This message comes to you from Community Worship
Center, Seventh -day Adventist Church. It is
our prayer that this word brings guidance, strengthens
relationships, inspires outreach, and draws you
deeper into worship. At Community Worship Center,
our motto is, Let's Grow Together. May this message
encourage your spirit and ignite your faith.
Job chapter 42, verse 12 to 13. When you have
it, say, Amen. The word of God says, so the Lord
blessed, the Lord what? The latter end of Job
more than his beginning. For he had 14 ,000 sheep
and 6 ,000 camels and 1 ,000 yoke of oxen and
1 ,000 she -asses, that's donkeys. He had also
seven sons and three daughters. So the Lord blessed
the latter end of Job. more than his beginning.
For the next few moments, let's consider the
message entitled, Have Time. Have Time. Bow your
heads with me now. Father, speak to my heart
now. Speak to my heart now like only you can,
God. Speak to our hearts on this last Sabbath
of 2025. Encourage us in this place as we prepare
for this new year. Here's our prayer in Jesus'
name. And the church said amen. Amen. And amen.
Amen. Amen. Elders, can one of you hand me my
towel? I left it down there. Thank you. Halftime.
Thank you. Brothers and sisters, I remember like
it was yesterday. But it was December the 17th,
2022. And the Indianapolis Colts, that's a football
team, were visiting my favorite team. The Minnesota
Vikings. And for all those in attendance and
all those watching the game on television, no
one knew that they were about to witness the
greatest comeback in NFL history. Now, I didn't
get to watch the game live, but I was able to
go back and watch the rebroadcast, having already
known what the outcome was. But even knowing
the outcome of the game, yet I still could not
believe how bad my team played in the first half.
I'm sitting there frustrated even though I know
my team has already won. All kinds of mistakes.
were made, uncharacteristic mistakes that they
did not normally make, yet they were making them
on this day to the extent that by the time they
reached halftime, the score was 33 -0 in favor
of the Indianapolis Colts. For those who don't
know much about American football, that's considered
a blowout. That's considered a major blowout
at the end of the game, and this is only the
first half. There's still two quarters. So many
people, I would imagine, stopped watching the
game at halftime because they thought that it
was over. So many people who had, as I'm watching
the game, the rebroadcast, I'm seeing so many
people who had spent their hard -earned money.
Many who even traveled from long and great distances
hoping to see and watch a great game, they were
now leaving at halftime because they thought
the game was over. And speaking of things being
over, sometimes in life we go through moments
or seasons where it seems like or where it feels
like everything is over. Where our world feels
like it's crumbling or falling apart. In the
Bible, I think of the story of Job. You remember
Job, right? Job was just minding his own business,
living his life. And might I say, Job, brother
Job, he was doing well in life until out of nowhere
he lost it all. This is how the story goes. The
Bible says there came a day. When the sons of
God came to present themselves before the Lord
and Satan, the adversary, showed up. He always
showing up where he don't got no business being.
The Lord asked him where he came from and Satan
replied, from going to and fro up and down the
earth. And God said to Satan in Job chapter 1
verse 8, Have you considered my servant Job,
that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect
and upright man, one that fears God and hates
evil? Stop right there. Brothers and sisters,
the first thing we find here that's important
to note is that what Job, remember now, we have
the ability to now read the story, knowing what
the outcome is. Understand, Job is living through
this in real time. And the first thing we find
here that's important to note is that what Job
is about to experience has nothing to do with
Job. Job didn't ask for it. He didn't bring it
upon himself. And the point is this, brothers
and sisters. There are some seasons we go through
in life. There are some obstacles that we face
along the journey that have absolutely nothing
to do with us. It's not about anything you've
done right or wrong. It's just life. The ordeal
that Job is about to experience, the season he
is about to go through started simply because
God asked Satan, have you considered my servant
Job? Have you taken a look at him? If nothing
else, It's a testament of the faith that God
had in Job. But watch this now. So Satan responds.
And, brothers and sisters, and immediately you
see that he is well aware of who Job is. He says,
look at how you blessed him. But I guarantee
you, God, If you take it all away from him, he
will curse you to your face. So God says to Satan,
you can take away what he has, but don't physically
touch him. Immediately, Job's losses occurred
in rapid succession. The first wave was loss
of livestock and servants. While his oxen were
plowing and donkeys grazing, Sabians attacked,
stealing the animals and killing the servants.
