Living Intentionally: Embracing Purpose in Every Moment
Summary
In today's message, we explored the profound truth that life is fleeting and the importance of living with intentionality and purpose. We began with a humorous story about an escape room experience, illustrating how the pressure of time can change our behavior. This led us to reflect on how we often react differently when we feel the clock ticking, whether in games, business, or life in general. The central theme is that time is one of our most valuable commodities, and once it's gone, it cannot be reclaimed. This urgency should drive us to live purposefully, making the most of every opportunity.
We delved into the teachings of Paul from Ephesians 5, where he urges us to live wisely and make the most of every opportunity. Paul emphasizes the need to walk carefully and with exactness, being mindful of our steps and the direction of our lives. This involves being intentional about our actions and decisions, ensuring they align with God's purposes for us. We discussed the importance of understanding both our general and specific purposes, which can be discerned through scripture, prayer, and introspection.
The message also highlighted the need to redeem our daily activities, transforming mundane tasks into opportunities for spiritual growth and ministry. Whether it's using time in the car to listen to spiritual podcasts or engaging in meaningful conversations at our children's events, we can infuse purpose into our everyday lives. Additionally, we were encouraged to plan our calendars around God's purposes, ensuring that our spiritual disciplines and commitments are prioritized.
Ultimately, the call is to live on purpose, recognizing that life is short and we have a finite number of days to fulfill the purposes God has set before us. By living intentionally, we can avoid the pitfalls of thoughtlessness and instead walk in wisdom, making a lasting impact for God's kingdom.
Key Takeaways:
1. Time is a Precious Commodity: Time is one of the most valuable resources we have, and once it's gone, it cannot be reclaimed. This understanding should drive us to live purposefully, making the most of every opportunity that comes our way. We must be intentional with our time, recognizing its fleeting nature and using it to fulfill God's purposes. [05:52]
2. Live with Exactness and Intentionality: Paul urges us to walk carefully and with exactness, being mindful of our steps and the direction of our lives. This involves being intentional about our actions and decisions, ensuring they align with God's purposes for us. By living with intentionality, we can avoid accidental detours and stay on the path God has set for us. [11:03]
3. Redeem Your Daily Activities: We can transform mundane tasks into opportunities for spiritual growth and ministry. Whether it's using time in the car to listen to spiritual podcasts or engaging in meaningful conversations at our children's events, we can infuse purpose into our everyday lives. This redemption of time allows us to live with greater intentionality and impact. [27:29]
4. Plan Your Calendar Around God's Purposes: Our calendars often reflect our priorities, and by intentionally scheduling time for spiritual disciplines and commitments, we can ensure that God's purposes are prioritized in our lives. This intentional planning helps us stay focused on what truly matters and live in alignment with God's will. [32:14]
5. Understand and Live Your God-Given Purpose: We all have general and specific purposes that God has called us to. By spending time in scripture, prayer, and introspection, we can discern these purposes and live them out intentionally. Understanding our purpose helps us live with greater clarity and direction, making a lasting impact for God's kingdom. [25:40]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[03:17] - Escape Room Story
[05:52] - The Pressure of Time
[08:00] - Live Like You Were Dying
[11:03] - Paul's Wisdom in Ephesians
[12:31] - Walking with Exactness
[15:51] - Avoiding Accidental Detours
[17:54] - Making the Most of Opportunities
[23:53] - Thoughtless Living vs. Purposeful Living
[25:40] - Understanding God's Purpose
[27:29] - Redeeming Daily Activities
[32:14] - Planning Your Calendar
[33:40] - Intentional Living
[34:13] - The Urgency of Purpose
[36:02] - Invitation to Surrender to Jesus
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- Ephesians 5:15-17
Observation Questions:
1. What does Paul mean when he instructs the Ephesians to "be careful how you live" and to "live like those who are wise"? [11:03]
2. How does the sermon illustrate the concept of time being a finite resource that we cannot recover once it's gone? [05:52]
3. What examples from the sermon demonstrate how we can transform our everyday routines into spiritually enriching experiences? [27:29]
