The Road Less Traveled

Today we are recognizing the fact that three of our young adults have reached a major goal in life. They have graduated from high school, but this message is just as applicable to the 90-year-olds and the two and three-year-olds, believe it or not, as to the 18-year-old.

Graduation is an exciting time. It's a time that you have looked forward to for years. How many times have you said, I can't wait until I graduate because then I will be able to do, and then you can fill in the blank with all kind of things. Guess what? The time is now, and it's here.

It's taken you 18 years to get here, for some, and it's taken you over 90 years to get where you are now. We all need to examine ourselves in light of the times in which we live, whether we have just graduated or whether we are very young, or whether we're 90 plus.

If you're 18 and you are a high school graduate, here are a few things that you have done.

You have been in school now for 2,160 days. 13 years. Of course, when I started school, in what year was that? 1944, I think. 1944, there was no kindergarten, a public kindergarten, for rural schools, especially in Mississippi. I don't know about the rest of the nation. I'm sure there were kindergartens in, surely, the Northeast and some of the urban areas, even at that time. Of course, World War II was sort of winding down, but yet had quite a long ways to go, almost a year and a half. So, you've been in school for 2,160 days. You've spent 12,960 hours in classes. For me, you could triple that and more. That translates into 777,000 minutes in class. You've been alive for 216 months. When I looked at that, I said, boy, that doesn't seem all that long. 216 months. So, you multiply 12 times 18, and you'll get 216.

You've been breathing for 936 weeks.

You've been on Earth for 157,248 hours.

You've been taking up space for 9,434,880 minutes. You have slept 52,500 hours.

You've watched TV 12,173 hours.

And you have spent 7,488 hours eating.

So, that's if you're 18 years old. Now, the Bible promises us 3 score and 10.

So, this is for those who are 70 years old. And, of course, you could easily multiply it out.

You have slept for 24 years.

If you're 70 years old, 72, something like that, the average is 8 hours. So, a third of your life, you've been asleep.

Lea to see it and all.

You have worked 14 years. And this is based on 40-hour, 5-day work week. You have played 8 years. You have eaten 6 years.

You've spent 6 years of your life, if you're 70 or so, eating.

You have spent 5 years driving. And you have spent 4 years talking.

And you have been sick 3 years.

And you have studied and read for 3 years.

So, this is an average, of course, on a national basis. Some would be a little more, some would be a little less.

But, regardless of your age, reflect back on the things you've already mastered.

You made it to and through kindergarten.

Of course, kindergarten is basically universal now for everybody.

Researchers say that by the age of 6, a person has developed 6, they have developed 80% of their attitude toward learning, and to some degree toward life in general.

80% by the year by 6 years old.

So, that shows you what a responsibility it is to have the kind of environment you really need to have in a home, and the role of the parents in doing so.

I mean, I had a really rich environment. I've said this many times. We had 2 books.

One was the Bible, and one was Sears and Roebuck catalog, which we kept at a bike.

But, in today's world, they have everything.

I mean, 3-year-olds can run circles around a lot of people who are in their 60s with a cell phone or a computer.

They have videos, they have books, and you can just fill in the blanks of what they have.

There's almost anything you can name that they have by the age of 6.

I've had some 60 years of teaching in a formal setting.

The first formal setting was the pastor of the local Baptist church there, when I was either 19 or 20, asked me to teach the young adults Sunday school, which I was sort of surprised by that. I was on a football scholarship at the local community college, and Wanda was working at a garment factory.

But I did it and really enjoyed it.

I've gone back a few times from funerals. I remember my mother's funeral, in which some of the people that were in that class came up and talked about that.

So over that period of time, I've seen hundreds, even thousands of people, young and old, go and come.

I believe there are three great transitional periods of life before we reached the age of, say, 25.

We could even make that younger. Three great transitional periods.

Very important periods.

The first would be kindergarten, where you have spent five years at home, and then suddenly you are out in the public and with other people. Of course, more and more we see parents out of necessity homeschooling, and that's a good thing, I think, if you can do it.

But so many cannot do it.

So kindergarten in the first grade can be very, very stressful.

It's a great adjustment time.

And then, from age 13 to 16, you enter, of course, in today's world, they're entering adolescence puberty at a much earlier age.

And the various theories have been presented for that.

It has to do with the diet and the growth hormones that are put in food, such as chicken and beef, that some contend.

