Purpose FULL - Redefining Success, Part 1

How to find success will determine the direction and the destiny of your life today were going to look at how God defines success and you can't afford to miss out state.

Thanks for joining us for this Edition of Living on the Edge with shipping this is an international discipleship and history focused on helping Christians live like after hearing chip set up for this program, you may be asking yourself how does success really is the amount of good behavior my kids have to do with my life's purpose: just a minute. Our guest arriving will answer those questions and challenge us to reconsider where we find contentment before we begin, let me encourage you to try using the message notes while you listen. They contain Ryan's outline, Scripture references and much more. These notes will really help you remember what you hear, maybe even share what you're learning to download these message notes just go to the broadcast LivingontheEdge.org Listeners Fill in the notes you have a Bible turn now to ask chapter 17. Ryan's message redefining success working today are series on purpose full and here's what we said so far that we set this that you are an unceasing spiritual being with an eternal destiny in God's great universe. This is a great summary by Dallas Willard of what the Scripture says about who you are. Your an unceasing spiritual being with an eternal destiny in God's great universe is what this means you are made on purpose, not an accident, not a mistake not here by chance and you are made for a purpose that there is something to give your life to of eternal weight and significance today were to talk about redefining success. If we live a purpose full life. We actually need to redefine or have a brand-new definition for what it means to be successful.

See how you define success will determine whether you actually live out a purpose filled life because your definition.

You know this. My definition of success of success always is the thing that is leading us or directing our lives in so let me ask, what is your definition of success. I like how would you define success maybe maybe not like the way that you think about it like all really. Maybe by the pursuits of your life. I think one way that we define success today is maybe the idea of perfection. You might not use that word. But we want the picture-perfect life right perfect job. Perfect kids you want to raise the perfect kids you want to have a perfectly clean and organized house. Some of you said amen in your heart right there and Instagram and social media has only exasperated our pursuit of perfection has in it because we see everyone filtered perfect lives and so we want everything in our lives to be perfect. Maybe you define success by same like no I'm not faint. Okay will. How about approval may be right, and approval of their own to be a somebody out to be an influencer. I want the prestige the platform to be known in my industry or or how about happiness I think is maybe the predominant way that we define success today right, especially if you're raising kids. II just want them to be what happiness right we just want to be happy want to live a happy life. Do what makes you happy. The goal is happiness as long as you're happy and here's what I've seen so many relationships.

Is this pleasure filled experience full is the focus of name about power and autonomy to do whatever you want whenever he wants to have control to be the master of your your domain to be in charge want to be important.

I want to be respected. Maybe define success this way by prosperity is the American dream.

It's you know being financially independent, having wealth, affluence, owning the hollow house the cars the close the trips being upwardly mobile.

Maybe you define success as impacts something that I love about this generation and over the last year is the desire to make an impact to be fully woke if you will make a difference live in enlightens life maybe leave a legacy. What is your definition of success is whatever your desk definition of success is directing the very course of your life in the great reveal that I think has happened over the last year or so is simply this, that the pandemic showed us that for many of us, I would say most of us are definition of success, a lack substance than a lack substance to really weather the storms that weathering the crisis of whether the circumstances of our lives that are success then was so fragile and so how do we redefine success to live out a purpose filled life.

How do we embrace a new definition of success that that has the strength and the stability to whether whatever storms or circumstances you're going through.

To do this were actually going to look at what some scholars say it was the apostle Paul's like failure. Not not a moral failure like he was on his missionary journey and where that they say you know he he missed the mark. Not so many people responded to the gospel to learn so I think critical elements and how to redefine success if you got your Bibles open up to ask chapter 17 acts 17 rules pick it up in verse 16. By way of context Paul the apostle is going on his second missionary journey from the city of Antioch and he took along with them a guy name Silas fellow helper in the ministry.

Then he brought a young prot�g� named Timothy they been traveling to the different cities where they had originally planted churches and just encouraging them, strengthening them and then they continued on as their traveling and and began to reach new cities that they went to the city of Philippi and the Macedonian area and and and and got they saw just incredible success therein. Then they went to Thessalonica and they saw God do incredible things and they had great opposition because it like so many people were coming of Christ.

And so there's like some Jewish people are jealous and they were just trying to, you know.

