LIFE’S TOO SHORT
So Live in Love with God
January 8, 2012
INTRODUCTION
Some decisions change everything.
The decision to drop out may seem attractive to some, or to others the only choice at the time. But the decision will change everything for so long perhaps even a lifetime.
T. S As we begin this new year I believe that there are chances for each us to make choices that will shape not only the rest of the year, but perhaps will shape our lives forever. Most of us have heard the phrase, ' Life's Too Short.' The reality of the truth is supposed to motivate us to make certain choices.
This week I read things like this.
Life's too short
* To tolerate people who pull you down.
* To work in an environment or career you hate.
* For all work and no play.
* Not to care for your body.
* to be living somebody else's dream.
T. S. I want us to explore three choices that we just need to make because life is too short.
In one of the old testament books, just such a choice is laid out before God's people, an opportunity to choice and the out of the choice with have either great or horrible impact upon their lives.
Each of those choices is seen in the encounters that Moses has with the people of God in the events described in the book of Deuteronomy.
I. Background
A. Deuteronomy --
B. Purpose of Deuteronomy
The purpose of Deuteronomy is to remind God's people of His faithfulness and kindness so that they together embrace God's future for their lives.
C. Key Passage: Deut 30:19
19 This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, . . . NIV
P.S. LIFE'S TOO SHORT SO LIVE IN LOVE WITH GOD.
T. S. Turn with me to Deut 6:4-8 and let's begin to explore this choice.
Moses wrote as a foundation principle for the people of God. Jesus quotes from the passage when he is asked be a seeker what is the first and greatest commandment.
He has been remembering all the incredible greatness of God, his mercy in deliverance, his protections and patience while they wandered in the desert. Oh and did I tell you... he knows he is soon to die.
4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
T.S. When you read this passage it is clear that Moses is describing not just a simple decision but a lifestyle decision.
II. Living in Love with God is a Lifestyle Decision
4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 Love the Lord your God
* Impress them on your children.
* Talk about them
* Tie them as symbols on your hand
* Bind them on your foreheads.
* Write them on your doorframes
Some decisions require very little of us. Most of you decided to get dressed today. And we're all grateful. If you had decided not to get dressed that would have had big impact upon your life. But the decision you made to today to wear, grey, black, red, wool or cotton likely had less of an impact.
The Decision to live in Love with God is one of those ultimate defining decisions that we make.
A. We can know him and not live in love with him.
I know the guy who changes the oil in my car. But I don't love him. I may not wish him Ill, I may want him to come to Christ, I may hope he's happy, but if I were to choice to love this guy, I would be a different.
B. We can do things for Him and not live in love for him
Have you ever held the door for a stranger, stopped to help someone pick up something they dropped. We can serve without living in Love. We can show up to a meeting , a service, a gathering and not be in love with him.
Ever eaten dinner with a coworker? For most of us that's different than eating dinner with the love of our lives.
Moses knowing that he is soon to die. Challenges the people of God to live in love with God.
III. Living in love with God an ultimate, extreme, radical decision.
5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
Ill: Some decisions we make are just extreme in their nature, in their impact, in ramifications living out that decision. Every decision is ranked along the continuum of everyday to the ultimate, extreme, radical.
For instant which decision is more extreme.
To walk across the room, to run a 5k.
To run a 5k, or to run 5 marathons.
Moses describes this Love God challenge with three modifiers.
A. requires all our heart
1. The deepest part of our being
2. The place of will and determination
Decisions of the heart are always evident. They provide strength in the long haul, in the face of adversity, when challenged, when wounded, when overwhelm.
In our darkest days, when everything seems to have gone wrong, failed, or not worked out the way we had hoped, the willingness to keep loving God will be found deep within us. In the place of determination, where will alone carries us forward. It only found in the Heart
Ill: The movie Glory
Appl: Is you decision to love God found only in the convenience of easy times. If life were bad, if tomorrow, you began to encounter your own JOB moments, would you still Live to Love God.
T.S. Living in Love with God will always be
B. expressed in our passions
Rooftops
5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
I enjoy the privilege of lifting with one of our newest elders. Tony Leber is a man of many passions.
You can tell he is passionate about lifting, and fitness. From the bumbles, the smith machine the work out benches, the running machine, the workout journal, it's clear that he is passionate about lifting.
It's also clear he's passionate about the Buckeyes, for the posters, the framed prints, the memorabilia, the Grey and Red pool balls on his billiard table, the buckeye chairs. It's clear.
It's also clear he passionate about recreation, the pool table, the billiard table, the dart board, the foos ball table, the MAN's sized TV.
But in the midst of this man cave, another passion now not only is evident but at times dominates all other passions in the room.
Songs like Forever Reign, Filled with Your Glory, or the Stand ring out while weights are lifted.
Books about reaching others, the reality hell and need of human kind are on the tables, in a room once dedicated merely to recreation, exercise and sports, men gather to prayer, to encourage, to study.
Living in Love with God will always be expressed in our passions. If we are only passionate about family, recreations, hobbies, sport teams, jobs, careers, retiring, vacations, if passion for God is never evident can we truly say that we have decided to live in love with God.
Appl: Examine what you are passionate about. What get's your attention, what you talk about, what get's your focus, your time. Would others look at you and say, Wow that woman, that man, they are in love with God it shows.
C. leads to action not passivity.
5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
Strength is the stuff of action.
Every action requires some measure, some facet of strength to complete it.
Action of our lives are often the clearest indicators of living in love with God.
Let's say that you didn't know me or my wife, that you had no idea how much I love her. But you could see all sort of things that I choose to do.
Let's say you saw me
* Stayed away from home 6 nights a week.
* Slept in a different bed.
* Ignored her in public
* Heard me demean he in public
* You saw me flirt with another woman
* Watched me sit on the porch and drink coffee while she washed my car, her car, and mowed the lawn.
* Let say we went to IGA shopping together and I looked at a magazine I bought while she lifted all the bags in to the car.
Eventually no matter how much I told you I loved my wife you would think, Pastor really doesn't loves his wife!!!!
Let's say you were in my house and you say me
* Wash dishes,
* Cook dinner
* Rub her back
* Cuddle with her on the couch
* Bought her flowers
* Surprised her with a gift
* Folded clothes
* Open doors for her.
Eventually even without me ever telling you, you would come to the conclusion, at the very least that I cared for my wife, hopefully you'd determine that I really loved her.
Strength, -- and actions service are a clear indicator of a life lived in love with God.
If there are no acts of service, nothing that require our strength, can we really say that we love him.
Appl: Do you want to amp up you love life with God in this next year, serve him, find a way to serve, take action on his behalf. It will be one of the clearest declarations of your love affair with God.
5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
SUMMARY
Life's too Short! So live in love with God.
If is a life style decision that changes everything. It will require all your hear, all your soul, all you strength.
Go ahead Love Him.
