"The Springs Of Life"
Prov 4:23 Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life.
There are different type of messages that are preached. Some can be placed under the heading of Expository, Analogy, Textual, Topical, Question Method, etc. There are those messages where the preacher will use a particular verse or phrase like a spring board to launch off into a search through the Bible to seek the truth in a particular subject – that is called Topical. There are some (and I am afraid I have preached to many of these) that no one could even begin to put under any category. In Today’s message I am using Proverbs 4:23 and a spring board – this would be a topical message.
I scratch my head at times and wonder what happened to the Nineties? We all must face the fact that time keeps marching on. Where you and I are concerned LIFE is measured by time.
So I though it would be appropriate to begin this year with a message about LIFE.
Let me share with you 5 great truths about LIFE.
I am not suggesting that these all inclusive. You may in fact think of other great truths that pertain to LIFE but let me share these 5 with you.
Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life.
Prov 4:23
1. LIFE IS ALWAYS IN THE PRESENT.
You here about people who live in the past (or try to) or about folks who are living for the future. Life only exists in the PRESENT.
The dictionary give the following definition of the word "PRESENT" A moment or period in time intermediate between past and future; now.
Did you get it: Only a Moment of time.
The Apostle Paul said about our salvation:
2 Cor 6:2 “At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.” Indeed, God is ready to help you right now. Today is the day of salvation.
This salvation is speaking of more than just eternity. It is speaking of here and now.
Salvation from Satan
Salvation from Sin – the penalty – the power – the presence
Salvation from Self -
2. LIFE IS ALWAYS MARKED IN SEGMENTS
100 years is a century - 10 years is a decade -12 months make a year - 365 days make a year - 1 week is 7 days 1 day has 24 hours
1 hour has 60 minutes 1 minute has 60 seconds
Psalm 90:10 The days of our lives are seventy years; And if by reason of strength they are eighty years, ……….. 12 So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom.
The only way we can number our days is to live one day at a time and apply our hearts to wisdom.
This is the day the Lord hath made; I will rejoice and be glad in it. In fact, today is the only day you can rejoice and be glad or groan and be sad – it is your choice.
3. LIFE IS JUST ON LOAN
Gen 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
James 4:13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; 14whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”
Repeat after me: "I own nothing" Everything I have is just on lone.
Over 120,000 people got up this past week – many were on vacation – many were saying, "This is my TIME to take for myself". At that very moment a Tsunami was racing toward them at almost 400 miles an hour. One moment they thought that the life they possessed was theirs – the next moment they were swept into eternity.
The life you have is just on loan to you. What are you doing with it? You had better read the parable of the talents.
4. LIFE IS A ONE WAY STREET
Psalm 16:11 Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
Through this toilsome world, Alas!
Once and only Once I pass,
If a kindness I may show - If a good deed I may do
To a suffering fellow man, Let me do it while I can,
No Delay, for it is plain, I shall not pass this way again.
A. You have but one life to prepare for eternity. If you had 2 or 3 you might be careless about the way you lived the one that you have but YOU HAVE ONLY ONE. You only have just this one in which to prepare.
B. Reincarnation is the great doctrine and religion of the thinking person. It make more since to the natural man. If you make a mistake the first time around - - - well, you can come back as something or someone else and try it again.
It is the Devil’s big lie. If the Word of God is true then Reincarnation is not true.
Matt 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
D. Life is a one way street - It is not a merry-go-round.
Heb. 9:27, And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the [judgment]:
E. A Common Expression: "If I Had It To Do Over Again" Jen and I taped a bunch of Christmas movies from the ’LIFE’ channel. They advertise it as Television for Women. One of the movies was "EVE’S WISH" She made a wish on the Christmas star that she could go back and do it all over again. Make for a nice movie but it is not reality.
You can take my word and the Word of Our Mighty God - You will never have it to do over again. Life does not have a rewind button. Be nice if it did. However, when 12 Midnight comes tonight you and I will have for ever written the final history of our life for January 2, 2005.
F. The greatest tragedy of the human race is that we put off living.
5. LIFE IS ALWAYS CHANGING
Need I remind you again that 585 times in the Bible it says :IT CAME TO PASS" not once does it say "It came to stay".
Oh! sometimes it is changing so slowly that we do not notice but you look in the mirror one day and realize – it is changing things.
Everything is always changing.
The only constant factor in this world is the FACT that there is nothing constant.
One of my friend had a T-shirt that read:
It got worse – then it got better - Then it got worse again
Then it got different - Then it got really different.
THE DEADLINE
There is a time, I know not when, A place, I know not where,
Which marks the destiny of men to heaven or despair.
There is a line by us not see, which crosses every path;
The hidden boundary between God’s patience and His wrath.
To Cross that limit is to die, to die as if by stealth,
It may not pale the beaming eye nor quench the glowing health
The conscience may be still at ease, the spirit light a gay;
That which is pleasing still may please and care be thrust away.
But on that forehead God hath set indelible a mark,
By man unseen for man as yet is blind and in the dark.
Oh, where is that mysterious bourn by which each path is crossed.
Beyond which God Himself hath sworn that he who goes is lost?
How long may man go on in sin? How long will God forbear?
Where dies hope end, and where begin the confines of despair?
One answer from the sky is sent, "Ye who from God depart,
While it is called today, repent and harden not your heart.
WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT LIFE IS IN THE LIVING OF IT.
Some men die by shrapnel,
Some go down in flames.
But most men perish inch by inch
playing their little games
