How to Make the Rest of Your Life the Best of Your Life

How to Make the Rest of Your Life the Best of Your Life

Well -- the calendar tells me that I have another birthday tomorrow.

So today you are all invited to a potluck dinner here at the church -- to help me celebrate the fact that I’m getting older.

I bought a book at the beginning of this year co-authored by Mark Victor Hansen & Art Linkletter, entitled: How to Make the Rest of Your Life the Best of Your Life.

If you are growing older -- like me -- I highly recommend it.

While I will not share anything from that book with you today -- I would like to adopt the title as the topic of my message today.

There is an old saying that -- "You are never too old to learn."

The Psalmist gives us one lesson that you're never too old to learn: "So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” (Psa. 90:12)

Now -- what that means is this: -- "Teach us to number our days & recognize how few they are; -- help us to spend them as we should."

Someone has observed that life is like a dollar bill. -- You can spend it any way you want to -- but you can only spend it once.

Now when you spend money there are really only one of two ways you can spend it. -- You can waste it -- or you can invest it. -- The same thing is true with life.

Whether you are young or old -- six or sixty -- healthy & wealthy -- or puny & poor -- you can make the rest of your life the best of your life.

Suppose you were starting life all over.

You are old enough to know right from wrong.

You are old enough to learn -- old enough to love -- old enough to really live.

If you could ask the Lord Jesus Christ how to make the rest of your life the best of your life -- what do you think He would say?

I don't think we have to wonder what He would say -- I think I know.

In the words of Jesus found in the Sermon on the Mount -- recorded in Matthew 6:33 -- we will discover the answer. Listen carefully to what Jesus says -- & discover How to Make the Rest of Your Life the Best of Your Life. Jesus said: -- "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, & his righteousness; & all these things shall be added unto you."

You can summarize what Jesus said here in three words: "first things first."

Now I know that sounds simple -- but I want to tell you that if you -- beginning today -- would consciously, continuously, constantly, & consistently put first things first -- it would absolutely transform your life. The formula for how to do just that is found in this tremendous statement from the lips of our Lord.

1. To Make the Rest of your Life the Best of your Life -- Set Proper Priorities!

Everything rises & falls right here.

If your priorities are not in order -- your life will not be in order.

If your priorities are not right -- you won't be right.

You don't have to pray about what your number one priority in life ought to be; -- you don't even have to think about it; -- you don't have to discuss it; -- you don't have to look for it; -- you just have to do it!

And the reason for that is because Jesus has already told us what our first priority ought to be: -- "seek first the kingdom of God." The word seek means to "actively pursue" -- or "to go after."

It's in the present tense. -- It means continuously.

Every day of your life you ought to seek first the kingdom of God.

In order to seek the kingdom -- you must first seek the King.

You cannot have a kingdom without a king -- therefore -- the first priority of your life ought to be to seek the King of the kingdom.

Did you know that the Christian life is more than just coming to church? -- It is all about seeking the Lord.

The Lord is not just someone you passively accept. He is Someone you actively seek.

I can tell you something about your relationship to God at this very moment without even knowing you.

I can tell you how much of God you have: -- you have all of God that you want to have.

God does not have any favorites -- but He does have those who are intimate. -- Is your relationship with Him intimate?

James 4:8 says: -- "Draw close to God, & God will draw close to you" (NLT).

God has promised in His word: -- "’You will seek me & find me when you seek me with all your heart. -- I will be found by you.’ -- declares the Lord” (Jeremiah 29:13-14 NIV).

But it is not enough just to seek the Lord. -- You must seek Him first.

Jesus said: -- "seek first the kingdom of God." First things first means putting the God first.

The Bible says in Hebrews 11:6 -- "Without faith it is impossible to please him."

Do you know what faith is? -- Faith is putting God first.

Let me explain something. -- Jesus does not want a place in your life.

Jesus does not even want prominence in your life. Jesus wants supremacy in your life.

Jesus wants the first moments of every day. Jesus wants the first day of every week.

Jesus wants the first part of every paycheck. -- He wants to be first & foremost.

The Lord Jesus Christ is not interested in being the first runner-up in your beauty contest.

He is not interested in being vice-president in your corporation.

