Terry K Anderson Sermons | Don't Waste the Moment God Gave You

What if one moment could change the rest of your life? What if the opportunity God places before you today never comes around again? James 4 gives us a sobering reminder: your life is only a vapor, and tomorrow is not promised. In this powerful sermon from James 4:13–17, Rev. Terry K. Anderson challenges every believer to maximize the moment. We often live as though tomorrow belongs to us. Tomorrow I'll call them. Tomorrow I'll forgive. Tomorrow I'll serve God. Tomorrow I'll use my gift. Tomorrow I'll tell someone I love them. But Scripture reminds us that we do not know what tomorrow will bring. Our life is like a vapor—a mist that appears for a little while and then disappears. That is why the moment God has given you right now matters. Anderson begins with an attitude Christians should never have: SELF-SUFFICIENCY. One of the greatest spiritual mistakes is believing we made it by ourselves. Your intelligence didn't get you here alone. Your education didn't do it alone. Your talent didn't do it alone. Somebody encouraged you. Somebody prayed for you. Somebody invested in you. Somebody opened a door. And behind it all was the grace of God. As Anderson explains, when you see a turtle sitting on top of a fence post, you know one thing immediately: somebody put him there. The same is true of us. We are where we are because somebody helped us, and ultimately because God was working behind the scenes. The second mistake is assuming we have tomorrow. Tomorrow is not promised. So do the good you can today. Give God glory today. Tell somebody you love them today. Encourage someone who's hurting today. Use your life to become a blessing today. Don't wait for a future you were never guaranteed. And maximizing the moment isn't simply about accomplishing more. It is about living in a way that glorifies God and influences somebody else for Christ. Anderson says he wants to reach heaven and discover somebody there who might not have been there without his influence. Then comes the third challenge: Don't waste what God put inside you. James 4:17 declares that if we know what we should do and refuse to do it, that itself is sin. God has placed gifts, purpose, potential, and opportunities inside you. Stop sitting on them. Maybe someone won't give you an opportunity at church. That doesn't stop you from serving in your neighborhood. It doesn't stop you from witnessing in your home. It doesn't stop you from encouraging somebody. Your purpose is bigger than somebody else's permission. Finally, Anderson turns to blind Bartimaeus. Bartimaeus heard that Jesus was passing by and understood something many people miss: This may be my moment. He couldn't see Jesus, but he knew Jesus was near. When the crowd tried to silence him, he cried even louder: “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Why? Because he understood that this opportunity might never come again. And Jesus stopped. Maybe your moment is here. Maybe it's time to use the gift. Make the call. Help the person. Take the opportunity. Serve God. Stop assuming you'll always have another chance. Your life is a vapor. Maximize the moment. 🔔 SUBSCRIBE for more powerful sermons and biblical teaching from Rev. Terry K. Anderson. 👍 LIKE this sermon if it challenged you to make today count. 💬 COMMENT: What opportunity has God placed in front of you that you don't want to miss? #TerryKAnderson #TerryKAndersonSermons #MaximizeTheMoment #James4 #TomorrowIsNotPromised #ChristianSermon #Purpose #FaithInGod #ChristianLiving #BiblePreaching