39 Sermon Illustrations on Accomplishment

Progress has less to do with speed and more to do with direction.

Cited in BITS & PIECES

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Our company has, indeed, stumbled onto some of its new products. But never forget that you can only stumble if you're moving.

Richard P. Carlton

Former CEO, 3M Corporation

Cited in More of...The Best of BITS & PIECES

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"Some people will see the light only when they feel the heat."

-- Unknown; cited in More of...The Best of BITS & PIECES

"When people are highly motivated, it's easy to accomplish the impossible. And when they're not, it's impossible to accomplish the easy."

-- Bob Collings, cited in BITS & PIECES (B&P)

"You get the best effort from others not by lighting a fire beneath them, but by building a fire within."

-- Bob Wilson, writer, cited in Even More of...The Best of BITS & PIECES

"People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing - that's why we recommend it daily."

-- Zig Ziglar, QFTM 5/15/01

“A mediocre idea that generates enthusiasm will go further than a great idea that inspires no one.”

-- Mary Kay Ash

“Love is a better master than duty.”

-- Albert Einstein

“To succeed, you need to find something to hold on to, something to motivate you, something to inspire you.”

-- Tony Dorsett

“When a goal matters enough to a person, that person will find a way to accomplish what at first seemed impossible.”

-- Nido Qubein

“The clearer you are about the consequences of your actions and the more intensely you desire to enjoy the consequences that your behaviors may lead to, the more motivated you will be.”

-- Brian Tracy

“Inspiration comes of working every day.”

-- Charles Baudelaire

"A man always has two reasons for the things he does -- a good one and the real one."

-- Attributed to J. P. Morgan, business tycoon (B&P)

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Lessons on Living from Isaiah

Isaiah 6:8

Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: "Whom shall I send, and

who will go for Us?" Then I said, "Here am I! Send me."

DON'T BE A NOBODY

Once upon a time there were four men named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody. There was an important job to be done and Everybody was asked to do it. But Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it. But Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about it, because it was Everybody's job. Everybody thought that Anybody could do it, and Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn't do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody and Nobody did the job that Anybody could have done in the first place.

Nobody is still alive and well in our churches. When the pastor pleads for someone to teach Sunday school, Nobody is the most likely one to respond. When clean-up day rolls around, Nobody reports for duty. When there is a need to provide housing for a visiting college chorale, Nobody is first in line. How refreshing it must be for God to hear Somebody say, "Here am I! Send me."

When Isaiah envisioned the Holy God and the spiritual need of the unholy world, he was energized to respond to the Lord's calling (Isa. 6:1-8). When he was released from the burden of his sin, he found a new enthusiasm for serving God. And so will you.

When you hear the summons to duty, don't avoid the opportunity—or Nobody will end up doing it. Instead of a Nobody, be the Somebody who is willing to respond enthusiastically to the opportunities of service to God. Instead of making excuses and letting others do the work, find the joy of being God's instrument to accomplish His will in the world.

BE GOD'S SOMEBODY; DON'T LET NOBODY GET ALL THE CREDIT.

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In a "Calvin and Hobbs" cartoon a frazzled Calvin quips, "God put me on earth to accomplish a certain number of things. Right now I'm so far behind I'll never die."

Two men, one very large and strong and the other very small, were out in the yard sunning themselves. The small man said to the large one, “Big man, you know what I would do if I wuz as big as you?” “No, little man;” said the big man, "what would you do if you wuz as big as I am?” “Well,” said the little man, “I would go right over now into dem woods where dem bears are, and I would hunt up de biggest, blackest, mostest violent bear I could fine, and I would lay hold of him, and I would just tear him to pieces. I would just split his jaws wide open, just to show him what a man I am.” Then the big man answered, very quietly, as he lay in the sun, “Little man, you know, dar are a lot of little bears in dem woods, and I don't see you tearin' any of dem to pieces!”

Many would do the great things, if capable, but fail to do the small ones.

William Moses Tidwell, “Pointed Illustrations.”

A man or a woman without a goal is like a ship without a rudder. Each will drift and not drive. Each will end up on the beaches of despair, defeat and despondency.

John Henry Fabre, the great French naturalist, conducted a most unusual experiment with some Processionary Caterpillars. These caterpillars blindly follow the one in front of them. Hence, the name. Fabre carefully arranged them in a circle around the rim of a flower pot, so that the lead caterpillar actually touched the last one, making a complete circle. In the center of the flower pot he put pine needles, which is food for the Processionary Caterpillar.

The caterpillars started around this circular flower pot. Around and around they went, hour after hour, day after day, night after night. For seven full days and seven full nights they went around the flower pot. Finally, they dropped dead of starvation and exhaustion.

