02/05/14 SENIORS AND THE FINISHED PUZZLE OF LIFE

02/05/14 SENIORS AND THE FINISHED PUZZLE OF LIFE

I spoke at the Senior's Home last evening. I used the idea of, "Putting Life's Puzzle Together." Remember, I had used this idea at church recently.

START AS CHILDREN
I had originally pointed out at church, the importance of children starting their life's puzzle early. God has a plan that is simple enough for children to follow, if they are led into the knowledge of God and His salvation. After these first pieces are in place, it makes it much easier to fill in the years of adulthood.

LATE STARTERS
For the person who postpones or does not discover the plan of God until they have spent part of their life entangled in sin, it is more difficult to put life's puzzle together, but it is still profitable to find and fulfill God's will. The longer a person neglects or rejects the rule of God in his life, the less of God's plan will be accomplished in his/her life.

THE LAST PIECES
Last night I shared with the seniors citizen's group that they, like children, have an easier challenge as they put the last pieces of their life's puzzle in place. I acknowledge that they, whether they were Christian or not, had already placed most of their pieces together; including the dark and jagged pieces of heartache and loss. However, they are past the times of their lives when they need to decide on schooling, finding a spouse, raising children, building a career. Their task now is to finish their life's puzzle according to the will of God. They need to make sure that they have Jesus in the right places in their lives and make sure that they finish their lives in faith. Otherwise, their puzzle will be incomplete, ruined. But, God will help them and the picture they are bringing to completion will give a message to their loved ones and friends.

I was not feeling well, so I did not do as well as I would like to have done; but the Lord helped me and I believe He took the message to their hearts. Several of them were very complimentary and said how much the message meant to them. Of course I thanked them and said how kind they were to tell me. Everyone likes to be encouraged for the effort they give, even when they know it was less than hoped for. I know it is not by power nor by might, but by God's Spirit, so I trust Him to speak to their hearts.

There are several reasons to start putting the puzzle of you life together at an early age. Here are three.

1- An early faith and commitment to Christ can save a person from untold misery brought about by walking in the paths of sin rather than in the light of Christ.

2- The sooner a person trusts and follows Christ, the sooner they can spend their lives for eternal good.

3- The longer a person takes in coming to faith in Christ, the less likely they will come to Him.