Only one servant escaped to inform Job. The second
wave was loss of sheep and more servants. Immediately
after the first messenger, another arrived reporting
that the fire of God, probably lightning, fell
from the sky, burning up Job's sheep. and additional
servants, and again only one escaped. Then a
third wave came. The third wave was loss of camels
and more servants. A third messenger quickly
followed, stating that the Chaldeans formed three
raiding parties, swept down on Job's camels,
and killed more servants with only one surviving
to tell the story. And if that was not bad enough,
then came a fourth wave. The loss of all his
children. The most devastating blow. came with
the fourth messenger who reported that a mighty
wind from the desert struck the house where Job's
seven sons and three daughters were feasting,
causing it to collapse and kill them all. So
Job, in essence, has lost his fortune. He has
lost his wealth because all of his animals, all
of his lifestyle represented his fortune. And
he lost all of his children. After all of this,
the Bible says that Job still worshipped. And
after everything, he sinned not. Satan returns
again. This time accusing. That Job only stood
faithful because he did not touch him. But if
he touched him physically, Job would surely curse
God to his face. God responds to Satan again,
this time saying, you can't attack his body,
but you can't take his life. Job was struck with
painful sores from head to toe, forcing him to
sit among ashes and scrape himself with pottery
shards for relief. This illness included darkened
and peeling skin and maggot -infested sores.
During this time, Job even lost marital support.
Job's wife urged him to curse God and die, his
emotional distress but notice brothers and sisters
that no matter the losses no matter what he went
through yet Satan was only permitted to do to
him what God allowed what God permitted reminding
us that God was ultimately in control. And likewise,
no matter what you are going through today, no
matter what you've been through this year, just
know that God is still in control and the enemy
can only do to you what God is willing to permit
because God knows what you can handle and God
is with you. And let me just tell you this. It's
not how the story ends. You see, remember today,
we're talking about halftime. And I mentioned
that my favorite team played arguably the worst
half, first half of a game ever. They were down
33 to 0 in the first half. Likewise, this season
that Job is going through. has been the worst
half he's ever been through. He's not just losing
a score, but he has literally lost just about
everything. The only thing he has left is four
servants who only survived so they could tell
Job what happened. And he has a wife, but she's
angry with him, and he's still alive. But he's
living with loss of life and in a lot of pain.
Most of his friends have left. And the only three
who showed up, we at least appreciate the fact
that they tried to show up for Job. They are
not helping the situation. And to top it off,
Job is crying out to God. But he does not seem
to be getting an answer. And it's just the first
half. But thank God for halftime. You see, now
the purpose of halftime is to give the players
an opportunity to rest and regroup. They are
able to catch their breath and relax. It's an
opportunity to refuel and hydrate as well as
treat all kinds of injuries. You see, there's
a lot of stuff that can happen in the first half.
Plays don't go the right way. A lot of penalties
can happen. Unexpected injuries take place. The
game plan may not seem to be working the way
you drew it up. So halftime is really something
that is valuable to many players and coaches
because they need that break to regroup. Likewise
in life, the first half of life or the first
half of a season in your life doesn't always
go the way we want it to go. We live in a sin
-plagued world. And yes, along this journey called
life, we have some good days. We have some high
moments and enjoyable occasions. But just like
in Job's story, this life is also filled with
a lot of misery. a lot of pain, bad decisions,
and unfavorable results. We each have our share
of losses and unexpected outcomes. There are
sicknesses and diseases that can seem to come
out of nowhere, accidents that happen, and yes,
there is the reality that some of this misery
and pain is self -inflicted because of bad decisions
and choices. But yet there is a lot that we experience
in this first half of life or in the first half
of this season that you're just left feeling
confused. We're left with questions. Why? Why?
And in the case of my favorite football team.
You enter halftime feeling dejected and defeated.
And it's 2025. It's coming to a close. But somebody
here, it's felt like a really bad first half.
Nothing's gone right for you this year. You've
had some unexpected losses. You've dealt with
some grief, maybe even depression. This year
has been filled with one bad move after another.
