Intro: “If You have the vision, anything is possible”
St. George’s University
30 Years of Higher Learning on the Island of Grenada
Three decades ago St. George’s was founded as a School of Medicine. Since that time the University has added a School of Veterinary Medicine and School of Arts and Sciences which includes an internationally focused MBA program. Today, over 6,400 doctors and more than 300 other SGU graduates have taken the school’s philosophy of global education and applied their education around the world.
It all began with a vision.
Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of the Lord was hovering over the face of the waters. Then God said let there be light and there was light (it was so).
Friends, tonight I want to let you know according to the word of God that before God speak those things into being, there was a thought process .In other words God as its is, is a God of thoughts. The Bible tells us in Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
Jeremiah 31:17 "There is hope for your future," declares the LORD, "And your children will return to their own territory.
Church if we have the vision, anything is possible! There is hope for us as a people.
Psalm 37:23-24
The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, and He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the LORD upholds him with His hand.
God vision for man:
God’s vision for man is to fruitful, multiply and replenish the earth. To subdue everything and have dominion. "And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth." King James Version, Genesis 1:28
Therefore as the year 2007 draws to a close, and the year 2008 commences, let us remind ourselves that we are people of vision.
We may have failed in many areas of our personal lives, our work, our responsibilities at church, but God who is rich in His mercies towards us, is saying “keep the vision, for without a vision, the people perish!
Indeed there may be lot of hurts in our lives. There maybe pain in our marriage relationships. Some of us here tonight maybe even regretting that they have accepted Christ into their life. Other are walking around with mask, not even their closest friend no the secret struggles they are having, but God is asking us to hold on to the vision.
Without a vision the people perish!
Genesis 37-48-Joseph: As a youngster, Joseph was overconfident. His natural self-assurance, increase by being Jacob’s favorite son and knowing of God’s designs on his life, was unbearable to his ten older brothers, who eventually conspired against him. But his self confidence, molded by pain and combined with a personal knowledge of God, allowed him to survive and prosper where most would have failed. He added quiet wisdom to his confidence, and won the hearts of everyone he met-Potiphar,the keeper of the prison, other prisoners, the king, and after many years even those ten brothers.
Perhaps we could identify with one or more of these hardships Joseph experienced: he was betrayed and deserted by his family, exposed to sexual temptation, and punished for doing the right thing.
The life of Joseph depicts someone who was a dreamer, but also was a visionary. Joseph BELIEVED in his vision. He saw himself as one day being the head and not the tail, the lender and not the borrower, prosperous and not poor. (Deuteronomy 28)
Francis Frangipane said “We do a disservice to people when we tell them, "Give your life to the Lord and He will keep you from trouble." That is not true. We would be more honest to say, "Give your life to Christ, and He will empower you to overcome trouble and adversity." Yes, He will take care of you. But He will not do so by putting you in a harmless world void of problems; rather, He will perfect virtue in you by developing character and by requiring faith--all of which creates the spiritual shelter of a transformed life.
Psalm 34:19
Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all.
Friends the Bible declares that those who live Godly, must suffer persecution-
(2 Timothy 3:12).But the Lord promised the following:
He said “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you.” Isaiah 43:2
He continued by saying in Romans 5:3-4… “And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.”
2 Corinthians 4:17
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,
My friends, someone needs to be reminded that with God nothing is impossible.
Paul was never more right when he said “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31) Some of us even as we go through disappointments and hurts need to be reminded that God is there with us. But maybe He is asking us to put all our trust in Him. You see brethrens, it is not by might, nor by power, but by the Spirit (says the Lord) Zechariah 4:6
Church, dear brothers and sisters, Jesus made some promises to us.
The promises & Confirmation to us all:
-Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (John 14:27)
-Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.(1John 5:14-15)
-These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. (John 16:33)
-For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7)
-I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13
Friends and brethren, as I close I want to encourage you that God will turn thing around for you
- My prayer ,is that the Lord answer you in the day of trouble; may the name of the God of Jacob defend you; May He send you help from the sanctuary, and strengthen you out of Zion(Psalm 20:1-2) Claim 2008 as yopur year of prosperity and blessingsin the name of Jesus,Amen
- Thank you Lord.
