MAKING A 3 POINTER
FROM THE PASTORS DESK: We never know when we will have our “LAST CHANCE”! Exodus 12:1-12:14
There are times in life that you get one last chance. Times like in an interview where if you do well you get the job if you don’t someone else does. Times like when you are shooting a free throw for your team with no time left on the clock. You make it you win. These times are always pressured filled because you know you can’t try again. When we first moved from the old sanctuary to the gym, we still had the basketball goals up and I could make a 3 pointer from the pulpit LOL. Today, for someone reading my words, this may be your last chance to pray. Please understand I’ve been a pastor for 48 years, I’ve preached the funerals of hundreds of all ages..just as many young as old. Some of you don’t go to church very often and THIS JUST MAY be my last chance to type these words to you. You may never read another FB post of mine or go to church ever AGAIN, and I may never see you in person AGAIN! The way things are going, we are losing so many but only 2 supposedly COVID related. Some of you want to make changes in your life and depending on this VERY post you may or may not do that. There will be times when you are in the heat of the battle of life as many of us are right this moment, you may be thinking, I’d be better off to just end it and get out of this life. NO you would not! Maybe your girlfriend or boyfriend just broke up with and you think as Mickie Welty says, “I can’t deal”! Maybe mom and dad are fighting and you can’t stand to hear them anymore, maybe you are fighting a drug habit or the virus is just too much, stressed out over the election and what’s coming. Maybe you are being bullied at school…so many things you could be fighting and you need HELP. YOU and your battle could be anyone of the things I just mentioned. You feel no one loves you or even cares. Please listen listen listen! THIS IS YOU! The international sign language for PRAISE or VICTORY…TOUCHDOWN, 3 POINTER, SOCCER GOAL..IS RAISED HANDS AS HIGH AS YOU CAN….LET ME TELL YOU A STORY IN THE BIBLE. EXEDUS 17TH CHAPTER 8 Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim. 9 Moses said to Joshua, hey Josh I want you to choose some men for us and God says we must go fight with Amalek, ( AMALEK for you might be the fight to keep away from drugs, or the fight to get through that personal battle we are facing, we must fight to stay above the water…REMEMBER THAT THOUGHT!!! Moses says to his army…Tomorrow I’ll stand on top of the hill with the shepherd’s rod of God in my hand.” 10 So Joshua did as Moses told him. He took his army to the valley and looking in the distance he sees AMALEK, the enemy…For you right now this moment, look to your enemy, what is it that you are fighting in your life right now! Moses told his army to get ready to battle Amaleks! Now God had given Moses special instructions, YOU have special instructions as well on how to win over your enemy. God says, MOSES take Aaron your brother and his buddy Hur and go to the top of the hill overlooking the battle ground. And God told Moses in verse 11 Whenever hold up your hands in victory, Israel would start winning the battle. Listen to the pastor, when you stop praising God when you stop going to youth services, when you stop going to church, when you stop praying, when you stop reading and studying Gods word, you will lose the battle and your enemy (satan) will win…NO EXCUSES ..you must keep praising. Whenever Moses lowered his hands, Amalek the enemy would start winning. Lets go back to the beginning of my sermon…remember I said: This may be the last time you get to pray, the last time to hear the word of God preached…this may be it. It may be the end of your ballgame, you don’t have to be old to die, it may be the last quarter, you’re down 2 points…the ball is in your hand, you are dribbling across the 10 second line…the game is about to end and YOU are going to lose. With all of this in mind, you look at the game clock…5…4….3…you dribble to the 3 point line and let it fly…just as you release, the last second ticks off, the ball in the air the buzzer sounds……SWISH the ball goes in and YOU WIN, victory oh sweet victory!!! I must tell you that I am not here to impress you with a 3 pointer today; but to share with you one single important fact and that is Jesus died for you. When you see someone losing their battle (their arms are falling in victory) go to them lift their arms in prayer, encouragement, lift their spirit with your positive spirit, love on them…for we have no idea the battle they are fighting. The ball is now in your court, what are you going to do with it? God Bless You…>>>PT
