary
### Summary
Good morning, everyone. Today, we continue our Ignite series, focusing on aligning our lives with God's truth, purposes, promises, and our God-given identity. This alignment ignites what the Scriptures call the "good life," a life full of peace, joy, and purpose that blesses others and honors God. We explored the story of Saul, later known as Paul, from the book of Acts. Saul was a passionate, ambitious, and driven man, but his gifts were misaligned with God's purposes, leading to chaos and destruction. However, a dramatic encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus realigned his life, transforming him into one of the most influential figures in Christian history.
We discussed how strong convictions alone are not enough to live a God-honoring life. Saul's transformation teaches us that our gifts and passions must be aligned with God's will to truly ignite the good life. Sometimes, God intervenes dramatically, as He did with Saul, but more often, He uses circumstances and people around us to guide and realign us. We must be willing to look at our lives, take responsibility for our actions, and seek God's direction through prayer, fasting, and community.
Ananias, another key figure in Saul's story, shows us the importance of obedience even when God's call seems risky or illogical. His willingness to align with God's command and go to Saul played a crucial role in Saul's transformation. Similarly, Barnabas, known as the "son of encouragement," used his gifts to support and vouch for Saul, demonstrating that sometimes our calling is simply to do the next wise, faithful thing with the gifts God has given us.
As we navigate our own questions of calling and purpose, we are invited to align our lives with God's truth, purposes, promises, and our identity in Christ. This alignment not only ignites the good life for us but also enables us to bless others and fulfill God's purposes in the world.
### Key Takeaways
1. Alignment with God's Will: Aligning our lives with God's truth, purposes, promises, and our God-given identity ignites the good life. This alignment brings peace, joy, and purpose, blessing others and honoring God. It is not about achieving the American dream but living a life surrendered to God's will. [01:52]
2. Strong Convictions Are Not Enough: Having strong convictions and being certain of our beliefs is not sufficient to live a God-honoring life. Saul's story teaches us that our gifts and passions must be aligned with God's will. Misaligned gifts lead to chaos and destruction, but when realigned with God, they can transform lives and impact the world. [09:33]
3. God's Interventions: God sometimes intervenes dramatically in our lives, as He did with Saul, but more often, He uses circumstances and people around us to guide and realign us. We must be open to recognizing these interventions and willing to take responsibility for our actions, seeking God's direction through prayer, fasting, and community. [11:00]
4. Obedience in Risk: Ananias' story highlights the importance of obedience even when God's call seems risky or illogical. Aligning with God's command and taking courageous steps of faith can lead to significant transformations and blessings. We must be willing to step out in faith, trusting that God has a purpose for our obedience. [25:12]
5. Using Our Gifts: Barnabas' example shows that sometimes our calling is simply to do the next wise, faithful thing with the gifts God has given us. We don't always need a dramatic vision or dream; often, it's about bringing our gifts to bear on the opportunities and challenges right in front of us, fully surrendered to God's will. [29:27]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[00:37] - Core Class Announcement
[01:16] - Introduction to Ignite Series
[01:52] - Aligning with God's A, B, C, and D
[02:45] - The Good Life Equation
[03:36] - The Question of Calling
[04:23] - Saul's Background and Ambition
[05:19] - Saul's Misaligned Gifts
[06:35] - Taking Responsibility for Our Wake
[07:22] - Strong Convictions and the God-Honoring Life
[09:00] - The Lie of "Find Your Own Truth"
[09:33] - Saul's Dramatic Intervention
[11:00] - God's Interventions and Realignments
[13:09] - God Uses Circumstances
[14:58] - The Ignite Equation in Our Mess
[17:25] - Saul's Fasting and Prayer
[20:01] - Saul's Transformation
[23:16] - Surrendering Our Gifts to God
[24:36] - Ananias' Obedience
[28:06] - Barnabas' Encouragement
[30:02] - Doing the Next Wise, Faithful Thing
[33:06] - Aligning with God's Formula
[35:01] - Closing Prayer
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. Acts 9:1-19 (Saul's Conversion)
2. Acts 11:22-26 (Barnabas and Saul in Antioch)
3. Acts 4:36-37 (Introduction of Barnabas)
#### Observation Questions
1. What were Saul's characteristics and actions before his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus? ([05:19])
2. How did God intervene in Saul's life, and what was the immediate result of this intervention? ([09:33])
3. What role did Ananias play in Saul's transformation, and how did he respond to God's call? ([24:36])
4. How did Barnabas support Saul after his conversion, and what does this reveal about his character? ([28:41])
#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why is it significant that strong convictions alone are not enough to live a God-honoring life, as illustrated by Saul's story? ([07:22])
2. How can we recognize God's interventions in our lives, whether dramatic or through circumstances and people around us? ([11:00])
3. What does Ananias' obedience, despite the risks, teach us about aligning with God's will? ([25:12])
4. How does Barnabas' example of using his gifts to support others challenge us in our own callings and purposes? ([29:27])
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when your gifts and passions were misaligned with God's will. What were the consequences, and how did you realign yourself? ([05:55])
