“The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today.” H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
Now at the present time; under the present circumstances
Genesis 21New International Version (NIV)
The Birth of Isaac
21 Now the Lord was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what he had promised. 2 Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him. 3 Abraham gave the name Isaac[a] to the son Sarah bore him. 4 When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, as God commanded him. 5 Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.
6 Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.” 7 And she added, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”
Forward Thinkers, nothing can stop you from getting to your NOW appointment. Forward Thinkers, what God has for you is for you and the appointed time is already locked in place. Therefore you must continue to embrace your journey and walk by faith until you arrive at your NOW destination.
Abraham and Sarah had experienced 25 years of delays, disappointments, and detours but the result from them continuing to embrace their journey was well worth the experience. Forward Thinkers, to get to your NOW moment, you must experience some testing moments.
I researched the word “NOW” in the bible and it appears in 2211 different verses. Forward Thinkers the bible is loaded with NOW results and its time you experienced your own personal NOW season.
Hebrews 11:1New International Version (NIV)
Faith in Action
11 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
Forward Thinkers, as we embrace our journey, we must have now faith because now faith produces confidence and if we lose our confidence we quit on God during a difficult time of our journey. Now faith is based on what God has already done plus what I believe God is going to do. Forward Thinkers, now faith says my NOW time is NOW.
Romans 15:33King James Version (KJV)
33 Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.
Forward Thinkers, Paul was experiencing attacks during his journey but he heard the voice of God declare my peace will be with you now. Notice Paul had such great faith, he touches and agrees with God by declaring amen. Today I’m declaring God’s peace is with you NOW so shout amen if you agree.
2 Corinthians 6:2New International Version (NIV)
2 For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.
Forward Thinkers, Abraham may be the Father of Faith but Paul is definitely a great man of faith and here, God is declaring favor and salvation is NOW here. The favor of God unlocks locked doors and God’s salvation qualifies you to walk through those doors. The devil wants to make you feel unqualified to enter into your NOW time because of mistakes from your past so God assigned salvation and grace to renew you and reinstate you.
The Lord was gracious to Sarah, meaning the Lord showed divine grace to her and today you can insert your name and declare divine grace on your journey NOW. Sarah had been through some stuff but the stuff couldn’t cancel God’s divine grace on her life and the stuff you’re dealing with is also powerless compared to God’s divine grace on you.
Forward Thinkers, the Lord did what He had promised. I’ve told you before there are 3,573 promises in the bible and now is the time for you to receive your breakthrough through God’s divine grace.
Forward Thinkers, the bible says it happened at the very time God had promised. There is a word of encouragement in the book of Galatians while we wait on God to do what He promised He would do in our lives. Galatians 6:9New International Version (NIV)
9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Forward Thinkers, every pregnancy has a date of expectancy and during a difficult pregnancy, the woman does not abort the baby but she presses through until it’s time to push. It’s now time to press until it becomes time to PUSH. This season, the Believer has to press through it all until it’s time to push your NOW Baby out.
Forward Thinkers, the bible says Abraham gave his son the name Isaac. NOW is the time to name your blessing. Forward Thinkers, I saw a white puppy one of the church members had and I put it out in the atmosphere I wanted a white puppy and now I have a white puppy. I named her GG. Forward Thinkers, when I call her name she recognizes my voice and she comes running. You missed a great opportunity right there to call your blessing by name until it recognizes your voice and comes running into your life.
Forward Thinkers, the Lord commanded Isaac to be circumcised after 8 days. Why 8 days because 8 is a number of new beginnings. If you are going to experience a true new beginning and maximize your NOW season, there will be some things in your flesh that you will have to cut off. Old saying: everybody wants to get to heaven but no one wants to die. I remixed it and said, everyone wants a NEW beginning but no one wants to cut off their OLD ways. Forward Thinkers, you need to cut it. Your fleshly ways cost way too much you need to cut it.
Sarah declares God has brought me laughter. Forward Thinkers, it’s now time for you to laugh again. Your crying days are over. NOW it’s time to laugh and in some cases; laugh out loud. The devil thought he had you defeated but now you’re laughing because you don’t look like what you been through and God has NOW given you the victory. Forward Thinkers, who would have thought after all you’ve been through you would be here operating in your NOW season?
Pastor E. A. Deckard is the Senior Pastor/Founder of the Green House International Church located, in both Houston, Texas, and the Woodlands, Texas. Pastor Deckard is also the Co-Founder of the No More Bloodshed Movement. To contact Pastor Deckard for speaking engagements contact him at pr.ghic@gmail.com, follow him on Facebook, Instagram and Periscope @ Pastor E A Deckard or the church website www.ghic.net.