SERMON FOR SUNDAY JANUARY, 19 2014 THE GOD OF YESTERDAY AND THE GOD OF TOMORROW” MAL. 3:6 THE END OF ONE YEAR AND THE BEGINNING OF A NEW YEAR CAUSES US TO THINK OF YESTERDAY AND TOMORROW. THIS CAN BE GOOD, OR IT CAN BE BAD. SOME HAVE A TENDENCY TO THINK ONLY IN TERMS OF THE PAST AND TO LIVE IN THE MEMORIES OF YESTERDAY. OTHERS WANT TO FORGET THE PAST AND IGNORE THE PRESENT, AND THINK ONLY OF TOMORROW. THIS IS A WORLD OF FANTASY. MANY OF US LIKE TO THINK IN TERMS OF NEWNESS, IT IS SUGGESTED THAT WE CONSIDER SECURING A NEW MODEL OF THIS OR THAT. IT IS NECESSARY THAT WE INVENTORY AND EVALUATE THE PRESENT AND THE PAST IF WE WOULD PROPERLY APPROACH AND SUCCEED IN THE FUTURE. A PROPER EVALUATION OF THE PAST WILL ENABLE US TO JOIN WITH THE PSALMIST IN PRAISING GOD FOR HIS GOODNESS TO US. BLESS THE LORD, O MY SOUL, AND ALL THAT IS WITHIN ME, BLESS HIS HOLY NAME. BLESS THE LORD, O MY SOUL, AND FORGET NOT ALL HIS BENEFITS (PS. 103:1-2). THE PSALMIST SPEAKS TO HIS SOUL CONCERNING THE GOODNESS OF GOD IN THE PAST, AND THIS ENCOURAGES HIM TO FACE THE FUTURE WITH COURAGE AND CHEER. WE CAN REJOICE IN THAT THE GOD OF YESTERDAY IS ALSO THE GOD OF TOMORROW. A. GOD I NEVER OUT OF DATE. B. GOD IS NEVER OBSOLETE. C. GOD IS NO ANTIQUE. GOD DOES NOT CHANGE MODELS EVERY YEAR. THE GOD AND FATHER OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST IS THE UNCHANGING ONE WHO IS ALWAYS ADEQUATE FOR THE NEEDS AND THE STRESSES OF THE CHANGING CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH WE FIND OURSELVES IN A CHANGING WORLD. I. THE GOD OF YESTERDAY A. GOD CAME TO ISAAC AS THE GOD OF HIS FATHER, ABRAHAM, AS THE LORD APPROACHED ISAAC HE DID SO ON THE BASIS OF HIS PREVIOUS REVELATION TO ISAAC’S FATHER. THE LORD WAS ENCOURAGING ISAAC TO FACE THE FUTURE WITH FAITH IN THE GOD OF YESTERDAY. (U.G.T.) B. GOD CAME TO JACOB AS THE GOD OF ABRAHAM AND ISAAC. THE ETERNAL GOD WAS SEEKING TO CARRY FORWARD HIS REDEMPTIVE PURPOSE AND JACOB WAS TO BE A PART OF THAT PURPOSE. GOD REVEALED HIMSELF TO JACOB, THE YOUNG MAN AS THE GOD UPON WHOM HIS GRANDFATHER AND HIS FATHER HAD DEPENDED. C. GOD CAME TO MOSES, AS THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, ISAAC AND JACOB. MOSES WAS ASSURED THAT THE GOD WHO APPROACHED HIM AT THE BACKSIDE OF THE DESERT WAS THE SAME GOD WHO HAD ACCOMPANIED ABRAHAM, ISAAC AND JACOB UPON THEIR PILGRIMAGE. D. GOD CAME TO JOSHUA AS THE GOD OF MOSES, BY REVELATION GOD SOUGHT TO COMMUNICATE TO JOSHUA THAT HE WAS NOT ALONE IN THE TASK WHICH HAD FALLEN UPON HIS SHOULDERS BECAUSE OF THE DEATH OF MOSES. JOSHUA WAS ENCOURAGED TO PUT