A DAY FOR ETERNITY
Please open your Bible to 2 Peter 3 as we continue our series on the Great Race of life with today’s message, “A Day For Eternity.”
2 Peter 3:8 beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. NKJV
THE WILL TO RUN AND WIN
It is vital to understand that we are in the great race of life. This race is no ordinary race. This race is a race for eternal greatness. The Bible, says we are called with the high calling of God to run the race God has set before us. To finish this great race, there must be a will to run, and a desire to win. But most importantly, you cannot win unless you enter the race and run to win.
To win this race demands your very best. It demands sweat and resolve. It demands persistence and determination. It demands diligence and sacrifice. To win this race we must run with an attitude that is fiercely determined to win. But most importantly, nowhere in God’s word are we called to quit or give up. We are to keep running and we are to stay the course until the race is over. Paul said I have finished the race and I have kept the faith. That’s the kind of winning attitude that we need to win the race.
Our race is a spiritual race and it is the most important race you will ever run. How well you run this race will affect your life and everyone around you for both now and eternity. We are not running for an Olympic gold medal, or for worldly treasures; we are running to win an eternal crown of glory that will shine brighter than the stars of heaven. Paul said we are to run in such a way as to win the prize. Let nothing stand in the way of your goal to win.
One of the great secrets to finishing the race, and winning the crown of glory, is to understand the extraordinary impact that one single day of your life has on eternity.
A DAY IN YOUR LIFE
Peter wrote… 2 Peter 3:8 beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord (those who are believers in the Lord) one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
One day, just one single day of your life, holds great potential for eternity. The Bible says your life is not measured in years, but by each day that makes up those years…
Psalms 39:4 "Show me, O LORD, my life's end and the number of my days… NIV
God doesn’t measure your life by the number of years you have lived, but by the number of days in those years you spent seeking His righteousness and preparing for eternity.
Our days are numbered and what you do in those days will follow you into eternity. Consider that one day of your life is equal to 24 hours, which can be broken down into 1440 minutes or 86,400 seconds. That means if a person lives to age 65, they would have lived 23,750 days.
The question is, how many of those days were spent preparing and living for eternity? Each day is precious and holds a God given opportunity to impact eternity in a special way. The terrible, sad truth is that many people will have accumulated 20,000 plus days over their lifetime, and never use one single day to prepare for eternity. Instead, they waste their days in their selfish pursuit of worldly treasures that have no eternal value. What a tragedy…
Each day is a day of God given opportunities for eternal greatness. Do not waste it.
One day, just one single day, lived for Christ has the potential to impact the kingdom of God in ways
that is far greater than you can imagine. Each day is so important and holds such enormous eternal potential that David said…
Psalms 90:12 Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. NKJV
Most people do not realize their days are numbered, and that even if you live to be a 100, life is still very short. Knowing that our earthly days are numbered and time is short, God calls us to make each day, a day that impacts eternity for a thousand years of glory in His kingdom.
Again, 2 Peter 3:8 says that one day in the Lord is like a thousand years.
Imagine that just one day of your life has the power to influence and inspire a thousand years for Christ. In our minds this seems impossible, but with God nothing is impossible.
The Bible reveals great stories of those whose lives were changed in a single day, and how that day inspired and encouraged future generations for thousands of years. For example;
In one day, Joseph went from the chief warden of the prison to the chief ruler of Egypt and become one of the most powerful men in the world.
In a single day, David killed Goliath and the victory of that day has inspired a thousand generations.
In one day, Jesus forever defeated death, hell and the grave, and the glory of that day has influenced every nation of every generation for 2000 years.
In a single day on the road to Damascus, Paul saw the light of Christ’s glory and the power of that one day is still moving and changing lives to this very day.
You might say, that will never happen to me. Really? You don’t know that.
In the hands of God, one day of your life can be like a thousand years for the glory of God.
Every single day of your life is important, because that one single day could have a massive impact for eternity. The years of your life is made up of days, and what you do in those days has the power to impact eternity. That’s why today is a special day. It is a unique day because it is a day that God has given you to live in and there will never be another day like it.
But… if you are not living for eternity, and if you’re not walking with Christ, then it is very possible that day will pass by and you will have missed the greatest moment of your life.
The power of one single day, could have a profound effect on eternity far greater than you can ever imagine. But if you are not walking with Christ, you will miss that day. Each day matters, because each day has the potential to impact the Kingdom of God with such greatness that it will take all of eternity to measure it. Every day of your life is an opportunity to sow and reap eternal reward because one day of your life in the hands of God, is equal to the glory of a thousand years in eternity, which is why God says… one day is like a thousand
years, and a thousand years is like one day… How is that possible?
You impact eternity when you make each day a day of prayer; a day of forgiveness; a day of mercy; a day to honor God and to bring glory to His name. You impact eternity when you make it a day to honor His will and to fulfill His purpose. You impact eternity when you lead someone to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
In Jesus name, I encourage you to make each day count for eternity by adding to your life the number of days you live for Jesus Christ and His Kingdom.
O Lord… Teach us to number our days, with a heart of wisdom. NKJV
MAKE EACH DAY COUNT FOR ETERNITY
How… can I make each day count for eternity? There are three principles that I believe can profoundly affect your ability to make each day count for the kingdom of God. The key to these principals is that you must apply them to your life, every day of your life.
