Forward Article 
One purpose, seven spheres, lasting results!
In the first quarter of 2008, we're discovering how managing money, our life purpose, and making money affect the seven spheres of life. These spheres are God, family, friends, work, school, play, and the world.
Last month we looked at the impact of managing money on the seven spheres. This month we're looking at our life purpose. You'll find some good advice on determining your life purpose in Chuck Bentley's article "Pursuing God's purpose for your life" in this newsletter.
Your life purpose should be in line with God's will because it influences your actions, which determine your impact within the seven spheres. Following are some examples.
GOD—In the Book of Acts, we read about a man named Simon, who saw Peter and John impart the Holy Spirit to new believers by laying hands on them. Simon also professed to be a new believer, but instead of asking the apostles to impart the Holy Spirit to him, he offered them money.
" ‘Let me have this power, too,' he exclaimed, ‘so that when I lay my hands on people, they will receive the Holy Spirit!' " (Acts 8:19 NLT).
At one time, Simon had been a famous sorcerer in the city of Samaria. Apparently, his life purpose was to be in the limelight, and he probably imagined all the fame that would come his way from being able to impart the Holy Spirit to others. The severity of his sin was reflected in this stern rebuke from Peter: "May your money be destroyed with you for thinking God's gift can be bought! You can have no part in this, for your heart is not right with God" (Acts 8:20-21 NLT).
Contrast this with the life purpose of the apostle Paul, who said, "But even before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace. Then it pleased him to reveal his Son to me so that I would proclaim the Good News about Jesus to the Gentiles" (Galatians 1:15-16 NLT). Paul had a heart for God and took God's life purpose for him seriously. Only eternity will tell how many people were saved as a result of his obedience.
FAMILY—If you have a godly life purpose, you can influence your family for many generations to come. If you set an ungodly example, the results can be disastrous.
Dr. A.E. Winship published a book in 1900 on the descendants of renowned pastor Jonathan Edwards and of another man, known by the fictitious name of "Max Jukes," who shunned education and work and was known for his vulgar language.
Both men were born in the early 1700s, so the study of the two families spanned more than 150 years. Among 1,200 descendants of Max Jukes, 300 died in infancy from lack of proper care, 400 were physically wrecked by wicked lifestyles, seven were murderers, and 60 were habitual thieves.
Only 20 of the 1,200 learned a trade, and 10 of those learned their trades in state prisons.
The description of Edwards' descendants reads like an honor roll and includes college presidents, judges, members of the Continental Congress, military officers, and government officials, including Winston Churchill.
FRIENDS—You can impress your friends by telling off-color stories like Max Jukes did. You can wow them with your parties and possessions, your success in business, or your good looks. But none of these things will be much help to them in the face of tragedies that lead them to question the very meaning of life.
A godly life purpose, on the other hand, is one that has the best interests of your friends at heart. Those interests include setting a godly example and being there when the going gets tough.
Paul was in prison when he wrote his second letter to Timothy, and he concluded by saying, "Demas, having loved this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica" (2 Timothy 4:10-11 NASB).
Unlike Demas, if you have a godly life purpose, you'll have a genuine concern for others. Galatians 5:14 says, "For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself' " (Galatians 5:14 NASB).
WORK AND SCHOOL—I've combined these two because they are strongly connected in the area of life purpose. School is preparation for work—if you know the type of work for which God uniquely designed you.
Crown's Career Direct® assessment can help you determine where you belong in the workplace, and it's important for young people to take this assessment before they make major college decisions. If you're already in a career but you're unhappy, Career Direct can help you make the right course correction. Visit CareerDirectOnline.org for more information.
PLAY—This sphere has a place among the others, but it should not be the prominent sphere in your life. In his Edwards-Jukes book, Dr. Winship noted that Max Jukes stayed out late and, as already noted, shunned work.
Over five generations, the traits of the Jukes family inclued "idleness, ignorance, and vulgarity. They would not work, they could not be made to study."
It's OK to enjoy life. "A joyful heart is good medicine" (Proverbs 17:22 NASB). But play should never take precedence over work. As Proverbs 15:19 says, "The way of the lazy is as a hedge of thorns" (NASB).
WORLD—What kind of impact might you have by fulfilling your life purpose? Perhaps your life purpose is to influence your family, the children you teach at church, or the people in your office. Or, it might be that you were created to have a direct or indirect impact on the world.
Billy Grahm impacted the world directly. The name Mordecai Ham may be less familiar, but it was Ham who led the series of revivals in which Billy Graham was saved.
Another great evangelist, Billy Sunday, was saved during a street corner meeting held by Pacific Garden Mission in Chicago. I can't tell you who led that meeting, but I can tell you that this person was fulfilling God's purpose at that particular time.
Determine the life purpose God has ordained for you and then pour yourself into fulfilling that purpose. Let God determine the extent of your outreach and its results. Just press on in God's calling for your life and remember, "your labor is not in vain in the Lord" (1 Corinthians 15:58 NKJV).