HIS FAITH IN THE GOD OF YESTERDAY. II. THE GOD OF YESTERDAY HAS REVEALED HIMSELF IN JESUS CHRIST. A. GOD IS PERSONAL. HE IS SOMETHING OTHER THAN THE PRINCIPLE BEHIND THE UNIVERSE. GOD IS SOMETHING MORE THAN AN IRRESISTIBLE FORCE AND AN IN EXHAUSTIBLE POWER. GOD IS PERSONAL. B. GOD IS PURPOSEFUL HIS COMMAND CAME TO JOSHUA SAYING ARISE; GO OVER THIS JORDAN, YOU AND ALL THIS PEOPLE, INTO THE LAND WHICH I AM GIVING TO THEM. GOD HAD A PURPOSE FOR JOSHUA. HE HAS A PURPOSE FOR US. HE WANTS TO INVOLVE EACH OF US IN THE MEANINGFUL AND REDEMPTIVE SERVICE AS WE FACE THE FUTURE. C. GOD IS DEPENDABLE AS WE FACE THE FUTURE WITH ALL ITS UNCERTAINTIES, IT CAN BE MOST ENCOURAGING TO KNOW THAT GOD IS DEPENDABLE. 1. WE CAN DEPEND UPON THE PERMANENCE OF HIS PERSON. 2. WE CAN DEPEND UPON HIS PRECIOUS PROMISES. 3. WE CAN DEPEND UPON HIS INEXHAUSTIBLE RESOURCES OF POWER FOR LIVING THE SPIRITUAL AND MORAL LIFE. 4. WE CAN DEPEND UPON THE PERMANENCE OF HIS PURPOSE FOR US. III. THE GOD OF YESTERDAY WILL BE AVAILABLE TO US IN ALL OF OUR TOMORROWS A. THE GOD OF TOMORROW CONTINUES TO BE PLEASED WITH THE FAITH WHICH WILL TRUST HIM IMPLICITLY. B. THE GOD OF TOMORROW WILL MERIT OUR LOVE. WE WILL BE ABLE TO JOIN WITH THE APOSTLE IN SAYING; WE LOVE HIM BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVE US. THIS SHOULD MOTIVATE US TO SHOW LOVE TO OTHERS. C. THE GOD OF TOMORROW WILL NEED THE RESPONSE OF FAITHFULNESS ON OUR PART. GOD NEEDS MEN AND WOMEN HE CAN DEPEND ON. D. THE GOD OF TOMORROW WILL BE WITH US. ALL THE WAY AND ALWAYS. WE NEED NOT WORRY ABOUT WHETHER THE LORD WILL BE WITH US FROM DAY TO DAY. HE HAS GIVEN US A SPECIFIC PROMISE TO BE WITH US. THE GOD OF YESTERDAY IS THE SAME KIND OF GOD TODAY. AS HE WAS YESTERDAY, HE IS TODAY. LET EACH OF US FACE THE NEW YEAR WITH FAITH IN THIS WONDERFUL LORD. WE CAN TRUST HIM IN ALL OUR CIRCUMSTANCES. THE GOD THAT WAS WITH OUR FOREFATHERS IS THE SAME GOD THAT IS WITH US TODAY AND WILL BE WITH US IN ALL OUR TOMORROW. IN THE WORDS OF IRA HOFFMAN, I’VE SEEN THE LIGHTING FLASHING AND I HEARD THE THUNDER ROLLS, I’VE FELT SIN’S BREAKERS DASHING TRYING TO CONQUER MY SOUL, I’VE HEARD THE VOICE OF MY SAVIOR TELLING ME STILL TO FIGHT ON. HE PROMISED NEVER TO LEAVE ME, NEVER TO LEAVE ME ALONE. THE WORLD’S FIERCE WINDS ARE BLOWING TEMPTATION SHARP AND KEEN, I FEEL A PEACE IN KNOWING MY SAVIOR STANDS BETWEEN, HE STANDS TO SHIELD ME FROM DANGER WHEN EARTHLY FRIENDS ARE GONE. HE PROMISED NEVER TO LEAVE ME, NEVER TO LEAVE ME ALONE
Posted on: Sun, 19 Jan 2014 01:26:57 +0000
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