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PRACTICING THE ART OF LIVING SUCCESSFULLY

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There is a story in the Bible about a fool. It is a disturbing story in that it is about one man’s success. What is even more disturbing about it is that he is not a lazy man, but is very willing to work long days as he looks forward to the day when he can retire and enjoy all the benefits of his hard work. This is not a man who puts his faith in winning the lottery. This is not a man whose hope is that maybe one of his rich relatives will leave him money in their will. No, this is a man who is not afraid to roll up his sleeves and get down and do some hard work. Now I need to break away from our story to tell you of another person.
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I would like you to meet Prudence. She walks through the streets and market places. You can find her there beside you when your are working in the barn, or in the field, or at the carpenter’s shop and even in the office. Some have met her while sitting in the pub, others have encountered her while lying sick in a hospital bed or standing silently at the grave of a loved one. She alone knows the answers to life’s most puzzling questions. She alone knows you will have long life and who will die young. It is said that she carries long life in her right hand and wealth and honour in her left. it is also said that every path she points to leads only to peace. Who is Prudence - you tell me - if you have lived life at all you have met her. She stood with you at your baptism. She was with you at your confirmation. She stood beside you when you exchanged vows with your beloved. Her name is Prudence - she is the wisdom of God.
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She walks through the streets and in the market places, and is here this morning, pleading with people to turn from their foolish ways and find not only instruction on how to live life, but also find security for your soul in her.
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But let us return to our story that we began with. He was, as already noted, a hard worker, a man not afraid to roll up his sleeves and get busy. He lived for the day when he could take life easy, just eat, drink and be merry. He worked every waking hour. he never gave any thought to God. He never went to public worship, he was either to busy working or needed to rest so he could work.
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One night, as he went to bed, tired from the long day’s work in the heat and humidity, as he lay there, he began to make some plans. This year promiseda bountiful harvest. All his hard work would pay off. First, he would need to knock down his barns and build bigger ones. Then when all was stored away, he would take life easy, eat, drink and be merry. As he slept, God called him home. His death was sudden. He was, as the Bible says, "a fool’. He never gave any thought about God or eternity. I wonder who got to enjoy all of the things this hard working man had prepared for himself. He never ever thought about the future .... I think the word might be prudent.
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M. LUKE 12:13-21 >>>>>>>THE PARABLE OF THE RICH FOOL
T. LUKE 16:1-19 >>>>>>>>GOD KNOWS THE HEART'S THOUGHTS
W. LUKE 16:19-31 >>>>>>>THE RICH MAN AND THE POOR MAN.
T. LUKE 17:11-19 >>>>>>>>ONLY ONE IN TEN ARE THANKFUL
F. LUKE 21:1-4 >>>>>>>>>A POOR WIDOW’S OFFERING
S. LUKE 18:1830 >>>>>>> CHOOSING WEALTH OVER WISDOM.