What was happening and then the apostle Paul goes to Paris and again credible success. But then there's also yet again incredible opposition and so they had to get Paul out of the way and and so they said hate. Let's take you from Brea were going to send you to Athens and traveled down there and and kinda keep you, you know out of the heat for a little bit let Paulette Silas and let Timothy do the work up here and you just cannot hide out over in Athens and so this is where we pick up the story of the apostle Paul in Athens by accidents and where he's never intended to become and where others would say he really didn't fulfill was very successful in Athens. Verse 16 says why Paul was waiting for them.

That is, Silas and Timothy, and Athens. He was greatly distressed to see the city was full of idols. S.

No understatement. In fact, Athens was the cultural city. The center city for culture, philosophy, and religion in the state even when Rome overtook at Rome so wanted to be Greek that they continued to populate or perpetuate the Greek philosophy. I mean this is the home of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, and in Athens it was said that there was more idols in Athens than all of Greece combines I mean that you said that you could actually find a run into an idol more than you could run into a person there.

I mean it just was piled upon piled there's one road that had so many you couldn't really walk through the street. There were so many idols.

No understatement. The city was full of idols. So he reasoned in the synagogue with both Jews and God-fearing Greeks as well in the marketplace. Day by day with those who happened to be there and while he is seeing what's going on and seen that the the the pain in the city and their pursuit for God it but did not really knowing how he's like I'm gonna reasons you want to bring the gospel in the good news, and so is reasoning which uses reasoning with God-fearing Greeks and then some Epicureans and Stoic philosophers begin to debate with them in the marketplace and the they have this incredible debate going back and forth in fact, the start to make fun of Paul say he's a babbler and then others.

Does actually lodge a very serious to you, no accusation that that he was promoting other religions and this is actually the same accusation that Socrates if you remember, 450 years later, or before had that he eventually was killed for and so they said would you come to the error compass and would you come here and this is this in world-famous center that likes of of supreme Council for religion for philosophy and this is not just a casual conversation. It's as if Paul is been on trial in this moment I mean is incredible. He is in the supreme Council of Athens is known around the world invited into this moment to share what he's been talking about on the streets and so Paul in verse 22 stood up at the meeting of the error compass and said that people of Athens. I see that in every way.

You're very religious, present, walked around and looked carefully at your objects.

Where should I even found an altar with this inscription to an unknown God. So you're ignorant of the very thing you worship. And this is what I'm going to proclaim to you, and then he talks about the God who created all that there was many talks about the God who sustains and is the sustainer of all that we have that is the ruler and that he's ultimately father Heath in his speech he actually quotes their own philosophers and he closes with the God who is revealed in Jesus the resurrection, and this is where he kinda lost his audience because they didn't believe in a resurrection and when they heard about the resurrection of the dead. Some of them sneered, but others said we want to hear you again on the subject at that Paul left the Council. Some of the people became followers. If you have your Bibles that were some, it just me some everywhere but everywhere else. You look through it.

It says many people responded some. This is where people go like Paul, you missed the boat. You didn't reach your audience here among them die.

Nicias also woman named Samara's and a number of others.

What we learn about redefining success from the apostle Paul in Athens from his quote maybe failure will be as we begin I just want to give you new definition for success I had taken from peace because arrows book of emotionally healthy disciples that in it he says according to Jesus, success. Success is becoming the person God calls you to become and doing what God calls you to do in his way and according to his top timetable. What a success is becoming first and foremost, it's who you are becoming and then is simply doing what he's called you to do and so I will highlight three credible lightly important areas for us if we're going to really have a purpose filled life where we need to redefine success in our lives. The first is simply here with his what we learn from the apostle Paul and redefining success be present where God has placed you be present where God has placed you apostle Paul had no intentions of going to Athens. It was not part of the plan. He had a plan and it got completely messed up. He had a plan to follow this road and actually work his way all the way to Rome eventually Rome got closed off and I don't know if you know but Nero you know expelled all the Christians at one point and he was able to go to Rome even that way but but because of persecution because always happening. His plans got changed he finds himself united with his team anymore. Silas and Timothy are still in Berea. Here's what he didn't do go out, you know, from self pity party. This sucks. This is terrible I'm stuck in Athens look at all these idols I don't even have my team 80 didn't go well, whatever you know I'm something of occasion has been long it's been hard.

I'm just vacation for a while. What did he do.

He did what he did everywhere else. He did what God had called him to do and everywhere he went he began to speak with people about this Jesus who changes life. He couldn't help it, it he just went so you know, first of the synagogue into the God-fearing Greeks and then into the marketplace. Anyone would hear you just did what he always did wherever he went.

