Answers2Prayer
BIBLE
TEACHING SERVICE
FOCUS:
JESUS
YOU
AND YOUR END
Text: Eccl.
3:1-12; 12:1-7, 13-14.
Memory Verse: O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end! Deut. 32:29.
Introduction: If anything should bother or pre-occupy the mind of a believer, it is the matter of how to end ones life. The Bible says that “Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof…..” No beginner is crown in any race but those who make it to the end. Thank God that you have surrender your life to the Lord Jesus but don’t rejoice yet for several people started better that you did but their end were worse than the unbeliever. If you have not really begin with the Lord then you need to reconsider your stand for God and note that the Bible says that (…., now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation) 2 Cor. 6:2. Before we continue you need to consider the question, How are you going to end your life? We trust God that even if the devil had plan a bad end for you by the end of this study you will be able to make a u-turn and be among the people who end well.
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Example of Bad-ending:
Many people started badly and ended badly too even in the Bible. They are written for us for over consideration. Yet some started well but they did not end their lives rightly. Infact their end were not desirable. They caused sorrow even in heaven for heaven weep over the righteous that turn unrighteous. We shall consider few examples of many these cases from the Word of God.
Cain: Gen. 4:1-15 How did Cain begin? What about his end? Where was the problem? Discuss these properly.
Reuben: Gen. 29:31-32; 35:22; 49:1-4. Why was Reuben cursed? How can such be averted today? For those who sinned is there any way out? Discuss this with what Jesus did on the cross.
King Saul: I Sam. 10:1, 9, 21-25; 13:11-14; 15:18-23. Find out from I Sam 9-12 the good life of King Saul. How did he misbehave? What can we learn from his life?
Ananias and Sapphira: Acts 4:34-5:11
Point out the sin(s) of this couple. How did they end their lives? How about what they kept back?
These are few of many examples we can discover from the Bible. You need to check your life and see if sin also lies at your door and pray for his mercy today before it is too late.
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Examples of Good-ending
Though many people ended their lives badly yet we have several other people who by the grace of God had a good ending not minding when they started to begin their well-living lives:
Enoch: Gen. 5:18-24. This is a man who began his walk with the Lord at the age of sixty five (65)years and had a consistent walk of a good life with the Lord, for three hundred years (300) without break. How can we have a testimony like that? Discuss
Joseph: Gen. 30:22-24; 37:1-28; 39:1-20; 41:37-46
This is a singular that started well, continued well and ended well (Gen. 50:22-26). There are lots to say about Joseph. He was righteous throughout is days of sojourning here on earth. How did Joseph overcome all his temptation? How can also overcome in this tempting world? Discuss
Daniel: Dan. 1:8; 6:1-3, 21-23; 12:8-13
This is another man whose life opened well with a determination to live for God even in a strange land of Babylon. He was only told to go and rest till the time of the end. Friend asks yourself again how will you end your life? Are you going to rest or begin to labour in eternity? Check your life.
Paul: Acts 9:1-8; Gal. 1:11-16; 2 Tim. 4:7-8
Paul met the Lord while still persecuting the church and since then he kept on following and working for God till he finally said, he had fought a good fight of faith and that he kept the faith. Are you keeping the faith? How are you fighting the battle?
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How to end well
The question that should occupy our heart from this study his how can we end our lives well. Among many other things we need to check and forsake all the wrong ways that made the people in part one of our study to end their lives badly and then study and pursue the way that the other people in part two trod while in this planet earth and learn from them so as to follow their good steps. Remember that these people were characterized with Holy living (Matt. 5:8; Heb. 12:14) studying and keeping the word of God (Joshua 1:8; 2 Tim. 2:15; 3:14-17). Praying to God for the needed grace and help (Dan. 6:10-11; Ps. 55:16-17; Mark 13:33). Obedience to all given command is another thing that help them and that will help us (John 13:17; 15:14).
There are yet many other things they observed, that we must observe as well. Mention and discuss them.
Conclusion
As
we conclude this study you and I need to really pray and receive grace from God
for no matter what we are doing now, our end is the most important issue.
If we end up well, we have a reward, if any we not, he/she will have
eternity to regret. Remember the
rich man (Luke 16:19-31). Let us
pray.
