Facing the Realities of Life
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A time for everything
A time for everything
1 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
2 a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
3 a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.
9 What gain has the worker from his toil?
We live in Uncertain Times
We live in Uncertain Times
17 But you, dress yourself for work; arise, and say to them everything that I command you. Do not be dismayed by them, lest I dismay you before them.
18 And I, behold, I make you this day a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the people of the land.
19 They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, declares the Lord, to deliver you.”
1 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.
2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good,
4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.
It is a time of self
It is a time of self
We are surrounded by seekers of
++Self satisfaction
++Self fulfilment
++Self love
10 And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another.
11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.
12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.
Jesus describes the last days
Jesus describes the last days
Many will
++Turn away from God
++Turn against one another
False prophets
++Will arrise
++Many with follow them
++Lawlessness would be common
We live in a time where
++Were people prefer to live without law
++Where there is no Law, Love losses it passion
1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2 Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.
3 What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun?
Why do we do what we do?
Why do we do what we do?
3 Then the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai the prophet,
4 “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?
5 Now, therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways.
It the time
++To build you house?
++To get comfortable to rest?
Did God want his people homeless?
Did God want his people homeless?
Was there something wrong with them taking care of their families?
Was there something wrong with them taking care of their families?
It is easy to
++Worry
++To be anxious
++To be scared
Do we really find fulfilment in the works of our hand?
Do we really find fulfilment in the works of our hand?
What we do has a way of
++Defining us
++Bringing to us purpose
Consider Your Ways
Consider Your Ways
True fulfilment
++Will never be found in an occupation
++In a promotion
++Is found in God through Jesus Christ
6 You have sown much, and harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm. And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes.
7 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways.
We tend to work
++Longer to have more time
++Harder to gain a time of rest
++More to get more
Where does it all go?
Where does it all go?
1 Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”;
Remember The Lord
Remember The Lord
Something is Coming
++The Evil Days
++The years
++A time when the blessing is not enjoyed
Do the work
Do the work
14 And the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people. And they came and worked on the house of the Lord of hosts, their God,
Let the Lord Stir You.
Let the Lord Stir You.
God Stirred
++Zerubbabel
++Joshua
++All the remnant
They all came to work
They all came to work
4 Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, declares the Lord. Be strong, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land, declares the Lord. Work, for I am with you, declares the Lord of hosts,
Be Strong
Be Strong
This work will require
More than what you have
++a divine supply
6 Then he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.
Be Courageous
Be Courageous
Your Courage
++Is not in vain
6 Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them.
Your Courage
Is not in vain
++Is the motivation for obedience
++Is the vehicle for God-given success
7 Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go.
Your Courage
Is not in vain
Is the motivation for obedience
Is the vehicle for God-given success
++Stands on a greater promise
9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
I am with you
I am with you
17 But you, dress yourself for work; arise, and say to them everything that I command you. Do not be dismayed by them, lest I dismay you before them.
18 And I, behold, I make you this day a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the people of the land.
19 They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, declares the Lord, to deliver you.”
God tells Jeremiah
++Get Dressed
++Get up
++Get Going