Short Sighted Goal!

Scripture Text: “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable"  -1 Corinthians 15:19 (KJV)        

Image Credit: Magnific 

DEVOTIONAL 

MANY people spend their lives trying to create a lasting legacy on earth - They want to be remembered when they are gone! Yet, what ultimately matters will not be what others say about your life, but what God says.

What a good number of people fail to realize is that all achievements are eventually surpassed, records are broken, reputations fade, and tributes are forgotten. The scripture text (1 Corinthians 15:19) sets it clear for us, “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable."

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Nothing in life lasts forever, they are temporal and passing away, but God’s word is forever settled in heaven; "For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven." - Psalms 119:89 

Someone said, “Fame is vapor, Popularity is an accident, Riches wings, only one thing endures forever and that is CHARACTER!". 

Jim Dobson’s goal was to become his school’s Tennis champion. He felt proud when his trophy was prominently placed in the school’s trophy cabinet, years later, someone mailed him that trophy – they had found it in a trash when the school was remodeled. 

Jim said, “Given enough time, all your trophies will be trashed by someone else” Stop living to please people, start living for impact, live for God’s purpose and Will for your life. 

Living to create an earthly legacy is a Short Sighted Goal! A wiser use of time is to build an Eternal Legacy. You were not put on earth to be remembered. You were put here to prepare for Eternity. 

Whatever you do without eternity in view is eternally useless! One day you will stand before God and He will do an audit of your life, a final exam before you pass into eternity. 

Paul in his letter to the body of Christ, reminds us of a very vital virtue, he says, “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before” - Philippians. 3:13. Fortunately God wants us to pass this test, so he has given us the questions in advance. 

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The Bible says, “And hath predestined us to be conformed to the image of his son, that he might be the first born amongs many brethren” - Romans.8:29 

So, from the Bible, we can surmise that Good will ask us two crucial questions, 

First: “What did you do with my son, Jesus Christ”? 

The life of the believer is to be modeled by the character of Jesus Christ, Christianity is not a religious practice but living by the lifestyle of Jesus Christ.

So, God won’t ask you about your religious background or doctrinal views. The only thing that will matter is - did you accept what Jesus Christ did for you and did you learn to love, and trust him? 

Second: “What did you do with your life?” 

All of the gifts, talents, opportunities, energy, relationships, and resources God gave you, will be accounted for.

Did you deploy them for the good of others or lavished them on yourself? Were they used for the purpose God entrusted them to you? Live every day with heaven in view, live to please just One –God; your maker, and caller, live for your predestined purpose, and focus more on eternal life. 

Live as Apostle Paul “……forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before”

PRAYER KEY POINTS

Father IJN: Help me to always redeem the Time, in this world where lots of contrary things are calling for my attention please keep me only in your will.

Father IJN: Help me know why I am here and endue me with grace to work towards it, till the end.   

Father, IJN: Disconnect me from every association that is not of you, that seek only the now, without eternity in view.

COMMIT MEMORY

"And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever" - 1 John 2:17                                                 

FURTHER STUDY

Ecclesiastes 3:9-14, 1 Peter 2:10-11, Titus 2:11-13 

ASSIGNMENT 

Allow the word of God to guide your actions and reactions. Let it take the lead of your life.

You grow in the knowledge of the kingdom life by learning and doing the word. So, read and meditate on the word always.    

God's Word isn't a mere literary writing, it is His Wisdom in scripts. The Word is God's plan for your profitable living.

Also Read: A Persistent Prayer Life!