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LIFE SERIES
APOSTLE SOLOMON EMMANUEL

IS SOMETHING MISSING IN YOUR LIFE?

If you can change anything in your life, what would it be?
Feelings of dissatisfaction or emptiness are usually what motivate us to desire a change.
But a change in our circumstances is a short-lived solution because only God can fill the empty place in our souls.

You can have it all yet still feel that something is missing.
A young ruler had everything the world value - wealth, possessions, position, and authority. Mk 10: 17 - 27 There is nothing wrong with having any of these, but ultimately they cannot fully satisfy.

Our love of possessions can cause us to miss the most important thing in life.
Although money is good and useful in the right hands, it can never buy what we need most. Our most important possession is eternal life. That is why the wealthy ruler came to Jesus. He had all the earthly possessions and achievements he wanted, but He knew He needed one more thing - eternal life.

The gift of eternal life is not the result of our good works.
Although the ruler knew he needed eternal life, he assumed he had to earn it. Because Jesus could see into his heart, He knew the man’s problem was his love of money. It wasn’t that he owned much - but that he was owned by much.

Jesus loves us even when we make wrong choices.
Christ’s interaction with the young man was motivated by His love for him. Jesus saw his problem, gave him the solution, and invited the man to follow Him. But the young man walked away.

The rich young man rejected Christ’s offer of salvation for three reasons:

a) Unbelief
b) Self-righteousness
c) Love of the world

Jesus acknowledges that it is very difficult for the wealthy to enter heaven.
Riches give a false sense of security that hinders people from seeing their need for a Saviour.

God made us for Himself, so that we could have a relationship with Him. Jesus offers the only way to fill the empty spaces in our lives.

QUESTIONS

If you look at your life and feel you need a change, ask yourself what’s missing?
Why the restlessness if all we are meant to do is follow Him?
SERVANT OF CHRIST CHURCH.

SERVANT OF CHRIST CHURCH

LIFE SERIES

HOW TO STAY YOUNG AND USEFUL ALL YOUR LIFE

Aging is unavoidable, but it doesn’t have to make us unfruitful and useless.

The secret to living a productive life is not found in a pill, a drink, or an exercise routine but in listening and doing what the Lord says.

None of us know how long we will live, but while we are still alive, we should desire to be useful and fruitful for God. He is the one who ultimately determines the number of our days, but we have the responsibility of doing what we can to live long and productive lives.

The Lord explains how to stay young and useful throughout our lives, however long we may live. (Psa 92:12-15)

“The righteous man will flourish like the palm tree” (Psa 92:12). It doesn’t apply to everyone but only to those who are righteous and godly. To flourish signifies abundance of growth and fruit. The palm trees do not only produce fruits but whose leaves were used for brooms, baskets,fences, roofs etc.

“He will grow like a cedar in Lebanon” (Psa 92:12). These trees grow as high as one hundred twenty feet, and their branches extend straight out to a circumference of thirty feet. They are truly a majestic sight that symbolizes great strength.

“Planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God” (Psa 92:13). Spiritual abundance comes to those who stay close to the Lord.
“They will still yield fruit in old age; they shall be full of sap and very green, to declare that the Lord is upright” (Psa 92:14-15).

Instead of being dry and of little use, the righteous person can continue to produce fruit throughout his or her life.

10 ESSENTIAL ATTITUDES THAT YOU REQUIRE

KEEP LEARNING - When we cease to learn, we stop growing because a lazy brain is an aging brain. So much has changed over the course of the years. As technology advances, we must continually learn skills our parents and grandparents never had to know. But the most important pursuits in life are learning the Word of God and memorizing Scripture.

KEEP LOVING -.The first and foremost commandment is to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, and might (Deut. 6:5). And Jesus taught and modeled love for one another as well. When we stop loving God and other people, bitterness, resentment, hostility, or hatred take up residence within us and damage our emotional, mental, and spiritual health. God created us to love Him and others. That’s why maintaining a loving spirit promotes good health within us.

KEEP LAUGHING - Laughter affects every part of our body, including our nervous system, and sets us free from discontentment and grumbling. Of all the people in the world, Christians should be the happiest because we have the joy of the Lord within us and the greatest reasons to be grateful. Watch comedy shows/videos.

KEEP LEAVING - To stay youthful and productive, we must leave yesterday’s cares and problems behind us instead of dragging them with us into the next day. Since past experiences and situations have the potential to discourage and pull us backwards, we must learn to cast all our anxieties on the Lord, knowing that He cares for us (1 Pet. 5:7). Hanging on to past hurts, disappointments, and discouragements negatively affects our bodies, minds, and emotions. And if we’re anxious about the future, we must also leave these concerns with Jesus and trust Him to handle them.

KEEP LONGING - As we get older, we must keep dreaming about the future. Instead of looking at all the things we can’t do, we should concentrate on what we can accomplish and look forward to what awaits us in the future. As children of God, we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, who empowers us to do whatever He desires. Though we may not feel adequate, we should never underestimate what the Lord can do through us when we’re willing and obedient.

KEEP LOOKING AHEAD - We should plan for tomorrow even if we don’t think we have many active years left. Looking forward to what God would have us do and pursuing activities we enjoy energizes us to continue being useful and productive.

KEEP LOOKING YOUR BEST - There’s something about looking and doing our best that stimulates and encourages us to keep going.

KEEP LABORING - Although we may not be able to do what we once did, retirement from a career is not a time to cease working. It may be a time to change what we do, but telling ourselves that we no longer have to work sends a message to our bodies that they can stop functioning. In the Christian life there is no retirement because we can still bear spiritual fruit and make a difference in people’s lives until the day we die.

KEEP LEANING ON THE LORD - Each day should be lived in dependence upon and trust in God. He’s the one we rely upon for wisdom, direction, and provision. There is no need to fret when we lean on the Lord in prayer. We can trust Him with all our concerns, knowing that He is always present and faithful.

KEEP LISTENING - The most important thing we can do is listen to the Lord. Though we cannot hear Him audibly, He speaks to us in our hearts through His Word and His Spirit. As we open the Scripture and pray for guidance and wisdom, He’ll answer us. But if we don’t listen to Him, we’ll be spiritually crippled throughout our lives and unable to discern His will. However, if we heed His voice, He will help us make wise decisions, guide us into the right relationships, empower us to avoid temptations, and convict us when we sin.

If you are a YOUNG PERSON, you may not think these practices are essential for you at this point in your life. However, there are advantages of making these attitudes a part of your life as early as possible.

If you are an OLDER PERSON, you may think it’s too late for you to become productive again. Instead of focusing on productivity as the world defines it, consider God’s description of a righteous person.

GOD BLESS YOU.