With an abundance of food less than six inches away, they literally starved to death, because they confused activity with accomplishment. Many Christians make that same mistake.

"Others will underestimate us, for although we judge ourselves by what we feel capable of doing, others judge us only by what we have already done."

-- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

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David Guest, 33, of London, England, just got his driver's license. Such is normally not news, except that Guest has been trying for 17 years, and always failed the test. He took 632 driving lessons with eight instructors, crashing five cars in the process, to get to this point. “When I was told I'd passed, I bent down on my knees and thanked God,” he said. “I feel like I have died and gone to heaven.” (Reuters)

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[Original illustration at this number was a duplicate of HolwickID #15715]

It's sheer madness. How on earth are we going to accomplish this feat. Mountains are big; let's climb this one...

1. IS IT REALLY A MOUNTAIN? OR IS IT THAT YOU SEE A MOUNTAIN?

The task before you could be a 2500 meter climb, a 10,000 meter race, to organize the Olympic Games, buy a carton of milk at the corner shop or to keep to your schedule to please an important client. The task before you is indeed a mountain if that is what you see!

Take a good look at what lies ahead of you. Let's say you have a relatively short amount of time to organize a meeting for your regional director. If the first thing that pops into your head is that you probably won't achieve it in time, therein lies the problem. Without this pre-conception your job is a simple undertaking. But when you have convinced yourself it's not possible, you have just created Mt Fuji when only a moment earlier it was mere baseball mound.

Give yourself some credit. You didn't get to where you are now by selling yourself short! Bring the baseball mound back.

2. GO AROUND THE MOUNTAIN

It is important to do some research first. There are always many possible answers to the one single problem. We all know it is easier to work our way around the hill than to tackle the peak itself. Is the goal to climb to the peak or simply to get to the other side?

If your destination is just to get to the other side then adjust your plan accordingly. Conserve your energy for those things that are indeed closer to your heart.

3. DO YOU REALLY NEED TO CLIMB THE MOUNTAIN?

This is very important here. Be overly honest with yourself. Why are you going to climb this mountain? Is it because deep down you really want to accomplish this feat or is it to please somebody else? This is probably the most important issue here. If you climb for the wrong reasons the chances are, at worst, you will fail; and at best, you will have a feeling of un-fulfillment from within.

Don't do everything simply to please someone else. It will severely deflate you. You are the most important person in the world. Treat yourself with the respect you deserve. If you don't, others may infinitely be pressing your buttons.

If you've wanted to get to the peak of this hill then for heavens sake go there and achieve it. The feeling will be exhilarating. If you're indifferent, then find your niche. You will have to seek it out as it is highly unlikely that it will find you.

4. DON'T DO IT ALONE!!

A group of individuals with the same common goal have a habit of drawing incredible power and strength from one another. Plan your trip carefully with experienced mountaineers. A team with the same target has a much greater chance of success than a lone ranger with summit fever.

In relation to your professional life it is important that you seek out as much knowledge and professional advice as possible from the wealth of information available from others. Tap into as many different success formulae as you can. Educate yourself in your field, absolutely! Become an expert. Even if you are already an expert in your field there are always mountains (pardon the pun) of new material regularly released that will assist you no end in your endeavor.

5. YOU'VE ALREADY REACHED THE MOUNTAIN PEAK IN YOUR MIND!!

This is an important training exercise. As you envision in your mind that the goal, i.e., in this case reaching the summit has already been achieved you will sub-consciously adjust your surroundings to make getting there substantially easier.

Visions of success will increase your confidence and therefore your chances of success.

Put a goal sheet on your wall, beside your desk, inside your cap, in your wallet, purse ... anywhere but make them visible to you.

6. START CLIMBING FROM THE BEST ACCESS POINT

Experience has shown that the journey will be easier when you start from as close as possible to your goal. Prepare thoroughly. This point is a follow on from the last. In a nutshell be a PT (prepare thoroughly) for everything you do.

When thoroughly prepared you will have created answers to problems that have at this time not developed into problems, but will be easily recognizable and solvable if and when they transpire.

7. OKAY, YOU'VE DECIDED TO CLIMB, BUT CLIMBING IS FUN!

You've decided to climb the hill. There is only one lifetime and therefore no time for regrets. Enjoy your climb. If you don't you shouldn't really be there in the first place.

Enjoy what you do, always!

8. PLAN FOR EVERY CONTINGENCY

It's always good to be prepared for anything that can potentially happen. Plan ahead and cover all your options. It may seem pedantic but every parachuter, every motor car racer, virtually every professional will plan for all situations. It's not much point realizing what you need when you need it. Generally speaking, it's too late at this point.

