There is not one of us here tonight that would not raise our hands high in the air, when asked if we wanted to be all that God wants us to be.
There is a plan that God has for all of our lives, and to find the ultimate fulfillment in life, we must gain a knowledge of that plan, and then put it into action as God directs.
It seems that at times people get the mistaken idea that if somehow we yield to the Will of God, that we are going to spend the rest of our lives doing things we do not want to do, and being miserable until the day we die.
I happen to believe tonight that when we yield to the Lord, we will be happier than we ever dreamed even doing things we thought we never would even want to do.
While on vacation, I heard a sermon title that spoke to my heart, and although I did not hear any of the sermon, the title has captured my attention, and I want to build off that tonight....
The title is: “Don’t Be An Almost”
In this life, there are many examples of what it means to almost make it...
One thinks of the Buffalo Bills who for four years made it to the Super Bowl, and “almost” won it, but came up short each time.
One must also think of the Boston Red Sox, who have come excruciatingly close to winning the World Series in 1967, 1975, and 1988, but came up short, and “almost” won it.
Just this past week in the 2002 World Series, the SF Giants had a lead of 5-0 in the 7th inning of Game 6, and were only 6 short outs away from a WS title. However, we now know that they were “almost” World Series champs, after the Angels came back, won that game, and then won Game 7 for the Championship.
Going from the sports world, all we have to do is look at the last election, and see how amazing this word “almost” is, as Al Gore “almost” became President but lost by a margin of a few votes.
This was not the only “almost” voting situation in World History...
In 1776, one vote gave America the English language instead of German.
In 1845, one vote brought Texas into the Union.
In 1868, one vote saved President Andrew Johnson from impeachment.
In 1923, one vote gave Adolf Hitler leadership of the Nazi Party.
In 1941, one vote saved Selective Service -- just weeks before Pearl Harbor was attacked.
We could go on and on about some of the “almost” sports and political situations we have had, but I want to take a look at our lives compared to the Word of God, and also realize the fact that there were some “almosts” in the Bible, and yes, there are “almosts” today in churches and ministries all across America and the World.
Time and space does not permit me to mention names and ministries of various men and women of God who just in our lifetime became an “almost”, and never fully accomplished all that God intended for their lives.
Some men die by shrapnel,
Some go down in flames.
But most men perish inch by inch
playing little games.
Let’s look at some of the “almosts” in scripture, and hopefully avoid these situations for our own lives.
First of all we look at the point:
I. ALMOST A CHRISTIAN - ACTS 26:28,29
Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. 29 And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.
In my opionion, this is one of the most tragic scriptures in the word of God as we read of the nearness of one man’s salvation, and the final rejection of the free Grace of God.
Some have said that this was just a sarcastic remark made by Agrippa in a moment of ridicule toward Paul after he shared the Gospel.
Sarcastic or serious, the consequences of being “almost a Christian” are the same - an eternity in Hell lost forever to the grace of God, and the message of Salvation again.
How many “almost Christians” sat in churches throughout the world on Sunday who are going to “almost” make heaven.
Week after week of sitting through message after message has hardened their hearts to the point of feeling that as long as they don’t make a decision for Christ, somehow everything will be all right.
‘WELL PREACHER, YOU ALMOST SUCCEEDED TODAY!”
Well, I’m here to say tonight that one cannot “almost” be saved. You’re either in our out, hot or cold, saved or unsaved, with God or without God.
You’re either going to spend an eternity in Hell, or an eternity in Heaven.
Who knows how many people have sat through altar calls just today across America, and “almost” gave their hearts to Christ, but walked out the door never to return to that same moment of conviction.
A deplorable incident occurred in the life of Mahatma Ghandi. He said in his autobiography that during his student days he was interested in the Bible. Deeply touched by reading the gospels, he seriously considered becoming a convert. Christianity seemed to offer the real solution to the caste system that was dividing the people of India. One Sunday he went to a church to see the minister and ask for instruction on the way of salvation and other Christian doctrines. But when he entered the sanctuary, the ushers refused him a seat and suggested that he go and worship with his own people. He left and never went back. "If Christians have chaste differences also," he said to himself, "I might as well remain a Hindu." Believer, weed from your heart the evil root of racial prejudice before it yields the same bitter fruit.
The very first step in becoming everything God wants you to be is to receive His Son Jesus Christ into your life, and accept the free gift of forgiveness.
Don’t brush off this offer, and make an eternal mistake like Agrippa did, or some of the others mentioned. Make Christ Lord of your life!
We next take a look at a battle Asaph fought in his life, and probably each one of us will find ourselves encountering the same difficulty from time to time.
II. ALMOST BACKSLIDDEN - Psalm 73:1-17
When I titled that point, I wanted to immediately let you know the intention here is not to become fully backslidden, but to encourage you to stay on fire for God, and keep your eyes on Him so that you do not become “Almost Backslidden”.
1 Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.
2 But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold.
3 For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong.
5 They are free from the burdens common to man; they are not plagued by human ills.
6 Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence.
7 From their callous hearts comes iniquity; the evil conceits of their minds know no limits.
8 They scoff, and speak with malice; in their arrogance they threaten oppression.
9 Their mouths lay claim to heaven, and their tongues take possession of the earth.
10 Therefore their people turn to them and drink up waters in abundance. c
11 They say, “How can God know? Does the Most High have knowledge?”
12 This is what the wicked are like— always carefree, they increase in wealth.
13 Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure; in vain have I washed my hands in innocence.
14 All day long I have been plagued; I have been punished every morning.
15 If I had said, “I will speak thus,” I would have betrayed your children.
16 When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me
17 till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny.
Psalm 73:2
But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.
