Center for Creative Ministry A research organization and research center for Seventh-day Adventist pastors and their congregations
A Moment of Destiny
Moments of destiny. Those life-changing events are also known as pivot points, when your life veers in a new direction.
Author Kumar Mehta lists ways to identify when you are experiencing a pivot point in life, and how to respond to it. When you feel the urge to do something momentous, take time to explore the possibilities and ramifications of the decision, and then act on it. And don’t be too worried if you miss the moment—if it’s meant to be, that moment will come around again.
Some pivot points produce positive outcomes, such as when Paul Allen showed Harvard University student Bill Gates the January, 1975 issue of Popular Electronics. The feature article on the new Altair 8800 computer triggered a moment of destiny when Gates dropped out of school to launch Microsoft.
Some pivot points are negative, but they can inspire a positive outcome. Michael Jordan didn’t initially make his high school varsity basketball team, but that negative experience pushed him to work harder, and the rest is history.
Humanity has experienced several pivot points throughout history: the fall of Adam and Eve, the flood, and the cross each steered mankind in a new direction. The next greatest pivot point in human experience will be the return of Christ—that moment of destiny when we transition from this temporary, earthly life to eternity with our Savior.
Unfortunately, though that pivot point toward heaven is available to all, not everyone will respond to the impulse. The messages of the three angels in Revelation 14 outline God’s final appeal to humankind to act on the urge to be ready for that moment of destiny, the second coming of Jesus.
Jesus promised in Matthew 24:14 that every person will have the opportunity to hear God’s appeal. Though it seems like an impossible task for us to present that message to closed off corners of the world, it’s important to remember that our God is the God of the impossible (see Matthew 19:26). The good news is that we can choose to join in that moment of destiny, and by joining with the angels in sharing their final messages to the world, we can help others make that choice as well.
For Reflection
Connecting: Is it possible for one person to intentionally create a moment of destiny for someone else? What do you think happens when someone tries to do this (through match-making, plugging job opportunities, or overly-enthusiastic evangelistic methods)? How do you respond if you sense you are being pushed or manipulated?
Sharing: Though we believe that God can fulfill the promise of Matthew 24:14, how do you see this happening in places like North Korea and Iran?
- Somehow, these oppressive governments will fall and their borders will open to missionary groups
- Satellite radio and television transmissions and internet access can get the Gospel behind the walls of the most restrictive regimes
- The latter rain outpouring of the Holy Spirit will reach honest, searching souls worldwide
- Our humanitarian outreach efforts to meet the needs of suffering humanity will break down these barriers to the Gospel
- God will miraculously transport Christians into and out of these countries to witness, just like when Philip met the Ethiopian and then the Spirit took him away to his next mission assignment (Acts 8:26-40)
- Other:
Applying: Who among your circle of influence needs to hear and respond to the three angels’ messages? Connect with a group of friends and pray for each other’s list of friends and family members. Pray especially that God will bring these people to pivot points that redirect their lives toward God.
~ Chuck Burkeen
