LIFE IS SHORT – BE WISE!

 
“Therefore be careful how you live – not unwise but as wise, taking advantage of every opportunity, because the days are evil.  For this reason do not be foolish, but be wise by understanding what the Lord’s will is.  And do not get drunk with wine, which is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit…” Look here, you who say: “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year.  We will do business there and make a profit”.  How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow?  Your life is like the morning fog – it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.  What you ought to say is: “if the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that”.  Otherwise, you are boasting about your own pretentious plans, and all such boasting is evil.  Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it” (Eph 5:15-18, James 4:13-17, NLT).
 

No matter how long we live on earth it still cannot be compared with eternity – the endless age that is to come.  Most people live careless and carefree life, leading the flesh with all its carnal lusts and have no thought of the reality of eternity and judgment.  In our Ephesians passage of this message we are advised to be wise in the way we live our life, not to live as fools who do not think of the hereafter.  It is important for a wise person to know what is the will of God for his/her life and not to just live aimlessly.  It is observed that there are two classes of atheists – the theoretical atheists – those who by their book knowledge deny the existence of God, God’s word calls them fools (Ps 14:1).  The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God” “They are corrupt.  They have done abominable works…”.  The second classes of atheists are those who live loose and carefree lives.  They have no regard for God or godliness, they do not believe in the judgment to come – they are also regarded as fools.  You may need to check your life if you belong to any of these two groups though you attend church services notwithstanding.  The wise living is  to acknowledge God in all your ways and be committed to do His will, which is not burdensome as many people think it is (Matt 11:28,29).  God helps you to live the life He wants you to live if you would wholly surrender yourself to Him (Phil 2:13).
 
James advised us not to plan without God as though we had our days of existence in our hands.  It is natural for man to boast and plan for many years without taking God into consideration.  Your life is in His hand.  It is not sinful to plan, but you should plan in partnership with God.  People generally say, man proposes but God disposes, this saying is not far from the truth.  Proverbs 16:9 says: “A man’s heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps”.  Prov 19:21 also says: “There are many plans in a man’s heart, Nevertheless the LORD’S counsel-that will stand”.
 
Once we have the knowledge of the word of God that it is only God who can enable us fulfill the desires of our heart, the wise thing is to surrender our plans to Him.  The foolish rich farmer in Luke 12 failed to consider God in his planning and eventually, God told him, “Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee; then, whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? (Luke 12:20 KJV).  When this man was planning for years to live, he forgets eternity.  The notable focus of this message is that your life is short, judgment of all sinners is inevitable, death is sure and eternity is real as the dawn of the day.  Therefore, give your life to Jesus today by believing and trusting in His death for your sin on the cross, and then repent of your sinful ways, ask Jesus to come into your life.  And if you have been born again, my advice to you is to plan (taking God into consideration) as if the second coming of our Lord Jesus is many years away, but live (in holiness and godliness) as if it were today, and God will bless you real good (I Jn 3:1-3).