“HOW TO DIE YOUNGER OR LIVE LONGER”
Pastor Paul Fedena
TEXT: Exodus 20:7
THESIS: To reveal principles in God’s Word which enable one to live longer and enjoy a better quality of life.
INTRO: A. It is amazing that people will do almost anything to live longer and healthier - except claim the guarantees God gives in His Word. When the former Queen Elizabeth was dying she said: “I would give all my wealth and position for one small extension of time.”
B. According to Scripture we have a fixed and pre-determined life span, but God permits us to shorten our lives by hours, days or even years by disregarding CERTAIN PRINCIPLES in His Word. He fixes the “outer limits” - we determine the “inner limits” by our obedience to those principles.
ILLUS: The book of Deuteronomy was written for Israel, but the PRINCIPLES there are for us as well. They were written for our “admonition and learning.” The interpretation was for Israel, the application is for us.
TRANS: What I will share with you today is better than pills, needles, vitamins (even Shaklee!), articles in Reader’s Digest on longevity, or any other method, device or information from any other source. I am going to tell you “HOW TO DIE YOUNGER OR LIVE LONGER”…
I. LIVE LONGER BY HONORING PARENTS:
A. Disobedience = Shorter Life
ILLUS: Every time you say “No!” to mom or dad or disregard their advise or mistreat them, you are taking time off your earth life.
Eph. 6:2-3
2 Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;)
3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.
1. One of the crowning sins of the last days is “disobedience to parents” 2 Tim.3
2. Another passage speaks of being “ungodly…murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers…” 1 Tim.1:9
ILLUS: Disobedience to parents is a grave sin according to both the OLD TESTAMENT and NEW TESTAMENT and will shorten your life. If I were an insurance man, I wouldn’t sell some of you kids or teens a policy. Some here (including adults) need to repent of this sin.
B. Disrespect = Diminishes Longevity
1. Respect and honor will prolong your life.
2. Respect and honor will guarantee success for you life.
II. LIVE LONGER BY FOLLOWING GOD’S WILL: Deut. 5:33
A. God’s Will = God’s Blueprint For Your Life
1. It doesn’t matter what we want to do, but what He wants us to do.
ILLUS: We do not relocate because our boss or company says so, only if the Holy Spirit says so. We do not chose a school because of size, campus, sports, climate, etc., but because God leads us there. We don’t change churches or ministries on a whim or because of ruffled feathers, but by His will.
2. Knowing and doing God’s will guarantees safety: health (“that ye may live”), success (“be well with you”), longer life (“prolong your days”).
B. God’s Will = Command To Be Obeyed, Not A Request To Be Ignored: v.33a
III. LIVE LONGER BY OBEYING HIS WORD: Deut.11:18-21
A. Internalize God’s Word:
“in your heart”…make His Word a part of your thought life. “in your soul”… make His Word the guidance-center for all activity.
B. Advertise God’s Word:
1. “upon your hand”…live by the Book so all will know you belong to Him.
2. “between your eyes”…your conduct and conversation reflects your thot-life.
ILLUS: v.19,20 If you are not ashamed of the Lord…say so! Advertise it. Your home should shout: this is a Christian home…furniture, Bibles, no ash trays, no booze, no dirty TV shows, tracts, music, conversation, etc. (God guarantees longevity to parents and children who do this! V.21) Parents should be examples!
IV. LIVE LONGER BY BEING HUMBLE: Deut. 17:20
A. Beware Pride:
1. Kings would (and later, did) have special problems with humility (Solomon).
2. If God has gifted you, beware that you don’t think more highly of yourself than you ought to think!
B. Beware Gossip:
QUOTE: Hyles: “Gossip is the exaltation of yourself at the expense of someone else.”
V. LIVE LONGER BY HONORING YOUR GENDER: Deut. 22:5-7
A. Beware Cross-Dressing! V.5
ILLUS: Hollywood initiated and promotes cross-dressing and they admit that pants for women are cross-dressing, just as men wearing dresses, etc. (Dennis Rodman who now wants to change his name to “Orgasm”). When a lesbian “comes out” Hollywood “femmes her up” by putting her in dresses. (Newsweek).
B. Beware Role- Reversal: v.6-7
ILLUS: v.6-7 is an illustration of the principle of v.5. You are not to remove the “dam” (mother bird) from her place. She is NOT to be removed from this role or her proper place. While it may not be wrong for women to work outside the home, it doesn’t follow that she is to engage in male activity nor to usurp his authority.
V. LIVE LONGER BY BEING HONEST: Deut. 25:15
A. Includes Your Speech:
B. Includes Your Commitments:
1. When you vow a vow…keep it or die early.
2. When you make a business deal…keep it or die early.
3. When you promise God or man…keep it or die early.
ILLUS: Have you ever committed yourself to the Lord on tithing, quitting a sin, or -----? Keep the commitment or die younger.
CONCL: These principles are warnings to those who trifle with the Lord. It does not mean that all who die young are guilty and that those who live longer are innocent, but that you cut years off your life when you violate these principles.
💥What I have preached today tells us how to live longer and BETTER while we are alive. But to live hereafter, you need only repent of your sin and trust God’s Son for salvation. Have you done that?! Will you now?!
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HOW TO DIE YOUNGER OR LIVE LONGER
TEXT: Exodus 20:7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
THESIS: To reveal principles in God’s Word which enable one to live longer & enjoy a better quality of life.
INTRO.:
A. It is amazing that people will do almost anything to live longer & healthier - except claim the guarantees God gives in His Word. When the former Queen Elizabeth was dying she said: “I would give all my wealth & position for one small extension of time.”
B. According to Scripture we have a fixed & pre-determined life span, but God permits us to shorten our lives by hours, days or even years by disregarding CERTAIN PRINCIPLES in His Word. He fixes the “outer limits” - we determine the “inner limits” by our obedience to those principles
.
ILLUS.: The book of Deuteronomy was written for Israel, but the PRINCIPLES there are for us as well. They were written for our “admonition & learning.” The interpretation was for Israel, the application is for us.
TRANS.: What I will share w/you today is better than pills, needles, vitamins (even Shaklee – remember that?!), articles in Reader’s Digest on longevity, or any other method, device or information from any other source. I am going to tell you
“HOW TO DIE YOUNGER OR LIVE LONGER”...
TEXT: Exodus 20:7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
THESIS: To reveal principles in God’s Word which enable one to live longer & enjoy a better quality of life.
INTRO.:
A. It is amazing that people will do almost anything to live longer & healthier - except claim the guarantees God gives in His Word. When the former Queen Elizabeth was dying she said: “I would give all my wealth & position for one small extension of time.”
B. According to Scripture we have a fixed & pre-determined life span, but God permits us to shorten our lives by hours, days or even years by disregarding CERTAIN PRINCIPLES in His Word. He fixes the “outer limits” - we determine the “inner limits” by our obedience to those principles
.
ILLUS.: The book of Deuteronomy was written for Israel, but the PRINCIPLES there are for us as well. They were written for our “admonition & learning.” The interpretation was for Israel, the application is for us.
TRANS.: What I will share w/you today is better than pills, needles, vitamins (even Shaklee – remember that?!), articles in Reader’s Digest on longevity, or any other method, device or information from any other source. I am going to tell you
“HOW TO DIE YOUNGER OR LIVE LONGER”...