FIRST… THE GLORY OF GOD…
The first principle is the glory of God. Of all the things in this world that demand your time and attention, none of them can match your single most important purpose to bring glory and honor to God in all that you do. Paul wrote…
1 Corinthians 10:31 whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
Do all for the glory of God… In all that you do, including the simple, ordinary things… do all for the glory of God. That’s how you finish the race and win the crown.
There are two things that will greatly help you achieve this goal.
First, you glorify God by honoring Him and His kingdom.
Jesus said…Matthew 6:33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness…
You honor His kingdom by righteous living, because His kingdom is a righteous kingdom.
You honor His kingdom by preparing each day for eternity, because His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom of perfect glory that will never end.
If you are not actively seeking the kingdom of God, then you are missing the major purpose of your life. Everything in your life, and everything you do, is all about the glory of God and enlarging His kingdom.
Second, you glorify God by your good works. Not your good looks, but your good works.
Jesus said… Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. NKJV
Your good works are not for your glory, but for the glory and praise of God.
Ephesians 2:10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. NKJV
You were created to do good works of faith and love and obedience that brings glory to His name. In the great race of life, it is God’s will that you make each day a day of good works that honor and glorify His holy name.
SECOND… BE A FOLLOWER OF JESUS CHRIST
In addition to glorifying God, the second most important principal is to be a follower of Jesus Christ. Jesus said…
Luke 9:23 "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily (How often? Every Day) and follow me. NKJV
There is no greater calling, no greater honor, no greater privilege given on earth than to be a follower of Jesus Christ. If you were to accumulate all the wealth and power on this earth and combine it together, it would be equaled to less than a single grain of sand when compared to your eternal calling as a follower of Christ. To be a follower of Jesus Christ is the highest honor and the greatest calling you will ever know. Paul said…
Ephesians 4:1… I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. NIV
How do you live a life worthy of God’s calling? By following Jesus!
Why should you follow Jesus Christ? Because He alone knows the narrow path that leads to eternal
life. He knows the number of your days, and He knows exactly what is best for you on behalf of His eternal kingdom. If you greatly desire to finish the race, and to win the crown, then make each day count for eternity by following Jesus Christ.
SEPARATE LIVING
A third principle that you must add to your daily living, is one of the most difficult principles to live by. It is a truth that no one wants to hear and has been largely ignored in this generation. This truth will save you from a lot of pain and grief, and its fruit will bring great reward. If you are to finish the race, and win the crown, this principle must be a part of your everyday life. I call this principle, the principle of separation.
2 Corinthians 6:14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? 15 And what accord (unity) has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them, and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” 17 Therefore “Come out from among them, and be separate, says the Lord… NKJV
This single principal can make or break how well you finish your race. You can’t run with the world and walk with God at the same time. You cannot live like the world, and expect godly success. You can’t serve two masters. You can only serve one. You have to choose between the two.
However, we obviously live in a world with unbelievers. So how can God expect us to be separate from unbelievers? The Bible says we live in the world, but we are not to pattern our lives after unbelievers of the world. We are not to live like an unbeliever. We are not to participate in the sinful actions of unbelievers.
Notice the words “fellowship, communion, agreement and separate.”
The Greek meaning is that we are not to be in partnership or be closely bound in a covenant relationship with unbelievers. Why? Because what they seek in life and what we seek in life, are two very different things. We work with unbelievers. We live among unbelievers. But we are not to act like unbelievers who have no spiritual understanding.
There is a radical difference between a true believer and a nonbeliever. Nonbelievers do not believe in the Name of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, but a true believer does.
Nonbelievers do not seek first God’s kingdom and His righteousness, but a true believer does.
Nonbelievers do not care anything about honoring God or glorifying Him.
Nonbelievers live in spiritual darkness, while a believer lives in the light of Jesus Christ and God’s word. There is a big difference between the two.
Believers of this generation have forsaken the divine principle of separation and as a result, we have allowed the world to influence how we live, rather than us influencing them.
One of the reasons why unbelievers have such a hard time accepting the things of God is because they don’t see us living any different than how they live. They hear us using the same curse words, telling the same dirty jokes, going to places and doing things that a believer and follower of Jesus Christ has no business doing. They see Christianity as another religion among many religions rather than a living relationship with Jesus Christ.
As believers we are called by God to be separate by living holy and godly lives.
We are to be separate by walking the narrow road of truth and righteousness and not the broad road of sin. We are to walk with God in the light of His word, and not by the influence of this world’s fake wisdom and false philosophy.
God calls us to be separate and different. He wants the world to see that the difference in us is not because we are more holy, but because we have set aside our worldly desires to follow Jesus Christ to the honor and glory of His name.
This is the high calling of God for every believer. This is the life we are called to live day by day, and to make each day, a day to impact eternity.
In closing…
What you decide today, could have a great impact on eternity.
In Jesus name I encourage you to realize the eternal power of one day in your life.
Make each day count for the glory of God. In all that you do honor and glorify Him.
Make each day count as you follow Jesus Christ. Make Him the Lord and Master of your life. He knows the way and He will always lead you on the best path for His glory.
Make each day count by living for Jesus Christ and the holy standards of His word, and not by the false and sinful standards of the world.
Make each day count because God knows the number of your days, and it is His great desire that you make each day count for eternity. I don’t know what number you are on today, so I encourage you in the name of Jesus Christ, to make the rest of your days count for eternity.
Today, this very day, could be one of your greatest days for eternity. Don’t miss it.
