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W W W. Z O N D E R V A N. C O M
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The Purpose-Driven° Life Copyright © 2002 by Rick Warren
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Warren, Richard, 1954
The purpose-driven life : what on earth am I here for? / Rick Warren. p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN: 0-310-20571-9
1. Christian life. I. Title.
BV4501.3 .W37 2002
248.4 - dc21 2002011471 CIP
This edition printed on acid-free paper.
The Scripture versions cited in this book are identified in appendix 3, which hereby becomes a part of this copyright page.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means - electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other-except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.
Illustrations by Michael Halbert, Copyright © 2002 Michael Halbert Interior design by Jim Dobbs, Mary Deschenes, Julie Head
Printed in the United States of America
This book is dedicated to you. Before you were born, God planned this moment in your life. It is no accident that you are holding this book. God longs for you to discover the life he created you to live-here on earth, and forever in eternity
It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ, ... he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.
Ephesians 1:11 (Msg)
I am grateful to the hundreds of writers and teachers, both classical and contemporary, who have shaped my life and helped me learn these truths. I thank God and you for the privilege of sharing them with you.
CONTENTS
A Journey with Purpose
My Covenant
WHAT ON EARTH AM I HERE FOR?
Day 1 It All Starts with God
Day 2 You Are Not an Accident
Day 3 What Drives Your Life?
Day 4 Made to Last Forever
Day 5 Seeing Life from God's View
Day 6 Life Is a Temporary Assignment
Day 7 The Reason for Everything
PURPOSE #1: You Were Planned for God's Pleasure
Day 8 Planned for God's Pleasure
Day 9 What Makes God Smile?
Day 10 The Heart of Worship
Day 11 Becoming Best Friends with God
Day 12 Developing Your Friendship with God
Day 13 Worship That Pleases God
Day 14 When God Seems Distant
PURPOSE #2: You Were Formed for God's Family
Day 15 Formed for God's Family
Day 16 What Matters Most
Day 17 A Place to Belong
Day 18 Experiencing Life Together
Day 19 Cultivating Community
Day 20 Restoring Broken Fellowship
Day 21 Protecting Your Church
PURPOSE #3: You Were Created to Become Like Christ
Day 22 Created to Become Like Christ
Day 23 How We Grow
Day 24 Transformed by Truth
Day 25 Transformed by Trouble
Day 26 Growing through Temptation
Day 27 Defeating Temptation
Day 28 It Takes Time
PURPOSE #4: You Were Shaped for Serving God
Day 29 Accepting Your Assignment
Day 30 Shaped for Serving God
Day 31 Understanding Your Shape
Day 32 Using What God Gave You
Day 33 How Real Servants Act
Day 34 Thinking Like a Servant
Day 35 God's Power in Your Weakness
PURPOSE #5: You Were Made for a Mission
Day 36 Made for a Mission
Day 37 Sharing Your Life Message
Day 38 Becoming a World-Class Christian
Day 39 Balancing Your Life
Day 40 Living with Purpose
Appendix 1: Discussion Questions
Appendix 2: Resources
Appendix 3: Why Use So Many Translations?
Notes
A JOURNEY
WITH PURPOSE
Getting the Most from This Book
This is more than a book; it is a guide to a 40-day spiritual journey that will enable you to discover the answer to life's most important question: What on earth am I here for? By the end of this journey you will know God's purpose for your life and will understand the big picture-how all the pieces of your life fit together. Having this perspective will reduce your stress, simplify your decisions, increase your satisfaction, and, most important, prepare you for eternity.
YOUR NEXT 40 DAYS
Today the average life span is 25,550 days. That's how long you will live if you are typical. Don't you think it would be a wise use of time to set aside 40 of those days to figure out what God wants you to do with the rest of them?