You've experienced setbacks, failures. Some marriages
didn't survive this year. You buried some loved
ones with some of the losses coming out of nowhere.
Some of us watch from a distance as our families
live through a hurricane and other natural disasters.
We've lost property. Homes have been destroyed.
And now you have to start all over. But as this
year is coming to a close, and even though you
may still be in a certain season of life that
has been complicated and stressful, get out of
here, brothers and sisters, as we're coming upon
a new year. That the first half has ended and
now it's halftime. And another great thing, brothers
and sisters, about halftime is that it's an opportunity
to make necessary adjustments. You see, as a
team analyzes what went wrong in the first half,
they're able to make adjustments to the game
plan to put a winning formula together for the
second half. And that's what happened to my Minnesota
Vikings. They made the greatest comeback in NFL
history. In the first half, they were down 33
-0. But in the second half, they outscored the
Indianapolis Colts 39 -3 to win the game 39 -36.
All because they made the necessary adjustments
at halftime. Sometimes, brothers and sisters,
that calls for calling some new and different
plays. Sometimes that means making some substitutions.
If some players aren't performing well, you take
them out of the game and put in a new player.
You see, sometimes in life, we end up stuck and
delayed in certain seasons because we don't make
the necessary adjustments at halftime. And we
come back in the second half continuing to do
the same things we did in the first half. I'm
trying to help someone. Listen, as we enter into
2026, we can't go into 2026 doing some of the
same stuff we did in 2025. There needs to be
some adjustments. You can't keep doing the same
thing over and over again and expect a different
outcome. Some people call that insanity. There
needs to be some substitutions in 2026. What
am I trying to say? Don't need to go with you
into 2026. Maybe they are the cause of some of
the setbacks that you've had in this season.
Maybe they are delaying your progress. Holding
you back, maybe the reason you haven't found
the husband or wife you desire is because you'll
never find a permanent person in your life if
you continue to entertain and date temporary
people. But the second half is coming. And I'm
declaring a comeback. I'm declaring a comeback.
But you have to make the necessary adjustments
while at halftime. You see, it's not always easy
making in -game adjustments, but right now is
the perfect time. It's halftime. And in Job's
case, he made adjustments. I'm not just making
this up. It's right here in the Word. In Job's
case, he made adjustments. You see, after God
finally spoke to Job, Job responds in chapter
42, verse 5 and 6 and says, I have heard of thee
by the hearing of the ear. But now my eyes see
you. Where I abhor myself. Don't miss this. Where
I abhor myself and repent in dust. and ashes.
This is Job, a man who has followed God, but
as he's gone through this season, this first
half, and all that he's experienced, when God
speaks, he says, I have heard of you by hearing.
But now I see you, God. In other words, now he's
gone to a deeper place in his spiritual walk
with God. And by seeing God more clearly, it
calls Job. To truly see himself more clearly.
And that's why he says, I abhor myself. And watch,
brothers and sisters, he made the necessary adjustments.
Once he saw himself, he said, now I truly repent
in dust and ashes. miss what's happening. At
the beginning, it did not make sense. Job was
just minding his own business. Why would God
just throw his name out there to Satan and put
him on the enemy's radar? God, why did you set
him up for all of these attacks and losses? God,
you set him up for that horrible first half.
But while Job was not a bad man, yet through
his ordeal, he finally truly saw God and saw
himself. And in the end, it caused him to repent
and truly seek after God's face. When you understand
and you begin to see the sovereignty of God and
the fact that he allowed Job to go through this
season, this first half, not because he was trying
to destroy Job, but because he was trying to
develop, trying to take him deeper in faith.
