12/27/2015 – Getting Better All The Time

Getting better all the time

Isaiah 9:6-7    … no end to the increase of His government or of peace…From then on and forevermore.

  • THIS is the world as Jesus saw it from the cross. His rule increasing forever. Consistent vision of God!

Numbers 14:21… Habakkuk 2:14…  Psalm 22:27-28    WHAT WILL THIS LOOK LIKE IN MILLERSBURG?

  • Roy Disney – at dedication of Disney world. A reporter said to him, “Oh, if only your brother would have been alive to see this.” His response: “He did, or you never would have.”
  • When we have a vision, sacrifice is nothing!

Daniel 7:25  He will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make alterations in times and in law…

  • He seizes “times” (like kairos – epoch season of history) —  he controls the narrative!
  • BUT…His only weapons are lies and distortions! He sows bad news – we sow GOOD NEWS.

DOES KNOWING THE END OF THE STORY AFFECT HOW YOU WILL LIVE IT OUT?

The enemy’s narrative: you may as well go home – you’re defeated. (Like a catcher)

Once the people of God believe the report of the Lord…things turn around.

Sir roger Bannister – 1954 (4 min mile. Was told it was physiologically impossible. Next year his record was broken. The following year 17 people did it. Today, 7 high school runners have broken it.

Breaking through the lies into a hopeful future…

Matthew 13:31-32  …so that THE BIRDS OF THE AIR come and NEST IN ITS BRANCHES.”

  • Israel failed to recognize His presence because they didn’t know what to look for. We may do the same.

VIDEO: SPREAD OF THE KINGDOM               AD 25- NOW

Luke 17:20-21      The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed;

  • The entire world will find refuge in what the Kingdom of Heaven has accomplished!

The world is improving!!!  Under what system of thinking do we look at the past and see constant progress, but when we look at the future we see things getting worse?!?

Revelation 12:11  “And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death.     SLIDES of STATISTICS

BUT, DOESN’T THE BIBLE TEACH THAT THE WORLD WILL GET WORSE UNTIL JESUS RETURNS?

Ø  The meek shall inherit the earth! So…Why would God destroy it?!?

Joel 2:28-32

  • Signs in the heavens – a star was over the birthplace – it was unmistakable – not something predictable.
  • You don’t prophesy retroactively – piece things together after they happen.
  • You interpret scripture first with Scripture: Joel 2 à Acts 2

Acts 2:16-21       THIS is that…       It was tongues, praise, a salvation message

The Last days = every day since THAT day! THAT was the great and awesome day of the Lord.

  • Judgment is coming! There is a final one on THAT day! BUT NOW is the day of salvation!
  • Let’s get busy.

 

  1. Life Expectancy:
  • In USA – 1800 was 37, Now is 78 and rising.
  • Spain, Korea, Australia, Japan are at 80+
  1. Deaths by war —
  • Sharp decrease since WWII. NOT on the rise. The world is increasingly LESS genocidal.
  1. Mass shootings/ killing – sharp decline. Happens in fewer and fewer places.
  2. poverty: 1820: 84% in extreme poverty. 1981 – 35%  2010: 21%

REVIVAL:

100AD: 1 in 360 people were Christian

1000                        1 in 220

1900                        1 in 27 

1990                        1 in 7 

2010                        1 in 3

 

 

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