Facing the Future | Week 1 | Invisible Enemy
These are predictions for what the world would be like on or around the year 2000 from an article published in 1967 in U.S. News & World Report: Predictions from 1967 “U.S. News and World Report”
Facing the Future
Peace
Whatever message you hear
17 But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. 18 And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.
James 3:17-18 (NLT2)
Hope/Comfort
A. This is not our final Scene (1 Thess 4:13-18)
B. We will all see the Return of Christ (1 Thess 5:1-11)
Tim McGraw-2005 - “Live like you were Dying”
And he said
"I went skydiving
I went Rocky Mountain climbing
I went 2.7 seconds on a bull named Fumanchu
And I loved deeper
And I spoke sweeter
And I gave forgiveness I'd been denying"
And he said
"Someday I hope you get the chance
To live like you were dying"
He said
"I was finally the husband
That most of the time I wasn't
And I became a friend a friend would like to have
And all of a sudden going fishin'
Wasn't such an imposition
And I went three times that year I lost my dad
Well I, I finally read the Good Book, and I
Took a good, long, hard look
At what I'd do if I could do it all again
How to prepare for Christ’s Return…
1. Warn the idle (1 Thess 5:14)
2. Encourage the timid (1 Thess 5:14)
3. Help the weak (1 Thess 5:14)
4. Be patient with everyone (1 Thess 5:14)…Patience with OTHERS is love, Patience with SELF is hope, Patience with GOD is Faith
5. Be kind to everyone (1 Thess 5:15)
Kindness is the language that the deaf can hear and the blind can see - Mark Twain
6. Be joyful always (1 Thess 5:16)
7. Pray continually (1 Thess 5:17)
8. Give Thanks (1 Thess 5:28)
9. Test everything that is taught (1 Thess 5:20-21)
10. Avoid evil (1 Thess 5:22)
We have a Choice… we can be “The Light of the World”/City on a Hill”
Matthew 5:14-16 (NIV)