Young People's Group

The Principle of L.I.F.E.

by Mitchell Tan
December 10, 2020

CHANCES IN L.I.F.E.

I have just listened to all the messages from Youth Conference 2020. My heart is deeply impacted and inspired by what Pastor has taught. He had explained many vital lessons with reference to life and the crucial place of the heart in living it well. If you have not listened to them, I recommend that you do so whether you are a teen or an adult.

Instead of carrying on with my usual articles from Ephesians, I would like to review and reflect on some of the lessons learnt. Pastor taught from 1 Samuel about the life of Samuel, Saul and David. One important lesson emphasised was about the principle of LIFE. He was teaching on the life of Saul concerning how he had everything going for him as a king and yet he did not turn out well. He used the acronym LIFE to teach this lesson.

1. L – LINEAR

Pastor explained how life is linear. Life will carry on no matter what. Depending on how we choose to live our life, it could either progress upwards, remain horizontal, or regress downwards.

2. I – IMPLEMENTATION

In life, things can be implemented according to the Lord’s will and help. Israel prayed and cried out to God for a king. The Lord God chose Saul to be king according to what the people had wanted (1 Samuel 10). God would do everything to help him to succeed. Saul had to do his part too.

3. F – FUTURE, FACTS, FAILURE

The future depends on the choices of the heart and the facts of how one’s life is lived. Saul started well but then he chose to disobey the Lord and His word. He ended up a failure.

4. E – EXTENSION, EXPIRY DATE

In life, we could either extend further what has been given to us, or life could just end when its “expiry date” is up. Saul failed badly towards the end. He became a total failure.
Pastor emphasised that we have been given chances in life. This opportunity in life was given to Saul to be a king over Israel. This was his “once in a lifetime” chance to do something outstanding and significant. However, he “blew” it. In life, we can either extend further what God has given to us to do or we can expire in total insignificance.

TIME AND CHANCE HAPPEN TO US ALL

“The race is not to the swift,
Nor the battle to the strong,
Nor bread to the wise,
Nor riches to men of understanding,
Nor favour to men of skill;
But time and chance happen to them all.”
Ecclesiastes 9:11

Pastor also mentioned how time and chance happen to us all. These words were written by King Solomon as he saw how one can develop his mind and life. He noted a list of things that people can excel in: to do well in competitive sports and so on. And yet these things are not permanent. During our time on earth, God has given us chances … opportunities in life that we can make full use of. Either we use them well or we could waste them. Saul wasted his opportunity given to him to be king. It is important that we use that opportunities given to us to develop our faith and to live our life well with urgency. This is because we do not know when the evil influences of life would entrap us (Ecclesiastes 9:12) or when life would end (Ecclesiastes 9:10). While we have time and chances in LIFE, let’s make full use of them. Let’s work hard at growing our faith and to live our life well for the Lord.

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