Thoughts on Hard Things

“For the Lord will not cast off for ever: But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies. For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.” Lamentations 3:31-33

In John chapter 11, there were people that were wondering why Jesus didn’t come right away and heal Lazarus. Sometimes we wonder why God lets things happen. Sometimes we wonder why we have to go through things. The Bible tells us it  wasn’t because Jesus didn’t love Martha, Mary, or Lazarus.  “Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.” (John 11.5)

My Dad once preached that if there was any other way to bring salvation, He wouldn’t have sent His Son to die on a cross. If we could get to Heaven by being good, He surely wouldn’t have sent Jesus. Sometimes there is no other way.

The Bible tells us that God is love (I John 4.8). It tells us that He doesn’t willingly cause us to hurt (Lam. 3.33). It seems  He wouldn’t choose these ways for no reason.

Lazarus’ sickness brought about belief in Jesus (John 11.15). It perhaps saved souls from eternal damnation. 

Although the goodness of God should lead men to repentance (Rom 2.4), (and it does), sometimes it doesn’t happen this way. The Lord said that there was a danger of the children of Israel going wrong and forgetting Him when they were in the land and  were full (Deut. 8.10-14).

Sometimes God withholds material blessings so that we will depend on Him and not on them.

Riches hinder people from coming to the Lord.“  . . .Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!” Mark 10:24

Proverbs 30:8-9 reads, “[G]ive me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.”

Pride stops men from calling on the Lord (Ps. 10.4). The Lord may do a lot of things in our lives so we won’t think higher of ourselves than we ought to, and turn away from the Lord.

“The Psalmist said, “Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.” (Ps. 119.67)  

 I Corinthians 16:14 tells us, “ Let all your things be done with charity.” God would not act contrary to His Word. And we can rest  assured, and be encouraged that all His dealings with His children are done with love.

I Peter 4:19 tells us, “Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.” 

Jeremiah 29:11 reads, “ For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” God bless.

Today is the Day

 

 

We have a hummingbird feeder hanging next to our sliding glass door on the back of our house, but  I never realized how territorial humming birds were until we put  the feeder there. They fight when another one gets too close to the feeder. And they make a bunch of noise when they are angry.  Recently I was washing the door, and the started acting angry at me. They kept hovering at a distance and made a whole bunch of noise because I was near their food.  I started talking to them after a while. I said, “Does it look like I’m going to eat that? Who do you think puts  the food here in the first place?”

I couldn’t help but thinking that everything that we have the Lord gave us. And how often do we start making a bunch of noise and griping when He gets too close to ”our personal stuff”? I actually enjoy feeding the birds, and I think the Lord my Maker must enjoy taking care of us.

 

The Lord said in the Psalms,

” For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof.

 Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?” Psalm 50:10-13

 

Don’t we  sometimes gripe when the Lord gets too close to our “personal” stuff? While a lot could be said of physical things, one thing I couldn’t get out of my head  this week that  the Lord us is time.

 

 This Lord made today.

The Bible tells us that God made today. Psalm 118:24 says, “This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” 

Now the Lord not only made today, but each day we wake up and are alive,  is a another day that the Lord gave us. Surely then He gave us time to spend with Him.

“When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek.” Psalm 27:8

But God wants us to spend our time on others!

I John 3:17 says, “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”

One thing He also told us to spend “our” time on is to spend time in prayer for others.

I Timothy 2:1-4 tells us,”I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”

Exodus 9:12 tells us, “And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had spoken unto Moses.”

Now does anyone who believes the Bible doubt that the LORD could and did hardened the heart of Pharaoh?

God can make men’s hearts soft as well as make them hard.
” For God maketh my heart soft…” Job 23:16
The Bible says, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.” Proverbs 21:1

The Lord  could change the hearts of the kings and rulers of the world in the days of Moses, and He can still do it today.

King Nebuchadnezzar proclaimed after God changed his heart, ”And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?” Daniel 4:34-35

The Lord can change the hearts of kings, and He can also change the hearts of those we love, and those we have been praying for years. This may seem incredible to us, but if we disagree we are disagreeing with what the Word of God says!

Sometimes we get so busy “serving the Lord,” that we are to busy to do what is needed.

“ But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:41-42

Mark 7:10-13 makes it clear that we can’t use serving the Lord or something deddicated to the Lord for an excuse of not taking care of our families, or caring for God’s people.

