Embracing God's Love: Your True Life Purpose

 

Summary

Understanding your life purpose begins with recognizing that it is rooted in God's nature. God, who is love, created you to be an object of His love. This foundational truth is transformative: your primary purpose is not to serve, trust, or even love God, but to let God love you. This is a revolutionary concept for many, as it shifts the focus from doing for God to receiving from God. You were made to be a recipient of God's love, and your calling is to enjoy a relationship with Him. Christianity is not about religion, rules, or rituals; it is about a relationship with God, who desires you to be His child, not His servant or worker.

God's love is extravagant, lavish, and beyond comprehension. It is constant, regardless of your actions or feelings. You cannot make God stop loving you, as His love is based on who He is, not who you are. Experiencing God's love is crucial; it is not enough to know it intellectually. When you truly feel God's love, it changes everything. It frees you from the need for approval from others, as you realize that God's unconditional love is all you need. This realization brings peace, even in pain, and gives you the courage to take risks, knowing that God believes in you.

God has been waiting your entire life for you to understand how much He loves you. He planned your existence and has been present at every moment of your life. When you become aware of God's love, it transforms your life. You live in peace, free from condemnation, and bold in your prayers, knowing you are a child of God. This awareness empowers you to pursue your dreams, as you are no longer held back by fear of failure. God invites you to start over, to let go of fear, and to surrender your life to Him, trusting that He knows what is best for you.

Key Takeaways:

1. Your Primary Purpose is to Be Loved by God: Understanding that your first purpose is to receive God's love, not to perform tasks for Him, is transformative. This realization shifts your focus from doing to being, allowing you to embrace your identity as a beloved child of God. [02:21]

2. God's Love is Unconditional and Constant: God's love for you is not based on your actions or feelings but on His nature. This love is extravagant and unchanging, providing a foundation of security and acceptance that frees you from seeking approval from others. [06:41]

3. Experiencing God's Love Brings Peace: When you truly feel God's love, it brings peace that surpasses understanding, even in difficult circumstances. This peace is rooted in the assurance of God's goodness and His desire for your well-being. [16:23]

4. God's Love Empowers You to Take Risks: Knowing that God believes in you gives you the courage to pursue your dreams and take risks. His love provides the confidence to overcome fear and embrace the possibilities He has for your life. [18:40]

5. Surrendering to God's Love Transforms Your Life: Letting go of fear and surrendering to God's love allows you to experience the fullness of His plans for you. Trusting in His love and wisdom leads to a life of purpose and fulfillment. [21:43]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:08] - Understanding Life Purpose
- [00:22] - God is Love
- [01:02] - Created to be Loved
- [01:36] - Chosen and Loved Before Creation
- [02:21] - First Purpose: To Be Loved by God
- [03:52] - Relationship, Not Religion
- [04:37] - God's Desire for Family
- [05:12] - Experiencing God's Love
- [06:26] - Unconditional Love
- [07:15] - God's Love Overcomes Sin
- [08:08] - God's Ever-Present Love
- [09:20] - Living in God's Love
- [10:19] - Accepted by God
- [11:42] - Freedom from Approval Addiction
- [12:24] - Boldness in Prayer
- [16:23] - Peace in Pain
- [18:23] - Courage to Take Risks
- [20:27] - God's Love Transforms Lives
- [22:00] - Prayer of Surrender

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Ephesians 1:4-5 - "For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will."
2. 1 John 3:1 - "See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!"
3. Romans 5:1 - "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Observation Questions:
1. According to Ephesians 1:4-5, what was God's intention for us before the creation of the world? How does this relate to our identity as His children? [01:36]
2. In 1 John 3:1, what does it mean to be called children of God, and how does this reflect God's love for us? [05:12]
3. Romans 5:1 speaks about peace with God. How is this peace achieved, and what role does faith play in it? [10:19]
4. The sermon emphasizes that our primary purpose is to be loved by God. How does this understanding change the way we view our relationship with Him? [02:21]