9. TRAVEL LIGHTLY

This is straightforward. What you take with you will need to carry. There's not much chance of an industrial hair drier coming in handy.

In a business sense, make sure your home life stays there. If you are developing something on the home front, for heavens sake make sure it stays there. If you bring your home concerns to work, your output will indeed be impeded. This will weigh you down and have the same effect a laden backpack would.

Give your mind a break. Don't fill your backpack with non-necessities ...

10. ENJOY THE VIEW

You will pass through incredible heights during your journey. Make them memorable; this is a marvelous feat you are accomplishing. Realize it for what it is and you'll enjoy it and gain an incredible amount of strength from your accomplishment.

Who knows, you may then start to plan your next rewarding achievement.

"I am only one; but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something. I will not refuse to do the something I can do."

-- Edward Everett Hale

"Don't be afraid to give your best to what seemingly are small jobs. Every time you conquer one it makes you that much stronger. If you do the little jobs well, the big ones tend to take care of themselves."

-- Dale Carnegie

"If a man is called to be a streetsweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause and say, here lived a great streetsweeper who did his

job well."

-- Martin Luther King, Jr.

"Desire is the key to motivation, but it's the determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal - a commitment to excellence - that will enable you to attain the success you seek."

-- Mario Andretti

"The ultimate victory in competition is derived from the inner satisfaction of knowing that you have done your best and that you have gotten the most out of what you had to give."

-- Howard Cosell

"Work as if you were to live a hundred years. Pray as if you were to die tomorrow."

-- Benjamin Franklin, QOTM 3/6/02

"People never improve unless they look to some standard or example higher and better than themselves."

-- Bryon Edwards (1809-1894), editor and theologian, B&P 6/13/02

"There is a time in every man's education when he arrives at the conviction that envy is ignorance; that imitation is suicide; that he must take himself for better, for worse, as his portion; that though the wide universe is full of good, no kernel of nourishing corn can come to him but through his toil bestowed on that plot of ground which is given to him to till."

-- Ralph Waldo Emerson, QOTM 6/14/02

Do you remember when you were a child and no dream seemed too big? Some of us thought we would walk on the moon; some dreamed of riding with Roy Rogers; others imagined stepping to the plate in a big-league game. Every one of us, when we were young, had a common trait - we were dreamers. The world hadn't gotten to us yet to show us that we couldn't possibly achieve what our hearts longed for. And we were yet still years from realizing that in some cases we weren't built for achieving our dream (I realized about my junior year of high school that I was too short and too slow to play professional basketball. The dreamer is always the last to know).

Eventually we started to let our dreams die. People began to tell us that we couldn't do the things we wanted. It was impossible. Responsible people don't pursue their dreams. Settle down, get a job, be dependable. Take care of business, live the mundane, be content.

Do you know what I say to that? Hooey!

It is time to dream again!

Why? Here are just a few reasons:

Avoiding regret. The facts are in, and someday we will all lie on our deathbed looking back through the history of our lives. We will undoubtedly think about what we wished we had done or accomplished. I for one don't want to regret what could have been, what should have been. So I am deciding today to pursue my dreams.

* Making the world a better place. All of the great accomplishments that have ever happened began with a person who had a dream. Somebody rebuffed the nay-sayers and said to himself or herself, "This can be done, and I am the one who will do it." And in many instances they changed the world for the better. It isn't just the Martin Luther King's and the J.F.K's either. Think of all the people we have never heard of who have started things large and small that help people world-wide every day.

* The world needs people like you to dream of something great and then to pursue it with all of your heart. Maybe you belong to a business, school, or organization that started out with good intentions but has settled into the same ol' same ol'. Shake them up and remind them of how they could really help people if only they would dream!

* Personal and family fulfillment. One of the things that happens when we stop pursuing our dreams is that a little piece of us dies and we become disheartened, if only in that area of our lives. Stepping up and pursuing your dream rekindles that passion and zeal that everyone has the capacity for and lets us experience fulfillment. Having a purpose puts the zip in our step and the zing in our emotions!

* Leaving a legacy. How will your children remember you? As one who sought all that life had to offer, using your gifts and talents to their fullest extent, leading the family with a zest for life, or as an overweight couch potato who could have been? Our children need to see that we dream; that we search for something better. They in turn will do the same!

So where do we start? Here are some ideas:

* Reconnect with your dream. Set aside some time to let yourself dream. What have you placed on the backburner in order to live the status quo? Settle on one or two dreams that you can and will pursue. Don't come up with too many. That will only deter you further.

* Decide that you will do it. This may seem elementary but many people never decide and commit fully to their dream. They simply keep "thinking" about it. Tell others that you are going to do it. This puts you on the record as to what you are dreaming about. It makes you accountable. It will help you do it if for no other reason than to avoid embarrassment!

