Get A Life! Series

Get a Life!

Matthew 7:13,14

2nd Chronicles 7:14

“If my people who are called by my name shall humble themselves, pray, and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

· We don’t mind turning in our resignations of being God to become humble

· We don’t care to spend more time in prayer

· Picking up God’s Word a couple more times a week doesn’t really bother us

But this week’s challenge will keep 90% of us from experiences true victory in our lives.

This is not a popular subject = It makes us feel uneasy

And God already knew this wouldn’t be popular.

Read Matthew 7:13,14

The gate that leads to destruction is wide –

To accommodate all of those who choose to go that route

“Narrow” is the gate that leads to life.

Title of Today’s Sermon: Get a Life!

“Get a Life” is clearly the most repeated catch phrase in the history of Star Trek. Another possibility would be “Beam Me up Scotty”.

Through the years, the phrase has spurred laughter, anger, controversy, and far more than its fair share of debate.

But this is clearly what we have to do if we are going to experience daily victory in our lives.

Matthew 7:14 – “The gate is small, and the way is narrow – that leads to life.”

If I am going to have a Victorious Christian life –

Ø I have to choose not to go the way everyone else is going

Ø I have to choose not to do everything else that they are doing

Ø I have to choose not to be what they are trying to be

Ø I have to choose to take the road less traveled

Is it as much fun? Probably not!

But that is debatable by if you want 15 minutes of a good time or if you want a lifetime filled with victory.

I feel there are three things that we must do if we are going to experience daily victory in our lives by turning from our wicked ways.

1. Grow Up! -

1st Corinthians 13:11

“When I was a child I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, but when I became a man, I put away childish things.”

But we all can’t say that! But to have victory we are going to have to get to where we can say it.

a. I no longer talk as a child -

We found out early in our lives that “Goo Goo Gah Gah” was not going to get us anywhere. If we were going to get the things in life that we need, we found out that we needed to learn how to talk as an adult.

(ex. Learning to talk before learning to walk)

1. Immediately parents working for the first word

2. Children repeating everything they hear

But as an adult, I know what to and what NOT to say. I know that I am not to repeat everything that I hear.

Why? When I was a child, I spoke as a child but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

b. I understood as a child

As a young child, I knew that things would be done for me. Do you know how they get your attention?

- Grunting!

(ex. Potty Trained – changing of the diaper)

If that doesn’t work they begin pitching fits.

I understand that as an adult, I have to learn to quit grunting my way through life waiting on someone else to change me.

I have to decide to grow up and start taking charge of my own life under the guidance of my Heavenly Father. And doing things for myself -

I also have to know and understand:

· A 40-year-old married man is no longer considered a “player” so we need to quit acting like it.

· A married woman has no business flirting with co-workers trying to grunt her way into a promotion

· Teens and Adults need to understand that pitching fits because you don’t get your way is not living a victorious Christian life.

I spoke as a child, I understood as a child – WHEN I was a child. But WHEN I became a man (adult), I put away childish things.

Get a Life! – Put away the childish way of living and grow up!

If we are going to have victory in our lives everyday, we must not only grow up but we must also:

2. Give Up! – Things in our lives that are a hindrance to our Christian growth.

Philippians 4:8

“…Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things.”