^”For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother . . . But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is . . .a gift. . . he shall be free.  And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition . . .” Mark 7:10-13

Caring for the Lord’s people is God’s work too!

The Lord  said to Peter,“. . .[S]trengthen thy brethren.” Luke 22:32

Galatians 5:13-14 tells us,“For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” Galatians 5:13-14

You have the poor always.

Jesus said, “ For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.” Mark 14:7

  I read this verse, and I have often wondered how it applies to my life. I thought that just as Jesus wasn’t going to always be around on this earth in His first visit, so the saints are not always going to be around on this earth.

If the Lord lays it on our heart to do something for someone, we ought to do it.The Bible teaches us that life is short. It teaches us that we don’t know that there is going to be tomorrow (Luke 12.20). It  teaches us that today is the day not to live for ourselves, and to spend time with the ones whom God has placed in our life.

“But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” Hebrews 3:13

Knowing this let us not pass over a chance to say I love you, by words or deeds.

“ My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.” I John 3:18

Today is the day.

God bless.

Thoughts on Knowing if Something is Right

I was just thinking about the importance of doing things on the right time and in God’s timing can determine if something is right or wrong. Sleep is good (Ps. 127.2). Choosing to sleep when you should be in Church is not good. Sleeping when the Lord wants you to pray is not good (Mark 14.37; 13.36-37).

We can’t always just determine what is right to do. One thing may be a good work, or good to do, but we might busy doing one thing, when it is the will of God that we do another.

We always need to pray and seek the Lord’s guidance to do His will.

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

The Lord told Israel to go up and claim the promised land. But they didn’t do what He said. Then they tried to do it when He said not to, and many were killed (Deut. 1.42-44).

Some things aren’t done in a day. Brick houses aren’t necessarily built in a day. We may need to prepare now, so that we can finish on time. 

“Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. . . .Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” James 4:14-17

We may be facing something else tomorrow and we may not have time to get things done. It may be raining tomorrow and we can’t pour concrete. We don’t know what the future holds.

The will of God  also isn’t always to do something.  Martha was busy doing when she needed to listen (Luke 10.41-42). Sometimes it is the will of God that we just stay still or rest. (Ex 20. 10; Exodus 14:13).

These have been just a few thoughts. God bless!

Thoughts on Timing and God’s Timing

I asked the Lord for something this week, and I got it. But, it happened in a funny way and it  just didn’t happen when I expected it would. That got me thinking about God’s timing.

What if for instance, on the night of a final exam you asked the Lord to give you a really good night’s sleep, and to wake up at 5:00 am feeling refreshed? And then later that weekend you got a really great night’s sleep, and woke up at 5:00 am feeling refreshed, but not the night of the final exam.

How would that make us feel? How does it make God feel when He asks us to do something and we show up late to do it? For some things timing doesn’t matter much. For other things, timing is everything. What would happen if the Lord were like us, and delayed in responding?

One thing we ought to thank and praise the Lord for is that He does things in the right time.

Jeremiah 5:24  reads, “Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the Lord our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest.”

One of the reasons the world has food to eat, is because the Lord gives us rain at just the right times. It doesn’t drown or dry out our crops.

And God’s timing is perfect timing. If God asks us to do something now, then there is no better time.

 In Mark chapter 14 the Lord asked His disciples to pray with Him. They fell asleep and they never got another opportunity to do that for their Saviour.

Some people in the Bible were very early, but too late.

In Luke 24:1-3 we read, “Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.

And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.” Luke 24:1-3

They were both very early, and too late. They wanted to do a good work for the Lord, but they were too late. Someone had  already beaten them to it (Mark 14:8). If God tells you to do something today, it might not  matter how early you get up tomorrow. You may be too late.

There is a season and a time for everything.

 Ecclesiastes 3:1 tells us, “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:”

We know that there are appropriate times to do things, and then there are times when it just isn’t right. Winter is not the time to go outside and sow seed. Maybe there are times when people’s hearts are more open than others. And if the Lord lays it on our heart to speak to them, we ought to do it.

 

That person may not have another day.

”But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?” Luke 12:20

 

Jesus warns us in His Word, ”Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:” Ephesians 4:25

We ought not to let the sun go down, nor let the day get away from us. We may never get another day to see someone again, to tell them we love them, or to tell someone about Jesus.

James 4:14 tells us, “Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.”

 

 

The Bible teaches us that we do not have all the time in the world.

”Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil. Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” James 4:13-17

Life is short. “The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away. . .So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” Psalm 90:10;12

Knowing how short life is, and how short we will have our loved ones, are all our disputes really worth it?

The Lord will give us help when we need it!

Who made this day? Psalm 118:24 tells us, “This is the day which the Lord hath made; . . .” If God made this day, then surely He made it with enough time to do what He wants us to do in it.

We sometimes may not have time, but God has time. The Lord  if He chooses can  make a day last a long time.  He has done it in the past for those that fear and serve Him.  (Joshua 10:13) And the Proverbs says that keeping His commandments , gives one not only long life, but also “length of days”. (Proverbs 3: 1-2; 16)

If we are trying to serve the Lord,  like He has for others He will surely make a way for us to do all that we need to.

 

These have been just a few thoughts.

God bless.

Today is the Day

 

 

We have a hummingbird feeder hanging next to our sliding glass door on the back of our house, but  I never realized how territorial humming birds were until we put  the feeder there. They fight when another one gets too close to the feeder. And they make a bunch of noise when they are angry.  Recently I was washing the door, and the started acting angry at me. They kept hovering at a distance and made a whole bunch of noise because I was near their food.  I started talking to them after a while. I said, “Does it look like I’m going to eat that? Who do you think puts  the food here in the first place?”

I couldn’t help but thinking that everything that we have the Lord gave us. And how often do we start making a bunch of noise and griping when He gets too close to ”our personal stuff”? I actually enjoy feeding the birds, and I think the Lord my Maker must enjoy taking care of us.

 

The Lord said in the Psalms,

” For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof.

 Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?” Psalm 50:10-13

 

Don’t we  sometimes gripe when the Lord gets too close to our “personal” stuff? While a lot could be said of physical things, one thing I couldn’t get out of my head  this week that  the Lord us is time.

 

 This Lord made today.

The Bible tells us that God made today. Psalm 118:24 says, “This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” 

Now the Lord not only made today, but each day we wake up and are alive,  is a another day that the Lord gave us. Surely then He gave us time to spend with Him.

“When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek.” Psalm 27:8

But God wants us to spend our time on others!

I John 3:17 says, “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”

One thing He also told us to spend “our” time on is to spend time in prayer for others.

I Timothy 2:1-4 tells us,”I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”

Exodus 9:12 tells us, “And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had spoken unto Moses.”

Now does anyone who believes the Bible doubt that the LORD could and did hardened the heart of Pharaoh?

God can make men’s hearts soft as well as make them hard.
” For God maketh my heart soft…” Job 23:16
The Bible says, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.” Proverbs 21:1

The Lord  could change the hearts of the kings and rulers of the world in the days of Moses, and He can still do it today.

King Nebuchadnezzar proclaimed after God changed his heart, ”And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?” Daniel 4:34-35

The Lord can change the hearts of kings, and He can also change the hearts of those we love, and those we have been praying for years. This may seem incredible to us, but if we disagree we are disagreeing with what the Word of God says!

Sometimes we get so busy “serving the Lord,” that we are to busy to do what is needed.

“ But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:41-42

Mark 7:10-13 makes it clear that we can’t use serving the Lord or something deddicated to the Lord for an excuse of not taking care of our families, or caring for God’s people.

^”For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother . . . But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is . . .a gift. . . he shall be free.  And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition . . .” Mark 7:10-13

Caring for the Lord’s people is God’s work too!

The Lord  said to Peter,“. . .[S]trengthen thy brethren.” Luke 22:32

Galatians 5:13-14 tells us,“For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” Galatians 5:13-14

You have the poor always.

Jesus said, “ For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.” Mark 14:7

  I read this verse, and I have often wondered how it applies to my life. I thought that just as Jesus wasn’t going to always be around on this earth in His first visit, so the saints are not always going to be around on this earth.

If the Lord lays it on our heart to do something for someone, we ought to do it.The Bible teaches us that life is short. It teaches us that we don’t know that there is going to be tomorrow (Luke 12.20). It  teaches us that today is the day not to live for ourselves, and to spend time with the ones whom God has placed in our life.

“But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” Hebrews 3:13

Knowing this let us not pass over a chance to say I love you, by words or deeds.

“ My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.” I John 3:18

Today is the day.

God bless.

Boast not Thyself of To Morrow

“Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.” Proverbs 27:1

To morrow you may meet the Lord!

“[J]oy cometh in the morning.” Psalm 30:5

“But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” Luke 12:20-21

Don’t count on to morrow!

“ Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.” Proverbs 6:6-11

Prepare and do what is important to day.

Jesus said, “For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always.” John 12:8

Jesus wasn’t at that time going to say around on this earth forever. And the people of God, the people we love, aren’t going to be around on this earth for ever either. We ought to do good to them while they are on this earth!

“Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it. Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee.” Proverbs 3:27-28

“Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” James 4:17

If you knew the Lord were coming to morrow, would you go out and by building materials and build a bigger Church building? Or would you be out witnessing for souls to be saved?

“ Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house.” Proverbs 24:27

 Take no thought.

 ^“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” Matthew 6:24-34

 

We cannot serve God and money (mammon). God knows what we need. Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. The morrow will take thought for the things of itself.

A Scripture for Today, June 20th, 2018

“The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing. ” Proverbs 20:4

Sometimes we may not have enough, because we waste what the Lord has given us. The Lord has given us many warnings telling us not to waste time.

 ^“Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” Ephesians 5:16

“So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. ” Psalms 90:12

”Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil. Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” James 4:13-17

There will Always be a Reason

There will always be a reason why we can’t serve the Lord. 

We will not always feel like it.

” I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.” Romans 7:21

“For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.” Galatians 5:17

It will not always be easy.

” Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.” II Timothy 3:12-13

” By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.” Hebrews 11:24-26

And if we don’t come up with a reason (Proverbs 26:16), the Devil surely will.
Mark 8:32-33

Satan always tries to get us to sin, whether it be doing what God has said not to, or discouraging us from doing what God has said to do.

There will always be a reason.

“And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.” Acts 24:25

God was calling Felix to repentance. The Bible never says, that a more convenient time came.

God said to one man,

” Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?” (Luke 12:20)

The Bible also says,

” …now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)” II Corinthians 6:2

We are not guaranteed tomorrow.

Why not serve Jesus today?

”  And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; …” Joshua 24:15

If we are going to serve the Lord, we are going to set in our minds to do it this day, and by God’s grace we shall!

”And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” Luke 9:23

A Little Later…

” Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.” Mark 13:33

God’s timing is perfect timing. If God asks us to do something now, then there is no better time.

Jesus asked Peter, James and John, to watch and pray with Him.

” Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Matthew 26:41

They fell asleep and never got another chance to pray with Jesus, and do something like that for Him.

The Bible teaches us that we do not have all the time in the world.

”Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil. Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” James 4:13-17

If we know to do something good, and don’t do it, it is a sin. We may never get another chance to do something like that for the Lord.
Destruction can come in one night.

”And it came to pass, that at midnight the Lord smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle.” Exodus 12:29
”But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?” Luke 12:20

Jesus warns us in His Word, ”Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:” Ephesians 4:25

We may never get another day to see someone again, to tell them we love them, or to tell someone about Jesus.

Judgment may come even within an hour!

” Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.” Revelation 18:10

 

We may never have another time!

”And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven, And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer:” Revelation 10:5-7

“(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)” II Corinthians 6:2

Jesus even said not to take thought for tomorrow.

”Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” Matthew 6:34

 ^“And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always…” Luke 21:34-36
Much can happen in one day.
”And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.” Luke 19:9

The Lord  if He chooses can  make a day last a long time .  He has done it in the past for those that fear and serve Him.  (Joshua 10:13) And the Proverbs says that keeping His commandments , gives one not  only long life, but also “length of days”. (Proverbs 3: 1-2; 16)

”But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” II Peter 3:8

Jesus doesn’t like waste…
“When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.” John 6:12

If you give your time to Jesus, He can do a lot with it. Jesus used five barley loaves and two small fishes that were  given to Him  to feed over 5,000 men. He can use just one day, to get much done. Even if you’ve wasted a lot of time, He can use what you have left.

But, what you have: use it.

He tells us that He is coming quickly!

“And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” Revelation 22:12

Don’t put it off until later. Serve Jesus now!

 

Luke 21:1-4 Luke 12:48

 

God is in Control

My rose bush in bloom this year:
It hadn’t bloomed in over a year and  I thought it was dead.  But God still was taking care of it and had plans for it. It actually bloomed twice this year. This just shows how we as mortal men don’t know the future, or what God has in store.

As I was reading my Psalms last night, the Lord just gave me peace, that He is in control, and He is in control of tomorrow. Today I  found this photo on my computer, and decided to share it.

“ And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 

And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” Matthew 6:28-34