Living With the End in View
1 Peter 4:7
31 Dec 2011 New Year�s Eve
Pastor Craig Ledbetter
Introduction
We Bible believers believe
there was a beginning
Not a big bang that took billions of years to cool off and form the stars and planets
But in an instant, the entire heaven, and this earth were created
Then through six days, God moulded and fashioned a perfect world
It was perfect at the beginning!
The Bible says it. We believe it. Science is constantly discovering it to be true!
Well, we also know there is
going to come an end
The end of money
The end of all the millions of world religions
The end of all the different sovereign governments
Just as the Bible so clearly predicts!
So many books and movies are produced about �the end of the world�
Well, it�s all true � not Hollywood�s version of it, but God�s way that it is ending
I don�t set a date (like 2012, etc) � but as a Bible believer, I am always ready!
Listen to how clear God�s
word is:
Romans 13:11 �knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.� Our salvation being our deliverance from this world
1Peter 4:7 �the end of all things is at hand� � it is right within reach!
Revelation 1:3 �Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.�
Revelation 3:11 �Behold, I come quickly�
Revelation 22:10,12 �And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand… And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.�
How should we feel about
things wrapping up? How should we be preparing for �the end?�
Message
Some things NOT to do.
Some things a Christian SHOULD NOT do, knowing what we know:
Don�t start hording food in a bomb shelter
Don�t try and buy a ride on a space ship to live away from earth
Don�t start living underground
Don�t freak out and start panicking
And don�t ignore all the warning signs! Most people live only for �now� � they spend themselves into deeper and deeper debt, thinking everything will get better with time!
No! Look up � get excited �
rejoice (Luke 21:28)!
According to 1 Peter 4:7,
there are TWO very important things that every believer must be doing, right now!
Get Sober, and Watch Unto Prayer!
- You would think there would be dozens of things to be doing
- But God boils it down to two very basic and yet so vital activities that will make the difference in your life!
Get Sober
- It means, get serious about your life
Stop acting like it doesn�t matter � or like you are just ignoring things
Stop living on drink, drugs, entertainment, and emotional highs and lows!
- Get serious about �God� in your life
Is he even THERE? (Rev 3:20)
2Cor 13:5
Is He in your thoughts, plans, problems and praises?
- Sober up about eternal things
- Get serious About winning our generation before it is too late � actually winning souls to following Jesus Christ as THEIR Lord and Saviour!
- Sober up about how the devil works, and attacks, and ruins lives (1Peter 5:8) EVEN YOUR life!
- Sober up about how much time we are all wasting (Eph 5:16-18) � a drunkard wastes years of his life! Don�t be like him at all!
- Sober up!
Watch Unto Prayer
- To Watch is to be ALERT � on GUARD � AWARE of things
Aware of the times we live in
Discerning the spiritual needs � externally, people can LOOK like they don�t need anything, but spiritually, they usually are ruined
- Unto Prayer
Every worry should drive is TO PRAY
Not panic
But to pray about everything
About our own cold, hard hearts
About our needs � without complaining
Pray for spiritual strength
Pray for spiritual protection
Pray for your husbands, ladies
Pray for your FUTURE husbands
Pray for your wives, gentlemen
Pray for your FUTURE wives
Pray for your children � pray over your children
Pray for souls to get saved
Pray for courage to be a SOUL-WINNER
Pray for a job! That you would be worthy of one!
Pray for your boss! That he or she would be blessed by your labours, and see a difference in your life like Potiphar did of Joseph�s life!
Who and what else should we all be praying for?
Pray about everything! I mean pray about everything!
Pray for our government leaders
Pray against the devil and his plans
Pray against the sin that just flows in our streets, and on our TVs
While you�re praying about everything, make sure you listen to God�s Holy Spirit
That�s why your prayer time is a quiet time
That�s why you need to have an alone time with just you and God, where you cast all your care upon HIM, and then listen to His will to you
Year for God to speak back to you, comforting, encouraging, directing you � He does still speak (John 10:27)
THIS is where our strength will come from � our time with the Lord Jesus! Our time in PRAYER! Our time where we just abide with Him, and linger, and talk with Him, and listen to Him (Mt 26:36-40)
Conclusion
We Bible believers believe
there was a beginning
Well, we also know there is
going to come an end
How Should We Feel? How
should we be preparing for �the end?� Panic? No!
Some things NOT to do
Don�t start hording food in a bomb shelter
Don�t try and buy a ride on a space ship to live away from earth
Don�t start living underground
Don�t freak out and start panicking
No! Look up � get excited �
rejoice (Luke 21:28)!
And according to 1 Peter
4:7, There are some things a Christian SHOULD do, knowing what we know:
Get Sober
- It means, get serious about your life
- Get serious about God in your life Is he even THERE? (Rev 3:20)
- About winning our generation before it is too late
- Sober up about eternal things
- It is not an emotional feeling � but a truth that overtakes you, and motivates you
- Sober up about how the devil works, and attacks, and ruins (1Peter 5:8)
- Sober up about how much time we are all wasting (Eph 5:16-18) � a drunkard wastes years of his life! Don�t be like him at all!
Watch Unto Prayer
- To Watch is to be ALERT � on GUARD � AWARE of things
- Do it UNTO Prayer
Every worry should drive is TO PRAY
Pray about everything
That means, Pray about EVERYTHING!
And while you are praying about everything, make sure you listen to God�s Spirit