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The Time is Now







And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
Romans 13:11-12



This was written over 1900 years ago.  If it was time to wake up then…how much more so now.
If 1900 years ago, the night was far spent…how much more so now?

You know what’s sad?  What makes me cry?

These disciples of Christ, who were so far removed from His return, they were expecting His return at literally any moment and they lived like He could return at any moment.  They preached and taught that His return was imminent.  They believed it and they lived it.
They lived so deliberately…
They gave everything…
They were sold out…
Jesus wasn’t first, He was everything….

Yet we, who are so close to His return, live so carelessly.  So indifferently…So apathetically.
If it was time to awake 1900 years ago, then what time is it now?

I don’t know what God’s going to have to do.  I don’t know what He’s going to have to do to this nation…to the church…

But, He says…It’s a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”  Hebrews 10:31

Folks, He’s talking to the church.  He said, it’s a fearful thing….a frightful thing…but, we aren’t living like it’s a frightful thing.

We have created a God in our own image.  We have this concept of God that He is so loving and so merciful…
Yes He is…to those who follow Him in righteousness.

For God so loved the world.

Yes, He loves the whole world…
But, there comes a time when God says…My justice must now be satisfied.

That’s it.  He is beginning to move.  The time of judgement is at hand.
Folks, we’re not hearing it.
We’re not seeing it.
We’re not paying attention.

God is moving right now and we’re missing it.

The party is over folks…it’s over.

Let me ask you a question…How are you spending your time?
You say…Lord, Lord.  He’s my Lord/
What are you doing with your spare time?

You say, I’m a housewife, a mother.  All God expects of me is to keep a house that is comfortable and peaceful.  I’ve done my part.

You mean that I’m expected to carry the burden of the Lord?  I’m expected to weep between the porch and the alter too?

Yes…

I’m a husband, a father, the breadwinner of my family.  All God expects of me is to protect and support my family.  I’ve done my part.
You mean that I’m expected to carry the burden of the Lord and wep and cry between the porch and the alter too?
Yes.

I’ve done my part.

No…

I’m telling you that we have not done our part.
I’m saying that we haven’t taken his yoke.
We haven’t wanted His halter.

Some of you out in an 8-hour day at your job and when you leave that job at the end of the day, you say, I’ve done my part. I’ve done what God expects of me.

Let me tell you something
God is going to move in His fury and His wrath because He says you’re living a lie.

You say…He’s Lord…He’s Lord…Yet you won’t take His burden
You won’t take His yoke upon you.

Let me ask you something…How many of you are out in public on a daily basis?  How many of you watch the news everyday or read the paper every day?  You see all of the suffering, the violence, the sin, all around you?  How many of you are moved by what you see?

When was the last time you wept over the lost?  Have you grown so accustomed to it that it doesn’t bother you anymore?
Do you not feel the urgency of the times?  Have you grown lazy and stopped watching…stopped expecting the return of the Lord?  Do you not believe that He could return at any moment, even now?  Because that’s how we act.  We say that we believe He could return today, but, we don’t live like it.
We’re no longer watching…no longer expecting.
I feel an urgency that I’ve never felt before.  I feel it down to the very core of my spirit.
I’m realizing that it’s not enough to simply go to church or go out and pass out literature.  It’s not enough to have a job for Jesus.  It’s not enough to just protect and support our family or keep a comfortable, peaceful house.  It’s not enough…

I’ve got to have His spirit upon me.  His brokenness.  I’ve got to be able to pray…Lord, do something in my heart now.  I’m not just some errand boy.  Do something now.  I want your heart.  I want you to break me.

I don’t want to tell the world that He’s my Lord and live a lie.

Are you reading your Bible?  Are you digging into it?
That’s what God expects us to do.  He expects us to dig deep into His word.

You say that you don’t have time.  Yes you do have time.  You have time for everything else.

He’s saying, I’m going to judge you for it.

You get that halter on.  You take my yoke upon you.  You take my burden upon your shoulders.  You pick up that cross and follow me.

Wake up and you make time.





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