Here was a Psalm of Asaph who also was a lover of God, and evidently a leader of one of David’s Levitical choirs.
He was a man who loved God, loved to sing about God, and worship Him in the sanctuary.
His music was dedicated to bringing praise and honor to God in all ways, but we see that he got discouraged, and almost lost out on his relationship with God.
What was his problem?
His main problem was that he began to look around at the wicked who seemed to be prospering and doing quite well, thank you! Even though they had no desire to served God, it “seemed” to him that God was blessing them!
In verse 4 he said that they have no struggles, and are all healthy and strong.
That is one thing getting our eyes on others will do, and that is, it will cause us to exaggerate! One would have to be foolish to look at the wicked, and think that everyone of them are healthy and live life without problems.
Ever heard of the term, “everybody’s doing it”?
But I will be honest with you. I was at home this past week, and personally, I struggle with the idea that my father can barely move around now without tremendous pain in his feet. These same feet that walked the aisles preaching the word, and prayed at the altar with hundreds of people. These same feet that would walk into the halls of the hospitals praying for the sick.
Isaiah 52:7
How beautiful on the mountains
are the feet of those who bring good news,
who proclaim peace,
who bring good tidings,
who proclaim salvation,
who say to Zion,
"Your God reigns!"
Laboring for 39 years in ministry at the same church, and then wanting to spend some years in peaceful retirement.
If one wanted to get way off base, we could pause and look at the feet of those who have walked into the barrooms, and dark alleys of sin, and seem to be enjoying the good life until a ripe old age.
But you know something, I know that if Dad were asked about this, he would stand and say, “it has all been worth it all” - “I know my redeemer lives” - I don’t want pity, but all I want to hear one day when I stand before my savior is “well done, thou good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of the Lord”
Asaph looked at the wicked in vs. 8, and took note of their malice and arrogance and open hatred of God and his Grace.
They walk around defying heaven and being prideful of all of the gains in life, and take credit for it all:
Don’t ever forget, there are times where it seems you would be willing to trade places with the world, but never forget there will be a day when that very world will long for a cool drop of water just to fall on their tongue. They will wish that the trade will take place, but it will be too late.
Don’t get your eyes on the world in envy! Remember, the only heaven many will ever see is what you see when you look around.
What was it that changed Asaph?
Psalm 73:17
till I entered the sanctuary of God;
then I understood their final destiny.
The thing that kept him from falling was when he finally got into the Sanctuary of God. The presence and power of God helped him to realize the fate of the wicked, and to snap his attention back into place.
What will move you away from an “almost backslidden” situation? I believe it is entering into the Sanctuary of God, and lifting your hands in worship and praise, and saying “God, I don’t understand it all, but I do know this, you care, and you are in control!”
We must also realize tonight that we are not home yet, but we are still just traveling through a foreign land, marching to a different beat.
We go back to our text verse for the next point:
III. ALMOST A SUCCESS - Jer. 29:11
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.
When we read a scripture like that, we must know that we still serve the same God that Jeremiah served who still has a plan for every life here tonight.
There is not one person tonight that wants to be: “Almost a success”
First, tonight, I believe we must define success, and for sure our definition of success is clearly different than the world’s definition.
The world would define success as an achievement of a certain goal following a degree of effort and hard work to get to that point.
If you would ask someone to define someone who is successful, people would automatically think of someone who has gained great wealth or fame as a result of their efforts.
I saw a news story that said during the recent downturn in the stock market which overall lost 29%, Warren Buffet’s stocks actually gained 37%. Many would call that a tremendous success.
As Christians, we are only successful when we are doing the Will of God for our lives, and functioning in the place of service He has destined for us from the beginning of time.
God said that He had a plan to prosper and give hope for the future.
I don’t want to be “almost a success”, but I want to be a total success in God!
God is not one to play favorites either.
We look at Moses who for forty years led the people around in the wildnerness, and would have been happy to go into the Promised Land at any time, but guess what? Moses “almost” made it into the Promised Land, and died at the borders after turning leadership over to Joshua.
Moses in a moment of disobedience to God and arrogance before the people struck the rock instead of speaking to it like God had commanded him to do. The water still came out, but we read
Numbers 20:12
"Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them."
Moses had a tremendous life, and no doubt will be in heaven for us to talk to, but here in this moment of challenge, he “almost” went into the Promised Land.
We read of the story that got the Israelites in the wildnerness mess in the first place, and that is the story of the 12 spies who went into the Promised Land 40 years earlier, and only 2 came back with a report of faith.
The other 10 not only became “almosts” themselves, but they also caused an entire generation to die in the wilderness, “almost” making it into the land that God had promised.
I believe today that when we become an “almost” it has a tremendous effect on the lives of those around us, whether it be our own families, or the family of God.
We read of the story of Samson, and a tragic story it is, of a man who was to be set apart for the glory of God, and used mightily in not only physical feats, but spiritual revival as well. Samson became an “almost” as he let his physical passions become more important than his spiritual passion, and in a few moments lost it all. He gained a measure of it back later on, but Samson became an “almost”.
How many young people, and adults have become “almosts” in life, because of their desire to have what they wanted “now” instead of waiting for God’s perfect time, and perfect plan.
The Word of God gives us example after example of men and women who became an “almost” and due to a moment of disobedience or frustration lost out on the perfect plan God had for their life.
Don’t become an “almost” tonight! Don’t trade the plan of God for a momentary bowl of pottage like Esau when he thought he was so hungry he would die.
Altar Considerations:
1. Almost A Christian – Is it getting easier, and easier to sit through altar calls?
2. Almost Backslidden – Do you have your eyes on the wrong thing as a Christian?
3. Almost A Success – Are you fighting against the call of God, or will of God in your life?
Altar Songs:
