Forward in Faith 8 – The FAST Track

Review:

· during the past few chapters, we have discovered God’s will, and have embarked on the journey of a lifetime that has presented its own set of challenges and rewards

· at this point, we are nearing the end of our spiritual journey

· life is more than reaching a destination or being in the right place. It is about being in the right place at the right TIME.

· time is an unrenewable resource

· unfortunately, significant time has been lost, even though some of the end time church is now back on the right track. Others have remained on the right track but were traveling too slow, causing them to lag farther behind and lose more valuable time.

· after His resurrection, Jesus sent out the church to the nations with the Great Commission

· almost 2,000 years have come and gone, but much of the world has yet to hear to Gospel.

· because TIME has been lost, PEOPLE have been lost

· the church’s collective selfishness and laziness, based on a lack of teaching has jeopardized the eternal destiny of many

· Jesus does run out of grace, but He is running out of time. God’s prophetic time clock waits for no man.

we must shift into OVER- DRIVE

The church must WAKE UP, MAKE UP and CATCH UP

the answer? we must make up for lost time

· the church must WAKE UP

· the church must MAKE Up for lost time

· the church must CATCH UP to where God is

what propels us to run until we are done?

what makes us “drive on” despite our challenging times?

1 – Be motivated by your Love for the Lord

we follow His example for the world

The state of the church and world – we (and the Gospel) are needed now more than ever

Concern for the lost – we know the reality of eternity.

Persuaded by our predecessors – if they can do it, so can I

2 – Be motivated by your forgiveness

be propelled by knowing you are forgiven

guilt slows you down – forgiveness makes you free!

Keep Pressing Forward

Philippians 3:13–14 NLT

13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

Turn defeat into victory!

· turning starts with you – then the world

· the early church became famous for “turning the world upside down” (Acts 17:6)

· throughout the Bible, God used the difficulties and defeats of people more than any apparent success.

· its time to turn your stumbling blocks into stepping stones

· as with Joseph in the days of Pharoah, what enemy meant for evil, God will turn to good

God can use you despite your circumstances.

3 – Be motivated by your Commitment to the Call

let your yes remainyes

even if your mouth said yes and your life now says no, renew your commitment to the Lord today!

God’s gift and calling are without repentance

4 – Be motivated by the Lateness of the Hour

Redeem the Time

Ephesians 5:16–17 NLT

16 Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. 17 Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.

Our Salvation is Near

Romans 13:11–12 NLT

11 This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living.

Jesus is Returning

The return of the Lord is like a thief in the night – to those who are not watching

1 Thessalonians 5:6 NLT

6 So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded.

catch up = SPEED up

· Military convoy – add 5 mph as long as needed

· Versus a car creeping while idling. You are steering and moving, just very slowly

· Acceleration, to go farther and faster.

· Like an airplane taxiing on a tarmac. – Time to fly!

· we are made for more than this!

· Much has been given, much is required.

Put Some “Catch up” on your prayer, praise, participation

Prayer

· pray like He is listening and ready to answer

· develop a lifestyle of prayer

Praise

· more fervency and intensity, seriousness – like He is in the room, coming back today

· Paul and Silas praised their way out prison to get back on track!

Participation

· be present in the things of God

· presence (attend church weekly) means to invite others

· physically and virtually – social sharing clicks and likes, check ins

Hebrews 10:24–25 NLT

24 Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. 25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

“Discouraged people don’t need critics. They hurt enough already…. They need encouragement.”

Charles Swindoll

HOV lane – the FARTHEST and FASTEST lane – only churches allowed!

· Get in a church- fly in a flock - join a convoy that’s going somewhere

· the CAR – becomes a BUS or a Gospel TRAIN

· The church is a body – not an island.

· Sent out 2 by two – to help one another

· encourage each other – like a flock of geese honking at each other as they fly in a “V” formation as they travel collectively in the same direction to the same destination.

church – 2 groups:

1 – present – those finishing with you – those that got back on track: END TIME REVIVAL

· the rest stop – got back on the road

· the RV at the road side attractions – packed their things and headed back out

· the pit stop – got their second wind to finish the last leg of their course

· the garage – got healed, repaired and returned to God’s plan for their life

· the off-road racers – got back on track

· the race track – left the rat race behind to return to their first love

2 – past - great cloud of witnesses

Hebrews 12:1 NLT

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.

their prayers and encouragement give us the strength to Run with Endurance

The Finish Line

The Finish Line - Jesus is waving the checkered flag!

2 Timothy 4:7–8 NLT

7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. 8 And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.

What will Jesus say? WELL DONE. YOU WON

· you didn’t quit

· you drove by faith, and not by sight

· you kept leading, even while bleeding

· you hit potholes, but you fixed the flats

· I could count on you to press through, even the tough times

· even when the traffic thinned out, you did not let that deter you

· even when you made a mistake and took a wrong turn, you turned around and got back on track

· throughout the years, you kept your eyes on Me and not man’s applause

2 Corinthians 5:9–10 NLT

9 So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please him. 10 For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.