INCREASE YOUR LIFE

By: Dennis Harworth

Like most of the teenagers I grew up with, we had one thing in common.  It was the idea that we were invincible.  We would do the craziest things and never once thought we would get hurt.  If my parents would ever find out what others were doing, (I sure wouldn’t admit to anything); they’d give me warnings of the consequences of their actions.  My mindset of course would be “That won’t happen to me”.  Besides, I would use my favorite saying, “Life is short” as an excuse to do daring and foolishly dangerous things.  But when my Dad died in the midst of those “developing” years, my brevity of life mentality sure changed perspective.  As I got older (and wiser), I started to put more careful thought into my activities in life.  (They say with age comes wisdom, but sometimes age comes alone).  I wanted to not only survive and live longer, but also live an increased life of fullness.  That’s why I really like the acronym for L.I.F.E. (Living In Fullness Everyday).

Did you know that God deeply desires for you to prosper and live a long life?  That’s right!  He would not have told us how if He didn’t want us to live it.  God wants you to live in fullness every day, but He needs your participation and cooperation.  God will richly increase your life in length as well as your quality of living if you do life His way.  Here are three ways from the Word of God to increase your life:

· FEAR OF THE LORD

This type of fear is not something of dread and fright.  The fear of the Lord is to have reverence and respect for God as you stand in awe of His majesty and power.  It is the beginning or starting point of wisdom by which your days will be multiplied and the years of your life will be increased (Psalm 9:10-11).  Other benefits of the reverential fear of the Lord are riches and honor and life (Proverbs 22:4).  But wait, there’s more!  The Lord will bless them that fear Him, both small and great.  He will increase you more and more; both you and your children (Psalm 115:13-14).  What a promise!  Just by definition alone, this means the Lord will continually increase your life to “a greater number, quantity, or degree” while you reverence Him. 

Increase your life - fear God to increase you more and more… 

· LIVE IN OBEDIENCE

God made an unbreakable covenant and desires relationship with His people.  When you live obediently to His Word, God is actually obligated to bless you and your children - to live well, live long (Deuteronomy 4:40), and to prosper (Deuteronomy 5:29).  To live in obedience means to diligently take God at His Word and immediately act upon what He says (whether you want to or not).  It is to completely submit to the authority of Jesus as Lord of your life.  Job 36:11 tells us if you obey and serve Him, you will spend your days in prosperity and your years in pleasures. 

Increase your life - live in obedience to live long and prosper! 

· HONOR YOUR PARENTS

Honoring your parents is a commandment that ends with a promise.  Honor your father and mother and this is the promise: that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth (Ephesians 6:2-3).  Isn’t this a great guarantee for you to take pleasure in a long and prosperous life?  To honor your parents means to value or prize them highly with respect and love.  It does not matter if you feel that they deserve it or not.  Your responsibility is to honor your parents all throughout your life because it is a command; not an option.  Besides, the benefit of the promise is for you anyway.  YOU will live a long life; it will go well with YOU!  The word “well” means to be beautiful, pleasant, cheerful, sound, happy, and successful.  Wouldn’t you like to have your life described this way? 

Increase your life - honor your parents to have a long and successful life!

There is so much more life has to offer you; so why wait?  Realize that life is short!    Note the great evangelist Billy Graham, who lived a few months short of 100 years said, “The greatest surprise in life to me is the brevity of life.”  Start today to do these things to richly enjoy the life the Lord desires for you in the first place.  For if you reverence the Lord, live in obedience, and honor your parents, God promises you will INCREASE YOUR LIFE!