Others say, well, it's environmental conditioning, whereby they see all of these advertisements of youth, beauty, romance, adventure, good times associated with sexual activity.

And young people now, by two or three years of age, some are dressing like adults, almost.

And that's what is meant by cultural conditioning, that the culture, the way it functions, and the pressures that it puts.

I know in talking with this was a few years ago, one of the teachers that taught first grade was that one of the most difficult challenges that I have is the boy-girl thing with first graders. And so, that cultural conditioning is there, and puberty is oftentimes now around 10 years of age, or maybe even younger. The average time for puberty in the late 1800s was like 15 to 16 years old.

So what has happened, they're still trying to figure it out. But regardless as to that, in this period of time, this transition where you begin to come to a realization that you're an individual and you have within you the possibility of procreation and all kinds of things and the hormones begin to really work, and all the challenges that goes with it, it's a challenging time for the youth and for their parents. If you can get them through 13 to 16, that's quite an accomplishment. Then, after graduating from high school, say age 18, and especially for the next three years, so many youngsters during that period of time turn away. They grow up in the church, they do all kind of things, but they go out on their own and meet the challenges of the world, and so many are turned away. Now, after this, there's a transition to marriage and family, and that is quite an adjustment as well. Then there's the transition of the emptiness. The children are gone. Then there is old age, and old age varies greatly with people.

You know, after you get a certain age, you don't want to hear actual age. A lot of people I see, and I used to think about this, I'd see these people, no matter, it seemed like no matter what their background was or whatever, when they got to be, and now it's moved a little farther toward 100 years old, but by the time they were 60, they were like, oh, I'm old, I'm 60 years old, blah, blah, blah, blah, and then, oh, I'm 70 years old, oh, I'm 80 years old, I'm 90 years old, and as some have said, age is just a number, and it can fluctuate, but it seems that there is a conditioning process in the culture itself for all of these stages. Kindergarten, adolescence, 18 to 21, that period of time where you're going out on your own, and then you get married, you have a family, and then they're gone, and then there's adjustments all along the way, and if you live long enough, you will get old, and they say that drawing old is not for sissies. During the first 18 years, you're being prepared to commence life on your own.

Life on your own. After high school graduation, you enter into perhaps the greatest testing period of your life. Are you ready? In fact, this time is also called commencement.

Very often it is commencement exercises. You've come to the end of one phase of life, you're about to commence upon another, and this next phase, the next three years, is a time of great transition, and the next one, the next three years, will in all probability, all probability, largely determine the course of your life, the choices that you make. There will be many choices you'll have to make, and you will make on your own, and there will be many pressures upon you, urging you to make the choice that they, the peer group, the culture of the society, want you to make. Remember, you have to overcome three things to be in the kingdom.

Society, Satan, and self.

They don't want you to take the road less traveled. They want you to take the broad road that leads to death and destruction. They don't want you to enter in at the narrow gate that leads to eternal life. So be careful as to who you listen to. The choices you make will determine the course of your life. The choices you make will be a reflection of your belief system. That's true for all of us. The choices you make will be a reflection of your belief system. Your belief system will determine your behavior. And if you are truly convicted, committed, and act courageously, you will honor your convictions. So your belief system will determine your behavior, your course of action, and the road you take. And it is so easy to be flippant about the belief system and take the course of least resistance. That's not to say that if you take the wrong the wrong road at the beginning that you cannot change. You can change.

We know that brings to mind like the prodigal son who at about age 18 demanded his inheritance, went out and fell prey to the ways of the world. And almost before he knew it, he was broke, desperately struggling to survive. However, he did come to his senses, and he went home to his father. Of course, you could have the spiritual parallel to that. You can go your way in the spiritual sense. There's an old song we used to sing, I will arise and go to my father. In fact, I think it says I will rise and go to Jesus.

But the fewer changes you have to make, the better off you are. The fewer course corrections. The prodigal son did come to his senses and went to his father.

He made a course direction. Now, we're not told how he fared after that, what he did. Hopefully, he was a success. So obviously, it is best to start on the right foot. And more and more, as we noted in presenting those Bibles, that we have children from church parents. You'll see them in the United News as well. They're valedictorians, salutatorians, top 10 percent of their class, participate in all kind of extracurricular activities, hail leadership positions, and on and on it goes. King David said an example of how to stay on the right path. So it's best to start—let's turn to Psalm 119. It's best to start on the right path and never depart from it.

