Make Life Count: Maximizing Our Time on Earth
()
About this ebook
Larry A. Brookins
LARRY A. BROOKINS is the Senior Pastor of True Foundation Transformation Church, located in Chicago, IL. He is also the CEO of L.A. Brookins Ministries, Inc. He is a graduate of Bradley University in Peoria, IL (Bachelor of Fine Arts), Chicago Baptist Institute in Chicago, IL (Associate and Bachelor in Theological Studies), McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago, IL (Master of Arts in Theological Studies), St. Thomas Christian College in Jacksonville, FL (Doctor of Divinity), and the recipient of an Honorary Doctorate from St. Michaels Institute of St. Louis, MO. He is a husband, father, grandfather, as well as a highly proclaimed and sought-after preacher, teacher, and writer. For more information about products and services visit: www.labrookins.org.
Related to Make Life Count
Related ebooks
Gifted: How God Is Glorified Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGod’s Agenda: Past, Present, and Future Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPrayer Power Unleashed Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsChosen: Know Your Kingdom Assignment Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The 21st Century Generals: The Wilderness Experience Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAUTHORITY - CONTROL? OR RELEASE! Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHe Gives Us Authority Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSoulzer: Be a Spiritual-Soldier to Undergird Your Own Soul Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5You Are “Energy”, Be Energized Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Presence of God Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Kingdom Leader's Principles of Prayer: 54 Imparting Principles of A Kingdom Prayer Life Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Secret of a Victorious and Prosperous Life of Grace and Faith: Masterpiece of Abundant Life Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsReviving the Dead: 10 Keys to Unlock Purpose and Destiny Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsImage After His Likeness: Beyond the Mortal Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsIncreasing Your Prophetic Gift (Revised Edition): Developing a Pure Prophetic Flow Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Binding Love of God Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsYielded and Submitted Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThrough The Wilderness: Finding God's Presence When All Seems Lost Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsUncommon Servant: The Therapeuo Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFruit To Your Account Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSupernatural is Natural: The Blessings of Hearing the Voice of God Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Victorious Life of Faith Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFinding the Holy Spirit Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCatching Up to the Third World: Seven Indispensable Keys to Explosive Revival in the Western Church Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBelieving Without Seeing: The Power of Faith Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDesperate for God's Presence: Understanding Supernatural Atmospheres Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPURPOSE AND DESTINY Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsNext Level: My Strategic Recoveries Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsRenew Your Hope! Remedy for Personal Breakthroughs Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPressing on the Upward Way Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Inspirational For You
The Confessions of St. Augustine: Modern English Version Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Feeding the Soul (Because It's My Business): Finding Our Way to Joy, Love, and Freedom Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Bonhoeffer Abridged: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Celebration of Discipline, Special Anniversary Edition Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Calendar of Wisdom: Daily Thoughts to Nourish the Soul, Written and Se Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5One Day My Soul Just Opened Up: 40 Days And 40 Nights Toward Spiritual Strength And Personal Growth Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5That Bird Has My Wings: An Oprah's Book Club Pick Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Diary of Private Prayer Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Gospel of Inclusion: Reaching Beyond Religious Fundamentalism to the True Love of God and Self Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Finding Chika: A Little Girl, an Earthquake, and the Making of a Family Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Knowledge of the Holy: The Attributes of God Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Between a Rock and a Hard Place: The Basis of the Motion Picture 127 Hours Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Jesus Calling, 365 Devotions with Real-Life Stories, with Full Scriptures Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The 50 Fridays Marriage Challenge: One Question a Week. One Incredible Marriage. Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Creative Cure: How Finding and Freeing Your Inner Artist Can Heal Your Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5When God Winks at You: How God Speaks Directly to You Through the Power of Coincidence Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Conversations With God, Book 3: Embracing the Love of the Universe Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Eternal Echoes: Celtic Reflections on Our Yearning to Belong Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5God Talks With Arjuna: The Bhagavad Gita Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Searching for Enough: The High-Wire Walk Between Doubt and Faith Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Anam Cara [Twenty-fifth Anniversary Edition]: A Book of Celtic Wisdom Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Dear Jesus, Seeking His Light in Your Life, with Scripture references Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Rumi's Little Book of the Heart Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5C. S. Lewis' Little Book of Wisdom: Meditations on Faith, Life, Love, and Literature Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/564 Lessons for a Life Without Limits Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Out of Sorts: Making Peace with an Evolving Faith Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Summary of Eckhart Tolle's book: The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment: Summary Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsRumi's Little Book of Wisdom Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5God Is Not a Christian, Nor a Jew, Muslim, Hindu...: God Dwells with Us, in Us, Around Us, as Us Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Lessons from the Twelve Archangels: Divine Intervention in Daily Life Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
Reviews for Make Life Count
0 ratings0 reviews
Book preview
Make Life Count - Larry A. Brookins
© 2018 Larry A. Brookins. All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.
Published by AuthorHouse 08/06/2018
ISBN: 978-1-5462-5471-3 (sc)
ISBN: 978-1-5462-5470-6 (e)
Library of Congress Control Number: 2018909277
Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.
Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.
Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Website
Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. [Biblica]
Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, King James Version (KJV). Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked NASB are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
Scripture quotations marked TLB are taken from The Living Bible copyright © 1971. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
DEDICATION
CHARLOTTE%20M%20BROOKINS%20HUDSON.jpgI dedicate this book to my sister, Charlotte M. Brookins-Hudson, who is also my editor. Charlotte is an amazing person who tirelessly gives herself in service to so many: her church, her family, her friends, her neighbors, and her God. Words cannot adequately express how grateful I am to you for your selfless collaboration on this book. You make me a better writer and the world a better place. Indeed Charlotte, you make your life count! Thank you for being who you are and for all you do.
CONTENTS
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Chapter One: Making Life Count
Chapter Two: Living In God’s Purpose
Chapter Three: Living With No Limits
Chapter Four: Choices And Decisions
Chapter Five: The Roads We Travel
Chapter Six: Make An Impact
Chapter Seven: Do Not Dwell On The Past
Chapter Eight: The Poison Of Procrastination
Chapter Nine: The Cost Of Prodigal Living
Chapter Ten: Make The Most Of Time
Chapter Eleven: Put God First
Chapter Twelve: Leave A Legacy
Epilogue
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
First of all, none of my accomplishments would be possible without the endowment of God’s grace and inspiration. For this, I am forever humbled. For this, I am incessantly grateful. Secondly, as with previous book projects, I must acknowledge the incredible contributions of my editor and sister Charlotte M. Brookins-Hudson to whom this book is dedicated. Charlotte is my coach who perfects my writing flaws and enhances my message. Thank you
Charlotte! I also want to thank my wife Sandra who gives me quiet time to write. Last, but not least, I want to thank my parents, my siblings, my children, and my church family and friends for any and all support provided to my ministry and business endeavors, especially my L.A. Brookins Ministries traveling crew: Renee K. Robinson, Patricia A. Johnson (sister), Charlotte M. Brookins-Hudson (sister), Clarence L. and Ann M. Brookins (brother & sister-in-law), and Sammie and Debra Robinson. God bless each of you! As always: BECAUSE OF CALVARY.
You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.
Mae West
INTRODUCTION
Tick-tock, tick-tock. Tick-tock, tick-tock. This is the sound that a clock makes as it goes around its cycle of moving time. With each tick, we get older. With each tock, life is shifting us from one phase of life to another. With each new minute of each new day, what was is no more, and as time changes and the number of our years increase, the windows of possibilities dwindle. With this in mind, it is so important that we seize our days and take advantage of every prospect of time and life.
The Bible encourages us to ‘redeem the time’ (Ephesians 5:16), which means that we should make the most of every opportunity
(NLT). With this in mind, it is imperative that we do not ignore or neglect any season of our lives, whether it be spring (adolescence), summer (young adulthood), fall (adulthood), or winter (old age). As the climate changes around us, so does the atmosphere within us. Before we know it, black hairs become gray, eyesight grows dim, the pace of our walk decelerates, and our skin wrinkles.
With every tick-tock of time, we get an audible reminder that moments are fleeting. With every ache in our bodies, we are prompted with the notice: get it done,
do it now,
appropriate the season,
make life count.
The thought of ‘making life count’ is the catalyst for this book. The thought of ‘making life count’ is the reason I am motivated to script the contemplations of my mind. Too many people waste time. Too many people spend too much time doing nothing concrete with their lives.
Why are we here? Are we here to simply occupy space? Why are we here? Are we here merely to gratify ourselves? Does life have meaning? Does life have purpose? Is there any point to human life? Is there any application for human life? Some would say, we have no purpose but to exist.
Some would say, we are simply the byproducts of a cosmic collision.
The latter are the big bang
theorists. They claim that the universe began in an explosion and expanded over billions of years to what we know it to be now through biological evolution. However, this supposition dismisses God as Creator and, thus, God’s purpose for our lives. We discuss the question of purpose and God in Chapter Two.
Let me simply say here, in making life count, we must have purpose. Can we have purpose without God? What meaning is there to life without God? From a Christian perspective, life has no meaning without God and we serve no purpose without God. An atheist may disagree, but an atheist denies or rejects the very idea that there is a God. From an atheistic view, why then are we here? From an atheistic view, what meaning is there to life? Rather than dismiss God, I dismiss the atheistic opinion. I say, emphatically, apart from God, there is no purpose or meaning to life. So then, why are we here? So then, what justifies our existence?
Like King Solomon, each of us should launch a full-scale existential investigation. In examining the Book of Ecclesiastes, in seeking purpose and meaning to life, Solomon begins with the prime observation: All is vanity
(Ecclesiastes 1:2). In other words, everything is meaningless
(NLT) apart from God. The word vanity
in the context of Solomon’s reflection means useless.
In Solomon’s