Lessons Learned From 911

Lessons Learned From 911

Eccl. 9:11,12

^{11I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all. ¹²For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.

As we consider all that happened two years ago, we need to know…
Life is Fragile – Ja. 4:13-17

Really, it is short
It ends (in this life)
We need to plan accordingly

^{13Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: ¹⁴Whereas 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. ¹⁵For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. ¹⁶But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil. ¹⁷Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.}

Which shows our next point…
Life is full of important decisions

We need to face these decisions with wisdom – James 1:5,6

^{5If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. ⁶But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.}

We need to face these decisions now – today…
We need to face these decisions with determination - Phil. 3:13-14

^{13Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, ¹⁴I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.}

Life’s is a faltering (uncertain) future

We do not really know what it holds – Ecc. 10.14

^{4A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him?}

We should do a good job – Ecc. 3.22

^{22Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?}

We should be prepared to face life – Mt. 24.43

^{43But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.}

Life is futuristic (It goes on and on)

We need to go forward – Acts 20.22

^{22And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there:}

We will become part of that future
We need to know the one who holds the future.- Col. 1:16

^{16For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:}

Gary Marcum – New Beginnings Church – 091403pm}