* Develop a step-by-step plan. This is absolutely essential. You must sit down and write out a few things:

- A timeline. How long will it take to the end?

- Action steps. Point-by-point what you will do and when you will do them.

- Resources you will need to draw from. What will it take? Who will need to be involved for help or advice?

- An evaluation tool. You need to evaluate from time to time whether you are progressing or not.

- A celebration. Yep, when you are done you should already have planned what you will do to celebrate. Make it big!

I have found that there is no better time than now. So, set aside some time today to get started on your dream. Follow the action plan and set your sights for the top of the mountain! You will be glad you did!

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Chris Widener is a popular speaker and writer

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Tatian. Perhaps you are not familiar with him. Tatian was an Assyrian schooled in ancient Greek philosophy who converted to Christianity after combing the ancient world for truth.

I came across Tatian's story in a collection of early Christian writings. One passage of his in particular struck me. In it, he describes the transformation of his self after knowing the fullness of life in Christ. It reads:

I do not wish to be a ruler. I do not strive for wealth...

No insatiable hunger for gold drives me to go to sea. I do

not fight for a victor's laurels. I am free from the mad

thirst for fame. [1]

In this short passage, Tatian takes aim at all the great aspirations of the ego: position, wealth, power, accomplishment, and fame. And in short space and in short order, he deflates them.

I especially am struck by the perceptiveness of his phrase “the mad thirst for fame.” The desire for fame, for recognition, is akin to thirst in that just as our thirst for water comes back again and again so to our thirst for fame can not be satiated in one draught. Jesus' remarks to the Samaritan woman apply here also. Whoever drinks from the well of fame “will be thirsty again.” (John 4:13) No doubt, this is why comebacks are so common in Hollywood and the world of pop-music. The star wants to return to the fountain of fame and take another draught.

In fame, we seek the approval of the masses, or perhaps a few important people, to validate our value as a person. That is why it can be so crushing when the spotlight is gone. In the dimming of the lights we feel our person devalued. But be careful. We can easily impugn Hollywood stars for being fame-mad, but at our own peril if we do not also consider our own smaller, more subtle, less flashy, desires for fame. In our own thousand and one ways we all seek the approval of others to validate us. Our attempts just normally are not broadcast on television. But they are broadcast in the drama of our daily lives. We seek approval through our appearance, through accomplishment, through maintaining a moral standard — the list goes on and on. In such matters, human ingenuity is stupendous.

We look to others to value us because we feel that we lack value within ourselves. We feel that we are beggarly in soul. It is the lack of this beggarliness in Tatian that is so striking. In his words one senses that he needs not these human contrivances because he is rich within himself.

But whence cometh his soul-wealth? Christ. Recall again the scene at the well. “Whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst.” (John 4:14) Christ, the richest soul of all, offers us his wealth. In faith may we well up.

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1. Eberhard Arnold, The Early Christians In Their Own Words (Farmington, PA: Plough Publishing, 1997), p. 103.

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Copyright © 2003 Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM). Reprinted with permission. "A Slice of Infinity" is a radio ministry of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries.

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"It is not enough to be busy; so are the ants. The question is: What are we busy about?"

-- Henry David Thoreau, American author (1817-1862)

A recent article in Discover magazine examined what would become of Earth if all the people disappeared. It turns out it wouldn’t take long for nature to reduce even New York City to rubble. Repeated freezing and thawing would split cement within ten years. Weeds would fill the cracks and sidewalks and sewers would be soon be unusable.

Groundwater would fill Manhattan from the subways up. As a matter of fact, within 20 years the steel supports under Lexington Avenue would collapse into the subway and the street would become a deep river. Tons of leaf litter would fill the streets, clog the sewers and cause fires that would devastate most of the city.

Guess who would fare poorly? Rats and cockroaches. The rats wouldn’t have any garbage to eat and cockroaches wouldn’t like the cold apartments. A few stone buildings may leave vestiges of themselves even after a few thousand years. However, three times in the past 100,000 years, glaciers have scraped New York clean, and they would do so again. Everything in the city would be ground to powder.

Human achievements are grand but limited. Only what is done for Christ will last.

THE MEANING OF LIFE IS NOT FOUND IN:

1. PHILOSOPHY: What I think – Ecclesiastes 1:12-18.

For his first experiment Solomon looks to education. He calls in the best teachers, the finest tutors and gifted scholars. This is like a pastor who misses the joy of shepherding people in order to retire with a Master’s Degree. It’s about priorities! Wholesome activity is not wrong but if our work leads to neglecting relationships, it’s wrong. Other brilliant man may fail to feed the flock of God while totally pouring life into an academy. Sometimes it’s just better to release one of the roles and just ask for help.

