1. Life is a very precious thing. The one life that God has given to you.
2. The life of your loved ones is very precious.
a. The life that you share with your mate.
b. The life of your children.
1) Nothing changes your life like the birth of a child.
2) At their birth and throughout eternity
3. We are living in a time when life is being cheapened.
a. Cheapened by abortion
b. Cheapened by the world’s morals and ethics.
4. I also realize there may come a time in a person’s life when they feel, “This life is no longer worth living.”
5. I do not want to try and solve the problems of the world today.
6. I want to speak to you using the words of Paul, “For me to live.”
7. I believe there are steps to life, or levels of life not every person is at the same level.
a. Not speaking of age, nor finances, nor education.
b. But I am speaking of maturity. Your thinking, evaluation of life.
8. What does your life consist of? What is important to you, what are you exchanging your life for?
9. To help us understand “where” we are at in life, use these guidelines or thoughts.
I. There is a Survival Stage to Life.
1. People do what they must to survive.
a. All their time is spent on it.
b. All their energy is spent on staying alive.
2. Survival is a strong motivation for life.
a. It's seen in the world.
b. Think of the hundreds of millions of dollars our government spends each year on survival.
1) Feeding the poor
2) Medicine
3. Our minds and most of our goals are motivated by survival.
a. Our jobs
b. Our medical
c. Retirement
4. People will even plan to do wrong to survive.
a. In business dealings
b. In relationships
5. The survival of physical life is not the number one principle in the bible.
a. Philippians 1:20
b. Paul said, “living or dying is not the real issue.”
6. Matthew 6:25, 27, 31 z7 33
7. John 12:20-26
8. Let’s be careful not to let the cares of this life keep us from obeying God.
a. Luke 14:16-20
b. Excuses for not serving
1) Job
2) Family
3) Rest or pleasure
9. Adjust if the things of today are keeping you from the things of God.
II. Above Survival comes Satisfaction
1. We let satisfaction rule our lives.
2. Philippians 1:21, “For me to live is Christ”
3. As you look back at the close of your life what will satisfy you the most?
a. Business
b. Drinking
c. Sex
d. Hunting
e. 2 Timothy 4:6-8
4. Philippians 1:18
a. Rejoice in the fellowship and work of the ministry.
b. Acts 16:25
5. Philippians 1:20
a. Paul is saying, the greatest fulfillment I can have in this life is Jesus
6. Some are saying to me, “No big deal if I missed church service.”
a. Thomas did
b. Demas forsook Paul for the world.
7. My friend, the things that seemed to satisfy your life today, will one day leave you empty. It will leave you hollow and void inside. But then it will be too late.
III. After Satisfaction comes Submission Stage
1. There is a level of life where you allow other influence, institutions to control your life.
a. Mason, Lion’s Club, any group, or organization you are a part of.
2. Paul said, “For me to Live is Christ.” Galatians 2:20
a. Paul is saying, Jesus is Lord of my life.
b. Romans 12:1-2; 14:7-12; 2 Corinthians 5:8-10
3. Paul was so submissive to Jesus that was all He wanted people to see about Him was Christ. Philippians 1:20, “Christ shall be magnified in my body, by life, or by death.”
4. The word “magnify” means “to make great” or to make “conspicuous”
a. What is the most conspicuous thing about you?
5. Now, there are two ways of magnifying something
a. A magnifying glass taken an object that is small and makes it large and great.
b. A telescope is an instrument that is used for bringing things that are afar off and distant near and bigger.
6. Now, what keeps a magnifying glass from working?
7. What keeps a telescope from working out of focus?
8. Philippians 1:21, “for to me to live is Christ and to die is gain.”
IV. Now: Whatever for you to live is _____________? Know this:
1. It cannot be a mixture of Christ plus this or that.
2. Whatever you are living for, if not Christ, to die is loss.
3. The only way for your life to be victorious is to be full of Jesus.
