Fast Forward in 2024

Brain cells die, skin cells die, even hair cells die.

But fat cells must have accepted Jesus as their Savior because they have eternal life!

Well, you made it through 2023. Today is the last day of the year.

Congratulations! You made it!

Maybe this was a good year for you or maybe it was hard. Either way, it’s about to be over and a new chapter is going to begin.

I want to talk about “future us”…

“Future Us” is a term my wife and I use kind of as a joke. Like when we open up the door to the garage and throw the trash bag out there instead of walking it around the house to the trash can. We say, “That’s a job for Future Us”. Basically, we are putting off something that we probably should be doing at that moment.

The problem with “future us” is that they have lots of things to do. In life, it’s easy to put things off, but in the long run putting things off really doesn’t help us. It just makes the future feel heavy and burdensome.

At the end of one year, moving into the next, we have an opportunity to evaluate our lives. Are we were we want to be? Doing what we want to do? Or living the life we had planned?

God has a plan for each person here. No person is an accident.

Everyone I’ve ever met felt like they were doing well in life or they were missing the mark in some way.

For example, probably every person in this room is going to consider your health in the next few days. You’ll be thinking something like, this is the year I am going to lose 5 pounds…or 10 pounds…or 50 pounds! You might even start a new gym membership.

Why do we care about our health? Because we don’t want to die prematurely. Why? Because we have this inner knowing that our lives have purpose.

The question is, what exactly is that purpose?

I want to tell you right here and now. If your purpose is anything other than to live according to God’s will then you are heading for disappointment.

Losing 50 pounds won’t fulfill you. Having a big house won’t get it done. Driving a corvette can’t do it, but I have to say, it might feel like it for a couple minutes.

Nothing accept the perfect will of God will bring true purpose and meaning in life.

One of the greatest tricks of the enemy is to get us to believe that he has the answers. Drugs, Work, People, Things, and all of his temptations will never be enough.

I think about Mother Teresa of Calcutta. She lived in brutal conditions. I was reading the other day that her feet were deformed because she never wore shoes her own size. She would always give the best shoes to the poorest of people.

Her job was not her purpose. The love of Jesus was her motivation.

Many people mistake our work for our vocation. Our vocation is the love of Jesus.

Mother Teresa of Calcutta

One other quote from her I want to share that will underscore the ideas that I want to share with you.

God hasn’t called me to be successful. He’s called me to be faithful.

Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Success fluctuates depending on who you’re talking too. In Africa, success might mean that you have a mud hut and food on the table. But in America that would not be success.

The gospel must be true to all people. We must find out what it means to be successful in alignment with the Word of God.

You might read my devos online, and if you do, you’re going to be ahead of the curve today because I want to share some of the same ideas with you this morning.

VCR

Back in the good old days, we used to have these things called VCRs. I can remember when we got our very first tape. We popped it into the machine and hit play. The movie, almost by magic, started to play on the TV. We could hit the pause button and take a restroom break. This was a miracle because we used to have to time our lives around commercial breaks! Then we found out that we could rewind the tape and watch the movie all over again. It was so cool!

The other feature was the fast-forward button; this was game-changing because we could skip all the boring stuff and get to the part of the show we liked most.

You see, we watched certain movies so many times that we could recite them word for word. We knew everything that was going to happen. Sometimes, we just wanted to fast-forward to our favorite parts!

As Christians, it's time to hit the fast-forward button in our faith. I mean, we need to find a way to get past all the filler, and get to the good stuff.

The stuff that gives our lives purpose.

Our main scripture for today is found in Hebrews.

Hebrews 6:1–3 NLT

1 So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds and placing our faith in God. 2 You don’t need further instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And so, God willing, we will move forward to further understanding.

The key to this portion of scripture to me is that last statement: “move forward to further understanding”.

The author is telling the reader that it’s time to grow up! It’s not enough to KNOW the truth, at some point we’ve got to start applying the truth. Putting our faith into action. We should be making a difference in this world.

