LOSS OF ALL THINGS.

*Note: The audio recording begins right after a testimony was shared in church. Pastor Ed responds to what the person shared, but the testimony itself was not recorded.

WHAT WOULD YOU NEED TO SURVIVE ?

IF ELECTRICITY BECAME TOO COSTLY. HOW WOULD YOU GET YOUR WATER ? WOULD YOU HAVE A/C ? WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF THE STORES KEPT RUNNING OUT OF BOTTLED WATER ? WHAT IF THE STORES ONLY CARRIED BASIC FOODS, SUCH AS HOT DOGS, EGGS, AND BREAD. COULD YOU LIVE WITHOUT SNACKS AND FLAVORED DRINKS ?

WHAT IF GASOLINE PRICES WENT TO $10.00/GALLON. HOW WOULD YOU USE YOUR TIME SINCE GOING INTO TOWN WOULD BE A HUGE LUXURY ? WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF INTERNET SERVICE WENT UP TO $ 200 PER MONTH ? WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITH YOUR COMPUTER THEN ?

MOST AMERICANS DREAM OF THE NEXT MATERIAL STUFF THEY WILL BE GETTING. BUT, WHAT IF THE REVERSE IS TRUE AND THINGS COLLAPSE ? AND EVERY DAY YOU HAD LESS AND LESS INSTEAD OF MORE AND MORE ?

THIS IS A MUCH MORE REALISTIC APPRAISAL OF THE FUTURE THAN YOU GETTING MORE AND MORE MATERIAL POSSESSIONS, OR EVEN KEEPING ALL THE ONES YOU HAVE NOW.

WOULD YOU BE PRAYING FOR GOD TO LIFT THE FAMINE OF MATERIAL WEALTH ?

INSTEAD OF PRAYING MORE AND MORE FOR SOULS TO COME TO KNOW JESUS AS THEIR SAVIOR, HERE AND AROUND THE WORLD ?

WOULD YOU TAKE THE TIME TO VALUE YOUR CHURCH FAMILY MORE OR LESS ?

WOULD YOU BE READING YOUR BIBLE MORE, OR TRYING TO READ ABOUT HOW YOU CAN HOLD OUT FOR SOME GOOD BARGAIN THAT MIGHT NOT MATERIALIZE ?

One of the main efforts of Satan is to keep people from prayer and fellowship with the Lord. If he can distract them into concern for physical, material things, he has succeeded. This results in less fellowship with the Lord. Less time to hear His instructions on what to do and how to do it. It results in less time focusing on the most important things. It results in a person spending less time praying, and more time being like everyone else and worrying. This destroys the power of the Christian, and it also destroys his testimony in front of the Lost, because it makes the Christian look just like people of the world.

WOULD YOU BE REACHING OUT TO HELP SOMEONE WHO HAS LESS THAN YOU, OR STAYING AT HOME TO PROTECT WHAT YOU HAVE ?

WOULD YOU BE TRYING TO REACH MORE SOULS FOR CHRIST, OR JUST WALKING AROUND IN SELF-PITY THAT YOUR LIFE HAS CHANGED FROM THE WAY YOU EXPECTED ?

1. TRY TO SEE YOUR EXISTENCE ON EARTH AS GOD SEES IT.

IF YOU FAIL TO GET THE RIGHT PERSPECTIVE NOW, YOU WILL DEVASTATED IF THE LORD DOES NOT COME IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS.

A. YOU MUST SEE MATERIAL THINGS AS TRASH COMPARED TO THE RICHES WE HAVE IN CHRIST.

Philippians 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

B. YOU MUST KNOW HOW TO SURVIVE AND OVERCOME IN A DIFFICULT WORLD.

Philippians 4:12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

HOW COULD PAUL SAY, “I know how to….” God taught Him. The Holy Spirit gave him the power !

C. YOU MUST BE WILLING TO LOSE EVERYTHING.

A MAN WHO WAS VERY RICH AND HAD MANY THINGS WANTED TO BE CLOSE TO JESUS. BUT, WHEN JESUS TESTED HIM, HE FAILED.

Mark 10:21-23 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow Me. And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions. And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto His disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God !

–HOW MANY TODAY WHO ALREADY SAY THEY KNOW THE LORD WOULD FAIL IN THEIR LOVE FOR HIM AND IN THEIR SERVICE TO GOD IF THEY LOST THEIR POSSESSIONS ?

2. WE SHOULD CONSIDER HOW LONG THINGS WILL LAST.

NOT ONLY THE THINGS YOU OWN, BUT SEE PART OF YOU AS A PHYSICAL BODY THAT DETERIORATES, JUST AS OTHER THINGS DO.

James 4:14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

A. YOU HAVE TO SEE THAT MATERIAL THINGS AS POSSESSIONS WILL DISINTEGRATE AND BE TAKEN FROM YOU.

Matthew 6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

B. YOU HAVE TO SEE MATERIAL POSSESSIONS AS DISTRACTIONS WHICH KEEP YOU FROM SEEING WHAT IS TRULY VALUABLE.

Colossians 3:1-4 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory.

1 John 2:15-17 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

3. IF WE ARE VICTORIOUS IN SETTING THE RIGHT PRIORITIES WE WILL ENJOY WHAT WE HAVE MORE.

A. WE CAN REALLY LIVE OF WE PUT THE LORD FIRST IN OUR LIVES, AND DO NOT FOCUS ON MATERIAL THINGS.

Luke 12:15 And He said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

JESUS SET ASIDE ALL THAT HE HAD IN ORDER TO COME DOWN TO EARTH AND PAY FOR YOUR SINS. HE SET ASIDE THE COMFORT AND BLESSING OF HEAVEN. HE SET ASIDE THE HONOR AND GLORY HE RECEIVED THERE. ALL WERE FORSAKEN SO THAT HE COULD BE THE LAMB OF GOD THAT TAKES AWAY THE SINS OF THE WORLD.