1. Introduction
   1. There are many moments that you and I face in this life. Moments of joy, sadness, and victory. That is life.
   2. When you know Jesus as your own personal savior, and you begin to communicate to God through his word, begin to pray and ask God each day for help to get through the day, life becomes so much easier.
   3. I’ve met a lot of people in my time. Many are stuck in a moment but still as each day passes in one’s life, it’s a moment and a memory in time.
   4. There were many in the bible such as Paul, Peter, Jonah, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John who had many moments. They were true servants of God.
   5. They lived a full and complete life. They made the ultimate sacrifice with their lives so that you and I today would have life, carrying out God’s Word and successfully continue throughout the age of time.
   6. The moment I received Christ as my own personal savior, I knew I’d never be alone again and no one else would ever be alone if they truly knew and sought God, communicated with God and involved Him in everything they’ve ever done.
   7. With God’s help there’s nothing impossible that cannot be possible in any moment in one’s life. Now let us look into our message

A Moment in Time

 What does a moment in time mean to you?

2. 1. Give me a moment, and in time I’ll tell you. 😊
   2. I like to think of life as like a book, and the moment in time is just the chapter that you are in right now. If your moment in time right now is a tough one, when you turn the page, your next chapter could be one of great blessing.
   3. The writer of Ecclesiastes has some things to say about moments in time. Eccleastes 3: 1: To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: The moments in time that we experience in this life are seasons and God uses them to accomplish His Purpose.
   4. Solomon, the writer of Ecclesiastes goes on to say this in verses 2-3: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; Each moment in time is a step toward the ultimate ddestiny and plan that God has for you and me. Verses 3 to 8 continue to list moments of time according to God’s Purpose.
3. Why do people get stuck in one moment but can’t see the next?
   1. If you are stuck in one moment and can’t see the next, it could be because you are worried and fearful about how you will meet the needs of the next moment in time. Matthew 6:25-27: Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? We need to enjoy the moment in time that we are in, knowing that Father God will provide all we need in the next.

5. There’s a saying when you’re going through the challenges, traps, trials & snares of life & everything looks bleak, remember this.
   1. As you are standing with 2 feet, one being in the desert, the other in the promise. 2nd Corinthians 1:20: For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. If you’re looking for the promise of victory, take both feet and move them both to the promise.
6. There were many in the bible caught in a moment of time, suffering defeat but realizing victory was just around the corner.
   1. The disciples felt defeated when they fished all night and caught nothing, then victory came. Luke 5:4-6: Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. & when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: & their net brake. If they had not obeyed Jesus, they would have missed the blessing, but because Peter took that step of faith, they went from defeat & failure to abundant victory!
   2. The armies of Israel were feeling quite defeated and troubled when they met a man named Goliath. 1st Samuel 17:8-11 & he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, & said unto them, Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, & ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, & let him come down to me.If he be able to fight with me, & to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, & kill him, then shall ye be our servants, & serve us. And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together. When Saul & all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, & greatly afraid. We all know that God used a young man named David with a sling to bring Israel the victory over this monster! Read chapter 10 of my book for full details…or just read 1^st Samuel chapter 17. 😊
   3. When Moses first showed up on the scene, things got really tough for the nation of Israel. Exodus 5:6-9: & Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, & their officers, saying, Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves. & the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish ought thereof: for they be idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go & sacrifice to our God. Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they may labour therein; & let them not regard vain words. God did bring the victory as the nation of Israel were set free. They crossed over the red sea & begin their journey to the promise.
7. When we think of great men like…
   1. Moses, feeling defeated by speech, or lack thereof. Exodus 4:10-11: And Moses said unto the Lord, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. And the Lord said unto him, Who hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the Lord? Moses had every excuse as to why he couldn’t carry out his mission, including this one. God did not give up on him, and with Aaron by his side, he did go to Egypt and lead the people out.
   2. When we think of Jacob, we think of power, kingship and victory. His father Isaac gave him this blessing in Genesis 27:28-29:  Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine: Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother’s sons bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee. Jacob got this blessing through trickery, but it was just as his father had said and Jacob was the father of the nation of Israel.
   3. We think of the battles of David and his moments of time. Though he disobeyed and was a murderer and adulterer who paid the ultimate sacrifice by living by the sword all the days of his life. 2^nd Samuel 12:9-10: Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife. David was forgiven, but he had to pay the consequences of his sin all his life.
   4. Yet, God loved him and said this is a man after my own heart. Acts 13:22: And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave their testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will. Are you a man or woman after God’s own heart? You may fall short from time to time, but if you live for Him every day, He will say that you too are a man or woman after his own heart. I definitely want him to say that about me.
8. What did Peter go through and how was he victorious in the end?
   1. When he sees the miracle working of Jesus, he tells him to depart. Luke 5:8: When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. Thankfully Jesus did not depart, and taught Peter how to be a fisher of men.
   2. Peter later denies he even knew Jesus. Mark 14:71: But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom ye speak. Jesus had told Peter he would deny him three times, and he did.
   3. He was victorious, leading 3,000 souls to Jesus at one time. Acts 2:41: Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. Peter would later have to be confronted, and would end up being crucified upside-down, but God used him with all of his flaws to reap a harvest.
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9. Let’s look at Paul who persecuted the church but wrote 14 books and served God until the end.
   1. We first meet Paul as Saul of Tarsus, who is there at the stoning of Stephen. Acts 8:1-2: And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles. & devout men carried Stephen to his burial, & made great lamentation over him.
   2. We then find him breathing threats against the Church, and getting authorization to throw all the Christians in jail. Acts 9:1-2: And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.
   3. Then Saul meets Jesus on the road to Damascus. Acts 9:6-7: nd he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. Paul was blinded and had to be led into the city. Then a man named Ananias came and prayed for him. He received his sight and was raised up to be the Apostle Paul that wrote 2/3 of the New Testament.
   4. Looking at Paul’s life shows that no matter how far someone has gone, the light of the gospel can still reach them as it did Paul.
10. Let’s talk about John, what he meant to Jesus. What was his calling and what was his moment in time?
    1. John was one of the three that were closest to Jesus. These three were present for all of His Miracles.For example, in Matthew 17:1: And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, This was the Mount of Transfiguration. Only these three saw it.
    2. John was faithful. In our revelation course we talked about the called, chosen, and faithful. Revelation 17:14: These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful. All 12 disciples were called. These three – Peter, James and John were chosen, and John was the one most faithful.
    3. John was also known as John the Beloved. He always referenced himself as the “disciple whom Jesus loved” in his gospel record.
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11. Who was Malachi and why was his moment in time important? What did he bring for you and me?
    1. As we open up Malachi, we see that he is a prophet, bringing a word of the Lord to the nation of Israel. Malachi 1:1-2: The burden of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi. I have loved you, saith the Lord. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob’s brother? saith the Lord: yet I loved Jacob, This book of Malachi is a word to the nation of Israel under the Old Testament, but there are principles in it that we in the age of grace can apply to our lives.
    2. One such principle is that of tithes and offerings. We find this in Malachi 3:8-12: Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts. And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts. There are some that say that this does not apply to us and that it is used by preachers to manipulate their people. The principle of giving tithes and offerings is still applicable today and everyone here has seen it work in their lives. This is what Malachi brought to you and me in this moment in time.

