A LIFETIME TO PREPARE

     Life moves ever so swiftly. You, like me, wonder where time goes. Yesterday we were young, and today we are old. How many tomorrows do we have left before we leave the walk of men? The Bible addresses the swiftness of life. “My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle...O remember that my life is wind.” Job 7:6-7. James saw life as a “vapor that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.” James 4:14. For that reason, he determined that we ought to say, “If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.” James 4:15. We must not count on tomorrow, for tomorrow may not come. We could make that journey into eternity at any moment. Isaiah, the Old Testament prophet, saw life as a “flower that fades and grass that withers.” Isaiah 40:6-8. Indeed, we know that life is brief.

   The Psalmist, in the midst of speaking of God’s everlasting nature, counsels us to the consideration that must be given to life. “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” Psalm 90:12. We are to be mindful of the brevity of life. We are to be aware of life’s purpose. This psalm teaches us of God’s dwelling. The words speak of God’s wrath and his mercy. We are to behold God’s work and his glory for we are his servants. The beauty of the Lord is upon us. Henceforth, our days will be numbered and our hearts will know wisdom. Life is to be lived in service to God while we are to be mindful of his nature.

     The apostle Paul when writing to the Ephesians exhorts us to “redeem the time, because the days are evil.” Ephesians 5:16. Our time is to be spent, not in idle foolishness, but in pursuit of God’s purpose. Our days are not to be used in worldly endeavors, but in the glorification of God’s kingdom. Our years are not to be used in seeking the praises of men, but rather we are to seek the praise of God. We are dying, and we must be prepared to die. Of all the endeavors that should occupy us, meeting the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ at the judgment should be our overall concern. We are here as visitors, and we are bound for eternity. The journey here is to prepare us for our dwelling there. And the days to accomplish that feat are few.

 A HOUSE BUILT ON ROCK OR SAND

“Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him to a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not; for it was founded upon a rock. And everyone that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand.  And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell; and great was the fall of it.”  Matthew 7:24-27.  We are not building houses; we are building destinies.  We either build wisely or foolishly.  The key to building a successful life that is prepared for the final destination is the word of Christ.  The word of the master teacher who so skillfully preached this sermon is that we do what God says or we do not what he says.  The life which we build is always tested.  The rain, floods, and wind come to every life.  No life is without the storms.  In order for any of us to endure, we must hear and do what Jesus teaches.  Many listen to the words of Christ, but are not motivated to do what he says. Knowledge must be translated into action.  Whether our life stands or falls is solely dependent upon our hearing and doing what Jesus teaches.  “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure.”  II Timothy 2:19. “The righteous is an everlasting foundation.”  Proverbs 10:25.  Obedience to the will of God will ensure our life now, and in the eternity to come.  We seem to live in the midst of a society that does not appreciate restrictions and rules.  People act and react according to their own will.  Such brings havoc and destruction.  Humanity cannot be a law unto themselves.  They will not stand when the rain, flood, and wind come.  My house cannot endure storms unless my foundation is secure.  Sand is easily eroded.  Rock holds firm.  How we build our life is determined by our acceptance or rejection of the rule of God.  God can be ignored and his law shunned, but that one who so does will not endure the rain, flood, and wind of this life, nor the judgment to come.  Upon which foundation is your house built?  When the storm comes, will your house stand or fall?

Walk By The Same Rule

 "Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing."  Philippians 3:16.  There is a rule which has been delivered by the Lord Jesus Christ by which we are to walk and please him.  As we examine the religious landscape, do we see one rule or many different rules?  Do all walk by the same rule or do we seek to walk by different rules?  The rule of God has been given to us in the Bible.  The rule has been written so that all might know and walk accordingly.  Our desire should always be to please and glorify our God.  Therefore, we must seek his way, not our own way.  There are also not to be many interpretations of this rule.  We are to simply walk by the rule which God has given and all mind the same thing.  God wants unity among those who believe in him and follow him.  The only way that we please God is by following the rule which has been given to us.  Rather than all of the division that we see in various religious societies, let us seek to be as one and united by believing and accepting as divine truth the rule that God has spoken.

