Living with the End in Mind

 

James 4:14 (KJV)

"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."

How often can we say we live with the "end in mind".

Sometimes it is easy not to.

With the business of life and all, we will forget the end.

It's also scary to think about the end. We don't like to think about when we will die or under what circumstances.

But when we realize the value of life and the small time in which we have it, it compels us to stop and remember our end.

I believe we could transform our lives if we kept the end in mind. Think about Heaven. Are we keeping it in mind? This morning I would like to share 4 area of our life that we need to keep the end in mind.

1. Rejoice with the end in mind.

1. Luke 10:20 (KJV)

“Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.”

Start rejoicing with the end in mind. Stop fussing for just a second and realize you have a home in Heaven!!!!

We get so selfish that we never give thanks to God even though he gave us the life we live.

Imagine a long white rope stretched from one side of the room to the other. In fact, imagine it going on forever—out the church doors, through the woods, across the highways, and all around the world—never-ending.

Now, take a small red marker and color just the first inch of that rope red. That tiny red part represents your life on earth—70, maybe 80 years if God gives you strength. The rest of the endless rope? That represents eternity.

But here’s what we often do:
We focus all our energy, time, and stress on just that little red part. We plan for retirement, for comfort, for vacations, and things that don’t last—without ever thinking about the white rope that comes after.

How foolish would it be to obsess over one inch and ignore the miles and miles that follow?

Yet that’s what many people do every day.

So postpone your pity party in the one inch of rope and start praising God for the miles of  never-ending rope!

2. Labor with the end in mind.

3. Galatians 6:9 (KJV)

“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”

I honestly think more would be done for Christ if we labored with the end in mind.

All that will ever count for eternity is what was done for Christ 

There’s an old story of three men laying bricks. Someone asked the first, “What are you doing?”
He replied, “I’m laying bricks.”
The second said, “I’m building a wall.”
But the third smiled and said, “I’m building a CHURCH to the glory of God.”

All three were doing the same task — but only one labored with the end in mind.

Many good Christians will quit because their focused on laboring over a brick. I would probably quit too. But the Christians that are faithful have building the church in mind.

Only What’s Done for Christ Will Last

Fame will fade and riches rust,
Trophies crumble into dust.
But every deed for Christ we do
Will stand when all the world is through.

Not for self, but for the King—
That’s the work worth offering.
When time is gone and life is past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

3. Witnessing with the end in mind

As a Christian we have a duty to tell the world the gospel.

It is HIGH TIME we get to work and reach this nation for Christ!

The World has enough men in the military. The world has enough doctors and athletes. But as the Bible says, the laborers are few.

If we could only realize the souls that are in desperate need of someone to just tell them the gospel.

There’s someone you can reach
Someone’s life you can touch
How you give so little when we’ve been given so much
Someone’s future is depending on what you will do
And to someone in the world today, their only hope is you

What a shame to live our whole life long
In sin before our God
What a pity it would be to hear Him say these words:
“These are ones you could have reached
These are lives you should have touched
How could you give so little when I gave you so much?”
Someone’s future is depending on what you will do
And to those I put in your path, their only hope was you

Let us strive for the goal—to reach just one more soul
What price could be too great to hear our Father say:
“These are ones that you have reached
These are lives that you have touched
Enter in, My faithful servant,” to you I say, “Well done.”
Someone’s future was depending on what you would do
And now they’ll be forever grateful here in Heaven with you

There’s someone you can reach

4. Faithful with the end in mind

Genesis 6:22 (KJV)

“Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.”

The last thing is to stay faithful the calling God has for you.

No matter the trial, situation or problem that may come your way. Stay faithful!

Think about Noah.

It took him over 100 years to build the ark. And he had no clue what it would be used for. 

And yet through the wickedness and mockery of others, he stayed faithful .

He simply learned to be faithful with the end in mind!

And lastly, I would like to share my favorite Bible verse that concludes this devotion.

Acts 20:24 (KJV)

“But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.”