THE CLUTTERED LIFE

THE CLUTTERED LIFE.
Pastor Lewis Cushman, 
St Cloud Church of God.
 
“I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity. I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it? I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life. I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards: I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits: I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees: I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me: I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts. So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me. And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour. Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.”
Ecclesiastes 2:1-11 KJV
 
LIFE IS LIKE A LOUNGE CHAIR ON THE DECK, SOME PLACE IT TO SEE WHERE THEY HAVE BEEN, SOME WHERE THEYE ARE GOING, SOME TO SEE WHAT IS GOING ON, CHARLIE BROWN SAID I CAN'T EVEN GET MINE UNFOLDED.
 
When life gets cluttered it can overwhelm you.
Like a laundry room, it can get cluttered with stuff.
Fishing stuff in the laundry room. Fishing Poles, rods, reels, and line. It looks like a Tackle room with a washer and dryer in it. The wife has said… “a change is coming.”
You can't even do the laundry because of all the clutter.
Don't let your life be a cluttered laundry room.
 
A CLUTTERED LIFE AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT:
 
1- A CLUTTERED LIFE WILL BRING BUSYNESS .
Doing doing doing...
Activity is not wrong. There is always stuff to be done.  But when all the activity results in neglected relationships it is wrong. Especially if it does not amount to a hill of beans.
Solomon was a busy man. He was searching for things to make him happy. Cars, homes, friends, clothes, money... If we are not carful as Christians those things can kill us.
I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards: I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits: I made me...
You will never have enough. Never.
The busier the better? Nope. Don't Everest so busy that God is neglected.
 Q: What did Solomon gain? Stuff, then more stuff, and more stuff.
Did it help? Nope. He gained so much stuff.
What would it take to satisfy you?
Rockefeller said, "Just a little bit more..."
Things are not the things that make a person happy.
What can make you happy?
What can satisfy?
When you realize that Jesus is the answer then you will be truly happy.
 
2- A CLUTTERED LIFE WILL GET OUT OF CONTROL.
You can be so scattered that nothing is done properly. Bunches of half done projects. Things started but not many finished. Things bought but not used. This plastic card we have in our wallets gets us in trouble all the time. You can go by this and that as if you don't have to pay. More more more... People lack discipline. Some day the candle burning at both ends will run out. You can't run full throttle all the time and not expect to run out of gas.
 
Q: WHAT ARE THE SOME CONSEQUENCES OF A LIVING CLUTTERED LIFE?
Loss.
Debt.
Destruction.
Meaningless life.
"Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun." Solomon.
That coming from a man who had it all.
He said it is ALL Vanity.
You can get it all and in the end what good is it?
 
3- WHAT IS THE CAUSE OF A CLUTTERED LIFE?
A- Pointing at yourself. What are you doing? Are you doing for self gain or helping others? What about service? What about paying it forward? 
B- A heart that has pushed God aside and placed self first.
Oh look at me, look what I did, look what I got.
Me Me Me, my my my, myself, I, self... 
The cluttered life leaves no life for God.
 
4- WHAT IS THE CURE FOR A CLUTTERED LIFE?
There is a cure, it does not have to be this way. We need to simply begin to clean our life up.
But how? 
THREE THINGS TO DO:
A- FIND SOLITUDE. Are you listening? Guard your hearts with solitude. Get away from the noise of this life to hear the voice of God. Are you taking time to hear what God wants you to do? There are many distractions that stop you from hearing. Try putting you face into the book God has giving you. The bible is the best Facebook. If you don't come apart, you will become a part. Be still and know that God is God. Stop, listen, and hear. 
 
B- MAINTAIN STEWARDSHIP. You don't own a thing in this life. Be careful with what God has given you in this life. There is too much wasting. We are called to be doers and not just hearers.
 
C-  STAY IN FOCUS. Set your affection on things above and not on things of this world. Where your treasure is, your heart is also. Look to God, He holds the keys.
 
One day we will give account of all we have done. 
How will your account go?
It is time to lay aside the things of this earth and place your life in God's hands. He wants to help you to get the clutter out. 
TAKE SOME TIME TO PRAY AND LEAVE YOUR CLUTTERED WITH GOD.
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