Long Term Planning

Today is a great honor for me to share this special moment with the class of ’96. . .

Your aim: Reaching for God’s ideal for Us! Your motto: What you get out of life, is what you put into it.

My sermon title this morning “Long Term Planning” let us pray.

This day is part of a consummate effort of studying, working, playing and praying. It didn’t just happened that you graduated on this date. This was an effort of long term planning.

We all know that in today’s world especially bearing in mind the competitiveness that you most definitely have to plan ahead to get ahead.

What with the economic crisis and the knowledge that even educated persons can come out today with graduate degrees and still can’t find work end up driving taxis.

It’s a competitive world out there I suggest to you this morning that you have got to know what you are doing or you could be out on the short end of the stick when everything blows down. In more ways than one!

There is money out there to be earned so that you can take care of business. Nothing wrong with earning money lots of it! That is no sin! The sin is in the love of it!

But money is all retrospect, the powers that be who form society have already mapped out what will take place in the future . Your job is have the skills that will help you survive going into the 21st century.

I believe that you have completed part of that plan today and believe me honey in this day you got to have a plan because no plan is a plan. . . to flat out fail! Did you know that even though you might not have a plan others do. And whether or not you have planned they have planned for you!

God has a plan, you knew I was going to come to that sooner or later didn’t you!. It’s called the plan of salvation and it’s a great one.

God wasn't content with the fact that His people were plagued with the disease of sin, and though He would send word through His prophets and prophetesses of His love and care,

Though He would testify of that love by His protecting care from surrounding nations and violent elements of nature.

His glory would be manifested by cloud by day and pillar of fire by night.

Though He would later come down and tabernacle amongst His people. In the form of the sanctuary by His shekianiah Glory--His visible presents in the Most Holy place.

John reveals to us that it was not enough.

He had to feel what we feel, experience what we go through, Overcome what we can overcome by His grace. John says that this glory became flesh and dwelt where we are!!

One preacher said that God left the comforts of His posh neighborhood to dwelt in the ghetto of earth!!

Jesus came to earth in the form of humanity and He took on the challenges that this sinful nature brings and whooped it!

He took on the penalty of our death so that we could choose life!

God wants us to accept the gift of His character. So that when we get to heaven we can live peacefully and happily with one another, the way He always meant it to be and enjoy this life on earth for a long long time!.

Eph 1:4-9 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will-- to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, (NIV)

This is what you would call long term planning the moment man sinned God had a plan to regain Him back.

What are you doing with it?!

Do you plan to be a part of His plan or do you have your own plan?

But planning is only done when optimal expectations are anticipated in the future. You would be interested to know what society is planning in the years to come.

I've got a magazine article written years ago about what the year 2000 will bring, a date just a few years away. (Life)

Listen by the year 2000 it is said that " Anyone thinking of starting a family will begin with a Sears catalogue of options: A woman wishing to postpone childbearing for career development may want to freeze a few eggs for later use; . . . . finally by the late 21st Century, childbirth may not involve carrying at all--just an occasional visit to an incubator . . ."

THE HUMAN BODY

"If we think of the human body as a kind of machine, doctors of the future will be like mechanics, simply replacing those parts that can't be fixed . . ."

Bionic hearts, man made limbs, skin that will regenerate, reconstruction of jawbones, cheekbones and even noses, Voice boxes, blood vessels, Insulin dispenser inside the body system, "Tiny cameras mounted on eyeglass frames will transmit electronic images directly to the brain, bringing limited vision to the sightless"

FOOD

Food will be something Americans will not give up, only the unhealthy ingredients they say will be missing.

"For instance, mayonnaise will be made from soybeans (no eggs or oil). Genetically bred potatoes will taste so buttery you won't even need to add a pat ". . . and for the kids there's good news Iowa State University researchers are working on an enzyme that when sprinkled on ice cream eats the cholesterol for you.

Birth control will be as easy as a shot in the arm, Cars in the 21st century will be unlocked and started with plastic cards, and drivers will avoid gridlock by checking their routes on a computer. . . Sensors detecting oncoming objects will overcome the driver, triggering brakes, accelerator or the steering mechanism to avert danger. . . On electronically gritted superhighways drivers can put their vehicles on automatic pilot and snooze as they zoom toward their destinations. . .

You think that's it there is more . . .

HOUSES

By the year 2000 half of all new houses will be substantially computerized. "At dawn a familiar voice awakens you. "Good morning. It's six a.m. 'Big day ahead' The curtains of your bedroom windows part, the shower in the bathroom starts, and downstairs in the kitchen the coffee begins to brew. The house of the future will do these things and more, reacting to your orders and no one else's, because security sensors recognize your voice. . . While you're out your house continues to perform programmed tasks: start the dishwasher and water the garden(at hours when utility rates are lowest)

Video screens provide security (the computer can distinguish you, regular guest and pets from intruders) commands can be changed via telephone call home to adjust temperature and humidity . When it's time for bed, go right upstairs. The house will let the cat in and turn off the lights.