2. PLEASURE: What I enjoy – Ecclesiastes 2:1-3.

Are Christian leaders vulnerable to hedonism? Solomon evaluates the things that most people think of as worthwhile and tests them with abandon. One church listened to the continual mountain experiences of when their pastor was in another state. Apparently, his heart was elsewhere as he lasted about a year. Others choose their geographic locations for the joy of the wilds or the excitement of the hunt. Their congregations sense a secondary place in his heart. As Solomon, we must never lose our good sense or testimonies for pleasure. It’s like Solomon got burned out on books to say, “Let’s party!”

3. PROJECTS: What I do – Ecclesiastes 2:4-6.

The verbs assure us that he is busy and the nouns speak of gain. To some the necessity for secular work draws their ministry into the mundane and routine. We sympathize as it gets very hard! Other’s projects are more enjoyable but less important as they just get intense about old tractors or nice cars. If they ever had equal passion for the people and the ministry of the church, the fire and blessing would return. Solomon’s great building projects as the temple, his palace and cities could never satisfy the ache in his soul for the real meaning of life.

4. POSSESSIONS: What I have – Ecclesiastes 2:7-11.

The stuff of living became like a forest to Solomon as he hiked deep into the woods until it was like he was lost. A pastor failing in health would hang to the pulpit like his martyr’s badge. For some a financial package spells security until they are deep into their retirement years. Yet what happens when the passion and dynamic for God’s work into the hearts of people is gone? The church begins to die as members drift away, some leaving the church forever? How can anyone watch this happen without overwhelming grief? Solomon was great in power while controlling lots of people. But the cluttered life becomes a consumed life for the stuff of this world. Self-gratification can go on for years, undetected as such a person is often the last one to know. Reading the pronouns, he was all about “me, myself, I, and mine” to smother out the will of God for the work of God. That is like to miss the value of a kingdom, a life and a crown to find it empty in the end. Such vanity if the people suffer as the church dies! We are not here to accumulate the stuff of life for ourselves.

5. POSTERITY: What we pass on – Ecclesiastes 2:12-23.

Having children is not the problem solver either. They bring happiness to a happy home; misery to a miserable home. Eyes off the Scriptures, pastor’s missing godly discipline can destroy their testimony in the church. Others favor or over-protect certain kids to the lasting injury of some other precious lives. We work hard for the goals of our lives but we will leave it all behind; maybe to one child or maybe to many. Solomon’s lament was realistic as he left his own wasted inheritance to the fool of a son named Rehoboah. And as the prodigal king discovered, one event awaits both the wise and the fool, they both die! But it’s better not to die the fool.

The Hebrews would often posed their points as one speaker against another. Draw a line between Heaven and earth and you get this “under the sun” view over 30 times in the Book. The secular humanist sees this life as if there is no God. Then Solomon turns to the godly, spiritual view of Heaven; but he does not start with that. In the end, there is life beyond this one with all of the meaning that you and I have been seeking for.

Pastors and Christian friends, never fall for the deceitful lure of the stuff of this life! God is watching to see if you will honestly finish as Paul, who said, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith” (2 Tim. 4:7). So now for all of us, where will you turn for your own significance in life? - To God or to the meaningless secular ambitions of vanity?

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A similar outline from Tom L. Bright, http://www.oabs.org

THE ELUSIVE MEANING OF LIFE

Ecclesiastes 1:12-2:11

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INTRODUCTION

1. People are searching for the meaning of life.

2. Solomon engaged himself in an experiment to uncover the meaning of life.

I. THE MEANING OF LIFE IS NOT FOUND IN HUMAN PHILOSOPHY [WHAT I THINK (Ecclesiastes 1:12-18)].

A. Solomon’s experiment would make use of wisdom (both his wisdom and the wisdom of the world).

1. Solomon was given a great offer (1 Kings 3:5).

2. He made a noble decision (1 Kings 3:8, 9).

3. God blessed Solomon with unparalleled wisdom (1 Kings 3:10-12), and he was also given riches and honor (1 Kings 3:13).

4. Solomon had “great experience of wisdom and knowledge” (Ecclesiastes 1:16).

B. “For in much wisdom is much grief” (Ecclesiastes 1:18). Who better than Solomon to right those words!? This expression has puzzled many readers.

1. “We become more sensible of our ignorance and impotence, and therefore sorrowful, in proportion as we discover more of the constitution of nature and the scheme of Providence in the government of the world; every discovery serving to convince us that more remains concealed of which we had no suspicion before” (Barnes).

