The Reason for Everything (Day 7, Purpose Driven Life)

"Everything comes from God alone. Everything lives by his power, and everything is for his glory." Romans 11:36 (LB)

"God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him." - John Piper


Am I most satisfied with God? Or am I still looking for satisfaction elsewhere? I remember something St. Augustine said,

"Our hearts are restless until it rests in you."

St. Augustine said that we would continue to be restless and discontented until our hearts find rest and satisfaction in God alone. It is only when we are most satisfied with God, that we glorify Him.

Rick Warren in this chapter goes on to give five principles on how we can bring glory to God. He says,

• We bring God glory by worshiping him;
• We bring God glory by loving other believers;
• We bring God glory by becoming like Christ;
• We bring God glory by serving others with our gifts; and
• We bring God glory by telling others about him.

These are what he calls the five purposes of a purpose driven life. Though I still think that life is messy, these does provide a useful grid to frame the activities of our lives. It'll help me to re-think what I'm doing and whether it brings glory to the Father. The principles are concise and simple; but the proof of the life is in the living. I pray for grace to live it.


Ollie
Jul 2007

Life is a Tempoary Assignment (Day 6, Purpose Driven Life)

For, “All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever.” 1 Peter 1:24-25a (NIV)

"LORD, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered, and that my life is fleeing away." Psalm 39:4 (NLT)
^



"All they think about this life here on earth. But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives." Philippians 3:19-20 (NLT)

"I know there'll be a moment
I know there'll be a place
Where we will see our Saviour
And fall in His embrace
So let us not grow weary
Or too content to stay
'Cause we are not home yet
We are not home yet
Not home yet
So let us journey on"
- Steven Curtis Chapman

As I read Day 6 of the Purpose Driven Life, I remembered a song by Steven Curtis Chapman - Not Home Yet. It captures my thoughts and reflections well; life is a temporary assignment and we are not home yet. It reminded me that neither should I be too content nor too weary with this world. I should not be too contented with this present world - I should not be too obsessed and caught up in the pursuit of the things of this world, but rather focus on things eternal. Neither am I too be to weary by the worries, trials and brokenness of this world - but rather I should hope and focus on the coming glory. I am reminded I am not home yet.


Ollie
Jul 2007

All of life is a Faith Journey - Walk On

A young friend recently messaged to thank me for restoring some of her Faith in the world after we had a time of conversations. I replied what I deeply believe - that all of life is a Faith Journey which we walk by His grace.

All of life is a Faith Journey - Walk On

Ollie
Jul 2007

How You Live Says Whose You Are

The tag-line for the HSBC platinum credit card says, "How you live says who you are." I suppose the idea behind the tag-line is that with a platinum HSBC credit card, you can live well. And living well means that you are a significant somebody.

As a Christ-follower, significance is not measured as such. We can add two letters to the tag-line, and it will become "How you live says whose you are." This would be a better description of the life a Christ-follower is called to.

Does our lives reflect whose we are? Do we live a God-life, living for God in all we do? Or are we little different from everybody else? Do we seek satisfaction and significance in power, money, material goods, worldly fame or a credit card? Or do we walk a different path? Remember "How you live says whose you are," we should be living as children of God.

Ollie
Jul 2007

Seeing Life from God's View (Day 5, Purpose Driven Life)

"Unless you are faithful in small matters, you won't be faithful in large ones." - Luke 16:10a (NLT)

Life is a test and a trust. What begs the next question - how do we know with what are we tested and with what are we entrusted with? I think the key is in the verse above - small matters. We are to be faithful in small matters.

Oftentimes, we think that we should and can do big things for God. Sometimes God calls us to courageously step forward to accomplish great things for him; however most times it is the small matters that really matters to God. The seemingly insignificant, mundane, common stuff of our life:

- Showing care and love to our parents everyday by helping with chores, being respectful and even just spending time with them;
- Being a good student by diligently doing the work required of you and by being honest;
- Doing what is expected of you at work by working hard as if it's for God;
- Giving thanks to God for the little graces in life and living life with gratitude and cheer; and
- Many others seemingly little things.

Small matters, but they matters to God. For it is in the small matters that our character is built, one small thought and action at a time.

Ollie
Jul 2007

Starbucks Theology

I was down at One Fullerton Starbucks with Caleb, Ken Poon, Muriel and Jolene. We ordered our our coffee and food and sat by the bayfront. In the distance was the big ferris wheel - the "Singapore Flyer"and the Esplanade with the Marina Skyline. Bumboats with tourists and a solitary canoe were cruising to and fro in the waters of the Marina Bay, with the Benjamin Sheare's bridge framing the grey-sapphire waters.

It was an overcast afternoon, with a breeze from the bay blowing over us. Though it was humid, it was bearable with help from ice-cold frappuccinos. As we sip our our coffee we talked about life, work, studies and ministry etc. There were moments of passionate conversations as we shared our hopes for the church. I realised that God is already at work in the hearts of the young people around me. Our moments of seriousness was interspersed with moments of silliness as we wave with gusto at the tourist moving by in the bumboats.

We discussed various topics and ideas but it invariably settled on how we as Christ-followers should live the God-life. How we can serve in the local church we are at, through the various ministries - worship, youth and young adults, small groups. Caleb talked about discipleship and life-on-life; of which I agree and believe in as well. I added caution that this God-life comprise both doing and being, reminding Muriel of the conversation we had sometime back. The God-life in essence means to love God, to love others and to make disciples. In other words, to be in a right relationship with God, to be in right relationships with others and to bring others into this life-giving right relationship with God and others.

There was a pause in our conversations as I made my way into the cafe to purchase more coffee and tea - caffeine fuel for our discussions. On my way out I picked up a little booklet from Starbucks. It was "Discover the Starbucks Experience"; it describes Starbucks and what they were about. One phrase stood out - "It's what we love that defines us." It explains why Starbucks as a company did what they did.

"How apt," I thought, thinking back on our conversations. I thought as Christ-followers, its "Who" we love that defines us. That and "Who" we are loved by. I also remembered Matthew 6:21:

^"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (NIV)

Here "heart" refers to the centre of all physical and spiritual life; and "treasure" means the place where good and precious things are kept. So what we love defines us, what we treasure determines the orientation of our physical and spiritual life. Hence if the orientation of our lifes falls short of the God-life, then we need to examine what we treasure most. A sobering thought.

I glanced at the "younglings" around me and I realised that they do treasure the things of God; hence the long conversations we just had. I was encouraged. Poon also remarked that things appear to be looking up. Things for our local church do appear to be improving baby steps by baby steps.

I continue to pray for these around me that they would continue to seek the God-life and for God to grant me grace and strength to continue to point them to Jesus.

Ollie
Jul 2007