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This blog post is Part 1 of a series entitled "The Philosophy Of Life" by Pastor Jeffrey Dean Smith of Donelson First in Nashville, TN. 

Message Date: January 5, 2025

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There are so very many things about you that I do not personally know. I do not know how you like your coffee. I do not know your favorite color. I do not know if you would label yourself as Conservative or Liberal; Republican or Democrat; Tennessee or Vanderbilt fanatic. I have no idea whatsoever as to where you enjoy to vacation, your favorite restaurant, or to whom you place a call when you are having a bad day. There are countless upon countless things and facts and traditions and logistics about your life of which I know nothing. But there too are statements about you of which I am absolutely confident are correct.

However, before I reveal these truths to you, I want to make absolutely sure you are prepared to receive them. I presume what I am about to share will not be new news for you; though it may be news of which you have forgotten, not believed, or altogether ignored in times of past. Notwithstanding, if you have spent any amount of time in Scripture, then I presume you have read these truths that are woven throughout the pages of Scripture documenting how God thinks about you, the love He has over you, and the plans He has established for you. Additionally, know this... before hearing these truths, I pause to prepare you. For these 5 truths are most assuredly true about you, there is the potential for you to quickly dismiss these words out of doubt, or as a conclusion over regrettable choices made in your life, or even simply out of familiarity. Nonetheless, what you are about to hear is absolutely, most assuredly, and without reservation, completely and unequivocally true.

So... steady your mind. And prepare yourself to receive these 5 truths about you:
1. Your personality and temperament is unique.
2. Your skill sets are customized to align with your disposition.
3. You are created to accomplish what no other human can achieve.
4. Your life, from beginning to end, is designed to fulfill God’s plan for you in a way solely distinct to you.
5. Your legacy can be whatever you desire. 

The Psalmist wrote:

Psalm 139:13-16

For the one, or the many, listening today who are saying, “It may be true that at one point in my life, or even at the beginning of my life, these 5 statements were true of me. But, I have made some really horrible choices; done things of which I am not proud. And there is no way that now, at this point in my life, these things can be said of me or accomplished through me!” If you are thinking such things of you today, let me add one more truth to this list... #6:

6. Your past will never change the way God will perceive you nor influence the way God will use you.

God has designed a one-of-a kind life for you to live that only you, only you, can live! And because you are breathing, because there is still life in you, this means that God has something for you to do for Him today that only you can do. Did you hear this, Church? You are God’s handiwork! And He is so very proud of you. How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand - when I awake, I am still with you.

Psalm 139:17-18

Here the Psalmist is thanking God specifically for the ways in which God thinks of humanity. You see... unlike mostly every other earthly relationship you have: God’s feelings toward you are not dictated by your feelings toward Him. God’s love for you is not defined by the love you do, or do not, demonstrate to Him. God’s loyalty to you is not expressed as a condition of the loyalty you express to Him. God’s plans for you are not validated by whether or not you chase after His plans or your own. The apostle Paul wrote these beautiful words to the Church of Ephesus at a time when they needed encouragement to stay the course in their work for the Kingdom of God.

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10

Scripture says that God customized and prepared a good work for you to do in advance!

What is most fascinating to me about this verse is that these words read in the Greek reveal to you that you were not merely created to do some things for God; you were created to do all things for Him! Wow! Hearing this is a reminder to me of just how very important all of my decisions are... for God is in all of them and He is privy to every one of them! I presume some people believe, or, at a minimum, inadvertently adopt, the mantra that, as a Christ-follower, as a good “church-goer,” one’s life may be segmented... meaning, on some days I pursue God’s will and on other days I pursue my will. Or... On some days I do “God things” and on other days I do “my thing.” Or... On some days I request God’s leading and direction and on other days I allow my emotions, my feelings, my circle of influence, or other contributing factors to influence my decision making. But such a philosophy for life is not what this passage reveals as to the direction nor reason for which you are to live, not even by a longshot y’all! Read this passage again with me:

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10

This is a life philosophy that rages against mostly everything the world teaches and encourages. And such a pursuit is too a colossal shift for mostly all of humanity because such a way of living is difficult... heck, it’s really, really hard! Paul writes to the Church in Ephesus and says: “...do good works!” The Greek word for “do” used here: peripateo 

Do / Greek / peripateō / v. = to live; to conduct; to live today

Do you see this? You are not here to live as you desire; to figure this “life thing” out on your own; to have days where you honor God and then days when you do your own thing... No! The biblical philosophy for your entire life is defined in this one passage. Let me read it to you again, this time, inserting the Greek translation of the word “do.”

