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Make the rest of your Make the rest of your LifeLife the best of your the best of your Life…Life…
God Company Sri Lanka; E mail – [email protected]: http://www.slideshare.net/Thornmd/presentations
I have lived 48 years as a namesake Christian until I came to know Jesus. I have had my fair share of ups and downs during this period of time and lived mostly in the grey area - with brief excursions in to the black areas as well.
Being born to a Christian family I acquired the social branding as a Christian but did little else to be called one.
This is my fifth year with Jesus. My life has since been transformed and an ever brightening light has entered my life. My outlook on life has changed… my interactions with ‘everything’ has become positive… negativity has absolutely left my life… and each day I diligently strive to live in the light.
With Jesus’ word to guide and persecute me when I step out of line, I have been able to stay mostly in control of the Journey of my life. By coming to know Jesus I was saved and I continue to bask in His sweet presence. I want to share my insights in the hope that you too can make the rest of your life become the best of your life.
If you live to be 70…
from birth you have only…
840 months or3360 weeks or25550 Days…
TO LIVETO LIVE
Give or take a few that’s all the time you are born with…and that is if you
live to see your 70th birthday!
Stop to think…
We can observe a great insight in Psalm 90We can observe a great insight in Psalm 90
Psalm 90Psalm 901212 Teach us to number our days, that Teach us to number our days, that we we may gain a heart of wisdom… may gain a heart of wisdom…
The Psalmist is saying that we need toThe Psalmist is saying that we need toTAKE A COUNT OF TAKE A COUNT OF THE NUMBER OF DAYS THE NUMBER OF DAYS
WE MAY HAVEWE MAY HAVE LEFTLEFT IN OUR LIVES…IN OUR LIVES…
……so that it may have a profound impact onso that it may have a profound impact onhow much little time we are left with how much little time we are left with and use that awareness to at least and use that awareness to at least
START NOW… START NOW… to work towards obtaining to work towards obtaining A HEART OF A HEART OF WISDOM… THROUGH GODS WORDWISDOM… THROUGH GODS WORD
Therefore in order efficiently use the time that we are left with : First we need to get our bearings as to where we are at this point of time.
We need to make an unbiased assessment as a Christian… whether our lives project to be a light onto the world as required from us by Jesus
Matthew 5 1616 In the same way, let your light shine before In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heavenglorify your Father in heaven. .
Jesus’ teachings should form the very basis of Christian living as we are Christ followers.
Therefore in order to obtain a bearing as to where are at this point of time we should cross reference our lifestyles with Jesus' teachings.
By DILIGENTLYDILIGENTLY doing so we can self determine as to how much we fall short of this ideal standard.
You are a Christian because you have sincerely asked Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior and have asked forgiveness for your sins.
You are Christian because you are dead to the old you and a new you has immerged with Jesus by your side… with Him as your role model…learning to practice and live by His teachings.
Living in DenialLiving in Denial
Often we make ourselves believe: “I am a good Christian and not ‘such’ a bad sinner…
This is one of the most compelling reasons the world is so full of Sin. WE CAN JUSTIFY even the most heinous crimes. Look around you. Greed…viciousness…vengeance…malice…selfishness…idol worship… neglected parents …Un righteousness… murder….war…the norms of the day!
As a very basic example - most Christians do not even know the Ten commandments and hence have a very superficial idea of Sin.
Unfortunately except a few who are honest to themselves, most Christians live in a state of denial…
The percentage that The percentage that live in denial…? live in denial…?
Probably more than Probably more than 95%...! 95%...!
“…afterall I go to church every Sunday… and therefore I am a good Christian…”
You are not a Christian because you go to church… GOING TO CHURCH IS IMPORTANT but that alone doesn’t make you a Christian. One may very diligently come to church every Sunday and forget about Christian living during the rest of the week.
TO GROW as a Christian we have to LEARN UNDERSTAND AND PRACTICE 24 – 7 WHAT WAS THOUGHT BY JESUS.
The Sunday ChristianThe Sunday Christian
Paul said: ““But by the grace of God I am what I am,But by the grace of God I am what I am,” ” 1 Corinthians 1 Corinthians 15:1015:10. .
I’ve heard some Christians say “ I am a self made Man… ”
You do realize that there is no such thing as a “self-made man” don’t you? We get caught up in our self pride and we forget to give thanks to our provider who made it all possible through His grace.
