A NEW VISION FOR A NEW YEAR
Why are you here? Not at church today, that isn’t my question. My question is, “Why are you here? Why are you still on earth?”
The Bible makes it quite clear that God loves you. We also know that Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us. He’s prepared a place in heaven for you.
Before He left, Jesus also made it very clear that His followers were going to face persecution, difficulties and hardships for as long as they remained on earth.
Now, if God loves you, and He does; and Christ has prepared a place for you, and He has; and God is all-powerful and can do anything He wants to, anytime He wants to, and He can; then why are you still here? Why hasn’t He taken you heaven yet?
I want you to know that God is alive and well in the world today. Let me say that again. God is alive and well in the world today. Every day, “Over 30,000 Chinese accept Christ.” More people accept Christ in China every 3 days, than the entire population of Deltona. “In spite of the brutal tyrant in charge of North Korea, thousands are giving their hearts to the Lord Jesus. More Iranians have come to the Savior in the last 15 years than in the previous 1,400! Over 3,000 new house churches have been started there, most of them led by college students who recently received Christ. God is using dreams as well as satellite TV to bring thousands of precious souls to the Savior in closed or limited access nations of the Islamic world.” (E-mail from Equip Ministries, dated 12/13/2007).
My friends, you are unique. You are special to God and yet you are still here because God is working here and He wants to use you to turn this world upside down.
- 2 Chronicles 16:1-9
Explain situation.
> 2 Chronicles 16:9 For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to show Himself strong for those whose hearts are completely His.
I. GOD LOOKS FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO BLESS & USE YOU
1. God wants to bless you.
> Romans 8:31-32 What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He did not even spare His own Son, but offered Him up for us all; how will He not also with Him grant us everything?
- Matthew 7:11
God wants to bless you. An Inner city evangelist, Ronnie Tullis, once explained why he was unable to build a church in the projects, because when people are saved and change their lives, God begins to bless them to the point where they are able to move out of the projects.
2. God wants to use you.
> Ephesians 2:10 For we are His creation—created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them.
II. WE DEFEAT OURSELVES
1. We defeat ourselves through lack of prayer.
- James 4:2 You desire and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. You do not have because you do not ask.
2. We defeat ourselves through lack of love and obedience.
> John 14:23 Jesus answered, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.
3. We defeat ourselves through lack of vision.
- Exodus 4:10-17
Listen God can use anything and anyone. * Cid Hutchens
Ex. 3:1-5; The burning bush, 4:1-4; staff into a snake; Numbers 22:22-33. Donkey saved Balaam’s life 3 times by turning away from the Angel of the Lord. Then the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth.
III. WHAT SHALL WE DO?
1. Remember – Remember how God has worked in the past.
- 2 Chronicles 16:8
2. Pray for vision and urgency
- Matthew 9:27
3. Commit yourself.
- 2 Chronicles 15:2
- 1 Corinthians 10:12 Therefore, whoever thinks he stands must be careful not to fall!
4. Start Now!
