The Purpose Driven Life Book is
writtern by Evangelical pastor Richard Duane "Rick" Warren was born
in San Jose, California on January 28, 1954 and grew up in Ukiah, California.
He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from California Baptist University, a
Master of Divinity degree in 1979 from Southwestern Baptist Theological
Seminary, and his Doctor of Ministry degree from Fuller Theological Seminary.
Warren worked at the Texas Ranch for
Christ before founding the megachurch Saddleback Church in Lake Forest,
California in 1980. He has written or co-written several Christian books,
including the bestselling guide to church ministry and evangelism, The Purpose
Driven Church, and The Purpose Driven Life. Warren has lectured as a theologian
at many noted universities and seminaries and was chosen in 2008 by
President-elect Obama to give the invocation at his inauguration ceremony.
1. It All Starts With God
· The search for the purpose of life has puzzled people because we typically begin at the wrong starting point (ourselves)
· “it is God who directs the lives of his creatures; everyone’s life is in his power”
· Life is about letting God use you for his purposes, not you using him for your own purpose.
· Becoming what God created you to be by focusing on what matters most
· There are two ways to discover the purpose you were created for
Speculation (Guessing, Philosophy, ….)
Revelation (Just ask him)
· There are 3 insights into your purpose
1. Discover your identity & purpose through a relationship with God
2. You may choose your career, spouse, hobbies, but you don’t get to choose your purpose
3. The purpose of your life fits into a much larger cosmic purpose designed for eternity
2. You Are Not An Accident
· God left no detail for your life to chance. He planned it all for his purpose. Nothing in your life is arbitrary. It is all for a purpose
· God’s motive for creating you was his love
· God loves you and values you
· God didn’t need to create you. He wasn’t lonely. But he wanted to make you in order to express his love
3. What Drives Your Life?
· There are hundreds of circumstances, values and emotions that can drive your life. The five most common ones are: Guilt, Resentment & Anger, Fear, Materialism, Need for Approval. There are other forces that can drive your life, but all lead to the same dead end: unused potential, unnecessary stress, and unfulfilled life.
· There are five benefits of living a purpose driven life
It gives a meaning to your life (hope)
It simplifies your life (you have a clear purpose, a foundation on which you base your decisions)
It focuses your life (without a clear purpose you will keep changing directions, jobs, relationships, churches or other externals)
It motivates your life (purpose produces passion)
It prepares you for eternity [God wants you to pass the test: (two questions for eternity) 1. did you accept what Jesus did for you? & did you learn to love and trust him? 2. What did you do with your life - All the gifts, Talents, energy, opportunities, relationships & resources God gave you]
