Issues Of Life

21, April 2002

Dakota Community Church

Issues of Life

Introduction:

Proverbs 4:20-23

My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings.

Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart;

For they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh.

Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.

Matthew 15:10-20

10Jesus called the crowd to him and said, "Listen and understand. 11What goes into a man’s mouth does not make him ’unclean,’ but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him ’unclean.’ "

12Then the disciples came to him and asked, "Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?"

13He replied, "Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. 14Leave them; they are blind guides. [5] If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit."

15Peter said, "Explain the parable to us."

16"Are you still so dull?" Jesus asked them. 17"Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? 18But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man ’unclean.’ 19For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. 20These are what make a man ’unclean’; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him ’unclean.’ "

- It is the heart issues that matter before God.

Romans 14:11-12

11It is written:

" ’As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ’every knee will bow before me;

every tongue will confess to God.’ "[1] 12So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.

I want to talk tonight about the things that matter in life, the things that will matter on that day, the issues of life.

MOST PEOPLE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT MATTERS.

No clue to peace, joy, happiness.

They think it is found in things, other people, and other places!

Quote

THREE ISSUES OF LIFE:

1. Character.

This issue answers two Questions:

a.) What does God think of who I am?

b.) What do I think of who I am?

Philippians 1:27-28

27Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel 28without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved

Who are you when no one is looking? Can you be trusted?

Illustration: Charlie Brown and Linus.

Charlie brown asks Linus "What would you do if you felt that nobody liked you?"

Linus responds "Well Charlie Brown I guess I would take a real hard look at myself, ask if I am doing anything that turns people off, How can I improve myself? Do I need to change in some way? Yep thats my answer Charlie Brown."

Charlie Brown says, "I hate that answer."

Psalm 119:33-37

33 Teach me, O LORD, to follow every one of your principles.

34 Give me understanding and I will obey your law; I will put it into practice with all my heart.

35 Make me walk along the path of your commands, for that is where my happiness is found.

36 Give me an eagerness for your decrees; do not inflict me with love for money!

37 Turn my eyes from worthless things, and give me life through your word.

2. Faith.

This issue answers the Question:

- What do I really believe?

a.) Have faith in God.

Hebrews 11:6

6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

b.) Have faith in yourself.

1 Samuel 17:34-36

34 But David said to Saul, "Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock,

35 I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it.

36 Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God.

Ill.

Arnold Palmer’s has many awards and trophies but keeps only two on display:

1955 Canadian open cup and this poem:

If you think you are beaten you are.