He is not interested in being second in command in your army.

He wants to be the King on the throne of your heart; -- not a co-partner in a duplex.

But not only are we to seek the King -- we ought to seek his kingdom.

The kingdom of God ought to be the obsession of your life.

The word kingdom literally means rule, or reign. A kingdom is a place where a king rules.

To seek the kingdom of God is to seek the rule & the reign of God over your entire life.

Now when you truly seek a king -- & you truly seek his kingdom -- you are automatically seeking for three things.

First of all -- you are seeking for the glory of the king.

Every part & parcel of your life -- every minute & moment of your time -- every ounce & pound of your strength -- every muscle & fiber of your body -- ought to be given for the glory of God.

The Bible says: -- "Whatever you eat or drink or whatever you do, you must do all for the glory of God" (I Cor. 10:31 NLT).

But it also means to seek for the guidance of the king.

A loyal subject always wants to do whatever the king would have him/her to do.

There is no higher calling in life than to find out what your King wants done & then to do it.

Every morning of your life you ought to begin by asking the Lord Jesus what Paul asked the Lord Jesus on that Damascus road -- when he said: -- "Lord, what would you have me to do?"

But it also means to seek the government of the king.

A loyal subject desires to be controlled by the king -- to be governed by the king -- to be ruled by the king. Someone might say: -- "Why, you are talking about slavery."

May I tell you, my friend -- that the greatest liberty in the world is found in being controlled by the right master.

Has it ever occurred to you that if your will was -- that God's will would always be done in your life -- then your will would always be done.

I heard about a woman who was deathly sick. A neighbor came to visit her & asked her whether she wanted to live or to die. -- She said: -- "I just want whatever pleases God."

The neighbor said: -- "Well, what if God were to refer the matter to you -- which would you choose?"

She said: -- "If God were to refer the matter to me, I would just refer the matter back to Him."

That lady had her priorities in the right order.

You can believe this or not -- but my friends -- it would be better to die in the will of God than to live outside of the will of God.

2. To Make the Rest of your Life the Best of your Life -- Seek Personal Purity!

Not only are we to seek His kingdom -- we are to seek "His righteousness."

That is -- not only are we to be seeking God's control over us -- but we are also to be seeking God's character within us.

The kingdom of God is not only to be inwardly experienced; -- it is to be outwardly expressed.

You see -- if God is ruling over you -- then His righteousness will be within you.

A man's character is simply the outward expression of whatever is controlling him inwardly.

Faith is always seen by its fruit. Character is always seen by its conduct.

As we seek the kingdom of God -- people ought to be able to see God’s righteousness in us.

As Christians -- we are never going to make a difference in this world until the world sees a difference in us.

The German philosopher (Nietzsche) -- who was the philosophical founder of the Nazi Movement in Germany -- was the first man in history to come to the conclusion that "God is dead."

He came to that conclusion by looking at Christianity. Do you know what he said about Christians?

He said: -- "If you want me to believe in your Redeemer, you are going to have to look a little more redeemed." The real mark of a Christian is that we make it easier for others to believe in God.

Now -- what does it mean to seek the righteousness of God?

We Must Desire It! -- We do what we really want to do -- & we are what we really want to be.

Jesus said in Matt. 5:6 -- “Blessed are they which do hunger & thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” You ought to desire to be right -- to do right -- to live right -- just as much as a hungry man desires food -- & a thirsty man desires water.

We Must Derive It! -- We are to seek "His righteousness."

God is not interested in what you can do for Him.

He is interested in what He can do through you.

It will be a great day when you learn the difference between self righteousness & the Savior's righteousness. Paul -- after he was saved -- made this one of the goals of his life.

He said in Phil. 3:9 that he wanted to "become one with him. I no longer count on my own goodness or ability to obey God’s law, but I trust Christ to save me. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith” (NLT).

Let me make it more simple. -- Before you can live it, God must give it.

That is exactly why Jesus came -- & Jesus died -- that we might have the righteousness of God.

That’s why the Apostle Paul said: -- "For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ” (2 Cor. 5:21 NLT).

We must not only desire it -- & derive it; -- we must Depict It!

We ought to live like kingdom subjects.

