Who is the man who desires life, and loves many days, that he may see good? Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit, depart from evil and do good, seek peace and pursue it. (Psalm 34:12-14)

What wisdom and treasure are in God’s word. So many people are trying to stay young today and prolong their lives through meditation, medication and plastic surgery. True life is in obedience to the word of God. Along with honoring your mother and father, here are four keys to long life:

First, watch what you say. The power of life and death are in the tongue. Speak God’s word, anything that contradicts God’s word is a lie. If what we say doesn’t line up with God’s word, don’t say it.

Second, don’t be deceitful with your words. Satan is the father of all lies, so when we speak deceit, we speak the devil’s language.

Third, leave evil behind you and do good. When we do evil, we attract evil to us, when we do good, we attract good.

Lastly, search for peace and follow after it, whenever possible be at peace with all men. We are earthly vessels carrying a treasure which is Jesus the Prince of Peace.

Using common sense such as eating properly, exercising and getting enough rest is taking care of only a portion of the equation when it comes to long life. Obedience to God’s word is essential. The fruit of obedience is long life and safety.

Everyone messes up and falls into disobedience, but the key is not to walk in endless guilt and shame. When you fall, pick yourself back up and confess to God what you have done, receive His forgiveness and leave it behind you. The enemy would love for you to get “stuck” in your sin. Proverbs 24:16 tells us,”The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again.” In other words, when you sin in any way, repent, confess and move on! It’s ok to fall seven times, the problem is when you stay down seven times. Make sure you get up eight times!!!

Every person on this earth both saved and unsaved, have sin to deal with. Jesus paid the price for our sins but we still have to battle against temptation to sin while on this earth. If Jesus removed sin from the earth, none of us would have to die because the payment of sin is death. We all have to die one day which demonstrates the end result of sin, however Jesus paid the price for us to be able to spend eternity with the Father so He became sin for us. 1 John 1:8 says,” If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.”

The end price of sin which is separation from God has been dealt with by Jesus. Until we get to that end result, we must war against temptation to sin while on this earth. No one is perfect and everyone at one time or another will sin. I John 2:1 tells us what to do if we sin, “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”

All this to tell you, DO NOT GIVE UP YOUR FIGHT OF FAITH!!! Fight on! Fight on!

There is great hope in God’s word. Receive that hope and fight the good fight of faith!

Pastor Michael Cannatello

lazarusministry.com