2. “The more we know of ourselves the less satisfied shall we be with our own hearts; and the more we know of mankind the less willing shall we be to trust them, and the less shall we admire them” (Clarke).

3. Trying to make sense of the world without God leads to “vexation of spirit.” Solomon contrasts human wisdom with heavenly wisdom (Proverbs 1:7 ; 2:1-9 ; 4:5-7 ; 9:10).

II. THE MEANING OF LIFE IS NOT FOUND IN PLEASURE [WHAT I WANT (Ecclesiastes 2:1-3)].

A. Whatever Solomon wanted, Solomon got (Ecclesiastes 2:10).

B. Christians do have an enjoyable and abundant life (John 10:10).

C. Solomon’s experiments left him with feelings of vanity (Ecclesiastes 2:1).

III. THE MEANING OF LIFE IS NOT FOUND IN PROJECTS [WHAT I DO

(Ecclesiastes 2:4-6)].

A. Solomon felt that meaning of life could be found by being a workaholic.

B. These efforts, however, did not bring true satisfaction.

C. "The workaholism issue is a real one for me. I am never more than a couple steps --mentally --from the computer. What keeps me tethered is the fear that if I stop, my whole world will come crashing in on me. It's hard to get out of that mindset for even a few minutes" (Ron, Confession of a Workaholic, www.businessweek.com ).

IV. THE MEANING OF LIFE IS NOT FOUND IN POSSESSIONS [WHAT I HAVE

(ECCLESIASTES 2:7-11)].

A. Solomon was extremely rich (1 Kings 9:10-28).

B. “A man’s life consisteth not of the abundance of the things which he possesseth” (Luke 12:15).

1. Though this was taught by Jesus, materialism is at all time highs.

2. Luke 12:16-20

V. THE MEANING OF LIFE IS NOT IN PEOPLE [WHO I KNOW].

A. Solomon was a great king.

B. He was visited by the Queen of Sheba (1 Kings 10:1-13).

C. In the Judgment, we will all stand as individuals (2 Corinthians 5:10).

CONCLUSION

1. The meaning of life cannot be understood without God.

2. Solomon eventually reached this exact conclusion (Ecclesiastes 12:13).

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PAST MONTH DRUG USE BY HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS, BY DRUG TYPE:

1990 to 2001

PERCENTAGE REPORTING USE

YEAR MARIJUANA COCAINE ANY DRUG

1990 14.0 1.9 17.2

1991 13.8 1.4 16.4

1992 11.9 1.3 14.4

1993 15.5 1.3 18.3

1994 19.0 1.5 21.9

1995 21.2 1.8 23.8

1996 21.9 2.0 24.6

1997 23.7 2.3 26.2

1998 22.8 2.4 25.6

1999 23.1 2.6 25.9

2000 21.6 2.1 24.9

2001 22.4 2.1 25.7

SOURCE: MONITORING THE FUTURE STUDY. http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/publications/factsht/druguse

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PAST MONTH DRUG USE BY 8TH AND 10TH GRADERS, BY DRUG TYPE:

1991 TO 2001

PERCENTAGE REPORTING USE

ANY DRUG COCAINE MARIJUANA

Grade: 8th 10th 8th 10th 8th 10th

YEAR

1991 5.7% 11.6% 0.5% 0.7% 3.2% 8.7%

1992 6.8 11.0 0.7 0.7 3.7 8.1

1993 8.4 14.0 0.7 0.9 5.1 10.9

1994 10.9 18.5 1.0 1.2 7.8 15.8

1995 12.4 20.2 1.2 1.7 9.1 17.2

1996 14.6 23.2 1.3 1.7 11.3 20.4

1997 12.9 23.0 1.1 2.0 10.2 20.5

1998 12.1 21.5 1.4 2.1 9.7 18.7

1999 12.2 22.1 1.3 1.8 9.7 19.4

2000 11.9 22.5 1.2 1.8 9.1 19.7

2001 11.7 22.7 1.2 1.3 9.2 19.8

SOURCE: MONITORING THE FUTURE STUDY.

What would your obituary say if you were to die today? What would your legacy be? Would people remember your passion for Christ, your love for others, your heart for the outcasts? Or, would they remember your negative attitude, your short temper, your sharp tongue? What would your family say about you? Your friends? Your teachers?

These questions are ones I have often posed over the past few years to the teenage girls I have taught in my local church. I am convinced the reason many students (and adults, for that matter!) do not live consistently for Christ is that they do not think about the eternal impact their lives can have, and they do not think a single life can make much of a difference anyway.

