"Born For Such A Time As This"
Pastor Albert Almore
This morning we’re going to begin our time by taking a look at the times through statistics and the Word of God.
As we begin to look at the times, the first alarming report that we find is in 2022…
42% of pastors have strongly considered walking away from ministry. Of those 42%, 56% of them state that the immense stress of the job has factored into their thoughts on leaving.
43% state that they feel lonely and isolated. 1 in 10 pastors admitted to contemplating suicide according to a Pastoral Mental Health Report compiled by Faithlife.
When it comes to suicide, suicide deaths as a whole, increased in 2022, rising to an estimated 49,449 deaths in 2022, an increase of approximately 2.6%.
"Nine in ten Americans believe America is facing a mental health crisis. One life lost to suicide is one too many. Yet, too many people still believe asking for help is a sign of weakness,”
46% of teens report being cyberbullied at least once.
60% of school shooters reported being bullied in person or online.
Drug overdoses in 2022, came in at 109,680.
The U.S. prison population was 1,230,100 on December 31, 2022, a 2% increase from 2021
And if that wasn’t enough Paul told Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:1,
“You should know this, Timothy, that IN THE LAST DAYS THERE WILL BE VERY DIFFICULT TIMES. For PEOPLE WILL LOVE ONLY THEMSELVES AND THEIR MONEY. They will be boastful and proud, SCOFFING AT GOD, DISOBEDIENT TO THEIR PARENTS, and UNGRATEFUL. They will consider nothing sacred.”
2 Timothy 3:1-2
“They will be UNLOVING and UNFORGIVING; THEY WILL SLANDER OTHERSand HAVE NO SELF-CONTROL. THEY WILL BE CRUEL and hate what is good.”
2 Timothy 3:3
“They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God.”
2 Timothy 3:4
“They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly…”
2 Timothy 3:5
In a similar fashion, Matthew 24:3 reads,
“Later, Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives. His disciples came to him privately and said, “Tell us, when will all this happen? What sign will signal your return and the end of the world?””
Matthew 24:3
“Jesus told them, “DON’T LET ANYONE MISLEAD YOU, for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah.’ They will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately.”
Matthew 24:4-6
“Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come.”
Matthew 24:7-8
““Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers. And many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other. And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people.”
Matthew 24:9-11
“SIN WILL BE RAMPANT EVERYWHERE, and THE LOVE OF MANY WILL GROW COLD.”
Matthew 24:12
“But the one who endures to the end will be saved.”
Matthew 24:13
I know all of this is hard to hear but it must be heard, it must be declared. But what if I told
you that…
YOU WERE BORN FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS.
“From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their APPOINTED TIMES in history and the boundaries of their lands.”
Acts 17:26
📝 God didn’t send you here today just to hear about the times. God sent you here today to let you know that YOU ARE AN ANSWER TO THE TIMES!
This is your moment. This is your season. This is your appointed time in history! You’re supposed to be here.
God knew the times that we would be facing in 2023, and the years to come. Council took place in Heaven, "Who shall we send during such a time to come?” GOD CHOSE YOU!
I want to speak to you from this subject today…
BORN FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS
Isaiah 11:2 speaks about the seven spirits of God. The seven spirits of God are NOT distinct from the Holy Spirit. They’re not seven distinct spirits. There is only one Holy Spirit. The seven spirits are what is used to describe who the Holy Spirit is and His character. The Holy Spirit manifests each of these seven spirits AND THEY ALL WORK TOGETHER.
“The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, THE SPIRIT OF WISDOM and UNDERSTANDING, The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.”
Isaiah 11:2
If we ever needed the spirit of wisdom and the spirit of understanding—the time is NOW.
Remember, Jesus said, DON’T LET ANYONE MISLEAD YOU….
📝 Spirit lead me how to STAND.
Everything is trying to pull us DOWN. Everything is trying to pull us AWAY. Currents of this world.
Gravity from this life.
“But the one who ENDURES TO THE END will be saved.”
Matthew 24:13
Endurance comes from fellowship.
“Let us HOLD UNSWERVINGLY to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.”
Hebrews 10:23
“Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.”
Hebrews 10:24
“And LET US NOT NEGLECT OUR MEETING TOGETHER, as some people do, but encourage one another, ESPECIALLY NOW THAT THE DAY OF HIS RETURN IS DRAWING NEAR.”
Hebrews 10:25
Places to gather…
Sunday Morning
Connect & Launch
Gatekeepers
Shine
D-Groups
📝 Spirit lead me how to SHOW.
“So WE ARE CHRIST’S AMBASSADORS; God is making his appeal THROUGH US. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!””
2 Corinthians 5:20
“Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or SEEN IN ME—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”
Philippians 4:9
““You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.”
Matthew 5:14
“Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.”
Matthew 5:15
“Let your light SO SHINE BEFORE MEN, THAT THEY MAY SEE your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Matthew 5:16
📝 Spirit lead me how to SHARE.
Even though we’re living in a time where many don’t want to hear it. Even though we’re living in a time where many are easily offended by our message. We’re still called to share and here’s why…
📝 DOING our part in the times is greater than just TALKING about the times.
How do we share in this climate? John 1:14 Tells us. It says
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, FULL OF GRACE AND TRUTH.”
John 1:14
“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, AND THEN THE END WILL COME.”
Matthew 24:14
God didn’t send you here today just to hear about the times. God sent you here today to let you know that YOU ARE AN ANSWER TO THE TIMES just like Esther. When God’s people found theirselves in a difficult time, Esther’s uncle Mordecai told her in Esther 4:14,
“If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen FOR JUST SUCH A TIME AS THIS?””
Esther 4:14
If you keep quiet at a time like this, help will come from heaven to the Jews, and they will be saved, but you will die and your father's family will come to an end. Yet who knows--maybe it was for A TIME LIKE THIS that you were made queen!" Esther 4:14
Yet who knows…God
God knows.
📝 God knows YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO BRING TO THE TIMES. Why else why God place you in these times?
YOU WERE BORN FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS.
Since we’re here on PURPOSE for a PURPOSE we must pray according to 1 Chronicles 12:32.
“of the sons of Issachar WHO HAD UNDERSTANDING OF THE TIMES, TO KNOW WHAT ISRAEL OUGHT TO DO, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their command;”
I Chronicles 12:32
They were the smallest in number, the smallest in resources, but what set them apart was, they had UNDERSTANDING OF THE TIMES, TO KNOW WHAT ISRAEL OUGHT TO DO.
Remember, Jesus said, DON’T LET ANYONE MISLEAD YOU….
📝 Every morning, pray this, "Holy Spirit, grant me UNDERSTANDING OF THE TIMES. In all my ways, LEAD ME in I what I out to do.”
HOW IS THE SPIRIT LEADING YOU?
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