Prepare to meet your God (Amos 4:12 )
Intro : Pearl Harbor
A few minutes before 8 AM on Sunday, December 7, 1941, Japanese carrier-based airplanes struck Pearl Harbor. In a raid lasting less than two hours, they sank or seriously damaged eight battleships and 13 other naval vessels. Almost 200 American aircraft were destroyed, and approximately 3000 naval and military personnel were killed or wounded. The U.S. authorities had broken the Japanese diplomatic code and knew an attack was imminent. A warning had been sent from Washington, but, owing to delays in transmission, it arrived after the raid had begun. In one stroke, the Japanese navy scored a brilliant success-and assured the Axis defeat in World War II. The Japanese attack brought the U.S. into the war on December 8-and brought it in determined to fight to the finish. Germany and Italy declared war on the United States on December 11.
The Boy Scouts have a motto : Be Prepared
Text: Amos 4:12 "Therefore this is what I will do to you, Israel, and because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel."
In life we are taught to be prepared for things in life
School (pencils and paper )
Everyday life
set the alarm
get ready
God says in his word to prepare to meet Him
Why prepare to meet God
(1.God demands it
All have sinned and fallen short
Rom 3:22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference,
Rom 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
(2.Because of our sinful condition
(1). Adam and Eve
(3. There's a war going on
1 Pet 5:8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
1 Pet 5:9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
1 Pet 5:10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.
(1). There's a devil loose
in Schools
in entertainment
in sports
in our homes
even in Churches
How to prepare to meet God
Repentance (turn from your sin )
Mat 18:3 And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
WHAT IS REPENTANCE?
Relationship (Have a relationship with God )
Learn Spiritual Warfare
(1). Know who you are in God
(2). Put on the full armor
Belt of truth
Breastplate of Righteousness
Foot armor (to carry the Gospel of Peace )
Shield of Faith
Helmet of Salvation
Sword of the Spirit
(3) Take authority over the situation
When to prepare
Now --putting it off makes it harder
Now--the blessings of God in this life
Now-- the blessings of God in the next life
Life is so unsure
The lake swim and the judge
Young man swimming across lake
Gets cramps
Going down for the 3rd time
Wakes up in a boat with a man helping him
Man takes him to the shore and gets help
Young man at hospital wants to know who helped him
Given name and phone #
Calls and thanks man
Becomes Friends with the man (but dosen't know anything about him
Time passes --looses contact with the man
Joins a street gang
One night a fight
Someone pulls a knife
Somehow he has a gun in his hand
He pulls the trigger
He's arrested
Grand jury (murder)
Trial
The Judge enters
1). The man in the boat
2) the most he'll give me is life in prison
3). I've got it made
The verdict (guilty)
The sentence (death)
The empty courtroom
But You know me you saved me
I was your savior now I'm your judge