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus “to live; to conduct; to live today,” with good works, which God prepared in advance for us “to live; to conduct; to live today.” Ephesians 2:10

You know... you each have a life philosophy – every one of you. This philosophy directs your way of thinking; influences your way of responding and reacting to life’s challenges and temptations; molds your commitment to praying; dictates your ways of serving. Your life philosophy shapes your level of generosity. It guides your work ethic. It orders your life in vast ways. You may not consciously consider this philosophy when it comes to the so very many aspects of your life – but be clear... it is there guiding and directing and molding and shaping and defining your very life at every move and with every decision.

So... consider this: What if there is a better life philosophy for you to embrace? What if there is more waiting to be discovered and defined and directed within you that can radically improve your standard of living? What if there is more that God has for you to do; to become; to be; to influence; to change? What if, regardless of your history, your age, your failures and your successes... what if God wants to do more in you; more with you; more through you in 2025 than ever before and at any other moment in your life? I do not know about you... but I say, “Yes! Yes Lord! Do more! Use me more! Shape me more!” I guess one might say then that, this series, the Philosophy of Life, with which we begin 2025 is a series that provides tremendous opportunity for the reshaping... the re-shaping of one’s life philosophy.

Philosophy = the academic study of habits, knowledge and experience.

As we begin 2025, we are going to engage in such an academic study. I want to invite each of you to journey with me over the next 15 weeks as we take a theoretical look at the philosophy of life we each possess and then look to the Scriptures as we allow God’s Word to reveal to us the philosophy by which we are called to live as followers of the Christ. This academic analysis will require of us each the responsibility to look intently in the Scriptures on a variety of topics, 15 in all, and then, examine the personal and often extremely intimate habits, and knowledge, and life experiences we each possess. And in doing so, such an exercise, I am most confident, will motivate within you several applications:

1. To stay the course in particular areas of your life that are obediently in line with the will of God. 
2. To appeal you to realign those areas of your life where improvement is warranted.

I wonder if like me, you invite the opportunity to begin this new year, 2025, with a renewed purpose; an invigorated zeal; a more enlivened passion to pursue the ways of God. I presume we each aspire for such; or at a minimum, aspire to be a better person; to be more intentional; to establish goals; to love others more; to be more generous; more kind; more forgiving; a better human. As this new year begins, you may hope to worry less; to rest more; to be more focused; to spend more time with family; to spend less time on your devices. I can tell you what I long for this year is to inspire within a deeper desire to know God; to know the ways of God; to live more wholly for God. If you are saying, “Yes Pastor, this too is my hope for this new year!” I can tell you how this can happen. And I can assure you that it begins here with these words from Peter:

2 Peter 1:3-8

Peter assures us that there is an inheritance awaiting those who have received Him as Savior – an inheritance awaiting you in heaven! How exciting! Peter too assures us something equally special and equally empowering and comforting as this new year begins. Did you notice it? Look again:

2 Peter 1:8

The Lord has given to us everything we need for a godly life – everything! He says these can be yours for the taking: Goodness. Knowledge. Self-control. Perseverance. Godliness. Affection. Love. And the promise? Look again at verse 8:

2 Peter 1:8

The promise is:
1. Effectiveness.
2. Productivity.

Who doesn’t want these attributes in life? So... how do you accomplish this? Well, fortunately, we need to look no further than this passage, than these words from Peter to clearly see the answer. Look at Verse 5 again with me!

For this very reason, make every effort... 2 Peter 1:5

Do you see the action required in such a process: “Make - every - effort!” Simply: Seize today! Make the most of today – right now! Take this in, Church... the power behind these three simple, yet most effective, words:

Make / Greek / pareispherō / v. = to do your best

Every / Greek / pas / a. = today and every day [this is an ongoing process]

Effort / Greek / spoude / n. = hurry; devoted haste

Make – every – effort!

Listen to 2 Peter 1:5 again as I insert the Greek translation:

For this reason, do your best, today and every day; too, hurry with a devoted haste... 2 Peter 1:5

No where in this passage, or in any biblical passage for this matter, do we read that your age, your past, your failures, your limitations, nor your present season of life in any way whatsoever shape or influence or dictate your ability to seize the promise of 2 Peter 1:8, to be:

1. Effective.
2. Productive.

To the contrary, we read over and again that you are to accomplish the work the Lord has given to you.

It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to “keep watch!” Mark 13:34

I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me - the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.

Acts 20:24

See to it that you complete the ministry you have received in the Lord.