Interpretation Questions:
1. How does understanding that we are chosen and loved by God before creation impact our sense of self-worth and purpose? [01:51]
2. What are the implications of being called children of God in terms of our daily lives and interactions with others? [05:29]
3. How does experiencing God's love bring peace, even in difficult circumstances, as mentioned in the sermon? [16:23]
4. In what ways does knowing that God's love is unconditional and constant empower us to take risks and pursue our dreams? [18:40]

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you felt the need for approval from others. How can the understanding of God's unconditional love free you from this need? [11:26]
2. How can you cultivate a deeper awareness of God's love in your daily routine, as suggested in the sermon? [09:20]
3. Identify a specific fear or risk you have been hesitant to take. How can the assurance of God's love give you the courage to move forward? [18:55]
4. What practical steps can you take to surrender your life to God, trusting in His love and wisdom for your future? [21:43]
5. How can you remind yourself of your identity as a beloved child of God when facing challenges or criticism? [11:57]
6. Consider a dream or goal you have put aside due to fear of failure. How can you revisit this dream with the confidence that comes from God's belief in you? [19:12]
7. How can you share the message of God's extravagant love with someone who may not have experienced it yet? [08:30]

Devotional

Day 1: Embrace Your Identity as God's Beloved
Understanding your primary purpose as being loved by God is transformative. It shifts the focus from what you can do for God to simply being in His presence and receiving His love. This realization allows you to embrace your identity as a beloved child of God, free from the pressure to perform or earn His favor. Instead of striving to serve, trust, or love God as a means to gain His approval, you are invited to rest in the assurance that you are already deeply loved. This foundational truth changes how you view yourself and your relationship with God, allowing you to live from a place of acceptance and security. [02:21]

"For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, 'Abba! Father!'" (Romans 8:15, ESV)

Reflection: How does knowing that your primary purpose is to be loved by God change the way you view your daily activities and interactions with others today?


Day 2: Rest in the Unchanging Love of God
God's love is unconditional and constant, rooted in His very nature rather than your actions or feelings. This love is extravagant and unchanging, providing a foundation of security and acceptance that frees you from the need to seek approval from others. When you understand that God's love for you is not based on your performance, you can rest in the assurance that nothing you do can make Him love you more or less. This realization allows you to live with confidence and peace, knowing that you are fully accepted and cherished by God. [06:41]

"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." (Lamentations 3:22-23, ESV)

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you find yourself seeking approval from others? How can you remind yourself of God's unchanging love in those moments?


Day 3: Experience Peace Through God's Love
Experiencing God's love brings a peace that surpasses understanding, even in difficult circumstances. This peace is rooted in the assurance of God's goodness and His desire for your well-being. When you truly feel God's love, it changes everything, freeing you from anxiety and fear. You can face challenges with a calm assurance, knowing that God's love is constant and that He is with you in every situation. This peace allows you to live with a sense of security and hope, regardless of the circumstances you face. [16:23]

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid." (John 14:27, ESV)

Reflection: What is one specific situation in your life where you need to experience God's peace today? How can you invite His love into that situation?


Day 4: Courage to Pursue Your Dreams
Knowing that God believes in you gives you the courage to pursue your dreams and take risks. His love provides the confidence to overcome fear and embrace the possibilities He has for your life. When you understand that God's love empowers you, you can step out in faith, trusting that He is with you and that He has good plans for your future. This courage allows you to live boldly, pursuing the dreams and desires that God has placed in your heart, knowing that His love will sustain you. [18:40]

"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." (Joshua 1:9, ESV)

Reflection: What is one dream or goal that you have been hesitant to pursue? How can you take a step of faith today, trusting in God's love and support?


Day 5: Surrender to God's Transformative Love
Letting go of fear and surrendering to God's love allows you to experience the fullness of His plans for you. Trusting in His love and wisdom leads to a life of purpose and fulfillment. When you surrender your life to God, you open yourself to His transformative power, allowing Him to work in and through you. This surrender is not about giving up, but about entrusting your life to the One who knows you best and loves you most. As you let go of control and fear, you can experience the abundant life that God has for you. [21:43]

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you are holding back from surrendering to God? What would it look like to fully trust Him with that area today?

