Good morning to all on this wonderful and unseasonably warm day. To any of you who took the time to recognize your pastoral staff last month, (Oct.) pastor appreciation month, I thank you. I am blessed to be a part of the staff at Bethel
This week I want to look at “Life”. One of our church family members is fighting for her life as I type this very message. Life is so fragile, and yet we choose to waste so much of it on nonsense, things that have no eternal value. Today marks 26 years ago that I ask my wife to “be my girlfriend”. 26 years of “Life” have passed. When you look back over your life, can you say you have lived a life that has honored God and one you are proud of, or would it be a life of shame and embarrassment? Let’s look at a few quotes from God’s perspective.
Job 7:7 says, “Oh, remember that my life is a breath! My eye will never again see good.” Psalm 144:4 says, “ Man is like a breath; His days are like a passing shadow.” James 4:14 says, “whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.” 2 Corinthians 5:14 says, “For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died.” Mark 8:35-37 says, “35 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it. 36 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? 37 Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”
Have you ever said, “it is my life, I’ll live it the way I want to”? Are you the type to take chances, “live on the edge” because you have the attitude that you only live once, so you should try anything and everything? What is important to you? Do you live a life that distinguishes the differences between the here and now and eternity? If you were told today, that you had a year to live, or maybe six months or even a month, what would you do different?
The Bible tells us that our lives are like a “breath”, “a shadow” and “a vapor”. So, why is it we live like we are never going to die and we do what we want like there will not be any consequences?
We were created by God to have fellowship with Him and to be of service to Him. We were given wives, husbands, children, other family members, churches and other things to make us happy and so that we would have support. God expects certain standards and actions from us. Knowing this, are we living to please God, or self.
I was at the mall this weekend picking up a card for my pastor and took a little time to window shop. I am surprised still when I go out into the public and I see some women in their 40’s, 50’s and 60’s dressing like their children and grandchildren. Low rise jeans, fish net tops. Some single women in this age group have even become popular with names such as cougars, or panthers. Instead of being the example to their children, teaching them to dress respectfully and modest as the Bible tells us, they are following their children and basically putting a stamp of approval on their promiscuity.
Before you start throwing stones at me, let me say, I am not singling women out. Some men are just as bad. You see some men in the same age category with sagging pants, unnatural looking hair colors, using words and slang that really sound silly. You have some men in the 40-60 category that just refuse to grow up. They refuse to walk away from the drinking and partying that most grow out of in their 20’s. Some are more worried about being their children’s friend, when what they really need is a father. A leader to teach them right from wrong, respect for women and how to live a Christ honoring life.
What will it take for us to realize how short life is? How we need to be the Godly servants, fathers, mothers, grandfathers and mothers, workers and examples to this lost and dieing word that we were created to be in the first place? If you were told today, you had one week to live, what would you regret the most, the time you didn’t have to be at work? Of course not. Would it be time lost from a family member or friend over something trivial? Would it be words that have been said in anger?
Remember: Life could be described as, L-ove I-nspires F-orgiving
Each other. Live a life with no regrets when you meet the maker of life.
Until next time, please continue to pray for each other, as I continue to pray for each of you. Love in CHRIST,
Brian Hanvey
Associate Pastor
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