“WHEN YOUR LIFE IS PASSED”
Text: James 4:14
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.
1 Samuel 20:3 And David sware moreover, and said, Thy father certainly knoweth that I have found grace in thine eyes; and he saith, Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved: but truly as the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, there is but a step between me and death. Job 7:1, 7, 9 (1a) Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? (7) O remember that my life is wind: mine eye shall no more see good. (9) As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more.
In our time together today, I want us to examine ourselves in the present in which we live, and then let us look ahead to our future. As we see in the scripture above, life is fragile and fleeting and it is NOT in our hands. In the book of James above, we see that we do not know what today or tomorrow may bring. Brother James presents us the direct question, “what is your life?” He goes on to remind us that our lives are a vapour, very short, limited, and we appear and are here on this earth for a little time, and then WE VANISH.
In (1 Samuel 20:3) above, David was running for his life from King Saul. In the midst of fearing for his life,
he was very aware that at any moment, with any given step that he took, he could step out into ETERNITY. Then, we see more wisdom from God’s word from Job regarding our life. Job reminds us that we ALL have an appointed time upon this earth. He proclaims in (V.7), our life is like the wind, and in (V.9) he gives us a sobering thought; that one day we ALL will go down to the grave and come up no more.
Dear friend, it is my hope and prayer, as you read these verses the Holy Spirit does in you as HE did in me! Oh that we might take a hard look at our lives, every second and every moment of it. Let us examine, what is it that takes up most of our time??? We see how little time we have to make an impact, to make a difference and reach others for Christ. We must ask ourselves this question….
”What is our life?” Then, we must answer honestly and take action! There is no time to waste! The time to examine every aspect of our life is NOW! Are there things in your life (put there by choice), that take up your time but have NO IMPACT on others for Jesus? Is there ANYTHING standing in the way of God’s will for your life, or his calling in your life?
Imagine for just a moment…you are standing before God (The Creator of The Universe). HE is the one that gave you life, every breath was from HIM. Now, your life is behind you, God is before you and all you have is ETERNITY. My friend, WHEN YOUR LIFE IS PASSED, and you stand in that moment, you will not wish you had worked more, made more money, or spent more time on all the many things that consume us. Today, may we live with ETERNITY in view and be consumed by Jesus, HIS WORD, HIS WAY and HIS WILL for our lives. WHEN YOUR LIFE IS PASSED, this is the only thing that will matter!
Bro. Lawrence Longworth Isaiah 61:1 “the opening of the prison to them that are bound;”
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