Will Rogers said it well: -- "We ought to live in such a way that we would not be ashamed to sell the family parrot to the town gossip."

3. To Make the Rest of your Life the Best of your Life -- See Promised Prosperity!

Now the Lord says that if you will seek first His kingdom & His righteousness -- then "all these things shall be added unto you."

To what "things" was the Lord referring?

He was talking about all the things that people so often worry about.

In verse 19 -- we are told that people worry about finances.

In verse 25 -- we are told that people worry about food.

In verse 27 -- we are told that people worry about fitness.

In verse 28 -- we are told that people worry about fashion.

Jesus is talking about all of these things that we need.

That is why the Lord said in verse 32 --"(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things."

The Lord has promised that if you will seek first His kingdom & His righteousness -- you will have all the things you need. I did not say you would have necessarily the things that you want.

There are four lessons parents ought to teach their children early -- & that it would be good for even some adults to re-learn.

First of all -- you don't need everything you want.

You know -- I wish I had all the money back that I had spent in my life on things that I wanted -- that I didn't really need.

The second lesson is: -- you don't want everything you need.

I never wanted one spanking that I ever got -- but I needed everyone of them.

The third lesson is: -- God doesn't give us everything we want.

I -- for one -- am so glad that He doesn't.

You know -- one of the greatest blessings of God is found in those things that He doesn't give us.

I read one time the confession of an unknown confederate soldier that tremendously blessed me. -- Listen to it.

I asked God for strength that I might achieve.

I was made weak that I might learn humbly to obey.

I asked God for health that I might do greater things.

I was given infirmity that I might do better things.

I asked for riches that I might be happy.

I was given poverty that I might be wise.

I asked for power that I might have the praise of men.

I was given weakness that I might feel the need of God.

I asked for all things that I might enjoy life.

I was given life that I might enjoy all things.

I got nothing that I asked for --

But everything I had hoped for....

Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered.

I am among all men most richly blessed.

The last lesson is: -- God always give us what we need.

I heard about two stores -- which were across the street from each other -- highly competitive -- always trying to get ahead. The manager of one store came out one day & nailed a great big sign over the front of his store that said: -- "If you want it, we have it."

Well the manager from the other store walked out & saw that sign -- thought about it for a few moments -- went back into his store -- & after a while came out with a sign he nailed over his store that said: -- "If we don't have it, you don't need it."

Let me tell you something very important: -- No matter what you may think -- if you don't have it -- it's because God knows at this point in your life you don't need it.

You see -- what the Lord was trying to teach us here was this: -- It is our job to serve God. -- It is His job to supply us. Now most people have that backwards.

Most people think that it is our job to supply us & it is God's job to serve us. -- If they could, they would sing the old hymn this way: --

I'll have my own way, Lord,

I'll have my own way,

I'll be the potter, You be the clay;

I'll mold You & make You after my will,

While You are waiting, yielded & still.

It is exactly that attitude that cuts off the blessing of God.

You see -- in a real sense -- we have been called to live from hand to mouth. -- And that's alright -- if it's His hand & my mouth.

I read about a missionary who was getting ready to go away to a foreign country.

As he was getting on the ship -- just going up the gangplank -- a friend of his -- who was a very wealthy person -- came to him & slipped an envelope into his hand that was sealed.

His friend said: -- "You take this envelope -- & if at any time while you are overseas you come to the place where you have exhausted every other possibility -- & you don't know where else to turn -- & you have a need that you cannot meet anywhere else -- then open this envelope."

Well -- the missionary took the envelope -- thanked him -- put it in his pocket -- went up the gangplank -- & he stayed on that mission field for twenty years.

At the end of twenty years he came back home -- walked down that same gangplank -- & was met by that same wealthy friend -- & he returned the envelope back to the man -- still sealed -- still unopened -- & he said: --"Never did I come to a place where I did not know where to turn, nor what to do."

Conclusion: Do you want to make the rest of your life the best of your life?

Then, my dear friend -- allow Jesus Christ to be your Lord.

Put Him first. -- Seek Him with all your heart!

Live every moment for Him -- & He will take care of the rest.

Pastor Lyle Pettit -- Wynne Chapel -- Cochise, AZ

November 25, 2007