One of the main ways is to keep your Bible by your bedside or where it is handy, where you can often refer to it. It is said that—and of course, this is legend—I don't—that King David slept with the windows open, where there was a draft coming through, and he had this, had the harp and that area where he lived, where Jerusalem is, is about 3,000 feet.

Sometime after midnight, the wind would start wafting through, and it would gently cause the harp to sound, and he would awake, and he would steady, and he would pray. In Psalm 119, in verse 97, O, I love thy your law, it is my meditation all the day.

You through your commandments that made me wiser than mine enemies, for they are ever with me, the commandments. They are ever with me. Of course, we read from Hebrews that the law of God has written on our inward parts. I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation. You know, Jesus said greater things than I have done, you shall do. And it doesn't come easy. If you're going to achieve, you have to work. If you're going to receive and achieve, you have to work. I understand more than the ancients because I keep your precepts. I refrain my feet from every evil way that I might keep your words. I have not departed from your judgments, for you have taught me. You have taught me. How sweet are your words unto my taste, yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth. Through your precepts, I get understanding.

Therefore, I hate every false way. Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.

So that tells you, he took the road less traveled. He didn't take the broad road that leads to death and destruction. He took the narrow road, the narrow gate, that leads to eternal life. Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.

Someone said life is what happens between goals. Life is what happens between goals.

Okay, here a big goal, you graduated from high school, or whatever it is, you received a promotion. You just got married. You have a new baby. All the kids are gone. I just retired.

Whatever the goal is. See, between those goals, that's where life takes place.

That's where you then initiate and start your strategies for success.

Between goals. So we've made it this far in life with the help of our parents.

As we grow to become more and more independent, our parents will fade a little bit more and more into the background. Those first years or two of life, well, you call your parents quite often.

Come home every chance you get. But as time goes on, it's less and less.

And you're reminded of the Cat Stevens song, in which, yeah, I would like to come, but I'm just like you, Dad. Never did quite make it.

Now, that's one of the changes in society and culture that you really miss compared to when I grew up. It was the thing for, of course, to go to church. Then after church, part of the family, part of the congregation would come over.

You sit around on the front porch or different places.

Virtually no one had air conditioning. And you would talk and you would visit.

And the front porch and the swing were vital parts of that culture. But as you grow older, especially in today's world, it's almost as soon as you leave home, parents fade more and more into the background. So as our parents fade more and more into the background, our spiritual father and our high priest, our intercessor, our mediator, needs to become more and more in the foreground, right before our face. Regardless of the situation or circumstance, God has promised never to leave us or forsake us. Let's look at Psalm 27.

Psalm 27 has been set to music and very often, his song used to be sung more often than now, more special music in the Church of God. The Lord is the light of my salvation whom shall appear.

A lot of people fail because of failure. They are fearful of failing.

Must never be fearful of failing because everybody fails. More about that later.

And it depends on how you define failing. The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall appear. The Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid.

When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, come up against me, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear. Though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.

One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life. Why do you want to dwell in the house of the Lord? Because that's where he placed his presence in the Old Covenant. Today, the house of God is the temple of God, the church. You are the temple of God, and he has placed his presence in you. One thing I have desired, and I will seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the eternal, to inquire in his temple. For in the time of trouble, he shall hide me in his pavilion, and the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me.

He shall set me upon a rock, and now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies, round about me. Therefore, will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy. Sacrifices of joy? You know how God must be pleased for us to offer sacrifices of joy? Of course, thanksgiving and joy seem to go hand in hand. I will sing, yes, I will sing praises unto the Lord. Hear our Lord when I cry with my voice, have mercy upon me and answer me. When you said, seek my face. Seek my face is an alternate translation. Is tantamount equal to seek my presence? You want to be in the presence of God. See, when Cain was cast out from the presence of God, he said, my punishment is greater than I can bear. I want to know that they have been cast out from the presence of God is a frightful thing, and yet people are casting themselves out from the presence of God, seemingly oblivious to the fact that they did. I will seek you my face. Seek you my face. My heart said unto you, your face, Lord, will I seek your presence. Hide not your face far from me. Put not your servant away in anger.

You have been my help. Leave me not. Neither forsake me, O God, of my salvation.

When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up.

Hopefully our father and our mother will never forsake us. But if they do, God says I will never leave you nor forsake you.