2. Are there areas in your life where you have strong convictions but may not be fully aligned with God's purposes? How can you seek alignment through prayer, fasting, or community? ([07:22])
3. Have you experienced a dramatic intervention or a subtle nudge from God that redirected your path? How did you respond, and what was the outcome? ([09:33])
4. Is there a current situation where you feel God is calling you to take a risky step of obedience, like Ananias? What fears or doubts do you need to overcome to follow through? ([25:12])
5. How can you use your gifts to support and encourage someone in your community, similar to how Barnabas supported Saul? Identify a specific person or situation and plan a concrete action. ([29:27])
6. When faced with uncertainty about your next steps, how can you incorporate practices like fasting and prayer to seek God's direction? Share a specific instance where you plan to do this. ([18:40])
7. Think about a time when you resisted a call from God. What was the outcome, and how might you respond differently in the future to align with God's will? ([26:20])
Devotional
Day 1: Aligning with God's Will
Aligning our lives with God's truth, purposes, promises, and our God-given identity ignites the good life. This alignment brings peace, joy, and purpose, blessing others and honoring God. It is not about achieving the American dream but living a life surrendered to God's will. When we align ourselves with God's will, we experience a life that is not only fulfilling but also impactful. This alignment is the foundation of a life that blesses others and brings glory to God. It is a call to live beyond our personal ambitions and desires, focusing instead on God's greater plan for our lives.
In the story of Saul, we see a man whose life was dramatically realigned with God's will. Saul was passionate and driven, but his gifts were misaligned, leading to chaos and destruction. However, after his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus, Saul's life was transformed. He became Paul, one of the most influential figures in Christian history. This transformation was possible because Saul surrendered his life to God's will, allowing God to use his gifts for His purposes. [01:52]
Ephesians 2:10 (ESV): "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."
Reflection: What areas of your life are not aligned with God's will? How can you begin to surrender these areas to Him today?
Day 2: Strong Convictions Are Not Enough
Having strong convictions and being certain of our beliefs is not sufficient to live a God-honoring life. Saul's story teaches us that our gifts and passions must be aligned with God's will. Misaligned gifts lead to chaos and destruction, but when realigned with God, they can transform lives and impact the world. Saul was zealous and passionate, but his zeal was misdirected, leading him to persecute Christians. It was only after his encounter with Jesus that his gifts were realigned, and he became a powerful instrument for God's purposes.
This teaches us that it is not enough to be passionate or driven; our passions and gifts must be aligned with God's will. We must seek God's direction and allow Him to guide us in using our gifts for His glory. This requires humility and a willingness to be corrected and realigned by God. When we allow God to realign our lives, we can experience true transformation and become vessels for His purposes. [09:33]
Proverbs 19:21 (ESV): "Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand."
Reflection: Are there any areas in your life where your strong convictions might be misaligned with God's will? How can you seek God's guidance to realign them?
Day 3: God's Interventions
God sometimes intervenes dramatically in our lives, as He did with Saul, but more often, He uses circumstances and people around us to guide and realign us. We must be open to recognizing these interventions and willing to take responsibility for our actions, seeking God's direction through prayer, fasting, and community. Saul's dramatic encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus was a turning point in his life, but not everyone experiences such dramatic interventions. More often, God uses the people and circumstances around us to guide us and bring us back into alignment with His will.
It is important to be attentive to these subtle interventions and to be willing to respond to them. This requires a posture of humility and openness to God's leading. We must be willing to take responsibility for our actions and seek God's direction through spiritual disciplines such as prayer, fasting, and engaging with our faith community. By doing so, we can discern God's guidance and allow Him to realign our lives according to His purposes. [11:00]
Isaiah 30:21 (ESV): "And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, 'This is the way, walk in it,' when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left."
Reflection: Can you identify a recent circumstance or person through whom God might be trying to guide you? How can you respond to this guidance today?
Day 4: Obedience in Risk
Ananias' story highlights the importance of obedience even when God's call seems risky or illogical. Aligning with God's command and taking courageous steps of faith can lead to significant transformations and blessings. Ananias was called by God to go to Saul, a known persecutor of Christians, and help him regain his sight. Despite the risks and fears, Ananias obeyed God's command, and his obedience played a crucial role in Saul's transformation.
This teaches us that obedience to God's call often requires courage and faith. God's instructions may not always make sense to us, and they may involve risks, but our willingness to obey can lead to significant blessings and transformations. We must trust that God has a purpose for our obedience and that He will guide and protect us as we step out in faith. [25:12]
Joshua 1:9 (ESV): "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."
