My friends today is the big day. It has finally arrived. We are heading to Family Camp 2026. I could hardly sleep last night with all the anticipation surrounding the week.
But the message this morning is not only for those of us who are going to Family Camp. The message this morning is about what are you going to do with this week? What are you going to do with today, tomorrow and the next day.
At camp there is a large building that is called the Tabernacle. It is named after the Tabernacle that God had Moses build in the wilderness and place the holy instruments of worship in and around as they were led by the Lord place to place until finally coming into the promise land. Over the back wall of the stage in the Tabernacle at Camp for many years hung a large banner that read this scripture:
Hosea 10:12
12 Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.
***This morning I want to challenge each and everyone of you that it is “Time to seek the Lord, till he come and rain righteousness upon you”.
You may say, Pastor Jon, why are you telling us this scripture? I am telling you that now is the time to seek the Lord. You cannot go back in time and seek him yesterday. You are never able to seek him tomorrow or in the future. The only time you have to seek the Lord is “now”. You can make preparations in advance for something. You can make decisions to do certain things today that will enable you to do something in the Now of the future but you can only do something now.
On July the 3rd I went to my Daughter and Son-in-Laws house to visit my grandchildren. It was a wonderful day. Philip, my son-in-law had recently installed a fence in the back yard so the children had a safe area to play. I desired to bless my grandchildren with a small swing set and slide so they could play in their back yard. Together we looked on line and ordered a swing set from Lowes and scheduled it for delivery in the future. I made the decision on July 3rd to prepare for a future time we I will return and assemble the swing set that will be delivered and waiting on site. If I had never ordered the swing set in the now moment of the past, then I will never be able to put it together in the now moment that will come in the future. But here is the trickly part. Just because I order the swingset in a now moment, and just because it will be delivered and waiting for me. My grandchildren will never swing on it unless there is a decision and action taken in a now moment to choose to put it together vs. some other activity or action.
As Pastor I realize that at this very moment in the place there are many of you who’s physical bodies are here but in this now moment you are choosing to mentally be somewhere else. You are waiting for some future now moment when you can do some other activity.
***This morning I want to challenge each and everyone of you that it is “Time to seek the Lord, till he come and rain righteousness upon you”.
Paul the Apostle writing to the Church at Corinth speaks of the urgency of now quoting from the Old Testament Prophet Isaiah concerning salvation.
2 Corinthians 5:17-21
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
19 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.
20 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.
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.
2 Corinthians 6:1-2
1 We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.
2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
Proverbs 27:1
King James Version
1 Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.
Jesus spoke in a parable regarding the uncertainly of tomorrow and the importance of what you choose to do today.
Luke 12:16-21
16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?
18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
***The first point of the message today: It is time to seek the Lord. Now is the only time you can do it.
Joshua was a great leader that he Lord raised up after the death of Moses. It was approximately 7 years from when they crossed over Jordan River into the Promise land until they were finished fighting the people of the land and securing the land for their possession.
Think about this. Every day for seven years they woke up and made the decision they were going to keep fighting the battles so they could have what God had promised them. God was helping them but they still had to go in and do the work now. Everyday was a now moment for them. But the problem with extended battles and campaigns is you get tired and fatigued. It is so easy to mentally check out, and doom scroll on your phone for hours and hours. But this did not happen to Josuha and the children of Israel. For 7 years they kept on fighting until they conquered the land and then came the most dangerous time for them. You see some of you get tired in the battle and in the fight but God knows that is when you are engaged. The dangerous time comes after the battle is over and you have a time of rest…..
Galatians 6:7-10
7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
After the 7 years of Battle, Listen to the words of Joshua to the people:
Joshua 24:13-15
13 And I have given you a land for which ye did not labour, and cities which ye built not, and ye dwell in them; of the vineyards and oliveyards which ye planted not do ye eat.
14 Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord.
15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
***Point #2 of the message: Faith in God is a campaign of moment by moment decision to believe that connected together becomes your very life.
**God had actually warned his people years earlier of the dangers of success and rest
Deuteronomy 8:11-20
11 Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day:
12 Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein;
13 And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied;
14 Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage;
15 Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint;
16 Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end;
17 And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth.
18 But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.
19 And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the Lord thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish.
20 As the nations which the Lord destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish; because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the Lord your God.
***The first point of the message today: It is time to seek the Lord. Now is the only time you can do it.
***Point #2 of the message: Faith in God is a campaign of moment by moment decision to believe that connected together becomes your very life.
***Point #3 of the message: Times of rest are more dangerous than times of engagement and struggle.
***You may be here and say okay Pastor Jon. You convinced me that now time to seek the Lord. I am making the decision now to seek the Lord. But what does that look like?
I want to share with you something the Lord has been churning in my spirit over the past week or so and that is about the altars we build in our lives. You see just like I talked about buying the swing set in a “Now” moment in preparation for a future “Now” moment when I will take the action to put it together. In the same way we make a decision and take an action “Now” to prepare an “altar” of worship.
Let’s go look at God’s instructions to Moses from the mountain regarding the construction of an Altar.
Exodus 20:20-26
20 And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.
21 And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.
22 And the Lord said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven.
23 Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold.
24 An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.
25 And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it.
26 Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon.
***Point #4 of the message today: The worship is about the sacrifice and not about the altar.
**The Lord has showed me something so clearly this week. We have a bunch of believer going around and comparing altar construction but never actually worshiping in with sacrifice. Do not misunderstand me. Making a decision now to build and altar of worship is the first step but building the altar is not more important than the actual sacrifice and worship.
God actually gives his people strict instructions that they do not use tools or instruments to customize their altar. They also were not suppose to make it tall. The construction of the altar is humbly done to create the space for the sacrifice.
Psalm 107:31
31 Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
Romans 12:1-2
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Romans 6:11-16
11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
Galatians 2:20
20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
***The first point of the message today: It is time to seek the Lord. Now is the only time you can do it.
***Point #2 of the message: Faith in God is a campaign of moment by moment decision to believe that connected together becomes your very life.
***Point #3 of the message: Times of rest are more dangerous than times of engagement and struggle.
***Point #4 of the message today: The worship is about the sacrifice and not about the altar.
***Point #5 of the message today: God is looking for us to lay down our lives and our bodies on the altar of worship to him.
*** In Closing I want to talk with you about Baptism. This is the first step for many believers in laying down your life and body for Christ.
Jesus said in Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given
unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all
things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of
the world. Amen.
- Baptism is about knowing him and Identifying with Him! Philippians 3:10-14
- Baptism is about dying so that we can live. Romans 6:1‐8
- Baptism is an event that begins a lifelong journey of yielding to Christ. Romans 6:13‐20
- Baptism without fruit is just getting wet. Matthew 3:5-8
- Baptism starts with Repentance and Salvation. Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:15-20
- Baptism is both physical and Spiritual. Mark 10:32-40
- In Baptism we follow Christ Example of Humility. Philippians 2:5-10
- Baptism is a funeral service for your old sin nature. 1 Peter 3:15-22
- Baptism is the outward testimony of the inward work. 1 Corinthians 9:1-27
Revelation 12:10-12
- Belief in Christ and Confession of Faith are required for Baptism. Romans 10:8-13, Acts 8:34-40, Acts 3:19-21