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NOTICE: THESE SERMONS ARE FREE TO BE USED BUT ARE NOT TO BE SOLD!
WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH THE REST OF YOUR LIFE?
PSALM 90:12
Introduction
“Today is the first day of the rest of your life!” That is not original with me, but I want you to think about that statement for a moment.
It reminds me of what the Apostle Paul said in Philippians 3:13–“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before.”
There is no wisdom in fretting over past failures. The past cannot be undone.
There is no wisdom in gloating over past successes. That was then, this is now.
Look at what Psalm 90:12 says, "So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”
Now, what that the Psalmist is requesting here is that God might teach us just how few our days on this earth are so that we will use them or spend them wisely.
Someone once said that life is like a dollar bill. You can spend it any way you want to, but you can only spend it once.
Now when you spend money there are really only one of two ways you can spend it. You can waste it, or you can invest it. The same thing is true with life.
The rest of our lives is before us this morning. None of us know how long or how short the rest of our life will be. The question is, “What will we do with the rest of our life?”
We all need pause from time to time to examine ourselves and assess our lives, because each of us will stand before God and give account of our lives to Him one day. Let me ask this question: What have you done with your life up to this point that will have a positive impact for all eternity?
We cannot undo our past. Neither can we rest on our past. But there is something we can do.
We can determine that from this point forward that we will do something that counts for eternity!
In thinking about the question, “What will you do with the rest of your life?” Let me share with you some things we all should do.
I. WE SHOULD SET PROPER PRIORITIES.
If our priorities are not in order, then our life will not be in order.
If our priorities are not right, then we won't be right.
Now this is something we don't have to pray about. We should know what our number one priority in life ought to be. We shouldn't have to think about it.
That is because Jesus has already told us what our first priority ought to be in
Matthew 6:33, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness;"
The word seek means to "actively pursue" or "to go after." It's in the present tense. It means continuously. Every day of our lives we should seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.
A. We Must Seek The King.
There cannot be a kingdom without a king. The first priority of our lives ought to be to seek the King of the kingdom.
Did you know that the Christian life is more than just accepting the Lord?
It is seeking the Lord!
The Lord is not just someone that we should passively accept.
He is someone that we must actively seek.
I can tell you something about your relationship to God at this very moment without even knowing you. I can tell you how much of God you have.
You have all of God that you want to have!
James 4:8 says, "Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you"
How near are you drawing to God in your life?
God has promised in His word in Jeremiah 29:13--"And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.”
B. We Must Seek Him First.
It is not just enough to seek the Lord. We must seek Him first!
Jesus said, ". . .seek ye first the kingdom of God."
1. Jesus Does Not Want Just A Place In Our Lives.
Everybody in attendance here today has given Jesus “a” place in their lives.
2. Jesus Does Not Even Want Prominence In Our Lives.
Jesus is not just looking for us to be talking about Him and/or busy doing things for Him.
3. Jesus Wants The Preeminence In Our Lives.
a. Jesus wants the first moments of everyday.
b. Jesus wants the first day of every week.
c. Jesus wants the first part of every paycheck.
d. Jesus wants to be the first guide of every decision.
e. Jesus wants first place in our lives!
4. Jesus Desires And Deserves To Be First In Our Lives.
a. The Lord Jesus Christ is not interested in being the first runner-up.
b. He is not interested in being vice-president.
c. He is not interested in being second in command in our army.
d. He is not interested in being co-pilot.
e. He wants to be the King on the throne of our lives!
C. We Must Seek His Kingdom.
The kingdom of God ought to be the obsession of our lives.
The word “kingdom” means rule or reign.
A kingdom is a place where a king rules.
To seek the kingdom of God is to seek the rule and the reign of God over our entire lives.
Now when we truly seek a king, and we truly seek his kingdom, that means that we are automatically seeking for three things:
1. We Seek For The Glory Of The King.
Every part and parcel of our lives, every minute and moment of your time, every ounce and pound of your strength, every muscle and fiber of our body ought to be given for the glory of God.
1 Corinthians 10:31--"Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God."
2. We Seek For The Guidance Of The King.
A loyal subject always wants to do whatever the king would have him to do.
There is no higher calling in life than to find out what your King wants done and then to do it.
Every morning of our lives should begin by asking the Lord Jesus what Paul asked the Lord Jesus on the Damascus road as recorded in Acts 9:6, when he said, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?"
3. We Seek For The Government Of The King.
A loyal subject desires to be controlled by the king, to be governed by the king, to be ruled by the king.
The greatest liberty in the world is found in being controlled by the right master.
