Gtcotr/ss122814
God
is getting you ready for that which He already has ready for you.
Habakkuk
2
2
Then the LORD answered me and said: "Write the vision And make
it
plain on tablets, That he may run who reads it.
3
For the vision is
yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will
not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come,
It will not tarry.
Throughout
the Bible God calls attention to beginnings and endings. (Genesis –
Revelation) At the end of the book of Revelation we read:
Revelation
22:13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and
the last.
I am
Alpha & Omega Beginning and End, the First and the Last … The
scriptures also say that we should:
Hebrews
12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our
faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross,
despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne
of God.
“Look
to Jesus who is both the Author and the Finisher of our faith …”
and that:
Hebrews
3:14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of
our confidence steadfast unto the end;
We are
“Made partakers of Christ”, if we keep on holding on to the very
first act of our faith, which is the salvation of our soul, unto the
very end.
Furthermore
we are told that:
Isaiah
46:10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times
the
things
that are not yet
done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:
“God
knows the end from the beginning and has known from the ancient days
the things which are yet to be done …” And, He has decided that
when it is all said and done, He is going to end up “pleased”
with the outcome.
Ecclesiastes
7:8 Better is
the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and
the patient in spirit is
better than the proud in spirit.
For
some reason it seems that God has a greater consideration for end of
a thing more than the beginning thereof. And He evidently thinks more
of those who exhibit patience than of those who are proud and hasty
in spirit.
Suffice
it to say, God appreciates a good finish.
John
4:34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of Him that
sent Me, and to finish His work.
In
fact, Jesus said that He was all about finishing the work of God.
John
19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, He said, It
is finished:
and he bowed His head, and gave up the ghost.
This He
did on the Cross of Calvary when He took upon Himself the sins of the
world and completed the work of redemption. “It is finished!”
Acts
20:24 But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear
unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the
ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the
gospel of the grace of God.
The
Apostle Paul took this same mind unto himself when after continual
physical hardships and overwhelming persecution he declared that he
was not going to be moved but would “finish his course with joy”
as a testimony to the grace of God. What a testimony it is.
2
Timothy 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my
course, I have kept the faith:
Right
near the end of the Apostle Paul’s life he wrote to his son in the
faith and told Timothy that he had fought a good fight and “finished
his course” and kept the faith which had once been delivered to him
in Christ Jesus.
Both
heaven and earth, as well as each one of us, appreciate a good
finish. We know first impressions are important but we also realize
that:
Last
impressions are lasting impressions.
At
first impression Judas Iscariot was chosen to become an Apostle of
the Lamb. (Mark 3:14) Jesus chose Judas along with the other 11 to be
with Him and to send him out to preach. However, first impressions
can be deceptive … be patient … not every first impression will
be the right one.
I don’t
mean to be critical, judgmental or insensitive but only stating the
fact that the
beginning of a thing reveals little
if any substance of the outcome of the matter … however … the end
speaks for itself just as our text for today declares. (Write the
vision down – wait – in the end it will speak) This is just the
way of life -
- Abraham’s promise of being a father of many nations spoke louder at the end than at the beginning.
- Moses’ declaration that God had sent him as a deliverer spoke louder after they crossed the Red Sea than before.
- Joseph’s dream spoke louder at 110 than when he first told it at 17
- David anointing to be King over all Israel spoke louder at the end than at the beginning (BTW – there was a long road in between)
- Ruth’s commitment to her mother-in-law spoke louder at the end of her life than when she first made that commitment.
- The sacrifice of Mary’s alabaster box of fragrant oil speaks louder than it did when she first used it to anoint Jesus.
From
Judas to Zacchaeus, from the young rich ruler to those spoken of in
the parable of the talents in Matthew 25 … last impressions are
lasting impressions and finishing well is important. We
may never get the new thing right if we do not finish the old thing
well.
Finishing well may be more important than we first realized.
