Tips to succeed in the Christian life

1) “Tip” is one of those small but interesting words.

a) For instance, tip may describe movement. It can be associated with money.

b) A tip may also refer to useful information.

2) Often people ask for “tips” on how to do something.

3) Bookstores have shelves of books filled with tips.

4) People want to know how to do things better, faster, or for less work and money.

5) In the Bible we find that God invites all people to live a Christian life.

6) There are some passages which might be classified as “tips” (things to know and do).

7) Today we want to consider three different points that could be classified as “divine tips.”

a) The first tip is associated with the word “remember.”

b) Heaven’s second tip is, “do not take things for granted.”

c) Tip three is, “Do not depend upon our own strength.”

8) Our first passage comes from Mt. 16—Mt. 16:9.

a) Prior to this information (Mt. 15) Jesus fed several thousand people.

b) He and His apostles then began a journey and they forgot to get food (Mt. 16:7).

c) The disciples were beginning to wonder where they were going to get something to eat.

d) Jesus responded to their concern with the words in verse 9 – READ

9) Jesus’ friends had become forgetful. Jesus said they needed to “remember.”

10) We find that Jesus was somewhat fond of telling people to “remember” things.

a) In Lk. 17:32 He said, “remember Lot’s wife.”

b) Working on remembering things is important.

c) If we fail to remember some spiritual truths, we may become like Lot’s wife.

d) If we make the type of choice she did, we will not we are not going to fare very well.

11) Gen. 19:26 says Lot’s wife “became a pillar of salt.”

a) This woman failed to remember that God is a God who keeps His word.

b) When she did not remember and apply that information, she died.

c) We are not told why she looked back, but it is very likely she was tied too closely to the world.

d) Christians need to remember that this life is just a temporary stop. It is not our eternal home.

e) Every single item that is of a material nature will one day perish, 2 Pet. 3.

f) We must remember and pursue what is important.

g) We can become so distracted by the world.

h) Every single day the world tugs for our attention. We can forget what truly matters.

12) More than a week ago I heard someone make an interesting observation.

a) I am sure there are exceptions to what this lady said, but in many ways she was right.

b) This lady was commenting on people and how they acted in their later years.

13) She first discussed unsaved people in their 60’s and 70’s.

14) She then contrasted this group with Bible believing people much older (in their 80’s and 90’s).

a) She said it was her experience that we can find a great difference between these two groups.

b) For the 60 and 70 year olds who are not Christians, she found much whining and complaining.

c) These did not get what they wanted, felt like had passed them by, been cheated, and life was bad.

d) For the Bible believing people in their 80’s and 90’s, they were a fairly cheery bunch.

e) This lady noted how this was a rather odd outlook, but there was a basis for it.

f) Those in the 80’s and 90’s knew where they were headed.

g) They remembered what their hope was set on and in whom they believed.

1) They realized the youth of life was gone, but were hoping for something far, far better.

2) In the Old Testament a wise man said “remember God” (Eccl. 12:1).

a) This passage speaks of remembering God in the early years (youth).

b) This a divine tip (remembering God in the early years is the way to have the best possible life).

c) The world’s advice is to try out everything it has to offer in the early years.

d) Smoke, dance, drink, sleep around, try drugs, and wallow in sin.

e) The Bible says remember God.

f) The latest issue of the GA has arrived; one of the articles spoke about “sowing wild oats.”

g) The writer had met a Christian who believes this is just a natural part of a young person’s life.

h) Youth is regarded as a time of revelry – young people can try anything once.

i) The Bible says there is a better way and there is just one right way: turn to God.

j) We have multiple ways to do that each week and those opportunities must be used.

3) Making this choice not only makes the early years as good as they can be; it also helps later in life.

4) When the end of life comes, people want God to “remember” them.

a) In Lk. 23:42 we are told about a thief who was crucified with Jesus.

b) This man had a dying request. He said, “remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

c) How many people will want God to “remember” them favorably on the day of judgment?

d) All or nearly all will want that. For that to happen, we need to remember God each day.

e) We remember Him in prayer, our study of the word, and our assemblies.

5) Part of our remembrance is taking God’s word and storing it up in the heart.

a) After the resurrection some women went to Jesus’ tomb to take care of the body.

b) Lk. 24 tells us they came to the tomb and found it had been opened.

c) Angels were there and these women received a divine message: Lk. 24:6 – READ

6) About 30 times in the New Testament we find statements about “remembering” things.

7) Christians need to keep in memory who they are, what God wants them to do, and what their future holds.