Interpretation Questions:
1. In what ways does the urgency of time influence our decision-making and priorities according to the sermon? [05:52]
2. How does the sermon suggest we can align our daily activities with God's purposes? [27:29]
3. What does it mean to "redeem" our daily activities, and how can this concept be applied to our lives? [27:29]
Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your current schedule. Are there activities that you can infuse with spiritual purpose, such as prayer or meaningful conversations? How might you start doing this? [27:29]
2. Consider your calendar. How can you intentionally plan your week to prioritize spiritual disciplines and mission-focused activities? [32:14]
3. Identify a routine task you do daily. How can you transform this task into an opportunity for spiritual growth or ministry? [27:29]
4. Think about a recent opportunity you missed to share your faith or serve others. What steps can you take to be more intentional about seizing such opportunities in the future? [17:54]
5. How can you better understand and embrace both the general and specific purposes God has for your life? What resources or practices might help you in this discernment process? [25:40]
6. Reflect on a time when you felt the pressure of time ticking away. How did it affect your actions, and what can you learn from that experience to live more purposefully now? [05:52]
7. What is one specific way you can align your life more closely with God's will this week? Consider setting a tangible goal to work towards. [36:40]
Devotional
Day 1: The Urgency of Time
Life is a fleeting gift, and the awareness of its brevity should inspire us to live with intention and purpose. Time is a finite resource that, once spent, cannot be reclaimed. This understanding should not lead to panic but rather to a deliberate and thoughtful approach to how we spend our days. The distractions and busyness of life can easily divert us from our true purpose, but recognizing the urgency of time can help us refocus on what truly matters. By making the most of every opportunity, we align ourselves with God's plan and live a life that reflects His glory. [05:52]
"So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom." (Psalm 90:12, ESV)
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you feel time slipping away? How can you intentionally prioritize this area to align with God's purpose today?
Day 2: Living Wisely
Living wisely involves more than just avoiding foolishness; it requires a careful and intentional approach to life. The Apostle Paul encourages us to walk wisely, being mindful of our steps and the direction of our lives. This means aligning our actions with God's will and purpose, ensuring that our lives reflect His wisdom. By living with exactness and purpose, we can navigate the complexities of life with clarity and discernment. Wisdom is not just about knowledge but about applying that knowledge in a way that honors God and serves others. [11:03]
"Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil." (Ephesians 5:15-16, ESV)
Reflection: In what specific ways can you walk more wisely in your daily life? Identify one decision you can make today that aligns with God's wisdom.
Day 3: Redeeming Daily Activities
Everyday routines can be transformed into spiritually enriching experiences when we intentionally incorporate elements of faith into them. By infusing our daily activities with prayer, spiritual growth, and meaningful conversations, we can redeem our time for God's kingdom. This means seeing each moment as an opportunity to connect with God and others in a deeper way. Whether it's through prayer during a jog or listening to spiritually enriching content during a commute, we can turn the ordinary into the extraordinary. [27:29]
"Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ." (Colossians 3:23-24, ESV)
Reflection: Think of a routine activity you do daily. How can you incorporate a spiritual practice into this activity to make it more meaningful?
Day 4: Intentional Planning
Our calendars should reflect our commitment to God's purposes, just as we schedule meetings and vacations. By prioritizing spiritual disciplines and mission-focused activities, we ensure that our lives are aligned with what truly matters. This intentionality demonstrates our understanding that life is short and that we are called to live on purpose. Planning our time around God's purposes allows us to focus on what is truly important and to live a life that glorifies Him and serves others. [32:14]
"Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established." (Proverbs 16:3, ESV)
Reflection: Review your calendar for the upcoming week. What is one spiritual discipline or mission-focused activity you can schedule to prioritize God's purposes?