We have
come to the end of another year. 2014 is, for all practical purposes,
gone and a new year will soon burst onto the stage.
Some of
the most difficult challenges we face in life deal with things which
are over – things which have simply come to their end. It is hard
with:
- Things we love
- Things we have enjoyed
- Things we have depended on
- Things we have grown used to
We
don’t possess the ability which God possesses. The prophet Isaiah
said that God sees the end from the very beginning. (Isaiah 46:10)
Ecclesiastes
7:8 Better is
the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and
the patient in spirit is
better than the proud in spirit.
In
order to get a greater understanding of this truth we might look back
at the original meaning of this word “better” and employ some of
its original synonyms.
Better
= more beautiful; pleasing; beneficial; fulfilling; complete;
precious; costly; revealing; better understood
Things
are better understood at the end than they are at the beginning. At
the beginning one cannot see the purpose, intent or impact of a
matter as clearly as one might judge it at the end.
The end
of a matter reveals more about the matter than does the beginning.
We
cannot know what 2015 will bring and if it will be a good year or a
bad year, if we will end the year better or worse … it’s only the
beginning. However, we do know what 2014 dealt us … but … 2014 is
over.
Just
because 2014 is gone does not mean it is forgotten, nor should it be.
When things end, we must put them in proper perspective. Some things
seem to end on their own and yet there are other things are just as
over but they haven’t ended yet.
How do
you deal with something that’s over? What do you do with those
things that are over and need to be ended? How do you end something
that’s over so you can start something new?
These
are questions are more common than some may realize. Even Jesus faced
beginnings and endings in life and ministry. He also felt the
pressure to get things right. Seeing that we are at the close of
another year and a New Year is about to begin allow me to share 3
simple truths pertaining to ending the old and beginning the new.
- Be prepared for things to happen suddenly.
- It may be a long time coming but things begin and things end suddenly
- For things to truly change something will have to happen suddenly.
- Don’t be surprised or thrown off track when things happen suddenly.
- There will scarcely be a breath between 2014 & 2015 … Be prepared … things can and often do change suddenly!
- We cannot fully embrace the new thing until we completely let go of the old thing.
- No man can enjoy either life or death with one foot in the grave and one foot out.
- Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters.”
- There is a vast difference between memories and dreams. We must overlook one in order to focus on the other. Whichever one we hold to will control our day and determine our destiny.
- Change will happen with or with you.
- When you work with God, He prepares you for the new thing which He brings about is His timing.
- Don’t be afraid to embrace the new thing and all it brings when you know God brought it.
There
is a grace given us by God to bring things, both good and bad, to a
successful conclusion and to a final end. God is a God of new
beginnings and in order to have a new beginning we must allow the old
to end.
This
coming week the old year will end and a new year will begin. It will
happen suddenly and there will be less than a breath between the two.
Along with the new year you will be given an opportunity to change
some things in your life as well.
What
are some things which need to end in your life? These things can end
today and suddenly you can begin a brand new walk with God and a new
pathway of life. Next year does not have to be like the last year.
However successful change will require your participation.
Today
we are going to offer those things in our lives we believe need to
change up to God on the altar of prayer. There is no reason for you
to carry old things that keep you bound or afraid into your new year.
2015 can bring a sudden change for your life and believe me, you are
more prepared than you may realize. you see,
God
has already gotten you ready for that which He already had ready for
you.
God is
bigger than your past, greater than your fears, stronger than your
enemies and better than your hopes and dreams. Give Him a chance to
show just how wonderful He is and just how much He loves you. Give
Him that chance right now … God has written His vision on the
tables of your heart and He will also bring it to pass. Can you see
that vision? Are you ready to run with it?
God is
both Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, He helps you in each
new beginning and He guides you through each end. His part is to
prepare you and your part is to embrace the sudden change and let the
fresh will of God begin in your life. I’m going to run with God in
2015 … how about you?
Altar
close …