Let Thy Mercies Come

 "Let thy mercies come also unto me, O Lord, even thy salvation, according to thy word."  Psalm 119:41.  O, let the flood gate of God's mercies open so that we might receive his salvation.  The mercies of God make possible our salvation.  Let us behold constantly that God saves us from the way of sin.  His word is a light that shines so that we might walk upon the path of his salvation.  His word is our instruction so that we might live our life in a pleasing way before him.  As we heed the word of God, we grow in his mercies.  The mercies flow over our soul cleansing us of our waywardness.  The word shines forth in the blackness of evil so that we might know which way to travel.  Only through his word do we know that we need salvation and how we might come to possess such a blessing.  No other word truly reveals the salvation that is found in the wonderful mercies of God than his word which flows from the heavenly voice.  God speaks of salvation from all the evils of the land, and gives mercies so that we might be removed from the vileness of evil.  His mercies have saved us.  May those mercies ever flow over our troubled souls giving life and hope.

Truth Or Fables

 "And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables."  II Timothy 4:4.  What do we wish to hear?  A time would come says the aged apostle that the heart would move away from hearing the truth and would prefer to hear fables.  When we view the New Testament account of the gospel preached, we see multitudes of individuals obeying the gospel.  The truth of God is a message from God that has the power to save the soul.  In fact, the truth is the only message that can save.  Fables are lies or stories that come from the mind of humans.  Different humans proclaim different stories.  Many wish to be saved in their own prescribed manner.  But, God reveals truth.  Only the truth saves.  As time has gone forth, fewer and fewer prople are saved.  As the world population grows, the church which proclaims the truth has not kept up in numbers converted.  Despite our best efforts to proclaim truth, more and more are inclined not to believe.  The Bible is the truth of God which saves.  Human hearts must have the desire to hear this truth and obey this truth.  Our ears must be inclined to hear only the word of God.  Fables will make one feel good, but will not save.  Fables will ease our conscience, but will not save.  What we hear will make a difference in our eternal destiny.  Let us turn our ears unto the truth rather than fables.

Life After Death

 "If a man die, shall he live again?  All the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change come."  Job 14:14.  God has blessed man with a soul that will never see death.  Our human body which houses the soul will succomb to death.  But, we who have been made in the image of the Creator God will live forever.  Job is aware of  his appointed time and for the change that will come.  This old human body will be framed with immortality.  This earthly body which is corruptible shall be clothed with incorruption.  While we live in this earthly house, we must make preparation for the change that will come.  We must live life with a sense of urgency that our appointed time will come.  The days of our earthly pilgrimage will end.   We must be ready to meet God.  Our life has a destiny that we must choose.  Where will we spend this immortal existence?  Heaven awaits those who are righteous and have served God faithfully.  Hell will be the dwelling place of the evil and unrighteous.  God is to be sought and a relationship with him is to be developed while we have this appointed time.  Knowing that we shall die and that we shall live again, let us prepare so that we are ready when the change comes. 

Not OfWorks

 "Not of works, lest any man should boast."  Ephesians 2:9.  The writer of these words has just declared that we are "saved by grace."  Grace was God's marvelous act to save humanity from sin.  We are not able to save ourselves.  Only God can save, and through Christ, God provided for the salvation of humanity.  We, therefore, are not saved by works that we do.  While there are works that we must do so that we can be saved, those works will not save us.  God will never be in the debt of man.  We will forever be in his debt, and depend upon him for our salvation in Christ.  But, we have been called to labor in God's great vineyard.  We have been created so that we can work.  We must never be slothful in God's kingdom, but each day go forth to labor. Our works in the kingdom of God will never merit our salvation, but unless we are busy in the work of the kingdom, we will not be eternaly saved.  Our home in heaven is very much dependent upon our doing the will of the Father.  The salvation which comes by the grace of God must be obtained.  Let us heed the word of Christ, "Son, go work today in my vineyard."