Download... August 29, 2010. Sunday Morning Service. Bro. Dave Goble.
Our life is “as a vapour”.. and we can never truly know with certainty of our next moments!
TEXT: JAMES 4:13-15, PSALMS 90:10-12
JAMES 4:13-15 13 Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:
14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
15 For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.
PSALMS 90:10-12
10 The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.
11 Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath.
12 So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
So we should not forget, as Verse 15 states in James 4, “If” the Lord will, we shall live,.. and do whatever our plans might be.
The “times” of the 2 yr old, 10 yr old, 50 yr old and even an 80+ yr old, etc, is short as humanity is, and not only in reference for eternity, but also relative to time itself. Three score and ten years God may give us, maybe less, maybe more. Even if one would live to 100 or more, it is also a life that is relatively short, with the spiritual destination each soul has after this life. Verse 12 “So teach us to number our days that we would truly apply our hearts in wisdom. Everyday I am given the opportunity to be my best for God. We truly need to have the desire to examine our heart, for whatever needs we may have at any particular time. Let God’s “search light” of His spirit and word shine and expose to us our needs.
Think of the earliest memories you can recall. Can you personally (without pictures, prompts) remember life,.. for instance at about two years old ? Here.. realize how time flies! At 25yrs what is your earliest memory? At 50yrs old, what is the earliest memory you have? According to the Psalms 90:10, 70yrs old is considered as being an average life span, then at 50yrs old, 2/3 of your life would already be gone! Nearly 5 decades. Time is short! 80 or 90 years old. some even then might be able to remember their very young early life. What a privilege, that God has given those years of life! As time goes on in older age, life “seems” to speed by us faster. You seem to learn less than when you were younger, as your capacity of “stored” knowledge becomes more filled. So as in the younger years, with so much to learn.. might seem to slow time. With all in advanced years, time will seem to “fly” by faster. Here it is August, almost September 2010. The “record” of our life, is and will be “written by the seeds that we sow.”
Three questions:
1) What will you accomplish, before “your time is up?”
2) For whom will you accomplish,...what you want to accomplish?
3) For what purpose?
Ecclesiastes 5:7 For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God.
Opportunities come, opportunities go. Victories come, defeat comes, but for all of life fear God, respect God, regardless of victory or defeat. Fear Him who can both kill the body and cast your soul into hell.
Luke 12:4,5 4 And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
5 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, fear him.
If you find that you don’t needfully and presently fear God, “find” a place of repentance to forsake your sins, to obtain that proper godly fear.
Pastor Goble spoke of a “brother” who grew up in Chicago, who was a large and “rough” guy. His attitude was “bad” or tough,(“I’m bad, don’t mess with me!") instinctively for the purpose of self protection. Another brother admonished him to get rid of that vain tough attitude, for there was no need to be afraid of any of God’s people. God can become your protector! That “tough” attitude is not needed around the people of God. We do need though,.. to “fear God,” for time is short! Time is too short for the waste, of “being bad or tough.”
Ecclesiastes 9:11 I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all. Regardless of human perceptions, the spiritual race is only for those who fear and respect God. Fear God,... time is short! There is no advantage to the rich or poor, the skillful,.. or not. Good and bad happens to them both. Yet as a saved soul, you have the right to claim the promise of God’s deliverance from any of the addictive vices of life. The variances that happen in life, should not be “expected” to happen according to our way, or we will be setting up our-self for discouragement. Fear God.., time is short, for good and bad comes to all souls, saved or not.
1) What will you accomplish before your time is up?
Again Ecclesiastes 9:11 Time and chance happens to us all. Our accomplishments should not be how much success we have accomplished, in our temporal actions. The saying, “the one dies with the most toys” wins,”..is a lie,.. and a empty phrase! The greatest gift you can give any,(your child, etc,) is Not things,.. but Faith. Faith is the answer to all spiritual and physical needs. Joblessness, homelessness, depression, etc,...faith is the Only answer to any problem. Conversely the greatest injury you can give to any one is.. to hurt their faith. A grain of faith as a mustard seed is the greatest gift you give them, to plant that seed. Time is short!
