Note: The following are excerpts from Bishop William Nicholson’s message to the Anchorage Moravian Church membership, Sunday morning, November 2, 2014.
To answer the question, “Where do we go from here?” we must first honestly recognize where we are now. Each one of us must honestly look deep into our hearts and answer the question, “Where am I in God right now?”
What I know about the Kingdom of God is each one of us are more capable that we can ever imagine. God may bring us through great difficulty so He can use us more.
In Psalm 42:7 (KJV) it says, “Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me”. An understanding here is that the Psalmist recognizes that life can be stormy; it brings us blows, difficulties and sometimes we are overwhelmed. But our faith tells us that God brings us through and he will give us a story of His grace in our lives.
As a Church we’ve had some tough times, and we’ve asked the question, “Where do we go from here?” Some of the billows have been very high, they over whelmed us so many times; but we’ve arrived somewhere. Look at what the Lord has done! We’ve done outreaches to the nations; the nations have come to us for special services the last two months. We are helping a nation to begin a new Spanish speaking Church in Anchorage.
But this is not where we are staying! We are moving on. We’ve got other things to do! We’ve got other people to reach! We’ve got another place that God would want to take us! So the question before us is “Where do we go from here?” Or more precisely, where do you go from here?
Where are we going from here? If this church is going to accomplish all that God has called it to do, it is going to be because some people have moved beyond where they are at right now.
• It’s going to be because we as a church body and even each one of us have entered into a realm of the Spirit that few churches ever enter into.
• It’s going to be because we have a deeper prayer life. It’s because some of us are fasting.
• It’s going to be because of a greater knowledge of His Word. And it is my prayer that our worship is going to need to get deeper and richer.
• It’s going to be because we as a church body and even each one of us have entered into a realm of the Spirit that few churches ever enter into.
• It’s going to be because we have a deeper prayer life. It’s because some of us are fasting.
• It’s going to be because of a greater knowledge of His Word. And it is my prayer that our worship is going to need to get deeper and richer.
Where do we go from here? It’s like what the Jews asked on the Day of Pentecost…“What Shall We Do?” The bible says, “Repent and be baptized Every One Of You in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins and ye shall receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost.” Have you repented of your sins yet? Have you been baptized yet?
Have you been filled with the Holy Spirit? Then God will use us to do some pretty amazing things in the days ahead. We can’t stay where we are. We’ve got to be growing and reaching for that next place where God would want to take us.
Prayer: Father take us where you want to. In Christ name. Amen.
