Resource Details

From Shaping Your Future Self – Part 4:

You've accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord. Now keep on following him. Colossians 2:6 (CEV)

1. Keep My Life Clean
2.  Keep My Eyes Open

Shaping Your Future Self – Part 5:
3. Keep My Purpose Firm

You, Lord, give perfect peace to those who keep their purpose firm and put their trust in you.
Isaiah 26:3 (TEV)

Tenacity: The ability to keep on when you feel like giving up!
Resilience: The ability to bounce back when put down
Focusing on God's Purposes Will Produce Tenacity and Resilience

God's plans endure forever and his purposes last eternally   Psalm 33:11 (TEV)

For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. Romans 15:4 (NIV)

God wants everyone to understand clearly that his purposes never change. Hebrews 6:17 (NCV)

God's 5 Purposes for My Life

1. He wants me to know him and love him                                                                 (Worship)
2. He wants me to belong to his family                                                                    (Fellowship)
3. He wants me to grow spiritually to be like Jesus                                             (Discipleship)
4. He wants me to serve him by serving others                                                   (My Ministry)
5. He wants me to invite others to know him                                                       (My Witness)

ACTION PLAN: To learn more about the five purposes God has for you and his church, take CLASS 101. Sign up at saddleback.com/class.

Give yourselves completely to God—every part of you. You want to be tools in the hands of God, used for his good purposes.      Romans 6:13 (LB)

David served God's purpose in his generation. Acts 13:36a (NIV)

Anyone who lets himself be distracted from the work I plan for him is not fit for the Kingdom of God.   Luke 9:62 (LB)

ACTION PLAN: Write down what you think is your biggest distraction to fulfilling God's purposes for you. Consider fasting from whatever that is for one day so that you can focus on fulfilling God's first purpose for you – to be known and loved by him.

4.  Keep My Heart Grateful

Always give thanks for everything to God our Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.Ephesians 5:20 (LB)

Through thick and thin, keep your hearts at attention, in adoration before Christ. 1 Peter 3:15 (MSG)

In all your prayers ask God for what you need, always asking him with a thankful heart. Philippians 4:6 (TEV)

Keep on praying. keep on being alert, and keep on being grateful!      Colossians 4:2 (CEV)

Why Are We Grateful Even in Hard Times?

     • Because God Will Give Me Strength

God will strengthen you with his own great power. And you will not give up when trouble comes, but you will be patient. Then you will joyfully give thanks to the Father! Colossians 1:11-12 (ICB)

     • Because Bad Times Can't Change God's Plan

Do you see what we've got? An unshakable kingdom! And do you see how thankful we must be? Not only thankful, but brimming with worship, deeply reverent before God! Hebrews 12:28 (MSG)

     • Because Our Lives Are Being Changed.

All of us … can reflect the glory of the Lord. As the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him and we reflect his glory even more! 2 Corinthians 3:18 (NLT)

ACTION PLAN: Grab a pad of paper and a pen. Write down 5 things that you are grateful for. Tomorrow, and for the next five days, add two things to your list. At the end of the week, you'll have a list of ten things for which you're grateful. Use it to thank God for all the blessings in your life. Make this attitude of gratitude a habit.

When someone becomes a Christian, he becomes a brand new person inside. He is not the same anymore! A new life has begun!   2 Corinthians 5:17 (LB)

This is what happens in baptism. When we went under the water, we left the old country of sin behind; and when we came up out of the water, we entered into the new country of grace—a new life in a new land! That's what baptism into the life of Jesus means! Romans 6:3 (MSG)

Jesus was baptized by John in the Jordan River. The moment he came out of the water, the sky split open and God's Spirit, looking like a dove, came down on him. Mark 1:9-10 (MSG)

As they traveled in the chariot, the Ethiopian said to Philip, 'Hey look! Here's some water! Why can't I be baptized now?' So they stopped, both went into the water, and Philip baptized him on the spot!  Acts 8:36-38

ACTION PLAN: Declare your faith and personal knowledge of Jesus by following his model and being baptized. Go to saddleback.com/baptism, email BAPTISM@saddleback.com or text BAPTISM to 83000.