Life Defined – Part 1

Matthew 6:31-33 “Do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

Last Sunday, Pastor Rick gave a sermon on what our life is not defined by. So many people are looking at non-essential peripherals for a quality life of love, joy, peace, and happiness in the people, places and things of this world (aka our environment). Our Wednesday night church study group is going through a wonderful video series by Christian Family Psychologist Dr. Gary Smalley on “Relation-Building” and he states that what we “plug” and pour our life into, determines our personal sense of happiness, emotional health and well-being or lack thereof. Defining our lives in the objects of this physical material human existence (even if they are good things) is like pouring water into a bottomless pit because true lasting joy and contentment is not found there.

1 Timothy 6:6 “Godliness with contentment is great gain.”

Pastor Rick says that, sometimes, we look to constants like “family” to define our lives. Family is certainly a good , healthy and stable element of life, created by God, but it is not the foundation on which we build our lives upon. The God that created “family” is what you build your life upon. Families are never perfect because humans are not perfect. Ever heart eh term: “Nobody’s perfect”? Apart from Jesus Christ, who would be? How many long for a father or mother who says: “I want you to be my son or daughter?” Creator Father God says that always. Ephesians 1:4-5 “Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will”.

Ecclesiastes 2:11 “Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.”

Our identity is not defined by our education, our career, or our income either. Yet how many tend to? I read a related article by Dr. R.C. Sproul Jr., where he points out that the God-rejecting world system tells us that the key to the “good life” is a good education. Do well in school and get to a “good” college, which will get you to a “good graduate college, which will get you a high-paying job. Then you can afford a “good” house in a “good” neighborhood so that your children can do just what you did, and your grandchildren after them. Dr Sproul calls this cycle: “hell’s hamster wheel”. Satisfaction in life is not found here. Notice that the Lord is never mentioned. 

We'll finish up Pastor Rick's great message for us all tomorrow.

In Christ, Brian