Life is going to have so many distractions that will try to take us away from God’s purposes. We’ve got to hit the fast forward button to get past the things that are trying to trip us up. It’s easy to know the truth of God and still live an immature life. To live a life for self instead of others.

If you keep reading in Hebrews we see a warning to those who know the truth and never mature into walking out the truth in their lives.

Hebrews 6:7–8 NLT

7 When the ground soaks up the falling rain and bears a good crop for the farmer, it has God’s blessing. 8 But if a field bears thorns and thistles, it is useless. The farmer will soon condemn that field and burn it.

What do these verse tell the reader? God is looking for those who know the truth. People who have soaked it up, like how soil soaks up rain water, and they have produced something in their lives. The warning is that if you never mature and produce fruit then you have squandered your life and you weren’t really serving the Lord after all.

We've been walking with the Lord for so long that we know the Bible. We understand the truths in the Word so well that we can recite them word for word.

What do you think the Lord wants us to do with all of our knowledge? I believe He wants us to do good for Him. Serve people in His name. Spread the good news to the broken hearted. Do things that seem impossible in our own strength. Don’t grow weary in doing good. What is He asking you to do for Him this year?

When we live to serve Him, we find purpose and fulfillment. AND others will get on board. We can change the world if we all unite together to do the work of God in this community. A flame could be ignited here that could impact the whole world.

It all starts with a question, Could the Lord really want me?

Does My Life Count?

The short answer is YES! Don’t be deceived. You are an essential part of God’s plan.

Walking in faith is the key. Step out of the boat of comfort and out on the waters of faith watch what God can do! It’s real scary sometimes, but He is faithful. Open your heart to faith and your life will be changed. It will count!

I refuse to walk in comfort instead of faith. And if this is your church, you need to buckle in because this boats about to be rocking! I'm determined for us to actively do things and dream for things that CANNOT happen unless God intervenes!

That includes our new step to become our own church with a new name. The training wheels are off and we've got to start pedaling.

Earlier this week something really cool happened. But it actually started as something that seemed pretty bad. As part of the transition from being Cornerstone Eudora to Eudora Community Church I’ve met with Jane, our bookkeeper. I asked her how the books looked for December. She told me, it wasn’t looking good. We were on track to have the worst month of the year.

I thought for a quick second, “uh oh, that doesn’t sound good as we are about to step out here in faith on our own”, but then I caught myself. I remembered that the Lord is with His church. He has all the money, resources, and ability to keep us going.

Well, the next day I got a call from someone wanting to meet with me. Someone who doesn’t even attend this church. I met with him and he told me the Lord was leading his family to tithe to Eudora Community Church. I thought that was pretty cool, but I didn’t realize that he was about to hand me a check for an entire years worth of tithing!

We literally went from the worst month our church had all year to the best month we have EVER had! I was able to deposit the very first check into our bank account on Thursday because God blessed our step of faith.

It's time to walk in faith. Hit the fast forward button on your doubts!

You see, EVERYONE has a part to play! You might now be able to give an entire years tithe in one day, but you can give something. You can do something. You can say something. And if you are sensitive to the Holy Spirit it will be done at just the right time.

It just takes faith.

The writer of Hebrews wrote this letter to people of his day, but it still applies to us today. In fact, it feels as though he wrote it just for us!

We know the truth. We understand what it means to be a Christian. We don't need to hear another sermon. What we need is to MOVE FORWARD.

And I've got a secret that's not really a secret.

God’s Word is Moving Forward

It can't be stopped. It's like a train on a track. We can get on board or watch it moving right before our eyes.

In the book of Acts, we can find inspiration to move forward in our faith.

Let’s read about what was happening to the early church:

Acts 12:1–5 CEV

1 At that time King Herod caused terrible suffering for some members of the church. 2 He ordered soldiers to cut off the head of James, the brother of John. 3 When Herod saw that this pleased the Jewish people, he had Peter arrested during the Festival of Thin Bread. 4 He put Peter in jail and ordered four squads of soldiers to guard him. Herod planned to put him on trial in public after the festival. 5 While Peter was being kept in jail, the church never stopped praying to God for him.

