A Wasted Life

Pastor Darrin has just preached a sermon on a wasted life. It can be found here.  

As believers in and followers of Jesus Christ, it can be discouraging to watch people waste their life. In reading The Doctrine of Repentance, the section I'm in is dealing with presuming upon God's patience and mercy, and thus, continuing in sin. How long will God be patient with the unrepentant sinner? Only He knows. A clear illustration given is that of a marksman with a bow, the longer it is drawn back upon its target, the more penetrating the retribution will be. How long will He tarry with the presumed saved who show little evidence of being saved? Only He knows. It is a sad thing to waste many years not actively bringing glory to the One True God. 

How can we expect to have the peace of God if we do not have peace WITH God? This peace is not positional peace that comes from being forgiven of our sins, trusting in the shed blood of Christ and His glorious resurrection. It is the practical peace that comes as a result of living the way God tells us to in subjection to His authority. 

It is absolutely shocking that we would expect God to give all the blessings of an obedient and sacrificial life to those who disobey even the most basic of commands as He does to His children who suffer for righteousness' sake day in and day out, or who prioritize serving faithfully in their local church or elsewhere as they are physically able. God looks at the heart, man looks outward, but God has given us very clear instructions if we genuinely belong to Him. Doing those things He says to do and not having true love for Him will mean nothing, but we DEMONSTRATE our love by obeying the One who has saved us. 

Too often we love ourselves above God. Too often we say, "No, God you tell your children to do this and do that, but I say, nah, I'll do it my way." Question to ponder: who is in charge there? Who is calling the shots? Who is god in that scenario?"

The 'vending machine god' is a god we mortals have invented. We 'believe' and we 'pray' but we pray to a weak god who clearly isn't worth obeying. He isn't worth corporately worshipping. I mean 1-2 hours out of the 168 hours we get weekly is clearly TOO MUCH to ask. Year after year after year we do NOT obey and instead choose to forsake the assembling of ourselves together. Year after year we choose to NOT be baptized by immersion as the Scripture teaches, which is the living word of God. Year after year we rob God by not giving back the small portion He has instructed us to give back to Him (10% of our gross income). And yet we pray for blessings and help financially. And we pray for healing. And we pray for protection and peace. 

I'm no ruler of the universe and am certainly not the smartest person alive, but how in the world can this be the way to treat the Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Omniscient God of all? Do we think He doesn't care how His genuine subjects treat Him? Do we think it doesn't matter?? I guess that is it. We are so ignorant, willfully so given the freedom we have to listen to sermons, worship openly and read the Bible, that we think we can just get "saved" and be good. God is long-suffering but is that really a trait of His to push and push? The regret I feel having lived for self the first 21 years of my life is nothing compared to someone who has racked up double that living for self upon coming to faith in Christ. True faith, saving faith says, I have to be with God's people. I have to sing His praises. I want Him to use my time, talents and treasure to accomplish His will in the world. It is something else when we refuse to give Him any of that. There are 168 hours in a week. I guess we deserve to spend all of them on ourselves while expecting ol' vending machine to crank out whatever we want and need. 

No church is perfect. Buckle up for that newsflash. Read the New Testament and you will see that reality and then see it live time when you get involved in a church. The imperfectness will only be magnified when you start attending and get into serving like you should because you are also imperfect like every other person serving in that church. Is it thought that God doesn't realize churches are full of imperfect humans trying to serve perfectly but who fail? 

Excuses. God sees them and it is His mercy that brings misery to us, driving us to obey and live for Him. 

Choose you this day who you will serve, because Scripture is clear. If you aren't actually serving the God of the Bible and thus, the world, you are serving another god. One day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess Jesus Christ as Lord, and actually believing that leads to ACTION friends. 

14 “Now, therefore, [a]fear the Lord and serve Him in sincerity and [b]truth; and do away with the gods which your fathers served beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 15 But if it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served, which were beyond the Euphrates River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:14-15