WHAT I NEED TO DO TO KEEP IN STEP WITH GOD
Eccl. 3:1-2 There is a time to be born, and a time to die. We have no choice over either of these they are a gift from God. When we consider all in the essentials of life it always takes us to our beginning and our decease.
We want to consider our Step of Death for it is one between us and God I SAMUEL 20:3
We are in this world to see as many people get into heaven as we can. We are to ask, "What does God want to do?" Then we need to live each day with this in our minds, "How will what I am doing help my church be what God wants it to be?"
WE NEED TO HAVE PURITY OF HEART. The most important ability we can possess is the ability to get along with others. We can only be a secure person as we are pure in heart. Our mission is to help others become more like Christ. We best do that by giving encouragement rather than criticism.
I. THE STEP OF DEATH IS A COMPLETE STEP.
A. It is appointed to man to die; Heb. 9:27.
B. All mankind is subject to death; Ps. 49:10 "Those who are wise must finally die, just like
the foolish and senseless."
C. The living know that they shall die; Eccles. "The living at least know they will die, but
the dead know nothing."
WE NEED TO BE PERSUADED IT CAN HAPPEN. We need to believe it can happen because God wants it to happen. We need to think beyond those who have the mind set "it cannot be done."
II. THE STEP OF DEATH IS A NEAR STEP.
A. Age is not anything before God; Ps. 39:4, 5 "Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am. Behold, you have made my days as a hand span; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity."
B. Life appears only for a little while; James 4:14. "You don’t know what will happen tomorrow. What is life? You are a mist that is seen for a moment and then disappears."
C. Man’s days are like a shadow; Ps. 144:4 "Humans are like a breath of air. Their life span is like a fleeting shadow."
WE ARE TO HAVE PURPOSE THAT IS RIGHT. We need to make sure our church is what it needs to be to make it possible for people to find Christ and enable them to live a holy life.
III. THE STEP OF DEATH IS AN unsure STEP.
A. We have no continuing city here; Heb. 13:14 "We don’t have a permanent city here on earth, but we are looking for the city that we will have in the future."
B. We know not the day of death; Gen 27:2. Isaac said, "I’m old. I don’t know when I’m going to die."
C. We shall be cut off as a flower; James 1:10 "And those who are rich should be glad, for God has humbled them. They will fade away like a flower in the field."
WE ARE TO HAVE PASSION TO LEAD. We are not to blame others for the problems but to take on the problems as our own and take the responsibility to find a solution. We need to get a mind set that there is always something I can do to help fix the problem. It is my job to find solution and put it into action.
Keys to being a good leader: 1. BE ON TIME. 2. DO WHAT YOU SAY YOU ARE GOING TO DO. 3. FINISH WHAT YOU START. 4. SAY "PLEASE" AND "THANKYOU." Always keep yourself doing what God wants you to do. If it takes 100 steps do not stop at step 97. You will have wasted 97 steps if fail to take the last three which I would suggest as step 98- OWNERSHIP.
STEP 99-COMMITMENT and STEP 100-ACCOUNTABILITY. We need to encourage others in these last three steps.
IV. THE STEP OF DEATH IS A SEPARATING STEP.
A. It separates a mother from her son; Luke 7:12 "Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her."
B. It separates a father from his son; II Sam.12:22, 23 "David answered, "As long as the child was alive, I fasted and cried. I thought, ’Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me and let the child live.’ But why should I fast now that he’s dead? Can I bring him back?"
C. It separated sisters from their brother; John 11Mary, Martha, Lazarus.
WE NEED PERPETUAL VIGOR- Always be excited about the fact that Jesus is coming again.
WE NEED TO LOOK FOR POSITIVE CHANGE. We do not make progress without change. First grade desks will not do for sixth graders. Our best move is to go from a me-better agenda to what I need to do to make it better for others and especially as it has to do with their life in Christ and living a holy life. It is not about me but others whom Christ loves.
V. THE STEP OF DEATH IS STIRRING STEP.
A. It stirs a faithful life; Rev. 2:10 "Fear none of those things which thou shall suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and you shall have tribulation ten days: be faithful unto death, and I will give you a crown of life."
B. It stirs a yielded life; Rom. 6:13 "Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God."
C. It stirs a Christ-centered life; Col. 1:18 "Christ is the head of the church, which is his body. He is the first of all who will rise from the dead, so he is first in everything."
WE NEED PROGRAMS THAT PRODUCE. Use programs that work and get rid of those programs that do not work, no matter how long they have been around.
VI. THE STEP OF DEATH CAN BE A BLESSED STEP.
A. It can be to a blessed country; Heb. 11:16 "But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he has prepared for them a city."
B. It can be to a blessed position; Rev. 14:13 "Write this: From now on those who die believing in the Lord are blessed. "Yes," says the Spirit. "Let them rest from their hard work. What they have done goes with them."
C. It can be to a blessed condition; I John 3:1 "Consider this: The Father has given us his love. He loves us so much that we are actually called God’s dear children. And that’s what we are. For this reason the world doesn’t recognize us, and it didn’t recognize him either."
WE NEED PERSEVANCE THAT PAYS OFF. God has trouble using wimps. We are to learn to run our lives on being committed and not on our feelings. Spend time to find out what God wants you to do and do not get side tracked. Never quit for God has never given up. I like this version of Ecc. 11:1 "Cast your bread upon the water and it will return to you toasted and with butter and jam on it."
VII. THE STEP OF DEATH CAN BE A PREPARED STEP.
A. Christ is able to give eternal life; Heb. 7:25 "Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save everyone who comes to God through him. He lives forever to plead with God on their behalf."
B. Christ gives eternal life to all believers; John 11:25, 26 "Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believes in me, though he was dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever lives and believeth in me shall never die. Do you believe this?"
C. Christ give security to all believers; I John 5:11-13 "And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. So whoever has God’s Son has life; whoever does not have his Son does not have life. I write this to you who believe in the Son of God; so that you may know you have eternal life."
A. LIVE A HOLY LIFE FOLLOWING CHRIST AS MY LORD.
B. BE RIGHT CENTERED. (not money, self, possession, people, task centered) CHRIST CENTERED IS THE ONLY WAY THAT PLEASES GOD. SET IN YOUR MIND, "I WILL CAHNGE TO BE WHAT GOD WANTS ME TO BE." IT IS THE TRUTH THAT SETS ME FREE.
C. MAKE YOUR LIFE HAVE A PURPOSE HIGHER THAN YOURSELF. I CHOOSE NOT BE A PRODUCT OF MY PAST BUT BECOME A CREATION OF MY CHOICES I NOW AM MAKING.