And then, these wonderful words, this hymn we will close with today, Teach me your way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path because of mine enemies.

So being familiar with that Psalm, it is a great place of refuge to go to in time of trouble.

In today's world and its socioeconomic structure, it is almost a necessity to be a high school graduate.

Basically, you can't get into college.

The job market becomes more difficult and so on if you're not a high school graduate. Then the bar has been lifted, not lifted, but raised so that you need a college degree.

Of course, there are exceptions, but they are few and far between.

But should just the degree and the fact that you needed to success to succeed be the reason for you desiring to know, to learn, to be educated.

I remember the first time I held that little primer in my hands, visited my first cousin's home on a Sunday afternoon. I remember that as well as if it happened yesterday. I was five or six years old and it was winter time and the wood was burning in this little wood fireplace and she had a book. She had gotten it at school. See, Jack, run, Jane, run, all that.

And I held that in my hand. I thought, that is so wonderful.

And when it came time to go home, I said, I'm taking this book with me. They said, you can't take this book with you. It belongs to the school. But, of course, they tear you away and you go home and you forget it after a while. But the absolute joy of learning. Do you have it? So, there's been a historic debate regarding why should I become well educated? How will the study of history help me make a living? I plan to work with my hands. Now, how short-sighted is that statement? For you, for your children, for anybody else, we live in a societal and governmental structure that, to a large degree, determines what we can say and what we can do.

In ancient Greece, only the free men could be educated. That is, those who were not bondservants sold into slavery or whatever.

Those who were free. Basically, those who were citizens. They were the only ones considered to be worthy of education. In the early history of the United States, Thomas Jefferson stated that, in order for the democratic form of government to succeed and to last, that the population, everyone should be able to read and write and should have at least a third grade education. You see, free public education and the right to determine what you're going to study and, to a large degree, what you want to become is a new thing relatively on the world scene. And to this day, basically, in Europe, they are tracked into various trades and vocations based on their test scores. So, free public education is a new thing, really, in the world. And it began in the United States. Although we copied, to a large degree, our educational model on the, first of all, the Greek and then the German model.

When I walked onto the campus at Delta State University and looked up at the engraving on the administration building, it had an impact that has lasted all of my life, and it read, The state hath decreed that only free men shall be educated, but God hath decreed that only educated men are free. So, what did Jesus have to say about education? Let's turn to John, Gospel of John, chapter 8. We'll see that the words of Jesus are in keeping with that quote, that inscription that I read on that administration building that day, that has been with me the rest of my life. I was probably 20-21 when I read that inscription.

In John, chapter 8, and what I think we'll begin in about verse 30, John, chapter 8.

John 8, 30, as he spoke these words, many believed on him, then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, if, if, they say the most powerful word, two-letter word in the English language, if you continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed, and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. The truth shall make you free. And through the years, I have often quoted, came across this quote in graduate school many years ago by Robert Hutchins, who was one of the presidents of the University of Chicago for many years. He later got into this favor in many circles because of some of his political beliefs, but Hutchins said that a true liberal arts education, he didn't put true in front of it, I'm putting true, a true liberal arts education frees one from fear, ignorance, superstition, and the dogmas of man.

Just think what that's like. To know and know that you know who God is, what God is, what is His purpose, same thing for man, the freedom that is within that. To know that you don't have an immortal soul. To know that when you die, you don't immediately go to heaven or hell, and you could just go on to know, to know, to know.

And not that knowledge will save you, but it is the road to freedom. There is a certain threshold of knowledge that is necessary for one to be set free, even in the spiritual sense, much less physical.

They answered him. See, after Christ said, you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

They answered Him as usual. We be Abraham's seed. We're never in bondage in any man. Well, they were in bondage right then. The Romans were over them. They couldn't do anything without Roman approval, basically. How say then, you shall be made free? We're free. Of course, they were hoping for a Messiah that would come and set Him free. And Jesus answered them, barely, barely, saying to you, Whosoever commits sin is the servant of sin. And the servant abides, and the servant abideth not in the house forever, but the son abides ever. If the son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed. Now, what He's talking about, He's talking about being free from sin.