For close to 15 years, I have watched students start their high school years so strong for Christ only to finish poorly, many even dropping out of church before they graduate high school. It breaks my heart as I watch my girls that once had a burning passion to impact their school for Christ get sidelined because worldly things took their focus off of the Lord. I remember one girl in particular that I led to the Lord when she was a freshman, had in Sunday School, and met with in a small discipleship group. She regularly brought lost friends to church. However, she started dating a boy her senior year who wasn’t a Christian, and that one decision to date a non-Christian took her down a disastrous path. She stopped talking about her faith and attending church because she didn’t want to alienate her new boyfriend.

So, a few years ago, I started having my students write their own obituaries at the end of their freshman year in high school so they would think about how important the choices are that they make on a daily basis. Then, I spent time with them walking through some famous “obituaries” found in Hebrews 11. These testimonies left behind in Hebrews help believers today realize that the legacies of their lives can last generations. In this day, we need more Hebrews 11 type of Christians. The point is not that our names would be known but that we would live in such a way that Christ’s name is known because of our lives.

The truth is, though, that it is not just high school students who need to examine their lives to see if they are building a legacy of faith. We all should be asking ourselves: If today was my last, would the legacy of my life be one that honored the Lord? Consider the “obituaries” of the people recorded in Hebrews 11:1-40:

1. They had a good reputation (vv. 2, 39). Both of these verses note that the people had a good reputation because of their faith. What is your reputation? Is it as someone who loves the Lord and cares for others? Or, do people know of you for less desirable reasons?

2. They were remembered by people who came after them (v. 4). One of the beauties of the Bible is that it records for us the lives of those who “though dead, still speak.” Women in Scripture like Ruth, Esther, and Lydia and women in church history like Amy Carmichael, Ann Judson, and Elizabeth Elliott spur us on because of their example of faith. My grandmother and my pastor’s wife were such women who, because of their lives, I am encouraged to live for Christ.

3. They were known as people who pleased God (v. 5). Someone who pleases God seeks to honor the Lord before any other. This is the type of girl who doesn’t seek popularity at the cost of her convictions, who doesn’t date boys who are unbelievers, and who seeks to honor God in the way she dresses and talks. She uses her time to deepen her relationship with God and makes daily time in God’s Word a priority.

4. They had confidence in God (v. 10). When you are bombarded daily by the message of the world, it can be hard sometimes to trust that doing things God’s way is best. However, when God says, “Do not have any other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3) or “be slow to anger” (James 1:19) or “honor your father and mother” (Ephesians 6:2) or adorn yourself “with proper clothing, modestly” (1 Timothy 2:9), do you have confidence and trust in His guidance for you?

5. God was not ashamed to be called their God (vv. 13-16). When one day in the future my family member sits down to consider my life and pen my obituary, this would be the one thing I want said of me -- that God was not ashamed to be called my God.

6. They resisted sin by keeping their eyes on God (vv. 24-27). The temptations to sin are ever present in your life and my life, but God has promised us in His Word that no temptation will be so great that a way out will not be provided (1 Corinthians 10:13). The challenge for us is to keep our eyes on Him in the midst of these temptations! One thing that has really helped me is memorizing Scripture for those sins I know I struggle with, and I have even put Scripture cards up in my car, on my TV, and in other places in my house to remind me. So, before I think of speeding in my car or getting angry at careless drivers, God’s Word greets me from the dashboard. Before I think about watching anything on TV that is unwholesome or that may cause me to sin in my thought-life, God’s Word beckons to me above the screen.

7. They were used by God in the midst of difficult circumstances (vv. 32-34). The phrase in this section that encourages me so much is that “their weakness was turned to strength.” In high school and early in college, I was terrified of public speaking and had difficulty sharing my faith. Yet, I remember time after time how God opened doors for me to witness for Him -- to entire classes through assigned speeches, to my principal in his office because he had questions about a Christian club I was president of, and to teachers and classmates with whom I had built relationships. In each instance, when I trusted Him instead of giving into fear, I was able see Him do great things.

8. They withstood persecution and ridicule for their faith (vv. 35-37). Today, all around the world, brothers and sisters in Christ are persecuted and killed for their faith. I read an article recently about a group of 26 Christians who were murdered in Cairo, Egypt during a demonstration. I often ask myself if I would have the conviction and courage to stand in the face of such circumstances. Maybe a more appropriate question, though, is whether I have the courage and conviction to live for Christ in my own context?

So, I ask again, what would your obituary say if you died today? Consider the eight characteristics found in Hebrews 11 and ask yourself which of those could describe your life. May we all be remembered as Hebrews 11 Christians!

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Candi Finch is a Ph.D. student and an adjunct professor in the Women’s Studies Program at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. This column first appeared at BiblicalWoman.org, a blog of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Former Navy SEAL Chad Williams, spoke at Pastor Greg Laurie’s California megachurch Harvest Christians Fellowship, sharing through his own story how living for ourselves leaves us hungry and thirsty for more, a fact that made him turn to Christ for fulfillment in life.