Colossians 4:17

Do you grasp this urgency, this theme, running rampant in each of these passages? It really is the heartbeat of all the Scriptures as it relates to humanity’s call to complete the task, finish the race, and “go” to the world to complete the ministry you have received from the Lord! Church... The philosophy of life upon which every follower of the Christ is to live today: Do your best. Today and every day. Hurry with a devoted haste. And as we have studied on numerous occasions in the past, there are no coincidences in Scripture. As you examine the Scriptures on a particular topic, you can consistently see a pattern to the way God communicates, and more specifically, to His heart on a given matter. This cannot be overstated as we see over and again the specific use of the word “today” or “this day” throughout the Scriptures. 

For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. Deuteronomy 30:16

But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. Joshua 24:15

For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Today, if only you would hear his voice. Psalm 95:7

These are just a few examples in Scripture of the call God has made to His followers for “today!” And the theme that is evident throughout God’s Word... 

Scripture demands that “today” you:
1. Act urgently.
2. Obey loyally.
3. Surrender completely.

This is the challenge for you as you begin this new year; the challenge to act urgently, obey loyally, and surrender completely to the will of God – to the life philosophy He has for you! Now, such a life philosophy is not an easy one. You know this! For any follower of the Christ, you know how so very hard it is with urgency, to obey and to completely surrender today, and every day forward. So, what does this look like for you? How can you “today,” embrace such a philosophy for your life in 2025? I end with these 3 considerations:

1. The most important day left for you to live is today.

Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring. Proverbs 27:1

Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 

James 4:13-14

Now... embracing the life philosophy of “today” does not give you a green light to mediocrity and laziness. This does not mean you stop planning for tomorrow. It is healthy to continue seeking God’s will, planning and dreaming and preparing for what’s next. But one setting goals and then aspiring and working to accomplish such in life should be coupled with the life philosophy: I have been given today!

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:34

So... Today give relationships attention. Today give your work your very best. Today give your family intentional time.

Today give God your urgency, loyalty, and complete surrender.

2. Embrace today no matter what the day brings.

This is hard... really hard.... especially for the spouse who has just lost the love of your life. This is hard... really hard... especially for the one who has just heard, “It’s cancer.” This is hard... really hard... especially for the one who has just been told, “I don’t love you anymore.” This is hard... really hard... especially for the one living each day with pain. Over the past decade, I have had to face a variety of pains that I never imagined I would. There have been days, and I presume you too can relate, when I have opened my eyes on a new day and have thought... “Can life get any worse than it is right now?” This is why this first philosophy of life with which we begin this new series in this new year is such an important one for me personally. And I too know that in some way, and on some level, it is a critically important one for you too.

In recent months, I have learned to better understand the meaning behind the words of the prophet Jeremiah, whom we believe wrote these words in the Old Testament book, Lamentations:

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23

Y'all what a great reminder for you today, that no matter what the day brings, no matter how seemingly all-consuming your trials and struggles and pains can be, every single day, God's compassion for you is new. The Psalmist wrote: 

The Lord has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad. Psalm 118:24

3. Do all things today with the strength given to you today.

You cannot change yesterday. You cannot guarantee tomorrow. You can do all things today with the strength God provides one day at a time! In Moses’ last few hours on Earth, he spoke these words to God’s people empowering them to find confidence in this truth:

“...your strength will equal your days.” Deuteronomy 33:25

The Lord has given you today to live. Therefore, the Lord will give you strength to live this day, today, well! I don't know about you, but I sure need this reminder today! The reminder that today, day-by-day, God will give me the strength I need for whatever comes my way! It is interesting that Moses did not say to these people: “God will give you strength for this entire year!” Or even... “God will be your strength for the following month!” No, Moses encourages the people of God that today, the day you have been given, so shall be your strength!

I conclude with this question for your consideration... If you knew that today was your last day to live, would you change anything? Would you? Would you do anything differently? Well, I might try one more time to get in some fajitas at Cinco de Mayo. I’d probably hope for one last boat ride on Percy Priest... and I’d probably do so with an iced tea and a cigar. And of course, I would want to spend it holding tightly my three ladies and our two big slobber boys! Church, hear this... Your philosophy for life is in its proper order when, upon realizing today is your last day, the way in which you lived yesterday will be no different than the way you choose to live today.

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Jeffrey Dean Smith is a husband, father to Bailey & Brynnan, author, and the Senior Pastor at Donelson First in Nashville, TN. If you are in Music City, meet Jeffrey and enjoy iced tea on the front lawn each Sunday at 10:30a.