And the only way you can be free from sin is through you being convicted of your sin, and then repent of your sins, and exercise faith in the sacrifice of Christ for forgiveness of sins that are passed. Then you can be baptized and receive God's Spirit. And if the son sets you free, you shall be free indeed. Indeed, we want that freedom. There are two kinds of enslavement, physical and spiritual. You can be in the deepest, darkest dungeon on the face of the earth or beneath the earth, and yet be free in mind and spirit. And once again, the quote by Robert Hutchins, that education that frees you from fear, ignorance, superstition, and the dogmas of man.

In fact, we're commanded to study. We read the time of study if you're a high school graduate. The time of study versus the time of sleep, there is really no comparison. We sleep a third of our lives. We study maybe less than a tenth of our lives. In 2 Timothy 2.15, study to show yourselves approved unto God a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. So here is, in the form of a command, to study to show yourself approved. You must develop a love affair with the truth. That love affair, like I was talking about when I saw that first primer reader, how desperately you want to learn, you want to grow in grace and knowledge. Now let's go to 2 Thessalonians 2.7. 2 Thessalonians 2 and verse 7. Of course, 2 Thessalonians, Paul is addressing the fact that the Thessalonians thought that the return of Christ was imminent, and he told them that several things had to happen before that happened. Now we're about 2,000 years down the road from that time. He still hasn't come, but he will come. God, who cannot lie, has promised. In 2 Thessalonians 2.7, speaking of the end times, for the mystery of iniquity, lawlessness, does already work. Only he who now lets will let until he be taken out of the way. God lets whatever is taking place on this earth happen at the present time, but be not deceived. God is not mocked whatsoever man. Soeth that shall also reap. A time of judgment is coming to everyone. And then shall that wicked be reveal, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming, even Him whose coming is after the working of Satan, with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all the civil beliefs of unrighteousness to them that perish, because they receive not the love of the truths that they might be saved. Do you have that love of the truth, no matter what your age is, no matter what phase of life you're in? Do you have that love of the truth? And for this cause, what cause? Because they love not the truth, God shall send them grand delusion. Strong delusion. God shall send the delusion. If you take the truth for granted, you put your Bible on the shelf. You don't open your Bible. You let it stay there. Dust on the Bible. You've heard the song. Blow the dust off the Bible. Wipe it off. Open the pages of the Bible. God shall send them strong delusion. Why? Because they didn't love the truth. They didn't renew the inward man daily that they should believe the lie. There's no indefinite article in Greek. What is the lie? The one sitting in the temple of God claiming that he is God. Everyone whose names are not written in the Lamb's Book of Life, according to Revelation 13.8, will be deceived by that one that is sitting there saying that he is God. So do you have that love of the truth? Scripture clearly identifies the greatest goal of life. Remember, life is what happens between goals. Matthew 6.33, let's turn there. In Matthew 6, verse 33, Scripture clearly identifies the greatest goal of life. People talk about setting your priorities. What are your priorities?

In Matthew 6.33, but seek ye first the kingdom of God, the first priority, the first goal, the kingdom of God and His righteousness. And all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow, no anxious care, for the morrow shall take thought for the things thereof. The sufficient of the day is evil thereof. This reminds me of Romans chapter 2. Let's go there. In Romans chapter 2 and beginning in verse 7, what are we seeking after?

Well, some are seeking after honor and fame. And it's all right to seek after certain goals. But we just read, seek ye first the kingdom of God. What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and lose his own life essence? You're as dead as the chief sinner that ever lived. In Romans chapter 2, verse 7, To them who by patient continuance and well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life, meaning we don't have it now.

And if we don't achieve that goal of the kingdom of God, immortality and eternal life, all of these other things are in vain. But unto them that are contentious and do not obey the truth, but obey your unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that does evil, of the Jew first and also to the nations.

But glory, honor and peace to every man that works good to the Jew first, also to the nations, the ethnos. For there is no respect to persons with God. Remember, once again, life is what happens between goals. In life, regardless of how successful you are, you are, as the world measures success. In other words, regardless of how successful you are, according to the way that the world measures success, you will be tested, you will be tried to the very depth of your being.

These trials can range from severe sickness, death of a loved one, being betrayed, lied about, criticized, the brunt of jokes as Christ was. But as we noted from Psalm 27, God will never leave you or forsake you. So after we stumble and fall, which will happen, you will have to pick yourself up, no matter who you are or where you are, how young or old, dust yourself off, and yet back, under the road less taken, the road to eternal life, the narrow way.