TELEPHONES

The functions of the telephone, TV set, VCR, fax machine and personal computer will be consolidated into one device. The superphone may even print out your newspaper. And it won't need a dialing mechanism or a keyboard, responding instead to voice commands.

Microelectronics and fiber-optic cables will revolutionize telephone service.

Video will be added, allowing callers to reach out and see someone.

Portable phones will shrink to the size of a tie clip--and may double as such.

Distinctive ring tones will reveal the identity of the caller.

Home-generated tracing services will allow police to pinpoint obscene callers.

Simultaneous voice simulated translations will permit callers to converse with people speaking different languages.

At home medical exams will be conducted via the phone; for instance, cardiograms of heart patients will be transmitted to the doctor. In an emergency the physician may activate a home defibrillator to resuscitate a heart attack victim.

Things to say goodbye to in the 21st century

The red cent, plugs and switches, communism, grocery clerks

water from faucets, file cabinets, networks (TV), typewriters

film, video stores, mailmen, baldness, keys, cemeteries,

canned food, blood loss surgery, all male clergy, eyeglasses and dentist.

But despite all the exciting things that the future has in store, All the technology and the advancements there is one thing that science and mankind cannot and will not be able to handle. . . SIN!!

"In 2025 the third world will be suffering. Overall the face of humanity will be inescapable. A United Nations study projects that 65 countries, most of them in Africa and South Asia, will be unable to provide adequate food for their people."

It is estimate that there will be 7 billion people on this planet, a staggering figure when you realize that 2/3 of the worlds people are hungry now.

Big cities will suffer under the weight of overpopulation, as millions of people continue to rise pollution and other toxic products are destroying the ecosystem.

It is feared that by the turn of the century, as many as 10.000 species of plants and animals may become extinct every year because loss of habitat.

It is estimated that by 2050 the quantity of wastes and toxins produced by humans will be far in excess of what can be recycled, neutralized or safely contained. There is evidence that alterations in the biosphere have begun to change climates. . . . they say " average global temperatures will increase between three and nine degrees Fahrenheit during the next century. . . . Ice caps will melt, Seas will rise, flooding productive, populated areas.

Millions of acres of farmland will become deserts and temperature zones will become more tropical. To combat heat and droughts we will use more energy, and if it comes from fossil fuels, this will intensify the greenhouse effect, our waste, contamination and other related problems.

Already 85 of all cancers are caused by the water we drink and air we breathe.

Other people will be able to learn things about us that we ourselves don't know. For example, as DNA "fingerprinting" becomes the prime source of identification for police departments, insurance companies able to gain a peek at our genetic print will have the tools to predict with chilling accuracy the number of years we have left to live.

By 2000 an individual will be identified by the retina of his eye, ID cars will be a thing of the past as individuals will be identified also by their fingerprints and the holographic images of their hands. Already information can be accessible to anyone with a little skill, a computer and a modem. (man on panel) Expected next are electronic license plates that can be read by satellite, thereby revealing our car's whereaboutouts at all times.

Crime will continue at alarming rates, at least over 75% of the people living will become victims of a violent crime. The now weaker nations will develop nuclear weaponry. Gorilla warfare will become much a concern to the United Nations.

When the Time of trouble comes, and this country begins to speak like a dragon and set up the image to the beast. In other words religious liberty will become a thing of the past and men will be force to keep a religious precedence through the almagamation of church and state.

Tell me where are you going to hide?

But I have some good news for you today, with all the exciting things that will be happening in the future, all the planning and study involved, none can match in time as well as value the one planned a long long time ago.

And if you think what man will do as far as technology is concerned what about heavenly technology, what holds true now will also hold true in the 21st century for the bible says

1 Cor 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. (KJV)

Today I want to ask the question Christian can God trust you to take you there? We have got to ask God to get our acts together!!

And if you discovered the essences of Christmas what about the gift of eternal life

That baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, grew up and spent 33 years of life here on earth, made provision so that we can be saved and to those who would accept His offer He gave this promise He said "Let not your heart be troubled . . ."

sin eradicated

earth recreated

Jesus glorificated

saints of God translated

dead resurrected

heaven and earth reconnected

saints exonerated

sorrow, death, crying and pain exterminated

slaves emancipated

families of God conglomerated

and with a crown of life congratulated

Jesus Christ is exaltated

altar call

"Every warning, reproof, and entreaty in the word of God or through His messengers is a knock at the door of the heart. It is the voice of Jesus asking for entrance." (DA p.489)