And the good news is God was in control the entire
time because the adversary could only do to Job
what God allowed. You can take the things around
him, but you can't touch him. You can touch him,
but you can't take his life. The adversary could
attack Job, but he was limited in what he could
do to him. The adversary has attacked you, but
understand, I know it's been hard. It's been
trying. You felt like giving up, but the reason
you survived this year, the reason you survived
this season is because he's been limited in what
he could do to you. He wanted to take your life,
but you're still here. He wanted to break you
completely, but while you've been broken in some
places, you're not completely broken up. God
is still in control, and just like Job, he's
trying to develop you and me, trying to take
us deeper. And the result has been some rough
first half. It's been a rough year. Anybody know
what I'm talking about? It's been a rough season,
but as this year is coming to an end, we are
declaring this season is going to come to an
end. And now while we're at halftime, let's rest
for a moment and make the necessary adjustments
as we get ready for the second half. And just
like my Minnesota Vikings after halftime made
the greatest comeback in NFL history, Job also
made a great comeback. His story didn't end in
the first half. His story didn't end at halftime,
but there was a second half. And Job chapter
42 verse 12 and 13 tells us about that second
half. The Bible says, so the Lord blessed the
latter end of Job more than his beginning. For
he had 14 ,000 sheep and 6 ,000 camels and 1
,000 she -asses. He also had seven sons and three
daughters. And verse 16 and 17 says, after this
Job lived 140 years and saw his sons and his
sons' sons even four generations. So Job died
being old and full of days. After halftime in
the second half, after all that Job had gone
through, God blessed him with double for his
trouble. And it's halftime in your experience
right now, but as the new year is coming, so
is your second half, and I declare that it will
be better than the first half. Your season is
turning around. This second half will be a victorious
half because we serve a victorious God. You're
about to make a comeback, so hang in there. They
that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength.
They shall mount up with wings. As he goes, they
shall run and not be weary. and they shall walk
and not faint. In this second half, there'll
be restoration, confirmation, jubilation, accumulation,
affirmation. In this second half... There'll
be rejuvenation, certification, justification,
expectation, relaxation. In this second half,
there'll be exploration, elevation, exclamation,
exoneration, compensation, and best of all, there'll
be salvation. So keep pressing on. Keep going
forward. Don't give up and don't quit, but press
on. The songwriter says, I'm pressing on the
upward way. new heights i'm gaining every day
still praying as i onward bound lord plant my
feet on higher ground lord lift me up and let
me stand by faith on heaven's table land a higher
plane than i have found lord plant my feet on
higher ground i thank god for higher ground and
one of these days will reach the highest ground
the songwriter says come we that love the lord
and let our joys be known join in I said, join
in a sweet accord and thus surround the throne.
We're marching. I said, we're marching. We're
marching. We're marching to Zion. That beautiful,
beautiful, beautiful Zion. We're marching upward
to Zion. That beautiful city of God. Will you
keep marching? Will you keep pressing on? Your
comeback will be better. The second half is starting
right now. Hallelujah in this place. Ain't he
all right? I said, ain't he all right? Ain't
he all right? I know he's all right. I know he's
all right. God is still in charge. Hallelujah.
Brothers and sisters, you got to say to yourself,
it's over. This first half is over. It's halftime.
And the second half is coming. And I don't say
that to you today, brothers and sisters, having
any insider information. That God has told me
your season is turning around. But I can declare
it today because I know we walk by faith. And
you got to, that's the kind of God we serve.
And we walk by faith. You got to declare it for
yourself. It's over. And just like Job did. power
of God you got to make the necessary adjustments
at halftime and it's halftime right now I just
believe there's someone here today made sure
that you're in this place physically. Or it could
be even that you're tuning in at this time. It's
a snow day. Time of service was changed. Your
regular routine was thrown off, but you're intentional
to be here even in the virtual space. But God
brought you, whether in person or virtual, here
for this moment because he needed you to hear
this word as we end this year. And you got to
declare it. My first half is over. It's halftime.
I'm going to get the rest I need. And through
the power of God, make the adjustments I need.
And as 2026 begins, I'm walking into the second
half. And just like my favorite team made the
greatest comeback ever, you're going to make
a comeback. You're going to make a comeback.
If you believe that today, I'm going to invite
you to come out of your seat. I want to pray
this special prayer over you tonight, today.
that we're going to make. 2026 is your year.
You're going to make the comeback. This next
year will be different. And for someone, it will
be the best year. And brothers and sisters, I
hope you didn't miss a crucial point of something
I said in this message today. Because some of
us may read the story of Job and look at God
with a side eye. How you just pick him? Job just
minding his own business. How you just pick him
to lose all of that? But now you understand God
allowed it. He chose him for that moment because
he was taking him deeper. And just know that
there is nothing that you're going through right
now that seems to have come out of nowhere that
God just randomly chose you to go through. But
there's something that you're learning. There's
something that he's teaching us through it. And
watch this. And even in those seasons and moments,
Where we do bring stuff upon us because of bad
decisions and choices. Yet God is still working
it out for our good. And he's going to turn it
around in your favor. Brothers and sisters, with
God, we cannot lose. We have some ups. We have
some downs. We go through. tough seasons, but
if you stay with God, in the end, you will win.