8) Remembering also involves the time when we became a Christian.

a) Do we remember when we left behind the old life of sin?

b) Do we remember the zeal and passion from when we were baptized for the forgiveness of sins?

c) We need to remember that time because it can help move us forward as a Christian.

d) It helps keep the Christian commit strong.

9) A second divine tip we find in the scriptures involves taking things for granted.

a) This goes hand in hand with memory.

b) If we really remember what we should, we will be less inclined to take things for granted.

10) All too often people do take things or people for granted.

a) The best of people can be guilty of this sin.

b) Consider the man in Lk. 12:18-19. Jesus described a man who was a farmer.

c) We are told his “ground brought forth plentifully.”

11) This man did not inherit his money; neither did he get it by cheating someone.

12) He earned what he had. Everything said about his wealth indicates honesty.

13) Although the man was no crook, he took his wealth for granted.

a) Listen to verse 19 of Lk. 12 – READ

b) “Many years” is a key point in this story.

c) This fellow was not thinking about any type of misfortunate. He thought tomorrow would come.

d) In his mind there were many tomorrows. All those days never came.

14) Some of you may have seen an obituary in the paper about two weeks ago.

15) It was for a 73 year old man who used to play music at an entrance of the Meijer store by Lowe’s.

a) I saw that man at least a dozen times, and each time I thought the same thing.

b) He plays well, and this guy is always smiling. He seemed like a really nice man.

c) It turned out that he was actually a fairly well known entertainer.

d) His life recently ended because he was struck by a train.

e) We do not know if this performer ever took his life for granted or not.

f) His life, just like the one in Lk. 12, did, however, did suddenly end.

g) The man who used to amuse others was headed towards another job and he died.

h) Surely he expected to arrive at another workplace and continue to perform.

16) James (4:12-15) gives us a tip in this regard.

17) James knew there were people who reasoned, “We will go and make some money.”

18) “Today, tomorrow, sometime, we will go to a place, spend a year, and we will get gain.”

19) James knew Christians were tempted to take things for granted.

20) He therefore said, “Hold on a minute” (14a). We do not know what tomorrow will bring.

21) What is our life, the inspired writer asked. He said we are a “vapor.”

22) We “appear for a little time” and then “vanish away.”

23) The right attitude is found in verse 15 – READ

24) Our life needs to be dedicated to God because that is all that will one day matter.

25) Paul followed this up with a related thought in 1 Tim. 6:17.

a) He said the “rich” are not to be “highminded.” Riches are uncertain.

b) Paul could have said that life is uncertain and that would have been true.

c) Tip number 2 tells us to not assume that there will be a tomorrow.

d) What we have today may be gone tomorrow.

e) Life is a journey that is very, very uncertain. It can change in a split second.

f) One minute we can be here and the next second we are gone.

g) While recently in TN I enjoyed some great weather.

h) In a very short amount of time a tornado struck the area where I was.

i) I didn’t expect to be up past midnight sitting in an open root cellar that was about 15 degrees.

j) Students did not expect a college dorm to collapse on them and leave them trapped.

k) Those students surely thought their residence was a safe place; they took it for granted.

l) There are no promises or guarantees in life.

26) IF THE TWO POINTS PRESENTED THUS FAR ARE TRUE (AND THE BIBLE AFFIRMS THAT THEY ARE), THERE WOULD SEEM TO BE A LOGICAL CONCLUSION. THAT IS, WE CANNOT DEPEND UPON OUR OWN STRENGTH.

a) If life cannot be controlled by man, we need to look to a higher power.

b) This is exactly right, and the Bible says this higher power is God.

c) Paul said he could do “all things,” but he had to go through “Christ” (Phil. 4:13).

d) He found strength in Jesus.

e) In 2 Cor. 12:9-10 Paul also said, when he was “weak he was strong.”

f) This was one more way of saying the apostle needed to be dependent on God.

27) Eph. 6:10 says, “be strong in the Lord.”

28) Trusting in our own strength actually turns us away from God.

29) This type of choice is said to be the cause of God “cursing” people (Jer. 17:5).

30) Christians need to turn to God and find the strength in Him.

31) Jesus said that apart from Him we can do “nothing” (Jn. 15:5).

32) Think about this short but simple statement: nothing in the realm of religion can be accomplished without Christ.

33) We need to remember that.

34) If we are trusting in Christ, we will not take things for granted.

35) True strength is found in the Son of God. Have we found that?

36) What is our Christian life really like? It is weak, strong, growing, fading?

37) Do we really remember what God has done for us and do we show that each and every week?

38) Do we live our lives in view of the fact that this earth is a temporary stop on an eternal journey?

39) Today might be our last day on the earth. If it is, what will be our eternal fate?