January 13-14, 2007, Ephesians 5:15-17, Selected

LIFE 360!
HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF LIFE 360!

*** Eph. 5:15-17 "So be careful how you live, not as fools but as those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity for doing good in these evil days. Don't act thoughtlessly, but try to understand what the Lord wants you to do." [NLT]

1. WHAT DOES GOD WANT FROM ME FOR LIFE 360?

*** Romans 6:13 "Do not let any part of your body become a tool of wickedness, to be used for sinning. Instead, give yourselves completely to God since you have been given new life. And use your whole body as a tool to do what is right for the glory of God." [New Living Translation]

YOUR WHOLE LIFE!

*** Deut. 10:12 "Now...this is what the Lord your God wants you to do: Respect the Lord your God, and do what he has told you to do. Love him. Serve the Lord your God with your whole being...." [New Century Version]
*** Matthew 6:24 "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." [New International Version]

YOU CANNOT HAVE TWO NUMBER ONE PRIORITIES!

*** Luke 9:59-60 "Jesus said to another man, "Follow me." But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God." [NIV]
*** Luke 14:16-20 "Jesus said..., "A man gave a big banquet and invited many people. [17] When it was time to eat, the man sent his servant to tell the guests, 'Come. Everything is ready.' [18] "But all the guests made excuses. The first one said, 'I have just bought a field, and I must go look at it. Please excuse me.' [19] Another said, 'I have just bought five pairs of oxen; I must go and try them. Please excuse me.' [20] A third person said, 'I just got married; I can't come.'" [NCV]

Excuses: WEALTH...WORK...WIFE...!

*** Matthew 6:33 "But more than anything else, put God's work first and do what he wants. Then the other things will be yours as well." [Contemporary English Version]

ONE OF LIFE'S LITTLE SECRETS:
When you put God first, He'll take care of everything else!

*** Proverbs 3:6 "In everything you do, put God first, and he will direct you and crown your efforts with success." [Living Bible]

2. WHAT IS IT GOING TO TAKE FOR LIFE 360?

THE WORD IS DISCIPLINE!

*** Proverbs 10:17 "Whoever practices discipline is on the way to life, but whoever ignores a warning strays." [God's Word for the Nations]
*** 1 Tim. 4:7b "On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness..." [New American Standard Version]

What is "Discipline"? DELAYED GRATIFICATION!

*** 1 Tim. 4:7b "Spend your time and energy in training yourself for spiritual fitness." [NLT]

THE KEYS TO TRAINING FOR SPIRITUAL FITNESS: DIET & EXERCISE!

*** Hebrews 12:1b "So we must get rid of everything that slows us down, especially the sin that just won't let go. And we must be determined to run the race that is ahead of us." [CEV]

YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DISCIPLINE YOURSELF TO PUT FIRST THINGS FIRST!

*** Luke 10:40-42 "But Martha was busy with all the work to be done. She went in and said, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me alone to do all the work? Tell her to help me." [41] But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things. [42] Only one thing is important. Mary has chosen the better thing, and it will never be taken away from her." [NCV]

THE BEST USE OF YOUR LIFE IS INVESTING IT
IN SOMETHING THAT WILL OUTLAST IT!

*** Proverbs 10:27 "Reverence for God adds hours to each day...." [LB]

3. WHY SHOULD I DO LIFE 360?

*** 2 Cor. 5:15 "He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live to please themselves. Instead, they will live to please Christ, who died and was raised for them." [NLT]

WHAT WOULD JESUS HAVE YOU DO?

*** Romans 12:1 "Brothers and sisters, in view of all we have just shared about God's compassion, I encourage you to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, dedicated to God and pleasing to him. This kind of worship is appropriate for you." [GWN]

IS ANYBODY GOING TO BE IN HEAVEN BECAUSE OF YOU?

*** 2 Cor. 6:1b "...we beg you, please don't squander one bit of this marvelous life God has given us." [Message Bible]
*** Habakkuk 3:2a "Lord, I have heard the news about you; I am amazed at what you have done. Lord, do great things once again in our time; make those things happen again in our own days." [NCV]