Hi how are you all today? I am well and have had a good week and weekend. How was your week?
The time is now is a phrase God dropped into my spirit today. But it leaves a question that is hard to answer. The time is now for what?
When we look at the news and the events happening around the world, the time of Jesus’ return is getting very close. Four major earthquakes in four different places in a matter of weeks haven’t occurred before. It is like they are the birth pangs of labour that Jesus spoke about in Matthew and they are getting closer.
For a person that is not a Christian, the time is now takes on the connotation that you better get your life right with God because the time is short.
But what about for us Christians. Let’s look at that passage in Matthew in the Message Bible and see what it says.
It is found in Matthew 24 stating at verse 3. Jesus describes what our days will be like and if we want to take an inventory the answer is yes this is happening to most of what He says. But what is our part?
Verses 13 and 14 tell us:
13-14 “Staying with it—that’s what God requires. Stay with it to the end. You won’t be sorry, and you’ll be saved. All during this time, the good news—the Message of the kingdom—will be preached all over the world, a witness staked out in every country. And then the end will come.
So what is our part?
- Staying firm in our relationship with God.
- Being part of the preaching of the message of the kingdom all over the world.
These two things appear easy but when things or people come against us, they can be hard. However, Jesus never left us alone. We have the Holy Spirit to guide us and help us and be our friend. Then we have other Christians who are standing alongside us and we alongside them.
Hebrews 10:25 in the Message Bible tells us to encourage each other as we see the day approaching.
“Let’s see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching.”
So how do we stay firm in our relationship with God? We don’t let go of our salvation. John 15:4 in the Message Bible tells us to live in Jesus.
4 “Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you. In the same way that a branch can’t bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine, you can’t bear fruit unless you are joined with me.
We need to remain closely entwined with Jesus so that no matter what happens we can’t be separated from Him.
How then can we be part of preaching the gospel to the whole world? Jesus gave each of us a gifting and a calling.
Some of those might be:
- Teaching through podcasts, blogs, pulpits, youth ministry, children’s ministry, school.
- Financing the kingdom of God.
- Taking care of others like nursing, aged care.
- Encouraging others through counselling or meeting for coffee.
- Holding fundraisers for overseas ministries.
This is not an exhaustive list as the things Jesus has called us to do are many and varied. Some people have been given a 1 talent calling, some 5 talents and some 10 talents. The most important thing is not the value but how we multiply what we have been given.
Adam and Eve were given a multiplication calling and that hasn’t stopped. Every single person since has been given a calling to multiply- multiply for good not bad.
So the time is now? It could be time for you to become a Christian. It could be time for you to step out in your calling. It could be time for you to seek God so you remain in Him. It could be time for you to influence your world and trust God in ways you have never seen before.
This week ask God for His revelation for you of the time is now and then follow His leading. It is time for us to play our part and see all the people in this world won for Jesus. Will you join me?
Bless you and keep living the life God intended for you.
Karen
0 Comments