Last month we looked at the impact of managing money on the seven spheres. This month we're looking at our life purpose. You'll find some good advice on determining your life purpose in Chuck Bentley's article "Pursuing God's purpose for your life" in this newsletter.
Your life purpose should be in line with God's will because it influences your actions, which determine your impact within the seven spheres. Following are some examples.
GOD—In the Book of Acts, we read about a man named Simon, who saw Peter and John impart the Holy Spirit to new believers by laying hands on them. Simon also professed to be a new believer, but instead of asking the apostles to impart the Holy Spirit to him, he offered them money.
" ‘Let me have this power, too,' he exclaimed, ‘so that when I lay my hands on people, they will receive the Holy Spirit!' " (Acts 8:19 NLT).
At one time, Simon had been a famous sorcerer in the city of Samaria. Apparently, his life purpose was to be in the limelight, and he probably imagined all the fame that would come his way from being able to impart the Holy Spirit to others. The severity of his sin was reflected in this stern rebuke from Peter: "May your money be destroyed with you for thinking God's gift can be bought! You can have no part in this, for your heart is not right with God" (Acts 8:20-21 NLT).
Contrast this with the life purpose of the apostle Paul, who said, "But even before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace. Then it pleased him to reveal his Son to me so that I would proclaim the Good News about Jesus to the Gentiles" (Galatians 1:15-16 NLT). Paul had a heart for God and took God's life purpose for him seriously. Only eternity will tell how many people were saved as a result of his obedience.
FAMILY—If you have a godly life purpose, you can influence your family for many generations to come. If you set an ungodly example, the results can be disastrous.
Dr. A.E. Winship published a book in 1900 on the descendants of renowned pastor Jonathan Edwards and of another man, known by the fictitious name of "Max Jukes," who shunned education and work and was known for his vulgar language.
Both men were born in the early 1700s, so the study of the two families spanned more than 150 years. Among 1,200 descendants of Max Jukes, 300 died in infancy from lack of proper care, 400 were physically wrecked by wicked lifestyles, seven were murderers, and 60 were habitual thieves.
Only 20 of the 1,200 learned a trade, and 10 of those learned their trades in state prisons.
The description of Edwards' descendants reads like an honor roll and includes college presidents, judges, members of the Continental Congress, military officers, and government officials, including Winston Churchill.
FRIENDS—You can impress your friends by telling off-color stories like Max Jukes did. You can wow them with your parties and possessions, your success in business, or your good looks. But none of these things will be much help to them in the face of tragedies that lead them to question the very meaning of life.
A godly life purpose, on the other hand, is one that has the best interests of your friends at heart. Those interests include setting a godly example and being there when the going gets tough.
Paul was in prison when he wrote his second letter to Timothy, and he concluded by saying, "Demas, having loved this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica" (2 Timothy 4:10-11 NASB).
Unlike Demas, if you have a godly life purpose, you'll have a genuine concern for others. Galatians 5:14 says, "For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself' " (Galatians 5:14 NASB).
WORK AND SCHOOL—I've combined these two because they are strongly connected in the area of life purpose. School is preparation for work—if you know the type of work for which God uniquely designed you.
Crown's Career Direct® assessment can help you determine where you belong in the workplace, and it's important for young people to take this assessment before they make major college decisions. If you're already in a career but you're unhappy, Career Direct can help you make the right course correction. Visit CareerDirectOnline.org for more information.
PLAY—This sphere has a place among the others, but it should not be the prominent sphere in your life. In his Edwards-Jukes book, Dr. Winship noted that Max Jukes stayed out late and, as already noted, shunned work.
Over five generations, the traits of the Jukes family inclued "idleness, ignorance, and vulgarity. They would not work, they could not be made to study."
It's OK to enjoy life. "A joyful heart is good medicine" (Proverbs 17:22 NASB). But play should never take precedence over work. As Proverbs 15:19 says, "The way of the lazy is as a hedge of thorns" (NASB).
WORLD—What kind of impact might you have by fulfilling your life purpose? Perhaps your life purpose is to influence your family, the children you teach at church, or the people in your office. Or, it might be that you were created to have a direct or indirect impact on the world.
Billy Grahm impacted the world directly. The name Mordecai Ham may be less familiar, but it was Ham who led the series of revivals in which Billy Graham was saved.
Another great evangelist, Billy Sunday, was saved during a street corner meeting held by Pacific Garden Mission in Chicago. I can't tell you who led that meeting, but I can tell you that this person was fulfilling God's purpose at that particular time.
Determine the life purpose God has ordained for you and then pour yourself into fulfilling that purpose. Let God determine the extent of your outreach and its results. Just press on in God's calling for your life and remember, "your labor is not in vain in the Lord" (1 Corinthians 15:58 NKJV).
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