the exit strategy of life

Living it up: Part 6- The exit strategy of Life                                       Friday July 16, 2010
Ecclesiastes 7:1,2; 9:9,10; 11:1,2 and Revelations 20 – 21:5
 

Preparing to Live and leave this life. Preparing to say goodbye to life! Revelation reveals to us what lies ahead for all human beings.

There is common destiny for man. What will you leave behind?
-At the death of a famous and wealthy man, how much did he leave behind?
-The answer, “All of it”.

What does the preparation include for living this life? We have abundant life and we have eternal life.
-Both quality and quantity of life.
-The quality life brings about qualitative changes in us.
-The quantity of life, Eternal Life, knowing what awaits us, what manner of people we must be.

Mankind have made their life very complicating.
-Cluttered with ambitions, things and unwanted problems. 7:29 This only have I found God made mankind upright, but men have gone in search of many schemes
-We have made our life very complicating and spent in pursuit of extras that we can do without. Scheming, planning, wasting of time. This is meaningless.

Luke 12:15 “Watch out, be on your guard against all kinds of greed. A man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” -Spoken in the context of The Rich Fool. We mentioned this is human perspective on life without God, eat, drink and enjoy. God says, you fool tomorrow you will die.

Life is more than basic needs.
-Basic needs food, clothing and shelter, later added health and education.
-Most of our prayers are centered around basic needs.
-What kind of relationship will be there between children and parents if they only talked to their parents when they needed anything.
-Weak and need oriented relationship. Relationship must be love oriented.
-Often our relationship with God is based on Him supplying our basic needs.

Rise above mediocrity. Rise above the basis needs attitude.
-Life is more than just living with basic needs. Matthew 6 Jesus speaking of basic needs and how God has promised to supply. Seek Him. 6:33
-There are needs of meaning, values, relationship, unselfishness, being kind and generous to one another, praying for needs of others, sharing the light of Jesus to others, involved in his work and serving him wholeheartedly.
-Praying for others and other nations. All these are rising above basic needs.
-Giving for the work of the Lord and for meaningful involvement. Those who volunteer live longer than others. -Store up your treasures in heaven where moth does not get to it. Be generous.

Preparation to live and Leave this life.
Leave a legacy. Legacy by definition consists of many. It is not one event or one decision that makes us leave a good legacy behind. Pursue these matters:

1. Legacy of a Good name: Ecclesiastes 7:1,2
-Good name means more than a good social standing. (shu khyati) It represents a genuine goodness of character. Such a person has more permanent influence than the person who is concerned only about social status. Lave a legacy of good character.
Good name better than fine perfume. Perfume can be felt and it can be distinctive. A good name is better and reaches far and wide and makes you a man or woman of distinction.
Proverbs 22:1 a good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.
7:2 Death is the destiny of every man. The living should take this to heart. The death of death for the believer is better in a sense because this marks the beginning of a far better life with God.
A good name is a good legacy to leave behind.

2. Legacy of Good life: 9:9,10 The philosophy is always that you may enjoy life. Life without God may bring temporary enjoyment but it comes with a price of bondage. It is meaningless.

Enjoy life with God.
9:7 speaks of enjoy your food and drink. enjoy.
9:8 Enjoy what you wear, be refreshing and what you put on.
9:9 Enjoy life with your wife whom you love all the days of this meaningless life.
-The most important decision in life is to accept Jesus. The next most important decision is to make a good decision about choosing spouse. You will need to spend the rest of your life with him or her on earth. If this is not a right choice, it will be very difficult to enjoy life as God has planned.
-You cannot enjoy what you do not love. Enjoying all the days of life requires life long commitment. A young man and woman not willing to make a life time commitment, should not enter into marriage relationship. You will not enjoy it if you are just trying to see if this works as in the developing nations.

9:10 Enjoy your work. Whatever your hands finds to do, do it with all your heart.
-Good advise to all. Sometime we wait to get a good offer to show our skills and worth. Our test is in small matters.
-We need to work hard whatever we are doing.
-Col 3:3 Whatever you do wor at it with all or heart as working for the Lord and not man.
-It does not matter who the boss is, we are serving the Lord.

Leave a legacy of good life model.

3. Legacy to remember. Good Future Rewards. 11:1,2 We are always working with future in mind. Cast your bread upon the waters for your will find it after many days. Bread – Grain. Pic gture of the Egyptians casting their grain in the Nile during flooding. May look like a waste but after many days, they reap a great harvest at the proper season. Your deed today may look like casting on water but it will catch up with you.
-11:2 Be Generous in casting and sowing. Sow good seeds.

Good deeds are good legacy to leave behind. They speak from the grave.

Higher life: Book of life – Book of Accounts Revelation 20:10-21:5 A great white throne – Jesus sitting on the throne – Judgment is in session. Heaven and Sky fled from His presence.

Many books were opened. These are individual books on each person. Another book was opened: The Book of Life. The Lamb’s book of life. Rev. 21:27
-When you have asked Jesus, your names are written. Jesus said, rejoice for your names are written in the book of life.
Whoever’s name was not written in the book of life, was thrown into the lake of fire. All great and small are standing in front of the Judge. The sea and wherever death occurred returned the dead before this white throne judgment.

Eccl. 11:3 the prayers cannot help the dead. The tree as it falls so it shall rise. -All are judged on the same basis. “What have you done” The question on which we will be judged, “What have you done with someone called Jesus, whom I had sent?”

New World Order Rev. 21:4 Everything becomes new. We are made new creation and now the whole creation becomes new where we can enjoy this eternal life. -It is hard to enjoy eternal life in a hostile environment. Remember Hell also has eternal life.

Old order is gone. Transformed life consisting of redeemed of the Lord. This is the final goal and expectation of the New Testament faith. He will wipe away all tears. No more death, nor more crying, no more mourning.

Old order is passed away, he makes all things new. The one who sits on the throne makes the declaration, “See I am making all things new” “Write down, this is trustworthy” You can trust His Word.

Enjoy life and get ready to enjoy even a better life. Jesus who for the joy set before him, endured the cross.

What can I do with my life on earth? What I want to leave behind besides children and grand children? -Good children are your heritage and a great legacy to leave behind.
-Your legacy, must consist of good name, good life and good deeds.
–You must finish well.

Rev. 14:13 I heard a voice from heaven, write, Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on, ‘Yes’ says the Spirit, They will rest form their labour for their deeds will follow them.

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