The self made manThe self made man
As said by the Psalmist it is good to take a regular periodical assessment as to how well we have lived our Christian life…
…and then urgently make the required changes…navigate away from wrong and turn in increasing measure towards Jesus.
SELF ASSESMENTSELF ASSESMENT
1John 1: 1John 1: 88 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. the truth is not in us. 99 If we confess our sins, he is faithful If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. unrighteousness. 1010 If we claim we have not sinned, we If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us. make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.
If you diligently make this self assessment then you will find that we fall way short of the ideal reference that has been given to us by God…
His life, the example and teachings of His only begotten son Jesus
If we are able to acknowledge our If we are able to acknowledge our sinfulness then we have won the first sinfulness then we have won the first battle because Jesus came for battle because Jesus came for sinners…US! sinners…US!
Matthew 9:13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I 13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ ForFor I have not I have not comecome to call the righteous, but to call the righteous, but sinnerssinners.”.”
Mark 2:17 On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not the sick. I have not comecome to call the to call the righteous, but righteous, but sinnerssinners.”.”
Luke5:32I have not I have not comecome to call the righteous, but to call the righteous, but sinnerssinners to repentance.” to repentance.”
We have been We have been provided with the provided with the solution to reverse solution to reverse
our sinfulness…our sinfulness…Because ofBecause of
Jesus who came forJesus who came forSinners!Sinners!
John 3 John 3 1616 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHALL NOT only Son, that WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHALL NOT PERISH BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. PERISH BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. 1717 For God did not For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. to save the world through him.
Acknowledging our sins, through repentance and by believing in Jesus we
are promised of being saved…!
Therefore, as the Psalmist says
““Teach us to number our days, that we Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom…” may gain a heart of wisdom…”
……so that we may start now to be REAL so that we may start now to be REAL CHRISTIANS - NOT as per our self made CHRISTIANS - NOT as per our self made definitions but become CHRISTIANS definitions but become CHRISTIANS THAT JESUS EXPECTS US TO BE.THAT JESUS EXPECTS US TO BE.
After the unbiased self assessment and acknowledgement After the unbiased self assessment and acknowledgement of our Sin… Repentance and acceptance of Jesus as our of our Sin… Repentance and acceptance of Jesus as our savior, we begin the rest of our lives…savior, we begin the rest of our lives…
A new beginning. But unfortunately most “New Born” A new beginning. But unfortunately most “New Born” Christians get stuck here. Christians get stuck here.
Instead of taking our salvation for granted we have to Instead of taking our salvation for granted we have to consistently work at advancing in our knowledge of Jesus, consistently work at advancing in our knowledge of Jesus, the purpose of His coming and His teachings.the purpose of His coming and His teachings.
When we start to live by His teachings we begin When we start to live by His teachings we begin a unique relationship with Jesus and start to live a unique relationship with Jesus and start to live in the light…and become a light unto others…in the light…and become a light unto others…
……so that others will see our good deeds and so that others will see our good deeds and praise our Father in Heaven.praise our Father in Heaven.
When we are living in the light…the forces of When we are living in the light…the forces of darkness and evil recede further and further darkness and evil recede further and further away from us…because darkness cannot exist away from us…because darkness cannot exist in the presence of Light… in the presence of Light…
The evil forces that cause mayhem and The evil forces that cause mayhem and misery in our lives will be defeated by Gods misery in our lives will be defeated by Gods grace working within us.grace working within us.
When we live in the light, Gods blessings will pour When we live in the light, Gods blessings will pour in to our lives…in to our lives…All our troubles, worries will be swept away…All our troubles, worries will be swept away…
……because when you have become a because when you have become a CHILD OF CHILD OF THE LIVING GOD and through His grace you will THE LIVING GOD and through His grace you will certainly be able to MAKE THE REST OF YOUR certainly be able to MAKE THE REST OF YOUR LIFE THE BEST OF YOUR LIFE LIFE THE BEST OF YOUR LIFE
Revelation 319 Those WHOM I LOVE I REBUKE AND DISCIPLINEWHOM I LOVE I REBUKE AND DISCIPLINE. So be earnest and repent. 20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.
We have a great promise…
Remember God loves you and wants you to be Remember God loves you and wants you to be His child now and forever.His child now and forever.