 Who is this man called Jesus who came in a moment of time?

11. 1. Who was he? As we talked about last week, He was God. John 1:1-3: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. Jesus was and is God the Son.
    2. Why did he come and who did he come for? Luke 19:10: For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. When sin came into the world, we were separated from God, destined to eternity in Hell, but Jesus came to save whosoever would come to Him.
    3. Why was he so innocent, being so condemned? 2nd Corinthians 5:21: For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Jesus was that pure, spotless lamb that paid the price for your sin & mine. Remember how the Children of Israel had to find animals that were without blemish for a sacrifice? That was a shadow of the Lamb of God who would come to take away the sins of the world.
    4. Why was his moment our success? Matthew 27:50-51: Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. & behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; & the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; At that moment, the power of sin that separated us from God was defeated!
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12. Story: A Moment in Time
    20. 2nd Corinthians 5:17-20. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
    21. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
    22. To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
    23. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
    24. Let’s take a trip down memory lane. Can you remember when you came to faith in Jesus?
    25. Could you replay the words you heard? What was the setup? A phone call, a coffee chat, a pub catch up, a sermon, a prayer meeting, a road trip.
    26. How was it delivered? Gently, loudly, passionately, nicely, annoyingly. Would you have preferred it any other way? Are you grateful for that moment?
    27. As those reconciled to God, we are called to share that wonderful message of salvation (that Jesus died and rose again to reconcile man to God) and witness to His wonderful works in our lives. Psalm 96:1-3.
    28. What would it look like to create a similar moment for a family member, friend, neighbour or colleague who is not yet saved? Who does God bring to mind?
    29. Thank You Father for the opportunities to share the gospel. Help us to know that You are always with us to the very end of the age. In every moment of time.
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13. Conclusion
    1. Where do you feel that you are in this moment of time, right now?
    2. Are you living life? Do you have life? Do you bring the bread of life to those who have no life?
    3. Do you study God’s Word and do you know God’s Word? As each day passes, these are all moments in time. As time goes by, we get closer and closer to the end of each life.
    4. With every breath that we take, for every conversation that we keep, we must remember that the end is nearer than you think.
    5. Where are you in this moment of time? I hope this message has made you think.