Reflection: Is there a specific area in your life where God is calling you to take a step of faith despite the risks? How can you take that step today?
Day 5: Using Our Gifts
Barnabas' example shows that sometimes our calling is simply to do the next wise, faithful thing with the gifts God has given us. We don't always need a dramatic vision or dream; often, it's about bringing our gifts to bear on the opportunities and challenges right in front of us, fully surrendered to God's will. Barnabas, known as the "son of encouragement," used his gifts to support and vouch for Saul, demonstrating the importance of using our gifts in everyday situations to bless others and fulfill God's purposes.
This teaches us that our calling may not always involve grand or dramatic actions. Sometimes, it is about being faithful in the small things and using our gifts to serve others in our immediate context. By doing the next wise, faithful thing, we can make a significant impact and contribute to God's work in the world. It is about being attentive to the opportunities around us and being willing to use our gifts for God's glory. [29:27]
1 Peter 4:10 (ESV): "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace."
Reflection: What is one specific way you can use your gifts to serve someone in your life today? How can you be faithful in the small opportunities God places before you?
Quotes
1. "I'm like, man, wouldn't that be a great life? Total confidence. Total peace. Zero regrets. And the more I thought about that, the more I realized that's what the Scriptures teach. The Scriptures teach these things. And the way we've been talking about it is this. It's back to school season, so we put it in an algebra equation that when we align with God's A, B, C, and D, when we align with sort of four elements of the Scriptures that are part of God's character, what Jesus teaches us, that's what ignites this, what we're calling the good life, what the Scriptures call the good life." [01:16] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "When we align our lives with these elements that the scriptures teach, that's what ignites that good life that honors God, blesses others, and is good and fruitful for you and for me. And the invitation throughout the series has been to go to work, all of us sort of working this out, this little equation in our lives." [02:45] (17 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Are you willing to look at your wake and take responsibility for what's yours to take responsibility for? I'm not saying that everything that's not right is your fault. No, no, no. And some of us overown problems that aren't ours to own. Some of us overown wreckage behind us that's actually not your fault, right? So I don't want you to overfunction here, but for some of us, the way that God might awaken you to who you actually are and who you're actually not is by willing to take ownership of what's in your wake." [06:35] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Strong convictions, passion, certainty that you are right, even if you are right, is not enough to live a God-honoring life or to ignite the good life, and this is totally me along the way. Man, there have been points in my life where I was so, so sure that I was right, and so I felt like, basically, I could do or say whatever I wanted to because I was right." [08:11] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "Not everything that happens to us is good or God's will. But everything that happens to us can be used for good in our lives if our lives are in God's hands. Everything that happens to you, but say it again, not everything that happens to you is good or God's will, right? But everything, everything, everything the scriptures say that happens to us can be used and will be used for good in our lives if our lives are in God's hands." [14:58] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "Sometimes you sacrifice things in the now for fruitfulness in the future. Sometimes you sacrifice things in the now for fruitfulness into eternity. That's part of aligning with God, to ignite the good life that he created you for." [28:06] (12 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "My friends, you have your own list. You have your own list, skills, gifts, abilities, wiring, temperament, all kinds of things. You are beautiful, freakishly gifted people. Every single one of you, God loves and God has given you all kinds of gifts. Are you going to use your gifts for your own kingdom, your own purposes, your own safety, your own provision, even for your family, which is not a bad thing. It's a good thing. It's not the ultimate thing. Or are you willing to surrender all your gifts, all your temperament, all your abilities at the feet of Jesus and say, give me the word. Show me my calling. Tell me what you want me to do. I am fully surrendered. I want to be fully aligned." [23:16] (47 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "Sometimes, most of the time, calling and what am I doing next is just you taking the best version of you that you possibly can, full of the Spirit, fully surrendered to God, and just saying, God, here's a need right in front of me. I'll do it. Thanks for this opportunity. Thanks for the stretch. Thanks for the challenge. That's the invitation." [30:02] (19 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9. "My friends, as that question haunts you, what do you want to do when you grow up? What are you doing next? My prayer is that you might meet the Lord, maybe in dramatic ways, maybe in super quiet ways, maybe in ways that are really simple, just like, all right, Lord, here I am. Here's these gifts you've given to me. I'm ready and willing to do your will. That's exactly what Jesus prayed. My prayer is that. That would be our prayer, too." [33:06] (19 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10. "We pray that you would give us a fresh feeling of the Spirit, that we might be Barnabases, that we might go places, serve people, and do the work you've prepared in advance for us to do. We do all this, fully surrendered and submitted to you, King of kings, Lord of lords, that we might ignite the good life. That you invite us into. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen, amen, amen." [35:01] (20 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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