Calling Finding Life

Calling

Finding Life

Finding life is the quest of living with purpose

The pursuit of happiness

Whether we view life on a macro level or a micro level

We all want to do something with the next breath we breathe

Some of us only think about what to do in the next 24 hours

While others set goals for the future decades away

Jesus says

Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. Matthew 10:39

Jesus is asking us to take a hard look at what we are looking for

What do we want this life to look like?

Ask yourself the question have you found life?

Is what you are doing real life?

Because it is possible that our expectation of life

Could cause us to miss life all together

Finding Life

Finding life…

It is the quest of living with purpose

The pursuit of happiness

Whether we view life on a

macro level or a micro level…

 We all want to do something

with the next breath we breathe.

Some of us only think about what

to do in the next 24 hours.

 While others set goals for

the future decades away.

Jesus says…

Whoever finds his life will lose it,

 and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

Matthew 10:39

Jesus is asking us to take a hard

look at what we are looking for.

What do we want this life to look like?

Ask yourself the question have you found life?

Is what you are doing real life?

Because it is possible that our expectation

of life could cause us to miss life all together.

Jesus just a few verses earlier says…

Anyone who loves his father or mother

more than me is not worthy of me;

anyone who loves his son or daughter

more than me is not worthy of me.

 Matthew 10:37

Because Jesus says, “Anyone”…

He is talking to more than the 12 disciples.

 He is talking about you and me.

Jesus uses the strongest bond

in life, “family”, to make a point.

You know what they say…

“Nothing is thicker than blood.”

“Family is not an important thing,

 it is everything.”

“Family, where life begins and love never ends.”

Jesus is not trying to destroy family.

Jesus is making the point that as we put

family at the top of the list of a fulfilled life…

Family is not the top thing.

Family is not the end,

your career is not the end.

All the accomplishments read

at your funeral are not the end.

If our end is gaining the whole world…

 We will have lost everything.

As Mark 8:36 says…

 

What good is it for a man to gain

the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?

There is something at the core of who you are

and who I am that must be addressed….

Our soul

It is the soul that controls

and makes you who you are.

It is where all our decisions are made.

It is our mind, emotions and will.

Our soul sits on the throne…

Influenced by our surroundings.

Yet, the soul makes the rulings

and decisions for our life.

There is a way that seems right to a man

(to the soul) but the end is destruction.

 Proverbs 16 

 So if it is true…

“Whoever finds his life will lose it.”

How do we find “life”?

Listen to Jesus’ words carefully…

“Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

What does it mean to lose your life?

Your life has a throne.

You can sit on the throne that

is your mind, will and emotions.

You can be lord of your life…

Ruling with your options.

Or, we can look beyond ourselves,

our family, our career, all we call life.

Yes, God is the Author of Life.

At the creation of man…

The LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground

and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life,

 and the man became a living being.

 Genesis 2:7

Your soul, the mind, emotions and

will were given to you by God.

He intended for you to use your mind,

 emotions and will to rule the earth.

But He never intended for you

to be the end, the final authority.

Romans 10:9…

 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord,"

and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead,

you will be saved.

You are ruling on the throne of your life.

You control who or what you will submit to.

The God who made you and promises

life abundantly, offers you life.

But it requires making Jesus

Christ LORD of your life…

LORD of your mind, emotions and will.

Jesus uses the cross to teach us about life.

He died on a cross for all the sins of the world.

Sins are wrong decisions.

The reason He wants us to be righteous

is so we do not make wrong decisions,

 hurting ourselves and others.

 

Jesus conquered death on the cross

and lives not only again, but forever.

This is why Jesus says…

Anyone who does not take his cross

and follow me is not worthy of me.

Matthew 10:38  

Daily we have desires…

Desires to eat, drink, and be merry.

Desires to enjoy every breath we breathe.

Put a bag over your head and

you will fight for your next breath.

That is our nature.

Jesus is saying take up your cross…

The interment of death.

Taking up your cross is to die to yourself…

Your mind, will and emotions and follow Him.

Let Jesus rule as LORD of your mind, will

and emotions every moment of your life.

You and I are living in a

wilderness called the world.

How we get through it and out

of it make all the difference.

You can do it on your own

or trust God to lead each step.

Your calling is to take up

your cross and follow Him.

If you do, you will find life in

this life and the life to come.   

Scripture Reading

Matthew 10:37-39 NIV

37 "Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38 and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.