Concerning life: Choose quality over quantity

Ecclesiastes 8:7-8
Indeed, how can people avoid what they don't know is going to happen? None of us can hold back our spirit from departing. None of us has the power to prevent the day of our death. NLT

We really do not have much say over the quantity of our lives. Yes we can do somethings to take care of ourselves, like eat right, exercise, wear seat belts etc. but we ultimately do not have control over when we die. We cannot control accidents, cancer, heart problems, war, the weather, or the choices of others. However, we do have a say in the quality of life we live. By quality of life I do not mean possessions, money, or material goods, but a life of peace, joy, and happiness that money cannot buy. Money and possessions are outward things, peace, joy, and happiness are internal things therefore quality of life is not dependent on outward circumstances, but rather an inward attitude of faith. The thought of dying and the reality of dying makes me want to live better today. It makes me want to live more fully and to live fully alive.
I want to fully enjoy God's gifts.
I want to love more and complain less.
I want my life to be a walk of faith, hope, and truth.
I want to die having lived beyond regret.
I want my actions to show the people in my life that they are important to me.
I want my words to bring life and encouragement rather than pain and disappointment. 
I want to learn from my failures and mistakes.
I want to forgive and be forgiven.
I want to judge less and trust more.
I want God to use my life to bless others.
When all is said and done and I crossover into eternity I want to look into Christ's eyes and hear His words: "Well done."

God has given us life. We have been given a certain number of days. We do not choose how long we live but we do choose how we will live. We do not choose the quantity of our lives but we do choose quality of life.

Praying written prayers

The majority of my Christian life has been spent in a Non-Denominational Church. Non-Denominational churches tend to pride themselves on not being enslaved to tradition and being free from the shackles of dry and dull liturgy. As a Non-Denominational Christian I understand and agree with the premise of the arguments against stale and predictable prayer and worship, I do not agree, however, that there is nothing to be gained or experienced by reading or participating in liturgy or liturgical services especially when it is from the heart. Anything can be can become predictable and dry if it is not done or offered from a sincere heart.

With that in mind, I have found reading and praying the prayers of others to be significant in my own spiritual growth and intimacy with God. I was not raised going to church much, so the majority of hymns in modern hymnals I have never sung (although there seems to be a great revival amongst contemporary Christian music in bringing back the old hymns put to modern music & melodies). Several years ago a pastor in Scotland gave me a hymnal from the Church of Scotland. It has been a treasure to me in my private devotional life. I find myself reading them as prayers to God and He always strengthens my faith through them.

When we read the Psalms we are simply reading the written prayers and songs of people who followed God thousands of years ago.

I have found that writing out my prayers to God and then reading them aloud to be a great way to pray. If you struggle with prayer, not knowing how to pray or what to pray, try writing out a prayer to God, get on your knees and read it out loud to God. God will use it stir up other things and lead you further into His presence.

The following is a prayer you can recite first thing in the morning as you offer your day to God

"Almighty and everlasting God, Creator & Sustainer of the universe, I worship you.
Lord Jesus Christ, Savior and Lord of the world, I worship you.
Holy Spirit, Sanctifier of the people of God, I worship you.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen
Heavenly Father, I pray that this day I may live in your presence and please you more and more.
Lord Jesus Christ, I pray that this day I may take up my cross and follow you.
Holy Spirit, I pray that this day your fruit may ripen in my life-love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Holy blessed and glorious Trinity, three persons and one God, have mercy upon me. Amen."

The expense of our salvation & our discipleship

"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it." Matthew 16:24-25 (NIV)

Salvation is free; however, following Jesus costs us everything. The good news of Jesus is that God sent his son to live and die in our place. He lived a perfect life meaning he loved God perfectly and loved his neighbor as himself perfectly, thus he never sinned. However, he willingly stood in our place dying on the cross for our sin, sin he had never known or committed. In the Old Testament we are told: “If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God…” (Deuteronomy 28:1-2, NIV). The scripture goes on to list blessings for obedience. In the same chapter we read:

“However, if you do not obey the LORD your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come upon you and overtake you…” (Deuteronomy 28:15, NIV).

The chapter goes on to pronounce a curse for disobedience. Did you notice the “ifs” in those Old Testament verses? Here is the beauty of the gospel: Jesus answered the “ifs” of the law. He lived in perfect obedience, and he paid the penalty for disobedience. “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.’" (Galatians 3:13, NIV).

Salvation cost you and me nothing, but it cost Jesus everything. However, following Jesus will cost you and me everything.

Taken from "Noblesse Oblige" by Scott Applegate pages 111-113