Why You?
You Are God’s Masterpiece, Designed to Succeed in His World!
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WHY YOU? YOU WERE DESIGNED BY GOD TO SUCCEED IN HIS WORLD!
If you’re like most of us, you have probably had questions at times like: Who am I? Why do I exist here and now? What is the meaning of your life? Is there a purpose for your existence? What makes your life worth living? Is it your money, career, toys, sports and/or other stuff which won’t last—just as you won’t? Obviously, there’s more to human life than just existing for a few years and then floating off to the “great beyond”—wherever that is! Our creator God had more than that in mind for us when through his prophet in Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) he said, “I know the plans I have for you . . . plans to prosper you . . . plans to give you hope and a future.” Certainly doesn’t sound like God planned for us to just drift aimlessly through life, does it?
Someone, thought by many to be Mark Twain, made this profound statement: “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” To “find out why” one needs to answer questions like those posed above. Those answers will help you discover who you are and why you exist. In other words, those answers will go a long way toward helping you discover your purpose in life. And if you understand your purpose, you will be a happier person and have more true success in life.
The dictionary defines success as “accomplishing a purpose.” God’s purpose for us is clearly stated in Ephesians 2:10, “We are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” That is surely a purpose with promise! As God’s masterpieces, those good things include our occupations, our families, our friends, our finances, and other normal activities of life. So we are God’s masterpieces, created to succeed in doing good things . . . does that sound like an impossible dream?
The first humans, Adam and Eve, were living that dream until they chose to listen to history’s first scammer, Satan, and their perfect world crashed in on them—and on us. Fortunately, God loves his people not because of who they are, but because of who he is. He sees our failures and knows our needs, yet he continues to patiently work in our lives to renew us as his masterpieces who were created in his image. But what does “created in his image” mean for us in real life? Do we physically look like God? Are we like him mentally? Or emotionally?
Over the centuries, those questions have produced much speculation without definitive answers. Is it possible that one answer could be hiding in plain sight? Though his image may not transfer to us physically, it most certainly includes the qualities of God’s character commonly called his attributes. It could be said that these attributes transfer to us as spiritual DNA from his image. Or, to think of it another way, God’s attributes are planted in us as part of his image, and through proper nurturing by us, they can mature and become the basic life skills for a truly successful life.
So what are those attributes or life skills? Have you ever looked at some folks and wondered what makes them truly successful in all areas of life? Their lives are producing what the Bible calls the “fruits of the Spirit.” Galatians 5:22-23 refers to those where it says, “The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” These sound like godly attributes, right? Think about those successful people again and you will probably see that they have practiced these attributes until they became life skills for them.
That’s exactly the process the apostle Paul was referring to in Philippians 4:8-9 where he tells us to “think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” He also said to put into practice what he has taught us. Practice is crucial. With regular practice, you can turn your godly attributes into practical life skills which will empower you to use the unique abilities God gave you to fulfill his purpose in your life. In John 10:10 Jesus said, “My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” That’s the masterpiece life you’ll learn how to live in "Why You?"
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About the Book
While working with Zig Ziglar, the author observed how his positive, successful living message not only helped people improve their lifestyles, it also led many to recognize their spiritual needs. Similarly, "Why You?" will lead readers to discover that the Bible overflows with simple, common-sense teaching on how to live successfully, even in today’s chaotic world. For example, what Proverbs 1:3 says about the proverbs themselves can be applied to the whole Bible: “Their purpose is to teach people how to live disciplined and successful lives.” Supporting that powerful statement, Ephesians 2:10 expresses the foundational principle of this book. It says, “We are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” In summary, readers will learn the “good things” which give life purpose; how to develop successful life skills; and how to deal with life’s issues. The title of the book asks the question: "Why You?" The subtitle answers it: "You Are God’s Masterpiece, Designed to Succeed in His World!" You can live with purpose as God’s masterpiece!
About the Author
A native of Grand Rapids, Michigan, the author and his wife, Anne, have four children and a baker’s dozen “grandies.” Much of his career was spent with two companies, most recently as president of the Zig Ziglar Corporation in Dallas, Texas. He was instrumental in developing the Ziglar corporate training division and other business activities.