Day 5: Understanding God's Purpose
Each of us has both general and specific purposes given by God. While we all share the general purpose of loving God and telling others about Jesus, we also have unique callings that require introspection, prayer, and community discernment. By understanding and embracing these purposes, we can live each day with intention, knowing that our time is limited and precious. Seeking God's guidance through His Word and prayer helps us discern these purposes and live them out fully. [25:40]
"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10, ESV)
Reflection: Spend time in prayer and reflection today. What is one specific purpose or calling you feel God is leading you towards? How can you take a step towards fulfilling this purpose?
Quotes
1. "We know that one of the most valuable commodities we have is time, right? Because it's the thing we can't get back. You can't get yesterday back. It's gone. It's history. It's in the past. You can't get last year back. It's over. It's history. Once time is gone, we cannot recover it. And we also inherently know that we all have a finite amount of time, right, in this life. And so we lose it. And every chance we lose, we don't get it back." [00:06:13] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Life is short, and we have to live on purpose. There's a guy in the Bible whose name is Paul. He is a New Testament writer. What that means, if you're not familiar with the Bible, the Bible is broken up into two sections. The first section is about two-thirds of the Bible. It's called the Old Testament, and it's the story of God and his people, the Jews, the Israelites. And it is a story of how he is their God and they're his people, and he lines out how they're two. They live together in a relationship, how he is going to provide for them and lead them." [00:08:57] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Paul says, make the most of every opportunity. Go all in. When the moment arises, when God puts something in your life, when God puts something in front of you, because you've been walking carefully and you've been living exactly. You're trying to live your life wise because life is short and you're trying to live on purpose. When the opportunity presents, all in. Leverage, leverage your finances, leverage your time, leverage your talent because God's got something for you." [00:23:33] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "We have a purpose for which we've been created. We have some general purpose, certain purposes, and some specific purpose. All of us have a general purpose. And we can understand what the Lord's called us to do by just spending some time in the word. Like we all have the general purpose of telling people about Jesus. We all have the general purpose. We're created to love God with all of our hearts." [00:25:53] (19 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "And then you start living that purpose intentionally, right? You live it intentionally because life is short and we don't get the days back. So we've got to live them. We've got to live today on purpose for the purposes that God has called us to, right? So one of the things that we do, we really believe is city is we believe that Sunday should impact Monday." [00:27:29] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "Redeem your daily activities. That word redeem, we use that a lot kind of in, in, in Christian talk. Uh, we talk about redemption and things like that, but also we use the redeem. If you think about it, we use it in just common vernacular as well. Like you might have a coupon, like for a free hamburger and you go to the restaurant that has the free hamburger and you exchange, that's what redeeming is. You exchange that coupon, that says one free cheeseburger, give them the coupon. They give you the cheeseburger. That's how you redeem it. It's an exchange, right?" [00:29:31] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "Intentionally plan your calendar around the purpose God's called you to. Like, once you discover what that purpose is, put it on your calendar. Like, listen, you've got, if we pulled up your calendars right now, if you pull up your phones, you've got meetings scheduled. You've got, you've got, if kids extracurriculars, you've got it scheduled. If your kid plays tennis, you've got every tennis match and where it's at already on your calendar. You know where it's at." [00:32:22] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "Life is short. You've got to live on purpose. You're not getting the days back. And you don't know how many you have. So you can choose to walk in the purposes of God every day and be intentional. Or you can be foolish. That's not my words. That's Paul's words." [00:34:22] (17 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9. "Life is extremely short. And if its meaning is to be found, it must be found in the purpose of God, the giver of all life. Please forgive. I give all of the thanks on that. Do you hear what he says? Life is extremely short. And if it's found, and if found, the meaning to be found, it must be found in the purpose of God, the giver of all life." [00:34:45] (19 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10. "He was about the purpose for what God had called him to do. And his time came up shorter than he expected, but he was ready because he was on purpose, understood life is short. He didn't understand how short it was, understood life is short, and he was living on purpose. That's what we need to do." [00:35:40] (17 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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