He was fully present where God had him placed it didn't choose that place he wasn't intending to go to that place that was in the place he really ever wanted to go. He said since I'm here, I'm going to be present and do what God has called me to do in this place. I think some of us are missing out on what God has for us because were complaining about the place were in were complaining about. I want to be in a different place. Want to live in a different place. I want to work a different place. I want to have a different stuff away. Can I just say that while some of you thought it in your complaining about your place in redefining success is actually not enough.

Here is the place my work. I may be looking for another job but as long as I'm here I'm going to be put residents or God has me placed your location. How about about as is apparent I think. So often, you know, especially if you have kids and they realize assuming things you can do anymore do I go. My gosh is so fun to watch everyone else live their best live on social media on Insta and we can go anywhere because we go anywhere as this is a hot mess in that time and all those other things yeses be present in that place. You know, one of my biggest regrets. My kids I have three kids, one of my biggest regrets is I was so focused on what I thought was success of being a somebody in my younger years that I was not present in my home with my kids. I look on my phone all the time.

I love those like highlights that they have. You know of him pictures on the iPhone were just showing others. A beautiful picture.

My daughter is like for an ago. I wish I would've been president of what I missed. I don't take it for granted now be present where God has you play students were always wanting to be you know in the next thing ahead see many of us are version of success goes something like this when I get blank. Then I'll be when I get then we live in the wind. Then, and were never present because Warden we never arrive.

See what happened for the apostle Paul was his circumstances change, but is calling didn't. His purpose is his plans change, but his purpose didn't see you go to God. You have me placed here, I'm here for purpose in this season and so I'm gonna be present to it and you have the freedom to work through me in this moment made me a mom made data and be present with my kids and work through that you put me at this job.

I'm going to meet resident here.

What have you been listening to the first part of landing were this message redefining success for this series. Purposeful kinship will join us here in the studio with some additional thoughts of application in just a minute. But what does it really mean to be full of purpose is just being successful at your job making lots of money being a good parent or spouse.

If you're completely lost when it comes to your purpose you're really struggling to find any kind of meaning to your life right now. No matter where you're at. Finding purpose is one of the toughest challenges we face in this series Brian Ingram shares what it means to live a meaningful life and unpack God's true calling.

Stay with us to learn how you can live out your God-given purpose. Even when difficulty hardship and conflict, you're not going to miss a single message.

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Here's Ryan and ship Ryan. I thought it was really interesting as you have this teaching out of acts on the apostle Paul's life that you really take us to some interesting places me. We live in a day where it seems like everyone is looking to get rich in get-rich-quick and become famous and and pursue happiness is like the only thing that really matters. What was it about Paul's focus on his purpose and how do we need to capture that in our own life. Absolutely what I think of Paul's focus on his purpose.

If you notice it gave him incredible stability direction and meaning in his life, regardless of the circumstances he was in seat when we think about happiness. It becomes our end goal are pursued, our desire and so were chasing after happiness and it's it elusive carrot ever before us, and in this season.

In particular, revealing the things that we put our hope in and the things that we put our trust in is incredibly fragile and will not sustain us in all the seasons of life in the long run. For all of us is that miss place priorities ultimately lead to miss spent lives you know it is being a pastor for almost 2 decades now of having this sad conversation with many people looking back on their life with pain and regret, wishing they had invested their lives and their time well you know part of the misspent live is in our culture, we've replace purposeful living with pleasure fool living but the truth is happiness is a byproduct of a well lived life.

It's not a destination. You know I love Billy Graham he someone who lived on purpose. You know his entire life to the very last day and he had this one clear purpose statement for his life and he said this my one purpose in life is to help people find a personal relationship with God, which I believe comes through knowing Christ if you're listening right now. Do you have a purpose statement that I know you have a plan for your life. I know you have a you know a financial plan for your future. But do you have a purpose statements where you'd begin to outline okay this is God your purpose in my life while you place me here and this is what I'm going to run after and pursue and will give you incredible stability and direction and meaning, regardless of whether there's a pandemic going on regardless of what happens at your work regardless of what ever circumstances life throws at you. And so, would you take time this week. Literally get out a 3 x 5 card write down on a sheet of paper or in your journal and what is your purpose God. What do you have for me and then share it with someone else begin to process this and say hey this is what I'm wrestling with and this is what God is showing me and this is what I believe God is calling my life to I promise you, you will not regret it. And God will begin to use your life in profound ways, just before we close our mission at Living on the Edges to help Christians live like Christians. One of the ways we do that is by giving away free resources.

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