In 1987, the LA Lakers won the NBA Championship.  Their coach, Pat Riley, guaranteed that they would win the championship again in 1988.  Although it wasn’t pretty, the LA Lakers did indeed win the 1988 NBA Championship, becoming the first team in 19 years to become repeat champions.  One of the players from those two teams, Byron Scott said this, “Guaranteeing a championship was the best thing Pat ever did.  It set the stage in our minds.  Work harder, be better.  That’s the only way we could repeat.”  In other words, Pat Riley gave his team a concrete purpose to strive for!

A purpose can be defined as, “something set up as an object or end to be attained; intention; resolution; determination.”

God is a God of purpose and He has designed us to live on purpose and if, in 2012, you win any victories or achieve any accomplishments in your personal or family life, it will be because you have done it on purpose!

David, although he made his fair share of mistakes, was a man who lived “on purpose!”  Notice his purpose in 1 Samuel 17:46

“This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.”

The story of David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17) contain the 3 ingredients that are necessary if we desire to live “on purpose.”

1. There must be desire. (1 Samuel 17:26, 29)

David’s desire was that something needed to be done up Goliath!  What do you have a desire to see accomplished in this coming year?  What great things do you desire to see God accomplish in your life, in your family, in your church?  The first step to living “on purpose” is to develop that desire.  Spend time asking God to give you a desire to be victorious and to accomplish great things for His honor and glory!

“Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.” Romans 10:1

 2. There must be thought. (1 Samuel 17:32, 34-37)

Had David given any thought to how he was going to defeat Goliath.  Sure he had.  He was going to defeat Goliath in the same way that he had defeated the lion and the bear that had attacked his flock.  When you have cultivated a desire, you must then give thought to how your will accomplish it.  Do you desire to build a stronger family?  How are you going to do that?

“Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?” Luke  14.31

3. There must be action. (1 Samuel 17:48)

The greatest desires and the greatest plans will never be accomplished without action.

“…David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. “ 1 Samuel 17:48

David not only had a desire and a good plan, he then acted upon those things and “ran” to take care of business.  One thing which many times keeps us from acting upon our desires is fear of failure.  David had a lot to loose if he failed!  He would have lost his life.  However, he did not allow that to keep him from action!  Take your desires and the plans you have developed and then begin to act upon them.  Get up tomorrow morning and read your Bible.  Tell the entire family, on Saturday night, that, as a family, you’re going to church on Sunday.  Be at SCBC on the first Saturday of the month to participate in Church Wide Visitation.  Just do it!

“I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:14

 Desire + Thought + Action = A Life on Purpose