Was Christ a failure after preaching the truth to thousands, performing countless miracles, casting out hundreds of demons, that only 120 disciples showed up, waiting for the receipt of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost? 120. It's soon ballooned, 3,000 on Pentecost, 5,000 a little later. But was Christ a failure? No, He kept His mind focused on His reason for being. He kept His eye on the big picture that of being Savior of humankind. Let's look at Hebrews 12. Hebrews 12 has become one of my favorite scriptures because it helps me to understand what it means to have faith and look to the future as Christ did.

See, Jesus Christ, think about this. Jesus Christ, you heard last week the compact, an agreement made before time began. How long has God and Jesus Christ lived with the compact before anything was created, the angelic realm, the physical realm, or anything? Who knows? Thousands of years for sure. Maybe longer than that. Hundreds of years for sure. Slain from the foundation of the world, how long has Jesus Christ known that He was going to die for the sins of the world?

For thousands of years, foreknown before the foundation of the world, according to the Apostle Peter. In Hebrews 12, wherefore, seeing that we were encompassed about with so great a cloud of witness, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which does so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the rage that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the stake, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Can you visualize yourself sitting on a throne in the kingdom of God?

The Bible says, thrones were cast and they sat upon them. They were made kings and priests. So Jesus Christ kept His focus on the kingdom of God. Was the Apostle Paul a failure? After all he had done in teaching men, he was left alone with only two or three disciples. Many times I reflect back and think about all of those people that I've taught at a pastor, all of those faculty members, all those ministers. And even in recent times, all of the people that have walked away, and it's so discouraging in a way.

Look at 2 Timothy chapter 4 verse 5. We want to begin. You listen to this. The Apostle Paul, what a great teacher! Fourteen books he wrote in 2 Timothy chapter 4 verse 5.

But watch you and all things, writing to the young evangelists, probably somewhere around 20 years old. Endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of your ministry. For I am ready to be offered in the time of my departures at hand. I have fought a good fight.

I have finished my course. I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me at that day, and not to me only, but unto all of them also that love is appearing.

Do your diligence to come shortly unto me, for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world and is departed unto Thessalonica. Crescents to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia, and you wonder, an epistle addressed to Titus.

That, Titus, only Luke is with me. Take Mark and bring him with you, for he is profitable to me for the ministry. And, Tychicus, have I sent to Ephesus, then bring the cloak. Was Paul a failure? Everyone will fail from time to time. Remember, life is not fair. Seemed like we had a sermon about that recently. So, after you assess where you are, what are you going to do? You see, we are where we are. I don't care where we are, what is is. And we've got to deal with what is. Everyone will fail at one point in their life, but let me let you in on another secret. And it can mean defeat for you, or it can mean the launch point for success.

Let's note the words of the Apostle Paul who experienced so many trials from personal health issues, persecution by the brethren. Boy, I know that can be so discouraging. Physical beatings, betrayal, mental anguish. And yet, Philippians 3 and verse 13. You know, I've often wondered why God allows men like Paul to suffer so much doing his work beaten, thrown over the fence for dead, shipwrecked in the waters of the deep for a long time. Philippians 3, 3, 3, 13. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended, but this one thing I do. For getting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark of the prize of the high calling in Christ Jesus. See, when Paul wrote those words, he was in prison. He refused to allow failures to destroy his life. Paul made a lot of mistakes early on in his adult life. Persecuting Christians, perhaps even killing them. After Stephen was stoned, the clothes were laid down at Paul's feet. So don't be ruled by fear of failure. All of us, let's keep our eye on the goal. Stay focused. Don't let anything throw you off track. Off course. Claim the promises. I'll never leave you. I'll never forsake you. You may question, but never doubt God. God who cannot lie is faithful. He always has your best interests at heart. There are two kinds of courses that we all take. One is required, and one is elective. You have to take these courses. We're talking about graduation and education. The required courses are life and death. Those you have no option in taking. You have no say-so into where you were born, who you were born to, who your parents are, your state in life at the present time. Nor do you have any control over the fact you're going to die. It is appointed unto man once to die. After that, the judgment. We also have the elective courses, and these elective courses deal with how you live your life. You have a choice to either be spiritually minded or carnally minded. A carnal mind is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. If we are spiritually minded and mortify the needs of the flesh, we shall live. You have the choice to be safe in God's will or the choice of struggling in your own will. And most importantly, of all, you have the choice to choose life or death. God says, choose life.