There were terrible things happening to these believers. Some were losing their lives. Some were being beaten. Peter was put into prison.

Things weren't going well in the church. It seemed as though the enemy was gaining ground.

But this was not actually the case. The Lord was moving even though the faithful were experiencing hardships.

Acts 12:6–7 CEV

6 The night before Peter was to be put on trial, he was asleep and bound by two chains. A soldier was guarding him on each side, and two other soldiers were guarding the entrance to the jail. 7 Suddenly an angel from the Lord appeared, and light flashed around in the cell. The angel poked Peter in the side and woke him up. Then he said, “Quick! Get up!” The chains fell off his hands,

Even in the difficult times, God was working. Looking back, we can see His hand moving things into place; even the bad stuff turned out to advance His purposes.

Peter was set free from prison.

What prison are you in today? What trap has the enemy set for you to make you believe your life isn’t worth anything?

Part of how we break free is to realize that Jesus has set us free!

Peter was set free and he followed the angel out of the prison, but he thought it was all just a dream. He didn’t understand that he was actually free.

FAST FORWARD to the good part here…

Acts 12:11 CEV

11 Peter now realized what had happened, and he said, “I am certain that the Lord sent his angel to rescue me from Herod and from everything the Jewish leaders planned to do to me.”

He figured out that it wasn’t a dream. He was free! The Lord was on his side.

You are Free!

You’ve got to fast forward through all the pain, difficulties, failures, mistakes, and abuses that have happened in your life if you are going to find true freedom in Christ.

You’ve got to believe John 8:36

John 8:36 CEV

36 If the Son gives you freedom, you are free!

It’s time to break those chains and start walking in the freedom of Christ. Mature believers are those who stop allowing the enemy to hold us down because of things that have happened in the past or the fear of those things happening in the future!

All those people who say you can’t, won’t be in your life forever. Surround yourself with people who see you as God sees you. Stop hanging around people who hurt you and tell you that you can’t change.

In Acts 12, The king was killing people and throwing christians into prison. Guess what happened to him? He died a horrible death. The scripture said that he was consumed with worms and died. YIKES! Now, this is not permission for you to pray that your enemies are eaten by worms, but it does show that the Lord will not allow evil to win. Oh, it might seem like it for a season, but in the end, Jesus is Lord. He will prevail.

Today is the day for freedom. 2024 is the year to fast forward and work in the will of the Lord for your life. Here is my favorite part of the message to you today; at the end of this chapter something amazing is said.

Acts 12:24 NLT

24 Meanwhile, the word of God continued to spread, and there were many new believers.

Nothing can stop the Word of God. It’s been spreading for thousands of years. The Lord wants people to know the truth. God has always used faithful followers to do His work. It's the most important thing we can do in life. Gods love desires to reach people with the truth. Above anything else, if you want to be on Gods side, then reach people with His love!

2 Peter 3:9 CEV

9 The Lord isn’t slow about keeping his promises, as some people think he is. In fact, God is patient, because he wants everyone to turn from sin and no one to be lost.

Why does He allow bad things happen to good people? It’s not because He’s unloving. It’s because this world IS bad and people will continue to do bad things to good people. But the Lord is patient, He wants people to come to Him. He doesn’t want any person to be lost.

It’s our responsibility to reach them. If the enemy has been defeated, and God’s word is spreading then what could possible stop the work from happening?

US! We must grow up. We must hit the fast forward button. We must share the good news. We must represent Jesus to this world. Our lives must be examples of God’s great love that has the ability to set people free.

In 2024, it's time to take hold of our faith and trust in the Lord to advance His word. It's the truth that this world needs to hear. The difficulties of life must not stop us. We must determine to hit the fast-forward button in our faith.

Let's determine to focus on what He can do through us if we are willing to move forward in our faith!