(Message can be viewed on www.gwafamily.com)
(On youtube "The Time You Have" (In JellyBeans)
VIDEO – JELLY BEAN
CUE – END OF CONNECT CARD
ILL: JAR OF Jelly Bean - 1150
A. Average person has 28,835 jelly beans representing their days of life.
1. It’s amazing how quickly it dwindles down to ONE.
HOW’S YOUR NOW TIME BEEN?
B. When I say NOW time, I mean GOD’S TIME.
1. We think it’s OUR TIME, working, cooking, etc.
2. But it’s really all GOD’S TIME
3. Since He’s the one who created time, WE ARE ON HIS TIME CLOCK.
BUT CAN THE NOW BECOME BORING AND OLD?
ILL: Last night at a wedding:
"I'm so excited to spend the rest of my life with you"
C. When we don’t see GOD’s NOW TIME being that important.
1. We can get catch up in LIFE’s RAT RACE.
2. CHILDREN become a BURDEN.
3. After 15, 20, 35, MARRIAGE becomes UNFULFILLED.
4. JOB And SCHOOL – you can’t wait to BREAK OUT.
D. NOW TIME is GOD TIME. - God’s time is all the time.
GOD WANTS NOW TIME TO BE NEW ALL THE TIME.
ILL: (Change letter from NOW to NEW)
D. It’s amazing what 1 LETTER will do.
1. It doesn’t only CHANGE THE WORD BUT THE MEANING.
ILL: New - car smell – (car lot and smell the new cars. Just Kidding)
- NEW – FRESH - NEW WHITE SOCK
2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT)
This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
2. With God NOTHING BECOMES OLD…ALL THINGS BECOME NEW.
Lamentations 3:22-23 (MSG)
GOD's loyal love couldn't have run out, his merciful love couldn't have dried up. They're created new every morning. How great your faithfulness!
We need our NOW to be NEW to be PRODUCTIVE FOR GOD.
ILL: (Bring “O” back, so we can focus on “NOW”)
The way you keep NOW NEW, is HOW YOU:
KNOW GOD
ILL: (Bring out the letter K)
A. The Apostle Paul – before he became a CHRIST-FOLLOWER.
1. His name was SAUL and He was a Pharisee.
2. He KNEW OF GOD, but he didn’t really didn’t KNOW HIM
ILL: (Story of SAUL TO PAUL) - Fall off horse - BLIND
B. Paul went from a RELIGIOUS attitude of KNOWING ABOUT GOD.
1. To a RELATIONSHIP of PERSONALLY KNOWING GOD
HOW CAN YOU KEEP YOUR NOW NEW?
If you KNOW when to say:
NO…
ILL: (Pull “K” & “W” away)
A. We have to learn to SAY NO to the things that God doesn’t have for us.
1. It’s when you say NO that keeps the NOW NEW.
ILL: (IMAG) Bible vs Remote
If you’re not saying NO then you’re not in the NOW.
It’s not just saying NO to things but it’s saying YES to GOD.
NO to the overtime and YES to getting to church on SUNDAY with your family.
NO to sin and YES to God.
ILL: (Story of JOB)
Job 31:1 (NIV)
"I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl.
Job 31:1 (MSG)
"I made a solemn pact with myself never to undress a girl with my eyes.
JOB – When he said NO he became GREATER then his BEGGINNING
ILL: LOT’s WIFE looked back – her heart clinging to the world
NEW
OxiClean: “If it ain’t clean, it ain’t OxiClean”
Downy: “Come into the sunshine: April Fresh”
Mr. Bubble Bath Soap: “Mr. Bubble gets you so clean your mother won’t know you”
Irish Spring Soap: “Fresh as an Irish Spring morning”
People are CONSUMED with wanting things NEW – SO GOD DOES TOO.
Ephesians 5:26-27 (MSG)
Christ's love makes the church whole. His words evoke her beauty.
Everything he does and says is designed to bring the best out of her,
dressing her in dazzling white silk, radiant with holiness.
Say this with me:
"IF YOU KNOW WHEN TO SAY NO THEN THE NOW BECOMES NEW"
(Change "NOW" to "KNOW" to "NO" to "NOW" to "NEW")
ILL: Lets Have some FUN (4 STAGE CREW, PASTORS + 1)
CONCLUSION:
A. GOD NEEDS HIS PEOPLE TO KEEP THEIR NOW NEW.
Matthew 24:36 (NIV)
"No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
1. GOD HAS PLANNED a NOW MOMENT in TIME.
2. And HE tells us what people are going TO BE DOING BEFORE HE COMES
Matthew 24:37-41 (NIV)
As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying
and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew
nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all
away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will
be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be
grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.
Matthew 24:44 (NIV)
So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
WHAT WILL YOU BE DOING WHEN THAT GOD’S NOW TIME COMES?
ALTAR
(Stage Crew changes word back to NOW while heads bowed, eyes closed)
-THIS WEEK what do you need to do to KNOW HIM?
More church? bible? Prayer? Loving people?
-What do you need to say NO TOO?
Internet? Alcohol? Gossip? Unforgiveness? Cigarettes? Prescriptions Meds?
-KNOW HIM, SAY NO, so you can keep your NOW NEW