We've come too far to turn back now. And so I'm
going to pray now, but we're going to make this
appeal first to my online audience, whoever you
are. There's a link in the chat. Maybe there's
someone who's heard this message. You need to
surrender your life to God. You need to go all
the way with him. You need to finish this year
off on the right note. And on this last Sabbath,
you can say yes to Jesus. You can say, God, I'm
ready. It's halftime. I'm going to make the necessary
adjustments. I'm ready for my second half. The
most important adjustment I need to make is to
get right with you. I need to come back to you.
Maybe you need to return. Maybe you need to come
to Him for the first time. And you're tuning
in now. There's a link in the chat. Click on
that link. You can make your decision. And it'll
send a card to us and we'll be in contact with
you. But now to those who are in this place.
The same goes for us here. It's not enough to
just desire to be better. To do things the right
way. But too often we continue doing the same
thing over and over again. And expect a different
outcome. But in order to get where God is trying
to take us. There are times when we have to make
the necessary adjustments. We're hoping that
in this 40 day fast. It will be a time where.
Of spiritual growth and maturity where we're
able to make adjustments. But even now, there's
someone in this place and you maybe have come
down to the altar. Maybe that adjustment for
you on this last Sabbath of 2025, the adjustment
you need to make is saying, Lord, I want to go
all the way with you. I'm going to surrender
my life to you. Maybe it's for the first time.
Maybe you need to come back. Maybe you've started
coming back to the church, but you have not really
made a full commitment to it. There's no better
way to start your second half on the right foot
than if you're in this place now and you need
to make the adjustment by saying, Lord, I want
to come back to you. Maybe that means Bible study
and baptism, whatever it is. Now is your time
to make that decision. You're here. If you're
in the front, just raise that hand. We have Elder
Station. We'll give you a card to fill out. We
want to acknowledge you in this place before
we pray. If you're here, just raise your hand.
Wherever you are. Is there one? I see a hand.
Can someone make their way, Elder? Is there another?
Is there another? Let's raise that hand before
we pray. Is there another? I believe Jesus saves.
I believe he'll make the difference in your life.
Try him today. Before we pray. Say my first half
is ending. Just as 2025 is ending, I'm in halftime.
But my second half will begin just as 2026 is
right around the corner. You hear, just raise
that hand. This is the last call and I'll pray.
Last call and I'll pray. Last call and I'll pray.
Let's bow our heads. Father, we thank you. We
thank you, God, because we needed this word today.
We needed to hear from you, God. Some of us,
God, may have come into the house of God today.
Some of us may have turned on YouTube, Facebook,
to watch this service. Feeling uneasy about 2026.
Feeling like it's going to be just like 2025.
It's not worse. Because we've been struggling
in our first half. But we declare today, God,
that we walk by faith. And today, God, we declare
it's halftime. And Father, we ask that you give
us the rest we need now. And help us to make
the necessary adjustments. To make the necessary
adjustments. We know we can't do it ourselves,
God. Give us the strength. Lead us by the hand,
God. To make the necessary adjustments we need.
So that we can walk in newness of life. This
second half. You see those, God, who've come
down to the altar. You see my sister who is...
Made a decision. I'm praying even now, God, for
those online who are even now making decisions.
I don't know who they are, but we'll receive
their cards in just a short while. But may each
of us, God, walk in newness of life after this
moment. Trusting and believing in you. Knowing,
God, that just like you did in Job, that you're
ultimately in control. You're not letting us
go through things for no reason. And the enemy,
no matter what he does, God, he can only do to
us what you have allowed. What you permit. And
you will not let more be put on us, God, than
we can handle. And you're there with us every
step of the way. And we thank you. And we thank
you in advance for what's going to happen to
us in 2026. As we start this second half, it's
our prayer in Jesus' name. And the church said,
amen.