How to...Avoid being L-O-S-T
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How to...Avoid Being L-O-S-T
How to...Avoid Being L-O-S-T
When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”
“To the angel of the church of Ephesus write,
‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent. But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” ’
for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
Lost L-ove
Lost L-ove
“Thou hast left thy first love” (Rev. 2:4).
This is in the news almost every day and in our conversations. Some marriage has failed. The separation of high-profile celebrities make it into mainstream news. The latest I know about is Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. Even this week Irena and I were talking of a particular relationship where the man left; the excuse was: “I don’t love her (or him) anymore.” They have left their love behind. Many of these relationships have children involved which affect them in different ways especially when a new partner comes on the scene and things just get that more complicated. What a mess people are in today, more so than any other times in our history.
But it is not just marriages breaking down the world comes into the Church and they also lose their first love and leave behind Jesus who should be front and centre of everything in their individual lives and the life of the Church.
Without the head how is the Church supposed to function?
If Jesus is no longer head of our Church or theirs then who is now running it? If Jesus is no longer first who is? Are we? Am I? If so, we are no longer the Church but some social group who sings some good songs and hears from a man a sermon rather than sing to God and hear from God. There is no point in meeting if this is the case. Jesus is Lord and He is head over the Church. If this is so then the lives we live should also reflect this. He came all the way from Heaven to become a man and then die because of our sins - how is He not our first love? In all this God has shown us mercy but what of the state of His people. Do we show mercy? We have been shown mercy and are we now merciful to others?
Without brotherly kindness and love between the members of the body how can it stay healthy?
The congregation find faults with each other or the minister; they criticise, complain, gossip and backbite. We might think that since we do not do any of the so-called big sins that somehow we are ok. But God hates sin and He hates it when we use our tongues to curse.
Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another?
Who wants to be part of a Church that behaves in this way?
Their is only one solution for Churches like these to survive and not close their doors: Repent and do the first works. Get back on our knees and ask for mercy again.
We are called to lead lives of service to our King and His subjects. We are to put Jesus and others before ourselves. We are called to deny ourselves.
What does denying ourselves mean?
I am not going to answer that for you. Whatever it is that we love to do is what comes first in our lives unles it takes second place to Jesus.
Lost O-pportunities
Lost O-pportunities
“Whosoever shall save his life shall lose it” (Mark 8:35).
Who here has turned down a job and regretted it?
Most of us have turned down opportunities that have come our way whether it is a job, whether it a loan, whether a gym application not filled in, or filled-in but did not go. Whether to get a pizza or healthy food and so on. We have had chances for good or for bad because this is daily living. Every day the choices we make can be lost opportunities for a better life.
Let us extend this to the opportunities we have had but did not take to help others in their time of need. Whether a beggar on the street or opening a door or a neighbour who needs a visit.
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.
For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
And so on...let us extend this even further...
What of the opportunities we have had to talk of Jesus, to invite to Church, to win people for Christ? Have we taken every opportunity or has fear stood in the way?
Have we given to missions? Have we supported workers? Have we taken opportunity to go on a short-term mission? Or have we really not had opportunity?
This is not about regretting lost opportunities but about what we do from now on.
Do we take the opportunities offered to us whether in finances, whether in healthier living and whether in spiritual health and growth and, of course, the opportunities given to us to witness; to talk about Jesus; what He has done in our lives; what He did at the cross and resurrection.
Ephesians 5:15–18 (NIV)
15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.
Loving our neighbour as ourselves demands that we share the news we thing is not only good but great and amazing: Jesus died for us: He also died for our neighbour.
Lost S-oul
Lost S-oul
“What shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Mark 8:37).
Today we live in a world of uncertainty. Things that happen overnight can wipe out all that we have earned. The pound crashing against the dollar this week at midnight our time could have caused the absolute crash of our currency and put us back to a time that people barely remember during and post the Great Wars.
In fact, Paul has something to say about this:
Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.
We are called to enrich our souls more than enrich ourselves with money.
Our pursuit of riches in this world will inevitably lead us to lose our love for Jesus for He said:
“No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”
But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.
What shall we say: what is the point of gaining money, and houses and possessions?
Job, who had all this world could offer so ably said:
Job 1:21 (NKJV)
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
And naked shall I return there..."
If we have the things of this world hold onto them loosely for one day we may not have them.
There are other things that are uncertain: Our health. We can be overcome by illnesses, and accidents, and the dark vale of death looming.
The voice said, “Cry out!”
And he said, “What shall I cry?”
“All flesh is grass,
And all its loveliness is like the flower of the field.
For some the fact is we are no longer in the flower of our youth and so we do not look as good as we did when were younger. So why are we so consumed by our looks? There again there are none of us, I suspect, who do not have showers, put on nice clothes, make up for the ladies, hopefully not the men, but hey! should I say anything against that?!
in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing,
Ladies are more likely to care about their looks and also the looks of their husbands but let us not be so taken up by these things for as James says:
For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits.
As we get older our form changes. But there are things that can happen in this world. No one who got up this morning expects to die today or have life-changing injuries.
I am always amused by news stories of those who have escaped some disaster or other and they declare that they thought they were going to die. Well, the fact is, they were right! And we will, too, if the Lord so tarries. It is 100% certain. As Christians we have nothing to worry about on all of these. We have the greatest hope of it which is also 100% certain:
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.
This leads inevitably to the fact we can lose our soul. In fact, our souls are lost until found. This is the human condition; without hope and without God in the world. In vain does the world and the media talk of hope. We talk of hope that we will not have war but peace but this is far from certain. We talk of hope that we will live lives fully enriched and healthy but this, too, is far from certain. And then there is the vain hope that many cling onto that either there is no God and that this life is all there is or that they will go to Heaven anyway once all their good deeds are weighed in the balance. But, my friends, this is not the case.
But we are all like an unclean thing,
And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags;
We all fade as a leaf,
And our iniquities, like the wind,
Have taken us away.
The fool has said in his heart,“There is no God.”
They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity;
There is none who does good.
As we read at the beginning we are to do all we can to avoid losing our soul. But we cannot avoid this by doing good or with money. There is only one escape from being lost forever, only one way to life in all its fullness, life eternal:
“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
It is so simple to have our souls saved. We can lose all our money, all our wealth, all our possessions, all our family, all our health, our all but to lose one's soul is the most devastating loss of all. There is a way of escape and we all have to take it and that way is the only way and that is in Jesus. We all have that choice to make. It is a choice that the people of this world have to make. Why? Well, that leads to the next point:
Lost T-ime
Lost T-ime
“The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved” (Jer. 8:20).
We only have limited time. Time is flying by...it is lost once it's gone.
There is time, however, to mend relationships, to renew love, to take new opportunities, to look after one's health and finances; time to tell others of the Good News.
But time will run out one day. Once that day comes there are no second chances, no new opportunities, and health will be the least of the problems.
But, I say 'but' again for that day has not yet arrived instead:
For He says:
“In an acceptable time I have heard you,
And in the day of salvation I have helped you.”
Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
Now. Now. Now. This very moment is time to take to change our ways;
Lost Loves, repentance is the only way to resolve this (now is the time)
Lost Opportunities, especially to share Jesus with others (now is the time)
Lost Souls, because there is nothing more important than being saved (now is the time)
Lost Time, but we need not waste a further minute in getting right with God.(now is the time)
Let's pray.
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