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Williams, who was last posted in Iraq, decided to be a Navy SEAL when he was a teenager, as he wanted to do something worthwhile, something challenging in his life. He told his dad about it. His dad then contacted Navy SEAL Scott Helvenston on the Internet, and requested him to meet his son and tell him the reality, that he cannot become one. But when Williams met Scott, he proved himself to be serious about it. Scott began to train him on a daily basis.

In 2004, when Williams was finally about to go for his training, Scott left for an assignment in Iraq.

One day soon thereafter, Chad turned on his television and saw a smiling still image of Scott. On the ticker underneath the screen was mentioned Scott’s birthdate and “March 31, 2004,” separated by a dash. Then he watched the video footage of Scott, who was like a second father to him, being viciously murdered and mutilated, dragged through the streets of Fallujah and then hung upside-down from the Euphrates River Bridge, as an Iraqi mob repeatedly chanted in Arabic, “Fallujah is the graveyard of Americans.”

Williams said watching that tape changed him completely, and further motivated him to make it through the SEAL training.

And he made it. He graduated as a SEAL, but only to find that he wasn’t as happy as he thought he would be. He quoted Christian thinker Ravi Zachariah, who said, “One of the loneliest moments a man will ever experience is when he has achieved that which he thought would deliver the ultimate and in the end it lets him down.”

Williams, author of SEAL of God, added that when we are disappointed with our achievement, we begin to reason with ourselves and raise the bar. We get into a “vicious cycle,” until we reach the top, only to be disappointed again.

This is what happens “when you invest only into yourself for only what the world has to offer,” he said.

“I was better off not being a SEAL in my mind and looking forward to becoming a SEAL – because then, at least, I had something to drive me, to invest into. But now that I have arrived, I realize that I’m just the same person. I had to put on a front.”

Williams said he got into drinking. His parents always wanted him to go to church, but he resisted. But one day in March 2007, when he needed to pick up a keg of beer that he had stashed in the garage of their parents’ home, he told his parents he would go with them to a special event at their church that day. He thought after they’re all back from church, he would go to the garage and pick up the keg.

At the church that night, Pastor Greg Laurie preached from 2 Kings chapter 5, about a Syrian commander, Naaman. Williams could relate with Naaman. And when Laurie explained how Naaman’s leprosy was like our sin, Williams understood what needed to be done. He received Jesus into his heart.

Williams said his life changed, and he has never returned to drinking.

Williams also mentioned 2015's Paris attacks, which killed at least 129 people and wounded more than 350 others. He said his job in Iraq was to hunt down “some pretty evil men,” who were just like the attackers in Paris, people who make suicide belts and bombs.

What motivates Islamist jihadists is that they think they are doing God a service by killing “infidels,” he explained. They want to create a worldwide caliphate. But “they’ve bought into a lie,” he said.

In a "Calvin and Hobbs" cartoon a frazzled Calvin quips, "God put me on earth to accomplish a certain number of things. Right now I'm so far behind I'll never die."

In his autobiography, BREAKING BARRIERS, syndicated columnist Carl Rowan (1925-2000) tells about a teacher who greatly influenced his life. Rowan relates:

Miss Thompson reached into her desk drawer and pulled out a piece of paper containing a quote attributed to Chicago architect Daniel Burnham. I listened intently as she read:

“Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men’s blood and

probably themselves will not be realized. Make big plans, aim

high in hope and work. Remember that our sons and grandsons are

going to do things that would stagger us.”

More than 30 years later, I gave a speech in which I said that Francis Thompson had given me a desperately needed belief in myself. A newspaper printed the story, and someone mailed the clipping to my beloved teacher. She wrote me:

“You have no idea what that newspaper story meant to me. For

years, I endured my brother’s arguments that I had wasted my

life. That I should have married and had a family. When I read

that you gave me credit for helping to launch a marvelous career,

I put the clipping in front of my brother. After he’d read it, I

said, ‘You see, I didn’t really waste my life, did I?’”

Encouragement and praise is like a boomerang; the more you give it, the more it wants to return. It’s really just a matter of knowing this that can make all the difference not only in your life but in the lives of those around you. Not that we live for praise ourselves. Rather, the more satisfaction we have in giving merely serves to fuel our desire to keep it coming. Find someone today who needs your encouragement, a little appreciation. Let your praise fly and then step back. You’ll want to be ready to catch it on the rebound.

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Carl Rowan, BREAKING BARRIERS (Little, Brown), Quoted in Reader’s Digest, January 1992; secondary source: SermonCentral Weekly