2) For whom do you want to accomplish,.. any accomplishment? Motivations for dreams, ..or a business, etc? Don’t “spend" it on self, ..but for God!
2 Timothy 4:6-8 6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
3) For -Whom - do you intend to accomplish something for,...in this life? The love of self, is the greatest sin which will leave you spiritually shriveled and dissatisfied. What strength will you even have, though you live long? We cannot ever determine our future. When God saves you, you are “re-wired”, and began to cultivate the new desires of what will be a help to someone else. Your gain then will be far greater than any potential “temporal” gain (money, fame,etc). How can God help us to accomplish something for Him? What apologies do you owe to “someone or maybe a problem you have affected someone with?” Time is short,..you know not what the rest of your life will be. Cultivating a “clearing” of your self is the only value you can offer your soul. II Corinthians 7:11 For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter. The only part of you that has a lasting value, is that eternal part of you,..your soul.
Someone might think of what it would be like to observe any sorrow, that people might express at their passing and funeral. Our passing with many is so soon forgotten, that it would not be nearly the sorrow they might have wasted on any self centered needs. Fear God!
Bro Goble testified how he would not want to leave memories for his children of selfish concern, but those only of truly having given all of his self to exhort.. to “win others for this spiritual race.” "Stand in the gap,"don’t give up! Ask Jesus for His help to carry your load! Time is short,..serve God! Fear God, as your only everyday help. What business do you have left,..unfinished?
I Corinthians 10:23-28 23 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.
24 Let no man seek his own, but every man another's wealth.
25 Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake:
26 For the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof.
27 If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake.
28 But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof: Make sure your "activities" are for pure, wholesome, and spiritually beneficial enjoyment. For what purpose are you living? Are you giving your time for the worldly "idols" of today that would hurt your conscience and harm your testimony? I for "conscience sake" need to examine how I spend my life.
As a congregation our time is short to accomplish winning souls for God. In our natural desires and responsibilities, we need to eat, make a living, pay bills, have enjoyable temporal activities, etc, while yet God must be at the center of All our purpose. What has been the purpose of my life? For whom am I living? The greatest purpose.. is to live for God completely.
A hymn with a pertinent message to this thought is the song, “I Am The Lord’s” (by D.O.Teasley), the first stanza states :
♫ “Whether I live or die,..whether I wake or sleep,...whether upon the land,...or on the stormy deep ♪. When ‘tis serene and calm, or when the wild winds blow,..♫.I shall not be afraid,..I am the Lord’s, I know.♪
Is your testimony silent? Why? Time is short! In the above scripture I Corinthians 10: 21-23, in substance it exhorts us to be concerned in whatever you eat or do, that it will not be detrimental to another ones conscience. It is necessary to make biblical “judgments” for conscience sake alone. All may be “permitted”.. but all is not edifying. Be careful not to cause “injury” to someone else’s faith. If you injure someone else's faith, you have injured your testimony in the gospel!
As an example of protecting your spiritual credibility (testimony) Br Goble told of a camping trip he took with some guys with two of his sons. He had lit a fire, when one of his boys asked whether they permitted at that location to have a fire. . It was then Br Goble realized that he had not really thought about it, and did not have a permit. Bro Goble was of course sorry for his mistake, so being reminded,.. he had to make the disappointing decision of not allowing the fire to keep going after all. His son then knew for sure that his father’s faith had caused him to act with a purpose as to not cause a doubt in his testimony. It’s “the little foxes that spoil the vine.” Song of Solomon 2:15b....”the little foxes, that spoil the vines:.... Time is short! What can we change, that we wish we could change.. in our life? Life is short,.. “so teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” Psalms 90:12
What will you accomplish? For what purpose? For Whom do you want to accomplish for?
Any age, young or older, can leave a legacy. There have been many young lives that have lived a life for God’s legacy. Time is short. Who here wants to turn their life completely over to God? For what else yet... is there to truly live for? Let God examine your heart!