Quotes



The first purpose of my life is to be loved by God. The first purpose of my life, the first reason you were created, is to be loved by God. God made you to love you. Now let that sink in a little bit. The first purpose of your life is not to serve God. The first purpose of your life is not to trust God. The first purpose of your life is not to obey God. The first purpose of your life is not even to love God. No, no, the first purpose of your life is to let God love you. [00:37:31]

God's love is extravagant, and God's love is lavish, and God's love is beyond comprehension. And as I've said so many times, he loves you on your good days and bad days, when you feel it and don't feel it, when you think you deserve it, when you don't think you deserve it. You can't make God stop loving you. God will never love you any more than he does this second. God will never love you any less than he does this second because God's love is not based on who you are or what you do. It's based on who he is. [00:06:17]

When you realize that God loves you unconditionally and without condition of any type, you realize this: I don't need the approval of other people, and it sets you free. I don't need other people's approval to be happy. You have been worried about what other people think, and that's because you don't feel totally unconditionally loved by God. And when you don't feel it, then you're trying to make yourself impressive, and you're trying to get the approval of other people. [00:11:02]

I gain the courage to take risks. I gain the courage to take risks when somebody believes in you. You are capable of accomplishing things you would never be able to accomplish on your own just because they believe in you. It gives you an additional power. It gives you additional energy, and when you experience that, it releases you. You have dreams that have gone unfulfilled in your life because you have been scared to death to go after them. [00:18:25]

God has been waiting your entire life for this very moment where he could get you to sit still for just a minute, and he could say this to you: You have no idea how much I love you. I have always loved you. There has never been a moment of your existence that I didn't love you. I was the one who planned your birth. I allowed that fertilization. I allowed that conception. I wanted you alive so I could love you. [00:08:04]

When I understand God's love conditioning and I just experience it, not just know it, I have peace in pain. Philippians 4:7 says this: The peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Now, what is the peace that passes understanding? It's when you feel at peace even though you don't understand what's going on. You have no reason, no explanation, no discernment. You just don't know why it's happening, but you're still at peace. [00:16:19]

The Bible says, well actually in Romans 8, all who are led by the spirit of God are children of God. So you should not be cowering like fearful slaves. No, no, no. You should behave instead like God's very own children, adopted into his family. God adopted us into his family, calling him Father, dear Father. Now, I love that phrase, Father, dear Father. The word there is the Aramaic word Abba. It's easy to say: Abba, Papa, Dad, Mama. Abba simply means Daddy. [00:13:05]

How would your life change? How would your life be different? How would it be transformed if you began to be aware of God's unconditional, continuous, and never-ending love for you? How would your life change if when you got up in the morning, the first thing you felt was, "I am deeply and unconditionally loved by God"? And as you got out of bed and you went to take your shower, you'd think, "I can sense God's love in my life." [00:09:01]

You have no idea how many times your heavenly father has wanted to reach out and grasp you in his arms when you have felt like, "I just blew it." Maybe you blew it publicly, maybe you blew it privately, maybe you just think it just sucked, it didn't work. And your heavenly father says, "It's okay, we'll start over, and this time we'll do it together." For some of you and some of you watching right now, this moment, God has been waiting for this moment your entire life. [00:19:48]

The peace that passes understanding comes from feeling the love of God in your life. Christians have the exact same problems that non-Christians do. The difference is we get the peace that passes understanding, where I can trust God in a moment when everything is falling apart around me. And I can know there's a promise in the Bible. We just looked at it last week, Romans 8:28, and we know that in all things, even the bad things, God works for the good of those who love him. [00:17:12]

God is saying, "You may have really messed it up royally, and you gave it your best shot, but it just flat out wasn't good enough. And you really, to be honest, if you're honest with yourself, you're disappointed in your life." And your heavenly father comes to you today and says, "It's okay, you can start over, and this time I'll help you. We will do it together, and one plus God is a done deal." [00:19:19]

I want to feel accepted rather than ashamed. I want to be bold in bringing my needs to you. I need the peace that passes understanding. I want to have peace even in pain that I don't understand. I need your love to give me the courage to take risks, to go after my dream. Jesus Christ, as best I know how, I surrender every particle and room of my life, and I want to learn to love you back because you love me so much. [00:22:48]

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Transcript
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