WE SHOULD SET PROPER PRIORITIES.
II. WE SHOULD SEEK PERSONAL PURITY.
Not only are we to seek God's control over us (Seeking the King and His Kingdom),
but we are also to be seeking God's character within us (Seeking His Righteousness).
The kingdom of God is not only to be inwardly experienced, but it is to be outwardly expressed.
If God is ruling over us, then His righteousness will be within us.
A man's character is simply the outward expression of whatever is controlling him inwardly.
Faith is always seen by its fruit. Character is always seen by its conduct.
As we seek the kingdom of God, people ought to be able to see the His kingdom in us.
We are never going to make a difference in this world until the world sees a difference in us.
The German who was the philosophical founder of the Nazi Movement in Germany (Nietzsche), was the first man in history to come to the conclusion that "God is dead."
He came to that conclusion by looking at Christianity. Do you know what he said about Christians? He said, "If you want me to believe in your Redeemer, you are going to have to look a little more redeemed.")
The real mark of a Christian is that he makes it easier for others to believe in God.
Now what does it mean to seek the righteousness of God?
A. We Must Desire It.
I find that people do what they really want to do, and they are what they really want to be.
Jesus said in Matt. 5:6, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.”
We should desire to be right, to do right, to live right, just as much as a hungry man desires food, and a thirsty man desires water.
B. We Must Derive It.
We are to seek "His righteousness." God is not interested in our righteousness.
He is only interested in His righteousness.
God is not interested in what we can do for Him. He is interested in what He can do through us.
It will be a great day when we learn the difference between self righteousness and the Savior's righteousness.
Paul, after he was saved, made this one of the goals of his life. He said in Phil. 3:9 that he wanted to ". . .be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:”
Now I want you to learn a lesson about righteousness. Righteousness must be imputed before it can be imparted.
Let me make it more simple. Before you can live it, God must give it. That is exactly why Jesus came and Jesus died, that we might have the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21–“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
C. We Must Depict It.
We ought to live like kingdom subjects.
Will Rogers said, "We ought to live in such a way that we would not be ashamed to sell the family parrot to the town gossip."
WE SHOULD SET PROPER PRIORITIES.
WE SHOULD SEEK PERSONAL PURITY.
III. WE WILL SEE PROMISED PROSPERITY.
Now the Lord says that if you will seek His kingdom and His righteousness, "all these things shall be added unto you."
Now what "things" was the Lord referring to? He was talking about all the things that people worry about.
In v.19 we are told that people worry about finances.
In v.25 we are told that people worry about food and fashion.
In v.27 we are told that people worry about fitness.
All of these things are things that we need. That's why the Lord said what He did in v.32. Now the Lord has promised that if we will seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, we will have all the things that we need.
Now He did not say that we would have necessarily the things that we want.
I am convinced there are four lessons parents ought to teach their children early, and that it would be good for even some adults to re-learn.
A. We don't need everything we want.
Don’t you wish you had all the money back that you have spent in your life on things that you wanted that you didn't really need.
B. We don't want everything we need.
I never wanted one whipping that I ever got, but I needed most every one of them.
C. God doesn't give us everything we want.
I, for one, am so glad that He doesn't. One of the greatest blessings of God is found in those things that He doesn't give us.
I read one time the confession of an unknown confederate soldier that tremendously blessed me. Listen to it.
I asked God for strength that I might achieve.
I was made weak that I might learn humbly to obey.
I asked God for health that I might do greater things.
I was given infirmity that I might do better things.
I asked for riches that I might be happy.
I was given poverty that I might be wise.
I asked for power that I might have the praise of men.
I was given weakness that I might feel the need of God.
I asked for all things that I might enjoy life.
I was given life that I might enjoy all things.
I got nothing that I asked for - But everything I had hoped for....
Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered
I am among all men most richly blessed.
D. God always give us what we need.
You see, what the Lord was trying to teach us here was this.
It is our job to serve God. It is His job to supply us.
Now most people have that backwards.
Most people think that it is our job to supply us and it is God's job to serve us.
If they could, they would sing the old hymn this way:
I'll have my own way, Lord,
I'll have my own way,
I'll be the potter, You be the clay;
I'll mold You and make You after my will,
While you are waiting, yielded and still.
It is exactly that attitude that cuts off the blessing of God.
Conclusion:
What will you do with the rest of your life? Do you want to make the rest of your life the best of your life? Then, allow Jesus Christ to be your Lord. Put Him first.
Live every moment for Him, and He will take care of the rest.
NOTICE: THESE SERMONS ARE FREE TO BE USED BUT ARE NOT TO BE SOLD!
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